Amongst the first group of
Hajjis to head off for Hajj at
Brisbane Airport last week
Over the next few days and
weeks, groups of men and
women will be making the
journey-of-their-lifetimes
when they fulfil one of the
five pillars of Islam by
performing their haj
(pilgrimage) to Mecca and
Medina in Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrimage takes place
each year between the 8th
and the 13th days of
Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th month
of the Islamic lunar
calendar and incorporates
visits to Mecca, Mina and
Arafat.
We are reminded of the first
Englishwoman to perform the
hajj, Lady Evelyn Cobbold,
who described in 1934 the
feelings pilgrims experience
at Arafat.
“It would require a
master pen to describe
the scene, poignant in
its intensity, of that
great concourse of
humanity of which I was
one small unit,
completely lost to their
surroundings in a fervor
of religious enthusiasm.
Many of the pilgrims had
tears streaming down
their cheeks; others
raised their faces to
the starlit sky that had
witnessed this drama so
often in the past
centuries. The shining
eyes, the passionate
appeals, the pitiful
hands outstretched in
prayer moved me in a way
that nothing had ever
done before, and I felt
caught up in a strong
wave of spiritual
exaltation. I was one
with the rest of the
pilgrims in a sublime
act of complete
surrender to the Supreme
Will which is Islam.”
She goes on to describe the
closeness pilgrims feel to
the Prophet while standing
in Arafat:
“...as I stand beside
the granite pillar, I
feel I am on Sacred
ground. I see with my
mind’s eye the Prophet
delivering that last
address, over thirteen
hundred years ago, to
the weeping multitudes.
I visualize the many
preachers who have
spoken to countless
millions who have
assembled on the vast
plain below; for this is
the culminating scene of
the Great Pilgrimage.”
Crescents Community News (CCN)
wishes all our hajjis and
hajjianis a spiritually
fulfilling journey and that
they return reborn with all
their sins pardoned,
insha'Allah.
The National Council of
Women of Qld (Inc) held its
annual bursary presentation
on 23 July at the Brisbane
Girls Grammar School.
The 10th bursary
presentation saw 34
bursaries being awarded.
In its inaugural year, the
following 2 bursaries were
awarded:
* The Hajera Bibi Seedat
Emerging Female Leader
bursary recipient -
Ayesha Tauseef
(Sponsored by Saalihah
Seedat)
* The Queensland Medical
Women's Society bursary
recipient - Naseera Naeem
(Sponsored by Qld Medical
Women's Society)
Ayesha Tauseef (pictured
bottom right) plans to
use the bursary funds to
kickstart her initiative
CHADAR and register it as an
NGO. Ayesha is looking to
create a manual about sexual
harassment that can be used
world-wide taking into
account the cultural nuances
and how patriarchy plays a
role gender based violence.
She wants to feature
referral organisations that
deal with harassment,
psychologists and lawyers in
countries starting with
Australia and Pakistan; the
goal being to make this
manual accessible to a
global audience. With this
organisation she hopes to
create and specifically
designed workshops (with the
assistance of mental health
professionals) that focus on
for victims/survivors and
also workshops that focus on
educating people. As part of
the bursary award, Ayesha
also receives 4 one on one
mentoring sessions with
Saalihah Seedat (bursary
sponsor).
Other bursaries included:
NCWQ Refugee Background
bursary recipient - Rahila
Abdul Hadi
The National Unity in
Diversity Conference was
held in the State Library of
Queensland over three days
from 24 to 26 July.
It was an opportunity for
participants to collaborate
and converse over on the
themes of identity, cohesion
and engagement. The
conference brought together
delegates from diverse
communities, service
providers, government and
advocacy groups
Amongst the keynote speakers
was Dr Nora Amath who spoke
on the future of
multiculturalism in a
nationalist, populist
post-truth era. In
particular, she identified
the need to go beyond
multiculturalism, to espouse
cosmopolitanism, framed by
compassion so that "we can
truly relate to "the other"
as part of our human
family".
One woman had a window of
only minutes to meet a
domestic violence support
worker, at school drop-off
time in a nearby park.
Her movements were being
tracked by her husband’s
live-in family, who would
monitor the time she was
away and check her car’s
odometer.
Another woman’s marriage was
being eroded by her visiting
mother-in-law until she
accepted advice to take out
a restraining order. Other
women reported being
constantly kept pregnant.
Brisbane-based domestic
abuse service Bangle,
renamed this month from
Eidfest Community Services,
is helping women in distress
from the Indian
subcontinent.
“A lot of these women may be
oblivious to the fact that
they are actually being
abused,” founder Yasmin Khan
said.
“Then there are those women
that know they are being
abused but they’re reluctant
to talk about it. A lot of
it is around silence and
shame and honour and family
expectations, community
expectations, societal
expectations, ‘what’s the
community going to say,
what’s the family going to
say?’.”
She was speaking after The
Weekend Australian
highlighted the barriers
that some migrant women face
in leaving violent and
abusive relationships.
The women Ms Khan supports
have diverse and complex
problems involving visa
dependence, complicated
family relationships,
ineligibility for government
financial support and a lack
of -language skills.
“Each woman’s got a
different set of reasons not
to talk about it,” Ms Khan
said.
