The Lebanese Moslems Association is an Australian non-profit welfare organisation based in Lakemba

Lakemba, New South Wales

Lakemba is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lakemba is located 15 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury....

, a south-western suburb of Sydney. It is also variously cited as the Lebanese "Moslem", "Muslim" or "Muslims" Association.

The Association was founded between 1961 and 1962 as a community

Community

The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...

 project aiming to serve the "social, religious, recreational and educational" needs of Australian Muslims

Islam in Australia

Islam in Australia is a small minority religious grouping, but fourth largest after all forms of Christianity , irreligion and Buddhism , excluding 11.2% who failed to answer at the last census...

, and to advocate on their behalf in pursuit of these aims. The Association also owns and operates Lakemba Mosque

Lakemba Mosque

Lakemba Mosque, is one of the largest mosques in Australia. It is located in the suburb of Lakemba, New South Wales and is used mostly by Lebanese Australians. The construction of the mosque was completed in 1977...

, which is situated close to its head office and is the venue for most of its programs and events.

History

Lebanese

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 Muslims left the NSW Islamic Society in 1961 to form the Lebanese Muslim Association. The LMA was formally registered as an Australian Public Limited Company

Public limited company

A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....

 in 1973.

Membership

In 2002, the LMA had more than 1100 financial members, with more than 5000 members attending Friday congregational prayers and "over tens of thousands" (members and non-members) using the Association's facilities on festive occasions. Sheikh

Sheikh

Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...

 Taj El-Din Hilaly

Taj El-Din Hilaly

Sheikh Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly , is an Imam of the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney and an Australian Sunni Muslim leader. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils appointed him Mufti of Australia in 1988. His name is alternatively spelt Tajeddin Hilaly, Hilali, Al-Hilaly, Taj el-Din al-Hilali, Aldin...

, the former Mufti of Australia, is also linked to the LMA, being one of its clerical advisors and an Imam

Imam

An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...

 at Lakemba Mosque.

Public figure and spokesperson Keysar Trad

Keysar Trad

Keysar Trad is a spokesperson for a section of the Australian Muslim community.- Background :Trad was born in Lebanon and came to Australia at the age of thirteen under the Australian government's family reunion program. He met and married his wife, Hanifeh, when he was in his early twenties...

has been both vice-president and president in his time with the LMA. Its president since late 2006 has been Tom Zreika.