Last week Mr Jihad Dib MP,
the Member for Lakemba and
Shadow Minister for
Education in the Legislative
Assembly of NSW visited the
electorate of Stretton as
the guest of local Member
Duncan Pegg.
Mr Dib took time out of his
busy schedule to speak to
senior students at the
Islamic College of Brisbane.
He spoke to the students
about the importance of
believing in yourself and
being the best person you
can by utilising your
talents and working hard.
Mr Dib also spoke about the
importance of inclusiveness
and that being Muslim and
being Australian are not
mutually exclusive and that
we are all Australian
whatever our differences.
As a former Principal of
Punchbowl Boys High School
he has worked with many
students in difficult
circumstances to achieve
their best and to never give
up.
Duncan Pegg said, Mr Dib
was the first Muslim member
of the NSW Parliament to be
elected and it was great to
have him visit Stretton
which has the highest
proportion of Queenslanders
identifying Islam as their
religion in this state. It
was great to sit down with
Jihad and local Islamic
leaders to talk and exchange
ideas over morning tea.
x`
Lakemba is similar to the
electorate of Stretton in
that it has a high
proportion of people born
overseas. It also has a high
proportion of people
speaking a language other
than English at home, he
said.
It is great to have people
of the calibre of Jihad Dib
in Parliament, providing
strong leadership and
representing the wider
Muslim community, and I hope
to see him back again soon
he said.
The launch of the Queensland
branch of Human Appeal
International Australian
took place at the Slacks
Creek Unity Centre (Slacks
Creek Mosque).
Imam Akram Buksh will be the
Queensland representative.
Speakers included the Hon
Shannon Fentiman, Imam Peer,
David Forde and Imam Akram.
Both David and Imam Akram
recounted their own
experiences in refugee camps
where conditions were
horrific. All speakers spoke
with passion about the need
to support refugees and
displaced persons.
"An unprecedented 65.3
million people around the
world have been forced from
home. Among them are nearly
21.3 million refugees, over
half of whom are under the
age of 18. There are also 10
million stateless people who
have been denied a
nationality and access to
basic rights such as
education, healthcare,
employment and freedom of
movement. In a world where
nearly 34,000 people are
forcibly displaced every day
as a result of conflict or
persecution." Source
UNHCR
More images available
here courtesy of
Saifullah Akram
Some 240 invited guests
represented a number of
religions and denominations
at the annual Queensland
Police Service multi-faith
dinner this week at the
Greek Club.
Now in its 9th year this
event started within the
South Brisbane District in
2008, as an opportunity to
celebrate cultural
diversity, sharing a meal
and the contribution to our
community made by all
members. In 2008, 35 faith
and community leaders
attended the inaugural
dinner, and this year in
excess of 240 faith and
community leaders were in
attendance. It is now a
major part of the Queensland
Multicultural Month.
"The QPS understands the
vital importance of
community engagement and
has elevated this engagement
to a key priority across the
state. It is now common to
see police officers at all
ranks and levels interacting
with members of the
community through formal and
informal activities,"
Sergeant Jim Bellos, the
inspiration behind the
initiative, told CCN.
Sylvia Papamanolis was
acknowledged for her
contribution of sweets and
desserts to the event over
the past 9 years.
Police Liaison Officer
Sabrina Rabbani was also
officially thanked for her
work on coordinating the
dinners. Sabrina has been
working for the QPS since
July 2008 and was an
integral member of the QPS
team who have been putting
these dinners for the past 9
years.
Dr Brian Adams took on the
role of Master of Ceremonies
coordinating a long line of
speakers including The
Honourable Grace Grace MP -
Minister for Employment and
Industrial Relations,
Minister for Racing,
Minister for Multicultural
Affairs; Mr Thomas Albrecht
- Regional Representative
of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), Canberra and Police
Commissioner, Ian Stewart.
An Islamic community
activist and rights
campaigner wants Muslims to
claim back the phrase 'Allahu
akbar' from terrorists.
Queensland Police yesterday
announced that they were
investigating whether a man
who allegedly stabbed a
21-year-old woman at a
backpackers' hostel in Home
Hill on Tuesday night had
any links to extremist
groups, after it emerged he
had yelled 'Allahu akbar' at
the scene.
Today cops ruled out
radicalisation as a factor.
But not before a lot of
speculation about whether
the attack was motivated by
religious extremism.
Ali Kadri wasn't happy about
it. He's a spokesman for the
Islamic Council of
Queensland, an NGO that
represents Muslim
organisations and mosques
across the state.
"Media should be more
responsible than this, and
not just make it a terrorist
incident because at this
stage I don't think we can
speculate it is a terrorist
incident," he told the ABC
yesterday.
"Just because someone says 'Allahu
akbar' does not mean that
person's motivations are
religious."
So what does it mean?
Essentially, 'Allahu akbar'
translates into English as
'God is greater'.
We asked Ali to explain a
little further.
