Photos by Orhan Camkara

Taking a tour into the future of Islamic education

The Al-Ustaadh ONLINE platform was officially launched yesterday (Saturday) by Dr Mustafa Ally and Mr Kemal Omar who initiated the establishment of the learning management system specifically for madressah and Islamic courses.   The launch was well-attended by Imams, madressah and Islamic school teachers and administrators who were given a briefing on the benefits of incorporating eLearning into their courses and curriculum, and were then taken on a practical tour around the online platform.   The following are some of the participants' comments after the launch:   Imam Peer: Attending the launch of Alustaadh ONLINE today has tremendously inspired me. As a teacher of Islamic Studies for all ages and groups I am confident that Alustaadh ONLINE offers a very wide and broad spectrum to enhance the love of studying Islam and cultivating a very strong base of retrieving Islamic Information. We ask Allah to place the efforts of all those brothers and sisters who have worked hard in putting Alustaadh ONLINE come to fruition in the scales on the Day of Judgement. I personally strongly encourage all Imams, brothers and sisters to join Alustaadh ONLINE. Finally as Chairman of Council of Imams Queensland I like to emphasise CIQ's full support.   Mufti Ravat: Mashallah Al Ustadh is an awesome tool we Muallims and Muallimas can use to get our knowledge reaching out to a much wider audience. Rasulullah (saw) said: The best of you are those that teach people good" This is a great platform for all of us to use to spread the good inshallah. I wish all Muallims/Muallimas and students the best learning experience online. I make special duaa for the creators of this program. May Allah Taala reward them abundantly. Learning Islam has just been made easier! Mr Farouk Adam: I am impressed at your ideas of launching Al Ustaadh ONLINE. It's learning at leisure with coffee and popcorn at your side. I think this is what our kids really want. It is fantastic and I am sure this will take off. I can see the variety of courses can be set up will be appealing to all in our community, Being part of the Kuraby Madressa I can see the benefit for to our parents and students. Well done Mustafa and Kemal and thanks for inviting me to this launch.   Mr Ameer Hassan: This is going to be a very useful option for parents who are homeschooling their children.   Mr Dyan Chown: Juzaka'Allah! What a wonderful contribution to learning for our community – near and far. Masha'Allah! Your presentation was very impressive. As a teacher, I can see countless opportunities for my teaching and critically, my students learning.   Dr Mohamad Abdalla: I must congratulate you for thinking of and inventing Al Ustaadth as a complimentary educational tool for our community. There is a genuine need for this educational tool and I'm most certain that the entire community, young and old, will benefit from it. The idea is brilliant and insha-Allah it will be able to help more people bring the madrassa and maktab into their own homes. It is through proper education that the Muslims of the past excelled and led the world, and insha-Allah through your innovative tool more Muslims will learn about the beauty, moderation and relevance of Islam in the context of today's world.

Sr. Rola Hamze helps launch the Al Ustaadh ONLINE website with the stroke of a pen

Dr Mohamad Abdalla delivered his Friday khutbah (sermon) to over 800 of the regular congregation at the Kuraby Mosque on the Boston Bombings and the prohibition of killing innocent people in Islam.

 

 

Click here for the transcript.

Mr. Talal Yassine (pictured left)  is the Managing Director of Crescent Wealth, Australia's first Islamic wealth manager and major sponsor of this year's Crescent Wealth CresWalk2013.   He is also an experienced lawyer and banker, and currently serves on the Boards of Australia Post, the Australian Multicultural Council, the Whitlam Institute, and until recently, on the Board of Sydney Ports Corporation. Most recently he was appointed as a Professorial Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy, at the Australian National University.   CCN succeeded in pinning Talal down long enough to answer a few questions about himself and Crescent Wealth.

 

CCN: Could you provide a brief background of how you arrived to where you are today?
TY: I was just four years old when I came to Australia in 1977, arriving as the son of migrant parents who sacrificed everything for a new life. I was determined to not only make my parents proud, but to also make a difference by working to promote multiculturalism, education and environmentalism through business in our great country.
Along the way, I have held positions in law and strategy at PwC, corporate finance and real estate at Babcock & Brown, and leadership roles and non-executive directorships across a broad spectrum of Australian business and cultural organizations including Better Place Australia, Australian Multicultural Council and Australia Post among others.
 

CCN: How has your upbringing affected your life?
TY: It was approximately 36 years ago when we came from Lebanon and arrived in Australia to settle in Sydney's western suburbs. Both of my parents were unable to read or write and this new environment must have been a relief from the war-torn landscape we came from, but at the same time extremely daunting. I was the eldest of eight children and my father worked in a factory while my mother looked after six boys and two girls - both of them urging us all to take advantage of the opportunities on offer in multicultural Australia.

