......a sometimes
self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and
the world around us ......
Sunday, 31 August 2008
.Newsletter
0199
News you won't find on CNN!
This week's CCN is kindly sponsored by
GOChi
Ramadan
Mubarak
CCN and the
team at Crescents of
Brisbane wishes all CCN
readers and their families
Ramadan Mubrarak
May you fulfill the obligations of this blessed month of
fasting with increased strength, fortitude and faith.
Holland
Park Mosque knocks up a Ton!
It was a week
in which two Aussie icons
celebrated reaching a
century: one a famous
cricketer and the other
Queensland's oldest Muslim
place of worship, learning
and community gathering -
the Holland Park Mosque
in Mt. Gravatt.
The Photo Gallery and Exhibition
A
Closed Off Crest Street
To mark the
occasion, Crest Street was
closed off to accommodate a
string of stalls and rides
and a host of activities to
celebrate the 100 years
since the Mosque was first
established in 1908.
An exhibition
of photographs and displays
attracted a large crowd in
the Mosque Hall.
The newly
leveled Mosque frontage with
its artificial grass and
metal balustrade provided a
perfect setting for the
occasion.
Several
dignitaries attended the
formal ceremony in which the
Minister of Communities and
Multicultural Affairs,
Lindy Nelson-Carr MP,
sang her praises of the
contribution the Mosque has
made to the building of
social cohesion in the
community; Mustafa Ally
launched his book on the
100 Year History of the
Holland Park Mosque; and the
inaugural meeting of the
Queensland Muslim Historical
Society was formally
announced.
There were
speeches by Brisbane Lord
Mayor, Campbell Newman;
Senator Brett Mason;
MP for Bonner, Kerry Rae;
Nick Xynias of ECCQ;
Police Commissioner, Bob
Atkinson and other
dignitaries.
Islamic Society
of Holland Park (ISOHP)
President, Abdul Gaffar Deen
and Mustafa Ally
Master of
Ceremony, Sultan Deen and
Kerry Rae MP
An
overwhelming outpouring of
goodwill was evident
throughout the event which
also proved a rare
opportunity to renew old
friendships and make new
ones. People who had not
visited the Mosque for a
while (or at all) were
suitably impressed with the
changes made to the Mosque
A
yet-to-be-signed-by-political-and-community-leaders
copy of the book by Mustafa
Ally fetched $10 500 in an
auction conducted by the
inimitable Hussin Goss.
ISOHP
President and Minister
Lindy Nelson-Carr
ISOHP
President and Lord Mayor
Campbell Newman
It was also a
coming together of a number
of groups and individuals
who lent a hand to make the
day such a resounding
success These included
Samir Gutta and his Hope for
Happiness Team, members
of the Somalian community,
the Muslim Students'
Association, the Holland
Park Mosque's Ladies
Auxiliary Committee and
a number of individuals too
many to mention.
The Mean
Machine: Members of the team
responsible for setting up the
scene
The CresCafe
Crew: (left to right) Saadiya
Essof (obscured), Julie
Hatia, Faiyaza Omar, Kareema
Benjamin, Jameela Omarjee
and Saeeda Vorajee
In Federal
Parliament Thursday 28 September
Moreton
Electorate: Holland Park Mosque
Mr PERRETT
(Moreton) (11.09 am)—Holland Park Mosque on
Brisbane’s south side will celebrate its
centenary this weekend. I am pleased to
recognise this significant event in the life
of Queensland’s Muslim community. Holland
Park is the oldest mosque in Queensland, and
over the last 100 years the Muslim community
has grown to become a vitalised part of
Brisbane’s multicultural mix, particularly
in my electorate of Moreton on Brisbane’s
south side. From its modest beginnings as a
wooden shack which opened back in 1908, the
mosque has been transformed into the modern
Brisbane landmark it is today.
But, of
course, the mosque represents much more than
just bricks and mortar. It is a community of
friends, people of faith and people who
aspire for a better world. Over those 100
years, Brisbane’s Muslim community has grown
from about 20 people in 1908 to more than
20,000 in 2008. The mosque provides the
focal point for social activities and is a
place of worship and education. Despite some
testing times, such as the fire-bombing of
the mosque which took place in the weeks
following the September 11 attacks, the
Muslim community has remained committed to
racial and religious harmony.
The leaders of
the Islamic community have done much to
foster great respect and understanding
between Muslims and non-Muslims. I
particularly want to recognise Mustafa Ally,
who has compiled and published a
comprehensive 100-year history of the
Holland Park Mosque and the people who have
helped shape it. Here is an example. It is
available online. It is a wonderful document
with forewords by the member for Griffith,
the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of
Australia, and also by the new governor of
Queensland, Ms Penelope Wensley. Obviously
the former governor of Queensland is coming
to another job here in Canberra.
