The Islamic Council of
Queensland held its AGM on
22nd October 2017 at
Islamic College of Brisbane
in Karawatha and was
attended by delegates from
13 societies.
After a robust discussion a
motion to relax the rules of
membership was unanimously
passed.
“Creating unity was on our
agenda from the day one of
the new ICQ team, we cannot
be a peak organisation with
a closed constitution. These
changes will allow us to add
reputable Muslim
organisations as our
members. These are testing
times and unity is an
absolute necessary for our
community” said Ismail Cajee,
president of Islamic Council
of Queensland.
This change means that
reputable organisations like
the Kuraby Mosque, Islamic
Women’s Association of
Australia and many other
will be full members of
Islamic Council of
Queensland.
Reiterating ICQs vision,
Fahim Khondaker, secretary
of Islamic Council of
Queensland said “During the
very first year of our term
we have managed to double
our membership base and we
are looking forward to
create a strong and robust
organisations which works
towards a future where every
Queenslander has a positive
view of Muslims and Islam”
The
winners of the QCT
Excellence in Teaching
Awards were announced at the
World Teachers’ Day Ceremony
held at Queensland
University of Technology,
Brisbane on 27th October,
2017.
Ms Tahnee Brown
(pictured), a Primary
School teacher from Wisdom
College was the recipient of
the QCT Excellence in
Beginning to Teach Award.
Wisdom College is an
independent school in
Brisbane’s Southside that
enrols students of all
faiths. The majority of the
children are from
non-English speaking
backgrounds, viz. from
Turkey, the Arabian
Peninsula, the African
continent, India, Pakistan
and Korea, to name a few.
“We always emphasise to our
students the importance of
having a good character and
always ‘doing the right
thing’ both in the classroom
and the playground," a
spokesperson for the College
told CCN.
"The aim of Wisdom College
is to provide students with
academic excellence combined
with moral and ethical
values."
Ms Brown uses her
extraordinary background in
early childhood education to
help her students thrive
academically, socially and
emotionally. She has built
on her 15 years’ experience
in child care centres and
kindergartens to provide
exciting and meaningful
lessons. The principal of
Wisdom College, Mr. Murat
Guzel, describes her
classroom as "a happy one
due to her careful planning
and an in-depth
understanding of her
students and years of
experience in the field of
early childhood."
Tahnee uses various
strategies designed to
overcome language barriers
and foster empathy among her
students. She ensures that
her teaching practices
reflect the latest
strategies, and her
curriculum plans reflect a
very well organised and up
to date pedagogy whereby all
students are catered for.
Since almost all the
students in her class are
from varied ethnic
backgrounds, Ms. Brown takes
care to create a culturally
inclusive classroom, where
children feel comfortable
with their
differences/similarities.
Tahnee has a very
personalized and empathetic
approach towards each
student aimed at making them
aware of each other’s
feelings.
“Before we start each
day, I ask students
questions such as ‘How
are you today? How are
you feeling? Why are you
feeling that way?’ and
‘How can we fix that?’
“We work together,
recognising that all
emotions are okay,
finding ways to process
and manage these
effectively and thinking
of ideas to help
ourselves feel better.
This is a great strategy
to ensure that all
students have a positive
start to teach day,
having been heard and
having their feelings
validated”.
Parents, teachers and
students admire her
empathetic, passionate and
academic approach and
believe that Tahnee
genuinely deserves to be
recognised for her
management and teaching
skills. Her commitment,
dedication, devotion and
hard work will give our
children the social,
cognitive, emotional, and
physical skills that they
need to become confident
young adults.
The 2017 recipient of the
QBM Griffith MBA Responsible
Leadership Scholarship is
Mahommed Tilly, the
investment manager for
Indigenous Business
Australia who strives to
find opportunities that
provide both financial and
social outcomes for
Australia's First People.
"Working to create value for
people is tremendously
satisfying, and a major
reason I enjoy my job,"
Mahommed says.
He has long wanted to study
an MBA but, with three
children at home, found he
didn't have the resources to
take the next step - until
now.
The winning scholarship
prize is worth more than
$50,000.
"I'm very excited, it opens
up a wonderful opportunity
for me," Mahommed says.
Mahommed also contributes to
the Islamic Council of Qld
and is on the board of the
Islamic College of Brisbane.
Report by Mobinah Ahmad and Photos by
Anita Martins
Now in its fourth year, the
National Mosque Open Day was
held on Saturday 28 October
2017.
This is a nationally
coordinated event where
mosques in all states open
their doors to all
Australians from various
faiths and no faith to
showcase Islam in theory and
practice.
There are information
displays, tours, Q&A
sessions, fun activities for
kids, big and small and
mingling of people from
diverse background and
faiths in order to break
down barriers.
This year’s event featured
several mosques across the
nation who simultaneously
opened their doors to the
public and invited them to
come in and explore their
local mosque.
At Imam Ali Mosque in
Lakemba, a young man asked
questions surrounding
whether the Islamic rulings
of inheritance were still
applicable today given the
nature of gender roles in
modern day society.
The annual nationwide event
is supported by the Lebanese
Muslim Association and the
Department of Social
Services, promoting cohesion
within communities and
clarifying misconceptions.
The day was also part of the
National Day of Unity on 31
October when Australians are
encouraged to contribute to
greater harmony in society.
According to one of the
organisers of the Garden
City Mosque, Professor
Shahjahan Khan, the open day
in Toowoomba was not about
religion, but about bringing
people together to enjoy
each other’s company.
Acting president of The
Islamic Centre of Newcastle
(which includes the Sultan
Fatih Mosque), Forugh Dorani
noticed a major change since
the open day started.
