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 30 June
2019 | Issue
0764
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!
GATTON GP Dr Mohammed Iqbal
Sultan has been recognised
for his contribution to the
Gatton and surrounding
community as a dedicated GP
supervisor.
Dr Sultan combines his busy
patient load at Family
Health Clinic with
supervision of GP
registrars, a training role
he has been dedicated to for
more than 10 years.
Dr Sultan is one of six GP
supervisors recognised
nationally by General
Practice Supervisors
Australia so far this year,
having provided more than 10
years of service to the
local community.
Dr Sultan said he felt
"humbled” by the award.
He said his passion to
become a GP came from
growing up in South Africa
where health care was not
accessible.
"I
always felt a desire to try
and heal others and improve
their quality of life by
providing the best medical
care I could,” Dr Sultan
said.
He said when he and his
family moved to the Lockyer
Valley in 2006, he wanted to
find a way to increase and
up skill doctor services,
and so completed the
required training to become
an accredited supervisor.
"I
now find it very rewarding
to be able to share my years
of knowledge and wisdom with
the doctors that will
potentially be caring for
myself in my retirement,” he
said.
He said part of what kept
his passion going for so
long was the Lockyer Valley
community.
"The community spirit and
support that I have received
since my arrival into Gatton
is something that I have
never experienced in my life
as a GP,” he said.
"I
have been accepted into a
community as an immigrant to
this community on my face
value as a person and I have
always felt blessed to have
a growing practice and being
able to offer health care
and play an integral part of
improving health outcomes
for our patients at the
practice.”
#NoFathinCoal
spokespersons. From left: Rabbi
Jonathan Keren-Black,
Environmental Adviser,
Australian Council of
Progressive Rabbis, Thea Ormerod,
President, ARRCC, Gawaine Powell
Davies, President, Buddhist
Council of NSW, Imam Ahmed Abdo,
Secretary, Council of Imams,
NSW, Sr Libby Rogerson, Loreto
Sisters.
More than 150 religious
leaders have called on Scott
Morrison to acknowledge the
world faces a climate
emergency and block all new
coal and gas projects,
including Adani’s Carmichael
mine.
In an open letter headed “no
faith in coal”, the leaders
say the climate crisis is a
profoundly moral problem and
Australia’s response will be
crucial in addressing it.
“Simply put, opening up new
coal reserves for mining is
not compatible with any
global response to avoid
catastrophe. We call on you
to show true moral
leadership,” the letter
says.
Signatories to the letter
include bishops, rabbis,
theologians, the grand mufti
of Australia and the heads
of the Uniting Church, the
Federation of Australian
Buddhist Councils, Muslims
Australia and the National
Council of Churches.
It asks the prime minister
to make the climate
emergency his number one
priority and endorses the
three demands of protesting
school students: stopping
the Adani mine in central
Queensland, not allowing new
coal or gas developments and
moving Australia to run
entirely on renewable energy
by 2030.
“Despite the differences in
our faith, we all regard
addressing the climate
emergency as our shared
moral challenge. We stand
together for our common
home, the Earth,” the letter
says.
“Will you and your
government have the courage
to agree to this simple
threefold agenda? We pray
that you will.”
The letter was organised by
advocacy group the
Australian Religious
Response to Climate Change.
It concedes the shift will
be challenging, not least
for people in communities
reliant on fossil fuel
industries, but says a
courageous leader would come
up with a jobs plan based on
clean energy.
Loreto Sister Libby Rogerson
said burning fossil fuels
was worsening extreme
weather, crop failures and
sea level rise. By
continuing the practice,
Australia was moving further
away from “loving God and
God’s creation and loving
our neighbour”, she said.
“We have a sacred
responsibility to care for
the Earth and all living
beings, especially the
vulnerable people on the
frontlines,” she said.
The Guardian
Letter to
the Prime Minister
Dear Prime Minister,
Congratulations on winning
office. We wish you well as
you form your new
Government.
We are from many faith
communities and from all
across Australia. Today, we
are speaking with one voice.
As you set your agenda, we
ask you to make addressing
the problem of climate
change your number one
priority.
The climate situation is
much more than a political
or even a scientific issue.
It is a profoundly moral
one.
These are times unlike any
known before. The
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) warns
us that nothing short of
strong and immediate action
on all fronts will avert
massive threats to the
climate system on which life
on Earth depends. It is no
overstatement to call this
an emergency.
Many faith leaders around
the world have made their
views on this matter known.
The Archbishop of
Canterbury, Justin Welby,
has called climate change a
“moral crisis” and “the
human thumb on the scale,
pushing us toward disaster.”
A group of senior Buddhist
leaders including His
Holiness the Dalai Lama
wrote to world leaders in
2015 saying that “through
our lack of insight, we are
destroying the very life
support systems that we and
all other living beings
depend on for survival.”
Pope Francis stated in his
famous encyclical, “Doomsday
predictions can no longer be
met with irony and disdain.”
