An evening in Brisbane with
Professor Gillian Triggs of the
Australian Human Rights
Commission.
What participants had to
say:
Thanks for an evening
of inspiration, wisdom,
commitment and passion
for human rights. May we
act on what we heard.
What a wonderful
evening. Thanks for
hosting Prof Triggs. Her
speech was inspiring and
insightful. Looking
forward to seeing who
your next Brisbane
speaker will be.
Kirralie Smith (centre) at
the Q Society fundraiser held at
North Ryde RSL. Photo: Wolter
Peeters
"Let's be honest, I can't
stand Muslims," said Larry
Pickering, cartoonist and
VIP guest at the Q Society
fundraising dinner held in
Sydney on Thursday night.
"If they are in the same
street as me, I start
shaking."
Then the cartoonist, who had
donated for auction one of
his own works depicting the
rape of a woman in a niqab
by her son-in-law, softened
slightly.
"They are not all bad, they
do chuck pillow-biters off
buildings."
The cartoon fetched $600,
which will go towards the
legal defence bill of the Q
Society's leading members,
most notably Kirralie Smith,
the charismatic blonde who
ran in the last election as
a NSW Senate candidate for
the Australian Liberty
Alliance.
The pro-"halal choice"
campaigners, who insist they
are against Islam but not
Muslims, are being sued for
defamation by Halal
certifier Mohamed El-Mouelhy.
They frame the case, brought
over Mrs Smith's videos
about halal certification
practices, as an attack on
free speech.
They estimate their defence
bill will be $1 million.
"Australia is much further
down the path of political
correctness than most people
realise," Q Society
president Debbie Robinson
told the 160-odd guests,
gathered at the North Ryde
RSL.
"People are beginning to
wake up. Brexit and recent
results in the US and Europe
are indicative of the rise
of conservatism.
Former Liberal MP and Sky
News host Ross Cameron at the
Sydney fundraiser on Thursday
night. Photo: Wolter Peeters
"What we are doing is right
and we are righteous."
On Friday night, another
fundraiser will be held in
Melbourne, where the VIP
guests slated include
Liberal Party defector Cory
Bernardi and LNP MP George
Christensen, who remains in
the Turnbull government
tent.
Cartoonist Larry Pickering at
the fundraiser. Photo: Wolter
Peeters
Supporters of the movement
believe they speak for a
silent majority who fear the
impact of Islam on
Australian society, and are
fed up with political
correctness.
They associate strongly with
the rise of Donald Trump –
one man seated near Fairfax
Media wore a "Deplorable"
T-shirt which he pointed to
proudly whenever the US
president was mentioned by
speakers, which was
frequently.
The event was emceed by
singer Angry Anderson, who
kept the crowd amused with a
constant patter about his
ex-wife ("She said I was a
violent man because I ate
red meat, but that's a story
for my next book…").
Other VIP speakers included
former Liberal MP Ross
Cameron and crime fiction
author Gabrielle Lord.
Mr Cameron, who has a
television show on Sky News,
constantly mentioned
homosexuality in his speech.
He spoke about the classical
philosophers, who valued
reason over orthodoxy, and
said Socrates "might have
had a bit of same-sex
attraction".
He said the Roman emperor
Hadrian had a young male
lover who "fell off the back
of a barge".
"I'm sure he was snorting
coke at the time," Mr
Cameron said.
"The NSW division of the
Liberal Party is basically a
gay club," he told guests.
"I don't mind that they are
gay, I just wish, like
Hadrian, they would build a
wall."
In a rambling speech, Mr
Cameron moved onto Marcus
Aurelius, who "said it was
better to exist than not
exist – that's one of the
reasons I'm quite attracted
to heterosexuality".
Mr Cameron said too often
debate is shut down by
people who say "the person
who doesn't agree with me is
a bad, evil, bigoted,
redneck, racist xenophobe".
He likened Kirralie Smith to
Copernicus, who took on the
orthodoxy of the time
"supported by a big
propaganda machine of
largely taxpayer-funded
money", and said we needed
leaders who wanted something
more than to be "applauded
on the stage" – a comment
which drew applause.
"That, in the end, is what I
admire most about Kirralie
and Debbie and [cartoonist]
Bill Leak …and Larry
Pickering, Cory Bernardi,"
he said.
"There could not be a more
authentic expression of the
goodness of Australian than
Kirralie Smith."
Novelist Gabrielle Lord,
whose latest novel is about
forced marriage in a Muslim
community, said she had met
many Muslim women who had
been abused and persecuted.
"Brothers and sisters, there
is a war on and
unfortunately…we are caught
a little unaware because
they were better prepared
than we are," Lord told the
crowd, apparently referring
to Muslims.
Her publishers had asked her
to include "more attractive
Muslim characters" and more
about the "positives" of
Islam.
She took this as a sign
people are too frightened to
speak the truth about Islam
– something she could
understand as offending
Muslims could lead to
"bricks thrown through
windows and rioting".
Lord spoke lovingly of the
institutions built by
Western society and said
"the other mob only build
one kind of building, as you
know".
Photo: Wolter Peeters
Another Larry Pickering
cartoon auctioned depicted
an imam as a pig, being
roasted on a spit, with a "halal
certified" stamp on its
rump. A case of wine called
"72 Virgins" was also up for
grabs, along with a signed
photograph of Dame Joan
Sutherland.
Ms Smith addressed the
dinner briefly at the end,
passionately detailing
stories of people persecuted
by Islam around the world.
She said she was anti-Islam,
not anti-Muslims, and said
she did not incite violence,
but exposed the people who
incited violence.
The prophet Mohammed was
violent, and "five times a
day Muslims are praying to
be like him and that is
unacceptable".
In keeping with the tactics
of Mr Trump, the media was
derided by many of the
speakers. The ABC was
referred to as "the enemy
station" and Mr Cameron made
special mention of reporters
present from the "Sydney
Morning Homosexual".
"Trigger warning for the
Herald, there are
heterosexuals in the room…I
have to warn you there are
some males who are attracted
to females in this room."
Mr Cameron also joked the
Herald's editorial board
would have not objected to
the Carthaginians' practice
of child burning, for
reasons of political
correctness.
When contacted Friday
morning, Ms Smith said she
did not know how much money
the dinner had raised for
the cause.
The Age
Senator
Sam Dastyari's letter to the
Prime Minister
Rosie Ayliffe says president
is wrongly using daughter’s
death in Australia to further
‘persecution of innocent people’
The mother of a murdered
British backpacker has
accused Donald Trump of
using “fake news” about her
daughter’s death to further
the “persecution of innocent
people” by falsely claiming
she was the victim of a
terrorist attack.
Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, and
Tom Jackson, 30, were killed
in a knife attack at a
hostel in Queensland,
Australia, last August.
Smail Ayad, 29, from France,
has been charged with their
murder.
In a defiant open letter to
Trump, Rosie Ayliffe pointed
out that police discounted
the possibility that the
attack was terrorism related
despite reports that the
attacker shouted “Allahu
Akbar” during the stabbing.
In a defiant open letter to
Trump, Rosie Ayliffe pointed
out that police discounted
the possibility that the
attack was terrorism related
despite reports that the
attacker shouted “Allahu
Akbar” during the stabbing.
Ayliffe, who wrote The Rough
Guide to Turkey travel book,
said: “I’ve lived and worked
in Muslim countries. And I
was perfectly happy for my
daughter to travel in a
Muslim country. She wasn’t
killed in a Muslim country.
She was killed in a
Christian country, by a
French national. It was not
a racist, or a terror
attack.”
She added: “Trump hasn’t
just got Mia’s death wrong.
He’s got everything wrong
regarding Islam and
immigration. What he really
needs to do is visit some of
these countries and learn
about their cultures.”
She
said of Trump’s travel ban:
“This vilification of whole
nation states and their
people based on religion is
a terrifying reminder of the
horror that can ensue when
we allow ourselves to be led
by ignorant people into
darkness and hatred.”
The faces of psychologist
Monique Toohey, social worker
Nina Trad Azam and Islamic
teacher Umm Jamaal ud-Din were
each blanked out in the
promotional flyer
Organisers of an Islamic
conference in Melbourne have
sparked outrage for
publishing a promotional
flyer with the faces of
female speakers blacked out.
Australian Islamic Peace
Conference planners came
under fire for putting out
the flyer advertising
speakers at their conference
to be held next month.
The pamphlet featured the
often smiling faces of 12
male speakers, including
controversial Sheikh Shady
Alsuleiman and prominent
community spokesman Keysar
Trad.
But critics were furious the
faces of three female
speakers - psychologist
Monique Toohey, social
worker Nina Trad Azam and
Islamic teacher Umm Jamaal
ud-Din - had been replaced
with shadowy veils.
'It's backwards and
inappropriate,' said a
person with knowledge of the
conference planning.
'These are knowledgeable and
professional women - this
reduces them to faceless
beings'.
The source said some
prominent Islamic women in
Melbourne had protested the
flyer to organisers.
Several people in the
Islamic community were
scathing in their criticism
on Facebook.
'When Muslim women are made
further invisible by our
community bloody oathe,'
wrote psychologist Hanan
Dover.
'This flyer is wrong on so
many levels,' said another
Facebook commenter. A third
said: 'This is
unbelievable'.
A spokesman for organisers
the Islamic Research and
Education Academy (IREA)
apologised for the upset the
'faceless' flyer had caused.
Wasseem Razvi told Daily
Mail Australia they had been
trying to protect the women
from right-wing extremism.
