Located in the hear of St.Lucia and open
from 11:00am-9:30PM Daily, Zambeekas St.Lucia is always available
when you need it.
EST. 2004
Sunday 23 June
2019 | Issue
0763
CCN - a sometimes self-deprecating and
occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and the world around us
....
Zambeekas St. Lucia opened on
the 1st of May 2019 boasting the same delicious flame grilled BBQ
chicken flavour that Zambeekas is renowned for.
What started as an
inherited recipe of homemade basting sauces from a small town family of
the Zambezia Province has evolved into an intriguing range of Portuguese
cuisine tempting even the finest taste buds!
Who would have thought the
flavours of a small Portuguese settlement in
Mozambique in the 1500’s would unite these two vastly different flavours
so wonderfully!
This fusion is what Zambeekas is known for. Pop
into our St.Lucia Store and get to know why Brisbane loves Zambeekas!
The final day of the Group 1
Coding Bootcamp yesterday
(Saturday) ended with
Certificates of Attendance
and prizes for innovation
and creativity, improvement
and helpfulness. Today
(Sunday) Group 2 takes on a
range of coding challenges
in a variety of computer
programming languages.
Nothing like a
sausage sizzle to
get the coding
juices flowing
All participants
receive a
Certificate of
Attendance
Ayesha Azeem
receives her
Innovation/Creativity
Award from Hafizah
Suleman
Zayan Latha wins the
Helpfulness Award
Sameera Suleman and
Saffiya Latif share the Most
Improved Award
Susan Scott and
Mariam Adli work
together to find the
bug.
This was Walid Yassine's bed
this week at the CEO
sleepout run by Vinnies to
raise awareness about
homelessness in Australia.
"The stories from homeless
people were extremely eye
opening and very much broke
down the stereotypical view
of who a ‘homeless person’
is or could be. Australians
like you and I who had a few
bad turns in life, some out
of their control, had
nothing to lean on and
become homeless," said
Yassine who is MD at
Bauerfeind Australia and
Director at Crescent
Institute.
"Thousands of every day
Aussie’s sleep on the
streets and go hungry daily
and the reality is quite
harsh out there...it was
cold! It all starts with
awareness," Yassine added.
Manal Shehab uses her own
experiences to encourage others
to stand up against domestic
violence.
Community leaders in
Melbourne have come together
to inspire, empower and
support multicultural groups
to stand up against domestic
violence.
More than 40 people took
part in an intensive 12-week
program that aimed to break
down the stigma around
domestic violence.
The initiative was formed by
White Ribbon in a bid to
combat the difficulties
faced by migrants living in
Australia.
White Ribbon Australia CEO
Delia Donovan said in 2018,
there were 7.3 million
migrants living in
Australia, with 29 per cent
of the population having
been born overseas.
The Empowering Culturally
and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
Leaders Project is based on
alarming statistics that
showed 87 per cent of women
from Afghanistan, Iraq,
Nepal, Myanmar and Ethiopia
did not know that that
domestic violence was a
criminal offence in
Australia.
Ms Donovan said there were
many complexities for CALD
communities accessing the
support they need and that
rates of abuse, disrespect
and violence continue to
need addressing through a
strengths-based approach.
Muslim-Australian councillor
Manal Shehab is a survivor
of domestic violence.
"Leaving was not the hardest
part, the hardest part was
the war I had to fight after
leaving," she said.
"I found myself going to the
faith leaders I had on such
a high pedestal. I thought,
I am coming to you for
help."
Ms Shehab said many told her
"to go back and stay at
home".
"I remember tears streaming
down my face - they were not
listening,' she said.
Sadly, Shehab’s story is one
of many across the nation.
White Ribbon CEO Delia
Donovan labelled the
domestic violence rates in
Australia as a national
crisis.
"This project has supported
emerging leaders from
culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD)
communities to engage with
the communities on this
issue and make a positive
change," she said.
"Prevention alongside other
modes of practice continues
to be fundamental if we are
to stop the violence before
it starts and address this
as a whole community."
White Ribbon hopes that by
empowering community leaders
to deliver a targeted
message to their peers, it
will provoke change and
challenge outdated attitude
towards domestic violence.
