Minister Stirling Hinchliffe
welcome the new
Multicultural Queensland
Advisory Council for their 3
year term with the
Queensland Government.
Dr Nora Amath is returned
for a second term and the
new council boasts a "great
diversity and wealth of
experience in the 10 new
members joining us from
across the state": Dealonna
Bickey from Mount Isa, Cr
Natalia Muszkat from
Gladstone, Tej Man Monger
from Cairns, Vicky Yu from
the Gold Coast, Nkosana
Mafico, Dr Aparna Hebbani,
Faiza El-Higzi, Giri
Sivaraman, Ignacio
Correa-Velez and Irene
Biedak OAM from Brisbane
Muslim Aid Australia's Riyaad
Ally supervising meat
distribution in Zanzibar, Dar es
Salaam and Kilimanjaro
During the Muslim holiday of
Eid al-Adha, the Turkish Red
Crescent (Kızılay) and
Muslim Aid Australia
provided meat to 4.5 million
needy people all around the
world.
Following Muslim tradition,
the Turkish charity
sacrificed and distributed
meat from animals in 51
different countries in the
Balkans, Central and South
Asia, South America, the
Mideast, and Africa, Naci
Yorulmaz, Kızılay's deputy
chair, told Anadolu Agency
in Tanzania's
semi-autonomous region of
Zanzibar.
For the first time, this
year Kızılay also
distributed meat from
sacrificed animals in Ivory
Coast, Mozambique, Zimbabwe,
the Comoros, Rwanda,
Indonesia, the Philippines,
Cambodia, Georgia, Tatarstan
(in Russia), Greece, and
Suriname, he said.
The organization has been
supporting the needy around
the world for over 150
years, he added.
In Tanzania, Kızılay has
sacrificed animals in four
regions, including
Darussalam and Zanzibar, he
said, adding that the
charity aims to reach half a
million families nationwide.
Earlier, the charity
announced that meat from
sacrificed animals is also
being cooked and canned at a
facility located in the
Turkish Aegean province of
Izmir, allowing it to
distribute the cans to those
who are in need all year
round.
Our Revert Eid Picnic
organised by Sisters Support
Services and Brothers in
Need was a success with many
people attending. Held on a
lovely sunny winters day in
Calamvale Park.
Many new reverts attended
from north and south
Brisbane including
travelling from the Gold
Coast.
The picnic was a great way
for them to interact with
the wider community.
Beautiful decorated tables
were set up and sponsored by
'Picnic events by Deena'.
The community came together
and generously donated
drinks, salads & desserts.
All the meat was donated by
members from the community &
local butchers. We like to
thank everyone involved and
all the volunteers who made
this day a successful event.
The Muslim Council of
Britain today (14 August
2019) mourns the passing of
former National Council
member Nabeel al-Azami, who
returned to our Lord in the
early hours of this morning
after a short illness. He
was 39 years old, and is
survived by his wife and
three children.
Those who knew Nabeel can
attest to his exceptional
kindness, generosity and
talent. Despite his young
age, his achievements were
towering. Many will know him
as founding director of
Murabbi Consulting, his
organisation specialising in
ethical leadership. Others
will have met him during his
earlier time at Islamic
Relief Worldwide, as Head of
Global HR. We at the MCB are
indebted to his work
alongside previous Secretary
General Dr Muhammad Abdul
Bari in initiating an
Institutional Capacity
Building Initiative (ICBI)
for affiliates and wider
Muslim organisations.
During his lifetime he
received many accolades. As
an Adair Accredited
Leadership trainer, he won
the Chairman's Leadership
award two years in a row,
was a finalist for HR
Professional of the Year
2015, and won HR Team of the
Year 2015. In June this
year, he launched his
monumental book "Muhammad
(s): 11 Leadership Qualities
that Changed the World", a
culmination of 20 years of
experience and work.
The legacy he has left
behind in death is one that
we can all look to for
guidance, as we did in life.
Many of Nabeel's family,
friends and colleagues have
shared how often they looked
to him as someone who
offered immense wisdom and
clarity. Whether it was
words of encouragement in
times of uncertainty, or his
living embodiment of the
values we all aspire to, he
was the impactful leader who
led by example. Nothing
underlines this more than
his selflessness and courage
after being diagnosed with
cancer.
A significant part of
Nabeel's life was spent in
service to the communities
he came from. As well as
being a husband, father,
brother and son, he was also
a mentor to many young
Muslims forging their way in
life. Through his gentle
conversations, challenging
and reflective training
sessions, practical advice
and support, his insights
have shaped many minds and
characters. Though this is a
tremendous loss for the
world, we are thankful to
Allah for the gift of a
generous, patient and wise
friend.
May Allah forgive him,
accept his deeds and bless
him with Jannat al-Firdaus.
May Allah grant his family
patience and relief. Ameen.
One of the biggest problems
in the community is social
isolation; community members
feeling unsupported and
lonely. Language barriers,
transportation problems,
financial constraints and
being busy looking after
young children all
contribute to making women
feel isolated. However, in
certain circumstances, even
for those who do drive, have
no financial constraints and
speak English fluently can
also feel disconnected from
the community for various
reasons. In some cases, this
can lead to women
experiencing depression or
for younger girls feeling
lost in a community where
they don't feel they fit in.
