Sunday, 25 September 2016

 

Newsletter 0620

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.....a sometimes self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and the world around us ....

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MAKING NEWS

REGULAR FEATURES

Prayers allowed from 4am at new two storey mosque

Births, Marriages, New Migrants and Condolences

The CCN Food for Thought

Roberts claims Waleed Aly fails to condemn terrorism

The CCN Weekly News & Views Briefs

An Ayaat-a-Week

Code of race ethics to counter rise of One Nation

Jumma (Friday) Khutba (Lecture) Recordings

Events and Functions

49pc of Australians support a ban on Muslim immigration

 The CCN Inbox: Letters to the Editor

Islamic Programmes, Education & Services

Radicalised Christianity': Father Rod Bower slams Hanson

 The CCN Classifieds

Businesses and Services

Fund Raiser for first Islamic centre in Gladstone

Around the Muslim World & Muslims Around the World

The CCN Date Claimer

Muslim Parenting Toolbox: A 2-day workshop

CCN Readers' Book Club

CCN on Facebook

 

KB's Culinary Corner

Useful Links

Kareema's Keep Fit Column

Disclaimer

 

Fitria on Food Appears monthly

Write For Us

 

Get your fingers green with Ahmed Esat

 

 

The CCN Chuckle

 

The Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF) is hosting an OPEN DAY & MORNING TEA at their newly acquired offices at 17 Romilda St, Woodridge on Sunday 25 September (10am to 1pm)

 

This an opportunity for the community to obtain a better insight and appreciation of the workings of the Foundation and the challenges they face on a daily basis.

 

Meet the MCF team who will be on hand to answer your questions as well take you on a tour of the premises.

Changing How People Around the World View Pakistanis

Muslims on what it's like to live in Australia

CCNTube

Back to the Future with CCN

The CCN's "We'll take that as a comment" Column

 

 

Click a link above to go directly to the article.

Return to this section by clicking   at the bottom, left of the article.

 

 

 

How the Garden City Mosque will look upon completion of the expansion. 

A change of heart by the region's councillors means Muslims in Toowoomba will now be able to pray at their mosque before sunrise as required by their religion.

Toowoomba Regional Council approved an application for the expansion the Garden City Mosque today, which was the target of two arson attacks last year.

The intervention of Cr Megan O'Hara Sullivan, backed by Cr James O'Shea, led to a backflip from last week's decision that would have changed the start time of prayers at the mosque from 4am to 6am.

Cr O'Hara Sullivan had voted against the motion last week and remained consistent today, but couldn't explain the change of heart of her fellow councillors.

She said she hadn't solicited votes for her alternate motion or had spoken with the city's Muslim community.

"We need to have consistency… around what we approve and don't approve," she said.

"I believe… in freedom of religion, you can't tell people how to worship and when to worship.

"There are no problems with the hours of worship at the moment so we didn't need to change that condition."

Cr O'Hara Sullivan said conditions linked to the application would provide a better outcome for everyone.

The approval conditions include more car parks and noise mitigation measures.

The expansion will see the size of the mosque grow by 159sq m of gross floor area and it will rise to two storeys.

Voting against the proposal were Cr Bill Cahill and Cr Anne Glasheen - who had proposed the earlier start time last week.

Cr Glasheen said she made the proposal after being approached by members of the community regarding the early start times.

The councillor added she wasn't unhappy with the result of the vote.

Cr Bill Cahill said he'd always been opposed to any expansion of the mosque because of possible risks to public safety.

He said increased traffic, pedestrian movements and parking issues were behind his vote against the application.

Garden City Mosque Imam Abdul Kader said last week that work would begin immediately on the rebuild and expansion of the mosque.

Founding president of the Islamic Society of Toowoomba professor Shahjahan Khan welcomed the decision.

"We had a series of meetings with the council officials and councillors regarding the requirements of the council for the development application, and we made sure that we met every single requirement so that there is no issues left to discuss.

"I appreciate the patience of the council officers and thank them for guiding us throughout the processing period of the application.

"I am pleased that the councillors have made the right decision at the end with some interesting discussions and debate."

Mr Khan said he wanted to thank the "peaceful and caring" residents of Toowoomba for their support for the mosque.

"I am grateful to the religious, political, cultural and community leaders of Toowoomba who have been united to stood by the mosque project.

"Many of them have direct link with the mosque and made submissions and taken their time to assist the project, and we value their significant contribution.

10.30AM: Toowoomba Regional Council has back-flipped on a controversial decision that would have prevented Muslims praying before 6am at the new Garden City Mosque.

Council had attempted to enforce rules that would not allow prayers to start until 6am.

