The Islamic Society of
Central Queensland (ISCQ) of Rockhampton held an "Open Day" program
yesterday (Saturday) along with the Crescents of Brisbane/AMARAH/ICQ
Democracy Workshop.
Dr Fatima Ashrafi performed the task of
MC for the day and among the speakers she introduced were ISCQ acting
president, Dr Delwar Akbar, Chief Superintendent Michael Hannigan,
CQU Pro Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Graham Pegg, ICQ president, Mr
Mohammed Yusuf and Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter.
Two keynote speakers from Melbourne,
Sheikh Ramy Najmeddine and Sheikh Abdinur Weli, spoke on the
central theme of the open day: "Islam, Pluralism and Harmony".
The proceedings were ambling along amiably and
predictably only to be momentarily punctuated by a couple of pointed
questions on the burqa and sha'riah by a member of the audience. The questions were fended off competently by both the
Sheikhs.
After lunch the
Democracy workshop team of Dr Mustafa Ally, Mr. Mohammed Yusuf and
Ms Riffat
Gurdezi took the captive audience through the electoral and parliamentary
processes with presentations and a quiz session that generated much
interaction and discussion.
The CCN Photo Gallery
Should we
or shouldn't we Sharia
Muslims Australia president
Ikebal Patel submitted the views of his organization on multiculturalism to
the Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Migration under the title
Embracing Australian Values, and Maintaining the Rights to be Different.
Extracts from the submission:
The Holy Qur’an
encourages ethnic and other types of
diversity as blessings from God.
Consequently, classic Muslim jurists
recognised the fact that what may suit one
culture may not be quite suitable for
another. For this reason, they encouraged
each country to introduce its own customs
into its laws, provided that these customs
did not contradict basic Islamic principles.
As a result, even today, the Islamic laws of
Muslim countries differ significantly on
various matters.
Al-‘adah
muhakkamah (cultural usage shall have the
weight of law) is one of the legal maxims in
Islam. Imam al-Suyuti in his book al-asybah
wa al-naza’ir states that: “what is proven
by ‘urf (custom) is like that which is
proven by Shari’a.” This legal maxim is also
recorded by the Hanafi jurist al-Sarakhsi.
The ulama have generally accepted ‘urf as a
valid criterion for purpose of interpreting
the Qur’an. For instance, Muslim scholars
have referred to ‘urf in determining the
precise amount of maintenance that a husband
must provide for his wife.
The question is
‘why should multiculturalism extend to
languages and exotic dances but in principle
not to law?’ In answering this question Gary
Bell (2006) argues that ‘multiculturalism
applied to the law should lead to an
acceptance and celebration of legal
pluralism – Islamic law is part of a
Muslim’s culture and completely denying any
recognition of this law goes directly
against any profession of multiculturalism.’
Such argument is
also proposed by many Muslims living in the
Western world, but they quickly are labelled
as radical and extremists. While in the
Ottoman Empire, under the Millet system,
Islamic ruler allowed non-Muslims to have
their own court, in most modern Western
countries the idea of Islamic family
tribunal or arbitration is likely to fuel
the debate on radicalism and liberalism.
In Ontario,
since 1992, Jewish and Catholic groups have
adopted arbitration mechanisms based on
their own religious framework. The Jewish
Court in Toronto, called the Beith Din, has
been operating for many years on behalf of
the Jewish community. There has been little
fuss raised over these communities’ use of
religious principles until Muslim leaders
demanded the same rights. In 2005, officials
had to decide whether to exclude one
religion, or whether to scrap the religious
family courts altogether. The Premier Dalton
McGuinty decided that “There will be no
Shariah law in Ontario. There will be no
religious arbitration in Ontario. There will
be one law for all Ontarians.”
Another
controversy in the Western world arose when
in 2008 the Archbishop of Canterbury says
the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia
law in the UK ‘seems unavoidable’. Dr
Williams argues that adopting parts of
Islamic Sharia law would help maintain
social cohesion. Dr Williams noted that
Orthodox Jewish courts already operated, and
that the law accommodated the anti-abortion
views of some Christians. Five months later,
Lord Phillips, Lord Chief Justice of England
and Wales who had chaired the Archbishop of
Canterbury’s lecture gave his own
endorsement. It seems that Dr Williams has
no difficulty conceding that citizens can
boast “multiple affiliations” within the
nation State. There are instances when a
citizen ought to be entitled to resolve a
conflict within his own ethnic community or
according to the laws and tradition of her
own religion.
But, is it true
that Australia will never consider Islamic
law? It seems that in two areas namely
Islamic finance and halal food, Australian
government has been actively involved.
As part of a
push to promote Sydney as a regional
financial hub, the federal government has
pledged to win a greater slice of the
regional Islamic finance market by amending
tax laws.