Suad Rejak has been inspired
by the program and now wants
to use her knowledge to help
others.
"Every night I was
suffering," she said.
"I would wake up in the
morning and put a smile on
my face. When I spoke to
women in my community…I was
surprised by the stories
they told me.
"I wasn’t alone."
‘There is a lot of red flags
for us women that we ignore,
as I did. I think doing the
course is important to
empower me personally and I
will be able to give back to
the community,' said Ms
Rejak.
Both Ms Shebab and Ms Rejak
are now educating other
women about what their
rights are.
"I thought this is bigger
than I thought. We can’t
have this,’ Ms Shehab said.
"When you are passionate and
driven and understand what
these women are going
through… We all have to work
together to eradicate
violence against women.
"It’s about shifting
mindsets. We still have a
long way to go.’
The holy month of
Ramadan, which sees
Muslims all over the
world fast during
daylight hours,
begins this weekend.
Does having type 2
diabetes exclude a
person from fasting?
Not necessarily. The
decision belongs to
the person, but
getting some advice
from health
professionals can
help.
Diabetes is the
fastest growing
chronic condition in
Australia. About 6%
of Australian adults
report they have
diabetes, although
this is likely an
underestimate of the
true prevalence.
Type 2 diabetes,
which constitutes
the majority of
diabetes cases,
occurs when the body
becomes resistant to
the actions of
insulin, or loses
the capacity to
produce sufficient
insulin from the
pancreas. Insulin
keeps the body’s
blood glucose levels
within a healthy
range.
People with type 2
diabetes can manage
the condition by
maintaining a
healthy lifestyle,
including doing
exercise and keeping
a healthy diet. In
more serious cases,
people with type 2
diabetes may need to
take medications
such as metformin,
sulfonylureas, or
other
glucose-lowering
tablets, or
self-administer
insulin injections.
Type 2 diabetes
affects some
ethnicities more
than others. It’s
more common in
people of Middle
Eastern, north
African and
south/south-east
Asian backgrounds.
Many Muslim
Australians are from
these ethnic
backgrounds.
Using 2016 census
data, and
conservatively
estimating an adult
diabetes prevalence
of 10% among people
of Muslim background
(the exact
prevalence is
unknown), as many as
40,000 Muslims may
be living with
diabetes in
Australia. And this
number is likely to
be increasing.
Dietary practices
such as fasting,
feasting, and
consumption of
special foods are an
essential component
of many religious
and cultural
celebrations.
For Muslims, fasting
during the month of
Ramadan is
obligatory for all
healthy adults, who
must refrain from
eating, drinking and
taking oral
medications between
dawn and sunset.
During Ramadan, most
people have two
meals per day, at
sunset and before
sunrise. This can be
risky for people
with type 2 diabetes
– particularly those
who use insulin or
certain oral
diabetes medications
– for a couple of
reasons.
First, fasting
during the day can
increase the risk of
low blood glucose
levels in people who
usually take insulin
or other blood
glucose-lowering
medications.
And conversely, the
evening meal to
break the fast,
called “Iftar,”
often involves
eating large amounts
of calorie-rich
foods in a
relatively short
space of time. This
can put people with
diabetes at risk of
high blood glucose
levels overnight.
Omission or changes
in the timing of
medications may also
contribute to
instability of blood
glucose levels.
Low blood glucose
levels can cause
symptoms of
sweating, shakiness
and confusion. If
severe, they can
lead to seizures,
coma, or even death.
High blood glucose
levels make people
feel tired and
generally unwell and
can lead to
dehydration and poor
concentration.
Extremely high
levels are a medical
emergency.
There are guidelines
According to Islamic
teachings, the
elderly, pregnant,
or those with
illnesses requiring
regular medication –
like diabetes – can
be exempted from
fasting on medical
grounds. They do not
need to seek special
permission from a
religious leader.
Certain groups of
people with type 2
diabetes who do not
use insulin or
particular oral
medications can
safely fast during
Ramadan under the
guidance of their
health-care
professional.
But as diet,
lifestyle and
medication use are
key factors in
maintaining stable
blood glucose levels
and minimising
diabetes
complications, many
people with type 2
diabetes can also be
considered medically
exempt from fasting.
