Dr
Mohamad
Abdalla
continues
with Part 2
of his
trilogy of
advice to
Muslim youth
which he
delivered at
Kuraby
Mosque
during his
weekly
Friday
khutbah.
In part 2,
Dr Abdalla
told the
congregation
that because
of a
persistent
media
campaign
against
Islam and
Muslims,
young people
may feel
that that
they didn’t
belong to
Australia,
that they
were not
accepted, or
that they
needed to
compromise
their
beliefs and
values to
fit in. He
suggests a
number of
ways to
overcome
such
feelings,
and one of
the most
powerful of
these ways
was
knowledge.
The Nikah of
Ayesha,
daughter of
Shaamilah
Samsodien
and Ashraf Goder,
and
Mohammed,
son of
Imam Yusuf
and
Ayesha
Peer
took place
at the
Kuraby
Mosque after
Asr on
Friday 28
December.
The walimah
was held on
Sunday 30
December at
the Kuraby
State School
Hall.
Rabia
&
Imraan
The nikah of Imraan, son of
Yacoob and Aisha
Omar of Brisbane, and
Rabia, daughter of
Ahmed-Aslam and
SaphenaAku of
Brisbane was performed in
Musjid-E-Noor in Durban, South Africa on
Saturday 29th December.
The wedding
reception was held on the
same day at Crescent Hall,
Parlock in Durban.
Imraan is well known in the
Brisbane community for
leading the Ramadhan
taraweeh prayers at
Kuraby Mosque for several
years.
Shaziya
&
Aamir
The Nikah of
Shaziya,
daughter of
Yahya
and Zaida
Hasham,
and
Aamir,
son of
Abdul Hamid
and
Hasina Omar
took place
at the
Algester
Mosque after
Isha on
Friday 4
January. The
Nikah was
presided
over by
Imams Aslam
and Nawaaz.
The bridal
reception
was held on
Saturday 5
January at
the Gold
Coast
Convention
Centre
attended by
over 400
guests who
were treated
to the
specially
imported
culinary
expertise of
Mrs Rashida
Bassa of
Saffron
Caterers
from Durban,
South Africa
who oversaw
the
preparation
of all of
the dishes
and ensured
that they
were
"garnished
to
perfection".
For
Mouna,
lifting the
veil that
covers most
of her face
is akin to
taking off
some of her
clothes in
public. She
has been
wearing it,
by her own
choice, for
the past 20
years and
she says it
has become
part of her.
''It is a
little like
feeling
naked in
public,''
she told
Fairfax
Media about
having to
show her
face in
public for
identification.
''When you
wear it [niqab]
for a long
time it
becomes a
part of
you.''
But Mouna,
like dozens
of other
Muslim women
who attended
a recent
forum with
the NSW
Ombudsman to
discuss the
issue, has
no problem
with the
legislation
that
requires her
to lift her
face
covering to
be
identified.
''I am happy
to comply,''
said Mouna,
''just as
long as it
is done
sensitively
and they
understand
why we might
feel a bit
shy about
it.''
The state
government
introduced
legislation
12 months
ago that
everyone
must remove
face
coverings or
helmets when
required, so
police could
properly
identify
motorists or
any other
person
suspected of
committing a
crime.
The
government
included a
requirement
that the
laws be
reviewed
after 12
months by
the NSW
Ombudsman to
ensure they
are working
as planned.
That review
included
holding a
forum
earlier this
month in
Sydney's
south-west
with Muslim
women.
Community
leaders have
said the
women
understand
that the
authorities
have a right
to know who
people are,
and that
under
Islamic law
they also
would be
required to
show their
face for
identification.
The
discussion
is more
about how to
deal with
the women
sensitively.
Amal, one of
the women
who attended
the
Ombudsman's
forum, said
there was a
suggestion
that some
standard
procedures
could be
introduced
as well as
increased
engagement
between
police
officers and
the
community.
Interestingly,
Amal said in
some cases
it was the
officer,
rather than
the woman
who had felt
''awkward''
about the
identification
procedure.
