Islamic Studies teacher,
Associate Professor Halim
Rane, shared the honour with
Associate Professor Kevin
Tant from Monash University
when the Minister for
Education and Training,
Simon Birmingham, made the
announcement on Tuesday
night.
It is the second year in
succession the distinguished
Office for Learning and
Teaching prize has been
awarded to a Griffith
University teacher,
following the success of
Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh
Bartleet in 2014.
Speaking from Turkey,
Associate Professor Rane
paid tribute to the role of
students in his success.
“My focus has always been on
my students and the skills
and knowledge they need to
be competent in the field of
Islam-West relations and
beyond.
“It is my students who I
thank first and foremost for
this award. They are my key
source of inspiration and
motivation. Student learning
outcomes have driven me to
innovate in respect to my
teaching.”
“It is an incredible honour
to receive this award,
though it was completely
unexpected,” he said.
“It is also reassuring to
have this acknowledged at
such a level of higher
education in Australia with
such a prestigious award.
“I cannot imagine this
achievement without the
ongoing support of my
colleagues and the
leadership at Griffith
University who recognise the
importance of the field in
which I teach and value my
contributions to it.”
Halim Rane has developed a
suite of Islamic Studies
with a contemporary, secular
focus on Islam-West
relations since joining
Griffith in 2008, when no
Islamic Studies courses were
on offer.
The courses address the
interests and needs of
non-Muslim students, as well
as Western-born Muslims.
Graduating students have an
understanding of, and the
capacity to engage with,
Muslim communities and the
Muslim world.
A central plank of the
course is the annual Muslim
World Study Tour to
Malaysia, Turkey, Spain and
Morocco which offers
students a first-hand
opportunity to engage with a
diversity of people,
cultures and societies with
deep roots in Islamic
civilisation.
Griffith University Vice
Chancellor, Professor Ian
O’Connor, congratulated
Associate Professor Rane on
a remarkable achievement.
“This award recognises not
only the quality teaching at
Griffith University but also
its important influence in
preparing students for life
after university,” Professor
O’Connor said.
“The innovative and
insightful approach to
teaching demonstrated by
Associate Professor Rane has
been outstanding, and this
reward is a fitting tribute.
Naima Estrada (Kuraby Lions),
Yusuf Khatree (MCF), Tricia
Soundy (Kyabra ), David Forde
(Kuraby Lions)
The Kuraby Lions Club and
the Muslim Charitable
Foundation have come
together this Christmas to
help local families with
donations of food hampers.
The hampers will be
distributed to families who
are supported by Kyabra
Community Association, an
organisation that provides a
range of valuable services
to the community including
support for disability
carers, housing services,
support for foster and
kinship carers and financial
relief.
“Christmas is often a
difficult time of year for
low-income families,” Kyabra
employee Tricia Soundy says.
“Kyabra appreciates the
opportunity to work together
with the Kuraby Lions Club
and the Muslim Charitable
Foundation this Christmas to
provide some relief for
those families in need.”
Kyabra CEO David O’Toole
knows that Christmas can
often mean a difficult time
ahead for families.
“The post-Christmas
period often signals a
financial struggle for
people living on a
low-income, and a busy
period for the community
organisations that support
them. If you would like to
donate to Kyabra and be a
part of supporting our
community, you can find our
range of donation options at
www.kyabra.org."
Majid Khan and Hamza Vayani
delivering a four hour
‘Introduction to Islam’
training course to the
Queensland Police Service on
behalf of the Islamic
Council of Queensland (ICQ).
The training covers the core
beliefs of Islam as well as
practical approaches on how
the Queensland Police can
build and improve
relationships with local
Muslim communities on an
ongoing basis. The courses
have also included
attendance of some officers
from the Australian Federal
Police.
So far, a total of ten
courses have been delivered
in what is a first for
police officers in
Queensland across the
various ranks. Development
of the course content has
included input from Dr
Muhamad Abdalla and
workshops have included
guest speakers Imam Imraan
Husain from the Gold Coast
Mosque and Dr Nora Amath.
Feedback from the courses
which have been delivered
across various parts of
Queensland including
Brisbane metropolitan areas,
the Gold Coast, Cairns,
Townsville, Toowoomba and
Ipswich has been
consistently positive.
A police officer, Peter
Davidson from Yomanto Police
Station posted feedback to
ICQ on Facebook stating
that:
“ ... of all the
courses I have done as a
Police Officer, this 4
hours was the most life
changing for me. Your
representatives gave me
a greater understanding
of the Islamic faith and
tradition, as well as
helping me identify
strategies when
interacting with Muslim
people ...’
He went on to say:
‘Thank you for the
opportunity to develop a
better mindset, teaching
me about your culture
and showing me the
respect Muslim people
have for the police. I
will be encouraging that
mutual respect back to
your people. PS – the
phrase ‘paradise is at
the foot of your mother’
is one of the most
inspirational things I
have ever heard and one
I will remember for a
long time”.
Another participant posted:
Had the pleasure of
being a participant in
one if these sessions in
Townsville, I have to
say, 35 years as a
copper and had no @$#%
idea, the insight Hamza
and Majid gave me was
invaluable, they
weathered our dumb
questions and gave
fantastic real time
insight into a subject I
knew so little about.
John please keep your
program happening and
pass my thanks onto
Hamza and Majid for
providing the time to
enlighten all if us, it
was really appreciated.
Gooch
President of ICQ Ismail
Cajee said, ‘ICQ is
delighted with the
consistently positive
feedback that has been
received. Course trainers,
Majid Khan and Hamza Vayani
have worked well together by
proactively including Muslim
community members and
engaging police officers in
an interactive, open and
accessible way which has
fostered greater
understanding and awareness.
This initiative complements
approaches needed to build
social cohesion and positive
relationships that enable
the Muslim community and
Queensland Police Service to
partner in ways that ensure
all Queenslanders feel safe
and secure. Such initiatives
also serve to reinforce the
commitment of the Queensland
Police Service in ensuring
all officers engage justly
and fairly with all law
abiding citizens including
our diverse Muslim
communities in Queensland.
ICQ is committed to further
strengthen this important
work going forward’.
For more information about
the work of the Islamic
Council of Queensland please
visit:
https://icq.net.au/
Crescent Institute invites
you to its next professional
networking event in Brisbane
hosted at the Corrs Chambers
Westgarth office.
The Hon. Curtis Pitt, State
Treasurer of Queensland will
be the Guest Speaker at this
event. Queensland has played
a strong role in Australia's
economic growth and
prosperity. With the current
challenging global economic
environment coupled with
Australia's transitioning
economy, new and innovative
business methods are
required to maintain and
continue economic growth in
Queensland. The Hon. Curtis
Pitt will set out the
challenges and opportunities
for the great state of
Queensland.
You are invited to join with
The Hon. Curtis Pitt, ask
questions and of course
network with your fellow
Crescent Institute members!
Event Details:
Tuesday 15 December
6:00 PM for 6.30 PM Start
(Sharp)
6:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Drinks,
canapés and networking
In the absence of holistic
and faith-oriented aged care
service spectrum, the report
Muslims in Australia and
their Aged Care Needs argues
that faith considerations
must form an integral part
of aged care in order to
truly embrace the concepts
of holistic and
person-centred care. It
makes a case for enhancing
the choice of Muslims when
it comes to choosing the
right care for their
twilight years. The
overarching theme of the
report is the context in
which such choices can and
should be provided. Thus,
the report traverses
different related areas and
draws on some relevant
concepts that help to put
the case for Muslim aged
care in a broader framework;
concepts such as
multiculturalism, social
inclusion, and integration.
It is also essential not to
paint the concepts of
spirituality and religion
with the same brush. The
report stresses that
religion has an enormous
role in the planning,
development, and delivery of
aged care services. When
considering diversity of
older CALD communities in
services provision, religion
(an important indicator of
diversity) seems to take a
backseat. There is a danger
that a ‘spirituality only’
emphasis would obscure the
importance of religion. The
danger is even greater in
regards to Muslims; Muslim
spirituality is
religion-based and,
therefore, the right care
cannot be offered if it is
not planned around religious
beliefs.
It is important for the
government and aged care
industry to know that their
efforts to meet the language
and culture needs of the
CALD population do not
necessarily coincide with
satisfying the requirements
of the Muslim older people.
It is likely that the
specific needs of Muslims,
based upon their faith, may
get lost within issues of
culture and language, and
diversity in general.
This Report suggests that
although the factors
associated with limited
accessibility of available
services by CALD communities
largely apply to Muslims as
well, the concern in regards
to Muslim aged care is
essentially driven not just
by accessibility issues but
also by lack of appropriate
aged care services that
support their faith. This
may cause some to dwell on
the ‘triple jeopardy’ of
being ethnic, old, and
Muslim.
