The president of the Australian National Imams Council is suing News Corp for defamation for articles describing him as a hate preacher who “preaches hatred of homosexuals, women and other minorities”.

In a writ filed with the federal court on Wednesday, Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman said he had been “brought into hatred, ridicule, and contempt” by the articles, which “gravely injured his character and reputation” and caused him hurt and embarrassment.

The writ was lodged against Nationwide News, publisher of the Daily Telegraph and the Courier Mail.

It mentions three articles that were published after the Iftar dinner the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, hosted at Kirribilli House to break the Ramadan fast on 16 June 2016, and in the same week as the Orlando nightclub massacre.

Alsuleiman was invited to the Kirribilli dinner in his position as president of the Australian National Imams Council, an invitation Turnbull later said he regretted after being told of homophobic sermons delivered by Alsuleiman.

Lawyers for Alsuleiman have alleged that articles published by News Corp about the incident defamed the 39-year-old.

They include an online article that ran on several News Corp websites on 16 June titled “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull dines with hate preacher”, which detailed comments Alsuleiman had made in video sermons about gay people and women; a column by Peta Credlin in the Daily Telegraph on 19 June 2016 called “Islam threat ignored with gay abandon”; and a column by David Penberthy published in the Courier Mail on the same date, titled “Plateful of hate on the menu”.

The statement of claim filed by Alsuleiman alleged that the Daily Telegraph article defamed him by suggesting he “preaches hatred of homosexuals, women and other minorities”, “holds repugnant views about homosexuals, women and other minorities”, and should resign his leadership of the national Imam council because of those views.

It alleged that the Courier Mail article defamed him by suggesting he “preaches hatred of homosexuals, women, and people who have sex outside marriage”, “advocates and espouses despicable views, namely that women should hang by their breasts in hell if they dare to look at men, that adulterers should be stoned to death, and that homosexuality is a crime for which AIDS is a divine punishment”, is “a barbaric troglodyte,” and “incites violence against women”.

It alleged the online article published on 16 June 2016, cast similar aspersions.

In a media statement released under the letterhead of the Australian National Imams Council, Alsuleiman said he was “disappointed by Nationwide News’ repeated attempts to maliciously defame him”.

“In the circumstances, the Sheikh has been left with no option but to commence civil proceedings against Nationwide News for damages arising from the publication of the articles,” it said. “It is hoped that with such action, the culture of blameless, inaccurate and damaging reporting within Nationwide News and News Corp will begin to change.”

A spokeswoman from Nationwide News said the organisation had no comment to make at this stage.