"This phrase 'Allahu akbar'
is so misunderstood that
every time a criminal says
it people think that it's a
religiously motivated crime,
but Muslims would use 'Allahu
akbar' across the board," he
told Hack.
"It's an expression of
powerlessness sometimes
let's say for example when
you're frustrated with
something and you don't have
power, you say 'God is
great'.
So if it can be used the
same way many Westerners
blaspheme (on the reg), do
non-Muslim Arabic speakers
say it a lot?
"Yes, Arabic-speaking
non-Muslims would use 'Allahu
akbar'. They would mean it
in the same sense 'God is
great', but it's more like
'oh my God!'," he said.
We don't know exactly how
Smail Ayad meant it when he
used those same words on
Tuesday night. But police
have ruled out any links to
extremism.
It's true that the phrase
has been used by terrorists
before carrying out criminal
acts they say are in the
name of Allah including
the brutal murder of British
soldier Lee Rigby in 2013.
But Ali says most people who
use these words are not
criminals or extremists.
"I'll tell you how much
anxiety people have. Me and
one of my friends were in
the plane going to Sydney
the other day," he said.
"Now he's a Muslim, he's got
a big beard, we were on the
plane we were rushing
because we got delayed and
as soon as he sat down he
says 'Allahu akbar'. And I
said 'hang on mate we're
gonna get kicked out',
because people looked at us.
"So I want an education
campaign around it so people
understand what 'Allahu
akbar' is."
Amnesty International said
the decision has "drawn an
important line in the sand"
FRANCE: France's highest
administrative court has
suspended a controversial
ban on the burkini by a
French Riviera town after it
was challenged by rights
groups.
In a judgement expected to
lead to bans being
overturned in around 30
towns, the State Council
ruled the measure was a
"serious and clearly illegal
violation of fundamental
freedoms".
The court said local
authorities could only
introduce measures
restricting individual
freedoms if wearing the
Islamic swimsuit on beaches
represented a "proven risk"
to public order.
The judges said there was no
such risk in the case before
the court concerning
Villeneuve-Loubet, a resort
on the Cote d'Azur between
Nice and Cannes.
"French
authorities
must now
drop the
pretence
that these
measures do
anything to
protect the
rights of
women,"
The French Council of the
Muslim Faith (CFCM) hailed
the ruling as a "victory for
common sense".
Police have fined Muslim
women for wearing burkinis
on beaches in several towns,
including in the popular
tourist resorts of Nice and
Cannes, and the ban has
triggered a fierce debate
about women's rights and
France's strictly-guarded
secularism.
Anger over the issue was
further inflamed this week
when photographs in the
British media showed police
surrounding a woman in a
headscarf on a beach in
Nice.
The mayor's office denied
the woman had been forced to
remove clothing, telling AFP
she was showing police the
swimsuit she was wearing
under her top, over a pair
of leggings, when the
picture was taken.
The court decision to
suspend the ban was praised
by the United Nations.
"We welcome the decision by
the court," spokesperson
Stephane Dujarric said,
adding that the UN stressed
"the need for people's
dignity to be respected".
Amnesty International said
the ruling had "drawn an
important line in the sand".
"French authorities must now
drop the pretence that these
measures do anything to
protect the rights of
women," Amnesty's Europe
director John Dalhuisen
said.
Reacting to the court ruling
on Friday, Prime Minister
Manuel Valls said that
France needed a modern,
secular Islam and wearing a
burkini clashed with that
idea.
"The Council of State ruling
does not close the debate on
the burkini," Mr Valls said
on Facebook.
But in a sign of the
divisions within the
Socialist Government on the
issue, Education Minister
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said
the "proliferation" of
burkini bans "was not a
welcome development".
The judgement is expected to
lead to bans being overturned in
around 30 towns.
Ms Vallaud-Belkacem took
issue with the wording of
the ban in Nice which linked
the measure to last month's
jihadist truck attack in the
resort that killed 86
people.
"In my opinion, there is
nothing to prove that there
is a link between the
terrorism of Daesh and what
a woman wears on a beach,"
she said.
Ange-Pierre Vivoni, the
mayor of the small Corsican
town of Sisco, said he would
keep the ban in place
because the issue had
sparked a violent beachfront
brawl earlier this month.
"I introduced the ban for
the safety of property and
people in the town because I
risked having deaths on my
hands," he said.
Sisters Maryam and Sarah
Mounajed prepare their new line
of halal baby food at their home
in Yagoona
WHEN sisters Sarah and
Maryam Mounajed went on the
hunt for halal food for
their new babies they
thought it would be simple.
What they found instead was
a big gap in the market.
We had a look around and
said what do we do? We
didnt want to feed them
rubbish, so we started
making our own baby food,
Sarah said.
Maryam, 22, used her skills
as a chef to design a menu
of pastas, purees, deserts
and soup.
