Press release from Islamic College of
Brisbane Board Chair, Ismail Cajee and
Principal
As you are aware, Government
has sent notices to a number
of Islamic schools in
Australia, including Islamic
College of Brisbane (ICB),
requesting certain changes
to align schools to
Government requirements and
thereby secure future
funding.
Government’s recent decision
to cut funding to
non-compliant Islamic
schools followed by hyped
media reports has created
significant concern
regarding the welfare of
ICB.
In order for ICB to be
compliant, the school is
required to make changes to
the way it is governed and
managed. The Board has put
in place the necessary steps
it believes will address
matters raised and ensure
compliance. The Board has
also secured sufficient
funds to sustain operations
for the second quarter of
2016.
The Board is required to
notify The Department of
Education and Training (DET)
by 31 March 2016 regarding
the steps taken to ensure
compliance. Input into the
process is key to a
successful submission.
THE BOARD OF ICB HEREBY
INVITES PARENTS, COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND LEADERS TO
OBTAIN FEEDBACK FROM THE
BOARD AND PROVIDE INPUT TO
ICB’S RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT
AND CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE
SCHOOL
DATE: 21 March 2016 TIME: 7.00pm WHERE: ICB
Multi-Purpose Hall
For further information
please go to the Islamic
College of Brisbane website
www.icb.qld.edu.au and
refer to the DET-NSSAB
UPDATES section.
Issued by Prof Shahjahan Khan, Chair of
Interim Committee
As-salaam-wa-lai-kum
warahmatullah.
Brothers and Sisters,
As I advised in my statement
of 7 March 2016, a Special
Congress of AFIC was held
the previous day at which
the Interim Committee of
which I am Chairman was
established by the Congress
for a period of six months
until elections could be
held for a new Executive
Committee.
Br. Hafez Kassem has sought
to dispute the validity of
the Special Congress and the
Interim Committee by seeking
orders in the courts against
Muslims NSW as a convenor of
the meeting and personally
against the members of the
Interim Committee.
When I and my fellow
committee members stepped up
at the meeting and agreed to
join this Interim Committee,
we did so to end the cycle
of political infighting that
is destroying AFIC, and to
help the organisation to
move forward and put these
internal disputes behind it.
We did not come to the
meeting hoping to be part of
this Committee, but we did
step up when asked, as any
good Muslim would, to
resolve the deadlock within
AFIC.
It is the future of AFIC,
not the personal ambitions
of any person or faction
that is our greatest
concern. We have been
careful since being
appointed not to add any
more division or dispute. We
believe that what is best
for AFIC is for this dispute
to be heard in the Court and
for all of us to abide by
the verdict. If our
appointment as Interim
Committee is confirmed as
valid, as we expect it to
be, we will then work with
the old EXCO and the AFIC
administrative staff to
manage AFIC’s affairs and
work tirelessly with the
members of the community to
implement our mandate and
restore the reputation of
AFIC.
Muslims NSW are the ones
actively defending the Court
proceedings. We are not part
of that defence. We have
each lodged what is called a
“submitting appearance”
which means we will not
argue in the Court case and
agree to comply with the
decision of the Judge. As
the Interim Committee, we
believe this to be the
appropriate step. We are
independent of the
infighting that brought AFIC
to this point, and must
remain so correctly
reflecting the long waited
expectation of the Muslims
in Australia.
The legal case was back in
Court yesterday and a number
of orders were made by
consent. Essentially these
orders did two things.
1. The first is that
they confirmed and
formalised our position
that we would not
attempt to take control
of AFIC whilst the
matter is before the
Court.
2. The second is that
they allowed Br. Hafez
Kassem and AFIC to
continue in caretaker
mode until the court
delivers its verdict.
The rest of the old EXCO
are not mentioned in
these orders. We think
that AFIC operating in
caretaker mode allows
this dispute to be
resolved, in a civilised
way and preserve the
best interest of AFIC
and its schools. In the
meantime persons and
organisations dealing
with AFIC will have
certainty as to who they
are dealing with. AFIC
operating in caretaker
mode does not allow Br.
Hafez Kassem to take any
step or make any
decisions outside those
needed to keep AFIC
running. He cannot, for
instance, attempt to
sack any member of a
school board, admit or
remove societies or make
other decisions such as
binding AFIC to abnormal
financial arrangements.
This regime should allow
AFIC to function until the
current dispute is resolved
and we ask you, the
community to support it with
patience, and duwa. It is
not however any acceptance
by us or the court that the
old EXCO is still in place.
That question is still
before the Court. Please
rest assured that there will
be monitoring of the
activities of Br. Hafez
Kassem and all the other
members of the old EXCO to
ensure that AFIC will be
complying with the court
orders and action will be
taken where appropriate.
All of the elected members
of the Interim Committee
highly value your support
and remains fully committed
to reform AFIC through
working with the community,
if opportunity arises.
John Abbott at the final Mayoral
Community Debate of the Gold
Coast Council election at Nerang
Bicentenial Hall
GOLD Coast mayoral candidate
John Abbott had dropped an
election policy bombshell —
he doesn’t want Muslims
visiting the tourist strip.
A former leader of the men’s
rights group Blackshirts, Mr
Abbott caused gasps from the
audience when, during a
mayoral debate when he
announced that Muslims and
Christians could not mix on
the Gold Coast.
In a policy address to the
150-strong crowd at the
Nerang Bicentennial Centre
on Tuesday night, Mr Abbott
stunned rivals by turning
the local government debate
to religion.
He said he had received an
email from a Gold Coast
resident who had written
“Mr Tom Tate has suggested
that we make the Gold Coast
more Muslim-friendly with
prayer rooms in Surfers
Paradise”.
Cr Tate, during a trip to
the Middle East in October
2013, announced he wanted
more prayer rooms and halal
restaurants in Surfers
Paradise and Broadbeach to
cater for Muslim groups as
the tourists generated
spending of up to $75
million a year.
The announcement later
sparked a protest meeting of
more than 100 people at
Nerang who launched the
petition, No Concessions to
Islam on the Gold Coast.
Mr Abbott at Tuesday night’s
mayoral meeting organised by
the Nerang Community
Association told residents:
“I don’t agree. We are (sic)
Christian nation, and Islam
and Christianity do not mix.
We will never live in
harmony.
“It is time that our
politicians who are supposed
to be looking after our
interests woke up to this
fact and stopped worried
about being called racists.
“In that vein, I would say
to you — I would do
everything I can to make
sure there are no more
mosques on the Gold Coast.”
Mr Abbott received some
applause for no-mosque
policy but he faced an
immediate protest on
Twitter.
Helensvale-based city
councillor William
Owen-Jones who was watching
from one of the front seats
in the hall tweeted:
“Abbott — best placed for
sixth position on every
ballot. Dreadful.”
Cr Tate during a question
from the audience about the
City Plan later defended the
council and explained its
decision to oppose the
Currumbin mosque was based
on planning grounds.
City councillors in
September last year voted
9-6 on Tuesday to reject an
application from the
Salsabil Charity
Organisation for “material
change of use” which would
enable a warehouse in
Coghill and Villiers Drive
at Currumbin to be converted
into a ‘place of worship”.
The group later filed
documents with the Planning
and Environment Court in
Brisbane to overturn the
council’s rejection of the
development, which attracted
a record 5000 objections.
Council sources estimated
the appeal which is ongoing
might cost between $250,000
and $600,000.