'Muslim women are
particularly (being)
humiliated and targeted in
our streets, threatened and
abused on social media,' he
said.
'Due to the growing
Islamophobia our campaign
team wanted to be extra
cautious with female guests
so they wouldn't be targeted
in the streets.'
So the organisation decided
to put their first flyer out
without images of the female
speakers.
The faces of Monique Toohey
(left) and social worker Nina
Trad Azam (right) were
inexplicably not included in the
poster - instead replaced with
blacked-out faces in veils.
Psychologist Monique Toohey told
Melbourne radio station 3AW she
had a 'roll my eyes moment' when
she realised what happened.
'I've actually pulled out of the
conference,' Ms Toohey said.
'We didn't want to make it
so easy for them to get
abused,' Mr Razvi said.
Mr Razvi said the organisers
apologised if people
believed the poster had been
inappropriate.
'We apologise for that, we
never wanted anybody to feel
this was inappropriate.'
He said the women had since
given their permission for
their pictures to be put in
campaign posters in the
future and they were
forthcoming.
In a statement, Mr Razvi
added: 'IREA would like to
assure the community of the
respectful nature of the
event and its organisers.
'Indeed, IREA welcomes any
members of the community who
may have misgivings or
misunderstandings about
Islam, Muslims or even this
event to attend any relevant
session and seek
clarification from the many
qualified Islamic & faith
speakers present.
'As with all of IREA’s
events, the conference is
being held in good faith and
with genuine intentions.
'All are welcome to attend,
and we look forward to
greeting you on the day. '
Ms Azam and Ms Toohey
declined to comment. Umm
Jamaal ud-Din was also
approached for comment on
Wednesday.
A defamation case between a
halal certifier and an anti-halal
campaigner in the New South
Wales Supreme Court is being
closely watched by some of
the country's highest
profile conservative
politicians.
On one side is Kirralie
Smith, a leading figure in
anti-Islam party Australian
Liberty Alliance, and
founder of the Halal Choices
website.
"My primary concern, and why
I started Halal Choices
seven years ago, was because
most halal certified foods
are not clearly labelled, so
the consumer is paying the
fees without their consent,"
she told 7.30.
She is concerned that money
collected through the
certification of halal food
could be directed into
organisations which promote
terrorism.
On the other side is Mohamed
El-Mouelhy, president of the
Halal Certification
Authority.
"Halal certification is an
industry and it is bringing
in a few billion dollars.
Last year I think it was
about $13 billion. It is a
requirement by all Muslim
countries," he told 7.30.
He said that what he did
with his money was of no
concern to anyone else.
"What I do with my money is
my business," Mr El-Mouelhy
said.
"Everybody supports their
own faith, so why is
supporting my own faith
wrong but supporting other
faiths is right?"
'I have every right to sue'
Mr El-Mouelhy is suing Ms
Smith for defamation over a
number of online videos she
presented for the Q Society,
another anti-Islam group
affiliated with the
Australian Liberty Alliance.
"When you make false
exaggerations I have every
right to sue and sue
everybody that has supported
her and paid for her video,"
he said.
But for Ms Smith and her
supporters it is a matter of
free speech, and she is now
counter-suing Mr El-Mouelhy.
"There have been ongoing
social media posts that are
defamatory to us, and we see
that is the best way to
bring these issues to the
public," she said.
"He says he can back up his
claims that I'm a racist and
a bigot, and we'll see
whether he can.
"But I'm pretty confident
I'm not a racist or a bigot.
I'm simply criticising an
ideology, I'm not
criticising a people, group
or an individual."
Defamation lawyer Jeremy
Zimet said the online space
was quickly emerging as a
new frontier for defamation
cases.
"It's important for
observers to realise that
there are consequences for
posting publications online,
whether it's on social media
or review sites," he said.
George
Christensen will speak at a
fundraiser to pay for
Kirralie Smith's court
costs.
Ms Smith's opinions and
political aspirations have
caught the eye of
conservative figures within
Australian politics,
including Coalition MP
George Christensen, who will
speak at a fundraiser to pay
for Ms Smith's court costs.
"I'm backing Kirralie Smith
because she is raising
legitimate concerns that
many members of the public
share around halal
certification, what the
money behind halal
certification actually goes
to," Mr Christensen said.
"If she is ever inclined to
join the LNP and the
National Party then maybe
there is a future for
Kirralie in Canberra."
Muhammad Wasim and Anjum
Shanheen Khan with their sons,
Zeerak Abdullah (far left) and
Yahya Admed
Five-year-old Yahya's first
year of school in Tasmania
was full of lessons — not
only for him, but for his
parents and his new school
too.
Originally from Pakistan,
Yahya arrived in Hobart five
years ago with his parents;
they have come to the island
state so his father,
Muhammad Wasim, can study at
the University of Tasmania.
Yahya's mum, Anjum Shaheen
Khan, said she spent a lot
of time searching for the
best school for her son, and
ended up choosing one with a
high academic ranking.
But she said she did not
think about how diverse the
school's population was.
"When I was selecting the
school, there were so many
reasons to select this
school, but I missed this
point that there are not
many Muslim families there,"
she said.
Ms Khan and her family
follow Islam and Ms Khan
chooses to wear a niqab.
"Most of the parents used to
look at me like I was a real
alien from Mars; sometimes
their looks and stuff, I'm
sorry to say, were crazy,"
she said.
"It makes life a bit tasking
— and if it's tasking for
me, what do you think [it's
like] for a five-year-old?
How tasking is life going to
be for them?"
Ms Khan said the school
worked hard to accommodate
her family and their faith.
But at times, classroom
activities — such as music
and dancing — conflicted
with the family's religious
beliefs and this caused
confusion for young Yahya,
Ms Khan said.
"He kept asking, 'Am I
allowed to do this, am I
allowed to do that? Can I
eat this? Why can't I do
that?'" she said.
The last term of the year
was particularly trying for
Ms Khan and her family as
her son's class spent time
doing activities around the
theme of Christmas.
"We respect others
celebrating [Christmas], but
we are not permitted [under
Islam to celebrate it]," Ms
Khan said.
"Ideologically we cannot do
this."
Ms Khan said she sometimes
felt she was in a "blind
alley" navigating an
education system she was
unfamiliar with.
"Sometimes we don't
understand what the system
demands from us and what we
should do and where they are
trying to place us," she
said.
Ms Khan said she wanted to
talk about her experience to
help all Tasmanian schools
better understand how to
help families like hers
adjust.
"If they are welcoming to
different cultures and
different religions ... they
should at least consider the
families who are not allowed
to [participate in] all of
these things," she said.
"For their kids, there
should be some alternative
there."
All beliefs, religions
welcomed
In a statement, the
Tasmanian Department of
Education said public
schools recognise and value
the diversity of all beliefs
and religions.
"[Students] are accommodated
with educational adjustments
including alternate learning
activities to ensure the
skills outlined in the
Australian curriculum are
developed," the statement
said.
"This includes alternative
activities being provided at
Christmas and Easter time
for students from other
faiths, recognising the
increasing diversity of
beliefs amongst the
Tasmanian community.
"In relation to students of
Muslim faith, it is common
to have adjustments to
uniform and sporting
activities, as well as
recognition of key holidays
such as Ramadan, prayer
rooms and separate eating
times/spaces if required."
Ms Khan said she appreciated
the work the school's
principal and her son's
teacher did put in last
year, helping accommodate
his needs where possible.
But some things remain a
challenge.
For example, the school has
no dedicated space for
midday prayers. Yahya has
had to pray near the
washrooms when no other room
has been free.
Nevertheless, Ms Khan's
youngest son Zeerak will
start kinder at that same
school this year.
"I appreciate the school ...
I appreciate the teachers,"
Ms Khan said.
"I'm hopeful that it will be
a bit more easy, in that
I've already passed one year
and I'm going to be taking
things a bit easier for
myself, for my kids.
"I'm going to be giving
[them] a bit more ease ...
and I'm expecting the same
from the teachers and the
school as well.
"I really want to ask one
more thing — that giving a
very warm welcome [to]
people like us can be like
giving us a bit of space to
breathe in an easier way."
Part of sermon during funeral
for Muslim shooting victims
Read his English address at
Friday's funeral of Ibrahima
Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry,
Azzeddine Soufiane
Alexandre Bissonnette, 27,
has been charged with six
counts of first-degree
murder and five counts of
attempted murder following
Sunday night's shooting.
None of the allegations
against him has been proven
in court.
The following is a direct
transcript of Imam Hassan
Guillet's English address to
the Quebec City convention
centre during the funeral
for three of the six victims
of Sunday night's mosque
shooting:
We are here to celebrate
Khaled, Aboubaker,
Abdelkrim, Azzedine,
Mamadou, Ibrahima.
We are going to have a
prayer for those who
could not finish their
prayers. We pray for
them.
Those [who] didn't
choose their place of
birth.
I don't think anyone in
this hall selected their
place of birth. And no
one on the face of this
earth selected their
place of birth.
But Khaled, Aboubaker,
Abdelkrim, Azzedine,
Mamadou and Ibrahima
they selected the place
they wanted to live in.
They selected the
society they wanted to
be their society.
They selected with whom
they wanted their
children to grow. And it
was Canada. It was
Quebec. It was the city
of Quebec in the same
way they selected
Quebec.
They chose Quebec to
live in, and they chose
the Canadian passport.
It is up to the society
to choose them the same
way they have chosen
this society.
