Last term, the AIIC
(Australian International
Islamic College) Breakfast
Club organised a Healthy
Breakfast Poster-Making
Competition for students
from year 1 to 6. The aim of
the competition was to drive
home the message of healthy
eating to primary- school
students.
The AIIC Breakfast Club is
an initiative of ‘Brothers
in Need’, a charity group
that has been providing free
healthy breakfast to
students at AIIC every
morning since last year.
Students who normally skip
their breakfast for a
variety of reasons can help
themselves to the healthy
breakfast provided such as
juice, sandwiches, cereals
and fruits. These students
are then able to start the
school day energised and
ready for learning.
In a bid to reinforce the
healthy eating message
further, volunteers from the
group then decided on the
art competition to reach a
wider school audience. The
competition was well
received judging from the
high number of entries
submitted. With the help of
the Student Council, 10
winning posters were
selected while the rest of
the entries were awarded
consolation prizes
consisting of goodie bags
and certificates of
participation. The prize-
giving ceremony was held
last Monday, 30 April at the
Multi-Purpose Hall during
the combined assembly.
On top of the generous
prizes of $100 gift cards,
table lamps and goodie bags,
winning posters will also be
displayed in the breakfast
room and around the school.
Given the kind gesture, AIIC
would like to take this
opportunity to thank the
‘Brothers in Need’ for their
invaluable service and
contributions to the college
thus far. May Allah bless
them for their goodwill and
sincere efforts. Ameen.
The Minister for Police has
announced the approval for a
$250,000 reward, for
information leading to the
arrest and conviction of the
person or persons
responsible for the death of
Abdul Basith Mohammed in
Kuraby last October.
Detectives attached to
Operation Papa Senator, the
on-going police
investigation into the
October 25, 2017 homicide of
Mr Mohammed are renewing
their appeal for public
assistance and are hopeful
the announcement of a
$250,000 reward will see an
influx of new information.
Mr Mohammed was attacked
when he went outside of his
St George Street home around
12.30am to check on a power
outage.
He was located deceased in
the front yard a short time
later, having sustained a
number of stab wounds.
Due to the Mr Mohammed being
trilingual and having a
culturally diverse associate
network, a multi-language
appeal is attached, that
includes four additional
languages; in addition to
this more detailed English
appeal.
Detective Acting
Superintendent Craig Morrow
said a team of detectives
and specialist police have
been working continually on
this investigation and
remain committed to finding
the perpetrator and bringing
them to justice.
“We are very hopeful that
the announcement of a
$250,000 reward will lead to
someone contacting police
and providing us with that
crucial piece of information
that will lead to a
break-through,” Detective
Acting Superintendent Morrow
said.
“Abdul’s family have
naturally been devastated by
his death and we are
determined to find answers
for them.”
Ali Kadri:
Everything I have been able
to do for the community in
last few years wouldn’t have
been possible without strong
support from brothers who
change lives quietly day in
day out. Hamza (Robbie) is
one of those people. I guess
anyone who has watched
Mosque next door knows that
we are close mates but there
is so much to this man than
meets the eye.
Liverpool FC have made it to
the final against Real
Madrid by knocking out Roma
in the semi-finals.
The final is scheduled to
take place on 26th May 2018.
However, this coincides with
the month of Ramadan during
which Muslims are required
to fast from dawn until
sunset.
The game kicks off at 7.45pm
which is around an hour
before sunset.
With this in mind, people
may wonder if Liverpool’s
Muslim players such as
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané
and Emre Can will be fasting
during the big game as going
without food and drink could
affect their performance.
Mohamed Salah and Emre Can pray
before a match
The answer is that they are
not required to fast as they
will be travelling and they
can make up the fast at a
later date.
God has given this option to
those who are travelling or
are sick. Muslim scholars
have further explained the
distance and duration a
person has to travel in
order to be classified as a
traveller.
Chapter 2, verse 184 of
the Qur’an:
“Fast for a specific
number of days, but if
one of you is ill, or on
a journey, on other days
later. For those who can
fast only with extreme
difficulty, there is a
way to compensate – feed
a needy person. But if
anyone does good of his
own accord, it is better
for him, and fasting is
better for you, if only
you knew.”
Sadio Mané prays before a match
ILM Feed
New Mohamed Salah Song -
Mohamed Salah, A Gift From
Allah
A thousand
years ago, one boy with a dream
of becoming a great warrior is
abducted with his sister and
taken to a land far away from
home. Thrown into a world where
greed and injustice rule all,
Bilal finds the courage to raise
his voice and make a change.
Inspired by true events, this is
a story of a real hero who
earned his remembrance in time
and history.
Bilal: A New
Breed of Hero is a 2015
English-language Arabic 3D
computer-animated
action-adventure film produced
by Barajoun Entertainment and
co-directed by Khurram H. Alavi
and Ayman Jamal. With a story by
Jamal, the screenplay was
written by Alavi, Alex Kronemer,
Michael Wolfe and Yassin Kamel.
With this film, Jamal aimed to
depict heroes from the history
of the Arabian Peninsula.
The film depicts the life of
Bilal ibn Rabah, who, known for
his beautiful voice, was freed
from slavery and rose to a
position of prominence in 632
AD. The voice cast features
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian
McShane, China Anne McClain,
Jacob Latimore, Thomas Ian
Nicholas, Fred Tatasciore,
Cynthia McWilliams, Jon Curry,
Dave B. Mitchell and Michael
Gross.
Overall, I thoroughly
enjoyed the movie, ‘Bilal: A
New Breed of Hero’ and would
most definitely recommend
the movie to others.
In summary, it is an
animated cartoon depicting
the life of Bilal ibn Rabah
(r), the companion of
Prophet Mohammad (s) and is
inspired by true events more
than 1400 years ago.
