Joyce Rane
(seated middle) on her 80th
birthday with her family
a decade
ago
Aunty Joyce Rane is the
oldest living member of the
Australian born Muslims in
Brisbane and possibly in
Queensland and is one of our
first reverts.
She married Haji Abdul
Raheem Rane at a young age
and supported him throughout
his long life. He taught her
his religion and in his
journey along the path of
becoming Imam of the first
mosque on the east Coast of
Australia, she was happy to
join all the challenges he
faced along the way.
She was happy to be in the
background, helping raise
their eleven children while
he was learning his religion
from books, his father and
Imam Imamovic who came from
Bosnia and other visiting
religious leaders.
She was happy for him to
spend time away from the
family, doing social work,
such as visiting the sick,
performing marriages,
organising funerals, helping
the poor etc as well as
leading Jumma and other
prayers at the mosque.
It was a struggle surviving
on his meagre salary from
part time work as a security
guard for the. Bank of New
South Wales with so many
children to support. With
thanks to Allah, they
managed to survive and to
enable him to be an honorary
Imam for thirty years. The
family managed to live
without luxuries and follow
the path of Islam walked
through by their role model
father.
Joyce was happy to have her
sons help their father with
his social work and she was
the role model also for her
daughters.
On weekends, when the
community visited the mosque
for functions in the early
years,Joyce Rane, Eunice
Deen, Rosie Bell and Emma
khan were the first group of
women to clean up the
kitchen after functions and
clean the mosque. They
worked harmoniously together
and enjoyed great friendship
over the years.
It was a chance to get out
of the house and meet the
small tight knit Muslim
community.
As the family grew up, Joyce
was happy to share their
milestones when dad was
absent on community work and
always supported the family
in any way possible. The
children all married within
the Muslim Community and
Haji Rane conducted many of
their marriage services as
he was the first registered
Muslim marriage celebrant
registered in 1968.. Before
that Muslims had to have two
services as Islam was not
registered for marriage
services.
The sons ensured their
father made the Pilgrimage
to Mecca to fulfil his
lifelong wish.
All the Rane children
respected both parents and
visited regularly when Haji
Rane retired from the role
of Imam. He never gave up
his social work until his
health forced him to.
Joyce was always there to
support him. She was a
devoted wife and mother.
She shared the pain of
watching him succumb to
Cancer, caring for him at
home as long as she could.
After his death Joyce moved
around her family, spending
time with whoever invited
her to stay. The family made
sure she was not alone and
well cared for.
Now Joyce is facing her own
struggle with poor health
and it is the prayers of the
Muslim Ummah that will help
her on the journey everyone
must make at the end of
life.
Members of the community
gathered yesterday
(Saturday) morning at Kuraby
Masjid to perform Salatul
Istisqa.
Imam Ahmed Nafaa reminded
his congregation that they
had a communal obligation to
turn to Allah at all times,
especially now when the
country was being ravaged by
drought and bushfires.
Salatul Istisqa is
essentially a form of self
reflection best
summarised by Br.
Mohamed Hoblos
If the drought continues,
the Mosque will be
performing Salatul
Istisqa again in the
future.
The organizers of the
Humanitarian Aid and Relief
Inc held a fund raising
dinner at the Australian
International Islamic
College (AIIC) hall on 7
December.
On 7th December 2019,
Academy Alive hosted a gala
event like no other to
celebrate the success of
their students who had
completed the Quran Alive,
Quran Translation Course.
To honour the students’
achievement of completing
the translation of the
entire Quran, five of the
countries esteemed scholars
were invited; Sheikh Shady
Alsuleiman (Sydney and
President of ANIC and UMA),
Sheikh Abu Hamza
(Melbourne), Sheikh Adama
Konda (Canberra), Sheikh
Burhan Mehtar (Perth), and
Sheikh Akram Buksh
(Brisbane).
The invited scholars
honoured the students by
handing out their trophies,
plaques, and certificates.
Then the scholars sat down
for a discussion panel, to
showcase their personal
journeys and sacrifices they
have made as scholars to be
influential figures of their
communities.
No event would be complete
without a photo op, so the
Brisbane Convention Centre
foyer was set up for the
finger ready attendees to
take a snap or selfie of
some of the sets from the
Academy Studio ; Real Talk
Podcast, Tifl TV, Imam’s
Corner, Academy Alive
publications; and a media
wall decked out with a red
carpet.
Allah SWT then blessed
Academy Alive Studios on the
10th of December with the
presence of Mufti Menk, a
surprise but very welcome
visit. If a visit and photo
op were not enough to put a
smile on
the staff’s faces, Mufti
Menk agreed to sit in for a
Real Talk podcast as well.
We will have to wait for the
release of the podcast stay
tuned for further details inShaAllah.
The Academy Alive team would
like to thank all community
members and sponsors.........
Over the weekend Real Talk
Podcast had the opportunity
to catch up for a podcast
with Sheikh Adama Konda,
Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman and
Mufti Ismail Menk.
Stay tuned for the release
dates.
Hajji Hussin Goss and Adrian
got to chat with one of the
founding family members in
Brisbane and discuss, the
humble and historical
beginnings of Islam in
Brisbane with Hajji
Shamsuddin Rane.
Senator
assists delivery of the
first 1,000,000lt of potable
water to Stanthorpe.
Senator Paul Scarr LNP
Queensland accompanied
George Deen to assist with
the delivery of the first 1
million (1,000,000lt) of
potable water delivered by
George the President of
Rotary Club of Archerfield.
George Deen owns and
operates prime movers in
Brisbane and was made aware
of the desperate plight of
so many residents living on
acreage blocks on the
outskirts of the township of
Stanthorpe who had run out
of water. George decide to
secure a water tanker and
after approaching the owner
of a suitable water tanker
that was for sale, was
pleasantly surprised when
the owner elected to lease
the trailer to the Rotary
Club for no fee providing
the club maintained the
Registration and insurance.
This cost was donated by Mr
Ray Deen who has also been a
member of the Rotary Club of
Archerfield for the past 30
years.
After the
first few loads of stock
water was delivered to
residents living on acreage
on the outskirts of
Stanthorpe it became obvious
to George that the demand
for potable water was not
being met – so the decision
was made to have the tanker
cleaned - sanitised – then
Certified to carry potable
water.
Queensland LNP Senator Paul
Scarr donated $1,000 to
Archerfield Rotary Club to
offset the expense to
sanitise the 24,000lt water
tanker in order to deliver
potable water.
Although George commenced
delivering the water at his
personal expense, further
funds to cover the cost of
the water and diesel fuel
has been donated by club
members and many of our
loyal supporters from the
industrial community in the
Acacia Ridge – Rocklea –
Wacol area.
This aid has
been embraced with open arms
by Stanthorpe locals who are
on the dire brink of running
out of water over the
approaching summer. The town
fears this to occur as early
as December or January in
what rural Queensland
communities are regarding as
its worst bone-dry drought
in living memory.
The parched landscape has
devastated the state of
Queensland. Not only has it
created a downturn in the
local economy but has also
ravaged its ecosystem as
well.
Images of the water delivery
has gone viral on social
media, as stunned locals
expressed their gratitude
for the truck loads of water
rolling into the town.
At a dinner event on Friday
evening 6th December Rotary
President George presented a
Certificate of Appreciation
to the Senator and invited
Paul to accompany him in the
semi-trailer the following
morning Saturday 7th
December to take the load
from Brisbane, representing
the first 1,000,000lt of
potable water delivered to
Stanthorpe.
