Yesterday's (Saturday)
inaugural Eid Down Under
celebration of the Muslim
festival of Eid-ul-Fitr was
held at the Islamic College
of Brisbane where a large
crowd came to enjoy the
food, entertainment and
rides. Eid Down Under is an
initiative of the Islamic
Council of Queensland (ICQ).
President of ICQ, Mr Ismail
Cajee, told CCN that the
attendance numbers were
appoximately 20,000
throughout the day.
We hope to provide a fuller
report in the next CCN.
The Eid-ul-Fitr
morning
prayer hosted
by the
Islamic
Council
of
Queensland
(ICQ)
and
supported
by the
Kuraby,
Holland
Park,
Ipswich and
Slacks
Creek
Mosques,
the Eid
morning
prayers
attracted
over
9000 men
and
women to
the
Islamic
College
of
Brisbane
on a
chilly
Wednesday
morning.
Prof
Mohamad
Abdalla
delivered
the key
note
address
and Imam
Ahmad
Muhammad
Naffaa
of the
Kuraby
Mosque led
the
prayers,
followed
by the
Khutbah
(sermon)
in
Arabic.
Dr
Abdalla's
central
message
was
about
caring,
sharing
and
being
gracious,
gentle,
compassionate
and
merciful
to one's
families,
neighbours
and
"those
who
"hate"
us".
He
reminded
the
congregation
that
Islam
forbids
illegitimate
violence
and acts
of
terror
be it
inflicted
by
individuals,
organisations
or
nations.
"Groups
such as
ISIS
propose
that it
is
acceptable
to kill
non-combatants,
civilians,
and
innocent
people
(or in
the
terminology
of
Islamic
law
those
who are
not
engaged
in
direct
combat).
For
Muslims
scholars,
this
violates
a
well-known
principal
from
Islamic
Law: It
is not
permissible
to kill
their
[i.e.,
the
opponent's]
women
and
children
if they
are not
in
direct
combat.
The
sharia
ruling
of
killing
innocent
people
(Muslim
or
non-Muslim)
is not
only
prohibited
but also
a major
Sin and
contravenes
one of
the
principal
commandments
of our
way of
life.
He
also
stressed
the
importance
of being
proud of
one's
Australian
Muslim
identity,
and the
long
standing
presence
of Islam
and
Muslims
in
Australia.
Prof Mohamad Abdalla
Imam Ahmad Muhammad
(l
tor r) Riyaad
Ally (Muslim Aid
Australia), David
Forde (Multicultural
Affairs QLD), Yusuf
Khatree (Muslim
Charitable
Foundation), and
Ismail Cajee
(Islamic Council of
QLD)
(l tor r)
AK Surtie (Kuraby
Mosque) and Zakaria
Amin (Slackscreek
Mosque)
To mark
the end
of the
Holy
month of
Ramadhan,
the
Australian
International
Islamic
College
held its
Eid ul
Fitr
celebrations
at the
Durack
Campus.
The Eid
message
was
delivered
by Imam
Shehzad
Khan in
which he
stressed
the
importance
of
forgiving
each
others
shortcomings.
The
Khutbah
was
conveyed
by Imam
Mohammed
Azhari
whose
main
message
was the
importance
of
Muslim
unity
and
tolerance.
He also
encouraged
Muslims
to
become
better
contributors
to the
Australian
society.
The
event
was
attended
by men,
women
and
children
of
diverse
backgrounds.
It was a
wonderful
atmosphere
to see
families
join
together
in the
spirit
of
Islam.
The
children
enjoyed
the
treats
provided
and
played
on the
jumping
castle.
Families
gathered
around
tables
and
enjoyed
the
delicious
brunch
provided.
The day
was
enjoyed
by all
and we
look
forward
to the
next
Ramadan,
InshaAllah
ACCES
Services
and the
Queensland
Intercultural
Society
hosted
the the
second
of their
annual
Friendship
and
Dialogue
Ifthaars
at the
Gould
Adams
Community
Centre
in
Logan.
Over 150
invited
guests
were
treated
to the
breaking
of the
fast
with
Baharat
lamb and
chicken
shawarna
for the
mains.
Master
of
Ceremonies
was Ms
Leiya
Abukar
and a
musical
interlude
was
provided
by the
Cievash
Arean
Duo.
After
the
Quran
Recitation
by Imam
Ghazaleh,
Ms Gail
Ker, CEO
of
Access
Community
Services
and Mr
Abdul
Celil
Gelim,
Executive
Director
of QIS
welcomed
the
diverse
group of
guests.
Mrs Ayse
Dogun of
Wisdom
College
delivered
the
keynote
address
and
spoke of
her
experiences
as an
Australian-born
of
Turkish
origin.
Logan
Mayor
Luke
Smith
spoke of
the
Logan
City and
its
diversity.
Cecil
Fernandes'
vote of
thanks
was
followed
by a
Palestinian
dance
performance
by Al
Zayton.
Western
Sydney,
Wednesday
morning:
More
than
50,000
Muslims
close
streets
around
Lakemba
Mosque
as they
pray on
the road
to
celebrate
the end
of
Ramadan
More
than
50,000
Muslims
close
the
streets
around
Lakemba
Mosque
to
celebrate
the end
of
Ramadan
The
Mosque
was full
by 6am
on
Wednesday
and
thousands
prayed
on the
street
to mark
end of
30-days
of
fasting
The
June
Ramadan
celebrations
left
Lakemba
town
centre
transformed
with
food
stalls
for
Iftar in
the
evenings
The
Lebanese
stalls
served
camel
burgers,
tandoori
chicken
kebabs,
corn on
the cob,
paratha
and
knafeh
The
end of
Ramadan
means
the
beginning
of the
'festival
of
breaking
the
fast,'
Eid al-Fitr,
which
lasts
for
three
days
More
than
50,000
Muslims
closed
the
streets
around
Sydney's
biggest
mosque
to
celebrate
the end
of
Ramadan
and
30-days
of
fasting.
Lakemba
Mosque
was full
by 6am
on
Wednesday,
leaving
thousands
to place
their
prayer
rugs on
Wangee
Road
while
their
morning
prayers
were
broadcast
over
loudspeakers.
