The Lockyer Valley Islamic
Association has acquired a
property in Gatton for its
proposed Community centre /
Musallah.
The Committee has now raised
$155 000 including pending
pledges, leaving a shortfall
of $95 000.
The settlement is scheduled
for the 6th June 2016. Your
assistance to help us settle
will be much appreciated.
Bank Account details:
LVIC Pty Ltd
Westpac BSB: 034182 A/c:
275675
Please insert your name as
reference for funds
transferred. To receive a
receipt kindly send an email
to
admin@lvia.org.au.
Dr Anver Omar returned to
Durban this week to run
his11th Comrades today
(Sunday 29 May).
"I'll miss my son Yusuf and
his endless chatter after
running the last 4 with him.
He's relocated to Delhi. I'm
ready with over 1,200kms of
training around Kuraby and
the hills of Springwood," Dr
Omar told CCN.
158 Australian runners are
taking part in this year's
down run from
Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
CCN readers can follow the
runners' progress over the
89km route
here. Click on the
results link.
The Omar support
team
Fellow Durban
Crescents' Comrades
carbo and protein
loading
Sophia Reed, Erin Frost, Fahizal
Abdullah (Event Coordinators)
International Islamic
College hosted another
successful Family Fun Night.
It all began well before 4pm
with teachers and staff
frantically organizing a
fun-filled evening. There
were beautiful stage
decorations, chilled drinks
for those who needed it and
warm coffee and tea to drink
while we chatted with family
and friends.
We were very privileged to
welcome Peter Russo who
represented the Premier.
Out the back in the kitchen
teachers were working hard
packing food for the night
ahead.
Listening to the Nasheed
group for entertainment was
beautiful and breath‐taking.
Year 4 teachers took charge
of the colouring
competition, with some true
artistic talent on show.
The high school teachers
made delicious desserts of
custard and jelly. YUM!
Badge making, movies and
popcorn, glow sticks,
bookfair and the spectacular
fireworks at the end were
enjoyed by all!
Our student council were
terrific managing the
night’s activities,
welcoming all the families
and facilitating the quiz
and activities.
We thank all families of
AIIC and the community for
the tremendous support
received.
All monies raised will go
towards much needed
resources for the students,
InshaAllah
Clothing on
display combines high
fashion with the modesty
required by Islam.
A travelling exhibition
showcasing Muslim fashion in
Australia has opened at the
National Archives in
Canberra.
The show, from Sydney's
Museum of Applied Arts and
Sciences, showcases local
designs that marry a modest
aesthetic with fashion
forward trends.
Australian fashion designers
have tapped into an
international market of
women who want fashionable
clothing that still adheres
to Muslim tenets of modesty.
The global market for Muslim
fashion is worth more than
$200 billion, with the most
customers in Turkey and
Indonesia.
Curator Glynis Jones said
high-fashion Muslim attire
was one of the largest
growth areas in the global
fashion industry.
She said Australian Muslims
were adapting fashion to
suit them.
"Garments that express their
faith but also allow them to
explore the nuances of
fashion and trends," she
said.
The global
Muslim fashion market is
worth roughly $200 billion.
The Australian designs on
show in the exhibition
include everything from
casual wear to formal
designs and swimwear.
The exhibition also
spotlights influential
Muslim fashion bloggers like
Delina Darusman-Gala.
Female fashion bloggers
sharing their styles and
thoughts online have
encouraged many young
Australian Muslims to
express their individuality
through their attire.
Visitors to the show have
the chance to browse through
Muslim fashion magazines and
street style images as well
as look at local designs in
detail.
The show also profiles
several high-profile
Australian Muslim women, to
get their views on life,
career, faith and fashion.
The exhibit, Faith Fashion
Fusion, is on show at the
National Archives of
Australia until September 4.
The Turnbull Coalition
Government is supporting an
expansion of the Australian
Football League’s (AFL)
Bachar Houli Cup and
Leadership Program.
The Government is providing
$625,000 to this proven
program which combines
culture and sport by
engaging Bachar Houli, star
Richmond player and AFL
Multicultural Ambassador, as
a role model and mentor for
young people.
Participants undertake skill
development sessions in
communication, decision
making, resilience, identity
and community values. They
are also encouraged to
engage in the local
community and promote
cultural and social
inclusion.
This program has already
engaged more than 30 Islamic
schools and organisations,
with more than 10,000
players taking part.
Prime Minister Malcolm
Turnbull congratulated the
AFL on the achievements of
the Bachar Houli Cup and
Leadership Program.
“This great mentoring
program demonstrates the
power of sport to develop
teamwork and leadership
skills,” said Mr Turnbull.
“The inspiring example of
Bachar Houli shows how
hopes, skills and character
can be honed on the sporting
field and extended to other
leadership roles in life.”
The Minister for Justice,
Michael Keenan, said: “The
program contributes to a
resilient and harmonious
society united around shared
values of mutual respect,
freedom of speech and
freedom of belief. It uses
sport as a great way to
embrace diversity while
providing students from
Islamic schools with the
opportunity to learn to play
football in a fun,
non-competitive
environment.”
