On Wednesday 18 September,
John Paul College officially
announced and inducted the
Class of 2020 Student
Leadership team including
School Captains, Vice
Captains, House Captains and
Prefects.
Starting their official
duties in Term Four 2019 in
conjunction with the current
student leadership team,
students are excited at the
opportunity to serve and
lead the College into the
new year. The leadership
team for 2020 represent a
wide range of students from
different backgrounds,
culture and expertise.
Vice Captain of the Years
Seven to Nine cohort, Farah
Solwa, is a proud Muslim
community member and is
excited for the challenge
and opportunity to be a
leader in the College in
2020.
‘As a long-time learner
and member of the JPC Family
since 2007, to be able to
not only guide but mentor
and encourage my fellow
students in this community
is both honouring and
exciting. I will strive to
encourage others and create
everlasting change within
JPC’ says Farah.
At John Paul College our
purpose is To Educate, To
Inspire, and To Make a
Difference through a variety
of educational programs and
techniques which push the
status quo when it comes to
learning and excellence. As
a Christian Ecumenical
College, we are an inclusive
college of all faiths and
cultures and celebrate our
diversity with initiatives
such as Mother Tongue club.
‘Our College Community is
very important to us and we
believe our Student College
Leadership team should
represent the whole of our
community and what it has to
offer’ says Mrs Karen
Spiller OAM CF, Principal of
John Paul College.
‘We believe all of our
students are leaders in one
way or another, but our
College Captains are their
too support, guide and lead
the College to excellence
and live by the JPC ethos’
says Mrs Spiller.
Farah and proud
mother, Jamilah
Solwa, at the
Captains' Assembly
The Logan Roos Football Club
held its 3rd Awards night
yesterday (Saturday) at the
Islamic College of Brisbane
hall where some 300 players,
parents, club members and
well-wishers were in
attendance.
Zapparas Lawyers were
acknowledged for sponsoring
an all-expenses paid trip
for 27 of the under-16
players to Melbourne where
they played in the local
league and won all their
fixtures.
Te Roos Club manages over
200 yousgters from 33
different nationalities made
up largely of migrant and
refugee background.
The unassuming and tireless
Abdullah Samim Khan has been
their inspiration and
motivator since the club's
inception.
Mr David Forde was the
Master of Ceremonies on the
night.
This past week has been
Mental Health Week and we
were excited to organised
two amazing workshops for
ladies at our centre in
Logan Central. At our
monthly sisterhood gathering
we were thrilled to have
Saalihah Seedat present her
inspirational ‘Recharge Your
Life’ presentation for the
sisters. For an hour the
ladies sat enthralled by her
presentation, as she
inspired the ladies about
ways to relax from the many
pressures of life and to
make changes to their lives
to really start enjoying
life. All the sisters really
left recharged with
enthusiasm to change their
mentality to be a more
positive and adventurous in
outlook. After the
presentation was finished
the ladies were able to
relax and enjoy meeting news
sisters and catching up with
old friends, while enjoying
a delicious lunch.
On the following day we were
excited to have Dr Nada
Hassan come to our Little
Stars Playgroup to present a
relaxed discussion on
women’s health (with a
particular focus on
mothers). Her presentation
was based on her many years
of experience as a general
practitioner and the
patterns she sees in the
concerns and experiences of
mothers. Her amazing
presentation encouraged the
mothers to realise that they
are not alone and their
feelings and experiences are
normal and common. She
encouraged mothers to seek
professional help if they
feel they need more support.
The presentation was
followed by a fun question
and answer session where the
ladies discussed their
experiences and found
support with the other
mothers. Once again, after
the presentation was
finished the ladies were
able to relax and enjoy
meeting news sisters and
catching up with old
friends, while enjoying a
delicious lunch.
Both sessions were such a
success that after the
sessions finished the
attendees were busy
arranging with the
presenters for them to come
again and do more sessions
on other topics.
The Hurricane Stars Club
looks forward to organise
more such beneficial
sessions for the different
segments of our community,
but especially for ladies of
all ages and walks of life.
Our closest upcoming
activities are the
Fundraising Halal Bunnings
BBQ in Underwood Bunnings on
14th October 2019 (Monday)
and the Morning Tea On Us!
program for both men and
women aged over 50 in Abboud
Bakery, Underwood on 17th
October 2019 (Thursday). For
more information on our
future programs, please like
and follow us on Instagram
and Facebook "Hurricane
Stars Club".
A workshop on cultivating
practical habits to boost
your brain's performance for
happiness and well being was
presented yesterday
(Saturday) by occupational
therapist Aneesa Kathrada
with guest speaker
neuroscientist Dr Mohamed
Ghilan
Seventy women came together
in Brisbane for this special
event following the
Challenging Realities panel
on mental health.
It was a day packed with
Islamic perspectives to
wellbeing; gratitude,
kindness, mindfulness.
The workshop was supported
by the Islamic Council of
Queensland.
Imam Shady Alsuleiman has
been recognised as one of
2020's 500 most influential
Muslims around the world.
xImam Shady Alsuleiman is
the president (second term)
of the Australian National
Imams Council (ANIC), which
represents over 200 member
Imams from each of the
Australian States and
Territories.
It is also the body that
elects the Mufti of
Australia.
Imam Alsuleiman is an
Australian born Imam who has
strongly connected with the
Muslim youth and helped
integrate the Muslim
community with wider
Australian society.
He’s an international
speaker with many followers
on social media.