Abbas Nazari (centre), with
United States Ambassador Scott
Brown (left) and Winston Peters,
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs at
last night's awards.
He arrived in New Zealand
aged 7 after being rescued
from a sinking fishing
vessel off the Australian
coast 18 years ago.
There were 430 people on
board with Abbas Nazari,
along with his parents and
siblings.
He has gone on to the battle
the odds, after not knowing
a word of English, to
yesterday being granted a
Fulbright New Zealand
General Graduate Award to
study at Columbia University
in New York.
The awards are valued at up
to US$40,000 ($61,550), plus
$4000 travel funding, for up
to one year of study or
research in the US.
Nazari, originally from
Afghanistan and who now
lives in Christchurch, will
complete a master of
international affairs degree
after graduating with a BA
(Hons first class) in
international relations and
diplomacy from the
University of Canterbury in
2016.
He is one of three from the
University of Canterbury to
receive the award, part of a
group of 21 graduates from
across Aotearoa to be
heading overseas.
Nazari and his colleagues
will receive their awards in
a presentation ceremony at
Parliament tonight, hosted
by Deputy Prime Minister
Winston Peters.
Nazari's accomplishment has
received high praise.
Former Prime Minister Helen
Clark took the time to
congratulate him, along with
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff who
was foreign minister at the
time the Tampa refugees
arrived and welcomed them
into the country.
Graduate awards are for New
Zealanders with an
undergraduate degree to go
to the US to undertake
further study or research,
including towards a masters
or PhD.
The Herald spoke to Nazari
in 2014, when he was in his
third year of a political
and history degree at the
University of Canterbury and
had the goal of joining an
international aid agency.
Council on American-Islamic
Relations and University of
California Berkeley report names
74 groups they say contributed
to Islamophobia in the US
Corey Saylor, the report’s
author, said: ‘The hate that
these groups are funding and
inciting is having real
consequences.’
US: Inciting hate toward
American Muslims and Islam
has become a
multimillion-dollar
business, according to a
report released on Monday.
Released by the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (Cair)
and University of California
Berkeley’s Center for Race
and Gender, the report names
74 groups it says contribute
in some way to Islamophobia
in the US. Of those groups,
it says, the primary purpose
of 33 “is to promote
prejudice against, or hatred
of, Islam and Muslims”.
The core group, which
includes the Abstraction
Fund, Clarion Project, David
Horowitz Freedom Center,
Middle East Forum, American
Freedom Law Center, Center
for Security Policy,
Investigative Project on
Terrorism, Jihad Watch and
Act! for America, had access
to almost $206m of funding
between 2008 and 2013, the
report said.
Corey Saylor, author of the
report and director of
Cair’s department to monitor
and combat Islamophobia,
said: “The hate that these
groups are funding and
inciting is having real
consequences like attacks on
mosques all over the country
and new laws discriminating
against Muslims in America.”
Saylor added that the
Washington-based Center for
Security Policy and Act! for
America have the most
impact, because they are
trying to push their
anti-Muslim rhetoric beyond
their formerly fringe
following.
Two groups on the list, the
Center for Security Policy
and the David Horowitz
Freedom Center, have given
awards of recognition to
Jeff Sessions, a US senator
from Alabama who chairs
Trump’s national security
advisory committee and is a
possible vice-presidential
pick.
On Monday, the headline on
the David Horowitz Freedom
Center website was “Muslim
privilege killed 49 people
in Orlando”, a reference to
the mass shooting on 12 June
in an Orlando LGBT nightclub
by Omar Mateen, a Muslim
American from Port St Lucie,
Florida.
Two other Trump foreign
policy advisers have ties to
groups named in the Cair-UCB
report. The Center for
Security Policy lists Joseph
Schmitz as a senior fellow;
Walid Phares reportedly
served on the board of Act!
for America.
The Guardian contacted
Brigitte Gabriel, the
founder of Act! for America,
and the Center for Security
Policy, which is led by
Frank Gaffney, who advised
Ted Cruz on national
security during the Texas
senator’s presidential
campaign. Neither group
responded immediately.
The Trump campaign and
Sessions’ Senate office also
did not respond to requests
for comment.
