Federal
Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett MP made a statement
in the House of Representatives this week on 3 June in
response to the assault on the Griffith University
Islamic Research Unit by The Australian newspaper last
month.
I rise on this day, the 16th
anniversary of the Mabo decision—a decision that
restored justice and ended the farce of terra nullius—to
talk about an institution in my electorate, Griffith
University’s Islamic Research Unit, GIRU, which
promotes social inclusion and racial and religious
harmony in Australia.
GIRU was set up to organise,
participate in and assist with educational activities
that seek to bridge the gap between Islam and the west.
Among its stated aims is the provision of scholarships
for research aimed at examining the condition of Islam
and Muslims in Australia, research that strives for
understanding in order to bring positive and lasting
change in our communities.
The Rawlins taekwondo students did
it again by becoming number one 24/25 May.
They entered the Tans Open at the
Gold Coast taking with us eight fighters and came home
with 7 gold 1 silver and 1 bronze medals.
Not bad for a young club of only 14
student at Rochedale and 4 student at Greenbank.
The club started last year and grew
each week producing good fighters in 2007.
They won in total 42 medals with an
average of 4 per student. Out of these medals there were
26 gold 13 silver and 3 bronze. The one silver medal is
an International medal and the one gold medal is a
national one.
Back row: Haris Olomi
coach, Mustafaa Olomi (Gold), Mousaab Houadchia (Gold),
Abdullah Houadchia (2 Golds), Jacob White (Gold)
Middle row: Jahan Olomi (Bronze), Zulaikha Deen
(Gold), Zahara Bakkar (Silver)
Front row: Khaaled Olomi (Gold)
In 2008 so far the students have 24
gold,7 Silver and 2 Bronze, but this year they have also
won 2 International Gold. MustafaaOlomi
and JacobWhite won the Singapore Open in
March and will be competing in Korea in July. They hope
come back home with another two Gold Medals.
If anyone would like to see these
boys and girls in action you can see them competing in
the Caboolture Open on 15 June at Morayfield.
Come along and support these
students.
If you need any further information
call Ahmad Haris Olomi on 0402716707 or email
olomitkd@yahoo.com
and check the web site at
www.rawtkd.org.au.
The club is located at Rochedale
State High School and they train on Mondays and
Thursdays from 5pm to 6pm and on Saturdays from 3.30 pm
to 4.30 pm
Once
Bitten …when love comes with baggage
Media Release
Circe Films and Caravan Productions in association with
SBS Television (Australia), Maori Television Services
(New Zealand), Film Finance Corporation and New Zealand
On Air are looking for people to tell their stories in a
new benchmark documentary series Once Bitten.
This two-part series will
tell the personal and intimate stories of couples as
they negotiate the social, cultural and familial
complexities of love the second-time around.
A co-production between
New Zealand and Australia this will be a significant
exploration of a social phenomenon that reveals the
issues and realities of relationships and family life
today through a window of culture.
Janette Howe,
writer and co-producer says “Families and
relationships are a melting pot of familial and
cultural obligations. In Once Bitten we
will gain new insights about culture and identity and
how this plays out in our everyday lives. A second-time
round relationship comes with ‘baggage’ and new
challenges: blended families, step-families, cross-
cultural marriages and extended families for example,
which all raise the stakes in love. There is often no
cultural or social road-map for how it will play out
because couples are rewriting the rules.
“Once Bitten will
look deep into ordinary family life to find
extraordinary stories. How people are surviving and
making their second or third-time round
relationship work (or not). We will draw from the
wider community and across two countries to find
compelling stories, which highlight different issues and
cultural perspectives. Stories from diverse cultures:
such as Maori, Asian, Indian, Arabic and European
Australian and New Zealanders, will show how culture and
family bring us together – or can tear us apart.”
The producers want to hear
from couples and families in a second or more-time round
relationship, who believe that sharing their story – the
joys, the complications, the pitfalls, the lessons
learned – will give others an insight into family life
today.
What is the face of
the Australian and New Zealand family today?
• Is your family the
size of a football team on the weekend?
• Is your second-time
around relationship or marriage a break away from
culture or family – or a return?
• Is your extended
family harder to deal with than your immediate family?
