The Islamic
Society of
Toowoomba
has secured
a property
for
establishing
the first
Mosque in
Toowoomba.
The property
is situated
at 217-221
West St
(corner of
Stephan St)
Toowoomba
and is
located
about 5km
from the
University
of Southern
Queensland (USQ),
less than
1km from
Toowoomba
hospital and
within 2km
from the
city centre.
The total
land size of
the property
is 2765sqm.
The price is
AUD$900,000,
excluding
10% GST and
about $40k
stamp duty.
"The
existing
church fits
our current
needs for
the first
Mosque in
Toowoomba. I
believe this
is a rare
opportunity,
and we could
not afford
to miss it,"
Prof
Shahjahan
Khan, the
founding
president of
Islamic
Society of
Toowoomba
Inc., told
CCN.
"The Muslims
in Toowoomba
request you
to support
the fund
raising
drive
through your
donations
and active
involvement
and support,
" he added.
Among the
first
families
back in the
1930's to
receive
religious
education at
the Holland
Park Mosque,
was a young
lady named
Emma Harcoo.
Her father
brought his
children by
public
transport
from Hope
Island for
Quran
classes.
Ms Emma Khan
has always
had a close
attachment
to the
Holland Park
Mosque and
was among
the first
ladies to
clean up
after
functions
and ensure
the Mosque
was neat and
tidy. When
she had
children of
her own she
also brought
them to the
Mosque for
their
Islamic
education.
In the later
years of
their life,
Emma and her
husband, the
late Ali
Khan,
managed to
undertake
the
pilgrimage
to Mecca.
Ali Khan
passed away
in 1992 and
Emma was
cared for by
her
children.
Emma also
was amongst
the first
committee
members of
the Islamic
Women's
Association
of
Queensland (IWAQ)
and has been
a member
ever since.
Unfortunately
due to her
age and the
onset of
Parkinson
disease,
Emma now
resides in
the Blue
Care Nursing
Home in
Springwood.
"She misses
the contact
of her
Muslim
friends.
However, her
other needs
are well
cared for at
the Nursing
Home she
resides in,"
a friend of
the family
told CCN.
On Thursday,
14 March Ms
Janeth Deen
collected
Emma for a
surprise
afternoon
tea at IWAQ
with some of
the friends
she had made
there.
Janeth Deen
and Emma's
half sister
Bibi Ali
represented
the people
she
associated
with from
the Holland
Park Mosque
and let her
know that
she was one
of the
longest
living
original
members of
the Society.
The
president of
Muslims
Australia –
AFIC, Mr.
Hafez Kassem,
welcomed the
appointment
of Jorge
Mario
Bergoglio,
Pope Francis
as the 266th
pope.
This is a
significant
period for
Catholics
across the
globe and
especially
for
Catholics in
South
America as
the
conclave’s
choice of
pope is the
first
non–European
Pope since
the 8th
century.
Mr. Kassem
added: “As a
man of the
people, Pope
Francis will
bring to the
papacy
sensitivity
and a sense
of humility
that is
reflected in
the
teachings of
all faiths.
I
congratulate
his holiness
Pope Francis
and extend
my hand for
continued
cooperation
and
respectful
dialogue for
the
betterment
of
humanity”.
Also, Mr.
Kassem
especially
congratulated
Australian
Catholics on
this
milestone
appointment
of Pope
Francis and
looks
forward to
continued
engagement
with members
and leaders
of the
Catholic
faith.
Voting for
the first
phase of the
competition
ends on
Wednesday 20
March and
the
organizers
have hidden
the totals
for an
element of
surprise.
Runcorn’s
Raihaan Esat
is counting
on CCN
Readers for
support
which has,
so far, been
tremendous.
Your daily
vote in
these last
few days
will make
all the
difference.
Towards the
end of this
week, the
five
Queensland
finalists
will be
announced as
they face a
gruelling
coffee-making
contest in
front of
judges.
The winner
will be
crowned
Queensland
champion and
gets a shot
against the
country’s
best for
title of
“Australian
Champion.”
Thereafter
it is
against the
best in the
world to
determine
the “World
Barista
Champion”.
To vote for
Raihaan, log
on to
http://www.baristar.com.au/
then click
on “vote for
your
barista.”
This will
take you to
the page of
entrants.