They had their dream to
send their kids to
school, to buy a house,
to have a business and
we have to continue
their dreams. We have to
continue their dreams
the same way they
extended their hands to
the others. It is up to
others to extend their
hands toward them.
Now unfortunately, it is
a little bit late. But
not too late.
The society that could
not protect them, the
society that could not
benefit from their
generosity still has a
chance. The hands that
didn't shake the hands
of Khaled or Aboubaker
or Abdelkrim or Azzedine
or Mamadou or Ibrahima,
that society can shake
the hands of their kids.
We have 17 orphans. We
have six widows. We have
five wounded.
'Alexandre, before being
a killer he was a victim
himself. Before planting
his bullets in the heads
of his victims, somebody
planted ideas more
dangerous than the
bullets in his head.' -
Imam Hassan Guillet
We ask Allah for them to
get them out of the
hospital as soon as
possible.
Did I go through the
complete list of
victims? No.
There is one victim.
None of us want talk
about him.
But given my age, I have
the courage to say it.
This victim, his name is
Alexandre Bissonnette.
Alexandre, before being
a killer he was a victim
himself. Before planting
his bullets in the heads
of his victims, somebody
planted ideas more
dangerous than the
bullets in his head.
This little kid didn't
wake up in the morning
and say 'Hey guys
instead of going to have
a picnic or watching the
Canadiens, I will go
kill some people in the
mosque.' It doesn't
happen that way.
Day after day, week
after week, month after
month, certain
politicians
unfortunately, and
certain reporters
unfortunately, and
certain media were
poisoning our
atmosphere.
We did not want to see
it. We didn't want to
see it because we love
this country, we love
this society. We wanted
our to society to be
perfect. We were like
parents, their kids
[are] smoking or taking
drugs and your neighbour
says that your kid was
taking drugs, I don't
believe it, my son is
perfect.
We don't want to see it.
And we didn't see it,
and it happened.
Actually here my friends
in Quebec, you know a
couple of months ago, a
certain period of time
ago, someone came and
put a head of a pig in
front of the mosque.
The [person] responsible
for the mosque they said
'No, it was an isolated
act.' Nobody is against
us and we aren't against
anybody. They acted very
generously and I am
proud of them and this
is what it should be.
But there was a certain
malaise. Let us face it.
Alexandre Bissonnette
didn't start from a
vacuum. For political
reasons, and what is
happening the Middle
East and unfortunately,
for ignorance, a lot of
things happened.
This guy was empoisoned.
But we want Alexandre to
be the last one to have
a criminal act like
that. We want to stop
it. One of the
definitions of madness
is to do exactly the
same thing and expect a
different result.
If we do exactly the
same thing, my friends,
we will have exactly the
same result. Are we
happy with the result?
Are we happy with six
dead, five wounded, 17
orphans, six widows and
a destroyed family which
is the family of
Alexandre Bissonnette
and maybe his friends
too?
We don't want that. So
let us change. I am
getting encouraged with
what we have heard from
our Prime Minister and
Premier, from our mayor
yesterday, from a lot of
our leaders, I am very
proud and I thank them,
and I am not surprised.
But all I am saying, we
should start changing
words into actions. We
should build on this
tragedy.
God gave us a lemon,
let's make lemonade out
of that. Let's make
lemonade. Let's build on
this negative and have a
positive.
Let's go from today to
be a real society,
united. The same way we
are united today in our
sorrow and in our pain,
let us start today to be
united in our dreams,
our hopes and our plans
for the future.
Let the future that our
friends planned for
their kids, let us build
this future ourselves
too. In this way we will
respect their memory.
Revenge will do nothing.
'We don't have enemies.
We have some people who
don't know us.'
- Imam Hassan Guillet
Like I said in Arabic,
our prophet was
persecuted, thrown out
of his town. He was
alone. Eight years after
that he came back to
this town with 10,000
people.
Less than two years
after that, when he did
the last pilgrimages in
life, he was accompanied
with 120,000 people.
From where did these
120,000 people come from
in a period of 10 years?
Not from the planet
Mars. Not from another
universe. It was the
same people who were his
enemies. The people who
wanted to kill him. The
people who were
persecuting him and his
friends and his
sympathizers.
He transformed his
enemies into his
friends, into his
followers. Now we don't
have enemies. I repeat
we don't have enemies.
We have some people who
don't know us. It should
be easier to explain to
these people who do not
know us, it is easier to
let them know who we
are.
Mr. Trudeau let me
address you, you have
your immigration
minister here. He is
Muslim like me. Is he
different than the
others? I don't think
so.
We are citizens like
every other citizens. We
have the same rights and
we have the same
obligations. We should
build this country
together.
In this way, we respect
the memory of our dead.
In this way, we take
care of our orphans, in
this way we will be good
Muslims, we will be good
Canadians, we will be
good Quebecers.
CBC News
Canadians
form 'rings of peace' around
mosques after Quebec
shooting
People form a ‘ring of peace’
in front of the Islamic
Information and Dawah Centre in
Toronto.
Hundreds across Canada
gathered around mosques to
form protective barriers –
described by organisers as
“human shields” and “rings
of peace” – as Muslims in
the country marked their
first Friday prayers since a
gunman shot dead six men who
were praying at a Quebec
mosque.
“No Canadian should be
afraid to go to their house
of worship to pray,” Yael
Splansky, the rabbi behind
the effort to set up “rings
of peace” around Toronto
mosques told the Canadian
Press. “It’s a terrifying
scene. Imagine people of
faith going to pray in
peace, to pray for peace,
and to be at risk. Houses of
worship are sacred and must
be protected.”
Hundreds of people in
Toronto – many of them
belonging to local
synagogues, churches and
temples – stood
shoulder-to-shoulder outside
seven of the city’s mosques
on Friday during midday
prayers. In Ottawa and
Edmonton, similar “rings of
peace” were set up around
local mosques.
US Navy often performs the
music of other nations in
their own language. Here is
Feha Haga Helwa, a song
members of the Navy Band
performed for Lt. Gen.
Mahmoud Hegazy, chief of
staff of Egypt's armed
forces, and his staff,
during a visit to the U.S.
earlier this year.
Al-Mustapha Institute of
Brisbane welcomed
Moulana Faizel Madarun
from the Netherlands as the
new Moulana and Head of
Religious Affairs for the
Institute.
Moulana Faizel is a highly
renowned scholar who has
developed an extensive
package of educational
workshops and courses to
promote Islam within the
community.
Greens criticise new bill it
says gives immigration minister
‘extreme vetting’ powers to
cancel visas of people based on
place of birth, passport or
religion
Immigration minister Peter
Dutton would be given ‘excessive
powers’ that could adversely
affect refugees under a proposed
new bill, say legal experts.
Entire nationalities, ethnic
groups, or people of
religious or political
affiliations could be forced
to have their Australian
visas “revalidated” – and
possibly cancelled by the
immigration minister – under
new powers currently
proposed before parliament.
The sweeping,
unchallengeable powers have
been condemned by migration
experts, who unanimously
told a Senate committee the
powers were unjustified, too
broad and could be used to
target specific
nationalities or groups
lawfully living in
Australia.
Passed through the House of
Representatives on Thursday,
the Migration Amendment
(visa revalidation and other
measures) bill is expected
to face significant
opposition in the Senate,
where the vote is likely to
be close.
The “Reviving the Islamic
Spirit” (RIS) convention has its
origins as a gathering place for
Muslims in the West to overcome
contemporary challenges of
communication and integration.
After fifteen years as a site
for joint spiritual
introspection in a society where
Muslims are the minority, RIS
will make its debut appearance
in Kuala Lumpur, in a society
with a history of multi-faith
existence amidst Muslims forming
the numerical majority. The
location has changed, but the
aim of reviving the Islamic
tradition of education,
tolerance and introspection
through points of commonality
and respect, remains. Indeed,
the RIS precepts of compassion,
spirituality and honest sharing
are desperately needed across
the confines of geography. In
Kuala Lumpur, RIS retains its
deeply embraced feature as a
place where a wide range of
voices from across the world
come together. With the theme
“1400 Years of Clarity:
Restoring Faith in the Modern
Age,” RIS in Kuala Lumpur
welcomes all who seek to revive
the spirit and elevate their
awareness of what it means to be
a seeker of knowledge and an
active, dynamic member of
society.
Primary
and Secondary
Counsellor/Chaplain
Recruitment
AUSTRALIAN
INTERNATIONAL
ISLAMIC COLLEGE (AIIC)
The
AIIC is seeking a
qualified and
experienced primary
and secondary
Counsellor/Chaplain
for the academic
year, 2017. This
position will entail
travel between all 3
AIIC Campuses.
The roles and
responsibilities of
a chaplain could
include:
• providing support
in areas such as
student attendance,
engagement and
mental health
• providing
students, their
families and staff
with support and/or
appropriate
referrals in
difficult situations
such as during times
of grief, or when
students are facing
personal or
emotional challenges
• providing pastoral
care and guidance to
students about
values and ethical
matters, referring
students, or
sourcing appropriate
services to meet
their needs, which
may involve access
to services in the
community
• supporting
students and staff
to create an
environment which
promotes the
physical, emotional,
social and
intellectual
development and
wellbeing of all
students
• supporting
students and staff
to create an
environment of
cooperation and
mutual respect, and
promoting an
understanding of
diversity within the
range of cultures
and relevant
traditions.