Thevagy Radhakrishan, 54,
was allegedly stabbed to
death by her husband,
Sandraseghram Radhakrishan,
58, at a home in Springfield
Lakes, southwest of
Brisbane, two weeks ago. The
Sri Lankan couple had been
in Australia for more than
10 years.
The Red Rose Foundation, of
which Ms Khan is a director,
is due next Friday to hold a
vigil at Brisbane’s
Parliament House to mark her
death, and the separate
stabbing death of
27-year-old Juanita Paul at
the remote Aboriginal
community of Kowanyama last
month.
Paul’s partner, Lenfred
Leighwayne Tommy, 29, has
been charged with her
murder.
Red Rose has been holding
gatherings for murdered
women for 10 years.
“We’ve always been there
with the same message —
domestic ¬violence is
occurring, another person
has died,” chief executive
Betty Taylor said.
“Our motto is ‘Let’s change
the ending’ and I believe we
can.
“It’s a tragedy that these
deaths are predictable and
preventable — we can do
something.”
Migrant and Aboriginal women
faced extra challenges in
getting support, Ms Taylor
said.
“No one knows the
possibility of lethality
until it’s too late. Victims
may think, ‘I can manage
this’.
“If you are experiencing
violence or being
threatened, you need to
reach out to the various
services.”
One of the
pioneers of the Muslim community
Hussin Goss went to spend some
time with Academy Alive to view
their courses and to see the new
exciting offerings Academy Alive
has been developing for the
Muslim community.
In August, Hajji
Hussin Goss will go live in a
tell-all interview to discuss
his life story, and how Islam in
Queensland has grown over the
years.
Follow Academy Alive on
Facebook for more information
and to keep updated on
developments.
Waleed has been left lost for
words during a heartbreaking
interview.
Seasoned journalist and TV
presenter Waleed Aly has
been left speechless during
a heartbreaking interview
with a distraught father on
The Project on Tuesday.
Waleed and co-hosts Carrie
Bickmore and Peter Helliar
were speaking with Sadam
Abudusalamu, an Australian
citizen who claims his wife
and two-year-old son are
currently being detained by
Chinese authorities.
A
father’s heartbreak
Sadam says he has not seen
his wife Nadila in two years
as she has been unable to
leave Xinjiang province -
which means he has never met
his baby boy, Lutfy.
After the devastated young
father shared his plight on
Monday night’s episode of
Four Corners on the ABC, he
discovered that Nadila had
been arrested.
“(At) 3.30 (pm) Sydney time
they just took my wife, and
(my) two-year-old baby, I
don’t know where he is now…
she just sent me a message
(saying) police just called
me, if I can’t come out,
please take care of
yourself,” an emotional
Sadam told The Project.
“Sadam, do you feel like you
shouldn’t be talking to us?”
Waleed asked.
“No, I have to speak out,
I’ve got nothing to lose
anymore. Even if I don’t
speak out nothing is going
to change, so I have to
speak out,” Sadam replied.
“I just can’t imagine how
hard it is, not having ever
seen your son let alone now
not even knowing where he
is,” Carrie added.
“The last two years have
been so tough,” Sadam
responded, before revealing
that he has trouble
sleeping.
Sadam
Abudusalamu (left) and his
friend Almas Nizamidin on The
Project. Photo: Channel 10.
‘I
have nothing’
Clearly moved by the
desperate dad’s plight,
Waleed - who is himself a
father of two - was left
lost for words.
“Sadam Abdusalamu, I don’t
know. Ordinarily I try to
find something I could say
to console you. I have
nothing,” the Gold
Logie-winner admitted.
“There’s nothing I can say
at this point except that
we’re watching, we will
watch with interest, I hope
that it turns out in a way
that’s far from the worst of
the possibilities,” he
added.
The plight of the Uyghur
population
Sadam and his family are
part of a minority ethnic
group of Turkic-speaking
Muslims called Uyghurs who
are reportedly being
persecuted and detained by
the Chinese government.
It is thought that about one
million Uyghurs -
potentially including Nadila
and baby Lutfy - are being
held in large-scale
so-called ‘reeducation
camps’ in Xinjiang province.
Associate professor James
Leibold from La Trobe
University also appeared on
The Project to call China’s
alleged actions “an act of
cultural genocide and one of
the worst human rights
abuses of our time.”
Sadam has issued a public
plea for the Australian
government to help him bring
his family home and his
story is being publicised by
Four Corners’ Sophie McNeil.
A
sliver of hope
Sophie has since tweeted
that Nadila has reportedly
been released after
questioning but told her
husband to “stop speaking
out”.
Sadam, Sophie claims, “won’t
be silenced.”
Foreign Minister Marise
Payne told The Project that
DFAT “continues to provide
consular assistance” to
Sadam and his family.
Jewish
community leaders joined Muslim
officials in Christchurch, to
hand over a million dollars
raised in an American city for
the victims of the Christchurch
mosque attacks.
New Zealand Jewish Council
president Stephen Goodman (front
left) and Asher Levi Etherington
(front right) show Muslim
visitors a Torah at a
Christchurch Synagogue.
Following the 15 March
shooting, the Jewish
Federation of Greater
Pittsburgh raised over
$900,000 for Christchurch
Muslims.
The act of generosity was
inspired after Muslims
rallied around the Jewish
community when an armed
shooter opened fire in a
Synagogue in Pittsburgh,
killing 11 people in October
last year.
