......a sometimes
self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and
the world around us ......
Sunday, 31 May 2009
.Newsletter
0238
News you won't find on CNN!
None so
blind as they who would not see the need......
(left to right) Zaffar Iqubal, Rahman (Ray) Deen,
Samsun Deen, Sue Larsen (Brisbane Fred Hollows
Foundation), Khanyisa Manzini, Simon
Westaway (Underbelly star and MC for the night)
and Helen Hlalele
The Fred Hollows Foundation
held an information session
at the St Lucia Gold Course
during the week.
Keynote speaker, Dr.
Helen Hlalele, General
Manager of the Fred Hollows
South African Port Elizabeth
operation, described the
progress made since setting
up in South Africa in 1999.
Dr. Hlalele explained that
in the Eastern Cape Province
– which is the poorest
province in the country – an
estimated 30,000 people are
cataract blind. Most have no
access to eye care services.
Operations Manager, Ms
Khanyisa Manzini, also
spoke of her involvement in
the Foundation.
The Fred Hollows Foundation
began working in South
Africa in 1999 and signed an
MOU with the Eastern Cape
Department of Health in 2001
to establish a Blindness
Prevention Program. It’s
designed to bring services
and sight restoration to the
poor and remote
"Our efforts have had
particular success in
building the capacity of six
regional and rural hospitals
to perform cataract
surgery," said Hlalele.
Comrade Omar
Anver in full flight at
the start with the sun rising and the
shadows
lengthening and some 89
kms to go
Moral support from wife
Bilkish
fresh from shopping at the
Pavillion (it would seem)
Anver Omar ran the race
of his life shaving 25
minutes off his previous
best downhill time by
completing last Sunday's
Comrades Marathon in a
commendable 9 hours and 25
minutes and 59 seconds,
finishing 222 in his 50-59
age category and 2815 in the
field of 13000 runners.
After breaking away early
from the 9-hour-bus Anver
found the going tough at the
halfway mark but soldiered
on to the finish none the
worse for wear as his
ability to board a flight to
Cairns the next day would
testify.
Milperra
Milestone
Milperra State High School
held it's 25th Anniversary
celebrations on Friday
night.
Many friends and supporters
turned up to acknowledge the
work done by the school over
these past 25 years.
Over 9,000 students have
come through the school as
refugees from many parts of
the world.
The school launched its DVD
as part of Q150 and there
were wonderfully inspiring
interviews with former
students who spoke about
where they came from and
their first experiences on
arriving in Australia.
The night included some
traditional Iraqi, Turkish
and Kurdish music.
It was also an opportune
occasion for Crescents of
Brisbane and the Kuraby
Lions to formally present
the School with a cheque for
the monies raised at the
Multicultural Harmony Day
Dinner held at Michael's
Restaurant in March. The
money will go towards
building a new volleyball
court for the pupils of the
school.
David Forde (second from left), the President of
Kuraby Lions and Mustafa Ally (second from
right) of Crescents of Brisbane, present Ms
Adele Rice (centre), Principal of the school,
with the cheque with Parliamentary Secretary for
Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services,
Laurie Ferguson MP (left) and Member for
Moreton, Graham Perrett (right) in attendance
A huge turnout makes the 25th Anniversary
Celebrations a memorable occasion
AFIC's
Projects and Initiatives
by Ikebal Adam Patel,
President of AFIC
As
most of you would be aware,
the Australian Federation of
Islamic Councils (AFIC) held
its 45th Annual Congress on
the weekend of 9th and 10th
May 2009.
(This is a brief run down of
AFIC's recent achievements
and also to seek your
counsel and recommendations
on services, projects and
direction by which AFIC can
best serve the growing needs
of our community in the
future.
Throughout it's 45 years of
amazing history, AFIC has
always been in the forefront
of articulating the
interests of Australian
Muslims especially in the
areas of political advocacy,
social and cultural needs,
assisting in establishing
prayer facilities and
Mosques, providing grass
roots support through its
State Councils and local
Islamic Societies,
establishment of Islamic
Schools across Australia and
providing Halal
certification and advisory
services.
