To celebrate its 150 years of serving Queensland and to reciprocate the many invitations that have been extended to them over the years, the Commissioner of Police, Ian Stewart and the Queensland Police Service hosted community leaders from the local Muslim community to an ifthaar dinner at Michael's Oriental Restaurant.

 

Date: Sunday 27th July, 2014

Start Time: 4 pm

Guest Speaker: Dr Mohamad Abdalla

Location: Gold Coast Mosque

Sponsored by Worongary Mosque, Gold Coast Mosque & Councils of Imams QLD

 

The aim is to raise funds for the people of Palestine that are suffering horrendous atrocities at the hands of the Israelis.

 

Please SMS number of visitors attending Iftar to 0423 728 119. This will help make sure we have enough food for everyone.

 

4:00 pm – Asr Salaat
4:15 pm – 5.:00 pm - Quran Recitation & Guest Speakers
5:13 pm – Azaan/Iftaar/Magreb salaat
5:45 – Dinner

 

All those that attend are requested to donate a minimum of $10 per person.

With a growing Muslim community on the Gold Coast, in only three years, the Gold Coast Muslim population has doubled, growing from an estimated 4,000 in 2011 to 8,000 in 2014.
 

The Salsabil Charitable Organisation is in the process of purchasing a property in Currumbin to establish a Masjid to accommodate the needs of Muslims in the Southern Gold Coast and Northern NSW.

 

It’s not just locals who will benefit either—the Gold Coast attracts a significant number of Muslim tourists from South East Asia and the Middle East each year and international students at the nearby Southern Cross University.
 

The planned Masjid is located at the most Southern end of the Gold Coast near the NSW border, about 40kms from the existing Masjid in Arundel. It is close to the Southern Cross University, two major hospitals, the airport as well as several tourist attractions. The proposed site for the new Masjid is approximately 5,000m˛. It is comprised of two buildings with a total of 2,500m˛ and car parking facilities. Building one will be the Masjid proper, while building two will be used as a community/activity centre. The community centre will be used for Quran and Arabic lessons and community functions, including youth activities, women’s activities, dawah activities, and iftaar during the month of Ramadan.

The new masjid will be a particular welcome to the residents of Northern NSW, an area where the Muslim population is growing, yet has no formal community meeting place or Masjid available. The Southern Gold Coast is also home to a growing number of Muslims as well as reverts, and the new Masjid will help cater to their educational and other needs.
 

The organisation will be taking donations at Juma on Friday 25th July at the Gold Coast Masjid. It will also be holding a fundraiser at the Brisbane Islamic College in Karrawatha on Saturday 30 August. Your support is requested in making this worthwhile project for the Gold Coast come to fruition.
 

Donations can be made to Salsabil Charitable Organisation, BSB 084-569 Account 366552337. Email: salsabil1@bigpond.com.

Students from the 'Islamic Science University of Malaysia" will be visiting Gold Coast from 19th August (Tuesday) till 23rd August (Saturday) on an "Islamic Outreach Program".
 

They will be accompanied by a senior lecturer and her spouse.
 

There are 13 female students who would require accommodation with Muslim families who live near the Gold Coast Mosque.
 

The three male students will stay in the Mosque complex.
 

Families that billet these students will need to provide breakfast only and transport their respective guest/s to the Mosque each morning.
 

Families are required who are able to provide accommodation and breakfast (meals provided at the Mosque) for these students from 19th to the 23rd August.
 

If you are able to assist us with accommodation or require further information please contact: Haji Habib Jamal – 0412 601 152 or Haji Hussain Baba - 0416 212 541

This week on Tags – Thefeast Rachel Fountain speaks to Gold Coast Islamic Society President Hussin Goss at the Arundel Mosque.
 

The topic - hunger, thirst and how the restrictions of Ramadan bring participants a new clarity and control.
 

Plus what does it feel like to take the first sip of water, the first bite of food, as the sun sets and the fast is broken? 

 

 

Click on the image below to listen to the interview with Hussin Goss.

 
 

Source: ABC Gold Coast

In this holy month of Ramadan, the tragedies affecting Muslims around the world are especially poignant, particularly for Australian’s in the community who have relatives still living abroad.

As many of you would be aware, The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued travel warnings to a number of conflicted regions. Understandably, families are concerned that their travels may cause them difficulties upon their return to Australia.

There is much confusion, encouraged by the mainstream media, about the powers that Commonwealth Agencies such as Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) or the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are allowed to exercise.

