A seminar on Islam and
Environmental Stewardship
was held last Sunday.
This was an initiative of a
small group from the
Brisbane Muslim community
who felt the need to
consider starting a
conversation—and potential
future action—on the view of
our faith on issues of
climate change that are
impacting our environment
and our role as stewards on
earth.
The Qur’an’s view on the
environment and mankind’s
role in protecting the earth
is clear and the seminar was
an opportunity to understand
this link between Islamic
teachings and mankind’s
duties as khalifat ullah
fi al-ard (Allah’s
custodian of the Earth).
The scene was set by Dr Daud
Batchelor presenting
“Climate Change in Context,
the Evidence for
Human-initiated Climate
Change, and the 2015 Islamic
Declaration on Climate
Change”, followed by a talk
on “Islamic Perspectives on
Environmental Stewardship
and Climate Change”, which
was prepared by Imaam Afroz
Ali of Al-Ghazzali Centre
and streamed to the
participants.
The final presentation was
on “Overcoming Wasteful
Consumerism to Protect the
Environment through
Self-Improvement (Tazkiyah)
and Contentment (Qana’ah)”
by Dr Daud and the seminar
concluded with a facilitated
group activity to identify
key needs and initiatives
for follow-up actions in
Queensland led by Faiza El-Higzi.
In this Interview with Neil
Mitchell, Mr Fahour said:
He'd saved 9884
Australian jobs and felt
"really good" about it.
He'd given up approximately
$5 million in bonuses over
the past two years.
He wouldn't take a cent of
the $2 million he was
entitled to in his severance
payment.
He dismissed suggestions his
Muslim background had
anything to do with
criticism.
Pauline Hanson says she
has an issue with Ahmed
Fahour as a Muslim
PAULINE Hanson has taken
another stab at ‘out of
touch, overpaid elites’
after Australia Post’s CEO
Ahmed Fahour resigned over
his $5.6m salary.
The One Nation leader posted
a video of her final message
to Mr Fahour on Twitter with
a caption that stated: “Let
this be a warning to all the
out of touch, overpaid,
elites and bureaucrats like
Ahmed Fahour. Your age of
entitlement is OVER!”
In the video, which was
posted originally on
Facebook, she expressed her
relief over Mr Fahour’s
resignation. which she said
was “fantastic”.
“I’m still on the floor of
parliament, you’re
unemployed, let’s hope
you’re not going to get in
the queues for employment.”
Senator Hanson has called
for a halt to Muslim
immigration, surveillance
cameras in mosques and
schools and a royal
commission into whether
Islam is a policy or an
ideology.
This morning Hanson told the
Kyle and Jackie O show her
problem with the outgoing
Australia Post CEO was with
his religion as a Muslim,
not his skin colour.
A new helpline was launched
in Australia this week to
support parents of troubled
Muslim youths.
The free service will be run
by trained Muslim
counsellors and aims to
address issues such as
bullying, drug and alcohol
abuse, and even
radicalisation.
The helpline's founder,
Kuranda Seyit, said it would
offer a more focused service
than others available to the
general community.
"This is unique," he said.
"We have so many issues now
facing our youth, and it's
easy to blame parents but
they need support, they need
the tools and encouragement
to deal with their children
in a pragmatic and rational
way."
An accompanying website,
IslamiCare, has also been
established to help
Australian Muslim families
who were "experiencing
difficulties in a modern
world".
"In a society where young
Muslims are being surrounded
by negative portrayal of
their religion and facing
issues that they may not yet
understand, IslamiCare aims
to use Islamic fundamentals
as tools to find solutions,"
the IslamiCare website
reads.
"The lack of understanding
of their cultural issues
from mainstream service
providers [is] also a
challenge and this is where
we try to fit in."
Mr Seyit said all
counsellors who answered
calls on the new helpline
were experienced in dealing
with youth and families and
would be given intensive
training for the job.
Helpline
contacts:
The helpline can
be reached on
1800 960 009
The accompanying
website is
Islamicare.org.au
Helpline
available from
9:00am-midnight,
seven days a
week
He said there were a wide
range of issues that could
trouble Muslim youths,
including identity, and
identifying possible
radicalisation was just one
part of the program.
"One module of the training
involves actually
identifying those issues
around radicalisation and
extremism, changes in
behaviour, religiosity —
things like that," he said.
"So if those types of calls
are taken, we will have not
just the training, but we'll
also have the referral
services and intervention if
necessary.
"That will be one aspect of
the website and the
helpline."
'We can address the
generation gap'
About a third of Australian
Muslims were born in
Australia, but Mr Seyit said
the helpline could be
particularly supportive for
migrant families who have
arrived more recently.
"There is still a large
amount of migrant families
that come from migrant
backgrounds still struggling
with acclimatising to
Australia," he said.
"I think that generation gap
still exists between their
teenage children, and
definitely I think that the
parents are the key to a lot
of the problems the youth
are facing.
"So we need to support the
parents through this
helpline, because sometimes,
they just don't know how to
talk to their kids or what
are some of the issues
facing them.
"Having that supportive ear
can make a big difference in
their lives."
Agim Garana, who has been
installed as the Australian
Federation of Islamic Councils'
general manager following a
coup, leaves the Supreme Court
on Wednesday.
A group of former members of
the Australian Federation of
Islamic Councils, who staged
an extraordinary coup last
week, have opened a new bank
account and are collecting
and spending halal
certification fees.
The revelation emerged in
the NSW Supreme Court on
Wednesday as the national
Islamic organisation tried
to force out the group of
"usurpers" who entered
AFIC's Zetland offices late
at night last week and
changed the locks.
Hafez Kassem, who
voluntarily resigned last
year, now claims he was only
on temporary leave and has
"rightfully" returned to his
role as president.
His group of former members,
some of whom were banned or
sacked for
maladministration, convened
a meeting on February 11 and
installed themselves as the
executive committee and
passed no-confidence motions
in all others, including
Keysar Trad, who was elected
unopposed to replace Mr
Kassem in August.
hey have taken over the
running of AFIC, which
administers millions of
dollars worth of halal
certification and runs six
Islamic schools that the
federal government found in
2015 were being exploited by
AFIC for financial gain.
AFIC, led by Mr Trad, is
suing Mr Kassem and eight
others in a bid to force
them out.
On Wednesday, Supreme Court
Justice Robert McDougall
said it was "absolutely
appalling" that AFIC was
preoccupied with "internal
squabbling".
"It seems to me that there
are far more important
things that AFIC can be
focusing on, one of which is
the rise, fuelled by
populist politics and
government policies, of
anti-Muslim sentiment in
this country," he said. "It
is something that I
personally deplore."
The court heard that Agim
Garana, who was banned from
AFIC last year and sacked
from Malek Fahd Islamic
School amid revelations of
financial impropriety, has
been installed as general
manager in the coup and has
access to a National
Australia Bank account set
up on Tuesday night to
collect AFIC's halal fees.
"Not only are monies going
into the bank account but
monies are going out of it,"
AFIC's barrister, Mark
Ashhurst, SC, said.He argued
that the February 11
meeting, convened by Mr
Garana on behalf of Mr
Kassem, was invalid under
the Associations and
Corporations Act.
Mr Kassem's group initially
called the meeting, which
requires support from 10 per
cent of members, for January
28. Two days prior, it was
"rescheduled" to February
11.
Mr Ashhurst said a meeting
cannot be postponed once it
is called. He said the 10
per cent support was faked
using photocopied signatures
and the meeting didn't
comply with requirements
such as circulating motions
ahead of time.
At the meeting, new motions
had made it onto the agenda
such as one reinstating Mr
Kassem as president.
Mr Kassem's barrister,
Anthony Cheshire, SC, argued
that the February 11 meeting
was a "new meeting" rather
than a postponement.
Justice McDougall questioned
why the dispute couldn't be
sorted by convening a
special meeting in which
every AFIC member voted for
their preferred leaders. He
suggested appointing an
independent receiver or a
committee comprising both
"factions" to run AFIC in
the interim.
He adjourned the matter to
March 3 and ordered that the
"usurpers" be given access
to AFIC's funds so they can
pay bills in the meantime.
Mr Trad was granted interim
access to the Zetland
office.
"The longer AFIC continues
to be besieged by this
internal squabbling, greater
is the fuel given to those
who appear to be fomenting
anti-Muslim sentiment in
this country," he said. "I
encourage the parties to
negotiate a way forward."
Malek Fahd will return to
court on Thursday in a
battle against the state
government, which is trying
to recoup $8 million.
Federal funding was revoked
last year after audits
uncovered that AFIC was
siphoning millions of
dollars from the school
through inflated rent and
unexplained loans.