Halal red meat
for export receives an official Halal meat
certificate cosigned by AQIS and a
recognised Islamic organisation. Halal
certificate is a written fatwa and by
co-signing the halal certificate, it
indicates that the Australian government has
been already involved in Shari’a matters.
The research
findings above are important since many
Australians believe that there is a clash of
civilizations between Islam and the West.
While it is true that culture does matter,
we take the view that no culture,
civilization or nation can truly separate
itself into a pure and an impure. There are
only hybrid cultures. This fact alone makes
the clash of civilizations prophecy appear
unrealistic.
We acknowledge
that some Muslims believe that Islamic law
is immutable, regardless of history, time,
culture, and location. They claim that
Muslims may change, but Islam will not. This
means that Islamic regulations are static
and final. However, many Muslim scholars
would argue that the view above is not
justified under Islamic legal tradition
itself.
Since Islamic
law involves human understanding, the social
norms of this law follow the nature of human
beings because they are derived from
specific historical circumstances. This
means that most of the regulations in
Islamic law may be amended, changed,
altered, and adapted to social change.
Therefore, Muslims Australia – AFIC takes
the position that Islamic law is changeable
according to the requirements of different
places and times, and therefore, suits the
values shared by Australian people.
As a peak body
for all Islamic organisations in Australia,
we strongly support that multiculturalism
should lead to legal pluralism (as shown in
Islamic finance and halal certification) and
twin tolerations. We are very proud and
happy to be part of Australian life and
society.
In response to the Muslims Australia submission
Dr Halim Rane of the Griffith Islamic Research Unit responded
in an article in the Australian that in his view, Australia's Muslims do
not need nor want sharia law.
The article
continues:
Like some other
leaders of the Muslim community, Dr Rane had
been surprised by the push for sharia. He
was also surprised it had originated with
the president of the Australian Federation
of Islamic Councils, Ikebal Adam Patel.
"I don't know Ikebal Patel to be inclined
towards this type of discourse. I didn't
think he was one of those promoting sharia,
or separate laws or legal pluralism or
anything like that," Dr Rane said.
Dr Rane, who specialises in relations
between Islam and the West, believes sharia
is not needed because state and federal law
already meet "the higher objectives of
Islamic law".
He makes the
point that the reason sharia arose was to
bring law and order to the Arabian peninsula
at a time when there was an absence of law.
"But the fact of the matter is that we do
have a legal system here that provides all
of the rights, protections and freedoms that
people need to maximise their benefits and
protect them from harm, which essentially is
what all legal systems are about," he said.
Dr Rane, who is also a lecturer at the
National Centre of Excellence in Islamic
Studies, said he was unaware of any
significant push within the Australian
Muslim community for sharia law.
He said the community needed to be very
cautious when considering transplanting laws
developed in the ninth or 10th century to a
modern society.
"I suspect it could lead to injustices;
outcomes that are contrary to the intent of
law in the first place," Dr Rane said.
"I know other countries have played with
this -- such as the UK and Canada -- but I
think there needs to be a complete revision
of all the Islamic laws before any country
considers implementing them.
"Maybe the Muslim countries need to have
that conversation."
While he was opposed to introducing sharia
in Australia, he believed the fact the issue
was being debated revealed one of the great
strengths of democracy.
"Ikebal Patel has expressed his view, but
others from his own community have disagreed
with that. And that is a healthy thing," Dr
Rane said. "It shows that it is not
something a majority of Muslims desire."
_________________________________________________
Pine Rivers Press
Letter to the Editor
IN State Parliament
this week. I called on this Government to pre-emptively
ban the use of Islamic and/or Sharia law in
Queensland, in honour of our Australian troops
who are fighting and dying to protect basic
human rights and democratic freedoms in
Afghanistan.
Sharia or Islamic
law, which is routinely used in Muslim countries
and countries with Muslim communities, permits,
in some instances, the state to militate or
impose the death penalty on people found to be
guilty of certain crimes. including stealing and
adultery.
Banning the use of
this law is the least we can do to show our
appreciation and support of our Australian
troops and their families.
Rob Messenger,
State Member for Burnett
Breaking
down barriers
Meet the Muslim woman
scaling the business world while smashing stereotypes against her religion
and gender.
Inter-faith with Amnesty
With approximately 80
percent of Queenslanders belonging to approximately 100 different religions
and belief systems, Amnesty International's 50th birthday celebrations will
embrace this diversity with a program entitled: Inter-faith Celebration
of Human Rights
When: Wednesday 22 June 2011 7:15 PM - 9:30 PM Where: Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre, 170 Kessels Road,
Nathan RSVP: Yaseen Haider at
y.haider@griffith.edu.au or 07 3735 7052 by 17th June 2011
Representatives from nine faith communities talk about their specific
appreciation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
A panel discussion and
supper will follow. All present will be provided with a copy of the UDHR
Associate Professor Mohamad
Abdalla will be representing those from the Islamic faith.
