The annual Australian Muslim
Achievement Awards (AMAAs)
were held yesterday
(Saturday 30 November) in
Lidcombe, NSW to celebrate
the achievements of
Australian Muslim
individuals and
organizations.
Amongst the winners were
Queenslanders Haji Sultan
Deen (Lifetime
Achievement Award) and Ms
Nadia Saeed (Youth of
the Year).
Other
recipients were:
Bachar Houli:
Man of the Year
Hala Ramadan:
Woman of the Year
Ramia Abdo Sultan:
Role Model of the
Year
Zaahir Idries:
Professional of the
Year
Before 1770:
Media of the Year
Dr
Zuleyha Keskin:
People’s Choice of
the Year
Stand-Up for
Christchurch:
Event of the Year
Nazeem Hussein:
Creative Artist of
the Year
Fettatleh Smallgoods:
Business of the Year
Eman Rahim:
Volunteer of the
Year
National Zakat
Foundation:
Community
Organisation of the
Year
Muslim Film Festival:
Best New Project of
the Year
Lifetime
Achiever Award – Haji Sultan
Deen
Sultan Deen’s family arrived
from India to Australia in
the late 1860’s, working in
the outback as merchants. He
is fifth generation
Australian. He has been
involved in the family
business ‘Deen Bros’ since
leaving primary school in
1962. Sultan has been a
committee member of the
Islamic Society of Holland
Park for over 40 years,
serving as President, Vice
President, Secretary,
Assistant. Secretary,
Treasurer, and Committee
member, carrying on a family
tradition of serving their
local Muslim mosque
communities. There has
continuously been a member
of his family on the Holland
Park Mosque management
committee since its
inception in 1908, until
today. He has also been a a
member of the Islamic
Council of Queensland, since
its beginning in 1984,
serving as President for
three separate four year
terms, the Vice President,
Secretary and committee
member. He is also a
delegate to the Australian
Federation of Islamic
Councils for over a 28 year
period, representing the
State Islamic Council and
the individual Societies
Original Sponsor of the
Islamic Women’s Association
of Queensland from its
inception, and a board
member for the first Islamic
School in Brisbane, The
Islamic College of Brisbane
in 1994-2000, 2007-2009 and
from 2010-2014.
Sultan continued his
membership and assistance of
the building of Islamic
Schools in Brisbane,
assisting the second and
third Islamic schools in
Brisbane, The Australian
International Islamic
College and Wisdom College.
He is also a member of the
Advisory Committee of the
Qld. Department of Accident
Prevention and Workplace
Health and Safety, reviewing
Demolition and Scaffolding
procedures and Standards for
the industry. Sultan was the
former chairman of the
Brisvaani Aid Foundation
which assists patients from
Fiji and Pacific Islands, to
come to Australia for major
medical treatment and also
sponsoring the Fred Hollows
2020 Vision project in Fiji.
In addition to all his
roles, he has also been the
Chairman and Co-ordinator of
numerous Flood / Drought /
Earthquake victims relief
programmes for Australia,
Fiji, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Indonesia, and all parts of
the World.
Sultan is also a committee
member of Rotary Club of
Archerfield for 31 years,
with 100% attendance to
date, and having been
honoured with a Paul Harris
Fellowship Award, for
services to Rotary and the
Community. He was awarded a
Sapphire Paul Harris Award
in 2015. Having served the
Rotary Club as a board
member and also as
President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer. He
has been honoured with a
Multicultural Services Award
by the Premier of
Queensland, and a VOLUNTEERS
AWARD in 2002, for more than
25 years of service to the
community. Sultan is the
co-founder of the Pakistan
Australia Cultural
Association. He is the
organiser of four Islamic
Youth Camps, former chairman
of Qld Allstars Sports,
co-sponsor of The Islamic
Rugby League in 2007. Major
sponsor of the Brisbane
Islamic Soccer League 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and
2009, and Major Sponsor of
the Australian “Mean
Machine” Olympic GOLD
Medallist swimming team.
Sultan assisted with the
Griffith University’s task
force to build the
Multifaith Centre was on the
Advisory Council. He was the
former Chairman of the QLD
Police Service Ethnic
Advisory Group, Chairman of
the QPS Muslim Reference
Group, Past Chairman of the
Oxley Creek Catchment Group.
Former member of the Ethnic
Communities Council of QLD,
member of the Building and
Development Committee and
major contributor to every
mosque in Brisbane, the Gold
Coast, and otjer parts of
QLD. He has participated as
a member of the
Muslim-Catholic Interfaith
Group since 1992, founding
member of the Forum for
Jews, Christians, and
Muslims interfaith Group,
member of the organising
Committee of Eidfest and
Eidfest Community Services
assisting people in domestic
violence situations, Former
Co-ordinator of the janazah
services in Brisbane for
over 30 years. Sultan is
also a member for the Hay
Run for drought stricken
farmers in 2018 and he is
currently part of the Muslim
Aid Australia / Deen Family
Drought Relief Project since
2018 delivering 4 tankers
per week of 24,000 litres of
water to drought stricken
farmer of Stanthorpe
District.
Youth of
the Year Award – Nadia Saeed
"Alhumdulilah I really don’t
know what to say, I am truly
humbled. Allah has blessed
me in so many ways, this
year alone I have smashed
goals & achieved things I
would never have thought
were possible.
This award is for all the
incredible young volunteers
I have the privilege to work
alongside with. There are
countless young people who
work tirelessly in our
community & who deserve this
award as well. Jazakallah
from the bottom of my heart
for this award. Inshallah I
pray that I can continue to
work towards a brighter
future for all Australians.
For many Young Muslim
leaders incredible
recognition like this
motivates us to continue the
work that we do. This
recognition means that we as
young people are being seen,
heard & acknowledged.
Huge congratulations to all
the award finalists &
winners. But an extra
special Congratulations to
Uncle Sultan Deen for the
Life Time Achievement Award!
Thank you to all the team at
Mission of Hope & Dov Han!
Much love to all my close
family & friends who support
me day in & day out. You
have all kept me going,
never let me stop & have
only pushed me to be the
best version of myself. You
all know who you are & I
love you all so very much."