An emotional Nazeem Hussain
opens up about the effect #illridewithyou
had on his family and the kind
of Australia he thinks is
possible for us to share on
COMEDIAN Nazeem Hussain has
accused right wing
politician Pauline Hanson of
playing into the hands of
Muslim extremists.
“When Pauline Hanson says
things irresponsibly what
she is doing, is doing
exactly what ISIS is doing,”
Hussain told campmates in
the South African jungle on
Channel Ten’s I’m A
Celebrity … Get Me Out Of
Here!
“When tragedy happens, I
always think, what is going
to happen to us? Are we
going to become what ISIS
wants us to become, a world
where there is Muslim and
non-Muslim. What happens
time and again, and this
just shows the Australian
spirit, is that we actually
find ways to use that
opportunity to strengthen
bonds and we come closer
together. It is weird me
being emotional about
politics like this but it is
personal for me.”
Hussain, 30, broke down to
tears as he spoke out about
the pressure and
responsibility he feels at
being a Muslim in Australia
today.
He describes his commitment
to his faith as being
“devout” and prays five
times a day, even when in
the South African jungle.
“I am Australian, I love my
country. I want to make my
community and society
better,” he said. “I feel
like I need to be also using
my platform to help people
understand each other and to
kind of bring people
together.”
Hussain continued: “Before
September 11, Muslims were
just another ethnic
community. But after
September 11, Muslims in
Australia suddenly became
this political community
that were ideologically
opposed to the Australian
way of life. We often talk
about each other, Muslims
and non-Muslims but we never
really speak and have
friendships with each
other.”
Sheikh Mohamad Abou Eid wears
dark glasses as he walks to
Preston Mosque before Friday
prayers.
MELBOURNE: Vicious
infighting threatens to tear
apart the congregation of
one of Melbourne's largest
mosques, amid claims that
millions of dollars of
donations have disappeared
and accusations that a
sheikh had behaved
inappropriately with women.
The conflict came to a head
last week when Sheikh
Mohamad Abou Eid – who had
been banned from Preston
Mosque – told hundreds of
worshippers on the street
outside that he feared
management of the mosque had
misappropriated donations,
and fees paid for burial and
school services.
The Islamic Society of
Victoria, which manages the
mosque, reported allegations
of inappropriate behaviour
by the sheikh to the Board
of Imams.
He was suspended, and,
despite later being told the
claims could not be proven,
resigned from his position
on Friday
There was a strong police
presence in Preston on Friday.
"The Islamic Society of
Victoria and some members of
the Board of Imams are
involved in something bigger
than me and bigger than
you," he told worshippers.
On Friday, the sheikh had
been escorted into the
mosque – despite being
banned – by worshippers, who
remain angry at his
treatment.
They demanded clarity about
how society members were
elected, and transparency
about their spending, amid
claims the allegations
against the sheikh were
concocted after he
confronted them about the
mosque's finances last week.
The mosque community is
threatening to tear itself
apart.
Sheikh Abou Eid told
worshippers about his
concerns during an impromptu
address outside the mosque
on February 17.
Earlier that day, speaking
in Arabic and translated by
a relative, he said that he
did not know where the money
had gone.
"That is a big question," he
said, "with a big answer.
Mr
Wasim Malik is a senior
Business Continuity
professional having over 17
years of experience.
Malik was recognized as
Australasian BCI (Business
Continuity Institute)
Continuity and Resilience
Professional of the Year
2016 in the Private Sector.
Malik was also shortlisted
for BCI Global Awards 2016.
Malik has implemented BCM
Programs for multiple big
organizations globally
including Australia, New
Zealand, UK, Poland, Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Malik has spent most of his
life in Saudi Arabia and
passed his year 12 from
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Graduated from UET
(University of Engineering &
Technology Lahore) in 1992
and then did his MBA from
Oklahoma City University in
1997.
Malik is also part of BCI
20/20 Think Tank
Australasian Group, a group
designed to drive thought
leadership across the
business continuity and
resilience industry.
Currently a Global Head of
BCM (Business Continuity
Management) in Bravura
Solutions Pty Ltd.
There's been debate over
revelations some Australian
schools and universities have
let male Muslim students refuse
to shake hands with women.
A few politicians have
publicly condemned the
practice, but leaders in the
Muslim communities, trying
to soothe the debate, say
not all Muslim males avoid
such handshakes.
The debate ignited after
revelations three Australian
universities advise students
to respect that some Muslim
men do not shake women's
hands.
It was also revealed at
least two public schools in
Sydney's west allow students
to refuse.
Coalition MP George
Christensen called the
practice "unAustralian," and
former House of
Representatives Speaker
Bronwyn Bishop claimed
Muslim men deem women
"unclean."
The vice-president of the
Islamic Council of Victoria,
Adel Salman, says that
simply is not true.
"That's absolute nonsense,
and it's actually appalling
-- absolutely appalling --
that someone of that
standing, a former senior
minister, would actually
make that statement. That is
absolutely appalling. It's
got nothing to do whatsoever
with the state of hygiene of
the male or the female."
Adel Salman says the
practice comes from
interpretations of Islamic
scripture known as the
Hadith. (hah-DEET)
"I don't think you can
pinpoint one particular
Hadith and say, 'That's it.
That's the one that says
there shall be no handshakes
between them.' That's not
the way to do it. The reason
for that is maintaining that
sense of modesty between the
sexes. Look, I think culture
is definitely part of it.
And I should be very clear
that the majority of
scholars would say that
there should be no physical
contact between men and
women. Having said that,
there are some scholars who
say it's fine as long as
it's done respectfully, if
it's done with modesty, it's
not done with any other
intentions in mind, it's
just purely a greeting, and
particularly where it
reflects a cultural
practice."
The Australian Muslim
Women's Association's Silma
Ihram says, regardless of
where Muslims stand on the
issue, they should shake
hands out of respect and
courtesy.
"I follow the Shafi'i school
(of Islamic law), so I
prefer, where possible, not
to shake hands. But, I don't
want to offend anybody. So
the most important priority,
in terms of priorities, is
that you establish good
relations with the people
who are around you. And if
their custom is to shake
hands and they would be
offended by not shaking
hands, then, for me, it's
most important that I, first
of all, shake hands and
then, once the person is
comfortable that I mean no
offence, to explain that I
prefer not to."
Ms Ihram calls for respect
from both sides, but she
asks Muslims not to be
rigid.
"I would encourage all
Muslims not to stand on
their fine points of Islamic
law when they're living in a
country which is not Muslim,
but to work on the most
important aspects, which is
to establish good relations
with your neighbours."
Flinders Univesity in
Adelaide, Perth’s Curtin
University and the
University of Western of
Australia have been advising
students to acknowledge that
some Islamic followers
adhere to the rule.
It also emerged this week
that two public schools in
Western Sydney have adopted
similar policies, leading to
some condemnation from
conservative politicians.
The Australian National
Imams Council (ANIC)
expressed concern over the
recent visit of the Prime
Minister of Israel to
Australia in the following
press release:
Israel has exercised
brutalities against the
Palestinian people with
their illegal occupation
and apartheid state.
ANIC and the Muslim
community expect an
impartial and unbiased
stance from the
Australian government on
the Israeli -
Palestinian conflict.
Prime Minister Turnbull
mentioned in his speech
at the 80th Birthday of
JewishCare in December,
2016, “Australia is a
good friend of Israel,
the Middle East’s only
democracy. We have been
resolute in supporting
Israel’s right to take
the necessary steps to
defend itself from
terror.”
These comments disregard
the other democratic
countries in the region
such as Tunisia, Lebanon
and Turkey and further
cement the Turnbull
government's stance of
support for the Israeli
government which has
violated a minimum of
ten United Nation’s
resolutions dating
from as early as 1967
and recently this year
(2016).
This comment insinuates
that Israel has the
right to expand itself
under the guise of the
war on terror, while the
reality points towards
who is deserving of the
label ‘Terrorist’.
Australia, as a country,
is a champion of human
rights and should be
leading the demand of
Israel ceasing its
illegal settlement and
respecting the rights of
the Palestinian People.
ANIC calls upon the
diverse, multicultural
and ethical Australian
community to stand for
justice against these
violations and to voice
their concerns to their
local MP’s and other
political avenues that
are available to them.
Hirsi Ali is coming as a
guest of an events company
called Think Inc, which
specialises in organising
speaking tours for prominent
intellectuals, including
scientists such as US
cosmologist Neil deGrasse
Tyson and Apple co-founder
Steve Wozniak.