The
Ramadan
celebrations
left the
Lakemba
town
centre
transformed
with
food
stalls
for the
evening
meal,
known as
Iftar,
serving
camel
burgers,
corn on
the cob,
tandoori
chicken
kebabs,
paratha
flatbread
and the
cheese
dessert
Knafeh.
New
South
Wales
Premier
Mike
Baird
arrived
in
Lakemba
in the
morning
to
address
the
service
as
Muslim
families
now
begin to
celebrate
the
three-day
'festival
of
breaking
the
fast,'
Eid al-Fitr.
The holy
month
comes to
an end
at the
official
sighting
of a
crescent
moon.
President
of the
Lebanese
Muslim
Association,
Samier
Dandan,
addressed
the
crowd on
Wednesday,
saying
the
'divisiveness'
of
'bigotry'
in
Australia
will not
'break'
them.
There are indeed exciting
times ahead at Amanah
Institute, InshaAllah. The
Amanah team would like to
share this important update
as we move forward to phase
2 of the Amanah Institute
Improvement Project (AIIP).
Leadership Team
We are excited to announce
the new leadership team at
Amanah Institute. Imam Ahmed
Naffa will assume the role
of the Religious Leader of
the Institute. Sister Soraya
Bulbulia will assume the
role of the Educational
Leader and Principal of the
Institute. Both of these
appointments will add
significantly to the shared
leadership structure,
InshaAllah.
Imam Ahmed will add great
value to our ongoing efforts
to enhance the Quran
program; in providing
specialist training for our
teachers; and in providing
quality teaching within the
Applied Islam program,
InshaAllah. We also pray
that his involvement and
leadership will add to the
ruhaniya and ambiance that
we desire for our children
in this scared learning
environment.
Sr Soraya has been
instrumental in the success
of the Institute over the
following three (3) years.
She has demonstrated an
exceptional grasp of the
vision and the philosophy of
education at Amanah
Institute. She combines her
experience in both Principal
and Deputy Principal roles
in Madrassahs here in
Australia, her very high
level organizational skills
and her experience in
mainstream education
settings.
Our children and young
people are fortunate indeed,
Alhumdullilah.
Special Combined Event
Forum and Senior Applied
Islam Graduation
We would like to cordially
invite our Amanah families
to a combined event to be
held on Sunday 17th of July
2.00 pm at the Islamic
Womens Association of
Queensland, 11 Watland St,
Springwood QLD 4127.
This event will mark the
occasion of the graduation
of the Inaugural Senior
Applied Islam Class as well
as an important forum where
we discuss the milestones of
phase 1 in the Amanah
Institute Improvement
Project (AIIP) and outline
the goals for phase 2.
As Ramadan ends, Muslims
express concerns about rise
in right-wing politicians
As Muslims gather to
celebrate the end of
Ramadan, community leaders
say they're concerned about
the rise of racism in
Australian politics. One
leader is urging people to
not allow figures like
Pauline Hanson to divide the
community. The New South
Wales Premier Mike Baird has
also spoken out, using the
end of Islam's holiest month
to say that racism has no
place in Australia.
Backlash to Hanson's
anti-Islam comments: The
National Race Discrimination
Commissioner and the Islamic
community say Pauline
Hanson's anti-Muslim
comments do not accurately
reflect the views of
Australians.
Pauline Hanson's comments
could lead to violence,
Tim Soutphommasane warns.
Theres great potential for
harm to be done when youre
talking about inflammatory
rhetoric, says race
discrimination commissioner
Cafe Mio, in Springwood was
a perfect venue for an
intimate teacup conversation
with Sue Lockwood, hosted by
Connected Women and Be
Enterprise during May.
Women from various
backgrounds gathered to
enjoy a delicious morning
tea and to help fundraise
for the Bali Life Womens
Centre.
Sue Lockwood who is from the
Gold Coast, shared her
compelling story about how
she, as a mature age
student, completed her
Social Science degree and
was working with young
people in various
rehabilitation facilities,
when all of sudden, she was
hit by depression and was on
the verge of a nervous
breakdown. The audience was
drawn into Sues story about
self-discovery and soul
searching as well as the
courage that lead Sue to
overcome her depression and
establish a womens centre
in Bali.
Sue is a mother to three
children and five
grandchildren. Nowadays she
spends six months in Bali
and six months in Australia.
Whilst in Australia, Sue
raises much needed funds for
the Bali Life Womens
Centre. The centre teaches
English to over 100 children
each week and also runs
courses for the local women
in the Balinese community.
The informative, uplifting
and motivating morning could
not have been complete
without the generous
donation of a selection of
gift vouchers from Everbliss
Health and Beauty and Peak
Physique Yoga Underwood.
Highlights of the morning
were captured by Yaseera
Moosa Photography.
Sue Lockwood told CCN that
she had a wonderful morning
meeting lots of new women.
It was so encouraging to
see, as I told my story,
that there were many
interested faces looking
back at me and I sensed that
many had their own "life
stories" to tell, she
said.
Saalihah Seedat, co-founder
of Connected Women who was
the MC for the morning said
It was an absolute honour
to host Sue and all the
lovely ladies who joined us
for this inspiring morning.
Not only did we achieve the
goal of raising much needed
funds to assist with ongoing
services at the Bali Life
Womens Centre; there were
many new friendships created
at this intimate event.
Gabrielle Conescu of Wavell
Heights said that I had
the pleasure of attending
Connected Womens
fundraising morning tea . A
truly inspirational group
creating a community of
connection and making a
difference. Sue is an
amazing woman and with such
an empowering story. I look
forward to the next
Connected Women event.
For more information on the
Bali Life Womens Centre:
www.balilife.org
Connected Women is a
movement that aims to create
a platform for women of
diverse backgrounds
committed to learning,
sharing and inspiring each
other. If you are interested
in receiving information
about upcoming events please
write to:
Connectedwomenbrisbane@gmail.com
Labor is increasingly
confident its candidate for
the WA seat of Cowan,
international
counter-terrorism expert
Anne Aly, will be elected.