Cr Megan O'Hara Sullivan called for prayers to be allowed at 4am, which is tradition. Cr James O'Shea supported that call.

Crs Anne Glasheen and Bill Cahill voted against the amended motion.

EARLIER: Members of the Islamic Society of Toowoomba will find out this morning whether they will be granted permission to rebuild and expand their mosque which was burned in two arson attacks last year.

Toowoomba Regional Council will this morning vote on approving the expansion of the Garden City Mosque by 159sq m of gross floor area.

The new plans will see the mosque rise two storeys high and the construction of new car parks.

At a committee meeting last week a fiery debate was held over the plans, with Cr Bill Cahill opposing the expansion and suggesting the mosque be rebuilt in a place other than West St.

Cr Megan O'Hara Sullivan also voted against the motion, arguing against a 6am start time that would be imposed.

Cr O'Hara Sullivan was in favour of the expansion but did not agree with the 6am start time.

Previously the city's Muslims had been allowed to pray at the mosque at 4am.

The region's other councillors supported approval.

 

Source: The Chronicle

 

 

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Senator Roberts said host Waleed Aly ‘condoned’ terrorism.

PRESENTER on The Project became so outraged by a One Nation politician’s claim that host Waleed Aly supported terrorism that he forgot the senator’s name last night.


The Project panellists were gobsmacked when Malcolm Roberts, the right hand man of Pauline Hanson, appeared to suggest Muslims should be deported from Australia.


The climate sceptic senator, who has already made a name for himself demanding Australia making an Oz-exit from the “socialistic, monolithic” United Nations, was on the Channel 10 show to talk about new research that showed 49 per cent of Australians supported banning immigration by Muslims.


Peter Hellier asked the Queensland senator “how far does it go?” and related the question to his co-host Aly, who is an Australian-born Muslim of Egyptian heritage.
“Do we deport Muslims who are living here? Should the man who usually sits to my left, Waleed, be deported or relegated to breakfast TV in Syria? What are you suggesting?” Hellier said.


Rather than answering the question, Senator Roberts took aim at Aly, who was off sick.


“No, but it would be nice if Waleed actually condemned and didn’t condone Islamic terrorism,” Senator Roberts said.


“Wouldn’t that be a good start?”


The stunned panel left it to journalist Hamish Macdonald to answer.


“I don’t think anyone needs to say anything, but quite clearly (Aly) does (condemn terrorism),” Macdonald said.


Macdonald was so riled he forgot the politician’s name, signing off, “Senator … what’s his name? Thank you very much.”


On Tuesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia would take in 18,750 refugees a year — a goal it had only expected to reach in 2018 — and a proportion of those would come from Central America.


Earlier, the pair had clashed over Senator Roberts’ claim, first raised by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, that Australia was being “swamped” by Muslims.
Macdonald asked the senator how fast the numbers of Muslims coming to Australia was rising.


Senator Roberts couldn’t reply, only saying that an adviser was looking into it.


“You don’t know that, but you think we’re being swamped?” Macdonald asked.


“Our culture is being swamped is what we’re discussing. And that’s certainly true,” the senator replied.


Macdonald asked the Senator if he knew what the fastest growing faith was in Australia, other than Christianity. He didn’t.


“Don’t you think you have an obligation to know that,” he asked.


“No I don’t think we need to know that, we need to focus on deciding whether Islam is a religion or an ideology and in our mind it’s an ideology (that) disrespects women,” said Senator Roberts.


The Courier Mail

 

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Labor weighs plan to invite parliamentarians to sign up to a set of principles respecting diversity and truthfulness

Labor is preparing to launch a proposal to invite all federal parliamentarians to sign up to a code of race ethics, echoing an initiative advanced by the ALP and the Australian Democrats during the period Pauline Hanson was last in parliament.

The code is yet to clear Labor’s caucus processes, but the shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has told Guardian Australia it would be an important gesture for the 45th parliament. “It would send a message about what sort of parliament we want to be,” he said.

The code required parliamentarians to sign on to a set of principles, including respect for religious and cultural diversity, supporting tolerance and justice within a multicultural society, and “to speak and write in a manner which provides factual commentary on a foundation of truth about all issues being debated in the community and the parliament”.


The Guardian

 

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A NEW survey has found almost half of Australians support a ban on Muslim immigration.


The Essential poll asked more than 1000 respondents whether they would support or oppose Pauline Hanson’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration.


Sixty per cent of Liberal voters, 40 per cent of Labor voters and 34 per cent of Greens voters said they would support the ban.


More than 40 per cent of people who favoured this ban said it was an “integration” issue, saying they fear Muslims “do not integrate into Australian society”.
The second-highest reason was “Terrorist threat”, at 27 per cent.


