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As a representative and on
behalf of the Kuraby Masjid
it is my hope that the
benefits of this Holy Month
have enriched the lives of
all thus far. Throughout
this month and the months
leading up to Ramadan,
people will have noticed
that many changes have been
taking place within our
beloved Masjid.
Renovations
It is an understatement to
say that these additions and
alterations have been a long
time coming. Throughout the
years the masses attending
the Kuraby Masjid on a daily
basis have grown
exponentially and the usual
approximation of 500
musallee movements a day is
now deemed a conservative
number. In fact, it is our
estimate that this number
has inflated to ranging
between 5’000 to 7’000
movements on site a week.
These attendees include five
time Salah musallees,
children regularly attending
madrasah classes, women
coming for taaleem and an
abundance of visitors Muslim
and non-Muslim who request
tours of the Masjid and seek
enlightenment on Islam.
As a result of the evident
inflation in numbers and in
addition to the need for
updated facilities and more
practical Salah and wudhu
areas, other areas of the
masjid are also targets for
improvement.
Some of these include:
Bathroom
facilities: -
The bathroom facilities
were redesigned for both
men and women,
incorporating external
access to provide a
cleaner floor area
inside of the Masjid and
a flat toilet was
installed in response to
many requests.
Wudhu Areas:
- Both men and women’s
wudhu areas were also
revamped and updated to
improve practicality and
comfort.
Access:
-The second staircase
will be opened,
providing another exit
point for men to leave
from which in turn makes
it easier to enter and
leave the Masjid and
reduces crowding.
Covered area for
children: - An
additional covered area
was built, enabling
children to move safely
between madrasah classes
and also providing a
safe and controlled
congregation point for
them. The use of the
covered area is
multifaceted. In
addition to serving as a
safety zone for
children, it will also
serve as an overflow
Salah area and will soon
also function as a
recreational area with a
cafeteria and seating
facilities.
Facilities for
women: - Women
suffer the most from
incomplete planning or
inconvenient Salah
areas. During this
renovation we have taken
special care to address
some of their needs.
Larger prayer areas will
be created for women, to
accommodate the crowds
and allow them to move
around comfortably and
freely in their own
space. We will also be
building a new ladies
wudhu facility.
Imam’s House:
- The trustees have
managed to purchase a
house across from the
Masjid. This house was
significantly renovated
and updated and will be
home to our resident
Imam.
Aged lift:
- It is our intention
Insha’Allah to install a
lift for those brothers
who find it hard to
climb the stairs.
Contributions and
Donations
Alhamdulillah, we have
achieved much in our aims to
improve our Masjid. Yet
there is still more to do
and complete. We still have
a long way to go and
unfortunately our financial
resources need some
bolstering. The finances
needed to successfully run a
Masjid is often
underemphasised and we are
hoping that our Musallees
will assist in making all of
these changes a reality.
The food group contribute a
substantial portion of the
Masjid’s revenue.
Alhamdulillah, many thanks
to them. Other than that,
generally, bucket
collections on a Friday
Jummah are fairly small.
Apart from a few benefactors
who regularly deposit monies
into the Masjid bank account
and the contribution of the
food group, we do not raise
sufficient revenue for the
mosques account.
We acknowledge the
inconvenience of having to
hand money over physically
every Friday. Hence we
propose the idea of direct
debiting.
We are asking Musallees for
conservative amounts of $20
or even $10 to be
transferred to the Masjid
account regularly.
This automatic transaction
can be set weekly or even
fortnightly and will be
greatly beneficial to the
upkeep of our beloved Kuraby
Masjid. If this means of
Sadaqah towards your Masjid
is of interest to you, then
please see our account info
below.
Imam
We have managed to secure a
visa and Insha’Allah the
Imam will be arriving within
the next 2 weeks.
Acknowledgments
Please join us in
recognizing the Musallees
who selflessly contribute
their time and effort
towards the successful
functioning of the Masjid.
We hope and pray that the
Almighty grants them maximum
rewards for all their
efforts.
We would also like to take
this opportunity to thank
Qari Fidaurahman and Hafiz
Imran for leading the
taraweeh this year.
Alhumdulillah they have
recited beautifully and long
may they remain attached to
our Masjid, Insha’Allah.
Qari Fidaurahman has also
over these many months taken
the role as principal leader
of Salah and for that we are
eternally grateful. Please
keep him and his family in
your duas
The Islamic Society of
Holland Park (Holland Park
Mosque) opened its door's to
all the neighbourhood to
Break Fast for Peace on the
5 July.
Around a 100 non-muslims
attended the Iftar program.
The program started with the
recitation of the Holy Quran
with translation, welcome
speech by the president Ali
Kadri and some religious
insight on the month of
Ramadan by Imam Uzair Akbar.