Find his
profile and
click on his
vote box.
You are
allowed one
click per
day.
The Saudi
Arabian ambassador, Hassan Talat
NazerIt
says its a "long story" involving an administrative
mix-up and he was working to solve the problem.
It's been almost 3 years and Hassan Talat Nazzer has
not solved the problem but defending in court on the
basis of "Diplomatic Immunity" just demonstrates
that they do not want to pay for services provided
by the Islamic School to foreign Saudi students.
"The last possible thing to think about is money"
Hassan talat Nazzer says, but if it is not about
money then why are they spending thousands of
dollars to defend the case?
If the Saudi students were provided education should
they not honour the debt instead of spending money
to defend the case?
The barristers and solicitors will not wait for
three years to get paid.
Salaams
(name withheld)
Dear Editor
On behalf of the Australia Palestine Advocacy
Network (APAN), I take this opportunity to thank the
many readers of CCN who attended and supported the
APAN dinner last week in Brisbane. It was especially
pleasing that the full house was drawn from a very
diverse range of people.
Funds raised will greatly assist with important
advocacy work as part of our democratic process.
Part of the proceeds will also support an education
program for young children in a Palestinian refugee
camp.
Rise
of Bosnian mayor with a head scarf
challenging assumptions about Islam
The success of an Bosnian
official who wears an Islamic head covering
is raising questions about whether it is
truly a symbol of repression.
VISOKO, Bosnia and
Herzegovina — For years, Bosnian Muslims
embraced a form of religion so moderate that
many capped dinners during the holy month of
Ramadan with an alcoholic drink.
But the bloody war that pitted Muslims here
against their Serbian Orthodox and Croatian
Catholic neighbours tested the faith of one
of the few European countries where Islam is
the most common religion. It was once rare
to see public expressions of faith on the
street.
Now, more women are donning
head scarves — and one who does so just
became mayor of this small town in the
mountains of central Bosnia.
Students study
at a classroom in a religious school on the
outskirts of Visoko, Bosnia. Many reject the
idea that the hijab is a symbol of
repression. “When we cover our heads we say,
‘Okay, I’m a Muslim and I’m open,’ ” one
said.
Amra Babic’s election victory
in Visoko late last year made her the first
mayor in this war-scarred Balkan country,
and perhaps all of Europe, to wear the hijab.
Her rise in this river valley
town of 46,000 is making inroads for others
who have also taken up visible signs of
their religion.
And it is challenging
assumptions across Europe as societies
debate whether to reject as repressive the
Islamic practice of women covering
themselves or to embrace it in the spirit of
moderation.
France banned the niqab, or full-face
covering, two years ago. Turkey, which has
long put up barriers to observant women in
public life, recently eased restrictions on
wearing the hijab in public universities.
Other countries are debating their policies.
In Bosnia, an inland, rolling country of 3.8
million, Islam was introduced in 1463 by the
Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The
hijab has long been a part of the country’s
life, especially in rural areas such as
Visoko, but it dropped away during more than
40 years of communism. Practicing religion
openly in the officially atheist state meant
jeopardizing opportunities and jobs.
Many women cite their wartime experiences in
their decisions to return to the moderate
form of Islam that has defined religious
practice for centuries. Some say they felt
that Europe and the United States were slow
to come to their aid during the war because
of concerns over Islamic terrorism, and that
their only recourse was God.
Visoko’s mayor,
Amra Babic, talks to residents in the
streets of the town. An economist, she is
quickly making waves in her country for her
political acumen.
The war drew jihadists from
the Middle East, and there are still pockets
of violent religious extremism here.
But many Bosnian Muslims say
that the resurgence of moderate religious
practice is a counterbalance to the
ultraconservative forms practiced at the
periphery.
Babic, a trained economist, is quickly
making waves in her country for her
political acumen. In the short time since
she took over the town hall in the middle of
November, she has earned a reputation as a
tough administrator.
Even jaded observers of
Bosnia’s deeply divided political system
hold out hope that she could help overcome
years of government turmoil that have put
the country far behind its rivals, Serbia
and Croatia, which are both on a path to
joining the European Union.
“I am European, I am Muslim. This is my
identity,” she said. The hijab “is what you
see on the outside. But the strength is
what’s inside, not to do bad deeds. To live
my life in honesty, and not to speak the
language of hate.”
