Over a thousand pupils,
parents, community leaders
and well-wishers attended
the Friday ifthaar.
IWAA & QPS
A women's only ifthaar was
sponsored by the Queensland
Police Service and hosted at
the Islamic Women's
Association of Australia
function hall.
Dr Nora Amath reflected on
the event:
Jalaludin Rumi once
stated: “Listen with
ears of tolerance! See
through the eyes of
compassion! Speak with
the language of love”
And tonight's iftar
embodied all that. I had
the honour of MCing the
Queensland Police
Services and IWAA
women's only iftar.
While there are many
iftars around town, this
one was different
because it focused
specifically on sharing
and listening.
Female police officers,
including the
Commissioner Katarina
Carroll, and Muslim
sisters sat together to
break fast, to share
stories, ask simple and
tough questions of each
other and strengthened
their connections.
What we learnt from
these exchanges is that
we all have the same
struggles as women
juggling life, family,
work, and friends in a
world that may demand so
much of themselves at
times. We also shared a
vision of what we want
the world to be like:
safe, peaceful,
compassionate, just and
kind.
Laughter and tears
abound throughout the
night and those who came
nervously as strangers,
left not just as friends
but as sisters,
committed to building
stronger, more inclusive
communities together.
Handshakes turned to
embrace and eventually
to kisses because we
took that step to leave
our comfort zone, to
push aside the fear of
the 'other' so that,
ultimately, we "may know
one another" (Quran
49:13).
Queensland Intercultural
Society, Dialogue Institute
of Australia & Griffith
University
A Diversity & Dialogue
Dinner was set out at
Griffith University's Centre
for Interfaith and Cultural
Dialogue.
Imam Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh of
Wisdom College called the
Azaan and read a verse from
the Qu'ran.
Recently appointed Vice
Chancellor of the
University, Prof. Carolyn
Evans, welcomed the diverse
group of attendees.
Author and interfaith
expert, Dave Andrews, was
the keynote speaker. He
offered up his
interpretation of Sura Al-Hujurat
(see a short clip below) and
spoke of his experiences as
an interfaith initiator.
The Shanasheel Quartet
entertained the audience
during the evening, State Director QLD of the
Dialogue Institute of
Australia, Sukan Alkin, was
the Master of Ceremonies and
Mr John Graham delivered the
acknowledgement of country.
Society of Bangladeshi
Doctors QLD
Max Solutions
The Beenleigh Events Centre
was the venue for the
inaugural ifthaar hosted by
international employment
company, Max Solutions.
Business and Performance
Analyst for the company,
Adnan Zakir, was the Master
of Ceremonies. He praised
his company for supporting
his religious obligations
with flexible arrangements
at work.
President of the Islamic
Council of QLD (ICQ), Habib
Jamal, spoke of the
significance of Ramadan and
the five pillars of Islam.
Yusuf Khatree, president of
Muslim Charitable Foundation
(MCF), gave the audience a
brief run down of the
activities of his
organization.
At the end of the event, Max
Solution MD, Deborah
Homewood, handed MCF a
cheque for $3000 as a
donation to help them in
their work.
Bangladesh Association in
Brisbane Inc. (BAB)
The Bangladesh Association
in Brisbane Inc. (BAB)
hosted a community ifthaar
at the AIIC function hall
last Sunday.
BAB is a 26 years old
organization with a vibrant
Bangladeshi Community with
over 3000 community members
and nearly 1000 financial
members living across
Brisbane, Gold Coast,
Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba,
and surroundings.
BAB supports and organizes
various inclusive events to
uphold Bangladeshi Heritage
as well as contributes to
various Multicultural
proceedings collaboratively.
This Ramadan, the Hurricane
Stars Club has two ongoing
weekly programs, Ramadan
activities for kids in
Underwood Marketplace and
Special Iftars for Sisters.
Inspired by the amazing
achievements of Laaiqah Ally
in Westfield Garden City,
the Hurricane Stars Club was
approached by Muslim Aid
Queensland to run kids
colouring and craft
activities at their stall in
Underwood Marketplace on
weekends. The activities
started last week and were a
great success, with the
tables constantly full of
children. Our first week’s
activity was a Ramadan
Lantern with a LED tea
candle inside and every week
kids can have fun enjoying a
different Ramadan-themed
craft activity. Activities
continue on Saturdays and
Sundays from 10am to 1pm.
The Hurricane Stars Club
also hosted their first
iftar last Saturday at their
Centre in Logan Central. The
Hurricane Stars Club is very
grateful to the Muslim
Charitable Foundation for
sponsoring the iftars. The
iftar was a success with 20
women and children attending
the iftar. The iftars were
organized to support those
sisters in the community who
do not have family to share
iftar with and would like to
enjoy the support of other
sisters in Ramadan. Due to
feedback we heard from
sisters who are tired of
eating curries everywhere,
we arranged a local Muslim
Uighur family to cater for
the iftars with delicious
traditional Uighur food. Our
iftars continue every Sunday
in Ramadan at our centre in
shaa Allah. All sisters and
children are welcome but
RSVP is essential for
catering purposes.
The Australian International
Islamic College conducted
its 17th annual Quran
recitation competition at
its Durack campus on 30th
April and 1st May 2019.
The two day program was
attended by students,
teachers, parents and many
members from the wider
community. The students’
reading was judged by the
qualified Huffaz (those who
have memorised and are
trained in Quran) Dr Irshad,
Hafiz Said Seedat and Hafiz
Adam.
Altogether 235 students
competed from different
primary and secondary
classes. Class winners were
given medals and the overall
winners in four categories
were presented with
trophies. Each participant
received a participation
certificate and the lower
primary students received a
gift bag as well.
The Quran competition was a
huge success and created a
greater interest in students
to read and memorise Quran
more vigorously. Both judges
and the viewers expressed
their satisfaction in the
skills of the students in
reading and memorising the
Suras. Alhamdulilah.
Our students at AIIC
practised enthusiastically
for the Quraan competition.
Imams informed all students
in the first term itself to
prepare a portion or surah
from the Noble Quran and
students had the choice of
individual preference.
Thereafter, each student was
tested and assessed on the
basis of tajweed, fluency
and memorisation as these
are the criterion used for
testing students by external
judges during the
competition. This proved
fruitful in preparing
students to recite and
practice rigorously.