“Our relationship with the
wider community, our
neighbours and different
faith groups has improved –
and is now at a high,” said
Mr Dorani.
“A couple of years ago we
had people asking us about
Al Qaeda and ISIS, but it’s
shifted away from that,” he
further added.
“There is fear of the
unknown, but this is
bringing attention to the
fact that Muslims are your
next door neighbour,
pharmacists, GP’s, fixing
your roads, the shopkeepers
you buy kebabs from,” he
said.
The mosques this year taking
part in the National Mosque
Open Day included Lakemba
Mosque, Cabramatta Mosque,
Young Mosque, Qaker’s Hill
Mosque, Sultan Fatih Mosque
(NSW), Rockhampton Mosque,
Cairns Mosque, Garden City
Mosque (QLD), Hobart Mosque
(TAS), Al Khalil Mosque (SA)
and Perth Mosque (WA).
AMUST
A
woman tries on a
hijab at Al Khalil
Mosque, Adelaide
Dr Mufti Ismail Menk
addressing thousands gathered at
the Sports Centre, Sydney
Olympic Park
Mufti Menk, the popular
Islamic celebrity gave his
live lecture, a first for
Australia, addressing
thousands of mainly young
people at the Sports Centre
at Sydney Olympic Park on
Wednesday 25 October 2017.
Dr Mufti Ismail Menk, the
Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe is a
leading global Islamic
scholar with a high profile
social media presence such
as Twitter and has hundreds
of videos on his YouTube
channel Mufti Menk series
disseminating Islamic
education with effective
delivery for a global
audience.
He was born and raised in
Zimbabwe obtaining Islamic
education in Madinah, Saudi
Arabia and holds a Doctorate
of Social Guidance.
Mufti Menk was invited to
Australia by the United
Muslims of Australia (UMA).
Initially, all tickets for
the event were sold out
within the first few days of
its release and therefore
the venue had to be
relocated to Olympic Park in
order to enable many more
people to attend. Again, all
tickets were snapped up
within a few hours of
release.
UMA organised the event in a
structured and professional
manner and huge crowds of
all ages and backgrounds to
the lecture.
Mufti Menk gave a very
practical lecture and used
important examples from
hadith with good humour to
emphasise his points.
He talked about the signs of
piety, mainly being good
conduct and character and
that being the key to take
one to Jannah.
Mufti Menk emphasised the
development of good attitude
and character that can be
most effective for daawah
purposes than mere advice.
He pointed out that all
actions in daily living were
Ibadah, worship if carried
out in the right manner.
“Ibadah is a lifestyle. When
you clothe yourself, it is
an act of Ibadah (worship),”
he said.
Towards the end of his
lecture, he reinforced the
idea that we must be united
as one Ummah and those that
harm others are cowards.
Tamam Abdel Qader, Customer
Service and Vish Naikar, Store
Manager.
SYDNEY: Woolworths Lakemba
had their grand opening of
their new store on Wednesday
25 October at their store in
Lakemba.
Store Manager, Vish Naikar
talked about stocking a
large variety of halal
products such as an
extensive range of Fettayleh
Smallgoods and a number of
other frozen and
refrigerated products
certified halal.
“We have really tailored the
store according to what the
customers wanted. We’ve got
a new range of halal
products. Based on their
shopping needs, we received
feedback that customers
wanted halal options. We’ve
really listened to provide
them with a unique range at
a competitive price,” he
said.
Aside from offering halal
products, Naikar also talked
about his plans to engage
with the local community,
provide support and give
back.
“We really want to engage
the local community,
especially with locals
schools and mosques, to
really provide as much
support as we can through
free food and see what we
can give back to the
community. Nothing is set as
yet, but ideas such as a
fruit and veg garden for a
local childcare is the type
of engagement we’re thinking
of,” he further commented.
The suburban Brisbane Holland
Park Mosque has a rich history
reaching back to the 1880s,
explains Holland Park Mosque
Museum Curator Janeth Deen.
The first mosque in
Queensland was a tin shed
situated in Cloncurry, which
served the needs of the
Cameleers and other Muslims
in the area at the time.
In the late 1880s Muslims of
Afghan and Indian origin
settled in the Mt Gravatt/Holland
Park area. They regularly
met on a small block of land
on the corner of Crest
Street and Logan Road for
prayers and religious
festivals. By 1908 the local
Muslim community had raised
enough funds to build a
mosque, a wooden
Queenslander that looked
like many of the other
houses in the area at the
time.
The establishment of this
mosque was a historical
event that was very
important to the people of
Queensland. It was the first
established mosque on the
East coast of Australia.
There was no opposition to
its establishment. In fact,
it became a landmark in the
Mt Gravatt area as a mosque
is essentially a first step
towards fostering unity
amongst people, and
consequently is a powerful
force in our endeavours to
unite mankind.
It became the meeting place
of Muslims on the East coast
of Australia. It catered to
the needs of seasonal Indian
workers, Muslim hawkers, and
important dignitaries who
wished to participate in
prayers, festivals, and
connect with people of their
own culture and language.
The early congregations were
small as there were only a
small number of settled
families, but the numbers
swelled for religious
festivals. The mosque had a
small adjacent building to
house travelers and elderly
men for a short period of
time. No one felt lonely, as
the members of the community
were often present at the
mosque.
The children loved visiting
the mosque, playing under
the mango tree and watching
the men cook curries on the
wood stove. Eid festivals
would bring all the families
together for presents,
delicious food and
interaction. Some would
spend hours commuting from
the Gold Cost, Hope Island,
and even Lismore
In spite of the White
Australia Policy and
discrimination at the time,
the Muslims were a happy,
hard-working group. The
white population accepted
their presence with the
knowledge that they were
productive members of the
community and small in
number.