Mustafa Ally
is a dedicated community leader who was this
year named Multicultural Citizen of the Year
at the 2008 Australia Day Awards. Of course,
the Holland Park Mosque centenary coincides
with a very significant time of year on the
Muslim calendar. Next week will see the
start of the holy month of Ramadan. I wish
all Muslims in Queensland and beyond, but
particularly those in my electorate of
Moreton, the very best during this 30-day
period of fasting and prayer. As well as
being a time of personal reflection, I
recognise that, as a community, Muslims will
also take time during Ramadan to focus on
the needs of others, especially those facing
hardship around the world. That is a
particular tenet of the Muslim faith that is
very commendable.
The right to
religious freedom is a great strength of
Australian society and one that we must all
protect. I have said it before and I will
continue to say it in this place: I am proud
of the diversity and strength of Brisbane’s
multicultural communities, but we must all
work to promote tolerance, understanding and
mutual respect. I see the Courier Mail
had a rather lengthy article about the
centenary. I particularly want to mention Mr
Gaffer Deen, one of the famous Deen brothers
who have strong connections with the Liberal
Party but who also work tirelessly for the
community and have become good friends of
mine.
Mr Ramsey—Sensible
man!
Mr PERRETT—I
will take that interjection. He obviously
works hard for the community—irrespective of
the political party that he is connected
with. I wish all the people at the Holland
Park Mosque well. I look forward to being
there on Saturday.
If you would
like to purchase a copy of the centenary
publication 100 Years of History:
Holland Park Mosque (1908-2008)
send an email to
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org with your
postal address (cost $25 plus postage - all
proceeds go to the Holland Park Mosque)
The
celebrations received wide national and
international coverage in the media last
week:
To add to these months of milestones, CCN
will be knocking up a double century of
its own when it reaches its 200th uninterrupted
issue next Sunday.
We'll be getting out the virtual cake and
candles in celebration of this occasion next
week, and you're all invited to the party!
Muslim
Historical Society to be formed
Believed to
be the first of its kind in
Australia, the Queensland
Muslim Historical Society
(QMHS) will be formally
constituted at the Kuraby
Community Hall, Svoboda Park
on Saturday 13 September
at 4pm.
The primary
aims of the Society are to
co-ordinate, collate and
document the rich history of
Muslims in Queensland; to
prepare exhibitions for
public displays; and to
provide a forum for the
young and old in our
community to meet over a
common interest.
It is also
envisaged that the QMHS will
develop an online Internet
presence, run workshops on
information gathering and
establish formal links with
other historical societies
and organizations. The
Society will also lobby the
State Library's John Oxley
Library to establish a
permanent section for Muslim
history and art, as has been
done in Museums and
libraries the world over,
for example the Louvre in
Paris.
If you have
even a passing interest in
this area or a creative bent
you are encouraged you to
attend the first meeting on
the 13th.
BIT
Awards Night
The
EidFest Team
Ruhee Moola, Sultan Deen,
Rubana Moola and Yasmin Khan
Eidfest
won the Best Organized
Function Award at the
Brisbane Indian Times awards
night at the Brisbane City
Hall on Friday night.
Other
recipients included
perennial winners Ala Din
Catering and Global
Convenience.
The Fred
Hollows Foundation won
the Humanitarian
Organization Award.
Fred Hollows Foundation
Representatives
Abdul Rahman Deen and Sue
Larsen
Feeding
the Needy in Ramadan
FACE Inc and
“Care for Education Project:
Chad” present: ‘Iftar Saa`im’
‘feed the fasting poor’ in
Chad.
If you would
like to sponsor this
initiative get a sponsorship
form
here.
From
the AMARAH Desk
Assalamu
alaikum wrt wbt
I hope you are all well.
Firstly AMARAH would like to
wish you all an early
Ramadhan Kareem. We hope
that this month will be one
of spirituality,
contemplation, service,
generosity, compassion and
commitment to serving the
Al-Mighty.
As some of you may be aware
AMARAH will be hosting two
iftars during the month of
Ramadhan, Friday 5th
September and Friday 19th
September. We recognise that
there are many iftars
already held by various
mosques and community
organisations for those in
the Muslim community.
However, we felt that the
needs of our homeless and
more disadvantaged friends
in the wider Australian
society should also be met,
especially during this holy
month of Ramadhan. Afterall
one of the main objectives
of Ramadhan is to feel the
hunger and thirst some
people have to endure on a
daily basis.
Of course, this is also a
great opportunity for people
who may have never met
Muslims to begin that
connection and that
conversation with us.
We are hoping to provide a
meal for 40-50 people
at St Andrew's Anglican
Church Hall in West End, and
would like your assistance
in the matter. If you would
like to participate in
helping us serve on the
night, please let me know.