Bilal was once known as the
slave of a man called
Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and was
the first man to pronounce
the athan, Islamic call to
prayers since he had the
most beautiful voice.
Whilst the movie is about
one of Prophet Muhammad’s
(s) most trusted companions,
the focus is primarily on
themes that are just as
relevant today as they were
back then, racism,
oppression, power,
injustice, inequality,
slavery and so on.
What makes the movie
interesting is that there is
no specific reference to
Islam, infact there is no
direct reference to Prophet
Muhammad (s) himself, which
highlights the fact that the
movie is not intended to
preach anything, but rather,
to reinforce the importance
of upholding essential human
values such as equality and
justice.
Whilst the movie is not
exclusively about religion,
it undoubtedly prompts one
to explore religious themes
relevant to that time.
The movie highlights the
point that all men are equal
and that each person chooses
who his ultimate master will
be.
Some are shackled to their
wealth, some are shackled to
power and some are enslaved
to the pleasures of this
[temporary] world.
The free man is the one
whose heart has no
attachment to this life and
that is the freedom that
ultimately frees Bilal.
There is a message of
struggle and hardship, but
hope at the same time, in
that hope will only ever
become tangible once mankind
recognises the importance of
equality, justice and unity.
While the movie had some
gaps, and perhaps sped over
some critical details, it
nevertheless leaves the
viewer with an eagerness to
further explore the life of
Bilal, beyond the movie.
This is especially the case
since the audience is left
in suspense regarding Bilal
making athan throughout the
entire movie. The viewer
finally gets insight into
Bilal’s most notable
feature, his voice at the
end of the movie when he
makes athan from the most
significant places in the
world, the Ka’aba in Makkah.
I found the movie to be a
great opportunity to
introduce Bilal as a real
historical figure who fought
for the same values that
many of us may be fighting
today.
I would definitely recommend
the movie to all, Muslim and
people of other faiths and
no faith, since it addresses
universal values that apply
to all, and gives room for
the viewer to perhaps do
further research and
readings on the
themes/characters raised in
the movie.
As a Muslim viewer, the
movie has most definitely
inspired me to revisit the
seerah (Prophets biography)
and re-discover the
characters that were
mentioned in the movie.
Ten students from the City
Campus of the Australian
International Islamic
College successfully
progressed past the initial
judging in the Write4Fun
2018 Schools Writing
Competition.
This year the competition
was held through all the
primary and secondary
schools within Australia.
There were 10 000 entries
and AIIC has been recognised
as being at the top 10% of
excellent achievers.
When Father Rod Bower, the
rector of the Gosford
Anglican Church, posted a
pro-refugee Anzac Day
message on Facebook, he knew
he would cop abuse.
But he didn't expect to see
"I'll set that church on
fire" in the comments,
especially not from a man
who was wearing what
appeared to be an Australian
Defence Force uniform.
The threat, also made on
Anzac Day, has been
investigated by the
Australian Defence Force
Investigation Service, who
told Father Bower that the
person was "not a current
serving member of [the] ADF".
The threat, also made on
Anzac Day, has been
investigated by the
Australian Defence Force
Investigation Service, who
told Father Bower that the
person was "not a current
serving member of [the] ADF".
However, Father Bower said
the man's profile on the
LinkedIn website still has
him as a current ADF member.
Also on Anzac Day, Father
Bower had written a message
on the church's outdoor sign
that read "Lest we forget
Manus & Nauru", a deliberate
echo of the controversial
Facebook message posted by
engineer and Muslim feminist
activist Yassmin
Abdel-Magied on Anzac Day
last year, which led to her
receiving a barrage of abuse
and threats, eventually
contributing to her leaving
the country to work in
Britain.
"The bulk of the [Facebook]
abuse, while aimed at what I
had written ... said that
'you're just like her,' "
Father Bower told Fairfax
Media.
"It seemed easier for them
to abuse me through Yassmin.
I found that fascinating.
When a white male Christian
says that sort of thing,
it's bad enough, but when a
brown female Muslim does,
that's totally unacceptable.
Even while abusing me, they
still felt the need to
channel that through Yassmin."
In a follow-up post on
Facebook, Father Bower said:
"We have had other
occasional threats of arson,
always from the extreme
right of our nation's
political spectrum,
ironically from the very
same people who warn that
Muslims will 'burn your
churches down'.
"A Muslim has ... never
threatened me in any way."
In the Facebook post before
the threat, Father Bower
honoured war veterans,
including his own relatives,
and called for the
"cessation of the
degradation of some of the
world's most vulnerable
people for political
purposes".
He wrote that "we must
remember what we are doing
to refugees and asylum
seekers on #Manus and
#Nauru".
International Islamic art &
calligraphy exhibition will
portrait work of artist from
Australia, Turkey, Pakistan,
Lebanon, Afghanistan, India,
Nepal, Bangladesh and many.
Shahid Malik, director of
ArtOn Sydney, told SBS Urdu
that this type of exhibition
might be first of its kind
in Australia where work of
diversified and culturally
rich regions is On-display
in this exhibition”.
QCOSS Vacancy: Story, Media
and Communications Officer
As
the Story Media and
Communications Officer you
will support the work of
QCOSS by communicating the
many stories that represent
and give life to the work
done by QCOSS to achieve its
vision. These stories will
be told by people and
communities all over
Queensland and show the
different perspectives of
those experiencing poverty
and disadvantage to inform,
influence and educate. You
will do this by providing
journalism, interviewing,
writing, editing, media
liaison and campaigning
services to QCOSS.
The primary purpose of the
position is to provide
internal and external
communication expertise to
maximise communication
opportunities, deliver on
key strategic objectives
relevant to the
Communication Team and
organisation, source,
develop and write stories
and media articles, and
respond to and liaise with
the media
Queensland Council of Social
Service (QCOSS) is the
state-wide peak body for
individuals and
organisation’s working in
the social and community
services sector. QCOSS has
been a leading force for
social change, working to
eliminate poverty and
disadvantage. With members
throughout Queensland, QCOSS
undertakes informed advocacy
and supports a strong
community service sector.
