By CCN's Man-on-the Mussallah

The Journey of six Brisbane Muslims to Al-Quds (City of Jerusalem)

 

The Al-Aqsa Compound With the final two weeks of fasting to go, Malik Issadeen, Zunaid Chenia, AK Surtie, Yahya Omar, Dia El Sabawi and Hashim Hatia left the shores of a cool and balmy Brisbane and headed out of the country to spend the remainder of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem).   The journey took them initially to Abu Dhabi, then onto Amman in Jordon and finally a hair-raising one-hour taxi ride to their destination where, for the next ten days, the third holiest site in Islam would become their refuge from worldly distractions and preoccupations as they spent their days and nights in prayer and contemplation, a practice known as I'tikaaf.   Oblivious to the daily bustling crowds and the post-ifthaar festivities taking place just over the compound walls of the 40 acre, 1km by 1km radius sanctuary, the Brisbanites immersed themselves in their daily prayers, reading the Qu’ran and making dhikr (remembering their Creator Allah) along with hundreds of other s who also came long distances for this single-minded purpose. It was the simplicity and history of the surroundings that clearly impressed the visitors most. “It felt like a journey back in time,” one of them said while recounting the Prophet’s journey from Makkah to Al-Aqsa on Burak the winged steed.   Within the walls of Al-Aqsa Standing shoulder-to-shoulder alongside 30 000 fellow worshippers during taraweeh (evening Ramadan prayers) also added to the spiritually rewarding and enriching experience that would eventually make this a unique trip for all of them.   “There was ample space for us to spend our time within the walls of the masjid to concentrate on our ibadah (worship).” A sleeping bag, a pillow and the Mosque carpet would serve as their bed whenever they were able to steal an hour or two to catch up on some sleep.   While temperatures reached above 35 degrees during the day, the Mosque, despite not being air-conditioned, always felt comfortable.   The evenings, in contrast, would bring about with them a drop in temperature that led Malik Issadeen to comment: “The weather in Jerusalem was something I have never experienced anywhere else – despite the blazing sun it was always very pleasant, very bearable – considering this was their summer.”   The courtyard around the Mosque perimeter was dotted with trees and fountains, and people could be seen during the day reading under the shade of the trees, laying out their mussIalaahs (prayer mats) and offering their prayers while enjoying the serenity and the sanctity of the surroundings. Malik Issadeen, AK Surtie, Yahya Omar and Zunaid Chenia and friends In addition to the contingent of 150 South Africans who had come for this itikaaf, the locals also proved very helpful and supportive to the group during their stay, particularly the Palestinian friends whom Zunaid Chenia had made over the previous five times he had visited Al-Quds. They brought the group food from the markets every day and saw to their every need.   “Sunnat ithikaaf is not as easy as some might imagine it to be, “ said Zunaid Cheniah. “The taraweeh extends to over two hours every night, the washing and toilet facilities are limited and a distance away, and you have to plan around a very interrupted sleeping pattern.”   A typical day would commence at around 10am with the reading of the Qu’ran, followed by afternoon and mid-afternoon prayers, a short nap and then preparations for ifthaar (breaking fast) at 7.15pm before the commencement of the evening session that would continue into the early hours of the morning with Sehri (starting of the fast) and Fijr (morning prayer) at around 5am.   “Having someone like Zuniad, who knew the language and his way around the place and the city, was very helpful, “ said Hashim Hatia.   Taraweeh under the moonlight   Entering Al-Quds itself can be unpredictable at the best of times. While some in the group passed through with little delay, others were held back for more than four hours at the border before finally being let in.   “We consider ourselves fortunate – we met a brother from another country who has been trying unsuccessfully to enter the city for the past four years – he’s been turned back at the border each time,” said Malik Issadeen.   At every entrance to Masjid Al-Aqsa stood armed guards and, on one occasion, AK Surtie was asked to read Sura Fathia and, on another, to name his Prophet to test whether he was Muslim. Hashim Hatia was asked to repeat his name and was even offered water to prove his authenticity.   Putting aside these minor incidents and inconveniences all the members of the group were at pains in pointing out what an exhilarating and self-fulfilling journey it had been for each of them and agreed that the friendships they had developed over this short but intense trip would constitute a special bond between them.