At a lunch time ceremony,
the New Zealand Jewish
Council president, handed
over a cheque to the
Christchurch Foundation, to
establish the Abrahamic
fund.
For members of the Muslim
and Jewish faith, today's
ceremony was much more then
just a transferral of money
from one faith to another.
It was an opportunity to
explore the other's
religion, as Jewish and
Muslim leaders were taken on
a tour of each religion's
respective places of
worship.
For Canterbury Hebrew
congregation member Yasmin
Sellars, her first time
inside a mosque was an
opportunity for comparison.
"I have obviously seen a
Mosque in movies and
television before.
"All I was doing was
comparing how do we do
things, and the first thing
was there's no chairs!"
Chairs aside, the visits saw
Muslims and Jews realise
just how many similarities
they shared.
Federation of Islamic
Associations New Zealand
spokesperson, Dr Anwar
Ghani's first time in a
synagogue, was an experience
he thought both communities
could learn from.
"The similarities between
the two faith groups is just
unreal. This is also
something we need to be
promoting within our own
communities, that people
should visit places of
worship so that we improve
understanding about each
other."
After their respective
visits, both groups joined
Christchurch mayor Lianne
Dalziel for lunch and the
launch of the Abrahamic
fund.
During her address, the 30
or so people gathered in the
Mayor's lounge collectively
nodded their heads when Ms
Dalziel said the donation
was an extraordinary gift.
"The world will remember the
response long after they
remember the person who
committed this atrocity.
They will never forget those
whose lives were so cruelly
taken on that day."
New Zealand Jewish Council
president Stephen Goodman
signed the document to
establish the new fund.
He said the Christchurch
Foundation would allocate
the fund's money according
to the needs of families
affected by the attack.
"The purposes [in the fund]
we have defined are not
necessarily complete because
no one knows what the needs
are for the community.
"It is looking long term at
things like education,
medical needs, counselling,
financial advice and
planning and also to improve
Muslim-Jewish relations."
New South Wales Jewish Board
of Deputies chief executive
Vic Alhadeff travelled from
Australia to deliver close
to $70,000 worth of money
raised by Jews living in the
state.
He said it would have been
easy to simply transfer the
money but he wanted to send
a message with his presence.
"I wanted to come on behalf
of the Jewish Board of
Deputies to physically stand
here and say we did this
because we cared. That's why
I wanted to come here and
have a symbolic presence to
show that we are all members
of one humanity."
The agreement signed by the
Jewish Council and the
Christchurch Foundation,
acknowledged that any
allocation of funds would
consider the interests of
Muslims.
The foundation would now
consult with Christchurch's
Islamic community to
identify areas where support
is needed.
RNZ
New
Zealand Jewish Council president
Stephen Dr Anwar Ghani (red)
takes the Jewish visitors on a
tour of a Christchurch Mosque.
A woman roleplays with a type
of shroud that is used in
natural burials.
Natural burials (not unlike
Muslim burial practices) are
being offered in Tasmania's
north-west after the
greenlight from the local
council.
The Burnie City Council will
allow natural burial within
its cemetery, giving people
a "more environmentally
friendly" way to be buried
after their death.
Natural burials involve the
use of a biodegradable
coffin or shroud, and bodies
are not treated with any
preserving chemicals.
Burnie Council Alderman
Teeny Brumby said the
cemetery could now
accommodate natural burial
alongside conventional
burial.
"The legislation in Tasmania
was fairly ambiguous on the
area of natural burial," she
said.
"But we've pursued the
director of Health and the
director of Local Government
to have a letter that gives
us permission as a cemetery
in Burnie to have natural
burial occur."
Alderman Brumby said there
were some big differences
between standard and natural
burials.
"It allows loved ones to be
wrapped in a shroud,
something that doesn't take
a great deal of time to
decompose," she said.
"So instead of being buried
at a 1.8 metre depth,
they're able to be buried at
around one metre."
Last year, Burnie City
Council voted unanimously
for a standalone natural
burial site, citing
environmental and economic
benefits.
A bushland burial site
already exists in Kingston
in Tasmania's south with
coffins made of solid
untreated and unpainted
timber.
Push for Launceston site
Malcolm Cowan from Natural
Burial Northern Tasmania
said the group was in talks
with the Launceston City
Council about establishing a
natural burial site.
"We've identified a site
with the council that could
be suitable within the Carr
Villa Reserve," Mr Cowan
said.
"By the end of the year
we'll have something to put
to council."
Mr Cowan said the natural
burial process is attractive
to people who want to reduce
their environmental impact.
"There's no fuss with an
expensive coffin. Cemeteries
can actually recycle the
sites," he said.
"You're returning your body
to a more natural state.
It's sort of like composting
if you like, if you're into
gardening."
Natural burials are growing
in popularity and there are
now several sites around the
country.
Imam
Nizam ul Haque Thanvi was
presented with the 2019
Wellington Award by the
Mayor of Wellington, Mr
Justin Lester last month in
recognition of his positive
leadership for the
community.
Four Muslims were recognised
out of a total of 12 New
Zealanders for being
absolutely positively
Wellingtonians.
Earlier in March Imam Nizam
Thanvi at a landmark
occasion recited Quran in
the New Zealand National
Parliament in his most
melodious voice on Friday 22
March exactly one week after
the Christchurch mosque
attacks.
