Dear Brother/Sister,
Assalamu Alaikum Wa
Rahmatu-Allahi Wa Barakatuh,
I pray to Allah the almighty
that you are well and in
good spirit.
On Tuesday August 9th, the
Australian Bureau of
statistics will conduct the
largest ever national census
in the organisations more
than 100 year history.
The Australian National
Imams Council advises
Muslims in Australia to
complete the census.
The census results showing
the number of Muslims
contributing to a healthy,
diverse, and culturally rich
Australia, is a positive for
all of Australians.
We also recommend that you
indicate that your religion
is Islam.
We have to be aware of the
purpose of the census, which
is to do good for Australia.
The results of the census
influence decisions at many
levels. These decisions, in
turn, impact the services
provided to communities
based on their needs. The
census results are taken
into consideration when
decisions made to allocate
funds to schools, building
projects, infrastructure,
and research.
As Australian Muslims, we
should aim to benefit
Australia and Australian
community as much as it
possible to do so as part of
our ongoing positive
contribution to the
Australian society and
nation.
Completing this census is
one small example of that
contribution.
Thank You,
Imam Shady Alsuleiman
President of the Australian
National Imams Council
Dated: 3rd of August 2016
RELATED ARTICLE
AUSTRALIANS are being
warned not to mark no
religion on the Census
survey over fears we could
become a Muslim country.
But emails and Facebook
posts highlighting concerns
have been labelled a scare
campaign driven by racists
and other right-wing groups.
The battleground over
Australias spiritual
beliefs has become
especially fierce this year
after the Australian Bureau
of Statistics decided to
move no religion to the
top of the list on the
Census.
The move is in line with
international practice and
consistent with it being the
second highest response to
the religion question.
But some have suggested
marking no religion could
in fact lead to Australia
being declared a Muslim
country.
According to the Christian
ethics action group Salt
Shakers, an email is being
circulated that asks
Australians to avoid the no
religion option.
Bear in mind that although
many Australians have no
religion these days, the
Muslim population in
Australia will all declare
that they are Muslim and
this fact will be counted to
ascertain what type of
country we are in regard to
religion, the email states.
Even though you may now
have no religion, please
consider entering the
religion you were christened
or born into, when answering
this question.
Otherwise in time Australia
will officially be declared
to be a Muslim country
because the Australian
Bureau of Statistics Census
will reflect this.
Salt Shakers has warned its
members to delete the email
and not send it on, noting
that ironically some
Islamic groups in the past
had suggested Muslims were
afraid to declare their
religion.
Australian Christian Lobby
managing director Lyle
Shelton said he did not
agree with the emails
advice.
I dont think anybody
should be motivated by
fear, Mr Shelton said. We
want an honest picture of
what Australians believe.
He said one of the best
things about Australia was
that people were free to
worship and to do that
publicly.
Tick Muslim if youre
Muslim and Christian if
youre Christian. If your
religion is not there (as
there are only nine
options), we encourage
people to use the boxes to
specify.
Atheist Foundation of
Australia vice president
Michael Boyd said the claims
made in the email were
obviously ridiculous and
false.
A small minority of
Australians claim to be
Muslim, the notion that
well see sharia law
introduced because of this
two per cent is ridiculous,
he told news.com.au.
Just 2.2 per cent of
Australians identified their
religion as Islam in the
2011 Census and this was
lower than the 2.5 per cent
who identified as Buddhists.
In comparison, those
identifying as Catholic
the top response made up
25.3 per cent.
The next Crescent
Institute event is to be
hosted in Brisbane,
welcoming Jihad Dib MP,
member of Parliament, ex
high-school principal and
TED speaker to deliver a
keynote address in the CBD.
Jihad has an incredible
story to tell with a speech
entitled The Journey to
Parliament on Thursday 18th
August. Tickets are $15
early bird and $25 general
admission.
VENUE: BDO Brisbane - Level 10,
12 Creek St. Brisbane CBD
Enjoy an evening of
professional networking in
the Brisbane CBD hosted by
the Crescent Institute.
Engage with corporate
leaders, academics and
entrepreneurs from a wide
range of disciplines who
attend to build connections
maximising their
professional impact.
The Institute is delighted
to welcome Member for
Lakemba, TEDx Presenter and
NSW Shadow Education
Minister the Hon. Jihad Dib
MP.
"Imagine a school so bad the
principal had a gun held to
his head...".