The Queenslander mosque, the
only one of its kind in
Australia, went through many
renovations over the years
to cater for the growing
population. The migration of
Muslims after World War Two
and later the end of the
White Australia Policy, when
business migrants were
allowed to migrate led to an
increase in numbers and
plans were developed to
build a larger brick
building.
The original mosque was not
demolished until the new
two-storied brick mosque was
completed in 1966. Many
would feel the loss of the
unique Queenslander, but it
couldn’t cater to the needs
of the growing population of
Muslims.
Most of the Muslims lived
around the mosque due to the
need to attend Friday
prayers as well as to
connect with people of their
faith and culture. The
majority of these Muslims
were Sunni. Now people come
from all over Brisbane as
many of the local Muslim
families can’t afford the
spike in Holland Park house
prices.
Our early imams were usually
voluntary. The longest
voluntary imam, the late
Haji Rane, served thirty
years and traveled the state
when needed for weddings and
funerals. He was Australian
born, self-taught, and the
only Australian born imam of
this mosque.
This mosque is now the
oldest established
continuous mosque in
Australia and celebrated its
centenary in 2008 with an
open day and street fair
welcoming all levels of
government, other religious
people, and members of the
public. Holland Park is
considered to be the
Queensland 'mother' mosque
as there are now close to
twenty mosques and prayer
rooms in the Brisbane area,
as well as mosques in major
regional towns.
Several new buildings have
now been purchased by the
mosque - two halls and a
house across from the
mosque. The hall adjacent
the mosque now has a small
museum opened on 12 March
2017 to preserve the history
of Muslims in Queensland.
We thank the dedicated
Muslims who had the
foresight to build the first
mosque on the East coast of
Australia.
Kerrie and Mobinah have very
different views on Islam in
Australia.
What happens when they sit
down to talk?
Australia’s national
conversation about Islam is
often heated, sometimes
abusive.
Kerrie and Mobinah were both
born in Australia but they
have very different
backgrounds — and
contrasting perspectives on
Islam.
Kerrie fears the spread of
Islamic terrorism in
Australia. Mobinah thinks a
lot of the fear is driven by
ignorance. They’ve promised
to hear each other out.
Mobinah says she feels
anxious, afraid, even
paranoid after an Islamic
terrorist attack.
“Islam has been hijacked
by terrorists, by people who
are terrible. When a
terrorist does something
terrible, you get fearful —
so do we. We get so fearful
for our families, for our
boys, for our girls.
“Anyone who questions that I
would be upset over someone
dying, of course I would
be.”
But Kerrie would like to see
the Muslim community do more
in the wake of attacks.
“We do not see that you
are arm in arm with us,
heartbroken over what’s
happening. I want to hear
more love from you people.”
In a passionate exchange,
the pair then tackle
ignorance, misunderstanding
and political correctness.
Mobinah: “When you
don’t know about
[National Mosque Open
Day], maybe you’re
ignorant of something
that you just don’t know
about it and the
responsibility is on you
to research it...”
Kerrie: “See, there’s
that word, there’s that
word...”
Mobinah: “That you
don’t like?”
Kerrie: “That all
Australians don’t like.”
Mobinah: “Ignorant?”
Kerrie: “Yes.”
Mobinah: “But look, I
think that there is a
lot of ignorance in this
country.”
Kerrie: “That’s being
judgemental.”
Mobinah: “But it’s
true.”
Kerrie: “We just take
it now as being a bit of
a weapon to keep us in
our place, and to keep
us quiet, and to not
speak our fears.”
Mobinah: “I think
it’s absolutely totally
fine to speak your fears
but there is a
responsibility to accept
what you don’t know.”
So many times I
was told by
other sub
continental
parents, ‘You
will never make
it, you’re not
the right skin
colour’. No
joke. That might
have been true
in some respects
in past eras and
generations, but
it just drove me
more to prove
them all wrong.
I wasn’t going
to look back in
regret.
I actually
couldn’t see
myself playing
for NSW let
alone for
Australia
because NSW is
the toughest
team in
Australia to
make.
It seems a
lifetime ago
when I was first
introduced to
the squad. The
game was very
different, and
the pathways the
youngsters have
now didn’t
exist. It was
purely about
performances in
grade cricket.
And grade
cricket itself
can be a tough
learning ground.
At least now
youngsters are
given a bit more
support to
nurture and grow
as players,
which I’m all
for. But more
than that it’s
paving the way
for all
cricketers from
all ethnic,
religious and
socio-economic
backgrounds.
Now
subcontinental
parents can see
a future for
their kids, at a
younger age. It
isn’t about
making a choice
– study or
cricket – like
my Mum wanted me
to do.
And I can see
it, in the
domestic
cricketers of
all ages that
are coming
through now,
compared to when
I started
playing and was
the only Asian
player at first
class level in
the whole
country.
Now we have
Gurinder Sandhu,
who is a close
friend of mine
from Sydney
Thunder and
represented
Australia.
Another
youngster from
the Thunder is
Arjun Nair, an
excellent young,
up-and-coming
player.
Being
racially
vilified
actually
made me
stronger in
many
respects. I
even had a
couple of
kids try to
fight me one
day heading
home from
school. For
no reason
either!
I’ll be honest.
I’m probably the
first guy now to
have a laugh
about race and
what not. Every
teammate I’ve
played with will
tell you that.
But that’s
because I find
it the best way
to let everyone
know I don’t
take myself too
seriously. And
because all my
teammates are
respectful
enough to have
that joke with.
So why is there
an emergence of
multi race
players now in
Australia? Maybe
it was
inevitable with
the growing
multicultural
community in
Australia. Maybe
it was a few
friendly faces
at the highest
level. We will
never know.