The Muslim community showed
strong level headed
leadership in the wake of
the tragic Christchurch
attacks displaying
perseverance, understanding
and unity.
Imam Nizam Thanvi has been
serving the NSW’s Central
Coast community for a long
time and recently moved to
New Zealand attached to a
mosque as an Imam.
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.
ANZAC Muslims: An Untold
Story
By Dzavid Haveric, Charles
Sturt University
.
Abstract: When the
Commonwealth of Australia
became immersed in two World
Wars, Australian Muslims
accepted the national call
–they shed their blood and
gave their lives for
Australia’s freedom and
democracy. With their
Australian brothers-in-arms
and allies they fought
courageously with honour
against their common enemies
in different battlefields
–but this is an almost
forgotten history. Muslims
in Australia were challenged
by Britain’s imperial might
and by their status as
British subjects and
‘aliens’ to take part in
ANZAC showing their
commitment to their adopted
country.
The virtue of justice, sense
of responsibility and
loyalty are peculiar
qualities that find their
full justification in the
organised welfare of
Australian society. This
pioneering article, based on
ongoing research on ANZAC
Muslims, makes known their
unique contribution. It
reveals historic facts about
ANZAC Muslims who were
members of what has come to
be known as the Heroic
Generation. Although their
names have not appeared in
history books, they achieved
the glory of victory for a
better future for new
generations to come. Their
contribution is part of
Australian National Heritage
–Lest we forget.
....continued from last
week's CCN.....
INTRODUCTION
This article is dedicated to
Muslim servicemen and those
who had Islamic ancestry
along with all other
Australians who served in
the Australian armed forces
–the Australian Imperial
Forces (AIF), Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF)
or the Merchant Navy. By
examining fragmented
sources, this article
provides a preliminary
overview on Muslims in the
ANZAC forces.
These sources include
literature, booklets,
academic journals, newspaper
articles and online records
from the Australian War
Memorial and the Australian
National Archive. Muslim
servicemen fought to defend
the Australian nation and
the British Empire in World
Wars I and II. Like other
Australian families, some
Australian Muslim families
gave their sons to the
nation’s fighting forces.
Many of them were
descendants of the early
Indian, Malay and Arab
Muslims who were founders of
Muslim communities and
mosques. Australian Muslim
women also played an
important role.
When their fathers, sons,
brothers and cousins went to
war, they helped the Red
Cross and in hospitals.
Records exist of Muslims in
World Wars I and II who
served and/or died for
Australia, such as at the
Australian War Memorial and
the National Archives of
Australia.
Muslims living in
predominantly non-Muslim
countries of the
Commonwealth, such as
Australia, were seen as
loyal British subjects,
having duties and
responsibilities toward it.
At that time, until 1949,
the nationalities of most of
those who may have
considered themselves
Australian were in fact
British subjects.
Sir Muhammad Iqbal praised
the British Empire, in whose
realm lived a large Muslim
population that enjoyed its
freedom, rule of law and
democratic principles, which
correspond to Islamic
values.
This is What
Happens Inside a Mosque...
How to Visit a Mosque
The Mosque we're visiting is
Jama Masjid in New Delhi,
#India but the process is
the same in all Mosques
around the world. I was so
shocked by the Christchurch
terrorist attack in my home
country of New Zealand that
I decided to make this video
to help people better
understand their Muslim
brothers and sisters.
Imran Khan's visit to USA
BBC Asian
Network
Pakistan Prime Minister,
Imran Khan, has left the USA
after a visit which aimed to
improve relations between
the countries.
Here’s a look at his best
bits including an eventful
meeting with President Trump
ISLAMIC
The ten companions
promised Paradise
OnePath
Network
The Importance of Hajj
OnePath
Network
The Importance of Hajj
The Hajj pilgrimage is one
of the defining rituals of
Islam. Every able Muslim is
required to journey to Mecca
at least once in their
lives’.
Here are five reasons
outlining the importance of
the Hajj pilgrimage.
1. It is Fard (obligatory)
for anyone who can afford
and is physically able.
2. It is one of the 5
pillars of Islam
3. All sins will be forgiven
4. It is Islam’s Holiest
Site
5. Mt Arafat
Safa and
Marwa
Safa and Marwa are the two
hills in which Hajar ran in
between seven times in
search for water for her
baby son Ismail, after being
tested by Allah in the
desert. Therein Allah had
blessed her with the miracle
of the Well of Zamzam.
Muslims reenact this during
Hajj by walking in between
the hills.
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.
Media
watchdog’s
report into
Christchurch
shootings goes
soft on showing
violent footage
The ACMA and
media outlets
will now have
discussions
about how to
cover violence
attacks like
that in
Christchurch, in
future
Coverage of the
Christchurch
terrorism by
Australia’s
television
channels raised
“serious
questions” about
whether they had
breached the
television codes
of practice,
according to the
broadcasting
regulator, the
Australian
Communication
and Media
Authority (ACMA).
However, it has
declined to make
specific
findings that
the codes were
in fact
breached.
Instead, it
proposes to
discuss with the
television
industry whether
the codes are
adequately
framed to deal
with the kind of
material
generated by the
atrocity,
especially the
footage from the
terrorist’s
bodycam.