This was one of the issues
highlighted in Friday
night's Radical Addictions
and Indulgent Obsessions
forum in Brisbane,
Australia.
At the Hurricane Stars Club,
we are trying to create a
variety of regular programs
that will provide greater
support for women, teen
girls, and children by
offering them with a safe
and supportive space where
they can be inspired, make
friends and have fun. We
will be running these
projects in collaboration
with leading female
community members like
Kholoud Abdulla, Nadia Saeed,
Salam Elmerebi and Susan Al
Maani amongst others.
Currently we are offering
women's weekly swimming,
fitness and pilates classes
to help improve the ladies'
mental and physical health,
on Monday and Thursday
mornings at our Activities
Centre. We have weekly
female only soccer training
on Tuesday afternoons at
Gould Adams Park.
We are also starting our
once-a-month Ladies Only
social gatherings and
luncheons with guest
speakers from the community
as well as fun art sessions,
beginning this Tuesday, the
20th of August 2019. We will
also begin to offer a
monthly fun Girls Night
hosted by Nadia Saeed and
other young women from the
community to give teen girls
a safe space to relax and
have fun, starting this
Friday the 23rd of August
2019. We will also be having
fortnightly Art sessions
with Salam Elmerebi, a
highly experienced mentor
for girls in our community,
starting Friday the 30th of
August 2019.
We will continue to organise
our successful school
holiday activities for kids
and teens, as well as
starting Brisbane's first
official Muslim Crescent
Scouts group beginning the
20th of October 2019. This
will provide children in the
community with personal
development opportunities as
well as a wide variety of
activities to participate
in.
We are also working with
local mental health
professionals to run a
variety of beneficial
workshops for the community.
Last month Kholoud Abdulla
hosted a very successful
workshop for expecting and
new mothers. This month
Salam Elmerebi will be
hosting an important
workshop for child
protection week. Next month
we will be presenting an
important information
session on being a foster
carer, which is a great need
in our community.
Our biggest upcoming
community project is the
Family Fun Day at the
Islamic College of Brisbane
on September 7th, 2019. The
goal of the event is to
provide a fun day out for
families as well as promote
the wide variety of local
businesses in our community.
The day will provide young
people with a safe and halal
space for families to have
fun. It will have amazing
rides for all ages, farm
animal petting zoo, native
Australian Animal Show,
amazing daytime fireworks,
face painting, henna, fairy
floss, popcorn and show
bags, a wide variety of
multicultural food, and
multicultural market stalls
selling a variety of goods
from books and clothes to
woodcraft and essential
oils.
Poet, rapper and novelist
Omar Musa is a revelation on
stage: inspiring and
eloquent, with a buoyant
comic presence and an
emotional authenticity - an
openness to sharing the
pleasures and pains of life
- that stands as a vital
opposite to the bane of
"toxic" masculinity.
Since Ali Died
merges a full-length hip-hop
album of the same name into
rich currents of spoken-word
poetry and autobiographical
reflection. It uses the
death of Muhammad Ali,
Musa's childhood hero, to
explore a dark night of the
soul.
The charismatic boxer and
civil rights leader
functions as a kind of
spirit guide to the
underworld - a Virgil to Musa's Dante
- as the poet
dives into his past.
Musa evokes the turbulent
years he spent growing up
brown and Muslim in
Queanbeyan, near Canberra,
with a mix of affection and
clear-eyed intensity, and
continues his story into
adulthood.
One of the joys of Musa's
work is the way he
transforms painful memories
into passionate song. He
raps about a friend who
became addicted to meth and
died young, through a series
of rebellious elegies; he
ducks and weaves against
blows from his own demons -
a descent into
binge-drinking, unrequited
love, a crisis of faith -
with similar finesse.
And he swims against the
strong current of
Islamophobia, racism and
aggressive cultural
assimilation in mainstream
Australia with
uncompromising strokes of
brilliance. There's a
terrific invective against
Mark Latham that flows into
a rap about what being
un-Australian really means.
Musa has it all: a
superlative gift for rhythm
and metaphor, a finely tuned
bullshit detector (his own,
as well as the lies our
country tells itself), an
irreverent sense of humour
and a humility in the face
of a creative drive that's
as close a thing to divinity
as the artist has found.
A soulful, genuinely
uplifting experience, Since
Ali Died more than deserved
the instant standing ovation
it received.
This year AIIC held a very
successful Haj enactment at
its Durack and Gold Coast
campuses.
Students learnt the
essential principles related
to Haj, its important
rituals, the locations of
the Haj and the significance
of Haj in a believers' life.
Parents and the wider school
community members also
enjoyed the event and they
felt that these types of
simulations would boost the
learning process of
students.
College Principal Mr Mohamed
Ally inaugurated the program
and the Imams in the College
led the activities of the
day.
The replicas of the Kaaba,
Mina, Arafa, Safa and Marwa
and the Jamarat were built
and students were given the
full details of different
stations.
