As concerns grow over the direction of Australian Muslims while the sick Sheikh Elhilali takes indefinite leave, the second most senior cleric at Lakemba Mosque, Yahya Safi, has been asked to head back to Sydney.
The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), which runs Lakemba Mosque, put in the plea to imam Safi as it called on all Muslims to remain calm amid the escalating tensions over Sheikh Elhilali's comments blaming women for sexual assault.
Australia's most senior Muslim cleric was released from Sydney's Canterbury Hospital this morning after collapsing with chest pains on Monday but is believed to have been transferred to a private hospital.
He asked for indefinite leave as calls came from within and outside the Muslim community for him to quit over his references to women and rape in a sermon at Lakemba last month.
While awaiting the return of imam Safi, sermons at the mosque have been given by the third ranked imam, Bassen Alameddine, with support from Shadi El Soulemian.
LMA president Tom Zreika rejected claims made by Muslim leader Fadi Rahmann in The Australian newspaper today that a power struggle would open the way for extremists to take over the mosque.
"Undoubtedly there's going to be a power struggle, but I don't think it will fall into their hands because they just don't have the numbers," Mr Zreika said.
"The moderates far outweigh the extremists. We shouldn't call them extremists anyway, they're just different strands of the religion."
Weekend rallies planned
Mr Zreika was also confident that rallies planned for this weekend in support of Sheikh Elhilali would not be hijacked by radical elements of the Islamic community and would be peaceful.
Thousands of Muslims have reportedly been mobilised for rallies on Saturday and Sunday at Lakemba via text messages and emails.
"We have told everyone, although we're not the organisers, please be calm, be patient, treat it as a day out, a picnic, have fun, he said.
"All we're trying to do is call for calm, we want to show that we are some way still in control and that the Australian public should rest assured they've got someone who's competent enough to address the issues."
NSW Police Minister John Watkins warned any potential troublemakers to stay away from the rallies and said violent behaviour would not be tolerated.
"Police will be there in numbers," he told reporters today.
"If there's anti-social or criminal behaviour they will take action. There is no place for a softly, softly approach here."
While some sections of the Muslim community have called for the position of mufti to be abolished, Mr Zreika said a meeting of NSW imams last night endorsed the role.
The controversy has also caused tension within the federal Liberal party.
Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, a persistent critic of the Howard government, angered the government yet again when he attacked its portrayal of Muslims in a speech at the Justice Awards in Sydney last night.
Mr Fraser said discrimination against Muslims had risen and too many Australians accepted the government's view that Muslims were different.
"Too many have taken the easy path and accepted the government's contention that Muslims aren't like us and therefore it doesn't matter if discrimination occurs," he said.
Mr Fraser said next year's federal election could be the 'Muslim election', just as the 2001 vote was influenced by the Tampa crisis and children overboard.