The Norwegian Nobel
Committee has decided to
award the Nobel Peace Prize
for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime
Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for
his efforts to achieve peace
and international
cooperation, and in
particular for his decisive
initiative to resolve the
border conflict with
neighbouring Eritrea. The
prize is also meant to
recognise all the
stakeholders working for
peace and reconciliation in
Ethiopia and in the East and
Northeast African regions.
When Abiy Ahmed became Prime
Minister in April 2018, he
made it clear that he wished
to resume peace talks with
Eritrea. In close
cooperation with Isaias
Afwerki, the President of
Eritrea, Abiy Ahmed quickly
worked out the principles of
a peace agreement to end the
long “no peace, no war”
stalemate between the two
countries. These principles
are set out in the
declarations that Prime
Minister Abiy and President
Afwerki signed in Asmara and
Jeddah last July and
September. An important
premise for the breakthrough
was Abiy Ahmed’s
unconditional willingness to
accept the arbitration
ruling of an international
boundary commission in 2002.
Peace does not arise from
the actions of one party
alone. When Prime Minister
Abiy reached out his hand,
President Afwerki grasped
it, and helped to formalise
the peace process between
the two countries. The
Norwegian Nobel Committee
hopes the peace agreement
will help to bring about
positive change for the
entire populations of
Ethiopia and Eritrea.
In Ethiopia, even if much
work remains, Abiy Ahmed has
initiated important reforms
that give many citizens hope
for a better life and a
brighter future. He spent
his first 100 days as Prime
Minister lifting the
country’s state of
emergency, granting amnesty
to thousands of political
prisoners, discontinuing
media censorship, legalising
outlawed opposition groups,
dismissing military and
civilian leaders who were
suspected of corruption, and
significantly increasing the
influence of women in
Ethiopian political and
community life. He has also
pledged to strengthen
democracy by holding free
and fair elections.
In the wake of the peace
process with Eritrea, Prime
Minister Abiy has engaged in
other peace and
reconciliation processes in
East and Northeast Africa.
In September 2018 he and his
government contributed
actively to the
normalisation of diplomatic
relations between Eritrea
and Djibouti after many
years of political
hostility. Additionally,
Abiy Ahmed has sought to
mediate between Kenya and
Somalia in their protracted
conflict over rights to a
disputed marine area. There
is now hope for a resolution
to this conflict. In Sudan,
the military regime and the
opposition have returned to
the negotiating table. On
the 17th of August, they
released a joint draft of a
new constitution intended to
secure a peaceful transition
to civil rule in the
country. Prime Minister Abiy
played a key role in the
process that led to the
agreement.
Ethiopia is a country of
many different languages and
peoples. Lately, old ethnic
rivalries have flared up.
According to international
observers, up to three
million Ethiopians may be
internally displaced. That
is in addition to the
million or so refugees and
asylum seekers from
neighbouring countries. As
Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed
has sought to promote
reconciliation, solidarity
and social justice. However,
many challenges remain
unresolved. Ethnic strife
continues to escalate, and
we have seen troubling
examples of this in recent
weeks and months. No doubt
some people will think this
year’s prize is being
awarded too early. The
Norwegian Nobel Committee
believes it is now that Abiy
Ahmed’s efforts deserve
recognition and need
encouragement.
The Norwegian Nobel
Committee hopes that the
Nobel Peace Prize will
strengthen Prime Minister
Abiy in his important work
for peace and
reconciliation. Ethiopia is
Africa’s second most
populous country and has
East Africa’s largest
economy. A peaceful, stable
and successful Ethiopia will
have many positive
side-effects, and will help
to strengthen fraternity
among nations and peoples in
the region. With the
provisions of Alfred Nobel’s
will firmly in mind, the
Norwegian Nobel Committee
sees Abiy Ahmed as the
person who in the preceding
year has done the most to
deserve the Nobel Peace
Prize for 2019.
For this year’s nominations
for the Nobel Peace Prize,
two young Muslim women from
Africa were nominated –
Ilwad Elman, 29, from
Somalia and Hajer Sharief,
26, from Libya. Both are a
part of former UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan’s
Extremely Together
initiative, which brings
together 10 young activists
from around the world.
Ilwad Elman
is originally from
Mogadishu, Somalia, born to
parents who were both
involved in humanitarian and
peace work themselves,
Fartuum Adan and Elman Ali
Ahmed. While her mother,
alongside herself and her
sisters, received asylum in
Canada, her father was
assassinated for being
involved in youth
rehabilitation and
humanitarian peace work
after the war of the 1990s
and early 2000s. Returning
to Somalia in 2010 at the
age of 19, Elman worked
tirelessly in both the
humanitarian and women’s
rights sectors within
Somalia to continue the work
of her father as well as to
bring her own unique courage
and strength for peace in
her country. One of the many
achievements of Elman’s work
in Somalia is founding
Somalia’s first rape crisis
center for survivors of
gender-based violence and
abuse.
Hajer Sharief
first began actively getting
involved in humanitarian
work and peace initiatives
after witnessing the
horrifying events of the
Libyan civil war of 2011.
Only 19 at the time, that
same year Sharief founded
her own organization called
Together We Build It, aimed
at supporting a peaceful and
democratic transition in
Libya after the war.
Focusing on empowering women
and the youth of the
country, Sharief has
continued to be an
inspiration for many in both
Libya and across North
Africa. Co-starting the 1325
Network project in 2013,
which is a collection of
human rights organizations
and activists from across 30
cities in Libya, Sharief is
helping build a future where
Libyans can come together
for human rights and female
empowerment. She is
currently a law student.
Denmark's ghettos: How one
of Europe's most open
countries took a hard line
on immigration
Denmark has long had a
reputation for being one of
the most open and equal
countries in the world.
