The Islamic Women's Association
of Queensland (IWAQ) hosted His Excellency Mr
Ali Nasser Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to
Australia and NZ, Mrs. Aisha Al Nuaimi,
Dr. Sadeq Mustapha (Qld. Muslim Times),
Mr. Mohammed Yusuf (Islamic Council of
Qld.) and Mr. Mustafa Ally (Crescents of
Brisbane) at a luncheon in their newly built
premises.
The guests learned that IWAQ's
clients come from different cultural, language
and religious backgrounds and that it provides the community with
an impressive collection of services that
include:
• Settlement Grants
Program (SGP) through 2 Community
Settlement Officers Nagla Ibrahim
and Rosul Aziz
• Community Aged Care Program (CACP)
– 55 packages
• Extended Aged Care At Home –
Dementia (EACH-D) – 15 packages
• Home and Community Care (HACC)
servicing 160 clients with one or
more of the following:
• Personal Care
• Domestic Assistance
• Meal Preparation
• Social Support
• Temporary in home respite care
• Centre-based respite care
These facilities
are available to frail older
persons, younger persons with disabilities and carers
• HACC Day Respites –
Tuesday and Thursday
• Disability Support Services for
post-school students with
intellectual disability
• National Carer Respite Program -
Salam Overnight Respite Cottage (SRC)
• Employment opportunities through
the different programs
(L-R): Beengul
Ali (Senior Administrator),
Medina Meco (Care Coordinator),
Naseema Khan, Sevkija Hodzic,
Farah Alobeidi, Galila
Abdelsalam, Mrs. Aisha Al Nuaimi,
H.E. Mr Ali Nasser Al Nuaimi,
Muna Ibrahim, Ola Abdelmaguid,
Yasmin Ahmed, Azza Koura, Fida
Ibrahim, Nagla Ibrahim, Azza
Elmekawi, Nashwa Ibrahim,
Wimarat Fazil Back row (L-R): Imad
Mustafa, Mohammed Yusuf, Sadeq Mustapha, Ahmed Khalil,
Samra Maluhija, Rosul Aziz Front row (L-R): Hanan
Tawfik, Walaa Bassiouny (Roster
Planner)
The official opening of IWAQ's
new premises will take place in January next
year with the Governor-General of Australia, Ms
Quentin-Bryce officially opening the facilities
along with the Premier of Queensland, Ms Anna
Bligh.
CCN brings you a sneak preview
what they can expect to see..........
School
gets capital funding
The Australian International
Islamic College at Durack is among 103 non-state
schools throughout Queensland to share in more
than $102 million State Government capital
assistance funding to improve and expand
facilities.
Local Member for Sunnybank Judy Spence said the
government was committed to investing in all
schools to ensure they had high-quality, modern
facilities that meet the needs of students.
The Australian International Islamic College at
Durack will receive $480,000 in funding under
the capital assistance program for non-state
schools and $300,000 under the External
infrastructure funding scheme ,” Ms Spence said.
“This additional funding will go towards the
construction of a library area, amenities,
furniture, equipment and site works and towards
headworks charges.
“The funding will enable this school community
to get these much-needed projects off the
ground.”
Ms Spence told CCN that the Queensland
Government recognised the importance of all
schools in their local communities.
“Some parents prefer alternative options to the
state school system and it is important for the
government to support these options,” she said.
“Parents across Queensland can be assured these
grants will help schools and their staff to
continue to deliver a world class education for
their children.”
In 2010-11 the Queensland Government is
supporting the development of non-state schools
with more than $467 million in recurrent funding
and more than $101 million in capital funding,
including a commitment of $50 million for
non-state schools that cater for disengaged
youth.
Australian International Islamic College Year 12
Graduation Night/Formal Dinner
On Friday Night
Australian International Islamic
teachers, board members, parents and
friends gathered at Michael’s
Oriental Restaurant to participate
in the Year 12 Graduation Night and
Formal Dinner for 2010 Year 12
Graduates MarzanAkter,
SafiyyahAli, NurulAtiqahAbdulLatif,
FatimaFaidi, RaziaNaziaSharif,
TalathFatima and
HananDajan.
The occasion was
particularly significant because the
students were the first graduates of
the college. Academic Awards were
presented and all students and their
teachers had an opportunity to
deliver addresses. A student video
presentation of their life at the
college was particularly impressive
as was the address by the Board
Chair Imam Abdul Quddoos Azhari on
the topic of “University a Different
World of Education” as he wished
them all the best for the next stage
of their lives.
