The College celebrated the official opening of its multipurpose hall, 4 new class rooms and a new car park at the Carrara Campus, Gold Coast.
	The Honourable John Paul Langbroek, Minister of Education opened the multipurpose hall. Other distinguished guests included Councillor Lex Bell, Dr. Grant Watson from Block Grant Authority, Dr. Alex Douglas, Member for Gaven and Dr. Mubarak Ali Noor, Principal of the Islamic College of Brisbane.
Acting Principal, Mrs. Mariam Banwa, outlined the academic achievements of the college; acknowledged the efforts of teachers, parents and staff and added that the college will always endeavour to offer academic excellence.

 

AUSTRALIA’S largest Muslim school has been given a reprieve by the NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and will remain open for at least one more year.

The NSW Board of Studies last month recommended Malek Fahd at Greenacre in Sydney’s west have its accreditation for next year disallowed after ongoing concerns about financial mismanagement and other practices.

The Australian has revealed concerns about the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, which managed the school, wrongly charging Malek Fahd millions in “management fees” and backdated rent. The chairman of the board of directors of Malek Fahd, Ikebal Patel, was also president of the AFIC at the time the payments were made.

Malek Fahd received just under $20 million, or 80 per cent of its funding, from the commonwealth and state governments.

Mr Piccoli froze the school’s funding and forced it to repay $9m in state funds.

The investigations have led to the resignation of Mr Patel as president of AFIC and as school board chairman. Probes by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the NSW police have been launched into the school’s finances.

Despite the Board of Studies finding, Mr Piccoli decided yesterday to maintain the school’s accreditation even though there were serious concerns about how the school was being run.

“While progress has been made in relation to the areas of the school’s noncompliance with the Education Act, the board continues to have concerns about the school’s compliance with the requirements for registration and accreditation,” the board said in a statement. “Accordingly, the school’s period of registration and accreditation has been extended until 31 December, 2014, during which time the school is required to address the board’s concerns.”

Five Muslim schools in Sydney have now had funding frozen or been subject to financial audits after concerns were raised about their financial management.

In October, Bellfield College in south-west Sydney was subject to an audit by federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne, after The Australian revealed a police complaint had been made by the school’s former principal over the whereabouts of $2.2m in government funding he claims never reached the school.

 

Source: The Australian

As I am transiting back into America from Asia, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela made his final transition from our collective human lives to the next dominion. (I mention my transition only to apologize for not continuing with the third installment on Vipassana; sometimes real life—or death –gets in the way).

Instead, I want to say a few words about the man President Obama referred to as “the last great hero of the 20th Century.” First the personal glimpse: I got to shake hands with Mandela when he included Malaysia among those countries he visited upon release from a 27 year prison term. It was 1991 and I felt the wind of change. In a small country like Malaysia it’s easier to get up close and personal with a national guest of this stature. No big deal (but I did tell my friends I wouldn’t wash my hand for a week!).
The beginnings of my own deep considerations about gender in Islam were under way at this same time and in fact got their biggest boost when I visited South Africa for the first time. The whole nation was marking 100 days in the Mandela presidency. Every fiber in the air sparkled with the intensity of change. I became friends with South African Muslims who had struggled side by side with comrades from all races and religions in the movement to tumble apartheid. Sometimes they’d had to stand against conservative members of their own Muslim community to form such alliances.

The phrase, “gender jihad”–which bridges Islamic terminology for struggle, resistance and justice was first articulated by South African Muslims (as was “economic jihad” in concert with the racial struggle against apartheid). Theirs was also the nascent movement for inclusion for persons of diverse sexual orientations. This radical intersectionality of oppressions and move towards inclusiveness is enshrined in the S.A. Constitution: “The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, color, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.”

Here was the first time I had even thought about a woman as imam when I accepted an invitation to give a sermon at a Friday service in Cape Town. It was 1994, and there was no turning back. As a black American woman of African origins, to be in South Africa at that particular time exploded my view of the world into a kaleidoscope of possibilities that would never again return to mono-chrome.

So I was struck hard by the return of Mandela to the Beloved. I had no patience with certain Muslim “scholars” who asserted that while Mr. Mandela was a great man, because he was not a Muslim he must be considered an unbeliever/ kafir, and thus destined for hell (yes, people actually said this!). In Malaysia, a general fatwa was issued saying it was haram (an act of grievous sinfulness) to even say “Rest in Peace” over any person who was not Muslim.