Although there has been some
light relief with some rain
falling this week –
President George has his
water tanker loaded ready
for the next delivery,
because he realises it will
be some time before life is
back to normal for the
residents in the Stanthorpe
region.
Senator Paul
Scarr: I travelled out to
Stanthorpe today in aid of
Granite Belt Water Relief.
This amazing organisation
has transported over 170,000
litres of water to the
South-West today alone, with
the help of people like
George Deen and many other
volunteers and companies.
They have been making
regular loads which have
been of great assistance to
those experiencing really
tough drought conditions.
Here I am pictured with
George Deen and volunteers,
Maranoa federal member and
Minister for Water Resources
- David Littleproud MP, Cr
Vic Pennisi, and Brad
Carswell.
Senator Paul Scarr, George Deen,
Ray Deen at Rotary Certificate
presentation
Channel 9's Today program
took viewers on a look
inside the largest Islamic
youth centre in Australia,
as Sheikh Shady reveals
plans for a new mosque and
Islamic university in
Sydney's west.
Mariam's
serious car accident led her to
engage with Muslim attitudes to
death.
"I collided head on with a
truck, the car caught on
fire. It was a huge
emergency operation," says
Mariam Ardati.
It was one of those car
accidents "you think nobody
could have survived."
When she crawled out of the
wreckage of her car, Mariam
was amazed to see that she
didn't have a single scratch
on her.
As a body builder, Mariam
had considered herself
invincible at the time — at
the peak of her fitness.
The close brush with death
turned her thoughts to what
would have happened to her
body under Islamic tradition
if she had in fact, died.
"I walked away thinking,
'where would I have been
buried? What would have
happened to all my things?'"
After recovering from the
trauma of the accident,
Mariam says she walked into
a funeral parlour and said,
"teach me, show me what
happens when someone dies".
The experience prompted a
spiritual journey to
reconnect with the Sunni
Muslim faith she had grown
up with.
"I was largely self-centred
up until that accident
happened," she told RN's
Soul Search, "and it helped
me find purpose and
meaning."
For the last 15 years she
has helped other people in
the Muslim community through
the transition from life
into death — as a doula.
Mariam supports the dying
and their families in the
lead up to death, then leads
the ritual care for the body
of the deceased.
Anyone
can take part in death care
Mariam says women have
always performed the final
rites for other women.
She wants people to know
that there is a range of
jobs that family members can
do to assist after their
loved one has passed away.
Supporting the head, washing
the body and brushing the
hair are all meaningful ways
to care for the deceased.
Mariam describes how she
bathes a body an odd number
of times, starting with
three.
"The first wash is done with
soapy water. The second is
with clean fresh water. And
the third is water that's
poured over the body that's
been infused with camphor."
Then family members will
wrap their loved one in a
death shroud that has been
perfumed with incense.
"This is afforded to every
Muslim that passes away,"
she says.
Mariam recalls a woman she
worked with who didn't think
she could enter the room
where her mother's body was
undergoing the ritual
washing.
"She stood at the door of
the mortuary and said, 'I
don't think I can do this,
this is just too much for
me'."
Mariam reassured her that
she could just watch.
The woman saw the water
running, saw Mariam stroking
her mum's hair and talking
to her, offering prayers.
By the end of the whole
process, the woman had taken
over.
"I took a step back and
watched her — with a lot of
tears and a lot of emotion —
go through each ritual in
its entirety."
Mariam says seeing a
daughter perform these last
rites for her mother "as
she's working through her
emotions and coming to terms
with her grief is such a
powerful thing to witness".
She recalls many women who
say, "I'm so grateful for
the fact that I was able to
honour my mother in that
way," or "I was able to hold
my sister one last time".
The 'very human touch' of
burial
Muslim burial rituals have a
"very human touch", says
Professor Mohamad Abdalla,
referring to the practice of
men going down into a grave
to lower a body in with
their hands, sans coffin.
Mohamad is the director of
the Centre for Islamic
Thought and Education at the
University of South
Australia.
He explains that the body is
positioned with the head
facing Mecca, the
traditional direction of
prayer.
"With the soil of the grave
they make a small pillow to
lay his or her head,"
Mohamad says.
Three quarters of the way up
the grave, small edges are
carved out to hold several
planks of wood.
"The soil is poured over the
planks of wood, not touching
the body of the deceased,
essentially leaving about
half a metre ... for the
circulation of air for
natural decomposition."
Muslim death ritual requires
the body be buried as
quickly as possible, which
can be difficult in the
event of a sudden death.
"It's an honour to bury the
deceased within 24 hours,"
Mariam says.
She's referring to the
belief that after death, the
soul ascends and is given
"the glad tidings of
heaven".
When the two are reunited in
burial, the soul shares that
news with the body,
remaining connected
throughout the process.
Organ donation and autopsies
can complicate the ritual
and throw timing off.
"We do exercise our rights
to object to an invasive
post-mortem, as do other
faiths and communities,"
Mariam explains.
"We believe that process is
an undignified act."
However, there are
alternatives for Muslims,
for instance in the case of
an unexplained or suspicious
death, explains Mohamad.
"In the classical Islamic
civilisation, autopsy was
undertaken to understand the
human body and blood
circulation."
Beyond autopsy, medical
procedures after death are
technically allowed, because
preservation of life is one
of the most important
objectives of Islamic law,
Mohamad says.
He explains that as long as
the donor or their family
consents voluntarily, organs
are not sold, and the organs
are healthy, it is a highly
virtuous act.
"But the minority viewpoint
says a person has no right
to dispose of their body as
they wish, because it is a
trust from God," he says.
Much of Mariam's energy is
directed to increasing death
literacy in the community —
helping people become
accustomed to the idea of
dying.
She encourages the same open
approach at home with her
own children, in a
"mother-daughter bonding
exercise".
"I have cut my own [death]
shroud, and I had my
daughter by my side with the
measuring tape saying, 'No
mum, that's too short, we
need to make it longer this
way'."
'Five before five'
Mariam sees her job as an
opportunity to serve God
through caring for other
people.
"When you're living the life
of a Muslim, you're living
between two states," she
explains.
One of those refers to
"fearing retribution or the
accountability of your
sins", and the other is
"believing in the hope and
mercy of God"
Mariam says she looks for
the balance between the two.
It's a sense of purpose that
leads to an understanding
that "your actions have
consequences, and that
you're part of a larger
social context".
A Muslim is encouraged "to
take advantage of what's
known as the five before
five," she explains.
"Your health before
sickness, your life before
you're overcome with death,
your free time before you
become busy, your youth
before your old age and your
wealth before you become
poor."
Mariam says Muslims'
relationship with God is
"underpinned by the
understanding that God is
the provider of infinite
love, compassion and mercy".
But for a person to earn
that favour, she or he must
live a life that's conducive
to those values.
In death, Mariam sees our
final transition as a deeply
communal responsibility, one
that she is humbled to be
part of.
She says she's glad her own
encounter with a near-fatal
accident showed her that she
wasn't invincible.
Rather, it gave her a sense
of purpose and meaning.
"I didn't find that in the
world of the living — I
found it in the world of the
dead."
