(l to r) Ali Ghafoor, Yaseen
Sarfudin,
Tahir Abdool
Gaffoor,
David Forde,
Shane
Johnson and
Mustafa Ally
on their way
to the
finish. Nabil
Casoojee and
Hamid Kassim
were the
other two
members of
the teams.
Two teams of
four (DATSIMA
and COB2014)
started out
on the
100km Oxfam
charity
trailwalker
from Mt
Glorious to
Mt Coot-tha
on
Friday 20
June
The
gruelling
and bruising
rugged
terrain was
covered in
33 hours by
the two
teams
through the
day and
night,
ending
yesterday
(Saturday)
evening at
Mt Coot-tha's
JC Slaughter
Falls rather
worse for
wear.
In addition
to already
raising
$3000 for
Oxfam, one
of the
outcomes
from the
participation
of these two
teams is to
raise funds
for a six
month
sustainable
development
Vocation
Education
and Training
project, for
45 displaced
women in the Babussalam
Refugee
Camp, Syria.
A
spokesperson
for the
teams
thanked the
many who
have already
donated to
the cause as
well as
their
support
crews of
Bilal and
Taufan, and
Nazima and
Riyaad.
If you would
like to
donate to
the project
in Syria,
please
consider
donating:
$20 or $50
or $100 or
any other
amount (big
or small).
Bank
Transfer:
AccountName:
Muslim
Charitable
Foundation
Bank:
Bank of
Queensland BSBNumber:
124155
AccountNumber:
20897392 For
reference:
Trail/Your
name (and
the letters
'RR' if you
require a
tax receipt)
FROM just
six years of
age, Madina
Inayat
(Yeronga
State High
School Year
11 student)
helped
support her
family
financially
by making
carpets in
Pakistan.
The
experience
has made the
teenager
passionate
about
education
and helping
others.
Ms Inayat,
now living
in
Woolloongabba,
had moved
from
Afghanistan
to Pakistan
with her
mother and
seven of her
siblings at
the age of
four after
her father
died.
“There were
more options
for working
... and we
(knew) some
people in
Pakistan,”
she said.
Ms Inayat,
19, said
while living
in Pakistan
she had to
choose
between
going to
school and
supporting
her family,
so she and
her siblings
worked.
“You don’t
want someone
else to be
feeding your
family,
right? So we
were making
carpets and
rugs,” she
said.
“You could
have an
education or
support my
family. If
one of us
didn’t work,
we couldn’t
support our
family.”
Ms Inayat
said it made
her
appreciate
education
and
volunteering.
“Here I get
the
opportunity
to get my
education
and I’m
really
passionate
about it, I
love
education,”
she said.
“I like
helping and
volunteering.”
Since
arriving in
Australia
almost three
years ago as
a permanent
resident, Ms
Inayat, who
speaks seven
languages,
went to
Milpera
State High
School,
where she
learnt
English, and
she is now
in Year 11
at Yeronga
State High
School.
Ms Inayat
was recently
awarded a
Zonta
International
Young Women
in Public
Affairs
award for
her
commitment
to
volunteering.
Yeronga
State High
School
special
education
services
head Jessica
Walker said
Ms Inayat
was an
inspirational
young woman.
“Madina was
a good
choice for
the Award
because she
certainly
fits the
criteria of
being
dedicated to
the
advancement
of the
status of
women,” she
said.
“She is
generous in
giving her
time in a
variety of
community
events that
champion
women’s
rights.
“And she is
a wonderful
role model
for other
young women
through
speaking up
about the
inequality
she sees and
setting a
path forward
to change
people’s
perceptions
about the
importance
of women
throughout
the world.”
Ms Inayat
volunteers
for the
Queensland
Program of
Assistance
for
Survivors of
Torture and
Trauma:working
with Youth
Voice
Brisbane,
running
events,
including
preventing
racism and
bullying.
She also
helps
organise
events
through the
Multicultural
Development
Association,
helps new
migrants at
Milpera
State High
School and
also at
Yeronga
State High
School.
Jadzia
Clifford-Pugh
a Venturer
Scout of 2nd
Toowoomba
Scout Group
has been
chosen to be
fully
sponsored to
attend the
World Scout
Jamboree in
Kirara-hama,
Yamaguchi
City, Japan
in 2015.
Jadzia was
one of two
Venturer
Scouts in
Queensland
to be fully
funded to
attend the
event.
She was
chosen by
Darling
Downs
District as
a
representative
of both
Queensland
and the
Darling
Downs.
The Darling
Downs
Regional
Commissioner
Michael
Brown said
that Jadzia
was chosen
from a
number of
other
Venturer as
she embodies
the spirit
of Scouting
and is a
good example
to others. T
he process
included a
number of
Darling
Downs
Commissioners
placing in
nominations
and
discussing
who would be
the best
representative.
Jadzia shone
through with
her
personality
and
leadership
making her
the obvious
choice.
Mr Brown
noted that
none of the
candidates
were
nominated,
the funding
became
available
and we were
asked by the
Queensland
Branch
Commissioner
to choose
who would be
the best
person to
send.
The World
Scout
Jamboree and
tour of
Japan is
from the
18th July to
the 13th
August 2015.