For further information contact David Forde on
0413 874 008
At the
Governor's residence
Ms Utami Lestari, Ms
Era Nugroho, Ms Janeth Deen, Ms Zuleikha
Goss, Ms Penelope Wensley and husband Mr Stuart McCosker
The patron of the Queensland
Muslim Historical Society, the Governor of Queensland, Ms Penelope
Wensley AC hosted an Open Day at her Government House residence last
Sunday.
A large crowd attended the event and many
community and charitable
organisations including the Queensland Muslim Historical Society were on
show, as were choirs and bands that spread across the palatial grounds of
the residence.
Cold room
for Gold Coast community
A new cold room housing
facility which can store two deceased bodies at a time has been established
in the Janaza area at the Gold Coast Mosque in accordance with Australian
standards and regulations.
The management committee of
the Islamic Society of Gold Coast thanked all those who donated towards the
$8.500 that it cost to install this facility.
A
Spiritual Retreat: Surviving in a Non-Muslim World
Muslim
Youth in general and young Muslim girls and women in particular are facing
various challenges everyday over their identity as Muslims.
In an environment conducive
to Islamic teachings and values they are protected and nurtured. However,
upon entering university or the working environment they find themselves in
a stressful position.
In response to the volumes
of questions constantly being asked of Imams from many young women in recent
times it was decided that a specially designed program be put together to
address the many issues confronting our young women so that they are
equipped with dealing with them appropriately and confidently
Dina Ahmed a Law student at
QUT writes:
As an individual I’ve always been told that
I’m strong willed and able to defend my
beliefs, but I know many of my friends
struggle to respond to various situations
they find themselves in and wouldn’t know
how to cope with many things that I’ve come
across since leaving school. I’ve heard many
people say that the right thing to do is
stay quiet or walk away, and that may be
wise in some cases but most of the time that
only makes people believe what they are
saying is correct. We should be able to have
enough knowledge to defend our religion and
explain its peacefulness to people so that
Inshallah we will be able to remove the
misconception many have of Islam due to mass
media.
The program is targeted to young women between
15-25 and is packed with many fun activities.
For more information contact Mufti Zeeeyad at
zravat@hotmail.com and click on the image on
the left.
Invitation to attend Dinner with Bowen
Member
for Moreton Graham Perrett MP is hosting a multicultural dinner with the
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship the Hon Chris Bowen MP (pictured
right).
"At this dinner we will
celebrate the vibrant multicultural community which is at the heart of
Brisbane’s southside and discuss the future direction of Australian
migration," Mr. Perrett told CCN.
All dietary requirements and catered for and proceeds go to Moreton FEC.
"All of
God’s creatures deserve compassion and humane
treatment!"
Muslims Australia Press
Release
The President of Muslims
Australia (AFIC), Mr Ikebal Patel expressed serious concern and sadness at
media reports and images of cruel treatment of Australian cattle in
Indonesian abattoirs. Mr Patel stated, “Islam places great importance on the
care and consideration of all of God’s creatures. It implies a duty to
animal welfare, both during the rearing and during the slaughter.”
Muslims Australia (AFIC) is committed to animal welfare in Halal
accreditation services and has partnered with Halal Kind Meats to reinforce
this message. The Halal Kind Meat concept incorporates the interests of
rural industry leaders, animal rights groups and AFIC Halal certification
services which all realise potential prosperity combined with compassion and
good business sense to achieve equitable outcomes for all, said Mr Patel.
Muslims Australia (AFIC) during its National Federal Congress meeting in
2008 called on the Australian Government to cease live exports immediately.
AFIC Federal Congress members agreed live cattle/sheep export is traumatic
for the animal during the journey and as evidenced, cruel and inhumane and
un-Islamic at their destination during slaughter. Muslims Australia (AFIC)
again calls on the government to cease live exports and promote Halal
slaughter in Australia under the supervision of Islamic authorities and
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS).
Mr Patel emphasised the leading and important role Muslims Australia (AFIC)
undertakes with the Department of Primary Industry and AQIS to ensure humane
and compassionate treatment of all livestock is enforced in order to comply
with Halal standards throughout the process of Halal slaughter and the
premium status of Australian Meat industry. AFIC calls upon the Federal
Government to make available the Australian tax payers funds which are being
paid to MLA to be redirected for the purpose of building infrastructure in
regional areas of Australia and for local councils to provide crown land so
that meat processing plants could once again become a viable proposition in
rural and regional areas promoting jobs creation in the struggling country
towns.
Mr Patel further stated that
he would like the Department of Immigration and Agriculture to support a
Halal Kind Meats Agriculture training centre to approved asylum seekers,
indigenous and indeed anybody living in regional areas. He proposes a lease
hold arrangement might be one option for free range Farms thus providing a
future for regional Australia.