The Member for Stretton,
Duncan Pegg, recently
discovered he is one of
150,000 Australians who are
diagnosed with cancer.
The Queensland Premier,
Annastacia Palaszczuk said
that Duncan was a tireless
worker for his community and
will continue representing
his electorate but there are
going to be times when his
treatment will
understandably come first.
Mr Pegg told Parliament this
week that he is lucky to be
surrounded by the support of
his friends and family as
well as his colleagues and
electorate staff.
He looked forward to
continuing to represent his
local community.
“I would ask for
understanding and prayers
while I am receiving
treatment,” he said.
“I also remind all
Queenslanders to remain
vigilant regarding their
health and for men
especially to make friends
with the their family
doctor.”
Mr Habib Jamal, ICQ
president, told CCN:
"Our
thoughts, prayers and
support are for Duncan and
his family during this
difficult time. We wish him
every success whilst under
going treatment."
This week the Islamic
Women's Association of
Australia (IWAA) held the
Community Consult and end of
year Celebration dinner.
Shane Johnson from the AFP
gave a wonderful
presentation about the
Connection to Country
Program and this was
followed by a very
entertaining drumming
performance by Joseph.
With great presentations and
entertainment and a
delicious dinner it was
truly a night to remember!
The candidate will join a
new team being set up to
undertake a project on
'Managing heat stress among
Bangladesh ready-made
clothing industry workers'.
The project is funded by the
Welcome Trust under a new
initiative 'Climate Change
and Health'. The project
seeks to explore the effects
of climate change on thermal
discomfort levels in
Bangladesh ready-made
garment factories, and
whether there are low-cost
sustainable cooling
strategies that can help to
reduce future levels of
heat-induced discomfort.
The successful candidate
will be based at the
Griffith University Gold
Coast campus.
The opportunity
Heat, health and wellbeing
of workers in the Bangladesh
ready-made garment industry
The PhD candidate will
conduct research as part of
the team working on the
project ' Managing heat
stress among Bangladesh
ready-made clothing industry
workers'.
In 2016-17, the Bangladesh
Ready-Made Garment (RMG)
industry generated USD28.14
billion, representing 80.7%
export earnings. Bangladesh
has around 5000 RMG
factories, employing 4
million people, mainly
women. Heat stress is a
major risk for workers, and
is expected to worsen in
future due to global
warming. This raises serious
questions for workers'
health, welfare and
productivity. Using
climate-controlled chambers,
computer-based modelling,
factory instrumentation and
worker interviews, the
project will explore low- to
moderate-cost sustainable
strategies to reduce heat
stress, and their
performance under future
climate change.
The candidate will focus on
one aspect of the project:
factory workers' perception
of their working conditions.
Through interviews with
workers, and comparison of
the results with output from
quantitative monitoring of
the internal factory
climate, the student will
develop an understanding of
the present-day
relationships between actual
and perceived working
conditions. The student will
then go on to look at the
inter-relationships with the
extended environment -
including the effects of the
home environment and journey
to work. The candidate will
be required to undertake
detailed design of the field
work, carry out interviews
with factory workers,
managers and support staff
during different seasons,
and collate and analyse the
data using mixed methods.
The candidate will need to
be present in Bangladesh to
undertake data collection
for multiple periods of time
in and around Dhaka.
Academy Alive's Real Talk
Podcast has been hitting
strides, over the past few
weeks getting to know some
of the Sheikhs around
Brisbane, with an emotional,
powerful and inspiring
interview with Imaam Uzair
Akbar, President of Council
of Imaams Queensland.
Following an interview with
Sheikh Akram Buksh,
President and Imaam at
Slacks Creek Mosque, Masjid
Ur – Rahmaan.
Its always inspiring, and
motivational to understand
the journey our leading
scholars have taken to get
to be the community figures
they are today. Continue to
support Real Talk Podcast,
by viewing liking, and
sharing their content. To
help to connect real stories
to real people.
In other news. With one more
week to go before the
Discussion Panel of the
year, hosted by Academy
Alive, in conjunction with
Australian National Imaams
Council and Islamic Council
of Queensland.
Academy Alive is excited to
announce the upcoming
schedules for the Imaams
attending the event.
With 5 Ulema from all around
Australia gathering on one
discussion panel,
registrations essential and
seats are limited.
Everyone of you now know that
Queensland and NSW have been experiencing
catastrophic bushfire burning thousands of
hectors of land, crops, animals, properties and
houses of Australians.
Many houses, farms, and human lives have already
been lost and many are under serious threat to
be destroyed.
Our farmers are our lifeline. We must stand
beside them during this most difficult time and
help them any possible ways.
As always, many Muslim groups and organization
in Queensland have been supporting our famers
for the past several weeks, including supply of
drinking water, as the farmers have been passing
through sever draught.
Islamic Society of Toowoomba (IST) joins many
other Islamic groups, and community and charity
organisations in Australia to raise fund to
support our brothers and sisters in the bush.
We will receive donations on Friday after Jumma
prayers at the Garden City Mosque, Toowoomba. If
we stand for the people in distress and those
who lost their livelihood, Allah will stand with
us when we need Him Inshaa Allah.
Interested people may also donate via the CBA
account of IST BSB# 06 4459, A/C# 1000 3579. In
reference please write BUSHFIRE SUPPORT.
May Allah immediately stop the devastating
bushfire, send us blessings of beneficial rain,
protect His creation from all natural
calamities, and help rebuild the life of those
who are victims of the bushfire.
A Muslim group has donated
$10,000 to the NSW Rural
Fire Service as bushfires
continue to burn around
Australia.
On Wednesday,
representatives from United
Muslims of Australia (UMA)
made the donation to
firefighters at Wauchope on
the state's Mid North Coast.
UMA public relations officer
Ibrahim Dadoun said his
group put out the call to
its members during Friday
prayers last week.
"When we saw these bushfires
had affected so many people
and their livelihoods, we
thought it was our
obligation to go out and
support them," Mr Dadoun
told SBS News.