VICTORIA:
Victorian
council has
approved the
construction
of a $3
million
mosque in
the regional
centre of
Bendigo
despite
fierce
opposition
from local
residents.
More than
200
protestors
packed a
City of
Greater
Bendigo
meeting on
Wednesday
night,
heckling
councillors,
and calling
on them to
reject the
plans.
The proposal
for the $3
million
mosque,
which
includes two
prayer
rooms, a
shop and a
community
sports hall,
received
more than
400 letters
of
objection,
with more
than half of
them based
on religious
grounds.
Bendigo
Councillor
Elise
Chapman says
many
residents
are worried
about an
"influx" of
Muslims in
their area.
"This isn't
about
racism. This
isn't about
bigotry.
It's genuine
concern,"
she told SBS.
Council
documents
show the
majority of
complaints
related to
concerns
over the
influence of
Islam,
citing the
threat of
terrorism,
the
introduction
of Sharia
and the
dilution of
"Christian
values".
But Ms
Chapman says
safety
concerns
were among
the
objections,
citing a
2011 case
that came
before the
Melbourne
County Court
in which a
young woman
was raped by
a group of
young men at
Flora Hill.
“I've
received
numerous
pleas from
women about
their
safety. The
people are
concerned,”
she said.
A campaign
on Facebook
to "stop the
Mosque in
Bendigo" has
so far
attracted
more than
7,000 likes.
The page
features
photographs
of the
Bendigo
councillors
who approved
the plans,
labelling
them
"traitors".
"We are all
brainwashed
and told how
great
multiculturalism
is. We are
told it
creates
diversity…
[but]
multiculturalism
further
divides
people”, one
commenter
writes.
"Islam will
bring forced
marriages,
acid attacks
on women,
bashings of
local white
men, loss of
local jobs
to Muslim
refugees. It
will create
a shortage
of housing
for locals …
and unwanted
competition
securing a
rental
property."
The project
also
received
about 40
letters of
support.
Bendigo
Mayor Barry
Lyons said
in a
statement
there are
many
conditions
on the
permit to
ensure the
impact on
neighbours
was
acceptable.
"Now a
decision has
been made,
the
applicants
can move
forward with
the next
stage in the
development
process," Mr
Lyons said.
Councillors
voted seven
to two to
support the
$3 million
development,
which is
funded by
the
Australian
Islamic
Mission. The
mosque would
offer two
prayer
halls, a
minaret and
a sports
facility.
Opponents
say they’re
now
preparing to
go to the
Victorian
Civil and
Administrative
Tribunal (VCAT)
to fight the
plans.
Many are
angry at
what they
call a lack
of community
consultation.
Previously
the council
had said
there were
circumstances
in which
consultation
does not
occur, for
example when
"it is not
possible to
hold a
reasonable
conversation
between the
parties
involved".
Director of
Planning and
Development
for the City
of Greater
Bendigo,
Prue
Mansfield,
says
community
opposition
to this kind
of project
was not
uncommon.
"As usual,
with
developments
of major
activity
centres like
churches
people are
concerned
about
parking,
they're
concerned
about
traffic and
how people
will get to
the site."
Dr Seyed
Sheriffdeen,
from the
Australian
Islamic
Mission,
says the
mosque is
needed.
"When we
build a
mosque or
church, we
build a
bigger venue
where it can
cater
funerals,
weddings,
and
community
gatherings …
There are
churches
that have
space for
500 or 1000
people but
maybe five
people end
up going to
mass every
week. So a
similar
thing
applies to
other places
of worship.
And when we
build a
venue, we
make sure it
caters for
future
needs."
SBS aired
the first of
a four-part
documentary
entitled
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl,
which was
pulled from
its schedule
earlier this
year
following
revelations
that one of
its
participants
has
exaggerated
his story
about
incarceration.
The
documentary
on the
Lebanese
community
premiered on
Thursday at
8.30pm.
Tony Iffland,
SBS Director
of TV said:
“Through
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl we
want to
contribute
to the
national
discourse
about what
it means to
be
Australian
today and
hope that
these
stories
shine a
light on a
community
that is
resilient
and a rich
part of
Australia’s
diverse
multicultural
story.
“SBS has a
30 year
history of
presenting
national and
international
award-winning
documentary
programming
and we
believe that
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl is
a series
that tells a
compelling
narrative
about the
settlement
of the
Lebanese
community in
Australia in
the 1970’s
and their
journey in
multicultural
Australia.
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl
gives people
whose
account has
never been
heard a
place to
tell their
story about
what it
means to
them to be
Australian.”
This is the
untold story
of how the
Lebanese
community
overcame the
odds and
found their
place in
multicultural
Australia.
This is a
community
that has
been
besieged by
events
beyond their
control. But
they have
emerged
stronger
than ever
with a
resilience
and strength
that will
carry them
into the
future. It
is the story
of how the
Lebanese
community
overcame the
odds and
found its
place in
multicultural
Australia.
This
four-part
documentary
series hears
from
community
leaders,
police,
families and
individuals,
as they
combine to
tell the
compelling
and dramatic
story of a
proud and
resilient
community,
under
intense
pressure and
scrutiny.
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl
begins in
the 1970s
when large
numbers of
Lebanese
migrants
flooded into
Australia.