The part played by Australia
in the response to this
emergency is crucial. The
IPCC has now told the world
that global thermal coal use
must drop by at least 59 per
cent in the next 11 years if
we are to avoid 1.5 Degree C
warming. Australia is the
world’s largest coal
exporter, so we clearly have
a particular moral
responsibility to stop
developing polluting coal
mines.
Simply put, opening up new
coal reserves for mining is
not compatible with any
global response to avoid
catastrophe. We call on you
to show true moral
leadership.
As you know, thousands of
school students have been
protesting in our streets
about this emergency. They
have three demands. We are
writing to urge you to agree
to them:
Stopping the proposed Adani
coal mine
Committing to no new coal or
gas projects in Australia
Moving to 100% renewable
energy by the year 2030.
We understand this will be
challenging. To start with,
the people who live in those
communities where employment
would be affected clearly
need good reliable jobs. Yet
a courageous leader would
come up with a jobs plan
based on renewable energy
instead of coal, an industry
with an uncertain future
which is now threatening our
very survival.
The Adani mine in Central
and North Queensland is an
excellent example. People
there need new, reliable
jobs. Yet serious investment
in solar would yield far
more jobs than the Adani
mine would, as it is less
automated. And rejecting new
coal will also help to
protect jobs that depend on
the Great Barrier Reef.
There are currently 60,000
people whose livelihood
depends on the Reef.
We also know that the Adani
mine would use huge volumes
of scarce water from the
underground aquifers
including the Great Artesian
Basin. Furthermore, it would
add to the likelihood of
droughts by fuelling climate
disruption.
Despite the differences in
our faith, we all regard
addressing the climate
emergency as our shared
moral challenge. We stand
together for our common
home, the Earth.
Will you and your Government
have the courage to agree to
this simple threefold
agenda? We pray that you
will.
Sincerely,
Signatories
include:
Dr
Ibrahim Abu Mohammed,
The Grand Mufti of
Australia
Dr Rateb
Jneid, President,
Muslims Australia
(Australian Federation
of Islamic Councils)
Imam
Ahmed Abdo, Secretary,
Council of Imams NSW
Imam
Hassan Elsetohy,
President, Council of
Imams NSW
Professor
Mohamad Abdalla,
Director, Centre for
Islamic Thought and
Education, University of
South Australia
Associate
Professor Mehmet Ozalp,
Director, Islamic
Sciences Research
Academy (ISRA)
Shiekh Dr
Daud Batchelor, Brisbane
Muslim Fellowship
Multicultural Affairs
Queensland (MAQ) has officially welcomed
a new group of corporate and
cultural organisations to
the Multicultural Queensland
Ambassador Program.
At their second induction
and workshop this week, MAQ
formed new partnerships and
shared ideas about how to
practically implement
diversity and inclusion in
business.
Amongst the list of Cultural
Advisors is the Islamic
Council of Queensland (ICQ)
and the Islamic Women's
Association of Queensland.
After three years of
providing advice to the
Queensland Government on the
needs and aspirations of
people from culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD)
backgrounds, the inaugural
Multicultural Queensland
Advisory Council has
completed its tenure.
"This Council has played an
important role in giving a
voice to Queenslanders from
culturally and
linguistically diverse
backgrounds and helped shape
the state’s future for
everyone."
During its three-year term,
commencing in 2016, the
Council met with government
departments, local
governments and directly
with communities across the
state.
Amongst the outgoing members
are Dr Nora Amath, Mr Ali
Kadri, and Ms Chammie Kamara.
The new council members will
be named shortly and will
serve from 1 August 2019 to
31 July 2022.
IWAA CEO Galila Abdelsalam
OAM was a proud attendee of
the Business Chicks,
CommBank’s Women in Focus
Breakfast with special guest
the Hon Julie Bishop.
For the first time since
announcing her retirement
from politics, Ms Bishop met
up close and personal with
the Business Chicks
audience.
Parents
should not be allowed to
selectively remove their
children from religious
education (RE) lessons,
headteachers say, as study
reveals many withdrawal
requests are over the
teaching of Islam.
More than two in five school
leaders and RE teachers have
received requests for
students to be withdrawn
from teaching about one
religion, research from
Liverpool Hope University
has revealed.
Islam is the dominant focus
of these parental withdrawal
requests, according to the
study of 450 school leaders
and heads of RE.
One participant, who
received requests for
children to be withdrawn
from mosque visits said:
“The students that have been
removed are the ones that
need to understand different
cultures the most.”
The majority (71 per cent)
of teachers believe a law
allowing parents to withdraw
their children from RE is no
longer required, according
to the study in the British
Journal of Religious
Education.
It comes after a report from
Thurrock council revealed
that parents in Essex were
withdrawing their children
from religious education
lessons on Islam and
stopping them from visiting
mosques.
Iman Atta, director of Tell
Mama, an activist group
which records and measures
anti-Muslim incidents in
Britain, told The
Independent: “We have
been hearing about cases
where parents are pulling
their children out of mosque
visits as part of religious
education since they do not
want them to be near a
mosque.
