In the wake of the tragedy in Sydney, the Muslim community responded in different ways:

MEDIA STATEMENTS

Office of TheGrand Mufti of Australia

The Australian National Imams Council (AMIC) suggested a number of talking points to Imams around Australia conducting Friday sermons in the wake of the Sydney Siege.

Muslim Community Press Release

COMMUNITY EVENTS

ROMA PARK: Under the banner of Australians for Peace, a number of faith and non-faith based community groups led by Holland Park Mosque arranged for a community event at the Roma Street Parklands Celebration Precinct yesterday evening (Saturday 20 December from 5pm.

Some 700 people attended the event which commemorated the lives of the people who tragically lost their lives in Sydney as well as the children and teachers who were killed in Peshawar and the 8 children murdered in Cairns. "It was a tangible expression of our compassion, unity and love for one another," a spokesperson of the organizing committee told CCN.

A string of VIPs from three levels of government were also present, including Senator and Attorney General George Brandis, Minister for Housing and Public Works, Tim Mander MP, Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robert Cavallucci MP, Cr Kim Marx, representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane and the Queensland Police Service.

Special guest, Luke Kennedy of The Voice, sand the national anthem.

Representatives and speakers from the Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish communities were also present.  

RESPONSES FROM OUTSIDE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY

ROCKHAMPTON MOSQUE: FOLLOWING a tragic day in Australia's history, Dr Safwan Sayyal never expected to see a small bunch of flowers at the door of a Rockhampton mosque.

The vice-president of the Islamic Society of Central Queensland yesterday said the "beautiful" gesture, along with the response of Australia as a whole, had left local Muslims "very humbled".
Dr Sayyal said he felt fearful the moment he saw the black flag stretched across the window of a Sydney cafe where a lone gunman held 17 people hostage.

He said it was frustrating a "lunatic" could use a flag to hijack his religion.

But any fears were quashed yesterday when Dr Sayyal found the flowers sitting at the mosque.

Dr Sayyal said this made it clear Australians understood the "extremist fringe minority does not represent true Islam".

"It was a very sad day yesterday," Dr Sayyal said.

"Our sincere sympathies and condolences (go out to) the families who have lost their loved ones in such a tragic incident and at such a young age."

In a statement released yesterday, the Islamic Society of Central Queensland strongly condemned the "criminal act" as anti-Islamic.

"Do not play into the hands of one thug and allow the situation to disturb the peace and harmony in this beautiful country we are all proud to call home," the statement read.

Source: The MorningBulletin

TWITTER CAMPAIGN: A social media campaign condemning Islamophobia under the hashtag #illridewithyou has taken off after the Sydney Seige.
 

There were fears that Australian Muslims could become the targets of racially motivated retaliatory attacks.

Instead Australian Twitter users offered to accompany Muslims wearing religious clothes on public transport as a gesture of solidarity under the hashtag #illridewithyou.

The campaign started with a tweet from @sirtessa, a TV content editor and writer from Sydney whose real name is Tessa Kum. "If you reg take #373 bus b/w Cogee/Martin Pl, wear religious attire, & don't feel safe alone: I'll ride with you. @ me for schedule," she wrote.

Kum told BuzzFeed News that "her heart broke" after reading a story tweeted by Rachael Jacobs as news of the hostage siege broke.

Jacobs had tweeted that "....and the (presumably) Muslim woman sitting next to me on the train silently removes her hijab ... I ran after her at the train station. I said 'put it back on. I'll walk with u'. She started to cry and hugged me for about a minute - then walked off alone."

Kum added: "It is hard to feel hope when you feel helpless. #illwalkwithyou is a small act, but might be important for someone one day ... For those of us watching; we live in this world. We aren't bystanders. We aren't helpless."

Kum received such a strong response to her initial tweet that she quickly suggested using the #illridewithyou hashtag, and tweets started coming in from all over Australia and beyond.

