Imam Uzii Akbar loves golf and soccer, but his favourite sportsman is cricketer David Hussey.
He's also partial to a plate of steak and chips.
But it is his day job that puts Uzii Akbar in the frontline of one of contemporary Australia's most exhausting positions.
Uzii Akhar is the Imaan of the Islamic Council of Holland Park, which is based around the 108-year-old Islamic mosque in Brisbane's inner-south.
The Imam is the leader of the Muslim community.
And this week, Imaan Akbar's job leading a Muslim congregation under the tense gaze of a questioning Australia after the most extensive terrorism raids Australia has ever seen, has been a very hard one.
On Friday afternoon, however, Imam Akbar welcomed 200 people inside the mosque on Nursery Road for an hour-long open session.
Inside, the domed building's green-carpeted prayer room was crowded with curious local residents. Some wore headscarfs, some headwear out of respect. All had questions.
Imam Akbar was surprised at the turnout and at the warm applause he received.
"I think this was very productive and very constructive and I believe it will grow in size and the message will be related to the wider community," he said.
Imam Akbar has been at the Holland Park mosque for 18 years, arriving in Australia in 1996.
"I was born in England, studied in Pakistan for 14 years and then studied in Australia," he said.
As an Imam, he has memorised Islam's Koran – known the Quran – and can recite it from cover to cover.
Imam Akbar explained the Muslim religion and the aspects of the Holland Park mosque to those who gathered there on Friday.
He was joined by Ali Kadri, the general secretary of the Islamic Council of Holland Park Islamic community.
Mr Kadri said Muslims were willing to take responsibility for ignorance in their community and requested the wider Australian community learn more about Islam.
"As the Muslim community we are willing to take charge for our radicals, for our ignorance," Mr Kadri said.
Yet, he said there were steps both Muslims and non-Muslims could take to ease the tensions in the community.
"I see a bridge between us," he said.
"On the Muslim side of the bridge there are extremists sitting, not letting us get through," he said.
"And on the other side there are ignorant people sitting not letting us get through.
"We need to remove them and take the bridge, walk over and be one."
Mr Kadri said extremists had victimised Islam in using it as justification for their violent acts.
"Islam is innocent, if anything Islam is the biggest victim of the crime committed in the name of Islam," he said.
He said the religion had to be separated from acts of atrocity.
"Islam is innocent of the crime committed by Muslims in the same way that Christianity is innocent of the crimes committed by Christians," he said.
"We should not connect the religion to the crimes committed by the people committing those crimes."
His comments were received with loud applause.
Mr Kadri said extremists had broken connections with their mosques.
"They go and open up a centre and sit on a computer and look at YouTube where a prolific speaker with views that they want to project, connects with them," he said.
"Especially with the people who feel disenfranchised, marginalised."
He said the lack of commitment to Muslim teachings was one cause of the problems Islam was now facing.
"They are reading the same book, but they are not reading it properly and they are not presenting it properly."
Mr Kadri was challenged by a young woman who said she had been abused by young Muslims.
Mr Kadri said incidents like that must be reported to the police and to the Imaans.
"If somebody wants to stand against one innocent Australian, they will have to go through me to do that, regardless of their faith," he said.
"When Imam talks about this country and the safety of this country, if any Muslim has any idea in their head of threatening the safety and security of this country – which is a peaceful country – and its people, we will stand by Australians."
The 200 people who turned up at the Holland Park mosque on Friday could have well been part of history, with the suggestion of holding a Queensland-wide Mosque Day also receiving loud applause.
The weekend after September 11 – when thousands of people died in the name of Islam – is now being considered one option for a Queensland Mosque Day.
"Where all the mosques can open for one weekend – in the third weekend in September preferably, because September is connected with a very sad event where 3000 poor souls were killed in the name of Islam unfortunately," Mr Kadri said.
He also suggested the week after September 11 become a week of discussion.
Mr Kadri asked the visitors gathered at the Holland Park mosque, including Arts Minister Ian Walker, their view and received positive applause.
"I think we should start here. We are the pioneers of communal harmony and we should start it from here and let the world learn how to live in peace in harmony," he said.
Friday's crowd also included Greenslopes MP Ian Kaye and Brisbane councillor Krista Adams.