In high school, there is a
separate competition for
boys and girls, a unique
method of building student
confidence for recitation on
stage has been used by
Imams, whereby chosen
participants recite their
surah or portion of
preference from the Quran in
front of the entire class.
Naturally some students were
hesitant at first but after
some encouragement and
coaxing, most of the
students took the courage
and recited in front of
their peers. This is the
stepping stone to further
endeavors inshallah.
One of the College’s main
objectives is to inculcate
in the children the love of
Qur'an through understanding
and learning its rules.
Therefore, we have been
teaching in our classes the
rules of Tajweed in detail
using reliable books of
Tajweed. These books have
been taught universally and
develop a comprehensive
understanding of the
authentic recitation
practices, they apply these
vital rules while reciting
the holy Qur'an. These books
have been helping students
immensely to build their
foundation in the science of
Tajweed studies,
Alhmadulillah.
For students who have the
potential to memorise more
chapters from the Quran, we
have created an extended
intense Hifd plan. It has
been extremely rewarding to
see the level of keen
interest and enthusiasm in
Quran reading and
memorisation among the
students.
Recently, Islamic College of
Brisbane school captains
Aban Shaffie, Ma-azah Shah,
Uzair Shuaib and Zainab Ali
and Assistant Principal Ian
Martineau joined Duncan Pegg,
Member for Stretton and
Education Minister Hon.
Grace Grace for a visit to
Parliament House.
The ICB captains enjoyed a
guided tour from the Member
for Stretton Duncan Pegg
around this premier heritage
building originally built in
in 1868. It is located on
the corner of George and
Alice Streets and is one of
Queensland’s best known
landmarks.
The students visited the
Legislative Assembly (the
Lower House) and viewed
parliamentary debate from
the viewing gallery and were
also recognised by the
Deputy Speaker in official
Hansard record of their
visit. They also visited the
old Legislative Council
Chamber, known as
the ‘Red Chamber’. Members
of the Legislative Council
used to be appointed for
life, until it was abolished
in March 1922. This makes
Queensland Parliament unique
in Australia in that it is a
unicameral parliament,
consisting of only a Lower
House, made up of 93 Members
who are directly elected.
During the visit, Duncan
Pegg MP introduced the
students to the Hon. Grace
Grace, Minister for
Education and they got to
speak with her about their
plans for the future after
they graduate at the end of
2019. Minister Grace enjoyed
speaking with the students
and encouraged them to
consider taking up a career
in Education as Queensland
is always in need of great
teachers.
Duncan Pegg, Member for
Stretton said, ‘It was
fantastic to have the
Islamic College of Brisbane
school captains visit
Parliament House. It was
great to hear about their
plans for the future and I
wish them all the best for
their final year of high
school.’
Two arson attacks on
Toowoomba Mosque in early
2015, one year after its
inception, caused serious
damage to the Mosque
building. Since then, with
the support from Muslims
across Australia, especially
with those in the greater
Brisbane area and Gold
Coast, the determination and
resilience of Muslims in
Toowoomba to rebuild the
only Mosque in the city and
region have been always
undeterred.
After going through the pain
stricken and unknown journey
of settling with insurance
claim/assessment for more
than one year, the Islamic
Society of Toowoomba worked
with the surveyor, acoustic
assessor, architect, town
planner, structural and
traffic engineer another six
months to prepare the
paperwork for the
development application to
extend the burned building
to make it a proper Mosque
with all facilities under
one roof.
In late 2016, on receiving
conditional approval of the
proposed extension from the
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC),
the Society had to appeal
against two unacceptable
conditions – limiting
operational hours from
6am-9pm and number of
worshippers to 150 in
Fridays and 50 on other five
times prayers. In two
different DAP meetings of
the Council our appeals were
successful and those
conditions were removed in
2017.
The approval required the
Mosque to have 42 sealed car
parking spaces, 18 of those
were on the same level as
the Mosque building blocking
all grass land on the block
leaving no break up or green
areas. To attend this
problem, the Society
purchased another
neighbouring property to fit
in the required number of
car parking spaces in 2017.
Later in 2017, on getting
operational work permit
(another approval of
detailed drawings) from the
Council we started looking
for builders to start the
construction work. It was
not until July 2018, we
received a proper and
detailed quotation from a
Gold Cost based builder.
This quote was only to
complete the lock up stage
of the building project at a
cost of nearly $700,000.
Part of the condition of the
contract was to provide
evidence of guaranteed
finance for the completion
of the whole contracted job
before signing the contract.
Due to lack of enough
available fundraising at
this stage, in August 2018,
we had to borrow $400,000
from MCCA Income Fund with
personal Guarantee from two
key members of the community
to finalise the contract
before starting the work.
The work for the lock up
stage of the project started
in October 2018 and has been
completed in April 2019. In
the meantime, we have
received approval of our
modified revised development
application (mainly to move
18 car park from Mosque’s
front yard to the new
property) from TRC that will
make the traffic management
much safer.
On completion of the
project, 500 Muslims,
including 100 women at the
mezzanine level, will be
able to pray in the Mosque
at any time. To get
Occupation Certificate from
the Council we still need to
complete the following
tasks:
Electrical fittings, Toilet
fittings, Air-conditioning,
Sound system, Plaster and
paint, Fencing and gates
Carpeting, Car-parking with
two driveways, Retaining
wall and earthwork, Acoustic
walls, Camera and Security
system, Landscaping,
Rainwater tank, Disable
access, Infrastructure fee
to Council, surveying and
amalgamation charges etc.
To cover the rebuilding cost
of the Mosque, Muslims in
Toowoomba have organized
successful fundraising
dinners in Brisbane, Sydney,
Gold Coast and Toowoomba
along with collections from
many Mosques in Brisbane,
Darwin, Sydney, New Castle
and Wollongong on Fridays.
We still need around
$350,000 to complete the
above unfinished tasks of
the project as per the
revised plan (with some
added cost).
Please donate at Bank
Account: Commonwealth Bank
of Australia, Toowoomba
Plaza Branch, A/C Name:
Toowoomba Islamic Charitable
Organisation, BSB: 064459
A/C Number: 1034 1586. Swift
Code: CTBAAU25XXX
Established in 1905, the
National Council of Women of
Queensland Inc. (NCWQ)
continues to represent the
voice of thousands of women
through its affiliated
organisations and individual
membership.