Social media clears posts
even after the Guardian reveals
plot to control at least 21
far-right pages and spread
disinformation
Facebook is telling users
that Islamophobic posts
distributed through a
clandestine network of
far-right pages meet its
“community standards”,
despite revelations they are
being used as part of a
coordinated scheme profiting
from hate and
disinformation.
The Guardian revealed on
Friday that an Israel-based
group had gained access to
at least 21 far-right
Facebook pages with vast
followings across the
western world.
The 21 pages were used to
coordinate the distribution
of more than a thousand
“news” posts each week to
more than 1m followers,
spreading disinformation and
hate targeting Muslims,
promoting far-right
politicians and vilifying
prominent Muslim
politicians.
The motive for the operation
appears to be financial. The
Facebook posts funnelled
users to a cluster of
ad-heavy websites, all
controlled by a single
entity.
After being presented with
the Guardian’s findings,
Facebook launched its own
investigation and pulled
down pages and accounts it
says were spamming content
for financial gain. Facebook
said it did not tolerate
hate speech on its platform.
But the Guardian has learned
that, since the original
story was published on
Friday, Facebook has been
telling users that dozens of
the posts distributed
through the network meet its
community standards.
The posts cleared by
Facebook include one on
Australian Facebook page
“Assimilate or Migrate” that
falsely associates the
German chancellor, Angela
Merkel, with the quote “The
killing of Jews by Hezbollah
is not terrorism”. Another
uses an altered image to
depict Merkel with blood
splattered on her hands and
face alongside a story about
Germany’s support for
“pro-Hamas” resolutions at
the United Nations.
A third post distorts news
about child brides in Turkey
to attack Muslims.
The posts were distributed
across the network in a
coordinated way and drive
users back to the cluster of
websites, milking the
traffic for money.
One of Facebook’s core
community standards is
“authenticity”, which
incorporates restrictions on
“spam”, “inauthentic
behaviour”, “false news” and
“misrepresentation”.
But, despite this, Facebook
told the users that the
posts were acceptable. When
asked why the posts were
deemed acceptable, a
spokesman said Facebook’s
investigations into the
Guardian’s revelations were
ongoing.
“We’ve taken action on a
number of pages and
accounts, some of which were
shared by The Guardian
Australia, and we’ll
continue to take action if
we find any further
violations,” he said.
Sonny Bill Williams: 'I had
to step up' after terror attacks
After the Christchurch
terror attacks, Sonny Bill
Williams knew he had to
speak out.
The 34-year-old felt the
responsibility not only
because of his status as an
All Black -- a star of New
Zealand's esteemed rugby
team -- but also as one of
the country's most
recognized Muslims.
Over 50 people were killed
in March after a gunman
opened fire in two mosques
in the city of Christchurch.
The shooter, Australian
citizen Brenton Harrison
Tarrant, was motivated by
anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim
ideology.
"I was hurting, I know
New Zealanders were hurting,
Muslims were hurting, so I
had to step up, I had to get
into that space and be
vulnerable," Williams,
who recently announced he
would be switching from
rugby union to league having
signed for the Toronto
Wolfpack, told CNN Sport's
Alex Thomas.
"Sometimes I didn't know
what I was doing but I knew
that I was trying to be
positive and I think as New
Zealanders we've really led
the way in that space and
talking about the elephant
in the room."
At the time of the attack,
Williams released an
emotional message paying
tribute to the victims,
saying he was "deeply
saddened that this would
happen in New Zealand." He
also visited survivors in
hospital and attended a
prayer meeting near Al Noor
mosque where the attacks
took place.
Williams converted to Islam
in 2008 and says he wouldn't
have achieved as much as he
has as an athlete were it
not for his faith.
"My soul was yearning for
something, I didn't know
what that was," he says,
reflecting on the early days
of his career.
"I was young I was, I guess,
insecure. All I knew was
rugby and rugby league. That
game actually defined who I
was. If I had a good game, I
felt like I was a good
person. If I had a bad game,
I wouldn't want to leave the
house.
"I think that's what Islam
has given me. It's allowed
me to be vulnerable enough
to step into certain
situations and environments
and lead and thrive and put
myself out there."
Pushing positivity
Williams, a two-time Rugby
World Cup winner with the
All Blacks, bowed out of
rugby union after this
year's competition in Japan.
One of the most successful
cross-code athletes in
sport, he's played league,
union and sevens at the
highest level, as well
winning all seven of his
heavyweight boxing fights.
Sonny Bill
Williams and Ofa Tuungafasi say
a prayer following New Zealand's
Rugby World Cup semifinal.
With his move to Toronto to
play in rugby league's
13-a-side format, Williams
is thought to be the sport's
highest-paid athlete having
signed a two-year deal worth
$10 million.
He has regularly featured in
the Muslim 500 -- a list of
the world's most influential
Muslims -- alongside
Liverpool and Egypt forward
Mo Salah, Manchester United
and France midfielder Paul
Pogba and UFC fighter Khabib
Nurmagomedov.
"Over time as I become
more confident in the
person, the man that I am, I
think in today's society
we've been taught to be
embarrassed of Islam, to be
embarrassed because of a few
bad apples that are out
there," said Williams.
"I'm not a politician,
but I just do what I feel is
right and I'm grateful and
blessed that sport has
allowed me to use that
vehicle to push I guess a
bit more positivity out
there into the world."
Williams famously gave away
his Rugby World Cup winners'
medal to a fan who broke
onto the pitch to hug the
center, only to be tackled
to the ground by a steward.
He ended his All Blacks
career with a third-place
finish at this year's World
Cup having scored 13 tries
in 58 appearances.
He now begins preparation
for the new Super League
season, where Toronto
Wolfpack has recently earned
promotion to the league
mainly comprised of English
teams. Toronto's first game
is against Castleford on
February 2.
Nike has launched its first
modest swimwear collection,
complete with waterproof
hijab.
Following in the footsteps
of Nike's Pro Hijab, which
went on sale in 2017, the
Victory Swim range includes
a full-coverage swimsuit,
swim hijab, a tunic top and
leggings.
Both the swimsuit and tunic
feature a built-in sports
bra with perforated cups,
while the hijab has an
integrated mesh pocket that
holds hair in place
throughout underwater
movement.
The designers of the
collection drew inspiration
from athletes such as
Emirati figure skater Zahra
Lari, the first in her sport
to don the hijab in
competition, who said of the
range: "It doesn’t weigh you
down, and it helped me swim
better. It’s so different
than any of the swimsuits
I’ve ever seen, and I know I
can wear this confidently.”
Nike's Creative Director,
Martha Moore, said: “As we
continue broadening our
vision for innovation, we’re
excited to inspire more
women to see themselves in
sport by thinking creatively
and designing inclusively.
To us, Nike Victory Swim
Collection shows the power
of innovation to invite all
women to discover the joy of
sport.”
HANGING on the kitchen wall
inside Mesut Ozil’s
multi-million pound North
London house is a framed
letter from his beloved mum.
Mrs Gulizar Ozil hung it
there herself shortly after
he signed for Arsenal from
Real Madrid for Ł42.5million
six years ago.
It reads: “Mesut, don’t
forget, in life you are a
guest in this world, like
all of us.
“God gifted you with a
certain talent but he didn’t
give you this just to take
care of yourself.
“If you don’t share your
wealth with people who are
in need then you are not my
son.
It explains why the Gunners’
Ł350,000-a-week Muslim
superstar is on a personal
crusade to help the world’s
starving, sick and homeless.