The 2016-17 Bachar Houli
Program will include:
• the AFL’s highly
renowned Sport for
Development initiative,
encompassing both the
Bachar Houli Cup and
Academy;
• a youth mentoring
program which includes
engagement with schools
across the country;
• new opportunities for
young people using
traineeships and
transitional pathways to
full time employment
through the AFL Sports
Ready program; and
• AFL-hosted Iftar and
Eid events held
nationally during
Ramadan to engage with
communities and foster
improved cultural
education and awareness.
New South Wales Premier Mike
Baird with former refugee
Australian actor/writer Osamah
Sami
An Iranian-born author and
actor has taken the
opportunity of winning a
major NSW literary award to
speak out against
Immigration Minister Peter
Dutton's controversial
comments about 'illiterate'
refugees.
Iranian refugee Osamah Sami,
33, has taken out the
Multicultural category at
the 2016 NSW Premier's
Literary Awards, for his
memoir, 'Good Muslim Boy'.
The book, which describes
his own experiences of
fleeing Iran, was printed
last year.
He took this opportunity to
criticise comments made by
Immigration Minister Peter
Dutton on 'illiterate
refugees.'
"I wrote a book in my third
language, in your language -
in English, and I just
happened to win the literary
prize and I don't know if
you can even read my book,"
Mr Sami said.
Refugee Council of Australia
CEO Paul Power says the
Minister's comments are
dangerous and incorrect.
"Many people would take the
views of the minister
responsible for the refugee
program at face value and
not realise the political
motivation behind these
comments," he said.
Now a prolific actor, writer
and comedian, Mr Sami fled
persecution in Iran as a
teenager and arrived in
Australia with little else
than his sense of humour.
"There was no bombs, it was
a shock," he said.
"You come and it's like 'wow
it's a sunny day, it's a
clear day, it's a good
day.'"
Mr Sami said he "became
confused" after finding a
flyer in the mail asking him
to become a member of AFL
club Essendon Bombers.
"I thought 'Oh my God is
this a test?'", he said.
"Are the Australians setting
a trap for us, do they want
to know if we call. I was
just shaking and we went
back inside me and my
brother were trying to
decipher the codes.
"Why do they want us to join
the Bombers? Is it because I
am Osamah and my brother is
Mohammed?"
Mr Sami's life story is soon
to be the subject of a
feature film.
Billed as Australia's first
Muslim romantic comedy,
'Ali's Wedding' is described
by producer Sheila Jayadev
as a story that many will be
able to relate to.
"It's a classic Romeo and
Juliet love story but set in
the Muslim community in
Melbourne," she said.
"We think it's a very
important story to tell
because Osamah is providing
us with a very honest and
authentic window into a
culture that for the most
part is vastly
misunderstood."
A misunderstanding that Mr
Sami said can be remedied
with the telling of stories.
"When you empathise with
another human being you
empathise as a human being,
not as a Sudanese person, an
Iraqi person or an Iranian
person," he said.
"They're just a human being
in front of you."
Ali's Wedding will be
released in cinemas in 2017.
Have you ever gone for a job
and been tempted to
anglicise your surname,
remove your female pronoun
or delete your birth date in
case it cruels your chances?
For the first time in
Australia, the Victorian
government will trial
removing personal details -
such as name, gender, age
and location - from job
applications to rule out
discrimination or
unconscious bias.
Unconscious bias - when
hidden beliefs or attitudes
influence our behaviour -
has long been a bugbear for
those championing workplace
diversity.
It's a very personal project
for the Minister for
Multicultural Affairs, Robin
Scott. His wife, Shaojie,
has a Chinese background but
has occasionally used her
anglicised name, Jade Scott,
for job interviews.
When she did there was a
marked increase in responses
to her applications, noted
Mr Scott.
"We're not talking about
overt bigotry or racism;
this is not people who are
going to a Reclaim Australia
rally," he said.
"This is a much more subtle
process, where we make
assumptions about people
based on limited
information."
Talking to multicultural
community groups about his
wife's experience has
confirmed how common it is,
he said. "You just see all
these heads nodding".
In an effort to tackle this
bias, the 18-month Victorian
trial will assess which
personal details - including
name, gender, age and
location - should be removed
during a job application
process.
Major government
departments, agencies such
as WorkSafe and Victoria
Police, and private
companies such as Westpac
will take part on a
voluntary basis, and Mr
Scott said there were clear
financial benefits for
companies adopting the
practice.
People from culturally
diverse backgrounds with the
same qualifications and
experience often have to
submit many more job
applications, shows research
from the Australian National
University.
To get as many interviews
as an applicant with an
Anglo-Saxon sounding name,
an Indigenous person must
submit 35 per cent more
applications, a Chinese
person must submit 68 per
cent more applications, an
Italian person must submit
12 per cent more
applications, and a Middle
Eastern person 64 per cent
more applications, it found.
This
2-day seminar is part of Al-Ghazzali
Centre's Living Right
Series, which provides
practical counsel and advice
on how to live ethically in
accordance with Prophetic
Example as best we can in
this day and age.
Click on the image for
course details.