The race discrimination commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane, is expected to address community division at a forum at the Australian National University today.
According to speech notes obtained by The Guardian Australia, Soutphommasane will say: “Some would say that just as the Irish, Italians, Greeks and Asians copped ugliness, so too will Muslims. That immigrants must show grit and forbearance, become part of the mainstream, and then be free to have a go at the next lot who arrive.


“While we may never eradicate racism and bigotry, it isn’t good enough to say its targets must grin and bear it, or that there’s nothing we can do. Doing so amounts to normalising racism, to suggesting that it should be tolerated.”


This morning, Labor’s Tim Watts addressed the poll on Twitter, saying Pauline Hanson’s “xenophobia” could hinder Australia’s relationship with its largest Muslim-majority neighbour, Indonesia.
 

Source: Australasian Muslim Times


News.com

 

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Nationals

 

 

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Gladstone city is located 550km North of Brisbane and is home to approximately 100 Muslim families. The Muslim community in Gladstone does not have a dedicated Mosque or Centre and this limits the Islamic Society of Gladstone (ISG) in its efforts to provide a number of services to the local Muslim community.

 

To overcome these issues ISG has identified a 8500m2 block of land located near the city for the establishment of the first Islamic Centre in Gladstone.

As part of the Phase 1, $300,000 is required by mid-December 2016 to secure the land.

 

The ISG will be hosting a fund raising dinner at the Islamic College of Brisbane, Karawatha, on 1 October.

 

The tickets can be purchased by calling Mujtaba or Salman (see flyer for details). Tickets will also be available on the day.

 

Separate arrangements for ladies and gents is made for this event.

 

 

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Gosford Anglican Priest, Father Rod Bower, has condemned Pauline Hanson's policies at a speech in Melbourne.

The Anglican priest whose provocative signs have become an internet sensation has torn strips off Pauline Hanson at a speech in Melbourne, accusing the One Nation leader of representing a "radicalised Christianity" that has no place in Australia.

Father Rod Bower, from the Gosford Anglican Church on the NSW central coast, has thousands of social followers thanks to his outspoken billboards chastising politicians over everything from asylum seekers to Australia's racial discrimination laws.

Recent messages include "Hell exists and it's on Nauru" and "Equality shouldn't cost $160 million". A picture of the anti-plebiscite message has been liked by more than 9000 people on Facebook, and shared more than 5700 times.

The signs have even sparked a Facebook 'appreciation society' with more than 4000 members from across Australia.

Speaking at a breakfast hosted by the Islamic Council of Victoria on Monday morning, the outspoken priest said the desire to protect children was the hallmark of the Christian and Muslim faiths.

The priest contrasted this with One Nation's policies and comments which he says harm Muslim children and increase the risk of radicalisation.

"Pauline Hanson represents a form of radicalised Christianity that is willing to sacrifice Muslim children on the altar of her own political ambitions," he said.

"If her claim that she is only saying what the Australian people are thinking, then the Australian people have sadly missed over 4000 years of human social evolution."



Despite Father Bower despairing over the "incoherent ramblings" and "half-truths" abundant in politics, he remains hopeful the overwhelming majority of Australians will vote for leaders whose views are more in-line with religious teachings of kindness and compassion.

"I believe that deep in the Australian soul there lies a decency that has, in recent times, been suppressed by an irrational fear encouraged by a small number of unscrupulous people," he said.

"We are not a people without hope for the future."

Islamic Council of Victoria executive director Nail Aykan said having an Anglican keynote speaker was a testament to the Muslim community's commitment to building interfaith relationships.

"People of goodwill will always come together for the betterment of our society and humanity," he said.

The Age

 

 

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Workshop Promotion

As parents, we want to give the best to our children but how much is too much or not enough. Parenting is not just about raising children who behave well. Parenting is also about discovering children’s potential, nurturing their talent, so they become gifts to the world. As parents and educators, our main purpose is to raise children and youths who want to excel and become the best they can be.


There’s certainly no way to guarantee successful parenting. Yet, with a more positive mindset, the correct principles and knowledge, skills and techniques, you are far more likely to raise children who are motivated, less self-centred, concerned about people, while you the parent become confident and more at peace with yourself.


If you:
Would like to nurture your children as gifts;
Would like to see your children going from sibling rivalry to harmony
Have found it challenging to motivate your teenager;
 

Then this 2-day workshop is for you. You will learn, in addition to the above, what the Quran says about fatherhood and motherhood, making change happen and raising a digital generation. The workshop will aim to equip parents with positive, proactive and practical parenting skills and attitudes to help them honour and fulfill the sacred duty and responsibility (amanah) God has entrusted them in raising their children as exemplary Muslims.
 