On a lazy weekend the
sisters launched Halal Bubs
on Facebook. In two days
they had 200 online orders.
That was six months ago, and
since then the mumpreneurs
have built an impressive
home kitchen production line
of halal-certified baby
cuisine.
Dotted throughout their
Yagoona home, including the
living room, are freezers
full of sealed tubs.
On average we probably get
about 150 orders per week
and that is with us cutting
off the menu, Sarah, 28,
said.
We release it on a Tuesday
and cut it off on a Friday,
if we let it go until the
Monday we would be
inundated.
The pair design a new menu
every week and even have
interest from a grocery
store in New York.
The exhausting pace is
wearing out Maryam, who has
worked with the likes of top
chefs Matt Moran and Manu
Feildel.
They are planning to hire
helpers and rent space for a
kitchen and industrial
cooking equipment.
Sarah, a qualified
schoolteacher, said Halal
Bubs hadnt become the
target of anti-halal
certification groups yet,
but she was bracing for
it.
Halal food is prepared in
accordance with Islamic law,
animals need to be
slaughtered in a particular
way, it has to be free from
pork products, alcohol and
certain other ingredients.
Halal certification in
Australia has long attracted
the ire of anti-Muslim
groups.
If anyone wants to come to
me Im very well spoken to
put them back in their
place, Sarah said.
Asked about One Nation MPs
calling for ban on Muslim
immigration, Andrew Colvin says
police rely on having a good
relationship with Muslim
community
Commissioner Andrew Colvin
(at right with the PM) says he
doesnt want to intervene in
political debates but people
need to be careful about their
public interventions.
The Australian federal
police commissioner, Andrew
Colvin, has warned federal
parliamentarians that words
matter, emphasising that
police rely on good
relationships with the
Muslim community to keep
Australians safe.
Colvin was asked during an
appearance on Sky News on
Monday about whether he had
any concerns about the newly
elected One Nation MPs
calling for a ban on Muslim
immigration, or a royal
commission into Islam.
The police commissioner was
reminded about previous
interventions by the
Australian Security
Intelligence Organisation (Asio)
warning Coalition MPs to
tone down florid rhetoric
about Islam because the
contributions were
considered unhelpful to
agencies trying to maintain
public safety.
Colvin said he didnt want
to intervene in any
political debates but he
emphasised that people
needed to be careful about
their public interventions.
What I have been on the
record saying and I will say
it again, words do matter,
Colvin said on Monday.
He emphasised the police
needed to maintain a good
working relationship with
the community, and he said
successful disruption
efforts to combat terrorism
threats were a direct
consequence of working
constructively with the
community.
Its very important to me
that I maintain good
relationships with the
community. Words do matter.
They listen very carefully
to whats said, Colvin
said.
Fashion designer Aheda
Zanetti and her burkini, modeled
by Farrah Zbib
Over the past eight years,
Aheda Zanetti has sold
700,000 swimsuits to clients
all over the world. Her
designs, costing from $80 to
$200, are sought out from
Norway to Israel and are
each made in Villawood,
western Sydney.
Zanetti is the Australian
inventor of the burkini and
the swimsuits she sells
under the label Ahiida are
full body, hooded and
inspired by Islamic modesty.
But what is particularly
interesting about Ahiida,
which now finds itself in
the crosshairs of
controversial French rules
banning the garment on the
basis of secularism laws, is
that 45 per cent of its
clients, Zanetti estimates,
are non-Muslims.
"This is about choice," says
Zanetti, who hails from
Lebanon and moved to
Bankstown when she was two.
"The burkini stands for
freedom, flexibility and
confidence, it does not
stand for misery, torture
and terror."
She says she receives
messages from shoppers of
all religions and
backgrounds. One, from a
non-Muslim in Warwick,
Queensland on Friday morning
said "It is just a swimsuit
for heaven's sake." Another,
from a client in the US: "I
am a non-Muslim southern
Californian woman. I am a
skin cancer survivor, which
means I can't get out in the
sun [in a regular
swimsuit]."
"We get so many emails from
people asking 'Would the
Islamic community be
offended if I purchase a
burkini swimsuit?'" says
Zanetti.
And news of recent bans in
France has only increased
sales, she says, forcing
Ahiida to change courier
companies to enable faster
delivery to Europe.
"Every time anyone says
something bad about the
burkini, I get enquires and
sales out of it."
The Sydney
Morning Herald
People are
sharing these seven images
to show how ludicrous the
burkini ban is
According to the Pew Research
Center, Islam will remain the
worlds fastest-growing major
religion over the next few
decades.
Muslims have a whopping
$11.5 trillion of wealth to
their names, triggering a
race among asset managers to
tap this massive pool of
capital, a Bloomberg report
says.
According to
Washington-based Pew
Research Center estimates,
Islam will remain the
worlds fastest-growing
major religion over the next
few decades, with demand for
investments that comply with
the Quran tenets rising.