After a sumptuous meal, the
floor was opened for any
type of Q&As and the night
ended with a tour of the
oldest mosque on the Eastern
Coast.
"The Management would like
to thank all the volunteers
and donors who helped to
make this evening a
success," a Mosque
spokesperson told CCN.
On the 25th and the 27th of
June, The Australian
International Islamic
College held its annual
community Iftaar Dinner at
the Gold Coast and Durack
campuses respectively. Many
community representatives
from both government and
non-government organizations
attended the special events.
Families from the college
community helped to arrange
a vast array of food ranging
from salads and meats to
pastries and desserts. There
were special prayers and
speeches, notably by Peter
Russo MP, representing
Queensland Premier
Annastacia Palaszczuk and by
Councilor Tracey Gilmore
from Division 5.
A heartfelt dua was made by
Imam Walliyullah Yusuf and
Imam Mohammed emphasizing on
the importance of
appreciating God’s Blessings
during the month of Ramadan
and using our blessings to
contribute productively to
our Australian society.
It was a great opportunity
to meet and greet with
community members and
welcome our new parents and
staff to the AIIC family.
Community representatives
expressed their remarks and
appreciation to the
Australian International
Islamic College for
organizing such events that
brings different communities
together. P&C
representatives expressed
that the evening was a great
night for the whole College
community.
Furthermore, the College and
the P&C would like to thank
all of the community members
who have contributed to this
event. It is such a special
time for our families and
our children, as they feel
so excited that they can be
at College to share this
special family event. We
would like to especially
thank all the AIIC staff and
the operations team for
their hard work in preparing
for this evening.
Brisbane's Michael Ware, the
only war correspondent to
survive being kidnapped by
Al Qaeda in Iraq, has opened
up to Lateline's Tony Jones
about his time there and his
documentary Only the Dead.
Michael Ware appears on
Monday's Q and A programme
on ABC.
by Jasmin Ghandour, Digital
Marketing Coordinator |
Communications at Islamic Relief
Australia
Only a
few days ago, I read a
Facebook post by our friends
at Islamic Relief Palestine
that reminded me how easy it
really is to forget how
fortunate we are.
With some of us having so
much to do in what seems
like so little time, we
sometimes find it difficult
to take a moment to
appreciate the things in our
lives that we’re most
thankful for like the people
that make you smile, our
homes, the food on our
table, living in a country
where we can execute our
right to an education, our
jobs and of course the
generous supporters that
make our life changing work
possible.
When you help Islamic Relief
deliver aid to people in
dire need of assistance, your
contribution means more than
you think it does.
Your
contribution is opportunity for
the people we’re serving. It
restores their hope, dignity, independence (to
name a few) and helps to
give them the very things
that we sometimes forget to
appreciate.
So how significant is the
difference that your
contribution helps us to
achieve?
The 2015 Queensland Police
Service Iftaar Dinner was
held on Thursday 9 July at
the Greek Community Centre,
South Brisbane. This was the
2nd annual ifthaar hosted by
the QPS with the Muslim
Community and other guests.
"...great atmosphere,
fantastic food and good
company," MP for
Waterford, Minister for
Communities, Women and
Youth, Minister for Child
Safety and Minister for
Multicultural Affairs, Ms
Shannon Fenttiman MP posted
on her Facebook wall.
Amongst the speakers, Dr
Nora Rane spoke of
compassion in our
multicultural community.
“The Queensland Police
Service Iftaar Dinner is a
unique event as it allows
police and members of
Queensland’s Muslim
community the chance to sit
down together and share a
meal,” said Commissioner
Ian Stewart.
The Islamic Society of
Algester has thanked all who
contributed to the Ramadaan
Iftaar program in Peshawar,
Pakistan, in response to the
appeal made by Julu.
All monies received before
the 5th of June were
transferred on the 5th and
have been received in
Pesahwar.
From the amount that was
sent over, 250 packages were
distributed to the needy
before the start of Ramadaan.
Each package consisted of:
20kg flour; 5 kg oil; 1
pack of milk cartons;
5kg sugar; 3kg kidney
beans;
5kg rice; 2kg Dahl; 1/2
kg black tea; 2kg dates;
1kg besan flour
Furthermore, iftar is being
cooked and distributed daily
under the guidance and
surveillance of sister
Zubaida Nur
Prices have rocketed, but,
due to the substantial
amount donated, the above is
still possible.
Monies received after the
5th will be transferred next
week and will be added to
daily feeds
400 years ago in 1600s a
theologian named Giordano
Bruno proposed a theory of
infinite universe with
nothing at the centre,
refuting Aristotle and the
belief of most Christians at
the time. For this he was
persecuted for 8 years and
finally On 17 February 1600,
he was burned at the stake
with his books destroyed for
heresy.