Many were
traumatised
by civil
war; all
were
desperate to
build a
better
future. Over
the coming
decades,
these new
Australians
struggled to
establish a
life in
their
adopted
country.
Domestic and
global
events were
against
them. The
Gulf War,
September 11
and the Bali
bombings,
all
alienated
them from
some of
their fellow
Australians.
The
traditional
Lebanese
family unit
was
fragmenting
under the
pressure and
a small
minority
turned to
crime.
Things
reached a
terrible
climax when
these
tensions,
inflamed by
the media,
erupted in
the Cronulla
Riots.
Once Upon a
Time in
Punchbowl is
the inside
story, told
by those on
the ground,
of the
succession
of
challenges
that beset
the Lebanese
community, a
community
which is,
ultimately
proud and
resilient.
It was the
story of an
unlikely war
hero; a
Muslim
woman, in
her late
twenties,
who
sacrificed
her life as
a British
secret agent
that caught
the
attention of
Executive
Film
Producers
Alex
Kronemer and
Michael
Wolfe. Five
years on and
the story of
Noor Inayet
Khan has
been made
into 60
minute
docudrama
film by
Unity
Productions
Foundation (UPF).
The film
“Enemy of
the Reich:
The Noor
Inayet Khan
Story” has
already
premiered
across
several
cities in
the U.S.
over the
past few
months and
this week it
crossed the
Atlantic and
was
premiered in
London at
the Tricycle
Theatre.
The story,
re-told
through the
narration of
Academy
Award
winning
actor Helen
Mirren and
including
interviews
with experts
and
reenactments
starring
Grace
Srinivasan,
will be
broadcast
nationwide
in the U.S.
on the
Public
Broadcasting
Service (PBS)
on September
9 this year.
Depictions
of Muslims
Speaking
to Al
Arabiya
News, Alex
Kronemer
explains
that there
are:
“literally
thousands of
movies and
documentaries
about WWII
and that
seldom do we
see Muslims
depicted in
any
context.” In
their
search, for
unsung WWII
Muslim
heroes, they
stumbled on
multiple
stories of
Muslims who
provided
shelter to
Jews or
supported
allied
forces. The
story of the
first female
radio
operator of
Indian and
American
heritage,
sent into
Nazi-occupied
France, was
particularly
alluring
because of
the
“inclusive
humanity”
she
represented.
In order to
remain
authentic in
the
depiction of
the Noor
Inayat Khan
character, Kronemer and
his team
meticulously
consulted
with most
published
books
relating to
Noor and had
access to
many private
letters,
journal
entries, and
other
documents.
Kronemer
goes on to
explain: “We
engaged an
international
group of
scholars and
two family
members as
we further
researched
her life and
this story.
We took a
particular
focus on
Noor’s
spiritual
life, and
looked at
how her
father’s
religious
and
spiritual
teachings
that had a
big impact
on her later
life.”
Stumbling
on
difficulty
But
in accessing
records from
the French
authorities,
the team
stumbled on
difficulty
as Michael
Wolfe
explains in
an interview
with
ToledoFavs:
“The French
activities
during the
Second World
War are
shameful —
and they are
ashamed of
it even
today...they
don’t like
to discuss
the subject
much …
because the
French
government
essentially
collaborated
with the
Germans.”
Noor’s
decision to
join the war
effort is
all the more
intriguing
given that
she was
raised in a
pacifist
Sufi
household.
Khan’s
father,
Hazrat
Inayat Khan,
was one of
the leading
spiritual
figures of
Sufi Islam
across
Europe and
in 1914
being the
founder a
Sufi order
in London.
According to
Wolfe: “In
the 1910s
and 1020s,
Western
philosophers
and
politicians
and
historians
and many
other
educated
people were
looking for
answers
outside the
Western
tradition.
There was an
idea that
the Western
tradition
was in need
of
rejuvenation,
of
cross-pollination,
and there
was a great
influx of
teaching and
practices
from India.”
Whilst the
contributions
of many Arab
and Indian
fighters
during World
War II
remains
limited in
the public
domain, the
story of
Noor Inayet
Khan is one
of the few
if not, the
only, to
have gained
traction in
recent
years. The
largest
volunteer
force in
history to
support the
efforts of
WWII were
composed of
2.5 million
men and
women from
the Asian
subcontinent.
In
September
1944, Noor
was executed
at the age
of 30 in the
Dachau
concentration
camp,
Germany. Her
final word
to be
recorded
before she
was killed
by firing
squad was “Liberte.”
For her
bravery, she
was
posthumously
awarded the
George Cross
in in 1949.
Recently,
British
Prime
Minister
David
Cameron
commended
Noor for her
“bravery,”
“indomitable
courage” and
“inspirational
self-sacrifice.”
Earlier this
year, the
Royal Mail
commemorated
her
achievements
by featuring
her portrait
on first
class
stamps.
When the
docudrama
airs on
national
television
in the U.S.,
the story of
Noor Inayet
Khan will
potentially
reach an
audience of
millions,
many of whom
would have
not
previously
known of the
war heroine.
For the
filmmakers,
the release
of the film
comes at an
important
time when
mistrust of
Muslims and
Islamophobia
is a
heightened
issue across
America and
the use of
storytelling
is an
important
tool to help
build
understanding
of
differences.