In an exclusive SunSport
interview, his trusted
German super-agent, lawyer
and teacher, Dr Erkut Sogut,
lifts the lid on the secret
life of one of the world’s
richest footballers.
On his wedding day to former
Miss Turkey, Amine Gulse,
last summer, Ozil promised
to finance 1,000 operations
for needy kids across the
globe.
“Then, during last year’s
World Cup, he told me ‘I
want to do this bigger.
Let’s change the lives of
1,000 kids, let’s do 1,000
operations’.
“I said ‘This will cost you
millions’. But he replied
‘If I don’t share my money
now, when will I? And with
whom?’
“Mesut came from a very poor
background, with his mum
doing two cleaning jobs a
day. He knows what it means
not to have anything.
“And he said ‘Look, Erkut, I
earn so much, I can’t spend
it all on myself, so I can
give much more’.”
Ozil admitted: “As a
footballer I am fortunate
and in a privileged
position. Amine and I will
bear the expenses for
surgeries of 1,000 children
in need.”
His wedding day gift also
included feeding an
astonishing 100,000 homeless
people at 16 refugee camps
and shelters in Turkey and
Syria.
Ozil, 31, paid for the
meals, Sogut organised the
massive take-away operation
and the Red Cross delivered
the grub to the sites.
Sogut, 39, added: “Mesut
told me, ‘This is my wedding
present to the world. Today,
the food is on me’.
“It cost Mesut a huge amount
of money that day. But it
was something he was very
passionate about.”
Ozil had previously donated
his 2014 World Cup winnings
— about Ł240,000 — to fund
surgery for 23 sick
Brazilian children in
conjunction with the BigShoe
charity.
Sogut has a prized video of
some of the hungry in the
Turkish capital, Ankara,
sending Ozil heartfelt
thank-you messages. He then
revealed the contents of Mrs
Ozil’s letter which has
inspired his charity
missions.
Last month the agent flew to
Ozil’s parents’ Turkish
birthplace, Devrek, where
the Arsenal No 10 is
building a five-storey
football academy for the
town.
Ozil is also working with
children’s charity Rays of
Sunshine and a Barnet
hospice, while five of the
15 seats in his Emirates box
are always reserved for
charity.
Sogut said: “Mesut loves
helping children. He became
great friends with a kid who
had terminal cancer.
Tragically, Charlie died
seven months ago and the
boy’s death really affected
him.”
As did the horrific
attempted carjacking near
his home in July.
Videos of Kolasinac fighting
off one of the
knife-wielding thugs went
viral and Ozil admitted:
“Sead was really brave.
“I was scared for my wife.
We were worried these guys
had been targeting us.”
Almost a year to the day
earlier, Ozil had quit
playing for Germany, citing
the “racism and disrespect”
he had suffered in his
homeland over his Turkish
roots.
Despite being born in the
German town of Gelsenkirchen
and winning 92 caps for his
country, he was castigated
after being photographed
with Turkish president Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in London
last May.
Ozil received hate mail and
was blamed for Germany’s
poor World Cup in Russia
when they crashed out in the
group stage.
He said: “I am German when
we win but an immigrant when
we lose. I no longer want to
wear the German shirt.”
Ozil met Erdogan along with
fellow German star,
Manchester City’s Ilkay
Gundogan, who is also of
Turkish descent.
Many German politicians
questioned Ozil’s loyalty to
their country. But the
Gunner insisted he would
have been “disrespecting his
ancestors’ roots” had he not
posed for pictures, adding:
“Is it because it is Turkey?
Is it because I’m a Muslim?”
Sogut revealed the final
straw came when the director
of Ozil’s old school in
Gelsenkirchen told him he
was “no longer welcome at a
planned event, despite
paying for immigrant
children’s education there
for ten years”.
The agent added: “It was the
main reason Mesut stopped
playing for Germany.
“He told me, ‘If I am not
even welcome at my own
school how can I wear the
national jersey?’ Whenever
anyone asks him for help, he
just gives.
“He has given jobs to seven
of his childhood friends
from Gelsenkirchen. They now
work for him in Dusseldorf.
“His charitable work costs
him millions but he earns
millions so is happy to give
back. I don’t know of
another player who does it
on this scale.
“But he doesn’t want to brag
about it. Most Arsenal fans
don’t care about these
things anyway, just whether
he is playing or not.”
Ozil has started both games
under interim boss Freddie
Ljungberg following Unai
Emery’s sacking.
And Sogut, who has built
Ozil a UK property portfolio
to generate Ł100,000-a-month
rental income when he
retires, said: “Arsenal DNA
is in Mesut’s blood. He
loves the club.
POSITION PURPOSE: Reporting
to the Community Programs
Manager, the trainee will
through on the job learning,
assist the with development,
roll out and execution of
Community based programs.
Completing a Certificate in
Business the trainee will
also develop administrative
skills with a sports
administration background.
KEY RESULT AREAS:
1. Assist in developing
internal and external
relationships to build the
Brisbane Lions Community
Department
2. Complete all
administrative duties as
requested and required to
fulfil the role
3. Work in with external
parties i.e. schools,
community groups, football
clubs to deliver community
events and programs.
Green ReEntry housemates pray
together in the film 'The Honest
Struggle.'
...continued from last
week's CCN....
What motivated you to start
this project?
I come from a pretty
areligious household. My
father's Iranian, my mom is
Irish-German. I essentially
was introduced to Islam
through the story of Malcolm
X, even though I lived in a
nominally Muslim family.
Malcolm X’s journey as
somebody who was a product
of racist society, and his
radical change while
incarcerated, and then his
mission to reform afterward,
was an incredibly inspiring
story to me. In 2008, I
received an email from a
Christian prison chaplain in
North Dakota who was looking
for pen pals for his Muslim
inmates. He had found my
email from when I was in the
Muslim Students Association
at the University of
Arizona. I immediately
thought this was kind of
God's way of telling me I
should look into this for my
next documentary. So I went
from writing with one guy in
this prison to talking to a
dozen incarcerated Muslims
throughout the country.
In 2010, the project pivoted
to be about reentry. As an
independent filmmaker, I
wasn't able to get any
permission to go into any of
the prisons where I had
contacts. There's just too
many institutional barriers.
Then I was introduced to the
Inner-City Muslim Action
Network’s program. I was
just absolutely taken aback
by it.
What about Sadiq’s story and
IMAN’s work compelled you?
Rami (Nashashibi, founder of
IMAN) is such an electric,
forward-thinking leader in
our community and they have
a really holistic model. I
wanted to document the Green
ReEntry program and all the
ups and downs of this
experience by following
somebody coming directly
from prison.
That opportunity came when
Sadiq was released in 2013.
I started documenting his
journey until 2017 until he
reached his parole date and
he was a free citizen. Sadiq
was really trusting in a
documentary process — that
can be really tough,
especially for someone like
him, a former leader in a
gang, who had been through
so much surveillance in the
past.
What did you learn about the
unique struggles of Muslim
converts in prison?
Something fascinating about
incarcerated Muslims is the
systems that are built
because of the Islamic
teaching that exists within
the prisons. One of my first
subjects told me about how
the Muslim community at that
prison in North Dakota once
stopped a large prison riot
from happening by
intervening between two
rival gangs and paying the
debt owed by one of the
gangs. It felt incredibly
prophetic. This group that
was not directly involved in
the conflict actually
sacrificed from its own
limited resources to prevent
a war in prison.