 

The official launch of the Muslim Youth of Queensland (MYQ) will be taking place on Saturday, 2 October at Griffith University-Nathan Campus at 10:45 am.   Over the past decade, Queensland has seen the creation of a significant number of Muslim youth organisations with their own goals and vision. The MYQ was formed to collaborate, network and unite all Muslim youth in Queensland together.   Five organisations have already joined the newly formed formed and include Al-Nisa, AMYN, FAMSY, Gold Coast Youth and UMB.   The Councils of Imams Queensland have also given their strong support. All young Muslims are encouraged to attend the launch to: • Learn more about MYQ and the youth groups involved. • Discuss issues of concern to the Muslim youth. • Find out how you can get involved. The secretary of the group, and a member of Al-Nisa, Emane El-mezine enthusiastically commented “Unity is important for the success of a community and the coming Saturday is a giant leap in that direction.” Attendees will be given an overview of the aims of MYQ and a chance to get to know the various youth organisations that support it. The president of FAMSY, Umar Batchelor, said, “It is also a perfect time to join one of the organisations,” and added “but on a light note, do come with an empty stomach as a scrumptious lunch will be served”. It should also be a perfect time to socialize. For those youth groups who have not joined, one of the organisers, Ismail Essof, has this to say “It is all inclusive and all Muslim youth groups in Brisbane are invited to join.” and further said” the purpose behind MYQ is not to have one over arching body but to have various organisations meet on a level playing field as the Muslim youth in Brisbane continue to grow and become key contributors to our community and country.” The event will start at 10:45am on Saturday, 2 October and will be held Griffith University, Nathan campus, Building N13 Room 0.05. Just look out for the signs near the bus stops

By CCN's Man-on-the-Mussallah

SUNDAY 19 SEPT: The Indonesian Islamic Society of Queensland (IISQ) hosted an Eid celebration programme, halal bi halal, at the Indooroopilly State School where some 500 people from the local Indonesian community and community leaders from various groups attended.   Dr. Nadirsyah Hosen (pictured left), Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong delivered the keynote address and spoke on the need for the Muslim community to become more introspective while addressing some of the controversial issues confronting them today. "It takes two to tango," was his message to the audience. Rather than a clash of civilizations between Islam and the West, the world was undergoing a clash of ignorance.   He quoted Karen Armstrong who wrote: "In the Islamic Empire, Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians enjoyed religious freedom. This reflected the teachings of the Qu'ran, which is a pluralistic scripture, affirmative of other traditions. Muslims are commanded by God to respect the People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) and reminded that they share the same belief and the same God."   Dr Hosen pointed to the current challenges over the building of Mosques and schools, the issue of minarets and burqas, and internal conflicts and narrow-mindedness.   Mr. Hussin Goss of the Islamic Society of the Gold Coast congratulated the IISQ in putting together the event and wished them well for the future.   A new IISQ committee was voted in on the day.   A number of traditional performances and a delectably prepared lunch ensured that a good time was had by all.   School Hall   A Few Familiar Faces David Forde, Fenti Forsyth, Amir Hidayat, Habib Jamal and Hussin Goss   The Australian National Anthem like you (probably) have never heard it performed before Where there's Fenti... there's fabulous food! Traditional Duet The Saman Dancers Fenti and Nuning

 