The bursary program, since
its commencement in 2009,
indicates the strong
commitment of NCWQ to
equality of opportunity for
all women, especially in
offering some assistance to
female students as they
pursue their chosen pathway
of study.
The 2019 bursary program,
through NCWQ and its
sponsors, offers a range of
bursaries to Queensland
women to assist with their
educational expenses.
This is one of the bursaries
on offer this year along
with 33 others:
THE
HAJERA BIBI SEEDAT BURSARY
FOR AN EMERGING FEMALE
LEADER
The committed, compassionate
and empowering Saalihah
Seedat, who inspired the
Emerging Female Leader
Bursary has dedicated this
bursary in honour of her
late mother-in-law, Hajera
Bibi Seedat.
As a highly skilled social
innovator of change,
entrepreneur and a busy
mother of three, Saalihah
aims for a work-life
balance, combining her
established career as a
Consultant Clinical
Pharmacist with her
coaching, mentoring and
leadership skills as a
Personal Development
Specialist.
In its inaugural year, this
bursary has been created to
focus on the merit and
credibility of an emerging
female leader, and encourage
her to grow, lead and
inspire.
Documented examples of
leadership through
empowering others, your
personal growth and
maximising mentoring
opportunity.
The value of this bursary is
$1,000.00 in addition to 4 x
one-on-one mentoring
sessions with Saalihah
Seedat (to the value of
$1000)
To be eligible to apply for
this bursary, you must meet
each of the Eligibility
Criteria.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
• A female aged between 18 –
28 years old from a
culturally and/or
linguistically diverse (CALD)
background
• Able to demonstrate
outstanding leadership
qualities
• Have made a difference,
whether at a large-scale or
grass-roots level
• An Australian citizen or a
Permanent Resident of
Australia
This was a message sent to
Muslim Charitable
Foundation (MCF) on
social media by a non-Muslim
Australian.
“This election every time
I hear an Islamophobic
remark from a candidate, I'm
going to donate $10 to this
amazing charity. The Muslim
Charitable Foundation, they
are the same charity who
donated three truckloads of
hay to drought affected
farmers. I've chosen this
charity as they're in my
backyard right here in
Brisbane, if you'd like to
join me in this show of
support during a mucky
election please do. Today's
$10 was thanks to Fraser
Anning. This is just my way
of showing support to the
Islamic community during
this election.”
Women from
Arabic-speaking countries
who live in Australia are
being diagnosed with more
aggressive, further
developed breast cancers -
and experts fear it's
because they're less likely
to get checked.
Carol Fadel was just 42 when
she was diagnosed with
breast cancer.
The Western Sydney woman
found the lump by chance one
day, while inspecting
herself in the mirror.
But Ms Fadel is one of the
lucky ones.
“Within a couple of days I
was seen by my doctor and we
were talking about the next
stage - which was surgery -
and I opted for a mastectomy
on the left side," she told
SBS News.
“It was early enough I
didn’t need radiation or
chemo.”
It was a relief for Ms Fadel
who said discussing cancer
was “pretty much taboo”.
“In our household we never
talked about it,” she said.
“We’d never say, ‘I did a
check in the shower today',
we just didn't talk about
it.”
It’s an attitude Ms Fadel -
who was born in Australia
and is of Lebanese heritage
- says is held by many
families from
Arabic-speaking backgrounds.
New research conducted by Dr
Ghaith Helat, a breast
oncoplastic surgeon from
Westmead Hospital, has found
women born in
Arabic-speaking countries
and now living in Australia
are being diagnosed with
more aggressive forms of
breast cancer, and at later
stages than those born in
Australia.
The
Broncos have adjusted the
training program of forward
Payne Haas so his NRL
commitments don't interfere
with his Ramadan fasting
month, as part of his
Islamic faith.
Ramadan finishes on June 4,
or another two rounds away,
although the Broncos have a
bye in round 12.
Of course you wouldn't know
the 119kg front-rower is not
eating between sunrise and
sunset. He knocked out 223
metres in the 15-10 win over
the Roosters at Suncorp
Stadium including 89
post-contact metres from 20
hit-ups, with eight tackle
breaks and a try.
"He was very good Payne,
particularly carrying the
footy early. He caused the
Roosters lots of troubles
and created a fair bit of
momentum for us," coach
Anthony Seibold said.
"He really led the way,
plays long minutes, and been
really consistent for us. He
doesn't say too much – just
goes about his business –
but I like what he does and
what he brings.
"I put him straight in there
a few weeks ago because I
believe in him."
And as for Ramadan, Seibold
acknowledges the importance
of that as well.
"His beliefs – and we're
very supportive of it – so
we made some modifications
during the week in and
around his training
programs," he said.
"Payno makes a lot of
sacrifices and we're 100 per
cent behind him."
NSW coach Brad Fittler said
earlier in the week that he
was looking at Haas as he
assembles an Origin team to
try to retain the Holden
State of Origin shield in
2019.
"If Freddy picked Payno I'm
sure he'd do the job. He's
done a really good job for
us in the last six games for
us so I can see why Freddy
would be looking at him,"
Seibold said.
Haas says he is not finding
the fasting a burden.
"I
don't find it too hard. It's
my belief and I'm just happy
to do it. Sometimes it does
get tough," the 19-year-old
said.
"But I've got some good
people around me with good
input. They told me I should
do it and I took it on and
it's working wonders for me
at the moment."
Mr Mohammad Al-Khafaji, Chief
Executive Officer of FECCA.
In today’s modern Australia,
multiculturalism is
prevalent in all aspects of
our society. We’re either
grabbing a quick Vietnamese
to-go Banh Mi baguette for
lunch during busy days of
back-to-back meetings or
shopping for matching
colourful accessories for
our outfits at the
Indian-inspired chain of
female fashion stores Tree
of Life, or we’re buying
Turkish bread to make
delicious toasted
sandwiches.
It is now a definitive part
of us as a society, and as
such, it is important that
we embrace this unique asset
of our nation and allow
multiculturalism to thrive
in every way possible. Thus,
we as a nation need to
ensure that Australians from
multicultural backgrounds
are provided with proper
representation at large.