Forget fictional
characters. True stories featuring inspiring
characters are all around us.
Amenakin introduces us to one.
She’s sassy. She’s outspoken.
She’s opinionated.
And she wears the hijab.
Heather Sandouga is one of those women who
constantly defy the stereotype of the
so-called ‘oppressed’ Muslim woman – an
image we have all grown to expect from
mainstream media. Of course, like most
Muslim women, Heather doesn’t live her
day-to-day life for the purpose of
deliberately dispelling misconceptions; her
blog posts, YouTube videos and social media
content do this effortlessly.
Heather’s highest-viewed YouTube video is
titled Why I Chose Islam. It is a sincere
account of her life prior to reverting to
Islam, and the brief snippets of information
that she gives about this time – of her
teenage pregnancy and decision to give the
baby up for adoption – give the sense of a
woman who has persevered through much
difficulty and heartache. But Heather’s
story isn’t told with a tone of pity or of
sorrow or even regret. Instead, she takes
the past in her stride and appears to have
strengthened her soul with it.
Alongside her YouTube channel, Heather also
manages her blog, Delusional Mom, which she
regularly updates. It is one of my favourite
blogs and always manages to make me laugh,
nod in agreement, or feel inspired. Her
posts are personable and witty, with a
‘Delusional Mom’ writing style and tone that
has readers hooked. From her musings on
everyday life events to her son Adam’s
hilarious antics, Heather covers topics
realistically and candidly. She’s a mum, a
writer and a daycare provider, juggling
enough to warrant a ‘Supermum’ title!
My mother in
law manages
to keep her
heart
bursting
with Islam
day in and
day out –
teaching my
kids Qur’an
as she cooks
and cleans
I ask Heather (an inspiring woman herself)
who inspires her in her day-to-day life. To
me, the most beautiful part of her response
is that the first person she mentions is
someone who inspires love for her faith:
‘My mother in law,’ she says, ‘manages to
keep her heart bursting with Islam day in
and day out – teaching my kids Qur’an as she
cooks and cleans.’ Then, in her own,
endearing story-telling style, she mentions
others:
‘I could then move on to my own mother, who
is able to take what most people would
consider junk and turn it into something of
beauty. Her ability to look beyond the
rusted and dusty exteriors of people, places
and things – to see their beautiful
possibilities – is something I strive for.’
After mentioning her close friends, Heather
next moves on to a point that brings a smile
to my face as I read her heart-warming
words:
Finally,
there’s my
husband. He
is my rock,
my pillar of
strength
when I most
need it.
Without him,
I don’t know
where I
would be.
Those long
days of
Ramadan when
I just want
to zone out
and watch
some TV,
I’ll come
into my
living room
and see him
quietly
reading
Qur’an –
inspiring me
to do the
same. Or
when I hear
him wake in
the early
morning
hours to
offer his
Fajr prayer,
inspiring me
to do the
same. His
devotion to
his family
is
infallible –
and I admire
that. Being
with him
makes me a
better
person.
‘Of course, there are my
children. Those I’ve born of my own body and
those I take care of daily. They inspire me
with the everlasting wonder of a child at
seeing the dew in the morning or watching a
butterfly as it flutters past. My daughter,
who’s becoming more and more of a woman
every day, reminds me that I am her example
and to live my life accordingly. My middle
son, who has a quiet presence, reminds me to
take a moment to just be and not be
constantly on the run. And who could forget
my Adam! This child reminds me daily that no
amount of planning really matters in the
end. The excitement, the energy, the pure
curiosity that lives in this child gives me
ample inspiration for my blog.
‘Finally, there’s my husband. He is my rock,
my pillar of strength when I most need it.
Without him, I don’t know where I would be.
Those long days of Ramadan when I just want
to zone out and watch some TV, I’ll come
into my living room and see him quietly
reading Qur’an – inspiring me to do the
same. Or when I hear him wake in the early
morning hours to offer his Fajr prayer,
inspiring me to do the same. His devotion to
his family is infallible – and I admire
that. Being with him makes me a better
person.’
Whilst it’s always a joy to be moved by
characters in books, often we find
individuals who are just as inspiring (if
not more) in our real lives.