Mr Patel also welcomed and endorsed comments by Mr Lukman Hakim from
Indonesia’s peak Islamic body, Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI), who stated the
inhumane treatment of animals in Indonesian abattoirs is “sinful and would
be investigated”.
Mr. Colin Kaus,
grandson of Mr. Abdul Ghias Kaus, the first Afghan Muslim to settle
in the Mt Gravatt area, passed away on Tuesday, 31st May. His funeral was
held at the Mt Gravatt Cemetery on 6th June. Mr. Abdul Kaus was reported to
have donated to the Muslim community the land on which the Holland Park
Mosque was built in 1908.
Colin provided a wealth of information for the book on the 100-year history
of the Holland Park Mosque by Dr Mustafa Ally. He also provided much
of the Kaus family history that appeared in the video "Muslim Roots" that
depicted the early history of the Muslims in the Mt Gravatt area.
A
Gastronomic Ditty
"Songs and poems from the
British Muslim tradition. The book contains 22
songs, ideal for schools, music teachers, music
lovers and choirs to sing and perform."
The onion lay low in the
dark soily ground,
The tomato grew in the
light;
The little tomato was
ruddy and round,
The tiny onion ’twas
white.
And redder and redder
she coloured above;
And paler the onion was
now;
But neither suspected a
mutual love,
Till they met in the
Turkish pilau.
by Abdullah
Quilliam
Muslim
Scientists and Scholars
Muslim scientists and scholars have contributed
immensely to human knowledge especially in the
period between 8th and 14th century CE.
But
their contributions have been largely ignored,
forgotten or have gone un-acknowledged.
Each
week CCN brings you, courtesy of www.ummah.com,
an account of one of the many talented Muslim
scholars in history whose contributions have
left lasting marks in the annals of science,
astronomy, medicine, surgery, engineering and
philosophy.
This week's Muslim scholar, philosopher
and/or thinker is:
MOHAMMAD IBN ZAKARIYA AL-RAZI
(864-930 C.E.)
Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi
(864-930 C.E.) was born at Ray, Iran.
Initially, he was interested in music
but later on he learnt medicine,
mathematics, astronomy, chemistry and
philosophy from a student of Hunayn Ibn
Ishaq, who was well versed in the
ancient Greek, Persian and Indian
systems of medicine and other subjects.
He also studied under Ali Ibn Rabban.
The practical experience gained at the
well-known Muqtadari Hospital helped him
in his chosen profession of medicine. At
an early age he gained eminence as an
expert in medicine and alchemy, so that
patients and students flocked to him
from distant parts of Asia.
He was first placed in-charge of the
first Royal Hospital at Ray, from where
he soon moved to a similar position in
Baghdad where he remained the head of
its famous Muqtadari Hospital for along
time. He moved from time to time to
various cities, specially between Ray
and Baghdad, but finally returned to
Ray, where he died around 930 C.E. His
name is commemorated in the Razi
Institute near Tehran.
Razi was a Hakim, an alchemist and a
philosopher. In medicine, his
contribution was so significant that it
can only be compared to that of Ibn Sina.
Some of his works in medicine e.g. Kitab
al-Mansoori, Al-Hawi, Kitab al-Mulooki
and Kitab al-Judari wa al-Hasabah earned
everlasting fame. Kitab al-Mansoori,
which was translated into Latin in the
15th century C.E., comprised ten volumes
and dealt exhaustively with Greco-Arab
medicine.
Some of its volumes were published
separately in Europe. His al-Judari wal
Hasabah was the first treatise on
smallpox and chicken-pox, and is largely
based on Razi's original contribution:
It was translated into various European
languages.
Through this treatise he became the
first to draw clear comparisons between
smallpox and chicken-pox. Al-Hawi was
the largest medical encyclopaedia
composed by then. It contained on each
medical subject all important
information that was available from
Greek and Arab sources, and this was
concluded by him by giving his own
remarks based on his experience and
views.
A special feature of his medical system
was that he greatly favoured cure
through correct and regulated food. This
was combined with his emphasis on the
influence of psychological factors on
health. He also tried proposed remedies
first on animals in order to evaluate in
their effects and
side effects. He was also an expert
surgeon and was the first to use opium
for anaesthesia.
In addition to being a physician, he
compounded medicines and, in his later
years, gave himself over to experimental
and theoretical sciences. It seems
possible that he developed his chemistry
independently of Jabir Ibn Hayyan. He
has portrayed in great detail several
chemical reactions and also given full
descriptions of and designs for about
twenty instruments used in chemical
investigations.