What I do know
is Australian
cricket is
slowly changing
and will finally
have a chance to
reflect what
Australia really
is.
An international
team truly
representative
of its richly
diverse
population.
Saudi Arabia
Is Betting Its
Future on a
Desert Megacity
by Elizabeth
Disckinson
Can Crown Prince
Mohammed bin
Salman’s
ambitious plans
jumpstart social
and economic
reform, or are
they an
expensive
miscalculation?
Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and
the landscape near the planned
city of Neom.
RIYADH, Saudi
Arabia —
“Welcome to the
future of Saudi
Arabia,” a Saudi
tour guide
intoned last
week as she led
guests into a
showroom
advertising
values not
traditionally
associated with
the kingdom:
gender equality,
environmental
sustainability,
and
technological
innovation.
After an
IMAX-style
introductory
video, the first
stop on this
“megaprojects
tour” was a
model of one of
three new
futuristic
cities that
Saudi Arabia is
set to break
ground on next
year, dubbed
Qiddiya. Located
25 miles from
the capital,
Riyadh, the city
is envisioned as
an entertainment
megaplex with
everything from
indoor ski
slopes to roller
coasters to a
zoo. Guests on
the preview tour
could interact
with a
holographic lion
or try out the
mountain bike
and race car
simulators. Down
the hall were
previews of the
second two
cities, a Red
Sea tourist
resort and Neom,
a tech hub that
aims to have
more robots than
humans in its
population.
The cities are
part of Vision
2030, the
kingdom’s
ambitious plan
to pivot the
economy away
from oil. The
program was
announced over a
year ago, but
the event, which
ran from Oct. 24
to Oct. 26, was
the “coming out”
party — a chance
for the global
financial elite
to see for
themselves
whether Crown
Prince Mohammed
bin Salman was,
in the words of
one investor,
“for real.” The
so-called Future
Investment
Initiative (FII)
pulled in 3,500
attendees,
including dozens
of blue-chip
executives. Crew
members from the
Saudi national
airline helped
guide potential
investors
through the
hallways of the
Ritz Carlton.
Robot
“concierges”
stood outside
panel rooms,
playfully
soliciting
interaction and
selfies.
The theatrics
were surely
meant to awe
international
visitors. But
they played to a
domestic
audience as
well, providing
clues about the
direction the
kingdom is
heading under
Crown Prince
Mohammed bin
Salman. The
roster of local
attendees was a
who’s who of
Saudi business,
while every
major Saudi
television
broadcaster and
newspaper
columnist
churned out
coverage. The
message was
clear to all:
For three
decades, the
state has worked
assiduously to
avoid offending
the conservative
religious elite,
stalling the
trappings of
modernity that
have catapulted
development in
cities such as
neighboring
Dubai. This
conference was
meant to seal
that chapter and
set out a new,
aspirational end
point.
“Before now,
the
government
always made
a balance
between the
liberal
people and
the
conservatives.
They gave
this side
something,
[that]
faction
another
thing,” said
Amal al-Hazzani,
a columnist
at Saudi
newspaper
Asharq Al-Awsat
and
professor at
King Saud
University.
“They kept
trying to
make that
balance,
until Crown
Prince
Mohammed bin
Salman
came.… [H]e
ended that
era.”
Pinning so much
symbolic and
material weight
on megaprojects
is risky in
Saudi Arabia,
where massive
undertakings
have a history
of falling
short. Saudi
Arabia hasn’t
yet released
detailed cost
estimates for
the cities,
including where
investment will
come from, aside
from saying that
Neom will
receive $500
billion “over
the coming
years” from
public and
private
investors.
Meanwhile, half
a dozen
“economic
cities,”
launched by the
General
Investment
Authority in
2005 to garner
private
investment, have
mostly
floundered. One
could easily
rattle off a
list of sectors
— including
health care,
education, and
public transport
— that could
more urgently
use some of the
billions that
will be spent on
these
megaprojects.
But the grand
ambitions of the
conference may
be the point:
Mohammed bin
Salman is
signaling to
Saudis that they
are embarking on
a momentous
reform project
from which there
is no turning
back. Saudi
Arabia will need
a serious
shaking up to
bring its
economic and
social structure
into the 21st
century.
“Seventy
percent of
the Saudi
people are
less than 30
years old,
and we will
not waste 30
years of our
lives
dealing with
extremist
ideas — we
will destroy
them today,”
Mohammed bin
Salman told
the
gathering.
“We want to
live a
normal
life.”
Many conference
attendees likely
didn’t realize
just how
revolutionary
certain aspects
of last week’s
event were.
Bankers from
London to Lagos
enjoyed
gender-mixed
coffee breaks,
where women
weren’t required
to wear the
traditional
abaya. There
were no
intermissions
for prayers,
which shut down
Saudi businesses
for 30 minutes
multiple times a
day. Only a
handful of
speeches began
with the usual
Islamic prayer.
In this BTS
video, Tesneem Alkiek,
co-author of "Is Feminism
the Problem? Why Ideological
Bandwagons Fail Islam"
shares her intentions on
researching the topic of
feminism with an Islamic
lens.
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 or agreement by CCN of the contents
therein.
TOPIC:
"Lessons
from the
life of
Hazrat
Tufail Bin
Amar Dowse"
IMAM:
Mufti Junaid
Akbar
Summary
by Mohideen:
Mufti Junaid
continued
the story
from last
week and
said the
famous Abu
Hurairah
accepted
Islam in the
hands of
Tufail
Dowse. He
said how the
Prophet (pbuh)
made a Dua
for the
people of
Tufail and
requested
Tufail to go
back to his
people and
spread the
message of
Islam. He
said how
Tufail
requested
the prophet
(pbuh) to
give him a
duty which
the prophet
(pbuh) gave.