The establishment of
non-for-profit organisations
like FECCA, The Federation
of Ethnic Communities’
Councils of Australia, is
integral in our nation to
ensure that the needs and
aspirations of Australians
from diverse cultural and
linguistic backgrounds are
given proper recognition in
public policy.
FECCA is the peak national
body representing
Australians from culturally
and linguistically diverse
backgrounds. Furthermore,
FECCA’s role is to advocate
and promote issues on behalf
of its constituency to
government, business and the
broader community. It works
to promote fairness and
responsiveness to our
constituency in the delivery
and design of government
policies and programs. FECCA
can help our nation continue
to be the successful and
harmonious multicultural
society that we are.
A significant organisation
like FECCA must be led by a
leader of a high calibre,
and after an insightful
conversation with the man
himself, I was honoured to
be able to have fruitful
discussions with the Chief
Executive Officer of FECCA,
Mr Mohammad Al-Khafaji.
His is an inspiring story
from when he and his family
first moved to Australia. As
a fellow overseas-born
myself, Mr Al-Khafaji’s
story of welcoming and
appreciating a new country
with bountiful opportunities
is one which resonates with
me.
Among Mr Al-Khafaji’s duties
in the organisation are to
ensure its operations and
finances are well-managed.
He ensures that FECCA’s
policy work is strong,
policy papers and
parliamentary submissions
are responded to, and
essentially, to advocate on
behalf of communities.
“If there is an issue to be
addressed, we (FECCA) make
sure that we raise it,” Mr
Al-Khafaji said.
Importantly, Mr Al-Khafaji’s
role consists of stakeholder
engagement where those in
leadership speaks to their
members to address the
members’ concerns and issues
so that the conversations
can be escalated at a higher
level.
At its core, FECCA works
towards ensuring political
leaders understand that our
cultural diversity is an
asset to us, which we need
to embrace and nurture. It
wants to ensure the policies
that are in place moves this
concept into the future.
FECCA also wants to ensure
that political candidates,
governments, and oppositions
acknowledge that the
multiculturalism of all
communities, in all its
diversities, requires
government policy to be
adapted and to ensure it
addresses the unique needs
of different communities. As
Mr Al-Khafaji explains:
“[FECCA’s work] is to make
sure that we move away from
politicising race and
religion when it comes to
winning votes because that’s
when the dangers of us
slipping as a successful
multicultural nation could
happen,” he said.
Mr Al-Khafaji’s journey to
his role as CEO today is an
inspiring and interesting
story. He first came to
Australia at 13 in 2003, and
the sense of social justice
was present in Mr Al-Khafaji
since the very beginning.
He stresses that he owes a
lot of his successes to his
mentors from a young age,
from the high school
teachers that saw potential
in him to the various
mentors that have helped him
through the journey.
Teachers in high school
would encourage young Mr Al-Khafaji
to do extra-curricular
activities including being
involved in University
councils and debating
opportunities.
“I think it’s really
important to make sure that
our communities have strong
mentors to encourage young
people to do
extra-curricular activities
– to get out there and
involved, and not just sit
back and expect things to
happen for them,” he said.
Mr Al-Khafaji highlights
that to achieve success, one
must have “passion, hard
work, and a lot of helping
hands.”
Speaking on the journey to
CEO of FECCA itself, Mr Al-Khafaji
highlights his work with
‘Welcome to Australia’, one
of the few community
organisations in existence
at the time, as an integral
point in his career with
community organisations as
it greatly helped share the
story of his refugee journey
through Australia.
A notable period of the
journey was Mr Al-Khafaji’s
move from his role as a
Business Analyst in the
private sector to enter the
multicultural sector which
he says was a ‘brave jump’.
As Mr Al-Khafaji describes,
however, the risks have paid
off as the organisation grew
tremendously in
two-and-a-half years
nationally, also with the
generosity of the community
and highlighting the message
of ‘Welcome to Australia’.
Mr Al-Khafaji then
volunteered for FECCA as an
elected board member, then
moved to being the Honorary
Secretary, then progressed
to Directory of Strategy and
Engagement. Soon after, Mr
Al-Khafaji was appointed the
Acting Chief Executive
Officer in November 2018,
which led to his recent
success as the official
Chief Executive Officer of
FECCA in April 2019.
The arsonists
daubed the Islamic centre with
the words "Islamic State".
One of three men found
guilty of terrorism charges
for torching a Melbourne
mosque in the name of
Islamic State has lashed out
in a fiery court outburst,
calling police "dogs" and
the jury who convicted him
"nobodies".
In the Supreme Court on
Thursday, Abdullah Chaarani,
28, Ahmed Mohamed, 26, and
Hatim Moukhaiber, 30, were
found guilty of engaging in
a terrorist act for their
roles in burning down the
Imam Ali Islamic Centre in
Fawkner on December 11,
2016.
Chaarani and Mohamed were
also found guilty of a
single charge each of
attempting to engage in a
terrorist attack, over an
unsuccessful attempt to
destroy the mosque 16 days
earlier.
Moments after the jury
delivered its verdicts,
Moukhaiber’s mother started
calling out to the jury, and
then her son yelled out to
anti-terrorism police.
‘‘You are f---ing dogs,’’ he
yelled as he slammed his
fist into the desk in front
of him in the dock.
Asked to be quiet by Justice
Andrew Tinney, Moukhaiber
gestured to the jury and
called out: ‘‘She has just
lost her son because of
these nobodies here.’’
During a trial lasting more
than five weeks, prosecutors
argued Mohamed, Chaarani and
Moukhaiber were followers of
an extreme interpretation of
Sunni Islam and wanted to
advance their cause by
destroying the Shiite
mosque, in what was a
sectarian terror act.
Their trial was told that as
Moukhaiber and Mohamed
forced their way into the
mosque and poured fuel
throughout, Chaarani
spray-painted the words
‘‘Islamic State’’, in
English and Arabic, on an
outside wall.
During the month of
Ramadan, MAA is
making it easier for
you to donate and
earn rewards!
We've set up a stall
at Underwood
Marketplace from
Mon-Sat for the
entire month of
Ramadan.