This Short Course is based
on the classical manual from
Imam Ghazzali's Ihya, titled
“The Ethics Earning &
Living", as well as Imam
Shaybani's text of the
similar title on Ethical
Earning.
This course will help the
student to understand and
apply principles to their
daily lives regarding:
The purpose of earning
in this world
The need to engage with
and own worldly wealth,
yet not be owned by it
The moral obligation for
ethical acquiring of
wealth and property, and
how illicit and
suspicious possession of
wealth brings physical
and metaphysical harm
The realisation of
concepts like ‘Isrāf’,
‘Insāf’ and ‘Ihsān’ in
context with finance,
earning and living
The eschatological
objectives (the reality
of the Afterworld) of
livelihood at a personal
level of earning and
societal level of
economics
The course, taught by Imam
Afroz Ali, is suitable for
everyone interested to raise
their standards of ethical
living as an important part
of this life and the
Afterlife where we will be
taken to account for our
personal and social affairs,
well as for those interested
in contributing to higher
ethical standards in micro
and macro-economics
Women are hardworking, resilient
and marvellous multi-taskers!
These women have shown that
Pakistani women are especially
exceptional because of all that
we have to overcome and yet we
are able to not only become
leaders in our fields but also
pioneer into uncharted
territories. All over the world,
and beyond.
Read on about these super
Pakistani women gathering
respect and accolades the world
over:
2. Rozina Ali
Dr. Rozina Ali is a
microvascular reconstructive
plastic surgeon and
consultant with a specialist
interest in breast
reconstruction. She was
awarded the Cutler’s
Surgicial Fellowship in 2007
and is highly regarded
within the medical industry
with her research cited in
many prestigious medical
journals and her appearances
on TV shows in the UK and US
as an expert in the field.
Since Sadiq Khan’s election
as Mayor of London, many
people seem to be suggesting
that no Muslim city would
ever be open-minded enough
to elect a Christian as
mayor.
So, in the interests of
accuracy, and because FACTS
ARE OUR FRIENDS, I present a
list of some of the many
Christians who have done
just what Mr Khan has done –
been elected to high office
in Muslim countries where
they are a religious
minority:
3. Februniye Akyol
The Turkish city of Mardin
recently elected its first
female Christian mayor,
Februniye Akyol. Turkey is
96.5% Muslim.
A Muslim mother in Sydney
fears her grandchildren will
end up in a concentration
camp. A Victorian father
won't tell his football team
he is Muslim so he doesn't
have to explain himself. To
be Muslim is to be judged
for everything you do, says
a Brisbane woman. An
international student living
in Melbourne says she feels
segregated in class.
What is it to be Muslim in
Australia today?
Fairfax Media asked readers
who are Muslim to speak of
their experiences and how
they explain extremism and
Islamophobia to their
children. Dozens of people
responded.
CCN publishes one response
each week:
"All Muslims are
classed as terrorists"
Mocca, Perth, Afghan
We came to Australia when I
was three years old. I
always thought Australia was
my country until I started
to wear a scarf. Nowadays
all Muslims are classed as
terrorists.
When I started to cover I
lost two friends because
they couldn't hang around
someone who covers and
doesn't drink. Since
covering up, complete
strangers pass judgment on
me. I've been verbally
abused, a man once pulled a
knife on me, the list goes
on. I don't feel safe
walking around the shops.
Like I constantly have to be
on guard in case I get
attacked.
It is sad how our society is
acting. We are dividing
ourselves. There should be
no difference between a girl
who wants to cover herself
from head to toe or someone
that wants to reveal
everything. We should both
be treated with the same
respect.
Nine men and women from
around Australia give voice to
what it's really like to live as
a Muslim. Sami (not his real
name), a 45-year-old father and
member of the NSW police force,
tells how extreme ideology has
influenced his world. Beau
Donelly reports.
THE COP
There’s a main road from
where I live to Parramatta
where our major crime squad
is located. Early on in my
career, I had a vision of
driving up and down that
road until the day I died.
That thought horrified me. I
wanted to do something that
would allow me to see the
world.
That was more than 15 years
ago. Since then I’ve worked
in drugs and organised
crime, counter terrorism and
as an undercover operative.
I’ve also been an armed air
security officer on
commercial planes and did
stints with the Australian
Federal Police in Beirut,
East Timor and the Solomon
Islands. I’ve always stood
out as either the only or
the first Muslim officer in
my unit.
When I joined the cops there
was an assumption that I was
part of some kind of
affirmative action program.
There were very few
non-Anglo cops back then.
Some people still don’t
believe you can be an Arab
and a cop. I get asked if
I’m a “Mussie” or called
“one of the good Lebs”. Once
when I visited a prisoner in
jail, the prison officer
told me I looked like I
belonged in there.
When I got into the air
security officer program,
one of the guys in the unit
said I shouldn't be allowed
on a plane with a gun. I
don't drink and that’s
always been a liability in
the cops.