Cinespace
Fellow Mai Nguyen on creating
nuanced characters to counter
racial profiling, with examples
of Muslim characters from two
case studies, Ali's Wedding and
Degrassi : The Next Class
The representation of
Muslims in Western media has
been deeply problematic and
led to Islamophobia and
discrimination. With the
push for diversity in the
screen industry, it is
important more than ever to
have better Muslim
characters on screen. The
question is, how? How can
screenwriters write stories
about Muslims for the
mainstream non-Muslim
audience?
A useful starting point for
the discussion is the Riz
Test. The problem with
Muslim representation on
screen has become such a
familiar issue that it
inspired British actor Riz
Ahmed's to take it up in a
speech to the British House
of Commons when he was asked
to speak on diversity on
screen. The Riz test is
designed to evaluate how
Muslims are portrayed on
film and TV, thereby
discourage film producers
from using images and tropes
that perpetuate stereotypes.
Thus, if your Muslim
character fits the following
stereotypes, reconsider
writing the character
because he or she has failed
the Riz test.
Are the Muslims in your
script:
- portrayed as the victim or
the perpetrators of
terrorism?
- Presented as irrationally
angry?
- Presented as
superstitious, culturally
backwards or anti-modern?
- Presented as a threat to a
Western way of life?
- If the character is male,
he is presented as
misogynistic? Or if female,
she is presented as
oppressed and passive?
Although the problem of the
portrayal of Muslims on
screen is an ongoing issue,
a few shows have been
getting it right, and it is
useful to explore how they
do that.
For the purposes of this
research project, I am going
to focus on the feature film
Ali's Wedding (2018), an
award-winning Australian
romantic comedy set in a
Muslim Iraqi community in
Melbourne and Degrassi's
Next Class (2016), a
Canadian TV show that
follows the diverse student
body of Degrassi Community
School and features the
character of Goldi Nahir
(Soma Chhaya) as a member of
the main cast. Goldie
appears right from the first
episode and is featured
wearing the hijab (Islamic
headscarf) in most of the
show's promotional posters.
Both dramas are popular and
critically appraised for
their portrayal of Muslims.
They are therefore good
examples worth learning from
if you, whether you are a
Muslim or non-Muslim writer,
ever decide to include a
Muslim character in your
screen story.
Here are the reasons that I
believe make Ali's Wedding
and Degrassi: Next Class
successful in their
portrayal of Muslims
TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT
WEEK'S CCN...
Mai Nguyen was a Fellow in
the 2019 Cinespace Social
Cohesion on Screen Writer's
Fellowship, funded by the
Victorian Government.
Mai is a writer and video
maker who wants to tell
stories to make people think
and reflect about identities
and humanity. Mai has
produced several short
videos and photo essays,
some of which have been
screened at festivals (Mokhtar
Film Festival and
Victorian's Cultural
Diversity Week 2017),
exhibited at museum (Islamic
Museum of Australia), and
featured on Meld Magazine,
SBS and ABC Online. You can
see her work at
https://maihoangnguyen293.wordpress.com/
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).
The only way to get "Lebanese
zucchini" — which is different
to Australian zucchini — in a
town like Rockie is to grow it
yourself.
Continued from last week's CCN....
My
Cuisine survives
I wasn't the first Arab to
set foot in Rockhampton.
Anne Mansour is a Brisbane
historian who has documented
the presence of Lebanese
across Queensland since the
1800s.
I spent Easter with a
Lebanese family whose
grandparents moved to Rocky
in the 1850s. They did not
speak a word of Arabic. They
did not identify with their
religion of origin.
Interestingly, one component
of Arab culture that had
managed to survive in
Queensland was the cuisine.
At this particular gathering
I was stoked that there was
Arabic food! There was
malfoof (cabbage rolls
stuffed with rice and meat),
imjadereh (brown lentils,
onions and rice) and rice
pudding.
The Lebanese have a
variation of the popular
Arabic dish kibbeh (minced
lamb or beef with bulghur,
onion, spices and pine
nuts), a raw version called
kibbeh nayeh. This variation
makes my stomach turn. It
was served at this
particular Easter gathering
in Rockhampton.
Of all aspects of Lebanese
culture that survived in a
racist Queensland climate - kibbeh nayeh of all things!
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.....
Articles on them in
newspapers showed little or
no interest in their
religious orientation,
although there was some
puzzling information on
their ethnic backgrounds.
There was also some fear
Muslim troops would be
reluctant to fight their
Ottoman co-religionists.
Stories on Muslim soldiers
in the Australian army are
largely unwritten, as
opposed to the many stories
about Gurkhas, Sikhs, Hindus
and Muslims in the Indian
army. Muslims managed to
enlist despite the impact of
the White Australia Policy
on ethnic diversity.
Most Muslims, recruited from
different parts of
Australia, were British
subjects in Australia or
natural-born British
subjects, and their Muslim
identities were noticeably
heterogenic. Most Muslim
servicemen, whose names can
be found in military lists
and records, were Indians,
Afghans, Malaysians,
Indonesians and Albanians
along with those of an
Arabic background. There is
also a record of one
Zanzibari and a Tatar.