Following
the national
broadcast,
the film
will be made
available
for
grassroots
dialogues
that promote
interfaith
understanding.
The new My
Mosque App
that is
proving to
be hit with
users
A new
localised
Mosque App
has already
had over
10,000
downloads
since it was
launched
recently.
The My
Mosque app
is the
brainchild
of Amjad
Ali, Ismail
Mulla and
Majid Iqbal
who came up
with the
idea in
2012.
It took them
over 18
months to
develop the
app which is
available on
both Apple
and Android
devices. The
resulting
App allows
users to
access up to
date
information
of their
local mosque
including
prayer
times, news
and events.
Amjad said,
“We don’t
think there
are any apps
out there
for users
that allow
them to
access so
much
information
at the click
of a button.
“Many
mosques
already have
updates
going out
through an
e-mail and
text message
service but
this app
takes things
to a whole
new level.
“It has
proved
extremely
popular
within a
short space
of time and
we are
hoping to
develop it
further in
the coming
year.”
The App has
already been
launched in
South Africa
as well as
the UK.
There has
also been
interest
from users
in America.
Mosques are
able to send
out
notifications
to all their
subscribers
regarding
different
programmes,
events,
fundraising,
funerals,
Eid,
Ramadhan
notices or
even daily
reminders.
You then
receive
these as
text alerts
on your
mobile and
can then
review them
from the
Notifications
tab in the
App.
Ismail said,
“As well as
prayer times
users are
able to
access a
qibla
direction
(prayer
direction)
feature and
an ‘Ask
Imam’
section.
The Ask Imam
feature
allows users
to send
their
questions
directly to
their local
Masjid for
the Imam or
Scholar to
review and
answer.
All
questions
will remain
anonymous,
hence you
are now able
to ask your
personal
questions
without
having to
speak face
to face with
your imams
or scholars
and benefit
from their
spiritual
guidance.
“All mosques
need to do
is simply
log on and
register.
And people
can simply
download the
app.
“Whether you
are
travelling
or not, My
Mosque will
list the
Masajid
nearest to
you, their
location and
distance
from where
you are.
“You then
simply
subscribe to
a mosque of
your choice
to receive
all its
information.
“Presently
we have had
over 12,000
downloads
and over 180
mosques have
registered
with us.”
Added
Ismail.
There are
plans now
for the app
to also
cater for
live
streaming of
events at
mosques.
Hurry final
days!
Everything
must go
before 25th
June!
Extended
trading
hours for
this
weekend!
Come in and
see us. We
will be open
from 9am
till 6pm
everyday
this week!
After 10
years in the
Lighting
industry,
Lighting
Direct in
Underwood is
shutting its
doors to the
public. The
team at
Lighting
Direct would
like to take
this
opportunity
to thank all
our valued
customers
and the
community at
large for
their
ongoing
support over
the last ten
years. Your
support has
been greatly
appreciated
by us and
whether you
came by for
a small bulb
or a quick
chat, it was
always a
pleasure to
see and
serve you
all.
Lighting
Directs last
trading day
will be the
25th June
2014.
Thank you
all once
again from
the Hussein
family of
Lighting
Direct.
Lighting
Direct will
continue to
trade via
our online
store and
for any
queries
please do
not hesitate
to contact
us at
sales@lightingdirect.com.au.
Massive
range of
crystal
chandeliers,
modern and
traditional
pendants,
fans,
downlights,
outdoor
lighting and
a huge
variety of
floor and
table lamps.
All stock
must be
cleared.
Prices never
to be
repeated!
Hurry only
available
until 25th
June. Don't
miss out on
your great
bargain!
Showroom
located at
38 Kingston
Road
Underwood.
Open 7 days.
Call us on
3341 9001 or
visit our
website at
www.lightingdirect.com.au.
Next
week
in
CCN:
Another
of
the
10
Muslim
Women
you
Have
To
Know
Rab'ia
al-Adawiyya
(Iraq,
717-801
C.E.)
Rab'ia
was
an
eighth
century
Sufi
saint
who
set
forth
the
doctrine
of
"Divine
Love."
Rab'ia
was
born
into
a
poor
family,
orphaned
at a
young
age
and
was
eventually
sold
into
slavery.
One
night,
while
her
owner
witnessed
her
bowing
in
prayer,
a
lamp
hung
above
her
head
without
support,
so
he
freed
her.
When
asked
why
she
walked
down
the
street
with
a
bucket
of
water
in
one
hand
and
a
lit
candle
in
the
other,
she
replied,
"I
want
to
set
fire
to
heaven
with
this
flame
and
put
out
the
fire
of
hell
with
this
water
so
that
people
will
cease
to
worship
GOD
for
fear
of
hell
or
for
temptation
of
heaven.
One
must
love
GOD
as
GOD
is
Love."
She
is
widely
considered
to
be
the
most
important
of
the
early
Sufi
poets.
Saleh Kamel
is
synonymous
with Islamic
banking and
finance.
Born in Taif,
Saudi
Arabia,
Kamel, 71,
grew up in
Makkah and
attended
Riyadh
University
and went on
to work at
the
kingdom's
Ministry of
Finance.