Police are investigating the
graffiti attack on the home in
Annandale, near Townsville
TOWNSVILLE: Police have
described vandals who caused
$50,000 of damage to a
Townsville home in an
anti-Islamic attack as
"idiots".
The home on Jonquil Crescent
in Annandale, which has a
welcome message written in
Arabic above the front door,
was trashed while it was
being renovated earlier this
month.
The vandals broke into the
home and spray-painted
slogans including "F--- your
Allah", "Is this where you
hide the terrorists" and "Go
home".
The vandals also set fire to
a carpet, with further
damage to the house
prevented when the occupant
arrived and extinguished the
blaze.
Inspector Steve O'Connell
said the incident appeared
to be a one-off for the
area, which had few problem
incidents linked to
religion.
"Some idiot in this town has
decided that sign was linked
to ISIS somehow and there's
been a break and enter to
the house, and slogans have
been graffitied to the
inside of the house
referring to terrorists and
also anti-Muslim
sentiments," he said.
Inspector Steve O'Connell
said the incident appeared
to be a one-off for the
area, which had few problem
incidents linked to
religion.
"Some idiot in this town has
decided that sign was linked
to ISIS somehow and there's
been a break and enter to
the house, and slogans have
been graffitied to the
inside of the house
referring to terrorists and
also anti-Muslim
sentiments," he said.
"It's
a sign of peace, but these
idiots have decided to make
their own translation of it
and engage in criminal
behaviour."
Inspector O'Connell said
police were awaiting the
results of forensic and
fingerprinting tests on the
house, but so far did not
have any leads on who had
vandalised it
In a Facebook post, the
home's occupant Shani Boag
(pictured right) said
she believed the attack was
provoked by an Arabic
welcome sign located above
her front door.
She said the sign was
installed by previous
occupants of the home, but
her family had chosen to
retain the decoration
because it was a "peaceful
welcome".
"These "people" who broke
into our house, who
vandalised our walls,
graffitied and broke our
family pictures, set fire to
a bedroom with assumably the
intent to leave it to
consume the entire home," Ms
Boag wrote.
"They saw this sign over our
front door. And they used it
as an excuse to follow
through with disgraceful
actions.
"With no knowledge
whatsoever they've drawn
conclusions that we are
somehow related to ISIS.
Further to that, they've
concluded that they are
somehow justified to
threaten us with death."
Ms Boag said the attack had
a "significant impact" on
her family.
"Out of sheer luck, I
interrupted their escapade
before it could consume the
house. Still, the damage is
estimated to be over $50,000
in tangible, physical
repairs," she said.
Anyone with information
should contact Crime
Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Islamic Council of SA state
president Luma al-Hammouri.
The Islamic community in
South Australia is in
crisis, with the new leader
of its peak representative
body being illegally ousted
in a secret meeting, amid
ongoing disputes with the
Australian Federation of
Islamic Council (AFIC).
The Islamic Council of SA
supports new arrivals with
settlement and
accommodation, provides
celebrants for religious
events, organises social
events for Muslims and
provides community education
on Islam. It is one of nine
state-based Islamic groups
comprising AFIC’s
membership.
The council’s state
president, Luma al-Hammouri,
said a secret meeting to
remove her was held in
response to an agenda item
she tabled for the national
AFIC meeting in Sydney last
Sunday, in which she called
for a motion of
no-confidence in president
Hafez Kassem, secretary
Harun Abdullah and three
other federal committee
members.
Ms Hammouri, who was
appointed in October to
replace Farouk Khan, said
voting rights were given at
the meeting to ethnic
community groups that were
not members, and the event
should not have gone ahead
without her.
“I’m still the legitimate
president, I should have
been informed about the
meeting,” Ms Hammouri said.
She said she was also
excluded from the Sydney
AFIC meeting where she
should have been
representing her state.
“That’s why he started
trying to get rid of me,”
she said of Mr Kassem.
“That’s why the federal
council didn’t invite me.”
The lawyer said she was also
concerned the male-dominated
Islamic organisations did
not want a female leading
the body.
She accused Mr Kassem of
trying to “throw his weight
around” in approving the
state council’s membership
of the Eritrean, Baba Gur
Gur and Oromo communities,
along with the Arabic
Academy in Adelaide, when
none of the groups had met
membership criteria.
Representatives from each of
the groups attended the
meeting and voted for
leadership change.
Hamdan Lawyers, representing
Ms Hammouri, confirmed none
of the four groups had met
membership criteria and
there had been complaints
that the names of individual
members of the community
groups had been used without
permission in voting.
Mr Kassem did not respond to
calls from The Australian.
Ms Hammouri’s four children
attend the Islamic College
of South Australia, which
has also been mired in
leadership ructions,
allegations of falling
education standards and
questions about the use of
its finances.
The school has recently
appointed businesswoman
Miriam Silva to chair its
board, Lynda McLeod as its
acting principal and
consultant Graham Lange to
improve its operations.
A federal ALP candidate and
leading Muslim community
figure has been sacked by
Labor for sharing material
online attacking the West's
intervention in Syria and
Iraq and criticising Israel.
But the now former candidate
for Murray, Dr Imran Syed,
who is a medical doctor,
community leader, Victoria
Police Islamic chaplain and
AFL Multicultural Community
Ambassador, has hit back,
accusing the Labor party of
racism.
Fairfax Media has confirmed
Dr Syed is in the process of
being sacked by ALP head
office, after a decision at
the powerful administration
committee on Thursday night.
Dr Syed, who hadn't been
informed of his removal when
contacted by Fairfax Media,
confirmed he had been
recently contacted by the
ALP about his "inflammatory"
online activity.
He said the ALP was
attempting to stifle free
speech and was being racist.
The controversy could raise
headaches for Opposition
Leader Bill Shorten.
An ALP source told Fairfax
Media that Dr Syed's online
activity was not appropriate
for a federal candidate, but
also said he had been given
no training or support by
Labor.
The source said the party
had not bothered to check on
Dr Syed's views on foreign
policy before pre-selecting
him in September.
Mr Syed told Fairfax Media
that he stood by his support
online for those attacking
the US and British
government's foreign policy.
"Millions
of innocent civilians are
being butchered because of
irresponsible foreign
policy.
"This is what people are
saying all over the world. I
have every right to share
what I believe."
Dr Syed, an AFL
Multicultural Community
Ambassador since 2014, said
that the ALP's treatment of
him showed that a "dark man"
in Australia didn't have a
right to voice his opinion.
"We have to be blind, deaf
and dumb," he said.
Last year, Dr Syed was
appointed as ALP
Vice-President for the
Shepparton District. He was
pre-selected for the seat of
Murray, which is held by the
Liberal's Sharman Stone with
a 20.9 per cent majority, in
September.
Dr Syed had been cautioned
several times about his use
of social media by senior
officials at Victorian
Labor's head office.
His posts are heavily
critical of Israel and it's
relationship with the west.
The posts also attack the
bombing of Syria and other
Arab states by the US and
Britain, and linking those
attacks to a rise in radical
Islam.
Dr Syed also labelled calls
from within the federal
Liberal party by MP Andrew
Hastie for Islam to change
as "barking" from "a clown."
He called former British
prime minister Tony Blair a
"Mentally Retarded Clown
high on Pure Afghan Poppy"
Labor's powerful
administration committee on
Thursday night moved to dis-endorse
him – party officers will
now make a final decision
after reviewing the posts.
Opposition Leader Bill
Shorten said "There is no
place in Labor for these
sorts of intolerant views."
ALP assistant state
secretary Kosmos Samaras
denied the party was racist.
"You only have to take a
look at the state caucus to
see that the party is made
of up of people from various
backgrounds and religious
faiths, including the
Islamic faith," Mr Samaras
said.
"The party had a number of
conversations about his
comments on social media.
"Unfortunately the
ex-candidate did not heed
this advice and has been dis-endorsed."
The Age
Imran Syed with Labor's
finance spokesman Chris Bowen.
Sorry, but I just can't
quite get over the
irony. Unless I have
this completely
mistaken, Tony Abbott
just called for both a
Reformation and a
revolution "within
Islam". This is, of
course, perhaps the most
well-worn and
ill-informed cliche of
Western discourse on
Islam – the kind of
thing people like to say
when they want to sound
serious but know almost
exactly nothing about
Islam, Muslim societies,
or indeed the
Reformation.
But it
takes on a special
instructive quality
coming from Abbott: a
self-described
conservative Catholic.