This workshop is open to fathers, mothers, new-parents, expectant parents, grand-parents and carers.


When: Saturday and Sunday, 1st & 2nd October 2016
Time: 9am – 4pm
Where: IWAQ hall, 11 Watland St, Springwood
Investment: $50 for the 2 days with notes, lunch and refreshments included
(15% discount for group bookings of 2 or more)
Partial sponsorships available. Please call for more information.
 

Child-minding for children 5-11 y.o. Please call to reserve your child’s place. First come, first serve. Cost: Venue entry fee. Children will be supervised by adults. Parents to drop off children at the respective venues:
Day 1: Chipmunk: 39 - 45 Compton Road (best access via Ewing Rd), Underwood, QLD 4119
Day 2: Lollipop land, The Springwood Centre, Lexington Rd, Springwood QLD 4127
 

Limited spots available for children under 5 at IWAQ office: $15 for 2 days
(Please send lunch, snacks and water bottle with your child)
 

Call Muna on 0431 360 418 or Nora on 0431 100 846 to register your place
 

With the Muslim Parenting Toolbox, you can become a Cool Mum Super Dad InshaaAllah [God willing]! Visit http://coolmumsuperdad.com for more information

 

 

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Op-Eds; Commentaries & Blogs

 

Islam chose me: Susan Carland on religion, love and the hijab

Modesty is not a word that comes up in everyday conversation for most Australians. But it is an idea under constant scrutiny for Susan Carland, a long-time Muslim convert and an increasingly sought-after public intellectual, beauty and wife of the even more visible Gold Logie-winning TV presenter Waleed Aly.

Tying the laces of her black patent leather shoes at the end of a photo shoot for Sunday Life, she says: "For Muslims it always comes back to intention. The more you're in the public eye, the more you have to ask yourself, 'Is my intention because I want to be on the front of a magazine and I want everyone to look at me?' If so, then, that's problematic.

"But if your intention is sincerely, 'I don't particularly enjoy being in magazines but I have the intention of trying to create a more cohesive society or a society that has some nuance in this conversation about Islam...' I don't think I'm particularly good at public speaking, but if people say, 'Please come and talk to us,' I feel uneasy about saying no and then complaining about the level of public conversation."

Carland and I meet at a Sydney photographic studio in the week that controversy is boiling over the short-lived burkini ban in France, where police were photographed forcing a woman to remove her long-sleeved top on a beach.
 

The Sydney Morning Herald

Muslim woman perfectly shuts down bigot who asked her why she was driving

Why are you driving? Under sharia law in Saudi Arabia where Islam was born, you are not allowed to drive. The freedom you are enjoying in the West came from Christianity, NOT Islam.

Now, Moballeghi could have got angry at yet another attempt by a bigot to explain her own religion to her.

Moballeghi could have lashed out. She didn't.

Instead, she delivered the shortest, most brutal history lesson ever:

While I understand why all the misinformation in this world has got you to this point, it's just not a valid one. Firstly, there were no cars 1400 years ago; therefore it's not really sharia law. Secondly, there are many rights to women that Islam afforded for 1400 years well before Christian countries implemented them (in very recent history); such as the right to work, and the right to a pre-nup. It's not a competition, but hey you did bring it up. Thirdly, Saudi may be where Islam was born, but the Islam it practises now is not endorsed by most Muslims (who incidentally think the no driving by women is ridiculous). In fact the current monarchy there has its roots in a tribe who rebelled against Sunni Islam (the main body of Muslims). Why haven’t we done anything about it you ask? Well the Saudis are very well protected you see...and not by Muslims. The creation of the modern day Saudi Arabia and its monarchy was actually funded and propped up by the British, who explicitly wanted the Wahabi (extremist) Islam to be promoted there (for political reasons of course). and despite all their barbarity and all the protests across the world (including once a week here in London where there are protests against Saudi Arabia and Britain’s relationship with them by - shock horror - Muslims!) so actually it would be great if the "Christian west" country of America and Britain would stop supporting Saudi with arms, money and diplomacy...you know all the things that have helped create those western freedoms you are chirping on about that have not come from the noble principles of Christianity at all...but from power politics that endorses the very same warped Islamic thinking that you are criticising. I hope you kept up.

 

Indy100

   

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On Sunday, 25th September Kuraby Mosque will be hosting the first of a number of friendship days with members of the wider community. These friendship days are an attempt to bring together people from different cultures and creeds, who share a desire to co-operate through mutual acceptance and strengthen the richness of our society through greater understanding
 

At Kuraby mosque we aim to build bridges mutual co-operation that seeks to dispel myths about Muslims and forge genuine cultural interaction between the Muslim community and others.