He said the trip from Sydney
to the fire-hit communities
around Taree was a sobering
one.
"We saw some streets signs
that were completely melted.
There was no more writing on
them ... It was a horrifying
scene to witness."
The annual Scanlon
Foundation report has found
negative attitudes about
Muslims in Australia remain
high.
Inaz Janif migrated to
Australia as a baby from New
Zealand and at the age of 12
she decided to wear the
hijab.
A decision, she said, has at
times had some negative
repercussions.
"It's impacted me in terms
of my job opportunities,"
she told SBS News, recalling
how once she was offered a
job "if I stopped wearing
the hijab".
"That was really difficult
because I wanted to work and
I wanted to be independent
and contribute to society."
The vast majority of
Australians agree
multiculturalism has been
good for Australia, but a
significant minority still
express negativity towards
Muslims, according to a
report released on Tuesday.
The findings come in the
12th annual Scanlon
Foundation report into
social cohesion, which also
found a major increase in
the percentage of people
concerned about climate
change.
Ms Janif said she found it
quite difficult after the
9/11 terror attacks, where
she felt targeted and
stereotyped because of her
religion.
She said she has never been
physically assaulted, but
verbal abuse is common.
"It's quite often while
driving, even with my
children with me, that I’m
verbally assaulted. I've had
my children ask me 'why is
that person so angry mum?'
'Why are they saying things
about us being Muslim?'."
Ms Janif said the findings
of the Scanlon Foundation
survey - which found 40 per
cent of people held negative
views about Muslims - are
not a surprise.
But she said more should be
done to address these
negative attitudes.
"I think people who are
influential have to set the
bar, they have to set the
tone for society and make
sure that everybody, no
matter where they come from
and no matter their
characteristics or the
unique features they have,
are accepted," she told SBS
News.
"I think our differences are
the best part about us."
Increasing rates of
discrimination
On the question 'have you
experienced discrimination
over the last 12 months on
the basis of your skin
colour, ethnicity or
religion?' rates have
consistently increased since
the first survey in 2007
from about 10 per cent to 19
per cent in more recent
surveys.
People who identify as
Muslim or Hindu reported
much higher rates of
discrimination at 42 per
cent for Muslims and 38 per
cent for Hindus.
Between 2006 and 2016, the
number of people identifying
as Muslim in Australia
increased from 340,400 to
604,200.
Mohammad Al-Khafaji, CEO of
the Federation of The
Federation of Ethnic
Communities' Councils of
Australia, said anti-Muslim
sentiment is an issue the
government needs to address.
"That should be a warning
sign for all of us, and
especially for our political
leaders, to make sure that
we address this issue before
it becomes a bigger
problem," he said.
"We know that there was a
recent study released by the
Islamophobia Register that
has quantified some of those
complaints and some of those
attacks on people from
Muslim backgrounds.
"We need to make sure that
there are policies and
social cohesion programs in
place that facilitate a
meeting between people so
they understand each other's
differences, each other's
faiths, each other's
cultures."
1. Know you are part of
building Australia’s story.
Speak about your vision for
this country. If we are to
move from a fragmented and
anxious country to a
compassionate and united
one, we have to be the
leaders we want. Thank those
that stand with you.
2. Recognise abuse as
anti-social behaviour, by
reporting it to the
confidental platform,
Islamophobia Register.
www.islamophobia.com.au.
Report it to police (whether
you think it’s a crime or
not). Email your local MP.
Share with a trusted
community organisation. Tell
your friends and family and
encourage them to all speak
up. Speaking up is not about
being a victim – it’s about
showing we don’t accept this
behaviour as normal and
modelling this approach to
our kids.
3. Donate what you can to
the Islamophobia Register…
they have been leaders in
this space but sadly, can’t
run on volunteers anymore.
The Report they publish with
Charles Sturt University is
groundbreaking work.
www.launchgood.com/islamophobia/
4. Create a space for
bystander education and
training for your
organisation or group
through the Multicultural
Families Organisation
www.mfo.org.au (it’s
free!).
5. Make Du’a and
Supplications: As one sister
Riffat Gurdezi (who is a
lawyer and all round amazing
woman) has posted online:
“the Prophet ﷺ has left us
some powerful tools for our
protection when venturing
out of the house through dua,
adkhaars ie morning and
evening supplications, plus
ahadith on ayah and dhikr to
read post salaat for
protection- once said one
should have trust that they
have sought the legislated
means of protection so
Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ
تَعَالَى will
protect إن شاء الله
Hisnulmuslim : Chapter 11 -
Upon entering / when leaving
the home
Hisnulmuslim : Chapter 27 -
In the morning and evening
She also suggests to purify
your intention why and who
your covering for alone
سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى and
know and trust that He will
protect you.
6. If you are caught in this
situation, be kind to
yourself. It is normal to be
caught off guard and not
know what to say. Knowing
what to say on the spot is
pretty rare. One sister
said, if someone yells out
“Allahu Akbar” at her while
she is walking in the
street, she replies “Indeed
that is worthy praise!”
Another sister Princess
Lakshman has said, ‘reframe
your response’ through the
lense of compassion...
7. Get to know why
Australian Muslims are
pushing to outlaw incitement
to hatred and violence.
Currently we have no
protection, so our
communities are easy targets
for racist and far-right
extremist movements.
Insha’Allah Religious
Discrimination Bill is a
major opportunity. For more
information, head to
www.aman.net.au
Sister Rita Jabri
Markwell is an
advocate with the
Australian Muslim
Advocacy Network, a
specialist political
advocacy and policy
development body now
working at the
national level. She can be
reached at
advocacy@aman.net.au
Quotes “’Sternness’ with
disbelievers refers to
remaining firm on one’s
religion, not that one is
harsh or hard in one’s
relations; nor that one
upholds anything but
excellence in dealings…
Never did the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him
peace) ever frown at anyone,
nor insult, nor revile
anyone…even his enemies.”
“Be true in your
relationship with the
Sovereign Creator, for He is
the greatest one with whom
you could relate in all your
affairs and states. Know
that He cares for those who
turn to Him; relieves
difficulties for them; is
there for them in every
circumstance, condition and
change; and He shelters them
in His Mercy, Grace, Pardon
and Forgiveness.”