If you can donate some money
towards this iftar, that
would be even more
appreciated. Any amount,
small or large is
appreciated. AMARAH can
provide you with an official
receipt. You can send a
cheque to AMARAH at 14 Ellis
Place Underwood 4119,
payable to AMARAH. OR you
can do an EFT into the
AMARAH account: Westpac Bank
BSB 034-109; Account number
22-5057
Alternatively if you live
around the Kuraby, Sunnybank
or Underwood areas I can
arrange to pick it up from
you at your convenience.
If you can assist in any
way, please do not hesitate
to contact me on 0422 349
786. If you have any
concerns do not hesitate to
contact me also.
Thank you in advance for
your generosity. Please note
that whatever money is left
over will go to future meals
to feed the homeless.
Jazakallah.
Nora Amath
Managing Director, AMARAH
0422 349 786
Queensland Multicultural Awards
5
days left to nominate
Queensland Multicultural Awards
2008
Nominate now!
Nominations are now
open for the 2008 Queensland Multicultural Awards.
The awards celebrate, recognise and
thank individuals, groups and organisations for their
outstanding contributions to multiculturalism in
Queensland.
Nominations can be made under five
categories: Individual, School, Community Based
Organisation, Business and Government.
Minister for
Communities and Multicultural Affairs Lindy Nelson-Carr
will present the awards at a ceremony in November 2008.
For more information on the awards or
to obtain the nomination form and guidelines visit
www.multicultural.qld.gov.au
or phone 13 13 04.
Nominate now – Nominations close Friday 5 September 2008
Donations for Zimbabwe
By Faisel Essof
Muslims in
this country and the World
over have always admirably
observed the discharging of
SadaqatulFitr.
Shariah has
stipulated this little
monetary observance for
those who have the means in
order to bring some delight
to those less fortunate. It
is the infinite wisdom of
Allah that while He has
blessed certain people with
tremendous wealth and
prosperity, there are others
who live on the other
extreme with barely no food
to nourish themselves nor
their offspring.
Fuqaha (jurists)
stress that SadaqatulFitr should be
discharged before the day of
Eid. This will enable the
recipients to make maximum
use of the money afforded to
them. However, many people
have the tendency of
delaying in discharging
their Fitrah and
subsequently end up dropping
it in some organization’s
box on the way to EidSalaah. The deadline
for discharging SadaqatulFitr is before EidSalaah. It is
therefore appropriate to say
that discharging
SadaqatulFitr at
the last hour will not
fulfil its due objective.
Rasulullah (s.a.w.) said,
“The fast remains suspended
between the heavens and the
earth until Fitrah is
discharged”. (Targhib)
A collection
of Fitrah and
Zakaah is being made for
distribution in Zimbabwe
through the Islamic Welfare
Fund (IWF) based in Harare.
The IWF (seen
in picture distributing food
and money last year) runs
orphanages, assists the aged
and widowed, provides food
hampers, offers medical
assistance and is involved
in a number of other
activities.
To donate
your Fitrah/Zakaah
towards this cause contact:
Faisel Essof
Tel: 3423 0116 – H
3800 7811 – B
Mob: 0402 575 410
As
part of its commitment to support passionate Muslim
youth driven to make a difference, MYServices recently
sponsored Hamdi Aden as a delegate to the Asia Model
United Nations Conference (AMUNC) 2008, in Adelaide.
AMUNC is a leading student event that attracts over 500
tertiary student delegates from around the globe.
“My father works for the United Nations Development
Program in Somalia,” Hamdi, 20, told MYServices. “I
admire the great work of the UN and have always wanted
to work for the UN one day myself.”
“I figured if you really want to make a difference to
the policies that are made at the other side of the
world, yet affect people you care about, you first need
to understand how it works,” Hamdi pointed out. She is
completing a Bachelor of Arts, with majors in Peace and
Conflict Studies and Indonesian; and a Bachelor of
Social Science, majoring in International Development,
at University of Queensland.
“I found the Model United Nations conference was a great
opportunity for me to develop a diverse range of
communication, research, teamwork, leadership,
networking and critical thinking skills, as well as
learning about the reality of multilateral politics, and
the UN,” she said.
As part of the General Assembly's third committee
representing India, Hamdi had the opportunity to not
only debate world issues and attempt to come up with
working resolutions, but also to improve her public
speaking and negotiating skills.
Hamdi encourages Muslim youth to take advantage of such
opportunities.
“An event
such as AMUNC is an
excellent opportunity for
young Muslims to understand
the art of global
governance; how the world's
biggest institution makes
its decisions and how they
are taken into affect.”
“For, if one wants to make a
change in the world, they
have to have the tools and
understanding as to how this
could be achieved.”