Act! for America Education
runs the Thin Blue Line
Project, a
password-protected database
of information about Muslim
communities in the US.
According to the group’s
website, the project
“provides educational and
informational content about
issues relating to national
security and terrorism and
how the call to Jihad is
accelerating homegrown
terrorism”.
In a 2 June article, Stephen
Piggott of the Southern
Poverty Law Center wrote
that the Thin Blue Line
Project’s key component is a
“Radicalization Map Locator
… which lists the addresses
of every Muslim Student
Association (MSA) in the
country as well as a number
of mosques and Islamic
institutions – all listed as
suspected national security
concerns”.
The Cair-UCB report also
tracks anti-Islam bills,
which it says have become
law in 10 states, and 78
recorded incidents in 2015
in which mosques were
targeted. Saylor said this
was the highest yearly
number of attacks on mosques
since Cair started tracking
in 2009.
This refugee
has lived in a camp for 20
years and has an important
message for the rest of the
world. #RefugeeWeek
Mini Imam and his
Musallees
Motivational
Muslims
Imaam Khalid Hussein on
Habib Kadhim al Saqqaf on
Habib Kadhim's
Brisbane visit
Our Teacher
Imaam Khalid Hussein’s (UK)
message to Brisbane - on
Habib Kadhim al Saqqaf
Tour de Hajj 2019 VLOG 1
London to Paris
Penny Appeal
Akala shuts down a bigot
Milkshakes
Against Racism
Akala leaves
the ex-EDL Leader Tommy
Robinson speechless after
laying down the facts and
presenting the story of
Christopher Alder, a black
British army paratrooper who
died who you've never heard
of.
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.
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)
.....continued from last
week's CCN.....
REFLECTION, CURIOSITY AND
THE ‘WHITE’ CONVERTS TO
ISLAM
The fear-mongering accounts
about the threat of Islam
were perhaps driven by other
articles that were appearing
in mainstream Australian
newspapers at the same time,
pieces that were written
with reflection and a sense
of curiosity.
A significant number of
these were published as
announcements of ‘White’
converts to Islam in
Australia and abroad. The
difference in the approach
and language employed by the
writers stands in stark
contrast to the pieces
concerning ‘coloured,’
‘Black’ or Asiatic converts.
For instance, the
announcement of Isabella
Dunn’s conversion to
‘Mohammedanism’ highlighted
her status as a “highly
educated” young English lady
who was the daughter of “an
English engineer” formerly
employed in Turkey.
Although the piece stated
her conversion “created a
painful impression in
European circles at
Constantinople,” it was
respectful when referring to
Islamic law that did “not
require a Christian woman in
marrying a Turk to abjure
her faith.”
Numerous conversions were
reported with similar
objectivity and respect.
A short piece in the Daily
Telegraph in 1907 noted the
“well-known Egyptologist and
excavator” Dr Ewald Falls,
who “became so convinced of
the virtues of Mohammedanism
that he confessed the faith”
and took on the name Musa
Mohamed.
A rather interesting case is
that of English chorus girl
Edith Mabel Thatcher, who
converted to Islam and
married Prince Nasir Ali
Khan, who was the son of one
of India’s most powerful
native rulers. Prince Nasir,
who had been living in
England for 14 years and was
a “naturalised Englishmen,”
was regarded as somewhat
acceptable because, although
he was “a tall, dark,
athletic man,” he looked
“more like a European than
an Asiatic.”
Edith was by no means the
first White woman to convert
and marry an ‘Asiatic’.
The same article points out
“many lovers have risen
superior to the barrier of
colour and of race” and
rather than critiquing the
union, it was romanticised.
Throughout the early years
of the 20th century,
conversions became more
commonplace as papers
continued to report “the
most recent English converts
to the Islamic faith.”
Echoes of al-Andalus: The Portuguese town
celebrating its forgotten Islamic past
Home
to the only surviving medieval
mosque in Portugal, Mertola
doesn't hide a past shaped by
Muslims, Christians and Jews
alike
The church of
Nossa Senhora da Anunciação was
once a mosque but is now a
church.
CONTINUED FROM LAST
WEEK'S CCN....