After appointment as one of
the youngest principals in
history to the roughest
school in NSW, Jihad Dib
turned an institution of
violence and delinquency
into a thriving hub with a
can-do attitude, a spirit of
success and a sense of
family for the community. He
was elected to State
Parliament in 2015,
representing a constituency
of 90,000 from Lakemba in
NSW. He currently serves as
the Shadow Minister for
Education.
Join us with Mr Dib as he
shares an incredible story
with key messages, ask
questions and make the most
of new professional networks
forged on the evening.
The Crescent Institute is
among Australias foremost
professional networking and
thought leadership
organisations. It provides
opportunity to establish and
nurture connections among
members as they gain
insights on key issues from
Australias leading figures
in a warm, but professional
setting.
Workforce participation is a
pivotal issue impacting the
Australian Muslim community,
especially Muslim young
people. To help assist
Muslim young people make
that step into employment,
the Federal Government has
provided funding support for
10 traineeships for Muslim
young people to work across
the AFL industry over a 12
month period to gain
critical work experience and
job skills. The AFL in turn
has partnered with AFL
SportsReady to offer a
unique traineeship
opportunity as part of the
Bachar Houli Employment
Program.
We are currently looking for
an energetic and highly
motivated Diversity Trainee
- to join the Game
Development team at AFL
Queensland Brisbane South.
Energetic trainee required
for one of Queensland's
leading organisations
Work with a dynamic team
in a fast-paced, exciting
environment
Get paid while studying
for a nationally recognised
qualification
ABOUT THE ROLE
This role is a full time
traineeship which has been
offered through the AFL
Bachar Houli Employment
Program to support young
aspiring adults of Muslim
background to gain
employment across the AFL
Queensland business.
The successful applicant
will be legally employed by
AFL SportsReady, but will
work on-site with AFL
Queensland in Yeronga and
Inala and receive an
accredited Certificate III
Business qualification (on
successful completion).
The Diversity trainee will
cover areas in talent, game
development, communications,
media and marketing to
assist our diversity
strategy to become more
visible and making sure our
communications to the
Islamic community is
culturally appropriate and
caters to the community
needs.
The Diversity trainee will
be helping organise and to
facilitate the Bachar Houli
Cup, Bachar Houli Academy
nominations & training,
Ramadan dinners and other
related programs to empower
more young people and
strengthen social inclusion,
with a focus on those from
Islamic communities.
The trainee will also be
working in conjunction with
the peak body Islamic groups
in Brisbane to further
strengthen our already
existing relationship with
the community.
Reporting to the State
Indigenous and Multicultural
Manager.
A leading Muslim academic
fears that bias within the
migration program, perhaps
fuelled by concerns about
terrorism, is making it
¬difficult for Muslims from
the Middle East to come to
Australia.
Riaz Hassan, who is director
of the International Centre
for Muslim and non-Muslim
Understanding at the
University of South
Australia, says his analysis
of recent immigration
statistics, like The
Australians analysis
published last week, shows
Australia tends to take
non-Muslims over Muslims,
even from countries where
the majority of people are
Muslim.
Both major parties insist
the trend towards non-Muslim
¬migration, apparent since
at least 2001, is not
deliberate but a consequence
of a migration program
focused on attracting
¬migrants with certain
skills.
I am sure part of the
explanation lies in the
point system which favours
skill migration, but it is
difficult to accept that
these trends are entirely
due to the skill-driven
migration program,
Professor Hassan said.
There may be bias operating
which does not favour
Muslims.
Professor Hassan, an expert
on suicide bombings and
terrorism, said he wanted to
believe our migration
intake is bias-free but his
study suggested that
Australia tends to take
non-Muslims.
This may be because
non-Muslims in
Muslim-majority countries
such as the Coptic Christian
community in Egypt are
more likely to want to
migrate.
Professor Hassan said his
research showed Australias
immigrants from Iran and
Iraq were overwhelmingly
non-Muslims. These two
countries are 99 per cent
Muslims.
Pakistan is 95 per cent
Muslims but 84 per cent of
(Australias Pakistani)
immigrants are Muslim, and a
similar trend applies to
¬Afghanistan, he said.
But what surprised me was
that Egypt and Indonesia are
88 per cent Muslim but the
migrants intakes from these
countries are also
predominantly non-Muslims:
12 per cent from Egypt and
17 per cent from Indonesia.