Indeed, the small country of
nearly six million people
has welcomed about 700,000
migrants over the past 40
years.
But the Danish Government
has recently passed a
hundred laws which place
strict controls on
immigrants, and that's
causing fractures in
Denmark's once cohesive
society.
RN's Hamish Macdonald
travelled to Denmark for
Foreign Correspondent for
the episode called The State
of Denmark.
Quotes
“Without a doubt, Islam is a
demolisher of oppression and
arrogance.”
“Today we see the signs of
this thirst for the message
of Islam, which is the
message of monotheism, the
message of spirituality, the
message of justice, the
message of human dignity.”
Statistics
17 thousand – housing units
constructed and delivered to
families in poor regions of
Iran.
9 million pilgrims visited
Iran’s holy city of Mashhad
during the long holiday of
Nowruz.
Hajj
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the
Islamic Republic of Iran
Grand Ayatollah Khamenei is
the second Supreme Leader of
the Islamic Republic of
Iran. He was born in Mashhad,
and studied in the leading
Iranian reli- gious seminary
in Qom, before becoming
involved in the struggle
with the Pahlavi Regime in
the sixties and seventies.
He was a key figure in the
revolution in 1979 and
served as President between
1981-1989 before succeeding
Ayatollah Khomeini as
Supreme Leader upon the
latter’s death. He has
vocally supported most of
the unrest in the Arab
World, likening it to the
Iranian Revolution.
Influence Supreme Leader, Velayat-e
Faqih: Khamenei’s
current influence stems from
his powerful position as a
religious leader, which
gives him a unique role in
political affairs. His job
is to enact the Velayat-e
Faqih—the guardianship of
the jurist. In real terms
this means a system where
scholars of fiqh (Islamic
jurisprudence) have a
controlling say in the
political affairs of the
state. The rule of the
jurist was a concept created
by Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini, based on ideas
that have run through
Iranian political history
since the time of Shah
Ismail—who was the first to
make Shia Islam the national
religion of Iran in the
early 16th century under the
rule of the Safavids. It was
conceived as a way of
safeguarding the Iranian
nation from tyranny; giving
the final say in all matters
to a group of religious
scholars, the Council of
Guardians. This Council is
headed by a chief
arbitrator—the Supreme
Leader.
Leader of Shia Revolution:
Khamenei gains much of his
influence in Iran from his
role as a leader of the
Islamic Revolution in Iran.
The Islamic Republic of Iran
was forged out of the 1979
Revolution. Combating what
many saw as the tyrannical
rule of the Shah, Khamenei
joined the Society of
Combatant Clergy that staged
demonstrations mobilizing
many of the protests leading
to the Shah’s overthrow.
After the revolution in
1979, Khamenei was one of
the founding members of the
Islamic Republic Party, and
a member of the assembly of
experts that was responsible
for drafting Iran’s new
constitution. Sunni-Shia
Reconciliation: On September
2, 2010 Khamenei issued a
historic fatwa banning the
insult of any symbol that
Sunnis hold to be dear,
including but not limited to
the companions and wives of
the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him). This
fatwa was received with
great appreciation by the
Chancellor of Al-Azhar
University, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayyeb.
Sanctions: Since
1979, the United States has
used sanctions to try to
influence Iran’s policies,
including Iran’s uranium
enrichment program. The
sanctions have had a
detrimental effect on many
aspects of life in the
country. In 2015, Iran and
the P5+1 (the US, UK,
France, China, Russia and
Germany) agreed to the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of
Action, which limited Iran’s
nuclear activities and
allowed international
inspectors in return for the
lifting of economic
sanctions. This agreement
worked for 4 years before
President Trump unilaterally
withdrew from it and
subsequently imposed
stricter sanctions on Iran
and secondary sanctions for
countries still buying
Iranian oil. The Iranian
economy has been hit hard
with the currency losing
about 60% of its values
against the dollar and a
very negative IMF economy
prediction.
Current Issues: The USA’s
decision to pull out of the
nuclear deal and re-impose
sanctions has put further
strain on the economy.
Iran’s role in the Syria and
Yemen conflicts and how it
maintains it relationships
with the Arab world are
further key issues that
require Khamenei’s lead.
.
In mid-2015, Mariam, Kaled
and their 18-month-old child
went on their first overseas
holiday together to Lebanon,
where they were later joined
by Kaled’s parents.
Muhammad Zahab was already
in Syria.
The family travelled from
Lebanon to a house near the
Syrian border in Turkey.
“My husband then came to me
and told me it’s time to go,
‘We’re going to go somewhere
else, I don’t feel like this
is the right place’,” Mariam
said.
Mariam believes
Muhammad (l)
convinced his
younger brother
Kaled (r) to
trick her into
entering Syria.
They travelled to a dusty
patch of land where people
were waiting.
“We started hearing
gunshots. I looked around
thinking, what am I going to
do? I’m in the middle of
nowhere. I don’t even know
where I am, there’s
gunshots. I just started
running.”
Mariam was bundled into a
car and taken to an
official-looking house.
“I entered that house and I
saw a flag,” Mariam
recalled.
It was the infamous black
flag of the Islamic State
group.
“We didn’t know where we
were, they stripped us of
our phones and passports,”
she said.
“We just basically figured
out that we just got conned
by the boys.”
She believes ultimately it
was Muhammad Zahab who duped
her into entering Syria.
“[Muhammad] had convinced
Kaled that this was the
plan, this was the right
thing to do,” she said.
“And he had facilitated the
way, because Kaled wouldn’t
have known anything.”