Most people focus on the
institutional barriers that
plague people that are
reentering society. That
goes without being said. But
there's an incredible amount
of psychological damage that
sometimes occurs to people
that are incarcerated, and
there needs to be a process
of healing. Unfortunately,
our communities on the
outside are unequipped and
sometimes can do damage to
the emotional state of the
men and women coming out.
Many, many people suffer
from PTSD from being on the
inside and they have trouble
being in groups. They can
have trouble being in
intimate, interpersonal
relationships.
Sometimes people coming from
prison are met with the cold
shoulder. And they also have
social expectations of
Muslims — since they created
such a strong bond inside of
the prison, they expect
these bonds will continue on
the outside. What ends up
happening is they see that
in many Muslim American
communities, people show up
on Fridays for prayers, say,
“Hi, how are you,” and then
they go on their way. This
can come as a shock to some
Muslims that are coming
home.
One of the things that’s
special about IMAN’s model
is it creates a home and
programming in which men and
women who have a shared
experience can gather for
prayers, service projects,
for taleem, or educational
circles. Those are all very
familiar spaces — programs
that helped save these men
and women from the horrors
of prison. You have to
continue those spaces in
order to allow people to
flourish.
Speaking of the damage
Muslim communities can
inflict — can you talk a bit
about the stigmatization
formerly incarcerated people
face among Muslims?
Race plays an important
role. The prison-industrial
complex does more harm to
black and Latino
communities. So many of
those that are coming home
are black Muslims, and there
is already a stigma toward
black Muslims in the larger
Muslim community. Racial
issues can magnify even more
the fact that somebody is
also formerly incarcerated.
Sometimes community members
are literally afraid,
because they say that this
person is potentially
violent or they’re
potentially going to try to
steal from the community.
Every move is suspicious. If
something goes missing, the
first person that's going to
get looked at and
scrutinized is probably the
formerly incarcerated
brothers and sisters. They
have preconceived notions of
criminality of people coming
home.
Sometimes there’s a cultural
barrier, if it’s not a
mosque that is centered
around or is led by African
American Muslims, and
misunderstandings can take
place between immigrant
communities and black
American Muslims. Those are
all compounding factors that
lead to disenchantment with
the Muslim community.
When somebody comes home
from prison, generally
there's no system in place
at all to help those
brothers and sisters. You
need a place to stay and
money for groceries. You
need help getting your ID
and medical care and finding
a job or getting into a job
skills program. But our
communities, nine times out
of 10, have no systems to
facilitate that. I hope from
this film the Muslim
American community can see
how important those systems
are — and how beneficial the
experience and the spirit of
men and women coming home
can be to our own
communities.
We talk about Malcolm X
being this icon, and we kind
of place him up on a shelf,
but every day we have people
like him coming home. What
are we doing to empower
them? What are we doing for
them, so that ultimately
they can come and they can
help us in a meaningful way?
Quotes “The greeting of peace –
as-salamu ‘alaykum – has
many meanings. One of these
meanings is that the person
you are greeting will be
safe from you -from your
tongue, your heart, and your
hand- and that you will not
transgress against that
person with your words or
your deeds. This greeting is
also a prayer for peace,
safety, mercy and blessings.
We should take those noble
meanings, which we so often
say with our tongues, and
make them our way of life in
our dealings with other
people.”
“You cannot call yourself
patient until you are
willing and able to bear
things that you have no wish
to bear.”
Statistics
22 million – followers on
Twitter and Facebook
2017 CE the year he was
arrested.
Salman Al-Ouda
Saudi Scholar and Educator
A leading Saudi sheikh,
Salman Al-Ouda is a former
hard-line cleric turned
advocate of peaceful co-
existence. He became hugely
influential due to his
innovative reach in the
Muslim World propagated via
IslamToday.net and his
persistent efforts at
ministering to the needs of
the global Muslim community.
In September 2017, Al-Ouda
was arrested by Saudi
authorities along with
twenty other Saudi clerics
for Tweets that were seen as
offensive to the State. He
is still imprisoned
(including months of
solitary confinement) and
awaiting trial.
Influence
Key Scholar of Salafi
Network: Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda
is a leading scholar of the
Salafi movement having
notable influence in the
movement due to his use of
multiple modes of education
(the Internet, audiovisual
media, and print) to educate
the large body of Salafi
Muslims in the Islamic
sciences. Sheikh Al-Ouda’s
website brings together a
diverse range of Islamic
scholars and educators to
provide guidance in Islamic
thought. He was imprisoned
between 19941999 for calling
for reforms within the
country, but softened his
stance upon release. He is
identified with the Sahwa
movement, calling for
peaceful political reform,
more role for the clergy in
politics and an opposition
to western troops based in
the peninsula. His hugely
influential website,
IslamToday.net—a
Saudi-funded website
dedicated to providing
Islamic educational
resources in English,
Arabic, French and Chinese,
seems to have been shut
down. He was active on
social media until his
arrest and still has 22
million followers.
Ambassador of Non-violence:
In an effort to distance
himself from alleged
connections to perpetrators
of terrorism, Al-Ouda is
outspoken about the
importance of inculcating
love and mercy as opposed to
violence (except in valid
cases of self-defence) in
the daily lives of Muslims.
As a prominent member of the
International Union for
Muslim Scholars, he led the
delegation in talks with
Arab heads of state
regarding the need for them
to unite in opposition to
Israel’s siege of Gaza in
early 2009. He has strongly
condemned da’ish. He also
called for peace and unity
between members of the GCC
and Qatar.
Arrested on Charges Against
the State: Al-Ouds was
arrested in September 2017
and charged for what
ostensibly seems to be
nothing more than tweets
urging Saudi and Qatar to
end a diplomatic rift. He
had earlier voiced concerns
about Saudi’s human rights
record, but perhaps his true
crime has been not to
publicly endorse and support
the recent changes happening
in Saudi. Al-Ouda has been
held in punishing
conditions, often in
solitary confinement and
detained incommunicado.
Unjust Arrest: With the
public prosecutor calling
for the maximum penalty to
be implemented, there have
been serious fears that Al-Ouda
could be executed at any
time. The latest hearing was
due on July 28, but has now
been postponed to December.
There has been outcry from a
whole range of organisations
about what is seen as a
grossly unjust imprisonment,
trial and possible sentence.
The International Union of
Muslim Scholars, the
European Muslim Forum and
Amnesty International have
all called on the Saudi
government to hold a fair
trial or release Al-Ouda and
his two compatriots; Sheikh
Ali al-Omari and Sheikh Awad
al-Qarni.
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.....
The men of the Merchant Navy
were “men of service” who
would often become
front-line fighters, even
though they had no official
uniforms and bravely crossed
the seas at great risk to
themselves.
Australia’s Merchant Navy
provided the nation’s
commercial shipping
lifeline, hospital ships,
transport for munitions,
troop supplies, materials
for ship building, and
whatever else was needed to
support the country’s war
effort.
During World War II, they
were at just as much risk as
Royal Australian Navy
warships.
They were attacked not only
in distant waters, but also
within sight of the
Australian coastline while
traversing much-frequented
trade routes.
During World War II, Muslim
seamen gathered in the
Eastern Seamen’s Club, which
was established in Fremantle
under the auspices of the
Missions to Seamen.
