The Hurricane Stars Club is
excited to partner with Dr.
Shibly Mustapha to share his
passion for pets with
children through the "Be a
Junior Vet" program. We are
grateful to the Logan City
Council for supporting this
program by choosing the "Be
a Junior Vet" program to be
a part of their Krank school
holiday. We had an
overwhelming response to the
program with almost daily
phone calls from parents
with more than 150 children
wanting to register to
attend the program.
We had our first session at
our Hurricane Stars Club
centre in Logan Central. We
held two sessions with
twenty children in each
session, all excitedly
sitting on the floor and
watching the interactive
presentation. Dr Shibly
taught the group all they
needed to know to become
future vets and care for all
creatures Great and Small.
They learnt about a day in
the life of a vet, ranging
from basic pet care to
emergency first aid.
The children were encouraged
to study hard and stay true
to their dreams. It was
great to see so much passion
for the furry and feathered
kind.
We will continue to run
similar programs during the
next school holidays, but be
quick to avoid missing out
next time! Monty & Minx Vet
Clinic and the Algester Vet
Surgery regularly takes
school based work experience
students.
Dr Shibly is passionate
about inspiring the next
generation of children to
care for creation to the
best of our ability. If you
have questions about
anything pet related, please
contact the clinics for free
advice.
After the resounding
success of the first
Challenging
Realities-Social
Activism forum 01
March 2019, at the
Sunnybank Performing
Arts Centre (SUNPAC),
the next chapter is
set to attract a lot
of interest.
Brisbane Muslim
Conference presents
the 2nd forum for
2019:
Radical Addictions
and Indulgent
Obsessions
A narrative on
engaging the
community's Mental
Health Issues.
The growing interest
regarding the state
of Mental Health
nationally has
stoked discussions
on how and what the
Muslim community is
doing to support and
resolve the concerns
of the community,
particularly in
regards to addiction
and radical
behaviorism.
The forum is
intended to engage
audiences with a
vibrant interactive
program and Q&A
session.
Major factors that
influence or cause
mental health
disorders are
social,
psychological and
biological. This
forum will explore
aspects of mental
health from a
clinical, Islamic
worldview and social
perspective.
The experts include
Ustadh Aftab Malik,
the former CEO of
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's
Zaytuna College and
a designated “Global
Expert” on Muslim
affairs for the
United Nations’
Alliance of
Civilizations.
This forum is
aligned to the AITSL
National Standards
For Teachers and is
considered as a
Continuing
Professional
Development (CPD).
Date and Location
Friday 16 August at
6:30pm
Venue: SUNPAC
LIMITED SEATS,
Secure your seat
today at
https://bit.ly/mentalhealthbne
Dylan Chown: Social
Activism from an Australian
Schooling Perspective -
Challenging Realities Brisbane
Muslim Conference
1 May 2019
As you read the above
sentence, please do so with
a smile on your face. Make
it a big smile, bring out
your pearly whites on
display. Now I want you to
widen it until it is
stretched across your face.
Let your cheeks hurt from
the force of it, your teeth
grit in determination,
begging for sweet release. I
ask you, to keep smiling as
you read this, even when you
no longer feel like it.
There are numerous hadiths
that dictate that the act of
smiling or making another
smile or laugh is a sunnat.
Historians have commented on
how the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
was always cheerful and had
a smile on his face; some
even considered the simple
task of smiling to be a form
of charity. Zakat makes up
one of the five basic tenets
of Islam, meant to ensure
that we help others in times
of need and to be grateful
for what we have.
This year’s Shoeboxes for
Syria intended to combine
both smiling and zakat.
Donations were packed and
shipped off to Syria in the
hopes of putting smiles on
the faces of Syria’s
children. The youth of Syria
live unimaginable lives
plagued by war and violence
and lack basic amenities and
necessities. The backpacks
aimed to meet those needs,
by offering food, clothing,
and toys, so that the Syrian
children could at the very
least, have their own
belongings to be proud of.
But most importantly, the
campaign focuses on creating
a positive experience for
the children, allowing them
a moment’s reprieve from
their harsh lives.
Held annually at Algester
Mosque, Shoeboxes for Syria
took place on a sunny
Saturday where mums, dads,
grandparents, and kids all
gathered to pack bags for
Syria. Alhamdullilah, 670
backpacks were filled on the
day alone, and combined with
the backpacks from around
Brisbane, brought the total
bags to a staggering 1390.
What was particularly unique
about this year’s event is
that it took place nearly
over a week after the tragic
Christchurch shootings. You
can imagine how palatable
the unease was, and the
lingering sense of
insecurity and
vulnerability, given the
shooter was Australian. It
made for the perfect
opportunity, a mosque filled
with women, men, and
children, all Muslim, all
easy targets. With that in
mind, it’s easy to fear for
our community’s safety,
especially with increasing
Islamophobia in today’s
world.
The community of Brisbane
recognised this feeling, and
on the day, there were three
Queensland police teams on
hand to monitor everyone’s
safety, along with flowers
left at the doors from
non-Muslims. I’m sure we are
all grateful for their
presence, as it brought
reassurance to all of us who
upon seeing the news felt
scared, upset, or sorrowful.
Above all, I’m certain it
brought smiles to our faces,
and in doing so, I hope it
is a small remembrance to
keep smiling.
Wisdom College, Australian
International Islamic
College - Durack, Glazed
Dessert, As-Salaam
Institute, the community
groups and individuals along
with the ladies who were
drop off points around
Brisbane, THANK YOU!!!!.
Brisbane could not have done
it without you!
Have you seen this woman?
The 28-year-old has been
reported missing from St
Lucia and was last sighted
at the University of
Queensland campus on the
morning of June 26. Got
info? Call Policelink on 131
444.
Queensland Police: Police
are appealing for public
assistance to help locate a
28-year-old woman reported
missing from St Lucia.
Aaisha AL GHAITHI was last
seen at the University of
Queensland campus at St
Lucia around 8am on June 26.
Aaisha had previously been
living in Brisbane CBD
accommodation but left in
February 2019.
She has not made any contact
with family and police and
her family hold concerns for
her welfare as she has a
medical condition. Aaisha is
from the middle east, is
approximately 165cm tall
with brown eyes and a slim
build. Any members of the
public who have seen Aaisha
or know of her whereabouts
are asked to contact police.
Award-winning writers and
arts activists Sara Saleh
and Michael Mohammed Ahmad
speak with ABC News
Breakfast about ARAB
AUSTRALIAN OTHER: a
groundbreaking anthology
which explores the
experience of living as a
member of the Arab diaspora
in Australia.