Salih Yucel and Abu Bakr
Sirajuddin Cook, editors Australian
Journal of Islamic Studies
Editors' Introduction (Vol 3
No 3 2018):
The history of Islam within
Australia is an important,
yet often overlooked, part
of Australian history.
Muslim presence in Australia
has helped shape
multicultural experience
facilitating intercultural
dialogue as well as
contributing significantly
to the development of the
Australian nation. However,
to date, it has received
minimal scholarly attention.
There have been significant
studies on the engagements
of the Maccasans, Muslim
fishermen from Indonesia,
with the Indigenous peoples
of northern Australia. These
studies have detailed the
cultural interactions and
trade between them and the
lasting impacts of the
inclusion of language
foreign to Australian soil.
There is also an increasing
awareness of Australia's
cameleers, many of whom were
Muslims, and the
contribution they made to
maintaining trade routes and
assisting early Australian
explorers. Despite the
growing interest in the
field, the history of Islam
in Australia remains an
understudied area of
research. This rich history
dates back further than we
thought and has possibly had
a greater impact than what
is recognised. Given the
current political and social
climate surrounding Islam
globally, it is timely that
this volume of the
Australian Journal of
Islamic Studies is
published. This volume
brings to light the depth
and richness of Australia's
Islamic heritage,
challenging some of the
prevalent assumptions on the
topic, and calls for further
studies in this field.
Australia has proclaimed
itself as being a successful
example of a multicultural
society. It is a society
that has been shaped, and
continues to be shaped, by a
diverse range of cultural
inputs. With this being the
case, it is justifiable to
ask how and why the
contributions of Muslims to
Australia have been largely
overlooked.
Over the weeks, CCN
highlights extracts from the
Australian Journal of
Islamic Studies which is an
open access, double-blind
peer-reviewed journal
dedicated to the scholarly
study of Islam.
ANZAC Muslims: An Untold
Story
By Dzavid Haveric, Charles
Sturt University
.
Abstract: When the
Commonwealth of Australia
became immersed in two World
Wars, Australian Muslims
accepted the national call
-they shed their blood and
gave their lives for
Australia's freedom and
democracy. With their
Australian brothers-in-arms
and allies they fought
courageously with honour
against their common enemies
in different battlefields
-but this is an almost
forgotten history. Muslims
in Australia were challenged
by Britain's imperial might
and by their status as
British subjects and
'aliens' to take part in
ANZAC showing their
commitment to their adopted
country.
The virtue of justice, sense
of responsibility and
loyalty are peculiar
qualities that find their
full justification in the
organised welfare of
Australian society. This
pioneering article, based on
ongoing research on ANZAC
Muslims, makes known their
unique contribution. It
reveals historic facts about
ANZAC Muslims who were
members of what has come to
be known as the Heroic
Generation. Although their
names have not appeared in
history books, they achieved
the glory of victory for a
better future for new
generations to come. Their
contribution is part of
Australian National Heritage
-Lest we forget.
....continued from last
week's CCN.....
ANZAC MUSLIMS IN WORLD WAR
II
A few decades later,
Australians found themselves
committed to another global
conflict – World War II.
Australia, as a young and
peaceful nation, and as an
example to others in the
South Pacific, was immersed
in the war against Japan
until after its victory in
this unprecedented event.
As World War II continued,
more countries were dragged
into it. It had a
devastating effect globally,
and the loss of life was at
least 60 million persons,
mostly civilians.
The events of World War II
surpassed World War I in
their “utter ruthlessness,”
due to advances in military
technology.
While many Australians
served in Australia, New
Guinea, South-east Asia,
Japan and the nearby Pacific
Islands, others found
themselves in a variety of
locations in Europe and the
Middle East.
World War II was
particularly significant for
Australia, as it was the
first time it faced the
threat of invasion,
requiring full mobilisation
of the nation.
Like the United States,
however, the war was largely
fought beyond its shores.
As part of mobilisation,
conscription for wartime
service was introduced in
Australia for the first time
and almost one million
Australians entered armed
service, with hundreds of
thousands more in auxiliary
and war industries.
Consequently, in 1940,
compulsory training was
resumed. Young unmarried men
were drafted for training.
During the war, when camels
were needed for a special
Northern Territory camel
corps, Gool Mahomet, also
one of the best-known
members of the Australian
Afghan community, offered 20
camels for free as his war
effort.
“Malay” Muslims recalled
their forebears’
contributions to Australia
during wartime. A number of
Javanese Muslims and
“Malays” also contributed to
the national defence during
World War II, such as John
Ismat Contor who was in his
early 40s and actively
involved with the Voluntary
Defence Force in Mackay. He
was given a certificate of
acknowledgment after the
war. His son, Vivian Sunim
Contor, became a national
serviceman at 18 years of
age.
'She told me
that if I
complained
nobody would
believe me'
Fajer Hamoud says she was
bullied as a work experience
teacher for her faith.
Early in 2016,
nervous and
learning the
ropes, Fajer
Hamoud stumbled
her way into the
teacher’s staff
room at a
northeast
Victorian high
school, looking
forward to
starting first
day as a work
experience
teacher.
Three years on,
Ms Hamoud still
struggles to
come to terms
with what
happened during
her first
teaching
placement.
Her mentor came
highly
recommended and
so did the
school, so the
last thing she
was expecting to
experience was
bullying from
her superiors.
She still can’t
recall the
memories without
tearing up.
“She told me
that if I
complained
nobody would
believe me,” she
says.
Ms Hamoud’s
mentor opened
the front page
of a popular
Australian
newspaper and
made remarks she
says
"traumatised"
her.