If that description has
an antonym, it's
something like a
revolutionary
Protestant:
pro-Reformation,
pro-revolution. And yet
here is our former prime
minister, arguing
against his very self.
Unless, of course, he
isn't because when it
comes to Islam, all the
normal rules are
suspended. Including, it
seems, whatever rules
require that the words
we use are meant to have
meaning. So much could
be said here. Of how
Islam's own version of
the Reformation already
occurred in the 18th
century. Of how this
episode gave birth to
Wahhabism, with its
disdain for traditional
religion and its austere
scripturalism. Of how
that finally became
expressed in the
nation state of Saudi
Arabia. Of how it
combined with the
anti-colonial movement
of Islamism –
self-consciously a
reform movement, by the
way – to create
(eventually) al-Qaeda
and through it Islamic
State.
Cultures are not all equal. We should be ready
to proclaim the clear superiority of our culture
to one that justifies killing people in the name
of God.
The security response is necessary but it’s not
sufficient. There also needs to be a concerted
“hearts and minds” campaign against the versions
of Islam that make excuses for terrorists.
Although most Muslims utterly reject terrorism,
some are all too ready to justify “death to the
infidel”.
Surveys of British and French Muslims typically
show up to 30 per cent sympathising with the
aims if not the methods of Islamic State.
Demonising Islam generally or all Muslims could
bring on the “clash of civilisations” that
academic Samuel Huntington feared two decades
back and make “Islam’s bloody borders” even more
dangerous. But we can’t remain in denial about
the massive problem within Islam.
Islam never had its own version of the
Reformation and the Enlightenment or a
consequent acceptance of pluralism and the
separation of church and state.
Fortunately there are numerous Muslim leaders
who think their faith needs to modernise from
the kill-or-be-killed milieu of the Prophet
Mohammed.
It’s also time Australians stopped being
apologetic about the values that have made our
country as free, fair and prosperous as any on
Earth.
A year ago, President el-Sisi of Egypt told the
imams of the Al-Azhar University in Cairo that
Islam needed nothing less than a “religious
revolution” to correct centuries of false ideas
that were making Islam a menace to the wider
world.
Islam needs to delegitimise the urge to “behead
all those who insult the Prophet” but only
Muslims can do this. That’s why everyone
interested in a safer world should be reaching
out to “live and let live” Muslims and
encouraging them to reclaim their faith from the
zealots.
In Australia that means talking to decent people
who happen to be Muslim as well as to “official”
Muslims inclined to see “Islamophobia” in any
criticism.
It’s not culturally insensitive to demand
loyalty to Australia and respect for Western
civilisation. Cultures are not all equal. We
should be ready to proclaim the clear
superiority of our culture to one that justifies
killing people in the name of God.
Once again, Tony Abbott shows the contempt with
which he holds Muslims when he presumes a conceited
right to lecture Muslims on their faith.
“It is revealing about Abbott’s politics that he
quotes an Egyptian dictator in support of calls for
Islamic progressive reform, and conveniently
whitewashes western civilization as modern, peaceful
and benevolent and Islam as violent, indecent and
uncivilised,” said IWA president Ahmed Abou-zaid.
Abou-zaid said. “His divisive and ignorant public
expressions of Islamophobia in the current climate
of increasing incidences of Islamophobic attacks on
individuals, Muslim buildings and places of worship
are gravely irresponsible.”
IWA notes that Abbott’s statements make clear his
racist sense of superiority, and exposes the
political climate that produces racism in the
everyday lives of minority Australians despite their
cultural and faith backgrounds.
It further demonstrates the social pressures placed
on western minority communities, especially those
who happen to be under the magnifying glass as
Muslims are currently and as Australian Africans,
Jews, Asians and Indigenous communities were and
often are.
Malcolm Turnbull fires back at Tony Abbott over
calls for revolution within Islam
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has fired back at
calls by his predecessor Tony Abbott for a
"religious revolution" within Islam by cautioning
against blaming all Muslims for Islamic State
terrorist attacks.
Mr Abbott called for a "hearts and minds campaign
against the versions of Islam that make excuses for
terrorists" in an opinion piece on Wednesday, saying
Islam had not undergone an equivalent version of the
Reformation and Enlightenment in Christian nations.
The Sydney
Morning Herald
Tony Abbott, you do know you belong to a church
that has not reformed, don't you? - Kristina Keneally
Abbott belongs to a church that condemns homosexuals
and refuses women the right to control their
fertility. And he’s calling for a reformation in
Islam?
Jesus Mary and Joseph, Tony Abbott. Did you just
tell Muslims that they need a theological
reformation, like Christianity has had?
I know it was some time ago that you were in the
seminary, but surely you remember that the
Reformation created Protestantism. You and I are
members of the unreformed strain of Christianity,
the Roman Catholic church. You and I and our 1.2
billion fellow Catholics around the world have had
no reformation. We are part of a church that has
steadfastly refused to embrace, in both internal
structures and theological development, modern
concepts like democracy or gender equality.
Sure, our church no longer runs Crusades and no
longer says the Jews killed Jesus. I don’t think
that suffices as a definition of a modern
institution. Our church condemns homosexual people
as sinful – and defines them as disordered – if they
act on their sexual orientation, even in mutually
loving, monogamous relationships.
Our church denies women the ability to use modern
technology and medicine to control their fertility,
even though Pope Francis told us this year that we
no longer “need to breed like rabbits.”
The Guardian
Attacks by Tony Abbott, Donald Trump: Arch
conservatives offer nothing but guff - Waleed Aly
Abbott and Trump are not intelligently discussing
Islam, they’re just demonstrating that their brand
of politics is fast collapsing.
Sorry, but I just can't quite get over the irony.
Unless I have this completely mistaken, Tony Abbott
just called for both a Reformation and a revolution
"within Islam". This is, of course, perhaps the most
well-worn and ill-informed cliche of Western
discourse on Islam – the kind of thing people like
to say when they want to sound serious but know
almost exactly nothing about Islam, Muslim
societies, or indeed the Reformation.
But it takes on a special instructive quality coming
from Abbott: a self-described conservative Catholic.
If that description has an antonym, it's something
like a revolutionary Protestant: pro-Reformation,
pro-revolution. And yet here is our former prime
minister, arguing against his very self.
Unless, of course, he isn't because when it comes to
Islam, all the normal rules are suspended.
Including, it seems, whatever rules require that the
words we use are meant to have meaning. So much
could be said here. Of how Islam's own version of
the Reformation already occurred in the 18th
century. Of how this episode gave birth to Wahhabism,
with its disdain for traditional religion and its
austere scripturalism. Of how that finally became
expressed in the nation state of Saudi Arabia. Of
how it combined with the anti-colonial movement of
Islamism – self-consciously a reform movement, by
the way – to create (eventually) al-Qaeda and
through it Islamic State.
And of how we should hardly be surprised that
Islam's Reformation has turned so bloody and so ugly
given that Christianity's Reformation claimed
somewhere between 5 million and 15 million lives in
the French Wars of Religion and the Thirty Years'
War alone.
What Abbott (and new MP Andrew Hastie, and Energy
and Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg – hell, you
can add names of your own to the list) simply fail
to understand is that the Reformation is here.
They're looking at it. The Muslim world – and indeed
Islamic thought – is in crisis. It has been probably
since the late Ottoman era, and it was compounded by
the utter destruction of its main institutions of
religious learning in the colonial era. But its
affliction has nothing to do with needing a
Reformation. It's about a people now thoroughly
disconnected from their own tradition. The Muslim
world's affliction is amnesia.
The Sydney
Morning Herald
Islam should be restored, Mr Abbott, not reformed – Ahmed Abdo
There is scope for continuous development within
Islamic legal theory and practice, but we must know
what is up for negotiation, and what is not. That's
where Tony Abbott seems to go wrong, writes Ahmed
Abdo.
Shape up, or ship out. Whilst Donald Trump proposes
to ban Muslims from entering the United States, Tony
Abbott suggests there needs to be a reformation of
the very faith that more than one-and-a-half billion
people around the world live by on a daily basis.
What's common between these two leaders? One is on
his way in, whilst the other is on his way out.
Trump wants to gain power, whilst Abbott wants to
regain it. Unfortunately, it is the Muslims who must
pay the price of these leadership battles.
Such calls for a reformation of Islam only serve to
demonstrate that its proponent has no clue as to the
maxims, legal principles and foundations upon which
the faith is built. As the famous Egyptian scholar
and commentator of the Quran, Muhammad El-Shaarawy,
said: "Islam is like water. It adopts the colour of
the vessel which it enters."
In Islam there are maxims that don't change. They
have stood the test of time. They are universal in
application, accommodating every culture and place,
every people and time.