We have about 30 degrees between us and this has been essential part of our progress. Our parents encouraged us all to study and reach our limits and I took this advice very seriously and would pass it on to anyone.

I was able to benefit from a significant amount of responsibility at home as well as constant inspiration from my hard-working parents. I believe this has translated into leadership traits I hold today in addition to my desire to help those around me achieve their potential.
 

CCN: Where did education fit in?
TY: Education has always been something very important to me and indeed important among all my siblings. Everyone has a degree or several degrees. We have about 30 degrees between us and this has been essential part of our progress. Our parents encouraged us all to study and reach our limits and I took this advice very seriously and would pass it on to anyone.
Today am I extremely privileged to play my role in a country which values education so highly, having served on the Board of Macquarie University; and recently being appointed as a Professorial Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy, at the Australian National University.
 

CCN: How has Australia helped you realise your dreams?
TY: Australia is an open, democratic country with a social ladder you can actually climb if you work hard and really want to succeed. Within just one generation we've gone from being eight kids in the suburbs going to public schools to being corporate and social leaders representing our vast and diverse community. There are a few other countries in the world where that is possible.
 

CCN: What is your greatest achievement to date?
TY: On Australia Day 2010, I was awarded a ‘Medal of the Order of Australia’ (OAM) for my service to business and to the community through a range of education, health and multicultural organisations.
 

CCN: You are non-executive director across some major Australian businesses including Australia Post. How has this experience helped you in your career?

TY: Being a non-executive director gives you new insights into markets, the country and how it operates and what really matters. I believe that the experience I have gained in serving on senior boards, apart from assisting in running and directing those organisations, has taught me a lot about business but also about the customer, the community and what people are really looking for.
 

CCN: What have you learned from your vast corporate experience that some our readers can apply in their own careers?

TY: If you wish to be successful in your life, you think about and map out how much you have to do and what you actually have to put in, you don’t wander into a challenge and see how you go. Life has a lot of unexpected things that come up, but you’ve got to have a bit of a plan and start the way you intend to proceed. Have no illusions, be real, be transparent, open and consistent in what you’re doing and what you want to achieve.
 

 

CCN: What is Crescent Wealth?
TY: Crescent Wealth is Australia’s first ultra-ethical wealth manager, and we offer a superannuation fund and individual investment funds that invest in accordance with Islamic investment principles.
A lot of people do not know that their super is likely to be invested banks that use interest as well as in other socially detrimental activities such as tobacco, alcohol, gambling, weapons and pork products. Therefore our Crescent Wealth Superannuation Fund is finally providing choice for Australian Muslims, where people can now choose an option that accords with their values and principles while being managed by highly experienced and professional fund managers.
 

CCN: What were the challenges in taking Crescent Wealth from an idea to reality?

TY: The challenges were several and many like any new idea or pioneering idea in a mature market and economy. The first one of course is educating the various partners and regulatory authorities such as APRA and ASIC, lawyers and accountants about Islamic finance.
We have also gone to great lengths to ensure our products accurately reflect Islamic investment principles. There are no shortcuts in this regard. Recognition as a trusted and respected brand is absolutely vital in a community that values strong relationships and trustworthiness in the same regard as strong performance. The one thing I have found consistent in this business, unlike other businesses I have run or directed, is that there is a lot of goodwill around the place and what seemed to be insurmountable challenges became very surmountable when people of goodwill got together and tried to solve the problem.

 

Crescents of Brisbane represent a community based organisation that not only promotes a healthy lifestyle through a number of mediums, but also importantly brings a range of people from diverse background together to achieve a common goal. They are therefore one example of the brilliant organisations we are supporting nationally.

CCN: Your products invest using an ultra-ethical or Islamic principles approach. Can you explain what this means?

TY: It's quite simple. We filter out socially detrimental activities so if a company's primary activities in banking and financial services, weapons, alcohol, tobacco and pork we do not invest in them. Indeed Islamic investment principles have been around for almost 15 centuries and focus on generating returns from investing directly in productive assets rather than debt or speculation using sophisticated financial instruments. This results in a more conservative investment approach.
 

CCN: Why this is such a significant achievement for the Australian Muslim community?

TY:This no doubt represents a significant milestone as Crescent Wealth has finally broken through the Australian wealth management frontier by providing credible Islamic compliant superannuation option. To me this represents a testament to the mindset of our community to harness our collective energy in order finally provide necessary choice for Australian Muslims. I therefore see it as a gateway to the prosperity of our community.
 

CCN: How do you intend to follow through on your commitment to the community?