One Twitter user @Jamus_ wrote: "Any Muslim person getting the Geelong line (rail line in Melbourne) in the morning, #illridewithyou if you'd like me to. 6:47AM from southern cross."

Another one, Terri, said she would be wearing a scarf around her wrist so that any Muslims who wanted to travel with her would know who she was: "I'm a semi regular commuter on the #mandurah line. If you see me #illridewithyou. I'll be wearing this scarf."

The hashtag quickly began to trend and turned into a place for people to show their support and speak out against racism and Islamophobia.

Nikos de Serf from Melbourne tweeted: "We are all Australians & we will not turn away from our Muslim brother, sisters, fathers, mothers, loved ones & friend #illridewithyou all."

Phil Burgess, an Australian living in the United Arab Emirates, tweeted: "We live in Abu Dhabi but I am proud to say that #illridewithyou anytime!"

In a few hours, #illridewithyou has become the top trending hashtag globally and has been mentioned 150,000 times, including retweets, in the past 24 hours, according to social search and analysis site Topsy.

Muslims in Australia and across the world have shown their gratitude for the campaign.

One user, Angger Prawitasari, wrote: "Thanks for protecting my sisters #illridewithyou."

Ozge Sevindik, whose Twitter profile shows her wearing a hijab, wrote: "I was going to drive to work tomorrow but seeing the outpouring of support changed my mind. #illridewithyou Thank you. See you on the train!"

Source: CNN

           Post your comment here

"Honor Diaries is the first film to break the silence on 'honor violence' against women and girls. Honor Diaries is more than a movie, it is a movement to save women and girls from gender inequality, forced marriages and human rights abuses."

           Post your comment here

Police have been left red-faced after failing to explain why bail shouldn't have been granted to a man charged with extortion and supporting a terrorist organisation.
 

Police have been left red-faced after failing to explain why bail shouldn't have been granted to a man charged with extortion and supporting a terrorist organisation.

Omar Succarieh will remain in custody until a separate Supreme Court bail application over the terror charges occurs in late January.

However, a successful bail verdict in the Magistrates Court on Friday, relating to the extortion charge, was one of two hurdles he needed to clear to achieve his goal of being released ahead of his criminal trial.

Mr Succarieh was arrested in September as part of terror-related raids in Brisbane and charged with sending money and planning to join terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra.

His brother Ahmed Succarieh is believed to be Australia's first suicide bomber, while another brother Abraham is believed to be fighting for Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria.

Mr Succarieh's bail application in the Magistrates Court related to the alleged $10,000 extortion of a Brisbane cafe owner in March this year.

He was already in custody for the alleged terror offences when on December 5 he was issued with a notice to appear in court over the extortion charge.

The notice allowed Mr Succarieh to apply for bail, with the emphasis on police to prove why the application should be rejected.

However, prosecutor Philippa Miller-Ibos failed to give any reasons, saying that the arresting officers had not provided her with those details.

Ms Miller-Ibos said she believed there was a cross-over between the alleged terror and extortion charges, but did not have that information on hand.

Her request to adjourn the hearing was rejected by Magistrate Wendy Cull.

Magistrate Cull said the notice to appear was issued 17 days earlier and there was "no meaningful opposition to bail".

Mr Succarieh appeared in good spirits when he was brought into court, winking and waving to several supporters who sat in the public gallery. He was dressed in a blue t-shirt, jeans and slippers.

The accused paid close attention to the court proceedings, often quietly muttering to himself. He grinned when Magistrate Cull granted bail.

Meanwhile, Australian Federal Police are expected to complete a full brief of evidence against Mr Succarieh and another man, Agim Kruezi, over terrorism-related charges by January 30, 2015.

Mr Kruezi's charges include planning a domestic terror attack, and plans to travel and recruit people to join an overseas terrorist group.