“I take an example, as
far as the mosque is
concerned on planning issue
and community issue they
didn’t want the mosque
there. That’s why council
voted against it,” Cr
Tate told the meeting.
“Now, once that happened
it goes to court. And we
will fight it in court.
“So that’s an example of how
councillors and the whole
dialogue — we have to listen
to the community to get the
balance right.”
Australian Liberty Alliance
party director Debbie Robinson
(C) with candidates Bernard
Gaynor (L) and Kiralee Smith.
The head of a new
anti-Islamic Australian
political party says members
are vilified as bigots and
shut down in mainstream
channels if they speak out
against the religion.
The Australian Liberty
Alliance (ALA) had its WA
launch on Saturday night at
the Perth Convention Centre,
calling for an end to "Islamisation
of Australia" and guarantees
of free speech, finishing
one leg of what organisers
said was a national tour
leading up to the next
federal election.
Almost 200 hundred people
attended the event, which
had Senate candidates from
across the state address the
crowd on their policies and
values.
ALA director and WA Senate
candidate Debbie Robinson
said members were all
passionate about their
beliefs and deserved the
right to express them.
"If this is not allowed to
progress through the normal
democratic, political
channels, and people are
constantly told that they're
not understanding Islam, you
don't know what you're
talking about, one day there
will be anarchy," she said.
"I'm not saying anyone here
would do that."
She said it had been
difficult to secure
advertising and coverage in
the mainstream media was
often "biased".
"If you do say something
that no one agrees with
you're labelled a bigot or
called a name, and you're
shot down in flames," she
said.
"These people here ...
they're not a bunch of
redneck racist bogans,
they're very informed
intelligent people, they
understand completely what
Islam is about, and we're
being talked to like fools."
In her speech Mrs Robinson
said while the party had
more than one policy, Islam
was the greatest threat
facing the world at the
moment.
"We have so much to be
thankful for here in
Australia," she told the
crowd.
"But we must never take our
liberty for granted. Make no
mistake - Islam is at war
with us."
The party has pledged to
"stop the Islamisation of
Australia", ban full-face
coverings in public spaces
and introduce a ten-year
moratorium on immigration
from Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation countries.
'Political correctness,
manners' among party
concerns
Senate candidate for NSW
Kirralie Smith said
political correctness was
the greatest enemy that
everyday Australians were
facing.
She said while the party
supported a multi-ethnic
society it was
multiculturalism that was
the problem.
"It is divisive and it's
censored," she said.
"Australia has a good
history of debating all the
'isms', of taking part in
debate. But now we're facing
this problem where we're not
allowed to talk about them."
She finished that particular
part of her address with the
words, 'I am going to
criticise Islam', to a round
of raucous applause from the
audience.
Along with raising concerns
over Islam and more
specifically the Koran and
sharia law, candidates
voiced their frustration
over the current government,
the education system, the
media, the Defence Force and
made calls to "bring back
manners".
The ALA was founded in
October 2015 with
controversial Dutch
politician Geert Wilders
flown over for the official
launch, which also attracted
protests.
The address for Saturday
night's campaign launch was
kept secret, with members
and supporters told of the
location only a day before.
Mrs Robinson said the party
was working on fielding two
Senate candidates for each
state.
"We've got a long-term
strategy," she said. "We've
got to build slowly, part of
our strength is to take our
time and grow gradually.
"I think it's really
important that we have a
party like this to provide
an alternative and swing
politics back to where it
needs to be."
Oliver Bridgeman is a young
lad from Toowoomba who went
to Syria for Humanitarian
work 11 months ago. He was
labelled a terrorist with no
apparent evidence by some
news papers. In numerous
interviews and through his
Facebook posts he has
maintained that he has never
picked up a gun or taken
part in hostilities. His
humanitarian work is out
there on social media and
mainstream media for
everyone to see. He wants to
come back to Australia to
his loving parents, siblings
and friends.
Australian Government has
not only cancelled his
passport but served his
family with an arrest
warrant for Oli. The letter
received by the family with
the assessment cancelling
his passport cites sources
like social media posts,
news paper articles and an
"assessment" from Queensland
police.
This is not about an
individual because people
like Ashley Dyball, Jamie
Reece Williams and Matthew
Gardner were not only
allowed back in but had
charges dropped against
them. Despite the fact that
these individuals joined
banned Kurdish militia and
got involved in hostilities
and quite possibly killed
people arbitrarily. This is
a case of miscarriage of
justice and unequal
application of law.
Our justice system is blind
to peoples religion,
ethnicity, gender, political
views or race. People who
have clearly broken the law
were allowed to come back
while someone who has not
broken any law and is not
involved in any illegal
activity is barred from
entering his own country.
Such injustice has an effect
on all of us.
Martin Luther King Jr's
words on this topic are a
warning to us all to wake up
to the injustice done to any
human being.
"Injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice
everywhere"
Where should women offer
prayer within a mosque? And
where did they pray during
the lifetime of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon
him)?
In Muslim countries, mosques
that designate areas for
women’s prayer rarely allow
women to line up directly
behind men in the same hall
as was the practice in the
Prophet’s Mosque during his
lifetime.
In many Arab countries, it
is common to separate men’s
prayer place from women’s,
especially in small mosques.
The distance between the two
prayer areas varies from one
mosque to another.
The majority of mosques in
Muslim countries contain
special halls or small rooms
for women in the basement,
in the ground floor, in a
closed balcony, or in a
small building attached to
the mosque. Speakers are
used to communicate the
Imam’s voice in prayer.
Five disadvantages of
separate women areas:
The problem in confining
women to such halls is
manifold:
First, these halls
are much smaller than the
main prayer hall, and are
usually overcrowded
especially during the Friday
Prayer and other occasions
while men’s prayer areas and
mosque halls are far from
full. Sometimes women
outnumber men in public
occasions, especially in
countries with Muslim
minorities.
Second, these halls
are not as properly equipped
and furnished as men’s halls
are, in terms of carpets,
lights and sound devices.
Hence, women feel less
welcomed and less privileged
than men in mosques.
Third, the places
assigned for children in
these mosques are attached
only to women halls, which
causes much distraction for
them.
Fourth, women are not
allowed to enter mosques
through their main gates;
rather, they have to use
narrow side entrances or
backdoors.
Lastbut not least,
this common design of
mosques gives a manifest
impression to non-Muslim
visitors and also to new
youth generations, males and
females alike, that Islam
marginalizes or isolates
women, especially when they
notice the incommodious,
poorly furnished and noisy
prayer halls of women.
They will have the
impression that Islam does
not approve of women’s
presence in prayer places or
that men in Islam do not
share the burden of caring
for children, or even that
Islam is a religion for
males only, as is claimed by
some non-Muslims.
These are only examples for
the negative messages
delivered to Muslims and
non-Muslims through the
inconvenient design of women
prayer halls within mosques
Designing mosques the
Prophet’s way
The design of the Prophet’s
Mosque during his lifetime
was like the drawing below.