The evening culminated with the
cutting of the Graduation cake and
photographs to keep alive memories
of a wonderful and significant
evening for some time to come.
The
Op-Shop Update
By Janeth Deen
On Monday, 22nd November, Janeth
Deen, Angela Ishaq and Amra Dhedhi personally
distributed the donated Eid gifts to the women
and children in the Brisbane Immigration Transit
Accommodation at Hemmat.
The three ladies took the opportunity to meet
the detainees and ask them what they needed to
make their life more comfortable. Interpreters
were present and Angela, herself, could converse
with some of the people as she is an official
interpreter. A list was made of the necessary
goods and the welfare shop will be busy making
up special packages for the individuals who sent
in requests.
Three women are close to giving birth. We can
supply the clothing for the women and children
and deliver them before the birth of the babies.
We do, however, seek bassinettes or baby baskets
for the women to put their babies into when they
are sleeping. The government has provided them
with prams for the babies and a very small
amount of clothing for the newborns.
We spent several hours with the boat people and
they were happy to see us and know that the
Muslim people have their welfare at heart.
We were treated to a wholesome
lunch at the centre and met the staff who are
only too happy for us to help these people meet
their needs.
The people who we had long conversations with,
through interpreters, told us that they were
happy with the conditions in the centre and they
are taken out into the community to events twice
a week. They want to know of events in which
they can meet the Muslim community.
Angela can converse in Hindi and Amra in
Bosnian. These two ladies gave their own time to
help out and are willing to help deliver goods
to the centre whenever the Welfare shop wants
them to, which is a great help. They both have
small children and we thank them for their
generosity.
Loon in
town
Loon and Sheikh
Aslam Hussain of the AMYN Centre
Once the bad boy of rap, Amir
Junaid Muhadith, better known by his stage name
of Loon, spoke at the University of Queensland
and the Greek Club during the week on his
conversion to Islam.
The African-American ex-singer
lectured a largely young audience of men and
women on the "path to happiness".
You can watch the presentations
on Islam TV Australia.
The Greek Club
audience
Bring
some joy with a toy
An
appeal for children's' toys and balls for
refugee children at the detention centre in
Brisbane is being made by the Queensland Muslim
Welfare Association.
If you have suitable toys in
reasonably good condition and working order pass
them on to Janeth Deen at the Welfare shop in
Woodridge. The address is:
Shop 5
Parkland Shopping Centre
91-101 Ewing Road
Woodridge
Mobile:- 0435 086 796
or you can contact Faisel Essof on 0402 575 410
NGOs
acknowledged for their work
Large turnout on
the Parliamentary lawns
Zahra Abou Koura
(IWAQ Secretary),
Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh
and Galila Abdelsalam (IWAQ
Director)
The
Premier of Queensland hosted the
leaders of non-profit organizations
at a function on the lawns of
Parliament House during the week.
Amongst the dozens of organizations
invited to the event were the
Islamic Women's Association of
Queensland and Crescents of
Brisbane.
It was also an opportunity to
network with other organizations and
to meet with Ministers from the
government's cabinet.
Brisbane's Burial Services come of age
Last week the newly established
MuslimFuneralServices (MFS) provided, for the first
time in Brisbane, funeral services which, until now, was being
outsourced to other entities.
Manned entirely by volunteers MFS
was formed to fulfil the role of the ‘Funeral
Director’ within the Muslim community across
South East Queensland.
The
service saw to the transfer of the marhooma
in the recently acquired MFS hearse (pictured
below left) from a Gold Coast hospital
to the cold-room facilities at the Kuraby Mosque.
the
grave booking arrangements and then the
transport of the marhooma to the Mt. Gravatt
Cemetery for the burial. MFS also attended to
all the necessary paperwork and the regulatory
requirements.
The
ghusl, the internal grave
preparation (pictured below
right) and the janaza salaah
were co-ordinated by the Kuraby
based BrisbaneMuslimBurialServices (BMBS).
These services will still continue
to be provided by local Mosques as
has been the practice over the
years.
The Al-Ghazalli Newsletter
of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazalli Centre can be
viewed
here.