Maha Abdo,
the
executive
officer of
the United
Muslim Women
Association,
said the
association
was working
with the
Community
Relations
Commission
on putting
together a
pilot
training
program for
those who
might need
to ascertain
the identity
of women
wearing the
niqab. Ms
Abdo said
they want to
break down
the fear on
both sides
and make it
easier for
everyone.
That might
help Mouna
feel more
comfortable
too when she
leaves the
Greenacre/Bankstown
area where
she lives.
Mouna said
that while
the police
in those
suburbs are
used to
seeing women
wearing the
veil and
have been
very decent
to her, she
is hesitant
to travel
outside the
area in case
she is
stopped.
''It makes
me more
apprehensive
to drive
outside my
local
area,'' she
said.
''The last
thing I want
to do is
cause any
trouble. I
certainly do
not want to
come across
as someone
who does not
want to
comply.''
BIBLE
classes
should be
compulsory
so children
have a
fundamental
understanding
of
Christianity
on leaving
school, Tony
Abbott
(pictured
left)
says.
"I think
everyone
should have
some
familiarity
with the
great texts
that are at
the core of
our
civilisation,"
said the
Federal
Opposition
leader.
"That
includes,
most
importantly,
the Bible.
"I think it
would be
impossible
to have a
good general
education
without at
least some
serious
familiarity
with the
Bible and
with the
teachings of
Christianity.
"That
doesn't mean
that people
have to be
believers."
But former
Howard
government
Islamic
advisor Dr
Ameer Ali,
said Mr
Abbott's
remarks were
"over the
top".
"It's one
thing to say
every child
needs a good
knowledge of
history and
geography or
science," Dr
Ali said.
"But it is
something
else to say
all children
should have
a knowledge
of the
Bible. That
might hurt
other people
who have
their own
holy
scriptures,"
he said.
And the
Australian
Education
Union's
federal
president,
Angelo
Gavrielatos,
said that
religion was
not a
priority for
schools.
"There is a
place for
comparative
studies of
religion in
the
curriculum,
but
ultimately
we consider
it a private
matter for
parents and
their
children,"
he said.
Here comes
the New
Year! A new
beginning...
A fresh
start... A
new year
full of
hope, love
and
prosperity,
inshaaAllah..
The New Year
is opening
its arms to
welcome you
with all
your dreams,
hopes and
aspirations...
Are you
ready to
welcome it
back? Did
you devise
your plans?
Set your
goals?
Reflect on
your heart
balance? If
not, you can
still refer
back to our
December
newsletter
for some
help and
inspiration.
Let's do it
together!
This year,
2013, I want
to start
with you a
step-by-step
healing
initiative.
Every week,
for the
whole year,
I am going
to send you
an email
that
introduces
one little
change in
your life
style/
dietary
habits
and/or
thinking
pattern.
Just one
tiny change
every week
that will
help us
build our
health
together one
step at a
time. These
steps will
be
cumulative,
every week
you'll be
adding the
new
practiced
tool to your
health
repertoire
until,
together, we
build a
habit. You
can share
your
thoughts and
experience
on our
Facebook
Page.
Let's talk
about our
progress,
share our
experiences,
challenges,
and ideas
and
encourage
each other
to stay on
track.
Come and
join me on
our one year
journey
towards
health and
wellness.
This is
totally
free. It is
my New Year
gift for
you! Happy &
healthy New
Year!! So
jump along
and invite
all your
friends and
family and
let’s do it
together!
Starting
next Monday,
you'll
receive one
step every
week that
will take
you closer
and closer
to a
holistic
healthy
life... A
life that
feeds your
Body, Mind,
Heart &
Soul.
Female
persons
required
immediately
in a family
home in
Kuraby to
assist with
the caring
of an 85
year old
lady.
Interested
persons
please phone
0422877650
or
0433930939
to discuss
details of
the
engagement.