Statistics
15 – is the age at which he
started teaching and doing
da’wah.
1993 CE – is the year Dar
Al‑Mustafa was founded.
Grand
AHabib Umar bin Hafiz
Director of Dar Al Mustafa,
Tarim, Yemen
Habib Umar bin Hafiz is well
known for his Prophet- ic
lineage and status as one of
the most influential
religious scholars alive
today. His influence through
scholarship and preaching is
vast in the Middle East,
Indonesia and East Africa
especially. He is also in-
credibly influential through
his leadership of the Ba
Alawi Sufi movement. He has
been touring South East
Asia, the Indian
subcontinent, Europe and the
US regularly in the past few
years in response to his
growing following there.
Influence Study: Habib Umar
received all his early
education in the city of his
birth, Tarim, at the hands
of his fa- ther, the Mufti
of Tarim and other revered
scholars. In 1981, the
situation became untenable
for him to stay in South
Yemen due to the communist
regime and so Habib Umar
migrated to the city of Al-Bayda
in North Yemen where he
continued his studies.
Cultivation of
Scholarship: Habib Umar
founded and runs Dar
Al-Mustafa, a centre for
traditional Islamic
scholarship that currently
hosts an array of
international students, in
Tarim, Yemen. Many of the
graduates have gone on to
become leading figures
worldwide. He has joined the
ranks of the world’s leading
Muslim academics and
scholars as a signatory of
‘A Common Word Between Us
and You’, a docu- ment that
builds bridges between the
Muslims and Christians. He
has also spoken at Cambridge
Univer- sity on the need for
such a dialogue. He has
authored several books, such
as Al-Dhakirah Al-Musharrafah,
which is a summary of
obligatory knowledge for
every Muslim, three short
hadith compilations and a
summary of the third quarter
of Imam Al-Ghaza- li’s Ihya’
`Ulum Al-Din. His mawlid
compositions, Al-Diya’ Al-Lami’and
Al-Sharab Al-Tahurare, are
re- cited in gatherings
throughout the world.
Da’wa and Humanitarian
Efforts: Habib Umar is
noted for his da’wah
efforts, with significant
visits to the USA and
Europe. He has also
partnered with Muslim Aid
Australia as founder of
Yemen-based NGO Al Rafah
Charitable Society to
address issues of poverty
and hunger and lack of
sufficient health care that
affect areas of Tarim. His
students, most notably Habib
`Ali Al-Jifri (see page 77)
who estab- lished the Tabah
Foundation and Habib Kadhim
Al- Saqqaf, are luminaries
in their own right. He has a
substantial following on
social media, via Muwasala,
an organisation founded by
his students to “promote the
scholarly teachings of the
blessed tradition of
Hadramawt.”
Ba Alawi Tariqah: The
Ba Alawi have been centred
in the region of Hadramaut,
Yemen, for over a thou- sand
years. They have produced
outstanding figures of
scholarship and piety and
are well known for their
missionary work,
particularly in Malaysia and
In- donesia. The Tariqah has
now spread to all parts of
the world and is famous for
using the Ihya of Imam
Ghazali as a basis of their
teachings.
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.
ANZAC MUSLIMS IN
WORLD WAR II
....continued from last
week's CCN.....
Billy Bonsop was an
Australian-born Malay from
Brisbane whose people lived
in Singapore. Billy was a
British subject of Muslim
faith. His brother and two
cousins were enlisted in the
AIF and on his 25th birthday
he joined. He regarded his
military uniform as his best
birthday present –“I’m
mighty proud of my uniform,”
he said. He was a strapper
in a Brisbane racing stable.
A keen horseman and noted
rough-rider, Bonsop was at
first rejected from the AIF
because of “nationality
difficulties.” However, he
persisted and became a
“dinkum digger.”102 Private
William Bonsop, service
number QX26806, served in
2/6th Australian Infantry
Battalion and sacrificed his
life in 1943 in New Guinea.
Lance Sergeant Bin Shalid
Ma’aruff was born into a
Muslim family in 1923 in Ulu
Klang, near Kuala Lumpur. He
gained experience as a crew
member on lugger fishing
boats. He came to Australia
as a young man to work as a
pearl diver in and around
Perth as well as finding
work in the Fremantle fish
markets. In June 1942, bin
Shalid enrolled for service
in a labour company in
Perth. From mid-1943, he
began his service in the 8th
Brigade as an instructor in
the Malay language.
His work was so valued that
in 1944 he was allowed to
enlist in the AIF. Bin
Shalid continued to excel in
his role with the army, and
in August 1944 was seconded
to Z Special Unit, a joint
Allied unit that had been
formed to operate behind
enemy lines in the Pacific
and South-east Asia. The
newly promoted Corporal bin
Shalid was fully transferred
to this unit a month later,
and soon incorporated into
operations.
In March 1945, he
successfully completed a
parachute course and was
promoted to lance sergeant
in preparation for a secret
operation in Borneo. Bin
Shalid was a member of a
small party that was to land
in the Mount Mentawir area,
north of Balikpapan. He died
weeks short of his 22nd
birthday. His name is listed
on the Roll of Honour. One
of his brothers-in-arms in Z
Force was Corporal Abu
Kassan.
Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, center,
waves as Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) President Amit Shah, left,
looks on during a public meeting
in Ahmedabad, May 26, 2019.
While protest
reverberates on
the streets of
Chile,
Catalonia,
Britain, France,
Iraq, Lebanon,
and Hong Kong,
and a new
generation rages
against what has
been done to
their planet, I
hope you will
forgive me for
speaking about a
place where the
street has been
taken over by
something quite
different. There
was a time when
dissent was
India’s best
export. But now,
even as protest
swells in the
West, our great
anti-capitalist
and
anti-imperialist
movements for
social and
environmental
justice—the
marches against
big dams,
against the
privatization
and plunder of
our rivers and
forests, against
mass
displacement and
the alienation
of indigenous
peoples’
homelands—have
largely fallen
silent. On
September 17
this year, Prime
Minister
Narendra Modi
gifted himself
the
filled-to-the-brim
reservoir of the
Sardar Sarovar
Dam on the
Narmada River
for his 69th
birthday, while
thousands of
villagers who
had fought that
dam for more
than 30 years
watched their
homes disappear
under the rising
water. It was a
moment of great
symbolism.