Topics include:
• Morning Invocations -
Sydney
• XpressO Movie Night Melbourne - The Blessed Tree
• Giving Voice to the Victims of Srebenica
• XpressO - Australian Launch of The Baptism of
Jesus Christ DVD
• Knowledge Retreat 2011 - Journey to Allah
• Arabic Intensive Retreat 2011
• Clarification of the Marvels of the Heart
• The Ansaar Project @ Exodus
• The Ansaar Project @ Elizabeth Bay
• Mizaan Ecology – Cooks River Regeneration Project
• Night of Remembrance - Sisters Only
• Crescent Sighting - Muharram 1432
• Mizaan Ecology - Newcastle
This is a job
opportunity for a part time/casual accountant in the
new year. The applicant should, preferably, have
experience in the following areas: MYOB, either
Solution 6 or Accountants Office, Income Tax, BAS
preparation and Simple Super.
I am needing to urgently rent a
reliable 10 passenger vehicle for approximately
2 weeks from 22 December 2010 to 6 January 2010.
If any booster seats are
available, that would be great.
Please contact me as soon as you
can: Amina on 3411 2996 or by email:
modarjan@gmail.com.
Assalamu Alaikum WRWB,
InshAllah this reaches you and all the entire CCN
Team in the best of health, happiness and Imaan.
JazakAllah Khair for all the dedication, time and
effort in providing such great information,
announcements and entertainment to our local and
global community.
May you be granted further blessings
and reward and continue on this path inshAllah.
JazakAllah khair once again and all
the best!
F.A.
Dear Editor,
Assalamu Alaikum WRWB.
I came to know about the Crescent Community News
through a friend here in Brisbane. I have read the
past two issues and I found that CCN is very
informative, professional, balanced and playing a
significant role in serving the community. Please
keep up the good work. Allah will reward you and all
those who are involved in this noble work.
I am professional with a technical background. I
came to Brisbane with my family six months ago to
settle down here. Last ten years we have worked and
lived in a south east Asian country. Although my
professional qualifications have been recognized by
the relevant professional institutions here in
Australia it is taking time to secure a job due to
lack of local experience. Due to our professional
visa class government assistance is very limited.
In these circumstances I am interested in doing some
temporary part time works.
I just wonder whether there is any
way that any of your readers could help.
Thank you very much for your time and
would appreciate a response.
Name withheld on request
[Editor] If you are able to
help please email
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org and we will pass on
the contact details.
Salaams
I am the agent for the CD For the pleasure of
Allah by Hussein Kalla in Australia.
If there is an outlet that is
interested in stocking his CD, please let me know as
stock is selling fast.
You can listen to a preview of tracks
on the CD by visiting:
Barack Obama's
grandmother Sarah Omar with the
President
Barack
Obama’s grandmother prayed on a pilgrimage
to Mecca for him to convert to Islam, it has
emerged.
Ever since he
launched his White House campaign, the U.S.
President has been dogged by speculation
over his religion.
Mr Obama,
whose middle name is Hussein, has always
maintained he is a ‘committed Christian’.
But many in
the U.S. still believe otherwise. The
revelation that his 88-year-old Kenyan
grandmother Sarah Omar prayed
for him to switch faiths follows a poll
which found one in five believes he is a
Muslim.
Mr Obama with
his grandmother in Kenya in
1987.
Mrs Omar was
on a pilgrimage to Mecca with her son, Mr
Obama’s uncle, Saeed Hussein Obama. During
her visit, she reportedly told a Saudi
newspaper: ‘I prayed for my grandson Barack
to convert to Islam.’
She told the
newspaper that she could only discuss hajj
matters and would not comment on Obama's
politics.
The
perception persists that Mr Obama is a
Muslim because his father was brought up in
an Islamic household.
But the
President was baptised at the Trinity United
Church of Christ, Chicago, in 1988 and was
an active member of the congregation for 20
years.
.
MailOnline
Queen
Elizabeth II visits the UAE
The
Queen emerges from the Sheikh
Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi having
removed her footwear as a mark
of respect
Abu Dhabi:
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke
of Edinburgh, arrived on Wednesday in the
UAE.
No sooner had
the Queen and Prince Philip stepped off
their chartered British Airways flight from
London than they were taken straight to the
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the country’s largest.
Shoeless and
wearing a beekeeper-style shawl and hat, the
Queen walked across the world’s largest
carpet last night as she met Islamic
students in Abu Dhabi at the start of her
five-day state visit to the Gulf.