LOOKING
FOR
ACCOMMODATION
Abdur Rahman
Abu Ghazaleh
(Imam
Ghazaleh's
brother) is
looking for
a homestay
anywhere in
Brisbane
Southside,
on the
public
transport
route. He is
studying his
Masters at
Griffith Uni
and requires
a place from
26th Jan for
a year.
Rental
guaranteed.Preferably
staying with
non-Arabic
speaking
family.
NEW
YORK -- A woman who told police she shoved a
man to his death off a subway platform into
the path of a train because she has hated
Muslims since Sept. 11 and thought he was
one was charged Saturday with murder as a
hate crime, prosecutors said.
Erika Menendez (pictured left) was
charged in the death of Sunando Sen, who was
crushed by a 7 train in Queens on Thursday
night, the second time this month a commuter
has died in such a nightmarish fashion.
Menendez, 31, was awaiting arraignment on
the charge Saturday evening, Queens District
Attorney Richard A. Brown said. She could
face 25 years to life in prison if
convicted. She was in custody and couldn't
be reached for comment, and it was unclear
if she had an attorney.
Menendez, who was arrested after a tip by a
passer-by who saw her on a street and
thought she looked like the woman in a
surveillance video released by police,
admitted shoving Sen, who was pushed from
behind, authorities said.
"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks
because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since
2001 when they put down the twin towers I've
been beating them up," Menendez told police,
according to the district attorney's office.
Sen was from India, but police said it was
unclear if he was Muslim, Hindu or of some
other faith.
Mo
Farah: Even my gold medals can't help me
with US Customs
UK:
Olympic star Mo Farah showed US customs
officials his gold medals in an attempt to
be released from detention but "they
wouldn't have it".
The double gold medallist moved to America
last year and revealed that despite his
international fame he frequently gets
stopped at customs because of his Somali
origin.
Farah, who moved to Britain with his father
when he was eight, told the Sun on Sunday:
"I couldn't believe it. Because of my Somali
origin I get detained every time I come
through US customs. This time I even got my
medals out to show who I am, but they
wouldn't have it."
The long-distance runner also said he was
"blown away" at being made a CBE, but admits
that missing out on a podium spot in the
BBC's Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY)
was "difficult to get my head around".
The Team GB poster boy was rewarded for his
Olympic efforts in the New Year Honours
list, announced yesterday.
"I'm blown away. I'm honoured," said Farah.
"For me, 2012 is done and it's time to look
ahead. But I'll never forget what everyone
in Team GB achieved."
The honour comes after the popular athlete
missed out on a top three position in the
SPOTY awards earlier this month, despite
coming third last year before his wins at
the London Games.
He said: "This year I had achieved the most
I possibly could and didn't even get third
again, let alone a higher spot.
"I mean, there's nothing more I could have
done."
He recognised it was "such a strong year"
and praised SPOTY winner Sir Bradley Wiggins
as a "phenomenal athlete".
Farah, who is married to Tania and has three
daughters, dedicated his medals to his twin
girls born two weeks after he won his second
gold medal in the 5,000 metres.
He added: "It's been a big year. But the
best way to end it is with the ones I love."
He said he thinks he has "four or five"
years of competition left in him and hopes
to take part in the London marathon,
possibly in 2014.
The new publication entitled ‘The Life of
Mohammed’ claims to be a ‘halal’ comic book
biography of the Prophet. The editor of
Charlie Hebdo has insisted that the book is
an ‘educational work’ edited by Muslims,
drawing on sources emanating from Islamic
traditions. According to the Financial
Times, the introduction states that the book
“neither represents nor caricatures”
Muhammed, adding that “his figure, the
little yellow fellow Charb, is a metaphor.”
Taylor’s article defends the right of the
magazine to publish the book but describes
it as a ‘missed opportunity to do something
profound’. Lamenting the magazine’s
squandering the opportunity to engage in a
meaningful educational exercise, Taylor
situates its dismal efforts in the context
of “a wider malaise within Europe over our
ability to have a decent cerebral discussion
about Islam”.