Between 1149 to 1209 AD,
roughly 400 years before
Bruno and 800 years from
today. A Persian Muslim
theologian called Fakhr
ad-Din ar-Razi, wrote this
in his book called MATALIB
AL ALIYA:
alimkadri
blog
A Courier Mail
reader's response to
Ali Kadri's
recent article
in the newspaper.
During Ramadan, and in
response to the bombing of
Gaza, US President Barack
Obama spoke at the annual
White House Iftar. He called
for both sides to come back
to the negotiation table.
Unsurprisingly, he went on
to staunchly defend Israel’s
right to defend its borders,
claiming, ‘No country can
accept rockets fired
indiscriminately at
citizens.’
Obama welcomed a crowd of
important, invited and
chosen dignitaries amongst
American-Muslim leaders to
an iftar had beneath a
stunning golden chandelier.
Reflective of the elitism
and power of the occasion –
miles away from the rubble
of Gaza – he gave the
typical, sentimental gesture
of claiming commitment to
peace, which was as
similarly ornamental as the
occasion of the iftar
itself.
In Australia, it’s not so
different. Many of our
politicians and local
community leaders appeal to
the decorative ideal of two
sides coming together to
solve the problem, bringing
about peace through strong,
uncompromising, dialogue.
The image is alluring: the
noble chiefs of two tribes
come together to engage in
vigorous diplomacy. However,
it encapsulates what is
often the counter-argument
towards those calling for
boycott and threatening to
sever relations.
This enduring image of
dialogue is like an elastic
band that is stretched by
two sides who are committed
to debating without ever
breaking the bonds that tie
their communications. Such
ornamental gestures of
talking the-problem through,
discovering friendships and
exchanging respect through
acknowledging differences
ignore the reality that
power, in fact, lays in the
tensility of the language we
use.
Earlier this week we
attended a federal
government "consultation"
over planned legislative
changes that would remove
Australian citizenship for
dual citizens found guilty
of terrorist activities. We
attended despite our
"engagement fatigue" since
many local Muslims are
urging no further engagement
with the Abbott government
on the issue of national
security.
We were disappointed but not
surprised that key Muslim
groups seemed to have been
excluded from these
face-to-face
"consultations". In fact, we
were only invited on the
recommendation of a
colleague. When we asked the
organisers about this we
were told that face-to-face
consultations were "not a
primary method of
consultation" and that the
citizenship paper had been
emailed to various
organisations. That has been
the extent of the rather
limited "consultation"
process regarding
citizenship.
"We
cannot
afford
polite
pussyfooting,
with our
country's
character,
international
reputation,
security
and,
frankly,
lives, on
the line."
As lawyers, mothers and
Australian Muslims we are
committed to the rule of
law, civil liberties and
social cohesion. We do not
believe the proposed
amendments to the
Citizenship Act are
necessary, proportionate or
productive. Existing
legislation gives the
government many ways to
tackle terrorism.
We are concerned the changes
will result in "ex citizens"
becoming stateless, permit
the indefinite detention
within Australia of affected
persons, breach
international legal
obligations, contribute to
global insecurity and allow
a minister to effectively
play judge and jury. If our
political leaders continue
to politicise national
security, Australia risks
reinforcing terrorist
propaganda – the same
propaganda that Muslims are
being asked, unfairly, to
develop strategies to
counter.
The best kind of debate is
the one you have with
yourself. Alone. At night.
When you're Andrew Bolt.
Michael Brull explains.
On the subject of Andrew
Bolt, I can be a bit of a
broken record. When a Muslim
person somewhere in the
world does something bad, I
turn to Bolt’s blog to find
the kind of anti-Muslim
animus that I figure it’ll
be useful to critique.
There hasn’t been much
variation in this routine
going back six years.
Conveniently, when trashing
Muslims and Islam this time,
Bolt seems to have supplied
his own counter-arguments.
So, on 27 June, it wasn’t
much of a surprise to find
Bolt writing about Muslims
again. He began:
“Muslim apologists here
and abroad like to
explain each outrage as
a reflection of some
crime by the West -
oppression, imperialism,
marginalisation,
demonisation.”
Note how Bolt doesn’t even
say Islam apologist. Bolt
doesn’t say Islamist
terrorist apologist. Bolt
doesn’t say terrorism
apologist. Bolt simply says
Muslim apologist.
I just want to pause on this
point. Bolt doesn’t set up
as the dangerously naďve and
foolish those who would
defend this or that
interpretation of Islam.