About Islam
NEXT WEEK:
PART 2
About Dr. Jasser Auda Jasser
Auda is a Professor and Al-Shatibi
Chair of Maqasid Studies at
the International Peace
College South Africa, the
Executive Director of the
Maqasid Institute, a global
think tank based in London,
and a Visiting Professor of
Islamic Law at Carleton
University in Canada. He is
a Founding and Board Member
of the International Union
of Muslim Scholars, Member
of the European Council for
Fatwa and Research, Fellow
of the Islamic Fiqh Academy
of India, and General
Secretary of Yaqazat Feker,
a popular youth organization
in Egypt. He has a PhD in
the philosophy of Islamic
law from University of Wales
in the UK, and a PhD in
systems analysis from
University of Waterloo in
Canada. Early in his life,
he memorized the Quran and
studied Fiqh, Usul and
Hadith in the halaqas of Al-Azhar
Mosque in Cairo. He
previously worked as:
Founding Director of the
Maqasid Center in the
Philosophy of Islamic Law in
London; Founding Deputy
Director of the Center for
Islamic Ethics in Doha;
professor at the University
of Waterloo in Canada,
Alexandria University in
Egypt, Islamic University of
Novi Pazar in Sanjaq, Qatar
Faculty of Islamic Studies,
and the American University
of Sharjah. He lectured and
trained on Islam, its law,
spirituality and ethics in
dozens of other universities
and organizations around the
world. He wrote 25 books in
Arabic and English, some of
which were translated to 25
languages.
(L to R) Prof Ken Udas, Venerable Wu
Ping, Prof Tracey Bunda, Prof
Jan Thomas, Venerable Master
Chin Kung, Prof Shahjahan Khan,
Dr Mike Malouf, and Dr Krzysztof
Batorowicz
The University of Southern
Queensland, Toowoomba hosted
a panel presentation and
discussion on `Perspectives
on higher education and
social harmony in the
community’ on 15 March 2016.
The event was sponsored by
the Pure Land Learning
College (PLLC), Toowoomba.
The global head of PLLC and
a strong advocate of making
Toowoomba a Model City of
Peace and Harmony by UNESCO,
Venerable Master Chin Kung
initiated the program with
his USQ Salon on `the role
of education in global peace
and harmony’. His lecture
was in Chinese but it was
simultaneously translated in
English.
The panel session was
facilitated by the Deputy
Vice Chancellor (Academic
Services) of USQ, Prof Ken
Udas, and moderated by Dr
Krzysztof Batorowicz, former
Director of USQ
Multicultural Centre. The
panel consisted of Venerable
Wu Ping of PLLC; Prof Jan
Thomas, USQ Vice Chancellor;
Prof Tracey Bunda, Head of
College for Australian
Indigenous Studies at USQ;
Prof Shahjahan Khan, USQ and
Founding President of
Islamic Society of
Toowoomba; and Dr Mike
Malouf from Church of Jesus
Christ.
Prof Shahjahan Khan made a
Power Point presentation on
`Islamic perspectives on
higher education –
revisiting scripture and
historical facts’. The first
part of his presentation
covered some key
words/verses of the Qur’an
that emphasise on education
and human status, eg Iqra –
read, the first world
revealed to Muhammad (pbuh),
khalifa – representative,
every human being, karramna
– honoured, every child of
Adam. Al-Qur’an says, `Are
those don’t know equal to
those who know?’
Hijarbie: And with
Mattel giving the iconic
Barbie doll a
transformation by making
it in different skin
tones and body types,
Haneefa Adam, 24, a
medical science student
from Nigeria, created
Hijarbie, a Barbie
wearing a hijab.
The doll
has its own Instagram
account, sharing with
more than 55,000
followers pictures in
full-length dresses,
veils and flowing abayas.
Hijabs are slowly being
introduced in the fashion
scene - with bloggers,
Barbies and brands joining
the push for increased
diversity.
Amid a continued growth in
retail across much the Arab
world, Uniqlo is the latest
to launch a hijab line.
The Japanese clothing giant
was due to land stores with
its second range of head
scarves and tunics from
March 18, although it is the
first time company will
offer them for sale in the
UK.
Last year it launched its
first line in Asia, seen as
one of the first times a
major high street store has
targeted the Muslim market.
Both collections are
designed by British creative
and blogger Hana Tajima, who
converted to Islam at 17 and
launched her own clothing
line of stylish Muslim wear.
“We wanted to create a
collection for women who
appreciate modesty as a
lifestyle, as well as a
broader international
audience. It is relaxed, and
can be mixed and matched to
enhance style,” she said.
Taku Morikawa, chief
executive at Uniqlo
Malaysia, said: “The Hana
Tajima collection is a
further extension of our
LifeWear concept in making
fashionable, high-quality
products for anyone,
anywhere, to enhance
lifestyles.
“We worked with Hana to
develop something with
international appeal, while
maintaining the concept of
modest clothing. The result
is not only stylish, but
comfortable.”
“Our second collaboration
with Hana this spring/summer
season will introduce
essential pieces that
reflect her style for modest
fashion while combining our
LifeWear concept in which is
to focus on enhancing the
wearer’s lifestyle,” a
Uniqlo spokesperson said.
How ISIS is
going against
Islam's
teachings: Texts
suggest Muslim
prophet wanted
Christians to be
'protected and
defended',
claims expert
Dr Considine, a
lecturer in
Rice's
Department of
Sociology in
Texas, looked at
texts written by
the Muslim
prophet written
between 622 and
632 AD.
'These covenants
were designed to
protect and even
defend peaceful
Christian
communities, not
attack them,'
Considine said.
'The research
clearly shows
that
contemporary
Islamic states
that mistreat
and discriminate
against
Christians
cannot be
justified in
light of Prophet
Muhammad's
covenants.'
Considine said
it is assumed
they were
written because
of Prophet
Muhammad's
desire to build
alliances to
bolster his new
community and
because of his
positive
interactions
with members of
the Christian
faith.
The paper
explores the
prophet's
covenants with
the monks of
Mount Sinai, the
Christians of
Najran, the
Christians of
Persia and the
Christians of
the World.
In 'The Covenant
of the Prophet
with the
Christians of
Persia,' the
prophet was
emphatic on the
issue of
complete
religious
freedom.
He wrote:
'Even as they
honour and
respect me, so
shall Muslims
care for that
people as being
under our
protection and
whensoever any
distress or
discomfort shall
overtake
(Christians),
Muslims shall
hold themselves
in duty bound to
aid and care for
them, for they
are a people
subject to my
Nation, obedient
to their word,
whose helpers
also they are,'
the prophet
wrote.
'It therefore
is proper for my
sake to attend
to their
comfort,
protection and
aid, in face of
all opposition
and distress,
suppressing
everything that
becomes a means
to their
spoliation.'
Considine said a
similar – if not
identical –
passage is found
in the three
other covenants
addressed in
this paper.
'Prophet
Muhammad made it
clear that
freedom of
religion is an
inherent right
for Christians
living in a
Muslim nation,'
he said.
'His cordial
relations with
Christians were
not due merely
to political
expediency or
personal
aspirations, but
rather they
resulted from
his belief that
Christians
should be able
to freely
practice their
own faith in
accordance with
their own will.
'Christian
Persians were
under no
compulsion
whatsoever to
accept or reject
Islam.'
Considine also
noted that
Prophet Muhammad
believed that a
Muslim nation
must also extend
civic rights to
Christian
religious
leaders, as
discussed in
'The Covenant of
the Prophet with
the Christians
of the World.'
'The covenant
of Allah is that
I should protect
their land,
their
monasteries,
with my power,
my horses, my
men, my strength
and my Muslim
followers in any
region, far away
or close by, and
that I should
protect their
businesses,' he
wrote.
'I grant
security to
them, their
churches, their
businesses,
their houses of
worship, the
places of their
monks, the
places of their
pilgrims,
wherever they
may be found,'
the prophet
wrote.