That would make her the
first female Muslim in
Australia's parliament. But
as she tells the Religion
and Ethics Report, she is
far more than her religion.
Dr Anne Aly was preselected
as the Labor candidate for
Cowan, the federal seat
covering suburbs in Perth,
in January this year.
Aly had been working as an
academic at Edith Cowan
University, studying
counter-terrorism and
counter-radicalisation
programs.
She says she was surprised
when she was first
approached to run as a Labor
candidate.
'I looked at them and I
said: "You know who I am,
right? You still want me to
run, right?" And they said,
"Yes, we do."'
'I think that it's brave
that a Labor party goes
places to represent the
diversity of our Australian
community.'
However, Aly insists that
she is far more than her
religion.
'I can't help how I'm going
to be labelled,' she says.
'A lot of the media referred
to me as a Muslim academic
or the Muslim candidate and
that's OK. That's part of
who I am. But I'm also so
much more than that as
well.'
Aly describes herself as a
'secular Muslim', which she
says is not meant to dilute
her religious stance.
'My identity as a Muslim is
as a secular Muslim,' she
says.
'I do believe in the
separation of religion and
politics and that's what
secular in any form of
religion is.'
Personal reasons behind
move into politics
Aly says her reasons for
getting into politics are
personal. Having struggled
financially to raise two
sons on her own, she says
they were the kind of people
that radical groups prey on.
'Those years that I spent
struggling with my children
when they were young, when I
struggled to make ends meet,
really have a huge bearing
on my identity today and how
I define myself,' she says.
Now that her sons are older,
she says it's the 'sons of
Australia' she is most
concerned about.
'Someone said to me: "Anne,
why are you running for
parliament? You're too
qualified to be a
politician."
'Why is there such a dismal
view of politics that people
would think that somebody
like me is too over
qualified, or too good for
politics?
'I certainly don't believe
that. I think politics needs
to change and I think that
we need to have more people
with experience.'
Criticism from Liberals and
conservative Muslims
During the campaign, Aly
faced criticism from several
high-profile Liberal MPs,
including justice minister
Michael Keenan, for a
submission she made in the
trial of radical Muslim
preacher Junaid Thorne.
She had suggested he could
be a candidate for her
deradicalisation program,
which is funded by the
federal attorney-general's
department.
Aly also received criticism
from conservative sections
of the Muslim community for
not wearing a headscarf. But
she says she's developed a
thick skin.
'I get criticism from
everywhere ... I get it from
the extreme right wing, who
question, "Why aren't you
covering your face and
head?"' she says.
'I'm like, "Well, why don't
you go and have a picnic
with the conservative
right-wing Muslims? Because
you all think the same way."
'I'm a big believer that's a
woman's choice to wear what
she wants to wear. I don't
think that in the year 2016
we should be talking about
what women wear.'
Sara Gadalla (pictured
below) describes her run
in with an Australian
Liberty Alliance campaigner
at the Helensvale election
booth last Saturday in the
following Facebook post:
So
yesterday mum and I went
to Helensvale High
school to vote like we
do every year... But
this time it was very
different. As we walked
into my former high
school I saw a man
holding up a sign and
didn't think much of it
until I saw him laughing
and shaking his head
while looking directly
at us. His sign read
"protect our democracy
from Islam". I instantly
became furious... He
stood there targeting
one group of people, a
minority and demonized
them and portrayed them
as the enemy. A million
thoughts were running
through my mind and when
he turned around, like a
smartass, and said "oh
you better come get one
of these flyers then"
without thinking I
sarcastically blurted
"why? Shouldn't you be
protecting yourself from
me? I might be carrying
something". He respond
with "oh yes, of course.
You're right".
I continued walking
towards the hall trying
to contain my anger in
order to carry on with
what I was there to do,
to vote, to have a voice
and to be heard. While
waiting in line, I felt
so extremely
vulnerable... Here I was
standing in a hall
alongside my neighbours
and everyone in the
district but I couldn't
help to wonder how many
of them agreed with the
ignorant bigot that
stood outside.
After casting our votes,
we started to make our
way back towards the
exit and that's when I
thought to myself I'm
not going to let this
uneducated racist get
the best of me... I
decided I would take a
photo of him and what he
represented and I
solemnly vowed that
whenever I felt
disheartened or
discouraged I would look
at this photo and
remember that I am here
to prove extremists like
him wrong and for as
long as I live, I, as an
individual will do
everything in my power
to make myself better
than him and to prove to
those around us that
it's not Islam that must
be feared...
As I took the photo of
the illiterate
chauvinist he slurred
"take your bombs and get
out of Helensvale"...
and that really hurt me
to my core. I have lived
in Helensvale for over
15 years, I completed my
primary education in
Helensvale State School
and later graduated from
Helensvale State High
School... And he's
telling me to take my
bombs and leave? They
seem to always be
calling us terrorists
but I feels like we are
the ones being
terrorised. Here I was
like every other
civilian trying to
complete my duty as an
Australian citizen but
I, as a minority that
makes up less than 3% of
Australian residents,
was targeted and
terrorised.
The Somali
Community Association of
Queensland held its second
annual Ramadan Cup this
year. The 2016 cup was even
more popular and attracted a
record crowd. This year the
tournament was themed as
Coming together as a
community: To make things
happen.
Twelve teams took part the
tournament this year
representing various suburbs
in the South Brisbane
region. The first match
kicked off at the start of
the holly month was
ceremonially opened by the
ALP Federal local Member of
Parliament Hon. Graham
Perrett and a group elders
from the Somali community.
The purpose of this
tournament and other similar
community initiatives are
intended to help Somali
youth to stay focussed on
improving themselves to
aspire for greater heights
in life. The finals match
between KURABY FC and Acacia
Ridge team was impressive
and players of both teams
showed skill and a great
spirit of sportsmanship.
The Somali community leaders
congratulate the Acacia
ridge team (in white shirts)
as the champions of Ramadan
cup 2016. The leaders also
congratulate the KURABY FC
for coming second.