Bolt regards with suspicion
those who would defend
Muslims. I can think of a
word for this, but let’s
just conduct a thought
experiment. Suppose someone
were to write of “Jew
apologists here and abroad
who like to explain each
outrage committed by Israel
as a reflection of some
crime by the West –
oppression, persecution,
genocide.” What kind of
reaction might we expect for
someone who wrote those
words? And what kind of
career might we predict for
them?
But let us return to Bolt’s
blog. He wrote: “But
whatever the excuse, each
fresh massacre - so many and
now so florid with cruelty -
gives the world reason to
associate Islam with hatred
and violence:” By “the
world”, Bolt presumably
means himself and other
right-wingers, as opposed to
“Muslim apologists” who just
blame the West for
everything.
You are on the train when
you overhear a commuter
being verbally attacked
because of their race. What
do you do?
While videos of Australians
taking a stand against
offensive behaviour have
gone viral in recent years,
a survey of Victorians shows
less than a third of
bystanders would say or do
something if they witnessed
racism.
There are many reasons
people do not intervene.
"The most important one is
the fear of violence, being
targeted yourself as a
result of speaking up," said
researcher Jacqueline
Nelson, who is conducting a
study of responses to racism
at the University of
Technology Sydney.
"Another obstacle is the
idea that doing something
would not be effective."
Lack of knowledge about how
to safely intervene or help
the individual targeted also
stops witnesses acting.
'Say no to racism'
Bystander intervention
training is emerging as a
way to equip people with
strategies to challenge
apparent racism when they
come across it on public
transport, in the workplace
or among family and friends.
Councils in three distinctly
multicultural areas of
Melbourne are offering the
training.
"We want to encourage people
to try and engage the person
as another good human being
and appeal to their better
instincts," said Ananth
Gopal from the training
organisation Polykala.
"Try not to approach people
as the enemy, but find some
point of connection."
Bystanders are encouraged to
ask questions to cool the
conversation, or rally other
witnesses to demonstrate
that racist behaviour is not
broadly accepted.
The sessions are being
offered in the the cities of
Darebin, Moreland and Wynham.
Emily Paddon-Brown is one
participant who has
witnessed ugly behaviour on
trains and hopes bystander
training will empower her to
act.
"I certainly do feel as a
female alone that there is
only so much I can do to
help, because I need to
assess my own safety as
well," she said.
The impact of inaction
A victim of racism is more
likely to experience
psychological or physical
harm if no-one helps them.
While bystanders who do
nothing can walk away
feeling frustrated and
helpless, running over and
over in their mind what they
might have done.
There is also a cost to the
community.
"Silence can send the
message that bigotry and
prejudice are acceptable in
our public life," said Race
Discrimination Commissioner
Tim Soutphommasane.
"By speaking out against
racism you are making a
major difference to changing
attitudes and challenging
behaviours. It doesn't have
to be a big intervention."
The Mayor of Moreland,
Meghan Hopper, agreed that
bystander intervention
training will help get the
message out that racism is
not acceptable.
"Over a third or our
community was born overseas.
And 40 per cent of our
community speaks a language
other than English at home,"
she said.
"So it is really important
that we address some of the
problems that might arise."
What action could I take?
• Comfort the person
targeted
• Confront or disagree
with the perpetrator
• Seek the help of other
bystanders
• Express upset feelings
• Interrupt or distract
the perpetrator
• Use humour
• Report the incident to
police and give a
witness statement
• Gather evidence - film
or take photos of the
incident
The London bombings shocked
us all. But in the decade
since, our community has
been unfairly demonised
‘Have you ever paused to
consider how a young Muslim
schoolboy might react to polls
suggesting his fellow Brits
think he “creates problems”?’
It could have been me.
King’s Cross was my station.
But 10 years ago, on the
morning of 7 July, 2005, I
happened to be on a day off,
sitting at home in front of
the television, glued to the
news channels. Fifty-two of
my fellow Londoners lay
dead.
Within days, the four young
men behind the worst terror
attack in British history
had been identified, and a
knot tightened at the pit of
my stomach. The London
bombings had already been
dubbed “7/7”, a deliberate
attempt to depict the
attacks as our “9/11”. Yet
this was a more disturbing
crime, with far greater
domestic consequences, than
9/11. None of the 19
suicide-hijackers on those
four planes had been US
citizens. In contrast, all
four of the suicide bombers
on the London transport
system were UK citizens.
“We’re screwed,” I told a
Muslim friend. These
terrorists were British like
us, looked like us, had
names similar to our own
and, as the official report
into 7/7 would later
confirm, were “apparently
well integrated into British
society” with “largely
unexceptional” backgrounds.
Over the next decade,
British Muslims would be
subjected to unprecedented
scrutiny; tagged as a
suspect community, the enemy
within, a “fifth column” (to
quote Nigel Farage).