Think Inc co-owner Suzi
Jamil says the decision to
organise the tour reflected
prominence, not politics.
"Her story is a heroic
story," she says. "She has
an amazing story to tell and
she is a very gracious
woman. Her views might come
off as severe or strong, but
I think it's an important
discussion to be had – and a
very timely issue.
"We're not for or against
anything our speakers say.
We merely provide a
platform. We believe Ayaan
Hirsi Ali has a really
important voice, and her
position in this debate is a
vital one – and that's why
we chose to bring her to
Australia."
And so here is the question
her forthcoming visit
raises. Geert Wilders was
the subject of loud and
passionate opposition when
he came here. Will Ayaan
Hirsi Ali, who advocates
pretty much identical
positions, formed at least
in part in the same crucible
of rightist Dutch politics,
generate the same level of
protest?
And if not, surely that
difference can't be ascribed
to something as shallow as
the fact that Wilders seems
the archetypal privileged
European white man while
Hirsi Ali is a
stateless-to-powerful
African black woman?
Or perhaps there's another
paradigm in play here.
Wilders, a former Roman
Catholic, is an outsider
when it comes to Islam.
Hirsi Ali, a former Muslim,
is an insider. Maybe that
makes a difference.
And perhaps time matters.
When Wilders came here
Donald Trump was a reality
television host and Cory
Bernardi was a Liberal.
But what reaction, in the
end, will say more about
modern Australia: opposition
or acquiescence?
Ayaan Hirsi Ali will
speak in Brisbane,
Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland
and Canberra between April 6
and April 10.
www.thinkinc.org.au
The Australian National
Imams Council (ANIC) called
upon all Imams across
Australia "to unite firmly
against the extremist group
ISIS and their deviant
understanding of Islam."
The following Press Release
was issued by the Imam's
Council:
It is the position of ANIC,
and of all mainstream Muslim
leaders globally and
nationally, that ISIS has
proven time and time again
that they are not following
the authentic teachings of
Islam. As such, it is our
duty to clarify and explain
this openly, in order to
equip all Muslims with the
knowledge and understanding
that ISIS are not following
the correct teachings of
Islam and the Sharia'a.
ANIC also calls upon all
Imams to address the broader
topics of radicalization and
extremism in their Friday
Sermon (Khutbah), on Friday
24th of February, from the
perspective of authentic
Islamic teachings, as taught
by the Prophet Muhammad,
(Peace Be Upon Him).
ANIC calls upon all Muslims
in Australia to be the best
practising examples of what
it means to be an Australian
Muslim. According to Islamic
guidelines, or "Sharia'a",
every Muslim is obligated to
abide by the laws of the
country they live in. By
respecting and abiding by
the laws of the land,
Australian Muslims can be
productive and valuable
members of society that
contribute to the greater
good of all Australians.
In the noble character of
our beloved Prophet Muhammad
PBUH, we have the best
example. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
showed true Islam to the
world through his kindness,
generosity, compassion,
understanding, and
especially patience during
difficult circumstances.
ANIC also recognises that
all Imams across Australia
have been working tirelessly
to convey the true and
authentic teachings of
Islam, which promote the
best qualities of humanity
within people, and are for
the benefit of all human
beings.
Sonny Bill Williams is
recovering from an Achilles
injury from the Rio Olympics as
he looks to debut for the Blues
in Super Rugby.
All Blacks star Sonny Bill
Williams has made the list
of the world's 500 most
influential Muslims.
Williams gains a place on
the list headed by Egypt's
Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad al-Tayyeb,
the highest scholarly
authority for a majority of
Sunni Muslims who runs the
largest Sunni Islamic
university with close to
400,000 students.
"The Muslim 500" is produced
annually and Williams'
inclusion makes him a leader
among the world's 1.6
billion Muslims.
They only list the top 50
numerically and Williams was
included in an 11-strong
celebrities and sports
category which included
football stars Zinedine
Zidane, Yaya Toure and Paul
Pogba as well as England's
Olympic athletics star Mo
Farah.
In announcing Williams'
inclusion, the judges noted
his rugby prowess and boxing
skills. "He was the first
Muslim to play for the
legendary All Blacks. In
2013, he was judged the
world's best rugby league
player at the annual RLIF
Awards. He memorably gave
away his Rugby World Cup
winners' gold medal to a
young supporter just after
the 2015 final."
The 31-year-old Williams
converted to Islam in 2008.
In 2013 he spoke to CNN
about his faith, saying:
"I've become a true Muslim.
It's giving me happiness.
It's made me become content
as a man, and helped me to
grow. I've just got faith in
it and it has definitely
helped me become the man I
am today."
The chief executive of one of
Australia’s newest financial
institutions was forced to leave
his country not once, but three
times to save his life.
The last time Mahir Momand
left Afghanistan there were
shots ringing in his ears.
The microfinancing business
he had started in his home
country had infuriated the
Taliban to such an extent
that he was near the top of
their hit list.
And someone had tried to
tick him off that list.
He was forced to urgently
leave the country he loved -
for the third time in just
30 years.
Mr Momand has been appointed
the chief executive of
Thrive Refugee Enterprises,
an organisation that will
provide microfinancing for
refugees starting or
expanding their own small
businesses in Australia.
He told SBS News his
microfinancing business in
Afghanistan had angered the
Taliban because it was
interfering in the group’s
business model.
“Effectively what we were
doing was cutting from the
Taliban’s revenues by not
allowing farmers to grow
opium and we were also
cutting from their capacity
to recruit insurgents by
getting people who didn’t
have any jobs to start small
businesses so have jobs, and
also we were attacking their
ideals by working with 50
per cent of Afghanistan’s
population, which is women,”
he said.
“And therefore that program
was put under attack by the
Taliban.
“Myself and my colleagues
were put on the threat list
and a lot of my colleagues
got killed, including my
international colleagues who
arrived in Afghanistan and
were helping us with the
microfinance program.”
........
Thrive, supported by
Westpac, Settlement Services
International and AMES, will
provide microfinancing and
business advice to refugees
keen to start or expand
their own small businesses
in Australia.
Mr Momand said Thrive would
help its refugee clients in
three different ways.
First, the organisation will
make sure the potential
business owners are aware of
the Australian business
environment, the regulations
and the market for their
products or services.
Only after that is a loan
granted and once the
business is up and running
Thrive will provide business
mentoring and further
advice.
The program will also give
refugees the chance to
attain the positive credit
history they will require to
apply for mainstream
financial services in the
future.
But Mr Momand said he saw
the benefits of the program
going beyond business and
financial matters.
Joyce asks for caution
because Indonesia and Saudi
Arabia ‘are the biggest buyers
of our wheat and our cattle’
Barnaby Joyce has warned
that anti-Islamic statements
could harm Australian trade
deals and declared that he
would give instructions not
to preference Pauline
Hanson’s party before the
Liberal party in federal
seats.
In an interview to mark his
first year as National party
leader, Joyce said that, as
agriculture minister, he had
to deal with a lot of
Islamic countries that buy
billions of dollars’ worth
of Australian exports.
“So just be a little bit
cautious about what you say
at times because I have to
go to Indonesia, I have to
go to Saudi Arabia, they are
the biggest buyers of our
wheat, they are the biggest
buyers of our cattle,” Joyce
told Guardian Australia.
Asked whether One Nation was
causing the government a
problem in trade, Joyce
said: “If you were
articulating some of those
views while you were trying
to move product to them,
yeah, they would probably
bring it up with you.
“The thing is I can go to
Saudi and never once has
someone said to me,
‘Barnaby, you’ve got to
become a Muslim,’ and I have
never said you have got to
become a Christian, but you
do understand – don’t insult
a person while you’re
sitting down to dinner with
them.”
Joyce has been vocal in his
criticism of the Liberal
party deal to give One
Nation preferences in the
Western Australia upper
house in return for One
Nation preferences flowing
back to the Liberals in some
lower house seats in the
coming state election.
Following the Liberal deal,
the WA National party
retaliated by giving
preferences to the Greens
before the Liberals in some
seats. Joyce said the WA
preference deal – which only
affects votes if voters
follow the party’s how to
vote cards – had angered
Liberal voters as well as
Nationals.
“I know so many Liberal
party supporters and they
are equally furious about
this,” Joyce said. “They say
mate, we might have our
differences but we clearly
understand if it wasn’t the
Liberal party we were voting
for, I can tell you who we
would be going to on the
ballot paper.”
A One Nation candidate
receiving Liberal
preferences in the West
Australian election once
advocated killing Indonesian
journalists, and attacked
"poofters", Muslims and
black people on his
now-deactivated Twitter
account.