In the club, “there was a
fascination about ethnic
diversity of seamen” from
the East.
The club was formed to meet
the needs of accommodation,
food and entertainment for
many hundreds of seamen from
Eastern countries when their
ships harboured in the port.
The Mission to Seamen
acquired a two-storey
building in Fremantle to
serve as a
“home-away-from-home” for
seamen.
It included an Oriental
room, a separate dining room
and bedrooms, a kitchen
arranged for Muslim meals
according to Islamic dietary
laws and an Eastern garden.
The club was furnished
throughout, with separate
quarters for officers, petty
officers and seamen.
It had a hostel that
welcomed men irrespective of
their creed or colour.
At the club’s opening, the
Lieutenant-Governor, Sir
James Mitchell, unveiled a
commemorative tablet,
declaring:
I hope this club will be
a comfort to all Eastern
seamen who enter it.
We should be grateful to
the committee of the
Missions to Seamen for
providing such a fine
home away from home for
Eastern seamen who have
risked their lives for
us.
Transport is of the
utmost importance
especially during
wartime and we shall
never forget the
merchant seamen for
their splendid work.
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.
Continued from
last week's CCN....
India is not
really a
country. It is a
continent. More
complex and
diverse, with
more
languages—780 at
last count,
excluding
dialects—more
nationalities
and
sub-nationalities,
more indigenous
tribes and
religions than
all of Europe.
Imagine this
vast ocean, this
fragile,
fractious,
social
ecosystem,
suddenly being
commandeered by
a Hindu
supremacist
organization
that believes in
a doctrine of
One Nation, One
Language, One
Religion, One
Constitution.
I am speaking
here of the the
RSS, the
Rashtriya
Swayamsevak
Sangh, founded
in 1925—the
mothership of
the ruling
Bharatiya Janata
Party. Its
founding fathers
were greatly
influenced by
German and
Italian fascism.
They likened the
Muslims of India
to the “Jews of
Germany,” and
believed that
Muslims have no
place in Hindu
India. The RSS
today, in
typical RSS
chameleon-speak,
distances itself
from this view.
But its
underlying
ideology, in
which Muslims
are cast as
treacherous
permanent
“outsiders,” is
a constant
refrain in the
public speeches
of BJP
politicians, and
finds utterance
in chilling
slogans raised
by rampaging
mobs. For
example:
“Mussalman ka ek
hi sthan—Kabristan
ya Pakistan”
(Only one place
for the
Muslim—the
graveyard, or
Pakistan). In
October this
year, Mohan
Bhagwat, the
supreme leader
of the RSS,
said, “India is
a Hindu Rashtra”—a
Hindu nation.
“This is
non-negotiable.”
That idea turns
everything that
is beautiful
about India into
acid.
For the RSS to
portray what it
is engineering
today as an
epochal
revolution, in
which Hindus are
finally wiping
away centuries
of oppression at
the hands of
India’s earlier
Muslim rulers,
is a part of its
fake-history
project. In
truth, millions
of India’s
Muslims are the
descendants of
people who
converted to
Islam to escape
Hinduism’s cruel
practice of
caste.
If Nazi Germany
was a country
seeking to
impose its
imagination onto
a continent (and
beyond), the
impetus of an
RSS-ruled India
is, in a sense,
the opposite.
Here is a
continent
seeking to
shrink itself
into a country.
Not even a
country, but a
province. A
primitive,
ethno-religious
province. This
is turning out
to be an
unimaginably
violent process.
It sounds
refreshing, but
practically very
difficult in
this busy world
with technology,
devices and
stress around
us.
If you are
already have a
job, then it’s a
must to avail
your holiday
break. If you
are still a
searcher, then
November may be
the month of the
highest
probability for
job availability
or the highest
job rejections
might be
received to some
applicants in
this month. In
both cases, you
deserve a break
and planning is
the key behind
every successful
action. These
tips might help
you unwind for a
new start early
next year.
1- Switch off
technology:
This one is
really difficult
but more
important for
your brain. If
you can’t do it
for the whole
day, then at
least limit your
use and stop it
completely
between 6pm to 6
am. Turn off
notifications
and bells during
the day. You
will see the
difference
within a day.
2- Spend time
with family and
friends:
Many deals are
in nowadays,
grab deals for
dinner or lunch
or make it at
home with new
recipe from
Coles,
Woolworths and
Aldi.
3- Enjoy
sports
activities:
Cricket is on
the top these
days just check
in at the Gabba
stadium, or take
part in other
sports as there
is no season for
Soccer, Skating,
Cycling,
Swimming, simply
just going out
for a run etc.
4- Discover
nature by either
a bush walks or
day at beach,
fishing and
boating.
Researchers from
Stanford
University found
that walking in
nature reduced
feelings of
anxiety and
increased
positive
thoughts. Yet
another group of
researchers from
the Universities
of Utah and
Kansas found
that spending
time in nature
can boost
problem-solving
ability and
creativity by
+50%. (Source
https://www.falkaromatherapy.com)
5- Make up
with pending
hobby and lost
target.
Work on your
incomplete
paintings, art
work, written
draft and
compete it to
start your 2020
with sense off
achievement. You
can memorise a
new Surah and
learn Quran with
its meaning, as
many of us kept
this target in
mind but
couldn’t achieve
it due to our
busy schedules.
“Resting the
mind and body
can lead to new
ideas and bring
solutions to
problems”
(Quoted by: Jane
McNeill- Hays).
You can perform
better after
taking a break,
if you have
created some
other
interesting ways
to unwind, I
would love to
know about it.
Please share
your ideas!!
Never in a million years
would I have ever thought
I’d have the opportunity to
represent the Australian
community on an
International platform.
Allah SWT has blessed me in
so many ways. What a way to
end the year.
Today I had the chance to
speak in front of 200
leaders from around the
world about my leadership
journey and the importance
of empowering young leaders
with the guidance of our
elders. I sat alongside some
of the most inspirational
young leaders who are
shaping our future for the
better.
Many a times young people
like myself are told that we
are the future of tomorrow.
But the future is now! Let
the young leaders be part of
the change & create
solutions for the current
issues which our Ummah is
facing. Let us work together
with our elders to build our
communities and work with
people of all religions and
races.
Over the past 4 days I have
connected with so many
extraordinary people whom I
have really learnt so much
from & I have no doubt that
Inshallah I will use that
knowledge to the best of my
ability.
Mufti Zeeyad Ravat, Prof
Shahjahan Khan and Ms Nadia Saeed
A massive
thank you to the team
involved in organising this
conference in Abu Dhabi. It
has been one of the most
interesting platforms. Mufti
Zeeyad Ravat and Imam Ashraf,
thank you both from the
bottom of my heart for your
guidance and encouragement
through this journey. You
have both taught me so much
not only about Islam but
about myself and for that I
am forever grateful. Dina
Ghaznavi spoke today about
the importance of accepting
your identity and her
journey to find who she was.
You are truly such an
inspirational women who does
so much for our community.
Massive shoutout to everyone
at Islamic Council of
Queensland for allowing me a
bigger platform to connect
with even more people and
giving me the chance to
create initiatives for our
community.
I have said this many times
but I would like to say it
again. Any achievement or
award which I receive is not
only mine but to a community
of people who have worked
alongside me, inspired and
taught me every step for the
way. Without you all I would
not be where I am today!
