The Islamic College
of Brisbane (ICB)
held their annual
ANZAC Service for
students and staff.
The Service began
with Imam Riyaaz
talking about 'the
importance of
peace'.
The assembly also
heard from Captain
Michael Mist from
the Royal New
Zealand Army, and
David Forde
representing the
Sunnybank RSL
Sub-branch. In an
unusual but welcome
move, the service
also included
students from
Woodbridge High
singing the New
Zealand national
anthem and a student
from the ICB
providing a Turkish
perspective.
"It was both
important and
inclusive to have
the New Zealand and
Turkish aspects
included. There are
no winners in war
and ANZAC Day is not
about celebration,
its about
commemoration. This
service was a credit
to both the students
and staff of ICB",
said David Forde.
This year's ANZAC
Day (25 April) marks
the 101 anniversary
when in 1915,
Australian and New
Zealand soldiers
formed part of the
expedition that set
out to capture the
Gallipoli peninsula
in order to open the
Dardanelles to the
allied navies during
World War 1.
Crescents of Brisbane have
announced that, as a result
of a number of clashing and
competing events around the
planned date, this year's
CresWalk2016 has been
re-scheduled to 4
September 2016.
The future of Australia's
largest Muslim School remains
uncertain after $19 million in
federal funding was cut off.
The future of Australia's
largest Muslim School
remains uncertain after $19
million in federal funding
was cut off.
Malek Fahd's interim board
says the school will re-open
in term two, following
financial management issues.
The last day of the school
term is usually a cause for
celebration, but for parents
at Malek Fahd Islamic School
in Sydney's west,
uncertainty remains.
On April 4, Malek Fahd lost
an appeal to have $19
million in federal
government funding
reinstated, after it was
found to have failed to
comply with financial
transparency measures.
The school has lodged an
application with the
Administrative Appeals
Tribunal, but a request for
a stay, to allow funding to
continue during that
process, has been denied.
Rick Mitry is Malek Fahd
Islamic School's lawyer.
"I'm just quite frankly
flabbergasted that the
government hasn't given [the
school] the opportunity it
needs, just a short time
more to put the place into
shape."
The representative body, the
Australian Federation of
Islamic Councils runs six
schools across the country.
Malek Fahd and the Islamic
School of Canberra have both
had their federal funding
permanently cut, after a
government audit found they
failed to comply with
Commonwealth regulations.
Malek Fahd was found to be
operating for profit and is
now working to prove its
independence from AFIC.
Although it's a private
school, Commonwealth funding
accounts for more than 60
per cent of Malek Fahd's
funding.
Keysar Trad is the newly
appointed treasurer of AFIC
and says it has complied
with government requests.
"There had been some
wrongdoings, AFIC
acknowledges the wrongdoings
and AFIC did everything from
this end to satisfy the
Minister for Education. The
rest of it is between the
school and the Minister for
Education."
If Malek Fahd is forced to
close its gates, 2,400
students will have to be
absorbed into schools in the
local area.
In a written statement
today, the school's interim
board said it would
re-register Malek Fahd as an
existing entity to secure
the "best chance" of
continued funding.
It said the school will
continue to operate next
term and "will be working
hard during term 2 to
address outstanding issues
and, ultimately, satisfy the
Commonwealth that funding
should be restored."
The Commonwealth Department
of Education and Training
said it's working to ensure
those impacted by the
funding decision receive
appropriate support.
On Thursday night, two
emergency meetings were
called by Sydney's Malek
Fahd Islamic School - one
for its interim board, and
the other for parents to
elect a group that will
liaise with the board and
address concerns about the
school's future.
This parent told SBS about
her concerns.
"I'm just upset about the
students and about how
they're feeling. Last night
a girl almost had an anxiety
attack in front of all the
parents upset about what's
happening. The situation
with the funding. Because
it's not fair. Why should
they pay the price?"
NEW RESTAURANT: Brothers
Adnun (left) and Albab Khan are
busy bringing a new dining
experience to the CBD, a
char-grill restaurant called
Primitivo.
TWO Toowoomba brothers are
firing up the CBD's dining
scene with new char-grill
restaurant Primitivo set to
open soon.
Adding to one of the city's
ever-expanding "eat
streets", the restaurant is
on Margaret St next to
Cioccolato dessert
restaurant.
The concept of Primitivo is
to "bring food back to what
it should be" with meats,
vegetables and seafood
cooked on an open char-grill
with a choice of sides.
Construction is under way
for the primitive, cave-man
inspired restaurant thats
centre piece will be a
custom-made char-griller.
Adnun and Albab Khan have
lived in Toowoomba for more
than 25 years and both have
extensive experience in
hospitality and exporting.
Adnun Khan said the
restaurant would be a
game-changer for the city as
they would also introduce a
free smart phone app
customers can use to order
online.
"Toowoomba doesn't have
anything like this
currently, with this
authentic style of
char-grilling different
types of meats, fish and
vegetable," he said.
"We're getting inspiration
from Middle East, Brazil and
even South East Asia. There
is no particular ethnicity."