The  Gold Coast Malaysian and Indonesian communities celebrated Eid with a dinner at the Runaway Bay Community Centre last Saturday (18 September).   the ubiquitous Hussin Goss and Imam Imran Husain kept the attendees in good humour throughout the night. The manager of Singapore Airlines gave away the prizes to those who could answer his questions.   Aqeel Hafeez,  have given away four charity dinner entry tickets for correct answers. Hassan Goss was as usual the back bone of the function as he was holding the loudest voice. The meals were ample and very delicious and the huge line of sweets found much favour with the young children.   Aqeel Hafeez, who did and excellent job capturing the event on camera (see link to the photo gallery below) was full of praise for the way the dinner went down on the night: "The seating arrangement was excellent, the gathering was beautiful, the organization was first class, the location very much accessible and even the stage was environmental friendly. Overall this function was a huge success..!"     You can view more photographs from this highly entertaining evening.

 

Between the 3 September and 7 September, Tanvir Uddin, International Programs Manager at Muslim Aid Australia (MAA), visited the flood-affected areas in the Khyber-Patkhtunkwa (KP) Province (formerly North-West Frontier Province) in Pakistan and filed a report on his observations there.   From visiting various severely-affected districts in KP, Tanvir commented “We all read about the figures of millions of people affected and billions of dollars in damage, however it was only when I met people on the ground and saw the destruction to houses, public infrastructures, businesses and people’s livelihoods that I was able to really grasp the scale of the disaster.”   Muslim Aid Australia was one of the first charity organisations to mobilise for the Pakistan flood appeal in late July. With generous contributions from donors (especially during the month of Ramadan), much funds were collected for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood affectees. With its first instalment which Tanvir saw the implementation of, MAA distributed 500 tents in several districts and also funded food packages.   Despite the scale of the disaster and the challenges in assisting everyone, Tanvir was optimistic about the possibility for rehabilitating many households. He was impressed by the work of MAA’s partner NGO, Al-Khidmat Foundation, which had already mobilised relief to numerous districts across the KP, Sindh, and Punjab provinces. With ongoing contributions from the international community and with carefully-thought of development projects, the flood affected families can benefit from livelihood, water security, healthcare and education projects.   Full report

 

Mt Gravatt's Nandos' Mohammed Ally, seen proudly holding up his floating and outright trophies, won the Fiji Eid Golf Cup tournament held at the Windaroo Golf Club last Sunday (19 September).   Like a hot peri-peri sauce, Mohammmed Ally was on fire throughout the 18 holes, basting his 15 other competitors with a sizzling nett score of 71 to wrap up the tournament.   Chicks may rule at Nandos, but it's the cockerels who have the golf balls!