Special thanks go to
Abdirisak Hassan Aden and
Ramadan Ali Adow for their
hard work and dedication for
taking care of all
administrative
responsibilities of the
tournament. The leaders also
send their sincere gratitude
to the organisers of this
tournament especially the
Somali Community Association
of Queensland, inc, and the
Universal International TV
for sponsoring the
tournament.
RIYADH (Reuters) Suicide
bombers struck three cities
across Saudi Arabia on
Monday, killing at least
four security officers in an
apparently coordinated
campaign of attacks as
Saudis prepared to break
their fast on the
penultimate day of the holy
month of Ramadan.
The explosions targeting
U.S. diplomats, Shiite
worshippers and a security
headquarters at a mosque in
the holy city of Medina
followed days of mass
killings claimed by the
Islamic State group in
Turkey, Bangladesh and Iraq.
The attacks all seem to have
been timed to coincide with
the approach of Eid al-Fitr,
the holiday that celebrates
the end of the Islamic holy
month.
Muslim
Village
Mufti of
Australia condemn bombings
in Saudi Arabia: Press
Release
The Grand
Mufti of Australia and the
Australian National Imams
Council, condemned the
series of bombings that
occurred this week during
the last nights of the Holy
month of Ramadan in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
"The most atrocious of the
bombings, which occurred in
the city of the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him),
the city of Medinah is also
strongly condemned. The
world today is overflowing
with cruelty, aggression and
injustice while
demonstrating double
standards in support of
countries that practise this
solely or in coordination
with terrorist organizations
who are responsible for the
largest degree of terrorism
when targeting innocent
civilians and places" the
Grand Mufti of Australia Dr
Ibrahim Abu Mohammad said.
The Grand Mufti of Australia
and the Australian National
Imams Council also called
upon all Muslims to stand
united against all extremist
ideologies and to denounce
all terrorist organizations
that promote such
ideologies.
"We also call for the wider
community to consider that
terrorism is not related to
Islam and that the Muslim
community is the first
community affected by such
deviant thoughts. It must be
made clear that there is no
link between the phenomena
of violence and Islam."
"The Grand Mufti of the
Australia and the Australian
National Imams Council offer
their sincere condolences
and sympathy to all the
victims and their families
and also offer their support
to those who have been
impacted by the atrocities
and to the government and
the people of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia. We ask Allah
to protect all the Muslim
lands from any harm,
aggression and oppression."
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:
8. Ayesha Jalal
Ayesha Jalal is a
Pakistani-American historian
who was awarded with the
1998 MacArthur Fellowship.
She is also the grandniece
of renowned Urdu fiction
writer Saadat Hasan Manto.
She has taught at the
University of
WisconsinMadison, Tufts
University, Columbia
University, Harvard
University and LUMS.
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:
"My daughter is too
young to understand hate"
Arva, Adelaide, Indian
I have not spoken to my
daughter about extremism
because she is too young to
understand hate. She only
understands love. I wear a
hijab and the abaya. I feel
judged because of the way I
dress. People have shouted
insults at me from cars as
they drive past. I have been
verbally abused while
walking along the street. I
have been called terrorist.
It makes me cry and feel
very sad. I have been always
respected at school, parks
and by the people living
around me. The media has
influenced people to think
that all Muslims support
terrorism. The teaching of
Islam has been
misinterpreted.
24 of the
Most Influential Black
Muslims in History
7.
Tariq ibn Ziyad (d. 720)
Tariq ibn Ziyad was a Muslim
general who led the Islamic
conquest of what is now
Spain and Portugal in
711718 A.D. Under the
orders of the Umayyad Caliph
Al-Walid I, he led a large
army from the north coast of
Morocco, consolidating his
troops at a large hill now
known as Gibraltar. The name
Gibraltar is the Spanish
derivation of the Arabic
name Jabal Ṭariq, meaning
mountain of Tariq, which
is named after him.
Even cancer
has a better
public image
than
Muslim-Americans.
How did it get
this bad?
An Emirati
businessman
visiting Ohio
last week for
medical
treatment found
himself pinned
to the ground
outside his
hotel by local
police who
suspected he
might be a
terrorist.
Someone had
called 911 to
report a
suspected
Islamic State
militant. The
only grounds for
reasonable
suspicion? His
traditional
Emirati clothing
and the fact he
spoke Arabic on
the phone. Its
just one more
illustration of
why its going
to take more
than a few
strongly worded
statements by
American
officials to
undo a long
trend in
American culture
that demonizes
Arabs and
Muslims.
What makes
someone call the
police and
report a
suspected
terrorist when
they see
traditional Arab
clothing and
hear Arabic?
Yes, there may
be legitimate
reasons to be on
edge, as the
executive
director of the
Cleveland
chapter of the
Council on
American-Islamic
Relations Julia
A. Shearson told
the New York
Times. But dont
discount
Americans
constant
exposure to
years of news
coverage,
movies, and
political
rhetoric that
portrays Arabs
and Muslims as
menacing
outsiders.
Foreign
Policy
The Plague
Within: Shaykh
Hamza Yusuf on
the Roots of
Violent
Extremism
Vigilante acts
of violence have
killed hundreds
around the world
in the last few
days. Shaykh
Hamza Yusuf
writes plainly
on the dark and
destructive
ideology which
underpins groups
like ISIS and
their
sympathisers.
A plague is upon
us, and it has
its vectors.
Like the
brain-eating
amoebas that
have struck the
warm waters of
the Southern
states in
America, a
faith-eating
plague has been
spreading across
the global
Muslim
community. This
insidious
disease has a
source, and that
source must be
identified, so
we can begin to
inoculate our
communities
against it.
New versions of
our ancient
faith have
sprung up and
have infected
the hearts and
minds of
countless young
people across
the globe. Imam
Adel Al-Kalbani,
who led prayers
in the Haram of
Mecca for
several years,
has publicly
stated that
these youth are
the bitter
harvest of
teachings that
have emanated
from pulpits
throughout the
Arabian
Peninsula,
teachings that
have permeated
all corners of
the world,
teachings that
focus on hatred,
exclusivity,
provincialism,
and xenophobia.