If its use of technology is
not inciting enough, the
restaurant will also cater
for the city's night life
with a purposely-built
service window for customers
looking for a feed after
traditional restaurant
hours.
Mr Khan said the restaurant
could easily turn into
franchise, with interest
already shown from other
cities.
The app and website will go
live next month. The
restaurant will open within
the next two months.
Check out Primitivo on
Facebook to keep up to
date.
Toowoomba brothers Adnun
(left) and Albab Khan at the
purposely-built late night
service window. It will be in
operation from 10pm-4am on
Friday and Saturday nights with
a limited menu when the
restaurant opens in a few months
time.
Cakes, sweets, handicrafts,
plants, tea/coffee, beauty
products, community
information, hot food, home
goods, massage, facials, etc
all available in our lovely
garden setting!
ALL WELCOME
Shajarah Islamic
Kindergarten has been
approved by the federal
government to offer the ELLA
Early Learning Language
Program in Arabic in our
child care centre. To do so
we need to purchase high
specification tablets such
as the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Any profits from the market
and Spa Day will go towards
purchasing two more of these
tablets as we currently have
one but need 2 more as we
are meant to have 1 tablet
per 5 kindergarten children.
Please attend and support
our local established and
aspiring small business
people.
Bake Off winner Nadiya
presents Queen with birthday
cake
Some critics were
underwhelmed by the reality
star's three-tiered creation
but Her Majesty didn't seem
to be one of them, and
politely asked "Does it
cut?" before getting stuck
in.
Despite being so nervous she
could hardly sleep, Great
British Bake Off winner
Nadiya Hussain managed to
compose herself with
appropriate poise for her
big moment yesterday.
The reality show star was
given the mammoth task of
baking the cake for Queen
Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday
party and personally
delivered it to Her Majesty
at Windsor Castle.
She exchanged a few words
with the monarch in front of
a host of dignitaries and
awaiting cameras before the
Queen politely asked her,
“Does it cut?” to which she
replied, “I hope so!”
The three-tiered creation
was an orange drizzle cake
with layers of orange curd
and buttercream topped with
gold and purple fondant.
Clearly nervous, Nadiya had
taken to live Tweeting her
progress throughout the
baking process, from her
sleeplessness the night
before, to her stack of
ingredients, and the boxes
packed and ready to go.
The reaction to her cake
meanwhile, has been mixed.
Some users were quick to
applaud her efforts while
others were left somewhat
underwhelmed.
Thankfully one Twitter user
lifted the mood by pointing
out, "In case anyone needs
reminding... cake is for
making people smile". We’ll
let you be the judge.
A one day summit for Muslim
youth to engage in robust
discussions on social,
socio-political and
religious challenges facing
them in the current climate.
Meet other socially and
religiously active and
successful Muslim youth from
around Australia.
When: Saturday, 28th
May, 2016 Time: 10.00am to
4.00pm Cost: $40.00 Location: National
Portrait Gallery, Canberra
A
brand new website has
been set up to help parents
nurture creative, confident,
happy young Muslims.
Here you will find links to
great content from across
the web, original articles
from our contributors,
inspirational interviews and
more!
Set up as part of
Gould.Community, bringing
positive change to the
world, Muslim Kids Guide
aims to "inspire, motivate
and encourage Muslim parents
and their children."
About the editors
Faaiza is the writer
behind the blog Modest
Munchies. She's an avid
baker, chocolate lover,
recipe creator and crafter.
Faaiza planned to be an
accountant and subsequently
a teacher, but after
qualifying as both, being a
stay at home mum took
preference. Her teaching
qualification is handy as
she plans to homeschool her
son and daughter, and has
also inspired many creative
learning ideas and crafts on
her blog. Once a primarily
food blog, Modest Munchies
naturally developed to
became an outlet for her to
unleash her creativity and
have a platform to speak on
broader mum related topics.
When she's not baking,
creating or blogging you'll
probably find her enjoying a
big bowl of cherries with
the rest of the Munchies
Bunch.
Razeena is the author
of Faatimah and Ahmed-We’re
Little Muslims and the
founder of READ Little
Muslims, a website set up to
connect parents with the
highest quality books and
resources being developed
for little Muslims, from
around the world. She has a
background in business but
has always had a passion for
reading and writing and is
thrilled to be on a path
that combines her passion,
with her desire to make
learning Islam from a very
young age, fun and
interesting. She loves good
books, sunshine and the
ocean. When not running
around (or reading to) her
children she can usually be
found daydreaming and
drinking coffee. She is a
passionate believer that
“Education is the most
powerful weapon which you
can use to change the world”
Ali Kadri, 34, a business
owner and spokesman for the
Islamic Council of
Queensland, explains why his
mother will no longer leave
her house. Beau Donelly
reports.
My father sent me to
Australia after the 2002
Gujarat riots. The mob
violence between Hindus and
Muslims in the city of
Ahmedabad, in the west of
India, had been going for
months and he wanted me to
be safe until things settled
down. My father was a lawyer
and believed the best way
forward for Indian Muslims
was to gain an education.