QCOSS’s key activities focus
on providing effective
policy advice, working to
strengthen responsive
community services and
having productive
partnerships with
government, private sector,
the media and the community
sector. This work is done
with a Queensland free of
poverty and disadvantage
front of mind.
QCOSS is part of the
national network of Councils
of Social Service lending
support and gaining
essential insight to
national and other state
issues.
You can find out more about
working at QCOSS and see
what some of our staff like
best about Working at QCOSS’.
We offer a competitive
remuneration package
including access to
tax-effective salary
packaging arrangements and
supportive work life balance
provisions.
To be considered for this
role you must demonstrate
your experience by
responding to the selection
criteria as outlined in the
position description.
Find out more: The
position description and
selection criteria can be
found on the QCOSS website
www.qcoss.org.au (Jobs
Tab) or email
jobs@qcoss.org.au. To
discuss further contact
Karen Murphy Tel 07 3004
6913 or mobile 0423 245 252.
How to apply: Please send
your resume and cover letter
(no more than three pages)
addressing the selection
criteria outlined in the
position description found
on the QCOSS website
www.qcoss.org.au to
email:
jobs@qcoss.org.au.
A
Shaykh in Florida by the
name of Shaykh Azhar Nasser
is currently winning at
Twitter! Not too long ago he
began tweeting the questions
posed to him alongside
responses to those
questions.
It’s probably worth stating
at this point that if you
don’t have a sense of
humour, please read no
further.
His Twitter feed is a great
reminder that religion
doesn’t always have to be
about punishment, hell and
brimstone and that sometimes
we need to take a moment to
stop and actually have some
fun!
I’m not entirely sure what
the straw was that broke the
camel’s back, so to speak,
but the Shaykh isn’t holding
back anymore. Ask him
questions at your peril!
Here is another of these tweets
(continued from
last week's CCN):
There are approximately 1.84
billion Muslims in the world
today, making up 24.38% of
the world’s population, or
just under one-quarter of
mankind. As well as being
citizens of their respective
countries, they also have a
sense of belonging to the ‘ummah’,
the worldwide Muslim
community.
The Muslim500 publication
sets out to ascertain the
influence some Muslims have
on this community, or on
behalf of the community.
Influence is: any person who
has the power (be it
cultural, ideological,
financial, political or
otherwise) to make a change
that will have a significant
impact on the Muslim world.
Note that the impact can be
either positive or negative,
depending on one’s point of
view of course.
18
"You can only go to
Paradise or to Hellfire, and
you have to work for
Paradise in this life. This
is the way, and here, is the
place to work for reward in
the Hereafter."
Sheikh Ahmad Tijani bin Ali
Cisse is the spiritual
leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi
order. The Tijaniyya is the
largest Sufi order in
Western Africa, and its
leader commands a following
of millions, who see him as
their guide to true Islam.
Leader of Tijani Muslims:
Cisse became leader of the
Tijaniyyah following the
death of his elder brother
Sheikh Hassan Cisse in 2008.
He is the Imam of the Grand
Mosque in Medina Baye,
Senegal, which is one of
Western Africa’s key
positions of Islamic
leadership. Tijani Muslims
are located throughout
Western Africa and further
afield. As an order, Tijanis
give allegiance to their
sheikh giving him
significant influence as a
leader.
Education and Activities:
Sheikh Tijani Cisse (b.
1955) studied Qur’an, Arabic
and classical texts with
both his father, Sheikh ‘Ali
Cisse, and his legendary
grandfather, Sheikh Ibrahim
Niasse. He then continued
his studies at Al- Azhar
University in Egypt,
studying Arabic and Usul
al-Din (theology). Upon
completing his studies in
Egypt, he traveled
extensively throughout
Africa, the Middle East and
America. He attended many
conferences and participated
in religious debates. He
also managed to edit and
publish several important
works, including Sheikh
Ibrahim’s Kashif al-Ilbas.
Posts: In 2001,
Sheikh Tijani Cisse was
appointed Senegal’s General
Commissioner for the Hajj.
In 2006, he was again
recognized by Senegalese
President Aboulaye Wade and
appointed a Senegalese
“Special Missions
Ambassador”, a position he
holds until the present
time. He has also received
Senegal’s distinguished
award, the Ordre de Merite
(1993).
Descendent of The
Tijaniyya Founder: The
Tijaniyya is a Sufi order
founded by Ahmad al Tijani
Hasani, an Algerian, in the
late 18th century. As the
spiritual leader of the
Tijaniyya, Cisse is
considered to be the bearer
of a spiritual inspiration
called the Fayda Tijaniyya,
giving him authority to
carry on the teachings of
Ahmad al Tijani Hasani.
Because of this position,
some Tijani Muslims refer to
Cisse as the reviver of the
Sunnah.
ANOTHER FROM THE TOP 50
INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS IN NEXT
WEEK'S CCN
By Jehan Jillani and
Heather Brady Photographs by Lynsey
Addario
Students at
the City of Knowledge School.
The Pomona-based school was
established in 1994 by
individuals who were looking to
enrich their children
spiritually and academically.
Lynsey Addario talks about
her experience working
within these communities
across the U.S. during a
years-long reporting
project.
When Lynsey Addario moved to
India in 2000 and began
covering Muslim communities
throughout Asia, she was
introduced to nuanced views
of Islam and the people who
practice it. After returning
home to visit the U.S., she
saw the religion portrayed
in a generic,
one-dimensional way that
didn't capture what she
viewed elsewhere in the
world.