'The Prophet
Muhammad did not
want to inflict
harm on
Christians, nor
interfere or
encroach on
their privacy or
private
property,'
Considine said.
Daily Mail UK
Mustafa Akyol
How Muslim
Governments
Impose Ignorance
I recently spent
a few days in
Malaysia, where
I was promoting
the publication
of the Malay
edition of my
book, “Islam
Without
Extremes: A
Muslim Case for
Liberty.” The
publisher, a
progressive
Muslim
organization
called the
Islamic
Renaissance
Front, had set
up several talks
for me in Kuala
Lumpur. As any
author would be,
I was happy to
learn that the
team was
enthusiastic
about my book
and had been
getting good
feedback from
audiences and
readers. But I
was troubled by
something else
that I suspect
many Muslim
authors have
experienced: My
publisher was
worried about
censorship.
The risk, I was
told, was that
the Department
of Islamic
Development, a
government body
that “was formed
to protect the
purity of
faith,” could
ban the book if
it was viewed as
violating
traditional
Islamic
doctrine.
So far, the
Malaysian
government has
not banned my
book. But if it
did I wouldn’t
be surprised.
The department
has already
outlawed more
than a thousand
books translated
into Malay.
Charles Darwin’s
“On the Origin
of Species” was
banned because,
according to the
home minister,
it “goes against
Islamic
teachings,” and
even “endangers
public harmony”
— whatever that
means. “Islam: A
Short History,”
a fairly
sympathetic
study by the
best-selling
author Karen
Armstrong, was
similarly banned
for being
“incompatible
with peace and
social harmony.”
Malaysia isn’t
an anomaly in
the Muslim
world. In the
more extreme
case of Saudi
Arabia, the
Ministry of
Information can
censor any
publication it
wants, and the
religious police
can confiscate
books if they
detect what they
perceive as a
hint of
blasphemy. Even
the Bible, the
world’s best
seller, is
banned in Saudi
Arabia — no
matter that the
Quran praises
it. In Egypt,
under the iron
fist of
President
Abdelfattah al-Sisi,
a range of
literary works
can be outlawed.
Last month, a
novelist was
sentenced to two
years in prison
for “violating
public modesty.”
The New York
Times
Skin deep:
should Australia
consider
name-blind
resumes?
Ashley, Ashton,
Ashish, and
Ashanti are four
incredibly
talented people
with outstanding
resumes. A copy
of each is
sitting on your
desk, and you
can’t help but
notice that the
four resumes are
completely
identical!
So do they have
an identical
chance of
getting hired by
you?
An interesting
parliamentary
debate is taking
place in Canada
on promoting
“name-blind”
resumes. Taking
a lead from the
UK, the
proposition in
the debate is
that resumes
submitted within
the Canadian
public service
should not have
the candidate’s
name on them, in
order to
preclude the
systemic (often
subconscious)
biases of
employers from
manifesting
themselves in
the hiring
process, whether
it be in the
form of racial
or gender
discrimination
(or both).
In the UK, the
move has already
received
positive
acknowledgement
and prestigious
private sector
firms are
beginning to
follow suit.
In Canada, the
parliamentary
discussion
around the issue
of “making
Canada less
racist” in the
workplace is
gaining
increasing
traction, led in
part by the
proactive
approach to
social inclusion
encouraged by
Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau’s
government,
which is perhaps
best exemplified
by the
remarkable
diversity of his
cabinet.
What’s in a
name?
Research on
name-based
discrimination
points to a
single
conclusion:
discrimination
against
candidates based
on their names
is a systemic
aspect of the
labour market
that affects
women, visible
minorities, and
women from
visible
minorities.
In Canada, the
most famous
study compared
the preference
for “Mathew”
over “Samir”, by
sending resumes
to thousands of
employers with
identical
credentials but
a mere change of
name, finding
widespread
“subconscious
statistical
discrimination”
and suggested a
need for
candidates to
think about
“masking names”.
Similar research
compared
immigrants with
foreign-sounding
names and
immigrants with
Anglo-Saxon
names, finding a
disconcerting
and
statistically
significant
difference in
employer
response in
terms of
callbacks for
interviews.
The Conversation
The
‘Celebrity
Shaykh’ – has
Islamic
education become
entertainment?
Education or
Entertainment?
Recently, a
conversation
that occurred
between a group
of practicing
brothers and
sisters, some of
whom are
considered
students of
knowledge, was
brought to my
attention. The
conversation was
regarding their
earnest desire
to attend a talk
by a
‘particular’
visiting
speaker. Now, in
essence, there
should be no
problem with
this as we must
choose
effectively our
sources of
receiving the
knowledge of our
religion,
especially in
this day and age
when everyone
has an opinion
which amazingly
manages to find
its way into the
palms of our
hands, given how
much ‘smarter’
our phones have
become.
So what is
the problem?
The problem is
when what we
consider to be
our pursuit of
knowledge and
our development
actually become
a means of
‘entertainment’.
If I were to
release to you
the actual
conversation of
the group in
question, an
understanding
would become
manifestly
apparent that a
large drive
behind their
motivation to
attend the event
was not the
knowledge that
would be
attained, but
sadly the mere
attendance of
that particular
speaker.
Some of them
were happy to
miss the entire
program as long
as they caught
the talk of a
‘particular
speaker’, and
mentioned their
attending this
particular
speaker’s
presentation
‘live’ – as if
it was part of
their life’s
‘bucket list’.
Why do I say
sadly?
This particular
mind-set of
idolising
respected
teachers and
speakers to the
point of turning
them into
celebrities is a
real one. In
fact, I have
come to the
realisation that
this is a
growing trend in
today’s
societies, with
many of our
brothers and
sisters falling
into the
dangerous trap
of becoming
‘fans’ of their
favourite
speakers and
teachers, with
very little love
and focus on the
knowledge
delivered and
the scholarly
inheritance of
our beloved
Messenger (sall
Allāhu ʿalayhi
wa sallam).
How often have
we read or heard
the following
statements or
conversations
with regards to
an Islamic
event?
“Oh, the
speaker has
such an
amazing
accent, it
melts my
heart…”
“I love the
way he
delivers his
reminders. I
feel like
he’s the
only speaker
I can listen
to…’’
“Oh, he is
coming! We
must attend
the
program…”
“How cool
would it be
to get a
picture with
him?!”
“Forget
about the
rest, he is
the best…”
And in response
to an invite to
attend a
beneficial
lecture or
program run by a
responsible
institute; “The
speakers are not
charismatic
enough….”
These are but a
few statements,
and I am sure
you may have
heard many more.
Malaysia might become the
first country in the world
to have a
halal KTM train once
they get approval from
Jakim!
Trust KTM to be different,
coz they made waves 6 years
ago when
they launched the
country’s first women’s
coach.
At first it’s like wuuuut?
How do you make a train
halal? But Keretapi Tanah
Melayu Berhad (KTMB)
President
Sarbini Tijan explained:
“Muslim tourists from
around the globe would
feel confident in coming
to the country as they
know that when they
travel long distance
using KTMB’s Electric
Train Service (ETS),
they can rest assured
that the food served is
halal-certified.”
– Sarbini on
Malaysian Digest
Ahhh, so it’s the food
on board that is halal. On
another note, someone
raised very valid
questions like:
1.What if disabled
people got guide dogs? They
get kicked out?