- Interested
candidates should
kindly forward a CV
and contact details
to
- Email:
admin@aiic.qld.edu.au.
- ATTENTION
PRINCIPAL
- Applications close
on 25 February 2017
- PH: 3372 - 1400
We can all agree that 2016
was a tough year, but these
Muslim men made it a little
bit better. We compiled a
list of the individuals that
inspired us this year.
Abdullah
Hammoud
This year, Abdullah Hammous
was the first Arab American
Muslim to win a seat in the
State House of
Representatives in Dearborn,
Michigan. During the
primaries, he faced a lot of
discrimination from the
community members for being
a Muslim.
When the
first campaign flyer was set
out announcing Hammoud’s
candidacy, it came back
ripped up in the mail, with
a note attached saying: “No
more Arabs, no more Muslims.
Go back to your country.”
However, the
26 year-old campaigned hard
about healthcare, the
environment, education and
transportation, and he won
the seat.
In recent years, Islam has
been thrust into world
spotlight for a number of
reasons – starting with 9/11
and ISIS to anti-refugee
sentiments in Europe and a
certain US Presidential
candidate’s anti-Muslim
campaigns. In this
hullabaloo, we have
forgotten that some of the
coolest famous people we
look up to – from Muhammad
Ali to Zayn Malik and Aziz
Ansari – are all Muslims.
Would you believe it if we
told you there were many
more Muslims in the celeb
world?
This week's celebrity
Ice Cube
Born O’Shea Jackson, Ice
Cube has many feathers in
his cap as a rapper, actor,
record producer and
filmmaker. The N.W.A member
also happens to be a Muslim,
having converted in the 90s.
Though he has been
previously associated with
the Nation of Islam, Cube
has been cryptic about it.
He has stated that he
believes in the spiritual
aspect of Islam – the
connection between him and
God – and not the traditions
and rituals associated with
his faith.
A memo to the
president-elect
about the people
he fears. BY
LAWRENCE PINTAK
An Idiot’s
Guide to Islam
in America
ARGUMENT
Islam hates us.”
That was a
recurring theme
of your
campaign, Mr.
President-elect.
And who can
blame you? After
all, your top
advisors on
Muslim affairs —
Ann Coulter,
Frank Gaffney,
and Walid Phares
— are
card-carrying
Islamophobes.
Your incoming
national
security
advisor, retired
Army Lt. Gen.
Mike Flynn,
wants Muslim
leaders to
“declare their
Islamic ideology
sick,” and your
special advisor,
Steve Bannon,
has been accused
of using his
Breitbart News
Daily radio show
to instigate
“fear and
loathing of
Muslims in
America.”
But now that
you’ve announced
it’s time for
America to “bind
the wounds of
division,” it
might be useful
for you to learn
a little bit
more about one
of the most
alienated
segments of the
nation you now
lead: American
citizens who
also happen to
be Muslims.
I get that
you’re worried
about what you
call “radical
Islamic
terrorism.” I’ve
been reporting
on extremists
who claim to
represent Islam
since I covered
the first
anti-American
suicide bombings
in Beirut in the
early 1980s, so
I share your
concern. I’ve
seen friends die
and others waste
away in
captivity at
their hands. And
I’ve come
awfully close to
being a victim
myself a few
times. But I’ve
also learned
that Muslims
come in many
colors —
literally and
figuratively —
and my doctorate
in Islamic
studies helped
me understand
that the
religion itself
is interpreted
in many
different ways.
In fact,
America’s 3.3
million Muslims,
the other 1
percent, are
developing their
own take on what
it means to
follow Islam.
The jihadis are
already
rejoicing at
your election
because — their
words here, not
mine — it
“reveals the
true mentality
of the Americans
and their racism
toward Muslims
and Arabs and
everything.” But
what do they
know?
When Bill
O’Reilly asked
you whether you
thought American
Muslims fear
you, you
replied, “I hope
not. I want to
straighten
things out.”
So, in a similar
spirit of good
tidings, this
memo about how
good ol’
American values
are influencing
Islam in the
United States
might help make
that whole
straightening
out go a little
easier. Since
it’s not likely
that much beyond
references to
Islam as “a
cancer” is going
to make it into
your briefing
papers anytime
soon, I thought
I’d toss this
out into the
webosphere in
the hope that
you might trip
across it late
some night while
prowling the
net.
(It’s OK to just
read the stuff
in bold print.)
The Arab
Spring has
intensified the
turn away from
the traditional
centres of
Islamic teaching
as leading
religious
figures in
places like
Egypt have
become
apologists for
the
authoritarian
regimes that
crushed the
revolution.
“On a moral
level, you have
a big problem.
The figures you
were previously
looking to for
religious
knowledge are
now supporting
political
decisions that
you think are
very obviously
terrible,” says
Jonathan Brown
of Georgetown
University,
author of the
recent book
Misquoting
Muhammad. “One
of the biggest
changes in
Islam, at least
at an
intellectual
level, since
2013 has been
that Muslim
scholars in
America have
really been more
and more on
their own, which
I think is good;
they’re forced
to think about
things on their
own.”
The growth of
homegrown
centres of
Islamic learning
means that
tomorrow’s imams
may not even
need to leave
the borders of
the United
States to get
their religious
education;
institutions
such as Zaytuna
College and
Bayan Claremont
in California,
AlMaghrib
Institute and
Bayyinah in
Texas, and
Chicago’s
American Islamic
College are
providing those
same
opportunities.
Back in the
traditional
centres of
learning abroad,
there is a
sometimes
grudging
acknowledgement
that the baton
is gradually
being passed,
even in Shiite
Islam, where the
Iranian
ayatollahs play
a role much more
akin to that of
the Catholic
clergy in
dictating
orthodoxy.
“I speak to
scholars there,
and they say,
‘It’s up to you
to come up with
solutions to
these things,’”
reports Hadi
Qazwini, a
Shiite Muslim
doctoral student
at the
University of
Southern
California who
spent years
studying at
Qom’s Islamic
seminary. “There
is recognition,
I think, slowly
but surely that
Muslims in the
United States
also have a
developing
authority to
find solutions
for the various
challenges that
they’re facing.”
To
Indonesian-born
Imam Shamsi Ali,
who stood with
then-President
George W. Bush
at Ground Zero
in the aftermath
of 9/11 but
ultimately ran
afoul of the
traditionalists
for his
dedication to
interfaith
dialogue, that’s
very good news.
“People around
the world look
to America as
the superpower,
and I think
American Muslims
can play an
important role
to balance the
Saudis’ ridged
interpretation
of Islam,” he
says.
CONTINUING THE
LESSON NEXT WEEK
IN CCN:
Muslim
clerics in
America spend a
lot of their
time working to
prevent
radicalization.
How Muslim
Americans plan
to resist the
Trump
administration
Writers and
activists weigh
in on America's
future
On 17 December,
2015, Donald
Trump proposed a
complete ban on
all Muslims from
entering the
United States,
sparking outrage
and fear in
communities
across the
country. In the
summer of 2016,
he then promoted
the idea of
creating a
database to
track Muslim
Americans that
was eventually
condemned by
hundreds of
Silicon Valley
employees who
pledged to never
help create such
a registry. Now,
after winning
the presidential
election thanks
to the support
of 58 per cent
of all white
voters, the
former real
estate mogul
will be sworn
into office as
the nation’s
45th President.
In the days
ahead of the
inauguration,
The Independent
asked emerging
voices to weigh
in on the
following three
questions:
What does a
Trump presidency
mean to you?
What does
America look
like from here
on out?
How do you plan
on resisting?
Nadeem Mazen, City
Councillor in
Cambridge in
Massachusetts
“The most
important thing
in our lives as
Americans are
our economic
futures, the
other aspect
that we look at
solely within
the Muslim
community is
this vendetta
against Muslim
civic organising
and Muslim legal
defence – this
idea that
Muslims have to
be attacked by
Breitbart, be
taken apart by
legislation, and
that very clever
manoeuvres are
being introduced
almost
inconsequential
seeming
manoeuvres.”
“I’m not so
worried about
certain aspects
of Trump’s
promises and
agenda on the
campaign trail,
what I’m really
worried about is
the longstanding
mission to
demonise the
‘other’ which is
very much in
full swing. And
the press is
more interested
in Trump’s
incendiary
statements than
the actual
process of
rolling back
anti-American
sentiments. It’s
anti-American to
ruin someone’s
religious and
spiritual life.
It’s
anti-American to
target
organisations of
a certain
religious
affiliation.”
“One of the most
important things
we can do is
educate
journalists on
their role. The
role of
journalists is
not to place the
clickbait
headline. Trump
is willing to be
dishonest and
escalate the
statements to
continue to
garner the
highest level of
attention and
dissemination.
This has
emboldened and
has supported
his candidacy
and ultimately
his election in
a way that has
taken our
journalistic
assets from us.
Journalism is a
truth seeking
process that
must be
reclaimed.”
NEXT WEEK IN CCN:
Imraan
Siddiqi,
Executive
Director at the
Council on
American-Islamic
Relations
Solidly
middle-class,
better educated
than average,
likely to be in
a stable
relationship and
either studying
or employed:
that’s the face
of an Islamic
State convert.
New report
shows the real
face of Islamic
State terror
converts
The Australian
Strategic Policy
Institute
recently
released a
report titled
The American
Face of ISIS,
which it
commissioned in
the hope of
better
understanding
terror converts
in Australia.