Over the past year, Islamic
funds have lured global
money managers from BNP
Paribas to Schroder
Investment Management Ltd.
Shariah law forbids
investments in shares of
companies with excessive
debt and those involved in
unethical activities such as
gambling, prostitution, and
alcohol or pork-related
businesses.
According to Bloomberg,
worldwide sales of debt
complying with Islamic
tenets have climbed 18% to
$27.2 billion so far this
year, after reaching $35.6
billion for the whole of
2015.
A report by the Malaysia
International Islamic
Financial Center in February
forecast the global Islamic
asset management industry to
grow to $77 billion by 2019
from $58 billion at the end
of 2015.
The industry is also
forecast to grow to mammoth
proportions given that about
$9.5 trillion of Islamic
wealth still remains outside
the Shariah finance
industry.
Asian asset managers have
been cashing in on the
chance, offering a series of
Sharia-compliant vehicles
for investment in private
equity, property, sukuk and
shares.
Bearing in mind that Asia
houses two-thirds of the
Muslim population, Asian
countries are most
well-positioned to leverage
from this demographic, Raj
Mohamad, managing director
at Singapore-based
consultancy Five Pillars
Pte., told Bloomberg.
Trade in other Islamic
fields is also gaining
traction. Halal tourism is
already becoming a vogue
industry even in non-Islamic
countries.
The global halal industry is
estimated to be worth more
than $2 trillion, including
a $1 trillion food market
which is expanding.
Muslim tourists are seen as
one of the fastest growing
travel groups, accounting
for 10% of the global travel
spending in 2014, worth $150
billion.
Halal means permissible in
the Islamic law and covers
everything from food to
finance, logistics and
tourism.
A growing middle-class
Muslim population in the
face of rising demand from
non-Muslim nations has
sparked a race among many
countries to scrape a niche
in the halal market.
Major Muslim countries from
Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei,
Turkey and Pakistan to
non-Muslim nations such as
Japan, New Zealand and the
UK are jockeying for
position.
Iran also plans to turn into
the worlds hub for halal
tourism which could draw as
many as 15 million Muslims a
year from around the world,
officials have said.
In September, an official
said Iran planned to launch
its international halal food
brand, aiming to tap an
under-served regional market
of 400 million people.
Islamic
Relief Australia (IRAus) and
iCare Qld will be hosting an
Al-Yateem Child Sponsorship
Dinner on Saturday the 8th
of October 2016. The aim of
this event is to raise funds
to empower underprivileged
children around the world.
As per the Islamic
definition of Al Yateem,
we sponsor children who have
lost their bread-winning
parent, or both parents. The
sponsorship program offered
by IRAus provides support to
the child and their carer,
making sure the child is
able to be cared for within
their family and community.
The sponsorship also ensures
that the sponsored child can
attend school and have
access to health care,
nutritional food, and water.
A sponsorship officer visits
all children sponsored on an
ongoing basis to confirm the
sponsorship is being best
utilised to assist the
child.
IRA spokesperson told CCN: "The
suffering of children is one
of the hardest things to
witness, especially because
they are the most vulnerable
to the effects of poverty
and conflict. The prophet
(saw) said: "The one who
cares for an orphan and
myself will be together in
Paradise like this," and
he held his two fingers
together to illustrate."
Join IRA at the Al-Yateem
Child Sponsorship Dinner and
help make the world a better
place for a child in need.
Muslims from all over the
World live in Australia and
nearly half of them are
young (18-30 years). Young
Muslims are often
misunderstood by the larger
society. It is therefore
important to study this
group of Muslims. The
purpose of this project is
to collect a large sample
from all over Australia to
understand current wellbeing
of young Muslim Australians.
The day to day factors that
promote or deter the
wellbeing of young Muslim
Australians will be
explored.
The research team from QUT
are looking for men and
women, who are between the
ages of 18-30 years,
identify as Muslims and are
Australian
citizens/permanent resident.
You can support this study
by 1. taking the survey and
2. passing on this email to
all potential young
Muslim-Australians on your
contact list by inviting
them to participate.
It takes 30 minutes to fill
out an online survey. Your
participation is completely
voluntary and confidential,
and you can stop completing
the survey any time. All
collected data will remain
confidential and anonymous.
You can also participate in
a prize draw. Five
participants, selected by
random draw, will receive a
gift voucher for the value
of $20 (e.g. Coles).
ONE has to wonder
sometimes if Pauline
Hanson doesnt lie awake
at night in a sheen of
excited sweat, preparing
her response to a terror
attack on Australian
soil. Such an event
could be seized on as
vindication that
Australia is being
invaded invaded I tell
you! by terrorised
extreme radicalise
Islamians. Only Pauline
stands between Straya
and a slippery slope
leading to a pit of
halal lamb chops. So it
was no surprise to see
her this morning
embracing the Home Hill
stabbing attack with
unbridled glee, saying
it could well be the
first Islamic terrorist
attack in Queensland
and reiterating her call
for a ban on Muslim
immigration. Worse, and
not that our Pauline
tends to attract
conspiracy theories or
anything, she reckons
the police are trying to
downplay any possible
terrorism links, because
well just because.