Three bus loads of elderly
people were brought by
Anglicare to visit the
Holland Park Mosque and the
Queensalnd Muslim Museum.
The lift in the mosque
allowed those in wheel
chairs to access the mosque
and the guests were happy to
sit in chairs to listen to
Janeth Deen explain the
history of the religion in
Queensland as well as the
process of preparing for
prayers, the prayers
themselves and the features
of the Mosque.
The guests were then taken
to the museum and were
interested in the
photographs, the goods in
the display case and asked
questions about items
displayed.
They were given a book on
the history of the mosque,
three MCF magazines and the
war diary of Mohedeen Howsan.
It was great to see the
interest in the history of
Muslims this group showed.
The tour leader who booked
the visit said this group
came from Woolloongabba and
asked if they could bring
another group from Logan in
the near future.
It is a great asset to have
the museum to help us show
our long history of Muslims
in Queensland to make the
visit to the mosque more
interesting.
On the 28 July 2019, Al-Huda
Brisbane hosted a graduation
ceremony for some of their
courses.
Al-Huda Brisbane Chapter is
part of Al-Huda
International, which was
established in 1994 in
Pakistan. It strives to
teach the Quran and Sunnah
of the Prophet SAW, with its
vision being “Qur’an for
all. In every hand, in every
heart”.
It currently has branches in
Pakistan, Canada, U.K. and
Australia. In Australia,
multiple courses are
currently being run
exclusively for sisters in
Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney,
Hobart, and Adelaide. Al-Huda
also offers online courses
as well as blended/flexible
courses. Courses are run in
either English or Urdu.
The ceremony was an
opportunity to celebrate the
achievements of graduates
and participants of current
courses. In total, there
were 56 graduates graduating
across 6 courses and 29
students acknowledged for
their participation from 4
current ongoing courses.
The completed courses ranged
from Fahm ul Quran (Urdu)
that is run every year in
Ramadan, focusing on
completing a brief tafsir of
the Quran completed through
the holy month, short
courses such as Surah Al
Mulk, Ways to a happy life,
Roshni ka Safar (Urdu
course), a summer course
that was run for children as
well as Fahm ul Quran
(English), a flexible online
course.
At the graduation ceremony,
the little graduates from
the summer course did a
performance to a nasheed and
current students shared
their reflections of their
journey through the Quran
thus far. All participants
shared how much meaning
learning the Book of Allah
SWT had brought to their
lives as well as a sense of
organisation and peace in
what they do on a daily
basis. There were some
emotional yet beautiful
moments shared in every
participant’s reflection
last Sunday.
Currently, there are Saut-al-Quran
courses being run in Kuraby
mosque both on the weekend
(Sunday) and weekdays
(Tuesdays and Thursdays).
These are in Urdu and entail
learning meaning of the
Quran word to word with
detailed tafsir and tajwid.
There are also two courses
on Surah al Baqarah with
word-to-word translation of
Surah Baqarah along with
detailed tafsir being run at
Kuraby mosque as well as at
the West End mosque on
Saturdays. Al-Huda Brisbane
is also starting a Tajwid
course in the coming weeks.
This will be run in the
Logan Mosque, starting on
the 28 August. It is a
6-month level 1 course that
will be run every Wednesday
from 10am to 12pm.
The Gold Coast Mosque Trust
awarded the volunteers at
the Mosque's canteen
certificates in recognition
of their services.
"These wonderful ladies
have been doing this
excellent services for more
than 15 years especially on
Fridays by cooking and
selling food after Jumma
which is a source of revenue
to our Masjid. May almighty
Allah bless them for the
services," Mr Hussain
Baba told CCN.
Jacinda Ardern walks to plant
a tree of remembrance with
people connected to the
Christchurch terror attacks.
A group of survivors and
relatives of the
Christchurch mosque
shootings in New Zealand are
taking part in the annual
Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.
Survivors and relatives of
the Christchurch mosque
shootings have departed New
Zealand to take part in the
holy Hajj pilgrimage.
The Hajj is one of the five
pillars of the Islamic
faith, and all able-bodied
Muslims are expected to
perform it once in their
lifetime.
Fifty-one people died and
another 49 were injured in
twin terror attacks at
mosques in the suburbs of
Christchurch during Friday
prayers this March.
Two hundred relatives and
survivors from the shootings
will be traveling to Saudi
Arabia as guests of Saudi
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud.
Rehana Parveen is the wife
of one of those survivors.
She said the trip will make
a real difference.
“When a person goes for
Hajj, that's a big, big
thing for them,” Ms Parveen
said.
“We're dealing with lots of
things, pain and trauma ...
but this is really going to
help [and] change our
lives.”
Saudi King Salman bin
Abdulaziz Al Saud is paying
for all travel and
accommodation costs, a bill
likely to be more than $1
million.
The Saudi ambassador to New
Zealand, Abdulrahman Al
Suhaibani, last week said
farewell to the pilgrims at
the Al Noor mosque, one of
two where the attacks
happened.
The ambassador handed out
special clothes for the men
to wear during the
pilgrimage and told the
women they would be given
kits when they arrived in
Saudi Arabia.
Rehana's husband, Mohammad
Shamim Siddiqui - who
survived the attack - said
the chance to make the
pilgrimage will go a long
way to healing their pain.
“It's a lifetime
achievement. It is I think
every Muslim's wish before
they die to visit Mecca at
least once in their life,”
he said.
“From the [date of the
shootings] our entire life
has been changed."
There are growing calls from
Muslims around the world to
boycott the annual holy
pilgrimage to Mecca over
Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.
More than two million
Muslims from around the
world are expected to
descend on the cities of
Mecca and Medina in Saudi
Arabia for the annual Hajj
pilgrimage.
But a growing number of
Muslims, including some in
Australia, are turning their
backs on what is one of the
central pillars of Islam,
and calling for a boycott of
the event.
Sydney-based aspiring
filmmaker Faraaz Rahman says
he believes going to Hajj at
the present time is not
morally responsible.
“Going for Hajj would
financially contribute to
the Saudi regime, which
currently is carrying out
mass atrocities in Yemen
against fellow Muslims. This
is not what the Hajj is
meant to be about,” the
31-year-old told SBS News.
For able-bodied and
financially able Muslims,
going to the Hajj at least
once in life is considered a
religious obligation by
many.
But in April, Libya’s most
famous Sunni Grand Mufti,
Sadiq al-Gharawani, appealed
to Muslims around the world
to boycott the Hajj
pilgrimage over Saudi
Arabia’s human rights
abuses. He is one of the
most prominent Sunni Muslim
leaders to call for the
boycott, but he is far from
alone.
The social media hashtag #BoycottHajj
has trended on Twitter in
some Muslim majority
countries.