2.If a passenger’s
grocery bag has pork, will
they suspend the whole
train service to do
cleansing?
3.If couples take train
together, must they
bring their marriage cert in
case they get caught for
khalwat?
People of all faiths were
brought together at a halal
barbecue in Lismore
where some of the Northern
Rivers' estimated 100
Muslims
shared their stories with
Samantha Turnbull.
Geoff Lawton
(Jamal Al Deen) converted to
Islam in 2003 and later married
Jordanian-born Muslim woman
Nadia Lawton
"I realised it
was actually a faith that starts
with the word 'salaam', which
means peace, and it almost
sounded quite alternative and
hippie in some ways, 'may the
force be with you' kind of
thing.
Geoff Lawton (Jamal Al Deen).
Geoff Lawton (Jamal Al Deen)
married Jordanian-born
Muslim woman Nadia Lawton in
2004. He converted to Islam
in 2003.
He was a community aid
worker in Iraq when he
decided to convert.
"I decided I didn't know
enough in-depth about the
Islamic faith, and I'd never
actually been inside a
mosque, and I thought I'd
better understand, as I was
potentially risking my life
by going into a war zone,
more about the Islamic
faith," he said.
"The more I asked, the more
interesting, more passive
and more beautiful it became
and I realised it was
actually a faith that starts
with the word 'salaam',
which means peace, and it
almost sounded quite
alternative and hippie in
some ways, 'may the force be
with you' kind of thing.
"I started to look more into
it and I kind of free-fell
into a situation where I
realised there was a lot of
misrepresentation and there
was a lot of understanding
that was being
misinterpreted and I just
felt more and more engaged
in a sharia lifestyle."
Mr Lawton said he was
surprised by the freedom
allowed in Islam.
"You have choices and there
are concessions even when
you travel," he said.
"It's a very easy way of
living that allows a lot of
flexibility. There doesn't
have to be this rigidity
that's portrayed in the
press. It's very different
to that."
He said he felt privileged
to have found Islam.
"I live my life more
peacefully, with less
conflict and a lot less
complication," Mr Lawton
said.
"It's a lot easier to live,
what I consider, a decent
life."
Ms Lawton said she had no
problems settling into
Australia.
"When I came to Australia I
promised myself I would have
no judgment, I would just
open my heart and my mind
and take everything in, and
I did that," she said.
"I just absorbed everyone
and made plenty of friends
and now everybody knows me
around Lismore.
"I love the Northern Rivers
and I don't think I'll ever
leave it."
Ms Lawton said she tried not
to take in too much news
from the Middle East because
the media's portrayal of
Islam was upsetting.
"The people on the news who
say what they're doing in
the Islamic name and under
God's name, it's not right.
They're giving a bad name to
the whole of Islam," she
said.
"Islam is not about killing
yourself and killing
innocent people. None of us
agree with that."
Mujeeb wants to change
Steve's name. Of course
Steve resists and attempts
to broaden Mujeeb's world
view. The two arm chair
philosophers delve into
universality and the nature
of time itself.
MVSLIM's list of Muslim women
who achieved great things in
2015.
1. Dalia
Mogahed
The US’ first Muslim woman
in the White House back in
2009, Dalia Mogahed is one
of Barack Obama’s ‘closest
advisors’ advocating the
views and opinions of
Muslims across the US in the
most simplistic,
recognizable and agreeable
way.
The Egyptian born advisor
holds her title as a
renowned speaker and writer,
objective and credible in
her speech and actions.
What puts her in the top 10
of 2015 is her competitive
passion even until this day.
With the current events
regarding western
involvement in the Middle
Eastern conflicts,
governmental influence on
our lives is now bigger than
it has ever been and to have
a Muslim woman influence a
part of this is an
achievement.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul
Aziz Shah Mosque, Malaysia
Malaysia's largest mosque
can be found in Selangor,
Peninsular Malaysia, and is
built in modernist Malay
style. It has inscriptions
by an Egyptian calligrapher
alongside blue-stained glass
windows, and its aluminium
dome is covered with steel
panels engraved with verses
from the Koran. It has the
capacity to accommodate
24,000 worshippers.
Palestine won!” This former
refugee has just been named the
best teacher in the world. Hanan
Al Hroub picked up the $1
million prize at a ceremony in
Dubai, organized by the Varkey
Foundation.
A Palestinian
teacher has won a $1m
(£707,000) global teaching
prize - with the award
announced in a video message
by Pope Francis.
Hanan Al Hroub grew up in a
Palestinian refugee camp and
now is a teacher of refugees
herself.
She specialises in
supporting children who have
been traumatised by
violence.
The winner was announced at
an awards ceremony in Dubai,
with a video message of
congratulation sent by
Prince William.
Pope Francis sent a message
saying that teachers were
"the builders of peace and
unity".
Ms Al Hroub told the
audience that "teachers
could change the world".
Growing up in a refugee camp
near Bethlehem, Ms Al Hroub
now works with refugee
pupils, with an approach
using play that is aimed at
resolving violence and
tension.
"I am proud to be a
Palestinian female teacher
standing on this stage," she
said after receiving the
award.
She says she will spend the
prize money on supporting
her students.
Prince William spoke of the
"incredible responsibility"
of teachers and that they
could "influence, inspire
and shape a young person's
life for the better".
There was a UK finalist,
Colin Hegarty, a maths
teacher from London who has
created a website with
interactive online maths
lessons.
The finalists for the Global
Teacher Prize included
teachers from India, Kenya,
Finland and the United
States.
Created by the Varkey
Foundation, the charitable
arm of the GEMS
international education
firm, the prize and
Oscars-style ceremony are
intended to raise the status
of the teaching profession.
The audience for the event
included Hollywood stars
such as Salma Hayek and
Matthew McConaughey and
political figures including
former UK prime minister
Tony Blair and the vice
president of the United Arab
Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum.
The top 10
finalists were invited on
stage by a video message
from physicist Stephen
Hawking and were
congratulated by video
messages from US
vice-president Joe Biden and
former US president Bill
Clinton.
Sunny Varkey, founder of the
Varkey Foundation and who
created the prize, said he
hoped that Hanan Al Hroub's
story would "inspire those
looking to enter the
teaching profession".
The finalists included:
• Maarit
Rossi from Finland
developed her own method
for teaching maths.
Finland has some of the
best maths results in
the world in
international tests, but
Ms Rossi's classes are
high achieving even
against Finnish
standards.
• Aqeela Asifi came to
Pakistan as a refugee
from Afghanistan and is
teaching refugee
children in a school
that she created.
• Ayub Mohamud, a
business studies teacher
from Kenya, has reached
the finals with a
project to discourage
violent extremism and
radicalisation.
• Robin Chaurasiya from
Mumbai in India founded
an organisation to teach
and support teenagers
from the city's
red-light district.
• Richard Johnson, a
science teacher from
Perth in Australia, set
up a science laboratory
for primary school
children.
• Michael Soskil from
Pennsylvania in the
United States, a
previous winner of the
Presidential Award for
Excellence in Math and
Science Teaching, has
motivated his pupils by
linking them with
projects around the
world.
• Kazuya Takahashi from
Japan has developed
innovative ways to teach
science and to encourage
global citizenship.
• Joe Fatheree from
Illinois in the United
States has pioneered
teaching projects using
3D printing, drone
technology and using
online games such as
Minecraft.
Sunny Varkey,
founder of the Varkey
Foundation, told the
international education
conference that the prize
was intended to bring
greater public recognition
to the importance of
teachers.