Dr Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, a contemporary American
Muslim scholar, states that the Quran directed the
Prophet Muhammad to adhere to people's sound customs
and usages, and take them as a fundamental reference
in legislation, saying:
Accept from people what comes naturally for
them. Command what is customarily good. And turn
away from the ignorant, without responding in
kind.
Ibn Atiyyah, a renowned early Andalusian jurist and
Qur'anic commentator, asserted that the verse not
only upheld the sanctity of indigenous culture but
granted sweeping validity to everything the human
heart regards as sound and beneficial, as long as it
is not clearly repudiated in the revealed law.
It can thus be seen that there is scope for
continuous development within Islamic legal theory
and practice, but we must know what is up for
negotiation, and what is not. That's where Abbott
seems to go wrong.
Imran
Ali graduated with honours
on Monday 7th December from
the Queensland University of
Technology, after
successfully completing a
Bachelor of Design with
Honours (Architectural
Studies). Imran was a former
student at the Islamic
College of Brisbane.
He is the director of the
company, ISA Architects Pty
Ltd, and "has put his role
to good use within the
Islamic community for the
sake of Allah (SWT)," his
proud parents Saheed and
Azeema Ali told CCN.
He is also, at present, an
Islamic Society of Holland
Park committee member and
has been active throughout
all major and minor events
carried out within.
"We wish you all the best
Imran and we also hope all
your dreams are successful,
Insha’allah," added his
parents.
STUDENTS at two south
Brisbane Islamic colleges
have banded together to
raise money for a
seven-year-old cancer
patient.
Australian International
Islamic College (AIIC)
student Malek Aljohani has
acute myeloid leukaemia and
is undergoing six months of
chemotherapy at Lady Cilento
Children’s Hospital.
The Islamic College of
Brisbane (ICB) at Karawatha
and AIIC at Durack have
joined forces and raised
more than $7000 for Malek
and his family.
The boy’s teacher Zeenat
Mohammed had a personal
experience with cancer and
wanted to help Malek
. “I have experienced the
awful and cruel effects
cancer has on a family (as)
Mum passed away from cancer
when I was 17,” Mrs
Mohammed said.
“Malek stopped coming to
school half way through the
year and it broke my heart
to see him and his family
going through something no
family should have to
experience.”
Mrs Mohammed said Malek was
a “class clown” and a
bookworm.
She said donations for the
Year 2 student poured in
from donation tins, school
parents, a sausage sizzle
and other fundraisers
undertaken by ICB.
Adopt-A-Cop for both
colleges Sergeant Jim Bellos
said the effort by the
community was overwhelming.
“Kids didn’t want to just
bring a gold coin and
parents rang up and said
they wanted to donate a lot
more and in turn both
schools raised $7000,”
he said.
Malek’s father Jawad
Aljohani said his family was
also overwhelmed.
To donate to Malek and his
family contact AIIC on 3372
1400.
Ali Ghafoor (event
organizer) An opportunity
for the Queensland Muslim
Community to officially
endorse the White Ribbon
Campaign and continue to
build bridges with
mainstream services and aim
to stop violence against
women.
Date: Thursday, 17
December 2015 Time: 6:30pm (for
7:00pm start) Venue: Islamic
College of Brisbane, 45
Acacia Road Karawatha (main
hall) RSVP: 15 December
2015 ( Ph: 0410 083 975 or
Email:
alimghafoor@gmail.com )
Galila Abdelsalam and Gail Kerr
(ACCES Services' CEO) in London
Galila Abdelsalam, Director
of the Islamic Women’s
Association of Queensland
Inc (IWAQ) has recently been
appointed as a member of the
Regional Community Advisory
Council (RCAC) of Brisbane
South Primary Health Care
Network.
The RCAC is an independent
non-representational forum
which aims to:
• review and discuss
regional population
health needs;
• build the capacity of
high need and at risk
populations to determine
their own health outcome
solutions;
• establish priorities
for service development;
• establish, measure and
monitor outcomes; and
• evaluate service
delivery.
Galila will bring to this
role her expertise as an
aged care provider, as well
as her knowledge and
understanding of the health
needs and interests of the
CALD and Muslim community to
ensure the responsiveness of
health services in the
region.
As part of expanding her
organisation’s focus on
outcomes measurement, Galila
recently attended the ‘High
Impact’ Conference in London
which examined the upcoming
trends and developments in
impact and outcomes
measurement. The conference
includes a practical
masterclass on benchmarking
organisational performance
against peers.
While in the U.K Galila also
took the opportunity to
undertake a study tour of a
number of not-for-profit
organisations including:
• Housing for women – a
housing organisation
that supports homeless
women especially those
with a disability
• Working chance – An
organisation that helps
women offenders to join
or re-join the workforce
• East London Mosque –
provides religious
services, Education and
training for young
people and a hub for
people seeking advice
and guidance.
The study tour has
highlighted to Galila that
the work being undertaken by
the Islamic Women’s
Association of Queensland is
amongst the forefront of
leading service delivery at
an international level.
As you may be aware,
recently the Premier
announced my new portfolio
as Minister for the
Prevention of Domestic and
Family Violence, and I will
no longer be responsible for
Multicultural Affairs.
I would like to take this
time to thank all of
Queensland’s multicultural
and multi-faith communities
who have made me feel so
warm and welcome this past
year. It has been an honour
to take part in so many
wonderful cultural events,
festivals and performances
that celebrate our
diversity.
I am also proud that this
year I introduced the
Multicultural Recognition
Bill 2015 into Parliament to
established a new
Multicultural Queensland
Advisory Council and
Queensland Multicultural
Charter.
I would like to particularly
thank members of the interim
Multicultural Reference
Group for all their valuable
input and advice on the
Bill.
I feel privileged to have
worked with so many
wonderful multicultural
groups and organisations,
and with Multicultural
Affairs Queensland. I know
the new Multicultural
Affairs Minister Grace Grace
will do an excellent job
continuing work to build
community cohesion and
promote inclusiveness and
harmony across our vibrant
multicultural state.
I wish all of you, your
families and loved ones all
the best for the holiday
season and New Year.
Warm regards,
Shannon Fentiman
Minister for Communities,
Women and Youth
Minister for Child Safety
Minister for the Prevention
of Domestic and Family
Violence
Islam has been under huge
scrutiny lately and is often
criticised for being an
aggressive religion... but what
about Christianity?
In this video a Bible is
disguised as a Quran and some of
it's most gruesome verses afe
read to people. This is what
they had to say.
On my way home last week, I
drove by a pretty bad car
accident. It got me thinking
about the things we fear in
life and the role fear
inevitably plays in our
lives. With the heart
wrenching events of last
Wednesday, fear of backlash
has begun to consume the
Muslim discourse. Many
sisters are nervous about
the hijab and some leaders
have called for laying low.
But in reflecting, I feel
there is something wrong
with our approach.
Statistically, the risk of
getting into a car accident
is far greater than the risk
of an Islamophobic attack.
But we don't stop driving.
We don't stop going where we
need to go. And most
certainly, we don't shift
all our conversations to the
dangers of getting behind
the wheel. In other words,
we don't feed into the
paralyzing fear of hyper
focus on a problem.
Yes we're aware of the risks
of getting behind the wheel.
So we take our precautions;
we buckle our seatbelt, say
our duaa, and put our trust
in God. And then we continue
to live our lives. We
continue to drive. We stay
awake--but not afraid. And
there's a difference. Fear
only takes over when we
allow a problem to consume
us. Focusing all our
reading, all our thoughts,
all our conversations on
something only makes it grow
disproportionately and
deceptively in our minds. If
all I talked about, read
about, thought about was car
accidents, I'd probably
become too terrified to
drive.
The question now is: what
are those precautions we
need to take for protection?
Well, I apologize in
advance, but I must stand up
and unequivocally say I do
*not* believe those
precautions are wearing
baseball hats and bandanas
to hide our hijab.
I feel it is irresponsible
for our leaders and public
figures to spread fear, when
what we really need is
empowerment. What we really
need is strength and hope
and trust. And faith. When
it gets dark, the believers
don't hide. They shine.
That's what light does.
Light doesn't hide from the
dark. It breaks through it.
Brothers and sisters, the
darker it gets, the more we
need the Light. The more the
world need the light. The
more we need to empower
oursleves to be sources of
that light. And the darker
it gets, the brighter that
light will shine.
You see every single moment
we make a choice. We choose
how we're going to live. We
can either live motivated by
fear--by what we hope
*won't* happen in life. Or,
we can live motivated by
hope. By faith. By what we
believe can and should
happen. And then work for
that. Remember, what you
focus on grows. You get back
what you put into the world.