During the past two years
AFIC has undertaken a number
of projects and initiatives
with a wide range of
organisations including
federal and local government
departments, internationals
partners, Ambassadors from
Islamic countries and
regional governments.This
has allowed AFIC to assist
Australia's Muslim community
to address their needs
through a variety of
avenues. We are grateful to
Allah swt for this
opportunity to serve the
community.
AFIC will strive to continue
delivering services for the
community on a number of
fronts.
The first priority is the
establishment of an
effective Shura Council to
address any differences and
disagreements and resolve
any issues of concern
arising within AFIC, its
State Councils and member
Societies to be arbitrated
within an Islamic and
amicable manner. This forum
will also be available for
all Muslims in Australia to
try to resolve any
differences amongst them if
they choose to use this
body.
The first priority is the
establishment of an effective Shura Council
to address any differences and disagreements
and resolve any issues of concern arising
within AFIC, its State Councils and member
Societies to be arbitrated within an Islamic
and amicable manner.
Of equal importance is
admission of new members.
AFIC is open and welcomes
new members to join and be
an integral part of the
Australian Muslim community
and in turn be productive,
effective citizens of
Australia and uplift the
standing of Australian
Muslims. The need for the
unity of the Australian
Muslims under AFIC and the
continuing
Australia's multicultural
society cannot be
underestimated. To this end
there was a very strong
commitment on the part of
all participants at the
Congress to restructure AFIC
and work has commenced on
this front. The need to
strengthen our current
efforts towards improved and
friendly relations with the
other faith communities in
Australia is an ongoing
feature of AFIC's commitment
to strengthening
partnerships.
Crucial amongst AFIC's role
of engaging and forming
partnerships is AFIC's
determination to actively
engage with Islamic
countries through their
embassies in Canberra to
form a vital link in the
chain of Muslim unity and
brotherhood and also to
participate in various
exchange
programs and initiatives
with the aim of enhancing an
understanding of Islam,
promoting human rights and
justice and empowering
Muslims of Australia.
Islamic Banking is another
service that AFIC is
embarking on. Negotiations
are continuing with several
possible partners for the
introduction of a retail
banking product. AFIC has
negotiated an Insurance
product which is available
to all mosques and societies
as well as Muslim
businesses. A loyalty scheme
has also been launched and
it is now up to the Muslims
to either use it and obtain
its benefits or let it
languish.
The
academic achievements of AFIC's Islamic College
of South Australia and Brisbane Islamic School's
year 12 students have produced equally
meritorious results.
AFIC is also engaging with
regional and rural
communities to ensure more
effective grass roots
services. In the area of
burial grounds,
AFIC is consulting with both
metropolitan and rural and
regional city and shire
councils to ensure Muslim
communities living in these
areas
are provided with proper
Islamic burial areas. We
have already achieved some
success by the city councils
allocating burial grounds in
some areas of Australia and
Insha Allah more space will
be available in other areas
soon.
Another important focus is
Ageing and care for the
elderly within the Muslim
community. Elders in our
community are our
responsibility. They have
dedicated their entire
working lives for successes
that most of the community
now reaps. It is therefore
vital that in their old
age, services and care is
provided to the elderly in a
manner that is compassionate
and within an Islamic
framework. AFIC is working
to ensure that adequate
services for Muslim elderly
are provided and in an
atmosphere of respect and
dignity which they deserve
at all times.
The preceding year has seen
AFIC's crowning glory in
excellence in maintaining
achievements in education.
AFIC's Malek Fahd Islamic
School (MFIS) in Sydney has
again, in 2008 topped the
high achievement list in NSW
Schools. MFIS once again
ranked first in
the Bankstown Education
District and 11th in New
South Wales and ACT out of
about 700 schools.
The academic achievements of
AFIC's Islamic College of
South Australia and Brisbane
Islamic School's year 12
students have produced
equally meritorious results.
Our other Schools - Langford
Islamic School in Perth and
Canberra Islamic School are
progressing and
on the road to emulate
successes of the other AFIC
schools. AFIC has acquired a
site for the second school
in NSW to cater for the
extensive demands of
the community as well a new
AFIC School in Victoria.
Insha Allah more details on
these will be provided soon.
