BURQAS are confronting and should never be widespread on the streets of Australia, Tony Abbott says.

The Opposition Leader was responding to comments reportedly made by McMahon Liberal candidate Ray King that burqas are a "sign of oppression" and can be linked to criminality.

Mr Abbott described Mr Ray as a decorated police officer and "outstanding" candidate.

 

He said he understood Mr King's comments to be more about identifying people in policing situations, given their attire.

"I've been asked about the burqa on lots of occasions and whenever I've been asked about the burqa I've said that I find it a very confronting form of attire," he said.
 

"Frankly it's not the sort of attire that I'd like to see widespread in our streets.
 

"But this is a free country.
 

"Everyone's entitled to make their choice and if people want to wear a burqa, it's ultimately their business."
 

Source: Courier Mail

The Australian Muslim Achievement Awards (AMAA), hosted annually by Mission of Hope, aims to acknowledge and celebrate some of our most respected community leaders from across the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors.

 

Now in its 8th year, the AMAA has established itself as a much-anticipated and well-respected award's night, with a robust selection process to ensure that assessments of nominees are fair and transparent.

 

To nominate for one of the following categories click here.

 

• Business of the Year
• Professional of the Year
• Woman of the Year
• Man of the Year
• Role Model of the Year
• Youth of the Year
• Creative Artist of the Year
• Sportsperson of the Year
• Media Award of the Year
• Community Organisation Award
• Volunteer of the Year
• Abyssinian Award
• People's Choice Award
• Event of the Year Award
• New Community Project Award
 

Email amaa@missionofhope.org.au for any enquiries.

A federal election candidate in western Queensland has accused Muslims of paying Aborigines to convert to Islam.

 

Speaking to ABC Western Queensland, Rise Up Australia candidate Pam Hecht (pictured left) said the biggest issue facing people in the electorate of Kennedy, which Bob Katter holds by 18.3 per cent, was the conversion of Indigenous people to Islam.

 

''I don't know whether people are aware, but many of the Aboriginal people in northern Australia are being targeted by Muslims and in some cases are being paid to convert to Islam,'' she said, describing herself and the electorate as ''farmers . . . just ordinary everyday people'', who ''want to be free to go about our business''.

 

''Our concern with that is, the Muslim belief, that converting the first peoples of the land to Islam means that the land belongs to Allah, and Islam should be the only religion.

 

''There is an Aboriginal lady who works with the people up in northern Australia and she has spoken directly with the leader of our party, Daniel Nalliah [and told him about the practice].''

 

Of the 340,393 Australians who identified as Muslims in the 2006 Census, just 1011 were Indigenous. Comparatively, 290,630 Indigenous people identified as Christian.

 

Academics believe Aborigines came into contact with those who practised the Islamic faith even before they came into contact with Christianity, first through trade links with Indonesia and later through cameleers.

 

Mr Nalliah, the leader of Rise Up Australia, states in his Catch the Fire Ministries biography, that he first knew ''the Lord had called him'' after an Australian missionary visited his Sri Lankan town in 1976.

 

He made national headlines in 2002 when anti-Muslim comments he made became the subject of the first case heard under Victoria's newly-created Racial and Religious Tolerance Act. Mediation ended the case five years later.

 

Ms Hecht, who says she is a ''fifth generation Australian on her mother's side'' in her biography, said the growth of Islam was ''an important issue for the whole of Australia and definitely Kennedy''. She denied the party wanted to restrict religious choice and said the core issue was a matter of law.

 

''What we don't support is their hijacking of our laws and our system,'' she said.

 

''It really is many races, but one law and that's Australian law.''

 

Earlier this month, the One Nation Party dropped their candidate for the seat of Rankin, Stephanie Banister, after a gaffe-filled interview with the 27-year-old aired on Channel Seven, showed Ms Banister mistaking Islam for a country.

 

Ms Banister said she had been misrepresented.

 

Source: Brisbane Times

Meeting with members of the Muslim Community and LNP candidate for Moreton, Malcolm Cole (pictured second from the left) at the Limon Restaurant.