“Before there might have
been fringe groups here and
there, without any traction…
but now prominent leaders
are calling for it
[boycott]. I hope that that
leads to other religious
authorities to pick up and
make similar calls,” Mr
Rahman said.
Differing views
Vice president of the
Islamic Council of Victoria,
Adel Salman, said he
understood why many Muslims
were calling for a boycott
but doesn't personally
support it.
“It is understandable that
people feel very strongly.
And it is understandable
that people will hold Saudi
Arabia responsible for the
suffering and the crimes
that are being committed in
that country [Yemen],” he
said.
“Performing the Hajj
obviously you have to visit
Saudi Arabia, you will go to
the holy places, clearly
that will mean you will be
spending money in Saudi
Arabia.”
“But most Muslims would see
it as a completing of their
religious obligations and
they would dissociate
completely with issues of
politics or the Saudi
government.”
Two Hajj tourism operators
in Australia, who were
contacted by SBS News but
didn’t want to be named,
said they had not seen a
drop off in bookings for
this year’s pilgrimage.
THE turning of a sod at
Bendigo East yesterday meant
so much more than the start
of a construction project.
It was the start of a new
chapter for Bendigo, and
significantly for the
Bendigo Muslim community.
We cannot and should not
speak on behalf of the
Bendigo Islamic Association,
so it's best we draw on
their words and lived
experiences to share how
they feel.
In the words of Sameer Syed,
the centre 'won't be just a
mosque for the Bendigo
Muslims to pray in, it will
be a centre of religious and
cultural exchange for all
residents of Bendigo. Our
vision is for every
Bendigonian to benefit from
the BICC, whether it be to
educate themselves, engage
in constructive dialogue,
take part in community
activities or simply drop in
with family and friends for
a coffee in a tranquil yet
ultra modern setting. I am
confident that once the
centre is up and running
Bendigonians will reflect on
what a positive impact the
centre has been making on
this great city of ours."
And in Dr Aisha Neelam's
words: "We love where we
live, we feel welcome here
and we want to use this
facility to reach out to the
Bendigo community."
It's pretty clear, this
facility is going to be one
built with the intent of
bringing people together -
not to divide.
Up until this point, we have
seen the ugliest side of
humanity, as some tried to
do the exact opposite of
what the Bendigo Islamic
Association is hoping to do.
It was a prolonged battle
fought by those opposing the
mosque, which was based on
misinformation and untruths.
A battle that deliberately
created fear, incited hatred
and division. An unnecessary
battle that afforded our
Muslim community little
respect, or grace.
Yet, through all of that we
saw the very best of
humanity in the way the
Bendigo Muslim community was
always respectful and showed
grace in their response. We
have much to learn from
that. And we saw how Bendigo
stood up to the hate. We are
a city that believes in
harmony and fairness, and
will continue to embrace
people of all cultures and
who practice all faiths.
They are entitled to do so,
free of judgement and hate.
By Ryan
Al-Natour -
This is an edited extract from Racism
and Recipes by Ryan Al-Natour, published
in Arab Australian Other: Stories on
Race & Identity (Picador Australia).
Ryan Al-Natour loved showing
Sydney friends how many
kangaroos there were in the
north.
I had just arrived to
officially begin a new life
for myself in the Sunshine
State. I'd spent the
previous week driving up
from Western Sydney. I was
born in Canterbury to
Palestinian parents and for
me, Queensland was a holiday
destination filled with
theme parks, beaches, hot
weather, wildlife and fresh
tropical fruits.
Now, as an adult, I had
accepted a job offer and
made the decision to move to
regional Queensland. This
was my opportunity to live
in a warmer climate where I
could swim all year round
and avoid overpriced Sydney
rent and the congestion of
an increasingly densely
populated urban jungle.
Bring. It. On. I thought.
Surprisingly, it was
difficult to find a property
to rent in Rockhampton
before moving.
When I initially phoned as
Ryan Al-Natour, a real
estate agent told me "we
don't want too many people
living here". Ryan Smith
phoned back and made an
appointment to inspect the
property. On another
occasion, a real estate
agent commented that I
should be careful renting in
Rockhampton as there were
"feral Indigenous" people
around. I withdrew my
application.
'We shouldn't cater for
that!'
Rockhampton is known as the
beef capital of Australia.
After passing the "Welcome
to Rockhampton" sign and
numerous giant statues of
bulls and cows, I noticed
that it was 2pm. I had
missed lunch. I googled
"best steak in Rockhampton"
and ended up at a random
pub. The steak was served on
a sizzling hot plate and it
was delicious.
The waitress asked about my
meal. We started chatting
about other items on the
menu like kangaroo,
crocodile and emu. I wasn't
used to seeing these items
on a Western Sydney menu.
She then paused, looked away
and told me that they kept
halal meat in the kitchen.
This information came out of
nowhere. Her voice tone went
from being "informative"
about the menu to being
"annoyed".
She must think I am Muslim,
I thought. I informed her
that if eating halal meat
were a priority for me, I
would have asked about it
before finishing an entire
steak.
The waitress then shared her
thoughts. "We shouldn't have
to keep halal meat. We
shouldn't have to change the
menu. We shouldn't cater for
that"
It struck me then. She
wasn't opening up a can of
halal worms with the
intention of being educated
about Muslims and protocol.
The waitress wanted an
argument.
I started to become annoyed.
"Then don't keep halal meat.
Then don't change the menu.
It is not my restaurant, I
don't care what you serve."
I had only been in
Rockhampton for two hours.
Was it arduous to be
Arab-Australian in
Rockhampton? Was racism a
common day-to-day
experience?
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.
INTRODUCTION
....continued from last
week's CCN.....
From an Islamic legal and
historical viewpoint,
members of a Muslim
community can serve in the
army in defence of their
country or its protecting
‘motherland’, even if it is
a non-Muslim state involved
in fighting against a Muslim
state.
Service in the Australian
army and expression of
loyalty toward it while
participating in a war
against a Muslim state could
be justified –“flouting such
an order may endanger the
life, property and honour of
the remaining Muslims living
in the non-Muslim state.”
In fact, serving under these
conditions and with good
intentions was not only
permissible (jāʾiz, also
right/possible), but
commendable (mandub).
Some Muslims considered
going to war was
illegitimate as they saw it
as déjà vu –a repeated
bloody cause of sorrow,
destruction and
obliteration. However, they
also expressed their loyalty
to Australia by taking part
in other activities to
contribute to society.
Similar to other religions,
Islam’s orientation is
towardspeace.