These teachings
anathematize any
Muslim who does
not share their
simple-minded,
literalist,
anti-metaphysical,
primitive, and
impoverished
form of Islam,
and they reject
the immense body
of Islamic
scholarship from
the luminaries
of our
tradition.
Seekers Hub
Less work and
more pray...
make Muhammad
poorer but
happier
IN MOST Muslim
countries life
slows down
during Ramadan,
the holy month
in which the
faithful fast
during daylight
hours. Many
people nap
during the day
and feast at
night. Working
hours are
reduced.
Businesses open
later and close
earlier. In
general, less
gets done.
There is much
anecdotal
evidence that
Ramadan, which
ends on July
5th, has a
negative
economic effect
on Muslim
countries. But
until recently,
no one had
properly studied
the question.
There is a
sensitivity when
it comes to
Islam, says
Rumy Hasan of
the University
of Sussex in
Britain. But the
holy months
features
actually make it
easier to study.
The Islamic
calendar is
lunar, so
Ramadan rotates
through the
seasons. In
Egypt, for
example, the
holy month now
falls during the
long days of
summer. But in
15 years, it
will occur in
winter, when the
daysand,
therefore, the
fastsare
shorter. The
opposite is true
for Muslims in
southern
locales. This
cycle, unrelated
to other factors
that might
affect the
economy,
presents a kind
of naturally
occurring
experiment,
wrote Filipe R.
Campante and
David H.
Yanagizawa-Drott
of Harvard
University in
the New York
Times.
Religious
practice is
precisely varied
and everything
else is left in
place.
In a study
published last
year in the
Quarterly
Journal of
Economics,
Messrs Campante
and Yanagizawa-Drott
looked at data
from nearly
every country
over the past 60
years and found
that longer
fasting times
had a
deleterious
effect on
economic growth
in predominantly
Muslim
countriesnot
just during
Ramadan, but
throughout the
year. If, say,
the average
Ramadan fast
were to increase
from 12 hours to
13 hours, output
growth in that
country for the
year would
decline by about
0.7 of a
percentage
point, they
found. It is a
robust negative
relationship,
says Mr
Yanagizawa-Drott.
Other research
suggests that
Muslims are less
productive
during Ramadan.
A study by
Heather
Schofield of the
University of
Pennsylvania
showed that
fasting by
Indian
agriculture
workers led to a
20-40% drop in
productivity
when the holy
month fell in
the planting or
harvesting
season. Office
workers are said
to put off
meetings and
decisions until
after Ramadan,
during which
trading activity
tends to decline
on stockmarkets
in the Middle
East.
But Messrs
Campante and
Yanagizawa-Drott
found that the
most important
reason for lower
growth was that
Muslims choose
to work fewer
hours. They are
seemingly no
less productive
in years when
fasts are
longer. Surveys
indicate that
during those
years they value
work less and
religion and
leisure more.
You could say
it is a healthy
shift in
attitudes, says
Mr Yanagizawa-Drott.
Indeed, fasting
Muslims report
being happier in
years when the
days are longer,
despite the
economic costs.
Many merchants
do better around
Ramadan thanks
to an increase
in consumption.
In this way, it
is like holidays
everywhere. But
making more
thorough
comparisons is
difficult
because it is
hard to isolate
the economic
effect of, say,
Christmas.
Ramadans
variability
gives
researchers
something to
chew on, even as
their subjects
go without.
Muslims around the world
celebrate Eid al-Fitr 2016
From China and Pakistan to India and Iraq,
Muslims worldwide celebrate the end of the
fasting month of Ramadan.
Muslims around the world are celebrating the
three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, which
commemorates the end of Islam's holy month
of Ramadan.
Eid al-Fitr, which means "festival of
breaking the fast", marks the end of a
month-long abstinence from consuming liquids
and food, as well as smoking and partaking
in sexual activity, from sunrise to sunset.
The starting day of Eid varies every year
and from country to country depending on
geographical location.
Eid celebrations begin with a special prayer
in mosques and open-air areas.
Muslim families and communities across the
world gather to celebrate with prayers,
feasts and festivals.
Cuban Muslims celebrate
Ramadan despite the obstacles
There are an
estimated 10,000 practising
Muslims in Cuba
CUBA: With no official
mosque, Cuban followers of Islam do
their best to observe the holy month and
practise their religion.
They speak little Arabic and don't have
a real mosque, but Cuba's small Muslim
community practises the faith and will
quietly mark the end of Ramadan as best
they can.
In Havana's old quarter, one can see a
green and white minaret on top an old
colonial-style building. It is here
where Cuban Muslims have gathered for
the past year to pray.
Inside, the walls of the prayer hall are
decorated with Arabic calligraphy and a
Palestinian flag. The copies of the
Quran have been translated into Spanish.
"Salam aleikum," says a smiling man
named Javier as he welcomes visitors in
Arabic on a hot summer afternoon.
He was born into a Catholic family but
converted to Islam two years ago.
"The text of the Bible seemed incomplete
to me, so I changed religion," Javier
said about his decision, an unusual one
in a country where 70 percent of the
population observes a blend of
Christianity and Afro-Cuban beliefs.
There are as many as 10,000 Muslims in
Cuba, making up less than 0.1 percent of
the island nation's population.
According to experts, Islam was
introduced to Cuba by Muslim students
who came from countries such as Pakistan
in the 1970s and 80s.
A businessman
from the United Arab Emirates
visiting the United States was
wrestled to the ground and held
as an Islamic State suspect.
UAE: The United Arab
Emirates has urged men to avoid wearing
the white robes, headscarf and headband
of the national dress when travelling
abroad.
It comes after a businessman visiting
the United States was wrestled to the
ground and held as an Islamic State
suspect.
UAE media reported that the Emirati man
was detained in Avon, Ohio, last week
after a female clerk at a local hotel
called 911 to report what she had
described as a man affiliated to Islamic
State, according to the Arabic-language
al-Bayan newspaper.
It only identified him by his initials.
The English language The National said
the receptionist at the Fairfield Inn
hotel called the police after she heard
the man talking on his phone in the
hotel lobby.