Richard Eldridge, a real
estate agent contesting an
upper house seat in the
South Metropolitan region of
Perth, called Muslims
"little sheet heads",
derided gay relationships as
"poo games" and advocated
taking up arms against
"extreme Muslims".
In one extraordinary rant
about Indonesians in
November 2013, Mr Eldridge
said we should "Balibo"
Indonesian journalists, an
apparent reference to the
1975 murder of the Balibo
Five group of Australian
journalists in Timor.
"The only real thing Muslims
are good at is multiplying
but that is all they need to
do history will show," he
tweeted. "Let's hunt down
some indo reporters and
balibo them. What's Suharto
up to these days.
"I've got indo mates and fuc
their [sic] arrogant about
their superiority over us
lazy Aussies. we are
regarded as shit in
Indonesian eyes."
With 11 February declared
the international day for
women in science, its a
chance to celebrate the
contributions of Muslim
scientists.
Prophet Muhammed (peace be
upon him) has said: “Seeking
knowledge is a mandate for
every Muslim (male and
female).”
These women have embodied
this and shown the world
what it means to be an
active achiever and mover of
the world in which we live.
CCN brings you one of these
scientists each week from
different parts of the
world.
India: Sameena Shah
Shah is a Senior
Research Scientist
at Thomson Reuters,
New York. She is the
winner of the 2009
Google India Women
in Engineering
Award. Shah works
extensively in
Artificial
Intelligence. She
presented an
algorithm in
computerized
cognitive leaning
that she and a team
of colleagues
developed at IIT
Delhi, India.
“I love research in
Computer Science
because it satiates
my inherent desire
to understand the
logic behind things.
Things, which are
seemingly random,
may have an
underlying
structure. The joy
for me lies in
discovering
patterns, creating
algorithms,
proposing a theory
and making my own
little contribution
to the world.”
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.
Sir
Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah
With nine global titles, Sir
Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah is
the most successful British
track athlete in the history
of the modern Olympic Games.
He won gold for the 5,000m
and 10,000m in 2012 and
2016. Farah’s most iconic
moment was when he overcame
a mid-race fall in the
10,000m race and still won
in 27 minutes and five
seconds. Farah was on the
Queen’s New Year Honours
List and awarded the
knighthood for his services
to athletics.
Rumana Ahmed:
When President
Obama left, I
stayed on at the
National
Security Council
in order to
serve my
country. I
lasted eight
days.
I Was a
Muslim in
Trump's White
House
In 2011, I was
hired, straight
out of college,
to work at the
White House and
eventually the
National
Security
Council. My job
there was to
promote and
protect the best
of what my
country stands
for. I am a
hijab-wearing
Muslim woman––I
was the only
hijabi in the
West Wing––and
the Obama
administration
always made me
feel welcome and
included.
Like most of my
fellow American
Muslims, I spent
much of 2016
watching with
consternation as
Donald Trump
vilified our
community.
Despite this––or
because of it––I
thought I should
try to stay on
the NSC staff
during the Trump
Administration,
in order to give
the new
president and
his aides a more
nuanced view of
Islam, and of
America's Muslim
citizens.
I lasted eight
days.
When Trump
issued a ban on
travellers from
seven
Muslim-majority
countries and
all Syrian
refugees, I knew
I could no
longer stay and
work for an
administration
that saw me and
people like me
not as fellow
citizens, but as
a threat.
he evening
before I left,
bidding farewell
to some of my
colleagues, many
of whom have
also since left,
I notified
Trump’s senior
NSC
communications
adviser, Michael
Anton, of my
departure, since
we shared an
office. His
initial
surprise, asking
whether I was
leaving
government
entirely, was
followed by
silence––almost
in caution, not
asking why. I
told him anyway.
I told him I had
to leave because
it was an insult
walking into
this country’s
most historic
building every
day under an
administration
that is working
against and
vilifying
everything I
stand for as an
American and as
a Muslim. I told
him that the
administration
was attacking
the basic tenets
of democracy. I
told him that I
hoped that they
and those in
Congress were
prepared to take
responsibility
for all the
consequences
that would
attend their
decisions.
He looked at me
and said
nothing.
It was only
later that I
learned he
authored an
essay under a
pseudonym,
extolling the
virtues of
authoritarianism
and attacking
diversity as a
“weakness,” and
Islam as
“incompatible
with the modern
West.”
My whole life
and everything I
have learned
proves that
facile statement
wrong.
My parents
immigrated to
the United
States from
Bangladesh in
1978 and strove
to create
opportunities
for their
children born in
the states. My
mother worked as
a cashier, later
starting her own
daycare
business. My
father spent
late nights
working at Bank
of America, and
was eventually
promoted to
assistant vice
president at one
of its
headquarters.
Living the
American dream,
we’d have family
barbecues, trips
to Disney World,
impromptu soccer
or football
games, and
community
service
projects. My
father began
pursuing his
Ph.D., but in
1995 he was
killed in a car
accident.
I was 12 when I
started wearing
a hijab. It was
encouraged in my
family, but it
was always my
choice. It was a
matter of faith,
identity, and
resilience for
me. After 9/11,
everything would
change. On top
of my shock,
horror, and
heartbreak, I
had to deal with
the fear some
kids suddenly
felt towards me.
I was glared at,
cursed at, and
spat at in
public and in
school. People
called me a
“terrorist” and
told me, “go
back to your
country.”
My father taught
me a Bengali
proverb inspired
by Islamic
scripture: “When
a man kicks you
down, get back
up, extend your
hand, and call
him brother.”
Peace, patience,
persistence,
respect,
forgiveness, and
dignity. These
were the values
I’ve carried
through my life
and my career.
I never intended
to work in
government. I
was among those
who assumed the
government was
inherently
corrupt and
ineffective.
Working in the
Obama White
House proved me
wrong. You can’t
know or
understand what
you haven’t been
a part of.
Still, inspired
by President
Obama, I joined
the White House
in 2011, after
graduating from
the George
Washington
University. I
had interned
there during my
junior year,
reading letters
and taking calls
from
constituents at
the Office of
Presidential
Correspondence.
It felt
surreal––here I
was, a
22-year-old
American Muslim
woman from
Maryland who had
been mocked and
called names for
covering my
hair, working
for the
president of the
United States.
The Atlantic
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?
Blair Imani, Founder of
Equality for HER
“For me, a Trump
presidency means
sustained
violence against
our most
vulnerable
communities. In
light of his
continued
disregard for
our most
cherished
institutions and
civil rights
leaders, I am
reminded that a
Trump presidency
also means a war
of ideologies
and narratives
in addition to
his plans to
dismantle our
public safety
nets. Trump's
presidency means
that resistance
and staying woke
are no longer
optional.”
“I'm going to be
sharing my
knowledge of
grassroots
organising and
protest at every
opportunity that
presents itself.
I will remember
that we are all
siblings on this
earth and that
we are stronger
when we are
united. I will
continue to
resist Trump's
narrative
despite its
increasing
prevalence.
Finally, I will
be editing the
Resistance
Manual which was
created by Sam
Sinyangwe and
the entire
Campaign Zero
team.””
The Five Ways
Donald Trump Is
Wrong About
Islam The White
House’s approach
to the world’s
second largest
religion isn’t
just bigoted –
it’s a strategic
disaster. BY
STEPHEN M. WALT
As a public
service,
therefore, I
offer the Top
Five Reasons
Steve Bannon is
Dead Wrong About
the “Islamic
Threat.”
1: The
Balance of Power
Is
Overwhelmingly
in Our Favour.
Let’s start with
some good
old-fashioned
power politics.
Imagine for the
moment that all
of Islam was in
fact united in
an effort to
overwhelm the
United States
and the rest of
the West. If
they really were
united, do the
world’s 1.6
billion Muslims
have the
capacity to do
so? Hardly.
There are 47
Muslim-majority
countries in the
world. If you
add all of their
economies
together, they
have a combined
GDP of slightly
more than $5
trillion. That
sounds like a
lot, but
remember that
the United
States has a GDP
of more than $17
trillion all by
itself and so
does the
European Union.
In terms of raw
economic power,
in short, the
“West” has this
fictitious
coalition of
Muslim states
out-matched from
the start.
The imbalance is
even more
striking when it
comes to
military
capability. This
same imaginary
coalition of
Muslim-majority
countries spent
roughly $270
billion on
defense last
year, and if you
take out U.S.
allies like
Saudi Arabia
($87 billion)
and the United
Arab Emirates
($22 billion),
the number drops
to less than
$200 billion. By
contrast, the
United States
alone spent
roughly $600
billion — more
than twice as
much — and
that’s not
counting its
various allies
like the United
Kingdom, Japan,
Israel, or
others.