In India today,
a shadow world
is creeping up
on us in broad
daylight. It is
becoming more
and more
difficult to
communicate the
scale of the
crisis even to
ourselves. An
accurate
description runs
the risk of
sounding like
hyperbole. And
so, for the sake
of credibility
and good
manners, we
groom the
creature that
has sunk its
teeth into us—we
comb out its
hair and wipe
its dripping jaw
to make it more
personable in
polite company.
India isn’t by
any means the
worst, or most
dangerous, place
in the world—at
least not
yet—but perhaps
the divergence
between what it
could have been
and what it has
become makes it
the most tragic.
Right now, 7
million people
in the valley of
Kashmir,
overwhelming
numbers of whom
do not wish to
be citizens of
India and have
fought for
decades for
their right to
self-determination,
are locked down
under a digital
siege and the
densest military
occupation in
the world.
Simultaneously,
in the eastern
state of Assam,
almost two
million people
who long to
belong to India
have found their
names missing
from the
National
Register of
Citizens (NRC),
and risk being
declared
stateless. The
Indian
government has
announced its
intention of
extending the
NRC to the rest
of India.
Legislation is
on its way. This
could lead to
the manufacture
of statelessness
on a scale
previously
unknown.
Every time is
the right time
for job
searching. As
per my data
collection, the
number of jobs
posted in each
month is
dependent not
only on
Employers but
also on various
factors like,
financial year,
holidays and
type of
business. To get
the best results
you must be
aware of these
seasons before
applying to get
the maximum
response. Check
out these month
wise break down
for your quick
searching…..
Sep –
Nov: You have
definitely
noticed a big
jump in the
number of jobs
from service
sector, like age
care, security,
hospitality and
retail business.
You can find it
easier to get
jobs for Airport
security with
only Cert I
qualification,
Post office jobs
to cover
Christmas season
for 6 months or
Education sector
are also
recruiting new
staff for the
next academic
session.
Dec: Now the
number of jobs
are really less
as compared to
any other time
of the year.
There will be a
few jobs to fill
emergency staff
from the service
sector and
hospitality. The
Corporate sector
is less likely
to be looking
for professional
staff. However,
if you can see
some job
openings then
this is the best
time to apply as
the competition
is less as most
people are
enjoying holiday
season. Many
professional
organisations
usually
advertise in
this period to
fill position
for early next
year.
Jan - Feb:
You are
noticing many
new
opportunities
have been
advertised, as
everyone is back
from holidays or
it’s a start of
a new financial
year for some
businesses.
Budget and
resources are
available to
full staff
members to meet
business
targets. Good
time to apply
for all type of
jobs, especially
full time and
long term jobs.
Mar – Apr:
Job
advertisement
are going down,
so is your
opportunity of
finding a better
option. but you
can still apply
in ever green
industries like,
Aged care,
construction
etc. The
Productivity
Commission
projects the
number of
Australians
receiving aged
care will almost
triple by 2050,
to 3.5 million,
requiring staff
numbers to grow
from 366,000 to
almost one
million.
(Source:
September 13,
2018 in
Community Care
Review).
May - June:
It’s the end of
financial year
with limited
budget but loads
of closing work.
Mostly,
contractual jobs
are in rise for
4-6 months to
meet pending
work
commitments.
Many contractual
work is
available in the
council and
government
sector. There
are also jobs
coming from
University
sector to meet
demands after
semester break.
These statistics
are based on
Australian
market and of
course seasons
as well!!! Like
I have said
earlier, every
time is the
right time for
job hunting,
however taking
advantage of
these up an down
times in the
year can give
you the best
possible chance
in finding your
best match.
Muslim woman praised for
defending Jewish family in
London.
The name of
the Muslim woman who was
seen standing up for a
Jewish family is Asma and in
a statement given to IlmFeed
she said, "...as a Muslim
woman and mother I know what
it's like to be attacked and
dehumanised for my faith and
I couldn't just watch and
see this happen to another
family with young children."
Keeping
Masculinity from Trending
Toxic
Dr. Jonathan Brown
Recap
In our extremely polarized
time, where do Muslims fall
in on conservative or
progressive values,
especially when it comes to
gender roles and masculinity
in particular? Dr. Jonathan
AC Brown discusses where
Islam fits in with modern
issues around gender.
In Norway,
far-right group SIAN held a
Quran burning protest
TRT World
Members of the far-right
group Stop the Islamisation
of Norway (SIAN) held an
anti-Muslim rally where they
attempted to burn a copy of
the Quran.
Mufti Taqi
Usmani urges Muslim nations
to raise issue of Holy
Quran's desecration globally
Renowned religious scholar
Mufti Taqi Usmani
(pictured above) on
Friday urged Muslim nations
to raise at international
level the issue of the
recent desecration of the
Holy Quran in Norway, and
called for the release of
the Muslim man who had tried
to stop the act in the
Scandinavian country.
Mufti Usmani, in a Twitter
post, said that the West,
who lectures the Muslim
fraternity on tolerance, has
reached the nadir of
cowardice by holding rallies
to desecrate the Holy Quran.
The scholar praised Ilyas,
the Muslim man who stopped
the desecration, but
deplored that neither any
media nor any Muslim country
— with the exception of
Turkey — took notice.
Usmani said that that it is
the duty of the Muslim
countries to raise the issue
globally and work to ensure
that Ilyas is freed.
Social media was set ablaze
with praises on Friday for
the "Muslim hero" who
interrupted an anti-Islam
rally to stop another man
from burning a copy of the
Holy Quran in Norway.
A scuffle broke out after
the leader of the 'Stop
Islamisation of Norway
(SIAN)' rally, Lars Thorsen,
tried to burn a copy of the
holy book in the city of
Kristiansand despite
warnings from local police
officials.