• Do you have a
significant event coming up: moving in together – moving
out, a wedding, a baby, moving house?
Filming starts in August
2008. For further information and media interviews
contact:
Australia – Circe Films
circe_me@bigpond.net.au or call 03 9525 8486
New Zealand –Caravan
Productions caravanproductions@gmail.com or call +64 9
369 1981
Call
for Arabic-Speaking Health Professionals
FECCA Multicultural Quality Use of Medicines (MCQUM)
FECCA works in partnership with the National Prescribing
Service (NPS) to promote the safe use of medicines to
culturally and linguistically diverse Australians. We
are currently undertaking interviews with key informants
who work with Arabic-speaking communities, including
health and community service providers.
We are currently seeking bilingual health professionals
(doctors, pharmacists, and nurses) working with
Arabic-speaking clients and able to undertake an
interview regarding issues around the safe and effective
use of medicines amongst Australians from
Arabic-speaking communities.
It is intended that this research will:
* Identify barriers and enablers to medicines safety
within Arabic-speaking communities;
* Explore appropriate models for providing health
information about the safe and wise use of medicines;
and
* Identify commonalities and/or differences between and
within Arabic-speaking communities in relation to the
safe use of medicines (including identifying particular
segments of Arabic-speaking communities who may be more
susceptible to encountering problems using medicines).
The research findings will be used to inform future
health promotion strategies targeting Arabic-speaking
Australians.
If you are a health professional and able to be
interviewed, or are interested in acquiring more
information about this research, please contact Corinne
Dobson at FECCA on 02 6282 5755, or via email
mcqum2@fecca.org.au.
Report by Khadijah
Hurst, Faith And Cultural Exchange Inc. Secretary
Our first ‘Souq’ day held at
Arundel/Parkwood Community Centre, Gold Coast on May 24th,
was very successful and we would like to thank all those
who generously donated clothing and goods for sale as
well as those who came to help and shop on the day.
From sales and donations we raised almost $1000. With
funds already collected, we only need another $2500 to
complete the Masjid building for the ‘Care for Education
Project’ which is currently under construction in Farm
Belila, Northern Chad.
InshaAllah we will have more ‘Souq’ days and will
continue to collect donated clothes and goods once we
have more storage space.
UPDATE: ‘Care for
Education Project; Chad’
In the last few weeks, a new family of three children
has been brought into the project. They live in the
local area with their mother. Their father died some
time ago and the only support their mother receives is
from the children’s uncle who lives some distance away.
The eldest boy is 12 and has never attended school
before. The two younger children are not yet of school
age but will inshaAllah begin attending the Madrassa
classes.
Sponsors are needed for these children
A sponsorship amount of AU$55 per month will enable this
boy to attend both school and Madrassa classes as well
as feed him for the month. Many people in this area are
extremely poor and can barely afford to buy food let
alone pay the small fees that are associated with
attending school. Please be assured that the need for
support and care for the education of these children is
great. Your Sadaqah could be the difference that may
help lift a child/family/community out of poverty.
The University of Southern
Queensland Springfield Campus has set aside a prayer
room in the main building and is negotiating the
establishment of a Multi-faith Centre in Education City.
If you would like any further
information on these facilities please call 0402 026 786
or 3470 4528.
Little
Mosque on the Prairie: Season 2 Episode 14
Welcome ToMercy
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Back in
the old days........
In April 1990 Eid-ul-Fitr prayers
were held under cover at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
in Gregory Terrace near Fortitude Valley.
The Eid Prayer and 'sermon' started
at 10.30am and there was an Eid Dinner after Jumma
prayers.
The organizers were the Islamic
Society of Holland Park.
The ladies auxiliary held a food
stall with a variety of cakes, sweets and other items on
sale to raise funds for the Mosque.
Source: The Crescent
(registered by Australia Post) Issue: April 1990
Saudi
king opens interfaith conference in Mecca
King Abdullah (C), the Saudi Grand Mufti (L) and
Iran’s Rafsanjani
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
called on Muslims to stand together against extremism
and reach out to the world as he opened a conference on
interfaith dialogue in the Muslim holy city of Mecca,
official media said on Wednesday.