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:
15. Maliha Masood
Maliha Masood is a Karachite
who moved to US in 1982. She
is an award-winning writer
in creative nonfiction and
the author of two travel
memoirs. Her works include
Zaatar Days, Henna Nights
and Dizzy In Karachi.
Having selected for the Jack
Straw Foundation writers
forum in 2005, Masoods
writings on women, culture
and Islam have been featured
in many prestigious
publications.
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 avoid public
transport with my children"
Chloλ Green, 41, Sydney,
British
I'm scared that my children
or grandchildren might end
up in a concentration camp
one day. I avoid public
transport with my children
because I don't want them to
hear me being harassed. I
have been harassed on public
transport while an entire
carriage full of people
pretended not to notice. My
children are still in
primary school, but they
know that extremism has
nothing to do with Islam and
everything to do with being
violent criminals.
24 of the
Most Influential Black
Muslims in History
14. Askia
Muhammad I (c. 1443 1538)
Askia Muhammad, also
known as Askia the Great,
was an emperor, military
commander and political
reformer of the Songhai
Empire. Under Askia
Muhammad, the Songhai empire
became the largest ever in
West Africa and one of the
largest empires in Islamic
history.
NEXT WEEK IN CCN: 15.
Mustafa Zemmouri/Estevanico
(c. 15001539)
The
Chinese admiral who spread
Islam across Southeast Asia
Near
my childhood home in Kunming
(昆明), Yunnan (雲南) province,
is a park dedicated to its
most famous son: Admiral
Zheng He. Our teacher would
take us to pay tribute to
the great eunuch of the Ming
dynasty, recounting his
legendary seven expeditions
that brought glory to the
motherland.
The marble bust of Zheng He
shows the face of a typical
Chinese, with a square chin,
brushy eyebrows and a flat
nose. My father joked it
more resembled comrade Lei
Feng than the admiral. Not
until years later did I
realise how true this was.
The statue
was erected in 1979 a year
after Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平)
launched his open-door
policy. Zheng, barely
mentioned during the
Cultural Revolution, was
plucked from obscurity and
hailed as a national hero
who embodied Chinas open
spirit. A park near his
ancestral home was dedicated
to him. The same craftsmen
who churned out
revolutionary statues were
employed to build his.
In real life, Zheng probably
looked very different. My
school textbook mentioned
only that he was a Hui
minority (Muslim Chinese).
In fact, the admiral was a
descendent of a powerful
Persian family. Records
discovered in 1913 trace his
lineage to Sayyid Ajall, who
was sent by Kublai Khan to
conquer Yunnan and became
its first governor. In 2014,
Chinese scientists at Fudan
University in Shanghai put
the theory to test. They
examined DNA samples
collected from descendents
of the admirals close kin
and found they originated
from Persia, modern-day
Iran. In addition to Zheng
He, most senior officers of
the storied Ming armada were
also Muslims.
While France Bans
Burkinis, Canada Welcomes Hijabi Mounties
US: With the possible
exceptions of maple syrup and ice
hockey, nothing symbolizes Canada quite
like mounties, the police officers who
patrol on horseback Canadas rugged
frontiers and historically wore scarlet
tunics, riding boots, and flat-brimmed
campaign hats.
Now, some of those mounties will also be
allowed to wear hijabs, in line with
Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus efforts
to welcome people of different faiths
into government service.
This is intended to better reflect the
diversity in our communities and
encourage more Muslim women to consider
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a
career option, a spokesman for Canadas
public safety minister told the news
wire service Agence France-Presse. The
change was quietly introduced earlier
this year but not reported until this
week.
The uniform, a pastiche of British
imperial army dress and the fashion
sensibilities of the American West, has
undergone few changes since its adoption
in the 1800s. Originally, it was worn by
an all-white and all-male gendarmerie
force as they policed newly acquired
territories in the west, enforcing
Canadian rule over Native American
tribes and dismantling an American
whiskey smuggling network. Today,
mounties typically wear modern police
uniforms but will don the red jacket of
their forebears for special occasions.
Women werent permitted to join the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
until 1975, and the first attempt, in
1990, to accommodate religious
minorities by letting Sikh officers wear
turbans provoked public outcry.
Trudeaus policy of protecting the
rights of Muslims to freely express
their religion comes as other Western
nations take increasingly restrictive
measures against public displays of
Islamic faith. In France, a growing
number of coastal towns are banning
Muslim women from wearing full-body
swimsuits, or burkinis, in keeping with
their beliefs.
The style of hijab approved by the RCMP
doesnt encumber officers and can be
easily taken off, according to an
internal memo obtained by Montreal daily
La Presse.