“Muslim
terrorists, they
call Allahu
Akbar, Allahu
Akbar and they
bomb people,”
her mentor said
loudly, Ms
Hamoud recalls.
The words still
echo in her mind
daily.
“Allahu Akbar is
a very sacred
phrase to me. I
say it five
times a day when
I pray.”
Ms Hamoud, who
proudly wears an
Islamic
headscarf,
migrated to
Australia from
Kuwait when she
was seven years
old. She decided
to become a
teacher to help
young kids
receive a good
education –
something hard
to come by in
her homeland.
A 2005 Yale
study showed
recently arrived
migrant and
refugee women
are among the
most vulnerable
to
discrimination
in the workplace
worldwide. In
Australia,
migrant women
are also less
likely to pursue
discrimination
claims, an AMES
study found.
Ms Hamoud says
she didn’t
immediately
report the
bullying and
discrimination
she faced at the
school, in fear
of being let go.
"I’ll never
forget how she
intimidated me,
but when I
complained and
said she made
direct bigoted
comments about
my religion they
made up so many
excuses for
her."
Muslim women
wearing head
coverings
especially
suffer
discrimination
at work, says
Aymen AlAssad,
president of
Victorian
Islamic youth
organisation
Beacon of Hope
argues.
“Discrimination
definitely is a
problem for
young women in
the workplace
wearing a hijab.
There’s a
certain
responsibility
for young girls
to represent
their religion,
they’re the flag
barriers and
that symbolism
is a lot for a
young girl to
take on and
often it can be
a burden."
For Ms Hamoud,
her first work
experience as a
school teacher
resulted in so
much self-doubt
that she almost
dropped out of
her Masters
degree to pursue
a different
career all
together.
"When I
complained
and said she
made direct
bigoted
comments
about my
religion
they made up
so many
excuses for
her."
Fajer Hamoud
"It shattered
me. I would have
restless nights,
waking up every
hour from
nightmares. I
would break into
a sweat, have
anxiety attacks
... she
shattered my
confidence."
Advocacy and
education on the
effects of
discrimination
and racial
vilification
could be the
solution to
combat future
discrimination,
“People need to
be educated as
to the effects
of
discrimination
and prejudice
and racial
vilification,"
says Mr AlAssad,
who finds
instances of
Islamophobia
tend to escalate
following
incidents of
terrorism.
The Islamophobia
Register
Australia
research backs
this claim. The
academic report
shows
Islamophobic
incidents in
Australia spike
significantly
after every
heavily reported
incident of
terrorism
overseas.
“The prejudice
intensifies and
young women are
targeted even
more, in the
workplace or
wherever it may
be. As an
organisation
dealing with
young people
this is a
re-occurring
issue,” he says.
According to
research
conducted by
Centre for
Multicultural
Youth, a large
percentage of
Muslims in
Melbourne feel
they don’t
belong in
Australia. The
study also found
Muslim youth
were less likely
to say they
could
"definitely"
find someone to
help them if
they were in
trouble.
The
organisation's
CEO, Carmel
Guerra, says
what happened to
Ms Hamoud, while
unfortunate,
isn’t uncommon
among Muslim
youth the Centre
for
Multicultural
Youth has worked
with.
“There are
always going to
be employers
that are like
that, and if
they are we need
to do something
about calling
them out, and
making them
accountable for
what they’re
doing and that’s
what [the
centre] wants to
do,” Ms Guerra
says.
Their research
has found that
many Muslims in
Melbourne
experience
discrimination
at work and also
while trying
finding work,
which affects
others from
culturally
linguistically
diverse
backgrounds.
The Centre for
Multicultural
Youth has
implemented
employment
programs which
match youth who
may have
experienced
discrimination
with employers
that are
accepting of
their faith and
culture.
The need for
better mental
health support
is an issue for
Australian
Muslims. After
her experience,
Ms Hamoud says
she found
herself
depressed and
anxious, however
she was without
mental health
support and felt
unable to turn
to others in her
community.
Next month, a
specialist
not-for-profit
organisation,
Muslim Mental
Health
Professionals,
will launch
nationally, to
provide mental
health support
for Muslim and
diverse cultural
communities.
While the
initiative could
have come much
sooner for Ms
Hamoud, she
believes it will
help prevent
others in
similar
situations
feeling alone.
"Many Muslims
who see mental
health
professionals
find they’re
often
misunderstood
due to their
faith, which
leads them to
stop seeking
help," says the
organisation's
president
Aysegul Sertel,
who wants to
also to educate
GPs and other
mental health
professionals
about the
particular
cultural
sensitivities to
observe when
treating Muslim
clients.
“We have unique
needs based on
our faith, and
other
professionals
working with
Muslim clients
experience
resistance, or
they don’t know
how to reach out
because of
cultural
sensitivities."
For episode 2
of Adrian, Caz and
Hajji Hussin Goss took the
opportunity to sit down and
spend time with one of the
significant voices for the
Muslim Community, Ali Kadri.
The Real Talk Podcast team
got to hear the story of Ali
Kadri, a man who moved to
Australia to pursue his
dreams, and his role as
spokesperson for Muslims
around Queensland and
Australia.
Ali Kadri tell his stories
on how he overcame his
struggles as a community
leader.
On 13 and 14
July 2019, CITE held its 4th
Annual Australian Islamic
Schooling Conference:
Islamic Schooling Renewal: A
Focus on Social Justice. The
conference and forum was
held at University of
Melbourne
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.
Controversial
right-wing group will not host event at
Trump's Mar-a-Lago
US: The Trump Organization on Sunday
said it would not host an event put on
by a controversial right-wing group that
has advertised its annual gala would
take place next month at Mar-a-Lago.