UK:
Education journalist Susan Elkin, writes for
Independent Voices today weighing in on the
recent story on Muslim parents who are
taking a Greek Orthodox school to the High
Court, after the school banned their
daughter from wearing the headscarf, as
reported yesterday in the Daily Telegraph
and London Evening Standard.
Elkin argues that the solution to the
problem is “obvious to anyone with an iota
of common sense” and that the child in
question “should be allowed to wear a hijab
provided it matches the uniform. Entrenched
attitudes and confrontation are rarely an
effective way to solve problems,” she
argues, as the school and parents face a
looming legal battle over the school’s
position.
Elkin writes of the responsibility of
schools in relation to students’ religious
beliefs, a topic which is “subject to
government guidance which recommends that
schools should ‘act reasonably’ in
accommodating beliefs relating to hair,
clothes and religious artefacts.
“Would a uniform coloured headscarf really
affect teaching and learning in the
classrooms at St Cyprians? Wouldn’t some
jaw-jaw be preferable to war-war in the High
Court which is where the parents hope this
matter will be heard?” she asks.
Elkin concludes that she welcomes
multiculturalism, but that “it won’t work
without give and take, mutual tolerance –
and sometimes a sensitive, sensible
compromise.”
As a school in a country whose
multiculturalism and diversity has been
celebrated and accommodated in legal codes
and public sector duties, it seems strange
that the school should feel a ban on
headscarves is appropriate. It is worth
noting that as a number of papers mention,
the uniform policy on the school’s website
makes no mention of a ban on headscarves,
instead proclaiming that the school’s
mission to “equip [students] with the
knowledge, skills and spirituality to enable
them to achieve their full potential and to
prepare them to contribute positively to the
challenges of a diverse multicultural
society.”
The introduction of a headscarf ban in
France as part of general guidelines on
‘conspicuous religious symbols’ in schools,
has had the knock-on effect of alienating
and excluding Muslim women from
participating in society at large. The
problem posed to equality and liberty as a
consequence of restrictions on religious
dress has been well documented by human
rights and equalities agencies, the Equality
and Human Rights Commission, Human Rights
Watch, and the Council of Europe to name a
few.
Perceptions
of Islamophobia among Muslims in France,
Germany and the UK
Islamophobia Watch draws our attention
to the findings of a study carried out by
Jonas R Kunst, David L. Sam, and Pal
Ulleberg, into Muslims’ perceptions of
Islamophobia, published in the International
Journal of Intercultural relations. Whilst a
lot of research has been carried out on
Islamophobia in wider society, this
particular study aims to fill the gap in
knowledge of how Muslim minorities
themselves perceive Islamophobia.
The study was carried out with a sample of
1,344 Muslims who live as minorities in
European countries (French-Maghrebis;
German-Turks; German Arabs; and
British-Pakistanis). As part of the
research, a ‘Perceived Islamophobia Scale’
was developed, comprising of three subscales
of Islamophobia (‘general fear; fear of
Islamisation; Islamophobia in the media’)
Significantly, across the groups, the
participants “appear to experience the
highest level of Islamophobia in the media.”
The study suggests that this is more so the
case in the UK than in Germany and France
from where the other samples were drawn.
Another finding of the study is that British
Pakistanis perceived the lowest levels of
Islamophobia of all the groups in the study,
with French Maghrebis perceiving the highest
levels of Islamophobia. German Arabs and
Turks came between these groups.
Divorce
after 10-14 years rises among Muslim couples
BRUNEI
- Divorce rates in the country continue to
rise among Muslim couples who have been
married for 10 to 14 years.
The Brunei Darussalam Statistical Yearbook (BDSYB)
for 2011, which was released last week,
revealed that marriages lasting 10 to 14
years have consistently topped the divorce
rates over the past five years.
These couples account for 20.6 per cent or
95 cases out of the 459 divorces registered
in 2011. However, overall divorce rates have
dropped 4.9 per cent last year compared to
2010.