Later Tufail
served Abu
Bakr and he
Abu Bakr
gave Tufail
a mission,
then on the
return
Tufail saw a
dream which
was
fulfilled.
Thereafter
he explained
the lessons
derived from
the story of
Tufail Dowse
and went on
to detail
them. He
spoke about
the prophet
(pbuh)
endorsing
the
character of
Hazrat Umar.
He concluded
by saying
how the
prophet (pbuh)
said “may
that person
be destroyed
who reads
the Quran
and does not
ponder”.
Summary
by Mohideen:
Visiting
Imam Shezard
started off
with the
recitation
of the Dua
when you
hear a
calamity.
Then he
reminded to
be thankful
for this
blessed day
of Eid being
Friday. He
explained
how the
Prophet (pbuh)
said that
emaan has
two parts,
one being
patient and
the other
being
thankful. He
spoke about
happiness
and sadness
in life and
both come
from Allah
as a test.
He explained
the small
surah Al-Asr.
He told the
story of
prophet
Ayyub (as)
and prophet
Ibrahim (as)
and how both
prophets was
patient when
tested. He
also told
the story of
prophet
Yaquub (as)
and prophet
Yusuf (as).
He spoke
about
controlling
our nafs
instead of
fulfilling
our desires
against the
command of
Allah. He
explained
the Dua to
recite when
you hear or
tested with
a calamity.
He concluded
by
requesting
everyone to
give in
sadaqa on
behalf of
their family
because
sadaqa will
halt and
remove a
destined
calamity.
Just a short note to say "Thank you" to all who came
to the Jumuah Prayers yesterday and stayed on to
thank the Owner of the Centre. It was wonderful to
see so many of you... thanks also to those from whom
we had messages, who could not be there with us
either through work or fund-raising. May Allah be
praised - we were all in accord - which is a very
great blessing!
Gerry and her husband were very touched by your
presence and good will, as was noted in their short
speeches to us all. May we see them again at the
opening of our Centre, Insha'Allah.
For those who did not see the gifts given from us
all - one was an ornate tea pot (as they are both
tea drinkers), as well as a very beautiful painted
plate (with stand) of Mecca.
Many thanks to Sister Faieza for her pastries which
added to the occasion.
May Allah's blessings go with all today Insha'Allah
Fi Aman Allah
Wassalaam
Your sister in Islam
Shifa
[EDITOR] The above email relates to the
Muslim residents of Gympie who were using the Gympie
Yoga and Relaxation Centre run by Gerry Hillier as a
temporary place for Friday Jummah prayers.
GBBO
star Nadiya Hussain hits back at racist
Twitter trolls telling her to leave the UK
Taking
a stand: Baker Nadiya Hussain -
said she ‘hates herself’ for
breathing the same air as those
who target her
UK: Former Great British Bake Off
champion Nadiya Hussain has clapped back
at a handful of trolls who have
inundated her Twitter account with
racist abuse.
Hussain, 32, said she ‘hates herself’
for breathing the same air as those who
target her for “merely existing”.
Venting her disgust on Twitter she
wrote: “I get abused for merely
existing. Too brown to be English.
Too Muslim to be British. Too
Bengali to eat fish fingers!
“There is no end! I
exist, we all do! Some days I hate
myself for simply breathing the same
air, that I am often told, I am not
entitled to.
“Tear away your flesh, you are skeleton
underneath like me, like everybody! So
let’s just breathe our air, let’s exist
because what else are we supposed to
do?”
She was then told to leave the UK and to
“stop complaining,” to which she
replied: “Why would I move? I’m fed up
of being told to move, leave the country
or go back to where I came from!
“Come up with something more original.”
Fans jumped to her defence with TV chef
Nigella Lawson tweeting: “And you are
loved and needed here.”
Comedian Meera Syal posted: “You’re
strong beautiful and a wonderful role
model. Focus on all the love and support
you’re getting back in response. Love
always wins xx.”
It is not the first time the
mother-of-three has spoken out about the
abuse she has suffered. Last year she
said it “has become a part of my life”.
Speaking to Kirsty Young on Radio 4's
Desert Island Discs she said: “I expect
to be shoved or pushed or verbally
abused, because it happens, it's
happened for years.”
Later that year she told her Twitter
followers that a man had refused to sit
next to her on public transport because
of her faith.
She
tweeted: “A man refused to sit next
to me on the train today 'I ain't
sitting near a Muslim' he said. His
ignorance is his own ruin.”
Hussain found fame after
winning the 2015 series of The Great
British Bake Off.
She went on to make the Queen's 90th
birthday cake, publish a cookery book
and front shows including The Chronicles
of Nadiya and Big Family Cooking
Showdown.
SAUDI ARABIA: In the latest example of
"Philip K Dick-inspired nightmare
becomes real life", Saudi Arabia just
became the first nation to grant
citizenship to a robot. The robot's name
is Sophia. It is artificially
intelligent, friends with CNBC's Andrew
Ross Sorkin and arguably, a glimpse into
the dark future that will kill us all.
You see, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has
been interested in androids for years.
It seemed almost quaint at first. This
desert nation with more money than
caution and a taste for the futuristic
was bound to explore the odd
possibilities of new technologies. Years
ago, Saudi Arabia began experimenting
with robots boldly, tasking them with
everything from building construction to
brain surgery.
Neighbouring Qatar and United Arab
Emirates even recruited robots to work
as jockeys in camel races, a whimsical
twist that surely fed the curiosity of
Saudi princes.