The larger
number of
converts in
America charged
with an Islamic
State-related
incident or
travelling to
the Middle East
in order to
fight with the
terrorist group
provided more
statistical
certainty than
could be
achieved using
Australian data
only. The report
is to be
followed with a
study of the
societal traits
of Australians
charged with
terror-related
incidents.
The evidence
roundly
contradicts
Australian
government
messaging on
Countering
Violent
Extremism which
has painted
converts to
Islamic State as
impoverished,
lonely outsiders
with little
education and
low job
prospects.
The study
examined 112
cases of
individuals who
perpetrated
ISIS-related
offences. The
majority were US
citizens.
The report found
that Islamic
State videos,
well known for
their high
production
values and
cinematic
qualities,
played a central
role in
radicalisation
and all
offenders were
likely to have
watched
execution
videos,
including the
infamous burning
alive of a
Jordanian pilot.
The
ultra-violence
of the videos,
including
crucifixions,
stonings,
graphic
beheadings and
ritualised mass
shootings,
attracted
recruits
worldwide.
Walker Gunning,
the executive
director of the
Chicago Project
on Security and
Threats which
conducted the
research, told
The New Daily
those charged
with terrorist
activities
looked much like
average
Americans,
including
frequently
having spouses
and families.
The research
confirms the
Australian
experience:
18-year-old
suicide bomber
Jake Bilardi
left behind a
blog showing him
to be thoughtful
and highly
intelligent; the
17-year-old son
of a doctor was
among an
affluent group
of teens
arrested in 2015
for plotting a
Mother’s Day
massacre.
“While it is
common to claim
that terrorists
are societal
outcasts, we
didn’t find that
to be the case,”
Mr Gunning said.
“This
information is
important
because without
knowing who is
attracted to
ISIS, the US or
Australian
governments
cannot
effectively
craft
counter-messages.
“Stopping online
propaganda
represents an
unprecedented
challenge for
law enforcement.
Whereas before,
Al-Qaeda had to
recruit members
face to face,
American ISIS
supporters are
self-radicalising
through viewing
videos in the
privacy of their
own homes,
sometimes with
small groups of
friends or
family.”
Jacinta Carroll,
head of the
Counter-Terrorism
Policy Centre at
ASPI, who
contributed to
the report, told
The New Daily
she expected the
American
findings would
hold true for
Australia.
“The appropriate
targeting of
Countering
Violent
Extremism
programs is
challenging for
both the
Australian
government and
those delivering
programs, and a
number of
organisations
are approaching
this new data
with great
interest,” she
said.
“Australian and
American
converts are
often attracted
by online
propaganda,
while
association with
other radicals
remains an
important part
of the story.
“As in America,
cases in
Australia to
date demonstrate
a feeling of
being associated
with a larger
cause, the
establishment of
a ‘so-called’
caliphate and
establishing a
particular,
narrow, form of
Islam.
Ms Carroll said
blocking Islamic
State propaganda
was difficult.
“Rather than
playing
whack-a-mole
with extremist
videos, in the
current
environment we
need to focus in
particular on
our own
messaging … the
terrible
experience of
Muslim societies
have experienced
living under
ISIS, and the
real and
extremely
positive
benefits of
liberal
democracies,
including human
rights-based law
and respect.”
Dr Clarke Jones,
a terrorism
expert at the
Australian
National
University who
has worked
extensively with
Muslim
communities,
told The New
Daily those
involved in
so-called plots
such as the
Christmas Day
terror plot
targeting
Federation
Square and St
Paul’s Cathedral
often came from
strong family
backgrounds.
“Without a
doubt, many
involved in
these types of
activities are
remarkably
normal,” he
said. “They can
be both lovely
and misguided
kids. It is a
real shame they
go and do stupid
things.
“It is going to
get worse,
particularly
with the current
rise of the
extreme right of
politics.
Whether we like
it or not, we
have to place
greater effort
on understanding
and then
addressing what
is making these
kids feel the
way they do.
“Even with a
good job, or a
school, they are
feeling they are
not part of
society because
they are Muslim.
“Having a sense
of belonging and
connectedness is
the key factor
to countering
violent
extremism and
crime in
general.
“It’s getting to
the point that
many community
groups won’t
have a bar of
government or
police.
“Western
governments play
a part in the
rise of the
popularity of
Islamic State
because the more
they whip up the
terrorist
threat, the more
it increases the
terrorist
threat. The
government
really needs to
reassess the
dimensions of
the threat and
look for
long-term
solutions.”
The New Daily
Lindsay Lohan
opens up about
Islam on Kuwaiti
talk show
American actress
Lindsay Lohan
has appeared on
Kuwaiti talk
show, Swar
Shoaib, and
opened up to
host Shoaib
Rashid about her
thoughts on
Islam.
During the
program, the
30-year-old
actress
described the
criticism she
had received
after a photo of
her holding the
Quran in New
York City in
2015 went viral.
"My intention
wasn't to hold a
religious book.
I was just
holding a
religious book,
but people in
America didn't
like it, they
judged me for it
and were saying
nasty things.
[The Quran was]
a solace and a
safe thing for
me to have,"
said Lohan.
Lohan also said
that she has
read 15 pages of
the Quran in
English, but
that she
practices
writing some
verses in
Arabic, "I also
listen to the
Quran on my
phone, I have an
app."
When Rashid
asked how she
felt when she
read the Quran,
Lohan said, "I
feel calmness."
Lohan added that
she had started
praying the
Islamic way and
that she had
fasted for three
days during
Ramadan. "I did
Ramadan for
three days with
my friend from
Kuwait, it was
hard but it was
good. It felt
good," she said.
In January,
Lohan deleted
all of her
photos on
Instagram
leaving only the
note, "Alaikum
salam" but she
neither
confirmed nor
denied a change
in religion
during the
interview.
The Daily
Sabah
The day of my
conversion (30
May 2015) at
Darul Arqam
Why I
converted to
Islam
Nur Jihan
This has been
sitting in my
draft for the
longest time. I
initially had
the idea of
writing this
because there
appears to be a
lot of
assumptions
being made on
the
circumstances
that surrounded
my conversion.
So here goes!
Not a lot of
people know
about this but I
was pretty
unhappy few
years back,
after I
graduated from
university. I
would have
sudden panic
attacks where I
would be
paranoid about
my parents
meeting harm.
One incident was
particularly
bad. My father
had gone to
China. I was
telling my mum
that he hasn't
whatsapped us
for two days,
which was
unusual.
I couldn't
barely sleep
that night and
in the rare
moments that I
did, I would be
rudely awakened
by a dream of a
car crash or the
metallic smell
of blood. I
still couldn't
sleep at 6am, so
I tried calling
my father's
phone but it
wouldn't get
through.
Probably because
my plan only
allowed local
calls. I waited
till my mum
stirred in her
sleep to ask her
for her phone.
The call went
through this
time but I got
an automated
message saying
that the phone
number was no
longer in use.
That only added
to my anxiety.
I whatsapped,
SMSed and
emailed my dad -
just trying to
get any response
I could. 12 noon
and I still got
no reply. I was
a mess. Thoughts
were running
through my head,
mostly of
regret. I
thought of the
times I was rude
to my father,
and how I would
always refuse to
accompany him
whenever he
wanted company
to have dinner,
supper or drop
by the
supermarket or
petrol station.
It was only in
the afternoon,
at about 1 or
2pm, when my
mother told me
that my father
had called back
after receiving
my messages. He
thought
something bad
had happened at
home. She
assured him that
everything was
fine, and I was
just worried
that he had not
contacted us for
2 days.
My mum asked if
I wanted to
speak to him on
the phone. I
declined. I
didn't know what
to say to him. I
ran into the
toilet and
cried,
overwhelmed with
relief.
I remained kind
of unhappy after
that, not doing
much to change
things as they
were. I slowly
started to
realize that
maybe I was
disappointed at
the person that
I was? I was
always nice to
friends, but I
never gave my
parents the love
I thought they
deserved and it
was eating me
up.
This had never
bothered me
before but
perhaps growing
up and
graduating from
university made
me realize some
things? It was
as if something
snapped in me
and made me
aware of this
gaping hole that
I never knew I
had and left me
very unfulfilled
about my life.
I would hear
Aizat talk about
the funny things
that happened at
home with his
family and I
would get
jealous. They
were so close. I
don't even
remember the
last time I
hugged or kissed
my parents, let
alone enjoy a
meal out with
them. Our
outings were
always quiet and
tense and not
much fun. I
always dreaded
them.
I didn't know
how to turn
things around.
A friend got to
know about my
situation and
recommended that
I attend a life
coaching
program. I was
so desperate to
feel better that
I dragged
another friend
along with me.
We spent almost
$3000 on the
program to 'fix'
ourselves.
It wasn't very
useful in
retrospect.
Sure, during
those 3 days you
witness
miraculous
changes in your
attitude and
mood, but I
wouldn't liken
it to anything
more than having
a great holiday
with friends.
Long story
short. Life
coaching
programs aren't
what they shout
to be, at least
to me.
What I did take
away from the
program was the
call I made to
my mum (as part
of the Acts of
Courage we were
required to do
everyday) to ask
for her
blessings, and
if she would be
fine with me
embracing Islam.
She told me that
all she wanted
was for me to be
happy and she
hoped that I
would make the
decision for
myself and not
under the
pressure of
others.