That disparity pushed her to
work with Muslim communities
across America in an effort
to tell their stories in a
broader way. Addario’s
images appear in the feature
story “How Muslims, Often
Misunderstood, Are Thriving
in America,” published in
the May 2018 issue of
National Geographic
magazine. She talked with us
about her experience
documenting these
communities and how it has
encouraged her to examine
her own faith.
JEHAN JILLANI: Islam
in America, as Leila Fadel’s
piece explains in greater
detail, is one of the most
diverse religions in the
United States. How did you
select which communities to
photograph?
ADDARIO: Well, first
of all, there are so many
thousands of pictures that I
shot, and people I focused
on who never made it into
the story, mostly on account
of space. I tried to
photograph the spectrum,
from the very religiously
conservative to the more
liberal, from surprising
scenes—like a family of five
sisters, three of which were
black belts in taekwondo—to
the more typical scenes we
see—like prayer, to women
with and without hijab—to
show, basically, that these
stereotypes [that are] often
perpetuated just don’t often
hold.
As in any population of
people who fall under any
religious group, from
Christianity to Judaism to
Islam, there is diversity
within. There are those that
are more devout, and those
who more loosely observe;
there are incredibly
accomplished, respectable
people, and then there are
criminals. It is important
to recognize this. In
America, I often see Muslims
in the same sentence as the
word terrorists, and this is
just too superficial for a
diverse country like
America. Yes, there are
Muslim terrorists, but there
are also American terrorists
who have been responsible
for many mass shootings
across the US. But
surprisingly, they aren’t
often referred to as
terrorists.
JILLANI: On a related
note, could you speak to
what you observed about the
racial diversity of Muslim
Americans?
ADDARIO: I think
there is a large
misconception that Muslims
are often Arab or South
Asian, but 13 percent of the
Muslim community is
African-American,
originating back to the time
of slavery in the U.S. and
to those who brought their
religion over from Africa.
There was also great
proliferation among the
African-American community
at the time of Malcolm X and
the civil rights movement,
and today, there are a huge
number of converts to
Islam–almost 23% of the
entire Muslim American
population–from every
ethnicity and a range of
communities across the
country. I wanted to include
this racial diversity in the
piece.
.
14 stages of
love according
to the Arabic
language
By Rayana Khalaf
Arabs are in a
league of our
own when it
comes to
romance. I mean,
just look at the
ways we express
love, we're
always ready to
sacrifice our
skin and bones
for the people
we love.
Over-the-top
demonstration of
love goes beyond
our everyday
conversation, as
it is rooted
deep within our
literature.
There is no
shortage of epic
and fiery poems
in Arab
literature,
brought to us by
the likes of Abu
Nawas and Nizar
Qabbani.
In these poems,
we see
variations of
words referring
to love, like "'oshk"
and "gharam"...
but contrary to
popular belief,
these words are
not synonymous.
They each refer
to a unique
degree of love.
Actually, there
are 14 degrees
of love in
Arabic language.
Here they are in
increasing order
of intensity:
To Build a More
Just Malaysia,
We Need a More
Complex
Understanding of
Islamic Legal
Theory
By Zainah Anwar
How do we
apply authentic
Islamic
principles to
solve the
problems we face
in multi-ethnic
and
multi-religious
Malaysia, to
ensure that
justice is done?
Zainah Anwar is a founding
member and former executive
director of Sisters in Islam,
and is currently the director
for Musawah, a global movement
for equality and justice in the
Muslim family.
Islamic legal
theory is
complex and
rich. Let's not
be simpletons
when we talk and
think about
Islam. When you
can't debate
those who
challenge you,
silencing them
with threats and
fatwa shows
nothing but
ugliness. This
is not the way
to maintain
respect for your
claimed
authority nor
the way to build
love and
confidence that
Islam indeed
does have the
answers, as some
people like to
claim. Let's
build some pride
and knowledge in
our own legal
tradition,
instead of
defiling it with
shrill
sloganeering
that Islam is
under threat,
and that Muslims
are under siege.
In the end, what
we need to ask
is: what is the
purpose of Islam
and what is the
purpose of these
so-called
Islamic laws? We
as Muslims make
the effort to
comply with the
divine will for
a purpose - to
do good, to
bring about
justice, to
contribute to
the well-being
of society.
The more I read
and learn about
Islam, the
stronger is my
faith in a God
and a religion
that is just. I
am proud of the
verses in the
Qur'an that talk
about men and
women being each
other's
protector and
friend, that
promote monogamy
in order to
prevent
injustice, that
advocate a
relationship
based on love
and compassion.
Who decided
these
egalitarian
verses should be
shunted aside,
and who decided
that verses open
to be
interpreted as
men having
authority over
women and men
having the right
to four wives
and to beat
their wives be
the only verses
to govern a
marital
relationship?
Where is the
justice of Islam
when in the
twenty-first
century we
remain governed
by a
discriminatory
legal framework
that bears
little reality
to the lives of
women and men
and the family
today?
Who decided that
the Prophet's
marriage to
Khadijah, a
widow fifteen
years older than
him and who was
his sole beloved
wife until her
death, should
not be the model
of marriage in
Islam? Who
decided that the
Prophet's
marriage to
Aishah should
continue to be
used to justify
child marriage
in Muslim
society? Who
decided that the
part of the
verse that talks
about marrying
two, three or
four be used to
justify polygamy
as a God-given
right in Islam?
And that the
verse that says
to marry only
one, and that
will be best for
you to prevent
you from doing
injustice, is
ignored?
These are all
human-made
decisions. Not
God's.
Alas, the ugly
truth is, too
many of those in
power abuse God
and Islam to
serve their own
personal
interest to
remain in power,
to enrich
themselves, to
remain
privileged and
protected.