During my tenure, AFIC has
developed strong
partnerships by providing
advice to a wide range of
organizations to ensure that
the needs of the Muslim
community are considered in
policy development. We have
also provided guidance to
establish programs to
effectively
engage Muslim communities in
day to day operations and
collaborating on major
projects that highlight the
cultural, economic and
social benefits that
diversity brings to
Australia. InshaAllah I will
continue to work to ensure
excellence in all these
services that are an
integral part of AFIC .
...... it is my intention that we harness
the energy and wisdom of the existing groups
out there in the Muslim community in
Australia who have already been providing
great services to the youth and women.
Women and youth are our life
lines. AFIC has demonstrated
the important role of women
and youth in society by
including women and young
people as part of our
decision making process on
the new AFIC team.
AFIC's excellence in
education and integrity in
Halal services and other
grass root services designed
to meet the growing needs of
the Muslim and wider
communities will continue to
be my teams focus in the
future. We have three
sisters on the AFIC
executive team and it is
hoped that collectively with
the other members of the
executive team these sisters
will commence tangible
programs for the Muslim
women and youth of
Australia.
In doing this, it is my
intention that we harness
the energy and wisdom of the
existing groups out there in
the Muslim community in
Australia who have already
been providing great
services to the youth and
women. We do not intend to
'reinvent the wheel', so to
speak, but rather provide
AFIC's national reach and
presence to Insha Allah
provide better and enhanced
services in collaboration
with some of these existing
organisations. We seek the
cooperation of these
organisations in this
endeavour.
AFIC has launched a new web
site which is still being
populated with valuable
information. AFIC has also
embarked last year with a
daily media service and this
is being re launched in the
next few days with a new
look and better global
content. A weekly email
service with
details of events and
functions being held around
the country as well as
government services of
particular interest to
Muslims was launched last
year and this will again be
carried out
AFIC will endeavour to
re-establish strong links
with international Islamic
organisations and the
details of these will be
provided as they mature.
Multicultural Women in Business Workshop
Master of Ceremonies Dr Catherine
Norton
with Saalihah Seedat (Consultant
Pharmacist)
The Lord Mayors
Multicultural Unit and
Brisbane International
Business Women (BIBW)
recently hosted the first in
its series of workshops
titled "Reading your figures
for business survival".
Over 200 women attended this
event which was launced by
Cr Angela Owen Taylor.
One of the guest speakers
for the day was Dimity
Dornan (MD and Founder of
Hear and Say, a
not-for-profit centre which
helps deaf children to hear
and speak).
Tami Harriott (Westpac
Women's Markets Manager)
delivered a workshop on the
tools that small business
operators need in the
current financial climate in
order to be savvy to
survive.
This was also an excellent
opportunity to network with
like minded women in
business.
The next workshop is
scheduled for Oct 2009. For
more information, contact
Georgiana Poulter Ph: 3365
6487 or email:
bibwomen@gmail.com.
The New
Look Nandos
Mairoon and
MohammedAlly
announced the re-opening of
their Mt Gravatt Nandos
store which has just gone
through a major expansion
and facelift.
Mairoon told CCN that the
new layout and decor will
make dining with them a
whole new experience and
welcome back their patrons
who have patiently waited
while the renovations were
taking place.
Luqman and Ruqayya
Issadeen welcomed baby
Asiyah on the 20th of
May in Westville Hospital,
Durban.
Asiyah makes Edris
and FatimaParuk
as well as Malik and
ZainiIssadeen
grandparents for the first
time.
Australia
Supports Women in Leadership
Australia is supporting a
summit that opened during
the week, which aims to
promote and improve women’s
equality, decision-making
and leadership in the
Islamic schools sector.
The Women and Leadership in
Islamic Schools Summit, at
the Singgasana Hotel,
Surabaya (Indonesai) is an
initiative under Australia’s
Learning Assistance Program
for Islamic Schools (LAPIS).
Five Australian Muslim
leaders will also attend the
summit as part of the
Australia-Indonesia Muslim
Leaders Exchange program.
The forum will give them and
other participants a unique
opportunity to exchange
ideas and discuss the role
Indonesian women can play
and the challenges they face
in leadership and education.
It will also give leaders in
education in Indonesia the
opportunity to develop plans
on how to address access and
equity in Islamic education,
including targeted madrasah
and supporting institutions.