We can’t say we weren’t
warned. Less than a month
after 7/7, the then prime
minister, Tony Blair,
himself announced that “the
rules of the game are
changing”. And, a year
later, the country’s most
famous living novelist,
Martin Amis, blithely
referred to “a definite urge
– don’t you have it? – to
say, ‘The Muslim community
will have to suffer until it
gets its house in order’ …
Discriminatory stuff, until
it hurts the whole
community.”
According to the charity
ChildLine, Islamophobic
bullying is now rife in our
schools
Well, Martin, we’re hurting.
And yes, Tony, the rules
have indeed changed. British
Muslims have been spied on,
stopped and searched,
stripped of citizenship, and
subjected to control orders
and detention without trial.
Many were not guilty of any
crime. Remember Mohammed
Abdul Kahar, shot in the
shoulder during a dawn raid
on his home in Forest Gate,
east London, in 2006, before
being released without
charge a week later? Or
Rizwaan Sabir, the
university student held for
seven days without charge as
a terror suspect in 2008, on
the basis of police evidence
later described as “made
up”?
How about the Muslim
residents of the three areas
in Birmingham that in 2010
were to be surrounded by a
“ring of steel” of 218 “spy
cameras” as part of a
counter-terrorism operation?
Blair may have changed the
rules but he didn’t win the
game. A decade ago four
British suicide bombers,
aligned with al-Qaida,
shocked us all. Today, up to
600 Britons are reported to
have left the UK to battle
and behead on behalf of the
al-Qaida offshoot, so-called
Islamic State (Isis). These
include the youngest ever UK
suicide bomber, 17-year-old
Talha Asmal, who blew
himself up while fighting
for Isis in Iraq in June.
Mostly, Muslim students are
taught about inventions and
discoveries of Muslims and
they list hundreds and
thousands year old
inventions by Muslims.
But one important fact needs
to be highlighted that
Pakistani scientists, too,
have a great contribution in
where the world is standing
today.
There are hundreds of
capable scientists which
have worked on prestigious
scientific missions and many
of them even have invented
numerous things in their
disciplines.
This list of greatest
Pakistani scientists prove
that Pakistan is not far
behind anyone in development
of today and has a
contribution in the modern
world.
Even though resources in the
country are minimal, yet
these brilliant minds were
stronger enough to take over
the circumstances.
7) Sohail Khan
Professor Sohail Khan, a
Pakistani researcher at
Loughborough University
designed a clever lavatory
that transforms human waste
into biological charcoal and
minerals. These can then be
used as fuel or a form of
conditioner for soil. It
also produces clean water.
His invention was
appreciated by Bill Gates.
On behalf of everyone at Amanah Institute, our
thoughts and well wishes are with our Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters during
NAIDOC week celebrations.
As Australian Muslim's, we remain committed to our
longstanding relationship with the First Nation
peoples of this land we now call home and
acknowledge their enduring custodianship and
contribution.
May we walk lightly on this earth together as
honourable people.
Wasalaam
Dylan
Chown
Principal: Amanah Institute
Editor:
NAIDOC Week celebrations are
held across Australia each July to celebrate the
history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated
not only in Indigenous communities, but by
Australians from all walks of life.
SAUDI ARABIA: The King Abdul Aziz
Road Project is a mega-project measuring
3.5Km from the outskirts of Makkah to
the Grand Holy Mosque.]The project
includes 209 plots along a central
pedestrian spine that will alleviate the
chaotic pilgrim activity currently
experienced during Hajj. Over a year
period Glass Canvas has created a five
minute movie and in excess of 40 CGI's
to help promote and explain the project
to a wide audience in Saudi Arabia and
the region.
Spanish-led joint venture named
preferred bidder for Mecca Metro
the newly-opened Holy Sites
metro light rail in Mecca
The Spanish contractor
Isolux Corsan has been named as the
preferred bidder for a €2.3 billion
(Dh9.27bn) contract to build two lines
of the new Mecca Metro in Saudi Arabia.
The company said that its joint venture,
which includes the Turkish contracting
company Kolin and Saudi Arabia’s Haif
Company, is expected to sign a contract
for the project in the coming months.
The consortium will build Lines B and C
of the project. Line B will comprise
11.9 kilometres of tunnels and three
stations. Line C will be 13km long and
contain six stations – two of which will
be major interchanges.
It will also be responsible for
demolishing existing structures and
facilities, diverting roads and
utilities, and other enabling works.
The Mecca Metro will include four new
lines and will connect to the existing
Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah line, which
was built in 2010 to carry pilgrims
between the sites of Mina, Muzdallah and
Arafat, close to the Grand Mosque.