As Malaysia
descends into an
Orwellian
society where
right is wrong
and good is bad,
and where Big
Brother watches
our every move,
let those of us
who believe in
justice and
reason take
strength in one
foundational
idea in Islamic
jurisprudence,
attributed to
Imams Shafi'i
and Abu Hanifa:
"We believe that
our opinions are
correct, but we
are always
cognizant of the
fact that our
opinions may be
wrong. We also
believe that the
opinions of our
opponents are
wrong, but we
are always
cognizant of the
fact that they
may be correct."
And in our
search for
solutions, let
us be resolute
and be guided by
the words of the
fourteenth-century
jurist, Ibn
Qayim al-Jawziyyah:
"The
fundamentals of
the Shari'ah are
rooted in wisdom
and promotion of
the welfare of
human beings in
this life and
the Hereafter.
Shari'ah
embraces
justice,
kindness, the
common good and
wisdom. Any rule
that departs
from justice to
injustice, from
kindness to
harshness, from
the common good
to harm, or from
rationality to
absurdity cannot
be part of
Shari'ah even if
it was
introduced by
interpretation."
In the end, only
God knows best.
So let's lose
the conceit that
we can play God
on this earth.
"Taqiyya": How
An Obscure
Islamic Concept
Became An
Obsession Of
Anti-Muslim
Activists
By Ishmael N.
Daro
Anti-Muslim memes referencing
taqiyya.
In early January, an
11-year-old girl in Toronto set off a
firestorm when she said a stranger had
cut her hijab with scissors while she
was on her way to school.
School administrators called the police,
who sent out an alert on social media.
Local media rushed to the school for a
hastily arranged press conference in
which the girl described the alleged
attack in front of a sea of cameras. By
afternoon, it was an international news
story. Meanwhile, prominent politicians
across Canada rushed to condemn the
incident as an act of hate. “Canada is
an open and welcoming country, and
incidents like this cannot be
tolerated," Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau tweeted.
A few days later, however, the whole
thing crumbled. Police released a curt
statement saying an investigation
revealed the attack “did not happen,”
and the girl’s family issued an abject
apology for the invented story.
But where some saw a child’s concerning
tall tale, others read more sinister
motivations.
”There is a Muslim word for this:
taqqiyah,” tweeted Ezra Levant, founder
of the far-right website the Rebel. “It
means deliberate deception of infidels,
to promote an Islamic goal.”
Levant was referencing a false
interpretation of an obscure Islamic
doctrine that has become a bedrock
belief among anti-Muslim writers and
activists, alt-right trolls, and even by
current Trump cabinet member and former
presidential candidate Ben Carson.
Misinformation about taqiyya continues
to surface in search results on Google
and spreads widely on other platforms.
There are few Islamic teachings that are
as widely misunderstood by non-Muslims
as taqiyya; likewise, few other
teachings are as frequently invoked to
impugn the motives of Muslims, according
to Islamic scholars and advocates.
Imraan Siddiqi, executive director of
the Arizona chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, said he
constantly encounters false claims about
taqiyya.
“I mean, 99.99% of Muslims don't even
understand what taqiyya is, but every
alt-right Twitter troll is an expert on
Islamic theology now, which is
completely absurd,” he said.
Mohammad Fadel, an expert on Islamic law
at the University of Toronto, described
taqiyya (and its many alternative
spellings) as “a doctrine of prudential
dissimulation” that arose from a time
when Muslims were minorities in hostile
societies. It instructed Muslims that
hiding one’s faith could be permissible
to escape persecution. It’s more closely
associated with the Shiite branch of
Islam, whose adherents are themselves
often minorities within Muslim
societies.
“The Qur’an permitted Muslims in that
situation, who were fleeing death or
torture or other bad treatment, to
dissemble about their true beliefs. And
as long as they were faithful in their
hearts, they would not be considered
sinful,” Fadel told BuzzFeed News.
But this idea has mushroomed, Fadel
said, into a false claim that Muslims
are permitted, or even commanded, to lie
to non-Muslims as part of a larger
project to take over Western countries
and impose Sharia, or Islamic law. He
said taqiyya does not allow for broad
deceptions and has no connection to
Sharia.
“Unfortunately, it’s really become dogma
among the right in North America, really
the entire anti-Muslim coalition you see
in the West,” Fadel said.
Searched for mistakes in
Islam led me to Be Muslim
Islam is the
religion of peace and safety
What you need to know about
the Turkish 'Game of Thrones'
TRT World
Malaysian Docu-film about
reversion to Islam
A Malaysian film production
company's documentary called
“FREEDOM” revolves around the
lives of 50 reverts to Islam.
Halis Media, the company that
produced the docu-film, said its
motivation to make the film was
to “introduce the pure message
of Islam to the world” through
innovative media platforms.
The production took two years
and comprised of 50 interviews
conducted in 15 languages across
Malaysia.
Halis Media said in a statement
that it selected South Africa
for the World Screening Tour of
FREEDOM to coincide with Freedom
Day on April 27.
The documentary film is produced
and directed by French convert,
former international reporter,
Julien Drolon and Malaysian TV
Show producer, Zara Shafie who
said that “Islam teaches
freedom, cherishes it, and
guarantees it for Muslims and
likewise, non-Muslims.
“The Islamic concept of freedom
applies to all voluntary
activities of man in all walks
of life. This documentary-film
will InshaaAllah, shed light on
how Islam liberates mankind from
all kinds of oppression,” the
statement said.
Combined with beautiful
landscapes and Masjids from all
over Malaysia, FREEDOM is a
spiritual and emotional
documentary film featuring
converts from around the world,
from every continent.
“These poignant interviews share
a rare sincerity of people who
had been outsiders looking into
Islam. Each interview was
conducted in the native language
of the converts in order to
preserve the soul of their
messages and to allow the people
of their respectives countries
to connect more with them so
they can truly become “Freedom
Ambassadors”.