In the Islamic Doctrine of
Peace and War, Abdel Salam
highlights that war must
necessarily be considered a
form of self-defence;
hostilities must be carried
out with decency, while
non-combatants should be
shown respect and kindness.6
Islam requires Muslims to
defend not only Muslims, but
also Jews and Christians.
As such, Muslim soldiers in
Australia took a pathway of
social integration into a
new political and legal
framework.
The individual and
collective virtues of all,
including Muslims, in times
of war and peace are the
basis for any nation’s
social order. Imamovic, in
Outlines of Islamic
Doctrine, points out the
virtue of justice and sense
of responsibility, obedience
and loyalty, apart from
representing a moral way of
thinking and acting, are
qualities that find their
full justification in
contributing to the
organised welfare of
Australian society.
Teenager wins as she
becomes first jockey to race
in a hijab in Britain | ITV
News
ITV News
An
18-year-old took first place
as she became the first
jockey to race in a hijab in
Britain.
After only sitting on a
racehorse for the first time
in April, student Khadijah
Mellah rode to victory on
Haverland in the all-female
Magnolia Cup at Goodwood.
The Muslim teenager from
Peckham, south London, hopes
her triumph will serve as a
beacon to others.
“Ambitious women can make it
and that is what I want to
represent,” she said.
“I’ve had so much support
and I can’t wait to see
other stories of other women
doing the same and getting
into the industry.”
Ms Mellah is set to study
mechanical engineering at
university in September and
learnt to ride at the Ebony
Horse Club charity in
Brixton.
She claimed a tight victory
after making her move in the
final furlong of the amateur
charity race, with the
blanket finish tensely going
to the judges.
Ijtima in UK
Thousands gathered in
Blackburn UK last weekend
for the “Ijtima.”
It’s the
largest gathering of Muslims
in Europe.
Syrian family before
Judge
Caught In
Providence
Welcome to America!
A Family of Syrian refugees
leave a lasting impression
on the Judge, as they
declare their love of
America.
Greek lady convert to
Islam Islam is
the religion of Peace and
Love
ISLAMIC
The Virtues of Dhul
Hijjah
OnePath
Network
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.
Recently
in a Queensland
courtroom, a
Muslim female
teenager bravely
read out her
victim impact
statement. This
news when shared
on different
platforms on
social media
garnered
different
responses - some
filled with
compassion for
the victim and
her family and
others filled
with
justifications
using hadiths on
zina and issues
not even
relevant to the
actual news
article.
Today, I write
this opinion
piece from the
perspective of
survivor of
childhood sexual
abuse.
I'm not a Fiqh
expert or an
Islamic scholar,
or a even a born
Muslim but I am
a survivor of
childhood sexual
abuse.
This is a very
serious issue.
Irrespective of
religion,
culture or
ethnic
background, the
most important
thing to
remember is that
when the heinous
crime of sexual
abuse happens to
a child, most
often the child
does not even
have the
language in
which to express
nor comprehend
what happened.
The experience
gets blocked in
the subconscious
mind until a
trigger incident
unblocks the
memory. Even
then, the
self-blaming
paradigm keeps
the victim
silent. Until
one day she or
he can no longer
live with the
suffocation of
injustice and
chooses to stand
up for herself
or himself, even
when it means
standing alone.
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 film option
to my book was
sold in 2012. It
is hard to
process how much
the world has
changed in the
seven years
since. The film,
Blinded by the
Light, will be
released in
August. Directed
by Gurinder
Chadha, of Bend
It Like Beckham
fame, and
adapted by me,
with Chadha and
her husband Paul
Mayeda Berges as
co-writers, it
is fictional but
emotionally
autobiographical.
It stays loyal
to the heart and
soul of my book.
The story is
about identity
and belonging,
about parents
and children and
how we children
of immigrants
wish to stand on
our own feet
without
trampling on our
parents’ hearts.
It is also the
story of the
racism of my
childhood and
the possibility
of change.
I had hoped that
the tales of my
teenage years
would, with each
year, read more
and more like a
dispatch from a
long gone era.
Younger readers
would greet them
with horrified
fascination and
a renewed
gratitude for
how much things
had changed. It
turns out that
things have not
changed as much
as I had hoped.
The old
fragility has
returned.
In the 12 years
between my book
being published
and the film
made, xenophobia
has not only
returned, it has
become
normalised. The
racism that
hovered
ominously in the
background of my
teenage life,
and sometimes in
the foreground,
has returned. In
the days after a
man ploughed
into worshippers
outside a mosque
in Finsbury Park
in 2017, only
minutes from
where I live, I
had to take my
daughter on a
different route
to her violin
lesson, so she
wouldn’t see the
aftermath of the
attack.
In my teenage
years it was the
National Front
who marched
through my
hometown; now it
is Britain First
and the English
Defence League.
Tommy Robinson,
another son of
Luton, who
founded the EDL,
is welcomed into
Ukip and
Johnson, the man
who may be our
next prime
minister, freely
uses mocking
language about
Muslim women who
wear niqabs. The
right of anyone
who is not white
to say they are
fully British is
once again being
challenged.
Islam and the
West: How
Muslims are
constructing a
new identity
By Adis
Duderija
While
there
are
highly
reactionary
types of
Western
Muslim
identity
that
emphasise
their
distinctiveness,
there
are also
identities
that are
comfortable
with the
idea of
being
Muslim
and a
Westerner.
The last three
decades have
seen an
explosion of
interest, both
scholarly and
popular, in
Islam and
Muslims -
particularly
Muslims who
reside in
Western liberal
democracies.
Apart from
global
geo-political
events that have
contributed to
this phenomenon,
increased
numbers and a
more visible
presence of
Muslims in the
West, mostly due
to immigration,
have also
ensured that
discussions
pertaining to
Islam and Muslim
communities in
the West have
taken centre
stage in many
Western social
and political
contexts. And
these
discussions have
only grown in
intensity.
So what are the
major issues and
debates
surrounding this
"new," visible
and, for some,
problematic
presence of
Islam and
Muslims in the
West?
The presence of
Muslims in the
West is, of
course, nothing
new.
Centuries-long
Muslim presence
on the European
continent goes
back to the
eighth century
in the case of
the Iberian
Peninsula,
eleventh-century
Sicily and the
fourteenth
century in the
case of the
Balkans.
In the other
parts of the
West, Islam has
centuries-long
presence.
Interactions
between
Islam/Muslims
and the West
have been taking
place since the
early days of
Islam,
frequently in
the context of
military
conflict and, at
times, but not
always, in
situations
marked by
religious
intolerance.
Both
historically and
in recent
decades,
conceptions of
Islam and
Muslims in the
West have tended
not only to
emphasise their
foreignness, but
also their
collective
uniformity.