Ali’s uncle, Zahid Kadri,
and his son Farhan Kadri
(Ali's cousin), who was
killed in the 2002 Gujurat
riots.
By the time I arrived in
Australia, I was radical and
very angry. I’d witnessed
terrible things during the
riots. My cousin was
brutally killed. One night I
saw a group of 16 Muslim
kids murdered. I watched a
police officer shoot a boy
in the hands and knees and
then leave him alive.
(r to l) Ali and Cousin
I was only 21 at the time
and didn’t know how to
process what I felt. I
wanted revenge for what had
happened to my cousin and
all the other Muslims who
were tortured or raped or
murdered. If there was a
group of terrorists then
that had said to me, ‘You
are being persecuted because
you are a Muslim, we are
your brothers, join us’, I
would have. I wanted a place
to belong. I would have
taken that battle on, stood
up and fought in India.
Instead, I found Australia.
A couple of years after
moving here my father passed
away and I returned to India
for his funeral. On my
return to Australia, as I
went through customs at the
airport, I was pulled aside
and searched. I had files
from a case my father was
working on before his death
that showed photos from the
riots. They were graphic
photos of bodies; people who
were burned, babies with
their heads cut off, all
sorts of terrible things.
The officers looked at them
with horror and they asked
me about them. And then they
let me go.
The next day, I got a call
from the Australian Federal
Police. An officer wanted to
meet me. I was still new to
this country and didn’t have
a lot of support in the
Muslim community. I was
thinking I would be locked
up and persecuted because I
am Muslim. But I met the
police in a cafe and we
talked and everything was
fine. That would not have
happened in India with the
police and a Hindu
nationalist government.
I realised then that I could
say anything I want as long
as it wasn’t violent and
that I wouldn’t be
persecuted in Australia.
Ali with his late father,
Mohsin Kadri.
But things are going
downhill. The political
rhetoric, sensationalist
media coverage, some law
enforcement approaches. I
have noticed a change. It’s
probably not as bad for me
as it is for someone who was
born here. I have seen what
it can be like at its worse,
I have a reference point.
But for a Muslim who grew up
here, comparing pre 9/11
Australia to post 9/11
Australia, they wouldn't
have a good experience.
After Tony Abbott’s speech
last year in which he
suggested the Muslim
community was not doing
enough to combat extremism,
my mother started crying.
She said to me: ‘Where will
we go now?’ My mother is
afraid to go out of the
house alone now. She watches
the news; she sees reports
of Islamophobia, of women
wearing hijabs being
targeted.
I feel like, generally, the
relations between
non-Muslims and Muslims are
good but it needs to be
preserved.
6 Things
Wrong With
Trevor Phillips
Latest Crusade
(Continued
from last week's
CCN)
By Abdul-Azim
Ahmed (A
graduate of
Religion and
Theology BA and
a Masters in
Islam in
Contemporary
Britain. Abdul-Azim
is currently
completing a PhD
on Islam in
Wales.)
UK: I genuinely
can’t remember
the last time
there was a
single week
without a
headline story
about Muslims.
Sometimes, its
unavoidable.
With global
crises like
Syria, the
post-war mess in
Iraq, and acts
of terrorism –
headline news is
expected. But
other times,
it’s engineered.
Like the
non-story of
Ramadan exam
timetables, or
the non-story of
halal hysteria,
or the Sun’s
misleading ‘1 in
5 Brit Muslims’
sympathy with
jihadis’
frontpage (which
they had to
offer an apology
for).
This week, it’s
Trevor Phillips.
He’s come to
tell us
‘What British
Muslims Really
Think’.
Thanks Trev, but
no thanks. I,
and other
British Muslims,
can quite
confidently and
competently
express
ourselves. Note
the word really
too, which gives
off the air of
Muslims hiding
their true
intentions and
nature, almost
like a
subversive fifth
column. Trevor
Philips latest
Channel 4
documentary
reeks of a
particular kind
of condescending
and dog-whistle
sensationalism,
and as many
others have
pointed out over
the past day
alone, it’s full
of problems.
Rather than
re-invent the
wheel, here is a
recap of what
Trevor gets
wrong.
2) The Survey
Doesn’t Tell Us
What British
Muslims Really
Think
Trevor claimed
that the poll
conducted by the
ICM is the “most
revealing” ever
conducted.
Except it isn’t.
There’s a
glaring
methodological
fault in the
construction of
the survey. As
Yahya Birt has
pointed out ,
the survey only
polls those
Muslims living
in areas with a
20% Muslim
concentration or
higher. He
writes: -
““That said,
the top line
conclusion
is that
whichever
geographic
unit has
been used
for the
sample would
only be
representative
of a
significant
minority
(ranging
from between
29% and 47%
of the
Muslim
population
of England
and Wales).
This is
likely to
skew the
findings as
this poll
did not
sample the
majority who
live in
areas with
less than
20% of the
population
being
Muslim.”