In creating sessions such as these, we allow others to know who we are, and we them. Sharing our experiences fosters tolerance, acceptance and understanding between all communities that make up this wonderful country of ours.

Intercultural friendship sessions are important to building harmony and trust in the societies that we live.


So, if are not Muslim and have other non-Muslim friends, then please come along on the day.

 

We'd love to meet and chat.

 

 

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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:
 

19. Shaan Kandawalla

Shaan is the CEO of PlayDate Digital which makes educational applications for kids. She started it in 2012 after many years of experience working at Nickelodeon and Hasbro. Apps produced by PlayDate feature Hasbro brands like Play-Doh, My Little Pony and Transformers.
 

NEXT WEEK IN CCN: 20. Mona Shaikh

Source

 

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Muslims on what it's like to live in Australia

 

Continued from last week's CCN

 

Report by Beau Donelly

 

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:

 

"Our image has been tarnished by governments"

 

Ibrahim Ali, Sydney, Kuwaiti-Lebanese
 

I'm proud to call myself a Muslim Australian and appreciate what this country has done for me. But lately our image has been tarnished by governments, which are supposed to maintain the peace. I tell my children that these people who protest against mosques are scared and don't understand. I tell them we have to be good people and respect everyone no matter what their religion or race.
 


 

Source: Brisbane Times

 

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CCNTube

 

 

 

 

White Coats Safe House

OnePath Network

 

 

 

These Muslim men are fighting domestic violence by building a safe house for women. Amazing work!

 

 

 

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To know the future just look to the past

 

24 of the Most Influential Black Muslims in History

 

18. Ibrahim Abd al-Rahman (1762 – 1829)

Ibrahim Abd al-Rahman was born a prince in present-day Guinea, West Africa, and trained in the Islamic sciences, studying in the famous scholarly center of Timbuktu, Ibrahim was enslaved in his 20s by the British and ended up in New Orleans in the Americas. After working to obtain his freedom from slavery for 40 years, he was released by the order of U.S. President John Quincy Adams after the Sultan of Morocco –Mulay Abd al-Rahman ibn Hisham – had requested his release. He returned to Africa and died there.


NEXT WEEK IN CCN: 19. Nana Asma’u (1793–1864)

 

Source: Atlantic BlackStar

 

Murad III, left, Elizabeth I, right.

England’s Forgotten Muslim History

London — Britain is divided as never before. The country has turned its back on Europe, and its female ruler has her sights set on trade with the East. As much as this sounds like Britain today, it also describes the country in the 16th century, during the golden age of its most famous monarch, Queen Elizabeth I.

One of the more surprising aspects of Elizabethan England is that its foreign and economic policy was driven by a close alliance with the Islamic world, a fact conveniently ignored today by those pushing the populist rhetoric of national sovereignty.

From the moment of her accession to the throne in 1558, Elizabeth began seeking diplomatic, commercial and military ties with Muslim rulers in Iran, Turkey and Morocco — and with good reasons. In 1570, when it became clear that Protestant England would not return to the Catholic faith, the pope excommunicated Elizabeth and called for her to be stripped of her crown. Soon, the might of Catholic Spain was against her, an invasion imminent. English merchants were prohibited from trading with the rich markets of the Spanish Netherlands. Economic and political isolation threatened to destroy the newly Protestant country.

Elizabeth responded by reaching out to the Islamic world. Spain’s only rival was the Ottoman Empire, ruled by Sultan Murad III, which stretched from North Africa through Eastern Europe to the Indian Ocean. The Ottomans had been fighting the Hapsburgs for decades, conquering parts of Hungary. Elizabeth hoped that an alliance with the sultan would provide much needed relief from Spanish military aggression, and enable her merchants to tap into the lucrative markets of the East. For good measure she also reached out to the Ottomans’ rivals, the shah of Persia and the ruler of Morocco.

The trouble was that the Muslim empires were far more powerful than Elizabeth’s little island nation floating in the soggy mists off Europe. Elizabeth wanted to explore new trade alliances, but couldn’t afford to finance them. Her response was to exploit an obscure commercial innovation — joint stock companies — introduced by her sister, Mary Tudor.