Malaysia is 65 per cent
Muslim but only 5.3 per cent
Malaysian migrants were
Muslims. Out of 340,604
migrants from India, only
10,125 or 3 per cent were
Muslims whereas 14 per cent
of the Indian population is
Muslim.
Similarly, the per cent of
¬migrants from Sri Lanka and
Singapore who are Muslims
are very significantly lower
than the proportion of
Muslims in their -respective
population.
There may be bias operating
which does not favour
Muslims.
The Australian last week
published research that
suggests that Australia is
taking fewer than 600
Lebanese Muslims a year; and
that Muslims from elsewhere
in the Middle East are
struggling to grab more than
a few hundred of the
available places.
Senator-elect Pauline Hanson
praised the development,
saying the Australian public
did not support widespread
migration from Islamic
faith nations.
The current Muslim
population within Australia
is said to be about 2.2 per
cent. With our next census
just around the corner,
lets see what Australias
new make-up looks like, Ms
Hanson said. Its clear the
public outcry ¬toward
immigration from Islamic
faith nations and my calls
are ¬finally being
acknowledged.
I certainly dont want any
government leading us down a
path similar to Europe where
we lose control of our
borders. We are quick to
defend the preservation of
our native fauna and flora
but these same people forget
that preserving the
Australian way of life is
equally important.
Riaz Hassan says there may
be bias operating which does
not favour Muslims.
Muslim leaders have called
upon key politicians to
raise their voices against
hate speech by the
Senator-elect Pauline
Hanson.
Professor Shahjahan Khan,
Founding President of
Islamic Society of Toowoomba
has written an open letter
dated 1 August 2016 to the
Prime Minister calling on
him to publicly condemn Ms
Hansons extremist views.
The community requests that
you and your colleagues
publicly reject the politics
of division, hate and
attacks on a section of the
peaceful people of
Australia. This is a normal
expectation of any leader
who is committed to do good
to all citizens, not just
working for any selected
group of them, Prof Khan
has written.
Reminding the PM of the last
time Ms Hanson espoused
racist attacks against
Asians that were rejected
too little too late by the
then prime minister Mr John
Howard, that resulted in
racial tensions and riots 20
years ago.
In the past, the rise of Ms
Hanson was at the expense of
the conservative politics in
Australia. The initial
neglect of Prime Minister
John Howard, and not
speaking against her on time
gave her a free go to divide
the nation. I am afraid it
will be the same this time
if her poisonous views are
not challenged now to stop
the damage, Prof Khan
writes.
He further writes The
ongoing irresponsible
predominately anti-Muslim
and also anti-Asian rhetoric
of Ms Hanson is likely to
have a significant impact on
Australias reputation as a
peaceful egalitarian nation
in the Asia-Pacific region,
and more so on its economic
and potentially security
interests.
Prof Khan has first hand
experience where the
Toowoomba Mosque founded by
him has been twice destroyed
by arson attacks presumably
by extremists in recent
years. His letter to the PM
can be
read here.
In the same vain, the
Australian Muslim Advocacy
Network (AMAN) wrote a
letter to the Queensland
Premier, pointing out that
"failing to counteract the
bigotry, will fuel the
suspicion that tacit
acceptance of the anti-muslim
rhetoric is rife within the
corridors of parliament.
And, shying away for fear of
drawing attention to these
matters will question the
integrity of that
cornerstone of our
democracy. 'A fair go for
all'." The full contents of
the letter can be
read here.
Shooting Stuff Australia
group on Facebook and YouTube
also features videos showing
Greens party logo bleeding after
being riddled with bullets
A group of Australian gun
enthusiasts, who filmed a
violent video of what
appears to be an effigy of
the Grand Mufti being shot
and incinerated, and a
Greens party logo being
fired at, face calls to have
their gun licences revoked.
A series of videos from the
Shooting Stuff Australia
Facebook and YouTube pages
have sparked concerns about
increasingly violent
rhetoric being used by some
gun owners in Australia.
Greens MP David Shoebridge
has written to NSW police
commissioner Andrew Scipione
asking him to investigate a
number of individuals who he
says have posted material
that appears to advocate
political and ethnic
violence.
Gun control is likely to be
a highly charged political
issue in coming months, with
a review of the National
Firearms Agreement and key
crossbenchers such as
independent MP Bob Katter
advocating for approval of
the controversial Adler 110
shotgun.