Only the two lines awarded to the Isolux
Corsan venture are being built during
the first phase, work on which is
scheduled to start next year. It is due
to be up and running by 2019.
The Malaysian consultancy Prasarana
Group is responsible for creating
detailed designs and developing
specifications for the operations and
maintenance firm that will run the
network. It won the $2.4 million deal
announced in November last year.
Saudi TV show
becomes a hit by mocking Islamic State group
SAUDI ARABIA: A new TV satire
program has become a hit in the Arab world
by mocking some of the region's most serious
issues, from the intractable Sunni-Shiite
divide and religious extremism to the
brutality of militants like the Islamic
State group.
The show, 'Selfie,' has also brought a
backlash. Islamic State group sympathizers
have made death threats against its Saudi
star and top writer on social media. One
mainstream Saudi cleric denounced the show
of heresy for mocking the country's
ultraconservative religious establishment.
That has made it the buzz of the current
Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is the
peak television viewing season in the Middle
East.
Naser al-Qasabi, the series' star, and its
writer Khalaf al-Harbi told The Associated
Press in their first interview with foreign
media that they expected the backlash, but
were not prepared for the popularity. It is
one of the top shows on MBC, the privately
owned Saudi network that airs it, and has
been the talk of the Gulf press.
Al-Qasabi says the series' dark humor
reveals just how tragic the situation across
the Middle East has become.
"What's coming is darker," he said. "Maybe I
am a bit pessimistic, and I hope that I am
wrong, but I don't think I am."
Saudi comedian Naser Al-Qasabi,
rear, and writer Khalaf Al-Harbi .
In one of the show's
episodes, al-Qasabi plays a would-be
"caliph" starting his own Islamic State
group-style militia, but he's surrounded by
buffoons and hypocrites.
His "mufti," or top cleric,
never finished school. He struggles to find
ways to differentiate his group — his
group's flag is the same as IS's notorious
banner but with the black and white colours
flipped. When one of his cronies boasts of
plans for a mass beheading, the "caliph"
complains that he wants a new form of
execution.
"Behead, behead, behead. That's all you
got?" he groans, before suggesting the
captives be put in a freezer. It's
particularly bitter humor, given the
increasingly grisly ways IS has used to kill
its captives.
In the show's most popular skit, al-Qasabi
plays a Saudi father whose son has run off
to join IS. He smuggles himself into Syria,
pretends to be a jihadi joining IS and tries
to convince his son to return home. It's a
more serious episode, showing his horror at
IS "perversions" of Islam and at the group's
atrocities — and his torment as he tries to
avoid committing atrocities himself in his
disguise. But it has comic moments as well,
as he fumbles his way through militant
training and is chased around the bed by a
militant bride who is forced on him by the
group and who has dedicated her life to
pleasing jihadis as a means of going to
heaven.
Other, lower-budget Iraqi and Syrian TV
shows have mocked IS and other militants.
But "Selfie" stands out with its high
production values — and the fact that it's a
show with Saudi actors on a Saudi network at
times mocking attitudes on religion in the
kingdom, where there is little tolerance for
discussing the many taboos.
In one episode, two Saudi men meet at an
airport in Europe and bond over their love
of women, alcohol and hard partying. But,
though neither is religious, their budding
friendship takes a nosedive when they
discover that one is Sunni and the other
Shiite. They argue until airport security
detains them. When police discover they are
fighting over a split that happened 1,400
years ago, they send the two a mental
hospital.
Another skit lampooned Saudi
Arabia's powerful ultraconservative
religious establishment and its stance
against music. That was the show that
prompted cleric Saeed bin Mohammed bin Farwa
to accuse al-Qasabi and MBC of heresy.
Columnist Hamad al-Majed also criticised the
show in the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper,
saying that in its attempt to ridicule
extremism the series also disrespected
Islamic traditions and made generalizations,
especially about Saudi Arabia.
Al-Qasabi told the AP he views his acting
career as his own form of "jihad" — which in
Islam literally means any struggle in the
path to God.
"Offering something positive that raises
awareness of issues, I see this as jihad,"
he said. "Jihad is that you raise your
children well. Jihad is that you work and
are on a path to doing things well. Jihad is
that you are good at your work ... Life is
one great jihad."
Al-Qasabi and al-Harbi are no strangers to
controversy. They both worked on "Tash ma
Tash", a long-running comedy that ruffled
feathers for its handling of sensitive
issues in Saudi society.
Muslims raise $48,000 to
rebuild burned black churches
US: Several black churches
across the South have burned in recent
weeks, some due to what is believed to be
arson, while others fell victim to natural
disasters such as lightning.
The destruction of these black churches
inspired a group of young Muslims from
different parts of the country to put
together a crowdfunding campaign to raise
money to help rebuild them.