Solicitor James Wallace, acting as a proxy lawyer for Mr Kruezi, said the AFP had failed to provide the man's legal team with any of the evidence against him.

AFP prosecutor Daniel Caruana said most of the material had been collected, but extra witness statements needed to be taken during the Christmas period.

He said reasons for the delay included security preparations for the November G20 Summit and transcribing several volumes of audio recordings.

Mr Caruana said police would hand-deliver the evidence to Mr Kruezi's lawyers, who declined an offer of email copies.

"Given the nature of the material, it wasn't going to be put in the post," Mr Caruana said.

The criminal cases for Mr Succarieh and Mr Kruezi will return to the Magistrates Court on January 15.
 

Source: Brisbane Times

           Post your comment here

What a journey this has been– from my days of wanting to do my PhD, but struggling to find the ‘right’ topic, to serendipitously meeting someone at a book launch who simply asked me: “What are you passionate about?” With over 15 years of community work under my belt and volunteering in five community organisations (and chairing two of them), I immediately responded: community building and engagement. That conversation sparked more ideas and that person later became one of my supervisors. A few years later, with a completed thesis on the topic, I am even more passionate about community building and engagement.

First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the Australian Muslim civil society actors who generously made the time and effort to accommodate my research in their busy lives. I am immensely grateful that they have allowed me space to enter their world and hear their stories, sharing so openly and honestly the complexities as well as the nuances of what it means to be a Muslim political actor in a Western socio-political context. Most importantly, I am appreciative that they have given me permission to share their stories with others.

I would also like to thank my supervisors, Dr Susanna Chamberlain and Dr Ann Ingamells who have guided, supported and provided valuable advice throughout my candidature. Since our very first meeting to outline my research plan, to the monthly coffee catch-ups, to these difficult last few months of putting it all together, their professional and moral support gave me the guidance, inspiration and motivation I needed to complete this. I am especially thankful for their tough questions which, ultimately, took this thesis to another level; I could not have done this without both of them.

I would also like to thank Dr Nezar Faris who took the time to help me navigate the NVivo System. His valuable assistance made my life that much easier. I am grateful for all of his help. Additionally in my first year of candidature, my confirmation examiner, Dr Jacqui Ewart (whose book launch was where I met Dr Susanna Chamberlain) provided valuable direction for the rest of the thesis, and I thank her greatly for her input. I am also indebted to my good friend Ramila Chanisheff who graciously and generously opened her home to me while I conducted my field research in Melbourne.

Over the years I have had to ‘disappear’ for periods of time to research and write- a huge thank you to my friends for their understanding and, most importantly, for being my cheerleaders when I needed it most. There are too many of them to list, but they know who they are. I am blessed to have wonderful people like them in my life.

I would, especially, like to acknowledge my parents, Asseary and Khoticha Amath (pictured right), who as newly arrived refugees sacrificed the little money they had to join me up to a book club so that I could receive a new book every month; who over the years continued to sacrifice so much so that their kids never went without; who painfully allowed me to leave home to study overseas so that I could have the freedom and space to follow my own dreams; and who continue to believe in me. I am also indebted to my in-laws, Jemal and Zorah Rane, whose love, generosity, care, support and guidance have been vital, not only during my years of candidature but from the very beginning of our relationship.

I would also like to thank my 3 beautiful children, my heart: Usama, Amira and Humza who have been patient with me all of these years. Kids- I know there were many times when I have been overwhelmed and too tired to fully “be there” for you- thanks for understanding and for encouraging me to keep going. You can now stop asking, “Are you finished yet, Mum?”

Finally, but most importantly, I wish to deeply acknowledge and thank my husband, Halim Rane. We started this journey together as undergraduate students, navigating the wonderful world of knowledge. 20 years later, you remain my inspiration. Thank you for your encouragement, your support, your advice, your insights and your valuable input. Thank you for being my rock. Words cannot fully convey how I feel about you.