The Shooting Stuff Australia
online group, run by two
Queensland men who identify
themselves as Aaron and
Marty, have gathered
increasing traction in
Australias gun community
and regularly review a wide
arsenal of weaponry on their
online pages.
A Melbourne street artist
who was threatened with a
council fine over a
provocative mural he painted
of US presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton has
responded by covering her
image with a niqab.
Maribyrnong council took
issue with the original
mural, which depicted
Clinton wearing a revealing
swimsuit with $100 notes
tucked into it. The council
said residents complained
about the piece, which was
painted on to the side wall
of a scooter shop in
Footscray, 5km west of
Melbourne.
In a statement, the council
said the mural contravened
its gender equity policy.
We believe that this mural
is offensive because of the
depiction of a near-naked
woman, not on the basis of
disrespect to Hillary
Clinton, and it is not in
keeping with our stance on
gender equity, the council
chief executive, Stephen
Wall, said.
We contacted Victoria
police to provide their
opinion on the matter, and
they deemed the mural to be
offensive and in
contravention of the
Graffiti Prevention Act
2007, which council is
responsible for enforcing.
As well as the council
threatening the owner of the
building with prosecution
and a fine if the mural was
not removed, the artist,
known as Lushsux, had his
Instagram account deleted
after posting the image to
the social media platform.
However instead of removing
the mural, Lushsux covered
up the swimsuit by painting
a niqab over the top of it,
leaving only Clintons eyes
showing. Next to his work,
he painted the message: If this Muslim woman
offends u, u r a bigot,
racist, sexist Islamophobe.
There are many standout
moments in this SBS
documentary that shines a
light on a hare-brained and
bizarre woman.
Bizarre, weird, strange,
odd, awkward: all these
words are used to describe
the leader of the resurgent
One Nation party in the
documentary Pauline Hanson:
Please Explain!, which aired
on Sunday on SBS.
Sydney's Soul Burger
restaurant has added a
dish called 'Hanson's
Halal'.
The halal snack pack
includes fries,
plant-based strips,
sauce and cheese.
The fast food joint said
the new dish is
available on its menu
from Monday.
One Nation leader
Pauline Hanson is
against halal
certification
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:
12. Bapsi Sidhwa
Bapsi Sidhwa is an
award-winning novelist.
Among her many honours
Sidhwa received the Bunting
Fellowship at
Radcliffe/Harvard, the Lila
Wallace-Readers Digest
Writers Award and the
Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistans
highest national honor in
the arts. Her works include
The Bride, An American Brat
and The Crow Eaters.
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:
"I focus on teaching
respect"
Rahim, Perth,
Albanian-Scottish
Before 2001 Australia was a
great place to live. Since
the attacks in New York I
feel that there is a divide.
Thankfully, we live in a
community where Muslims are
well respected. My children
are not old enough to
understand the events on the
news, but generally I do not
focus on what others do. I
focus on teaching my
children about respect, good
manners and tolerance. I
tell them they can play with
anyone they want to as long
as they do the right thing.
Do not play with people who
are bad. I do not appear
outwardly Muslim and have
heard anti-Muslim speech
many times. A former
colleague once told me they
could "pick a Muslim a mile
off". I currently work as a
teacher and I have overheard
students insult other
students by calling them a
Muslim.
New President
of AFIC, Keysar Trad,
confronts all the public
allegations
You cant ask
that: ABC
Featuring Ali
Kadri & Imam Uzair
You Can't Ask
That is about breaking down
stereotypes and offering genuine
insight into the lives of people
who live with labels. The ABC
series gives an unmediated
platform to some of the most
misunderstood or marginalised
people in our country: short
statured, wheelchair users,
transgender, Muslims,
ex-prisoners, fat, Indigenous,
sex workers, terminally ill, and
people in polyamorous
relationships.
Melbourne's
modern Mosque
Australian
designed, incorporating
Islamic traditions, and open
to all - welcome to
Melbourne's very modern
mosque.
Fatimid Ismaili
Imam-Caliph. He was born to
a Sudanese mother and his
caliphate lasted for about
60 years, the longest of any
caliph in the Islamic world.
NEXT WEEK IN CCN: 12. Mansa
Musa (c. 1280 c. 1337)
How 2
Muslim Women Built the
Worlds Oldest Library
The worlds oldest library
is now open to the public
with huge thanks to two
intelligent,
education-loving women in
particular.