“Australia recognises that
gender equality is essential for
development.
Our support for this summit
reflects our strong commitment towards
improved and equitable education outcomes
for women and men, girls and boys,
especially in the Islamic schools sector.”
Australian Ambassador to
Indonesia, Bill Farmer
welcomed the summit and said
he hoped it would further
empower women in Islamic
education.
“Australia recognises that
gender equality is essential
for development,” Mr Farmer
said. “Our support for this
summit reflects our strong
commitment towards improved
and equitable education
outcomes for women and men,
girls and boys, especially
in the Islamic schools
sector.”
The summit will bring
together key people from the
Islamic schools sector,
including teachers,
community members,
university managers,
international development
partners, and Indonesian
government and
non-government organisations.
This summit is part of a
A$35 million, five-year
Australian initiative to
help improve quality of
education in Indonesian
Islamic schools. Through
this initiative, Australia
supports Indonesian
institutions to improve
teacher skills and
qualifications, increase
equality of learning
outcomes for boys and girls
in Islamic schools, and
enable schools to meet
national accreditation
standards.
Australia’s international
development assistance
program recognises that both
women and men have a role to
play in all aspects of
development, including
education. Actively
supporting women’s full
participation in economic,
social and political life is
a key factor in reducing
poverty, enhancing economic
growth and democratic
governance and increasing
the well-being of women,
girls and their families.
Ismail Essof,
a member of the Crescents of Brisbane
team, is on
his way to Indonesia having
been the only Queensland
candidate to be selected for
the Hearts and Minds:
Australia-Indonesia Youth
Leadership Program and
Conference 2009.
The
program includes an eight 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.
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.
Muslim
designers put faith in fashion
Back home in Jakarta,
18-year-old fashion designer Dian Pelangi
can whip her fan club into a fizz of
guileless adoration: "Wow!" "Gorgeous!"
"Inspiring!" "Empowering!". They thrill to
Pelangi's way (her name, aptly, means
"rainbow") with silky tie-dyed and batik
Islamic clothing; how she plugs into fashion
trends just enough, but not so much as to
compromise a girl's modesty or provoke other
Muslims' disapproval.
"OMG! I just fell in love
with her power, her craziness, her dresses,
her everything!" This was a typically
impassioned thread among many more posted by
young Indonesian women after a photo-strip
of Pelangi's designs recently went up on
blog spot "Hegab-Rehab".
Earlier this week, in the
elegant forecourt of Melbourne's Indonesian
embassy, six models posed in designs by
Pelangi and veteran Jakarta fashion identity
Iva Lativah. The designers were here with a
traditional dance troupe and small
contingent of Jakarta journalists for a
fashion show hosted at the Grand Hyatt by
Indonesia's consul-general for Victoria and
Tasmania, Budiarman Bahar and its ministry
of culture and tourism.
This day, Pelangi's heavily
draped caftan and kimono-style dresses,
tunics and coats moved languidly in a weak
breeze and her models, even taller in their
elaborately twisted turbans, stork-stepped
on gold-painted bootlets with heels high and
thick as house bricks. Fashionable indeed.
Pelangi's own jewellery designs — thick,
beaten gold wrist hoops stacked in twos and
threes, and elaborate lace metal pendants
big as butter plates — would not look amiss
on a Parisian catwalk.
In halting English, Pelangi,
in leather jacket, maxi skirt and vivid
tie-dye scarf knotted under her hijab,
carefully explained how the gowns were
fashioned from hand-loomed silk. Pelangi's
pretty colours were also tie-dyed into
swirling, clashing patterns by hand, and her
turbans and hijab headscarves loomed and
dyed to match. "I am always creative, trendy
and fashionable," she finished shyly.
In a mostly
non-Muslim market such as Australia's (just
under 2 per cent of Australians are Muslim),
many of Pelangi's "trendy, youthful" designs
and, even more so, Iva Lativah's elegant,
streamlined silk abayas in rich jewel
colours, are more likely to appeal to mature
women. In common with young Muslim women,
they are often at a personal crossroads,
likely to choose fashion that emphasises
feminine modesty and classic elegance than
flesh-centric mainstream trends.