Perhaps the best
part of the
program were the
similarities I
drew between the
program and
Islam. One
example was how
the program
required us to
do 5 daily
ritual/routines
that were meant
to be meditative
and instill
discipline. That
sounded a lot
like the 5 daily
prayers Muslims
had to perform
every day! There
were many other
aspects and
reflections I
had of the
program that
reminded me of
Islam.
I thought to
myself, why was
I spending money
on a program to
make myself
happier when I
could get it for
free by learning
more about
Islam? And why
was relying on a
3 day course for
guidance when I
had something
more permanent I
could depend on?
That was when I
thought, screw
this program,
let's see what
Islam offers.
And I haven't
stopped learning
about Islam
since. And what
a change my life
has been!
I'm happier now.
I can hug and
kiss my parents
freely. I learnt
how to put my
parents before
my needs -
sometimes! But
it's a start!
I'm starting to
become the
person, the
daughter, the
sister, and the
friend I want to
be.
The
Radiant Muslim
Edinburgh
Central Mosque
is one of over
150 taking part
in Visit My
Mosque
Donald Trump
thinks Islam is
incompatible
with the West.
Britain's
mosques prove
otherwise
HARUN KHAN
SECRETARY-GENERAL
OF THE MUSLIM
COUNCIL OF
BRITAIN
UK: Prince
Charles spoke
earlier this
week warning of
how the horrific
lessons of the
Second World War
"seem to be in
increasing
danger of being
forgotten". It
resonated in a
week where the
US president’s
"Muslim Ban" has
caused so much
division, where
turning
vulnerable
people away has
rightly elicited
protests
worldwide.
Prince Charles
highlighted the
importance of
reaching "across
the boundaries
of faith and
community; to
extend a helping
hand wherever
one might be
needed." This
message is
relevant for all
of us, no less
so for Muslims
in the West who
are on high
alert following
the terrorist
attack against a
Canadian mosque
that killed six
people. It comes
amid an already
hostile
atmosphere
against Muslims
where we are
seen as
different, alien
and not part of
this country.
In this
poisonous
atmosphere of
fear and
distrust it
would be
understandable
for Muslims to
hunker down and
turn in on
themselves just
to survive. But
that would be
giving in to the
bigots. Instead
we Muslims
should remind
ourselves that
we are at our
best when we
reach out, share
our faith and
welcome fellow
citizens into
our home.
That is why this
Sunday over 150
mosques around
the country are
participating in
Visit My Mosque
day. For the
third
consecutive
year, mosques
will be
welcoming in
their neighbours
for tea,
biscuits, and an
opportunity to
build bridges
and talk about
their faith
beyond the
negative
headlines.
Unlike Trump’s
immigration ban,
Visit My Mosque
day does not
discriminate
your entry based
on your
religion. Men,
women and
children of all
faiths and none
will be welcome.
Some may worry
about what to do
at mosques,
whether women
have equal
access, or
question certain
practices in our
faith. These are
all valid
concerns, but we
hope the great
British public
will use the
opportunity to
come visit their
local mosque and
put these
questions to
their Muslim
neighbours.
In previous
years we were
struck by how
the great
British public
took to Visit My
Mosque Day.
Visitors from
remote parts of
the country
where there were
no mosques drove
dozens of miles
to visit mosques
in Aberdeen and
Bristol after
hearing about it
on national
radio. While
mosques in
Cambridge and
Wolverhampton
that were
unaware of the
campaign,
reported that
neighbours were
knocking on
their doors
asking if they
could come
inside.
And Muslims too
have been
enthusiastic to
invite their
neighbours to
share their
story. A mosque
is a place of
worship for
those practicing
the Islamic
faith, where
five daily
congregational
prayers are
held, led by an
imam (prayer
leader). The
first mosque on
our Isles is
said to have
been established
in Liverpool in
1887 by the
Englishman
Abdullah
Quilliam. He
intended it not
only for it to
be a place of
worship and a
spiritual focal
point, but also
active in
serving their
local
communities,
regardless of
faith or
background.
Today many
mosques strive
to live up to
that great
British and
Islamic
tradition. Many
mosques serve
their localities
and help people
of all faiths
and none by
running food
banks,
feed-the-homeless
projects,
neighbourhood
street cleans,
local
fundraising and
much more. For
example, Khizra
Mosque in
Manchester runs
a monthly food
collection to
support up to
seven local
families, while
mosques in
Leicester
recently
fundraised
Ł20,000 in just
three weeks for
a new scanner at
Glenfield
Hospital, and
worshippers at
the East London
Mosque donated
10 tonnes of
food for the
homeless last
Christmas.
Donald Trump’s
vision says
Islam and
Western nations
are
incompatible.
Over 150 mosques
this Sunday 5
February opening
their doors on
Visit My Mosque
day, says
otherwise.
Harun Khan is
Secretary-General
of the Muslim
Council of
Britain. Anyone
can search for
their nearest
participating
mosque in ‘Visit
My Mosque’ day
2017.
King Abdullah
II 's remarks during 2017
National Prayer Breakfast in
Washington
Burning Issues |Introduction
IslamInFocusAustralia
Covey
Islam Even With A Word | Umm
Jamaal ud-Din
IslamInFocusAustralia
Inviting people
to Islam regardless of any
situation
Tafseer
Surah Ash-Sharh | Umm Bilal
IslamInFocusAustralia
The Muslim
American who fosters the
children no body else wants
OnePath Network
This man’s
Syrian refugee neighbours
changed his outlook on
Muslims for the better
NowThis
Crescent
Wealth MD on Trumps ban
Crescent Wealth
Order of
Australia recipient Mr. Talal
Yassine MD Crescent Wealth adds
his voice in support of Muslims
around the world and in
condemnation of Trumps ban on
Muslims from 7 countries. We
strongly protest against the
counter productive rationale
behind the current executive
orders being implemented in the
United States.
PLEASE
NOTE
It is the usual policy of CCN to
include notices of events, video links and articles that some
readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are
often posted as received.
Including such messages/links or
providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement by CCN of the contents
therein.
Stained glass
windows of Nasīr
al-Mulk Mosque
in Shiraz, Iran
– Photo by
Wikipedia
RISE OF
GLASS INDUSTRY IN GOLDEN AGE
OF MUSLIM CIVILISATION
From Ibn Al-Haytam’s
optical lenses and Ibn
Hayyan’s chemistry flasks to
a mosque lamp of Amir Qawsun,
Muslim Civilization played a
major role in inspiring the
growth of glass industry
from the 8th century onward.
Mosques, houses and cities
were transformed into
beautiful spaces richly
decorated with glass. Beauty
and functionality were both
essential elements of design
in Muslim Civilization.
Possibly in an effort to
supply the thousands of
mosques, and also thanks to
the input provided by the
thriving scientific activity
in fields such as optics and
chemistry, glass makers in
Muslim Civilization turned –
what had up till then been –
a craft into an industry
employing new techniques and
large number of workers from
different parts of the
Muslim Civilization.
Throughout the Muslim
Civilization glassware was
produced in vast amounts
from the 8th century either
by blowing liquid glass into
holds or by cutting it from
crystal. Glass makers in
Syria and Egypt inherited
the Roman glass industry and
improved it by developing
their own technique
perfecting glass decoration
and coloring, and expanding
the variety of products.
Excavation work in Syria and
other parts of the Muslim
Civilization uncovered a
huge amount of glassware.
Aleppo in Syria was
mentioned as a glass making
and decorating centre by the
geographers Yaqut Al-Hamwi
(d. 1229) and Al-Qazwini (d.
1283). Damascus, too, was
described as a glassmaking
centre by Ibn Battuta (d.
1377). Egypt, Iraq and
Andalusia were also all
producing glass in vast
quantities.
Glass from the Muslim
Civilization, and especially
that from Syria, was highly
prized the world over. Glass
objects were discovered in
medieval European sites in
Sweden, and Southern Russia.
Even such fragile objects as
Syrian enameled glass of the
13th century have been found
in Sweden.
Supporting Scientific
Endeavours
In the early 14th century,
more than 300 years after
Ibn Sahl, Maragha
astronomer-mathematician
Kamal al-Din al-Farisi
experimented with a glass
sphere filled with water to
analyze the way sunlight
breaks into the spectrum
colors of a rainbow. The
rays that produced the
colours of the rainbow, he
observed:
“… were refracted upon
entering his glass sphere,
underwent a total internal
reflection at the back
surface of the glass sphere
(which sent them back toward
the observer), and
experienced a second
refraction as they exited
the sphere. This occurred in
each droplet within a mist
to produce a rainbow.”
Saudi
Arabian Prince caught in bacon trafficking
scandalSaudi Arabian Prince caught in bacon
trafficking scandal
Prince Adel
Al-Otaibi is being detained by
Israeli authorities after trying
to smuggle over 2,000 kilos of
“pig meat products”, a situation
that could cause a major
diplomatic incident between the
two countries, warn experts
SAUDI ARABIA: A Saudi
Arabian prince has been caught in an
international bacon trafficking scandal
involving hundreds of members of the
Saudi royal family reports the Jerusalem
Herald this morning.
Prince Adel Al-Otaibi is actually being
detained by Israel authorities after
trying to smuggle over 2,000 kilos of
undeclared various pig meat products.
The 2,000 kilos of processed meat
originally declared as “veal meat” were
found to be suspicious by local
authorities who eventually realized the
meat was in fact pig meat, a delicacy
which is under heavy scrutiny by the
country’s laws and that makes pig
farming a crime in most regions of
Israel except for a minority of
Christian Arab communities that are
allowed by law to raise the farm
animals.