But these raw
figures on
defense spending
greatly
understate the
West’s
advantage. The
entire Muslim
world produces
no indigenous
advanced combat
aircraft (though
Turkey produces
some
U.S.-designed
F-16s under
license) and no
indigenously
designed modern
battle tanks
(though Pakistan
makes a modified
Chinese tank and
Turkey is
working on one
of its own). The
navies of the
Muslim world
have no major
surface
combatants
larger than a
frigate (though
Iran is
reportedly
building a
single
destroyer), no
aircraft
carriers, no
long-range
bombers, and no
nuclear
submarines.
Indeed, the
power projection
capabilities of
all of these
states are
extremely
limited. And to
the extent that
these states
have much modern
military power,
it is because
the United
States, France,
the U.K., China
and others have
been willing to
sell or license
advanced
weaponry, for
various
strategic
reasons of their
own. Yet Saudi
Arabia’s
unimpressive
performance in
its recent
intervention in
Yemen suggests
that the Muslim
world’s capacity
to project power
even short
distances is
quite modest.
Thus, even if
one started with
the wholly
unrealistic
assumption that
the Muslim world
is a single
unified
movement, it’s
much, much, much
weaker than we
are. Maybe that
explains why
foreign powers
have intervened
in
Muslim-majority
countries
repeatedly over
the past couple
of centuries,
while the
reverse hasn’t
occurred since
the siege of
Vienna in 1529.
Not once. It
wasn’t Egypt
that invaded
France in 1798;
Saddam Hussein
didn’t send a
mighty
expeditionary
force around the
world and up the
Potomac to
occupy
Washington and
depose George W.
Bush in 2003;
and Muammar
al-Qaddafi
didn’t order his
air force to
bomb Paris in
order to oust
Nicolas Sarkozy
in 2011. Surely
this one-sided
history tells
you something
about the
relative power
of Western
states and those
from the Islamic
world.
NEXT WEEK IN
CCN:
2. Islam Is, in
Fact, Deeply
Divided.
Muslim
communities are
going through
tough times but
the proper
method of
responding is
necessary to
avoid more
serious problems
in the future.
Muslim
majority needs
to become more
vocal Kamran
Siddiqui,
engineering
professor at the
University of
Western Ontario
CANADA: Muslim
communities are
going through
tough times and
their future in
these societies
depends on how
they handle this
situation and
emerge from it.
There is no
question there
are issues
within Muslim
communities
living in the
West that
include an
increase in
radicalization,
especially among
youth,
integration with
local
communities, and
respecting the
social norms of
the society and
its secular
values.
One approach is
to play victim’s
role, claim
their innocence
and held others
responsible for
creating this
hostile
environment that
had led to these
terrible acts.
This approach,
however, will
lead Muslims
into the state
of denial and
move them away
from
self-correction,
which will
amplify these
issues and put
Muslims on a
collision course
with everyone
else.
The other
approach is to
consider these
incidents as a
self-check to
identify the
problems within
the Muslim
community and
take corrective
actions to
eliminate the
root causes. If
such problems
are not
identified,
acknowledged and
corrected at an
early stage then
they may lead to
more serious
problems in the
future.
One of the root
causes of these
problems is that
Muslims in the
West live under
the influence of
multi-faceted
geopolitical
conflicts in the
Muslim world.
Muslims view
these conflicts
with a
monochromatic
lens as a
conspiracy of
West against
Islam.
This sentiment
is sustained
through prayer
sermons, which
highlights the
global Muslim
sufferings. This
has led to the
development of
biased attitude
toward other
communities and
consequently the
self-isolation.
This is a major
obstacle in
their
integration into
the society and
a source of
religious
extremism.
The other root
cause is the
lack of
acknowledgement
of values and
expectations of
a secular and
pluralistic
society. In a
secular society,
religion is a
personal matter
and the
practicing of
religious
rituals is
restricted to
the private
lives. In the
public sphere,
every person is
equal in the
eyes of the
state,
irrespective of
race, religion
and gender.
However, Muslims
often demand
religious
preference in
public affairs.
The follower of
every religion
considers
his/her religion
to be the only
true religion
and Muslims are
no exceptions.
However, in a
pluralistic
society one must
respect other
religions and
maintain secular
social norms
equally with all
its citizens. If
Islamophobia is
unacceptable on
one side, then
hatred towards
Jews due to the
Palestine-Israel
conflict is also
inappropriate.
The solidarity
with Muslim
community shown
during these
incidents
confirmed that
the people of
Canada and U.S.
consider Muslims
living there to
be part of their
societies.
However, it is
also necessary
for Muslim
community to
reciprocate this
feeling and
demonstrate
their sense of
belonging to
these countries.
Through their
actions, they
must defy the
allegations that
Muslims living
in the West lack
their allegiance
towards the
country in which
they live as
rightful
citizens.
While the
tragedy in
Quebec City
provided an
opportunity for
the Muslim
community to
bridge any
mistrust that
exists,
unfortunately
the Arab-Muslim
community failed
to demonstrate
their allegiance
to the land when
the coffins of
three victims
were wrapped in
Algerian and
Tunisian flags.
The prime
minister of
Canada, the
premier of
Quebec, and
mayors of
Montreal and
Quebec City were
all present at
the funeral
prayers to pay
respect to the
victims, who for
them were
Canadians. But
the Arab-Muslim
community showed
no respect to
their gesture or
the sentiment of
a common
Canadian by
reminding them
that they are
Algerian and
Tunisian first
and then
Canadian.
There is no
doubt the vast
majority of
Muslims live
peacefully in
Western
countries and
fulfil their
responsibilities
as members of
Western society
but they need to
become more
vocal to negate
the
inappropriate
actions of a
small fraction
that tends to
alienate the
community.
Instead of
turning a blind
eye, they must
acknowledge the
issues and take
corrective
actions. They
should
demonstrate they
belong here and
become an
integral part of
its social
mosaic, and
share respect
for other
communities to
keep these
societies safe
and prosperous
for future
generations.
The Star
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
on Q&A
Yassmin
Abdel-Magied
said nothing
wrong. She
should not have
to face this
venom
Joumanah El
Matrah
When it comes to
Muslim women,
everyone’s a
feminist, even
if that
aspiration for
Muslim women’s
equality comes
at the expense
of, well … a
Muslim woman.
It is difficult
to fully
comprehend the
terrible crime
that Yassmin
Abdel-Magied
appears to have
committed, and
yet her argument
with senator
Jacqui Lambie
about Islam on
Q&A has provoked
a frenzy of
self-righteousness
and indignation
in some
conservative
commentators.
One right wing
group has
started a
petition calling
for her sacking.
No young person,
in seeking to
defend their
right to their
identity, should
have to face the
venom and barely
veiled prejudice
as Adbel-Magied
has had.
I know Abdel-Magied
and she does not
walk through
life blindfolded
nor is she
misogynistic or
homophobic. I’m
not writing this
piece to defend
her, as she is
capable of
defending
herself, but
because a
submission I
co-wrote to the
royal commission
into family
violence in 2015
has been used by
the Australian
to undermine and
attack her.
I don’t want my
voice added to
the war being
waged against a
young woman who
did nothing
other than
defend her
religion and try
to reflect
something of
herself while
under attack.
Abdel-Magied did
not say or do
anything wrong
on Q&A. Nor did
she say anything
incorrect. Nor,
given the mental
straight jacket
that the west
wears in
relation to
Islam and how
difficult it is
for those like
Jacqui Lambie to
hear anything
any Muslim says
above the white
noise of their
own prejudice,
could she have
responded better
or chosen better
words. Given the
situation she
was in, and the
depth of feeling
she clearly
holds for her
faith, she
communicated a
great deal.
Abdel-Magied was
asserting that
Islam is the
most feminist of
religions – she
was speaking of
Islam as a faith
and not denying
the homophobic
and misogynistic
of Islamic
cultural
practices.
It is impossible
to feel anything
other than
helplessness and
despair in the
face of critics
of Islam and
sharia. Those
like Lambie seem
uninterested in
learning
anything about
the religion
they want to
judge, they are
far more
captivated by an
uncomplicated
idea of the
wholesale abuse
of women and
other minorities
by sharia.
To find the
truth of Islam
is to seek the
specificities of
time, place,
culture and
politics. There
are no truths to
be found in
broad
generalisations
that omit far
more than they
reveal.