The ACMA
launched its
inquiry into the
coverage in the
immediate
aftermath of the
March 15
attacks,
reviewing 200
hours of
coverage
spanning March
15, 16 and 17.
It found that no
material had
been broadcast
explicitly
showing a person
being shot,
injured or
killed.
However, footage
had been shown
of
a person
being shot
at
a victim who
had already
been shot
the scene
inside the
Al Noor
mosque,
where most
of the
victims were
killed.
The report is
open to the
interpretation
that the
threshold for
violence
acceptable for
broadcast in
these
circumstances is
footage that
does not show
someone actually
being shot.
That is likely
to be a central
point of
discussion
between the ACMA
and the
television
industry in the
discussions that
the report says
will now take
place.
The most
relevant clause
in the existing
Free TV
Australia code
of practice says
a broadcaster
cannot show
material that is
likely to
seriously
distress or
seriously offend
a substantial
number of
viewers unless
there is a
public interest
in doing so.
The CONVERSATION
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.
Ten years ago, I
thought Britain
was becoming
more tolerant. I
was wrong
Autobiography
and memoir by
Sarfraz Manzoor
Sarfraz
Manzoor
recalled
the
racism
of his
childhood
in Luton
in his
memoir
Greetings
from
Bury
Park. As
a film
adaptation
is
released,
he asks
how much
has
really
changed
A
quest to
belong …
Sarfraz
Manzoor.
CONTINUED
FROM LAST WEEK'S
CCN......
The book was
welcomed as an
insight into the
identity
struggles for
second
generation
British Muslims.
After the 9/11
attacks there
had been a spate
of books –
notably The
Islamist by Ed
Husain – that
sought to
understand
Islamic
radicalisation
through personal
stories. My
story was also
about rock
music,
specifically
Bruce
Springsteen (one
of whose albums,
Greetings from
Asbury Park,
inspired the
title), which
meant that it
attracted
readers new to
books about the
migrant
experience.
From a young
age, I had
sought escape in
the work of
American
writers,
television shows
and in
particular
Springsteen’s
music. His songs
reflected a
working-class
experience that
echoed mine. He
sang about
fathers and sons
with an honesty
and empathy that
made me reflect
on my own
relationship
with my father.
He also
articulated a
generous version
of American
patriotism that
suggested the US
was an inclusive
and welcoming
place. In
America they
hardly knew what
Muslims were, I
told myself, and
had most likely
never heard of
Pakistan. If
life in Britain
became
unbearable,
there was always
the US.
And then came
9/11. In its
aftermath my
love for America
waned. In the
book I recount a
conversation
with Amolak, in
which we
resigned
ourselves to the
reality being
over of the days
when Americans
barely knew what
Muslims were.
Yet, one year
after Greetings
from Bury Park
was published,
Barack Obama,
then a state
senator from
Illinois, became
the Democratic
party’s nominee
for president.
His victory that
year restored my
faith. The Obama
presidency was
confirmation, it
seemed at the
time, that in
the US anyone
could fulfil
their dreams,
even someone
born to a Kenyan
Muslim.
How the Cameleers and Aboriginal culture
connected in Australia
By Talib Haider
Several Cameleers who came to
Australia settled in the outback
with Aboriginal peoples.
An undated
photo of loading wool at Olive
Downs, NSW, c1920. Australia's
Muslim Cameleers' exhibition,
Dec, 2007 (AAP /State Library of
S.A, L. Reynolds) (STATE LIBRARY
OF QUEENSLAND)
Historian and museum ethnographer Dr
Philip Jones, author of the book,
'Afghan Muslim Cameleers', says it is
very interesting how cameleers
encountered the Aboriginal culture and
became part of Australian history.
Talking to SBS Urdu, Dr Jones says that
there were several young men who came to
Australia with the cameleers during the
19th century.
“We had young men coming to Australia
mostly with their brothers [as
cameleers]. But a lot of them were not
married or attached [to women back
home].
“Many of these men formed relationships
with Aboriginal women.
“There are several examples of men
forming deeper and long-lasting
relationships with Aboriginal women and
from these unions came children."
Who were
the cameleers?
In the nineteenth century, Australia
witnessed a large influx of the ‘ships
of the deserts’ (or camels) in their
outback.
These camels provided a great
alternative for the transportation of
goods between several states, cities,
and towns in Australia.
Although requiring lower maintenance
than horses, the desert animal required
special care and handling, and was
managed by the ‘cameleers’.
These cameleers came from the Afghan
(now Afghanistan) and North Indian
region which is now called Pakistan.
Dr Jones has researched and written
extensively on camel expeditions that
later became businesses in the 19th
century.
“Till the 1840s the Europeans weren’t
able to reach the centre of Australia or
anywhere near it.
“One of the reasons was the fact that
horses required watering at least once a
day which was the case with bullocks
too. So the main reason was the lack of
water. Plus they were unable to survive
summer months or in some cases winter.
“The camels were ideal for these
conditions.
Many of the Europeans came via the
Middle East or Indian region at that
time. What they realised was that the
camels were ideal in the Afghan and
Pakistan region’s arid lands.
“In 1850s, there were several
expeditions to bring camels to
Australia.
“When the camels arrived in Australia,
it was realised that it was a highly
skilled operation. You needed the skills
and knowledge to look after the camels
and see their welfare day after day
during the long trip of the bush.