Yes, there are horrible,
tragic things happening in
the world. Absolutely true.
But, dear God, there are
also beautiful, inspiring
things happening too. The
problem is, if you never
turn off the news, you'll
begin to believe the world
is only dark. You see, good
news doesn't sell. Only
blood and guns do. Only
'radical Muslim terrorist'
do. My dear brothers and
sisters, refuse to buy into
it. Refuse to allow the
darkness to hijack the
discussion.
Focus on what you can do to
grow the light.
And to all my fellow
sisters, who have to feel a
little more scared today to
put on their hijab, I say
this: Remember why you wore
it. And for who. Then ask
yourself: Do you think the
One for whom you wore it,
the One who also happens to
have sole ownership and
power over the heavens and
the earth and every
Islamaphobe on it, won't
take care of you?
But your baseball cap will?
My sisters, don't be afraid.
Buckle your seat belt, yes.
But keep driving. And keep
your eye on the road; not on
the belt. Keep looking up.
The seat belt won't save
you, and neither will your
cap.
But Allah will.
Tell the world you won't
hide, because your hijab
isn't just a cloth. It's a
symbol. It represents love.
The love of God. And the
love of God brings about
everything good.
Sisters, by God, you are
beacons of light walking
around.
Hold it strong.
All Black Muslim
convert, Sonny Bill
Williams, says
spending time at a
Syrian refugee camp
in Lebanon has made
him realise how
"ignorant" of the
refugee crisis he
was.
The sporting
superstar is
currently visiting a
temporary settlement
in Faida, Bekaa
Valley, working with
Unicef to bring
awareness to the
conditions Syrian
children and
families are living
in after escaping
their war-torn
country.
After spending the
first day of his
whirlwind visit to
the camp with
refugee children and
seeing the reality
of their lives, the
cross-code sportsman
spoke about the
life-changing
experience.
"I came here and
what I've heard,
what I've seen, I've
just been shocked
and it's just made
me realise how
ignorant I was," he
said.
"The thing that
really touched me
was, coming here, I
didn't really know
what a refugee was.
"I mean, I knew what
a refugee was but
did I really know?
No, not until I came
here.
"It kind of hit
home, how ignorant I
was."
Lebanon, which
shares a border with
Syria, has given
shelter to more than
1.2 million refugees
since the Syrian
conflict began five
years ago.
Williams met with
some of the children
affected by the
crisis who had been
forced to flee their
homes amid the
violence.
He spent the
majority of his day
with a 12-year-old
girl named Fatima,
learning about her
life at the camp and
visiting her school
at the settlement
which is a temporary
structure made from
tents.
This video is a response to
all those that have abused,
disgraced or debased the message
of Islam through their words and
actions, whether they be
deranged Muslims or Anti-Islam
haters.
Islamophobia Watch Australia
(IWA) is has announced the
launch of Australia’s first
ever Islamophobia Watch
Smartphone Application.
This app aims to give Muslim
Australians a tool to report
incidents of Islamophobia
easily and promptly. IWA
also provides legal and
counselling support networks
to victims who report and
choose to access these
services.
The aim of the smart phone
application is to reach as
many Muslim Australians as
possible and to provide them
with a tool that allows them
to easily report incidents
of Islamophobia as well as
tap in to a support network
of counselling and legal
services.
The reporting application is
available on both Android
and Iphone smartphones and
can be downloaded free of
charge.
Ahmed Abouzaid, president of
IWA stated:
“We have worked very
hard to bring this much
needed service to the
Muslim community and we
are pleased to finally
launch it. Reporting
incidents is important
to ensure that data is
available to identify
trends of Islamophobia
as they occur, but more
importantly to ensure
that vulnerable Muslim
Australians have access
to support networks and
to create a greater
awareness about the very
real effects on
Australian Muslims. IWA
is a service funded by
Muslims, run by Muslims
for Muslims and we seek
to act in the interests
of the Muslim community,
particularly those most
vulnerable.”
IWA also aims to function
within frameworks that
recognize systems and power
structures of racism and
Islamophobia. Future IWA
projects will aim to provide
nuance and analysis on these
topics to educate the Muslim
community and the wider
community.
Abouzaid said:
“IWA is grateful to
the Muslim Australian
community for their
support. The generosity
of the Muslim community
in their moral and
financial support, as
well as the tremendous
voluntary work effort of
passionate Muslims to
establish this project,
is inspiring. ”
Advertisement paid for by
the U.S. Coalition of Really
Relevant Muslim Groups
Inshallah (USCRRMGI)
Men and women are created
equal but we all know a
women’s voice is less equal
and only deserves to read
the Old English translation
of the Quran at the
community event — because we
all know that hearing a
woman recite the words of
God will stir up erotic
emotions within you.
*cuts to male at Muslim
fundraiser folding his
legs while listening to
female recitation*
Ever hear a woman sing or
recite Quran and think “oh
no, I’m going to hell”?
We’ve been there. If you are
a Muslim male and this
happens to you, then you
have real problems. But,
with the help of some allies
in the medical and
pharmaceutical field, the
folks at the U.S. Coalition
of Really Relevant Muslim
Groups Inshallah (USCRRMGI)
have created a solution!
Meet Piagra — the
first pill for men designed
to help you maintain your
piety. Simply take Piagra
before you go to a CAIR or
Islamic Relief fundraiser,
and you’re good to go! Piagra also helps
guard your uncontrollable
male urges if you shake a
woman’s hand or see a woman
without the headscarf, or
worse!, with a headscarf but
just not to your Islamic
standards. No more
embarrassing sexual
harassment lawsuits caused
by female carelessness. Piagra has got
you covered.
*shows group of Muslim
men at event
high-fiving, hugging,
doing traditional Arab
greeting kisses*
Piagra is also great
for maintaining piety with
your wife, female relatives,
your mother, and even the
girls we all know you meet
on Tinder. How so? It
creates a force field around
you so no female can shake
your hand or hug you — so
your wudu is safe! That way
you and only you are in
control of your wudu.
Piagra also helps get
your piety up when you get
home from the fundraising
event so you don’t forget to
pray Isha at night.
*guy asks, ‘and Witr?’*
And Witr. Do not take
Piagra while smoking
hookah, watching
pornography, or going to
mixed weddings. Side effects
include increased friendzone,
sudden urges to comment on a
women’s choice of clothing
on Internet forums, angry
activism for
Palestine/Syria, the need to
be contrarian all the time,
and increased basicness.
You can’t predict what a
woman will wear and what
hugs or lawsuits she will
throw at you. Your body is a
mystery: don’t take a chance
on your piety. Ask your
doctor about Piagra,
insha’Allah.
Piagra. Because God
knows you can’t control
yourself.
(if you don’t get that this
is meant to be
comedic/sarcastic by now, I
can’t help you)
The surface of flies is the
last place you would expect
to find antibiotics, yet
that is exactly where a team
of Australian researchers is
concentrating their efforts.
Working on the theory that
flies must have remarkable
antimicrobial defences to
survive rotting dung, meat
and fruit, the team at the
Department of Biological
Sciences, Macquarie
University, set out to
identify those antibacterial
properties manifesting at
different stages of a fly's
development.
"Our research is a small
part of a global research
effort for new antibiotics,
but we are looking where we
believe no-one has looked
before," said Ms Joanne
Clarke, who presented the
group's findings at the
Australian Society for
Microbiology Conference in
Melbourne this week. The
project is part of her PhD
thesis.
The scientists tested four
different species of fly: a
house fly, a sheep blowfly,
a vinegar fruit fly and the
control, a Queensland fruit
fly which lays its eggs in
fresh fruit. These larvae do
not need as much
antibacterial compound
because they do not come
into contact with as much
bacteria.
Flies go through the life
stages of larvae and pupae
before becoming adults. In
the pupae stage, the fly is
encased in a protective
casing and does not feed.
"We predicted they would not
produce many antibiotics,"
said Ms Clarke.
They did not. However the
larvae all showed
antibacterial properties
(except that of the
Queensland fruit fly
control).
As did all the adult fly
species, including the
Queensland fruit fly (which
at this point requires
antibacterial protection
because it has contact with
other flies and is mobile).
Such properties were present
on the fly surface in all
four species, although
antibacterial properties
occur in the gut as well.
"You find activity in both
places," said Ms Clarke.
"The reason we concentrated
on the surface is because it
is a simpler extraction."
The antibiotic material is
extracted by drowning the
flies in ethanol, then
running the mixture through
a filter to obtain the crude
extract.