Over time, Muslims would
reflect their own Muslim
Australian identity. They
developed a tremendous bond
and attachment with officers
and soldiers, further
reinforcing their loyalty to
Australia. Many Australian
brothers-in-arms shed their
blood or gave their lives
hoping for a better world
and fought with honour.
Those of Islamic ancestry in
the Australian army who
survived the heat of battle
returned home to generally
lead productive lives and
head families. These brave
men, ANZAC Muslims, "were
members of what has come to
be known as the Heroic
Generation". They are all
remembered with respect and
gratitude.
Boris Johnson British
Prime Minister Eid Mubarak
Message 2019
11 August
2019
ISLAMIC
The Seven Most Beloved
Places to The Prophet ﷺ
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.
By: Anonymous
(Brisbane Muslim
Teen who is fed
up with her
so-called Muslim
Community)
Being Human in
the Muslim
Community. You
must be confused
or curious about
this topic. Well
I am here to
explain.
As an Australian
Muslim teenager,
I have been
observing,
listening and
participating in
the Muslim
Community and
let me tell you,
I don't have
great news.
Our community
has lost
understanding
and sensitivity
to being human.
We have become
so
discriminative
within our
community and
outside our
community.
Outside our
community, we
always have to
view people as
"Non-Muslim or
Muslim". Its
always about us
against them.
Our actions, our
clothing, our
way of life. We
label people as
Non-Muslims or
sadly Kafir. For
example, "Oh we
can't mingle too
much with the
Non-Muslims
because they
will lead us
astray". Or, "We
shouldn't eat in
this restraint
because there
are too many
Non-Muslims".
Since when did
our community
became so
focused on
Non-Muslims and
fearing them?
They are just
people! Humans
to be specific,
just like us.
'Muslim' is the
identity of our
faith, but we
are still human.
As a Muslim, you
shouldn't be
fearful of going
or being led
astray. Aren't
you strong
enough in your deen and faith
to not have that
fear? As
Muslims, we
should be equal
and be normal
like the rest of
faithful people.
Our community
will never be
understood or
accepted if we
are so
judgemental and
discriminative
with others in
the world. Also
remember. Allah
is the creator
of all. He is
not just the
creator for
Muslims. He has
the power to
grant Jannah to
someone who may
not even be
Muslim. Someone
who did better
deeds than the
people who call
themselves
Muslims.
Remember.
Sadly, the news
doesn't get
better. Within
our own
community, Subhan Allah
it's a
nightmare! We
judge each other
so much. About
our way of life,
our clothing,
how much faith
we have in
Allah, how
everything we do
is either haram
and halal (and
to their
standards of it)
and how we
should follow
every single
hadith and
sunnah. Our
community is
always about
rulings. Rulings
from this mosque
or this imam or
this scholar and
Muslims put them
on such a high
pedestal, its
crazy! They're
not bigger or
higher than us.
The crazier
thing is if we
don't follow the
rulings, the hadiths, the
sunnah, we as
Muslims are just
labelled by
other Muslims
that we are less
or not a good
enough Muslim.
Our youth, our
adults, our
elders are
suffering from
mental health
issues, stress,
anxiety from
receiving the
constant
criticism and
judgements. It's
so sad to see
our community
tell Muslims how
they lack in
their faith, or
if we don't
follow the hadith or sunnah,
Allah will
punish us or
will never
forgive us. Once
I received a
comment from a
Muslim who said
I will not
receive
protection from
Allah if I don't
follow all his
commandments.
Wow! Okay. Who
does this person
think she is?
How would they
know who Allah
protects and who
he doesn't? Its
his choice. He
is our ruler. If
he didn't
protect the
people who
didn't follow
his
commandments, we
wouldn't have
Muslim reverts
today. Because
in their past,
they certainly
didn't follow
his commandments
and it was from
His protection
that lead them
to finding the
truth - Islam.
And don't get me
started on WhatsApp? Well,
let me tell you
our community
has abused this
platform. All
the chat forums
have become a
space for
bullying, name
calling and
arguing about
different
rulings, hadiths,
sunnah's, and
even about
what's haram and
halal. Instead
of answering a
simple question,
our being happy
for another
Muslim with
their news, they
instead have to
find what's haram in it and
start drilling
ruling after
ruling until the
Admin blocks
them out of the
chat. Now is
this being
human? I don't
think so.
With such
despicable
behaviours, we
have lost the
essence of being
human. Where is
the respect,
kindness,
understanding
and supportive
virtues? Allah
is the only
judge. The Only
one to put us in
our place. Yes,
remind but once!
I will stress on
that. Once.
That's it you
have done your
duty. Reminding
is not about
drilling and
that is what our
community has become. A
DRILLING
COMMUNITY!!!
Filled with no
respect and
constant judging
and being the
boss and police
of everyone's
actions.
Enough is
enough! Be
human. Be kind.
Be
understanding.
Know your place.