The World Screening Tour 2018
will take place in 10 countries
over 5 continents. Some
screenings will be open to the
public whereas some screenings
will be private where guests
will be invited through
exclusive invitations.
“You Will Be Misunderstood,
But You Can't Be A Victim.”
HuffPost
Perspectives
This former
refugee has a message for those
who try to demonize immigrants.
"Taliban are Apostates"
US Marine Corps
General Robert Neller calls the
Taliban 'apostates' and says "We
Are the Mujahideen"
Ramadan Lectures
with Imam
Uzair Akbar
PLEASE
NOTE
It is the usual policy of CCN to
include notices of events, video links and articles that
some readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices
are often posted as received. Including such messages/links
or providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement or agreement by CCN of the contents
therein.
Özil
Kisses & Places Bread On His Forehead After
It Is Thrown at Him By Opposition Fans
Arsenal midfielder Mesut
Özil did an unexpected thing during
Arsenal’s Europa League game with
Atletico Madrid.
As he was preparing to take a corner,
fans from the opposing team threw pieces
of bread at him.
Instead of kicking the piece of bread
away, he picked it up, kissed it and
placed it on his forehead as a sign of
respect for food before placing it on
the side.
Fans explained Ozil’s actions:
Hadi Karim said he did it because he is
a Muslim and Islam discourages wasting
food and encourages people to be
grateful for food as it is a blessing
from God.
Wasting food is indeed discouraged in
Islam as it a blessing from God. God
says in the Qur’an:
Shahid
Khan: The back-row billionaire who fell in
love with Wembley
Taking in the
view: Shahid Khan sits on the
back row at Wembley when he
visits the stadium in 2013
UK: In an interview with
BBC, Jaguars owner Shad Khan explained
how he wants to host a Super Bowl at
Wembley Stadium in England if he he is
able to purchase it.
Last week, Khan put in a bid to buy the
stadium, a move that left people
wondering if his long-term plan is to
move the Jaguars across the pond. Along
with the Jaguars, the billionaire also
owns of Championship team Fulham F.C.
"Our role would be to provide a world
class venue," Khan told BBC. "Wembley is
a great stadium and you want to get it
configured to hold Super Bowl and World
Cup finals."
Khan added that it is "premature" to
discuss the project, which makes sense
because his bid of around $1.25 billion
to buy the stadium from the Football
Association of England has not granted
him ownership of the stadium just yet.
Sajid
Javid appointed as new Home Secretary,
Downing Street announces
UK: Sajid Javid has officially been
named as the new home secretary, to
replaced Amber Rudd following her
resignation over the Windrush scandal.
Javid, who was formerly secretary of
state for communities and local
government, took to Twitter last night
to express his sadness over the
departure of his colleague. 11 hours
later, Downing Street confirmed Javid’s
promotion.
An official statement from Number 10
confirmed Javid’s appointment. “The
Queen has been pleased to approve the
appointment of the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP
as Secretary of State for the Home
Department,” the statement said.
Javid, a former banker and a second
generation migrant, will replace Rudd as
Home Secretary following her Sunday
night resignation. Rudd resigned in a
letter to UK PM Theresa May, stating
that she "inadvertently misled" MPs over
what she knew about immigration targets
in the wake of the Windrush scandal that
has rocked parliament in recent weeks.
Over the centuries,
the Middle East has confounded the dreams of
conquerors and peacemakers alike.
In this classic
work, Peter Mansfield follows the historic
struggle of the region over the last two hundred
years.
This new edition
updates recent developments in the Middle East,
including the turbulent events in Afghanistan,
the troubled relationship between the U.S. and
Iraq, the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict, and
the rise of Islamic Jihad. Incisive and
illuminating,
A History of the
Middle East is essential reading for anyone
wishing to understand what is perhaps the most
crucial and volatile nerve centre of the modern
world.
KB says:
Sharing Raeesa Khatree's recipe from her The
Great Australian Bake Off appearance.
Try your hand at
this bread and butter pudding topped with
miniature toffee apples.
This is the last in
the series of recipes from Raeesa.
Next week I will
start with sharing recipes to help you through
Ramadan.
Bread and Butter Pudding
Recipe by Raeesa Khatree
from The Great Australian
Bake Off
Ingredients
Method
Brioche
250 grams Strong
white flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Castor
sugar
10 grams Yeast
tablespoons
3 eggs
¼ cup Full cream
milk
150 grams unsalted
butter – room
temperature – cut
into pieces
Egg wash
Custard mixture
750ml full cream
milk
750ml thickened
cream
6 extra large eggs
150 grams castor
sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
bean paste
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Tier 1: rhubarb
and blueberry
4 stalks rhubarb
stems
4 tablespoons castor
sugar
4 tablespoons orange
juice
Finely grated zest
of 1 orange
1 teaspoon salt
flakes
2 punnets
blueberries
Tier 2: toffee
apple and walnut
2 golden delicious
ripe apples
1 cup walnut pieces
– toasted
6 whole walnut
pieces – toasted
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
Vanilla bean ice
cream with almond
praline
1½ cups whole milk
2 cups castor sugar
1½ cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
bean paste
Pinch salt
1 cup almond nibs
Mini toffee
apples
Apple balls from two
Granny Smith apples
– scoop using melon
baller
2 cups caster sugar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon vinegar
For the brioche
bread:
1. Using a stand
mixer, fitted with
k-beater attachment,
place the flour into
bowl. In a small
saucepan, warm milk,
add sugar and yeast
and let it froth up
for a few minutes.
Then add the milk
mixture to bowl of
stand mixture and
combine on low speed
with flour. Add
salt. When dough
starts to meld
together, change to
dough hook
attachment and mix
for 2-3minutes,
until firm and
elastic, for a few
more minutes. Then
on low speed, start
adding pieces of
butter. After all
the butter has been
added, increase
speed to medium and
mix for 4 minutes
until dough is
smooth and shiny.