In a video on social media,
the 'Muslim hero' could be
seen jumping into the
barricaded circle to save
the holy book from being
desecrated. The rally soon
turned violent, after which
police took Ilyas and
Thorsen into custody.
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.
The Senegalese
Sufi saint who inspired a banking system
based on generosity
Pilgrims
line up
to enter
the tomb
of
Cheikh
Amadou
Bamba,
founder
of the
Mouride
brotherhood,
in Touba.
The best leaders
seek no
followers, no
power, and no
titles. Yet they
attract people
anyway,
precisely
because they
reject
conventions and
have a unique
message. That’s
true of Amadou
Bamba Mbacke, a
Senegalese Sufi
poet, mystic,
and peaceful
resistor who
lived from 1853
to 1927, and is
now celebrated
every July 28 in
New York.
Bamba, as he’s
affectionately
known in Senegal
and beyond, is a
mystic of mythic
proportions. The
lore about the
peaceful warrior
who preached
hard work is
grounded in
history and
steeped in
magic, yet he
continues to
have a very
practical effect
on the millions
of followers of
his Sufi sect,
the Mourides.
They do business
internationally—from
New York to
Paris to
Tokyo—and are
known as
“Islam’s
mystical
entrepreneurs.”
....continued from last
week's CCN.....
Fight the
power
Bamba’s approach
disconcerted the
French colonial
powers. Although
he said he was
for peace, they
didn’t believe
him. In 1889, he
established the
Mouride
Brotherhood in
the city of
Touba—now a holy
site that draws
millions from
within Senegal
and from around
the world in
pilgrimages
every year.
The passion of
his devotees
worried French
authorities. In
1895, under
cover of night,
Bamba was
arrested and
transported to
Dakar via the
new French
railroad, the
laying of which
the king Lat
Dior had
resisted. The
mystic was
exiled to Gabon
and magical
stories about
the Sufi began
circulating in
earnest.
It is said that
on the ship to
Gabon, Bamba lay
out his prayer
mat, which the
captain forbade.
Undeterred,
Bamba tossed the
mat overboard,
prayed on the
ocean floor,
then walked on
water back to
the captain,
saying,
“Whosoever
sought to drown
me, does not
know all
directions are
subdued for me.”
Bamba was held
in a camp in
Libreville.
Tales of the
miracles he
performed got
out—he subdued
hungry lions,
escaped from
fires—though the
mystic himself
remained captive
for seven years
and nine months.
The exile only
worked in his
favor as far as
the people were
concerned—as the
stories spread,
protest over his
incarceration
grew impossible
to ignore. The
French finally
released Bamba,
unable to
withstand the
pressure, and he
returned to
Senegal a hero.
For this reason,
Bamba was kept
under watch. His
followers
weren’t fighters
but a colonial
officer wrote to
his superiors
that their
devotion was
disconcerting.
“They seek light
but I fear it
could lead to
dark times for
the colonies.”
Martial Henri
Merlin, France’s
governor-general
for Senegal,
suspected the
Sufi of secretly
recruiting an
army of ecstatic
Sufi soldiers.
He ordered Bamba
to appear before
him, but the
mystic refused.
Merlin sent
French troops to
search Bamba’s
home for
weapons. They
found nothing.
The mystic sent
Merlin a
telegram,
stating, “Know
O! governor that
my words are in
perfect accord
with my deeds. I
forgive you and
your entourage
and ask you to
not listen to
those who spread
calumny.”
It wasn’t enough
to reassure
Merlin, who
called for
Bamba’s arrest
in 1904. The
Sufi turned
himself in and
was exiled to
Mauritania.
After four
years, he was
released, but in
Senegal he
remained under
house arrest.
Women’s Sports: Dalilah Muhammad named
Female Athlete of the Year
US: American 400m
hurdles world record holder, Dalilah
Muhammad claimed female athlete of the
year at the annual World Athletics
awards ceremony in Monaco on Saturday.
Muhammad, 29, made history this year
taking World Championship 400m hurdles
gold in Doha and breaking the world
record twice. In claiming the world
title, Muhammad revised her own world
record down to 52.16 and was also part
of the gold medal-winning 4x400m
quartet.
The 2016 Rio Olympic Champion, scooped
the prize ahead of Shelly-Ann Fraser
Pryce, Sifan Hasan, Brigid Kosgei and
Yulimar Rojas to become the first 400m
hurdles athlete to win the Female
Athlete of the Year award since Sally
Gunnel in 1993.
MORE UYGHUR HORROR: Harvesting Hundreds of
Thousands of Organs from Mass Murder
CHINA:
Continuing his
reports on the
atrocities in
western China,
CJ Werleman
documents more
of Beijing’s
crimes against
humanity.
A
new report
published in the
journal BMI
Medical Ethics
has revealed
what appears to
be China’s
effort to cover
up its
harvesting of
body parts from
Uyghur Muslim
detainees by
falsifying organ
donation data.
It suggests that
more than 90,000
Muslims and
other political
prisoners are
being executed
each year for
the purpose of
profiting from
the sale of
their live
organs.
“A variety of
evidence points
to what the
authors believe
can only be
plausibly
explained by
systematic
falsification
and manipulation
of official
organ transplant
data-sets in
China,” the
report states.
“Some apparently
non-voluntary
donors also
appear to be
misclassified as
voluntary. This
takes place
alongside
genuine
voluntary organ
transplant
activity, which
is often
incentivised by
large cash
payment.”
The Chinese
Communist Party
(CCP) claims
that the total
number of legal
organ
transplants in
China are
roughly 10,000
per year – but
the authors of
the report are
able to
demonstrate that
the actual
figure is far
greater, falling
somewhere in the
range of 60,000
to 100,000,
using data
obtained from
the country’s
three largest
hospitals.
Whether
negotiating the mind-games of
the Israeli intelligence
services or performing ablutions
in a London bathroom, Mohammad
Chowdhury’s life as a British
Muslim brings daily challenges.