TY: We've thought carefully about how to approach this and concluded that we need to cover four key strategic areas important to our community: pathways to employment, health and fitness, pathways to higher education, and financial literacy. These initiatives need to be long term, sustainable and enduring - in that they are designed to enrich the community for years to come and may be replicated across regions to benefit every facet of our community.
That's why we are proud to support Crescent of Brisbane and sponsor the 10th CresWalk. Indeed Crescents of Brisbane represent a community based organisation that not only promotes a healthy lifestyle through a number of mediums, but also importantly brings a range of people from diverse background together to achieve a common goal. They are therefore one example of the brilliant organisations we are supporting nationally.

 

The Queensland Education and Cultural Foundation (QECF) held a symposium on Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) at the Islamic College of Brisbane on Friday evening at which some 200 people attended.

 

The first topic, Leadership of our Prophet (SAW), was delivered by Dr Recep Dogan, lecturer in the Islamic Science and Research Academy of Charles Sturt University (NSW); and the second on Prophetic Wisdom in Conflict Resolution was given by Sheikh Ahmed Abu Gazaleh, Imam of Logan Mosque and President of As- Salaam Institute who also performed a few nasheeds for the audience.

Dr Salih Yucel, lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne spoke on the Two Characteristic of Prophets: Ithar (Isar) and Istighna  and Associate Professor Mohamad Abdalla of the Griffith Islamic Research Unit highlighted many aspects of the Universal Mercy of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

 

Newly appointed CEO of the QECF, Mr. Abdul Celil Gelib organized the event and Mr Murat Coskun acted as Master of Ceremonies on the night.

 

Two daggers taken from captured Turkish soldiers at Gallipoli by an ANZAC soldier have now become symbols of unity after being returned to the Turkish community in Australia.

 

According to ABC's Drum Opinion page, Thamina Ansari (pictured above) who does the reporting on this story for ABC News, is a journalist, and an active community member and leader as an executive member of Affinity Intercultural Foundation and President of the Macquarie University Affinity Club. She is also on the advisory board for the Social Inclusion Department at Macquarie University and the Editor of The Middle East Times, Sydney and has had her work published on Halal Square, Affinity Intercultural Foundation and The Middle East Times Magazine. Tahmina came to this country as a refugee from Afghanistan 18 years ago. She is currently in her final year studying a BA Media, majoring in journalism.

 

 

Former Brisbane-resident and now a South African eNCA reporter, Yusuf Omar, is travelling inside Syria accompanying the charity organization, the Gift of the Givers, which is on a crucial relief mission in the conflict-torn country.

 

The following is an example of his reporting from the region:

 

 

 

Keep updated with the situation on his blog from Syria.

Nominations are now open for the 2013 Queensland Multicultural Awards.

The Awards provide a valuable opportunity to recognise the contributions and achievements of individuals and organisations in promoting a truly inclusive and culturally diverse Queensland.
 

The Awards will be held during the inaugural Queensland Multicultural Week which takes place from Saturday 31 August to Sunday 8 September 2013.

The ten award categories that will "recognise the broad variety of work and achievements that are indicative of our state’s cultural diversity" are:

Outstanding volunteer (Greater Brisbane); Outstanding regional volunteer; Community organisation (Greater Brisbane); Regional community organisation; Private enterprise; Public sector; Education; Media; Australian South Sea Islander; Cultural Diversity Ambassador.

Awards guidelines

Nomination form

Michael Mosley has set himself a truly ambitious goal: he wants to live longer, stay younger and lose weight.

 

And he thinks he's found the answer - the ancient idea of fasting.

 

Could the powerful new science behind this idea lead to a longer, healthier life?

 

Mosley thinks he's found a way of fasting that still allows him to enjoy his food.

 

It sounds too good to be true.

 

So he decides to take a road trip across the US to investigate how a little hunger can make you younger, and of course, to try out some of this new science for himself.

 

The above video expires May 2013

The Australian Government has issued an information sheet covering the Australian Government's position on Syria, it's aid to the Syria, what communities and individuals can do to help and should be aware of with regards Australian sanctions, the use of social media and travel to Syria.

 

Read the full details in the information sheet here.

The Institute of the Arabic Language for non-Arabic speakers at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah invites applications for scholarships from students (external and internal) who wish to study the Arabic Language Diploma for the academic year 1434/1435 AH; and it starts on Monday, 05/06/1434 AH (April 15, 2013).

To read the program information and conditions, click here
 

The General Diploma in Arabic as a Foreign Language is a 60- credit hour program offered in 4 semesters of full-time study. The program is intended to develop students’ linguistic competence in all four language skills (Listening – Speaking – Reading and Writing). This will enable them to use the target language by direct contact in real life situations. Students who successfully pass with honours official assessments will be awarded a diploma certificate in Arabic as a foreign language (DCAFL). The program mainly employs the "Arabic between Your Hands" series, published by the foundation of "Arabic for all".