"This event will absolutely not be
taking place at Mar-a-Lago," a
spokesperson for the Trump Organization
told CNN Sunday.
The group, ACT for America, claims to be
"the nation's largest national security
grassroots organization." The
organization is billed as "anti-Muslim"
by the Anti-Defamation League and the
Southern Poverty Law Center, which was
the first to report on the gala.
According to the SPLC, tickets for the
event started at $1,500 and VIP seats --
listed at $2,500 -- had already been
sold out by the time the advertisement
for the event stopped appearing on the
organization's website.
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the
Council on American Islamic Relations,
told CNN Sunday that the Trump
Organization's statement that Mar-a-Lago
would not host the event was "welcome"
news.
"I think our position from the beginning
is no organization should profit from
bigotry," he said. Hooper emphasized
that the group's "hate-filled"
reputation is well known and "a simple
Google search would've uncovered it."
In 2017, ACT for America organized
events in multiple US cities protesting
Sharia law. While Sharia law doesn't
exist in the United States, that hasn't
stopped it from becoming a political
issue. During President Donald Trump's
2016 campaign, he said he wanted to test
Muslims coming into America to make sure
they don't want Sharia law to supersede
the US Constitution.
More than a dozen states have passed
laws to curb the possibility of Sharia
law making its way onto the books in the
US. ACT for America often promotes this
legislation.
The organization says in its mission
statement that it doesn't tolerate "any
bias, discrimination, violence against
anyone."
Cambridge eco-mosque
wins award for ‘innovative design’
“It’s a very
encouraging sign that an often
neglected community can produce
symbols of real excellence”
The new
Cambridge Central Mosque
UK: The new Cambridge Central Mosque,
the first purpose-built mosque in
Cambridge, has been awarded a major
regional planning award at the
University Arms in Cambridge, an event
attended by over 100 regional planning
professionals.
The mosque, which opened earlier this
year in March, was declared the winner
at the Royal Town Planning Institute’s
East of England Regional Awards for
Planning Excellence 2019. The judges
said the project represented “the
pinnacle of public involvement, learning
and understanding for planning
professionals”.
The Ł23m project, Europe’s first
eco-mosque, was built with thoughtful
environmental consideration. The website
states that “environmental concerns have
been paramount in the design”. With
natural lighting, vaulted ceilings,
efficient heat pumps and rainwater used
to flush WCs, the building seeks to
combine elegance with environmental
consciousness.
The convenor of the judging panel, David
Potter, praised the “innovative design”
of the “impressive community facility”.
He said that the careful construction
and design of the building and its
surrounding gardens had resulted in “a
building that will become a cultural and
physical landmark in the area.”
Trustee of the mosque and Professor of
Islamic Studies at Cambridge University,
Abdal Hakim Murad, also known as Tim
Winter, said that the award was a “very
encouraging sign that an often neglected
community can produce symbols of real
excellence”.
The new
Cambridge Central Mosque
When asked about the
significance of excellent design to
houses of prayer, he said that these
kinds of projects can be “tricky for
architects”, as “ego and rampant
self-expression are frowned on, and
because they have to be serene
sanctuaries for so many different kinds
of people”.
“The mosque, which symbolises the city's
global status and multicultural
population, is an important symbolic
addition to a very long-standing
tradition of adding wonders to the built
environment which we all inhabit.”
Designated places of prayer for faiths
that are not orientated towards
Christianity have been hard to come by
in Cambridge. An investigation this year
by Varsity showed that 19 of 31
Cambridge colleges had no provision for
a permanent prayer space independent of
a college chapel, and other colleges
only offered temporary use of rooms for
prayer and meditation.
Hakim Murad said that with “census
figures suggesting a Cambridge Muslim
population of over five thousand, it
became clear that a significant
purpose-built mosque was long overdue”.
He noted that, since its opening, the
building “reaches its capacity of a
thousand worshippers every Friday”, and
that this only highlights the continued
need for more purpose-built houses of
prayer for the community.
Far right poses as
protectors of women to target Muslims,
official extremism report finds
Commission for
Countering Extremism warns
groups are ‘distorting truth’ to
spread hate
Tommy Robinson
was among the far-right
activists who ‘exploited local
grievances’ in Sunderland,
report finds
UK: Far-right
activists are
exploiting
concerns about
the safety of
women and
children to
target Muslims
and ethnic
minorities, an
official report
has found.
The Commission
for Countering
Extremism said
some groups
“deliberately
distort the
truth to
persuade their
audience to
adopt
discriminatory
and hateful
attitudes”.
The government
agency’s first
major report,
seen exclusively
ahead of its
release by The
Independent,
warned that the
tactic was
drawing in white
communities who
would not
normally support
the far right,
and worsening
social division.
As part of
research into
all forms of
extremism across
Britain, the
commission
examined a
series of
protests sparked
after a woman
claimed she was
gang raped by
Middle Eastern
migrants in
Sunderland.
The report said
prominent
far-right
figures
including Tommy
Robinson, Jayda
Fransen and
former UKIP
leadership
candidate Anne
Marie Waters
used rallies in
2016 and 2017 to
“spread
anti-minority
and anti-Muslim
agendas”.
“The marchers
said they aimed
to improve the
safety of women
and children
locally,” the
report said.
“However, their
rhetoric
targeted ethnic
minorities,
despite nearly
85 per cent of
people convicted
of sexual
offences in 2018
in the
Northumbria
Police force
area being
white.”
Robinson started
an online
petition with
more than
100,000
signatures, and
funded a large
advertising
board and legal
support for the
complainant via
online
donations.
