"There's been a huge backlash, even though he is partially right," said Keysar Trad, president of the Islamic Friendship Association.

Mufti Sheikh Fehmi Naji el-Imam has proposed that men, children and women should be allowed to pray in the same hall, though in separate lines.

He insists that his proposal is a return to what used to happened during the days of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).

El-Imam insists that segregated worship had been introduced long ago, based on cultural rather than religious ground.

"No imams should stop women coming into the mosque to pray, but the practice should be exactly as it was in the Prophet's time, no more, no less."

His proposal, which was announced 10 days ago, has drawn criticism from some Muslims.

Trad argues that women usually had less space in mosques because men had to attend five times a day to pray in congregation and this does not apply to women. 

He added that a quartet comprising him, Australian National Imams' Council Chairman Abdul Moez Alnafti and two other senior scholars was formed to confront the proposal.

"I do not agree with him," Dr Saleem Alwan Al Hasani, the mufti of Darul Fatwa (High Islamic Council of Australia), has said about the proposal.

"I believe what Sheikh Fehmi said was his own opinion and not the views of the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah, who adheres to the ways of the Prophet."

Ignorance

"Some people have misunderstood and talked as if I said women should be side by side with men," said el-Imam.

Mufti El-Imam blames criticism of his proposal on misunderstanding.

"Some people have misunderstood and talked as if I said women should be side by side with men.

"But that wasn't the practice of the Prophet. Women came to pray, but formed their own line," he clarified.

He regretted that some Muslims have reacted even before getting a full knowledge of his proposal.

"People should not be starting trouble without knowing what has been said and what is going to be done.

"Anyone who wants to know what we intend can ask us, and we will tell them about it."

Ikebal Patel, the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, has thrown his weight behind the mufti.

He said the growing Muslim population, estimated to make up 1.5 percent of Australia's 20-million population, is facing difficulties in building new mosques over local opposition.

Patel noted that this makes women's accommodation in overcrowded mosques sometimes substandard.