Preserving Islamic heritage
“We wanted to explore the similarities
between Portugal and the north of
Africa,” says Jorge Revez, who was
involved in the organisation of the
festival’s first edition. Currently the
president of ADPM, a local development
association, Revez worked with Moroccan
associations to preserve the cultural
heritage of al-Andalus.
In the medieval period, Mertola’s port
and mineral riches made it an important
regional centre. After a period of
decline, the town was revitalised by the
discovery of Islamic artefacts in the
1970s. Mertola now claims to hold
Portugal’s most significant Islamic art
collection.
On Friday night, a diverse crowd
gathered by the river to listen to the
UK-based Palestinian band 47Soul.
Singing in Arabic and English, the band
mixes traditional Levantine music with
synth hooks and electronic beats to
create music they refer to as "shamstep".
Musicians with roots in Algeria, Tunisia
and Niger brought different people
together, dancing the night away. The
sounds of the traditional oud, but also
electric guitars and synths, filled the
narrow banks of the Guadiana valley.
Imam and solicitor suspended from
jobs after BBC Tory debate
Primary school teacher and
employment lawyer criticised
over social media comments
Abdullah
Patel appearing during the TV
debate..
UK: An imam and a
solicitor who asked questions on the
BBC’s Conservative leadership debate
have been suspended from their jobs
after they were criticised over past
comments on social media.
Abdullah Patel, an imam and deputy head
teacher, was suspended from the private
Al-Ashraf primary school and the Masjid
Umar mosque, both in Gloucester, on
Wednesday, after it emerged he had made
negative comments about Zionists and
said women needed “to be smarter” to
avoid being assaulted.
Aman Thakar, an employment lawyer, was
suspended by the City firm Leigh Day in
relation to a tweet in which he said
Hitler’s worst legacy was “his abuse of
the term nationalism”. His employers
said they were investigating, despite
Thakar stating it was a parody of a
speech by a rightwing US activist.
The controversy surrounding the members
of the public who asked questions
overshadowed the third round of voting
in the Tory leadership contest.
Sources quoted by the Times, Telegraph
and Mail claimed that some of the
campaigns were unhappy with the BBC’s
handling of the event, and were
threatening to boycott future debates
hosted by the corporation, such as a
planned episode of Question Time with
the final two candidates.
The often noisy and chaotic discussion
was the first debate to feature Boris
Johnson, who had refused to take part in
Sunday night’s programme on Channel 4.
It subsequently emerged that Patel had
previously tweeted: “Every political
figure on the Zionist’s payroll is
scaring the world about [Jeremy] Corbyn.
They don’t like him. He seems best
suited to tackle them!”
He also tweeted a map of the US,
suggesting Israel should be moved there
as a solution to the conflict with
Palestine.
In another tweet, Patel said women
needed “to be smarter” to avoid being
assaulted, saying: “Don’t be alone with
a man!”
Hijabi police officer recognized as a
‘leader among peers’ at academy graduation”
Hijabi
police officer recognized as a
‘leader among peers’ at academy
graduation
US: A Paterson police recruit called a
“leader among peers” at the Bergen
County Police Academy was named the
recipient of the graduating class’ Role
Model Award.
Officer Serein Tamimi, who broke a
historic barrier as the first
Palestinian-American woman and hijab-wearing
police officer in the City of Paterson,
received the award at graduation
Thursday night in Hackensack. The vote
by academy instructors was unanimous.
“This officer displayed excellent
characteristics of leadership,” said
Officer Daniel Solares, an academy
instructor who introduced her for the
award. “She from Day One until today
always had a positive mental attitude,
always led by example, always
volunteering for extra duties.”
Tamimi’s achievement comes at a time of
growing anti-Muslim bias and negative
stereotyping about Muslims, especially
those who wear the hijab. The rise in
Islamophobia, seen in politics, media
and hate crime reports, comes even as
more Muslim Americans take on roles in
government and public service
However, in North Jersey’s diverse
police class, the hijab barely
registered as Tamimi quickly stood out,
serving both as a platoon leader and an
emergency medical technician in the
class of 91 men and women.
During six months of rigorous physical
and academic training, she not only
excelled but also drove others to be
their best, said instructors and fellow
officers who described her as “always
smiling” yet “tough” and “determined.”