“My colleagues and I are
very fortunate to have the
honour and prestige of
hosting AMUNC 09 at the
University of Queensland.”
Driven and
committed, throughout the
time MYServices has known
her, Hamdi has amazed us
with her humbleness and
admirable ‘no problems,
can-do’ attitude, no matter
how bizarre the dilemma!
Passionate about education
and uniting
Somali-Australian youth of
numerous rival tribes, Hamdi
co-founded SOMAYO, a new
Brisbane-based Somali youth
group made of over 50 young
Somali-Australians, with her
sister, Nasra Aden, 21.
The duo’s struggle for a
united Somali-Australian
youth group hasn’t been
easy. They continue to
diplomatically battle
cultural taboos and
naysayers in their community
who believe youth shouldn’t
be taking a lead.
The sisters also run a free
weekly homework club that is
attended by
Somali-Australian primary
and high-school students in
Holland Park.
MYServices wants YOU!
MYServices will be launching its youth
leadership development program this November.
We would love community input into the
program, as Muslim youth, community leaders, educators
or interested citizens.
Tell us how you think a youth leadership
development program should look like!
This short, anonymous survey will just
take 5 minutes of your time.
FOX Uses Pro-Israel
Extremist to Attack Islamic Financing
In
an interview on Fox Business, Allyson Rowen Taylor
linked shariah financing and shariah to terrorism,
beheadings and the 9/11 attacks.
She also claimed shariah financing, under
which Muslims simply seek to avoid dealing in interest,
is a “subtle way of creeping Islam into the American
culture.”
Rowen Taylor seemingly advocated that
Muslims invest in companies selling pornography because
it is “instrumental to the economy of the United
States.”
You can watch
the video
here, and click
here to read the full action alert.
Breaking News
Hussam Ayloush discusses Islamic
financing on FOX Business Network. His interview was
intended to offer a balancing perspective to a guest on
the program earlier this week who sought to demonize
Islam and Muslims by demonizing Islamic law, or shariah.
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.
All questions sent in are published here anonymously and
without any references to the author of the question.
KB's Culinary Corner:
Ramadan Recipes
QUICK MINI PIZZAS
Ingredients
1 cup chicken fillet – cooked in ghee or
oil with green chillies, salt and ginger garlic
1 cup grated cheese
¼ cup green pepper
1 tomato finely chopped
2 eggs – lightly beaten
5 Tblsp Flour
2 Tblsp Mayonnaise
1 cup corn kernels/mixed vegetables
Method
Mix all the ingredients well in a large
dish.
Place in greased patty pans, sprinkle with
oreganum and chilli flakes and bake at 180
degrees until light brown.
Do you have a recipe
to share with CCN readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org and be our "guest chef" for
the week.
The CCN Chuckle
Jalalludin and
Fazlludin were trying to get a stubborn mule into a
barn.
The mule's ears
touched the top of the small barn door, and he wouldn't
proceed any further.
Fazlludin came
up with a bright idea. "Why don't we cut two holes in
the barn above the door for the ears to go through?"
So they proceeded to
do this.
Mula Nasruddin was riding by and noticed the spectacle.
So he asked them
what they were doing.
They told him they
were cutting holes in the barn so the mule could go
through the door.
Mula Nasruddin
asked, "Why don't you simply take a shovel and dig a
small trench in the ground?"
Jalalludin looked at Fazlludin and said, "Isn't that
just like our Mula Nasruddin."
Then he yelled,
"It's his ears that are too big, not his legs!"
The
Notice Board
Click on image to enlarge
Courses for New
Muslims
Marriage Toolbox
Ramadan Quiz
Eidfest 2008
ADCQ ECCQ Workshops
Brisbane Islamic Soccer
IWAQ Annual Ladies Night 2008
The CCN Date Claimer
Date
Day
Event
(Click on link)
Organizer
Venue
Contact
Time
1/2
September
(PROVISIONAL)
Mon/Tues
Start of Ramadaan
13
September
Saturday
Inaugural Meeting: Queensland Muslims Historical
Society
Venue:
Room S201,
University of Queensland, 323 Hawken Drive,
St. Lucia
Contact: 0421 731 797
Time: 6.45pm to 9.00pm
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.
Please feel
free to post an entry on our Wall, start up a
Discussion thread and/or become a Fan.
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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.
As
part of its commitment to support passionate Muslim
youth driven to make a difference, MYServices recently
sponsored Hamdi Aden as a delegate to the Asia Model
United Nations Conference (AMUNC) 2008, in Adelaide.
AMUNC is a leading student event that attracts over 500
tertiary student delegates from around the globe.
and
Teams, Ramadhan Mubarak!
In
an interview on Fox Business, Allyson Rowen Taylor
linked shariah financing and shariah to terrorism,
beheadings and the 9/11 attacks. 
Catch
Crescents
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