"My hope is that children
from around the world will
watch Sunday's ceremony and
think about what their own
teachers do for them," said
Mr Varkey.
School may expel Muslim
teens for standing up to bullies — after
ignoring their pleas for years
Jameel Siam
NEW YORK: Two
Muslim teens say their New
York school has ignored
about bullying for years —
and now they may be expelled
for fighting back.
Adam and Jameel Siam said
they have suffered
anti-Muslim harassment for
at least two years at
Williamsville East High
School, but they said
administrators have done
nothing to address their
complaints, reported WIVB-TV.
“I was bullied for Osama bin
Laden, I’ve been called a
terrorist,” said Jameel, a
junior. “We’ve been called
terrorists, go back home and
make bombs in your basement
or you’re going to come back
and shoot up the school —
and it’s just like, people
kept pushing our buttons.”
The boys have attended
schools in the western New
York village since
preschool, but they said the
bullying has recently grown
worse.
“You don’t know if someone
is going to come up behind
you or come right up to you
and say something,” said
Adam, a sophomore. “You
always have to watch where
you are, what you’re doing,
who’s around you. You always
gotta have a watch out.”
They’re hounded on social
media and harassed in the
hallways at school, and
vandals broke windows and
doors at the family’s home
over the weekend by throwing
rocks and eggs.
The boys have filed at least
two reports with Amherst
police, the TV station
reported — once after a
fight in December and then
again after their home was
vandalized.
Their mother said she has
repeatedly asked school
officials to help stop the
bullying, but she said her
complaints have been
ignored.
“This has been festering for
years now,” Rehab Siam said.
“They’ve never looked into
the whole serious issue.”
Now the boys face an
expulsion hearing after
fighting with their
tormenters.
“When I go into school, all
I hear are these racial
comments,” Jameel said. “It
just keeps pushing my
buttons where I don’t focus
on my studies anymore, I
focus on my safety.”
The disciplinary hearing had
been scheduled for Monday
but was pushed back, and the
school superintendent
declined to comment
specifically on the matter
but said administrators took
bullying seriously and would
punish any behavior that
compromised student safety.
Police are still
investigating the vandalism
and fight.
“I can’t live a normal life
now, especially how they
came to my house,” Jameel
said. “It’s not only at
school that I need to be
afraid, it’s that I have to
be afraid everywhere I am
now.”
Flying into the history
books: All-female Dreamliner pilot crew
touches down in Saudi Arabia... where women
aren't even allowed to drive a car
Captain
Sharifah Czarena (left) and
senior first officers Dk Nadiah
Pg Khashiem (middle) and Sariana
Nordin
BRUNEI: A
trio of pilots has made
history by becoming Royal
Brunei Airlines’ first
all-female flight crew - and
they’re gaining attention
thanks to the destination
they flew to on their
inaugural flight together.
While it was a landmark
moment for the carrier, the
flight was also significant
because the pilots landed at
an airport in Saudi Arabia –
a country where women are
banned from driving a car.
Captain Sharifah Czarena and
senior first officers
Sariana Nordin and Dk Nadiah
Pg Khashiem were behind the
controls of a Boeing 787
Dreamliner on flight BI081
from Brunei to Jeddah.
Royal Brunei assigned three
female pilots to the 24
February flight as it
celebrated Brunei National
Day, which marks the state’s
full independence from the
UK in 1984.
Czarena trained at the
Cabair Flying School at
Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and
operates a number of the
state-owned carrier’s major
routes.
In December 2013, she became
the first-ever Royal Brunei
pilot to fly out of London
Heathrow in its flagship
Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
All-female crews have become
a trend in recent months.
Last week a number of
airlines, including Air
Canada and Air India,
operated long-haul flights
staffed by female pilots to
coincide with Women of
Aviation Worldwide Week.
How black, Latino and
Muslim college students organized to stop
Trump's rally in Chicago
Donald Trump supporters and
protesters clash March 11, 2016,
outside the UIC Pavilion after
the rally for the Republican
presidential candidate was
cancelled.
US: When
black, Muslim and Latino
student activists at the
University of Illinois at
Chicago heard last week that
Donald Trump was planning a
rally on campus, they did
what any good organizers do
in 2016: They went online.
Within days, thousands of
people had liked a Facebook
page called "Stop Trump –
Chicago." Tens of thousands
added their names to a
MoveOn.org petition calling
on the school to cancel the
rally.
DUBAI:
Finding serenity in Islam, a
former beauty queen of
Democratic Republic of
Czechoslovakia has converted
to Islam, settling down in
Dubai where she works.
According to a report by Al
Quds Al-Arabi newspaper in
London, Marketa Korinkova
has embraced Islam months
ago and changed her name as
Maryam.
An international fame
production designer,
super-model and film
actress, Marketa Korinkova
surprised her fans by making
this announcement, The
Siasat Daily reported on
Monday, February 29.
In 2012, she was elected
Miss Motors in a beauty
contest held in Italy, after
which she gained fame.
According to the paper,
Maryam has been thinking of
embracing this faith for the
past three years. She made a
public announcement in Dubai
of her accepting Islam.
She said that the status
given to Muslim women in
Islam attracted her to
accept this faith.
Maryam holds a master’s
degree in English Literature
from Charles University of
Prague.
Later, she did her MA in
Production Designing from
National Film and TV School
of the Royal College of
Arts, London. She also
worked for BBC.
Students Up In Arms After
Muslim Woman Has Niqab Veil 'Ripped From
Her' In King's College London Attack
UK: More than
500 people have signed an
open letter urging King's
College London to protect
Muslim students after one
reportedly had her niqab
veil torn off while she was
hosting an Islamic society
stall.
The alleged attack happened
on the university's Strand
Campus, and saw the women
subjected to racist taunts,
according to student
newspaper Roar! Two men have
since been arrested in
connection with the
incident.
Students accused KCL's
security guards of "idly"
stand by for 20 minutes and
telling other students not
to intervene while the
incident unfolded.
Geography MA student Mahamed
Abdullahi told the paper: “I
had to put myself in harms
way to protect the Muslim
women who were being
verbally and physically
assaulted after King’s
security just stood there
and were being
non-responsive."
On the KCL Islamic Society's
Facebook page, President
Issa Ruhani described the
response as "woefully
inadequate".
"Throughout [the incident],
the Strand security staff
refused to do anything to
prevent the attack on our
members, with the only
individual to intervene
being a male member of the
ISOC. The police arrived
after more than 45 minutes,
whilst the perpetrators
continued their abuse.
"Had this been any other
student group, would the
response of the College
Security be the same? We
feel that there has been a
failure in the duty of the
College to protect students,
especially in this climate
of widespread Islamophobia
and anti-Muslim violence."
The open letter, posted on
the Facebook page, asks KCL
to "engage in clear and
honest communication with
the KCL Islamic Society",
and "release a statement
explaining how they intend
to protect and support
Muslim students after this
incident and ensure it does
not occur again".
The female students were
manning the stall as part of
Discover Islam Week, an
event organised by the
university's student Islamic
Society to dispel
misconceptions about the
religion.
According to student Hareem
Ghani, who is a member of
the Islamic Society, the men
kept asking: "Why are you
wearing that on your face?"
Ghani told the Evening
Standard: "It escalated from
there and one of them
reached out to the sisters
and pulled off her niqab.
"Security were called but
they only responded 15
minutes afterwards."