"Therefore for every 8 to 9 camels, one
cameleer was required.
“I worked with an elderly Aboriginal man
whose father was an Afghan cameleer. He
also took up the camel business, as they
called it.
"They used to take supplies from Marree,
which then ahead of the railway line in
Central Australia, in the 1890s to
Cooper Creek. That was 300 kilometres to
the north and used to take him about
three weeks.”
An undated
handout photo of a cameleer and
camel, c1900. - Australia's
Muslim Cameleers exhibition,
Dec. 12, 2007,Canberra. (AAP
/State Library of Queensland)
Islam
and the Aboriginal community
Dr Jones says the children out of the
unions between the cameleers and
Aboriginal women formed a new generation
with knowledge about Islam.
“This was a new generation of young men
and women who grew up, knowing more or
less, about the Quran and Islam.
“They certainly went to Quranic schools
and hanged on to that religion probably
most of their lives, until now till
mid-20th century; some not, but some
more than others.
An undated
handout photo of a small Koran,
part of the exhibition,
Australia's Muslim Cameleers,
Dec 12, 2007, in Canberra. (AAP
Image/Justice & Police Museum)
“What I meant was that Islam had a
foothold in Australia from that point,
and the very first mosque in Australia
was built in Adelaide around 1889 – 90
and opened in 1891." Dr Jones said.
“There is evidence that Aboriginal
people were certainly curious about
Islam. But because of the strength of
their mythological traditions and
spiritual forms, was such that Islam
really never took off in that period.”
A Baluch Afghan cameleer came to
Australia and set up a sheep station in
the outback.
In December 1917, Goolam Badoola (in his
40s) married a 16-year-old
Badimaya-Yamatji Aboriginal woman whose
name was Marium Martin.
It's 2019 And Democratic Presidential
Candidates Are Ignoring Muslim Voters
Muslim
organizers say the candidates'
lack of interest in an upcoming
gathering reflects a much larger
apathy toward their community.
Muslim conference organizers
said Joe Biden and Bill de
Blasio ignored their invitation,
while Kamala Harris and Pete
Buttigieg declined to attend.
US: The president of the United States
stood tall and proud at his North
Carolina rally as the crowd chanted
loudly for him to deport Rep. Ilhan Omar
(D-Minn.), one of the first two Muslim
women in Congress. Just days before,
Donald Trump had doubled down on his
racist attacks against Omar and three of
her freshman colleagues.
Back in Washington, Muslim organizers
and policymakers were busy preparing for
a historic moment: what they have called
the first national gathering of Muslim
Americans in politics.
But there was a problem.
For the July 23-24 conference, not a
single Democratic presidential candidate
was set to attend in person. HuffPost
contacted every candidate for comment.
Some replied to note schedule conflicts;
others didn’t respond at all.
That apparent lack of interest brings
into harsh light what many Muslims say
is an apathetic attitude within the
Democratic Party toward their community.
In politics, Muslims have largely leaned
left –– despite holding many
traditionally conservative values ––
mostly due to the fact Democrats have
tended to be more accepting of them
while Republicans have vilified Islam.
According to 2016 data, Muslim Americans
are the “most Democratic-identifying
religious group” in the nation.
But over the last few years, Muslim
constituents have also voiced their
concerns with the Democratic leadership
for not taking a strong stance against
Islamophobia. They complain that their
communities are only remembered during
discussions of national security and
terrorism. More recently, Democratic
Muslim voters have grown concerned about
how the Democratic leadership has
treated the first two Muslim women in
Congress.
INDIA: The number of elected Muslim
Members of Parliament in the just-formed
17th Lok Sabha (House of Commons) of
India is only 27 out of a total of 545,
which is miserably low considering
Muslims make up 14.2 per cent of the
country’s population.
As in the last Indian Parliament, there
is not a single Muslim MP sitting on the
Treasury benches and all 27 MPs have
been elected from opposition parties.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won this
election on virtually an anti-Muslim
agenda, unlike in the last election in
2014 when he promised the country
‘development’ and Islamophobia was a
sub-text.
Five years later, even the fig-leaf of
development was dropped and the BJP, led
by Modi, went all out on a Hindu
Nationalist plank, projecting Muslims as
anti-national foreigners who would
either be suppressed or chucked out of
the country if Modi was elected to power
for a second term. The campaign worked,
and Modi was returned to power with an
even larger majority.
Since it first came to power in 2014,
the Modi Government has faced
allegations of marginalizing Muslims,
politically, electorally and socially
across the country.
There has been targeted mob violence
against Muslims, mostly under the guise
of ‘cow protection’, and of the 46
reported cases of murder and lynching in
cow-related violence in the last five
years, the majority of the victims have
been Muslims (see p1).
Of the 1.3 billion population of India
as per the 2011 census, Muslim
representation in the 17th Lok Sabha is
less than 5 per cent of the total
composition. There should be at least 70
Muslim MPs in the Lower House. Muslims
have always been underrepresented in
legislative bodies.
The highest number of Muslim MPs in the
Lok Sabha was in 1980 when 49
legislators from the community were
elected mostly from the Indian National
Congress under Indira Gandhi –
interestingly before the creation of the
BJP in 1982. Since then the number of
Muslim lawmakers being elected has
steadily been declining. In 2004 there
were 34 Muslim parliamentarians elected
when the INC led UPA Government came to
power.