Faatimah Knight, a 23-year-old studying
theology, started a campaign on LaunchGood
with a group of friends to raise $50,000
during the month of Ramadan, a holy month
for Muslims during which they fast and give
alms.
The initial goal for the campaign was only
$10,000, but the group surpassed that mark
in just 12 hours after they launched.
"Nearly broke the LaunchGood servers!" The
website's Facebook page posted.
On the campaign's page, Knight writes, "All
houses of worship are sanctuaries... let's
unite to help our sisters and brothers in
faith."
But there was more than just religion that
compelled Knight to start the fundraiser
with her four other friends. She felt a
personal connection to the recent tragedies.
"Supporting these churches hit me most as a
black person," the Brooklyn resident said.
"It has been a challenging time to be black
in America."
On June 17, Dylann Roof allegedly killed
nine members of Charleston's Emanuel African
Methodist Episcopal Church. Four days later,
black churches began burning across the
South.
The NAACP, which acknowledged that only
three of the recent church fires are thought
to be arson-related, said the blazes require
"our collective attention."
Regardless of why or how these churches were
burned down, the campaign has seen an
overwhelming support since it launched in
early July. It has already raised more than
$48,000, and with a few days left, Knight is
confident they will reach their goal.
"The response has been overwhelmingly
supportive. There have been a few people who
were confused about why Muslims would
rebuild a church, but for the most part
people are totally on board," she said.
The campaign is not about being an activist,
it's about helping people, Knight said. "I
think everyone can be active about
something."
‘Eating halal can turn you
into a Muslim’ says nationalist Swedish
party
SWEDEN: A Swedish politician
has caused outrage by saying that halal meat
has magical powers and can turn you into a
Muslim. The nationalist Sweden Democrat,
which has around 20 percent support amongst
the population, also wants to ban halal meat
in schools.
Michael Ohman, the head of the nationalist
party’s Heby wing told the Sala Allehanda
newspaper that, “You become a Muslim if you
eat halal meat,” the Local cited him as
saying.
When asked by a reporter if he meant to say
that halal meat had magical powers, Ohman
responded by saying, “Yes. This is precisely
what we have warned of. They sneak halal in
everywhere.”
Ohman, who is a member of the Swedish
Democrats from the small town of Heby, which
is 115 kilometers northwest of the capital
Stockholm, also mentioned he wants to see
halal meat outlawed in local schools because
he believes it is against the country’s
animal welfare laws.
Traditional methods of producing halal meat
involve slitting an animal’s throat to
ensure the spinal cord isn’t damaged.
However, a Swedish political scientist told
RT that the move to condemn halal practices
is unlikely to garner widespread support, as
the majority of the population “generally
support plurality,” and there is a
widespread acceptance of Muslim values.
Despite this, Adrian Groglopo, who is a
professor of Social Science at the
University of Gothenburg, says the Sweden
Democrats are gaining support and would be
able to get “around 20 percent of the vote
if an election was held today,” and “there
is a very widespread Islamophobia among
[three or four] political parties in
Sweden.”
“This is a very light way of saying that we
do not want Muslims in this country, which
is of course widespread Islamophobia,”
Groglopo told RT.
“This is ridiculous saying that halal meat
is a kind of magic and you will become a
Muslim if you eat it. It is just ridiculous.
There is no other word for that. They are
starting to terrorize Muslim’s politically,”
he added.
Ohman’s comments have been widely mocked on
social media. One user wrote on the
platform, saying, “What happens if you mix
halal and kosher meat? Which magic is the
strongest?”
Opinion: Coverage of
Qatar’s World Cup mirrors some foreign
prejudices
QATAR: Qatar has found
itself under immense media scrutiny since it
won the right to host the 2022 World Cup.
Much of that coverage has been critical and,
some argue, harsher than that leveled at
other countries hosting World Cups or
Olympics.
In this guest post originally published by
Al-Fanar, Justin D. Martin, an assistant
professor of journalism at Northwestern
University in Qatar, takes a closer look at
how international journalists have covered
the Gulf state in recent years.
Qataris are “as bent as an Arab’s dagger,” a
BBC radio guest said in a discussion of the
2022 World Cup in November.
The BBC host didn’t challenge the racist
comment. When my turn came to speak, I
denounced the statement, though I was soon
interrupted – the BBC host didn’t want to
address the slur and said only that the
man’s microphone had been cut off.
Such a scabrous comment about both Arabs and
Qataris on a major news broadcast is rare,
but it plays to the belief many Qataris have
about news coverage of both their
nationality and Arabs in general.