The New York Times

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HOLLAND PARK MOSQUE

 

 

SORRY NO RECORDING THIS WEEK

Imam Uzair is on holidays

 

 

 

Friday khutbah (sermon)

DATE: 23 September 2016

TOPIC"In The Midst Of Change"

IMAM: Shaykh Ebrahim Bham

 

 

 

 

MASJID AL FAROOQ/KURABY MOSQUE

 

 

SORRY NO RECORDING

 

 

MASJID TAQWA/BALD HILLS MOSQUE

 

 

Friday khutbah (sermon)

DATE: 23 September 2016

TOPIC"The fruit of taqwa"

IMAM: Mufti Junaid Akbar

 

 

 

DARRA MOSQUE

 

 

Friday khutbah (sermon)

DATE: 23 September 2016

TOPIC"Are we receiving the mercy of Allah"

IMAM: Hafiz Rashid Ali

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Jeh Johnson tells American Muslims, ‘Your story is the quintessential American story’

 

US: Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson speaks to the Islamic Society of North America during its annual convention in Chicago.
 

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson delivered an impassioned speech last Saturday night at the annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) conference in Chicago, holding forth on the subject of Muslim empowerment in America.
 

Many American Muslims have been critical of his department and federal law enforcement agencies for what they view as discriminatory surveillance and prosecution of American Muslims. In his speech, Johnson did not speak to surveillance practices directly but acknowledged a common experience of discrimination and disrespect among American Muslims.
 

Johnson was the first sitting Cabinet secretary and the highest-ranking U.S. official to address an ISNA conference. He told the crowd of hundreds of Muslim religious and political leaders, activists and professionals that he hoped his appearance at the conference serves as a precedent for future appearances by officials of his rank. And he compared the Muslim American struggle for recognition, respect and equal rights to that of other American religious, racial and ethnic communities. He spoke of his grandfather, an accomplished African American sociologist who lived and died in the Jim Crow South but whose grandson is now the secretary of homeland security in the administration of a black president.
 

“Do not despair,” Johnson told the crowd. “If you know American history, take comfort in learning from it.”
 

Here is the text of Johnson’s speech in full:

 

Source: The Washington Post

 

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The CCN Book-of-the Month

 

Ghost Empire
by

Richard Fidler

 

Description

GHOST EMPIRE is a rare treasure - an utterly captivating blend of the historical and the contemporary, realised by a master storyteller.
In 2014, Richard Fidler and his son Joe made a journey to Istanbul. Fired by Richard's passion for the rich history of the dazzling Byzantine Empire - centred around the legendary Constantinople - we are swept into some of the most extraordinary tales in history. The clash of civilizations, the fall of empires, the rise of Christianity, revenge, lust, murder. Turbulent stories from the past are brought vividly to life at the same time as a father navigates the unfolding changes in his relationship with his son.

GHOST EMPIRE is a revelation: a beautifully written ode to a lost civilization, and a warmly observed father-son adventure far from home.

 

"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?

Then simply email the title and author to thebookclub@crescentsofbrisbane.org


CCN's Bookshelf

City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi
Shantaram
A Fine Balance
The Leadership of Muhammad
Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History, Updated Edition, With a New Preface
The God of Small Things
The Kite Runner
The Punishment of Gaza
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the World’s Children
The Da Vinci Code
Disgrace
The Power of One
Muslim Women and Sports in the Malay World: The Crossroads of Modernity and Faith
Palestine Peace Not Apartheid
The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
The Road to Mecca
Long Walk to Freedom
Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta
Islam


CCN's favourite books »

 

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KB says: This recipe is great for the novice cooks, it's easy and can very seldom go wrong but most importantly this dish has a depth of flavour which you will love.

Almond Chicken

 

 

Ingredients
 

2 chickens cut up as required.
 

Marinade
1 cup ground almonds
1 tin tomato puree
3 tablespoon ground garlic salt to taste
1 grated onion
1 grated tomato
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon crushed chillies
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon oil

Method


1. Put all the above ingredients into a liquidizer and puree.

2. Adjust salt to taste.

3. Marinate chicken for at least 2hrs or preferably overnight.

4. Heat approx. 60g of butter in a pot and add chicken.

5. Cook on low to medium heat until thick gravy is formed. Do not dry out the chicken.

6. Serve with naan or roti / puris.

 

Additional accompaniments suggestions are salad and chips.

Do you have a recipe to share with CCN readers?

 

Send in your favourite recipe to me at kbcooks@crescentsofbrisbane.org and be my "guest chef" for the week.

 

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Q: Dear Kareema, I’ve been changing up my workout routines recently and I notice that I feel sore after. Is that normal?

A: It sure is. Sore muscles is an indication that you’ve worked hard / changed your routine / challenged your body, etc.

It’s normal to feel a bit tender as long as you’re not confusing it with pain.

Some discomfort could mean that you’ve challenged your body to bring on change.