Good polling has
to be weighted
correctly. This
poll isn’t. So
it can tell us
(with some
skepticism) what
Muslims living
in largely
deprived
inner-city areas
with high Muslim
populations
think, but those
can’t be
extrapolated to
the entire
British Muslim
population. The
views of a white
British
Christian living
in inner-city
Glasgow are
likely to be
different than
the views of a
white British
Christian living
in Chipping
Norton. The same
goes for British
Muslims. Take it
into account
also, that
entire
ethnicities of
Muslims were
largely ignored
as the survey
focused on
Pakistanis and
Bangladeshis.
I’m sure you can
begin to see how
terribly skewed
the actual
results are.
Does it indicate
that certain
Muslims are
conservative?
Probably. Does
it indicate
these views are
universal? No.
CONTINUED
NEXT WEEK IN CCN:
3) When Weighted
Correctly, What
British Muslims
Really Think
Doesn’t Differ
That Much From
What Others
Think
What Allah
Means To Muslims
By Junaid
Jahangir
Assistant
Professor -
MacEwan
University
.............
Vosper's words
also hold true
for Muslims,
despite some
conservative
Muslims touting
Islam as the
fastest growing
religion imbued
with "the
truth." Indeed,
for many
Muslims, God is
not a stingy
merchant engaged
in debit-credit
accounting or a
partisan bully
that enforces
hollow rituals
by threats of
eternal
damnation. For
them ritual
prayer is not
about seeking
material gains
from a stern
taskmaster but
having an
undying trust in
the power of
hope, mercy and
compassion.
Many Muslims are
more concerned
about ethical
living instead
of doctrinal
differences,
which have
wreaked much
suffering in the
Muslim world. It
is important to
showcase such
Muslim voices,
including those
of the unmosqued,
to affirm the
reality that
Islam and
Muslims are not
a monolith. The
following is a
kaleidoscope of
such Muslim
views.
Islam is often
defined as
submission,
which for me
amounts to being
in a state of
sanctuary that
no matter how
bleak things are
they will sort
out, if not now
then in the
infinite future.
As such, to know
God is a move
towards this
state of inner
peace.
The Director of
Universalist
Muslims, Shahla
Khan Salter
captures this
essence of Islam
as submission in
the following
words.
The Huffington
Post
Malia Bouattia:
‘I am always
learning, and
strive to always
ensure that my
language
reflects my
beliefs.’
Attacks on the
new NUS
president show
the limit of
free expression
for Muslims
By Iman Amrani
UK:
Malia Bouattia
has a track
record of
standing up to
racism and
discrimination.
But once again a
Muslim in a
public role has
come in for
special
criticism
Malia Bouattia
was elected the
first black
woman president
of the National
Union of
Students
yesterday. This
moment of
history followed
one of the most
high-profile and
controversial
elections the
NUS has had –
and even after
the vote, the
arguments go on.
Bouattia, in her
current role as
black students
officer, has
spoken frankly
on a range of
issues. Last
month she
addressed the UN
in Geneva about
the harmful
effects of
Prevent,
Britain’s
anti-extremism
scheme in
schools; she has
worked on the
Why Is My
Curriculum White
campaign; and
she has a strong
network of
student
supporters on
social media.
Yesterday she
supported a
motion – passed
by conference –
calling for
greater efforts
to tackle
antisemitism on
campus; and she
has a track
record of
repeatedly
standing up to
racism and
discrimination.
But Muslim
students
especially will
be looking to
how she is
treated before
judging whether
they feel debate
and free
expression are
still possible.
The Guardian
Inshallah Is
Good for
Everyone
By Wajahat Ali
author of the
play “The
Domestic
Crusaders” and
creative
director of
Affinis Labs, a
hub for social
entrepreneurship
and innovation.
A COLLEGE
student was
recently
escorted off a
Southwest
Airlines flight
after a fellow
passenger said
she heard him
making comments
in Arabic that
were
“potentially
threatening.”
In a statement,
Southwest
Airlines said
that the
student,
Khairuldeen
Makhzoomi, who
came to the
United States as
a refugee from
Iraq, was
removed for the
“content of the
passenger’s
conversation”
and not his
language choice.
Mr. Makhzoomi
wasn’t ranting
about death,
terror, Trump or
artisanal
mayonnaise — any
of which might
warrant such a
drastic
response.
No. What he said
on the phone
right before the
passenger
expressed
concern, he
later explained,
was the Arabic
phrase “inshallah,”
which translates
as “God
willing.”
This trisyllabic,
Semitic weapon
of mass
destruction is a
hallmark of the
Arabic
vernacular. Some
anti-Muslim
bigots in recent
years have
argued Arabic is
“the spearhead
of an
ideological
project that is
deeply opposed
to the United
States,” one
that seeks to
replace the
United States
Constitution
with a halal
cart menu. Most
sane
individuals,
however, believe
Arabic is simply
a language that
millions of
people around
the world speak.
But now Arabic
has become a
nightmare that
terrorizes
passengers at
30,000 feet. In
November, two
men said they
were questioned
before boarding
a Southwest
flight because a
few passengers
heard them speak
Arabic and were
afraid to fly
with them.
Several years
ago, six imams
were kicked off
a plane for what
fellow
passengers
deemed
suspicious
behaviour,
including
praying in
Arabic near the
gate.