Finally know
that ONLY Allah
is the decision
maker. He shall
grant
protection,
forgiveness,
Jannah and
Jahannam to
whomever he
pleases. Our
purpose here is
to be a good
Muslim. Not a
good Muslim for
other Muslims.
Not a Muslim who
follows what
other Muslims
think are haram
and halal. Just
Muslim. Your
faith, your
actions, your
thoughts, your
deeds are
between you and
Allah. Being
Muslim is being
human and we
need to start
practicing that.
Australian Muslim Musings: Missing history
and silent stories
by Australian Muslim
Musings
In the winter of 2018 a group of
academics and researchers gathered at
the picturesque Wagga Wagga Campus of
Charles Sturt University. This was no
stereotypical meeting nor an exercise in
academic self-indulgence. We were there
to learn, to share, to listen. Quite
simply, we were exploring ways to ensure
our work embodied yindyamarra
winhanganha, the Wiradjuri phrase
referring to the wisdom of respectfully
knowing how to live well in a world
worth living in.
Initially, Australian Muslim Musings was
set up to act as a social media platform
for two of the projects being conducted
by the Centre for Islamic Studies and
Civilisation.
Looking through the extensive primary
records archived by the Ahmad family in
Sydney as well as the Imam and Kazi
families in Melbourne, the enormity and
complexity of the projects was soon
realised. So too, were the implications
for the unexplored areas of Australia's
Muslim history.
As the title of this article suggests,
Australian Muslim Musings is about
social expression and exploration, an
online museum and archive in progress, a
space where forgotten Australian Muslim
histories and stories can be documented,
shared and discussed.
It is a journey of discovery where
everyone is welcome and followers from
all walks of life can come together to
reflect and engage. It is a new history
in the making....
As a forum for connecting people,
communities and cultures, Australian
Muslim Musings engages with past and
existing projects and events with the
aim of inspiring new ones.
It is also a useful educational resource
for students and teachers as it
incorporates a number of learning tools,
forgotten and recently discovered
archival material as well as new
scholarly works.
In the coming months Australian Muslim
Musings will share more stories as well
as information about an oral history
project, "Your Story in Your Words",
being conducted with the support of
Cumberland Council Sydney.
Feedback is always welcome on the page
and anyone wishing to participate in
this new project can message the page
directly or call 9649 9040.
Australian Muslims Musings is the
realisation of a dream, an ongoing
journey to rediscover our past, and
preserve the history being made today,
for tomorrow.
As China Cracks Down on Uighurs, a
Uighur American Joins the White House
USA: The Trump administration has
appointed a Uighur American academic as
director for China at the National
Security Council in a symbolic move that
could impact talks--and
relations--between the two countries.
Current and former U.S. officials told
Foreign Policy that Elnigar Iltebir, a
Harvard Kennedy School-educated academic
and daughter of a prominent Uighur
intellectual and journalist, was
recently appointed to the White House
post. Under the U.S. President Donald
Trump, there has been a trend of
avoiding public announcements regarding
National Security Council appointments.
In her role, Iltebir will be tasked with
helping to manage China policy, one of
the most critical priorities for the
Trump administration, including issues
related to trade, military, and human
rights. Iltebir's family hails from the
northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang,
where Beijing has been accused of waging
a cultural genocide against the
predominantly Muslim Uighurs.
"The possibility that there could be a Uighur negotiating opposite Chinese
government officials is really
powerful," said Francisco Bencosme, the
Asia Pacific advocacy manager at Amnesty
International.
In recent years, Beijing has detained
between 800,000 and 2 million Uighurs,
ethnic Kazakhs, and other Muslim ethnic
minorities in internment camps,
according to estimates from the U.S.
State Department, citing media and human
rights watchdogs. Those interned have
reportedly been subjected to prolonged
detention without trial, torture, and
other forms of abuse. Chinese
authorities have also destroyed dozens
of mosques in the Xinjiang region, where
the Muslim minority remains heavily
repressed, all in the name of allegedly
combating religious extremism.
Iltebir's LinkedIn page shows that she
attended George Washington University
and Harvard University's Kennedy School
of Government before receiving her Ph.D.
in International Security and Economic
Policy from the University of Maryland
in 2015..
Racism, anti-Islam claims at upmarket
Joburg estate as Eid turns violent
SOUTH AFRICA:
Kicks flew and
car tyres were
slashed as
Muslims came
under attack
from other
residents at a
Midrand estate
in Joburg over a
sheep and bull
being prepared
for slaughter to
celebrate a
religious
ceremony.
Ayman Fareed, a
resident of
Saddlebrook
Estate in
Midrand,
described the
"violent"
attempt to block
the slaughter of
6 sheep and a
bull as "racist
and anti-Islam".
Two Muslim
families live at
the upmarket
estate in
Kyalami, and
Fareed said one
of the families
was prevented
from celebrating
the religious
holiday on
Monday.
Eid is a holiday
celebrated by
Muslims
worldwide as it
marks
Eid-ul-Adha, the
Muslim
celebration at
the conclusion
of the Hajj
(pilgrimage).
"This was our
first year
living at the
estate; the
other family
didn't do it
(celebrate the
holiday) because
they were afraid
to be the odd
ones out," said Fareed.
