Greens leader Richard Di Natale and his party organised a dinner featuring a hardline Islamic preacher who opposes anti-terror laws and supports Sharia law.

Sunni preacher Sheikh Mustapha Sarakibi was a keynote speaker at Sunday night's Iftar dinner in Melbourne to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan.

Last year, the Sunni religious leader described belief in and knowledge of Sharia law as a key feature of being a Muslim and has previously signed a petition opposing proposed anti-terror laws.

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Greens leader Richard Di Natale (centre) with Sunni preacher Sheikh Mustapha Sarakibi and fellow Greens senator Janet Rice

Sheikh Mustapha Sarakibi delivered a sermon last year which said Muslims needed to understand and believe in Sharia law

'Remember that there are two things that a believer needs to hold on to firmly – two main things,' he said.

'They need to have the belief, the belief in the Shariah of Allah.

'They need to have the belief in the knowledge of it.'

Sheikh Sarakibi in 2014 signed a petition, alongside Islamist extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, opposing then prime minister Tony Abbott's proposed anti-terror laws.

The Abbott government had proposed making Australians returning from terror hot spots, like Iraq and Syria, declare that they had been there for a legitimate travel purpose.

Sheikh Sarakibi told a Sunni fundementalist conference in 2012 a tax on non-Muslims was fair

Sheikh Sarakibi signed a petition in August 2014 opposing Tony Abbott's anti-terror laws

Islamist extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir also signed the petition opposing the Abbott government's terror crackdown

The Sunni sheikh from Melbourne opposed the plan to target Australians returning from terror hot spots like Iraq and Syria

'These laws clearly target Muslims and they do so unjustly,' the petition said.

'Whilst the language of the law is neutral, it is no secret that in practice these laws specifically target Muslims.'

The petition argued the prospect of 'radicalised' Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria was a 'trumped up threat'.

'There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat. Rather, racist caricatures of Muslims as backwards, prone to violence and inherently problematic are being exploited,' it said.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale organised the Ramadan dinner in Melbourne for Muslims

In 2012, Sheikh Sarakibi was a key speaker at a conference organised by the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association, whose preachers in Sydney tell followers it is sinful to befriend non-Muslims or attend non-Islamic events like the Easter show.

Sheikh Sarakibi told the 11th Annual Islamic Dawah Conference in Melbourne a tax on non-Muslims was fair, despite the fact it was historically used in Islamic societies in the Middle East to persecute Jews and Christians.

'As we know, jizya is like a tax that is imposed upon the disbelievers under the Islamic State under Islamic law,' he said.

'So disbelievers, they pay the jizya and they get all their rights.

The Greens organised the Iftar dinner in Melbourne to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan

The Islamic Council of Victoria credited Greens leader Richard Di Natale for organising the Ramadan dinner

'So pay their jizya and they are protected by the Muslim armies.'

The Islamic Council of Victoria credited Senator Di Natale for organising the event, which he attended with his Victorian Senate colleague Janet Rice, whose marital partner is transgender.

'The show of solidarity and support shown by the Greens in the month of Ramadan for Muslims has been truly heart-warming and is greatly appreciated,' they said.

'ICV and members of the Victorian Muslim community attended the Iftar organised by Senator Richard Di Natale and the Greens at the Coburg Town Hall.'

The Greens support gay marriage, a concept which is anathema to Muslim fundamentalists who regard homosexuality as a sin.

The offence is punishable by death under Sharia law, an Islamic legal system which secular Muslims reject.