“I admire her so much,” said Paterson
recruit Gabriela Toribio. “She never
fell back from any run. When I messed up
my leg [during our physical exam], she
saw that I was falling back, and she
pushed me and that’s why I think I made
it.
“I know she’s going to do amazing great
things for Paterson. I don’t have any
doubt about that.”
Capt. Jason Love, the commanding officer
at the police academy at the Bergen
County Law and Public Safety Institute,
said instructors had a “very brief
discussion” about who should get the
award and that she was the clear
favorite.
“She was a natural leader,” he added.
“She was a confidant to many at the
academy. She was the go-to person. She
was physically fit. She was an
all-around model recruit.”
“Every moment and every opportunity she
had, she stood out,” he said.
‘Whatever she sets her mind to’
Tamimi's family moved to the United
States when she was less than a year
old, and she was raised in South
Paterson, home to a large Muslim
community including many Palestinian
Americans. During high school at Passaic
County Technical Institute, Tamimi ran
track in winter and spring.
Her hijab and long pants and sleeves
were not a hindrance and she never
complained, said Jeff Cioletti, a track
coach at the high school. He described
her as upbeat and hardworking, with many
friends.
Its Impact on Global Intellectualism and the Renaissance
by
M. Jamal Haider
REVIEW by ASIF PASHA
Islam and
education are synonymous with each
other. That learning is central to Islam
is clear from the very first revelation
Iqra, meaning ‘read’.
There are many Hadiths (Prophetic
traditions) which encourage Muslims to
seek knowledge even if they have to
travel all the way to China.
Wisdom, the Prophet said, is the lost
property of the believer and he should
take it wherever he finds it.
No wonder early Muslims acted on these
commands in letter and spirit and made
tremendous contributions to the
advancement of science, social sciences
and other disciplines.
How come the later day Muslims fell back
and regressed intellectually? And
thereby hangs a tale.
Some Western scholars refuse to
acknowledge the ‘golden age’ of Muslim
intellectualism. They have misgivings
about how the Muslims influenced the
world in general and the West in
particular with their knowledge and
wisdom.
Answers to all these questions can be
found in the book – The First Command.
Its author, Jamal Haider, unveils the
secret behind the success of Muslim
scholars and the source of their
knowledge, Quran.
Through painstaking research and
analysis, he tells in detail how and why
Muslims remained the best of scholars
and scientist for nearly a thousand
years.
Not just this, Mr Haider seeks to
correct the prejudice against Muslim
scholars in a rational way. Hats off to
Mr Haider for writing a gem of a book.
Such a book was long overdue.
Moreover, it is the need of the hour to
show to the world how Muslim scholars
developed knowledge in various
disciplines – science, social science,
theology, philosophy, literature and
other areas of learning which later got
transferred to Europe.
The book, divided into three sections
clearly explains the high value placed
on education by Islam.
Mr Haider adopts a historical approach
and explains how the world was at the
advent of Islam. Then he goes on to
discuss the growth of education during
the Prophetic period, Rashidun
Caliphate, Umayyad dynasty, Abbasid
dynasty, the quest for science,
influence of Muslim scholars,
scientists, philosophers and the
influence of Muslim literature and
culture.
The author also talks in detail about
female scholars and how they were no
less passionate than men in the
acquisition of knowledge.
All in all The First Command is the last
word on Muslim education. It is an eye
opener to many of those who are unaware
or harbor prejudice against Islamic
views on education.
Mr Haider’s lucid writing makes for a
good read.
AMUST
Jamal Haider
is a Geologist, It (ECM)
Specialist and Writer. He
completed his Masters in
Nottingham University UK
after graduating in Dhaka
University of Bangladesh. He
worked there as a Deputy
Director in a government
research organisation. He
has written and published a
number of papers and
reports. In Australia he
completed a graduate diploma
in University of New South
Wales and worked as an
Enterprise Content
Management Specialist in a
government organisation. Now
he is a full-time writer.
His previous book, “In the
Name of the Lord” has
received critical acclaim.
It is the history of
knowledge, religion and
civilisation from the
Islamic perspective. It is
divided into three parts –
the Ancient Civilisations,
The Islamic Age and the
Modern Age. His present book
“The First Command” is about
Muslim intellectualism and
its history.