His
description of chemical knowledge is in
plain and plausible language. One of his
books called Kitab-al-Asrar deals with
the preparation of chemical materials
and their utilization. Another one was
translated into Latin under the name
Liber Experimentorum, He
went beyond his predecessors in dividing
substances into plants, animals and
minerals, thus in a way opening the way
for inorganic and organic chemistry.
By and large, this classification of the
three kingdoms still holds. As a
chemist, he was the first to produce
sulfuric acid together with some other
acids, and he also prepared alcohol by
fermenting sweet products.
His contribution as a philosopher is
also well known. The basic elements in
his philosophical system are the
creator, spirit, matter, space and time.
He discusses their characteristics in
detail and his concepts of space and
time as constituting a continuum are
outstanding. His philosophical views
were, however, criticised by a number of
other Muslim scholars of the era.
He
was a prolific author, who has left
monumental treatises on numerous
subjects. He has more than 200
outstanding scientific contributions to
his credit, out of which about half deal
with medicine and 21 concern alchemy. He
also wrote on physics, mathematics,
astronomy and optics, but these writings
could not be preserved.
A number of his books, including Jami-fi-al-Tib,
Mansoori, al-Hawi, Kitab al-Jadari wa
al-Hasabah, al-Malooki, Maqalah fi al-
Hasat fi Kuli wa al-Mathana, Kitab al-Qalb,
Kitab al-Mafasil, Kitab-al- 'Ilaj al-Ghoraba,
Bar al-Sa'ah, and al-Taqseem wa al-Takhsir,
have been published in various European
languages.
About 40 of his manuscripts are still
extant in the museums and libraries of
Iran, Paris, Britain, Rampur, and
Bankipur. His contribution has greatly
influenced the development of science,
in general, and medicine, in particular.
Around
the Muslim World with CCN
Atlanta
weightlifter's plight over Islamic attire
gets international attention
US:
An Atlanta athlete may have single-handedly
set in motion a change in international
rules governing how Islamic women may dress
in at least one popular sport --
weightlifting.
The case of Kulsoom Abdullah,
a Georgia Tech graduate who wears a hijab
and trains as a weightlifter, has attracted
the attention of not only a Washington-based
Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, but
also the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The USOC has asked the International
Weightlifting Federation to review its rules
on athletes' dress after Abdullah was
declared ineligible to compete in national
competitions because of her attire. The
IWF's technical committee has set the review
for June 26 in Penang, Malaysia, and it's
executive board is expected to consider the
matter the next day.
USOC spokesman Mark Jones said the review is
not just on behalf of Abdullah but athletes
in general. "The key from our perspective is
that we want to include every athlete we can
[in competitions]," Jones said.
Abdullah, who competes in the 48kg and 53kg
weight class in women's senior division
weightlifting, claims USA Weightlifting, one
of the many sporting associations under the
USOC umbrella, prevented her from
participating in a December national
competition in Ohio and will not allow her
to compete in another competition in July in
Iowa because she wanted to wear a hijab,
which can cover a woman's hair and body but
leave her her face, hands and feet exposed.
The 35-year-old woman, who holds a doctorate
in electrical computer engineering from
Tech, competes in the women's senior
division.
Abdullah began weightlifting as an exercise
routine a few years ago. "It was just
something for fun," she said. "It gave me
something to achieve as a goal." She teamed
up with a trainer and set her sights on
competing, training five to six days a week.
"I just kept working out," said Abdullah,
who moved to Atlanta from Florida in 1999.
"I have the endurance and the strength to
compete." She entered competitions last year
in Flowery Branch, Newnan, Gainesville,
Savannah and South Carolina.
Abdullah said she covered her body during
those local competitions and met no
resistance from weightlifting officials. But
USA Weightlifting follows rules set by the
International Weightlifting Federation,
which says athlete's outfits must be
close-fitting, have no collar and must not
cover the elbows and knees.
Abdullah's
plight has gained the attention of the
Washington-based Council on American-Islamic
Relations.
"No athlete should be forced to choose
between faith and sport," CAIR Executive
Director Nihad Awad wrote in a letter to
USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun.
"Muslim women seek to participate in all
aspects of American society, including
sporting activities, and should not face
artificial and arbitrary barriers to that
participation."
CAIR cites the Ted Stevens Olympic and
Amateur Sports Act, which it says requires
that USA Weightlifting not discriminate
based on "‘race, color, religion, sex, age,
or national origin." The group says Abdullah
must be given ‘fair notice and opportunity
for a hearing" before declaring her
ineligible to compete based on her dress.
This isn't the first time Islamic women
athletes have been declared ineligible to
compete because of their dress. Just last
week, Iran's women's soccer team was
disqualified during an Olympic qualifying
competition against Jordan after athletes
wore a full-body outfit with a head scarf.
As a result, the soccer team will not be
allowed to compete in London.
Gadeir Abbas, an attorney for the Islamic
council, said U.S. Olympic officials could
be an advocate for more tolerance when it
comes to attire for Islamic women athletes.