“This has been taking place
over the last five years and
shows that there are parents
who have fears or dislike
Islam. This is also
concerning, since what kinds
of views are their children
being exposed to? It does
not bode well for the future
of people and communities
living together”.
The right of parents to
withdraw their children from
RE and from collective
worship has been in
enshrined in law by both the
1944 and 1988 education
acts. Parents can withdraw
their children from some or
all of the RE curriculum
without giving a reason.
Teachers warned in April
last year that parents were
increasingly abusing the
right to withdraw their
children from religious
education lessons due to
their prejudices.
Members of the Association
of Teachers and Lecturers
section of the National
Education Union called on
the government to take steps
to prevent parents from
selectively withdrawing
youngsters from RE classes.
“Cases of parents
withdrawing selectively from
teaching of one religion,
predominantly Islam, were
often presented by
participants as representing
a hostility and intolerance
to those of other faiths,”
the new research says.
But it concludes: “While it
was true that Islam’s
prominence as a target for
withdrawal implies
prejudice, our findings
suggest that teachers saw
the reasons for this
withdrawal as
misunderstanding more than
prejudice.”
I can’t keep
listening to people blaming
poverty and hunger on
“personal choice.”
No child chooses to go
hungry because she can’t
afford a meal.
No one chooses to die
because they can't afford
insulin.
We need to stop blaming
others for our broken system
and start fixing it.
Remember Deah, Yusor and
Razan
TRTWorld
Roy Moore's spokesman:
Muslims can't serve in
Congress because the
Constitution says "you have
to swear on a Bible."
Occupy
Democrats
RELIGION
Brazilians take the
Shahadah
at Gold Coast
Mosque
Hussin Goss
Why did I convert to
Islam? | Korean girl
interview
Islam is the
Religion of Peace and Love
Who Is the First
Anti-Racist?
Emir-Stein Center
Who was the first
anti-racist? Rooted in both
ignorance and arrogance,
racism has plagued
civilizations since the
advent of man. Hear the
remarkable story of a
pioneer who addressed this
disease of the heart and
mind from its root cause.
Watch Dr. Craig Considine of
Rice University as he
presents the story of the
first anti-racist, from the
7th century, who set in
motion universal principles
that forever changed the
discourse on racial
equality.
Is Islam to Blame for
Violent Groups?
Yaqeen
Institute for Islamic
Research
History shows
that violence does not come
from any religious
teachings. But if religion
does not teach violence,
where do violent groups come
from?
This video explains how
violent groups emerged and
how they misuse religion to
further their agendas.
Adapted from the publication
"Islam and the Charge of
Violence" by Dr. Nazir Khan:
https://bit.ly/2n1DuKF
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
While there was a sense of
resignation in the reporting
of converts to Islam in
England and the other
colonies in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries,
Australian cases were closer
to home and were presented
with a little more fanfare.
Like the British media who
remained relatively
respectful of English
converts, often made up of
Victorian gentlemen,
property owners, political
elites or Britain’s gentry,
the Australian media
generally followed suit.
Some of the local converts,
like T. M. Mitchell from
Melbourne, were inspired and
influenced by the Liverpool
Muslim Institute and had
access to Quilliam’s
publications.
There was nothing like the
Liverpool Muslim Institute
in Australia.
In his correspondence with
them, Mitchell described the
Victorian Muslim community
as “Indians, and very few of
them can speak good English’
and while there were some
meetings between them and
Australian converts,
‘nothing particularly
satisfactory has been done.”
Unlike the British Muslim
community, which had a
substantial educated class,
Australia’s early Muslim
settlers were largely
illiterate and often led a
nomadic lifestyle due to
their work.
This did not stop converts
like Mitchell from seeking
to improve the image of
Islam, and in doing so,
create public awareness that
would ease the burden of
ignorance for the Australian
Muslim community as a whole.
‘SINGLE TOUCH
PAYROLL (STP) -
how this impacts
you as either an
employer or an
employee
A
brief outline
compiled by
Farida Lambat (BCom,
FICB, BAS Agent)
STP is payroll
reporting, by
employers, to
the ATO
(Australian
Taxation Office)
when pays are
processed. That
is, when or
before a person
is paid a salary
or wage the ATO
is informed.
STP became
mandatory for
large employers
(20+ employees)
on 1 July 2018.
From 1 July
2019, STP
extends to ALL
employers.
Employers with
19 or less
employees will
need to start
reporting
between 1 July
and 30 September
2019. If you are
not ready to
commence
reporting by 30
September, you
must apply for a
deferral.
The focus of STP
is reporting and
providing
transparency
between
employers, the
ATO and
employees. It is
part of the
Standard
Business
Reporting (SBR)
approach to
online or
digital
record-keeping
to simplify
business
reporting
obligations.
Arab world
turns its back
on religion –
and its ire on
the US
Survey
of
25,000
people
in
Middle
East and
North
Africa
Trust in
religious
leaders
decreased
in each
of the
11
states
and
territories
surveyed
bar
Lebanon.