When this was placed in a
solution with various
bacteria including E.coli,
Golden Staph, Candida (a
yeast) and a common hospital
pathogen, antibiotic action
was observed every time.
"We are now trying to
identify the specific
antibacterial compounds,"
said Ms Clarke. Ultimately
these will be chemically
synthesised.
Because the compounds are
not from bacteria, any genes
conferring resistance to
them may not be as easily
transferred into pathogens.
It is hoped this new form of
antibiotics will have a
longer effective therapeutic
life.
“If a
fly falls in
the vessel
of any of
you, let him
dip all of
it (into the
vessel) and
then throw
it away, for
in one of
its wings
there is a
disease and
in the other
there is
healing
(antidote
for it)." (Sahih
Bukhari,
Volume 7,
Book 71,
Number 673)
Like mosques, headscarves
and face-veils, halal
certification is seen by
many as a sign that Muslims
are changing the Australian
way of life.
Lately it’s been the subject
of some debate, in the media
and in politics.
A Senate Inquiry into the
Third Party Certification of
Food is due to report next
week, and while it has also
examined kosher and organic
certification, there is
little doubt that much of
the focus will be on halal.
Why is halal such a hot
topic?
What is halal?
How does halal differ
from kosher?
Why do food laws carry a
special significance for
Muslims?
Why do manufacturers in
Australia have products
certified as halal?
How are halal products
certified in Australia?
Why is halal being
discussed more and more?
And why are some people
so angry about it?
Does halal certification
make the products I buy
more expensive?
Donald Trump wants Muslims
banned from entering the US –
but without them the country
would be a much poorer place
Donald Trump with legendary
boxer and Muslim, Muhammad Ali.
What have Muslims ever done
for America? If your sole
source of information were
Donald Trump, you’d think
that the answer was not much
– apart from murdering its
citizens and trying to
destroy its values. The
Republican presidential
hopeful has called for a
halt to Muslims entering the
US until American
authorities “can figure out”
Muslim attitudes to the US
in the wake of last week’s
killings in San Bernardino.
If only, you might well
think, Scotland had had the
same thought about Trump
before he was allowed in to
blight Aberdeenshire with
another of his golf resorts.
What Trump doesn’t seem to
grasp is his own country’s
history, and how many
American achievements worth
celebrating are the work of
the kind of people – Muslims
– he wants to keep out.
Here, then, is a guide to
some of the things Muslims
have done for the US. It’s
not an exhaustive list – but
it’s still more impressive
than what Trump has done for
his homeland.
Creating America
Muslims were part of the US
from its very beginnings.
Among those who served under
the command of chief of the
continental army, General
George Washington, in the
war against British
colonialism were Bampett
Muhammad, who fought for the
Virginia Line between the
years 1775 and 1783, and
Yusuf Ben Ali, who was a
North African Arab.
Some have claimed that Peter
Buckminster, who fired the
gun that killed British
Major General John Pitcairn
at the battle of Bunker
Hill, and later went on to
serve in the Battle of
Saratoga and the battle of
Stony Point, was a Muslim
American. This may be so,
but the chief ground for the
claim is that Buckminster
later changed his surname to
Salem or Salaam, the Arabic
word for peace. But clearly,
Washington, later America’s
first president, didn’t have
a problem with Muslims
serving in his army.
By giving these Muslims the
honour of serving America,
Washington made it clear
that a person did not have
to be of a certain religion
or have a particular ethnic
background to be an American
patriot. Trump seems to want
to overturn that venerable
American principle.
The largely Muslim kingdom
of Morocco, incidentally,
was the first country to
recognise the US. In 1786,
the two countries signed a
treaty of peace and
friendship that is still in
effect today, the longest
unbroken treaty of its kind
in US history.
The Amanah
Institute at Kuraby Mosque
is on the look out for a
bright, dynamic, organised
and professional part time
permanent office
Administration officer to
join its team.
Universities
Across Western
Australia Are
Being Targeted
by Islamophobic
Attacks And Hate
Groups
A few days ago,
just before the
ten-year
anniversary of
the Cronulla
riots, a severed
pig’s head was
found in the
bathroom of the
University of
Western
Australia’s
mosque. Since
its discovery by
Muslim PhD
student Majdi,
the incident has
made local and
international
news, including
mentions in
Russia and
France.
The student and
administrative
bodies of UWA
have been
forthright and
unanimous in
their
condemnation. In
a statement, the
Curtin Student
Guild said it
“is committed to
ensuring that
our campus is a
safe and
inclusive
environment,”
and it does “not
believe that
[the UPF’s]
idiotic message
resonates with
any students”.
UWA’s Vice
Chancellor,
meanwhile, said
the “deplorable
act … does not
represent the
values of racial
harmony and
cultural
diversity” that
the university
strives for.
But this wasn’t
the first
incident of
Islamophobia in
a WA university
that week —
rather, one of a
string. In a
disturbing video
filmed at
Murdoch
University two
days prior,
United Patriots
Front member
Dennis Huts can
be seen walking
into the campus’
Multifaith
Prayer Centre
with an
unidentified
white woman.
They both stroll
straight into
the designated
Muslim prayer
room in a
clearly planned
provocation.
Junkee
The Muslim Drill
By WAJAHAT ALI
AFTER the
terrorist
attacks in Paris
last month, a
real estate
mogul and
television host
with
nature-defying
hair used the
moment to
publicly muse
about
registration
databases and
even special
identification
cards for
American
Muslims. For the
sake of
efficiency, I
created a card
myself, listing
my skin tone as
“Caramel Mocha,”
my ethnicity as
“Bollywood” and
my religion as
“Sunny-Side
Sunni.”
On Monday
afternoon,
Donald J. Trump,
that mogul
turned leading
Republican
presidential
candidate, said
that this
country should
bar all Muslims
from entry until
we can
“understand this
problem and the
dangerous threat
it poses.” He
used the
horrific attack
in San
Bernardino,
Calif., which
claimed the
lives of 14 and
wounded 21, to
cast suspicion
on roughly 1.6
billion people
worldwide.
The proposal was
so outlandish
that at first I
tweeted to ask
if he actually
said bar Muslims
or muslin? As an
American Muslim,
I don’t support
either idea, but
I can live
without the
latter.
(Although I
would miss the
softness.)
The New York
Times (The
Opinion Pages)
Sharia law
supporters are
the problem
Independent
Tasmanian
Senator Jacqui
Lambie, in
response to
media questions
regarding Donald
Trump’s latest
statement on
Muslims, has
again restated
her political
Network’s policy
on the threat of
terrorism,
Islam, and
Sharia Law.
“Unlike other
emerging and
smaller
political
movements in
Australia, the
JLN doesn’t
discriminate on
the basis of
race, sexuality,
religion or
ethnicity. We do
however
discriminate on
your love of
democracy, civil
freedoms and
allegiance to
the Australian
people. As I
told the
reporter working
for Mr Murdoch –
with regard to
my network’s
policies on
Islam and the
threat of
terrorism to
Australia:
Sharia Law is
the law our
enemy wants to
impose on the
world – and is
the law the
Islamic
terrorists want
to impose on us.
Support for
Sharia Law is a
clear sign of
Islamic
radicalisation.
We should ban
those who
support the
terrorists’ law
from coming to
Australia.
And we should
charge those
Australians who
support Sharia
law with
sedition or
treason, because
they are clearly
assisting our
enemy. Everyone
who intends on
visiting or
living in
Australia should
be screened for
support of
Sharia or the
terrorists’ law,
including the
12,000 Syrians,”
Senator Lambie
said.
Senator Lambie
Ten years
after Cronulla
riots, why is
our government
silent on
anti-Muslim
prejudice?
Ten years ago
the Cronulla
riots shocked
the nation. As
someone who
converted to
Islam after
marrying into a
Muslim family
and has children
growing up
Muslim in
Australia, I'm
more aware of
this impending
anniversary than
most.
Watching news
footage of the
riots at the
time, which
included people
being seriously
assaulted by a
drunken
flag-waving
crowd because
they were of
Arab or Muslim
appearance,
prompted my
husband and I to
seriously
consider
changing our
oldest son's
proudly chosen
Arab Muslim
name. We
eventually
decided against
it, reasoning
that we
shouldn't
capitulate to
racism, the
event was a
one-off, and
that by the time
he grew up,
Islamophobia
would have
receded.
Ten years on,
and anti-Muslim
hate seems to
have reached an
all-time high; I
think twice
before saying my
son's name out
loud in a public
place. Tens of
thousands of
people have
liked
anti-Muslim
social media
pages,
anti-Muslim
rallies are held
regularly across
the country, and
several
anti-Muslim
political
parties plan to
contest the next
election.