Queen
Elizabeth was shown to a screened area where
she respectfully removed her shoes before
entering the mosque.
As Queen
Elizabeth II walked briskly across the
central square of Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque
under a bright moon, she pointed down at the
floor, fascinated by the intricate floral
mosaics laid down.
The
Sheikh Zayed Mosque which had a
Royal visit on the first leg of
a five-day tour of the Middle
East
The floor of
its main prayer hall is covered in a 35-ton
carpet which took 1,200 Iranian women two
years to stitch by hand.
In keeping
with tradition, the Queen removed her shoes
before entering and padded in in stockinged
feet.
While other
female members of the party wore a
traditional 'abaya' or full-length cloak
over their clothes and a 'sheela' or scarf,
the Queen wore a gold brocade coat
embroidered with Swarovski crystals over her
matching dress, both designed by her
dresser, Angela Kelly.
She tied a
gold lame shawl over her pillbox hat to
cover her hair.
Not only was
the Queen the first visiting head of state
to visit the mosque but it is seen as hugely
symbolic here that the Supreme Governor of
the Church of England should visit a place
that, despite its young age, is a national
shrine.
Time
to reflect: Emirati Minister of
State Reem al-Hashemi (centre)
and a cultural guide talk with
the Queen as Crown Prince Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan
chats with Prince Andrew
Before
entering the main chamber, the Queen paid
her respects at the tomb of Sheikh Zayed,
founding father of the United Arab Emirates.
Shaikh Mohammad spent several minutes
pointing out the architecture of the mosque
to the Duke of York before they entered to
pay their respects.
Inside the mosque, the Queen met three
madrassa groups and listened to children
reciting the Quran.
This visit,
her first in 31 years, is designed to
underline a renewed spirit of co-operation
between the UAE and Britain’s Coalition
Government. The Queen will be accompanied
throughout by the Foreign Secretary, William
Hague.
In an unusual
departure from convention, the royal couple
are also being accompanied by the Duke of
York in his capacity as a trade ambassador
for Britain.
The Queen
last visited the Emirates in 1979 when she
was a guest of the founding father and
former president of the UAE Sheikh Zayed.
Foreign Secretary William Hague
and his wife Ffion (left) arrive
at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque
before the Queen
Abu Dhabi is
one of the more prominent members of the UAE,
a collection of seven emirates that united
in 1971 after gaining full independence from
the UK.
Like many of
its neighbours it has prospered during the
last 50 years from the wealth created by oil
reserves.
It has an
impressive skyline of skyscrapers and is a
modern state that is home to around 100,000
Britons while many Emiratis see Britain as
'the eighth emirate' because of their ties
with the UK.
As part of
her visit, the Queen also officially
launched a British-designed project to build
a new national museum in the United Arab
Emirates
She unveiled
the design today for the new Sheik Zayed
National Museum on Saadiyat Island off Abu
Dhabi.
The project
is designed by British architects and backed
by the British Museum.
The museum
will be part of a cultural complex that will
include branches of the Guggenheim and
Louvre museums.
The Queen is the Head of the Church of
England: the visit is reflective of the
multi-faith dialogue and tolerance that is
common to both the UAE and UK, according to
a statement released by the British Embassy.
Muscat: The
religious freedom allowed in Oman has been
praised by the US State Department in a
report, released earlier this month.
The annual International Religious Freedom
report points out several steps taken by
Oman to promote tolerance and interfaith
understanding. It also highlights the role
of Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed in this regard
and adds that the Omani government has taken
several steps to promote tolerance, most
notably through its relationship with
Cambridge University.
“The Sultan established an endowed
professorship: ‘His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
Professorship of Abrahamic Faiths’ and a
one-month interfaith training and residency
programme for Omani imams at Cambridge,” it
notes.
The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs
(MARA) and Cambridge also collaborated in
preparing to co-sponsor a website and
establish a summer school programme focused
on promoting interfaith dialogue.
Oman has also hosted a delegation from the
American Jewish Council.
The report draws attention to a government
publication called Al Tasamoh (Tolerance),
published through MARA, which is a
periodical devoted to broadening dialogue
within Islam.
It notes that the Omani government also
sponsors a forum for examining differing
interpretations of Islam, Christianity, and
philosophical approaches that are not tied
to specific religions.
“During the reporting period, MARA hosted
several Christian and Muslim scholars and
lecturers from various schools of thought to
discuss interfaith relations and tolerance
in Islamic traditions,” the report said.