Dian Pelangi's reputation
among Indonesia's Muslim population (88 per
cent of total, and the highest in the world)
is in its infancy, but its intensity is
significant. Her young fans can see a
meticulously picked package of trends from
the catwalks of Paris, New York, Milan, and
even high street shop collections, rejigged
into clothing to express their faith and
love of fashion: bat-winged sleeves, heavy
draping, elaborate tie-dyed and batiked
colours and patterns, oversized jewellery,
ruched leggings and platform shoes.
In Britain, medical
student Jana Kossaibati has plugged into the
same zeitgeist since 2007 with a wildly
successful website
hijabstyle.com. Kossaibati posts fashion
shots hot from the runways of Paris, Milan,
Mumbai and Jakarta, then cobbles comparable
components from high street stores into
modest alternatives. The site's popularity
also secured Kossaibati writing gigs on
Islamic dressing for
Vogue.com and London's
Guardiannewspaper.
Kossaibati is not alone.
Websites tackling the dearth of clothing
solutions for fashionable Muslim women are
popping up like springtime daisies and
targeted shows are looped into many fashion
weeks including India, Lebanon and, of
course, Indonesia. Jakarta's first Islamic
Fashion Week was held in 2006.
At its extreme, Islamic
lore asks that women cover all but face and
hands with full-length abaya gowns, loose
tunic dresses, underskirts and trousers,
socks with closed shoes, hijab head scarves.
Even colour, pattern and perfume should be
avoided. However, in liberal Muslim
countries and the west, women don't so much
bend the rules, as colour, tweak and
scribble on them to find a unique expression
of their modesty and faith. Only a decade
ago, even the word "fashion" was strange in
the lexicon of Islamic clothing but now,
asked about her favourite wardrobe item,
young Muslim designer Dian Pelangi answers
without hesitation: "Jeans. I wear them with
everything.
Maradona's Mates, playing in
the Queensland Christian
Soccer Association (QCSA)
league are a team of
aspiring footballers from
all faiths and backgrounds,
representing Sunnybank
Saints in Division 3.
The team currently sits at
4th position on the log,
non-inclusive of today's
victory. In this afternoons
showdown, Maradona's Mate's
took a road trip to
Chermside, where they took
on Nundah Wavell. Of course,
no road trip is complete
without a wrong turn here
and there and Maradona's
Mates did not fail to
deliver.
The game started of
emphatically, with both
teams playing to a high
tempo. Within 15 minutes the
score was 1-1. Soon after,
Maradona's Mates clicked
into gear and by half time,
they were 4-1 up. The boys
determination and eagerness
to get win every ball was
one of the deciding factors
in the game.
Whilst the boys upfront
might get all the plaudits
for scoring the goals (Naseer
Ahmid 3, Arshad
Randeree 3, Riyaaz
Essof 1), it was the
performance from the boys in
the back which really stood
out.
Mohammed Rajah,
Yaseen Safroodeen,
Azhar Omar, Mohammed
Jangda and Colin
Townes all played
superbly, giving goal keeper
Imraan Danka an easy
day on the job.
The team has been
consistently encouraged by
the Sunnybank Club and the
boys appreciation is being
displayed by there
outstanding performances. A
special mention should be
made to those that come to
watch Maradona's Mate's
(they know who they are).
Maradona's Mate's would love
the extra support, so we
encourage each and every one
of you to come support the
boys over the season.
The
Circumcision Debate Rages On Sunrise Channel 7
The controversy over removing infant boy's foreskin continues. Recent evidence is pushing for a cultural change back for the sake of healthbenefits
According to the Sunrise morning programme trends have changed remarkably over the last few decades.
When many were growing up in Australia, 90% of boys had the snip. These days it's very difficult to find information let alone a doctor prepared to do the procedure. Public hospitals refuse to touch it and doubt claims about the benefits.
Yet mounting evidence, and the advice of the World Health Organisation point to circumcision minimising STDs, certain cancers in men and health risks to women. Pro-circumcision doctors claim anesthetics make the procedure nearly pain-free.
The World Council of
Churches is inviting member
churches and related
organizations to join a week
of advocacy and action for a
just peace in Palestine and
Israel. Those who share the
hope of justice are invited
to take peaceful actions,
together, to create a common
international public
witness.