The Arab world
is turning its
back on religion
and on US
relations,
according to the
largest public
opinion survey
ever carried out
in the region.
A survey of more
than 25,000
people across 10
countries and
the Palestinian
territories
found that trust
in religious
leaders has
plummeted in
recent years.
The study,
compiled by BBC
News Arabic and
Arab Barometer,
a Princeton
University-based
research
network, also
identified a
marked rise in
the proportion
of people
describing
themselves as
“not religious”
– from 11% in
2012-2014 to 18%
this year.
Just 12% of the
countries
surveyed – which
included
Algeria, Egypt,
Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon, Libya,
Morocco,
Palestine,
Sudan, Tunisia
and Yemen – had
a positive view
of Donald Trump.
More than twice
as many (28%)
felt positively
towards Russia’s
Vladimir Putin,
while Turkey’s
Recep Erdogan
fared the best
(51%).
At least 60% of
respondents in
eight of the 11
places surveyed
said violence
against the US
was a logical
consequence of
interference in
the region. The
sentiment was
most pronounced
in Lebanon,
Palestine and
Yemen, where 75%
or more of those
surveyed were of
this view.
Respondents also
expressed
concern over
rising disquiet
in their home
countries:
people in
Algeria, Iraq,
Jordan, Libya,
Palestine and
Sudan, said they
felt they were
sliding towards
dictatorship.
More than six in
10 Algerians,
and four in 10
Sudanese,
believe the last
elections were
not free and
fair, the survey
found.
Michael Robbins,
the director of
Arab Barometer,
said the survey
– which was
conducted at
random in
private and
face-to-face,
and consisted
largely of
multiple-choice
questions
answered on a
tablet –
presented a
number of
significant
findings.
“Most
importantly, in
the vast
majority of
countries
surveyed,
governments are
not meeting the
expectations of
their citizens,”
said Robbins.
“Often, trust in
government
tracks more
closely with
performance on
providing
security than on
economic
issues.”
Respondents
expressed a
change in
attitudes over a
number of other
issues, from
migration and
mental health to
women’s and LGBT
rights.
ANALYSIS OF
SPECIFIC ISSUES
WILL BE
PUBLISHED IN THE
FOLLOWING WEEKS'
CCN......
A daughter's
tribute to her
father: Dr Sadeq
Mustapha
By
Naseema Mustapha
Born in 1940
raised in little
African village
near the border
of South Africa
and Botswana, he
was sent to
boarding school
at the age of
six, from that
time onward his
journey of
education
commenced and
never ceased. He
was blessed to
be the first in
his family to
obtain tertiary
education in
Dublin Ireland
where he
graduated from
the Royal
College of
Surgeons in 1964
as a General
Practitioner. He
completed his
medical
internship in
Detroit USA
amongst the
African American
communities then
returned to
South Africa to
work in a little
town called
Mafikeng where
his surgery
still stands.
In 1977 he
migrated to
Australia and
did locum work
amongst the
Aboriginal
community in the
outskirts of
Brisbane before
starting his
practice in
Brisbane. He was
the first non
white doctor in
the northern
suburbs of
Brisbane in
private practice
in 1978 and
faced enormous
opposition from
patients and
colleagues who
were still
overcoming the
White Australia
Policy which
ended in 1974.
The degree of
animosity, envy
and jealousy
lead to the most
enormous trial
of his life
which he lives
with until
today.
From the time he
arrived into
Australia he has
been highly
active in the
Brisbane
community
including
holding the
position of
Secretary at
Holland Park
Mosque, Founder
of the Lutwyche
Islamic Society,
Founder of
Queensland's
first Mustim
newspaper the
Queensland
Muslim Times. He
continues to
actively raise
funds for local
mosques and
community
initiatives and
international
charities on a
daily basis. He
is an active
volunteer with
the Leukaemia
Foundation and
Heart
Foundation.
A participative
and deeply
loving father of
four children,
twelve
grandchildren
and two great
grandchildren,
role model
father, son and
husband to a
marriage now
celebrating its
50th
Anniversary.
At the age of 65
he went back to
University to
study his Master
of Public Health
and inspired all
his children to
continue their
pursuit of
education.
I've learnt from
him to embrace
all people, to
love humanity,
to see My
Creator through
nature, to love
Islam, to be
forgiving, to
show gratitude.
The lessons he
has taught me
are immense.The
trials he has
suffered are
immense and yet
he smiles and is
deeply
forgiving.
A true
humanitarian by
heart and soul,
he has always
embraced other
cultures,
religions and
races and
embedded that
philosophy in
all of his
children and
grandchildren.
A Legend of a
Man who has been
trialled and
suffered immense
pain, yet smiles
and embraces
life with utmost
positivity.
He is also my
father, of which
I am incredibly
blessed and
honoured.