           Post your comment here

On the 30 December Muslim Aid Australia and the Sydney Muslim Cyclists came together to raise money for the Muslim Aid Australia Winter Appeal.

           Post your comment here

Rousing, smart, and sweet, Amira & Sam is a confident feature debut from writer-director Sean Mullin, and follows Sam (Martin Starr, "Freaks & Geeks", "Silicon Valley"), an army veteran adapting back to civilian life after a lengthy tour overseas. Upon reuniting with his unit's former Iraqi translator in New York City, he meets Amira (newcomer Dina Shihabi), his war buddy's niece; suspicious of soldiers, she wants nothing to do with him. However, when Amira runs into immigration trouble, Sam offers to keep her safe at his apartment. After a rocky start, their unlikely friendship starts to blossom into something more.

Meanwhile, Sam's cousin Charlie (Paul Wesley, Before I Disappear, "The Vampire Diaries") offers him a lucrative opportunity at his hedge fund, helping to secure wealthy veterans as new clients. However, all is not as it seems, and Amira and Sam soon find themselves faced with mounting obstacles in order to stay together.
 

           Post your comment here

WHAT is a SeekersRetreat?
SeekersHub Global is a non-profit Islamic educational portal. Through SeekersHub Global, Muslims around the world can access sound knowledge, from reliable scholars, at any time.

Each year, a Retreat is held allowing Seekers of knowledge to not only further their learning with highly qualified international Scholars and Teachers, but to also take time out for personal review and development.
 

\SeekersRetreat 2015 is based on the theme “Walking Light on Earth”. Through understanding the purpose of our existence in this world and where we are heading, Seekers will learn how “Living Right” can be the means in the journey to meet our Lord.
 

Join us, as we humbly invite you to 5 nights and 6 days of inspiring knowledge, moving renditions, noble companionship and a much needed spiritual revival.
 

WHO will be there?
Speakers at this year’s retreat include:
- Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, Toronto, Canada.
- Imam Afroz Ali, Sydney, Australia.
- Habib Ali Zainal Abidin al-Hamid, Malaysia.
- Singapore Haqqani Ensemble
 

WHO can attend?
Everyone! The retreat is open to participants worldwide. Children and parents welcome.
 

WHEN and WHERE is it happening?
SeekersRetreat 2015 will be held just outside Brisbane during 2-7 April 2015 at a secluded rural retreat location.
 

HOW much does it cost?
$950. This covers the cost of transportation to and from the venue, comfortable accommodation (hotel style rooms with ensuites), all meals, and most importantly, all classes.
 

WHERE can I REGISTER or find out more?
To find out more information about the retreat itself, the teachers, or for any enquiries, please visit:
http://seekershub.org/sydney/seekers-retreat-2015/
 

“After attending…the retreat, I was able to walk away with a clear understanding of the different stages we go through while on our journey to Allah, the importance of sincerity and consistency in our actions, and how to approach challenges one may be faced with along the way.” Hend Zaid, SeekersRetreat 2012 participant

“It felt like we were at the Spiritual World Cup!” Asme Fahmi, SeekersRetreat 2012 participant

           Post your comment here

Last Saturday Seekerspoint Brisbane celebrated the 1 year anniversary milestone of its Halal Food Bank.

The Halal Food Bank is an initiative of The Ansaar Project which began in 2011 nationally.

The event which took place at Griffith University's Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue was attended by key members of the collection points, volunteers and donors, and representatives of the recipient organisations who provide these food boxes to their clients.

Faiza El Higzi of The Romero Centre, Naima Estrada of IWAQ, Steven Pattison of Mission Australia and Yusuf Khatree of MCF all spoke on behalf of their organisations, it's programs to assist families and communities in Brisbane and what the response to the boxes supplied by Halal Food Bank had been from recipients.

The morning was filled with emotional stories of recipients receiving boxes, networking, and ways to make Halal Food Bank a growing and lasting project for Brisbane.