During World Week for Peace
in Palestine Israel, 4-10
June 2009, churches in
different countries will
send a clear signal to
policy-makers, interested
publics and their own
parishes about the urgent
need for a peace settlement
that secures the legitimate
rights and future of both
peoples. Participants are
requested to plan their
activities around these
points:
1. Pray with churches living
under occupation, using a
special prayer from
Jerusalem.
2. Educate about actions
that make for peace and
about facts on the ground
that do not, especially,
settlements in occupied
territory.
3. Advocate with political
leaders using ecumenical
policies that promote peace
with justice.
The week calls participants
to seek justice for
Palestinians so that both
Israelis and Palestinians
can finally live in peace.
It is now more than 60 years
since the partition of
Palestine hardened into a
permanent nightmare for
Palestinians. It's more than
40 years since the
occupation of East
Jerusalem, the West Bank and
Gaza overwhelmed the
peaceful vision of one land,
two peoples.
Yet the dream of one nation
cannot be fulfilled at the
expense of another.
The action week's message is
that now:
It's time for Palestinians
and Israelis to share a just
peace.
It's time for freedom from
occupation.
It's time for equal rights.
It's time for the healing of
wounded souls.
3 bedroom house plus study;
three doors away from Kuraby
Mosque; available from 12
June; rental $425 per week;
12 month lease; call LeeAnne
on 0423 031 359.
One fully furnished room is
temporarily available for
rent from 1st June to 10
July 2009.
The other room is occupied
by a Pakistani women living
with her 6.5 year old child.
For further details call
0421 103 437.
From the
IWAQ Desk...
Muna Ibrahim and Mirsada Hadzahmetovic with
Laurie Ferguson Parliamentary Secretary for
Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services
(1) Funding for IWAQ's
settlement services program has been renewed until 2010.
In a meeting with Laurie
Ferguson, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural
Affairs and Settlement Services, he indicated that there
was awareness of IWAQ activities and the refunding was
because of the work that IWAQ does in the area.
(2) IWAQ is holding a fundraising BBQ on Sunday, 7th
June to raise funds to he
lp women, young ladies and
children (especially those from refugee background)
access a safe environment where they can go swimming. We
have found that swimming as an activity is one of the
best ways whereby this target group can meet, socialise
and learn a very important skill.
There were touching stories
of some of them never having been in water before and
the idea of having an enclosed space to swim was very
important.
The expressions of delight
and freedom at the mere exercise of going into the water
was very moving for us to see especially that for at
least sometime they did not think of the trauma they
would have gone through as refugees.
Please come and support them towards a journey of
recovery.
Multicultural Business Dinner
(left to right) Shummis Rane (MBN President),
Sultan Deen (MBN Executive), Lady Mayoress Lisa
Newman, Maor Campbell Newman, and Zain Ghumra,
Aamir Omar, Andy Ghosh, Kerry-Anne Russell and
Natalie Bryant of Lighting Illusions
The Lord Mayor's annual
Multicultural Business
Dinner was held on Friday at
which the winners of the
Multicultural Entrepreneurs'
Award were announced.
Amongst the short list of
finalists was
Lighting Illusions who
were nominated by the Muslim
Business Network for their
rapid growth ( with stores
in Macgregor, Sumner Park
and Windsor) and their
innovative approach to the
selling of lighting goods
through their website.
Company directors, Atif
Shafi and Zubair Syed
were overseas but there
was ample support at the
event from their proud
staff.
The main aim of the Business
Dinner was to raise funds
for student scholarships for
new migrant and refugee
arrivals in Brisbane.
Several success stories were
highlighted by Mayor
Campbell Newman:
Regina Loruma who
came to Australia in 1999 as
a refugee from Sudan and was
awarded a scholarship to
undertake a diploma in
entrepreneurship at
Southbank Institute of
Technology. She now operates
own business named Sudanese
Nile Delights;
Tesfaye Tefera who
migrated to Australia in
1992 and awarded a
scholarship to participate
in the business mentorship
program with the Enterprise
Centre, Southbank Institute
of Technology. He now
operates own business named
Made in Africa;
Albert Ndagjjimana
and Filbert Rwigema
who arrived in Australia in
2005 from Rwanda and were
awarded scholarships to
complete a Certificate IV in
Small Business Management
with Sarina Russo Job
Access.