In a statement published
online, KCL said: "We are
mindful of concerns raised
around this incident and
would like to reassure our
staff and students that the
safety and security of our
campuses is of the utmost
importance.
"The incident is now being
investigated by the police,
following the arrests made
yesterday, and our CCTV
footage will be provided as
evidence as part of this
process. We will continue to
support the police in their
investigation, which will
take precedence over our own
proceedings.
However, we will also be
reviewing the incident,
including the CCTV evidence,
to establish precisely what
happened and further improve
student safety on campus."
A spokesperson for the
Metropolitan Police said:
"Police were called at
approximately 13:10hrs on
Friday, 4 March to reports
of two males making racially
aggravated and homophobic
comments in Strand, WC2.
"Officers attended and two
men, aged 39 and 41, were
arrested under section 4 of
the Public Order Act. Both
were taken into custody at a
central London police
station and have been bailed
pending further enquiries to
a date in early May."
Sana Mir: Pakistan's
'Captain Cool' who leads by example
PAKISTAN: In
the past 11 years, Sana Mir
has done her bit to change
the perception about women's
cricket in Pakistan and as
she prepares to hand over
the leadership baton, there
is a pleasing sense of
satisfaction about her on
and off the field
achievement in the game.
The
30-year-old says cricket is
considered as a medium of
women's empowerment in
Pakistan.
"Yes, we have
come a long way. It is
considered as a medium for
women's empowerment in
Pakistan. Now girls want to
take up cricket. This team
has done a lot to change the
perception. There were times
it was difficult for women's
cricket in Pakistan but now
parents come up and tell me
that they want their
daughters to play cricket,"
Sana told reporters at a
media conference, here
today.
Mir did let out a little
secret that Virat Kohli is
the most popular cricketer
in their women's team
although her personal
favourite is Mahendra Singh
Dhoni.
These People Are Showing
That Islam Is Compatible With Women’s Rights
Muslims for
Progressive Values
TUNIS,
Tunisia — A group of 30
imams and Islamic scholars,
both men and women, recently
gathered around a table to
do something historic. Our
goal is to find a better way
forward for women and girls
and to inoculate radicalism
in a Muslim country that
has, for hundreds of years,
been a model progressive
nation.
Meanwhile, in Burundi, a
group of 26 imams — in an
organization called Alliance
of Imams of the North
Corridor for Humanitarian
Development (AICNDH) — is
striving to defend the
rights of women and girls in
a country now consumed with
civil strife. In various
mosques across the northern
part of the country, these
imams recently delivered 12
khutbahs, or speeches, on
women’s rights in Islam.
AICNDH, in partnership with
Muslims for Progressive
Values, will be hosting a
series of conferences at
universities and schools in
Burundi over the coming
months, also on Muslim
women’s rights.
Together, these imams are
the brave #ImamsForShe:
religious and lay leaders,
Islamic scholars, men and
women. They debunk the
misogynistic interpretation
of Islam. They fight against
the violation of the rights
of women and girls in the
Muslim world and beyond.
These are the imams we need
to empower and mobilize.
Segregated Muslim women
don't need saving by pumped up liberals
LSE Islamic
Society annual dinner, which
was segregated with a screen
separating male and female
students
UK: A gala
hosted by the London School
of Economics has reignited
the row over religious
gender segregation. Why? The
event, for the university’s
Islamic Society, included a
screen running down the
middle of the hall,
separating the sexes.
Men and women often sit
apart in the religious
practice of various faiths,
of course; from Muslims to
Jews, Sikhs and Hindus and
Buddhist monasteries – which
have long been male only.
In Islam, the physical
separation of men and women
varies tremendously. In
Mecca during the annual
pilgrimage for example, it
doesn’t happen at all. In
some large mosques, men and
women may pray in the same
room with no divider, only
separate ‘sections’.
In one mosque I frequented,
this was done side-by-side,
although more typically it’s
men at the front and women
at the back. In others,
often for reasons for
practicality, a lack of
space means women pray on a
separate floor - either a
balcony opening on to the
main mosque space, or a
basement.
In theory, the separation of
men and women in a place of
worship is linked to the
idea of spiritual focus – no
mobiles, loud talking or
flirting, as it were.
Egypt's justice minister
[centre] has been sacked calls
after comments about the prophet
CAIRO:
Egypt's prime minister has
sacked Justice Minister
Ahmed el-Zend after his
controversial remarks about
imprisoning "the prophet"
went viral.
Ahmed el-Zend was on a
private Egyptian channel
discussing his opponents on
Friday when the interviewer
asked him whether he would
imprison journalists.
"Even if it's the prophet -
peace and prayers upon him,"
Zend said before quickly
repenting. He then added
that anyone who is at fault
will be imprisoned
"regardless of their
stature.
"Prime Minister Sherif
Ismail issued a decree today
to relieve Ahmed el-Zend ...
of his position," a
government statement said,
giving no more details.
Egyptian judges issued a
statement opposing Zend's
removal over what the head
of the Judges Club told
Reuters news agency was a
slip of the tongue that
could have happened to
anyone.
"Egypt's judges are sorry
that someone who defended
Egypt and its people,
judiciary and nation in the
face of the terrorist
organisation that wanted to
bring it down should be
punished in this way," said
Abdallah Fathi.
Earlier on Sunday, Egypt's
al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's
highest seat of learning,
released a statement warning
against any blasphemous
comments surrounding the
prophet "even if it were a
mistake".
Videos of Zend's comments
were shared widely online,
causing the Arabic hashtag
"Not the prophet, Prosecute
el-Zend" to trend on Twitter
in Egypt.
5 most Islamophobic rants by
Geert Wilders as his 'inciting hatred' trial
begins
NETHERLANDS:
The trial of right-wing
Dutch politician Geert
Wilders started Friday for
inciting hatred and
discrimination against the
Dutch Moroccan minority.
Wilders denies any
wrongdoing, saying comments
he made, which included
referring to Morrocans as
“scum”, are protected by his
right to free speech.
Prosecutors said the case
pits that right versus the
right to be free from
discrimination, according to
Reuters.
“Freedom of expression is
not absolute, it is paired
with obligations and
responsibilities, the
responsibility not to set
groups of people against
each other,” said lead
prosecutor Wouter Bos.
Long before
Donald Trump started scoring
political points on the
backs of Muslims, Wilders
made a name for himself as
an outrageous and offensive
orator.
Here are five of his most
anti-Muslim rants, in no
particular (new world)
order.
Q: Dear
Kareema, I need to tone my stomach muscles and
improve my balance. Can you suggest some
exercises?
A: The off-balance workout: Turn your
workout into a balancing act. A controlled
wobble activates deep core muscles to help
tighten the midsection and improve balance.
Yoga or Pilates are
great classes to strengthen, tone and improve
posture. It also works deep muscles which in
turn will leave you looking lean and feeling
stronger with improved balance.
To book appointments -
Ph: 3341 2333 (Underwood)
Ph: 3299 5596 (Springwood)
M: 0406 279 591
Website:
www.diversenutrition.com.au
What’s the hype about: quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a seed of a
plant species called goosefoot genus but has
properties much like a grain. Previously, this
crop was only available via import, however due
to its popularity as a health food; Australia
has begun commercially farming this plant.