Border Crossings is the story of
Chowdhury’s journey, gripping in
some parts and shame-inducing in
others, as he describes a
lifelong struggle to reconcile
the British, Asian and Muslim
sides of his identity,
constantly dealing with the
mistrust of Westerners alongside
the hypocrisies of his own
community and their
misunderstanding of Islam.
Personal, honest and uniquely
narrated from the perspective of
a man who grew up in South
London, studied at Oxford, and
has worked in 80 countries,
Border Crossings echoes the
stories of thousands of Western
Muslims who since 9/11 have been
subjected to a constant barrage
of questions that obliquely cast
doubt over the very goodness of
their faith. Border Crossings is
the account of a man who cries
when England win the Ashes, yet
screams in the face of racism
and religious bigotry. This
timely book powerfully rejects
today’s emerging narrative that
Muslims can no longer be trusted
as honest citizens of the West.
BOOK EXCERPT
I
was born and raised in
Britain but it wasn’t till I
was in my mid-thirties that
I was referred to as a
Westerner. Surprising you
might say, given that as a
child I spoke English with a
perfectly formed
middle-class accent, at
Oxford University I wrote
compelling essays on the
values of liberal democracy,
and started my career at a
blue-blooded consulting firm
in London that was founded
during the Victorian pomp of
Imperialist Britain. But as
a brown-skinned young man,
in those days acceptance as
being British was a triumph
over the subtle racism of
1980s and 1990s Britain.
Acceptance as a Westerner
wasn’t quite as
straightforward, as this
required being seen as
someone who subscribed to
the dominant local culture
of the white, English middle
class (in my case) –
something which for me as an
observant Muslim of
Bangladeshi ancestry was
near impossible to do.
The fact that I believed in
Western ideals of freedom,
democracy and liberalism
didn’t count for much. No
matter how much I tried I
was never accepted as “one
of us.” At the same time, my
family community didn’t see
me as proper Bengali either,
giving me the cold shoulder
treatment of instead being a
fake Englishman in brown
skin. So there I was, the
subject of an unrewarding,
no-win upbringing of coping
with being the outsider
pretty much all of the time,
stuck between incompatible
worlds, my cultural
relevance not appreciated. A
migration rounding error.
It was an Oxford friend who
described me as the
Westerner, one drizzly
afternoon as we both sat at
a favourite café in
Marylebone, meeting after a
gap of ten years. As we
chatted, I complained that
life for Muslims in Britain
had become difficult post
the 9/11 attacks in New
York. The discussion
simmered quickly to a heated
debate and to put a stop to
it she abruptly told me that
I need to accept Britain as
an open-minded country
underpinned by values that
do more to protect the
spirit of Islam than most
Muslim nations do. This was
two years post 9/11, a time
when suspicion over Muslims
in the West had never been
greater. Almost every month,
one Western country or
another would announce that
an Islamic terrorist attack
had been foiled, or had
taken place. Muslims in the
West were experiencing a
level of isolation and
mistrust they had never felt
before. Within just a few
years from the early 1980s,
the suspicion that Muslims
could not be trusted as
signed up members to the
ideals of Western society
escalated sharply.
All of a sudden Muslims were
profiled as being different
ideologically, singled out
as a group as if they were
the new Cold War
protagonist, a new enemy but
this time within our own
borders. Politically
unacceptable in a free
society to single out a
community due to its ethnic
identity or religious
beliefs, anti-Muslim
suspicion remained a shadowy
and ill-defined phenomenon
and its many examinations
were generally impossible to
counter. Life became a daily
test, littered with
innocently formed questions
that came up in conversation
that repeatedly asked you to
explain your beliefs and
justify your actions, and
frequent stoppages by the
police or passport
officials. And then there
were the glances of
passers-by, conveying
oblique, unspoken looks of
suspicion often experienced
in public places such as on
trains or buses or in
airports. By the early
2000s, picking on Muslims
had gained acceptance in
many quarters of society,
including in the press, in
matters of national security
or even in Parliamentary
debate.
Even though racial prejudice
remained in society, in a
country as generally liberal
as the UK it carried a
guilty conscience with it.
But the pillorying of Islam
and its followers became all
but legitimized in many
Western countries, helped
along by some of its leading
thinkers and writers, and
encouraged by many
influential leaders. Some
commentators began to draw
parallels between how
Muslims were being grouped
to how Germany began to
classify Jews in the 1930s.
KB says:
You’ve had these before right? If you haven’t,
salad rolls (also known as Vietnamese spring
rolls) are basically the uncooked version or
flash-fried spring rolls. They’re fresh, loaded
with vegetables, sometimes shrimp, and I’ve even
had them with slices of mango inside, amazing.
Rice Paper Salad Rolls
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Lettuce shredded
Red pepper cut
into strips
Green pepper cut into strips
Carrots julienne
Cucumber julienne
Purple cabbage finely shredded
Handful coriander chopped
Feta cheese
Pickled ginger
Rice Paper
Asian Dressing
Ľ cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soya sauce
˝ tsp Sesame oil
1 tsp honey or to taste
Pinch chilli flakes
Thumb size ginger peeled
Mix together
salad ingredients except the feta and pickled ginger
Fill a little
shallow bowl with water
Dip rice
paper in water
Place onto a
board
Place salad
ingredients alongside the top end
Top with feta
and pickled ginger
Firmly roll
up and cut into two slices
Place cut
side up
Serve with
Asian dressing (see below)
Asian Dressing
Blitz
dressing ingredients until smooth
Adjust
seasoning to taste
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.
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:
Do I Stay Or
Leave?
Thinking back to
that Mother’s Day
afternoon in 2011, I
don’t exactly
remember whether it
was the electric
cord that he
strangled me with
that triggered the
warrior in me or the
one solid punch on
my head where I was
housing a golf-ball
sized brain tumor.
What I do recall
vividly is when I
saw my tiny
seven-year-old
daughter from the
corner of my eye,
shivering with fear
and screaming at the
top of her lungs
“Papa, let her go,
please, let her go!”
was when the moment
of truth hit me like
a ton of
bricks...Was this
the legacy I was
leaving behind for
my daughter? This
was not about her
father being violent
to her mother...this
was about her
parents mentally
torturing her,
abusing her in a way
that may never heal.