Bangladeshi Buddhist monks
feed fasting Muslims over Ramadan
Abrar Shahin,
named best dressed among Clifton
High School seniors, talking with
friends before Friday's graduation
BANGLADESH: A Buddhist
monastery in Bangladesh is serving food to
hundreds of poor Muslims during Ramadan, in
a rare example of social harmony between the
religions in the South Asian nation.
Dharmarajika, in the capital Dhaka, has
become a hit on social media since it
started distributing daily food packs for
Muslims who break their fast during the
Islamic month at sunset, known as Iftar.
“Buddhism taught us that serving humanity is
the ultimate religion. We are feeding the
poor Muslims who cannot afford to buy proper
meals to break their fast,” Suddhananda
Mahathero, the head monk of the monastery,
told AFP.
When AFP visited on Monday evening, more
than 300 Muslims were waiting at the gate of
the monastery in Dhaka’s Basabo
neighbourhood to receive some Iftar
delicacies.
“I can eat some good food served with love
and care,” said 70-year-old Amena Khatun,
who added that she had walked several
kilometres to get there.
As a young monk distributed tickets to
hungry Muslims, police were on hand to
ensure the process remained orderly.
“This is such a wonderful example of
religious harmony: showing respect and
affection to the fasting neighbours without
thinking of the difference of religions,”
said policeman Asad Uzzaman.
Muslims make up around 90 percent of
Bangladesh’s 160 million population, with a
tiny community of Buddhists residing mostly
in the country’s southeastern districts
bordering Myanmar.
In September 2012, tens of thousands of
Muslims vandalised and torched nearly a
dozen Buddhist temples in the south of the
country following allegations that a
Buddhist man had desecrated the Koran.
Many Muslims took to social media to thank
the Dharmarajika monastery for their food
distribution, posting photos on Facebook of
the yellow-clad monks handing out supplies.
Others praised the monks on Twitter.
“I really appreciate the initiative and
thank them,” Nur Hossain, a banker, told
Q:Dear
Kareema, I’m taking the opportunity this month
to build a better diet for losing weight as I
know it’s just as important as exercise. Can you
give me a few pointers?
A: When it comes to slimming down or toning up,
look at high-protein foods to keep you fuller
for longer and build lean muscle.
Try nuts as a snack – Almonds, cashews, walnuts,
etc. They consist of healthy fats and have a low
GI
Eggs are a great source of protein too – try it
on sandwiches with avocado, etc
Legumes and beans – look at soups etc
Enjoy red meat twice a week
Fish, chicken and other veggies
Fruit
Smoothies with almond milk makes for a great
filling breakfast drink
Keep your foods as pure as possible. Steer away
from sugar and processed foods
Using the book club you
can see what books fellow CCN readers have on their
shelves, what they are reading and even what they,
and others, think of them.
KB says: Another
savory to enjoy before Ramadaan ends.
Peri
Peri Chicken Tartletts
(Makes 18 Tartletts)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 small tomato cubed
- 500 g chicken fillet cubed
- salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dhana/ jeeru
- 1/4 teaspoon arad
- 1 teaspoon bbq spice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon peri peri or chilli sauce of your
choice
* cook until tender but must be moist, do not
dry out.
Method
1. Cut puff pastry
into discs to fit muffin pans.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of the peri peri chicken
filling into each casing.
3. Top with grated cheese.
4. Pipe on some mashed potatoes
5. Place a blob of butter onto the mashed
potatoe and garnish with cubed coloured peppers.
6. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees for
approx 30 mins until golden around the edges
Say: I seek refuge with the
Lord of the Dawn, From the
mischief of created things;
From the mischief of
Darkness as it overspreads;
From the mischief of those
who practice Secret Arts:
And from the mischief of the
jealous one as he practices
jealousy.
Muharram 1437 – Islamic New Year 1437 (1st Muharram
1437)
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, exceptfor Lailatul
Mehraj,
Lailatul Bhahraat
and
Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event
starting in the evening of the corresponding day.
The Tafseer gets recorded and uploaded on to our website end
of each week, please visit our website to download these
recordings at
www.masjidtaqwa.org.au.
The Monday and Tuesday's Madina Arabic Course is in Urdu.
These sessions too are recorded as well as webcasted live.
For webcast details please contact us via our website
“contact us” page. The recordings are sent via a download
link, if you are interested please again contact us via our
website “contact us” page.
Queensland Police Service/Muslim
Community Consultative Group
Meeting Dates & Times
Time: 7.00pm sharp
Date: TBA
Venue: Islamic College of Brisbane - 45 Acacia Road
Karawatha
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
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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.
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and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
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Renovations
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Try nuts as a snack – Almonds, cashews, walnuts,
etc. They consist of healthy fats and have a low
GI
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7
August 2011