Speak
Out Forum
Mariam Essof explains what life is like for a
young Muslim female working as a Senior
Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers
Last Sunday over 100 young
men and women attended the
inaugural youth forum
organized by MYServices,
together with Alnisa, AMARAH,
AMYN, Crescents of Brisbane
and FAMSY at
the Griffith University Mt
Gravatt campus.
The morning session started
off with Mohammad Nafeez
Farouk-Yousuf who gave
gave a heartfelt account of
his spiritual journey and
the lessons he learned along
the way.
Riffat Gurdezi showed
she had a ‘funny bone’ when
relating her stories of how
she developed
self-confidence and
initiative as a young
Muslimah.
Omar Issadeen and
Crescents of Brisbane's
Mariam Essof spoke of
their experiences growing up
as Muslims firstly in
Botswana and Zimbabwe
and then in
Australia.
Nazeem Hussain (of
Salam Cafe fame) was invited
over from Melbourne to share
his philosophies on the role
of Muslim youth in our
society.
“I know I was expecting it,
but I was still awestruck by
the pieces of wisdom that
left the lips of our young
speakers. They spoke with
insight that seemed beyond
their years” said Riyad
Rahimullah, master of
ceremonies for the event.
The delegates to the forum
broke out into parallel
sessions to discuss such
issues as discrimination,
prejudice and social
outcasting (facilitators
Halim Rane and
Anas Abdalla);
youth activism in
community issues
(facilitators
Nora Amath and Salam
El-merebi)
; the wearing of the hijab
(facilitators
Nada Ibrahim and
Emane El-mezin);
and handling peer
pressure (facilitators
Umar Flynn and
Ahmed Abou El-Yazid).
They
then returned to the
plenary session to share
their key findings.
Riyad Rahimullah, who
also co-ordinated the event,
told CCN that a paper
containing the insights
gained from the speakers and
discussion seminars will be
released in due course.
Photo removed on request
Discussion over the hijab
The
Muslim Welfare Shop Update
Our newly wed couple, an
Australian convert of four
years and a university
student from Jordan, were
overwhelmed by the
generosity of the people who
donated goods for them to
begin their married life.
They have had to store the
goods in the garage of the
shared house the groom lives
in with other students, as
they have not yet found a
house to rent.
They have expressed their
sincere gratitude to all
those who donated goods.
Once again, the quality of
the goods were first class.
The young couple will
formulate their own message
of thanks once they are in a
house together and have the
facilities to do so.
During the collection phase,
we stored the goods in the
shop next door and the local
people were so impressed
with the furniture, we
received so many inquiries
about where it came from and
what we were doing with it,
they were impressed and
delighted to see it going to
newly weds.
The Muslim men who helped
deliver the goods, who
themselves were migrants,
were also impressed with the
help given to the young
couple whom they knew were
worthy of our help.
This young couple did not
ask for help, we ourselves,
found out about their
circumstances through
conversation with the young
lady when she came to our
shop seeking clothing to be
married in.
As usual, Janeth has a habit
of asking questions and from
the conversation they were
then engaged in, took on the
task of making this young
couple understand they did
not have to face their
problems alone, and that
they had a Muslim family to
stand beside them.
Thank you once again for
rallying to our cause and
helping the Queensland
Muslim Welfare Association
do the work it set out to
do, especially when people
from the Muslim Community
need our help.
The local people from many
nations, including the
indigenous people, have all
benefited from our store and
tell us so on many
occasions.
We are now requesting help
to find single and queen
size beds, two
refrigerators, chests of
drawers and a bassinet for
some of the customers in our
store.
Please do not leave goods
outside the shop when it is
closed as they will be
vandalized ir stolen.
Please note: The shop is not
open on Thursdays after 12
noon.
CONTACT DETAILS
Janeth Deen Mobile 0435 086
796 Home 3344 5330
Shop 5, Parkland Shopping
Centre, 91-101 Ewing Road,
Woodridge (at the back of
the shopping centre)
New migrant to Brisbane looking for a job vacancy.