Fareed said the
trouble started
at around 6.20am
when the
vehicles
transporting the
animals for the
feast reached
the estate.
Minutes later,
he said, 10 to
15 cars
blockaded the
entrance.
He said estate
management then
suggested they
use another
entrance.
"My wife was
driving in when
a white Hilux
bakkie
intentionally
blocked her off.
We were
literally shut
off from our
home at both
gates," he said.
She resorted to
going home
through the boom
gate of the
complex. As she
entered a car
rammed into her.
She stopped to
inspect the
damage and the
bakkie driver
came out
wielding an army
knife and
slashed the
tyres of the
trailer
transporting the
animals.
Fareed said he
and the bakkie
driver almost
exchanged blows,
but fortunately
police arrived
and intervened.
The slaughtering
eventually took
place under
police guard.
The estate's
board of
directors
confirmed that
Fareed was
granted
permission to
conduct the
religious
slaughter of
animals on his
premises. The
board condemned
the actions of
the residents
who tried to
prevent the
Muslim family
from practising
their religion.
"Representatives
of the Society
for the
Prevention of
Cruelty to
Animals (SPCA)
visited the
resident's
premises and
advised that
they were
suitable for the
ceremony," the
board told The
Star yesterday.
"It came to the
attention of the
board, ahead of
the event, that
a minority of
residents
objected to the SPCA
permission being
granted."
The board
revealed that
those who had
complained
threatened to
obtain an
interdict
preventing the
ceremony from
proceeding.
"The interdict
was not sought.
Early on Monday
morning, some
residents used
their vehicles
to block
entrances to the
estate in an
attempt to
prevent access
for the car
bringing the
animals for the
ceremony," it
said. "A series
of altercations,
some resulting
in injury and
damage to
property, took
place.
"The SAPS was
summoned and
subsequently one
of the violent
residents was
arrested."
The board of
directors said
it wished to go
on public record
that it deplored
the "intolerant
and illegal
actions in the
estate of some
residents".
It was
considering
taking legal
action against
those
responsible for
the violence.
Ceri von Ludwig,
a Saddlebrook
resident who has
come under fire
over the
incident, said
homeowners
reacted with
anger because
the Muslim
family had not
complied with a
council by-law.
"It was simply
about the
failure to
comply with the
municipal
by-law. The
gentleman
himself stated
on various
occasions that
he had not
complied with
the by-law,"
said Von Ludwig.
She insisted
that residents
were well within
their rights to
demand
compliance for
an act they
found "distasteful".
"If the
residents find
out that
something which
is, and let's be
honest,
distasteful to
them from an
animal welfare
perspective -
we're not saying
unlawful, but
distasteful to
them - is taking
place surely
they have every
right to
ascertain
whether there
has been
compliance with
the law.
"If there has,
they have to
back off. If
there hasn't,
they are
entitled to rely
on that, whether
or not it seems
to be
unreasonable,"
said Von Ludwig.
Fareed and the
board of
directors,
however,
disputed this,
saying the SPCA
had given the
Muslim family
the green light
to undertake
their religious
ceremony.
Von Ludwig
acknowledged
that "things got
out of hand" but
rejected the
racism
allegations. "Unfortunately,
yes, it did get
very unpleasant.
I didn't hear
racism. I didn't
hear anti-Islam.
I just heard a
lot of grown-up
people being
very rude to
each other. I
did my best to
dissipate that.
"It was
certainly the
Indian people
who started to
shout 'you're
being racist,
you're being
anti-Islam'. I
think our
tendency to play
the race card
and the religion
card wrongly has
got to stop in
this country."
Thousands of Muslims attend Eid al-Adha
prayer services at MetLife Stadiua
US: Thousands of Muslims attend
Eid al-Adha prayer service,
marking the last of day of the
Hajj pilgrimage, at MetLife
Stadium on August 11, 2019.
Organizers estimate 30,000
Muslims attended from New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
and Maryland.
Being on the same field as you was
special, Hashim Amla replies to Sachin
Tendulkar's tweet
SOUTH AFRICA:
In the last
week, there have
been quite a few
retirements.
However, none
have been
smaller than the
ones of South
African greats
Dale Steyn and
Hashim Amla.
Steyn who is 8th
on the list of
most wickets in
Test cricket bid
adieu to the
longest format
of the game.
However, he will
play white-ball
cricket and
prolong his
career.
On the other
hand, Amla has
called time on
his career in
all three
formats of the
game. The
36-year-old
South African
will continue to
play domestic
cricket and will
also feature in
the Mzansi Super
League (MSL)
later this year.
His
international
career lasted
for almost 15
years and it has
been a decorated
one.
Amla made his
Test debut back
in November
2004. But it
took him over
three years to
make his
white-ball
debut. It was
only in March
2008 that he
made his ODI
debut. However,
since then, he
was almost
peerless in
every format. He
scored runs
consistently in
all conditions
and all across
the globe. He
scored 9282 runs
in Test cricket
while he amassed
8113 runs in ODI
cricket.