However, among
contemporary
Muslim
communities in
the West, a
number of
Islamic
orientations
operate with
very different
conceptions of
the normative
Islamic
tradition and
with very
different social
orientations
toward the
broader society,
ranging from
highly
participatory to
isolationist. In
my new book with
Halim Rane, we
try to correct
this presumption
of uniformity by
exploring some
of these
different these
Islamic
orientations in
the West and the
transnational
links associated
with them.
In contemporary
Western liberal
democracies,
Muslim
communities
constitute a new
immigrant
minority
religion and the
dynamics
surrounding
their identity
construction in
many important
ways resemble
those of other
communities
which have
operated in
similar
contexts. The
salience of
their religious
identity,
especially among
Western born or
raised Muslims,
at the expense
of other traits
- such as
ethnicity or
race - is one
important aspect
of this dynamic.
This is not,
however, to
imply that what
we term a
religion-based
identity is
necessarily
fundamentalist
in character.
Individualisation
or privatisation
of Muslim
identity is, in
fact, a major
characteristic
of Western
Muslim identity
(re)construction.
While there
exist
ultraorthodox
and highly
reactionary
types of Western
Muslim identity
that emphasise
its
distinctiveness
from the broader
society, there
are also types
of Western
Muslim
identities that
are very
comfortable with
the idea of
being a Muslim
and a Westerner.
The types of
Western Muslim
identity
construction, we
emphasise,
depend in part
on the
approaches to
the normative
Islamic
tradition
Western Muslims
adopt and the
kind of "Muslim
woman" construct
they endorse. In
which case,
emphasis on
distinction in
dress or what
could be termed
"Muslim
visibility" -
especially in
the form of the
hijab - tends to
contribute to a
sense of
"otherness" and
"foreignness"
between Western
Muslims and the
broader society.
The issues
pertaining to
gender have also
come into the
focus in the
context of
discussions
surrounding
Islam and Muslim
communities in
the West. One of
the most
sensitive and
controversial
debates relates
to the various
responses
elicited by
Western Muslim
organisations to
the
ever-increasing
demands by
certain sections
of Western
Muslim
communities for
the recognition
and
accommodation of
female religious
authority -
defined both as
scholarly
authority to
engage in
interpretation
of normative
texts, and the
legitimacy of
assuming
religious
leadership and
representation
of Muslim
communities,
including in
mosques.
This new-found
gender
consciousness
has given rise
to activist and
scholarly-based
forms of gender
jihad, which has
resulted in the
emergence of
scholarly
literature that
produces
non-patriarchal
interpretations
of Islam and is
affirmative of
female religious
authority. But
these
developments
have also forced
some of the main
Islamic
organisations in
the West to
confront this
issue of gender
directly and
make certain
accommodations
in this respect.
Alternative
initiatives have
also sprung up
that bypass
existing power
structures and
have
materialised in
form of women
only/inclusive
or women-lead
mosques.
Minority fiqh is
another issue
that has come to
the fore of the
discussions on
Islam and Muslim
communities in
the West over
the last few
decades.
Minority fiqh is
an approach to
Islamic
jurisprudence
developed in the
1990s by an
Iraqi-born
American Muslim
scholar, Taha
Al-Alwani. It is
premised on the
idea that new
Islamic
jurisprudence
needs to be
developed -
rather than
relying on
existing
classical
jurisprudence
whose contours
were more or
less finalised
in the twelfth
and thirteenth
centuries - for
Muslims living
in the West that
reflects the new
context in which
they find
themselves.
In our book, we
are most
interested in
demonstrating
the contested
nature of the
concept of
minority fiqh by
analysing the
differences
between two
leading
theoretical
approaches to
the discourse of
minority fiqh -
the wasati and
the salafi. The
former is
associated with
scholars such as
the "Global
Mufti," Yusuf
Al-Qaradawi,
whereas the
latter is
associated with
the religious
establishment in
Saudi Arabia. We
argue that the
wasati approach,
unlike the
salafi, to
minority fiqh
has far more
potential to
contribute to
the meaningful
and lasting
integration of
Western Muslims.
This is so
because the
wasati approach
explicitly
encourages
Muslims in the
West to be
proactive
citizens in
their respective
societies and to
engage in
electoral
politics.
This gives rise
to the
possibility of a
distinctly
Western Islam -
conceived not
merely as a
political-juristic
construct (as
per minority
fiqh discourse)
but as a
fully-fledged
philosophical
and cultural
system or
worldview, akin
to South-East
Asian or African
Islam. In our
book, we
identify some
grounds and
developments
that might
assist in the
emergence of
such a system or
worldview -
focussing
particularly on
ideas of Tariq
Ramadan and
Basam Tibi.
While some of
these
developments
continue to
provoke concerns
about the future
of the
relationship
between Muslims
and non-Muslims
in the West,
many of these
developments
point to
successful
transformations
and fruitful
exchanges of
ideas. Given the
nature of the
present
socio-political
context -
characterised as
it is both by
the rise of
right-wing
politics in
Western liberal
democracies and
the continued
threat of
terrorism,
including
home-grown
terrorism - it
is likely that
many of the
issues we
identify will
continue to hold
a great deal of
relevance for
the foreseeable
future.
Adis Duderija is
Lecturer in the
Study of Islam
and Society in
the School of
Languages and
Social Science,
Griffith
University. He
is the co-author
(with Halim Rane)
of Islam and
Muslims in the
West: Major
Issues and
Debates.
"My mother didn't talk about my ancestors" -
Aboriginal Muslim woman speak out
By Talib Haider
As NAIDOC Week has drawn to a close,
SBS Urdu talks to a Noongar Muslim
Aboriginal woman on what she feels is an
element of underlying racism in
Australia and why her mother did not
share information about her Afghan
Muslim ancestors until Shaymaa Abdullah
traced them herself.
Shaymaa Abdullah is an Indigenous Muslim
woman and a descendant of Afghan
cameleers.
SBS Urdu spoke to her about the
importance of Naidoc Week and her family
ancestry.
“Naidoc Week not only brings us close to
our culture and reflect on history, but
it also brings awareness to a lot of
other places as well.
“Everybody gets involved in Naidoc Week,
a lot of corporate companies get
involved it. They recognise their
Indigenous employees as well.
“I think it is great, but I feel even
though it is a special week for us but I
think there should be more to be put in
place.”
“I don’t
think we get the recognition we
deserve.”
On the question of whether the Naidoc
Week is bridging the gap between the
mainstream Australian and the Aboriginal
people, Shaymaa says it is not enough.
“I don’t think one week [in a year] is
enough to bridge that gap; I think there
needs to be more done to bridge that
gap.