It drew attention to the fact that a local
interfaith group, focusing on improving
Muslim-Christian understanding, regularly
sponsors exchange programmes for leaders of
both faiths, as well as hosting
scholars-in-residence, and working closely
with MARA on many of their projects.
The report noted that there have been no
reports of forced religious conversion in
Oman.
Meanwhile, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al
Salmi, the Minister of Awqaf and Religious
Affairs, told a government-owned Arabic
daily in Oman that the US Department report
on Religious Freedom reflects Sultan
Qaboos’s government’s policies on religious
tolerance and inter-faith dialogue at a
global level.
He added that the ministry (MARA,) has
organised annual conferences for the last 10
years for Muslim scholars to deliberate on
the matter.
Prime
Minister David Cameron delivered a speech last
week at an Eid reception in Downing Street in
which he praised the contribution of British
Muslims to national life and the role that
British Muslims have to play in the “Big
Society.”
He said:
“There are really three things I want to say
tonight. The first is that I think we should be
a country that celebrates and looks up to faith,
rather than thinks of faith as somehow a problem
or an embarrassment. I think what Sayeeda has
spoken about on this subject is absolutely
brilliant, and I am glad that she has made those
speeches.”
“I think we should try and do more to examine
and understand how much our faiths all have in
common, because they do have so much in common:
teaching us, trying to do good works and live a
good life, as well as to worship our God, and I
think that is an incredibly important message.”
“The second thing I wanted to say is just to
celebrate the immense contribution that British
Muslims make to our national life.”
“A huge amount is given by British Muslims into
business life, into cultural life, and we should
also remember the huge contribution that Muslim
charities like Islamic Relief make to the relief
of suffering around the world, as I myself have
seen both at their depot in Birmingham, but also
their amazing work on the ground.”
“The third point I wanted to make… is the
important role that British Muslims want to play
in building a big society.”
“When you look at what British Muslims do think
and take part in, I think they have – you have –
an enormous role to play in that more generous
and tolerant and open society that we all want
to build.”
“I think Eid has messages for all of us about
family, about friendship and about worship; that
whatever religion we belong to we can take very
seriously.”
Research
Reveals 'Massive' Job Discrimination Against
Muslims in France
The
Independent reported this week of “massive
discrimination” faced by Muslims in France
according to the first scientifically
validated study of anti-Muslim bias among
French employers.
They now want to test whether there is a
similar bias in Britain, where there is more
unemployment among Muslims than any other
religious group.
From The
Independent:
“The French study found that a fictional
job applicant with a traditionally Christian
first name was more than two-and-a-half
times more likely to receive a response from
a potential French employer than an
identical applicant with a Muslim name.”
“The scientists who carried out the research
believe the highly significant difference in
response rates was entirely due to the
perceived religious affiliations of the job
applicant rather than any prejudice
connected with differences in race, age or
gender.”
“The unemployment rate among British Muslim
men is around 13 per cent, which is
approximately three times higher than the
rate among men belonging to other faiths.
Young Muslims are at even higher risk of
being unemployed. Muslims aged between 16
and 24 have the highest jobless rates of any
group and are more than twice as likely to
be unemployed compared to Christians of the
same age, with a jobless rate of 28 per cent
compared with 11 per cent, according to the
Office of National Statistics.”
The
scientists
who carried
out the
research
believe the
highly
significant
difference
in response
rates was
entirely due
to the
perceived
religious
affiliations
of the job
applicant
rather than
any
prejudice
connected
with
differences
in race, age
or gender.
In 2004, an investigation by BBC Radio Five
Live uncovered “shocking” racism among
virtually every sector of the job market in
Britain.
Dummy CVs
were sent to fifty companies on behalf of
six fictitious applicants which had the same
standard of qualifications and experience-
Abu Olasemi, Fatima Khan, Jenny Hughes, John
Andrews, Nasser Hanif and Yinka Olatande.
Research found that “almost a quarter of
applications by two candidates given
traditionally "white" names - Jenny Hughes
and John Andrews - resulted in interview
offers.”
“But only 9% of the ‘Muslim’
applications, by the fictitious Fatima Khan
and Nasser Hanif, prompted a similar
response.”
At the time, Professor Muhammad Anwar, then
of Warwick University's centre for research
in ethnic relations, said the survey was
proof of a rise in anti-Muslim feeling:
“I think there is a trend now or a shift
from racial discrimination to more religious
or cultural type discrimination.