 ABC News

Opponents of a new Islamic worship centre planned for the Gold Coast have nothing to fear, according to a local imam and people who live close to mosques around the country. Residents of Worongary, in the Gold Coast hinterland, have hired a solicitor and formed an action group to protest the proposal for the centre to be built on Alkira Way. Last year there was a similar outcry over a plan to build an Islamic school at Carrara, 10 kilometres away. The Worongary residents say an Islamic worship centre would slash house prices in the area, bring down neighbourhood security and increase anti-social behaviour. Some locals who recently moved to the area even say they will consider moving out if the centre is approved. But with 5,000 Muslims living in the region, Gold Coast Islamic community leader and Labrador mosque imam Imraan Husain says there is a need for the development. He says at present Muslims must travel to the Labrador mosque for prayers, weddings, funerals and festivals, and that a second centre in the south would assist the region's growing population. He says the initial reaction from residents has not been surprising. "After all the things they hear, what's happening globally, people have this fear about Muslims," he told ABC local radio this morning. "Maybe because of them not really living in an Islamic civilisation or having a real connection with an Islamic environment, they have these fears of just what they hear of minor or a small group of radicals and what they do." Imam Husain says he would be working closely with the centre if it is approved. "They have to be inclusive and have an open-door policy and integrate with the broader Australian community so that the fear can eliminate and so people can realise that what happens behind those walls is nothing different to what happens in churches and synagogues and temples," he said. Islamic Society of the Gold Coast president Hassan Goss says the reaction has been ridiculous. "I think what they should do is everyone take a cold shower, let's have a cup of coffee and sit around the table and say what we are actually going to do there," he said. "It would be just a small Islamic centre, meaning there could be prayer there, tea and coffee, bringing the community together. "For the travellers travelling from Tweed or from Sydney heading north to Cairns, they have some place to stop off, do their prayers, freshen up and keep moving." Diversity and culture     We didn't have a great deal to do with the mosque for the first few years, and to be honest, we barely even noticed it was there. There was certainly no evidence of it encouraging or increasing anti-social behaviour and it had no impact whatsoever upon neighbourhood security.   People who live near mosques around the country are encouraging Worongary residents not to oppose the worship centre. Jordan Brock used to rent a home in Northbridge, inner-city Perth, where he lived close to a mosque. He says prior to September 11 he barely noticed it was there. "The mosque has been there for well over 100 years and was renovated during the 1990s, which was when we moved into the area," he said. "We didn't have a great deal to do with the mosque for the first few years, and to be honest, we barely even noticed it was there. "There was certainly no evidence of it encouraging or increasing anti-social behaviour and it had no impact whatsoever upon neighbourhood security. "If there was any gathering of people on the street prior to prayers, services or functions at the mosque, they were certainly friendly and in no way threatening." Mr Brock says nowadays the mosque hosts community gatherings and provides delicious food. "After September 2001 the people in the mosque obviously felt the need to engage in the community a bit more and start educating their neighbours," he said. "So they started having a series of open days, where they provided free food and the tastiest lamb burgers you've ever eaten." He says people should visit a mosque and talk to the people who worship there before attempting to ban the construction of a worship centre. Moreover, Mr Brock says he left Northbridge in 2005 because he could not afford to buy a house in the suburb due to rising property values. Kathryn Hegarty from Footscray in Victoria, who lives close to three mosques, says she enjoys the cultural diversity in her neighbourhood. "My neighbours here are Muslim and life is unaffected, except the food aromas do put me to shame about 5:00pm each night," Ms Hegarty said. She says she never has any security concerns. "I feel safest in the African quarter of Footscray, especially at night, where people look out for each other and the men seem to me to really respect women," she said. "I feel so blessed here because we are rich in this country and immigration has just made us richer and we eat better as well." No evidence Property and crime experts have also weighed into the controversy, saying many fears listed by the Worongary residents are unjustified. Property Planning Australia director Angelo Piazzetta says the assumption property values would decrease is "fundamentally wrong". "The greatest threat residents would be facing in terms of their house prices would not be from the mosque," he said.     To say that they're being adversely affected by having a mosque in the area, I think, is just fundamentally wrong. If anything, it would significantly increase the commercial opportunities for people - bakeries, corner stores - it opens up commercial opportunities.   "It would be more from the fact that there is a high level of properties already for sale in the area - that will always keep a lid on prices - and secondly, the ability to put more properties in the area is significantly high because there is a high level of vacant land in the area as well." Mr Piazzetta says he is not aware of any suburb that has had a dramatic downturn in property values just because a religious building has gone ahead. "The most famous mosque in Australia is the one at Lakemba [in Sydney]. They've had 15 per cent growth compound over the past three years," he said. "To say that they're being adversely affected by having a mosque in the area, I think, is just fundamentally wrong. "If anything, it would significantly increase the commercial opportunities for people - bakeries, corner stores - it opens up commercial opportunities." The Australian Institute of Criminology says there is no evidence or research to suggest the presence of an Islamic building increases the incidence of crime in a neighbourhood. Worongary residents have until October 1 to lodge their objections and the approval process is then expected to take about 12 months.