We would like to remind the community that if any of these agencies do contact you, whether for a friendly chat or to question you about your travels, you are allowed to exercise certain rights.

• You are not obliged to speak with them without first contacting a lawyer of your choice or a family member.
• You should always ask the person contacting you for their identification and their business card.
• Without a warrant, you are not required to invite them into your home. In the event that you are required to go with them however, you should leave their business card with a family member.
• Even if you have done nothing wrong, it may be prudent to politely ask them to speak to your lawyer first.

The Queensland Law Society provides the contact details of lawyers who may assist you.

Our office Russo Lawyers is more than happy to answer your questions or to assist you further. You can call us 24 hours a day on 07 3238 188, and ask to speak with Peter Russo or Naadira Omarjee.

Ramadan Mubarak

Peter Russo
 

Peter Russo is the Principal of Russo Lawyers, a former Australian Newspaper Australian of the year and the defense lawyer for Gold Coast Doctor Mohammed Haneef who was detained under anti-terrorism laws.
 
Peter is standing as Labor’s candidate for the state seat of Sunnybank.

 

Sonny Bill Williams during his fast for Ramadan at Sydney Roosters training. Source: News Limited

THE high performance coach who helped Sydney Roosters win last year’s premiership has backed Sonny Bill Williams to devour one of the toughest challenges known to any NRL player: playing a full game on an empty stomach and without hydration.

In the midst of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Williams — who became a Muslim six years ago — cannot eat or drink during daylight hours.

 

With Saturday’s clash against Penrith scheduled for 3pm, SBW will face a fierce examination as he start the game with nil by mouth for eight hours leading-up to the kick-off.

Sunset is not due until about 20 minutes after full-time, meaning Williams must also wait to refuel after what is certain to be an intense battle against the competition’s co-leaders.

But having witnessed Williams excel under identical conditions 12 months ago, former Roosters head of high performance and sports science, Lachlan Penfold, has no doubt history will repeat itself at Allianz Stadium.
 

Now working with French rugby outfit Narbonne, Penfold said Williams was able to push through the match and weekday training sessions because of his mental fortitude.

“It’s probably something that Sonny doesn’t get enough credit for,” Penfold said.

“Whenever he’s doing it tough physically, he always finds a way to get though mentally. Half the battle (on Saturday) is going to be mental.

“I’m not pretending to know anything about religion, but I know Sonny is strong enough to make this sacrifice.

I just think it’s unbelievable what he’s doing and the way he trained up on the Central Coast   Jared Warea-Hargreaves

“I remember we had one instance last year, where he was crook for two days leading into a match and he managed to take the field and really star for us.”

 

Roosters coach Trent Robinson has been reluctant to discuss the issue and kept his silence on Friday.
 

Williams has already played one match during Ramadan this year; but that was a night fixture against the Sharks during which he was allowed to refuel.

The barren game-day preparation would still have been difficult, yet Williams was still able to last 80 minutes and contribute two line break assists, 25 tackles and 13 runs for 106 metres.

“Obviously it’s not ideal for any athlete,” Penfold said.
 

“I’ve got two here (at Nabonne) who are going through it at the moment, during pre-season training.
 

What he does with his religion is remarkable. We always say that he’s the man. When you see something like that you realise how mentally tough he is. It’s something that I can’t really talk about because I’ve never experienced it.   Jared Warea-Hargreaves

“I remember we had a chat to Sonny about it at the start of last year and just talked about certain things he needed to do to get through the month.

 

“I had the feeling that it was something he had done before, so he knew how to handle his own body. We did not make any adjustments to training. We treated him the same way as we would have normally.”

Williams received a taste of what to expect during the Roosters’ four-day training camp at Avoca Beach last week.

 

Team mate Jared Warea-Hargreaves felt inspired by his Kiwi compatriot’s ability to push through some gruelling training sessions.

“I just think it’s unbelievable what he’s doing and the way he trained up on the Central Coast,” Warea-Hargreaves said.

“What he does with his religion is remarkable. We always say that he’s the man. When you see something like that you realise how mentally tough he is. It’s something that I can’t really talk about because I’ve never experienced it.”
 

Source: Fox Sports

 

A Bendigo businesswoman behind a vehement anti-mosque Facebook page has lost a tribunal bid to stay anonymous.

In a tearful and rambling appearance at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal today, Monika Evers, a co-administrator of the Stop The Mosque in Bendigo page, claimed she had been ‘‘villified’’ online by people who supported the Bendigo mosque proposal, feared for her safety and wanted her name kept out of the media.