Muslims comprise the second-largest
religious group in Canada, a group that
is reportedly growing faster than any
other religion.
Fueled by fears of Islamic radicalism,
Canadas conservative parties have
opposed Trudeaus refugee asylum policy,
with his plan to accept 25,000 Syrian
refugees by the end of this year more or
less evenly splitting public opinion.
The
Metropolitan Police approved a
uniform hijab more than 10 years
ago
SCOTLAND: Police Scotland
has announced women from Muslim
communities may now wear the hijab as
part of their uniform.
It is part of an attempt to encourage
Muslim women to consider pursing a
career in the force.
Officers and police staff have always
had the option to wear religious
headwear but the announcement ratifies
the use of the hijab.
Chief Constable Phil Gormley said the
police force should be representative of
the communities it serves.
The move comes 10 years after the
Metropolitan Police in London approved a
uniform hijab.
Mr Gormley said: "I hope that this
addition to our uniform options will
contribute to making our staff mix more
diverse and adds to the life skills,
experiences and personal qualities that
our officers and staff bring to policing
the communities of Scotland."
'Positive step'
The announcement was welcomed by the
Scottish Police Muslim Association's
chairman Fahad Bashir.
He said: "This is a positive step in the
right direction, and I am delighted that
Police Scotland is taking productive
steps in order to ensure that our
organisation is seen to be inclusive and
represents the diverse communities that
we serve across Scotland.
"No doubt this will encourage more women
from Muslim and minority ethnic
backgrounds to join Police Scotland."
There are currently six female Muslim
officers working for Police Scotland -
but none of them wear the hijab either
on duty or outwith the force. The most
recent figure for the overall strength
of the force - released at the end of
June - was 17,242.
Official figures showed that there were
127 applications from black, Asian and
ethnic minority candidates in 2015-16.
That was just 2.6% of the total number
applying to work for the force.
In order to reflect the 4% figure across
Scottish society, the force said it
would need to recruit an additional 650
ethnic minority candidates.
Nigerian Christians
Muslims open historic peace centre
Rev. Dr Olav
Fykse Tveit and Sultan of Sokoto
Sa'adu Abubakar both spoke at
the ceremony.
NIGERIA: Nigerian
Christians and Muslims gathered on 19
August to open the International Centre
for Inter-Faith Peace and Harmony (ICIPH).
The centre is located in Kaduna, where
more than 20,000 people have died in
various conflicts over the last three
decades.
Amid a growing number of interfaith
initiatives in Nigeria, the new centre
has a unique goal: to systematically
document interfaith relations to inform
national and international
policy-making.
Key local Nigerian organizations, the
Christian Council of Nigeria and
Jamaatu Nasril Islam, led the effort to
open the centre, which was preceded in
2014 by a consultative forum held in
Abuja that drew about 40 Muslim and
Christian leaders.
Young people explore role
as ambassadors of peace during Cairo
seminar
Participants
meeting with the Grand Imam Dr.
Ahmad Al Tayyeb.
CAIRO: I have an
absolute confidence in your youthful and
great enthusiasm and your heightened
state of awareness that you will be
ambassadors of peace, mercy and
cooperation among all peoples. This
message, from Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Dr
Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, visibly uplifted and
inspired young people attending a
seminar, Youth Engagement, Religion and
Violence, in Cairo this week.
About 40 young people from Europe,
Africa, Asia and the Middle East met
with Al-Tayyeb and other religious
leaders to discuss the impact of
religious discourse on contributions to
peace-building.
Al-Tayyeb added: The divine religions,
sealed by Islam, affirm that man is
honored and respected. They prohibit
shedding the blood of, assaulting or
terrorizing the innocent.
He had a clear vision to share with
todays young people: Your first cause
should be how to create a new world
where there is no place for
blood-shedding, poverty, illness or
ignorance.
Participants also visited the Arab
League, meeting with deputy
secretary-general Ahmed Bin Heli, who
said: "Religion holds a divine message
of peace on earth. Christian and Muslim
religious texts hold imperatives of
dialogue, conviviality, and mutual
understanding. Our values are one. Today
we are facing critical challenges
incarnated in terrorism and fanaticism,
in values of exclusion. Those values are
against our teachings, not only against
the teachings of religion but also
against the teachings of humanity.
UK:
It was launched with big fanfare in
March, and now Marks & Spencer has
confirmed its burkini swimwear
collection has sold out.
Despite attracting criticism from
fashion mogul Pierre Bergι and Laurence
Rossignol, Frances womens rights
minister, the design appears to have
proved popular with British customers.
Marks & Spencer has told The Independent
the collection, part of its summer and
spring 2016 collection, is out of stock.
The retailer has sold the outfits for
the past three years in its stores in
Dubai and Libya, before lauching them in
its flagship Marble Arch store last year
and online for the first time this year.