In fact, Amla
was a pretty
underrated
white-ball
batsman. He
averaged almost
50 and was the
fastest to 2000,
3,000, 4,000,
5,000, 6,000 and
7,000 runs in
50-over cricket.
He is also one
of the only five
batsmen who have
more than 25
centuries in
both Tests and
ODIs. Moreover,
he had an
average of 33.60
and a
strike-rate of
132.05 while
aggregating 1277
runs in T20Is.
Moreover, he was
one of the
calmest and
nicest
cricketers in
the modern era.
Hence, wishes
poured in from
all around the
world as Amla
retired from
international
cricket. The
great Sachin
Tendulkar didn't
miss out either.
The Indian
legend tweeted a
picture of Amla
and wished him
well. He wrote,
"You have served
your country
with great
distinction and
been a source of
inspiration for
many youngsters
@amlahash!
Wishing you a
wonderful
retired life.
Good luck my
friend."
Tendulkar sent
out the tweet a
couple of days
ago. Amla
replied to his
tweet and said
thanked the
former Indian
great for his
wishes. Amla
also termed
being on the
same field as
Tendulkar was
special.
For centuries, fame and fortune were to
be found in the west - in the New World
of the Americas. Today, it is the east
which calls out to those in search of
riches and adventure. Sweeping right
across Central Asia and deep into China
and India, a region that once took
centre stage is again rising to dominate
global politics, commerce and culture.
A major reassessment of world history,
The Silk Roads is a dazzling exploration
of the forces that have driven the rise
and fall of empires, determined the flow
of ideas and goods and are now heralding
a new dawn in international affairs.
"The Silk
Roads is part of the genre of popular
history books that purport to tell the
history of the world through a
particular lens. The historic Silk Roads
have functioned as the world's arteries
where people, goods, and ideas have
flowed. In
The Silk
Roads, Frankopan provides an account of
the creation and importance of these
trade routes from Eastern Europe to
Central Asia and into India and China.
It is an ambitious undertaking that
traces the history of what we would call
the "West" from the early Greeks to the
present day from the perspective of its
commercial and other relationships,
principally with the Asian part of the
Middle East. Frankopan vividly describes
the history of these regions.
His style is
both engaging and informative as he
offers an alternative view of history -
one which concentrates on the importance
and richness of "Eastern" culture,
society and ideas.
He
challenges the traditional view that the
world we know today was shaped by the
Romans and the Greeks. Instead,
Frankopan places the centre of the world
in the region of modern Iraq, Iran, the
Caucasus, and the Russian steppes. While
it has many shortcomings, it is better
than most and well worth the read."
KB says:
…….for something refreshing after all the
indulging at Eid
Avocado and Apple salad
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
2 Avocados
cubed and tossed in lemon juice
2 green apples cubed and tossed in lemon juice
1 cup of spinach
3 tablespoon chopped pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup of
Feta cheese
Toss the above with the
exception of feta cheese into your salad bowl
Dressing
1 tab Apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 green chilli
Liquidize dressing ingredients together and pour over the
salad.
Before serving place feta cheese over the top
Sprinkle pecans and sesame seeds over the top.
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.
Bounce back from your workouts and recover
faster post-workout by alternating your cardio
and strength training sessions / days with a
gentle yoga sequence, stretch session, or Body
Balance class to stretch and relax tight
muscles.
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:
UNDERSTANDING YOUR
ENERGY
Take a few seconds
to observe your
hands. Look at them
closely. You will
notice a slight
movement. Close your
eyes and feel the
aliveness in your
hands. That
aliveness is called
vibration. Vibration
occurs because the
atoms we are made of
are constantly
moving. It doesn't
matter whether the
creation is in the
form of a solid,
liquid or gas.
Everything moves.
Everything vibrates.
This vibration
enables things to
transform from one
state of matter to
another. For
example, water into
ice or moth balls
into fumes that keep
the bugs away from
your cupboards. Even
the dead body
disintegrates into
dust because of this
constant vibration.
The force that fuels
vibration is known
as ENERGY.
You are using your
energy now as you
read this column.
Through sensory
perception of your
sight. Your energy
fuels your brain to
perform all
physical, mental and
emotional
activities. Energy
for physical
activity comes from
what you eat and
drink. Energy for
mental and emotional
activities come from
what you think.
The law of energy
states that energy
does not stop. You
can't switch off
energy. Energy
continues.
Everything you eat
and drink, every
thought you think,
every word you speak
and every action you
perform is fuelled
by energy which
passes through you
to impact the rest
of creation. Even
when your body dies,
the soul
remains...energy
continues in the
formless being. Your
soul was in
existence well
before Allah placed
your soul in the
body in which you
dwell. Your soul
energy was created
when Allah created
your soul.
Your energy comes to
you and through you
to affect all of
ALLAH's creation.
Subhaan ALLAH. Do
you realise what
this means? It means
you have the
beautiful mercy from
ALLAH to use this
powerful energy to
impact the entire
creation. You are
doing it right now.
If your thoughts are
negative, your
feelings become
negative and
therefore your
behaviours are
negative which then
impact upon your
family, your
community and sets
off a ripple effect
that impacts every
being on this
planet.