The Age
Muslims
Paying
Australian
Aborigines to
Convert to Islam
The right wing
Rise Up
Australia
candidate Pam
Hecht (pictured)
says Muslims are
paying
Aborigines to
convert to
Islam.
A federal
election
candidate in
western
Queensland has
accused Muslims
of paying
Aborigines to
convert to
Islam.
Speaking to ABC
Western
Queensland, Rise
Up Australia
candidate Pam
Hecht said the
biggest issue
facing people in
the electorate
of Kennedy,
which Bob Katter
holds by 18.3
per cent, was
the conversion
of Indigenous
people to Islam.
”I don’t know
whether people
are aware, but
many of the
Aboriginal
people in
northern
Australia are
being targeted
by Muslims and
in some cases
are being paid
to convert to
Islam,” she
said, describing
herself and the
electorate as
”farmers . . .
just ordinary
everyday
people”, who
”want to be free
to go about our
business”.
”Our concern
with that is,
the Muslim
belief, that
converting the
first peoples of
the land to
Islam means that
the land belongs
to Allah, and
Islam should be
the only
religion.
”There is an
Aboriginal lady
who works with
the people up in
northern
Australia and
she has spoken
directly with
the leader of
our party,
Daniel Nalliah
[and told him
about the
practice].”
Of the 340,393
Australians who
identified as
Muslims in the
2006 Census,
just 1011 were
Indigenous.
Community
psychologist and
former
University of
Western Sydney
lecturer Hanan
Dover addressing
the Australasian
Conference on
Islam and
Radicalisation
in Parramatta.
Australasian
Conference on
Islam
Radicalisation
and Islamophobia
long on blame,
short on
solutions
NOBODY dared
interrupt her,
or take the
microphone away,
despite the fury
and frustration
she was
unleashing.
She was only
meant to ask a
quick question
from the floor
to the cavalcade
of experts on
stage, not make
an impassioned
speech.
No, the elephant
in the room
would be
addressed. Right
now.
No more
pussy-footing
around the real
story, no more
quoting of
statistics to
back their case,
and certainly no
more motivation
speeches on how
to be a good
Muslim.
“There is not
enough anger
here,’’ the
woman told the
Islam conference
in Western
Sydney, a
statement geared
not only towards
the panel of
experts but
those attendees
like her,
ordinary folk
who gave up two
weekdays and
some good coin
to be here.
The Daily
Telegraph
One
Dimensional
Muslims: Why
Irresponsible
Reporting is
Making a Bad
Situation Worse
(a response
to the above
article)
It should go
without saying
that Muslim
Australians seek
to live in
safety and
security. But
more often than
not, it is
incumbent on us
to first state
the obvious: we
oppose
terrorism.
I have found
that, when
speaking in my
capacity as a
clinical and
forensic
psychologist in
public debates
on
radicalisation,
I must negotiate
the assumption
of my "Islamic
bias" -
especially
because I wear
the hijab.
I have found
that, as a
Muslim, any
departure from
the pre-existing
script - in
which I am
expected to
"condemn ISIS"
and nothing else
- becomes proof
of some sort of
complacency,
proof that
Muslim elders
are not "doing
enough" to
challenge
radicalisation.
Muslim Americans Raise
Almost $100K For Victims Of San Bernardino
Shooting
US: Muslim
groups from across the
nation gave money and
support.
Six days have
passed since 14 people were
killed and 17 injured at a
social services center in
San Bernardino, California.
And five days have passed
since Muslim groups and
leaders from across the
nation united to help raise
nearly $100,000 for the
victims' families.
Faisal Qazi, a neurologist
and the co-founder of the
family centered development
organization MiNDS, and
Tarek El-Messidi, co-founder
of the Islamic nonprofit
CelebrateMercy, joined
forces to start the donation
fund on LaunchGood Thursday,
with a goal of combating
hate with love. Their
mission: to raise money for
the families of the 14
victims killed during a
shooting at the Inland
Regional Center by Syed
Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen
Malik.
US: Donald
Trump sparked a firestorm of
criticism from liberals,
conservatives and those in
between when he called for a
ban on Muslims entering the
United States.
But while such a ban is
unlikely to be implemented
in a country with freedom of
religion, the cheers that
followed his announcement at
a South Carolina rally are
telling.
"I think that we should
definitely disallow any
Muslims from coming in. Any
of them," supporter Charlie
Marzka, 75, told CNN. "The
reason is simple: We can't
identify what their attitude
is."
Indeed, the truth about
Muslims in America is
perhaps surprising -- but
not in the way Trump and his
supporters might think.
A look at polls and studies
conducted in the last few
years shows that Muslims
have been crucial in helping
law enforcement find terror
suspects in the United
States. Many have served in
the military protecting the
country against terrorists.
And in many ways, they're a
lot like other everyday
Americans.
Here's the reality of
Muslims in America -- and
how it smashes stereotypes:
They are a minuscule portion
of the U.S. population
It's difficult to come by
hard numbers because the
U.S. Census doesn't collect
religious data. But the fear
of Muslims taking over and
imposing Sharia law is
unfounded. By some
estimates, Muslims make up
less than 1% of the U.S.
adult population. By 2050,
their numbers will grow --
to 2.1%. Of all the Muslims
in America, 63% are exactly
the kind Trump wants banned
-- immigrants.
They're better educated than
most Americans
U.S. Muslims have the
second-highest level of
education among major
religious groups in the
country; Jews have the
highest. And a greater
proportion of them have
college degrees than the
general U.S. population.
They have more gender
equality
While in many parts of the
Muslim world, women are
confined to second-class
status, that's not the case
among American Muslims.
Virtually all of them, 90%,
agree that women should be
able to work outside the
home. American Muslim women
hold more college or
postgraduate degrees than
Muslim men. And they are
more likely to work in
professional fields than
women from most other U.S.
religious groups.
They've been here since the
birth of the nation ...
Scholars estimate about a
quarter to a third of the
Africans brought to the
United States as slaves were
Muslims. Most were then
forced to convert to
Christianity.
... and they're not just
clustered in big cities
American Muslims live in
cities big and small all
across the United States.
The first mosque built in
America was in, of all
places, Ross, North Dakota,
back in 1929.
They're as religious as
Christians ...
The general perception of
Muslims has one thing right:
Most Muslims are very
religious. About half say
they attend the weekly
Friday prayers. But that
makes them similar to
Christians: About 70% of
Christians say religion is
important in their lives,
and about 45% go to a weekly
service.
... but they're not as
dogmatic as they are
portrayed
Much has been made about
fundamentalist Muslims and
their strict interpretation
of the Quran. But most
American Muslims are
different. A Pew religious
landscape survey found that
57% of American Muslims say
there is more than one way
to interpret Islam's
teachings. A similar number
say many different religions
can lead to eternal life.
There have been Muslims
involved in terrorism
...
From September 11, 2001,
until the end of 2014, 109
Muslim-Americans plotted
against targets in the
United States. And terrorism
by Muslim-Americans killed
50 in the same time period.
Contrast that with the
deaths from other mass
shootings just last year:
136 -- more than twice as
many as all the deaths from
13 years of Muslim-American
terrorism.
... but they've also spoken
out against it
After every terrorist attack
at home and abroad, the
refrain rises, "Where is the
Muslim condemnation?"
American Muslims have spoken
out -- and done much more. A
Duke University study found
more terrorism suspects and
perpetrators were brought to
the attention of law
enforcement by members of
the Muslim-American
community than were
discovered through U.S.
government investigations.
And a Pew survey found that
roughly half of U.S. Muslims
say their religious leaders
aren't speaking out enough
against Islamic extremism.
Department of Justice Will
Go After Anti-Muslim Hate Speech
Attorney
General Loretta Lynch attends a
packed news conference at the
U.S. Attorneys Office of the
Eastern District of New York on
May 27, 2015 in New York
U.S. Attorney General
Loretta Lynch pledged that
the Department of Justice
will go after hate speech
that might incite violence
against the Muslim
community, she told a crowd
of Muslim-Americans and
supporters Thursday night.
“Obviously this is a country
that is based on free
speech,” Lynch told the
audience at the Muslim
Advocates dinner in
Arlington, VA. “But when
that edges towards
violence…we will take
action.”
Muslim Advocates, a legal
advocacy group, asked Lynch
to address concerns about an
uptick in anti-Muslim
rhetoric and hate crimes.
Since 9/11, Lynch says that
the Department of Justice
has investigated more than
11,000 acts of anti-Muslim
rhetoric, which have led to
45 prosecutions. “I think
sadly, that number is going
to rise,” said Lynch.