M&S provides a wide range of quality
swimwear offering our customers lots of
choice. We have sold this item for a
number of years and it is popular with
our customers internationally, a
spokesperson said,
The garment covers the whole body with
the exception of the face, hands and
feet. It was initially intended to
appeal to Muslim women but may have also
proven popular with non-Muslim customers
worried about the damage that exposure
of the sun.
It was brought to public attention in
the UK when TV chef Nigella Lawson wore
the head-to-toe three-piece garment
while holidaying in Australia in 2011.
She explained the outfit allowed her to
not reapply sunscreen after swimming.
West Ham striker Sofiane
Feghouli takes pride in combining Muslim
faith with playing in the Premier League
West Ham & Algerias exciting
new winger Sofiane Feghouli speaks for the
first time about his pride in being a Muslim
Hammer
Feghouli is
one of many Muslims currently
playing every week in the
Premier League
UK: When Sofiane Feghouli
scored on his debut for West Ham United
at the start of this season he
celebrated like Mo Farah: prostrating
himself in the Olympic Stadium in London
and spending a moment in silent prayer.
As when the running champion won double
gold there in 2012, Feghoulis gesture
of reverence during a charged football
match was greeted by cheering and
rapturous applause.
The overwhelming sense of respect was
not lost on the French-Algerian
26-year-old, who is as proud to be a
Muslim as he is an elite sportsman.
British crowds are outstanding
generous, supportive and passionate,
said Feghouli, the hugely exciting
winger whom West Ham signed from
Valencia, in Spain last month.
My faith is very important to me, but
also very personal. When I pray on the
pitch, it is always spontaneous.
That crowds can accept this, and make a
player feel comfortable as he expresses
himself with honesty is very touching.
Feghouli
is one of a highly influential group of
new Premier League stars who are not
just devout Muslims, but also ones who
grew up in the less salubrious suburbs
of greater Paris.
They include the worlds most expensive
player, Paul Pogba of Manchester United,
NGolo Kantι of Chelsea, and Riyad
Mahrez of champions Leicester City, who
is a great friend of Feghoulis.
The pair were part of the outstanding
Algeria side that gave Germany a scare
in the 2014 World Cup, narrowly losing
to the eventual champions 2-1 after
extra time.
Feghouli, who was the captain of
Algeria, is only too well aware of the
way young men from similar backgrounds
are demonised and discriminated against
in France, but knows that perceptions
can change.
Meeting him in his temporary home the
Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, near West
Hams new ground the soft-spoken,
highly intelligent sportsman certainly
came across as the perfect role model.
My faith is all part of leading an
exemplary life, said Feghouli. Its
part of a good lifestyle that teaches me
to be respectful of other people at all
times, and generally to try and do good
in the world.
Im of course very proud to see Muslim
players like Riyad doing so well in the
Premier League, but theyre not there
because theyre Muslims. Theyre there
because theyre great players.
Feghouli was born in Levallois-Perret,
around five miles from the centre of
Paris, and then grew up in nearby Saint-Ouen,
in the Seine-Saint-Denis department
bordering the capital.
Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin:
First Iranian Woman To Win An Olympic Medal
Kimia Alizadeh
Zenoorin poses with her bronze
medal after the womens
taekwondo event in the 57kg
category at the Rio 2016 Olympic
Games. I am so happy for
Iranian girls, she said.
RIO DE JANEIRO - Kimia
Alizadeh Zenoorin kicked and punched
down opponents and barriers as she
became the first Iranian woman to win an
Olympic medal by taking taekwondo bronze
in the 57kg category on Thursday.
The 18-year-old former junior world
champion fell to the floor and kissed
the mat after beating Nikita Glasnovic
of Sweden 5-1 in a one-sided contest at
the Carioca Arena 3 to secure a
breakthrough bronze.
I am so happy for Iranian girls because
it is the first medal and I hope at the
next Olympics we will get a gold, said
Zenoorin.
I am very excited and I want to thank
my parents and my coach. They really
stand behind me and I am so happy.
Iran have won 65 medals at the Olympics
in just four sports - wrestling,
weightlifting, taekwondo and athletics -
with Zenoorins bronze the Asian
nations fifth medal in Rio.
KB says:
What is gluten? As you may know, gluten is a
protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley,
rye, spelt and kamut. Millions of people around
the world cannot stomach this protein
(literally) and have to have a diet which is
gluten free, so here is another great tasting
recipe to add to your collections of gluten free
recipes.
Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
3 bananas mashed or
1 cup
3 eggs
½ cup almond butter
Ό cup coconut oil melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
Ό tsp salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
Method
1. Preheat the oven
to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan with baking
paper.
2. In a large bowl,
add the mashed bananas, eggs, almond butter,
coconut oil, and vanilla. Use a hand blender to
combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the almond
flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and
salt. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet
mixture, scraping down the sides with a spatula.
Fold in the walnuts, leaving aside a few walnuts
to sprinkle on the loaf.