Blatant racism and prejudice
still exists in the police
force but things have
improved. I'm always
breaking new ground. A lot
of the older cops, my
colleagues, accept me. When
faced with discrimination by
younger members, I tell them
I’ve lived in Australia and
have commemorated more Anzac
Days than they have. I try
to make sure that any racism
I’ve experienced isn’t
repeated in my teams. I
enjoy what I do and have had
every opportunity to get
promoted in the police
force, but being a Muslim is
always an issue - at the
very least, a discussion
point.
I was working back late when
I saw the planes fly into
the towers in New York. I’d
majored in aeronautical
engineering; I knew it was a
mid-sized commercial jet and
that it was deliberate. I
hoped to God it wasn't
Islamic extremists but deep
down I knew it was.
At that point, my life
changed forever.
Since September 11, it's
been very difficult to be a
Muslim. We’re all lumped
into that one group.
The extremists do not
represent Muslims. They are
peddling a complete
perversion of Islam. I have
spent many hours at work
listening to these people, I
have followed them and
watched them. That extreme
ideology that Australians
find alien and repulsive, I,
too, find alien and
repulsive. It hurts me.
Extremists pose a real
danger and a threat to
non-Muslims and Muslims
alike.
I've had awesome
opportunities in my career
that I would have never
dreamed of as a kid because
of the vices held against me
as an Arab and a Muslim.
People treat me better when
they find out I’m a police
officer.
If you have brown skin in
Australia you're treated
differently; people think
you’re stupid, assume you’re
uneducated. But the idea of
multicultural Australia is
now something people have to
accept - whether they like
it or not. We have many
different people living here
and eventually we’re going
to melt into one unique
culture.
Teaching students
about the effects of bad deeds
on the heart and the importance
of istighfar (asking
Allah's forgiveness).
My Favourite
Person
Mujeeb and Steve
Mujeeb tries to
get on Steve’s best friend list.
Steve tells Mujeeb that his
favorite person is the Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Steve explains to vlog viewers
the amazing life and
accomplishments of the Prophet
Muhammad.
CAIR Launches
Satirical 'ISLAMOPHOBIN'
Public Awareness
Campaign to
Challenge
Anti-Muslim
Bigotry
US: The Council
on
American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR),
the nation's
largest Muslim
civil rights and
advocacy
organization,
launched a
satirical public
awareness
campaign to
challenge
growing
Islamophobia in
America.
In its new
social media
campaign, CAIR
is distributing
"ISLAMOPHOBIN®,"
a mock-medicine
designed to
"cure"
Islamophobia and
includes a
television
commercial for
the product.
Bilal was a formerly
enslaved Ethiopian who
became one of the closest
and most-trusted companions
of the Prophet Muhammad.
Known for his beautiful
voice, Bilal became the
first muezzin (caller to
prayer) in Islam, chosen by
Muhammad himself.
The Great Mosque of Damascus
is easily one of the finest
buildings in the Islamic
world. Finished in 715 under
the rule of the Umayyad
Caliph al-Walīd I, it is
based around a vast
courtyard some 157m by 100 m
in size. The Shrine of Saint
John the Baptist (Prophet
Yahya) is believed to
contain the man's head. The
mosque has thus far been
protected from the violence
that has ravaged much of
Syria and destroyed mosques
hundreds of years old
elsewhere , such as in
Aleppo, but reports of stray
shells causing impact damage
to its facades emerged this
year.
As we are all aware, the current world crisis in the
Middle East has affected greatly to the Muslim
communities across the globe, especially in
Australia. This can be seen with the increasing
numbers of abuse to Muslim women as well as damages
to Muslims' places of worship. At the same time,
more and more mosque proposals across the county
have been rejected by the local governments or
councils with various reasons such as badly
designed, noise and traffic issues.
I would like to enquire/propose a set up of a
non-profit organization within Queensland that
comprises of Muslim architects, building designers,
researchers, landscape architects, engineers,
interior designers, project managers etc., that can
assist with any Islamic built environment proposals
in Queensland or perhaps nationwide (insyaallah) as
well as improving the quality of building and
architectural design for such spaces, especially
future mosque designs, especially when seeking
development approvals.
There are so many great mosques, open spaces/gardens
and other great Islamic buildings across the globe;
perhaps it is time for Australia to be in the list
sometime in the near future. These designs can
further incorporate with the local Australian and
indigenous materials, art and architecture, as well
as open, transparent and great interfaith gathering
spaces for Islamic communities and other religious
groups. My ambition is to see the first Interfaith
building in Australia being built in Queensland and
organized/set up by an Islamic organization within
the state
This is just a conceptual idea that's been in my
head for a while and I would like to enquire if
there is an interest among us for such proposal for
a non-profit organization. Wassalam
My name is Ryan Spencer, I am trying to find an old
friend that I've lost contact with since primary
school.
My friend is Islamic and I'm having trouble finding
him. I have tried all the places I can with only
knowing his name and the school we both went to as
children in a different state (NSW).
We both now reside in Queensland but I don't know
where to go to find him. My friend is Islamic and
I'm hoping I can find him through your newsletter to
pass on my name and details so he can contact me.
Is there anything you can do for me to help.
His name is Yassin Hussein.
We both attended the primary school in New South
Wales called Murrayfarm public school.