MAA and Hurricanes
Star Club will also
be hosting a FREE
Kids Ramadan
Activities workshop
every Saturday and
Sunday from 10am-1pm
for the entire month
of Ramadan.
Come down and make
an IMPACT this
Ramadan and help
millions in over 25
countries around the
world.
Just a few of the
items for Sale:
Prophetic Health
Packs (Honey and
Blackseed Oil)
Eid Decorations
Eid Envelopes
MAA Water
Bottles
Arabic Learning
Boards
Magnets
Umbrellas
Ramadan Lanterns
and much more
You
can also donate your
ZAKAH, FITRAH, and
SADAQAH to over 25
countries around the
world, including
Syria, Palestine,
Myanmar, Somalia,
and Yemen.
The brand new
podcast series with
Professor Saeed Khan - the
millennial Muslim’s guide to
what the “hell” happened in
Islamic history. 1400 OMG is your guide to
what the heck happened in
Muslim History.
Muslim lands are currently
wrought with war. The
Caliphate formally ended.
Sectarianism rampant. Terror
in the name of Islam. Barely
any theological progress. This series will reflect on
the last 1400 years in the
Muslim world and dig deep
into some of the root causes
of the situation many
Muslims find themselves in
today. The series is
inquisitive and reflective.
Muslim News UK readers
nominated the following
illustrious men, women,
children and projects deemed
worthy of short-listing for
a Muslim News Award for
Excellence. These exemplars
of good practice, excellence
– future role models – will
be treated to a Gala Evening
in the presence of their
peers and other renowned
guests in April, when the
finalists are announced for
the 15 coveted Awards for
Excellence
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK'S
CCN.......
Malcolm X YOUNG PERSON’S
Award for Excellence
Imran
Sanaullah
is an inspirational young
Muslim leader who has spent
over six years promoting and
encouraging the positive
engagement of
underrepresented, deprived
and minority communities
into British democratic and
civil society. With the
Foreign Commonwealth Office,
and under the direction of
the then Permanent
Secretary, Sir Simon Fraser
CMG, Imran founded the Youth
Inspiration Group (YIG) in
2013. The group raised
issues and presented policy
ideas from young people
across the country to
ambassadors and high
commissioners from across
the world. Imran has helped
to empower over 300 young
people across the country.
His impact has been
international, as the work
of the group has been
replicated in Canada, New
Zealand, Algeria and
Croatia. He is currently the
CEO of the Patchwork
Foundation in London, which
has engaged over 40,000
young people from deprived
and underrepresented
communities to engage in the
democratic system.
Arqam
Al Hadeed
was recently elected as the
youth member of the UK’s
Parliament for Leeds, after
a successful campaign that
involved interacting with
thousands of young people
across Leeds. His manifesto
included erasing religious
discrimination, especially
against Muslims. In November
2018, Arqam spoke very
passionately in the House Of
Commons to end knife crime
and got a standing ovation
from the full House
including the Opposition
Leader, Jeremy Corbyn;
Shadow Home Secretary, Diane
Abbott; and head of the
House of Commons, Andrea
Leadsom. Arqam’s remarks
from the Parliament were
aired live on Parliament TV,
aired on BBC Parliament and
quoted by many newspapers.
He also awarded one of the
top 5 champions of the “Make
Your Mark” – the world’s
biggest voting consultation
for young people.
At 17 years old,
Mohammad Mahdi Karim
is a decorated Model UN
delegate. He has won six
awards from six conferences,
including two at
international level.
Mohammad has also
established an award-winning
Model United Nations society
at his school, Dr
Challoner’s Grammar School
in Amersham. Here he has
coached peers in research on
topics of international
concern, drafting
resolutions, giving
speeches, raising points of
concern, lobbying, building
consensus and debate at
conferences. His work has
been recognised by the
Speaker of the House of
Commons, John Bercow and the
Minister for Children and
Families, Robert Goodwill.
He has set up his own public
speaking and political
engagement consultancies,
where he trains young
children to improve their
public speaking whilst also
embedding knowledge of
current affairs with them.
He volunteers at his
previous primary school and
leads sessions on political
awareness with the children.
His other volunteering
schemes involve tutoring
GCSE chemistry and math at
SICM Tuition.
Salih Yucel and Abu Bakr
Sirajuddin Cook, editors Australian
Journal of Islamic Studies
Editors' Introduction (Vol 3
No 3 2018):
The history of Islam within
Australia is an important,
yet often overlooked, part
of Australian history.
Muslim presence in Australia
has helped shape
multicultural experience
facilitating intercultural
dialogue as well as
contributing significantly
to the development of the
Australian nation. However,
to date, it has received
minimal scholarly attention.
There have been significant
studies on the engagements
of the Maccasans, Muslim
fishermen from Indonesia,
with the Indigenous peoples
of northern Australia. These
studies have detailed the
cultural interactions and
trade between them and the
lasting impacts of the
inclusion of language
foreign to Australian soil.
There is also an increasing
awareness of Australia’s
cameleers, many of whom were
Muslims, and the
contribution they made to
maintaining trade routes and
assisting early Australian
explorers. Despite the
growing interest in the
field, the history of Islam
in Australia remains an
understudied area of
research. This rich history
dates back further than we
thought and has possibly had
a greater impact than what
is recognised. Given the
current political and social
climate surrounding Islam
globally, it is timely that
this volume of the
Australian Journal of
Islamic Studies is
published. This volume
brings to light the depth
and richness of Australia’s
Islamic heritage,
challenging some of the
prevalent assumptions on the
topic, and calls for further
studies in this field.
Australia has proclaimed
itself as being a successful
example of a multicultural
society. It is a society
that has been shaped, and
continues to be shaped, by a
diverse range of cultural
inputs. With this being the
case, it is justifiable to
ask how and why the
contributions of Muslims to
Australia have been largely
overlooked.
Over the weeks, CCN
highlights extracts from the
Australian Journal of
Islamic Studies which is an
open access, double-blind
peer-reviewed journal
dedicated to the scholarly
study of Islam.