But VCAT deputy president Mark Dwyer said there was ‘‘insufficient evidence’’ to support her claims of being threatened and that Ms Ever’s ‘‘perception’’ of biased, pro-mosque media reporting was not grounds to have her name suppressed.

When he announced his decision Ms Evers, a business consultant, withdrew her planning objection to the mosque. Her advocate Andrew Moyle told the tribunal: ‘‘She does not think she can carry through with this. To her the fears are real.’’

Other objectors to the two-level, $3m mosque on Bendigo’s outer-eastern fringe will tell the tribunal the planning application — passed by a majority of Bendigo councillors last month — breaches regulations concerning parking, noise and traffic. The Australian Islamic Mission, who operate a large mosque in Sydney’s Punchbowl, have also included a cafe and sports hall in their plans for the building. The land is vacant.

Queensland-based Far Right lobby group Restore Australia has paid for a Sydney lawyer often used in anti-mosque hearings, Robert Balzola, to appear at future VCAT hearings where the objections will be heard.

Last month Fairfax Media revealed Restore Australia had funded opponents of the Bendigo mosque, including Ms Evers and Julie Kendall, her co-administrator on the Facebook page, to help their campaign. Restore Australia is run by former One Nation candidate Mike Holt, a Vietnam veteran, and Charles Mollison, a former lieutenant-colonel who also served in Vietnam. Both men live on the Sunshine Coast. Yesterday Mr Mollison was stopped by police in Bendigo after he drove a truck bearing anti-mosque slogans through the city while broadcasting Muslim calls-to-prayer from a loudspeaker.

Restore Australia also administers a subgroup called Islam4Infidels, which issues written advice for people or communities wanting to campaign against mosques. Mr Holt said Restore Australia shared material and ideology with two groups in Britain - the English Defence League, known for anti-Islamic street protests, and Liberty Great Britain, a new far-right political party.

Ms Evers told the tribunal today that media reporting of the issue had ignored planning objections. ‘‘Instead we were vilified as racists and bigots.’’ She received three death threats on the anti-Islam Facebook page she helped create as well as posts from people hoping her or her children got cancer, she claimed. She told the tribunal she had been interviewed by ASIO and the Australian Federal Police in Bendigo but could not provide proof of the threats or the interviews.

At various times during her testimony Ms Evers had to stop or leave the tribunal room because she was crying or suffering nose bleeds.

Under questioning from a lawyer representing the Islamic Mission of Australia, Chris Townshend, Ms Evers admitted she had a personal blog about Christianity and had written that multiculturalism could not work alongside Islam. She also admitted that in her own objection to the council about the mosque she had said it would be a threat to the ‘‘way of life’’ in Bendigo and had included written material about refugees and migrants to Australia and Centrelink benefits.

‘‘You have chosen to be involved in the campaign,’’ Mr Townshend said. ‘‘With that choice comes responsibility and with that choice comes awareness of what you are getting into.’’ He said Ms Evers was a ‘‘publicist’’ for the anti-mosque campaign.
 

Source: Bendigo Advertiser

It took a petition from local residents to get the Brisbane City Council to reverse its initial decision not to replace soccer goal posts at Svoboda Park, Kuraby.

 

The park has been a popular site for informal ball games for many years.

The Cultural Diversity Queensland, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs' Valuing Diversity Grants Program 2014-15 is now open.

The Valuing Diversity Grants Program is established to promote positive community relations, community cohesion, as well as acceptance and understanding of cultural diversity and its benefits.

Through the 2014–15 funding round, grants will be allocated to multicultural events across Queensland in the 2015 calendar year with up to $20,000 available under the Signature Events category, and up to $10,000 under the Culturally Diverse Events category.

Organisations and community groups across Queensland are encouraged to consider submitting funding proposals with innovative strategies to engage diverse cultural communities and people from the wider community in activities that promote acceptance and greater understanding of cultural diversity, positive community relations and community cohesion.

Cultural Diversity Queensland is now using a new online application process, powered by Smartygrants to manage the Valuing Diversity Grants Program.

For more information on the program, to view the Information Paper and to access the online application form, visit the website.

The closing date for applications is Friday 22 August 2014.

If you require more information about the program, please contact Cultural Diversity Queensland on (07) 3224 5006.

 

Download the Queensland Government Grants document (2014) for a summary of all grants available to Queenslanders, community groups and industry.