Amongst the 500 most influential Muslims of 2011 and 2012, Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri graced the stage at the Islamic College of Brisbane to render his famous naats.   Know for his passionate performances and his voice the Naat Khawan (reciter of naats) did not disappoint the audience of some 400.

TONY Abbott is committed to upgrading relations with Israel as part of a suite of new policies on the Middle East that includes banning more terrorist organisations and a harder line on visits to Australia by extremists.

 

A Coalition government would also step-up opposition to the "boycott, divestment and sanctions" campaign against Israel, withholding taxpayer funds from any organisation that actively backed the movement.

The Australian has learned that the Opposition Leader will this week commit to extending to Israeli citizens an electronic travel authority, which in most cases provides nearly instant visa approval.

The ETA system was introduced by the Howard government for citizens of advanced nations who have no history of illegally overstaying in Australia.

The Labor government recently expanded the list of nations whose citizens are eligible for fast-track visas to 64 but left Israel off the list - a decision critics said was in line with recent moves by the ALP to distance itself from Israel, including at the UN.
 

It is understood the omission of Israel caused consternation in Jerusalem.

Both the EU and Canada provide visa-free entry to Israelis.

An Abbott government would immediately direct that Israel be added to the list of nations whose citizens can access fast-track electronic visas for short-term visits to Australia.

Under a range of new policies - which are being directed by Mr Abbott with broad support within the opposition - the Coalition would seek to ban the Islamist extremist organisation Hizb Ut-Tahrir and prevent foreign members of the group coming to Australia to promote extremism.

The Coalition will also seek fresh advice from ASIO on the question of banning the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah. Only the militant wings of these groups are currently banned in Australia, while the US, Canada and a number of Western nations have banned the entire organisations.

Coalition policy documents draw attention to the fact that the US and Canada have banned more than twice as many terrorist organisations as Australia has.

The Coalition plans to make it more difficult for "preachers of hate" to visit Australia. It believes the federal government has the power to stop such visits on character grounds and should do so much more frequently.

An Abbott government would also strengthen Australia's opposition to the BDS campaign by committing to a government-wide policy that prevents additional grants of taxpayers' funds to individuals and organisations that actively support the BDS campaign. The moves are widely supported in the Coalition but also reflect Mr Abbott's long-standing personal commitment to supporting Israel.

 

Source: The Australian

Muslims Australia - AFIC has released a press release, with regards to Mr El Kahly, Cantor who is charged with indecent assault.

 

On Monday 26 August 2013 Mr Ahmed El-Kahly appeared in North Sydney Local Court for sentencing in relation to five counts of indecent assault, and one count of behaving in an offensive manner in relation to incidents which took place in Dee Why in July of this year.

 

"The press release has been prompted by incorrect information published today by a Sydney paper about the matter," says the statement.

Islamic clothing in size small and medium only for men and women for asylum seekers to wear for Eid ul Adha is required.

Ms Naseema Mustapha will be distributing during the second week of September to people in detention as well as within the community.

Only sizes extra small .. small and medium. No large or extra large sizes are required.

Please ensure all items are in excellent condition and washed before dropping off.

SMS 0424141623 for details.

 

 

 

 

Radio interview with Ms Naseema Mustapha.

 

Two Muslims from Toowoomba recently received two awards from The Chief Commissioner of Scouting in Queensland.

 

Jadzia Clifford-Pugh was presented with a Certificate for Completing her Scout Medallion. This is the highest award in the Scouting section.
 

Mr John Pugh received the Silver Arrowhead.

The Silver Arrowhead is awarded for excellent service to the Association for a period of at least seven to eight years to adult Members and Associates

All recipients are members of 2nd Toowoomba Scout Group.

The Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ) has been successful in obtaining funding from the Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) under the Settlement Grants Program to run the Community Leadership Program.

This program aims to increase community self-reliance by supporting leaders and others, from new and emerging communities, to link with established communities, increase their knowledge of advocacy and association governance. The communities include: Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Bhutan.