REVULSION AND REFLECTION:
THE COLOURED AND WHITE
MUSLIM IN AUSTRALIA’S PRINT
MEDIA FROM THE LATE 19TH TO
THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY (Katy
Nebhan)
BETWEEN THE LINES: THE
LIVERPOOL MUSLIM INSTITUTE
IN BRITAIN
In his study, Germain
highlights the critical
relationship between the
diasporic communities from
the British Empire, in South
Africa and Australia, and
the growing international
influence of the Liverpool
Muslim Institute in Britain.
Prior to the official
establishment of the
institute, the Australian
print media was conscious
and somewhat cautious of
this link. In “Our City
Letter” published in the
Victorian Express in 1879,
reference was made to the
“heads of a Mahommedan
Mission” who sought:
to make converts to
Allah and the Prophet
among Christian
communities. Such a
mission, lately
established in London
has it is said, added
many names to the roll
of the faithful, among
whom the fair sex appear
in considerable force.
What if we should have
Mosque and Minaret in
Perth. Who can tell? Let
us wait.
This link, as Germain argues
and as evidence in
Australian print media
clearly suggests, was direct
and somewhat empowering for
the struggling early Muslim
settlers who were shunned as
‘coloured aliens’.
A number of the letters
written by Musa Khan to the
Australian papers referred
to earlier, coincided with
his election as an honorary
vice president during the
annual meeting of the
Liverpool Muslim Institute
held in 1895.
His active communication
with Australian newspapers
also coincided with the
plans that were being made
to build a mosque in Perth
and the visit by Mulla Mirza
Khan. Musa Khan, a
bookseller in Perth, would
become the founder,
treasurer and secretary of
the Perth Mosque and the
representative of the ‘camel
men’ at royal functions.
The pamphlet style book,
History of Islamism in
Australia from 1863-1932,
which he compiled, points to
a man who was eloquent and
heavily involved in
community affairs.
He was also the initial
distributor of the weekly
journal The Crescent
and the monthly magazine
The Islamic World, both
of which were produced by
the Liverpool Muslim
Institute.
Although
there is no way of knowing
how many and how often they
were sent to the colony,
these magazines appear to
have been the first Islamic
publications in the English
language for Muslims in
Australia.
Communities
come together at Ramadan
night markets but feel left
out of politics
Western
Sydney's Muslim community
comes together to break fast
at the Ramadan night
markets. But as the election
looms many feel they're
being left out of politics.
Ramadan poem
IlmFeed
"From the
moment I depart until the
moment I appear, people are
waiting for me for almost
the entire year."
Poem by Akhi Abu
Stephen Colbert interview
With Rep. Ilhan Omar
The Late Show
Ramadan Mubarak from
around the world
The Šarena Mosque in
Macedonia is a work of art
Boxer Julian Williams on
Ramadan
"First of all
I just wanna say
Alhamdulillah...
Alhamdulillah it's the month
of Ramadan. I just wanna say
Ramadan Mubarak to all the
Muslims out there".
Julian Williams was homeless
when he was 13. Now he has
won a world title.
Fanning fanning flames
outside Holland Park Mosque
Paul Taylor
QLD Senate candidate and
Fraser Anning "highlight the
dangers of Islam" in front
of the Holland Park Mosque.
Ramadan Mubarak: London
Mayor
Ramadan Mubarak to more than
a million Muslim Londoners -
many of whom will begin
fasting today for an entire
month. Ramadan is a time for
charity, reflection and
community - qualities that
benefit all of us, across
the capital and around the
world.
25 Football Stars who are
going to observe Ramadan
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 or agreement by CCN of the contents
therein.
US: CAIR's Civil Rights
Department received a call from a Muslim
woman who was being denied a driver's
license photo by the Washington, D.C.,
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
unless she agreed to push back her hijab
to show her ears. The DMV employee told
the woman that other Muslim women have
complied with their instructions and she
should as well.
But knowing her First Amendment rights,
and CAIR's defense of those rights, she
contacted one of CAIR's attorneys who
then took immediate action. Our Civil
Rights Department called the D.C. DMV's
Office of General Counsel. The DMV's
deputy general counsel immediately
called the local facility and instructed
them to take the Muslim driver's
photograph.
This case was resolved in just 15
minutes, but most civil rights cases
take much more time and effort to
resolve.
CAIR has hired qualified attorneys, and
because of their reputation, they were
able to resolve this complaint. If the
Muslim driver had to call a private
attorney, it would cost her hundreds or
even thousands of dollars in legal fees.
All CAIR legal services are free of
charge. .
Brunei backs down on gay sex death
penalty after international backlash
BRUNEI: Brunei will not
impose the death penalty on those
convicted of having gay sex, in an
apparent bid to temper international
condemnation following its roll out of
strict new Islamic laws last month.
In a televised speech on Sunday, the
country's ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah,
said he would extend a moratorium on
capital punishment and ratify the United
Nations Convention Against Torture.
The announcement follows a global
backlash to the country's announcement
in April that it would impose draconian
new punishments, including death by
stoning, for those convicted of gay sex,
adultery and rape.
In a high profile campaign, celebrities,
including George Clooney and Elton John,
joined rights groups in seeking to
boycott hotels owned by the sultan,
while large companies including JPMorgan
and Deutsche Bank told their staff to
avoid using Brunei-owned hotels in the
wake of new laws.
The tiny oil-rich Asian kingdom became
the first East Asian country to
introduce Sharia law at a national level
in 2014, introducing the legislation and
associated penalties in stages.
The country initially defended its new
legal code, claiming it focused "more on
prevention and punishment," but the
growing backlash appears to have forced
the kingdom's hand.
In his speech on Sunday, the sultan said
there had been a number of
"misconceptions" about the laws which he
acknowledged may have caused
"apprehension."
"However, we believe that once these
have been cleared, the merit of the law
will be evident," he said.
The sultan announced the kingdom's
long-term moratorium on the death
penalty would also extend to the new
penal code, although he didn't elaborate
whether this was a new decision.
"For more than two decades, we have
practiced a de facto moratorium on the
execution of death penalty for cases
under the common law. This will also be
applied to cases under the Syariah Penal
Code Order (SPCO)," the sultan said.
Despite his announcement on the death
penalty, Brunei's leader said Sunday he
stood by his new penal code overall.
"Both the common law and the Syariah law
aim to ensure peace and harmony of the
country. They are also crucial in
protecting the morality and decency of
the public as well as respecting the
privacy of individuals," he said.