To my family and close
friends, you are constantly
in my heart. You know who
all you are. You are there
every single time and pick
me up every time I fall. I
really wish you could have
been here today to see me on
stage, I really missed you
all today. I love you all so
much.
To the youth of Australia,
anytime you are told that
you aren’t good enough or
your voice won’t be heard.
Prove those people wrong and
follow your heart speak out
loud & make the change.
Allah SWT will always be by
your side & that is all you
need.
She's been called
quick-witted, tart-tongued,
daring, headstrong,
assertive—take your pick.
Just about everywhere you
look in the historical
accounts of early Islam,
there's Aisha, front and
centre—even leading an army
ten-thousand strong into
battle. In this short video,
Lesley Hazleton, a writer
and psychologist, gives us a
glimpse into the
extraordinary life of a
woman whose brilliance,
courage, and leadership
continue to inspire us
today.
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.
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.....
Singing
Bamba’s praises
Bamba is
honoured on Aug.
9 in Raleigh,
North Carolina
and on Aug. 11
in Atlanta,
Georgia, and his
praises are sung
around the
world. This is
the 30th year of
Ahmadou Bamba
celebrations on
July 28 in New
York.
Last year, the
day devoted to
the Senegalese
mystic was an
occasion for
reflection on
the Sufi’s
contributions at
the United
Nations General
Assembly.
Senegalese
leaders and
intellectuals,
including Diagne,
spoke of the
Mourides’
positive
influence on
economics,
society, and
development.
Addressing the
assembly, Thomas
Walsh, chairman
of the Universal
Peace-builders
Foundation, a
global nonprofit
working on
development
initiatives,
expressed his
admiration as
well, saying:
To restore our
world and build
a world of
enduring,
lasting peace,
there must be
widespread
collaboration
and partnership.
Governments, UN
member states
alone, cannot
achieve this
goal…Organizations
such as the
Mouride Sufi
Brotherhood play
a necessary and
essential role
in creating
peace and
stability in our
communities,
societies and
nations.
You too have
likely heard
Bamba’s praises
sung, though you
may not have
known it. The
internationally
acclaimed
Senegalese
musician Youssou
N’dour is a
Mouride, for
example, and his
devotion is the
inspiration
behind his
songs. He
describes the
teachings as
follows,
“Mouridism is
for me two
paths—one is the
way to God, the
other path is
the doctrine of
work and
dignity.”
Protests erupt as India looks to block
citizenship for Muslims
INDIA: Hundreds of
protesters have taken to the streets in
India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
government offered a controversial bill
in Parliament that would give
citizenship to non-Muslim minorities
from three neighbouring countries.
Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the
Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the
lower house amid raucous debate on
Monday. Opposition parties stood against
the proposed law that would, for the
first time, create a legal pathway to
grant Indian nationality on the basis of
religion.
The bill was originally introduced in
2016 during the Modi government's first
term but lapsed after protests and an
alliance partner's withdrawal. It
proposes to grant Indian citizenship to
non-Muslims who came to India from
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan
before 2015.
Oppositions politicians inside
Parliament, and protesters in several
Indian cities, said the bill
discriminated against Muslims and
violated India's secular constitution.
Shah and Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party, which had included the CAB as
part of its manifesto in the last
general election, insist that it is
necessary.
"In these three countries, Hindus,
Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and
Christians, followers of these six
religions have been tormented," Shah
said, before the bill was tabled after a
vote.
But protesters returned to the streets
in Assam - one of India's remote
north-eastern states that had previously
opposed the bill - and blocked roads,
burnt tyres and painted walls with
slogans against the new proposal.
Student groups called for dawn-to-dusk
shutdown in four districts of the state.
Shops, businesses, educational and
financial institutions remained shut and
public transport stayed off the roads.
"We will fight and oppose the bill till
the last drop of our blood," All Assam
Students' Union adviser Samujjal
Bhattacharya said, underlining the
region's resistance against migrants
amid fears that tens of thousands of
settlers from neighbouring Bangladesh
would gain citizenship.
Sales and
Contracts in Early Islamic Commercial Law
by
Abdullah Alwi Haji Hassan
Border
Crossings
My Journey as a Western Muslim
by
Mohammad Tufael Chowdhury
BOOK EXCERPT:
Continued from last week's
CCN....
Post
9/11 there sprouted a host
of sometimes confusing
activities that confirmed
the new term of
“Islamophobia” really was
taking hold. Countries such
as the US began to take
specific and often quite
randomly targeted measures
to monitor the movements and
activities of Muslims,
particularly through the
escalation of security
procedures for people
arriving from overseas,
something which continues to
this day and which I remain
a victim of myself.
Oddly, countries such as
Britain suddenly began to
recognize Muslims for their
contributions to society,
convening patronising and
vacuous commissions to write
reports on the good things
Muslims are doing for the
nation, supported by some
Muslims who caved in to the
lure of the recognition this
might bring them. I quickly
accepted that we would have
to live with added border
checks for a while due to
the heightened terrorism
risk in Western countries.
But the celebratory aspects
of recognizing Muslims’
contributions appeared to me
to be politically-motivated
and shallow. Their falseness
worried me, as though even
the moderate leaders of our
society were now wondering
“is there really something
wrong with them?”
Things were definitely not
right for me. After 9/11 I
had begun to feel foreign in
my own home town of London.
Matters got significantly
worse post the harrowing 7/7
attacks of July 2005 in our
nation’s capital. When
outdoors, particularly on
trains or in ‘planes, I felt
under scrutiny, sensing and
sometimes imagining
anonymous stares and stolen
looks, accentuated when I
was alone or carrying a bag.
But the suspicion wasn’t
just a figment of my
imagination, although I am
sure paranoia took over at
times. During these years I
was questioned, detained,
interrogated or physically
searched by security police
and border officials in
London, New York, San
Francisco, Milan, Jersey,
Boston, Madrid, Brussels,
Dallas, Cairo and Paris, and
refused entry visas to
Australia and India without
attending special interviews
at the embassy. Perhaps with
not the best timing, I was
learning Arabic at the time
as a way to understand my
faith better and connect
more in the Middle East.
Over the years I had grown
sick and tired of the idiocy
of reciting prayers in
Arabic but not understanding
a word. Attending a wedding
in Istanbul, I decided to
add to the trip a coastal
journey across southern
Turkey, Syria and Lebanon
with an objective to immerse
myself into the culture of
the Levant. This trip was my
first chance to “go live”
with Arabic. I was excited.
I kept a daily journal
through the trip, shared as
a regular weblog with
friends. Wherever I went in
remote parts of southern
Turkey and northern Syria, I
was welcomed. Despite being
a strange foreigner, weirdly
I felt more at home here
than in post 9/11 Britain at
the time, or indeed in
Bangladesh where I spent
much time as a child being
made to feel on the outside.
The unguarded way in which
this curious Muslim from
Europe was embraced
contrasted to the suspicion
of my fellow citizens on the
streets of London. What
these people gave me in an
instant was something that
the British and Bangladeshi
sides in my life hadn’t been
able to give me: plain and
unconditional acceptance.
Based around these thoughts,
I eagerly drafted out the
first cut of Border
Crossings, typing away
during solitary evenings in
hotels, after meals with my
laptop on the table in
noise-filled, atmospheric
brasseries, and during
overnight flights as I
zig-zagged across the world
on an endless run of
business trips.