Gulf News, another UAE newspaper,
published photos of the Emirati man in
white robes being wrestled to the ground
and handcuffed before being led away by
police.
In a message on a Foreign Ministry
Twitter account focusing on citizens
travelling abroad, the ministry said on
Saturday:
"For citizens travelling outside the
country, and in order to ensure their
safety, we point out not to wear formal
dress while travelling, especially in
public places," the message dated July 2
stated, without referring to the Avon
incident.
The Foreign Ministry, in a message
posted on its website in Arabic and
English, urged citizens to abide by the
laws of countries they are visiting.
It alerted women to countries in Europe
whose laws prohibit wearing of face
covers, also without referring to the
incident in Avon.
Local newspapers said Avon police
released the man after they realised
their mistake, but he fainted and needed
hospital treatment.
Al-Bayan reported that the citizen had
hired a lawyer to pursue the case,
saying he had received no apology from
either the police or the hotel.
First comprehensive
database of South African Quraan reciters
launched
SOUTH AFRICA: The South
African Quraan Union (Saqu), has
embarked on a campaign to document the
names of all Quraan reciters (Qurraa)
and memorizers (Huffaadh) in the
country. This information, together with
a brief profile of each individual, has
been captured in an electronic database
that is available on their website.
It is understood that hundreds of South
Africans completes the memorization of
the Quraan to memory every year,
therefore the aim of the organization is
to register each male and female reciter
into the history of South Africa.
A quick glance at the available
statistics reveals the following:
From the approximately 1000 names
registered in the database, 77.23% has
fully memorized the Holy Quran.
Gauteng is the leading province with
52.15% of entries, followed by the
Western Cape at 28.23%, and KZN with
14.74%.
The highest amount of reciters from a
single town (32% of total entries) hails
from Azaadville in Gauteng.
58 (6.24%) female entries were
received.
From those who has ventured into
further Islamic studies, 83 individuals
have completed the Alim course (three
females included), with 35 male
individuals having studied Qiraaaat (in
addition to Alim and one person
completed Iftaa (Mufti) course (in
addition to Alim).
Other reciters noted
their occupation as doctor, accountant,
forensic scientist, financial adviser,
business analyst, teacher, medical
specialist, etc.
The three Daarul Ulooms- Daarul Uloom
Zakariyya, Azaadville, and Newcastle
features most popular in terms of local
places of study, whilst Jameyyatul
Qurraa (or Sheikh Yusuf Booley) in Cape
Town, and Azaadville Muslim School
together with Mias farm (Waterval
Islamic Institute) in Gauteng also shows
prominently in the list.
Other reciters memorized the Quran
abroad or pursued its further study in
countries such as India, Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Pakistan, and the
United Kingdom (with Egypt being the
most popular international place of
study).
Japan's top court has
approved blanket surveillance of the
country's Muslims
'They
made us terrorist suspects, we
never did anything wrong,' says
Japanese Muslim, Mohammed Fujita
JAPAN: Japan's Supreme
Court has upheld the government's
blanket surveillance of the country's
Muslim community.
The court struck down the second appeal
by Japanese Muslim plaintiffs against
what they perceive as an
unconstitutional invasion of their
privacy and freedom of religion, reports
Al Jazeera.
A 2010 leak of 114 police files revealed
nationwide surveillance of Japanese
Muslims. The files revealed that Muslim
places of worship, halal restaurants and
Islam-related organisations across the
capital, Tokyo, were being monitored.
Within a few weeks of the
leak, the data had been downloaded
10,000 times in 20 different countries
from a file-sharing website.
A group of 17 Japanese Muslims, mostly
from Middle Eastern and North African
countries, decided to sue the Japanese
government for infringing on their
constitutional rights.
Muslims face fines up to
£8,000 for wearing burkas in Switzerland
Burka ban
received 65 per cent of the vote
in 2013 in the region, which has
a Catholic majority
SWITZERLAND: A
controversial Swiss law prohibiting
Islamic dress has been used to fine a
Muslim convert and a businessman, who
protested the ban.
The rule, which came into effect in
Ticino on Friday, was voted in by
referendum and outlaws face-covering
headgear.
Nora Illi and Rachid Nekkaz, who are
prominent campaigners for the rights of
Muslims, walked in the streets of
Locarno in full Islamic dress soon after
the rule was introduced.
They were stopped by police officers,
who fined Mr Nekkaz, a French-Algerian
national, £180 (CHF230). Ms Illi, from
Zurich, who converted to Islam when she
was 19, will receive a penalty of up to
£7,700 (CHF10,000).
In 2011, Mr Nekkaz set up a million euro
fund to help women all over the world
who chose to wear a veil or burka where
it is not allowed.
As the protest was being carried out by
Ms Illi and Mr Nekkaz, local government
officials collected signatures calling
for a nationwide ban on the burka.
The law, which began as a peoples
initiative, received 65 per cent of the
vote in Ticino in 2013. The majority of
Ticino are Roman Catholic.
It was approved by the local government
in November, after the countrys
Parliament ruled it did not contradict
Swiss federal law.
Georgio Ghiringhelli, who drew up the
proposal said the ruling would send a
message to Islamic fundamentalists who
he claimed were in the country.
Those who want to integrate are
welcome, irrespective of their religion,
but those who rebuff our values and aim
to build a parallel society based on
religious laws, and want to place it
over our society, are not welcome," he
said.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY
PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA DURING THE MARKING
OF EID AL-FITR; ROSINA SEDIBANE SPORTS
FIELDS, PRETORIA, 6 JULY 2016
South African
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa
Programme Director
Our Muslim compatriots
Distinguished Guests
Assalaamu Alaikum! (Peace be upon you!)
It is a great honour for me to be with
you on the special occasion of the
breaking of the holy fast.
I have joined you to say with humility
and encouragement Eid Mubarak!
Thank you to Brother Goolam Mohideen,
the Chairperson of the Eidgah Committee,
Moulana Imran and Moulana Hafs for
allowing me to be present today.
Today, our Muslim brothers and sisters
across the globe are marking the end of
Ramadan 2016 and celebrating Eid al-Fitr.