Western Perceptions of the Prophet of Islam from the
Middle Ages to Today
by
John Tolan
Heretic and
impostor or reformer and statesman? The
contradictory Western visions of
Muhammad
In European culture, Muhammad has been
vilified as a heretic, an impostor, and
a pagan idol. But these aren't the only
images of the Prophet of Islam that
emerge from Western history.
Commentators have also portrayed
Muhammad as a visionary reformer and an
inspirational leader, statesman, and
lawgiver.
In Faces of
Muhammad, John Tolan provides a
comprehensive history of these changing,
complex, and contradictory visions.
Starting from the earliest calls to the
faithful to join the Crusades against
the "Saracens," he traces the evolution
of Western conceptions of Muhammad
through the Reformation, the
Enlightenment, and the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries, and up to the
present day.
Faces of Muhammad reveals a lengthy
tradition of positive portrayals of
Muhammad that many will find surprising.
To Reformation polemicists, the spread
of Islam attested to the corruption of
the established Church, and prompted
them to depict Muhammad as a champion of
reform.
In
revolutionary England, writers on both
sides of the conflict drew parallels
between Muhammad and Oliver Cromwell,
asking whether the prophet was a rebel
against legitimate authority or the
bringer of a new and just order.
Voltaire
first saw Muhammad as an archetypal
religious fanatic but later claimed him
as an enemy of superstition. To
Napoleon, he was simply a role model: a
brilliant general, orator, and leader.
The book shows that Muhammad wears so
many faces in the West because he has
always acted as a mirror for its
writers, their portrayals revealing more
about their own concerns than the
historical realities of the founder of
Islam.
Q:
Dear Kareema, quick question.
Does night time eating really make you put on
weight? My work colleagues and I often debate
this issue which tends to come up during Ramadan
months.
A:
What we do know is that too many calories will
cause weight gain, so steer away from
high-calorie foods, especially at night time.
Fried foods and high sugar-content foods are not
good at the best of times, so limit your intake.
Eat a well-balanced diet, drink lots of water,
and try not to eat too close to bedtime.
Late night snacking and heavy meals can also
lead to heartburn and indigestion which will
disrupt sleep patterns and may add to
weight-gain.
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:
Accept, Release,
Receive
Pause for a few
minutes and reflect
on your past few
months. There may be
something
challenging in your
life that keeps
happening over and
over. You may find
you’re making duaa
for it to subside
and for ALLAH to
give you ease and
yet you may feel
that it keeps
lingering on.
Perhaps it briefly
subsides only to
recur in a few days
or weeks.
If you feel you are
being tested in the
same thing over and
over again, perhaps
it is time you
realised that you
have not yet learned
the lesson that is
coming from that
test.
The lesson of
SURRENDER.
Surrendering to
ALLAH’s plans for us
requires us to
accept without
judgement and
expectation all that
is happening in the
moment of now and
all that has
happened in the
past. When you
accept what is and
has been, you will
no longer anticipate
fearful outcomes.
Acceptance enables
you to shift from
fear to faith. It is
fear that keeps you
trapped in the
anxiety of false,
imagined outcomes.
It is fear that
perpetuates your
inability to
surrender completely
to ALLAH. It is fear
that makes you doubt
yourself and dismiss
your intuitive
voice. When you
accept life as it is
happening in the
now, you start
living with complete
faith. Faith that
shifts you from a
restrictive, fearful
and doubtful mindset
to one where you
begin to believe in
the positive
possibilities of
life, where you know
that no matter what
is happening in your
life right now it is
only through the
mercy of ALLAH that
you are learning a
lesson so that you
may serve HIM
better.
In acceptance lies
freedom. When you
oppose the natural
flow of life by
unacceptance, you
live from a mindset
of lack, restriction
and limitations.
This restrictive,
opposing vibration
leads to ailments in
the body such as
anger, anxiety,
digestive disorders,
to name only a few.
Accepting and
surrendering enables
you to release
toxins from your
mind and body.
Releasing toxicity
brings about clarity
and clears the space
in your life to
receive love, light,
peace and joy. It is
when we do not
accept the moment of
now that we create
energy blockages in
ourselves and bring
about stagnation in
our lives. This, in
turn, brings about
repetitive, negative
thought patterns
that do not serve us
to connect with
ALLAH. In fact,
these negative
thought patterns
only serve the
shaitaan.
How To Accept,
Release And Receive
Use the table below
to help you
understand, accept
and release the
recurring incidents
in your life. Be
sure to refer to the
Holy Quran to find
the ayats that will
reconfirm that
whatever incident/
event/ experience
you may be having,
it is temporary.
Understanding this
will enable you to
accept and release.
Once you accept and
release, you create
space in your life
to receive love,
light, peace and
joy. In Shaa ALLAH.
Makes a list
of all the
things that
you feel are
happening
over and
over in your
life
What lesson
do you think
this
incident/event/experience
is teaching
you?
Find an ayat
from the
Holy Quran
that
confirms to
you that
this
incident/
event/
experience
is
temporary.
If you wish to know about
a specific topic
with regards to
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please email me on
info@healingwordstherapy.com.
If you wish to have
a FREE one hour
Clarity Coaching
phone session,
contact me on
0451977786
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Reflections
- my new ebook of
poetry and
affirmations
DOWNLOAD The
Ultimate Self-Care
Guide For Muslimahs
WATCH VIDEOS
from Muslimah Mind
Matters YouTube
Channel.
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Meditation
Moments - audio
files for
self-awareness
meditation.
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.
...."Those whose lives the
angels take in a state of
wrong-doing to their own
souls." Then would they
offer submission (with the
pretence), "We did no
evil(knowingly)."
(The angels will reply),
"Nay, but verily Allah knows
all that you did; so enter
the gates of Hell, to dwell
therein. Thus evil indeed is
the abode of the arrogant."
Where, after all, do
universal human rights
begin? In small places,
close to home – so close and
so small that they cannot be
seen on any maps of the
world. Yet they are the
world of the individual
person; the neighbourhood he
lives in; the school or
college he attends; the
factory, farm or office
where he works. Such are the
places where every man,
woman and child seeks equal
justice, equal opportunity,
equal dignity without
discrimination. Unless these
rights have meaning there,
they have little meaning
anywhere. Without concerned
citizen action to uphold
them close to home, we shall
look in vain for progress in
the larger world.