Recently, however, Saudi Arabia's
affinity for robotics has taken a weird
-- even dark -- turn. Ahead of granting
Sophia citizenship, Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman announced the
construction of a new megacity called
Neom.
Designed to dwarf Dubai both in size and
lavishness, the new metropolis is
planned as an international business and
tourism hub with fewer rules than the
rest of Saudi Arabia. Women will be
allowed in public without wearing an
abaya, for instance. The city of Neom
will also have more robots than humans.
"We want the main robot and the first
robot in Neom to be Neom, robot number
one," the crown prince said in Riyadh.
"Everything will have a link with
artificial intelligence, with the
Internet of Things -- everything."
This is basically the plot of I, Robot,
a book that did not turn out well for
the humans. And if we're to assume that
some of the robots in Neom will be
artificially intelligent abominations
like Sophia, mankind is definitely
doomed. Even Sophia thinks so. Just
watch this segment from The Tonight Show
when the robot talks about its "plan to
dominate the human race."
Jokes aside, what's especially dystopian
about Saudi's robot obsession is the
extent to which the machines appear to
have more rights than many people in the
country. Critics on social media
lambasted the Saudi government after it
announced that Sophia had been granted
citizenship.
Saudi
Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums
as reform push intensifies
Announcement
that sporting events will be
open to women for first time
comes a month after historic
decision to allow women to drive
From 2018,
Saudi women will be allowed to
attend matches at sporting
arenas. The kingdom appears to
be relaxing some norms as part
of its plan for economic and
social reforms.
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia will allow
women into sports stadiums for the first
time from next year, authorities said
Sunday, in a landmark move opening up
three previously male-only venues to
families.
The ultra-conservative kingdom, which
has some of the world’s tightest
restrictions on women, has long barred
women from sports arenas by strict rules
on segregation of the sexes in public.
The announcement is in line with
powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman’s ambitious reforms shaking up
the kingdom, including the historic
decision to allow women to drive from
next June.
“Starting the preparation of three
stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to
be ready to accommodate families from
early 2018,” the General Sports
Authority said on Twitter.
Restaurants, cafes and video screens
would be set up inside the venues, the
authority added.
Last month hundreds of women were
allowed to enter a sports stadium in
Riyadh, used mostly for football
matches, in a one-off event to celebrate
Saudi Arabia’s national day.
Sunday’s announcement implies that women
in Saudi Arabia will be allowed for the
first time to attend sporting events
inside stadiums alongside men.
Under the country’s guardianship system,
a male family member – normally the
father, husband or brother – must grant
permission for a woman’s study, travel
and other activities.
But the kingdom appears to be relaxing
some norms as part of its sweeping
“Vision 2030” plan for economic and
social reforms as it prepares for a
post-oil era.
Last month a royal decree said women
would be allowed to drive. The kingdom
is also expected to lift a public ban on
cinemas and has encouraged mixed-gender
celebrations – something unseen before.
“First women driving, now stadiums.
What’s next? Night clubs?” said one
Saudi Twitter user, echoing a deluge of
social media comments expressing
surprise over the accelerating pace of
reforms.
In a rare public appearance last week,
Prince Mohammed pledged a “moderate”
Saudi Arabia, long seen as an exporter
of a brand of puritanical Islam espoused
by jihadists worldwide.
MBS, as he is well known, promised his
kingdom will return to “what we were
before – a country of moderate Islam
that is tolerant of all religions and to
the world”.
His comment, while unveiling plans for a
$500bm development zone, chimes with his
public image of a bold liberal reformer
in a conservative country where more
than half the population is under 25.
But his vision for a new Saudi Arabia is
fraught with risks and could trigger a
backlash from conservatives, analysts
warn.
“Despite the bold statements, it is
important to remember that the dominance
of conservative thought since the late
1970’s cannot be quickly reversed,” said
analysis firm Eurasia Group.
“Ultraconservative and
radical elements continue to pose
risks.”
The government appears to have clipped
the wings of the once-feared religious
police – long accused of harassing the
public with rigid Islamic mores – who
have all but disappeared from big
cities.
Some conservative clerics – who for
years staunchly opposed more social
liberties for women – have backpedalled
and come out in favour of the decree
allowing them to drive.
Singapore
bans two Muslim preachers, citing divisive
views
Mufti Ismail
Menk
SINGAPORE: Singapore has banned two
Muslim foreign preachers from entering
the city-state because their views bred
intolerance and were a risk to its
social harmony, the government said on
Monday.
The decision to block Ismail Menk,
identified by local media as a
Zimbabwean and Haslin bin Baharim as a
Malaysian, is the latest move by the
Singaporean authorities to put a curb on
individuals from spreading divisive
views.
Menk has preached Muslims are not
allowed to greet people of other faiths
on their religious festivals,
Singapore’s home affairs ministry said
in a statement.
It accused Baharim of holding views that
promote discord between Muslims and
non-Muslims, whom he described as
‘deviant.’
“(Their views) are unacceptable in the
context of Singapore’s multi-racial and
multi-religious society,” the ministry
said.
Reuters was not in a position to reach
out to the pair.
Singapore is predominantly Chinese, many
of whom follow Buddhism and Taoism but
14 percent of the population is Muslim
and nearly 19 percent Christian.
Authorities in the city-state, an
outpost of stability in a region where
religious tension is not uncommon, are
sensitive to public remarks they deem
might adversely affect religious and
social harmony.
Over the past few years, Singapore
increased its level of surveillance for
extremist radicalism as concern grew
about the spread of Daesh in the region.
Menk and Baharim planned to conduct
religious sessions on a ship departing
from Singapore next month after their
applications for short-term work passes
to preach in Singapore were turned down,
the government said.