.........
Opportunity is
often born from
absurdities. I
believe this
latest episode
is actually a
great moment to
bring the
versatile and
glorious term
inshallah into
the vocabulary
of more
Americans.
Inshallah is the
Arabic version
of “fuggedaboudit.”
It’s similar to
how the British
use the word
“brilliant” to
both praise and
passive-aggressively
deride
everything and
everyone. It
transports both
the speaker and
the listener to
a fantastical
place where
promises, dreams
and realistic
goals are
replaced by
delusional hope
and earnest
yearning.
If you are a
parent, you can
employ inshallah
to either defer
or subtly crush
the desires of
young children.
Boy: “Father,
will we go to
Toys ‘R’ Us
later today?”
Father: “Yes.
Inshallah.”
Translation:
“There is no way
we’re going to
Toys ‘R’ Us. I’m
exhausted. Play
with the
neighbour's
toys. Here, play
with this staple
remover. That’s
fun, isn’t it?”
If you are a
commitment-phobe
or habitually
late to events,
inshallah
immediately
provides you
with an
ambiguous grace
period.
Ok la, halal speed dating is
not new any more. But in
case you’re not up to speed,
it is a matchmaking event
that has grown very popular
in Malaysia since it started
in 2015. The goal is to help
Malaysian Muslims find
partners the halal way –
which means women must be
chaperoned by a wali
(guardian) until she marries
her jodoh.
“I’m here to find
someone for marriage
because I’m too busy to
meet anyone and I spend
all my free time with my
family.” – Siti
Aisha, 29-year-old
graphic designer, The
National
Similar to secular speed
dating, people sit and talk,
until a bell rings, then guy
participants move to another
table to meet a new person.
If you would like to give it
a try,
register here, or check
out their
Facebook.
MVSLIM's list of Muslim women
who achieved great things in
2015.
6.
Carolyn Walker
Aside from Donald Trump’s
comments on stopping Muslims
from entering the US, the US
judiciary system seems to
welcome more acceptance
thanks to Judge Carolyn
Walker: the first judge to
swear upon the Quran rather
than the Bible whilst
wearing a hijab!
Congratulations, your
honour!
This striking red sandstone
and marble mosque, with
three domes and two
minarets, was built under
the rule of Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan between 1644 and
1656. In 2006, two bombs
were set off after Friday
prayers in the mosque's
courtyard, which left
several people injured, and
in 2010, two tourists were
injured after gunmen shot at
a bus stop near the mosque's
third gate.
Latvia to draft legislation
banning Niqab because of just 3 women!
LATVIA: There
are only three women in
Latvia who wear the niqab
however Latvia’s Ministry of
Justice, that is three
niqabs too many, in the
country of 2 million people.
Using the excuse that
Latvian culture must be
protected the Latvian
government is working
legislation that would ban
face-covering veils from
public spaces. The proposal
would not ban the wearing of
head scarves that do not
cover the face, like hijabs,
the coverings most commonly
worn by Muslim women.
“A legislator’s task is to
adopt preventive measures,”
said Justice Minister
Dzintars Rasnacs, a member
of the anti-immigration
National Alliance party, who
predicted that the law would
win overwhelming backing in
Parliament and would be in
place at the start of 2017.
The legislation in Latvia is
a reflection of the
“concern”that a few European
countries particularly those
in Eastern Europe towards
immigrants who are escaping
war and poverty in their
homeland. In particular,
Hungary, Slovakia and Poland
have been among the
countries most strongly
opposed to taking in large
numbers of refugees,
reflecting anti-immigrant
and anti-Muslim strains in
their societies. Even in
remote Latvia — which could
hardly be considered a top
destination for migrants,
given its frosty winters and
threadbare welfare system —
a fear has give way to a
paranoia thanks to
politicians, the news media
and the wider population.
An example would be Ms.
Legzdina, 27, who is not a
migrant but an ethnic native
Latvian who converted to
Islam after a trip to Egypt
as a teenager.
Now a medical student at a
university in Riga, the
capital, Ms. Legzdina, who
has chosen the name Fatima,
comes to Zaube each spring
and summer on vacation with
her two young children. Her
husband, Viesturs Kanders,
followed her into the
Islamic faith on their
wedding day.
Other than her clothing,
prayers and regular fasting,
her life in Zaube matches
Latvian country life almost
to the point of cliché,
including picking flowers or
mushrooms depending on the
season, a strong Latvian
tradition.
“I love my country,” she
said with pride. Yet she
said she felt threatened by
the way people responded to
her appearance.
“People have become much
more aggressive than
before,” she said. When she
is not vacationing in Zaube,
she lives in a suburb of
Riga, where her daily
commute, she said, is
becoming littered with
verbal abuse. Interactions
on buses and trams, she
said, often involve her
being told to “go back to
where you come from,” and
tend to end with awkward
moments when she replies to
the person confronting her
in perfect Latvian.
“If they are so afraid,” she
said, “it shows they are not
strong, and they don’t
believe in their own
culture.”