Remove dough and
place on floured
benchtop and knead
for a few times,
then place dough in
a greased bowl and
place in proving
drawer until double
in size,
approximately 1
hour.
2. Preheat oven to
190°C and butter
pans for baking
brioche. Once dough
has risen to double
its original size,
turn dough out onto
floured surface and
shape accordingly.
Keep dough covered
to prevent drying
out. Place in pans,
egg wash and then
bake till golden –
approximately 18
minutes.
For the pudding
custard base:
1. Place all
ingredients into a
large bowl and whisk
well until sugar is
dissolved. Check for
sweetness.
2. For the vanilla
bean and praline ice
cream, in a medium
saucepan over
medium-low heat,
warm the milk,
vanilla bean paste
and sugar, stirring
occasionally, until
the sugar has
dissolved.
Meanwhile, pour the
heavy cream into a
large bowl and set a
mesh strainer on
top. In a medium
bowl, whisk the egg
yolks. Slowly pour
the warm milk
mixture into the egg
yolks, whisking
constantly. Then,
pour the mixture
back into the
saucepan. Stir the
mixture constantly
over medium heat
with a heatproof
spatula, making sure
to scrape the sides
and bottom of the
pan occasionally.
Keep stirring until
the mixture thickens
and coats the back
of the spatula – the
mixture should be
between 170 and
175°C. Pour the
custard through the
mesh strainer and
stir it into the
cream. Add a pinch
of salt. Stir to
combine. Pour
mixture into a deep
Pyrex jug and
submerse in a bowl
of ice cubes and
water so ice cream
mixture cools
faster. Pour mixture
into ice cream
machine and churn
for 20-30 minutes.
When mixture is
almost churned, with
5 minutes to go, add
in a handful of
crushed almond
praline. Once done,
empty immediately
into a bowl that it
can be scooped from.
To make praline:
1. Place almond nibs
into oven to toast
for 15 mins on
150°C. Melt sugar in
saucepan without
stirring. Use a
pastry brush dipped
in water to clean
bits of sugar on the
inside of the
saucepan to avoid
the crystallization.
Once sugar has
melted completely,
pour over almond
nibs.
For rhubarb and
blueberry tier:
1. Cube rhubarb into
2-inch pieces. Cook
with sugar and juice
in a saucepan over
low heat, stirring
until sugar
dissolves,
uncovered. Once
rhubarb is tender,
add in blueberries
and remove from
heat. Keep aside to
use as filling in
pudding.
For toffee apple
and walnut tier:
1. Toast walnut
pieces on 150°C and
keep aside. For
mixture, melt the
raw sugar and butter
in a saucepan, by
stirring the sugar
into the butter. Add
apple pieces and
cook till tender.
Add cinnamon and
salt. Remove from
heat and keep aside
for filling of the
top pudding.
To make toffee
apples:
1. Peel apples,
using melon baller
scoop out a few
balls and place a
wooden stick into
it, keep aside.
Using a saucepan,
combine sugar, water
and vinegar and
bring to the boil.
Heat till
temperature rises to
150°C (10 minutes).
Remove from heat and
stand over a bowl of
ice water. When
mixture stops
boiling, hold apple
by the stick and dip
into syrup to coat
apple. Let it drain
off apple and place
onto greased and
lined tray to dry
and harden. Repeat
for all apples.
To make crème
anglaise:
1. In a saucepan,
heat cream, milk and
vanilla. Bring to
the boil and reduce
heat completely. In
a separate bowl,
whisk egg yolks and
castor sugar until
thick and creamy.
Slowly add ¼ cup at
a time of hot milk
mixture into bowl
with egg yolks and
temper eggs.
To assemble:
1. Using an
oven-proof dish,
grease with butter
and sprinkle with
raw sugar, then
start with a layer
of sliced brioche
bread, brushed with
melted butter. Then
add rhubarb filling.
Neatly keep layering
twice more and place
blueberries in a
border half way up
bowl. Pour over
custard pudding
mixture over layers
of bread and make
sure it is all
covered. Dot with
butter and cinnamon
powder. Bake on
200°C for 80
minutes, then cool
in freezer.
2. 2nd tier layer as
per first but with
toffee apple
mixture. Bake on
200°C for 60
minutes. Decorate
with toffee apples
and the berries,
with ice cream and
crème anglaise on
the side.
Welcome to my weekly
column on
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind.
If you’re taking
time out to read
this, pat yourself
on the back because
you have shown
commitment to taking
care of your mind
and body.
Today, In Shaa
ALLAH, we will
explore the topic:
Your Child Is NOT
You...Parent Your
Inner Child Before
You Parent Your
Child
As I write this
column, I eagerly
await my daughter’s
return from her
school camp. She’s
15 this July and has
been challenging me
constantly to
reflect on my
parenting skills. If
you are a parent
reading this, let me
just say it out
loud: THIS PARENTING
THING AIN’T EASY!
Few days ago when
she was packing for
her camp, I was
incessantly
bombarding her with
questions...Have you
labelled this? Have
you packed this?
Have you packed
that? Why do you
need headphones,
can’t you just look
at the stars and not
listen to
music...It’s camp,
not a concert! Do
you have to swim in
the lake? What about
crocodiles? And the
bushwalk...what
about the reptiles
and spiders?”
She literally had to
march me out of her
room and say to me:
“Mum, I will talk to
you when you calm
down and behave
yourself.” I
thought, hang on a
minute, this is what
I used to say to her
when she was
little…”Young lady,
I will talk to you
when you calm down
and behave
yourself.” Oh, how
the tables have
turned, I realised.
Pause for a moment
and reflect on your
own relationship
with your child/
children. Do you
ever feel that your
worries are governed
by your own fears
and that at times
you project those
fears on your child?