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:
The Dangers Of
Personalising
Everything
Are you easily
affected by people’s
words? Do you
retaliate and give a
nasty comeback? Do
you find that
sometimes people’s
comments are able to
ruin your mood and
frustrate you? Do
their words play in
your mind over and
over, affecting you
for the rest of the
day or week?
When you operate on
a reactionary mode,
your default setting
is to react.
Anything that is
said to you and done
to you, no matter
how small, will
trigger you in some
way so that you
produce a reaction.
Most times, these
reactions are in the
form of damaging
thoughts. These
thoughts can play
over and over in
your mind and slowly
you begin to accept
them as your
reality. Assumptions
about yourself and
others are formed in
your mind as a
result of these
recurring damaging
thoughts.
These reactions from
you perpetuate your
habit of
personalising
everything that
happens to you and
around you. You
become sensitive to
even a harmless
comment. I struggled
with this for years.
Even a simple
comment like, “You
look tired” was
enough to make me
feel useless and a
failure. I was
taking everything as
a personal attack
and felt that I had
to constantly defend
myself. My reactions
ranged from
aggressive outbursts
to
passive-aggressive
gestures. I lost
faith in goodness in
people, thinking
that everyone was
critical about
everything I did and
no one was ever
acknowledging my
hard work.
I failed to
understand that the
only one attacking
me was me. The only
one critical of me
was me. The only one
doubting my
abilities was me.
All because I had
chosen to
personalise external
factors and allow
them to shape my
reality. I was
completely
disconnected from my
internal compass, my
intuition.
ALLAH has blessed
you with a mind with
immense potential.
You have the ability
to use your mind and
become aware of
these damaging
thoughts the moment
they begin to occur.
Once you do, you
will shift from the
default setting of
reactions and begin
operating from the
mode of response.
This mode requires
you to understand
that what is said to
you by people and
what is done to you
by people is only
one aspect of your
life. HOW YOU
RESPOND TO THESE
WORDS AND ACTIONS
governs how your
life unfolds.
How To Respond To
Triggers
ALLAH has blessed
you with a mind to
articulate your
response in any
situation where you
are being triggered,
by doing the
following:
1. Pause
2. Breathe
3. Listen
4. Observe your
body while
someone is
speaking to you.
Is it getting
hot, sweaty,
muscles are
tightening,
heart
palpitations,
shallow
breathing, heavy
breathing,
forehead
frowning, nose
squinting, eyes
narrowing? By
observing these
body sensations,
you will raise
your awareness
that these
sensory
manifestations
are your
physical signs
to guide you on
choosing the
appropriate
response.
5. Make the
choice to remove
yourself from
the triggering
situation.
6. Understand
that other
people’s words
and actions have
nothing to do
with your
purpose in life.
7. Find a quiet
space and
breathe deeply.
Drink water to
hydrate yourself
during these few
moments of
silence.
8. Close your
eyes and spend
some quiet
moments thanking
ALLAH for giving
you strength to
choose calm over
aggression.
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.
KB says:
With mangoes so plentiful at the moment here is
a great recipe for lassi.
Mango Lassi
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1 1/3 cups full cream greek yoghurt
1 ˝ cups chopped mango
1/3 cup cold milk
4 tbsp honey
A pinch of crushed cardamom (elachi) powder
˝ cup crushed ice
Mix In a blender container, add the ingredients in the
order listed.
Process on high until the mixture is smooth and even.
(depending on the consistency you desire, you may need
to add water)
Sprinkle with ground elachi (cardamom)
Note: If you don’t have crushed ice, you can alternatively
use frozen mango instead of fresh. You can also make this
recipe without any ice if you prefer.
The lassi is a refreshing smoothie-style drink of yoghurt,
which is often served alongside curries to cool the palate,
or just whenever it’s needed to beat the heat.
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.)
Dishes: “Masala Dosa”, “Medu Vada”,
“Chicken Dum Biriyani”
• Set your alarm for
30mins earlier and get out for a morning walk /
jog
• Opt to use the stairs rather than the lift /
escalator
• Bike it
• Get off the bus a few stops earlier & walk a
few blocks
• Catch up for a walk in the park BEFORE the
coffee
• Enlist a workout-buddy
• Reframe your thoughts – Tell yourself you CAN
• Get out and MOVE!!
• N-JOY!
Jallalludin was on
the operating table awaiting a complicated heart surgery
on him and he insisted that his daughter-in-law, a
renowned surgeon, perform the operation.
As he was about to
get the anaesthesia, he spoke to his daughter-in-law.
'Yes, Dad, what is it?'
'Don't be nervous dear. Do your best and just remember,
if something happens to me, your mother-in-law will come
and live with you.'
Verily We
shall give life to the dead,
and We record that which
they send before and that
which they leave behind, and
of all things have We taken
account in a clear Book [of
evidence].
Australian
International
Islamic College
along with Al-Noor
Institute have
planned an
intensive
program for the
youth during the
school holidays.
This is an
excellent
opportunity to
occupy our
youngsters while
gaining
beneficial and
practical
knowledge about
Islamic topics
taught in a fun,
easy to
understand
format. It is
not only good
for our youth,
but for our
wider community
as well.
Topics for the
junior alim
group include:
Quranic
vocabulary,
Akhlaq of Nabi,
Basic tajweed.
Quran
memorisation,
Wudu and Salah
and concluded
with a fitness
session. Younger
ages from 5
years old will
learn basic duas,
some surahs,
Islamic manners,
Wudu & Salah and
more.
For more
information
contact the
numbers on the
flyer.
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!
1st National Conference 2020. "Environmental Crisis and Our
Obligations to Act: Teachings from Islam and Abrahamic Faith
Traditions"
Griffith University Centre for Interfaith and Cultural
Dialogue
0413 067 160
23 March
(tentative)
Monday
LAILATU
MI'RAAJ
(Ascension
night)
27th Rajab
1441
10 April(tentative)
Friday
NISF SHA'BAAN
(Lailatul
Bahrat)
15th Sha'baan
1441
25 April(tentative)
Saturday
RAMADAAN
(Start of the
month of fasting)
1st Ramadaan
1441
21 May(tentative)
Thursday
LAILATUL-QADR
(Night of
Power)
27th Ramadaan
1441
25 May(tentative)
Monday
EID-UL-FITR
(End of the
month of fasting)
1st Shawal
1441
31 July(tentative)
Friday
YAWMUL ARAFAH
(Day of Arafah)
9th Zil-Hijjah
1441
1 August (tentative)
Saturday
EID-UL-ADHA
10th Zil-Hijja
1441
21 August(tentative)
Friday
RAʼS AL-SANAH
AL-HIJRĪYAH
(Islamic New
Year)
1st Muharram
1442
30 August (tentative)
Sunday
DAY OF ASHURA
10th Muharram
1442
30 October
(tentative)
Friday
MILAD UN NABI
(Birth of
Prophet Mohammed (pbuh)
12th Rabi-ul-Awwal
1442
PLEASE NOTE
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.
The Senegalese
Sufi saint who inspired a banking system
based on generosity
Post
9/11 there sprouted a host
of sometimes confusing
activities that confirmed
the new term of
“Islamophobia” really was
taking hold. Countries such
as the US began to take
specific and often quite
randomly targeted measures
to monitor the movements and
activities of Muslims,
particularly through the
escalation of security
procedures for people
arriving from overseas,
something which continues to
this day and which I remain
a victim of myself.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011