Citing figures from the State Judiciary
Department at the Prime Minister's Office,
the report indicated that Muslim couples who
have been married for more than a decade are
up to five times more likely to end in
divorce.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent of divorces occur in
couples aged from 25 to 39. High divorce
rates are also found among couples aged from
25 to 29 and 40 to 44.
Out of the 4,844 newlyweds among the Muslim
community in Brunei last year, 3,105 were
from 20 to 29 years of age. People who wed
in their thirties account for 1,120
marriages, while 246 teenagers aged 15 to 29
decided to tie the knot.
According to the Minister of Religious
Affairs, the common causes of divorce were
irreconcilable differences, followed by
neglecting responsibilities and providing
nafkah (sustenance).
In
a rising Saudi Arabian city, far from weary,
recession-scarred America, a struggling businessman
pursues a last-ditch attempt to stave off
foreclosure, pay his daughter’s college tuition, and
finally do something great.
In A Hologram for the King, Dave
Eggers takes us around the world to show how one man
fights to hold himself and his splintering family
together in the face of the global economy’s
gale-force winds.
This taut, richly layered, and
elegiac novel is a powerful evocation of our
contemporary moment — and a moving story of how we
got here.
Amazon Top 10 books of 2012
The more that you read,
The more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
The more places you will go.
Dr
Seuss
Would
you like to see the cover of your favourite book on
our book shelves below?
Using the
book club you can see what books fellow CCN readers
have on their shelves, what they are reading and
even what they, and others, think of them.
KB says: Here's a
deliciously fizzy drink for summer invented by
Rubana Moola.
Funky Green Punch
Ingredients
3
cups 100% juice Lime cordial
2 x 1.25L Schweppes Soda water with Lemon twist
2 x 1.25L Schweppes Lemonade
2 x 750ml Appletiser
Garnish
2 finely grated Granny Smith green apples
Finely chopped mint
Method
1.
Mix all the liquids together except the garnish.
2. Fill two ice tray with the mixture and
freeze.
3. Add mint and apple to the remaining drink and
chill.
4. Before serving, put the drink into the
freezer until sludgy.
5. When ready to serve, add iced punch cubes
into the drink
A Japanese tourist hailed a taxi in downtown Istanbul
and asked to be taken to the airport.
On the way, a car zoomed by and the tourist responded,
'Oh! Toyota - Made in Japan! Very fast!'
Not too long afterward, another car flew by the taxi.
'Oh! Nissan - Made in Japan! Very fast!'
Yet another car zipped by, and the tourist said, 'Oh!
Mitsubishi - Made in Japan! Very fast!'
Jallaluddin, the taxi driver, who was 100% Turkish, was
starting to get a little annoyed that the Japanese made
cars were passing his taxi, when yet another car passed
the taxi as they were turning into the airport. 'Oh!
Honda - Made in Japan! Very fast!'
Jallaluddin stopped the car, pointed to the meter, and
said, 'That'll be 500 Lira.'
'500 lira? It was short ride! Why so much?'
Jallaluddin smiled as he replied, 'Meter - Made in
Turkey. Very fast.'
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
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.
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.
.
The CCN Inbox:
Letters to the
Editor
Dr
Mohamad
Abdalla
continues
with Part 2
of his
trilogy of
advice to
Muslim youth
which he
delivered at
Kuraby
Mosque
during his
weekly
Friday
khutbah.
For
Mouna,
lifting the
veil that
covers most
of her face
is akin to
taking off
some of her
clothes in
public. She
has been
wearing it,
by her own
choice, for
the past 20
years and
she says it
has become
part of her.
UK:
Education journalist Susan Elkin, writes for
Independent Voices today weighing in on the
recent story on Muslim parents who are
taking a Greek Orthodox school to the High
Court, after the school banned their
daughter from wearing the headscarf, as
reported yesterday in the Daily Telegraph
and London Evening Standard.
In
a rising Saudi Arabian city, far from weary,
recession-scarred America, a struggling businessman
pursues a last-ditch attempt to stave off
foreclosure, pay his daughter’s college tuition, and
finally do something great. 
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011