He left
public
office to
start Dallah
Establishment
in the early
1960s.
By the early
1980s he
established
the AI
Baraka
Investment &
Development
conglomerate,
a holding
company for
many Islamic
banks and
financial
Institutions
operating
according to
Islamic
principles
in various
diversified
business
activities
all over the
world.
Kamel built
an empire
through his
government
contracting
ventures in
Saudi
Arabia.
Kamel owns a
majority
stake in
Dallah
Albaraka
Group, a
holding
company that
has various
Islamic
banking
operations,
with real
estate,
construction
and
manufacturing
business
segments.
The recent milestone that resulted in the 500th
edition of CCN, is indeed a significant achievement
to be proud of.
I
am aware of the tremendous effort and hours of
dedication you put in each and every week. CCN is
informative, sometimes serious, other times
light-hearted, with a strong focus on community
activities.
For me, CCN is now in serious competition with
overnight football results – which to check first!
Keep up the good work and looking forward to the
next 500.
David Forde
Kuraby
Salaams
Well down on your 500th issue of CCN.
It's not easy to do this week in and week out . We
can't image what it takes to do this.
May Allah reward the whole team. It is a great tool
for the Muslim community to get their news out
Thank you from the auctioneer himself Hussin Goss,
the Goss family and Goss Bros Refrigerated
Transport.
Salams
Hussin Goss
Asalaamuilakum Dear Editor
Masha'Allah! 500 is amazing.
Allah reward you and your team....
Wasalaam
Dylan
Chown
Salaams CCN Readers
I
have established some charity works in Pakistan
since 2010, including the following:
1. Free Medical Clinic providing free treatment to
Madressah and other local students from primary and
secondary schools. The residents of 5 nearby
villages benefit from this clinic. We also cover
surgery costs for the operations for small children
with hernia and heart problems. The clinic is
managed by a full-time MBBS qualified doctor and
three other staff.
2. We continue to care for and support the
rehabilitation of those in need. We provide
transportation and pay for Cesarean Section for
those women who need medical attention and cannot
give birth at home due to medical complications
We need further funds to purchase an ambulance and
to continue all these projects.
I
would appreciate your support from Zakat or Sadaqah,
or other money donations.
Should you wish to make a donation through direct
deposit, please find below my bank account details.
Please make sure you put a reference to donations
for Pakistan.
Suncorp Bank
Name: H Bhutto
BSB: 484-799
Account number: 042564998
Bosnia's Vedad
Ibisevic, front left, is congratulated by a
teammate after scoring his side's first goal
during the group F World Cup soccer match
between Argentina and Bosnia at the Maracana
Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday,
June 15, 2014
BRAZIL: It
truly is a horrific thought that not even
the giant Maracana Stadium, filled to the
brim with 74,000 people high on life and
football, could fit all the dead from the
Bosnia war. But their presence — in hearts,
in memories — was felt as the young nation
they never lived to enjoy made its World Cup
debut, the 77th country to plant its flag on
football's biggest stage.
"This is why we came, to remember," Adnan
Filipovic said as he filed into the stadium
with his parents, his voice breaking with
emotion. "All those people are coming with
us to this game."
When the 1992-1995 war made refugees of the
Filipovics and so many others, never did
they think they'd one day see Bosnians
teamed together, in Brazil of all places,
giving two-time world champion Argentina and
its superstar Lionel Messi a tough bone to
chew.
The morning of Sunday's match, Filipovic
prepared by looking at photos of the
conflict on the Internet, to remind himself
how far he and Bosnia have come and why this
warm Rio de Janeiro night was such an
important milestone. The conflict killed
more than 100,000 people, turned half of the
country's population of 4.3 million into
refugees and left a legacy of poverty, high
unemployment and never-ending political
strife.
"We're all looking for some closure here. I
think that's really what it is," said
Filipovic, who was 11 when his family fled
Banja Luka, in northern Bosnia, in 1994.
They wound up in the United States, in
Augusta, Georgia, and built a new life.
"In these things there is never a winner,
there is no 'victory.' I don't even know
what victory is — until today. I know for
our flag to be in Maracana is — I don't how
else to define it — some kind of victory."
SRI LANKA: Police use tear gas and
enforce curfew in two coastal towns to end
fighting between Muslims and Buddhists.
Sri Lankan police have fired tear-gas and
enforced a curfew in two coastal towns
popular with tourists in an attempt to end
clashes between Muslims and Buddhists that
threatens to set off wider religious
violence.
The police said on Sunday they were widening
a curfew in Aluthgama to the neighbouring
town Beruwala, a predominantly Muslim area,
after violence threatened to take hold in
the region.
According to the AFP news agency, the two
groups attacked each other with stones in
fighting over the weekend - the latest in a
series of religious clashes to hit the
island nation.
A police spokesman said trouble began when a
group led by Buddhist monks tried to march
in an area with a sizeable population of
Muslims, who are a minority in the mainly
Buddhist country.
"The curfew was declared to bring the
situation under control," the spokesman
said.
"The curfew was extended to a neighbouring
area to prevent an escalation of clashes."
"Several Muslim-owned shops have been burned
and homes attacked," a resident in Beruwala
told AFP.