Fifty years
after his
imprisonment,
the activist
example of Imam
Abdullah Haron
lives on
Imam
Abdullah
Haron is
known in
South
Africa
as one
of the
most
renowned
martyrs
of the
anti-apartheid
struggle.
He is
pictured
here at
a mosque
library
in 1967.
(The
Haron
Foundation)
It was an
anniversary that
passed much of
the world by.
Last month
marked the
fiftieth
anniversary of
the arrest of a
South African
anti-apartheid
activist who was
reportedly
killed,
following months
of torture, at
the hands of the
authorities. His
name was
Abdullah Haron,
and he was a
Muslim religious
leader who left
an indelible
mark on South
African Muslims.
Fifty years on,
Haron remains
something of an
exemplary figure
for Muslims of
the West ― the
symbol of the
kind of activist
that is making
something of a
comeback,
particularly
against the
background of
internecine
strife within
broader Muslim
majority
communities in
the Arab world
and the wider
region. But
Haron also
occupies a
contested
position within
the mainstream
of the Sunni
Muslim community
― a contestation
that reared its
head recently
against Saudi
Arabia.
Imam Abdullah
Haron is known
in South Africa
as one of the
most renowned
martyrs of the
anti-apartheid
struggle. He
died in 1969, at
the age of 46.
By that stage,
he had already
been recognised
as an imam in
his community
for fourteen
years ―
appointed at the
age of 32, he
was one of the
youngest imams
of his time. He
was a fairly
traditional
Sunni Muslim ―
an adherent of
what I would
call ‘normative
Sunnism’, which
accepts the
validity of the
canonical
schools of law,
the primary
theological
approaches and
Sufism. Haron
had travelled to
Mecca as a young
man in order to
study under the
noted
traditional
scholar, Shaykh
‘Abdurahman al-‘Alawi
al-Maliki. His
studies were
eventually
interrupted by
the Second World
War and he had
to depart Saudi
Arabia, but the
experience
evidently left
an indelible
mark on him.
Though an imam,
Haron was an
activist through
and thorough. He
was a vocal
opponent of
apartheid. He
engaged with the
Coloured
People’s
Congress, the
Non-European
Unity Movement
and the
Teacher’s
League, among
other
organisations.
Thanks to the
research of
South African
journalist
Shafiq Morton,
we also know he
was deeply
involved in
inter-faith
relations,
women’s
empowerment and
the building and
strengthening of
civic
institutions
such as
newspapers. He
was also an
internationalist
figure,
responsible for
the distribution
of millions of
rand worth of
assistance to
political
detainees
through the
International
Defence and Aid
Fund, which he
arranged during
his travels to
Europe.
Little wonder,
then, that South
Africa regarded
him as a
significant
political
threat. On 28
May 1969, Haron
was arrested as
he prepared to
attend
celebrations
marking the
birth of the
last Prophet of
Islam ― Mawlid
al-Nabi al-Sharif.
His family never
saw him again.
During the 123
days that Haron
was in prison,
he was tortured
with batons,
electric shocks
and needles
stuck into his
spine. He died
of a heart
attack on 27
September 1969,
no doubt due to
the trauma he
experienced.
During his
funeral, the
first earthquake
to hit Cape Town
in 160 years
occurred; it was
6.3 on the
Richter scale.
The symbolism of
this seismic
event was not
lost on the
30,000 people
who attended his
funeral
procession.
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
Islamic
architecture is still intact
inside the church (MEE/Marta
Vidal)
CONTINUED FROM LAST
WEEK'S CCN....
Understanding Islamic, Jewish past
In 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal
issued an edict expelling all Jews and
Muslims from his kingdom. The
coexistence and cooperation of al-Andalus
seemed to be at an end.
Today, Muslims make up less than 0.5% of
a population of nearly 11 million. For
centuries, Portugal’s Islamic heritage
was largely forgotten.
“During the dictatorship, the traces of
Islamic history were erased,” says
anthropologist Maria Cardeira da Silva,
a professor at NOVA University Lisbon
who is interested in Arabic and Islamic
contexts.
The Christian nationalist dictatorship
that ruled Portugal from 1933 to 1974
depicted Muslims, known as Moors, as the
enemy. After the end of the
dictatorship, a new interest in
Portugal’s Andalus period helped
re-evaluate the country’s Islamic past.
Two swimming pools shut down in
France after protesters swim
FRANCE: The two municipal
swimming pools in the southeast French
city of Grenoble have been shut down,
despite the current heatwave, after a
row over the use of full-body Islamic
burkini swimsuit, the local mayor said
Wednesday.
On Sunday, and last month, Muslim women
clad in burkinis went to swim in the
pools at the initiative of the Alliance
Citoyenne rights group, despite a
municipal ban on the full-body swimwear.
The lifeguards at the pools asked for
the shutdown because "they are there to
maintain safety and they can't do that
when they have to worry about the
crowds," generated by the controversial
swimsuits, the town hall said in a
statement.
"We are working towards a positive
solution" to the problem, it added.