You have a reason to celebrate this
joyous occasion with your families,
friends and communities after having
successfully completed the observance of
your religious obligations during the
month of Ramadan, which is the fourth
pillar of Islam.
Ramadan commemorates the revelation of
God's word in the holy Quran and it is
from the Holy Quran that we receive our
instruction that humankind has an
obligation for the wellbeing of the
poor, the needy and the oppressed.
For it is written,
"[The righteous are those] who feed the
poor, the orphan and the captive for the
love of God, saying: 'We feed you for
the sake of God Alone; we seek from you
neither reward nor thanks.'"
The month-long fasting during Ramadan
engenders self-restraint, promotes
charity and cultivates generosity.
It promotes greater awareness of our
purpose on earth and our responsibility
towards humankind.
This is the restraint, discipline and
self-sacrifice that we need to exemplify
in our day-to day conduct to create a
more humane world.
As we gather here today as South
Africans, we are reminded of the great
diversity of our nation of the many
faiths, languages, cultures and creeds.
We are also reminded of the universal
values that bind us together as one
people.
We are reminded of the important
contribution that Muslims have made, and
continue to make, throughout our
society.
Islam is part of our African heritage,
our history and our future.
In South Africa, the spread of Islam
evokes the name of Shaykh Yusuf, a
freedom fighter from Indonesia who was
brought to the Cape as a political exile
in the 17th century.
It also evokes the memory of indentured
labourers in the Natal sugar fields who
were brought from India and Zanzibar.
It brings to mind the inspiration that
Nelson Mandela drew from the shrine and
memory of Shaykh Abdurhman Matura on
Robben Island.
Addressing the intercultural Eid
celebration in January 1998, President
Mandela said of Ramadan and Eid:
It begins to explain the make-up of
people like Shaykh Matura, from whose
karamat on Robben Island, as prisoners
we drew deep inspiration and spiritual
strength when our country was going
through its darkest times.
We recall the involvement of the Muslim
community in the struggle against
apartheid whether it was through the
leadership of people like Dr Yusuf Dadoo,
Ahmed Kathrada and Imam Haroon or
through organisations such as the
Islamic Medical Association, Muslim
Youth Movement, The Call of Islam and
other such groups.
We remember the contribution of the
Muslim community of Pretoria to our
struggle.
This is the community that gave South
Africa its first black Chief Justice,
Justice Ismail Mohamed.
This is a community that continues to
play a vital role in the renewal,
reconstruction and transformation of our
nation.
This is a community that reminds us of
the work we must continue to do to
improve the lives of our people, the
people of this country and the people of
this continent.
As we mark the end of the holy fast, let
us affirm our commitment to work
together to end poverty, inequality,
injustice and tyranny.
Let us work together to end racism,
sexism and religious intolerance.
Let us stand up for the oppressed and
the dispossessed, for those whose lands
have been occupied and whose livelihoods
have been destroyed.
Let us stand together to oppose the
wars, civil conflicts and acts of terror
that continue to claim the lives of so
many innocents.
Let us build a peaceful, just and
prosperous world.
We meet here today just weeks before
South Africans go to the polls to elect
their representatives to local
government.
Let us undertake to ensure that those
elections are peaceful, free, fair and
inclusive.
Let us elect representatives that are
honourable, dedicated, hard-working and
selfless.
Let us work with each other to build the
South Africa of our dreams, the South
Africa described in the National
Development Plan, the South Africa
envisaged in our Constitution.
Let us build a South Africa that belongs
to all who live in it.
Once again, in the name of Allah the
Beneficent, the Merciful, I wish you all
a Blessed Eid.
Islamic Perspectives on Science
and Technology: Selected Conference Papers
Editors: Kamali, M.H., Bakar,
O., Batchelor, D.A.-F., Hashim, R. (Eds.)
DESCRIPTION
This book presents 25 selected
papers from the International Conference on Developing
Synergies between Islam & Science and Technology for
Mankinds Benefit held at the International Institute for
Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, in October
2014.
The papers cover a broad range
of issues reflecting the main conference themes: Cosmology
and the Universe, Philosophy of Science and the Emergence of
Biological Systems, Principles and Applications of Tawhidic
Science, Medical Applications of Tawhidic Science and
Bioethics, and the History and Teaching of Science from an
Islamic Perspective.
Highlighting the relationships
between the Islamic religious worldview and the physical
sciences, the book challenges secularist paradigms on the
study of Science and Technology. Integrating metaphysical
perspectives of Science, topics include Islamic approaches
to S&T such as an Islamic epistemology of the philosophy of
science, a new quantum theory, environmental care, avoiding
wasteful consumption using Islamic teachings, and
emotional-blasting psychological therapy.
Eminent contributing scholars
include Osman Bakar, Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Mehdi Golshani,
Mohd. Kamal Hassan, Adi Setia and Malik Badri. The book is
essential reading for a broad group of academics and
practitioners, from Islamic scholars and social scientists
to (physical) scientists and engineers.
KB says:
At the end of Ramadaan when you still have dates
remaining, this recipe is perfect in the
utilization of your extra dates and believe me
when I tell you that these biscuits are just so
delicious, especially with a cup of tea.
Jazakallah Mariam Bhanwa for sharing this recipe
with us.
Date
Biscuits
Ingredients
250g Butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 to 4 cups of flour
Vanilla essence
2 beaten egg whites
coconut
fresh dates (medjool are preferred, split in
two)
Method
1. Beat the butter and sugar till creamy
2. Add vanilla, egg yolks and baking powder,
beat well
3. Add flour to make a soft dough (dough must
not be sticky)
4. Take pieces of dough and wrap around the date
(form into finger shapes)
5.Roll in egg whites and then in coconut.
6. Place on a baking tray (make small slits on
the top with a sharp knife)
7.Bake at 260 degrees in a fan forced oven for
approx 30 minutes or until golden brown
8. Remove from oven, cool and ENJOY!!
.
Q: Dear
Kareema, what are some simple things I can do to
strengthen my core?
A: Engage your abs Before every move in
your workout, first engage your core by
tightening your abs without holding your breath.