Saudi authorities have not taken to the
news kindly as Saudi Arabia’s Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al Jubeir, has
accused Israel of “framing a member of
the royal family” in a disloyal attempt
to “attack the reputation of the royal
Saudi family” and is asking for the
immediate release of Prince Adel Al-Otaibi
and his 17 body guards.
Prince Adel Al-Otaibi, who is renown for
his outlandish ways and extravagant
parties, made international headlines
last year after rumors spread on social
media that he had offered $1 million
dollars to Kim Kardashian for an evening
with the celebrity. Although Kim
Kardashian never publicly confirmed the
rumor, she was spotted at Riyadh King
Khalid International Airport weeks later
by paparazzis.
In 2010, Wikileaks released leaked
documents originating from US diplomats
describing a world of sex, drugs and
rock’n’roll behind the official pieties
of the Saudi Arabian royalty, where
liquor and prostitutes were present in
abundance, all things strictly
prohibited by Saudi law and custom.
Saudi Arabia prohibits the import, use,
or possession of pork, as pork is held
to be contrary to the tenets of Islam.
How Trump's policies and
rhetoric are forging alliances between U.S.
Jews and Muslims
Ahed
Festuk, a Syrian refugee, stands
inside B'nai Jeshurun synagogue
on New York's Upper West Side.
She studies English in a free
program housed in the
synagogue's basement.
US: Donald Trump may
not be able to forge peace in the
Middle East, but he is doing wonders
for relations between Jews and
Muslims in the United States.
Jewish and Muslim activists in the
United States are forging alliances
like never before in reaction to the
president’s rhetoric and action
toward Muslim immigrants.
Many Jewish organizations have
interpreted Trump’s executive order
banning entry by citizens of seven
predominantly Muslim countries as a
call to arms. Jewish delegations
turned out en masse for a
10,000-strong demonstration Sunday
night in New York. (“Granddaughter
of Holocaust survivors standing with
refugees, Muslims immigrants,” read
one sign.)
Almost every day in New York this
last week there was an interfaith
conference or prayer service —
involving Christian groups as well
as Muslims and Jews — devoted to the
current crisis over predominantly
Muslim immigrants and refugees.
“We have common interests,” said Al
Hadj Talib Abdur-Rashid, the imam of
the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in
Harlem. He was one of several Muslim
leaders who appeared at a rally in
Brooklyn in November after a
playground was defaced with
pro-Trump graffiti and swastikas.
“The same kind of people who bomb
synagogues [also] bomb black
churches and now mosques.”
A Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council,
made up of business and cultural
leaders of both communities, both
Democrats and Republicans, was
formed days before the election and
convened for its first regular
meeting Wednesday in Washington to
push the government for a
coordinated response to hate crimes,
up sharply against both Muslims and
Jews.
The week after the election,
Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive
of the Anti-Defamation League,
raised eyebrows when he declared at
a meeting in New York that if Trump
imposed a Muslim registry, “this
proud Jew will register as Muslim’’
— a dramatic statement for the head
of an organization founded to fight
anti-Semitism and protect Jewish
identity.
Theresa May RULES out UK burka ban as she
says: 'What a woman wears is a woman's
choice'
THERESA
May ruled out Britain following
other European countries by
introducing restrictions on
Muslim face veils.
UK: The Prime Minister
insisted that "what a woman wears is a
woman's choice" when quizzed about the
issue.
Her remarks follow moves in a string of
countries including Germany, France,
Austria and Belgium to ban the wearing
of full-face veils in public.
Mrs May described bans on veils as
"divisive" when asked about the moves at
Prime Minister's Questions in the
Commons yesterday.
SNP politician Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh
raised the issue to mark "world hijab
day", an annual event held since 2012 by
campaigners to raise awareness of the
role of Muslim headscarves.
She said: "Today is world hijab day and
I wondered if the Prime Minister will
join with me in recognising the right of
Muslim women to wear a hijab if they
wish, without fear.
"And indeed the right of all women
everywhere to wear what they want, when
they want.
"And would the Prime Minister also
commit to standing up for the right to
refuge for men, women and children
wherever they may be, regardless of
their religion."
Mrs May replied: "It is absolutely the
case that this country welcomes refugees
to the United Kingdom, and we do so
regardless of their religion. There is
no question of discriminating on the
religion.
"On the issue you raise about the
wearing of the hijab, I am absolutely in
line with you.
"I believe that what a woman wears is a
woman's choice."
The Prime Minister's spokeswoman later
confirmed that Mrs May's comments about
the hijab also applied to full-face
veils including the burka and the niqab.
The spokeswoman said: "The PM was
setting out her view that women should
be able to choose what they wear."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said
the wearing of full-faced veils should
be prohibited "wherever possible", while
France has banned the wearing of the
full-face veil in public places and of
the full-body swimsuits known as
burkinis.
The burkini ban was later lifted after a
French court overruled it.
Truck art decor: Canada PM
Trudeau gets splashy honour in Pakistan
PAKISTAN:
From murals and busts to
songs and biopics, world
leaders throughout history
have been immortalized in a
variety of different art
forms. However, Canadian
Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau can now boast a
rather chic honour given to
him in Pakistan.
‘Truck art’ is a massively
popular art form in
Southeast Asia, and in
Pakistan in particular. It
stems from a time when local
artisans would ornately
decorate the carriages of
diplomats and aristocrats
during British rule.
Entrepreneurs throughout
Pakistan adopted the style
for their own businesses to
attract more customers
through ornate displays on
their commercial vehicles,
and so a proud and
long-standing tradition was
born.
The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's
Legacy
by
Jonathan A.C. Brown
Description
Few
things provoke controversy in the modern world like the
religion brought by Muhammad. Modern media are replete with
alarm over jihad, underage marriage and the threat of
amputation or stoning under Shariah law.
Sometimes rumour, sometimes based in fact and often
misunderstood, the tenets of Islamic law and dogma were not
set in the religion’s founding moments. They were developed
over centuries by the clerical class of Muslim scholars.
Misquoting Muhammad takes the reader back in time through
Islamic civilization and traces how and why such
controversies developed, offering an inside view into how
key and controversial aspects of Islam took shape.
From the protests of the Arab Spring to Istanbul at the fall
of the Ottoman Empire, and from the ochre red walls of
Delhi’s great mosques to the trade routes of Islam’s Indian
Ocean world, Misquoting Muhammad lays out how Muslim
intellectuals have sought to balance reason and revelation,
weigh science and religion, and negotiate the eternal truths
of scripture amid shifting values.
This is probably one of the most timely and necessary books
I've read on the question of Islam and its continued
vitality in the face of modernity. Starting with an
examination of the tools of Islamic legal exegesis - a
hugely expansive field - the author demonstrates the means
by which it has traditionally been determined what "Islam"
is in any particular area, or even region.
Particularly, as a scholar of hadith, he shows how hadith
have come to be transmitted by various means and most
interestingly he discusses philosophical approaches its
transmitters have taken throughout history.
The idea of a hadith being rated "sound" (sahih) does not
connote with its identification with an actual reality as
such. There have always been different levels and types of
truth and definitions of what is "true" (pragmatic truths,
correspondent truths, coherent truths) and if a saying or
represented a greater good. Furthermore, there has always
been an accepted consensus among Islamic scholars that there
were a huge number of fabricated hadiths which have been
created and often accepted for myriad reasons. I won't go
into great detail here, but it bears saying that the author
uses an incredible range of history to show that hadith have
never been an exact science or intended to operate on par as
a second Quran. Hadith are not and have never been intended
as an infallible stopgap against reason, or intended to
overwhelm scriptural evidence from the Quran or from other
sources of Islamic history. Interestingly, this has also
been the position of ulama throughout history.
Such a position is not to endorse the modernist (and
essentially incoherent) Quran-only approach to usul-al-fiqh,
but to say that the idea of doubting particular hadith,
especially when faced with preponderance of starkly
contradictory evidence, or when it goes against empirically
rationality or established Islamic conceptions of the
"good", has never been an unprecedented position and has
historically been quite common. Only when faced with the
wages of modernity and the insecurities it has wrought has
this ossified in contemporary times.
One thing I truly appreciated, and I think any reader would,
is the authors forthright engagement with some of the
biggest theological flashpoints between Islam and the
contemporary West. The mentions of domestic abuse, carnal
pleasures allegedly enjoyed by martyrs, jihad, relations
between faiths, the marriage of Muhammad (saw) and Aisha, as
well supernatural events related in the Quran, are often
mustered as the best evidence supposedly against it. However
this is a superficial engagement with 1400 years of Islamic
jurisprudence, within which one can find intellectually
satisfying answers to all these questions which also happen
to correspond with normative belief throughout history. The
author goes into the lives and trials of those Islamic
modernists who have felt epistemological crisis when
confronted by seemingly irreconcilable differences between
the canon of their own cherished civilization and the
realities of modernity. In fact, such a conflict does not
seem very stark when Islamic beliefs and knowledge are
viewed in the full light of understanding.