"The idea of the Olympics is that
competitors from all across the world can
get together and compete," Abbas said.
"Instituting regulations that exclude women
of the Islamic world seems to be the
antithesis of what the Olympics is all
about."
Abdullah, who welcomed the IWF's decision to
review is rules on weightlifting dress, said
she'll continue her intensive training
whatever the outcome.
"I've just been taking it one step at a
time," said Abdullah, who was born in the
U.S. to Pakistani parents. "It'll [change in
rules] definitely help others if there are
other women of faith who want to get in the
sport."
As more and more couples
in the UAE are testing the waters before
jumping head first into the sea of marriage,
XPRESS explores the dangers lurking behind
live-in relationships.
Dubai: You may be doing it to
save money, you may be doing it out of love,
or blindly and unknowingly… whatever the
reason, sharing a roof with an unrelated
person of the opposite sex can spell
disaster in the UAE.
With a Sharia law that strictly punishes
unmarried people living in the same house,
and an international population used to
living as per the rules in their own
countries, the blend of different traditions
and cultures often leads to uninformed
decisions, some of which end in tears and
tribulation.
Take the case of Toby Caroll, a 32-year-old
New Zealander whose ex-girlfriend Priscilla
Ferreira, a 25-year-old Brazilian, caught
him in bed with Briton Danielle Spencer, 31,
just after their break-up. The racy love
triangle landed all three lovebirds in jail,
and highlighted the dangers individuals
expose themselves to when sharing their
living space with a romantic interest.
On June 22, the trio will appear in court
again to present the defence's closing
statement. Following this will be a final
verdict on whether or not the trio is guilty
of consensual sex.
Gulfnews
The Sharia law which is
applied in the UAE, under the Al Khilwa Al
Muharama clause, prohibits two unmarried and
unrelated persons from the opposite sex
living together. The application of the law
may vary from emirate to emirate but when it
comes to consensual sex, Article 356 of UAE
Penal Code will apply. This Article
stipulates a minimum jail term of one year
followed by deportation.
Why is Sharia law applied to non-Muslims
It is the basis of the law in the UAE
regardless of religion or nationality, says
Mohammad Ridah of Ridah and Associates.
Similar views are expressed by Yasser
Shehatta, legal consultant at Rashed Bin
Arab Advocates: "We are in a country that
operates and practises Sharia law. What is
important to understand is Sharia is also a
code of conduct in the country. It's the UAE
Penal Code which decides the punishment."
Iranian
women’s soccer team forfeits 2012 qualifier
over head scarves
The
Iranian women's soccer team was in tears
after being forced to forfeit a 2012 London
Olympics qualifying match this past weekend
because it showed up to play in hijabs. FIFA
banned the Islamic head scarf in 2007,
saying that it could cause choking injuries
-- the same reason it gave for recently
banning snoods (neck warmers). FIFA also has
strict rules against any religious
statements in team uniforms.
Since Iran refused to comply with these
rules and didn't use the specially designed
caps that its 2010 Youth Olympics team wore,
Friday's match was abandoned by officials
and a 3-0 win was awarded to Jordan as a
result. The Football Federation of Iran said
it will complain to FIFA about the ruling,
but FIFA says assurances were made
beforehand so that this situation would've
been avoided.
"Despite initial assurances
that the Iranian delegation understood this,
the players came out wearing the hijab, and
the head and neck totally covered, which was
an infringement of the laws of the game,"
FIFA said in a statement.
Jordan team officials also objected to the
hijab rule before the game, but prepared to
play by declining to select women who
objected on religious grounds.
"The Iranian team and three Jordanian
players were also banned from playing
because they wore the traditional head
cover," Rana Husseini, head of Jordan's
women's football committee, told The
Associated Press.
"The problem is that the head cover assigned
and approved by FIFA for women players to
wear does not suit them as it reveals part
of the neck and this is not allowed and it
is not acceptable," she said.
Oklahoma-born convert Suhaib Webb, who
sprinkles public addresses with pop culture
references, has a growing following,
especially among young Muslims.
Traditionalists are leery.
At the pulpit
of an inner-city Chicago mosque, the tall
blond imam begins preaching in his customary
fahion, touching on the Los Angeles Lakers
victory the night before, his own gang
involvement as a teenager, a TV soap opera
and then the Day of Judgment.
"Yesterday we watched the best of seven....
Unfortunately we forget the big final; it's
like that show 'One Life to Live,' " Imam
Suhaib Webb (pictured left) says as sleepy
boys and young men come to attention in the
back rows. "There's no overtime, bro."
The sermon is
typical of Webb, a charismatic Oklahoma-born
convert to Islam with a growing following
among American Muslims, especially the
young.