The ECCQ will conduct free training to support community leaders and strengthen their own capacity to enable them to build their own communities. The training will include:

• Leadership skills - advocacy, lobbying, cross-cultural communication and how to engage with media

• Governance skills - role of leaders, establishing an organisation, management committee roles and responsibilities, financial management, applying for funding, project/event management and strategic planning.

Additionally, the ECCQ will link community leaders from new communities with those more established to share their community vision, challenges and strategies in building their community capacity. The training participants will receive resources and ongoing practical support from the ECCQ.

If you are interested in attending the ECCQ Leadership Program, please fill in the attached Expression of Interest form and email it to Lilly Matich at lillym@eccq.com.au. 

For more information call Lilly on (07) 3844 9166.

Do you have something to say about religion today? As part of their promotion for the upcoming International Religion Journalism Symposium, Citizen J and the Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre are looking for a 600-800 word blog based around the theme of 'Religion and Faith in the Modern Era'.

If you or you know of someone who would be willing to write a short entry about religion in Australia please contact the Griffith Multi-Faith Centre at mfc@griffith.edu.au.
To find out more about the Citizen J project check out their website: .
 

Front Row (Left to Right) Soubrine El-Dannawi Year 1H, Asmaa Younis Prep K, Rabeeha-Noreen Abdul-Ala Prep M, Abdullah Hossain Year 1B, Abdul Khaliq Lim-Parfitt Year 2M.

Back Row (Left to Right) Shaima Al Naqbi Year 5, Ummama Ahmad Year 6, Amira Mohammed Year 2U, Aisha Abdi Hersi Year 3, Abouomar Mnette Year 4O, Sadikur Islam Year 4Z

WEB DEVELOPER

Are you a Web Developer with experience in developing websites using HTML 5?

How would you like to use your skills to assist the Muslim Business Network (MBN) to develop their new website and members' portal? If you're keen, then please send an email with your details to secretary@mbn.net.au.

This is a paid opportunity so please contact us now.

 

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LADIES ONLY GYM!  NO JOINING FEE!  SPECIAL RATE! Work off those winter “bumps” get ready for summer and join the gym!  Due to extended work commitments I am unable to attend the gym as frequently as I hoped to and not making the most of my membership.  If you are looking for a first class, ladies only gym (Fernwood Ladies Gym, Underwood, QLD)with heaps of fitness classes, fantastic equipment with personal training and food coaching on offer as well, this is the place for you! I am looking at transferring my “special low fee” membership which has 6 months still to go, there is a transferral fee which is negotiable. You wouldn’t want to miss out on this opportunity so contact me NOW to find out more!

 

Tel: 0413913724

 

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STAFF REQUIRED

4 people to work for Yes Home Doctor (www.YesHomeDoctor.com)


1. One accountant with at least 5 years Australian accounting experience.
2. 3 people for our call centre with excellent English communication skills. Excellent understanding and speaking English skills. 3 full time and 2 part timers required.
3. Work available at our head office at Forest Lake
4. Be able to start immediately and be flexible
5. Full training will be provided.

Email your CV in confidence to Zaffar@ZaffarKhan.com.

Ticket sales for the Grand Dinner on Saturday 14 September at the Islamic College of Brisbane is well underway.
 

A single ticket costs $35 and a table of ten is $300.

Br Shahbaz Rafiq Ph 0402398608 is coordinating the ticket sell in Brisbane and Gold Coast, and Dr Md Shahiduzzaman Ph 0458823191 in Toowoomba.

Separate tables will be allocated to women who prefer not to seat with other men. Any woman wisjing to have a seat in the women only area must inform the organisers at the time of purchasing tickets.

Dr F M Amirul Islam and his team collected $1150 from Fitzroy Masjid in Melbourne, thanks to him and to the Imam, Committee members and donors of the Masjid.

To date $650,000 (a little over 70%) has been received and the current shortfall is $275,000.

The Islamic Society of Algester has decided to collect funds for the Toowoomba Masjid on Friday, 6 September. Volunteers will be there with banners, flyers, buckets and eftpos machines.
 
For details of the upcoming fund raising dinner on 14 September at the Islamic College of Brisbane click here.

 

For more information on the purchase of the property and where to send you donations click here.