"You are meeting here today to say to the world with
pride that we are a fair, honest, humanitarian and moral
voice, a voice for living together and dialogue," King
Abdullah said in a speech carried live on state
television.
The conference of Muslim scholars – Sunni and Shiite –
was organized by the Saudi-based Muslim World League and
is the first step in a plan announced by the Saudi king
earlier this year to create a Muslim dialogue with Jews
and Christians.
The meeting brought together Sunni scholars from around
the world, such as Egypt's Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar
Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, and some Shiite figures including
former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
The monarch pointed out that among the major challenges
now facing Muslims is combating a growing extremism.
"The challenges facing the (Muslim) nation are difficult
at this time, as its enemies -- including those
extremists among its own people -- have joined forces in
a flagrant aggressiveness to distort the ...
rightfulness and tolerance of Islam," he said.
"This call is intended to face the challenges of
isolationism, ignorance and short-sightedness."
Saudi Arabia was hit by an al-Qaeda campaign on its own
territory when militants launched attacks against
foreigners and government installations in 2003 to
destabilize the kingdom.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al al-Sheikh, Saudi
Arabia's official religious representative, said Islam
honored Jesus Christ and the biblical prophets of
Christians and Jews.
In a speech he cited a saying of Islam's Prophet
Mohammad: "I am the closest person to Jesus, son of
Mary, in this world and the next. I am the prophet who
came after him".
Rafsanjani, an influential Iranian Shiite cleric, said
Muslims needed to start talking among themselves in
order to have a dialogue with other religions.
"The call needs to be directed at ourselves first of
all, and all the sects need to agree on shared points.
As a Muslim and a Shiite ... I say the things we agree
on are many," Rafsanjani said.
In March, Abdullah proposed inter-faith talks among
Christians, Jews and Muslims in a first for the kingdom,
which is home to two of the three holiest shrines in
Islam.
The three-day conference, attended
by hundreds of Islamic scholars and religious leaders
from throughout the world, is part of a
recently-announced initiative by Saudi Arabia's King
Abdullah to promote dialogue between Muslims and
followers of other faiths.
Conference attendees are discussing the legitimacy,
objectives, themes, and methodology of interfaith
dialogue from an Islamic perspective, in preparation for
expanded outreach to other faith groups.
“This ground-breaking conference is
a significant step toward both improving relations
between people of faith and building a more peaceful
future for all our children,” said CAIR Co-Founder Nihad
Awad, who is taking part in the Mecca conference.
Awad said other American Muslim leaders are
participating in the conference, including CAIR National
Board Member Larry Shaw, a state senator from North
Carolina.
Muslim
Rap Duo Have A Message: 'Morality, Peace And Unity'
FLORIDA, USA: Jawad Fayiz
and Akbar Qayum, both 18, go to college, work in
sales for a telecommunications company and recite their
Islamic prayers five times a day.
And in their spare time? These Muslim teens rap.
"Positive hip hop," Fayiz says
quickly. "Not the bad stuff."
They say their inspiration comes
from their Islamic faith. Of the dozen or so songs
they've written -- some posted on YouTube -- the lyrics
speak a clear message.
"Morality, peace and unity," Qayum
says. "I know it sounds kinda cheesy, but it's the
truth. Things are changing, and music is the best way to
spread that word. If we can influence things, that's all
we're asking for."
On Friday, the duo -- who call
themselves D-Clique -- get to make that statement in
their largest forum yet.
After placing first out of nine
entries in a regional talent competition sponsored by
the Muslim American Society, they were selected to open
for Outlandish, a popular European hip-hop band whose
music also takes a positive approach.
The Voices for Change concert takes place at the
University of South Florida Sun Dome. Tampa is the first
stop in a six-city tour for Outlandish. The
award-winning trio includes two Muslims and a Christian.
The tour is meant to empower and
inspire young people, says Omar Atia, vice president of
MAS Youth, a branch of the society. He called it "a
night of entertainment with no controversial lyrics, no
profanity and no references to drugs, alcohol and
violence."
"We're a values movement, striving
for social justice," Atia says. "We tell the kids they
can either channel their energy into a positive force
for society, or a negative one. We want to show them the
value of making good choices and how it can affect their
communities."