Using the
book club you can see what books fellow CCN readers
have on their shelves, what they are reading and
even what they, and others, think of them.
KB says: Another
incredibly delicious recipe from Safia Casoojee
- making it an unprecedented two guest chef
appearances in two successive weeks. This time
it's a gateau that turned out perfectly soft and
moist so much so that it literally melted in
your mouth at every spoonful.
Strawberry
Gateau
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla essence
3 tsp. baking powder
½ cup water (boiled)
¾ cup castor sugar
1¼ cup flour
Pinch of salt
½ cup oil
Method
1. Boil water and mix in oil and keep aside.
2. Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt twice.
4. Add flour to the egg mixture alternating it
with the water mixture while beating.
5. Lastly add vanilla essence.
6. Place mixture in 2 round tins and bake at
180degrees until light brown.
7. Remove from the oven allow it to cool.
8. Slice each round into 2 making it a 4 layer
cake.
9. Sandwich all the layers with fresh cream and
cut strawberries and decorate the top layer with
strawberries and toasted coconut or a topping of
your choice.
Q: Dear Kareema, I’ve lost a lot of weight over
the last few months but now my struggle is to keep it
off. Please help by giving me some ideas on staying
slim..
A: These are some of the stay-slim habits I try
to get my clients to embrace and adhere to in order to
maintain a healthy weight
range.
• Controlled portion sizes – A healthy weight is about
balancing your kilojoule intake with your kilojoule
expenditure. A common ‘mistake’ is to eat when you’re
not even hungry and consuming more kilojoules in a day
than you need.
• Eat fruit and vegies – They have few kilojoules and
contain important vitamins and minerals and are a good
source of fibre.
• Choose whole grains over wholemeal.
• Limit fat intake – Eating too much of any type of fat,
saturated or otherwise is not good for you.
• Eat at home – Cooking at home allows you to have total
control of ingredients for your meals. Plan ahead and
shop for fresh ingredients.
• Exercise regularly – Being consistent is key. Mix up
aerobic and weight training exercises to build strong
muscles. The older we get, the more important it is to
build muscle.
Jalallaludin wants to get his beautiful wife, Tun Tun,
something nice for their first wedding anniversary.
So he decides to buy her a mobile phone.
Tun Tun is excited, she loves her phone.
Jalallaludin
shows her and explains to her all the different and
varied features on the phone.
The next day Tun Tun goes shopping in the local
supermarket.
Her phone rings and it's her husband, "Salaams, Tun Tun,
"he says, "how do you like your new phone?"
Tun Tun replies, "I just love it, it's so small and
light and your voice is clear as a bell, but there's one
feature that I really don't understand though."
"What's that, my dear Tun Tun?" asks
Jalallaludin .
KNOWLEDGE SEEKERS CLASS Venue: Algester Mosque When: Every Tuesday Morning Time: 9:30am to 11am Teacher: Imam Aslam Al Qadri 1st topic: Understanding Hijab and it's significance
in Islam/ Implementing the sunnah in everyday life, eg the
sunnah of eating, sleeping, interaction with people socially
etc etc.......
For any further information please contact me on 0433552409
or ladies can contact Shakira Ayoob on 0449800205.
Seeker's Circle
Kuraby Mosque Tafseer &
Taalim
Tuesday tafseer and taleem classes at Kuraby Mosque every Tuesday
11am - 12.30pm
Bald Hills Mosque Weekly Tafseer
The weekly program schedule is as follows:
Mondays: Tafseer
Wednesdays: Tafseer
The above lessons will start at 7:30 pm and will go for
approximately 1/2 an hour each day.
All brothers and sisters are welcome.
Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community
Consultative Group
Australian Muslim Youth
Network (AMYN)
Find out about the
latest events, outings,
fun-days, soccer
tournaments, BBQs organised
by AMYN. Network with other
young Muslims on the
AMYN Forum
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the Crescents of Brisbane Team, CCN,
its Editor or its Sponsors, particularly if they eventually
turn out to be libellous, unfounded, objectionable,
obnoxious, offensive, slanderous and/or downright
distasteful.
It is the usual policy of CCN to
include from time to time, notices of events that some
readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are
often posted as received. Including such messages or
providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement of the contents of these events by either
CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.
The best ideas
and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
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7
August 2011