Astaghfirullah.
Being in a toxic
relationship brings
about death. Death
to peace, love,
light, joy and
abundance. It slowly
sucks life out of
you until you start
mirroring toxicity
in your thoughts,
words and deeds. Not
all toxic
relationships are
physically violent.
Emotional torture,
insults,
money-control,
spying (hacking into
social media
accounts, or
checking phone
messages), constant
accusations are some
of many signs of a
toxic relationship.
What happened in
2011 to me was not a
one-off incident. It
started when I began
dating him back in
2001. All these
little things and
signs that I chose
to dismiss because a
part of me convinced
me of two things;
one, that I deserved
them - taking blame,
making excuses for
his violence. And
two, that I could
change him if I
tried harder. These
two reasons were a
clear indication
that I lacked
self-worth,
self-respect,
self-love,
self-compassion and
gratitude to ALLAH
for the beautiful
life that HE had
blessed me with
where instead of
choosing love,
light, peace and
joy, I was choosing
toxicity and
perpetuating it
further. When
motherhood happened,
the excuse to stay
became even more
ridiculous: I’m
staying because my
child needs a
complete family, she
needs both parents.
It’s not fun sharing
this truth with my
readers. However,
self-transformation
is only possible
when there is
self-reflection and
awareness of
patterns of
thinking.
Self-sabotaging
thought patterns
that trap you into
staying on in toxic
relationships
(marriages,
friendships and
business
partnerships) only
bring about
darkness, ill
health, resentment
and fear.
Before you know it,
you become addicted
to this toxicity and
fear propels you to
find excuses to
remain stuck in this
stagnant existence.
ALLAH created you to
live your life to
your full potential
and worship HIM. How
can you do that if
you are stuck in
existing in such
toxicity?
Know the
difference between
merely existing and
actually living.
Where are you in
your life right now?
How do you feel
about your growth?
How is your
relationship helping
you grow? Is it
helping you grow? If
not, why not? So, Stay Or
Leave?
No one can make you
leave. You need to
decide that for
yourself. People
sometimes say things
like, “If it’s that
bad, just leave.”
Well, it’s not that
simple...because you
need to understand
that in order to
leave a toxic
relationship, you
need to first and
foremost become
aware that you are
in fact choosing to
remain in the
toxicity.
Choice is the
most fundamental and
crucial part of
decision-making.
You can CHOOSE to:
• Fight and
argue daily OR
be in a
peaceful,
soulful
companionship
• Fear being
yourself OR feel
the freedom to
be who you are
and live your
purpose
• Feel useless,
hopeless,
anxious and
depressed OR
feel positive,
light, loving
and joyful
• Cry alone and
blame others or
self OR cry it
out to a trusted
professional to
guide you
• Retaliate with
violence and
aggression OR
realise your
self-worth and
rise above these
toxic
behavioural
choices
• Continue
making excuses
for this toxic
situation OR
take action to
do something to
change your life
for the better
• Continue being
ignorant about
your rights OR
find the right
people to help
you understand
your rights
• Remain in this
prison till you
die OR walk out
of this prison
NOW because you
actually can.
If you wish to know
about a specific
topic with regards
to Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please text or email
me. If you wish to
have a FREE one hour
Finding Clarity
telephone session,
contact me on
0451977786
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.
Warmer months are
here and everyone tends to slow down or head off
on family get-aways this time of the year.
Make sure you keep your fitness momentum going
throughout. Don’t stop to start again in 2020,
keep going and achieve even greater results.
Try soft-sand running or volleyball if you’re
close to the beach, or head out on a hike;
otherwise backyard cricket / soccer or a short
stint on the trampoline with the kids. Active
family time is a great way to get the kids off
the couch or away from their devices while
allowing for some bonding time.
Exercise is key so be sure to make it a
priority. N-JOY!
To the
righteous [when] it is said,
"What is it that your Lord
has revealed?" They say,
"All that is good." To those
who do good, there is good
in the world, and the Home
of the Hereafter is even
better and excellent indeed
is the Home of the
righteous.
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!
1. All Islamic Event dates given above are supplied by
the Council of Imams QLD (CIQ) and are provided as a guide and are
tentative and subject to the sighting of the moon.
2. The Islamic date changes to the next day starting in
the evenings after maghrib. Therefore, exceptfor Lailatul
Mehraj,
Lailatul Bhahraat
and
Lailatul Qadr - these dates refer to the commencement of the event
starting in the evening of the corresponding day.
HikmahWay offers online and
in-person Islamic courses to
equip Muslims of today with
the knowledge, understanding
and wisdom to lead balanced,
wholesome and beneficial
lives.
Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the CCN Team, its Editor or its
Sponsors, particularly if they eventually turn out to be
libellous, unfounded, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive,
slanderous and/or downright distasteful.
It is the usual policy of CCN to
include from time to time, notices of events that some
readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are
often posted as received. Including such messages or
providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement of the contents of these events by CCN
The best ideas
and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
have a topic or opinion that you want to write about or want
seen covered or any news item that you think might be of benefit
to the Crescents Community please
e-mail us..
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
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The Senegalese
Sufi saint who inspired a banking system
based on generosity
I
was born and raised in
Britain but it wasn’t till I
was in my mid-thirties that
I was referred to as a
Westerner. Surprising you
might say, given that as a
child I spoke English with a
perfectly formed
middle-class accent, at
Oxford University I wrote
compelling essays on the
values of liberal democracy,
and started my career at a
blue-blooded consulting firm
in London that was founded
during the Victorian pomp of
Imperialist Britain. But as
a brown-skinned young man,
in those days acceptance as
being British was a triumph
over the subtle racism of
1980s and 1990s Britain.
Acceptance as a Westerner
wasn’t quite as
straightforward, as this
required being seen as
someone who subscribed to
the dominant local culture
of the white, English middle
class (in my case) –
something which for me as an
observant Muslim of
Bangladeshi ancestry was
near impossible to do.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011