Source via: Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Soccer
Tournament
Around the Muslim
World with CCN
Bardot fined for
anti-Muslim remarks
France's 1960s screen icon Brigitte
Bardot has been fined 15,000 euros ($A24,440) for
inciting hatred against Muslims by attacking the ritual
slaughter of animals in Islamic culture.
In December 2006, the film star-turned-animal rights
activist wrote to France's then interior minister, now
President Nicolas Sarkozy, arguing Muslims should stun
animals before slaughtering them during the Eid al-Adha
holiday.
She outraged anti-racist groups by saying: "I've had
enough of being led by the nose by this whole population
which is destroying us, (and) destroying our country by
imposing their ways."
AUSTRALIAN church leaders have urged the
Federal Government to increase efforts in pushing for a
peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East.
Leaders of the Uniting, Anglican and Catholic churches,
as well as other christian groups, said the Government
should take more of a leadership role in working towards
lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
It is the first time such a large group of Christian
leaders has come together to highlight suffering in the
region.
Pakistanis among the most
philanthropic people in the U.S.
................
America is not a monolith but a sum total
of its numerous ethnic groups. Among this mosaic is a
relatively small group, 500,000 by some conservative
estimates, who lead the pack in charitable giving. They
are the Pakistani-Americans.
There is a general assumption that immigrants in general
and recent arrivals in particular tend not to give as
much or as often as the established ethnic groups.
This assumption also considers Pakistanis as more
clannish, more inward-looking and thus not inclined to
share their money with others in the society.
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.
............and
now a word from this week's CCN sponsor.....
KaRa Activ
Kareema's Keep Fit Column
Q: Dear
Kareema, how often do we need to replace our running /
exercise shoes and when buying a new pair, what are some
of the things we need to look for?
A: To prevent injury, runners should be replaced around
every six months (or after every 600 - 900km of use).
Remember this is an estimate and depends on how often
you put them to use. A good idea is to have two pairs
and alternate between the two (you tend to get more use
out of them this way).
Try shopping for new runners in the afternoon or evening
as your feet tend to accumulate fluid and swell
throughout the day and you're more likely to get the
right fit.
Select a shoe store with knowledgeable staff who can
provide advice on the shoe that best suits your
activity,
body structure and type of foot.
Running shoes are an investment in your health. Better
quality shoes may cost more but will pay off in terms of
support.
Most importantly, your running shoes must be
comfortable. Shoes that doesn't fit properly, will
affect your workout and won't do your knees or ankles
any favours!
Put all ingredients
in a large bowl and toss well.
Spread on a baking
tray and roast for about 20 minutes
in the oven on 130c.
Eat with yoghurt or
milk or just eat dry as a snack.
Source Radio Islam
Newsletter - Thursday, 22 May 2008
Do you have a recipe
to share with CCN readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org and who
knows, you could be our "guest chef" for a future
edition of CCN.
The CCN Chuckle
Mula Nasruddin and
his friend Jalalluddin set up camp one night in the
Arabian desert.
Jalalluddin , after
having a very bad dream, woke up to see the stars up
above him.
He woke Mula
Nasruddin and said to him, "What you think?"
Mula Nasruddin replies reassuringly, "Well, Jalalluddin,
it's like this, God gives us miracles in life. Each day
is a new beginning, just like every night there's a new
star in the sky. What do you think?"
Jalalluddin looks at him, confused and says, "Brother
Mula I think someone stole our tent."
Venue: University of Queensland, 323 Hawken
Drive, St. Lucia
Contact: 0421 731 797
Time: 6.45pm to 7.45pm
Sunnah Inspirations is a
non-profit organisation to cater for Muslim
social support and supplying information to
Muslims and non-Muslims. They have been
doing various activities around Australia,
and have organised Da'wah information stalls
at various universities in Brisbane. More
info can be found on their website above.
Write For Us
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of readers. If you have a topic or opinion that you want
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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,
particularly if they eventually turn out to be libelous,
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.
Federal
Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett MP made a statement
in the House of Representatives this week on 3 June in
response to the assault on the Griffith University
Islamic Research Unit by The Australian newspaper last
month.
UPDATE: ‘Care for
Education Project; Chad’