 

TOGETHER, LET’S FIGHT GLOBESITY

Kareema

My Health and Fitness

Tel: 0404 844 786

 

Need an answer to a fitness related matter?

Send your question to Kareema at  fitness@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

All questions sent in are published here anonymously and without any references to the author of the question.

 

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The Imam of the local Mosque stood at the end of Friday prayers and asked his congregation:
"What is the percentage of those who forgive the sins of their enemies?"
 

The hands of 80 percent of those who were present were raised.

 

So he repeated the question with a stronger tone.
 

So all hands were raised, except for one old man, Mula Nasruddin.
 

The Imam looked at him and asked:
 

"Are you not ready to forgive your enemies?"


Mula Nasruddin answered with a smile on his face: "I do not have enemies."
 

The Imam was astonished, and said:
 

"This is extraordinary! How old are you?"
 

Mula Nasruddin said 98 years!


The Imam said: "This is wonderful – 98 years and you do not have enemies? Why don’t you come forward and tell us the secret? How can a man this old not have enemies?"
 

So Mula Nasruddin walked slowly towards the Mimbar and all were holding their breath waiting to hear what he would say.

When he reached the Mimbar, Mula Nasruddin looked around and said:
"I lived longer – they all died!"

 

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An Ayaat-a-Week

 

  

 

 

 

Verily it is your Lord that knows best, which (among men) have strayed from His Path: and He knows best those who receive (true) Guidance.
 
~ Surah Al-Qalam 68:7

 

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The CCN

 

"I believe that what we become depends on

what our fathers teach us at odd moments,

when they aren’t trying to teach us.

We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”

 

~ Umberto Eco, Foucault’s Pendulum

 

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I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.

Notice Board

 

 

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

 

 

Events and Functions

 

AIIC Eid Ul Adha 18 SEPTEMBER Sheikh Bham 23 SEPTEMBER Buranda Afsir 25 SEPTEMBER UNITY CUP 10 24 SEPTEMBER Friendship Day @ Kuraby Mosque 25 SEPTEMBER IRA Al Yateem Dinner 8 October
  Mahoba's Promise Movie 11 OCTOBER
Peace in the AU Contextn 11 OCTOBER

 

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Islamic Programmes, Education & Services

 

 

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.

 

ISOM Flyer-CCN SC Tuition Shajarah Islamic Education Shajarah Islamic Education Australian International Islamic College Holland Park Mosque Hall Hire Slacks Creek Madressah Slacks Creek Mosque Activities Marriage celebrant - Imam Akram High School Subjects Tutoring MCF

 

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Businesses and Services

 

 

 

 

http://www.kanoonlawgroup.com.au

 

 

 

TAKEAWAY MENU

 

See ALL our advertising/sponsorship options

here or email us

 

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(provisiona

"If it's not here ....it's not happening!"l)

To claim your date for your event email ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

 

Date

Day

Event

(Click on link)

Organizer

Venue

Contact

Time

 

25 September

 

Sunday

Friendship Day @ Kuraby Mosque

Kuraby Mosque

Kuraby Mosque

0416 846 876

Anytime between 2pm and 5pm

 

25 September

 

Sunday

OPEN DAY & MORNING TEA

Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF)

17 Romilda St, Woodridge

0435 839 928

10am to 1pm

1 & 2 October

Sat & Sun

Parenting Toolbox Workshop with Ahmad Fakhri Hamzah and Jamilah Samian  

IWAQ

11 Watland St, Springwood

0431 360 418

9am to 4pm

1 October

Saturday

Gladstone Mosque Fund Raising Dinner

Islamic Society of Gladstone

Islamic Society of Gladstone

0469 274 277

6.30pm to 9pm

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

11 October

Tuesday

Peace in the AU Context

Various

Newlife Uniting Church

0438 795 304

6pm to 8pm

11 October

Tuesday

Movie & Fund Raiser: Love Marriage in Kabul

Mahboba's Promise

Palace Barracks, 61 Petrie Terrace

 

6pm

12 October

(tentative)

Wednesday

Day of Ashura

12 December

(tentative)

Monday

Birth of the Prophet (pbuh) / Milad un Nabi

17 December

Saturday

Annual Milad-un-Nabi

Al-Mustapha Institute of Brisbane

Logan West Community Centre
Wineglass Dve, Boronia Heights

 

3pm

 

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, except for Lailatul Mehraj, Lailatul Bhahraat and Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event starting in the evening of the corresponding day.

 

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RECURRING EVENTS

 

Algester Mosque 

Nuria Khataam
Date: Every last Wednesday of the month
Time: After Esha Salaat
Venue: Algester Mosque
Contact: Yahya
Ph: 0403338040
 

 


 

 

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

For further information:
www.almustapha.org.au
Phone 07) 3809 4600
Email info@almustapha.org.au

 

---------------------

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

Light refreshments will be available.