Mr. Rasnacs, the justice
minister, said the law was
not about the number of
people covering their faces
in Latvia, but had more to
do with makng sure the that
prospective immigrants
“respect” the norms of the
country saying that “We do
not only protect Latvian
cultural-historical values,
but the cultural-historical
values of Europe.”
Latvia has been reluctant to
take in refugees and has
accepted only 776 refugees
over the next two years with
only six arriving so far.
A Muslim passenger allegedly
kicked off a Southwest flight
for speaking Arabic on the phone
speaks with CNN's Hannah Vaughan
Jones about his ordeal.
US: Khairuldeen Makhzoomi,
26, who came to the US from Iraq as a
refugee, told the New York Times he was
removed from the flight in California
earlier in April after speaking to his
uncle on the phone in Arabic.
He said he had been telling his uncle
about an event he had attended that had
included a speech by United National
Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.
The New York Times reported Mr Makhzoomi
said he told his uncle he was able to
ask the Secretary-General a question
about Islamic State and then noticed a
passenger sitting near him get up and
speak to one of the flight attendants.
"That is when I thought, ‘Oh, I hope she
is not reporting me,’ because it was so
weird," he said.
Mr Makhzoomi was then approached by an
Arabic-speaking employee who asked him
why he had been speaking Arabic on the
plane.
"I said to him, ‘This is what
Islamophobia got this country into,’ and
that made him so angry," he said.
"That is when he told me I could not go
back on the plane.”
Law enforcement officers then arrived
and Mr Makhzoomi was escorted back into
the terminal and searched and then
questioned by three FBI agents about his
family.
The New York Times reported one of the
FBI agents said the Southwest employee
was upset about Mr Makhzoomi's
anti-Muslim bias comments and that the
passenger who complained had heard him
talking about martyrdom and using
jihadist phrases.
An FBI spokeswoman told the New York
Times no further action would be taken
against Mr Makhzoomi, who was able to
book a new flight with Delta Air Lines.
Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Brandy
King told the New York Times the
passenger had complained of hearing Mr
Makhzoomi making "potentially
threatening comments".
"We regret any less than positive
experience a customer has onboard our
aircraft," the company said in a
statement.
"Southwest neither condones nor
tolerates discrimination of any kind."
Mr Makhzoomi is seeking an apology from
Southwest Airlines for his treatment.
"My family and I have been through a lot
and this is just another one of the
experiences I have had," he said.
"Human dignity is the most valuable
thing in the world, not money. If they
apologised, maybe it would teach them to
treat people equally."
Concern about mosque being
built in Centurion (SOUTH AFRICA)
Valhalla residents against the
donation of the land for the
erection of a mosque have
demonstrated outside the school,
saying they were not consulted
during the entire process.
The construction of a mosque in
the predominantly Christian
suburb of Valhalla is going
ahead.
Palesa speaks to Richard Botha,
the resident at Valhalla in
Centurion.
David Cameron sparks fury
with 'racist' attack on Labour's Sadiq Khan
Labour accused the PM of hitting
the gutter in his bid to stop
'extremist platform sharing'
Sadiq Khan becoming London's
first Muslim mayor
UK: David Cameron
has been accused of "dog whistle
politics" after launching a blistering
attack on Sadiq Khan .
The PM smeared the Tooting MP, who is
bidding to be London's first Muslim
mayor, for sharing a platform nine times
with "Islamic State supporting" Sulaiman
Ghani.
But Labour MPs hit back, shouting
"racist", "shame" and "disgraceful" as
the Tory leader made his attack in the
House of Commons.
Mr Ghani accused David Cameron of
"defamation at its highest level".
And Mr Khan issued a furious response
saying: "The Tories are running a nasty,
dog-whistling campaign that is designed
to divide London’s communities.
"I’m disappointed that the Prime
Minister has today joined in."
Switzerland suspends
citizenship claim for Muslim boys who
refused woman’s handshake
A
Syrian family in Switzerland has
had their citizenship process
suspended after two teenage
brothers refused to shake their
female school teachers’ hands
for Islamic religious reasons.
SWITZERLAND:
Switzerland has suspended
the citizenship process for
the family of two young
Syrian brothers after the
boys refused to shake hands
with their female school
teachers.
The boys, aged 14 and 15,
said physical contact with
women who were not relatives
was against their Islamic
faith.
The school granted them an
exception to the school
rule, but officials in the
northern municipality of
Therwil told them not to
shake hands with male
teachers either to avoid
discrimination.
The incident
sparked a national debate
over religious freedoms in
Switzerland, with the
country’s justice minister
Simonetta Sommaruga telling
Swiss public television
“shaking hands is part of
our culture”.
A spokesman for the
Basel-Country canton, where
Therwil is located, said
naturalisation proceedings
had been put on hold.
But he said such suspensions
were common in citizenship
procedures.
The boys’ father is a Syrian
imam who moved to
Switzerland in 2001 and had
his asylum request granted.
The migration office in
Basel is seeking more
information about the
circumstances under which
the father’s asylum claim
was accepted, according to
the AFP news agency.