To describe
Islam is to try
to describe over
1,400 years of
history in which
thousands of
societies have
risen and fallen
under its name
and, numerous
cultures and
religions have
been transformed
by Islam and
indeed, have
transformed
Islam.
The Guardian
The Sehwan
Sharif shrine,
the day after a
suicide bomb
attack that
killed nearly 90
people.
In Pakistan,
tolerant Islamic
voices are being
silenced
William
Dalrymple
Last week, only
three days after
a suicide bomb
went off in
Lahore, an
Islamic State
supporter struck
a crowd of Sufi
dancers
celebrating in
the great
Pakistani shrine
of Sehwan
Sharif. The
attack, which
killed almost
90, showed the
ability of
radical
Islamists to
silence moderate
and tolerant
voices in the
Islamic world.
The attack also
alarmingly
demonstrated the
ever-wider reach
of Isis and the
ease with which
it can now
strike within
Pakistan. Isis
now appears to
equal the
Taliban as a
serious threat
to this
nuclear-armed
country.
The suicide
bombing of the
Sehwan shrine is
an ominous
development for
the world, in a
region that
badly needs
stability. It is
an Islamic
shrine where
outsiders,
religious
minorities and
women are all
welcomed. Here,
70 years after
partition and
the violent
expulsion of
most of the
Hindus of
Pakistan into
India (and vice
versa with
Muslims into
Pakistan), one
of the
hereditary tomb
guardians is
still a Hindu,
and it is he who
performs the
opening ritual
at the annual
festival. Hindu
holy men,
pilgrims and
officials still
tend the shrine.
But the wild and
ecstatic
night-long
celebrations
marking the Sufi
saint’s
anniversary were
almost a
compendium of
everything
Islamic puritans
most disapprove
of: loud Sufi
music and love
poetry sung in
every courtyard;
men dancing with
women; hashish
being smoked.
Hindus and
Christians were
all welcome to
join in the
celebrations.
A radical
anti-Sufi
movement is
growing
throughout the
Islamic world.
Until the 20th
century,
ultra-orthodox
strains of Islam
tended to be
regarded as
heretical by
most Muslims.
But since the
1970s, Saudi oil
wealth has been
used to spread
such intolerant
beliefs across
the globe. As a
result, many
contemporary
Muslims have
been taught a
story of Islamic
religious
tradition from
which the
tolerance of
Sufism is
excluded.
What happens at
the Sehwan
Sharif shrine
matters, as it
is an indication
as to which of
the two ways
global Islam
will go. Can it
continue to
follow the path
of moderate
pluralistic
Islam, or –
under the
pressure of
Saudi funding –
will it opt for
the more
puritanical,
reformed Islam
of the Wahhabis
and Salafis,
with their
innate suspicion
(or even overt
hostility)
towards
Hinduism,
Christianity and
Judaism?
Islam in south
Asia is
changing. Like
16th-century
Europe on the
eve of the
Reformation,
reformers and
puritans are on
the rise,
distrustful of
music, images,
festivals and
the devotional
superstitions of
saints’ shrines.
In Christian
Europe, they
looked to the
text alone for
authority, and
recruited the
bulk of their
supporters from
the newly
literate urban
middle class,
who looked down
on what they saw
as the corrupt
superstitions of
the illiterate
peasantry.
Hardline Wahhabi
and Salafi
fundamentalism
has advanced so
quickly in
Pakistan partly
because the
Saudis have
financed the
building of so
many madrasas
that have filled
the vacuum left
by the collapse
of state
education.
The Guardian
Sharia living
- the image and
the reality
Nationalist
groups and
politicians
frequently use
the concept of
what they term
encroaching "sharia
law" to argue
against Muslim
immigration to
Australia.
But sharia is
actually a
complex and
much-debated set
of rules that
has been highly
politicised and
much
misunderstood.
It is the go-to
scare tactic
used by many
anti-Islam
groups: Muslims
are going to
take over and
impose "sharia
law" on
Australia.
But those closer
to the subject
say everything
about that
statement is
wrong, including
the term "sharia
law."
Dr Ghena Krayem
is a senior
lecturer at the
Sydney Law
School.
She says sharia
is not actually
law at all, but
a much broader
set of
guidelines for
how Muslims
should live
their lives.
"For example,
the way in which
Muslims pray,
the way in which
Muslims eat, the
way in which
they engage with
their
relationships,
their
neighbours,
their family,
the way in which
they wash
themselves. All
of these things
that are really
the totality of
a Muslim's life
come within the
bounds of sharia.
And one small
part of it
relates to some
of the common
things we would
associate with
the legal
system."
Dr Krayem says
sharia is very
dynamic and is
interpreted in
different ways
in different
cultural
contexts.
"On the one
hand, people can
think, 'That's
just so
difficult to
grasp then.' But
on the other
hand, it also
enables one to
find the
practice of
faith that they
are comfortable
in, that fits
within their
context, and
that's why we
can talk about
the emergence of
an Australian
Muslim identity,
because I think
we're starting
to see that."
Adam Possamai is
a professor of
sociology of
religion at
Western Sydney
University.
He has studied
how Muslims
practise sharia
in Australia.
"In the
interviews that
were conducted
as part of the
research that I
did as part of a
group, we
realised that
the informers
that revealed to
us the way they
lived their
everyday lives
were complying
perfectly well
with the
Australian way
of living. They
were all happy
with the
Australian laws,
thinking that
the Australian
laws are very
open for them to
express their
religion."
Australia Muslim
Women's
Association
president Silma
Ihram says
following sharia
does not mean
Muslims will not
follow the laws
of the country
where they live.
"You have to,
according to
sharia, respect
the law of the
land. You can't
interpret the
law to suit
yourself."
Professor
Possamai says
the Muslims he
studied reported
there were few
differences
between
Australian law
and the legal
aspects of
sharia.
"The thing as
well is that
some people will
tend to
homogenise
sharia and focus
on some cases
that happened in
parts of the
world and are
criminal law.
The people that
took part in
that research
don't want to
deal with the
criminal law.
They're happy
with the
criminal law in
Australia
definitely, and
they're happy
with the
Australian law."
Ghena Krayem
says the main
legal aspect in
which Muslims
turn to sharia
principles is
family law.
"What the
research has
found is that,
for the majority
of Muslims,
regardless of
levels of
religiosity,
when it comes to
matters of
marriage and
divorce, they'll
come back into
the community,
they will
consult with
religious
leaders on these
issues. So it is
in that realm in
which there are
aspects of
Islamic legal
principles, or
Islamic norms,
that come into
play in the
everyday lives
of Muslims."
Dr Krayem says,
outside of
family law,
Muslims and
their leaders
are not
interested in
changing
Australian laws.
The treatment of
women is one of
the frequently
quoted concerns
about sharia and
its place in the
modern world.
Dr Krayem says,
given some of
the practices
taking place in
the name of
Islam overseas,
she can
understand why
people believe
sharia oppresses
women.
"There may be
practices that
are being done
in the name of
Islam that are
contrary to
Islamic
principles in
regards to
women, and we
must call them
out, but we must
also remember
not to just lump
everything in
and blame Islam
for everything.
Rather, we
should be able
to identify what
are the forces
in play, what's
actually causing
the oppression
of women."
Other
misconceptions
about sharia
include claims
halal-food
certification,
signifying food
has been
prepared the
right way for
Muslim
consumption,
will lead to "sharia
law" in
Australia.
Silma Ihram
refutes the
whole idea,
saying halal
certification is
simply the law
recognising the
needs of the
Muslim
community.
"The fact that
we have halal
food is not part
of this
overarching
'we're taking
over society'
kind of thing,
because disabled
people have been
able to make
changes to the
law, the gay
community's been
able to make
changes to the
law, because the
law in every
country is meant
to reflect the
needs of its
community. It
doesn't mean to
say that it can
impose their
needs on
everybody else."
Both Dr Krayem
and Professor
Possamai say
more open
discussion is
needed in the
community to
educate
Australians
about sharia.
And they say
more discussion
is needed to
explore ways
sharia
principles could
benefit the
country.
"One of the
things I'm quite
passionate about
is that we're
not here to set
up any parallel
legal system.
We're actually
here to work
together within
the one existing
framework," says
Dr Krayem.
"What needs to
be done is to
have a stronger
dialogue in the
public sphere in
Australia for us
to understand
what it means to
be religious in
Australia,"
Professor
Possamai says.
"And, here, I'm
speaking not
just about
Muslims, but
there are other
religions as
well in
Australia that
we need to
understand. And
by being able to
have a
constructive
dialogue and
understand the
needs of others
that do not go
against the
Australian
system, we can
work better as
Australia being
a multi-faith,
multicultural
society."