“They will not be allowed to get around
the ban by preaching instead on cruise
ships which operate to and from
Singapore,” the home ministry said.
Last month, authorities said they
rejected applications for two foreign
Christian preachers to speak in
Singapore as they had made “denigrating
and inflammatory comments of other
religions.”
The Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's Journey from
Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim
by
Sabeeha Rehman
ONE OF BOOKLIST'S TOP TEN
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY BOOKS OF 2016
About the book
This enthralling
story of the making of an American is also a
timely meditation on being Muslim in America
today.
Threading My Prayer Rug is a richly textured
reflection on what it is to be a Muslim in
America today.
It is also the
luminous story of many journeys: from Pakistan
to the United States in an arranged marriage
that becomes a love match lasting forty years;
from secular Muslim in an Islamic society to
devout Muslim in a society ignorant of Islam,
and from liberal to conservative to American
Muslim; from student to bride and mother; and
from an immigrant intending to stay two years to
an American citizen, business executive,
grandmother, and tireless advocate for
interfaith understanding.
Beginning with a sweetly funny, moving account
of her arranged marriage, the author undercuts
stereotypes and offers the refreshing view of an
American life through Muslim eyes.
In chapters leavened
with humour, hope, and insight, she recounts an
immigrant’s daily struggles balancing
assimilation with preserving heritage,
overcoming religious barriers from within and
distortions of Islam from without, and
confronting issues of raising her children as
Muslims—while they lobby for a Christmas tree!
Sabeeha Rehman was
doing interfaith work for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf,
the driving force behind the Muslim community
centre at Ground Zero, when the backlash began.
She discusses what
that experience revealed about American society.
KB says:
Should you wish to serve this dish with rice,
add all the sauce at the final simmer stage,
this recipe could become a family favourite…. I
am sure
Saucy Fish Fillets
Marinade
600 grams fresh hake or a white fish.
3 tab. melted butter
2 tab. green chilli
2 tab. crushed garlic
Salt to taste
2 tsp lemon pepper
Method
To the melted butter, add green chilli, garlic,
salt, lemon pepper.
Marinate the fillets and refrigerate for approx.
one hour.
Sauce
2 tab. butter
1 cup mayo
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp red chilli paste
100ml fresh cream
Salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients and bring it to a simmer
stage and switch off.
Just before serving (approx. 15mins before) fry
the fish in ghee approx. 3 mins on either side.
Add half the sauce to the pan and allow to
simmer for a few mins.
Serve hot with the remaining sauce as a side.
Do you have a recipe to share with CCN
readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to me at
admin@ccnonline.com.au and be my "guest chef" for the week.
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.
Today, In Shaa
ALLAH, we will
explore the topic:
Catastrophising
Has anyone ever
called you dramatic?
Or a drama-queen? Or
that you are blowing
things out of
proportion? Or that
you are creating a
mountain out of a
molehill? If so,
then it may be
because you have
interpreted a
situation in an
exaggerated manner
whereby you
perceived it to be
worse than it
actually was in
reality.
So, how do you know
if you are
catastrophising?
Well, next time you
are in a situation
which evokes a
reaction in you to
say “Oh No!” or
“What if!!!”, it may
be that you are
catastrophising.
Catastrophising
is to present or
perceive a situation
to be a lot worse
than it actually is.
Often when people
harbour unprocessed
emotional pain or
trauma, they may
have a tendency to
catastrophise events
in their lives. The
reality may not be
as bad as they may
perceive it to be,
yet they become
defensive and react
to the situation
with high caution.
For example,
statements like the
following:
“Oh no, I haven’t
received his/her
text reply. Maybe
he/she just doesn’t
care about me”
or
“He hasn’t said much
today...what if
he’s having an
affair?”
or
“Oh no! I’m having a
chest ache!...what
if I’m having a
heart attack”
All these statements
have one thing in
common - a
negative thinking
pattern known as
“unhelpful thinking
styles”.
Identify Your
Thinking Style
Think of a situation
where you may have
catastrophised.
Describe the
situation
What were
your
thoughts at
the time?
What were
your
feelings
during this
situation?
Strategies To
Stop Catastrophising
Constant
catastrophising zaps
away all joy from
your life. The
following strategies
may help overcome
the habit of
catastrophising.
1. In any given
situation, identify
what is real.
Resist the
temptation to
exaggerate things in
your mind. If you
are confused about
what is real, ask
someone.
2. Belly
breathing - the
moment you feel the
need to express “Oh
no!” or “What if”,
bring your awareness
to your breathing.
Take in slow, deep
breaths and feel the
movement of your
belly as you inhale
and exhale. This
brings your
awareness to the
present moment.
3. Focus on the
situation at hand,
NOT on a similar
situation that
may have happened in
the past or with
someone you know.
Every single
situation has its
unique set of
reasons and deserves
to be examined
without comparison.
4. Lie down -
whenever the feeling
of “Oh no” or “What
if” overwhelms you,
lie down. Try to
have a nap to relax
the nervous system.
5. Make wudu
- bring your
awareness to make
wudu with complete
mindfulness. Perform
each action with
focus.
In Shaa ALLAH, next
week we will explore
the topic: It’s
Never Too Late And
You’re Never Too Old
If you wish to know
about a specific
topic with regards
to Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please text or email
me or visit
www.muslimahmindmatters.com.
If you wish to have
a FREE one hour
Finding Clarity
telephone session,
contact me on
0451977786.
Q: Dear
Kareema, we’re a family who loves being out on
the water and with the warmer months here, I
would like to give stand up paddle boarding a
go. What are some of the benefits and how can I
challenge myself?