4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan in an even
layer. Sprinkle some chopped walnuts on the top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick
inserted into the centre comes out clean. Place
the bread on a cooling rack and allow to cool
before slicing.
TIME TO
WALK THE WALK only 1 week until race day
Get through the week
by training smart, not hard..
Please note that the following program is
suitable for beginners. For the more competitive
or serious athlete, intensity, duration and
frequency of exercises need to be increased!
REMEMBER: NUTRITION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR
TRAINING REGIME. SO START EATING HEALTHIER TODAY
AND DON'T FORGET TO DRINK YOUR WATER!
DAY 1:
Change up your routine by really challenging
your body - push yourself & fight the fatigue.
Walk / jog for an hour or more. Add some 30
second sprint sessions in between.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO STRETCH AFTER EVERY WORKOUT!
Healthy Tip: Always keep your body hydrated -
carry a bottle of water with you daily!
DAY 2:
Getting your body race-ready does not mean hard
work only. Be smart with your workout - do one
of your fave sessions..
DAY 3:
If possible, try another hiking session with
fellow - race goers.
DAY 4:
See how your body feels. Have a rest day or
stretch session.
DAY 5:
Head out for a walk / jog. Do t push too hard
today. Time to ease up & relax.
DAY 6:
Same as day 5. Get an early night.
RACE DAY!
Have a good breakfast to fuel your body & give
it your best shot! N-Joy!!
PLEASE NOTE: The above training program assumes
a healthy participant. Those with medical
conditions or who are not already physically
active, need to seek clearance from their GP
before starting any form of exercise.
Everything is bursting back
to life - Plants will repay
you for your love
Get on top of weeds
quickly!
Prune back dead or weak
stems.
Time to fertilise fruit
trees.
Mangoes are flowering
early-They will love a deep
watering.
Plant out chilli plants
now..
Watch the weather radar
then fertilise the lawn just
before the rain sets in
(Wednesday)
Re-pot and pay attention
to hanging baskets.
Most important-put a
comfortable bench outside
where you can wind down and
enjoy your garden..
Jallalludin was a philosophy major during his first
semester at university.
One day in a seminar class, they spent a great deal of
time debating whether the glass was half full or half
empty.
After the class, Jallalludin was feeling pretty good
about himself and what he was learning at university, so
when he met his friends for coffee, he tried to continue
the discussion with them.
With maximum drama, he went to the counter and took a 12
ounce glass and poured in 6 ounces of water.
Then he returned and placed it in the middle of the
table.
He proudly asked his friends, "Can anyone tell me
whether this glass is half full or half empty."
Without missing a beat, Mula Nasruddin replied, "Depends
if you're drinking or pouring."
Al Mustapha Institute of
Brisbane: ACCREDITED COURSES
An advanced
knowledge of Islam which includes a highly
developed comprehension of the theological,
jurisprudential, historical, contemporary and
spiritual aspects of Islam.
Islamic sciences
are studied from both a classical and
contemporary perspective and students graduate
with the ability to speak, write, read Arabic
religious texts and an understanding of Arabic
grammar.
1. All Islamic Event dates given above are supplied by
the Council of Imams QLD (CIQ) and are provided as a guide and are
tentative and subject to the sighting of the moon.
2. The Islamic date changes to the next day starting in
the evenings after maghrib. Therefore, exceptfor Lailatul
Mehraj,
Lailatul Bhahraat
and
Lailatul Qadr these dates refer to the commencement of the event
starting in the evening of the corresponding day.
Zikr - every Thursday
7pm, families welcome
Hifz, Quran Reading & Madressa - Wednesday & Friday
4:30 - 6:30pm, brothers, sisters and children
New Muslims Program - last Thursday of every month,
6:30 - 8:30pm
Salawat Majlis - first Saturday of every month.
Starting at Mughrib, families welcome
Islamic Studies - one year course, Saturday 10:00 -
2:00 pm, brothers and sisters
Ilm-e-Deen, Alims Degree Course - Three full-time and
part-time nationally accredited courses, brothers
Quran Reading Class For Ladies (Beginners
or Advanced)
Every Saturday 2 - 4pm
Lady Teacher
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
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Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
Join
us at Orleigh Park,
West End on Sunday 4
SEPTEMBER for a
pleasant walk or jog
along the Brisbane
River on a
delightful Spring
morning. 
.jpeg)
Near
my childhood home in Kunming
(昆明), Yunnan (雲南) province,
is a park dedicated to its
most famous son: Admiral
Zheng He. Our teacher would
take us to pay tribute to
the great eunuch of the Ming
dynasty, recounting his
legendary seven expeditions
that brought glory to the
motherland.
UK:
It was launched with big fanfare in
March, and now Marks & Spencer has
confirmed its burkini swimwear
collection has sold out.
Feghouli
is one of a highly influential group of
new Premier League stars who are not
just devout Muslims, but also ones who
grew up in the less salubrious suburbs
of greater Paris.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011