Your child is NOT
you. Your child has
his/her own QADR...preordained
path, bestowed upon
him/her by ALLAH. No
matter how much you
try to impose your
own fears on your
child, understand
one thing...your
child will either
absorb your fears
and live life with
inherited fear OR
your child will
completely reject
your fears, plus all
the other good
advice you may give,
because he/she will
find it easier to
rebel than to
conform to your
fears.
So why do we impose
our fears on our
children? Our fears
too have been
inherited from other
people around us.
Somewhere
cocooned inside us
lives a child
yearning to blossom
into a fearless
butterfly.
When you are able to
address your own
fears and parent
your inner child to
overcome those
fears, you will
fearlessly fly out
of that cocoon, a
butterfly who
surrenders to the
preordained path
that ALLAH has put
you on. Until you
parent your inner
child, you will
struggle with
parenting your
child. It’s a daily
practice, trust me.
The
above link is a
video by Dr Shefali
Tsabary who has
revolutionised the
way we view
parenting. Please
watch it.
Below are some steps
you can implement if
you feel the
constant need to
control your child:
1. Catch
yourself when
you are asking
your child too
many questions.
STOP.
2. Reflect on
the questions
that you are
asking your
child and try to
understand what
is prompting you
to ask these
questions.
3. If your
questions are
concerns, what
are you
concerned about?
4. If your
questions are
fear-based, what
are you fearful
about?
5. Identify your
fears and
concerns and
make a list of
them.
6. Sit with your
child and
express YOUR
fears and
concerns using
the phrases “I
am fearful
that…” or “I am
concerned that…”
Doing so will
show your child
that these are
your fears and
concerns and not
your child’s.
7. Hug your
child and tell
him/her that you
trust ALLAH to
keep him/her
safe and well.
8. Make wudu and
pray salah to
thank ALLAH for
making you aware
of your fears
and concerns
instead of
imposing them on
your child.
In
Shaa ALLAH, next
week we will explore
the topic:
Religion And
Children...Why
Parents Need To
First Display
Virtues Before
Preaching Them
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Reflections
- my new ebook of
poetry and
affirmations
DOWNLOAD The
Ultimate Self-Care
Guide For Muslimahs
WATCH VIDEOS
from Muslimah Mind
Matters YouTube
Channel.
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Meditation
Moments - audio
files for
self-awareness
meditation.
If you wish to know
about a specific
topic with regards
to Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please text or email
me or visit
www.muslimahmindmatters.com.
If you wish to have
a FREE one hour
Finding Clarity
telephone session,
contact me on
0451977786.
Registrations are now open
for the Future Enterprising
Muslims!
The program aims to provide
business support, training
and mentoring to Muslim
women to help them
commercialize and
operationalise an idea into
a successful small business
in Ipswich.
The participants will be
provided with mentoring and
one on one skills to assist
them to establish their own
business. Participants will
also be able to
commercialise a business
idea, price and value it,
and be given step by step
guidance and ongoing
mentoring (from mainstream
businesses) to establish and
operationalise a business.
At the end of the 12 week
course participants will
have developed a simple
business and marketing plan,
set up an ABN, registered
their company, set up a
website and Facebook page;
set up accounting systems
and business processes , set
up weekly and monthly cash
flow and other simple book
keeping tasks and will have
established a customer base
and be working on their
business.
Ongoing mentoring and
support will be provided
through the Ipswich Chamber
of Commerce, and individual
business mentors selected to
be part of this program.
The main facilitator is
Christine Mudavanhu who also
resides and owns a business
in Ipswich.
There are only 8 places
available so participants
will need to register asap.
If you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to
contact Nora Amath at
nora.cams@iwaa.org.au.
Are you looking at starting your own
business? Do you have a business idea that you would
like to explore with a professional?
This interactive, practical
experience that provides you with tools to start or
grow your business!
Workshop 1: Thinking like an
Entrepreneur Workshop 2: The Entrepreneurship
Journey Workshop 3: Branding and Design Workshop 4:
Communication and Pitching
The
National Zakat
Foundation is a
ground-breaking
initiative which
aims to utilise
Zakat funds and
voluntary donations
collected in
Australia for the
benefit of local,
deserving
recipients.
This
group includes some
of the most
vulnerable members
of our community,
including widows,
orphans, refugees,
the aged as well as
the homeless.
Our
work covers five
core areas that
together form an
end-to-end service
for the Muslim
community in
Australia with
respect to Zakat.
Alhaamdulilah,
the main structure is
already completed. Next is
the external and internal
deco & fittings. The
external wooden claddings
are going up on the wall.
The driveway into the
basement carpark is getting
completed.
We still need donations to
complete the project. Please
donate generously during
these auspicious months.
InshaaAllah, with your
support, we hope to expedite
soon the project.
1. All Islamic Event dates given above are supplied by
the Council of Imams QLD (CIQ) and are provided as a guide and 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.
HikmahWay offers online and
in-person Islamic courses to
equip Muslims of today with
the knowledge, understanding
and wisdom to lead balanced,
wholesome and beneficial
lives.
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the CCN Team, 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 CCN
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 us..
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.
As
the Story Media and
Communications Officer you
will support the work of
QCOSS by communicating the
many stories that represent
and give life to the work
done by QCOSS to achieve its
vision. These stories will
be told by people and
communities all over
Queensland and show the
different perspectives of
those experiencing poverty
and disadvantage to inform,
influence and educate. You
will do this by providing
journalism, interviewing,
writing, editing, media
liaison and campaigning
services to QCOSS.
A
Shaykh in Florida by the
name of Shaykh Azhar Nasser
is currently winning at
Twitter! Not too long ago he
began tweeting the questions
posed to him alongside
responses to those
questions.
Özil
Kisses & Places Bread On His Forehead After
It Is Thrown at Him By Opposition Fans 
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August 2011