Some Swiss Muslim groups
said there was no religious
reason to refuse a female
teacher’s handshake and
urged the country not to
give in to extremist
demands.
However one Islamic
organisation said a
handshake between a man and
a woman was prohibited.
Saudi airport personnel
chastised for poor service
SAUDI ARABIA:
The General Authority for
Civil Aviation (GACA) has
sent a strongly worded
message to employees at
airports after registering a
number of abuses and
practices it described as
“negative”, which it said
have not been taken lightly
by passengers. GACA said
that such behavior presents
a bad image of the Kingdom
and its people and paints
them in a negative light.
Some of these practices
include smoking outside of
the designated smoking
areas, using mobile phones
while processing passengers’
papers and not following the
correct ways of politely
addressing passengers.
According to Okaz, the
higher management of GACA is
dismayed by the employees’
practice, which goes against
the efforts being made to
improve the quality of
service at the Kingdom’s
airports.
Officials said that the
letter to airport managers
came as part of a new
strategy being implemented
by new GACA President
Sulieman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
They said that Al-Hamdan is
working against “slackness”
at airports, as the airport
is the first point of
contact for visitors to the
country and can therefore
make a lasting impression.
GACA called on all airport
managers to hold meetings
with their preparatory
security committees to
identify the appropriate
penalties for all those
involved in wrongful
practices at the airports.
Btaaboura, Lebanon: Ten
kilometres off the northern
Lebanese coast, nestled
between two mountains, lies
the village of Btaaboura.
Many of the inhabitants have
left the sleepy town to seek
their fortunes abroad. Among
them is Michel Temer, the
son of a Lebanese immigrant
to Brazil, who is poised to
become the next president of
the South American country.
"He is a man's man ... 75
years old, but young at
heart," his cousin Nizar
Temer told The Daily Star,
as he stood in front of
Michel's ancestral home. He
first opened his eyes to the
world here, and from this
corner of north Lebanon, his
father decided to flee to
Brazil to escape famine and
war in the early 20th
century.
In 1997, Speaker Nabih Berri
invited Temer to Lebanon.
"As soon as he arrived, he
kissed the earth and kissed
the giant stones that make
up his house," Nizar
described. The house itself
is more than 200 years old.
At the time of the visit, he
had just been appointed the
president of the Brazilian
Chamber of Deputies, a
position he would hold for
three separate, two-year
terms. In 2011, Temer was
elected vice president and
today, amid scandal and
political intrigue, he
stands poised to take over
the presidency itself.
The ecstasy of delivering
Athaan at the top of the world
It all
started with a dream, says
Mostafa Salameh, the first
Jordanian to climb Mount
Everest and one of only 12
people in the world who have
earned the feat of climbing
the world’s 7 highest
summits and skiing to the 2
poles.
“It was a dream that I had
in 2004, where I woke up in
the middle of the night and
I dreamt that I was standing
on the top of the world and
calling the Athaan, and
praying on the top of the
world.
“That’s exactly how
everything started. Before
that, I have never been on a
mountain. It was just this
dream that changed my life,
and I really wanted to make
the Athaan for the first
time on the top of the
world.”
In truth, Salameh’s
extraordinary story cannot
be told without recounting
his humble Palestinian
heritage, born to
Palestinian refugee parents
in Kuwait in 1970.
The Salamehs spent 18 long
years in a Kuwaiti refugee
camp before eventually being
granted citizenship by
Jordan.
MAKKAH,
SAUDI ARABIA: Almost half of
the temporary bridge on the
mataf, the circumambulating
area around the Kaaba, has
been removed, according to
the technical committee
overseeing the expansion of
the Grand Mosque.
Wael Al-Halabi, a member of
the committee, was quoted as
saying by a local
publication on Friday that
most of the work took place
over 11 days recently.
The aim is to ensure the
bridge and its gates are
dismantled safely, he said.
Al-Halabi said Saudi
engineers were among the
staff members working to
ensure that pilgrims can
circumambulate the Kaaba
safely while the work is
taking place.
More than 14,000 engineers,
technicians and workers have
been working on the project
to increase the capacity of
the mataf. After completion,
it will accommodate about
105,000 worshipers per hour.
The project includes central
air conditioning,
ventilation, lighting, sound
systems, clocks and
surveillance cameras.
Pilgrims will be able to
perform the tawaf,
circumambulation of the
Kaaba, on the first floor
and terrace. All the upper
floors will be connected
with escalators.
Al-Halabi said the expansion
of the mataf was just one
element of the work taking
place at the Grand Mosque.
Once completed, the entire
SR80-billion project would
see around 1.5 million more
worshippers accommodated, he
said.
JEDDAH:
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman, in an interview
to Bloomberg's Peter
Waldman, has signaled he
would support more freedom
for women. “We believe women
have rights in Islam that
they’ve yet to obtain,” he
said on Thursday at Rawdat
Khuraim.
He said he has no problem
with the official religious
authority on the issue of
women driving. The problem
he’s “working to resolve is
with those who distort the
facts of the religious
establishment so that women
don’t get their complete
rights granted to them by
Islam.”