Willing to do almost anything. For more information
please contact Faisel Essof on 0402 575 410
Kareema's Keep Fit Column
Q: Dear Kareema, my daughter is a keen athlete
and needs to build up some strength through her calf
muscles. Are you able to help us with this please?
A: She needs to try and mix up her
workout. A couple of step classes at the gym will
certainly help, and if she is more of an outdoor person,
a jog on the beach will do the trick for a more intense
calf / cardio workout. You'll find that her calves work
much harder than normal when they encounter a surface
that gives!
All the best and N-JOY!
Ladies, please take full advantage of the following:
TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!
FREE FITNESS CLASSES FOR LADIES
Suburb: Sunnybank
Park: Conondale Park
Activity: Women's walk n talk group challenge
Improve your posture with walking while challenging
yourself with mini exercise drills in the park. Bring a
towel, hat and bottled water.
Age: 10+ years
Cost: FREE
When: Every Sat 9 May to 13 Jun
Time: 9-10am
Meeting Point: Park entry
Please
contact Kareema if you need any additional information.
An Islamic bookstore has opened
up. It is shop 1 on 51-55
Station Road, Logan Central
4114, (opposite Woodridge train
station). It is the first of its
kind!
Some of the items on sale
include:
Authentic quality books
Men, women and children's
clothing
Perfumes
Honey
Black seed
Miswak
Prayer mats
Children's books and toys
DVDs and audio CDs
And much more!
Your shop owner is Omar and he
can be contacted on
04342 87133.
CCN
Readers' Book Club:
You are what you read!
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.
Ingredients
* 2 tbs olive oil;
* 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes;
* 1 tbs chopped sage, plus 12 whole leaves
to serve;
* 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg;
* 350g ricotta;
* 1 egg;
* 1 cup grated parmesan, plus extra to
serve;
* 8 fresh lasagne sheets;
* 100g unsalted butter;
* 2 tbs chopped walnuts;
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray,
drizzle with oil, sprinkle with chilli
flakes and season with sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper. Cover with foil and
roast for 25 minutes or until the pumpkin is
tender. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Puree pumpkin in a food processor with
the chopped sage and nutmeg. Set aside.
Clean processor, then process the ricotta,
egg, parmesan, salt and pepper.
4. Lightly grease a 24cm-square baking dish.
Lay 2 Lasagne sheets over the base and
spread with half the pumpkin. Add another
layer of Lasagne sheets, then spread with
half the ricotta. Repeat process, then
sprinkle final layer of ricotta with extra
parmesan. Lay a sheet of baking paper over
surface, cover with foil and bake for 35
minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 15
minutes or until golden. Stand for 5
minutes.
5. Meanwhile,
heat the butter, sage leaves and walnuts in
a pan for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until
the butter starts to foam. Remove from the
heat.
6. Serve the lasagne drizzled with sage
butter, scattered with extra parmesan.
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
One day when Mula
Nasruddin was little boy at kindergarten school his
teacher handed out a colouring page to her class.
On it was a picture
of a duck holding an umbrella.
The teacher told her
class to colour the duck in yellow and the umbrella
green,
However, our Mula
Nasruddin, the class rebel, coloured the duck in a
bright fire truck red.
After seeing this,
the teacher asked him: "Nasruddin, how many times have
you seen a red duck?"
Young Mula Nasruddin
replied: "The same number of times I've seen a duck
holding an umbrella."
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: 7pm to 7.50pm
Every Friday
Subject:
Tafseer al Qur'an (Explanation of the
Qur'an)
Venue: Room E215 Building 1 (Forgan Smith),
University of Queensland
Time: 8pm 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
ccn@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
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.
As
most of you would be aware,
the Australian Federation of
Islamic Councils (AFIC) held
its 45th Annual Congress on
the weekend of 9th and 10th
May 2009.
Ismail Essof,
a member of the Crescents of Brisbane
team, is on
his way to Indonesia having
been the only Queensland
candidate to be selected for
the Hearts and Minds:
Australia-Indonesia Youth
Leadership Program and
Conference 2009.
The controversy over removing infant boy's foreskin continues. Recent evidence is pushing for a cultural change back for the sake of health benefits 
Job Seeker 
%20(1).JPG)
C