Do you ever feel
that the month of
Ramadan 'feels' so
beautiful and calm?
Well, that's because
nearly 1.6 billion
Muslims all over the
world are vibrating
in the same
frequency and
passing the same
type of energy to
each other and the
rest of the world -
the energy of peace,
submission,
compassion,
kindness, charity,
gratitude, love and
joy.
Understand your
energy and how it
impacts everyone and
everything around
you. You are
responsible for the
state of this world.
If the world isn't
up to your
expectation, change
your energy so that
you can change the
world for the
better.
Observe Your
Energy Input and
Output
People
Make a
list of
all the
people
you
interact
with
everyday.
Beside
each
person's
name,
write
down how
you feel
after
interacting
with
them.
Name
each
feeling,
such as,
joyful,
sad,
angry.
These
feelings
will
give you
a better
idea of
the
energy
you are
consuming
when you
interact
with
these
people
in
person
or
online
or
through
any
other
medium.
Once you
are able
to
identify
your
feelings,
you will
be able
to
reject
negative
energies
and
absorb
only
positive
energies
from
people.
You do
not have
to break
ties
with
anyone.
Simply,
be
mindful
on what
to
accept
and what
to
reject,
keeping
in mind
that
whatever
energies
you
accept
from
anyone
else
will
absorb
into
your own
life and
pass
through
you to
the rest
of the
world.
Food and
Beverage
Make a
list of
all the
foods
and
beverages
you
consume
on a
daily
basis.
Beside
each,
write
down how
it makes
you
feel.
Acknowledge
these
feelings
and
decide
which
ones you
wish to
continue
consuming
and
which
ones you
need to
let go
of.
Thoughts
Write
down
thoughts
that you
obsess
over
repetitively.
They be
thoughts
about
your
finances,
your
relationship,
your
appearance,
any many
more.
Beside
each,
write
down how
it makes
you feel
when you
think
that
thought.
Acknowledge
these
feelings
and
decide
which
thoughts
you can
change
into a
gratitude
statement.
For
example,
if your
thoughts
are
about
lack of
money in
your
life,
change
the
thought
into a
gratitude
statement
such as,
"Ya
ALLAH, I
am
grateful
for the
abundance
you have
blessed
me with.
Everything
I need,
you
provide
immediately.
Thank
you,
ALLAH"
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Reflections
- my new ebook of
poetry and
affirmations
DOWNLOAD The
Ultimate Self-Care
Guide For Muslimahs
WATCH VIDEOS
from Muslimah Mind
Matters YouTube
Channel.
DOWNLOAD
Muslimah Meditation
Moments - audio
files for
self-awareness
meditation.
If you wish to know
about a specific
topic with regards
to Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please text or email
me or visit
www.muslimahmindmatters.com.
If you wish to have
a FREE one hour
Finding Clarity
telephone session,
contact me on
0451977786.
Several centuries
ago, the Pope decreed that all Muslims had to convert to
Catholicism or leave Italy.
There was a huge
outcry from the Muslim community, so the Pope offered a
deal.
He'd have a
religious debate with the leader of the Muslim
community.
If the Muslims won,
they could stay in Italy; and if the Pope won, they'd
have to convert or leave.
The Muslim people
met and picked an aged and wise the wise Mula Nasruddin
to represent them in the debate.
However, as Mula
Nasruddin spoke no Italian and the Pope spoke no Arabic,
they agreed that it would be a "silent" debate.
On the chosen day
the Pope and Mula Nasruddin sat opposite each other.
The Pope raised his
hand and showed three fingers.
The Mula Nasruddin
looked back and raised one finger.
Next, the Pope waved
his finger around his head.
Mula Nasruddin
pointed to the ground where he sat.
The Pope brought out
a communion wafer and a chalice of wine.
Mula Nasruddin
pulled out an apple.
With that, the Pope
stood up and declared himself beaten and said that Mula
Nasruddin was too clever.
The Muslims could
stay in Italy.
Later the cardinals
met with the Pope and asked him what had happened.
The Pope said,
"First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity.
He responded by holding up a single finger to remind me
there is still only one God! Then, I waved my finger
around my head to show him that God was all around us.
He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God
was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and
wafer to show that God absolves us of all our sins. He
pulled out an apple to remind me of the original sin. He
beat me at every move and I could not continue!"
Meanwhile, the
Muslim community gathered to ask Mula Nasruddin how he'd
won.
"I haven't a clue,"
Mula Nasruddin said. "First, he told me that we had
three days to get out of Italy, so I gave him the
finger. Then he tells me that the whole country would be
cleared of Muslims and I told him that we were staying
right here!"" And then what?" asked someone, "Who
knows?" said Mula Nasruddin. "He took out his lunch so I
took out mine".
If any do seek for glory and
power, - to Allah belong all
glory and power. To Him
mount up [all] Words of
Purity: it is He Who exalts
each deed of righteousness.
Those that lay plots of
evil, - for them is a
terrible penalty; and the
plotting of such will be
void [of result].
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
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Australian Muslim Musings: Missing history
and silent stories
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011