The row is the latest in France over
face- and body-covering garments worn by
Muslim women, which many perceive as
subjugating women in a country with
strict laws on secularism.
France -- the country with Europe's
largest Muslim population -- was the
first European country to ban the
full-veil in public spaces in 2011.
The European Court of Human Rights
upheld the ban in 2014, rejecting
arguments that outlawing full-face veils
breached religious freedom.
Earlier this year French sports retailer
Decathlon was forced to back down from a
plan to sell a runner's hijab in France
after coming under fire.
Far-right politicians expressed their
opposition to the burkini on Monday the
day after the event in Grenoble.
Seven burkini-clad women, accompanied by
activists, went to the Grenoble pools on
Sunday demanding the right to bathe
despite the facility's rules. They said
the ban was discrimination.
The women want the public pools, which
currently require men to wear swim
briefs and women to wear bikinis or
one-piece swimsuits, to change their
regulations to accommodate burkini
wearers.
Local member of parliament Eric Ciotti,
of the rightwing Republicans party, said
on Twitter that the burkini "has no
place in France where women are equal to
men".
But the Alliance Citoyenne likened the
women's action to that of US civil
rights icon Rosa Parks.
The burkini was at the centre of a
standoff in several French seaside towns
three years ago -- some towns banned the
garment, claiming it was a security
threat, only to have the bans later
overturned by a court.
Fierce debate as Modi government
reintroduces Muslim ‘triple talaq’ divorce
bill
People shout slogans during a
protest against the Indian
cabinet's approval of instant
Muslim divorce, or "triple talaq"
making it a punishable offence,
in Mumbai, India September 19,
2018.
INDIA: The party of Indian PM Narendra
Modi faced tough opposition as it made
another attempt to push through a bill
that would criminalize divorcing a woman
by saying the word ‘talaq’ three times.
The draft legislation, known as the
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on
Marriage) Bill, was tabled by Law
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a
session of the new parliament on Friday
as lawmakers gathered for the first time
since the BJP party claimed a landslide
victory in May’s general elections,
winning 303 seats in the 545-member
lower house.
“This is not a question of religion
but about justice to women. This is a
question of dignity of women and we are
committed to protect it,” the
minister said, as he threw his weight
behind the contentious legislation.
The bill
envisions a jail sentence of up to three
years and a fine for men who divorce
their wives by invoking an Islamic
practice known as the ‘triple talaq,’
which has been outlawed in India since
August.
Despite being confirmed as illegal by
the Supreme Court, the ‘triple talaq’
has remained widely used, with Prasad
reporting on Friday that over 200 cases
have been registered since it was
banned.
The motion to introduce the bill drew
scathing criticism from the Indian
National Congress and other opposition
parties, but was passed with 187 votes
against 74 in the lower house, with many
MPs abstaining.
The vote was preceded by heated
exchanges among members, with Congress
MP Shashi Tharoor calling the bill
“discriminatory.” The lawmaker argued
that it “does nothing to protect Muslim
women but punishes Muslim men.” Tharoor
said that he believed the law to be
one-sided, as it exclusively focuses on
Muslim husbands “but exempts other men
who desert their families without taking
responsibility.”
Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of the All
India Majlis Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM)
party, echoed the criticism and
similarly denounced the bill as
“discriminatory.”
“I would like to ask the government
[why] they have all the love for Muslim
women. Why don't they have the same
sentiment for Hindu women of Kerala? Why
are you against Sabrimala?” he said.
Owaisi argued that by jailing the men,
the bill would only leave women
penniless.
The
husband will be three years in jail
then who is going to pay for the
maintenance? Are you going to give
money for the maintenance? This is
against rational nexus.
Modi’s party introduced
the bill in December last year and it
was passed by the lower chamber of the
parliament, the Lok Sabha, but was met
by fervent opposition in the Rajya Sabha,
the upper chamber. However, the law has
been enforced through two executive
orders, in September last year and in
February, while it awaits approval by
the legislature.
Dalai Lama warns that the whole of
Europe could become 'Muslim or African' if
migrants are not returned to their home
countries
UK: The Dalai Lama has warned that
Europe could become 'Muslim or African'
if refugees who have been taken in are
not then sent back to their home
countries.
The Buddhist spiritual leader, who has
been living as a refugee in India since
fleeing Tibet in 1959, said only a
'limited number' of migrants should be
allowed to remain.
During an interview with the BBC, the
Dalai Lama added that refugees who have
fled to Europe should be given skills
before being returned.
He said Europe was under an obligation
to take in those who needed help, but
ultimately they should be returned to
their homelands.
The 83-year-old said: 'European
countries should take these refugees and
give them education and training, and
the aim is - return to their own land
with certain skills.'
When asked what should happen to those
who want to stay in their adopted
countries, he replied: 'A limited number
is OK. But the whole of Europe [will]
eventually become Muslim country -
impossible. Or African country, also
impossible.'
The interviewer asked about his own
refugee status, the Dalai Lama repeated
his previous claims that 'Europe is for
Europeans'.
