......a sometimes
self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and
the world around us ......
Sunday, 15 March 2009
.Newsletter
0227
News you won't find on CNN!
Nadeem Aslam on the Conversation Hour
Nadeem Aslam, author
of The Wasted Vigil -
reviewed in
CCN0226, spoke about his
book and his life
experiences to a packed
audience at the Avid Reader
book store on Tuesday.
When CCN asked a member of
the audience how the book
compared with The Kite
Runner, our reporter was
told that Aslam's book made
the latter "read like a
Hallmark card".
At the tennis tournament
played yesterday (Saturday)
evening the doubles pair of
Suliman 'Solly' Sabdia
and Omar 'Goobles'
Abdulla took on and beat
Faisal Hatia and
Amod 'Flint' Cassimjee
in a tightly contested
final.
The first of the semis was
fought out between the
doubles pair of Faisal
Hatia and Amod
'Flint' Cassimjee
against Yaseen Safruddin
and Yusuf Hatia; and
the second between
Suliman Sabdia and
Omar 'Goobles' Abdulla
against Feisal Paruk
and Suleman Girach.
Forty players took part in
the tournament which was
staged on the newly
constructed courts at
Griffith University's Mt
Gravatt campus.
If you wish to play in the
next tournament scheduled
for the first Sunday in July
call Shabir Elias on
0415467868 for further
details.
Algester Meelad Celebrations
The Islamic Society of
Algester cordially invites
you and your family to its
annual meelad-un-nabi
(saw) celebrations.
date: 22 March 2009
venue:
Macgregor Primary School
Hall, McCullough Sreet,
Macgregor
time: 2:30 pm. programme: qiraa'h,
hamd, naat,
qasaa'id, lectures on
the seerah of Prophet
Muhammad (saw) by guest
speakers from around
Australia.
After Maghrib, dinner
(niyaaz) will be
served.
For more information
contact: Mehmood Osman on
0403286305; Ml. M. Nawaaz
Ashrafi on 37116097; or Ml.
M. Aslam Alqaderi on
0431620629
IslamBox Australia
IslamBox is a
Media Platform through which
you can watch Islamic TV
channels and listen to
Islamic Radio Stations from
around the world directly on
your TV Set.
Through IslamBox viewers
can watch over 30 Islamic TV
channels from around the
world in almost near TV
quality and listen to over
15 Islamic Radio stations.
IslamBox is
excited to announce that it
has now launched it's
Australian office and are
now taking orders for in
Australia and New Zealand.
To be one of the first to
have IslamBox in
your homes, register your
interest by completing the
form and an Islam Box
representative will contact
you shortly.
"It’s not always easy being a veiled Muslim in Queensland: the stares, the abuse, the prejudice. But these women have a voice. And there’s something they’d like to say."
A selective group of Muslim Brisbane women who don the niqab were singled out for a feature article in last week's (March 7) Courier Mail glossy QWeekend magazine where they exposed their views on the subject. They were:
South
African anti-Israel apartheid activist to visit Sydney
The militant actions of the
South African dock workers
who refused to offload goods
from Israeli ships during
the Gaza massacre was an
important boost for the
international solidarity
movement. (see South
African dockworkers announce
ban on Israeli ship;
Palestinians salute decision
http://links.org.au/node/888)
Salim Vally, a
spokesperson for the South
African Palestine Solidarity
Committee, will bring the
lesson of this struggle and
others to Sydney in April
when he attends “World at a
Crossroads: Fighting for
Socialism in the 21st
Century”.
A tireless campaigner
against South African
apartheid since high school,
today Vally is one of the
leading international voices
in the campaign against
Israeli apartheid.
Vally on Lessons from South
Africa for the fight against
Israeli apartheid
In 1976, he was a regional
executive member of the
South African Students’
Movement until its banning
in 1977. Two years later, he
was forced to leave the
country as a result of
police repression, becoming
a member of the exiled Black
Consciousness Movement of
Azania.
A delegate to the founding
congress of the Congress of
South African Trade Unions,
Vally worked from 1985 to
1993 as an educator for the
Commercial Catering and
Allied Workers Union (CCAWUSA)
and later at the COSATU
affiliate SACCAWU as the
national educator. He was
also a member of COSATU’s
National Education
Committee.
Since 1995, he has been a
lecturer and senior
researcher at the Education
Policy Unit and the School
of Education at Wits
University in Johannesburg.