Youll activate the muscles surrounding your
stomach and spine which will in turn, strengthen
and tone the entire abdominal area. Engaged abs
will also prevent injury during
lifting weights and while maintaining your own
body weight. Always take care and keep good
posture
To book appointments -
Ph: 3341 2333 (Underwood)
Ph: 3299 5596 (Springwood)
M: 0406 279 591
Website:
www.diversenutrition.com.au
Celebrations and health: How can we fit it
together?
With Eid-ul-fitr having come and passed, many
have asked, how do you stay healthy during Eid?
Heres the secret - there is nothing wrong with
a little indulgence. For most of us, this is
what Eid is all about: sharing good food, talks,
laughter and enjoying time spent with loved
ones.
It is important to remember that health is not
only our physical being, but it also includes
our spiritual and mental wellbeing. I always
tell people that having BALANCE in your life is
HEALTHY. Eating indulgent foods on a day of
celebration is a PART of a healthy lifestyle.
Yes, you should be eating healthy on every other
day of the year and you should also do your best
to exercise on a regular basis. But, having one
not-so-nutritious meal is not going to ruin your
health and consuming indulgent foods on a day of
celebration is definitely not going to harm you.
What will make an impact on your health, in the
long term, is if you consistently indulge and
make it an everyday habit to eat those less
nutritious foods and stop exercising regularly.
Overall, if you have a healthy and balanced
lifestyle about 80% of the time, having a couple
of days in a year where you eat indulgent foods
is not going to negatively affect your health.
Eid only comes around twice a year and it is one
of the special times for Muslims to celebrate
the end of such a blessed month. A time for us
to celebrate the success in implementing self
discipline to control our desires and to
appreciate the foods we are blessed with after
having experienced what it is like to go without
it. So with that, I wish you and your families a
belated Eid Mubarak!
Mula Nasruddin and his three friends were lodging in a
boutique hotel and it was time for salah (prayers).
The hotel had no space for the salah. So Jallalludin
suggested they go down to pray in a narrow passage with
a small room in front of them.
They said to Mula Nasruddin, "Imam Nasruddin, you lead
the prayer from this room while we pray in the passage
behind you."
They commenced the prayer with the three friends in the
first row behind Mula Nasruddin.
They went into a rooku (prostration) and waited to rise,
and waited, and waited ......... but no direction was
forthcoming.
Finally, they raised their heads to find out what had
happened.
To their surprise, Mula Nasruddin was nowhere to be
found.
Only when a faint sound of "Allahu Akbar" was heard
coming from the fourth floor below the small room did it
dawn on them that the room was in fact the hotel lift.
At some point in your life,
you may find yourself in a
situation where you have to
defend yourself from one or
more opponents. A street
fight won't follow rules or
niceties; if you find
yourself in this situation,
you need to do as much as
possible to defend yourself
and avoid getting seriously
hurt. Bear in mind that use
of excessive force is
illegal but that defending
yourself is not, so remember
that the aim is to protect
yourself and get out of
there as quickly as you can.
For more info on self
defence classes please
contact Taufan on 0447004465
or
info@sscombat.com.au. Or
visit our Facebook page for
updates and info on
Southside Academy of Combat
- Silat PD
Parenting Toolbox Workshop with Ahmad
Fakhri Hamzah and Jamilah Samian
ICQ & IWAQ
IWAQ Hall
9am to 4pm
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
8
& 9 October
Sat & Sun
The First Kingdom by Sh Bilal Ismail
Al Kauthar
Brisbane
Griffith
University NATHAN
0438 698 328
8.30am to 5.30pm
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.
"InShaAllah
we will get back to the normal Tafseer and Sahaba program
soon, most likely the days would be Mondays and Wednesdays."
Al-Mustapha
Institute of
Brisbane
39 Bushmills Court, Hillcrest Qld 4118
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
RAMADAN PROGRAMME
Naath
and Queesadah session every Saturday night,
after Taraweeh
On Going Activities
1. Daily Hadeeth reading From Riyadusaliheen,
After Fajar and after esha .
2. After school Madrassah for children Mon-Thu 5pm to 7pm
3. Adult Quran classes (Males) Monday and
Tuesday after esha for an hour.
4. Community engagement program every second Saturday of the
Month, interstate and overseas speakers, starts after
margib, Dinner served after esha, First program begins on
the 15 August.
5. Monthly Qiyamulail program every 1st
Friday of the month starts after esha.
6. Fortnight Sunday Breakfast program. After Fajar, short
Tafseer followed by breakfast.
7. Weekly Tafseer by Imam Uzair after esha followed by
dinner. Starts from 26 August.
For all activities, besides Adult Quran,
classes sisters and children are welcome.
For further info call the Secretary on
0413669987
Click on images to enlarge
IPDC
Lutwyche Mosque
Weekly classes with Imam Yahya
Monday: Junior Class
Tuesday: Junior Arabic
Friday: Adult Quran Class
For more information call 0470 671 109
Holland Park Mosque
Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community
Consultative Group
Next Meeting
Time: 7.00pm Date: Tuesday 19th July 2016 Venue: Islamic College of Brisbane - 45 Acacia Road
Karawatha
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the 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 us..
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
So
yesterday mum and I went
to Helensvale High
school to vote like we
do every year... But
this time it was very
different. As we walked
into my former high
school I saw a man
holding up a sign and
didn't think much of it
until I saw him laughing
and shaking his head
while looking directly
at us. His sign read
"protect our democracy
from Islam". I instantly
became furious... He
stood there targeting
one group of people, a
minority and demonized
them and portrayed them
as the enemy. A million
thoughts were running
through my mind and when
he turned around, like a
smartass, and said "oh
you better come get one
of these flyers then"
without thinking I
sarcastically blurted
"why? Shouldn't you be
protecting yourself from
me? I might be carrying
something". He respond
with "oh yes, of course.
You're right". 
Muslims around the world
celebrate Eid al-Fitr 2016 
This book presents 25 selected
papers from the International Conference on Developing
Synergies between Islam & Science and Technology for
Mankinds Benefit held at the International Institute for
Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, in October
2014. 
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011