Sunday, 13 November 2005

Newsletter 0053

This issue of CCN is kindly sponsored by

Mrs Fields Myer Centre

Assalaamu-alaikum

Opening Ceremony

The Bosnian Islamic Society of Eight Mile Plains (2674 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains) will begin construction of their new Mosque at an official Foundation Laying Ceremony on 20 November at 11am. Several dignitaries will be present for the occasion and you are also invited to be in at the start of what promises to be an impressive structure, inshaAllah.

Unwanted Clothes, Books and Toys?

The Islamic Females Association (IFA), on behalf of Janeth Deen and SAACID, is collecting pre-loved items for the needy in Somalia.

You can drop them off at Svoboda Park, Kuraby on Saturday 19 November between 10:00am and 1:00pm and stay for a complimentary sausage sizzle and help the ladies sort and package the items (you know there's no such thing as a free lunch!).

Contact Shamsa Cassimjee (shamsa_c@hotmail.com), Yusra Adams (yusra_adams@hotmail.com) or Salma Sabdia (salma_85@hotmail.com) for any further information.

"School of Excellence"

There will be an Open Day at the Brisbane Muslim School  on Sunday 20th November 2005 between 10:00am and 3:00pm.

Lunch will be provided.

Enrolments are taking place for Pre-school to Year 10 for 2006 and Preparatory to Year 12 for 2007.

See brochure for details.
 

Quest Awards Finds Winner in Community

Talha and Nazira Abdul Latif of Plaza Shoes and Key attended a function at the Townsville's Conrad Jupiter restaurant during the week as invited guests of The Quest Newspaper.

They had been nominated for a Citizens award and were one of three finalists in this category.

The Awards night was in aid of businesses servicing Senior Citizens. Of the 9000 businesses in Queensland there were 24 finalists. Talha and Nazira took the Senior Citizen's award for business excellence for the Moreton region.

Federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbot, wrote an article in this week's 'thePartyRoom' entitled 'Pride in Western tolerance'.

In it he says that a ban on headscarves would look like an attempt to remove the standard Australian right to “make a statement” by the way people dress.

For the full text click here.

Attention ALL you Girls out there!

Did you always harbour a secret desire to be able to Bend it Like Beckham but just did not know where to exercise those fantasies?

Well now you can bring those backyard skills to the fore by joining the newly formed QLD FUTSAL which kicks off with training on Sunday 20 November at 1391 Beaudesert Road (3:30pm).

If you are 7 years or older then strap up some boots and turn up to learn all the tricks of the trade and get in some all round exercise to boot.

You can contact Mehnaaz Ahmed (naaza@yahoo.com), Yusra Adams (yusra_adams@hotmail.com) or Salma Sabdia (salma_85@hotmail.com) for any further information.

Beattie Building Bridges

The Queensland Government has approved a Muslim community engagement strategy designed to support community development and positive relations across the whole community.

As part of the Mini Budget delivered by Premier Peter Beattie last week, $700,000 in funding over two years for a Muslim Community Engagement Strategy was announced.

The strategy will support initiatives including the employment of two youth workers, media and leadership training, interfaith dialogue, and support for initiative and resources to promote the contribution of the Muslim community in Queensland.

This strategy was developed following discussions initiated by Minister Chris Cummins with Muslim communities. Over the next two years, the Queensland Government will work closely in partnership with the Muslim community to implement this strategy.

Crescents Coffee Club at Eidfest2005

The Toowoomba Mail reports on a Muslim on a Peace Mission

Newly elected Vice-President of the Islamic Council of Queensland, Dr Shahjahan Khan, recently spoke to Toowoomba's Mail about the machinations that have driven the rise in terrorist activity.

He expressed his regret and anger at the recent terrorist attack in Indonesia. "Every time we progress a step forward for peace, something happens to push it back", Dr Khan said. He believes religion is wrongly being used as a pawn by some Western governments to justify the imposition of foreign policies and occupation in Islamic countries around the world.

He urged the local community not to vilify Muslims because of the actions of a few extremists abroad, and to look beneath the surface at the ongoing issues fertilizing the root of terrorism.

Dr Khan described Government initiatives such as mandatory detention and proposed new anti-terrorism laws as "temporary pain relief".

"If someone wants to kill him or herself, there is really nothing anyone can do to stop them, " he said. "We need to address the real root cause that is producing people that are willing to sacrifice themselves, and what has brought them to value their life as zero.

Dr Khan hopes to use his position on the ICQ to promote understanding between Muslims and the wider community. As part of his new role, Dr Khan also hopes to bring unity to the many fragmented Muslim communities state-wide and address issues directly impacting Muslims in Australia, "outside the media and outside terrorism".

In particular he would like to see Muslims given more freedom to deal with family and social issues such as divorce, family inheritance and burial arrangements within and Islamic framework.

While this already occurs to a degree in a private capacity, Islamic family law is not formally recognized by the State Government.

Rather than creating division, when it comes to these issues, Dr Khan believes allowing Muslim a level of religious autonomy would ultimately lead to a more peaceful co-existence.

It would be both remiss and a gross dereliction of duty (and in fact somewhat ironical) on the part of Crescents Community News and Crescents of Brisbane not to inform you of a Moon Walk.

The Moonwalk takes place on the night of November 16th in aid of Multiple Sclerosis.

The 2005 MS MoonWalk is a "chance for people of all ages and fitness levels to take a walk in the right direction, and help raise money for people living with Multiple Sclerosis". It is a moonlit, leisurely 10km walk along the picturesque Kangaroo Point Cliffs, across the Story Bridge, around the Brisbane River, through the Botanic Gardens and over the Goodwill Bridge, all whilst enjoying the relaxed atmosphere under a star-studded sky.
 

You can find all the information at http://www.moonwalk.com.au/.

The CCN 2006 Hajis & Hajianis Register

Those going for Haj this year will find the place a little different from the photograph, taken some years back.

THE register of brothers and sisters leaving for Haj this year can be found here.

If you are also going for Haj and you have a fair or firm idea of when you will be leaving please complete the form below for inclusion in the register.

You need only provide those pieces of information you feel most comfortable sharing with others:

A Word From This Week’s Sponsor

Write For Us

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 theteam@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 send an e-mail to theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org with the words “Subscribe Me” in the subject line.

Disclaimer

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.