"Some Buddhists are deliberately targeting
Muslims. But unfortunately police have not
been able to protect the minorities," Hilmy
Ahmed, spokesperson of Muslim Council of Sri
Lanka, told Al Jazeera.
"A petty feud between two individuals has
been allowed to take a religious tone. The
extremist Buddhists led by Bodu Bala Sena
attacked Muslims and are still in the area
despite curfew."
There were no reports of arrests but dozens
of people were said to have been injured.
Appeal for restraint
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is in
Bolivia attending the G77 summit, has called
for restraint with the promise that the
government will not allow anyone "to take
the law into their own hands".
"An investigation will be held for law to
take its course of action to bring to book
those responsible for incidents in Aluthgama,"
he said in a Twitter message.
The latest unrest came weeks after Muslim
legislators asked Rajapaksa to protect their
minority community from "Buddhist extremist
elements" blamed for a recent spate of hate
attacks.
Muslims make up about 10 percent of Sri
Lanka's 20-million population.
Nationalist Buddhist groups, including the
Bodu Bala Sena, accuse religious minorities
of having undue political and economic
influence on the island.
Videos posted on YouTube have shown mobs led
by Buddhist monks throwing stones and
smashing a Christian church in southern Sri
Lanka in January, and attacking mosques
while police looked on.
Senior Buddhist monks have also been caught
on video threatening violence against their
moderate colleagues who advocate tolerance.
Rajapaksa, who is a Buddhist, warned monks
in January last year not to incite religious
violence.
TEXAS
– Aspiring to a special coverage of
Republican Party’s annual convention in
Texas, young American Muslim reporter Heba
Said said was ridiculed and called
“Islamist” by the delegates at the
convention only for donning an Islamic
headscarf.
“I attended the convention as a reporter
hoping to tell readers about the panel
discussions I attended, but I discovered a
cult-like hatred that is simply disgusting,”
Heba Said, a senior at the University of
Texas at Arlington and the opinion editor of
the school paper, The Shorthorn, wrote in
her column.
The 22-year-old Muslim reporter said that
she was targeted, mocked and faced
discrimination for her Islamic attire at
Texas GOP convention that ended a week ago.
Applying for media credentials to attend the
convention, the Muslim reporter aimed to
tell her readers about the experience of
sitting during panel discussions with
delegates.
Yet, the senior student's dream was
shattered, turning into a nightmare of
racial abuse.
“As I walked through the halls, people
stopped in their tracks and frowned and
shook their heads at me,” Heba wrote.
“Panelists threw the word “Islamist” around
as if it were perfectly OK, and one man even
asked if I felt alone at a meeting.
“I was referred to as “you people” and
“y’all Muslims” more times than I can count.
“The worst part was the way delegates looked
at me, as if I were something to fear when I
approached them,” she added.
The Muslim reporter's complaints were
rejected by Texas GOP chairman.
“I did not observe any of this,” Steve
Munisteri, Texas GOP chairman, told Yahoo
News on Saturday, June 14.
“I never heard a single anti-Muslim
statement, and I never saw any anti-Muslim
activity.”
The Republican leader said that this year's
meeting drew 10,000 participants, and that
everyone was expected to “treat their fellow
delegates and guests with respect and
civility.”
“Is it possible that some knucklehead said
something that was mean-spirited to
somebody? Sure,” he said.
“Would the state party ever condone that?
Absolutely not.”
World Cup 2014 opens doors
for Brazil to welcome Muslim fans
BRAZIL: SAO
PAULO: In a rundown Sao Paulo street,
squeezed between a graffiti-covered sports
bar and a dilapidated unisex hairdressers,
lies a little haven of Islamic tranquillity.
Here, while Brazil is rushing to be ready in
time for next month’s Fifa World Cup, staff
at the Federation of Muslim Associations in
Brazil (Fambras) are calmly preparing their
own warm welcome for the 600,000 foreign
football fans expected to arrive in the
coming weeks.
Fambras has several initiatives to “help
dispel prejudice and ignorance of Islam”,
said Ali Hussein El Zoghbi, the federation’s
Brazil-born vice-president.
A written guide has been produced as well as
a smartphone application, a cuddly bearded
mascot called Salaminho (Little Salam) and a
hotline to advise visitors on how to observe
Islam while in Brazil.
June 28 marks the start of the knockout
stages of football’s grandest showcase and
for a growing number of Brazil’s residents,
it also marks the likely start of Ramadan.
Although still a small minority among
Brazil’s estimated 202 million people, the
Muslim population is on the rise after an
influx in recent years of refugees from
Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.
There are no reliable figures for the number
of Muslims in Brazil. Mr El Zoghbi estimates
the country is now home to about 1.5 million
Muslims, the largest concentration of which
can be found close to Iguazu Falls. With
tens of thousands of Muslims expected to
visit Brazil during the World Cup, the
country’s 80-odd mosques can expect to be in
high demand this Holy Month.
“We expect around 50,000 Muslim fans to
visit for the World Cup, mainly from Iran,
Nigeria and Algeria, but also from countries
such as the United States, United Kingdom,
Malaysia and the Gulf region,” said Mr El
Zoghbi, sitting under a framed photograph of
Mecca and flitting between Arabic and
Portuguese.