He added: 'They themselves, I think
[are] better in their own land. Better
[to] keep Europe for Europeans.'
It is not the first time the monk has
made such comments. In a speech last
year in Malmo, Sweden, the Tibetan
Buddhist said refugees should return to
help rebuilt their own countries.
He said: 'Receive them [migrants], help
them, educate them, but ultimately they
should develop their own country. I
think Europe belongs to the Europeans.'
Last September when he made a similar
comments after being asked about
refugees during his public talk in
Rotterdam, the Dalai Lama issued a
statement in response.
He said: 'When refugees from other
countries have come to Europe, it's
wonderful that Germany and other
European countries have given them help.
'However, I think that most of those
refugees think of their own lands as
home, but just now there is lots of
killing, bullying and suffering there.
'That's why they escaped. So, in the
short term, European countries should
provide them with shelter, and should
particularly provide children with
facilities for education and training,
including mechanical training, for the
young people.
'The aim is that they should eventually
be able to return to rebuild their own
countries. That has been my view right
from the beginning.
Andrew at HMP
High Down discusses how barber
training has made a real
difference to his future
prospects. He also shares a
story of how a prison officer
helped him when it really
mattered.
UK: Sumayyah graduated from University
College London in Psychology in 2016 and
instead of joining her friends in
high-powered careers in Legal, Finance
or Law she decided to work with one of
the most neglected sections of
society...prisoners.
She is on the first cohort of a scheme
called Unlocked Graduates where top UK
graduates are placed on the front line
as prison officers. They are also funded
for a Masters degree and a chance to
write a policy paper based on their
front-line experiences.
Sumayyah is the first officer to wear a
headscarf in her prison and hopes to
inspire more diversity in a space where
Muslim prisoners are disproportionately
represented and lack role models they
can relate to.
The extraordinary
life of the man who founded Islam, and
the world he inhabited—and remade.
Muhammad’s was a life of almost
unparalleled historical importance; yet
for all the iconic power of his name,
the intensely dramatic story of the
prophet of Islam is not well known.
In The First
Muslim, Lesley Hazleton brings him
vibrantly to life. Drawing on early
eyewitness sources and on history,
politics, religion, and psychology, she
renders him as a man in full, in all his
complexity and vitality.
Hazleton’s account follows the arc of
Muhammad’s rise from powerlessness to
power, from anonymity to renown, from
insignificance to lasting significance.
How did a child shunted to the margins
end up revolutionizing his world? How
did a merchant come to challenge the
established order with a new vision of
social justice? How did the pariah
hounded out of Mecca turn exile into a
new and victorious beginning? How did
the outsider become the ultimate
insider?
Impeccably
researched and thrillingly readable,
Hazleton’s narrative creates vivid
insight into a man navigating between
idealism and pragmatism, faith and
politics, nonviolence and violence,
rejection and acclaim. The First Muslim
illuminates not only an immensely
significant figure but his lastingly
relevant legacy.
KB says:
The texture of this refreshing and east to make
dessert is something you will love and make you
want to go for seconds.
Guava Desert
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Ingredients
1 pkt strawberry jelly
250ml sour cream
250 ml fresh cream
1 tin canned guava, liquidized and strained
½ can condensed milk
Method
Dissolve strawberry jelly in one cup of boiling water and
set aside.
Liquidize all the remaining ingredients together and fold
into the jelly until its well mixed.
Pour into your serving bowl and refrigerate
Decorate with cream, sliced strawberries and flaked almonds.
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.
Baba's Halal Kitchen
(Hussain Baba is the host and
chef of *BABA’S HALAL KITCHEN*, a show where he uses his own
unique style to cook 'Quick, Easy and Delicious' dishes.)
• Stay active
• Try gentle daily stretching / walking
• Follow a healthy diet
• Get enough sleep – aim for 8 hours per night
• Pace your activities throughout the day
• Try getting massage
• Try to relax
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:
Is Money Ruining
Your Marriage?
Let’s get one thing
straight...Money was
created by humans,
not ALLAH. Another
truth...the lack of
money or the
abundance of it has
absolutely NO
connection to your
peace of mind or
your spiritual
growth. So why is
money one of the
most common reasons
for marital
problems?
Your argument, like
most of my clients’,
may be: But it costs
money to do
everything and to
have a good life. My
answer to that is:
If you are depending
on money to bring
you joy, you are
living in a
deceitful illusion.
If your marriage
lacks joy and
soulful
companionship, it
has nothing to do
with your bank
balance but
everything to do
with your mindset.
See if you identify
with one or more of
the following issues
in your own
marriage. Often the
problem involving
money and marriage
revolve around
these:
• Couples
feeling they
don’t have
enough money
• Couples
accusing each
other of making
poor decisions
regarding money
• Cultural
paradigm that
dictates that
husband must
earn more than
wife
• Cultural and
modern western
paradigms that
dictate that a
wife who earns
can spend her
money however
she wants, but a
husband’s
earnings must be
spent for the
welfare of the
whole family
• Cultural
paradigm that
dictates that
your self-worth
is determined by
the number of
material
possessions you
accumulate
(house, car,
luxury brands
etc.)