Apart from speaking about
the realities of US
imperialism’s “war on
terror”, together with civil
liberties lawyer Rob Stary
and an anti-war activist
from Pakistan, he will be
hosting a discussion with
activists from the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions
movement in Australia.
Hearts and Minds: Australia-Indonesia Youth Leadership
Program & Conference
Expressions of Interest are
now open for the Hearts and
Minds: Australia-Indonesia
Youth Leadership Program and
Conference 2009. This is an
exciting opportunity for
young people to develop
their skills and enhance
their experiences and learn
more about our biggest
neighbour Indonesia. The
Hearts and Minds leadership
program is the first of its
kind and will be an
innovative way to build
strong relationships with
Indonesian youth.
The projects aims are to:
• Instill in participants
leadership and communication
skills, and promote
understanding of the
importance of pluralism,
respect for human rights and
interfaith and
inter-cultural tolerance and
cooperation;
• Instill understanding of
the importance of community
cohesion, particularly in
relief work and
capacity-building;
• Promote dialogue and
understanding between Muslim
and other communities in
Australia and Indonesia.
Applications are invited for
Australian citizens between
21 and 28 years of age
living in Australia who have
an interest in further
developing his or her
leadership skills and
building strong
relationships with
Indonesian youth.
The program includes an 8
day leadership program and
conference where
participants will meet
Indonesian youth in the city
of Yogjakarta, Indonesia.
The program will cover
adaptive leadership,
cross-cultural dialogue and
action plan workshops as
well field trips and a
debrief on Mt Merapi.
Successful applicants are
expected to demonstrate
suitability to the program.
(see suitability criteria
below)
Applicants must send their
1-2 page resumes, a letter
of application outlining why
they should be accepted into
the program and what
leadership means to you. Two
(2) references (include
telephone and email address
of referee). Deadline is
Midnight (EST) 30 March
2009.
Places are strictly limited.
All airfares and
accommodation are covered by
the project.
NB: Applicants must have a
current Australian passport
with at least 6 months
validity.
Essential criteria:
Aged between 21-28 and an
Australian citizen
Proven experience in
community work
Excellent communication
skills
Ability to solve problems
and work in a team
must be committed to
pursuing personal
development to enhance
community leadership skills
Desirable:
be an undergraduate.
have had no previous
international travel.
have had no prior exposure
to international leadership
training programs
have had no prior exposure
to interfaith dialogues and
meetings
All applications post marked
30 March 2009 to
Kuranda Seyfi Seyit
Executive Director
FAIR
PO Box 1013 Strawberry Hills
2012 NSW Australia
"SAMAA is the first private
satellite news channel
providing live transmission
simultaneously from Karachi,
Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta
and Peshawar.
SAMAA presents
up-to-the-minute news
bulletin, incisive political
analysis, programs for
women, youth and children
besides entertainment shows
including sports, film and
music.
It covers news as and when
it happens in a factual and
impartial manner. It has an
extensive network of
correspondents, state-of-art
studios with linkup
facilities in the Federal
and Provincial capitals,
where professional and
experienced team ensures
prompt telecast.
The look and feel of the
channel has successfully
attracted the urban and
rural populace of Pakistan
while providing quality
news, on time every time."
http://www.samaa.tv
FORWARDING an anti-Islamic
email to more than 850
people was “a mistake’’, the
mayor of Moonee Valley
(Victoria) has admitted.
Moonee Valley Mayor Paul
Giuliano (pictured
left) said he meant to
send the email, which
targeted Muslims and asked
readers who agreed with its
anti-Islamic sentiment to
pass the email on, to other
councillors but not to his
entire address book.
The email, which Cr Giuliano
received from a contact, was
forwarded to council staff
and some residents.
It claimed that “Muslims who
want to live under Islamic
Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of
Australia, as the government
targeted radicals in a bid
to head off potential terror
attacks”.
It continued on:
“We speak mainly ENGLISH,
not Spanish, Lebanese,
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese,
Russian, or any other
language. Therefore, if you
wish to become part of our
society . Learn the
language!
‘Most Australians believe in
God. This is not some
Christian, right wing,
political push, but a fact,
because Christian men and
women, on Christian
principles, founded this
nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly
appropriate to display it on
the walls of our schools. If
God offends you, then I
suggest you consider another
part of the world as your
new home, because God is
part of our culture.