“Without any questions, we should be
able to speak about the Aboriginal
community ourselves and not somebody
else speaks for us."
Shaymaa says that it is the limited
knowledge of the religion which results
in people throwing racial remarks.
“It kinds of get a bit frustrating
because a lot of comments thrown at
Muslims, it comes down to lack of
education and ignorance. They don’t want
to accept that the Muslims had close
ties with Indigenous people for many
years.”
“I identify
as an indigenous woman, I am Muslim and
I think these are two very strong ties
to this country.”
Talking about her ancestral connections
and family history, Shaymaa said that
she had limited knowledge about it but
later researched about Islam and
reverted to it in 2001.
“When my mother passed out I did a lot
of research myself… finding out the
meaning of Abdullah and getting my
family records from Western Australia.
“Going through the records, it traces
back to my Afghan ancestors were here as
cameleers. A lot of it is in calligraphy
so it is very hard to understand because
of the writing which is from way back.”
I have read your
article for job hunting by
migrants in your past
CCN766. I know it’s very
time consuming and difficult
to find work in Australia.
However, I am writing this
email to give some positive
advice for new job hunters
and keep theirs hope high. I
have faced the same
situations and based on my
experience collected few
tips, which may help them in
finding the right
opportunity.
1. Create your account and
job alerts on Seek, Indeed,
Jora etc as well as on your
related industry or
companies websites. This
will minimise your effort
and time to search related
jobs on internet.
2. Connect locally with the
people working in the same
industry and also network
through Linked this will
help you to get an idea
about growth and market
trends. Like Mining is going
good now a days as compared
to four years before.
3. I know like every skilled
migrant you have Uni degree.
But still if you are facing
difficulty to find work then
check related short course
and liscences with TAFE and
RTO which will increase your
chance to step in any
organisation through work
placement. You can even
think about changing your
career field like there is
no career scope for Textile
Engineers in Australia.
4. Start volunteering if you
have strong financial
situation or any casual
work, this is another way to
get job reference for your
next permanent job. Your
credibility will increase,
if you have 2-3 local
references on your CV.
5. Don’t be shy to ask for
help with your community and
friends to proofread your
resume, cover letter and
selection criteria.
Preparing good response to
selection criteria is very
important specially for
government jobs.
Hundreds of coaches transport Hajj
pilgrims hosted by King Salman
Hundreds of coaches were put
into service on Friday to
receive Hajj pilgrims who are
being hosted by King Salman.
SAUDI ARABIA: Hundreds of coaches were
put into service on Friday to receive
Hajj pilgrims who are being hosted by
King Salman.
Pilgrims who are performing Hajj as part
of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and
Umrah will be transported by coaches
equipped with interactive screens that
can be operated in various languages.
The initiative is part of efforts to
ensure that pilgrims are transported
safely and comfortably from the moment
they arrive in Saudi Arabia until they
leave after performing the pilgrimage,
Saudi Press Agency reported.
They will transport pilgrims during the
days of Hajj, as well as between Makkah,
Jeddah and Madinah.
6,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj this
year as part of the Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj
and Umrah.
Bond 25: Rami Malek refused to play
Arabic-speaking terrorist in new 007 film
Rami Malek has revealed that he insisted
upon just one thing prior to accepting
his role as the villain in Bond 25: that
his character wouldn’t be an
Arabic-speaking terrorist, or a villain
who uses religion as justification for
his crimes.
“It’s a great character and I’m very
excited,” Malek told The Mirror. “But
that was one thing that I discussed with
[director] Cary Fukunaga. I said, ‘We
cannot identify him with any act of
terrorism reflecting an ideology or a
religion. That’s not something I would
entertain, so if that is why I am your
choice then you can count me out’. But
that was clearly not his vision. So he’s
a very different kind of terrorist.”
The Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar winner said
that his own ethnic background, and his
awareness of the importance of positive
representation, drove him to the
decision.
Speaking of his Egyptian heritage as
“the fabric of who I am”, Malek added:
“I am Egyptian. I grew up listening to
Egyptian music. I loved Omar Sharif.
These are my people. I feel so
gorgeously tied to the culture and the
human beings that exist there.”
As for Bond 25, Malek teased that it is
“another extremely clever script from
the people who have figured out exactly
what people want in those movies. But I
feel a substantial weight on my
shoulders. I mean, Bond is something
that we all grow up with.”
Tensions escalate as supporters
of the Islamic Movement of
Nigeria demand the release of
their leader Ibrahim Zakzaky.
NIGERIA: The Nigerian government has
banned a Shia group after a spate of
deadly clashes at protests in the
capital Abuja, and following a court
decision allowing authorities to call it
a "terrorist" organisation.
The office of President Muhammadu Buhari
said in a statement on Sunday that the
government "had to act" against the
Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN),
before the situation got out of control.
Tensions have risen between the
authorities and IMN as demonstrations in
Abuja to free pro-Iranian leader Ibrahim
Zakzaky have descended into violence.
On Monday, a court in Kaduna State will
decide on Zakzaky's application for bail
to seek medical treatment abroad.
"Proscription of Islamic
Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has nothing to
do with banning the larger numbers of
peaceful and law-abiding Shia in the
country from practising their religion,
instead it was to discourage wanton
violence, murder and willful destruction
of public and private property," the
presidency said in a statement.
"The banned organisation was taken over
by extremists who didn't believe in
peaceful protests and instead employed
violence and arson, driving fear and
undermining the rights of others and
constituted authority."
Dutch 'burqa ban' unworkable on first
day as police, transport refuse to enforce
it
A woman
wearing a niqab pushes a baby
stroller on snow-covered streets
in Amsterdam.
HOLLAND: A day after the controversial
law came into effect, concerns are being
raised about how it will be enforced.
A day after a controversial ban on the
wearing of face-coverings, including the
burqa or niqab, came into force in The
Netherlands concerns are being raised
about how it will be enforced after
police said it was not a priority.
The Partial Ban on Face-Covering
Clothing Act prevents the wearing of
veils in public buildings, such as
schools and hospitals and on public
transport, but it does not cover the
street.
A person wearing a head-covering will be
given the option to remove the item or
face a $244 fine.
But a statement from Dutch police
announced the responsibility of
enforcing compliance with the new law
rests with employees of the institution,
including public transport workers, has
given rise to concerns.
Employees are expected to address
offenders, inform them about the
prohibition and request them to remove
the face-covering or leave the venue,
the statement reads.
Representatives of medical centres and
the public transport industry have
reportedly said the responsibility for
the enforcement of the law did not lie
with employees but with the police.