A: Stand up paddle boarding is one of the
fastest growing sports around.
It’s suitable for
all fitness levels as it is low-impact. It’s
gentle on muscles and joints and also great for
post- injury rehab.
It provides a full
body workout, and is especially good for working
abs / core and legs.
It improves balance
and builds strength and you can supercharge your
workout and up your cardio quotient by paddling
harder and bending your knees more.
Try some yoga poses
while you’re out on the board…the ocean is your
gym, the board is your yoga mat. Get creative
with your workout and reap the rewards as you
strengthen your core, muscles and bones.
Jallalludin: "Hello,
I'm in room 402, please send someone here immediately.
I'm having an argument with my wife and she is saying
that she is going to jump out of the window."
Hotel receptionist:
"I am sorry Sir, but that's a personal matter."
Jallalludin: "Listen
you stupid! The window is not opening. And that's a
maintenance problem."
His escort will say, “Our
Lord, I did not make him
rebel, but he was far
astray. ”He will say, “Do
not feud in My presence—I
had warned you in advance.
The decree from Me will not
be changed, and I am not
unjust to the servants.”
Salam aleikum everyone. This Sunday 29th
of October marks 5 years since the opening of Shajarah
Islamic Kindergarten back in 2012.
Alhamdulillaah since then we have come along in leaps
and bounds until last year we received an Exceeding
Rating in the National Quality Framework from the
Department of Early Childhood Education and Care.
In March this year we were informed by the Qld
government that we must relocate as they will be
demolishing our building in January 2018 to make way for
a new upgrade of the M1.
After 7 months of searching and exhausting all avenues
we could think of as well as through whatever advice
others gave us, we are able to finally announce that we
have an agreement in place to lease a property in
Hillcrest, just opposite Browns Plains Grand Plaza. The
property is to be renovated and should be ready by the
start of the school year in January 2018.
Alhamdulillaah: A big thankyou and jazakumAllaah khair
to the parents of our children for their continued
support and all those who have tried hard to help us and
wished us well in our search for a new place. A new
start for Shajarah! InshaAllaah onwards and upwards!
We will now be starting our fundraising efforts in
earnest for our relocation. Our Gofundme page is
here. Please help us continue the Quality Islamic
Early Education we are known for inshaAllaah.
Please see our facebook page and website for updates on
construction and all info and news.
At the Islamic Women's
Association of Australia (IWAA)
this is what is being
organized over the next few
months.
1. inspiredNAFSi personal
leadership course:
This course is a signature
program of the Centre for
Islamic Thought & Education,
UniSA. The inspiredNAFSi
program is underpinned by a
strength-based approach and
Muslim worldview, that
utilises the nga
thanaluidha
Yarning Circle Framework
(developed by Aunty Debra
Bennett). This framework has
been adapted, infusing
Islamic worldview as this
informs Muslim people's ways
of knowing, being and doing.
The program offers a
holistic approach to
development of human
potential. It depicts a
journey of learning and
self-discovery, empowering
the individual and the
community and enabling
individuals with skills
through sharing, learning
and transforming life into
new futures.
Places are very limited.
Please the flyer below for
details.
2.
Parenting between Cultures
workshop
that will run over a three
week period on Fridays
starting 6th October. This
workshop has been very
popular and has been very
well received. The
facilitators are Joan
Burrows and Sr. Susan Al-maani
who come with a wealth of
knowledge and experience in
delivering these workshops.
Places are very limited.
Please the flyer below for
details.
3. “I am
Connected”
at IWAA. We have been very
privileged to start a
program to connect with our
indigenous sisters. The
“I am Connected” project
is aimed at developing
connections and linkages
between Muslim and
Indigenous women through
sharing of native foods,
customs, arts and crafts and
storytelling and
highlighting the
similarities between these
groups, forging friendships
and celebrating women's
interests across all
cultures in a respectful and
caring environment.
Current activities include:
• arts and crafts workshop
on Friday, 8th September at
IWAA hall from 5-7pm
• Soundtrack – Tuesday, 19th
September at IWAA hall from
11am-1pm
• Weekend camp – 12-14th
January 2018 (please note
that the dates for this camp
has changed from 24-26th
November). Please see flyer
for more details
• Walk in Country – date and
venue to be advised
We acknowledge our
indigenous and Muslim elders
for their support, advice
and guidance. Alhamdulillah
For more details and to
participate, please call
Muna on 0431 360 418
Due
to the ongoing drought
affecting farmers in west
Queensland, MAA have joined
local organisations to help
Aussie farmers in their time
of need by trucking hay
bales from Victoria and New
South Wales to farmers in
west Queensland.
Farmers impacted by drought
often struggle to ask for
help and many due to the
financial strain of trying
to keep the farm afloat also
battle mental health issues.
By providing bales to help
farmers feed their animals
you'll be taking a huge
financial burden from them
as well keeping their
livestock alive.
GOLD COAST
ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTRE
Update as at
October 2017
Construction of
the Cultural Centre (Dawah &
Youth Centre) is progressing
well.
The walls for the second floor
have already been erected and
very soon they will be working
on the roof.
We still need donations to fund
this construction.
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.
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.
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someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
The
winners of the QCT
Excellence in Teaching
Awards were announced at the
World Teachers’ Day Ceremony
held at Queensland
University of Technology,
Brisbane on 27th October,
2017.
GBBO
star Nadiya Hussain hits back at racist
Twitter trolls telling her to leave the UK 
Get
a copy of
Due
to the ongoing drought
affecting farmers in west
Queensland, MAA have joined
local organisations to help
Aussie farmers in their time
of need by trucking hay
bales from Victoria and New
South Wales to farmers in
west Queensland.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011