I know I have little information that's why I'm
finding it hard to give him my mobile number so he
can contact me.
Kind regards
Ryan Spencer
[EDITOR] If any CCN reader is able to help,
please
email us.
House Lawmakers Blast Saudi
Arabia for Spreading Extremism
SAUDI ARABIA: Several
House lawmakers angrily accused the
Saudi government of stoking extremism as
they considered a new Senate bill
Tuesday to allow victims of the 9/11
terror attacks to sue the oil-rich
monarchy.
It was the latest sign of Capitol Hill’s
growing frustration with the Saudi
kingdom, which lawmakers criticized for
financing the spread of Wahhabism, an
ultraconservative form of Islam.
“The Saudis and the Saudi royal family
have been right up to their eyeballs in
terrorist activity,” said Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher (R-Calif.).
Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), the chairman of
a House subcommittee on terrorism, noted
that “Wahhabi followers are more easily
recruited by terrorist groups.”
Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman of
California accused Riyadh of funding
religious leaders who “preach violent
murder against those who they disagree
with.”
In anticipation of the criticism, the
Saudi government released two fact
sheets to reporters Tuesday touting
strong counterterror ties between the
U.S. and the Mideast kingdom, including
curbing Iran’s influence and cracking
down on terrorism financing. The
documents also rebutted claims that the
Saudi government had any role in
supporting the 9/11 hijackers, 15 of
whom were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has made no secret it opposes the
Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism
Act, which the Senate passed last week
and could go to a vote in the House as
early as next week. The legislation
would allow the victims of terrorist
attacks on U.S. soil to sue foreign
countries for supporting terrorist
activities.
The White House opposes the legislation,
saying it could expose the U.S. to
lawsuits around the world. “It’s
difficult to imagine the president
signing this legislation,” White House
Press Secretary Josh Earnest said last
week.
During the hearing, Rohrabacher asked
the four Saudi expert witnesses — who
included former 9/11 commissioner Tim
Roemer — to raise their hands if they
believed the Saudi Royal family did not
know of the 9/11 plot ahead of time. Two
experts, Karen Elliot House of the
Belfer Center and Daniel Byman of
Georgetown University, raised their
hands, while Roemer and Simon Henderson
of the Washington Institute kept their
hands down. Later, Roemer said the
question was too complex to deal with in
an up-or-down fashion, but Rohrabacher
rejected that view. “The Saudis have
been financing terrorism now for 20
years at least,” Rohrabacher said.
The dispute comes as the Obama
administration considers the public
release of 28 classified pages of a
congressional inquiry into 9/11. A
handful of former U.S. officials say the
pages show that some Saudi authorities
were complicit in the 9/11 attacks — an
allegation that Riyadh strongly denies.
Saudi Arabia has said it supports the
release of the pages so it can finally
defend itself against the accusations of
its critics.
Saudi Arabia: Man Shoots
Doctor For Assisting Wife’s Labor
Saudi medical staff leave the
emergency department at a
hospital in the center of the
Saudi capital Riyadh on April 8,
2014. A jealous father shot a
male doctor at the King Fahad
Medical City in Riyadh for
assisting his wife's delivery.
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi
authorities have arrested a man for
shooting a male doctor who had helped
his wife’s delivery, after arguing that
a female doctor should have overseen the
birth.
The doctor, Muhannad Al Zabn, delivered
the baby in April at the King Fahad
Medical City in Riyadh, Gulf News
reported.
The father offered his thanks to the
doctor and asked to meet him at the
hospital to show him his appreciation in
person for the delivery.
The pair proceeded to meet in the
hospital garden to talk about the
delivery when the father unveiled a
firearm and shot at the doctor,
seriously wounded him.
The father ran from the scene but Saudi
police later arrested him. Health
workers transferred Al Zabn to the
hospital’s intensive care unit but he is
now in a stable condition.
Bassam Al Buraikan, spokesperson for the
King Fahad Medical City hospital
confirmed the incident to Gulf News and
said that authorities were conducting an
investigation using evidence from the
scene of the shooting.
The incident divided opinion online,
with most supporting the doctor but some
questioning why the father was put in
such a position.
One Twitter user wrote: “Just when you
thought ‘jealousy’ can’t get worse.” A
prominent Arab Twitter user Ahmad S.
Algarni asked why the hospital did not
meet the request of the jealous father.
The Passing of One of the
Greatest Female Scholars of Our Times
MOROCCO: Born 1326/1908 in the city of
Meknās in Morocco, Shaykha Bahiyyah bint
Hāshim al-Quṭbiyyah al-Filāliyyah was
one of the rare scholarly giants who
still remained from the previous
generation who was a great inspiration
for men and women alike.
She memorized Qurʾān at the age of 14 at
the hands of al-Qāḍī Muḥammad b. Aḥmad
al-Ismāʿīlī al-ʿAlawī and studied the
various Islamic sciences with the
renowned scholars of her region. She
made Ḥajj at age 18 where she studied
with scholars of the Ḥijāz. In 1374/1955
she traveled to Tunisia where she
studied for 5 years at the renowned
Zaytūnah University, being the only
woman there at the time. There she was
the student of the great scholar of the
20th century Shaykh al-Islām al-Ṭāhir
ibn ʿĀshūr (d. 1393/1973) and received
Ijāzah from him. After graduating with
distinction, she was requested to stay
there but she chose to return to her own
country.