“This is our country, our
land and our lifestyle and
we will allow you every
opportunity to enjoy all
this.
“But once you are done
complaining, whining, and
griping about our flag, our
pledge, our Christian
beliefs, or our way of life,
I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great
Australian freedom, ‘the
right to leave’.
‘If you aren’t happy here
then leave. We didn’t force
you to come here. You asked
to be here. So accept the
country you accepted.”
Cr Giuliano has since sent a
second email apologising to
people who received the
forwarded email “in error”.
“I meant to send it to all
councillors but I hit
everyone by mistake,’’ Cr
Giuliano said.
“I had read part of the
email but I (still) haven’t
read it in its entirety.
“But it said pass it on, so
I did.’’
Islamic Council of Victoria
vice-president Sherene
Hassan said it was
“disappointing’’ the mayor
forwarded the email and did
not just delete it.
“It’s quite disappointing
given Moonee Valley is such
a multicultural area,’’ Ms
Hassan said.
Cr Giuliano said he meant
“no malice’’ by forwarding
the email.
“It was silly on my part but
there’s nothing I can do,’’
he said.
Cr Giuliano said he did not
condone the content of the
email.
“Terrorism is a huge concern
but I don’t think it’s an
issue in Australia,’’ he
said.
“I’ve got a lot of friends
who are Muslim and I hope my
friends don’t take offence
to it.’’
Stand Up: Muslim-American
Comics Come Of Age
ABC2, 8.30pm
"I was just over in
England," says the American
Muslim comic Azhar Usman.
"It was a totally different
vibe over there. I'm so used
to being hated for being a
Muslim. It was nice to be
hated just for being an
American."
That's just one of the
poignant quips in this
documentary about five US
Muslims pursuing comedy
careers. After the Twin
Towers were felled, anyone
of Middle Eastern origin was
advised to lay low; instead
Usman did the opposite,
refusing to fall into an
us-and-them mentality.
The same goes for Maysoon
Zayid, who introduces
herself deprecatingly as a
"Palestinian Muslim virgin
with cerebral palsy from New
Jersey". And for Dean
Obeidallah, a Saturday
Night Live staffer who
briefly performed as Dean
Joseph until he realised he
needed to stay true to his
Arab roots. Iranian-born
Tissa Hami says she
wouldn't have gone into
stand-up but for 9/11.
The punchlines and
observations are funny; so
too are the scenes from the
Hollywood thriller in which
comic Ahmed Ahmed plays a
terrorist. The film was
called Executive Decision;
it should have been called
Stereotypes On A Plane.
Fury over Muslim extremists abusing
British soldiers returning from Iraq
London, Mar 11 : British soldiers who have just
returned from Iraq faced a barrage of abuses from
Muslim extremists during a home-coming parade in
Luton.
According to The Daily Express, radical Islamists
condemned the 200 soldiers calling them "Butchers of
Basra" and "Terrorists" as they marched in front of
thousands of families and children on the streets of
Luton.
The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment was
further denounced as "Criminals, Murderers,
Terrorists" and "Baby Killers".
While patriotic well-wishers, who were lined to
welcome the soldiers tried to defend their heroes,
the police declined to offer help.
Police dogs and riot vans were called to the scene
and two men who had turned up to support the troops
were arrested for public order offences.
The incident has sparked fury across the political
and religious spectrum.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "The whole country
is proud of our brave servicemen and women who serve
their country with great distinction and courage.
"It is, therefore, disappointing that a tiny
minority tried, but ultimately failed, to disrupt
today's event."
Pakistan: Christian Nurse
under Fire over Muslim Prayer Room
The Christian chief warden of a nurses’ hall of
residence in Lahore is at risk of attack from a
fanatical Muslim colleague, warns CLAAS UK.
Mrs Purses Gulzereen is chief warden at the hall for
women training at the nursing school of the
Children’s Hospital, where she is a senior lecturer.
For the last six months, Mrs Purses has been
embroiled in a conflict with a senior trainee
doctor, Dr Naila of the Rehaim Yar Khan district,
who has been living in the hall for the last two
years.
Dr Naila, who is believed to have links to some
fanatical Islamic organisations, demanded around
eight months ago that the 400 Muslim girls living at
the hall be granted their own special prayer room.
With the consent of the hall administration, Mrs
Purses provided a large hall where the Muslim
students could offer their prayers five times a day
and hold religious gatherings.