 

ALL WELCOME

 

For more information and RSVP:

Sergeant Jim Bellos at Bellos.Dimitrios@police.qld.gov.au

 

 

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Catch Crescents Community News on

 

Please feel free to click on the image on the left and......

post comments on our Wall

start up a Discussion thread

become a Fan

and

Like our page

 

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Sunnah Inspirations

Providing information about Islam - its beliefs, culture, practices, dispelling misconceptions

Kuraby Mosque

Holland Park Mosque

Al-Nisa

Provide young Muslim women in Queensland with support and opportunities to express themselves

MUSLIMS AUSTRALIA / Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) Islamic Schools, Halal Services and a whole lot more...

AFIC Schools

      www.mfis.com.au (Malek Fahd Islamic School, Sydney, NSW)

      www.icb.qld.edu.au (Islamic College of Brisbane, QLD)

      www.icosa.sa.edu.au (Islamic College of South Australia, SA)

      www.afic-lic.com.au (Langford Islamic College, Perth, WA)

      www.islamicschoolofcanberra.act.edu.au (Islamic College of Canberra, ACT)

Karratha Muslims (Muslims in Western Australia)

Islam TV

Recording of lectures and events in and around Queensland

Muslim Directory Australia

Carers Queensland

Free service for multicultural clients who are carers, elderly and people with disabilities

Brisbane Muslim Burial Society (BMBS)

Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF)

Coordinated collection & distribution of: Zakaah, Lillah, Sadaqah, Fitrana, Unwanted interest

Islamic Medical Association of Queensland (IMAQ)

Network of Muslim healthcare professionals

Al-Imdaad Foundation (Australia)

Australian Muslim Youth Network (AMYN)

Find out about the latest events, outings, fun-days, soccer tournaments, BBQs organised by AMYN. Network with other young Muslims on the AMYN Forum

Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ)  

Umbrella body representing various Mosques and Societies in Queensland

Current list of businesses certified halal by ICQ  7 August 2011

Islamic Friendship Association of Australia

Blog of the Association's activities

United Muslims of Brisbane

Crescents of Brisbane's CRESCAFE (Facebook)

Muslim Women's eNewsletter

Sultana’s Dream is a not-for-profit e-magazine that aims to provide a forum for the opinions of Australian Muslim women

Islamic Solutions

Articles and Audio recordings

Islamic Relief Australia

National Zakat Foundation (NZF)

MCCA

Islamic Finance  & Investments

Gold Coast Mosque

 Incorporating Islamic Society of Gold Coast Inc.

South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA)

Muslim Womens' Convert Support Group (MWCSG)

Network of Muslim women converts from the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas of Queensland.

Australian International Islamic College (Durack)

Islamic Society of Algester

Jamiatul Ulama Western Australia

Body of Muslim Theologians (Ulama, Religious Scholars)

Islamic Women's Association of Queensland (IWAQ)

Community based, not-for-profit organisation providing Settlement, Aged Care, disability, social activities and employment opportunities.

Federation of Australian Muslim Students & Youth (FAMSY)

Queensland Intercultural Society (QIS)

GIRU – Griffith Islamic Research Unit

          Qld Stories link or YouTube link

Gold Coast Halal Certification Services (GCHCS)

Muslim Aid Australia

Serving Humanity

Human Appeal International Australia  Always with you on the road to goodness

Al-Mustapha Institute of Brisbane  

Preserving the Past, Educating the Present to Create the Future

Islamic Shia Council of Queensland

Muslim Reverts Network

Supporting new Muslims

Muslim Funeral Services (MFS)

 Funeral Directors & Funeral Fund Managers for the Brisbane and Gold Coast communities

Islamic Society of Bald Hills (ISBH) : Masjid Taqwa

Tafseers and Jumma Khubahs uploaded every week.

Muslim Community & Qld floods

How the community helped out during the 2010 QLD floods

The CCN Young Muslim Writers Award (Facebook)

The Queensland Muslim Historical Society  (Facebook)

Muslim Women's National Network of Australia, Inc (MWNNA)

Peak body representing a network of Muslim women's organisations and individuals throughout Australia

Sultana's Dream

Online magazine subscribe@sultanasdream.com.au

Lockyer Valley Islamic Association

Eidfest

Celebrating Muslim cultures

iCare QLD (formerly AYIA Foundation) -

Charity

Slacks Creek Mosque

Mosque and Community Centre

If you would like a link to your website email ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

 

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Disclaimer

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

 

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