The author comes from an
elite family of Kolkata,
India. His grandfather is
Nawab Badruddin Haider, and
father Nawabzada Kamruddin
Haider (MLC, Bengal
legislative Council of
British India). Both were
assiduously devoted to the
social welfare of Muslims
and promoted their education
and emancipation.
KB says:
……… in preparation for the upcoming school
holidays.
Chicken Nuggets
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Ingredients
1 kg chicken fillet (or a mix of chicken thigh fillet and
normal fillet)
1 onion
1 tsp green chillies
1 cup milk
2 eggs
4 slices bread
¾ bunch fresh coriander
1 tsp fine salt
½ tsp lemon pepper
2 tsp ginger garlic
1½ tsp baking powder
Method
Process all ingredients in a food processor.
Fry spoonfuls in shallow oil, until golden brown.
Can be frozen at this stage.
Steam with butter and lemon juice, just before serving and
serve hot with a sauce of your choice.
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.
Q: Dear
Kareema, I’ve been advised to do some
weight-bearing exercises in order to strengthen
my bones. What are some good, easy exercises I
can start off with?
A:
The easiest and safest would be to get out and
start walking.
Because it’s
weight-bearing it will strengthen bones and help
protect against osteoporosis.
Start off slow and
then switch to jogging as you feel stronger.
Push-ups,
triceps-dips, etc. are good for an upper body
challenge.
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:
How Conditional Is
Your Relationship
With Your Spouse?
Divorce rates are
pretty high
nowadays. More and
more people are
jumping into
relationships with
unrealistic
expectations and
soon after, finding
themselves in
situations that are
no longer loving and
romantic. One fine
day, the romance,
cuddles and
compliments fly out
the window and you
realise you are
angry, upset,
insecure and lonely
because the one whom
you thought
completed you is no
longer the same
person he/she was
when you first met.
REALITY CHECK!!!
No one completes
you. ALLAH has
created you in a
complete state. You
are enough. You are
fine. Even when you
think you are
lonely, think again,
because at that
precise moment ALLAH
is with you and HIS
angels are with you.
Another thing that
is with you at that
time is shaitaan’s
on-going
whisperings.
However, ALLAH has
equipped you with a
free will to choose
whether you want to
dismiss those
whispers or fall for
them.
Take a moment today
and do a
relationship
stocktake. Make a
list of all the
conditions you have
placed upon your
relationship with
your spouse. Ask
yourself - do I love
him/her
unconditionally?
Understand that
there is a
difference between
loving someone
unconditionally and
being loyal to
someone
unconditionally.
Often in domestic
violence, people
choose to
unconditionally
remain in toxicity
due to loyalty and
fear.
Once you understand
the conditions you
have placed on your
relationship, decide
if you really
actually love your
spouse or do you
simply ‘approve’ of
him/her because
he/she is meeting
most of your
conditions. And now,
take a moment and
ask yourself this:
Do I merely approve
of myself or do I
actually love myself
unconditionally?
Unless you are
completely and
unconditionally
accepting and loving
of yourself, you
can’t practise it on
another.
Unconditional love
is rarely practised
today. People are
engrossed in
measuring their own
worth and their
spouse's worth by
material yardstick
such as financial
success, family
status, education
and so on. Sadly,
this is due to our
cultural
conditioning from
childhood. We have
been taught to value
materialistic
accomplishments over
virtues such as
kindness,
generosity,
peaceful, helpful,
pious and joyful.
Truth is, it is only
when your
relationship can
thrive on virtues
such as these that
you will feel joy
with your spouse.
Anything other than
these virtues will
always bring about
conditions such as
not enough money,
too busy, not enough
time for me and the
kids, too loud, too
quiet, too fat, too
lazy, too
insensitive, too
sensitive...too
this, too that.
How To Embrace
Unconditional Love
The only strategy to
practise daily in
order to shed
conditions and
embrace
unconditional love
for self and others
is to completely
surrender to ALLAH
and equip yourself
with knowledge and
positivity so that
you are able to see
the difference
between what brings
your relationship
love, light, peace
and joy and what
brings it darkness
and depression.