How does she do it?
In the face of triple teams, with defenders all but
linking their arms like paper dolls, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is able to exploit
the limited daylight she gets and average 42 points
a game.
How does she do it? Passing Rebecca Lobo's
17-year-old Massachusetts high school mark of 2,710
career points is about as easy as bumping Julie
Andrews off the hilltop, and yet Bilqis graciously
eclipsed the legend in January on her way to
becoming the first player in state history -- male
or female -- to score 3,000 points.
How does she do it? For the last four seasons
--beginning one year after her 43-point varsity
debut as, yes, an eighth-grader -- the 5-foot-3 1/2
Bilqis has played for New Leadership Charter School
in Springfield in full Muslim dress, arms and legs
covered beneath her uniform, wearing a head scarf,
or hijab.
Bilqis doesn't mind
remarks rooted in curiosity; it's the questions out
of ignorance that she meets with a confident
rejection.
"When some people
come at me with, 'Oh, is that a tablecloth on your
head?' -- it's like, really, don't," Bilqis
(pronounced Bill-KEACE) said last Thursday, the day
she ended her high school career with 51 of the
Wildcats' 57 points in a regional Division III
quarterfinals playoff loss.
"If you're going to
have that kind of question, don't ask me. But some
people are truly honest in asking a question, like,
'Oh, I don't want to be rude, but why do you wear
that?' That's the kind of question I'd rather
answer."
.
"You feel you are turning the pages of
history, the pages of truth."—Austin Clarke, author of
The Polished Hoe Abducted from Africa as a child and
enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata Diallo thinks only
of freedom—and of the knowledge she needs to get home.
Sold to an indigo trader who recognizes her
intelligence, Aminata is torn from her husband and child
and thrown into the chaos of the Revolutionary War. In
Manhattan, Aminata helps pen the Book of Negroes, a list
of blacks rewarded for service to the king with safe
passage to Nova Scotia. There Aminata finds a life of
hardship and stinging prejudice. When the British
abolitionists come looking for "adventurers" to create a
new colony in Sierra Leone, Aminata assists in moving
1,200 Nova Scotians to Africa and aiding the
abolitionist cause by revealing the realities of slavery
to the British public. This captivating story of one
woman's remarkable experience spans six decades and
three continents and brings to life a crucial chapter in
world history.
Would you like to see the cover of
your favourite book on our book shelves below?
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.
The site also includes a section on
healthy meal plans and recipes.
Regards, Fazila Adam
Dear Brother/Sister in Islam
Assalam Alaikum (WRB)
We wish to advise you that the Holland Park
Committee will be organising a Seerat ul Nabi
programme on Sunday 15 March 2009 commencing
immediately after Magrib Salaat.
This programme will be conducted by Maulana Uzair
Akbar together with guest speaker Mufti Zaeeyad
Ravat.
Dinner will be served after the programme.
You are invited, together with your family, to join
us to this us to this function – your presence will
be highly appreciated.
Yours in Islam Shaheed Ali
PRESIDENT
Kareema's Keep Fit Column
Q: Salam Kareema, I've been
enjoying the tennis these last few weeks and now feel
ready to challenge my husband and teenage boys to take
up the sport with me so I can teach them a thing or two
while we all get fitter. What are some of the other
advantages I can put to them to ensure they take up this
challenge?
A: Tennis is a fantastic all-round activity. More than
just good for your fitness and muscle tone, it’s social,
fun and suitable for all ages and abilities, which means
it will be great for you and your family. It allows you
to unwind by enjoying the great outdoors and unleashing
a bit of stress on that green fluffy ball, all while
spending quality time with your family. You can choose
to focus on the fitness or the fun aspect, but either
way, it will be a rewarding experience.
Other benefits include:
- improved speed (with fancy footwork / constant chasing
of the ball)
- improved strength (using your bodyweight)
- improved cardio-fitness (heart and lungs / short
sprints throughout)
- improved core stability (twist and trunk rotation with
each shot)
It's great to see you're taking the game to the family!
I'm sure they won't need much persuasion, after all, a
little bit of healthy competition can only make them
work harder (and get fitter) to try and beat mum and dad
at anything!!
All questions sent in are published here anonymously and
without any references to the author of the question.