He sprinkles
his public addresses with as many pop
culture references as Koranic verses and
sayings from the prophet. He says it helps
him connect with his mainly U.S.-born flock.
"Are we going to reach them with an Arab
message or with a Pakistani message? Or are
we going to reach them with an American
message?" asks Webb, 38, of Santa Clara. He
is a resident scholar and educator with the
Bay Area chapter of the nonprofit Muslim
American Society, but reaches others in
lectures and through his popular website,
which he calls a "virtual mosque."
Webb is at the forefront of a movement to
create an American-style Islam, one that is
true to the Koran and Islamic law but that
reflects this country's customs and culture.
Known for his laid-back style, he has helped
promote the idea that Islam is open to a
modern American interpretation. At times,
his approach seems almost sacrilegious.
Although the call to prayer at a mosque is
always issued by a man, Webb once joked
about it being made by one of his favorite
female R&B artists: "If Mary J. Blige made
the call to prayer, I'd go to the mosque;
I'd be in the front row."
At a Muslim
conference in Long Beach last year, he
suggested that mosques adopt a "don't ask,
don't tell" policy toward gays. Afterward,
he was accosted by a local imam who accused
him of poisoning Muslim youth. "I told him,
'Quite frankly, you're going to be
irrelevant in 10 years,' " Webb says.
He is fluent in Arabic, the language of the
Koran, and studied for six years at one of
the world's leading Islamic institutes,
Egypt's Al-Azhar University. His time in the
Middle East convinced him that not all
religious practices there make sense for
Muslims here.
As recently as a decade ago, U.S.
congregations readily accepted immigrant
imams who had arrived straight from Islamic
universities, often with a traditional
approach to preaching. Many spoke little
English and were unable to communicate with
non-Arab congregants or connect easily with
youth.
But increasingly, U.S. Muslims expect their
religious leaders to play a broader, more
pastoral role, says Hossam Aljabri,
executive director of the Muslim American
Society, a national religious and education
group. "Communities want imams who can come
in and go beyond leading the prayer and
reading Koran. They want them to fill the
social role of counseling and dealing with
neighbors."
Religious scholars say the faith's basic
tenets would not change but much of the law
that governs Islam may be interpreted
differently in various communities.
Los Angeles Times
The Inbox
Dear Editor,
Thank you very much for including me on the CCN
subscription list.
I’m already finding it
to be a highly informative and entertaining read.
Thank you!
I have
attached some information about the
Multicultural Development Association’s Get Set for
Work program that may be of interest to some young
Muslim people living in Brisbane, in particular,
those who have arrived in Australia as a migrant or
a refugee and who are not currently engaged in
employment, training or education. Our next intake
commences on the 18th July and includes accredited
training/work experience in retail.
Kind regards, Damian West
MDA
Dear CCN
Assalaamualaikum
I have heard from my family in South Africa that "Chota
Mota" (Shabir Desai) of Umzinto passed away
yesterday (4 June) at his Uloom. Inna lillahi wa
inna illayhir raajioon. The janazah namaaz was held
at Zuhr time. Chota Mota was well known throughout
KZN, with many of us learning our deen at his
madressahs. I'm sure many of us still have kitaabs
that he wrote and printed.
Writing on recent
events in the Middle East from Australia's best
known foreign correspondent - including the
devastating Gaza Flotilla incident.
Description
It's
been ten years since Al-Qaeda demolished the
World Trade Center in New York on 11 September
2001.
One of the most pivotal events in the last
fifty years, it was a dramatic moment in which,
having previously vanquished the threat of
Russian Communism, the USA discovered that it
had a new enemy to confront - Islamic extremism.
And so began the
September 11 decade. Paul McGeough was in the
streets of Manhattan on that fateful day in
September 2001.
No journalist has monitored more
closely the fallout from those destructive
minutes - for Afghanistan, for Iraq and for the
never-ending conflict between Israel and the
Palestinians in The Levant.
Together, these
three locations are the Infernal Triangle, from
which America has been unable to extricate
itself. McGeough has enjoyed access to all the
main players in these unfolding events.
But,
more than that, he has been prepared to observe
at close quarters both the fighters and the
citizens involved, recording their hopes and
fears, their triumphs and tragedies.
He has been
present at the death of colleagues; he joined
the historic 'Peace Flotilla' that attempted to
bring supplies to Gaza.
Through his vivid
and eloquent journalism, we gain new insights
into some of the most critical events of the
last decade.
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: I discovered that
there are many names by which the eggplant is known some
of which are aubergine, melongene, brinjal, and guinea
squash. To misquote a famous author - an eggplant by any
other name tastes just as good. I hope you find this to
be true in this recipe.
.
Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, sliced into approximately
10 slices.