“We see this as a great chance not only to
welcome Muslims, but also to spread the
positive word of Islam to non-Muslims.”
The 28-page booklet, Muslim Fan Guide —
Salam Brazil, is written in English, with a
French version in production. It details
everything from prayer times and mosque
locations in each of the country’s 12 host
cities to information about Islam in Brazil.
Helpful phone numbers, including the UAE
Embassy, are also included.
Six of the 32
nations in next month’s tournament are from
countries where Islam is significantly
present, said the tourism ministry.
Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cameroon, Iran,
Ivory Coast and Nigeria all have large
Muslim populations. Nations such as France
and Germany also have Muslim players,
including Franck Ribery and Mesut Ozil.
“In some of these countries — Iran is a good
example — football is a national passion
like it is in Brazil,” Mr El Zoghbi, whose
father moved to Sao Paulo from Lebanon in
1949, said. “We have contacted all 32 teams
and told them we are available to help in
whatever they need.”
André Lara, Mr El Zoghbi’s Brazilian
colleague at Fambras, sips an Arabic coffee
as he details the plans further. The
federation will visit the base hotels of
each of the six countries before the teams
start to arrive. There, hotel staff will be
briefed on the workings of Ramadan and any
special requirements that may be expected of
them.
As well as printing 65,000 guides, Fambras
will launch its smartphone app on Sunday. It
will include a compass to locate the
direction of Mecca and a list of halal
restaurants in each of the host cities.
A 12-hour daily phone service — in English,
Arabic, Spanish, French and Portuguese —
will also launch before the tournament
starts.
A branded “Salam Bus” will travel around the
country distributing a wide range of books
in several languages, added Ahmed Khalaf, an
Egyptian who works at Fambras. The bus will
carry the slogans “Conheco o Islam” (Know
Islam) and “Islam é Paz” (Islam is peace).
“I have lived in Brazil for four years,” Mr
Khalaf said. “The situation is different as
the Muslim here is in the minority, but the
most important thing is still to make sure
your religion is the most important part of
your life. For instance, I make all my
prayers, even if I am on the metro. People
take an interest and ask me questions, but
it is never a problem. People are
open-minded.”
BRAZIL:
As Brazil prepares to host FIFA World Cup
football tournament that would run from June
12 to July 13, 2014, dozens of Muslim
players have been listed to take part in
this summer's international games.
Here are some of the names of Muslim stars
participating in the international
tournament.
This is aimed to be presented in
a series, so we will have other names in the
next batch.
Edin Džeko
Born
in March 1986 in Bosnia's Sarajevo, the
Manchester City striker has began his career
as a midfielder in the youth team of
Željezničar where he was recognized as one
of the most talented boys in the blue team.
In November 2009, Džeko became Bosnia’s
first UNICEF ambassador.
The Bosnian footballer was named top scorer
of Group G in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers
as his 10 goals granted his country Bosnia
qualification for the first time in history
to the FIFA World Cup (Brazil 2014).
Dzeko will play for Bosnia in the World Cup
2014.
Mesut Özil
Mesut
Özil is a German footballer who plays for
Premier League club Arsenal and the German
national team. Özil has been a youth
national team member since 2006, and a
member of the German national team since
2009.
The 25-year-old talented player gained
international attention during the 2010 FIFA
World Cup and was nominated for the Golden
Ball Award, which is awarded to the
tournament's best player.
At the age of 24, Özil became the youngest
sportsman to figure in the Berlin museum.
Sami Khedira
The Real Madrid midfielder, Sami Khedira,
was named by Germany to play in World Cup
2014.
Born in April 1987, the German footballer is
currently playing for Real Madrid and the
German national team.
In 2010, the Muslim player moved from VFB
Stuttgart to Real Madrid, signing a contract
until 2015 with an undisclosed fee.
Karim Benzema
Playing
for the Spanish Real Madrid and the French
national football team, Karim Benzema, 26,
was named as a forward player in the French
squad travelling to Brazil 2014.
At the age of 19, the Muslim striker was
ranked as top goal-scorer in all European
leagues in 2007 with 11 goals so far.
He stole the limelight in 2005, when he made
his first debut with the Lyonnais and scored
a spectacular goal that gave him a foothold
in the French national team at the age of
17.
Hailing from Algerian family, Benzema helped
the Lyonnais maintain Ligue 1 title for
2005, 2006 and 2007.
His impressive performance at the UEFA Cup
2007 drew interests from European
heavyweights Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC and
Inter Milan.
Mamadou Sakho
Hailing
form a Senegalese family, the 24-year-old
Muslim defender will play for the French
world Cup squad.
The French footballer plays as a central
defender for Premier League club Liverpool
and the French national team.
In 2003, Sakho started his professional
career after joining club Paris Saint-Germain,
at the age of 12.
By 2007, the French defender signed his
first professional three-year contract. In
the same year he made his first league debut
against Valeciennes in a 0–0 draw, becoming
the youngest player ever to captain a Ligue
1 club.
There are now 101 Muslim
football players in this years world cup in
Brazil. There are 32 countries competing for
the world cup and each country has a squad
of 23 players.