KB's Culinary Corner
RISOTTO GAMBERI
The recipe of the month by:
The purple olive team
79 James street new farm 4005
07 3254 0097
Ingredients
50ml of extra virgin olive
½ a medium size brown onion cut in fine
cubes
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 cup melotti vialone nano (risotto rice)***
½ litre of prawn stock***
400gm of mooloolaba prawns “peeled”***
200gm of peas
75gm of asiago grated***
Sea salt “Maldon” & pepper to taste
A little Italian flat leaf parsley cut very
fine
METHOD
You will need a thick based sauce pan on a
medium heat, add the olive oil don’t let it
get too hot, now add your onions to sweat
then add the garlic and risotto rice stir
for 5 mins and add the prawn stock cook for
16 to 20 mins on a low heat stir
occasionally you can add more stock if need
be. After the risotto has been cooking for
15 mins sauté the prawns in a different pan
and add to the rice. 2 mins before the dish
is finished add the pea and asiago, sea salt
and pepper and the flat leaf parsley and
serve immediately with a little extra virgin
olive oil drizzled over the dish.
***Notes
Cut the prawns in four & sauté in a little
olive oil then add to the risotto.
Prawn stock
1 brown onion
1 bay leaf
1 medium carrot
1 stick of celery
The prawn shell + head “from your 400gms of
prawns
2-table spoons of olive oil
1 litre of water
Method for prawn stock
In a saucepan get your oil very hot add the
prawn shell’s once red in colour add 1lt of
water and then the vegetables, bring to the
boil then let simmer for 20 mins stir and
strain the stock.
A few important notes
Melotti rice vialone nano is outstanding
quality rice used especially for traditional
style wet risotto. The characteristics of
the vialone nano grain has the capacity to
absorb all of the liquid in which it is
being cooked thus giving each individual
grain the full flavour of your desired stock
and risotto condiment whilst remaining “Al
dente”
Asigo D’allevo is an Italian soft to hard
cheese from the veneto region with
reminiscent of sharp cheddar or parmesan.
Made from cow’s milk light beige in colour
it is peppered with small distinctive holes
and has an engaging aroma. You can buy this
from any good deli or we can supply it for
you.
Mooloolaba prawns or any large green local
prawns, (we recommend that you buy the
prawns with the shell on as we find that
this is a good way to tell if the prawns is
a local product) and you will need the shell
for your stock.
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
Mula Nasruddin
walks into the street and manages to hail a taxi. He
climbs into the car, and the cabbie says,
"Perfect timing. You're just like Gulab."
Mula Nasruddin: "Who?"
Cabbie: "Gulab Nizam. There's a guy who did everything
right. Like my coming along when you needed a cab. It
would have happened like that to Gulab every single
time."
Mula Nasruddin: "There are always a few clouds over
everybody."
Cabbie: "Not Gulab. He was a terrific athlete. He could
have won the Grand Slam at tennis. He could play golf
with the pros. He sang ghazals like the masters and
danced like a dervish and you should have heard him play
the duff."
Mula Nasruddin: "Sounds like he was something really
special."
Cabbie: "There's more, he had a memory like a computer.
Could remember everybody's birthday.
He knew all about food, which ones to order and which
fork to eat them with. He could fix anything.
Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street
blacks out."
Mula Nasruddin. "Wow, some bloke then?"
Cabbie: "He always knew the quickest way to go in
traffic and avoid traffic jams, not like me, I always
seem to get stuck in them."
Mula Nasruddin: "Mmm, there's not many like him around."
Cabbie: "And he knew how to treat a woman and make her
feel good and never answer her back even if she was in
the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes
highly polished too."
Mula Nasruddin: "An amazing fellow. How did you meet
him?"
Cabbie: "Well, I never actually met Gulab."
Mula Nasruddin: "Then how do you know so much about
him?"
University of Queensland,
323 Hawken Drive,
St. Lucia
Every Monday
Event: Weekly Learning Circle: Sharh
Riyad-us-Saliheen (An Explanation of
'Gardens of the Righteous'
Venue: Prayer Room, University of Queensland
Time: 6.45pm to 7.30pm
Every Friday
Subject:
Fiqh Made Easy
Venue:
Room E215 Building 1 (Forgan Smith),
University of Queensland
Time: 6.30pm to 7.35pm
Every Friday
Subject:
Tafseer al Qur'an (Explanation of the
Qur'an)
Venue: Room E215 Building 1 (Forgan Smith),
University of Queensland
Time: 7.45pm to 9pm
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.
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
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
ccn@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,
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.
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