There were of course several responses to such, especially as far as the specific man, Tata (Father) Madiba (a title of high esteem for a member in his tribe). Most simply ignored it, and continued to mourn his death and celebrate his life. Some, including Dr. Tariq Ramadan, gave a general apologetic speech about tolerance. With the reminder that none of us knows our final abode, so we should remain humble.

A friend of mine responded to a similar accusation in the Netherlands by reviewing the lengthy Islamic intellectual tradition about the nature of belief. None of us know our final abode, but we should know this: “islam” is not merely an ethnicity, a history, cultures, a set of practices, peoples and dogmas. It is described in the Qur’an as the highest order of the entire universe. All of nature is Muslim. All of nature “surrenders” to the beauty and harmony of the universe. When some say, Islam means peace, they refer to the peace of living in accordance to the highest order of the universe.

The highest order of the universe is al-Haqq (absolute Truth). Thus, to be a believer, one must stand up for Truth…no matter the consequences. It is abundantly clear that Truth must be wedded to Justice, that attribute which is an obligation upon God/Allah and which today we understand cannot exist without equality. Thus, the primary characteristic of a believer is to stand for truth, justice and equality making Mr. Mandela the most stellar Believer. For even when his persecution (in the form of imprisonment) was over, he embraced his jailers as only equals before the constitution of the New South Africa. The Islamic paradigm of belief requires an affirmation of the harmony and unity of all things, but especially between human beings. “Thus the rejection of tyranny is by itself a reflection of belief”. Belief exemplifies the highest order of human decency without which no religion can survive.

Because I take this great legacy to heart and not just for work or ethics, I share my 4 grandchildren with other grandparents who are Muslim, African-American, Polish Jewish immigrants to Canada, Native American, Christian, Latino, white and even a Grammy award winning musician of dual citizenship. Diversity of race and religion is not optional, it is mandatory in my life. So, my response to the claims that Mandela was going to hell was much simpler: If where he is going is hell…I’d rather join him there than spend an eternity with those Muslim “scholars” who spoke out against him.

Amina Wadud is Professor Emerita of Islamic Studies, now traveling the world over seeking answers to the questions that move many of us through our lives. Author of Qur’an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective and Inside the Gender Jihad, she will blog on her life journey and anything that moves her about Islam, gender and justice, especially as these intersect with the rest of the universe.
 

Source: Feminism and Religion

VR GP Needed / DWS Practice for sale (URGENT)

 
KINGSTON MEDICAL CLINIC
2-4 Juers St. Kingston Palm Shopping Centre
Kingston QLD 4114

Open DWS (District of Workforce Shortage) & AON (Area of Need)

It is close to Logan Central, Waterford, Beenleigh, Browns plain, Crest mead, Logan Masjid, Logan Hospital. Walking distance from Kingston Railway Station. It is high density population area. It is medium socio-economic area thus getting more healthcare & pensioners. There is a lot of GPMP & Health assessments. If someone is good in Derma. then he can get enough skin checks everyday. It is next to the Day & Night Pharmacy. It has 2 consultation rooms, 1 reception & waiting area, 1 treatment room, 1 Kitchen. It is a small practice but very well designed & fully computerized Bulk billed practice. "Best Practice & Appointment Book" is current & Online claiming & Pathology Labs are active.
Qualified Practice Manager is also available on very affordable rates.It is a rental/ leased premises in a Shopping centre. Monthly rent is Aus $2600.00 per month. It includes all outgoings & GST. Lease term is very flexible. You can get for 1 yr to 10 years. It has 3 Telephone lines in sequence; 3299 4001, 02 & 03. It is excellent opportunity for IMG's & OTD's. Come up with any reasonable offer & start your own turn key project. From 25th Nov 2013 to 12 Dec 2013 I am overseas but available on emails or Viber. Just email me & I can arrange your visit/ inspection through my practice manager.

Contact: Aqeel Hafeez KHAWAJA Mob Aus 0447 004 644

 

---

 

HOUSE FOR RENT

 

3 bedroom House in Kuraby for rent!

 

2 bathrooms, 2 garages, shade sail over driveway and solar panels.

 

A/C in living area and main bedroom and alarm system installed.

 

Walking distance from mosque, school, bus and train station. Available early Jan. rent $410 p.w.

 

Call 0439786653 for more details.

During the Middle Ages, when Europe was plunged into the Dark Ages, Arab scholars and historians translated most of the works of the Greek scholars, thereby preserving some of the greatest intellectual achievements that are the cornerstone of Western civilization.

 

For the next few weeks CCN will offer an English word that has, as its origin, the Arabic language:

 

English	Arabic Origin	Arabic Meaning
ream	rizma	a bundle