She was devoted to the study of the
Islāmic sciences her entire life and
gathered an extensive list of teachers
and disciplines that she delved into.
She studied tafsīr and portions of Ṣaḥīḥ
Bukhārī with al-Ḥājj Muḥammad al-Sūsī,
completed Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī with al-Ḥājj b.
ʿĪsā al-Khalṭī, studied Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and
uṣūl al-fiqh with Shaykh al-Zarīhanī,
the text of Ajrūmiyyah in grammar with
Aḥmad b. Ṣiddīq al-Meknāsī, the Alfiyyah
of Ibn Mālik and Risīlah Ibn Abi Zayd
with Mawlāy al-Ṭayyib al-Ḥarīf, the fiqh
text of Ibn ʿĀshir with Mawlāy ʿAbdullah
Jamʿān, fiqh from Mukhtasar Khalīl with
Muḥammad al-ʿArāyishī, the Qurʾānic
readings and the Muwaṭṭaʾ with Mawlāy
al-Sharīf b. ʿAlī al-ʿĀlawī, the
sciences of ḥadīth with al-Sayyid ʿAbd
al-Hādī al-Mannūnī, tafsīr with al-Mukhtār
al-Sintīsī, various sciences with ʿAbd
al-Ḥafīẓ al-Fāsī al-Fihrī. Perhaps her
two greatest teachers included al-Ṭāhir
ibn ʿĀshūr and ʿAllāmah Muḥammad Taqī
al-Dīn al-Hilālī (d. 1407/1987) with
whom she studied Tawḥīd and other
topics. In Tunisia, she studied balāgha
and tafsīr with al-Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr as
well as his son, the sciences of ḥadīth
with Ibn Khawjah, history with Muḥammad
al-ʿAzīz and other topics with Muḥammad
al-Khiḍr Ḥusayn.
What is more amazing is that Shaykhah
Bahiyyah was blind but that did not
define her nor deter her from her
pursuits. In fact, she showed us a copy
of a volume of the Qurʾān in Braille in
the Riwāyah of Warsh which she had
written with her own hand!
Tom Hanks: Morocco Made Me
Change My Stereotypes About Muslim Countries
RABAT: American actor and
filmmaker Tom Hanks said that his visit
to Morocco has changed his stereotyped
view of Muslim countries.
In a promotion of his new film “A
Hologram for the King” Hanks went back
on a film he made in Morocco ten years
to explain how he used to have a
stereotypical view toward Islamic
society.
When asked if “A Hologram for the King
is partly redressing the balance with
all the anti-Muslim feeling in America
right now, Hanks said that he thinks
that his “job is to steer away from
stereotypes.”
“Ten years ago, we shot some of Charlie
Wilson’s War in Morocco. I had never
been to a Muslim nation before. I was a
white, western American and I assumed
that every time the muezzin called the
faithful to prayer, everybody shut down
and went to their local mosque. Some did
but really there was no change
whatsoever. A huge stereotype was busted
just like that.”
Hanks’ work visit to Morocco apparently
helped him correct his stereotypical
vision of other Muslim countries, and
described filming in the country like
“living in a culture that tolerates you
but doesn’t embrace you.”
“All of that helped me to internalize
Alan’s sense of alienation, because we
were so far removed from anything that
was recognizable to me as an American.”
In an interview with Radio Times, Hanks,
a donor to Hillary Clinton’s
presidential campaign, ruled out the
possibility of Donald Trump making it to
the White House.
Despite the statements of the American
actor, journalist Matilda Battersby for
the Independent said that Hollywood is
well known for stereotyping the Middle
East and “A Hologram for the King is by
no means the worst offender.”
The same source quoted the UAE-based
independent filmmaker Faisal Hashmi as
saying that the region is either
portrayed as “a war-torn ultra
conservative one littered with armed
men, women in burqas, men wearing
turbans, and the overall city feeling
like it’s in some sort of constant
lockdown,” or as if it is “Las Vegas of
the desert – fancy sports cars, hotels,
scantily clad models, rich people
everywhere in the most exclusive fancy
parties.”
SA cricketer Wayne
Parnell’s wedding pictures at mosque
SOUTH AFRICA: South
African fast bowler Wayne Parnell tied
the knot on Saturday at a mosque in Cape
Town.
The 26-year-old fast bowler, who
converted to Islam in 2011, married
fashion blogger Aisha Baker at the
Zeenatul Islam Mosque in District Six,
Cape Town. Around 400 guests attended
the wedding ceremony. He had changed his
name to Waleed after conversion to
Islam.
The cricketer will have
just three days to spend with the other
half, before he joins his team for the
West Indies tour.
“I converted to Islam in
January 2011, after a period of personal
study and reflection and it is a faith
that I have always been interested in,”
Parnell had said in a statement after
conversion.