The crucial thing to
ask on a daily basis
is do you want more
money or a joyful
marriage? When there
are arguments in
your marriage
relating to money,
negativity spreads
to all areas of your
life and soon you
begin to notice that
the so-called money
problems are getting
worse.
Understand that
arguments are not
resolving your money
problems but
actually aggravating
them and ruining
your marital peace
and harmony.
How To Tackle
Money-Arguments In
Your Marriage
1. Muslims know and
firmly believe that
rizq, sustenance,
comes ONLY from
ALLAH. Remind
each other of this
utmost truth and
help each other in
submitting to this
truth.
2. Have a weekly
sit-down meeting
to discuss and plan
the household
budget. Focus on joy
and harmony, not
just money. Need and
greed are two
different things.
Whatever you need,
ALLAH provides.
Greed may lead to
engaging in riba.
Riba is prohibited
in Islam.
3. Give daily or
weekly sadaqa
from the money you
have. Even if it is
$1. The more you
give the more ALLAH
gives you.
4. If you feel anger
or frustration
building up within
you regarding money,
voice your
concerns to your
spouse without
displaying
aggression. Tell
your spouse that you
are feeling anxious
about your finances.
Voicing your
concerns makes it
easier to discuss
solutions.
5. Do not bring
up the past.
Everyone makes
mistakes.
Perhaps one of you
took a poor decision
with money. It’s not
the end of the
world. Everything
can be repaired with
love, care and
support. Support
each other to repair
what went wrong.
6. Remember that
there is a
difference between
money problems and
addictive behaviours.
If either or both of
you are always
spending money on
buying material
things and filling
the house with
“stuff”, this
indicates that there
is a need for deeper
self-reflection to
address issues such
as self-worth.
People often buy
things because they
feel they are not
good enough or that
they must keep up
with others in their
friends or relatives
circle. Will Smith,
a wealthy and
well-known Hollywood
actor once said,
“Too many people
spend money they
haven’t earned, to
buy things they
don’t want, to
impress people they
don’t like.”
Recognise this
addictive behaviour
to ‘buy and please”
and seek
professional help to
overcome this
addiction. (Email me
if you feel I could
be of service)
7. Find at least
ten things everyday
to be grateful for
and tell ALLAH how
thankful you are for
the blessings in
your life. Once
you list ten things,
add five more for
good measure :) Do
this daily. Being in
the practice of
gratitude increases
barakah in your
home.
8. Remember that
your marriage is
sacred...money is
not. If all the
money in the world
were to disappear
right this moment,
your marriage will
still survive,
provided you connect
with ALLAH and
understand that
obsessing over money
comes from fear.
Fear leads to
shaitaan. Replace
fear with faith.
Faith leads to
ALLAH.
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.
Habibullah was a
jobless
man when he applied for the position of ‘Office Boy’ at
a very large company.
The employer interviewed him, and then made him sweep
the floor as a test of his abilities.
“You are hired,” the employer said. “Give me your email
address, and I’ll send you the application to fill, as
well as when you will start.”
Habibullah
replied, “I don’t have a computer, nor an email.”
“I’m sorry,” said the employer, “if you don’t have an
email that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t
exist, cannot have the job.”
Habibullah
left dejected and with no hope. He didn’t
know what to do, with only $10 USD in his pocket.
He then decided to go to the supermarket, bought a 10kg
tomato crate, then sold the tomatoes door to door. In
less than two hours, he succeeded in doubling his
capital.
He repeated the operation 3 times and returned home with
$60 USD.
Habibullah
realized that
he could survive by doing this, and started to go
everyday earlier, and returned late. Thus, his money
doubled or tripled everyday. Shortly later, he bought a
cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of
delivery vehicles.
Five years later,
Habibullah’s
company was one of the biggest food retailers. He
started to plan his family’s future, and decided to take
out a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker and chose a protection
plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker
asked him for his email address.
Habibullah
replied: “I
don’t have an email.”
The broker was taken aback, “You don’t have an email,
and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Do you
imagine what you could have done if you had an email?”
Habibullah
paused for a while, and replied: “An
office boy!”
On the Day that the Hour [of
reckoning] will be
established, the
transgressors will swear
that they did not tarry but
an hour: thus were they used
to being deluded!
Living the
Change Workshop
“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
pleasing to
Allah, and truer
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.
Dates: Sunday
30th June 2-5pm
Venue: St
Andrews Anglican
church, 160
Vulture St,
South Brisbane.
RSVP
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.
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
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Parents
should not be allowed to
selectively remove their
children from religious
education (RE) lessons,
headteachers say, as study
reveals many withdrawal
requests are over the
teaching of Islam.
Echoes of al-Andalus: The Portuguese town
celebrating its forgotten Islamic past
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7
August 2011