Abby Martin talks to Arsalan Iftikhar, Senior Editor for the 'Islamic Monthly' about how the corporate media has perpetuated anti-Muslim rhetoric in the wake of the Boston bombings, and how we can combat this emerging culture of fear.

 

 

The latest issue is available here.

It took 9,000 officers, five days, and roughly $1 billion in lost revenue for Boston, but suspect one is dead and suspect two is in custody.

So let me start with the standard roll call: As an American Muslim, I condemn all violence in the name of religion. Terrorism has no religion and Islam is no exception. If the Tsarnaev brothers are guilty of the Boston bombings, then I hope they are brought to justice.

Is that condemnation clear enough? Because I'm pretty sure a whole lot of people instead read blah blah blah blah blah.

Here's the deal. It is a shame that we had to employ 9,000 officers, put our lives on hold for five days, and sacrifice $1 billion in Boston revenue to catch these culprits. It is a shame that Muslim women were assaulted in retaliation, and that's even before we knew who the suspects were. And it is a shame I received threats of anti-Muslim violence and that even my non-Muslim but non-white friends called me, fearing for their safety.

And now the public lynching and double standards against Islam begin. Mental illness was the culprit during Newtown, Conn., Oak Creek, Wis., and Aurora, Colo. More than 70 percent of America's 64 previous mass shooters were white American men. But not one pundit, nor any politician, nor any Muslim has ever asked why White Americans or Christian Americans are not aggressively condemning these acts of terror. After all, why ask such a ludicrous question? Anyone with a functioning cerebrum could comprehend that these terrorists represent only themselves.

But why do our brains shut down when the slightest indication exists that the culprit might maybe possibly be Muslim? No sooner did the Boston tragedy occur -- and even before the slightest indication emerged regarding who perpetrated the attack -- but I received dozens of emails and messages asking why "moderate Muslims" aren't condemning the attack?

This was my initial reaction to such demands for condemnation:

 

 

 

Huff Post

Thousands of people packed Indonesia's biggest mosque to mourn the death of a celebrity Islamic cleric who died in a motorcycle accident on Friday morning.

Crowding around those carrying the body, thousands of Muslims held phones and cameras in the air, trying to take pictures of Jeffry Al Buchory's coffin.

Jakarta's massive Istiqlal Mosque was packed with fans of the singer and model who became an Islamic cleric.

Al Buchory's unconventional style of preaching Islam is similar to that of evangelical Christians.

He is credited with using his celebrity power, song and emotional preaching to reach young people.

Al Buchory also played on his reformation from being a drug user and night-clubber to becoming a committed Muslim.

He reportedly lost control of his motorbike and hit a palm tree.
 

Source: ABC News

The team at Muslim Aid Australia are currently implementing an emergency project to provide 960,000 Aquatabs to Mali to purify their unclean water supply.

Each tablet costs only 2 cents and purifies 1Ltr of contaminated water into sweet drinking quality water.
 

Due to the urgent need for these tablets Muslim Aid Australia have until the 28th April 2013 to finalise this order and help save thousands of lives.

The international charity organizations is asking CCN Readers to be part of this life-saving initiative and support the people of Mali in this extremely tough time.

 

Click here to donate now.

Siitra Shop 1/116 Compton Road Woodridge
Phone Number: 32995556
 

Siitra will close Saturday 25th of May
Everything Must Go!!!
We would like to thank everyone for supporting Siitra over the last past 6 years.

So come in and grab a bargain while stocks last.

 

 

 

 

Crescents of Brisbane is proud to announce our partnership with Crescent Wealth, in this year's 10th Anniversary Crescent Wealth CresWalk2013.

 

Crescent Wealth is Australia's First Islamic Wealth Manager. They offer an innovative series of ultra-ethical investment funds that are based on Islamic investment principles, unique in the Australian market. Similar to socially responsible investing, Crescents Wealth also filters out socially detrimental activities such as gambling, alcohol and weapons.

 

This year's Crescent Wealth CresWalk2013 will start later than in previous years at 10am to allow everyone to enjoy the early winter mid-day sun and to celebrate the 10th anniversary with an after run/walk FAMILY PICNIC IN THE PARK with a free lunch, activities, tug-of-war, lucky draw prizes and loads more!

 
 

Hurry and get your registrations in because this year ONLY THE FIRST 400 registrations will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

 

This week's nasheed, Azaan Ho Rahi Hai by Maulana Imtiyaz Sidat, is brought to you by the organizers of the Queensland Nasheed Competition (click on the thumbnail for more details).