 

On Friday the Queensland Police Service hosted their third annual multi-faith dinner for community and religious leaders at the Greek Club in West End.   Amongst the speakers on night were Mr. Ranjit Singh and Ms. Kam Athwal of the Brisbane Sikh Temple who explained the basic tenets of the Sikh faith, Mr. Pelé Ramdhani, National Sales Manager of Goodlife Health Clubs, and the Rev Peter Rama Rau from the University of Queensland Multi-faith chaplaincy Services.   "The Metropolitan South Region has a strong commitment to promoting cultural harmony and strives to promote a positive relationship with people of all backgrounds, religions, faiths, and beliefs," Sergeant Jim Bellos, who coordinated the event, told CCN.       Photo Album Website by VisualLightBox.com v4.3

 

A lively, though sometimes chaotic, discussion took place on SBS's Insight programme during the week on the issue of the burqa.   You can watch the Insight programme online and follow the live chat that took place soon after the programme was aired on TV.

 

A fund raiser for the victims of the recent Pakistan floods is being coordinated by the Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ) and a number of local community groups have already lent their support and resources to the event.   Scheduled for Sunday 31 October at the Islamic College of Brisbane (Karawattha) from 10am to 3pm, the organizers hope to raise over $150 000 for this cause.   There will be food stall, rides and on-stage performances running through  the day.   If you can help in any way through setting up a stall, donating items or helping out with the organization contact the ICQ secretary, Mohammed Khalid on 3272 4111 (O/H), (M) 0412 010 030 or mohdkhalid@iprimus.com.au.   The famous Crescents of Brisbane's CresCafe will be there on the day. You can also support their efforts by baking a batch of your favourite cupcakes and bringing it along to the CresCafe stall on the day. If you can't drop it off on the day, call Nazima Hansa on 0407 037 928 to make alternative arrangements.

 

The documentary showcasing the generations of Muslims families who settled in the Mt Gravatt area around the Holland Park Mosque can now be viewed on IslamTV where you can also purchase a copy.   Produced in collaboration with the Queensland Muslim Historical Society and the Mt Gravatt Community Centre the half-hour programme traces the arrival and settlement in Queensland of a number of prominent families.

 

Griffith University has appointed Associate Professor Rajmohan (Raj) Ramanathapillai as Director, Multi-Faith Centre.   Associate Professor Ramanathapillai will commence at Griffith on Monday 4 October 2010. A brief bio follows: Rajmohan (Raj) Ramanathapillai is a native of Sri Lanka and served as an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Peace and Justice and the coordinator of the Peace and Justice Studies program at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.   He also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Human Rights Education at Curtin University in 2009.   Raj has exhibited a human rights art project at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada.   Among the courses he has taught are Gandhi and Non-Violence, International Human Rights, Beyond Terrorism, War and the Environment, and Human and Elephant Conflict.   He has published a wide range of articles in interdisciplinary journals on human rights, religion, peace studies, war trauma, women and war, war and the environment and ethics.   He served as Program Developer and Director of the M.K. Gandhi Institute at Christian Brothers University in Memphis in 2000 and directed a multicultural program for children named “Kindness is Contagious.”   He also designed and directed a “Culture of Peace” children’s program with the diaspora community in Toronto, Canada.   In 2005 Raj received the Peacemaker Award from the Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice Education in Gettysburg Pennsylvania for his “One Boat at a Time” Tsunami project.   Presently he serves as a Member of the Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Committee, of AFSC (American Friends Service Committee) USA.

 

There will be a live Webcast link to the Al-Ghazzali Centre in Sydney for the next Friday night study series, presented by Imam Afroz Ali, focusing on the twenty-first book of Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya Ulum al-Din, 'The Marvels of the Heart'.   Time: 7.30pm every Friday for 10 weeks starting Friday 1st of October. Cost: $5 / person/ class. Venue: Al-Mustapha Institute of Brisbane, 39 Bushmills St, Hillcrest. Contact Javed Iqbal on 0403 295 127 or email: javed@hotmail.com.au to register.

 

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