However, the outgoing Lok Sabha has had
the lowest representation of Muslims
since 1952, when only 23 Muslims MPs
made it to Parliament in 2014. This time
the number has increased slightly by
four, but none from the BJP.
The BJP had fielded only six Muslim
candidates – three in the Muslim
majority state of Kashmir, two in West
Bengal in eastern India and one in
Lakshadweep, a group of islands in the
Arabian Sea off the coast of south India
– and all of them lost. In the past
whenever the BJP President Amit Shah has
been asked as to why the party fields so
few Muslims in elections, he has always
replied: “candidates are selected on the
basis of winnability.”
And it has been proven time and again
that no Muslim will be elected to
Parliament by BJP voters. The couple of
Muslim MPs and ministers that BJP has
had over the decades have all entered
Parliament through the Rajya Sabha (the
Upper House) by virtue of nomination and
election by legislators. Muslims have a
token presence in the BJP, enough so
that the party cannot be accused of
being sectarian and Islamophobic.
The states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and
West Bengal, which have considerable
Muslim population, have sent six MPs
each to the Lok Sabha this time.
Significantly, UP, which is the
country’s most populous state, did not
elect a single Muslim candidate from the
80 MPs it sent to Parliament in 2014.
The six Muslims who won in UP this time
have been elected through the opposition
alliance of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
and Samajwadi Party (SP) – both regional
parties that Muslims and other depressed
sections of society normally vote for.
They have been elected from
constituencies that have large Muslim
populations. The same is true of the six
Muslim MPs elected from West Bengal.
Jammu and Kashmir, the only
Muslim-majority state in India, elected
three Muslim MPs, while Bihar, which
sent four Muslims in 2014, has sent only
two MPs this year. There are three
Muslims from Kerala and two from Assam
in the new Lok Sabha. Both of these
states also have significant Muslim
populations.
Professor Gilles Verniers of Ashoka
University in Haryana believes that
anti-Muslim sentiment stoked by the BJP
has led to fewer Muslim candidates being
fielded by non-BJP parties. “Fearing
being tagged anti-Hindu, the Congress
and other parties are refraining from
promoting Muslim candidates,” said the
political scientist.
What has emerged from the election
result is that Muslim MPs will only be
elected if they are standing from
constituencies where Muslims are a
dominant force in terms of sheer numbers
and where their vote will not get
divided among the various political
parties.
The BJP has propagated that Muslims
always vote en bloc — which is not the
case — and win elections and therefore
Hindus must do the same. It is this
religious polarization and Hindu
consolidation behind the BJP that has
ensured a win for the BJP in 2014 and
2019 general elections.
Although
there are 22 separate Arab nationalities
representing an enormous variety of
cultural backgrounds and experiences,
the portrayal of Arabs in Australia
tends to range from homogenising (at
best) to racist pop-culture caricatures.
Edited by award-winning author and
academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, and
activist and poet Sara Saleh, and
featuring contributors Michael Mohammed
Ahmad, Ruby Hamad and Paula Abood, among
many others, this collection explores
the experience of living as a member of
the Arab diaspora in Australia and
includes stories of family, ethnicity,
history, grief, isolation, belonging and
identity.
CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE:
Paula Abood | Nokomi Achkar | Michael
Mohammed Ahmad | Rooan Al Kalmashi |
Ryan Al-Natour | Rawah Arja | Hana
Assafiri | Sarah Ayoub | Omar Bensaidi |
Sara El Sayed | Asma Fahmi | Farid Farid
| Ruby Hamad | Abdulrahman Hammoud |
Lamisse Hamouda | Amani Haydar | Miran
Hosny | Lora Inak | Elias Jahshan |
Nicola Joseph and Huna Amweero | Zainab
Kadhim and Mohammad Awad | Wafa Kazal |
Yassir Morsi
KB says:Roasted fennel
and cauliflower soup is a silky, simple soup
that packs an unexpected flavour punch thanks to
golden roasted fennel.
Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 1 fennel bulb, ends trimmed and cored (reserve fennel
fronds for garnish)
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 head of cauliflower, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock.
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp green chillies
• ½ tsp lemon pepper
• ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
• *Garnish with reserved roasted cauliflower and fennel
fronds
Preheat
oven to 200 degrees and line a sheet tray with baking
paper.
Thinly
slice the fennel and toss with olive oil and lay in an
even layer on the sheet tray.
Sprinkle
with salt and roast until golden, about 20 mins. (Add
one or two cauliflower florets to roast with the fennel
for garnish if desired.)
While
the fennel roasts, start the soup. Melt the butter over
medium heat.
Add the
onion and sauté until golden, about 5 mins. Add the
garlic and sauté for an additional 2-3 mins.
Add the
cauliflower, stock and season liberally with salt. Cover
and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the
roasted fennel to the pot.
Simmer,
covered, until cauliflower is tender, about 20 mins.
Puree
with an immersion blender.
Add the
cream if desired and adjust the seasoning.
Serve
garnished with fennel fronds and roasted cauliflower and
fennel if desired.
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.)
COOKING Eggplant + 8 Vegetables + Yogurt Mix
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.