He also asked that the issue be treated
with respect as he approaches his first
period of fasting. “My faith choice is a
matter which I would like to keep
private.”
Parnell had his Nikkah performed in
December 2014 and he had also shared its
picture on micro-blogging site Twitter.
CAIR-LA ‘Ice Cream &
Unity’ Event to Recognize Business for
Standing Against Bigotry
US: On Saturday, May 28,
the Greater Los Angeles Area chapter of
the Council on American
Islamic-Relations of (CAIR-LA) hosted an
“Ice Cream & Unity” event to recognize
the owners of Andrew’s Ice Cream and
Dessert in Orange for taking a stand
against Islamophobia.
Two Muslim women wearing Islamic head
scarves (hijab) were harassed recently
by another customer at Andrew’s Ice
Cream and Dessert shop in Orange, Calif.
“I don’t want them in my country,” the
man yelled at the women, as shown in a
cellphone video.
The
video went viral on Twitter,
receiving more than 24,000 likes and
22,472 retweets, as of Wednesday
afternoon.
Cynthia Ramsey, who is the owner of
Andrew’s Ice Cream and Dessert along
with her husband Greg, and their
employee Jesse Noah, responded in
support of the Muslim women and escorted
the man out of the shop.
“The store owner and employee who stood
up for what’s right showed there is no
room for hatred in America,” said CAIR-LA
Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. “The
two young women held their composure and
responded in a courageous and dignified
manner.”
CAIR-LA recognized the owners and staff
as “Champions of Justice” in a brief
ceremony in appreciation for the owners
and staffs’ response to Islamophobic
comments directed to the two Muslim
women.
Based
on eyewitness accounts and original interviews, this bold
new work provides a vivid portrayal of the evolving
political and cultural role played by Islamic fundamentalist
movements.
Drawing on his firsthand experiences, Mark Huband moves deep
inside the contemporary Islamic movements of countries as
diverse as Morocco and Afghanistan. Huband reveals how
Western powers have contributed to the rise of Islamic
movements by their earlier support of the Afghan Islamic
resistance and gives detailed accounts of his discussions
with militant groups, Muslim scholars, and political
opponents of the Islamic movements. Enriching these
discussions, the author contextualizes the movements by
exploring their historical and intellectual framework.
The book uniquely illustrates the variety found within the
movements, as well as the range of relationships the Islamic
movements have to the various countries in which they are
active.
Warriors of the Prophet details the current crisis in
Algeria; the disappointments of Arab nationalism and
socialist experiments in Egypt; the social breakdown of
Somalia in relation to the ideal of an Islamic way of life;
the disaffected youth in the Islamic movements of Morocco,
Egypt, and elsewhere; and the Islamic experiment and its
relationship with the non-Islamic world as revealed in
Sudan’s experience since 1989. Through these insightful
accounts, Huband gives us a penetrating exploration of one
of the major issues of the late twentieth century.
KB says:
Another idea for a savoury starter which can be
made in advance and frozen and just reheated in
an oven bag before iftaar
Calzone
Step One
3 cups flour
2 Tab sugar
1 tsp salt
2tsp yeast (10g)
¼ cup oil
1 egg
½ cup milk and ½ cup water
Method
1. Sift the flour and the salt, then add all
other dry ingredients.
2. Beat the egg and oil and very gently rub into
the dry ingredients.
3. Mix the milk and water and add to the flour
mixture and knead to form a soft dough.
4. Cover the dough and leave to rise until
almost double in size.
Step 2
Filling
3 cups of chicken fillet cubed
1 tsp ground cumin (jeeru)
1 tsp salt
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp ground green chillies
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp garlic
2 tab oil or ghee
Method
Heat the oil and add all the above and cook the
chicken until tender and then make a mixture of
1 ¼ cup cold milk and 2 tab corn flour and add
to the chicken and let it simmer for a few
minutes and then allow it to cool.
Step 3
To make the calzone:
Punch the dough down and then using a portion of
the dough at a time, roll it out into a circle,
cut into approx. 8cm circles, brush with beaten
egg, place the filling on the one half of the
circle, then cover with the other half. Brush
with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds
or cheese and cubed tomatoes and green peppers
and bake at 180 degrees until light brown.
Note: You can use any filling you like, maybe
even leftovers but you need to make the filling
saucy otherwise your calzone will be dry
Q: Dear
Kareema, I tend to be struggling with my
workouts and don’t seem to be getting the
results I'm after. Is there anything I can do to
try and change this?
A: Forget perfect, just try to be better
every time you work out.
Push your boundaries
but remember to take breaks as well. If you step
out of your comfort zone, your muscles are
forced to work harder which means results…
Combine strength and
cardio exercises for an overall body
transformation.
The key is to be
consistent and change it up every other week for
faster results.
Fuel your body with
food an hour or two before your workouts and
keep your water intake up.
Stretch after each
session and include protein in your post-workout
meal for muscle recovery.
Your Garden is an important
investment and plants are
costly to replace so start
planning your mulching now
before Spring.
Best Tips
• Don’t skimp on the
quantity-lay it out
thickly
• You will need to apply
fertiliser before laying
the mulch
• Ordering by the truck
load is more economical
• Research the types of
mulch available before
committing to buying.