Since the days of
Ned Kelly, facial coverings have
been part of Australia.
Response
to Domestic Violence
Onepath Network
Keysar
Trad on Domestic Violence
Bolt Report
Keysar Trad
described beating women as “step
three” in a process of dealing
with issues in relationships,
after counselling and buying
chocolates or “taking her out on
a dinner”.
Muslim
leaders ask schools
to make concessions for
Muslim students fasting for
Ramadan. Channel 7:
Sunrise
Change of
Heart for Man who Hated
Muslims
Powerful
Reminder | The Reality of
Life and Death IslamInFocus
A short video that reminds
people to prepare for the
hereafter. With the famous
nasheed (Last Breath by Ahmed
Bukhatir), this video will in
sha Allah inspire the viewer to
strive harder to be closer to
Allah, following the sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (salallahu
alaihi wa salam).
Mangal
Sandwich & Juice
Community News
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.
Turkish
Women Can Now Wear Headscarves in Military
TURKEY: Wednesday,
Turkish state media announced that its
country’s military will lift its ban on
headscarves.
The Turkish army is often viewed as a
last stronghold of the secularism that
marked the birth of the modern Turkish
state founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
in 1923. Secularism in the Turkish sense
is, as Michael Reynolds of Princeton
University told Foreign Policy
“radically different” from secularism
elsewhere. “It’s not separation of
church and state,” he said, but rather
“putting religion under control of the
state.” The ban on headscarves in public
institutions was put in place in the
1980s.
The military was the last holdout.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
of the conservative Justice and
Development Party (AKP), has been
president since 2014, after a decade as
prime minister before that. His party
has fought to reintroduce religion into
society and roll back much of Ataturk’s
secular legacy ever since.
Erdogan’s critics say that the lifting
of the headscarf ban is proof Erdogan is
imposing Islam on society. Last April,
the speaker of Turkey’s Parliament
called for a religious constitution.
This provoked outrage from secular
segments of society, which have seen
secular safeguards removed before
(regional expert Sarabrynn Hudgins notes
that, for example, the national
Religious Affairs Directorate declared
New Years’ celebrations illegitimate,
and said, “Erdogan has personally made
scalding condemnations of social media
and women working outside the home,
calling childless women ‘deficient’ and
‘incomplete'”). But those individuals
were in turn assured that secularism
would stay.
Erdogan and his supporters, in contrast,
say the headscarf ban was an illiberal
holdover from the days of forced
secularism. Either way, the headscarf
ban was lifted on university campuses
(per Hudgins, the second secular
safeguard) in 2010; in state
institutions in 2013; in high schools in
2014; and in the police force, women
have been able to wear headscarves since
last year, as have civilian personnel in
the military.
And now, per defense ministry decree,
women serving in the military may wear
headscarves under their caps and berets
so long as they match and do not cover
their faces.
Durban's mosque with a
cross on top: defunct heritage building
becomes a house of prayer again
SOUTH AFRICA:
Moroccan artists were brought in to
add an authentic touch to the
conversion of Durban's listed Aliwal
Congregational Church into a new
mosque, writes Shubnum Khan
Growing up I was taught that places
of prayer must be revered and I was
taught that conversations with God
are the best ones to have. Whilst
studying fine art, one of my
projects at university focused on
how places of prayer were built to
instil a sense of peace in their
design.
With this interest in mind, I was
intrigued to hear about a group of
Moroccan craftsmen who have arrived
in Durban to practise an ancient art
form on the walls of the beautiful
but neglected Aliwal Congregational
Church which is currently being
converted into a mosque.
The church, which was built in 1903
close to the city hall, was sold in
the 1990s and used for business
thereafter. During World War 1 the
hall was used by British armed
forces and decades later the church
was used as a furniture store and
then a photographer’s studio.
The family of Moroccan artisans led
by Mohamed Houifed Kanar are at work
at the church, applying gypsum which
is then hand-carved in detail in the
ancient tradition of yeseria, a
technique of carving plaster
originally used by Spanish Moors.
The craftsmen begin their
apprenticeship at an early age but
the numbers of these highly skilled
artisans are dwindling.
Kanar from Tangiers was in Durban 21
years ago to work on the Muslim
prayer facility at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal.
When I visited the men at work they
were near the end of their project,
which had taken almost two months to
complete. To watch the crafters at
work is a pleasure; as they carve
each wave and indent into the
intricate design their every
movement seems filled with love and
respect.
The building is now being
meticulously restored by heritage
architect Lindsay Napier in
association with Architects
Collaborative. Yusuf Patel, one of
the architects working on the
project said that the Moroccan
artists were brought in to add an
authentic touch to a heritage
building.
The mosque aims to be an inclusive
space and this is emphasised with
the Arabic quote carved into gypsum
taken from the Quran, “O mankind,
indeed. We have created you from
male and female and made you peoples
and tribes that you may know one
another.”
Renovations include the creation of
a women’s prayer area and a
visitor’s area for those of other
religions to observe Muslim prayers.
The hall is to be used for
exhibitions, lectures and functions.
Walking into this holy space
sanctified by not one but two major
religions is breathtaking. As a
protected listed site the building
must retain the original church
aesthetics, including the cross on
the spire. The church exterior,
combined with the interior detail of
handcrafted Moroccan embellishments,
has turned the space into a
spiritual wonder that radiates
history, peace and inter-religious
cohesion.
Acclaimed Durban sculptor, Andries
Botha has praised the restoration.
“When you walk into the building you
will immediately know that
transcendent values are being
embraced.”
As I move through the hall that is
filled with dust and paint I am
filled with a sense of peace and I
am reminded of something my father
said. “A place of prayer is a space
created entirely for the
contemplation of God’s creation.”
New Yorkers rally to say 'Today I am a
Muslim, too'
Music mogul leads pro-Muslim
rally in NYC
US: New Yorkers by the
thousand, representing myriad
backgrounds and faiths, converged on
Times Square on Sunday, heeding a music
mogul's calls to let Muslims know their
fellow Americans stood by them.
The demonstrators -- many of them
hoisting placards featuring a woman in
an American flag hijab with the caption
"we the people are greater than fear" --
gathered at one of the world's most
famous public places to denounce what
they see as threats and pressure aimed
at Muslim communities.
The rally, dubbed "Today I am a Muslim
Too," was billed on social media as "a
day of solidarity with our Muslim
brothers and sisters in reaction to the
vicious attacks by (President Donald
Trump)."
Trump has made numerous disparaging
remarks about Muslims and an appeals
court recently put a halt to his
executive order that temporarily barred
all refugees and travelers from seven
predominantly Muslim countries from
entering the country. Trump has vowed to
issue a new order tailored to the
court's decision.
Demonstrators toted American flags and
maroon signs that said, "I am a Muslim,
too," as one activist donned a Trump
costume and paraded through the crowd
with a bald eagle in a cage.
The list of speakers was extensive,
according to the program. In addition to
entrepreneur and Def Jam Recordings
co-founder Russell Simmons, who helped
organize the event, attendees were
scheduled to hear from rabbis, imams, a
Sikh, a Buddhist, Episcopalian and
Presbyterian reverends, a Mennonite, a
Seventh Day Adventist minister, a Hindu,
a Baptist pastor, local politicians and
civil rights advocates.
Actor Susan Sarandon and New York Mayor
Bill de Blasio also spoke, and former
first daughter Chelsea Clinton tweeted
that the rally marked her 2-year-old's
first protest.
Simmons, no stranger to activism, told
those at the rally to focus on how
Trump, his onetime friend, had unified
the people in attendance.
"We won't speak too harshly of him
today. We want to thank him for bringing
us together," he said.
He decried those who would demonize
Muslims as terrorists when, in fact,
Muslims have been the victims of
terrorism and stand as allies in the
fight against extremism.
"So we are here today to show middle
America our beautiful signs and, through
our beautiful actions and intention,
that they have been misled -- that the
seeds of hate that were small and maybe
just ignorance cannot be watered, and
that hate cannot grow because we are
here to assist them in promoting love,"
Simmons told the crowd.
Brooklyn-born Palestinian-American
activist and commentator Linda Sarsour
noted that Sunday marked the 75th
anniversary of President Franklin
Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066, which
paved the way for the internment of
Japanese-, German- and
Italian-Americans.
She asked those in attendance to commit
to being part of "the true never-again
generation."
Both Merkel and US Vice
President Mike Pence attend key
security conference in Munich
with Russia high on the agenda.
US: German Chancellor
Angela Merkel has said Islam is not the
source of "terrorism" and that
cooperating with predominantly Muslim
states in the fight against it is vital.