The President of AFIC is calling on all Australian citizens to send the strongest possible message of condemnation to the Israeli Government for its brutal attack against the innocent children, women and men of Palestine, killing over a 180 unarmed civilians, wounding over 1000 and destroying homes, buildings and whole suburbs.
 

Mr Hafez Kassem lamented: “Like every time, the Australian Government is not expected to express even some opinion about the brutal killing of innocent Palestinian civilians by armed Israeli settlers and an army hell-bent upon revenge and ethnic cleansing of Palestine”, citing the burning alive of a young Palestinian youth and the killing of babies and their mothers. “The Australian people must act to save what is left of our international reputation, morality and humanity”, he said.
 

The Israeli Ambassador to the UN declared that Israel will not stop with its bombing of the tiny Gaza strip with over two million Palestinians, many refugees. He asked the Security Council delegates what they would do if their own backyard was subjected to “constant” rocket attacks from neighbouring countries!

 

“Is any country in the world occupying its neighbouring country which Israel is doing for the last 70 years, subjecting the citizens of Palestine to intolerable suffering and indignity on a daily basis,” asked Mr Kassem. “I ask the UN Security Council delegates what could one expect from a suffering people besieged in the tiny strip of land, living in refugee camps, not having the basic needs of water, medicines, food and shelter while the occupying country keeps on stealing their land and livelihood and they know that the world is sitting by and doing nothing or powerless to do something! What can be expected from a people who have lost hope in humanity? Their rockets killed 2 Israeli citizens. In retaliation, Israel kills almost 200 Palestinians, many children and women and wounds1000.”
 

In this latest aggression against the entire Palestinian people, Israel is accusing Palestinians for abducting 3 Israeli settler youths and murdering them. Israel provided no evidence of who committed this crime. In retaliation, Israeli settlers abduct a young Palestinian child and burn him alive. Israeli soldiers beat up a US Palestinian child. This is not enough for Israel. They need more Palestinian blood.
 

"I appeal to the Australian people to take a stand in the tragic circumstances facing the suffering people of Palestine as we expect nothing from our Government."

4. Berlin, Germany

6. Tehran, Iran

7. Sarajevo, Bosnia

Source: World.mic

Kuraby Mosque	MCF/MAA	Toowoomba Mosque	Gold Coast Mosque	UMB
Australian International Islamic College BRISBANE	Australian International Islamic College GOLD COAST	Algester Mosque	Al-Mustapha Institute	ISCQ
Email your calendar to ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org for inclusion here

Muslim Aid Australia would like to thank our awesome Muslim Aid Queensland volunteers for helping to collect much needed funds for Gaza at the Holland Park Mosque. Through the generosity of those who attended the Holland Park Mosque we were able to collect over $8000 for those affected by the conflict.
AYIA FOUNDATION

Laleh Bakhtiar (USA, 1938-Present) Laleh's Quran translation, "The Sublime Quran" (2007), is the first translation of the Quran into English by an American woman.   Her translation incorporates alternative meanings to Arabic terms that are ambiguous or whose meaning scholars have had to guess due to the antiquity of the language.   Notably, her translation of Chapter 4, Verse 34 has gained a lot of attention.   She translates the Arabic word daraba as "go away" instead of the common "beat" or "hit."   Her Quran translation is used in many mosques and universities and has been adopted by Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad of Jordan.    Source: Huffington Post   Next week in CCN: Another of the 10 Muslim Women you Have To Know

Administrative Assistant – Kuraby Mosque

 

Kuraby Mosque is a dynamic and vibrant Mosque with a diverse Muslim community, located in Kuraby on the south side of Brisbane.

We are seeking a full time administration assistant with the following skills and experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in office administration including intermediate experience with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Excel.
• Exceptional organizational, planning and time management skills.
• Excellent English communication skills in a group environment and one on one.
• The ability to deal professionally with a range of diverse people.
• Comprehensive and concise written English skills including documenting and detailing processes and procedures, recording minutes of meetings and accurately maintaining records.
• Assisting with communications including the website/face book updates, newsletters, and publications.
• Ensuring the office is managed and maintained to a high standard including answering phone calls and emails, managing the help desk professionally, filing of documentation and other records.
• Attention to detail.
• A friendly, polite and helpful disposition is essential.

Remuneration commensurate with experience and skills.

If you have these skills and experience, please email your CV to contact@kurabymosque.org.au.

 

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Townhouse to Rent in Runcorn/Kuraby
 

Highly sought after area, 3 generous sized bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, open plan living area, air conditioning, swimming pool, close to public transport (bus and train) $400/week.
Available a.s.a.p. please call 0413913724.