“Far-right
agitators
exploited these
local
grievances.
Members of the
movement had
links to banned
group National
Action. The
shared belief of
these figures
and groups was
their antipathy
towards
minorities,
immigrants and
particularly
Muslims.”
A similar
pattern has been
seen with the
use of grooming
gangs as a major
far-right
recruiting tool,
which sees
extremists
characterise the
abuse as
committed solely
by Muslims.
Fatimah
Asghar (Editor) and Safia Elhillo (Editor)
DESCRIPTION
We live in an Islamophobic world, where
Muslim people are constantly under
attack, and must prove their innocence
when they’ve not even committed a crime.
We also live
in a world of rigid gender roles and
gender violence, where women, gender
non-conforming and trans people are
victims of violence, and have their
gender expressions, freedoms, and
desires policed.
There’s
pressure from both Muslims and
non-Muslims to fit into severe
stereotypes of Muslim identity and the
ways in which it is acceptable to be
Muslim.
The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 3: Halal If You
Hear Me is a celebration of
intersectional identity that dispels the
notion that there is one correct way to
be a Muslim.
KB says:
An incredibly easy loaf cake with the best crumb
ever! You will love the coconut and lime
flavours together!
A Quick and Easy Coconut Cake
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup yoghurt
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 tsp lime zest
Method:
1. In a blender jar add eggs, yoghurt, sugar, oil and
vanilla. Blend well till combined
2. In a bowl sift together flour and baking powder, add in
coconut and lime zest
3. Pour the blended mixture into the flour mix and fold it
in. do not over mix.
4. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan, sprinkle with
shredded coconut on the top and bake for 35-40 minutes at
180C.
5. When golden brown remove from the oven and wait for it to
cool before slicing.
Do you have a recipe to share with CCN
readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to me at
admin@ccnonline.com.au and be my "guest chef" for the week.
Baba's Halal Kitchen
(Hussain Baba is the host and
chef of *BABA’S HALAL KITCHEN*, a show where he uses his own
unique style to cook 'Quick, Easy and Delicious' dishes.)
Thick Pancakes
Thick Pancake spread with Maple
Syrup (“sweetner”) and topped with Banana and Blue Berries
Brother Mostafa, who is a businessman in the Gold Coast,
will demonstrate how he makes “Thick Pancakes”.
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 Love
Yourself
Unconditionally
How many times in a
day or week do you
tell someone you
love them? How many
times do you tell
yourself that you
love yourself?
Daily? Weekly?
Monthly? Almost
never?
Observe your body
and your thoughts as
you try this little
exercise - read this
affirmation out
loud:
I Love Myself.
Say it again, a few
times. If you’re
feeling a little
uncomfortable saying
it, ask yourself
why. It took me 38
years to learn to
love myself. My goal
now is to love
myself
unconditionally. I
am yet to master the
‘unconditonal’
aspect of self-love.
I usually do a
“mirror” exercise
with my clients
where they look at
their face in a
compact mirror and
say “I love you”.
Only a handful of my
clients have been
successful at
completing this
exercise. Some even
told me they ‘hate’
themselves. Some
expressed that
‘love’ was a very
strong word and they
didn’t feel they
deserved it. Some
said ‘there was
nothing there to
love’. I resonate
with all these
statements. It’s not
easy to love
yourself. In fact,
it’s easier to keep
living in shame or
guilt. But remember,
what is easier to do
isn’t always in
alignment with
ALLAH’s
commandments.
“Be steadfast,
enjoin kindness,
avoid ignorance, and
bear with patience
whatever befalls
you.” (Holy Quran:
Surah Luqman)
Ponder on this ayat.
One can only
implement this
commandment if one
lives with
unconditional love.
That unconditional
love must start from
unconditionally
loving yourself
first.
So why is it so
difficult for so
many people to love
themselves?
It’s because we tend
to forget that we
are not our
experiences. We are
a force that can
overcome
experiences, no
matter how negative
they may be.
Whatever you have
been through in
life, you are still
here, well and
alive. You made it.
I realised something
when I learned to
love myself. It
wasn’t that I hated
myself - it was that
I hated all the
choices I made in my
life that brought
about the negative
experiences. It was
that I hated my
behaviours that I
was displaying most
of my life. It was
that I couldn’t
differentiate that
my body was
different from my
soul. I learned
self-love when I
began to connect
with my essential
self - my intuitive
voice, the voice of
my soul. The voice
which never
misguides because it
is pure and isn’t
affected by past
conditioning. When I
began to acknowledge
my authentic,
essential self, I
understood that I am
a pure being created
by ALLAH and I must
love this being that
dwells inside my
body.
Self-Love
You say
you care
about
the
world
Yet you
care not
for
yourself
You say
you love
the
children
of the
world
Yet you
love not
the
child in
you
You say
you
forgive
others
Yet you
forgive
not
yourself
You say
you want
the best
for
others
Yet you
embrace
not the
good
that
comes
your way
You say
you want
to heal
from all
that
causes
you pain
Yet you
choose
to
re-live
painful
memories
everyday
You say
you love
ALLAH
Yet you
are
unkind
to
ALLAH’s
creation
that is
closest
to you
Yes, you
are
ALLAH’s
creation
that is
closest
to you
Appreciate
yourself
Care for
yourself
Be kind
to
yourself
Be
compassionate
with
yourself
Forgive
yourself
Love
yourself
Remember…
You are
ALLAH’s
creation
that is
closest
to you.
1. After salah,
sit on your
prayer mat for
about five
minutes and
focus on your
breathing.