Merkel, who has been critical of US
President Donald Trump's attempt to
impose a temporary travel ban on people
from seven Muslim-majority countries,
was speaking on Saturday at the Munich
Security Conference, with US Vice
President Mike Pence in the audience.
"I think, those countries, first and
foremost have to give a contribution.
Because only in this way we would be
able to convince people that it is not
Islam that is the source of terrorism.
But a falsely understood Islam," she
said.
"I expect from religious authorities of
Islam to find strong language in order
to delimitate peaceful Islam from
terrorism committed in the name of
Islam. We as non-Muslims cannot do this,
it should be done by Islamic clergy and
authorities," she added.
The Islamic Enlightenment: The Modern Struggle Between
Faith and Reason
by
Christopher De Bellaigue
Description
The Islamic Enlightenment: a
contradiction in terms?
The Muslim world has often been
accused of a failure to modernise, reform and adapt. But,
from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the present
day, Islamic society in its Middle Eastern heartlands has in
fact been transformed by modern ideals and practices,
including the adoption of modern medicine, the emergence of
women from purdah and the development of democracy.
Who were the scholars and scientists, writers and
politicians that brought about these remarkable changes? And
why is their legacy now under threat?
Beginning with the dramatic collision of East and West
following Napoleon’s arrival in Egypt, and taking us through
200 tumultuous years of Middle Eastern history, Christopher
de Bellaigue introduces us to key figures and reformers;
from Egypt’s visionary ruler Muhammad Ali to brave radicals
like Iran’s first feminist Qurrat al-Ayn and the writer
Ibrahim Sinasi, who transformed Ottoman Turkey’s language
and literature.
This book tells the forgotten story of the Islamic
Enlightenment. It shows us how to look beyond sensationalist
headlines to foster a genuine understanding of modern Islam
and Muslim culture, and is essential reading for anyone
engaged with the state of the world today.
KB says:This recipe is a
combination of a few recipes and tried and
tested for which I received the thumbs up and a
little different than your normal kebaabs in
chutney.
Meatballs Roulade
Step 1
Mash:
Boil 2 to 3 potatoes. Once soft season with only
a little butter and salt. Mash till smooth. Add
some chopped spring onions. Make a small marble
size balls & place on a tray. Place in freezer
till you ready to use.
Step 2
1kg lamb mince
2 onions
1/2 bunch green dhania
Spring onions
4 slices stale bread
6 or more green chillies
5 pieces of garlic
Put everything through the mincer or food
processor
Season with
2 tsp fine cumin
2 tsp fine dhana/coriander powder
1 tsp white pepper
˝ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. ghee
2 beaten eggs
Step 3
Combine everything together and in the palm of
your hand take some mince, spread out slightly.
Place a
frozen mash ball in centre. Close up & roll into
ball. Place on a greased oven tray.
Bake at 180 for not more than 10 minutes or
until you know it's cooked through, retain the
juices.
Step 4 Sauce
Place in shallow pot with a little butter and
ever so slightly let it brown.
Remove the meat balls and place on your serving
plate (keep warm).
In the same pot pour the remaining meat juices
from the oven tray, add a little ghee and stir
fry sliced onions, red and green peppers, 1 tsp
garlic, red chillies and then add 2 tbsp.
Worcester sauce, Nandos pepper sauce and 3 tab
lemon juice and cook for a minute.
Whilst hot pour the sauce over the warm meat
balls.
Serve with fried grated potatoes, mix vegetables
or with hot chips.
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 looked
at identifying our
PATTERN, the
set of habits and
behaviours we
inherited from
others as a result
of conditioning.
When we live
according to this
pattern, we operate
on a default mode.
Life is a beautiful
blessing by ALLAH
swt whereby we are
blessed with a mind.
Humans are blessed
with the mind to
live a joyful, kind,
caring life.
However, when we
look around us,
humans have not been
living a joyful,
kind and caring
life...one only
needs to observe the
state of the world
currently to see how
destructive, unkind
and uncaring we have
been to ourselves
and all of ALLAH’s
creation. SUBHAAN
ALLAH!
The good news is
that it is never too
late to become aware
and make a conscious
transformation to
break the pattern.
To switch off from
the default mode of
operation and switch
on our SOULFUL mode.
Transformation of
self does not occur
overnight. If that
were the case,
Muslims across the
globe would not be
required to pray
five times a day.
ALLAH swt has
commanded these five
obligatory prayers
to help us
understand that we
need to connect with
HIM and reflect on
the hours between
each prayer in order
to seek guidance for
the hours to come.
When we live on a
default mode, our
prayers also reflect
the lack of
connection to self
and to ALLAH swt. We
behave as though it
is a chore and we
seldom use our minds
in the prayer time
to truly reflect and
genuinely connect.
The reason we do
that is that we are
caught up in the
worries of our
material world - too
anxious to get on
with the chores of
the day ahead, too
fearful to simply
embrace the present
moment.
The present moment -
NOW - is all we
have. The awareness
of NOW is what
transforms the self.
If we use our
present moment to
dwell in fear,
anxiety, worry,
anger, jealousy or
hate, we begin to
operate on a
negative frequency.
As a result, we
generate negative
outcomes.
Allowing even one
negative emotion
means to live
un-authentically to
our true nature in
which ALLAH swt
created us. Our
Essential Selves
(refer to my column
in newsletter 639)
thrive on
positivity, joy,
kindness, care,
compassion and
unconditional love.
It is absolutely
vital to transform
negative thoughts to
positive ones if we
are to live
according to the
true nature in which
we were created.
I recommend a daily
practice of
THOUGHT SWITCH.
Here is how it’s
done. For the
purpose of this
exercise, I have
used the words
“pleasant” and
“unpleasant” to
describe the nature
of our thoughts. A
pleasant thought
always makes you
feel joy and love.
An unpleasant
thought always
evokes worry,
anxiety, fear,
anger, jealousy,
hate and doubt.
1. Sit in
silence for 2
minutes
2. Notice your
thoughts
3. Notice your
inner voice
4. If a pleasant
thought comes,
smile and say
ALHUMDOLILLAH
5. If an
unpleasant
thought comes,
IMMEDIATELY
think of the
beauty of
nature, for
example, clear,
blue ocean;
majestic
mountains;
colourful
flowers…
6. Keep thinking
about pleasant
thoughts, keep
smiling and
saying
ALHUMDOLILLAH
7. Keep
switching
unpleasant
thoughts to
pleasant ones by
thinking of
nature and its
beauty
8. Dwell only on
pleasant
thoughts and
smile as you
utter
ALHUMDULILLAH
9. Do this
practice daily
for 2 minutes,
few times a day.
Practise this daily
and In Shaa ALLAH
you will feel more
aware of your habits
and behaviours. With
awareness comes
transformation.
Next week, we will
look at strategies
to develop a
positive
relationship with
people. Till then,
be kind to yourself
and care for
yourself. Self-Care
starts from
Self-Talk, which
starts from
Thoughts...DO think
pleasant thoughts.
When you are kind
and caring to self
then you are able to
be kind and caring
to all of ALLAH’s
creation.
If you wish to know
about a specific
topic with regards
to this subject,
please email me on
info@healingwordstherapy.com.
All questions sent in
are published here anonymously and without any
references to the author of the question.
How to Set Real Goals and *Actually* Achieve
It
I know we are almost at the end of February
already, but... how many of you have started to
lose track of their goals this year? Be honest!
*slowly raises hands too*
Well, doughnut worry! It is never too late to
reset your mind and intentions to achieve your
resolutions. We still have 10 more months to
2017.. so, you got this!
Click on the link to learn the steps to
setting realistic and achievable goals.
“And It is Allah Who created
you in a state of (helpless)
weakness, then gave (you)
strength after weakness,
then, after strength, gave
(you) weakness and a hoary
head: He creates as He
wills, and it is He Who has
all knowledge and power. ”
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.
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
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the CCN Team, its Editor or its
Sponsors, particularly if they eventually turn out to be
libellous, unfounded, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive,
slanderous and/or downright distasteful.
It is the usual policy of CCN to
include from time to time, notices of events that some
readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are
often posted as received. Including such messages or
providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement of the contents of these events by CCN
The best ideas
and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
have a topic or opinion that you want to write about or want
seen covered or any news item that you think might be of benefit
to the Crescents Community please
e-mail us..
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
Births, Marriages,
New Migrants and
Condolences
Mr
Wasim Malik is a senior
Business Continuity
professional having over 17
years of experience. 
Turkish
Women Can Now Wear Headscarves in Military
Grab
our essential pack and start your fitness journey today
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011