(If eggplant is seedy and heavy you may need
to sprinkle salt on both sides and left for
30mins, then rinse and pat dry)
Cornflour
½ cup self raising flour
2/3 cup water
½ cup coconut cream
1 egg lightly beaten
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp chilli flakes
½ cup shredded coconut
Oil for frying
Method
1. Toss eggplant in
cornflour and shake off excess cornflour
2. Sift self raising flour, add salt and
chilli flakes.
3. Combine water, coconut cream, egg and
coconut.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour
and gradually stir in the liquids to make a
batter.
5. Dip eggplant slices into the batter, deep
fry a few slices at a time in hot oil until
golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and
serve hot with a plum sauce.
Q:
Dear Kareema, we're off on our annual trip to one of my
favourite ski resorts. My aim is to burn calories while
having fun on the snow. I've packed my joggers and
snow-gear of course. Is there anything else you can
suggest that may just come in handy?
A: I like the way you think, why
not burn calories and tone muscles while holidaying!
Skiing down slopes and breathing in the
fresh air has even more benefits, it's a full-body
workout which will also give you an endorphin rush to
boost your mood for an even better holiday. If you're a
serious skier, you can burn approximately 3800KJ per
hour.
Jogging or walking up in the mountains will see you
burning more energy as the air is thinner and you'll
have to work slightly harder than you would at home.
It's great to clear your mind and builds
stamina. You'll burn approximately 1600KJ per hour.
Pack your yoga mat - it's a great
workout/stretch after a run and you can greatly improve
your flexibility, balance and quality of sleep. Yoga
will burn approximately 600-800KJ per hour.
Lastly, don't forget your skipping rope and
mini-weights. Skip whenever possible for a great cardio
workout, and try to use your weights at least three
times per week for stronger bones and muscles.
Lifting weights boosts bone density and
muscle mass and is also a great fat burner. Muscle
burns fat even when you're resting. You'll burn
approximately 3000KJ per hour.
As always, compliment your holiday with a
fresh, healthy diet for even better results. N-JOY!
All questions sent in are published here anonymously
and without any references to the author of the
question.
The CCN Chuckle
A young boy
was waiting for his mother to finish shopping at
the market when Mula
Nasruddin approached him and asked:
“Young man,
can you tell me where the Mosque is?”
The young boy replied: “Yes, go down this
street, turn right and there you are.”
Mula
Nasruddin replied: “Thank you. I’m the new Imam
in town and I’d like you to come to Mosque any
evening so I can show you the straight path and
the way to Jannah (paradise).”
The young boy shuffled his feet on the footpath
and said:
“I don’t think so, you don’t even know how to
get to the Mosque!”
Notice
Board
Click on image to enlarge
Events and Functions
12 June
Gold
Coast Mosque
International Food
Festival
This
annual event has been
organized mainly to
raise funds for the
running cost and
maintenance of the Gold
Coast Mosque. More than
3000 people attended
last year’s 2010
festival and $55,000 was
raised.
This year
the International Food
Festival will include an
auction, fun-filled
children’s activities, a
variety of delicious
food from 15 different
international cuisines.
Want an effective treatment to
clean out BAD CHOLESTROL and PLAQUE from your
arteries?
ArgiNox Maintain is available from Zakiya
Sacur - 0433 270 770. Book your consultation
now
Gabriel K hair studio is a boutique studio
exclusively for women. Gabriel K has over 20
years experience as a stylist and uses Matrix as
the professional range.
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
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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.
Member
for Moreton Graham Perrett MP is hosting a multicultural dinner with the
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship the Hon Chris Bowen MP (pictured
right).
His
description of chemical knowledge is in
plain and plausible language. One of his
books called Kitab-al-Asrar deals with
the preparation of chemical materials
and their utilization. Another one was
translated into Latin under the name
Liber Experimentorum, He
went beyond his predecessors in dividing
substances into plants, animals and
minerals, thus in a way opening the way
for inorganic and organic chemistry.
He
was a prolific author, who has left
monumental treatises on numerous
subjects. He has more than 200
outstanding scientific contributions to
his credit, out of which about half deal
with medicine and 21 concern alchemy. He
also wrote on physics, mathematics,
astronomy and optics, but these writings
could not be preserved.
US:
An Atlanta athlete may have single-handedly
set in motion a change in international
rules governing how Islamic women may dress
in at least one popular sport --
weightlifting.
Abdullah's
plight has gained the attention of the
Washington-based Council on American-Islamic
Relations.
The
Iranian women's soccer team was in tears
after being forced to forfeit a 2012 London
Olympics qualifying match this past weekend
because it showed up to play in hijabs. FIFA
banned the Islamic head scarf in 2007,
saying that it could cause choking injuries
-- the same reason it gave for recently
banning snoods (neck warmers). FIFA also has
strict rules against any religious
statements in team uniforms.
It's
been ten years since Al-Qaeda demolished the
World Trade Center in New York on 11 September
2001. 