“Certainly after 9/11 there has been a
tremendous difference.
“When people look at Muslim men they may
think again about whether that person should
be invited for interview.”
Launch
of all party parliamentary group on
Islamophobia
UK: An All Party Parliamentary Group
on Islamophobia has been launched in the House of
Commons.
At its inaugural Annual General
Meeting, members elected Keighley and Ilkley
Conservative MP Kris Hopkins to serve as its Chair
with Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes and
Labour peer Lord Janner of Braunstone as
Vice-Chairs.
The Group has so far attracted the
interest of more than 20 MPs and peers from across
both Houses of Parliament.
Mr Hopkins thanked attendees for
being part of what he described as a “momentous
occasion.”
He said: “Whilst challenges will
undoubtedly arise in the weeks and months ahead, my
colleagues and I are hugely committed to the task in
hand.
The
establishment
of this
Group is an
important
development
in our
collective
efforts to
provide a
wider
understanding
of the
essentials
of the
Muslim
faith, and
protection
not least
for the
millions of
devout and
law-abiding
members of
the Muslim
faith in the
UK who have
had to put
up with the
peddling of
myths and
worse about
their
beliefs
“I believe there is already a very
strong resolve amongst members to better understand
the complex issues involved, and to propose
considered, evidencebased policies to tackle
Islamophobia wherever it exists.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and
Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Simon Hughes said:
“Hatred of Islam and pandering to prejudice has been
one of the dark spots of the last 20 years not just
in this country but in other parts of the world.
“All great world faiths have sadly
included bigoted and prejudiced fanatics. This is
never a justification for whipping up hate and fear
against people who are the followers of Islam.
“In a multifaith country and an
increasingly multifaith Parliament it is important
that politicians of all parties work together to
tackle and educate against prejudice wherever it
occurs.
“I am honoured to be one of the
inaugural officers of the new All Party Group on
Islamophobia.”
Labour MP for Blackburn and former
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "The
establishment of this Group is an important
development in our collective efforts to provide a
wider understanding of the essentials of the Muslim
faith, and protection not least for the millions of
devout and law-abiding members of the Muslim faith
in the UK who have had to put up with the peddling
of myths and worse about their beliefs.
“I therefore greatly welcome the
initiative, and will do all I can to make the Group
a success.
London
borough elects Britain’s first Muslim mayor
London: A former leader of Tower
Hamlets Council in east London has defied being
de-selected as a Labour candidate after an
Islamophobic campaign against him to become the
first elected Muslim mayor in Britain.
Standing as an independent, Lutfur Rahman
secured 51.76% of the vote, more than double the
number gained by Labour’s official candidate,
Helal Uddin Abbas, in Thursday’s election in the
London Borough of Tower Hamlet, the most
populous Muslim area in the UK.
The Bangladeshi-born former council leader was
originally selected by the local Labour Party as
its officially candidate last month to stand in
the borough’s first mayor elections.
But his candidacy was withdrawn by Labour’s
ruling National Executive Council after a smear
campaign against him, when he was accused of
being funded by the Islamic Forum of Europe
(IFE), which the media presented as an extremist
organisation with a hidden agenda.
Those criticising the de-selection included
former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who said it
was 'utterly unacceptable' and 'ignored the
views of the local electorate'.
Tower Hamlets is divided into two parliamentary
constituencies, including Bethnal Green and Bow,
which was won in May’s general election by
Labour candidate Rushanara Ali, one of three
Muslim women to enter the House of Commons.
The other constituency is Poplar and Limehouse,
won by Labour’s Jim Fitzpatrick, who
controversially joined in the campaign against
Rahman, claiming the IFE had “infiltrated” the
council and local party.
Rahman, who grew up in Tower Hamlets, is a
qualified solicitor specialising in family and
children’s law. He was elected twice for the
council in 2002 and 2006 before becoming its
elected leader in 2008.
Mayors have only started to be directly elected
in the UK in the past decade instead of being
appointed by local councils. So far 12 have been
elected, including most notably the major of
London.
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.
KB SAYS:This recipe was kindly
supplied by ShaamilahSamsodien and put to
the test by FathimaAdat.
It turned out an absolute treat! Very
cooling and refreshing and appealing to the eye - one
you must try this summer!