Farhana Khera, Director of
Muslim Advocates, told ABC
News that the organization
and 46 others, including the
Presbyterian and American
Baptist churches, sent a
letter in late September to
the RNC and DNC expressing
concern over “divisive
rhetoric being used by some
presidential candidates.”
Khera said the inflammatory
language towards Muslims on
the campaign trail has
persisted. Only the DNC
responded to the letter.
Conservative Muslims Must
Stop Backing Preachers Of Hate
CANADA:
According to one of the
chief Imams in France,
Hassan el-Alaoui, "between
100 and 160 mosques will be
closed because ... they
preach hatred, or use
takfiri (excommunication)
speech." He clearly
mentioned that, "this kind
of speech shouldn't even be
allowed in Islamic
countries."
Often, under the guise of
freedom of religious
expression, celebrity Muslim
speakers uphold draconian
views on apostasy, blasphemy
and homosexuality. Such
indoctrination has
unfortunate consequences. In
the U.K., recently some
Muslim students disrupted
the talk of an ex-Muslim in
London and another ex-Muslim
was brutally attacked for
converting to Christianity
in Bradford.
In Canada, activists often
express concern when
celebrity Muslim speakers
including Abdullah Hakim
Quick, Bilal Philips, Abdur
Raheem Green, or Dawah Man
are invited to address
radicalization or faith
based issues. In Calgary,
such concerns have been
consistently raised through
2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
At times, when activists
raise concerns on the use of
public space, the hosts
simply change the venue to a
private location.
Given that conservative
Muslims are quite concerned
about anti-Muslim bigotry,
inviting such speakers does
not necessarily endear them
to Canadians. Moreover, if
it is not right to host
Islamophobic or white
supremacist speakers, then
it is not right to host
Muslim supremacist,
homophobic and transphobic
speakers. Indeed, all zulm
(oppression) is connected.
Muslims overwhelmingly
condemn ISIS. However,
according to Muslim human
rights activist, Shafiqah
Othman Hamza, it is not
enough to quote Qur'anic
verses on peace while
ignoring the systemic
persecution and
discrimination of
minorities. Indeed, how
different are "celebrity
Muslim preachers" from ISIS,
when in theory they uphold
the same draconian
punishments as ISIS? As
such, the Director of
Muslims for Progressive
Values in Columbus, Ohio,
Frank Parmir, has
effectively asserted:
Britain is no longer a
Christian country and should stop acting as
if it is, says judge
UK: A major
inquiry into the place of
religion in modern society
has provoked a furious
backlash from ministers and
the Church of England
Britain is no longer a
Christian country and should
stop acting as if it is, a
major inquiry into the place
of religion in modern
society has concluded,
provoking a furious backlash
from ministers and the
Church of England.
A two-year commission,
chaired by the former senior
judge Baroness Butler-Sloss
and involving leading
religious leaders from all
faiths, calls for public
life in Britain to be
systematically
de-Christianised.
It says that the decline of
churchgoing and the rise of
Islam and other faiths mean
a "new settlement" is needed
for religion in the UK,
giving more official
influence to non-religious
voices and those of
non-Christian faiths.
It also accuses those who
devise some RE syllabuses of
"sanitising" negative
aspects of religion in
lessons and suggests that
the compulsory daily act of
worship in school assemblies
should be abolished and
replaced with a "time for
reflection".
The report backs moves cut
the number of Church of
England bishops in the Lords
and give places to imams,
rabbis and other non-other
non-Christian clerics as
well as evangelical pastors.
Meanwhile the coronation
service for the next monarch
should be overhauled to
include other faiths, the
report adds.
Controversially, it also
calls for a rethink of
anti-terror policy,
including ensuring students
can voice radical views on
campus without fear of being
reported to the security
services.
And it also recommends new
protections for women in
Sharia courts and other
religious tribunals –
including a call for the
Government to consider
requiring couples who have a
non-legally binding
religious marriage also to
have a civil registration.
The Commission on Religion
and Belief in Public Life
has attracted particular
controversy because of the
seniority of those behind
it.
Its patrons include Rowan
Williams, the former
Archbishop of Canterbury,
Lord Woolf, the former chief
justice, and Sir Iqbal
Sacranie, the former general
secretary of the Muslim
Council of Britain.
To book appointments -
Ph: 3341 2333 (Underwood)
Ph: 3299 5596 (Springwood)
M: 0406 279 591
Website:
www.diversenutrition.com.au
Holiday Season Do’s and Don’ts
Tip #1
• Do have nutritional snacks such as fruits,
vegetable sticks, yoghurt, fresh dips, nuts,
wholegrain crackers and cheese (but don’t overdo
on the cheese).
• Don’t snack on non-nutritious nibbles... You
know what ones I’m talking about. Those snacks
that don’t contain much nutritional value and
don’t fill you up either. These include lollies,
chocolates, cookies, biscuits, cake and chips.
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.
Those who devour usury will
not stand except as stands
one whom the Evil One by his
touch has driven to madness.
That is because they say:
"Trade is like usury," but
Allah has permitted trade
and forbidden usury...
You have no idea how
hard I've looked
for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.
What's the point of
bringing gold to
the gold mine, or water
to the ocean.
Everything I came up
with was like
taking spices to the
Orient.
It's no good giving my
heart and my
soul because you already
have these.
So I've brought you a
mirror.
Look at yourself and
remember me.
Laylat al-Qadr
- Night of Power 1436 (27th Ramadan 1437)
6
July
Wednesday
Eid al-Fitr
1437 (1st Shawwal 1437)
20
& 21 August
Sat & Sun
The Divine Light
Sh Wasim Kempson
Al Kauthar Brisbane
Griffith University NATHAN
0438 698 328
All day
12
September
Monday
Eid al-Adha
1437 (10th Zilhijja 1437)
3 October
Monday
Muharram 1438
– Islamic New Year 1438
(1st Muharram
1438)
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.
Zikr
- every Thursday 7pm, families welcome Hifz& Quran Reading Classes (for brothers and sisters) -
Tuesday 5:00 - 7:00pm & Thursday 5:30 - 7:00pm Madressa
(for children) - Wednesday & Friday 4:30 - 6:30pm Salawat
Majlis - first Saturday of every month. Starting
at Mughrib, families welcome Islamic
Studies (for sisters) - one year course. Saturday
10:30 - 2:30pm. Enrolments for 2016 now available Ilm-e-Deen
Degree Courses (for brothers) - Three full-time and
part-time nationally accredited courses. Enrolments
now available for 2016.
Quran Reading Class For Ladies (Beginners
or Advanced)
Every Saturday 2 - 4pm
Lady Teacher
Algester Mosque
Zikrullah program every Thursday night after
Esha
For more details, contact: Maulana Nawaaz:
0401576084
On Going Activities
1. Daily Hadeeth reading From Riyadusaliheen,
After Fajar and after esha .
2. After school Madrassah for children Mon-Thu 5pm to 7pm
3. Adult Quran classes (Males) Monday and
Tuesday after esha for an hour.
4. Community engagement program every second Saturday of the
Month, interstate and overseas speakers, starts after
margib, Dinner served after esha, First program begins on
the 15 August.
5. Monthly Qiyamulail program every 1st
Friday of the month starts after esha.
6. Fortnight Sunday Breakfast program. After Fajar, short
Tafseer followed by breakfast.
7. Weekly Tafseer by Imam Uzair after esha followed by
dinner. Starts from 26 August.
For all activities, besides Adult Quran,
classes sisters and children are welcome.
For further info call the Secretary on
0413669987
IPDC
Lutwyche Mosque
Weekly classes with Imam Yahya
Monday: Junior Class
Tuesday: Junior Arabic
Friday: Adult Quran Class
For more information call 0470 671 109
Holland Park Mosque
All programs are conducted by Imam
Uzair Akbar
DAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
PROGRAM
Tafseer Program
Basics of Islam
Tafseer Program
AUDIENCE
Men
Ladies
TIME
after Maghrib Salat
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
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.
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.
"It's
a sign of peace, but these
idiots have decided to make
their own translation of it
and engage in criminal
behaviour."
"Millions
of innocent civilians are
being butchered because of
irresponsible foreign
policy.
Cultures are not all equal. We should be ready
to proclaim the clear superiority of our culture
to one that justifies killing people in the name
of God.
Imran
Ali graduated with honours
on Monday 7th December from
the Queensland University of
Technology, after
successfully completing a
Bachelor of Design with
Honours (Architectural
Studies). Imran was a former
student at the Islamic
College of Brisbane.
What is halal?
They are a minuscule portion
of the U.S. population
Zikr
- every Thursday 7pm, families welcome
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011