Fatima Al-Fihri and Aziza
Chaouni were separated by
more than 1,000 years but
still managed to build, and
preserve the worlds oldest
library. And after 1,157
years of being closed to the
public, its finally open
for all to see. Here is the
story of how the library
came to be.
Fatima Al-Fihri made her
mark long ago, when she
founded the University of Al
Qarawiyyin in 859 C.E. The
university has been one of
the leading institutions in
Fes, Morocco, since then. It
is also one of the oldest
consistently operating
universities in the world.
For literally centuries the
library was only open to
scholars and university
attendants. Thanks to Aziza
Chaouni, a Moroccan-Canadian
architect, the oldest
library in the world (a wing
of the university) went from
a dilapidated structure to a
newly renovated space for
all.
Al-Fihri was the daughter of
a wealthy businessman. She
was born during the Golden
Age of Islam, a
five-century period where
economic and cultural works
flourished under Islamic
leadership. Al-Fihri used
her inheritance to establish
a center of religious and
secular teaching that
eventually became a
full-fledged university.
Al-Fihri was a true global
citizen with a passion for
accessible education and a
love of travel and learning.
She oversaw construction of
the mosque and, once the
building was completed, she
brought together renowned
scholars of the time,
attending the lectures
herself, according to this
historical documentary from
France Channel 5.
Al-Fihri is an example of a
woman challenging
stereotypes and common
misconceptions that women
were not influential in
creating keystone heritage
sites and centers for
learning in Muslim
civilization. Al-Fihris
work laid a foundation for
modern Muslim women to
showcase their creative work
as well.
In 2012, architect
Aziza Chaouni
(pictured right), began
renovation on a wing of the
universitys library.
Renovations took more than
three years to complete a
grain of sand in the
hourglass when compared to
the 1,200 years since the
library first opened.
Pope Francis
Explains Why
Its Not Right
To Equate Islam
With Terrorism
If I speak
of Islamic
violence, I have
to speak of
Catholic
violence.
Pope Francis
said on Sunday
that it was
wrong to
identify Islam
with violence
and that social
injustice and
idolatry of
money were among
the prime causes
of terrorism.
I think it is
not right to
identify Islam
with violence,
he told
reporters aboard
the plane taking
him back to Rome
after a five-day
trip to Poland.
This is not
right and this
is not true.
Francis was
responding to a
question about
the killing on
July 26 of an
85-year-old
Roman Catholic
priest by
knife-wielding
attackers who
burst into a
church service
in western
France, forced
the priest to
his knees and
slit his throat.
The attack was
claimed by
Islamic State.
I think that in
nearly all
religions there
is a always a
small
fundamentalist
group, he said,
adding We have
them, referring
to Catholicism.
I dont like to
talk about
Islamic violence
because every
day when I look
at the papers I
see violence
here in Italy -
someone killing
his girlfriend,
someone killing
his
mother-in-law.
These are
baptized
Catholics, he
said.
If I speak of
Islamic
violence, I have
to speak of
Catholic
violence. Not
all Muslims are
violent, he
said.
He said there
were various
causes of
terrorism.
I know it
dangerous to say
this but
terrorism grows
when there is no
other option and
when money is
made a god and
it, instead of
the person, is
put at the
center of the
world economy,
he said.
That is the
first form of
terrorism. That
is a basic
terrorism
against all
humanity. Lets
talk about
that, he said.
When he started
the trip on
Wednesday,
Francis said the
killing of the
priest and a
string of string
of other attacks
were proof the
world is at
war but that it
was not caused
by religion.
He told
reporters on the
plane that lack
of economic
opportunities
for young people
in Europe was
also to blame
for terrorism.
I ask myself
how many young
people that we
Europeans have
left devoid of
ideals, who do
not have work.
Then they turn
to drugs and
alcohol or
enlist in ISIS,
he said,
referring to the
group also known
as Islamic
State.
Huffington
Post
Islam Is
(Also) a
Religion of
Peace
Humayun Khan
was a devoted
patriot. But if
he wasn't a
devout Muslim,
he might not
have become a
hero.
Since July 28,
when they first
appeared on
stage at the
Democratic
National
Convention,
Capt. Humayun
Khans parents,
Khizr and
Ghazala Khan,
have tried to
explain for the
American public
their sons
service and
sacrifice to his
country. On June
8, 2004, the
27-year-old
Capt. Khan died
in the line of
duty in Iraq
when he ordered
his subordinates
to stand back
while he
inspected a
suspicious
vehicle that
then exploded,
taking his life
as he sheltered
his compatriots.