Awareness is key.
Unless there is
awareness, there is
no transformation.
Stop reacting, start
being aware of what
is causing you to
react. Manage those
triggers. Work on
yourself. Daily.
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.
Jallaludin: "Darling,
remember 25 years ago I had a rented one room apartment,
a table fan, a black and white television and a bicycle
to use. But, at night I used to sleep besides a 25 year
old beautiful girl.
Now I own a luxurious centrally air conditioned
penthouse, 4 LED big screen televisions and a limousine
but I sleep with a 50 year old woman..."
Mrs Jallaludin: "Do not worry darling. Just find
yourself a 25 year old beautiful woman and I will make
sure that you go back to a rented one room apartment, a
table fan, a black and white television and a bicycle in
no time....!!
The An-Nur youth
group presents
the 'Youth
Masquerade Ball'
at Michael's
Oriental
Restaurant
coming up at the
end of this
month on Sunday
the 30th of
June.
Celebrate Eid &
end of term with
your friends &
join in with
some fun games,
Quizzes,
competitions
with prizes &
loads more.
There will be a
Fashion parade
where you can
view the latest
designs by 'Kira
House of
Fashion'
Enjoy a 2 course
Dinner with a
variety of
entrees & meal
selections
including a
delicious
Dessert Bar.
This event is
coordinated by
the An Nur Youth
Group & a
fundraiser to
raise funds for
their ongoing
activities. Note
this is a female
only event for
youth 12+ girls
& Sisters.
The Ball's theme
is black & gold
with a formal
but modest dress
code. Get
creative &
design your mask
for the Ball as
there are prizes
to be won.
Don't miss out,
secure your
seats, taking
bookings now.
Contact details
on the flyer
please call
Anosh on 0410
049 881 or
Aliyah on 0404
920 621 for more
information.
“And the servants of
the Most Merciful
are those who walk
upon the earth
gently, and when the
ignorant address
them harshly, they
say words of peace.”
(Qur’an 25:63)
“Islamic
environmentalism is
embedded in the
matrix of Islamic
teachings. The
Qur’an, the holy
text of the Muslims,
is inherently
conservationist and
much of it has to do
with how humans
being relate to the
natural world and
the benefits that
accrue from
protecting it. The
Qur’an is holistic
and it defines
humanity’s place in
creation as khalifa
or steward. There
are two layers to
Islamic
environmentalism: A
body of ethics based
on the Qur’an which
we would define as
Knowledge of
Creation (Ilm ul
khalq) and a body of
practical action
which we would
define as natural
resource management
(Fiqh al bi’ah).”
Excerpted from
“Exploring
Environmental Ethics
in Islam – Insights
from the Qur’an and
the Practice of
Prophet Muhammad” by
Fazlun Khalid
Creation is being
put under enormous
strain by climate
change. There’s been
much debate about
who should do what
to address this
grave issue.
Encouragingly
however, there’s
actually a lot we
can do ourselves.
Join Mark Delaney
(author of
Low
Carbon and Loving
It) and others from
the
Australian
Religious Response
to Climate Change,
as they explore how
we can reduce our
own carbon
footprint, and in so
doing, lead a life
that is not only
more environmentally
responsible, but is
also more fulfilling
and true to our
spiritual heritage.
The workshop will be
highly interactive,
with plenty of
discussion, and
group work. This is
an
interdenominational
and interfaith event
- open to all people
of good will. The
workshop is free and
includes a shared
afternoon tea. Tea,
coffee and juice
will be provided.
Please bring a plate
to share.
Dates:
Sat 15 June,
2-5pm, repeated on
Sun 30th June 2-5pm.
Venue:
St
Andrew's Anglican
Church, South
Brisbane
160 Vulture St,
South Brisbane,
Queensland 4101
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
Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event
starting in the evening of the corresponding day.
HikmahWay offers online and
in-person Islamic courses to
equip Muslims of today with
the knowledge, understanding
and wisdom to lead balanced,
wholesome and beneficial
lives.
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..
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thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
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The CCN's "We'll
take that as a
comment" Column 
Echoes of al-Andalus: The Portuguese town
celebrating its forgotten Islamic past
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7
August 2011