Quinoa is a gluten free grain alternative for
those with coeliac (pronounced see-lee-ac)
disease. It may also be used as a substitute for
rice or couscous. It is high in protein (14g per
100g uncooked), low in fat (6g per 100g
uncooked) and contains some fibre (7g per 100g
uncooked). It is quite a versatile ingredient,
quick and easy to prepare and can be added into
a wide variety of dishes from stir fries,
salads, and oats to even smoothies.
When added into your diet, quinoa can be a great
source of protein for muscle growth and repair.
It is also a complex carbohydrate, which means
it takes longer for the body to break down,
therefore it can help stabilise your blood sugar
levels (great for diabetics), keep you fuller
for longer and thus help with weight control.
So, should we all be keen for quinoa? It is
slightly pricey to buy so it may not be an
affordable option for everyone. If it’s not
suited to your budget, choosing other complex
carbohydrates such as brown rice, wholegrain
bread and oats will also provide you with
similar benefits. However, if you can afford it,
this little grain does have great health
benefits. If you enjoy the taste and texture, it
is a great addition to add more nutrients into
your diet.
Targeted on the street.
This is not a ring
match.....
That means pull hair, gouge
eyes, pinch, bite, fish
hook, and whatever you need
to do to get out of this
situation. Men, for some
reason refuse to strike the
groin. Why? In the hopes he
won’t? To ensure he doesn’t
kick you in the groin first,
strike him in the groin and
run. Who cares if people
make fun of you, you’re not
whose hurt. However, I
wouldn’t recommend striking
the spine, or back of the
head as this could maim your
opponent, which would land
you in court.
Click here for contact
and registration details for
Southside Academy of COMBAT
According Australian bureau
of statistics women made up
83% of sexual assault
victims in 2014 and since
then the number has risen.
Southside Academy of Combat
is introducing a 4 week
women's self/street defence
course.
Training will include:
* hand to hand combat
* weapons defence
* risk assessing
* street awareness
The instructors will be
female and will be conducted
in a private training area.
FRIDAYS 7.30PM COMMENCING
APRIL 1st 2016.
COST: $70 FOR THE 4 WEEK
COURSE.
LOCATION: SOUTHSIDE ACADEMY
OF COMBAT
4/3261 LOGAN RD UNDERWOOD
QLD.
PLEASE CONTACT 0447004465 OR
EMAIL INFO@SSCOMBAT.COM.AU
FOR BOOKINGS AND INFO.
DON'T BE ANOTHER
STATISTIC!!! GAIN THE SKILLS
THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
ONE DAY!!!
“A delightfully original take on…the prospects for
liberal democracy in the broader Islamic Middle East.”―Matthew
Kaminski, Wall Street Journal
As
the Arab Spring threatens to give way to authoritarianism in
Egypt and reports from Afghanistan detail widespread
violence against U.S. troops and women, news from the Muslim
world raises the question: Is Islam incompatible with
freedom?
In
Islam without Extremes, Turkish columnist Mustafa Akyol
answers this question by revealing the little-understood
roots of political Islam, which originally included both
rationalist, flexible strains and more dogmatic, rigid ones.
Though the rigid traditionalists won out, Akyol points to a
flourishing of liberalism in the nineteenth-century Ottoman
Empire and the unique “Islamo-liberal synthesis” in
present-day Turkey.
As
he powerfully asserts, only by accepting a secular state can
Islamic societies thrive.
Islam without Extremes offers a desperately needed
intellectual basis for the reconcilability of Islam and
liberty.
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:
Known by Brits as the signature dish of
Birmingham, a Balti is a tangy and tasty tomato
based curry with peppers and onions.
Traditionally cooked and served in a Balti dish
(hence its name), this extremely easy recipe
uses a regular saucepan (however if you happen
to have a Balti dish lying around, go right
ahead and use that)
Balti
Lamb
Step 1
Marinade
½ kg lamb meat, cubed and deboned (if you
prefer)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ginger and garlic
1 tsp crushed jeeru/cumin
¼ tsp lemon pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp elachi/cardamom powder
Combine all the
above and leave in your refrigerator for a few
hours.
Cook the meat in
ghee or coconut oil until tender.
Step 2
2 onions chopped
1 tab. ghee
1 green pepper chopped
2 medium tomatoes, blanched and chopped
2 tab chili sauce (your family favourite)
2 tab. tomato sauce
2 Tab tomato puree
Fresh chopped dhania/coriander leaves
Stir-fry onions in
ghee until soft and add the peppers and cook for
2 mins.
Add the tomatoes,
meat , sauces and tomato puree and simmer for
approx. 10 mins or until the gravy is thick and
saucy.
Invite (all) to the way of
your Lord with wisdom and
beautiful preaching; and
argue with them in ways that
are best and most gracious:
for your Lord knows best,
who have strayed from His
Path, and who receive
guidance.
Laylat al-Qadr
- Night of Power 1436 (27th Ramadan 1437)
6
July
Wednesday
Eid al-Fitr
1437 (1st Shawwal 1437)
9
July
Saturday
ICQ Eid Festival
Islamic Council
of QLD (ICQ)
TBA
TBA
TBA
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
1st Muharram
1438 – Islamic New Year 1438
12 October
Wednesday
Day of Ashura
12 December
Monday
Birth of the
Prophet (pbuh) / Milad un Nabi
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 & Madressa - Wednesday & Friday
4:30 - 6:30pm, brothers, sisters and children
• New Muslims Program - last Thursday of every month,
6:30 - 8:30pm
• Salawat Majlis - first Saturday of every month.
Starting at Mughrib, families welcome
• Islamic Studies - one year course, Saturday 10:00 -
2:00 pm, brothers and sisters
• Ilm-e-Deen, Alims Degree Course - Three full-time and
part-time nationally accredited courses, brothers
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
Click on images to enlarge
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
Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community
Consultative Group
Next Meeting
Time: 7.00pm Date: Tuesday 29 March 2016 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.
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Jasser
Auda is a Professor and Al-Shatibi
Chair of Maqasid Studies at
the International Peace
College South Africa, the
Executive Director of the
Maqasid Institute, a global
think tank based in London,
and a Visiting Professor of
Islamic Law at Carleton
University in Canada. He is
a Founding and Board Member
of the International Union
of Muslim Scholars, Member
of the European Council for
Fatwa and Research, Fellow
of the Islamic Fiqh Academy
of India, and General
Secretary of Yaqazat Feker,
a popular youth organization
in Egypt. He has a PhD in
the philosophy of Islamic
law from University of Wales
in the UK, and a PhD in
systems analysis from
University of Waterloo in
Canada. Early in his life,
he memorized the Quran and
studied Fiqh, Usul and
Hadith in the halaqas of Al-Azhar
Mosque in Cairo. He
previously worked as:
Founding Director of the
Maqasid Center in the
Philosophy of Islamic Law in
London; Founding Deputy
Director of the Center for
Islamic Ethics in Doha;
professor at the University
of Waterloo in Canada,
Alexandria University in
Egypt, Islamic University of
Novi Pazar in Sanjaq, Qatar
Faculty of Islamic Studies,
and the American University
of Sharjah. He lectured and
trained on Islam, its law,
spirituality and ethics in
dozens of other universities
and organizations around the
world. He wrote 25 books in
Arabic and English, some of
which were translated to 25
languages.
The World's Best Teacher: a
Palestinian
As
the Arab Spring threatens to give way to authoritarianism in
Egypt and reports from Afghanistan detail widespread
violence against U.S. troops and women, news from the Muslim
world raises the question: Is Islam incompatible with
freedom? 
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011