Ingredients
3 packets lime
jelly
1 tin lychee (450gram)
300 ml fresh cream
½ cup cold water
½ cup apple
juice
2 cups boiling
water
Method
1. Dissolve 2
packets of lime jelly by substituting the
water with:
• ½ cup
cold water
• ½ cup
apple juice
• 1 cup
lychee juice (taken from canned lychee)
• 2
cups boiling water
2. Pour into your serving bowl approximately
half way
3. Allow to cool slightly before adding the
lychee (cut in half) to the jelly
4. Place the remaining packet of lime jelly
in a small pot
• Add
the 1 cup boiling water
• Add
1cup lychee juice
5. Bring to the boil and keep stirring, add
300ml fresh cream into the jelly mixture but
set aside some of the cream to decorate.
6. Set aside to cool and pour into the
serving bowl filled with jelly. Ensure that
this layer is about a centimeter.
7. To decorate cut lychee in half and place
in the centre, pipe cream around the fruit.
Q: Dear
Kareema, I'm working out every day, but seem to have
less energy. Any reason for this?
A: It depends on what you're doing.
Realistically, your body needs time to rest and recover
in between workouts. If you're walking every day, then
you should increase your speed and incline, or change
your route every other day. Make one day a stretch or
aqua-aerobics day, instead of your regular walk.
If you're doing the same type of exercises (targeting
the same muscle groups) on a daily basis, you may burn
yourself out because muscles aren't repairing and
rebuilding in time for your next workout.
Try changing the intensity of your workout every other
day, or integrate yoga or pilates into your regular
routine. Typically, your body has a 6 - 8 week learning
curve. So if you don't love change, you'll tend to
overwork the muscles and therefore feel less energetic
even though you're working out every day.
The secret is to train smart, not hard... and have fun
while you're at it!
All questions sent in are published here anonymously
and without any references to the author of the
question.
The CCN Chuckle
Mula
Nasruddin, a small-town judge, was arbitrating
over a case before him in his judicial court in
which the prosecuting attorney called his first
witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the
stand.
He
approached her and asked, 'Mrs. Alishah, do you
know me?'
She responded, 'Why, yes, I do know you, Br
Jallaludin. I've known you since you were a boy,
and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to
me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you
manipulate people and talk about them behind
their backs. You think you're a big shot when
you haven't the brains to realize you'll never
amount to anything more than an insignificant
paper pusher. Yes, I know you.'
The lawyer
was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he
pointed across the room and asked, 'Mrs. Alishah,
do you know the defense attorney?'
She again replied, 'Why yes, I do. I've known
Br. Kamruddin since he was a youngster, too.
He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drug problem.
He can't build a normal relationship with
anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst
in the entire town. Not to mention he cheated on
his wife with three different women. One of them
was your wife. Yes, I know him.'
The defense
attorney was aghast.
Judge Mula Nasruddin asked both counselors to
approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice,
said, 'If either of you idiots asks her if she
knows me, I'll have you both hung, drawn and
quartered!'
Taleem
this week will be held on Thursday 2
December
from 11am-12pm at the
residence of:
Shahina
Dhudia
20 Delany Cct
Carindale
4125
Phone: 07
3849 3685
The topic
of discussion at the Taleem will be the
importance and significance of the 10 days
of Muharram and the day of Ashura
All ladies
welcome
Girls Game
Night
Sitting at
home on a Saturday Night?
Want to do
something constructive, but FUN?
Inspiration
talk, pizza, BBQ, fun and games
Topics that
are relevant, Iman-boosting and
mind-capturing. Where: AMYN Islamic Youth Centre,
16/157 North Road, Woodridge When: Every Saturday,after Maghrib
Info:
www.AMYNweb.com Everyone is invited
Australian Muslim Youth
Network (AMYN)
Find out about the latest
events, outings, fun-days,
soccer tournaments, BBQs
organised by AMYN. Network
with other young Muslims on
the
AMYN Forum
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 libellous,
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.
An
appeal for children's' toys and balls for
refugee children at the detention centre in
Brisbane is being made by the Queensland Muslim
Welfare Association. 
The Al-Ghazalli Newsletter
of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazalli Centre can be
viewed
Accounting
Prime
Minister David Cameron delivered a speech last
week at an Eid reception in Downing Street in
which he praised the contribution of British
Muslims to national life and the role that
British Muslims have to play in the “Big
Society.” 