Dear Kareema, I’m trying to get fit at home as
it is too cold some days to leave the house.
What can I do to keep fit and healthy without
leaving my living room?
A:
Sometimes squeezing in some exercise is a chore
in itself.
The best thing about working out at home is that
you can do it any time you like and vary the
time to suit you.
Staying motivated is key, so do activities /
exercises that you enjoy and keep challenging
yourself.
Try incorporating some triceps-dips (on couch),
push-ups against the wall, leg-raises while
watching tv, etc.
Every movement is a good movement, just be
mindful of your technique and always brace your
abs to protect your back.
You’ll find that you have more energy to keep
moving this winter.
Get a personal trainer in every now and then
just to change things up and to be sure that you
are on track with your fitness. N-JOY!
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:
Writing
Therapy...The Power
of Journaling
Writing freely from
your heart, without
self-criticism or
judgment, brings
about tremendous
emotional, mental
and physical
release. When you
express yourself on
paper, hidden or
suppressed feelings
and thoughts become
tangible and you are
able to view them
objectively. Once
you can see and feel
things outside of
yourself you can
understand yourself
better and make
positive changes.
Journaling brings
clarity to your mind
and vision. Believe
it or not, it
certainly increases
your passion for
life. The best thing
about journaling is
that it is very
different from a lot
of other healing
therapies.
Journaling is all
about you and your
page. You would only
ever write about
things that you are
ready to face or
explore. By
recording these
thoughts, feelings,
emotions, memories,
fears, concerns, or
anything really,
leads to mental
detox where
incredible amounts
of emotional baggage
is off-loaded.
Before you know it,
you begin to
experience holistic
wellness.
Awesome Facts
About Journaling
There is absolutely
no cost involved in
journaling, except
an initial
investment in buying
a journal of your
choice and a pen.
Avoid online
journaling if
possible. We use a
different part of
the brain when we
hand write, which
actually helps open
the mind. It’s not
the same as using
fingertips on the
keyboard or tapping
on your smartphone.
Journaling is a
highly
self-initiated
exercise. Have a
daily ritual where
you wind down with a
hot cuppa and your
journal or make it a
morning ritual.
Journaling requires
no previous writing
talent and you can
use any language to
express yourself.
It’s your private
space to be
yourself.
Your mind is clearer
afterwards and you
are more aware of
your own patterns.
You experience
personal and
spiritual growth.
Knowing thy own self
is bliss :)
Journaling Ritual
• Create your
special writing
space, a place
where you are
totally relaxed
and surrounded
by peace,
natural light
(soft lighting
if writing in
the evenings),
perhaps your
favourite
essential oils
in the burner (Frankincense,Myrrh,
and Sandalwood,
2 drops each,
make a wonderful
meditative
blend).
• Clear your
mind, take a few
deep breaths and
relax. Let your
thoughts flow
freely. Do not
let the inner
critic’s voice
censor that
creative flow.
Remember, no one
has to read your
work unless you
let them so make
the most of this
privacy and
politely ask
that inner voice
to “back off!”.
Grammar and
punctuation are
the least of
your worries
when you are
journaling.
• Choose a
topic. If that
seems too hard
then just start
to write in the
moment…begin
something like
this…”I’m
putting my pen
onto paper and
waiting for a
topic to come
into my head.
Right now, I can
smell / I can
hear/I can
remember…” You
will be
surprised how
writing in the
moment can lead
to hundreds of
other topics you
may want to
write about.
• Put every
thought onto the
page. Start
writing words
and let them
guide you
through what you
are feeling
inside. As you
feel the
emotions, write
them down. Make
these feelings
tangible.
• Ask yourself
simple, everyday
questions: How
was my day
today? Did
something happen
to me today that
made me feel
joyful or upset?
Did I discover
anything new
about myself or
anyone else
today? Are there
any unresolved
issues in my
life? Do I want
to say something
to someone but
haven’t been
able to? Why,
what is stopping
me? What do I
fear? What do I
rejoice over?
What or who
hurts me? Why?
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.
A
narrative on
engaging the
community's
Mental Health
Issues
This is a FREE
event
The growing
interest
regarding the
state of Mental
Health (MH)
nationally has
stoked
discussions on
how and what the
Muslim community
is doing to
support and
resolve the
concerns of its
community
members
particularly in
regards to
addiction and
radical
behaviourism.
Major factors
that
influence/cause
mental health
disorders are
social,
psychological
and
environmental.
This forum will
explore aspects
of mental health
from a clinical,
Islamic
worldview and
social
perspective.
Panel Members:
Dr Riyad
Rahimullah -
Academic
Researcher in
Psychology
Aneesa Kathrada
- Dept of
Education, EQ
Mental Health
Coach
Ustadh Aftab
Malik - Guest
Lecturer, Dept
of Law, Uni of
Sydney
Dr Mohamed
Ghilan -
Neuroscientist
Brought to you
by Brisbane
Muslim
Conference.
Contact Muhammad
Khatree on 0401
972 865.
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.
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!
At Sisters
Support 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..
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
Imam
Nizam ul Haque Thanvi was
presented with the 2019
Wellington Award by the
Mayor of Wellington, Mr
Justin Lester last month in
recognition of his positive
leadership for the
community.
How the Cameleers and Aboriginal culture
connected in Australia
By Talib Haider
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7
August 2011