This month Halal Food Bank Brisbane will pack it's 857th box, with collection points set up in six locations, providing non-perishable food to families across 8 organisations.

"Seekerspoint Brisbane would like to express our sincere gratitude to the community for their continuous support in donations and the volunteers who join us for our monthly packing and inventory days," Halal Food Bank Coordinator Brisbane, Ms Fathima Abba Omar, told CCN.
 

"Our next packing day will be held on 27 December from 10am at IWAQ offices, Springwood. Everyone is welcome to lend a hand and we hope to see as many people there, insha'Allah."

           Post your comment here

The Algester Madrassah Jalsah was held on Sunday 7 December at the Algester Mosque.
 

Students performed very well and prizes and trophies were given to students who excelled in their madrassah subjects.

           Post your comment here

           Post your comment here

NEW YORK: Fresh off a Pulitzer for Disgraced, Akhtar returns with a mordant play that explores similarities between free-market and Islamic fundamentalism.

Ayad Akhtar’s new play The Invisible Hand opened this week at the New York Theatre Workshop. When the lights come on, you see a man sitting in a chair while close to him stands a bearded guard with a Kalashnikov strapped to his back. The seated man is an American banker being held by jihadists somewhere near Karachi. In the opening scene, the prisoner is holding out his hands for the other man to clip his nails, which the latter accomplishes not without some tenderness.

If the 20th century was marked by travel – planes in flight – then the events of 9/11 ushered in the age of the burning aftermath. At least in the imagination of the west, the idea of free movement is now mocked by the nightmare of confinement. This is a specific fear: a dread vision of a man being held hostage by murderous zealots in an alien land, with beheading likely to follow.

The Invisible Hand plays with that familiar anxiety but surprises us with a different reality. Even a man hidden in a room is able to move money with the help of a mouse. As we discover in the play, the American banker must trade shares to earn his $10m ransom. In hiding he preaches the sermon of Bretton Woods: “Countries that can’t trade with one another go to war against each other”. The rest of the play is an exploration of the logic of the “free market” and its devastating impact in a country like Pakistan.
 

           Post your comment here

Muslims account for over 20 percent of the global population but despite their growing spending power, studies reveal that businesses are failing to tap into one key aspect of the Islamic economy: fashion.

"Alongside a thriving Islamic economy, there is growing demand for Islamic fashion apparel. Unfortunately, offerings have been limited, and there is no single Islamic brand catering to the fashion needs of the Muslim population globally. Thus, there is an opportunity for modern Islamic fashion brands to be showcased," said Karen Van Diesen, market research analyst at Euromonitor in a recent note.

A report by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Thomson Reuters in September shared Van Diesen's views, stating that Islamic fashion lacks a global clothing brand capable of addressing the needs of Muslim customers.
 

Islamic fashion is projected to comprise 11.2 percent of global fashion spending in three years' time, according to the report, with spending set to hit $322 billion by 2018, versus estimated global expenditure of $2.9 trillion. In 2012, Muslims spent $224 billion on fashion.

The Muslim shopping experience is frustrating, Van Diesen explains, as most runway-inspired creations are not designed to meet Islamic standards. Among the complaints are unsuitable necklines, hemlines and difficulty matching designs with the hijab, she said.

Kerim Ture, founder of Turkish e-tailer Modanisa told CNBC last week how he got inspired to enter Islamic fashion.
"In 2009 when I was in Mecca, there were 3 to 4 million people and I didn't see any Muslim fashion bands in shopping malls. There were mostly just shops selling headscarves and I asked myself why people were under addressing this community," he said.

The company has grown rapidly since launching three years ago, with over a million orders per year from 50 countries.

Existing players

Turkey, the U.A.E, Indonesia and Iran are the top Muslim countries with the highest consumer clothing consumption, according to a separate report from the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, Thomson Reuters and the Dinar Standard last week.