• If in doubt use an
expert gardener
To book appointments -
Ph: 3341 2333 (Underwood)
Ph: 3299 5596 (Springwood)
M: 0406 279 591
Website:
www.diversenutrition.com.au
Ramadan: a month of fasting or feasting?
For many of us, we make the mistake of
overindulging in the month of Ramadan. Often, we
eat using our eyes rather than tuning in with
our appetite. Our body works in amazing ways and
is actually quite quick to adapt to restrictive
conditions.
When deprived of food/water for a long time such
as during the fasting period, our body naturally
switches to “storage mode” for survival by
slowing down its metabolism of food. The body
will try to save the energy we consume into fat
stores as the body does not know the next time
it will be receiving food again.
For this reason, it is common for many to
actually gain weight during Ramadan. So, here
are some healthy tips to help you maintain your
weight and keep you in the best health during
this month.
What to do:
• Suhoor: feed your body with foods that are
slower to digest, which will keep you fuller
for longer, and release energy slowly to
last through the day. Think high protein
foods (e.g. meats, eggs, dairy) and complex
carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread,
sweet potato, brown rice, and oats.
• Iftaar: we all know it is sunnah to break
one’s fast with dates and water. But, try to
keep between 1 - 3 dates as dates are high
in natural sugar. Have a piece of fruit if
you still want something sweet and fresh.
• Drink plenty of water (small sips over few
hours, rather than one big gulp) to ensure
your body stays hydrated.
• Try to eat mindfully and stop eating when
you are full.
• Remember the prophet (S.A.W)’s Hadith
about moderation (1/3 of stomach for water,
1/3 for food and 1/3 for air)
What to avoid:
• Over eating. You will end up feeling
sluggish and unable to focus during night
prayers.
• Deep fried foods e.g. samosas, spring
rolls, curry puffs etc.
• High processed junk foods and take-away
foods; often high in salt, fat, sugar, and
have low nutrient content
• Sugar sweetened beverages such as soft
drinks, energy drinks, cordials, flavoured
milks and iced tea. These drinks will give
you a hit of energy (sugar high) but you
will feel it crash down later.
As much as Ramadan is an important month for
worship, we should also ensure that we look
after our body during this time so we can stay
healthy and have the energy to be able to
perform extra ibadah.
If you can manage to discipline your eating
habits in this month, it will also help you to
implement the same self control in the long run
after Ramadan (inshaaAllah).
I would like to take this opportunity to wish
you and your families Ramadan Mubarak
Depending on the position of
the attacker and how close
he is will determine where
you will strike and with
what part of your body you
will employ. Do not step in
closer, say, to strike his
nose with your hand, when
you can reach his knee with
a kick.
When striking a target on
the upper half of the body
you will use your hand.
Effective strikes can be
made with the outer edge of
your hand in a knife hand
position, a palm strike or
knuckle blow for softer
targets or a tightly curled
fist.
For more info
on self defence classes
please contact Taufan on
0447004465 or
info@sscombat.com.au.
This Qur’an is not such as
can be produced by other
than Allah; on the contrary
it is a confirmation of
(revelations) that went
before it, and a fuller
explanation of the Book -
wherein there is no doubt -
from the Lord of the Worlds.
Islamic College of Brisbane, 45 Acacia Rd, Karawatha
0410 083 975
10am to 9pm
17
July
Sunday
Annual Eid Night
Islamic Society
of Darra
Darra Mosque,
DARRA
TBA
TBA
20
& 21 August
Sat & Sun
The Divine Light
Sh Wasim Kempson
Al Kauthar
Brisbane
Griffith
University NATHAN
0438 698 328
All day
20
August
Saturday
Family Fun Day
Gold Coast
Islamic School (AIIC)
19 Chisholm Road
Carrara, Gold Coast
5596 6565
12pm to 6.30pm
4 September
NEW DATE
Sunday
CRESWALK2016
Crescents of
Brisbane
Orleigh Park,
WEST END
0402 026 786
8.30am
12
September
(tentative)
Monday
EID al-ADHA
1437 (10th Zilhijja 1437)
3 October
(tentative)
Monday
1st Muharram
1438 – Islamic New Year 1438
8
October
Saturday
Al Yateem Fundraising Dinner
Islamic Relief
Australia
Greek Hall, 269
Creek Road, Mt Gravatt
0456 426 523
6.30pm
12 October
(tentative)
Wednesday
Day of Ashura
12 December
(tentative)
Monday
Birth of the
Prophet (pbuh) / Milad un Nabi
PLEASE NOTE
1. All Islamic Event dates given above are supplied by
the Council of Imams QLD (CIQ) and are provided as a guide and 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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Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
ICQ
in conjunction with Brisbane
City Council is proud to be
hosting a FREE food handling
and hygiene workshop. 
House Lawmakers Blast Saudi
Arabia for Spreading Extremism
Based
on eyewitness accounts and original interviews, this bold
new work provides a vivid portrayal of the evolving
political and cultural role played by Islamic fundamentalist
movements. 
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7
August 2011