An explanation: Algeria's
kneeling goal celebration after scoring
against Belgium
BRAZIL: Algeria
opened the scoring in their match against
heavily favored Belgium with a Sofiane
Feghouli penalty in the 24th minute before
Belgium came back to win 2-1. After sealing
the unexpected lead, Feghouli and several of
his teammates ran to the corner flag and
celebrated by kneeling down together.
The subdued celebration contrasts with the
dances and general craziness we've seen from
others at the World Cup, but it's been a
customary goal celebration for Muslim
players, like the Algerians, for some time
now.
What they did was a Sujud — a prayer
position in which the forehead, nose, hands,
knees and toes all touch the ground — which
delighted Muslim fans on social media.
Chelsea's Demba Ba is a well known
practitioner of the Sujud as a goal
celebration and it was even added to FIFA
14...
BBC pundit and former England player Gary
Lineker had to apologize in 2012 when he
described a similar goal celebration by
joking that the players involved "ate
grass." Lineker later said, "I'm sorry but
I'm not aware of every player's religion."
Maybe now that it's been done at the World
Cup, the increased exposure will help
prevent others from making a similar
mistake.
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: 13-year old Leiya Bookhan is my Chef-of-the-Week with these
tasty dumplings which she surprised her Mom
with during the week.
Dumplings
Ingredients
250g
cake flour
5g salt
20ml baking powder
20g butter
125ml of cold water
Method
1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Grate the butter into the flour and with
light hands mix the butter into the flour to
resemble bread crumbs.
3. Add the water to make a soft dough.
4. Form balls and drop into your curry (I used
sugar beans curry) which has enough liquid and
is boiling. You could also place your dumplings
in a lamb, chicken or vegetable curry)
5. Cook for about 15mins with lid closed.
6. Serve immediately.
7. The texture should be soft like bread
Q: Dear Kareema, I tend to
do most of my workouts at home during the colder
months and was hoping you can help me out with a
few warm up exercises as I normally go for a run
and then come back home to complete my workout.
A: Skipping is one of the best ways to
get your heart rate up, so pull out that old
skipping rope and get jumping.
Try step ups out on the veranda
if you don’t have any stairs inside.
Mountain climbers is a good
starter too…
The aim is to keep it simple and
build from there, so don’t think too much about
what you’re doing, just stay safe through your
technique and keep your eye on the prize –
results!
Glory to
Allah, Who created in pairs
all things that the earth
produces, as well as their
own (human) kind and (other)
things of which they have no
knowledge.
1. All Islamic Event dates given above are tentative and
subject to the sighting of the moon.
2. The Islamic date changes to the next day starting in
the evenings after maghrib. Therefore, exceptfor Lailatul Mehraj,
Lailatul Bhahraat
and
Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event starting in the
evening of the corresponding day.
Topic = Tafseer lessons Venue = Masjid Taqwa, Bald Hills, Qld 4036 Day = Every Monday | Time = After Esha salah | Period =
approximately 30 minutes Presenter = Mufti Junaid Akbar Cost = free, and InShaAllah Allah will give great reward Who can come = All brothers and sisters are welcome to
attend
Please note that these recordings will be available for
downloading from our website
masjidtaqwa.org.au.
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
have a topic or opinion that you want to write about or want
seen covered or any news item that you think might be of benefit
to the Crescents Community please e-mail
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
.
Jadzia
Clifford-Pugh
a Venturer
Scout of 2nd
Toowoomba
Scout Group
has been
chosen to be
fully
sponsored to
attend the
World Scout
Jamboree in
Kirara-hama,
Yamaguchi
City, Japan
in 2015.
Speaking
to Al
Arabiya
News, Alex
Kronemer
explains
that there
are:
“literally
thousands of
movies and
documentaries
about WWII
and that
seldom do we
see Muslims
depicted in
any
context.” In
their
search, for
unsung WWII
Muslim
heroes, they
stumbled on
multiple
stories of
Muslims who
provided
shelter to
Jews or
supported
allied
forces. The
story of the
first female
radio
operator of
Indian and
American
heritage,
sent into
Nazi-occupied
France, was
particularly
alluring
because of
the
“inclusive
humanity”
she
represented.
But
in accessing
records from
the French
authorities,
the team
stumbled on
difficulty
as Michael
Wolfe
explains in
an interview
with
ToledoFavs:
“The French
activities
during the
Second World
War are
shameful —
and they are
ashamed of
it even
today...they
don’t like
to discuss
the subject
much …
because the
French
government
essentially
collaborated
with the
Germans.”
In
September
1944, Noor
was executed
at the age
of 30 in the
Dachau
concentration
camp,
Germany. Her
final word
to be
recorded
before she
was killed
by firing
squad was “Liberte.”
For her
bravery, she
was
posthumously
awarded the
George Cross
in in 1949.
Recently,
British
Prime
Minister
David
Cameron
commended
Noor for her
“bravery,”
“indomitable
courage” and
“inspirational
self-sacrifice.”
Earlier this
year, the
Royal Mail
commemorated
her
achievements
by featuring
her portrait
on first
class
stamps.
TEXAS
– Aspiring to a special coverage of
Republican Party’s annual convention in
Texas, young American Muslim reporter Heba
Said said was ridiculed and called
“Islamist” by the delegates at the
convention only for donning an Islamic
headscarf.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011