Local designers and start-ups in these nations are attempting to address the market gap, seen by Hijub in Indonesia and Citra Style in the United Arab Emirates. However, these brands typically cater to local shoppers, Euromonitor said, ensuring priority on their respective home markets instead of pursuing a global focus.
 

DKNY is one of the few global fashion heavyweights to embrace the Muslim market. Earlier this year, the U.S. label released a 'Ramadan collection' in Middle Eastern stores for the Eid holiday.
 

Online shopping remains the leading means of distribution in the sector, with Dinar Standard estimating fashion e-commerce expenditure at $4.8 billion in 2013. That's bigger than India's entire e-commerce market, valued at $3 billion presently.

"For Islamic fashion apparel to really pick up, it needs to become more available in typical bricks and mortar establishments," Euromonitor said.

Van Diesen recommends interested players to invest in local brands with Islamic roots or that collaborate with Muslim designers, stating that companies who aren't normally associated with Islamic apparel will likely face challenges if they enter the market alone.
 

"In particular, the company will need to confirm that the brand supply chain operates in accordance with Islamic values, as well as the concept of 'halal' in terms of sourcing."

Source: CNBC
 

           Post your comment here

In this episode of '100 Muslims, 1 Question' American Muslims from all walks of life were asked: "What advice would you give for marriage?".

These are their responses

           Post your comment here

Would you like to see the cover of your favourite book on our book shelves below?

Then simply email the title and author to thebookclub@crescentsofbrisbane.org

Double click a book cover to find out what others think of the book

 Post your comment here

Chicken in Scones

Mula Nasruddin was a very famous and learned Islamic scholar who received invitations to speak from many places.

The Mosque he was the Imam at provided him with a limousine and a chauffeur.

Mula Nasruddin and his chauffeur, Jallalludin visited various cities on his lecture circuit and the young driver, always sat at the back and listened intently to every talk of Mula Nasruddin.
 

On one of these occasions, Mula Nasruddin said to his chauffeur Jallalludin, "Driver, I’m tired and you heard this talk of mine many times, I wonder if you can give the lecture today instead of me."
 

Jallalludin looked perplexed, but Mula Nasruddin proceeded.
 

“Look, the talk is standard, and you give the talk while I sit and rest at the back of the room.”

The chauffeur agreed.
 

Jallalludin, dressed as Mula Nasruddin, was ushered to the podium.

Mula Nasruddin dressed as the chauffeur sat at the back of the room. The lecture proceeded well and Mula Nasruddin was impressed with how well the driver had delivered it
 

At the end of the lecture, another distinguished scholar named Dr. Habibullah said that he would like to ask a question.

The real Mula Nasruddin recognized the well-known Scholar.

Now the chauffeur’s lack of knowledge would be exposed – and it would appear as if Mula Nasruddin was unable to answer the question correctly!

Dr. Habibullah then proceeded to ask “Mula Nasruddin” about a complicated and convoluted question on Islamic law. There was no way Jallalludin would know the answer.

After a short pause, the chauffeur smiled and said, "Dr. Habibullah, You are one of the most famous Islamic scholars and I cannot understand how you can ask such a simple question. In fact, to show you how easy it is, I am going to ask my chauffeur to answer it for me.” and with that invited the real Mula Nasruddin on stage to answer.

[Editor] With apologies to Christiaan Barnard for a shameless adaptation

 Post your comment here

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

Events and Functions

 Post your comment here

Islamic Programmes, Education & Services

 Post your comment here

Businesses and Services

DIRECTORY

PLEASE NOTE

1. All Islamic Event dates given above are tentative and subject to the sighting of the moon.

2. The Islamic date changes to the next day starting in the evenings after maghrib. Therefore, except for Lailatul Mehraj, Lailatul Bhahraat and Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event starting in the evening of the corresponding day.

 Post your comment here

 Post your comment her

Disclaimer

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.

Write For Us

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 enter their details here.