It was an act of
heroism for
which the Army
posthumously
awarded him a
Bronze Star and
a Purple Heart.
Capt. Khans
parents have
attributed their
sons sacrifice
to his sense of
duty,
patriotism, and
love of the
United States
an explanation
that has doubled
as an eloquent
riposte to
Republican
presidential
nominee Donald
Trumps repeated
insults about
the loyalty and
trustworthiness
of Muslim
Americans.
But theres
another possible
motivation for
their sons
heroism that
bears
examination
not least
because it
serves as the
most direct
possible
rebuttal to
Trump. The
selfless service
of Capt. Khan,
who was
reportedly a
devout Muslim,
may also have
been directly
inspired by his
faith. Theres
good reason to
believe that
Islam was an
essential,
rather than
incidental,
aspect of his
heroism.
....
But history
demonstrates
that Islamic
teaching and
practice offer
their adherents
laudable
resources to
encourage
extraordinary
selflessness,
empathy, and
courage.
When odious
crimes against
humanity have
taken place,
Muslims have
often drawn on
their faith to
rescue people of
other religions,
including
Christians and
Jews
Foreign
Policy
Im Not
Religious, But I
am Sending my
Son to an
Islamic School
(US)
I
attended ILMs
Meet the Board
meeting last
night, and
another parent
complimented my
bold choice.
With greatest
respect to the
compliment he
meant, I
disagree.
I chose ILM
because it has a
STEAM/Montessori-blend
curriculum. I
chose ILM
because Ive
attended
community events
at the Roswell
Community Masjid
(RCM) and met
the community
there. I chose
ILM because its
tuition is
$300/month
cheaper than the
nearest secular
STEM school. I
chose ILM
because
regardless of
what faith my
son eventually
chooses (or none
at all), Islam
teaches values I
want him to
internalize:
Zakat, for
example, and the
religions
attendant focus
on
community-building,
communal
responsibility,
and caring for
those with fewer
resources. I
chose ILM
because its
literally across
the street from
his fathers
work. I chose
ILM because
Islam is the
fastest growing
religion in the
world, and
walking not
merely
respectfully,
but comfortably,
in that world,
will be a huge
advantage to my
son as he grows
up.
Choosing ILM was
not a bold
choice. It was a
pragmatic one, a
reasonable one,
and a fair one.
-------
ILM is my
community
school. It is 13
minutes from my
home, a 2 minute
walk from my
fiances work,
is run by people
I have met in
person, and is
excited to
welcome my son.
Regardless of
what the bigots
want to claim,
Islam, and the
thousands of
Muslims in
Roswell who
practice it, are
a part of my
community. And
I, for one,
consider that to
be a great
blessing not
only to myself
and my family,
but to Roswell
itself.
Atlanta
Muslim
We Should Not
Assert The
''Superiority'
Of Western
Values - William
Dalrymple
William
Dalrymple points
out that the
concept of
'Western' values
is in some way
flawed, as they
are based on
Judeo-Christian
ideals, which
are not Western
at all. The
first law codes,
he notes, were
laid down in
Iraq, and the
concept of
reason
originated with
Arabic
philosophers.
The West also
perpetrated such
historical
events as the
Spanish
Inquisition, and
western ideals
such as Marxism,
Fascism, and
Nazism, have
caused millions
of deaths. By
asserting
'western'
values, he
argues, we are
cherry-picking
our favourite
values and
claiming them as
our own.
We highly appreciate your efforts to provide us this
useful information weekly.
May we please request you to provide a facility to
download the Jumma Khutba recordings?
Its very hard to go back and find
previously missed Khutba.
Are there any other options to download all Khutbas?
Please advise.
Thank you,
Shahi
[EDITOR] To download an audio khutba from the
CCN newsletter, right mouse click the link and
select the save the link option. To download a
YouTube video khubah, use a software like
videodownloader.
Videos and audios come to us from the Mosques
sources and they manage and maintain their own
collections via YouTube, Facebook, Dropbox and their
websites. Please contact the Mosques for access to
their khutbahs.
As Salaamu Alaikum
Hippocrates, regarded as the father of modern
medicine state "Let food be your medicine and
medicine be your food".
As some of you know last year I got very sick. My
journey from illness to health has been quick and
remarkable (Alhamdullilah).
