Popular Islamic scholar and speaker Mizanur Rahman Azhari has rejected recent media reports suggesting that his statements led to the cancellation of his Australian visa and forced him to leave the country mid-visit.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon, Azhari described the reports as false and misleading. He said he had been in Australia for five days at the invitation of the local Muslim community.
“The reports circulating about visa cancellation are based on a foreign news article that has been misinterpreted. It is completely untrue that any recent statements of mine led to the visa cancellation, as I have not delivered any speeches in Australia so far. This can be easily verified by journalist friends,” he wrote.
Azhari acknowledged that speakers visiting different countries often face pressure or influence.
“In my case, certain vested-interest groups and secularist factions deliberately presented old and isolated statements out of context, which influenced administrative decisions. A similar incident occurred in the UK a few years ago, based on the same video,” he added.
He emphasised his commitment to communal harmony and peaceful coexistence, noting that this has been evident in many of his discussions and lectures.
Separately, the British media outlet, the Daily Mail, reported that the visa action was linked to allegations of anti-Semitic remarks and controversial statements about Adolf Hitler. Australian authorities have warned that his speeches could inflame religious tensions and promote extremist views.