2. With each
in-breath, feel
your body
energised with
light. Imagine
light entering
through the
crown of your
head and
dispersing
through every
part of your
body..
3. With each
out-breath,
praise ALLAH for
creating you and
giving you this
precious body to
live in. Imagine
the light
pouring out of
your body and
reaching other
members in your
home, your
neighbours, your
community, the
nation, and to
the rest of the
world. Your mind
is powerful
enough to create
this
imagination.
Praise ALLAH for
the power of
your beautiful
mind.
4. Say these
words in your
mind or out loud
if you are
comfortable: I
am a beautiful
creation of
ALLAH. I love
myself. I
receive only
love, light,
peace and joy. I
give out only
love, light,
peace and joy.
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.
Straight off the
back of mental wellness awareness week, do
your best to turn your negatives into
positives. Not only do you need to take care
of yourself, but just check-in with those
around you every now and then. A snippet of
your time could mean the world to someone
else!
I find that exercise and taking time out on
a regular basis really helps improve my
mindset – believing that I can develop and
improve on my skills and abilities.
Work out ways around your ‘roadblocks’ and
re-think the way your think. Nurture both
your body and mind.
After all, the key to wellness is being
mentally stronger than you physically feel!!
Join us for this
Free Women's
Wellbeing
workshop next
Wednesday. In
light of 'Mental
health week' Dr
Noor Azizah
Tahir will
enlighten
participants
with Quranic
Remedies for
better mental
health with an
Islamic
perspective. For
more details &
to secure your
spot please RSVP
to 0404 921 620
This is a DFAT full scholarship program
bringing 18 young Indonesians to Australia to do work
placement and live with local families. Participants
will spend 3 weeks in Canberra and 3 weeks in Brisbane.
We are super excited to have them in Brisbane this year
during November 4 and 27th.
We are looking for host organisations for them to do
their work placement as well as local families willing
to host them. There is no cost for the organisations as
students come fully insured and their transport to work
covered. Families will receive a $600 groceries/fuel
voucher for the 3 weeks program.
Offers Hijama Therapy and
Biodynamic Cranio Sacral therapy by a Therapist who is
qualified with many years of experience.
What is Hijama Therapy?
Cupping (hijama) is the best remedy recommended and used by
the Messenger peace be upon him. The Messenger SAW said,
"Indeed the best of remedies you have is cupping (hijama)…"
[Sahih al-Bukharii (5371)]. He also said that on the night
of Isra on SAW’s ascension to the heavens) Nabi SAW did not
pass by an angel except that it said to him, "Oh Muhammad,
order your Ummah (nation) with cupping (hijama)." [Sahih
Sunan Tirmidhi (3479)]. This shows the importance and
greatness of this Sunnah.
'Hijama' in arabic is derived from 'hajm' which means
'sucking'. Cupping (hijama) is the process of applying cups
to various points on the body by removing the air inside the
cups to form a vacuum.
Hijama cupping therapy can be either wet, dry or moving but
the most effective is wet unless existing conditions
disallow. Dry and Moving are not from the Sunan but the
treatment grants relief from a large number of ailments.
Hijama is from the Sunan, using
Hijama in an extended way brings healing using the Sunan
way.
This month’s Sunnah days
coincide with October on the 17, 19 and 21. Make your
appointments timeously and prepare for the procedure by
fasting for at least 3 hours prior.
What is Biodynamic Cranio Sacral therapy?
BCST is an advanced body/mind
therapy that combines a Western scientific understanding of
the body with mindfulness skills, a unique type of touch and
an appreciation of the body’s ability to heal itself.
Biodynamic touch is a particular
type of touch. It is light and reverential. There is never
any pressure, manipulation or force. Your therapist is
trained to create a calm, still and embodied presence. This
type of touch and presence enables you to feel safe,
supported and held. This sense of safety allows your brain
to switch from flight or fight to rest and repair. It is in
this state that healing and change can begin to take place.
What Makes BCST Unique?
BCST is gentle, non
invasive and no force or manipulations are used in the
treatment
The therapy is client led,
the treatment pace is set by you and the requirements of
your body
BCST acknowledges the
whole person and that emotional, mental, spiritual and
physical health are all interconnected
The understanding of the
body’s intelligence to heal and facilitate self repair
is central to the therapy
Clients report feeling
deeply listened to on all levels
BCST is a progressive
therapy that embraces the latest findings in medical
science and the wisdom of traditional healing arts
Biodynamic touch is a
powerful tool to stimulate the brain to make new
connections
The Before 1770
team is requesting a medium
donation of $200.
We are nearing completion and
need your urgent assistance to
complete the project. We believe
that this endeavour will be of
great benefit for many long
years to come. When you give,
please know that you are
actually investing. The Prophet
(pbuh) said, "Charity does not
reduce wealth." See the video
below.
This
historic 111 years
old mosque was
unfortunately
targeted today with
threatening
graffiti, symbols of
hatred and reference
to the Christchurch
terrorist. Sadly, in
recent times these
hate crimes have
become common and
many of our patrons
have been victims of
abuse, threats and
even bottles thrown
at them.
We are an open and
welcoming mosque. We
want peace and wish
to keep the
community safe.
After the repeated
attacks we are
looking to upgrade
the security of the
mosque to include
more cameras,
security locks and
gates.
The Australian
community has always
shown great support,
for which we are
very thankful for
and proud to call
Australia our home.
We welcome people
from all communities
to join us and stop
hatred and spread
the message of peace
and love!
Please help us
collect these much
needed funds and
show the offenders
that peace and love
will always win!
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
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Controversial
right-wing group will not host event at
Trump's Mar-a-Lago 
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011