According to The Guardian, transport
companies said they would not ask their
staff on trains, metros, trams or buses
to enforce the law.
Fears have also been raised that the law
will mean Muslim women avoid seeking out
health care and dissuade them from
entering public spaces. There are also
concerns that it will lead to increased
violence towards Muslim women as people
attempt to undertake citizen arrests.
The law will be reviewed in three years,
two-years earlier than is usually the
case, according to local media.
Between 200 and 400 women are estimated
to wear a burqa or niqab in the country
of 17 million people.
Sign of the times: China's capital
orders Arabic, Muslim symbols taken down
The Arabic script on the
signboard of a halal food store
is seen covered, at Niujie area
in Beijing, China, July 19,
2019. Picture taken July 19,
2019.
CHINA: Authorities in the Chinese
capital have ordered halal restaurants
and food stalls to remove Arabic script
and symbols associated with Islam from
their signs, part of an expanding
national effort to "Sinicize" its Muslim
population.
Employees at 11 restaurants and shops in
Beijing selling halal products and
visited by Reuters in recent days said
officials had told them to remove images
associated with Islam, such as the
crescent moon and the word "halal"
written in Arabic, from signs.
Government workers from various offices
told one manager of a Beijing noodle
shop to cover up the "halal" in Arabic
on his shop's sign, and then watched him
do it.
"They said this is foreign culture and
you should use more Chinese culture,"
said the manager, who, like all
restaurant owners and employees who
spoke to Reuters, declined to give his
name due to the sensitivity of the
issue.
The campaign against Arabic script and
Islamic images marks a new phase of a
drive that has gained momentum since
2016, aimed at ensuring religions
conform with mainstream Chinese culture.
The campaign has included the removal of
Middle Eastern-style domes on many
mosques around the country in favour of
Chinese-style pagodas.
China, home to 20 million Muslims,
officially guarantees freedom of
religion, but the government has
campaigned to bring the faithful into
line with Communist Party ideology.
It's not just Muslims who have come
under scrutiny. Authorities have shut
down many underground Christian
churches, and torn down crosses of some
churches deemed illegal by the
government.
But Muslims have come in for particular
attention since a riot in 2009 between
mostly Muslim Uighur people and majority
Han Chinese in the far western region of
Xinjiang, home to the Uighur minority.
"Arabic is seen as a foreign language
and knowledge of it is now seen as
something outside of the control of the
state," said Darren Byler, an
anthropologist at the University of
Washington who studies Xinjiang.
"It is also seen as connected to
international forms of piety, or in the
eyes of state authorities, religious
extremism. They want Islam in China to
operate primarily through Chinese
language," he said.
Kelly Hammond, an assistant professor at
the University of Arkansas who studies
Muslims of the Hui minority in China,
said the measures were part of a "drive
to create a new normal".
Beijing is home to at least 1,000 halal
shops and restaurants, according to the
Meituan Dianping food delivery app,
spread across the city's historic Muslim
quarter as well as in other
neighborhoods.
It was not clear if every such
restaurant in Beijing has been told to
cover Arabic script and Muslim symbols.
One manager at a restaurant still
displaying Arabic said he'd been ordered
to remove it but was waiting for his new
signs.
Several bigger shops visited by Reuters
replaced their signs with the Chinese
term for halal - "qing zhen" - while
others merely covered up the Arabic and
Islamic imagery with tape or stickers.
"Currently, our country’s halal food
regulation is managed locally, every
local government’s relevant department
administers it according to the local
dietary habits and customs," he said,
referring further questions on the
matter to the Beijing committee.
While most shopkeepers interviewed by
Reuters said they did not mind replacing
their signs, some said it confused their
customers and an employee at a halal
butcher shop accused authorities of
"erasing" Muslim culture.
Childhood
friends Asghar and Zahra were born into
the same British Muslim community in
west London. But they grow up into very
different people. Asghar is a shy boy
nervous of stepping outside his family's
comfort zone, while Zahra is an
ambitious woman who has just finished
her degree at Cambridge.
The novel opens on their wedding day as
friends and family wonder what could
possibly have brought this odd couple
together. After a comically disastrous
honeymoon, painful secrets from the past
throw the relationship further
off-balance. And then there's the
sinister preacher taking a keen interest
in them . . .
A funny, sympathetic and very human
novel about the first year of a
marriage, and the difficulties of
reconciling the sometimes conflicting
demands of family, religion and society,
Asghar and Zahra is the debut of a
striking new talent.
REVIEW
This book,
like so many others, is about being
stuck and torn between cultures. It is a
well-written book, but the tale told is
not new.
As British born Muslims we find
ourselves in this arid cultural in no
man’s land, where you cannot recognise
yourself in your parent’s community but
neither can you fully belong to the
other side. In a conversation that is
described between Zahra and Krish a
fellow student she meets at a club:
‘They continued swapping family stories
– stories they would have felt
uncomfortable telling their white
friends but which they trusted each
other to appreciate in the right way.’
(p107)
Rahim in writing a fictional novel, as
opposed to a biographical novel, has
given himself a lot of space to
manoeuvre. I was surprised at the number
of explicit scenes — both embarrassing
and funny — that were written into the
novel, and quite often they distracted
from the development of the characters.
This book is about Asghar and Zahra two
Millenials from the same community who
decide to get married. In Asghar, Zahra
sees her ticket back into the community,
and in Zahra, Asghar sees his ticket out
of the community that he has spent all
his life in. ‘She had planned to guide
Asghar into a new world. One where not
everything was viewed through the lens
of religious doctrine or cultural
expectations:’ (p 47)
Zahra had decided to study at Cambridge
University to get away from family and
community and is desperate to prove she
can fit in. She goes clubbing and
pretends to drink when offered a
promotion in her workplace. ‘But she
couldn’t help thinking back over the
successes of her life so far — being
accepted by the bank, getting into
Cambridge — and wondering how much had
depended on the liberal sympathies of
her interviewers and her playing up to
that liberalism. (Within limits she told
herself: she hadn’t, after all, drunk
the wine, and back at the office had
washed her mouth thoroughly.)’ (p98)
So the question then that arises why run
away from that which gives you the most
value? Asghar, on the other hand, is a
boy who has always stayed at home and
around the community. He listens to what
his mother says and has stayed at home
while studying at University. He’s
religiously and culturally more
conservative than his spouse.
It is interesting that Asghar finds
solace in a cleric, Tariq, who seems to
have extremist tendencies. Asghar seeks
sympathy for the humiliations that he
had endured as a child from the
headmaster at his school. He doesn’t
confide in Zahra because she would blame
him for not integrating into the school.
But she too would never admit for all
the compromises she had made still
doesn’t fit in.