In an earlier interview, the
deputy crown prince said: “I
just want to remind the
world that American women
had to wait long to get
their right to vote. So we
need time.” He explained:
“We look at citizens in
general and women are half
of this society and we want
it to be a productive half.”
The best
defence is prevention. When
going for a walk:
• Walk with someone.
Most attackers will be
discouraged if you have
company - male or
female.
• Avoid dark, deserted
areas, stay in well-lit
areas.
• Avoid shortcuts
through parks, vacant
lots and other deserted
places.
For more info
on self defence classes
please contact Taufan on
0447004465 or
info@sscombat.com.au.
Click here for contact
and registration details for
Southside Academy of COMBAT
In his book, the author has raised many important questions
that need answers.
He points to political and social directions for the
community, arguing at the same time, for the compassionate
interpretation of faith.
The book courageously enumerates the needs of the Muslims
that the majority population must address; and finally
conveys a message of inter-faith tolerance and understanding
for everyone to preach and practice.
"One who does not read is no better than one who cannot
read."
Would you like
to see the cover of your favourite book on our book shelves
below?
KB says:
Indian roti is an ideal side to any curry dinner
and best enjoyed using your fingers to eat with.
It is an easy to make unleavened bread that is
fried making it similar to other breads like
pitta or naan but without the yeast component.
Roti
/Indian Flat Bread
INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour, sifted
3 Tab. full cream milk powder
3 Tab. Rice Bran Oil
½ tsp salt
Approx 1 cup of hot boiling water
METHOD
Place all
the ingredients (with the exception of the
water) into your mixing bowl and using your
dough hook mix and add the boiling water
slowly to form a soft dough.
Cover and allow
the dough to rest for approx. ½ an hour.
Make small
balls, each ball weighing approx. 50gr to
make small rotis.
Flatten the
balls with the palm of your hand, then on a
floured surface, using a rolling pin roll
out each piece into a 15/20cm round.
Cook the roti on
a pre-heated griddle which should be
reasonably hot, turning it like a pancake
and allowing some brown spots to appear
during the cooking process.
Keep the rotis
warm by keeping it covered with a kitchen
towel until you have cooked all of them
With CresWalk postponed to 4
September you will now have even more time to
get ready for the event and aim for a PB.
For now keep moving as much as
you can whenever you can. Take the stairs
instead of the elevator. Speed-walk instead of
ambling along chatting on your phone.
Jallalludin went to a dentist for a tooth extraction and
first inquired about the cost.
The dentist said it would cost him 1200 Riyal.
Jallalludin said this was too much and asked the dentist if
there was any cheaper method.
The dentist said: Yes, it can be done without anaesthesia
and will cost you only 300 Riyal, but it's very painful.
Jallalludin said: OK Doctor, do it without anaesthesia.
The dentist removed the tooth and during the procedure
Jallalludin sat quietly with a smiling face.
The dentist was surprised.
He congratulated Jallalludin and said: In my entire career,
I have never seen a brave patient like you. I don't even
want my fees. Instead take this 500 Riyal from my side.
That
evening the dentist met his fellow dentists and told them
about this brave patient.
One of the dentists shouted and said: That bugger first came
to me. I had given him anaesthesia and told him to wait
outside for half an hour. After half an hour when I called
for him, he had vanished!
And the Book (of Deeds) will
be placed (before you); and
you will see the sinful in
great terror because of what
is (recorded) therein; they
will say, "Ah! Woe to us!
What a book is this! It
leaves out nothing small or
great, but takes account
thereof!" They will find all
that they did, placed before
them: and not one will your
Lord treat with injustice.
Stretton
Heights provides new lifestyle for yourself and family,
Stretton Heights is a leafy estate next to Karawatha
Forest (Acacia Picnic Area Facilities: BBQ, shelter
sheds, water, toilets, picnic tables, disable
facilities; Illaweena Picnic Area Facilities: Picnic
tables, shelter sheds). Provides different walking and
bike tracks. Fixed Price Full Turnkey H&L Package price
from $810,000.
It is central
location to shopping centres and motorways. Short stroll
to Karawatha Forest for walking and biking tracks.
- Just behind the Islamic School
- 9 mins (4.1km) to Pacific Motorway to City, Gateway
and Gold Coast
- 7 mins (4.4km) to Sunnybank Hills Shopping town
- 9 mins (5.9km) to Calamvale Central Shopping Centre
- 10 mins (6.9km) to Stretton State College
- 18 mins (10km) to Westfield Garden City, Upper Mount
Gravatt
For prices and
brochures, please call Mansur Omar now via 0405 451 786
or email to
mansur.omar@gogecko.com.au
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
4 September
NEW DATE
Sunday
CRESWALK2016
Crescents of
Brisbane
Orleigh Park,
WEST END
0402 026 786
8.30am
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: TBA Venue: Islamic College of Brisbane - 45 Acacia Road
Karawatha
Please send any topics you wish to be added to the agenda to
be discussed on the night.
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the CCN Team, 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 CCN
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.
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Latvia to draft legislation
banning Niqab because of just 3 women!
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011