Although it also could not be said to track perfectly to
Western modernity (nor can anyone religion) neither the
Quran nor the hadith can said to endorse any of these
things. Indeed, saying "the Quran/hadith/sharia says..." on
any matter is inherently absurd. One can find a plethora of
different soundly argued points within Islamic scholarship,
and within each individual madhab, on essentially any legal
position. The sharia, much maligned today, has always been a
much more flexible, humane and intellectually sophisticated
tradition than many of its supporters or detractors even
seem aware of. Bringing up hadiths for instance which on
surface appear vulgar, impossible or cruel fails to
recognize how or why they were even recorded (for instance,
hadiths dealing with non-temporal issues such as the
afterlife were recognized as being allowed to take liberties
in description out of the belief it'd serve the pragmatic
truth of exhorting goodness and effort towards God, while
those recording methods of worship were recorded far more
stringently). It also fails to incorporate linguistics, the
obvious and necessary shifting of terms and contexts in
language over 1400 years, not to mention the way hadith were
manufactured or accepted for varying reasons.
As the author mentions, epistemological periods often change
when people come to discard or change their canonical
literature. The sources of what is considered absolute
truth, the truth in light of which reality is measured, may
shift from older sources to new (ie. moving from religious
books to secular sources of utility in judgement) and thus
forge new ways of looking at the world. Muslims believe that
the Quran is given for all time, and as such can always be
reconcilable. Faced with an overpowering and sometimes
hostile Western secular modernity, ancient books can seem
like an albatross or perhaps something to be re-evaluated
simply so that it may conform to what now is seen as really
"true". But while it may not give a free license to any
behaviour when studied in depth it becomes apparent that
Islam is not the constricting or oppressive worldview which
both its opponents and some of its proponents today claim.
Islam is not an overbearing rulebook as many of us have been
led to believe, it is a system which can incorporate not
just assertive reason but even outright skepticism without
much difficulty. Aside from broadly recognized core tenets,
there is a huge thicket of existing legal opinion, and a
huge array of exegetical tools to approach new issues which
are all "right" and are all "Islam".
I really recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand
Islam, whether from the inside or outside, as well as those
grappling with questions about the reconcilability of Islam
with positive contemporary values and beliefs. The book also
happens to be written engagingly, with relevant anecdotes
and an author keenly aware of the most sensitive questions
existing around Islam today.
KB says:
Whilst the mangos are in season
another cooling recipe to enjoy during these hot
summer days.
Mango
Falooda
Ingredients
3
mangos blended with 1 cup milk
1 tin condensed milk
Little cardamom powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
2˝ cups milk
1˝ tsp China grass powder or falooda powder
Method
1. Add the china grass to the 2˝ cups milk and
bring to the boil.
2. Add condensed milk and cardamom powder.
3. Remove from the stove after 5 minutes of
simmering.
4. Add blended mangos and vanilla essence and
beat with a whisk to aerate it.
5. Grease a mould or fill into individual
serving bowls and refrigerate for at least 4
hours but best left overnight.
6. Serve chilled with a garnish.
Muslimah Mind
Matters, in
collaboration with
Islamic Women’s
Association of
Queensland, is
having a FEMALE ONLY
live event -
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind
Program.
Tickets are $49 pp
and can be purchased
online from
Eventbrite.
Welcome
to my weekly column
on Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind. If
you’re taking time
out to read this,
pat yourself on the
back because you
have shown
commitment to taking
care of your mind
and body.
Last week, we delved
on the Essential
Self and the
Physical Self and
how vital it is to
care for your
Essential Self so
that your Physical
Self manifests
positive deeds,
mindful actions,
joy, compassion and
gratitude for the
abundance ALLAH has
bestowed upon us. I
hope you took some
time out last week
to practice moments
of silence in order
to become aware of
your Essential Self.
If you missed out on
reading last week’s
column please click
here.
This week, let us
explore the MIND
(which is NOT your
brain, by the way)
and how the mind is
responsible for our
thoughts and
actions. The brain
is an organ whereas
the mind is
something larger and
complex in nature.
It dwells in the
Essential Self.
It is commonly
believed that the
human mind works on
two levels - the
conscious and the
sub-conscious.
The conscious mind
is responsible for
your awareness at
the moment - for
example, right now
you are aware that
you are reading this
column, or that you
are breathing or the
soft or hard surface
you may be sitting
on, or the
environment you are
in.
The sub-conscious
mind is the storage
area. It is a
reservoir of every
single sound and
visual the body
experiences. It
holds 100% of
everything and acts
as a vast ocean of
information for the
conscious mind to
tap into and access.
The sub-conscious
mind is also where
perceptions and
beliefs are formed.
For example, when a
child is bullied for
being overweight,
that child will most
likely have a
perception that
his/her weight
defines his/her
abilities in life.
This perception may
cause the child to
avoid trying a new
sport at school
because he/she is
embarrassed about
being overweight and
feeling unworthy.
This limited
perception of self
leads the child to
accept the
closed-minded
identity of self and
repetitive, negative
self-talk : “I am
fat, therefore I’m
not good enough”.
Of course, this is
completely false
perception but the
child is not aware
that it is false
because the child is
not aware that
he/she can actually
transform the
negative perception
into a positive one.
It is the child’s
body that is
overweight not the
child’s Essential
Self. The child has
unlimited potential
to do any activity
he/she puts the mind
to. However, the
subconscious mind
has formulated a
negative perception
hence the negative
self-talk and poor
self-esteem.
As adults, our
thought patterns,
self-talk and
behavioural patterns
are very much
influenced by how we
perceived ourselves
in childhood. Pause
for a moment and
reflect on your own
behaviours, thought
patterns and
self-talk...can you
connect the dots and
trace them back to
your child self?
Use this week to
make a note on what
your common thoughts
and patterns are,
for example, are you
afraid of the dark?
Are you fearful of
crowds? Do you feel
uncomfortable when
someone gives you a
compliment? Do you
get angry when
someone jokes about
your physical
appearance? Do you
find pleasure in
mocking others or
being sarcastic?
Next week, we will
look at how these
patterns in your
life are a result of
your subconscious
mind and more
importantly, how you
can alter the
negative patterns by
altering your
subconscious mind’s
activity. This
alteration helps a
person become aware
of negative habits
and with awareness
comes
transformation.
Till then, be kind
to yourself and care
for yourself. When
you are kind and
caring to self then
you are able to be
kind and caring to
all of ALLAH’s
creation.
As a part of Sisters House
Services we have arranged
ladies only swimming
activities at a swim school
in Underwood. The swim
school is able to offer
Muslim ladies the privacy
they require to be able to
swim and still maintain
there Islamic dress. They
are an indoor heated pool
who have closed their doors
for us so that no one can
see in and provide qualified
lady instructors.
We have arranged Learn to
swim lessons for both
beginner and intermediate
levels. Mother and baby swim
classes for children from 3
months to 3 years old. And
once a month there will be a
ladies Fun swim day. When
ladies who know how to swim
can come and enjoy swimming
in the pool in private.
To join or for more
information contact Farah on
0432026375.
I am based in
Kuraby and offer Hijab
styling for all occasions. I
offer a variety of different
styles from classic to
modern styles. Prices start
at $15 (everyday styles) to
$20 (special occasion
styles).
Contact Luthfiya on 0490 343
104 to make your booking.
Grab
our essential pack and start your fitness journey today
Why choose #Renegade?
▪ GMO & Hormone free
▪ Low Carb, Fat and G.I
▪ Aussie made
▪ Great taste
▪ Real results
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.
Nuria Khataam
Date: Every last Wednesday of the month
Time: After Esha Salaat
Venue: Algester Mosque
Contact: Yahya
Ph: 0403338040
Sisters Support Services - On going Activities
Tafsir Class – Mondays at 10am Woodridge area (by Umm
Bilal) Halaqah – Saturdays at 10.30am Woodridge area (by Umm
Bilal) Arabicclasses – Wednesdays 1 – 2pm Kuraby
Masjid (by Umm Bilal) QuranClasses - Tuesdays 11am Runcorn area (by
Umm Bilal) SistersSupportSocialGroup -
1st Wednesday of every Month - varies Locations YoungMuslimsClub- - Regular organised
activities for school aged boys and girls
Contact : Farah 0432 026 375
Muslimah Girls Youth Group for 10+ Girls (school
holiday activities)
Contact : Aliyah 0438840467
Muslima learn to Swim lessons - taught by
professional female instructor in a enclosed pool in
Underwood area Contact : Farah 0432026375 for more details
We also run a volunteers group to assist Muslim women with
food rosters and home visits for sisters who need support or
are isolated. We refer Sisters in need for counselling,
accommodation, financial assistance and other relevant
services. We also have a variety of whatsapp groups for new
Muslim support and for community & class updates please let
us know if you would like to be added.
To join our volunteer group or for any other
details for activities please call the numbers below…
Aliyah : 0438840467
Khadijah: 0449268375
Farah: 0432026375
Iman: 0449610386
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
MONTHLY COMMUNITY PROGRAMME
FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Click on images to enlarge
IPDC
HOLLAND PARK MOSQUE
Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community
Consultative Group
Minutes from the QPS/Muslim Community
Reference Group meeting held on
Monday 24 October 2016 at the Islamic College of Brisbane [ICB]
are available
here.
Next Meeting
Time: 7pm Date: TBA Venue: Islamic College of Brisbane - 45 Acacia Road
Karawatha
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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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and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
have a topic or opinion that you want to write about or want
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Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
Few
things provoke controversy in the modern world like the
religion brought by Muhammad. Modern media are replete with
alarm over jihad, underage marriage and the threat of
amputation or stoning under Shariah law. 
Welcome
to my weekly column
on Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind. If
you’re taking time
out to read this,
pat yourself on the
back because you
have shown
commitment to taking
care of your mind
and body. 
Grab
our essential pack and start your fitness journey today
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7
August 2011