For she states, ‘But you have to prove
you’re aren’t an imposter: that you can
adjust to their ways; admire the culture
you want to be a part of. If you
challenge them a bit, you do it with the
help of Shakespeare – not, you know the
way your friend Tariq does. Give them
something they can trust.’ (p 118).
Asghar cannot understand that sentiment.
This book is a story of two parallel
narratives that are doomed to go their
separate ways, and you hope that they
would converge when they got married but
they don’t which leads to conflict and
is resolved by the very community
members whom neither protagonist had
thought very highly of in the past.
These moments are the only redeeming
aspects of our mosques.
Rahim brings up the awkwardness of
straddling two cultures but does not
seek to resolve them. He merely talks
about them, and you find yourself
laughing and too often cringing at the
different scenarios that are all too
familiar in our lives.
He listed all the painful truths from
our faith and culture, our class
systems, how we judge individuals who
step out, or not lead their lives
according to the norms amongst other
issues.
Watching, or reading about these
characters attempts to navigate these
painful truths was excruciating, and it
held up a mirror holding us accountable
for the injustices that occur amongst
our own.
I do wonder, however, how this book
portrays our community to an outsider.
In an era where there is so much
negative coverage about our cultures,
our faith does this book do us more harm
than good?
Dear Kareema,
what can I do, or how can I change my workouts
to feel less sore, or not be in pain in the days
following? I seem to take a while to recover
after working out.
A:
There is nothing more frustrating than feeling
too tired or sore or even have niggling aches a
few days after a good workout sesh.
The best workout is one that is safe and
effective. So you need to protect yourself
before, during and after each session for
your healthiest, happiest body yet.
Make sure you have good technique when working
out as this will set you up with a good
foundation. Build from there by challenging
yourself but staying safe. Start each session
with a warm-up and be sure to finish with
stretching. This will aid in the recovery
process. Stay hydrated throughout.
Welcome to my weekly
column on
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind.
If you’re taking
time out to read
this, pat yourself
on the back because
you have shown
commitment to taking
care of your mind
and body.
Today, In Shaa
ALLAH, we will
explore the topic:
How To Communicate
With People Who
Negatively Trigger
You
Two kinds of people
exist in your life.
One kind brings
love, light, peace
and joy into your
life and enhances
you in your journey
to get closer to
ALLAH. The other
kind does exactly
the opposite. They
are the toxic kind
and they suck out of
you love, light,
peace and joy and
become a hindrance
in your practice of
becoming closer to
ALLAH.
In the core of your
being, you are
always able to
identify these two
kinds of people.
However there may be
times when you are
unable to
effectively build,
maintain and respect
your protective
boundaries that stop
these toxic people
from affecting you.
They seem to get
their way,
manipulate you into
believing in their
falsehood and
convince you that
their way is the
only way. Sadly,
sometimes their
toxicity rubs off on
you and you begin to
dwell in their toxic
energy so much so
that your own
decision-making and
your choices become
affected.
Ultimately, you
become so engrossed
in their toxic cycle
of gossiping,
bullying, put-downs,
name-calling or
constant bickering
and criticising that
you begin to
participate in that
cycle and even seek
their approval to
find meaning in your
own life. You may do
this because you
care for them and
don’t want to hurt
their feelings.
The toxic behaviours
displayed by these
people may be
negatively
triggering you. It
is now time to
become aware of
these people in your
life and re-evaluate
your relationship
with them. Your life
is a gift from ALLAH
and you have every
right to protect
your emotional and
physical health from
toxic people the
same way you would
if you were around
toxic chemicals.
10 Strategies On
Dealing With People
Who Negatively
Trigger You
1. Make a list
of people in
your life who
often cause you
to feel drained
and tired after
you interact
with them.
2. Write down
exactly how
these
interactions
affect your body
and your mind.
Describe in
detail the way
you feel
whenever you are
in contact with
them.
3. Become
mindful of these
physical and
mental responses
so that whenever
these people
interact with
you, you will
immediately
notice these
signs in your
body and mind.
4. If the person
is physically
with you or
talking to you
on the phone or
online, spend
more time
LISTENING. While
you listen,
observe your own
bodily
sensations...Is
your heart rate
getting faster
while you are
interacting with
them? Is your
chest feeling
painful or
heavy? Is your
throat becoming
dry or painful?
Are your ears
hurting? Is your
mood becoming
angry or
negative? Are
you holding your
breath more?
5. Use these
observations as
a sign that this
person is in
need of your
duaa. Start
making silent
duaa for
him/her.
6. Take deep
breaths and
start focussing
on ALLAH. You
will notice that
the person will
begin to feel
your calm energy
and will either
take your leave,
become silent or
begin to say
something
positive.
7. If the person
is communicating
with you via
text messages,
allow yourself
time to read
first and then
put your gadget
away to respond
to their message
at a later time.
You do not have
to respond
immediately.
Change the
settings of your
phone app so
that the person
is not aware
whether you have
read their
message or not.
It’s not an
emergency. If it
were an
emergency they
would be calling
000, not texting
you.
8. If the text
messages become
too aggressive,
delete them. You
don’t need to
read them at
all. You are in
charge.
9. Identify your
boundaries in
your
relationships
and respect
them. Once you
respect your own
boundaries,
others will
learn to respect
them too.
10. Always
remember, you
are answerable
ONLY to ALLAH,
no one else.
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.
There is the type of man
whose speech about this
world's life may dazzle you,
and he calls Allah to
witness about what is in his
heart; yet he is the most
contentious of enemies.
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!
An
initiative of
Sisters Support
Services we are
collecting personal
items for care packs
for the homeless.
Must
be new items and
dropped off to the
office at 4/3
Fermont Road,
Underwood by
Thursday 8 August
so they can be
distributed by
Brothers in Need.
Hot
meals and food packs
are handed out to
the homeless three
times a week in
Brisbane city by
Brothers in need.
May
Allah reward all the
Brothers and
volunteers in the
community who help
out on a weekly
basis. (Non
perishable food pack
are donated by MFC
and packed by
volunteers)
If
you would like to
donate or help out
please contact Br
Ansary on 0478 066
361 or Aliyah on
0404 921 620 (for
donations of
personal items)
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.
Recently
in a Queensland
courtroom, a
Muslim female
teenager bravely
read out her
victim impact
statement. This
news when shared
on different
platforms on
social media
garnered
different
responses - some
filled with
compassion for
the victim and
her family and
others filled
with
justifications
using hadiths on
zina and issues
not even
relevant to the
actual news
article.
"My mother didn't talk about my ancestors" -
Aboriginal Muslim woman speak out
By Talib Haider
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7
August 2011