This Ramadan we
are aiming to
deliver 2,000
bags of rice and
other food
supplies to
Afghan families
who need it
most.
A
single bag will
provide enough
food for a
medium sized
family for a
couple of
months.
Providing food
is an important
way of
alleviating the
financial stress
felt by many
widows in
Afghanistan,
whilst also
ensuring young
children are
receiving
nutritious
meals.
Look into your
hearts this
Ramadan and give
to Afghanistan’s
most vulnerable.
Help us reach
over 2,000
Widows.
IT IS that time
of the year
again once
again,
alhamdulillah
our NZF EID TOY
DRIVE 2019.
We will be
collecting brand
new toys for the
less fortunate
and the children
at the qld
children's
hospital in sha
Allah
So make this
Ramadan the most
rewarding by
earning the
pleasure of
Allah swt and
making a child
happy on EID al
Fitr.
For more info
and toy
requirements
contact Amra
0430589383 (NZF
Toy drive
coordinator)
MAA Preparing
to Distribute
Your Donations
in Ramadan
For over 30
years, Muslim
Aid Australia
has been
delivering your
donations to the
poorest
communities
around the world
including in
Syria,
Palestine,
Yemen, Burma and
across Africa.
This Ramadan,
donate your
Zakah & Sadaqah
or opt for some
of our special
'Donate &
Elevate'
packages that
focus on Food,
Sadaqah Jaariyah,
the Environment,
Women's
Empowerment and
more.
Don't wait -
help change the
lives of your
brothers and
sisters today to
ensure they can
benefit this
Ramadan and
beyond.
EID AT THE
PARK IS BACK on the 5th OR
6th June Rocklea Showgrounds
with bigger and better
things planned than ever
before!
With a large variety of
cuisines to choose from, a
petting farm, plenty of
stalls and thrilling rides
for children and adults, the
largest Eid Day Festival in
Brisbane is an experience
not to be missed!
The Islamic Council of
Queensland (ICQ) is hosting
its annual Eid Down Under
festival on Saturday 8 June.
More than 15,000 people
attend for hours of fun,
food, rides, entertainment,
competitions, cultural
performances and more.
Brisbane City Council
considers this a major event
in Brisbane. It provides a
chance for the Muslim
community to connect with
other groups and communities
in Queensland, promoting an
inclusive and harmonious
Australian society.
Many companies and
organisations host stalls at
the event to sell products
and showcases their
services. The promotion
opportunity is huge as the
event brings together people
from all walks of life, and
many different communities
from across Queensland.
Stall applications are now
closed. We will no longer be
accepting any requests for
stalls. If you have sent
your stall application form
to us, we will be reviewing
and responding to you within
two weeks with the outcome
of the review. Please remain
patient as we aim to ensure
this year's event has an
attractive range of stalls,
rides and stage events. 4
weeks to go!
At Sisters
Suppprt Services Inc we have
qualified volunteers who help
women in their darkest moments &
time of need to empower them to
make the right choices for
better outcomes for their own
lives.
Here are some examples of our
cases over the past few months.
ALL names have been changed to
protect client identities.
1. Aisha, a victim of Domestic
Violence came to us for
assistance. We assisted her by
giving her money to buy clothing
and personal items as she left
her home quickly and with very
little. Aisha has also needed
ongoing counselling which she
has been receiving from us for
the past few months. She was
taken to appointments and
connected with the right people
who helped her start a new life
in a safe environment.
“Thank you so
much for your help. I am so very
grateful. Thank you to Sister
Services. Allah bless you all.”
2. Katie, a revert sister with
young kids needed ongoing
counselling and support as she
had not been coping well at home
and was not able to look after
herself and her family. Sisters
Support Services was there for
her; “I can’t tell you enough in
words how grateful I am, just by
listening to me when I was
feeling so low. Life is not
looking so dark anymore !”
3. Sarah also a revert sister
recently divorced with a young
child arrived in Brisbane with
virtually nothing. We have
helped her with everyday
essentials, food supplies &
assisted her to find suitable
accommodation. Sarah has some
health issues & needed financial
support with purchasing
medications & by being driven to
medical appointments by our
volunteers.
"So happy with
the help I've received from
Sisters Support Services."
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
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The CCN's "We'll
take that as a
comment" Column 
THE
HAJERA BIBI SEEDAT BURSARY
FOR AN EMERGING FEMALE
LEADER
Imran
Sanaullah
is an inspirational young
Muslim leader who has spent
over six years promoting and
encouraging the positive
engagement of
underrepresented, deprived
and minority communities
into British democratic and
civil society. With the
Foreign Commonwealth Office,
and under the direction of
the then Permanent
Secretary, Sir Simon Fraser
CMG, Imran founded the Youth
Inspiration Group (YIG) in
2013. The group raised
issues and presented policy
ideas from young people
across the country to
ambassadors and high
commissioners from across
the world. Imran has helped
to empower over 300 young
people across the country.
His impact has been
international, as the work
of the group has been
replicated in Canada, New
Zealand, Algeria and
Croatia. He is currently the
CEO of the Patchwork
Foundation in London, which
has engaged over 40,000
young people from deprived
and underrepresented
communities to engage in the
democratic system.
Arqam
Al Hadeed
was recently elected as the
youth member of the UK’s
Parliament for Leeds, after
a successful campaign that
involved interacting with
thousands of young people
across Leeds. His manifesto
included erasing religious
discrimination, especially
against Muslims. In November
2018, Arqam spoke very
passionately in the House Of
Commons to end knife crime
and got a standing ovation
from the full House
including the Opposition
Leader, Jeremy Corbyn;
Shadow Home Secretary, Diane
Abbott; and head of the
House of Commons, Andrea
Leadsom. Arqam’s remarks
from the Parliament were
aired live on Parliament TV,
aired on BBC Parliament and
quoted by many newspapers.
He also awarded one of the
top 5 champions of the “Make
Your Mark” – the world’s
biggest voting consultation
for young people.
National Archives of Australia c. 1924
.jpg)
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7
August 2011