A
lot of this is due to the high nutrient vegetables I
ate. Watch my story in the 2 videos that trace
how this was possible.
British Muslim woman
detained under terror laws after cabin crew
report her reading Syrian art book on plane
UK: A Muslim NHS worker
was detained at a UK airport and
questioned under terror laws after a
cabin crew member spotted her reading a
Syrian culture book on board her
honeymoon flight.
Faizah Shaheen, who helps prevent
teenage mental health patients from
becoming radicalised, was returning from
honeymoon in Marmaris, Turkey, when she
was stopped by South Yorkshire Police at
Doncaster Airport on 25 July.
The 27-year-old was pulled over because
a Thomson Airways cabin crew member on
her outbound flight a fortnight earlier
had reported her for suspicious
behaviour.
Police officers questioned her for 15
minutes under Schedule 7 of the
Terrorism Act and told her the
suspicions related to the holiday book
she had been reading Syria Speaks: Art
and Culture from the Frontline.
The award-winning book by Malu Halasa is
a collection of essays, short stories,
poems, songs, cartoons and photographs
from Syrian authors and artists.
Ms Shaheen, from Leeds, said she was
left angry and in tears by the
experience and with a feeling she had
been discriminated because of her faith.
She said she now intends to make formal
complaints against the police and
Thomson Airways.
France takes on radical
Islamism: PM to SHUT DOWN mosques to wipe
out 'poison' of jihadis
French Prime
Minister Manuel Valls is to
clamp down on radical islam
calling it 'poison'
FRANCE: FRENCH Prime
Minister Manuel Valls says the country
is to shut down mosques, cut foreign
funding and police the content delivered
in sermons in a massive crackdown on
Islamic fundamentalism.
The comments come following the murder
of 86-year-old French Catholic priest
Father Jacques Hamel who was killed on
the altar during morning mass last
Tuesday and three separate massacres in
the country in just over a year.
In a newspaper interview Prime Minister
Valls says the Republic has been forced
to intervene to drive out the "poison"
of radical Islamism.
And he has announced plans to shut down
mosques supporting Salafism, an
ultra-orthodox religious-political
ideology based on a belief in "physical"
jihadism practised by some followers of
the Sunni faith.
He said: "All Salafists are not
jihadists ... but almost all are
jihadist Salafists...
"A terrible poison has spread.
"Slowly, insidiously, on a background of
influences from abroad and rising
communalism, developed against a model
of society, a model against the Republic
and its values.
"Many Muslims in France are taken
hostage by the fundamentalist Salafism,
who worship a weapon against others.
"The places of worship that house
preachers will be closed systematically.
These 4 Women From Saudi
Arabia Join Olympics, Making History
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi
Arabia is sending four women to the
Olympics in Rio next week.
For a country where women are not
allowed to drive, wear make-up, swim in
public, and many other things, this is
big news.
The decision by the Saudi Arabia Olympic
Committee to send Sara Al-Attar, Lubna
Al-Omair, Cariman Abu Al-Jadail and
Wujud Fahmi to the 2016 Summer Olympics
in Rio, which start Aug. 5, is
monumental step forward for women in the
country.
Attar will be running the 800m, while
Jadail will run the 100m. Omair will
compete in fencing and Fahmi will
compete in judo though in a separate
weight class than Olympic Refugee Team
athlete Yolande Mabika.
It is only the second time in history
women from Saudi Arabia will be allowed
to compete in the Olympic games. The
first time was in London in 2012, where
two women competed in the summer
Olympics there. Sara Al-Attar is one of
those women. She ran the 800m in 2012
and returns for the same event this
year.
In
Syria, culture has become a critical line of defence against
tyranny. Syria Speaks is a celebration of a people
determined to reclaim their dignity, freedom and
self-expression.
It showcases the work of over
fifty artists and writers who are challenging the culture of
violence in Syria.
Their literature, poems and
songs, cartoons, political posters and photographs document
and interpret the momentous changes that have shifted the
frame of reality so drastically in Syria.
Moving and inspiring, Syria
Speaks is testament to the courage, creativity and
imagination of the Syrian people.
Syria Speaks is a remarkable
achievement and a remarkable book a wise, courageous,
imaginative and beautiful response to all that is ugly in
human behaviour.
"This extraordinary anthology
gives a voice to those we may have forgotten, or whom we may
classify as simply passive and silent victims.
The people shown living,
dreaming and speaking here are far more than victims and
only silent if we refuse to hear them." OCO A.L. Kennedy
"An extraordinary collection,
revealing a dynamic and exciting culture in painful
transition, a culture where artists are really making a
difference ... You need to read this book." OCO Brian Eno
"One who does not read is no better than one who cannot
read."
Would you like
to see the cover of your favourite book on our book shelves
below?
KB says:
The word Jalfrezi is a combination of two words,
Jal meaning spicy and frezi meaning
stir-fry. Prawn curry fans who like a bit of
spice will love this curry. The peppers, onions
and green chillies add a nice crunch to the
recipe that really works well together.
Prawn
Jalfrezi
Ingredients for
Step 1
500g peeled and deveined prawns
1 tsp garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground fresh red chillies
Juice of a lemon
1 Tab. coconut oil
Marinate the prawns in the above (not the
coconut oil) and set aside for an hour.
Ingredients for Step 2
2 Tab of coconut oil or ghee
1 tsp, chilli and garlic mix
1 tsp. red chilli powder
Pinch of cardamom powder
Pinch of clove powder
Pinch of cinnamon powder
Ύ tsp salt
1 onion thinly sliced.
Ό cup green pepper, cubed
Ό cup red pepper, cubed
1 can tomato puree
250ml coconut cream
1 tab, desiccated coconut (fresh is better)
Chopped coriander leaves.
Method
1. Stir fry prawns in 1 Tab coconut oil for 3 to
4 mins and set aside.
2. Heat the 2 Tab coconut oil on medium heat and
braise all the spices, starting from the chilli
garlic paste.
3. Add the peppers and onions and stir fry for a
few minutes.
4. Add the Tomato puree and allow to simmer for
a few minutes.
5. Add the prawns, allow to simmer for a few
minutes
6. Finally add the coconut cream and cook on low
heat for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
Serve the prawn jalrezi hot with rice or naan
bread.
Q: Dear
Kareema, my mum has osteoporosis and has been
advised by her doctor to undertake a gentle
exercise program. What are some of the things
she can do to strengthen her bones?
A: Exercise is definitely powerful
medicine for people suffering with osteoporosis.
It helps reduce bone loss and builds stronger
muscles to support you.
I suggest she does both strength training or
muscle strengthening exercises (using light
weights / resistance bands), and also
weight-bearing exercises like regular walks, or
even gardening, etc.
Taking part in gentle yoga and aqua-aerobics
classes will ensure better balance and also
build deep muscle strength which, in turn, will
aid in reducing the risks of falls or fractures.
This
is the weekend to take stock
of your garden and plan for
the new season ahead.
Walk around your garden and
make a list
* Do I need more mulch
anywhere?
* Check stocks of seaweed
solution and GP fertiliser
* Sharpen your pruning
shears
* Check for pests on plants
* Check water tank for leaks
* Replace or extend hosepipe
Jallaludin: Here's a riddle, brothers. Youre driving
down the road in your car on a wild and stormy night.
The weather is like a hurricane, with heavy rains, high
winds, and lightning flashing constantly. While driving,
you come across a partially-covered bus stop, and you
can see three people waiting for a bus:
1. An old woman who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about
(your soulmate).
Knowing that you only have room for one passenger in
your car (its a really small car), which one would you
choose to offer a ride to? And why?
Habibullah: I would pick up the old woman, because she
is going to die, and therefore I would save her first.
Karimoodeen: I would take the old friend because he once
saved my life, and this would be the perfect chance to
pay him back.
Bulbulaah: That means you both will never be able to
find your soulmate again.
Mula Nasruddin: I would give the car keys to my old
friend, and let him take the old woman to the hospital.
Then I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the
partner of my dreams.
Shamelessly adapted from
Bruce Willis in the movie 16 Blocks
And spend of your substance
in the cause of Allah, and
do not make your own hands
contribute to (your)
destruction; but do good;
for Allah loves those who do
good.
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
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
Minutes of Meeting Tuesday 19 July, 2016,
Islamic College of Brisbane:
Click here
Next Meeting
Time: 7pm Date: TBA Venue: Islamic College of Brisbane - 45 Acacia Road
Karawatha
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the 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..
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someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
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Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
In
Syria, culture has become a critical line of defence against
tyranny. Syria Speaks is a celebration of a people
determined to reclaim their dignity, freedom and
self-expression. 
This
is the weekend to take stock
of your garden and plan for
the new season ahead. 
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011