Human Appeal Australia(HAA)
is to proud host the Drive
Thru on this year
Eid-ul-Fitr.
This is part of the Deen
family tradition that
started 1964!
The Deen family is serving
RICE and CURRY for last 55
years and will continue it
this year. But obviously in
different manner ,i.e
completely maintaining the
Social Distancing. And that
is by DRIVE THRU.
In an interview with Human
Appeal team Haji Habib Deen
, Haji Sultan Deen and
Sr.Sultana Deen explained
this legacy has been started
to the memory of their late
mother who passed on
Eid-ul-Fitr day. Deen Family
have transformed that tragic
loss to STRENGTH by
contributing to the
community. This RICE & CURRY
bringing smile to many and
becoming a unique QLD EID
tradition.
Inshallah, this year there
will packed 2,000 takeaway
meals for a drive thru
pickup.
It will be from 10am to
12noon on the day of EID UL
FITR.
The drive thru will be from
the Logan entrance on Acacia
Rd and exit at the Compton
Rd end.
It will be one way only.
A big thanks to Islamic
College of Brisbane for the
premises.
Also special thanks to
Brisbane & Logan Council and
Queensland Police Service
for all the encouragement
and necessary steps.
“Iftar is like having a
dinner party at your house every
day,” says business owner and
mother-of-three Aysha Navlakhi.
As the sun begins to set
during Ramadan, Aysha
Navlakhi can usually be
found putting the finishing
touches on glasses of
saffron-scented milk, bowls
of soup and plates of
home-baked samosas, ready
for family and friends to
share as they break their
day’s fasting.
“Iftar is like having a
dinner party at your house
every day,” says the owner
of Events by Aysha and
mother-of-three from
Brisbane. Over the Muslim
holy month her kitchen is
usually a busy, happy place
and her home is open to
nightly celebrations.
But this Ramadan, which
began on 23 April, is like
no other for Aysha and her
community. Emergency
responses to the spread of
COVID-19 mean that mosques
are closed, prayers and
iftar meals are at home, and
gatherings are limited to
closest family and friends
only.
Rather than cooking for her
family alone, however, Aysha
is now preparing more iftar
meals than ever expected,
thanks to a monumental pivot
of her business brought
about by a sense of wanting
to ease some of the
pressures on households
dealing with fasting,
homeschooling and working
from home in tandem.
When her catering company
took a heavy blow as
coronavirus restrictions
came into effect, she
speedily purchased packaging
equipment and created
take-home halal meals
immediately popular with
south Brisbane’s Muslim
community. The first week of
Ramadan saw 200 meals sold,
the second week, 400.
Her new clients range from
large, self-quarantining
fasting families to
non-Muslim working single
mums who do not have time to
cook during the day.
One of her most popular
meals has been tandoori
chicken with naan - a
favourite that she believes
brings people together,
regardless of faith or
ethnicity.
“It’s a meal everybody
likes, no matter where you
come from,” explains Asyha,
“everyone was so excited to
have that meal. I think it
enhances Ramadan in a
different way.
“The meals free people up,
they make it much easier in
terms of spending your days
with your family or with
work,” she says.
Aysha’s food - “a big team
effort” - is reaching into
the community where her
local mosque and her large,
generous iftar gatherings
usually would.
On top of the meals she is
selling at $10 each, she is
making food drops to foreign
students who have lost their
jobs because of COVID-19
and, via charity Brothers in
Need, donating hundreds of
meals to inner city
Brisbane’s homeless
community.
“I thought I’d have time in
Ramadan to pray and relax a
little bit,” Aysha tells SBS
Voices. “Instead I’m working
seven days, from very early
to the evening. The
adventure, the thrill, the
adrenaline that’s pumping
because of the orders that
are coming through, it’s a
beautiful experience.”
She started Events by Aysha
with the help of women’s
financial equality charity,
Global Sisters, which
provides the skills, tools
and connections to develop
successful small businesses.
It was her mentor from the
organisation who encouraged
her to pivot when
coronavirus took hold.
Aysha, who has a background
in beauty and massage
therapy and moved to
Australia from South Africa
22 years ago, began her
business in 2017, turning
from her trained profession
to a love of sharing food
that runs deep in her life.
While the holy month is less
overtly festive than usual,
she, like many, is making an
extra effort to create a
sense of occasion in her
homebound family unit.
“This year, it’s smaller -
with COVID, we’ve probably
cut back a lot, but in the
same light, we do make it
special. We do a lot of
cooking, we have immediate
family around us and we are
still doing little parties.
“The sad thing for us is
that we can’t congregate at
the mosque. Being in your
own home and praying
together as a family does
strengthen the family unit
which is beautiful, but the
mosque has a different
feel.”
And, despite her “very busy”
work days, restrictions
mean, in some ways, a
particularly special
Ramadan, says Aysha.
“With everyone being at home
and in the same place for
Ramadan, you’re more
peaceful, more restful, more
reflective.”
Australian International
Islamic College staff deliver
their “contactless Iftar” meals
to school families during
COVID-19 lockdown.
Coronavirus social
distancing convinced these
Durack teachers that some
lateral thinking was
required to host their
annual Iftar feast
Teachers at the Australian
Islamic College at Durack
had to be creative to turn
the isolation and
disconnection of the
COVID-19 lockdown measures
into a warm and generous
family celebration of Iftar.
They worked extra hard this
year to make their annual
“coming together”, or Iftar,
feast a memorable milestone
for their school community
despite the lockdown.
The usual celebrations have
families coming together for
a traditional feast,
enjoying generous lashings
of homemade food at the
school’s community hall; but
not this year.
School principal Christine
Harman said the Iftar was an
important part of one of the
most significant times in
the Muslim calendar,
Ramadan.
The holy month is being
marked by Muslims between
April 23 and May 23, with
fasting during daylight
hours before breaking their
fast in the evening Iftar.
With the necessary social
distancing measures, the
traditional celebration was
not possible.
Instead, the teachers sent
hundreds of families home
with a delicious celebration
meal.
The teachers invented
“contactless Iftar”, with
staff volunteering their
time to cook, prepare and
package over 1600 hot meals.
“These meals were delivered
with love to members of the
school community, through
the contactless ‘drive
through’,” Ms Harmon said.
“Staff also hand delivered
warm meals to local
residents and neighbours,
embodying the pillar of
charity.”
Ms Harman said it was “an
incredibly humbling and
innovative testament to our
community spirit”.
“At a time when the whole
world is feeling
disconnected and isolated,
our school community has
found a way to safely come
together, and to support
each other, regardless of
faith.”
Members of
Darwin's Muslim community pray
for the first time in weeks
during Ramadan after coronavirus
restrictions were eased in the
NT.
People line up patiently at
a small street in suburban
Darwin before going through
a non-descript fence, it is
just before midday and the
dry season sun bakes
anything not under shade.
Slowly the small Mosque in
this Darwin suburb grows
full.
Worshippers greet each other
with smiles but remain
physically distant, while
small sections of tape mark
where they can lay down
their prayer mats.
"Good to see you brother,"
one says, "I haven't seen
you in so long."
Each worshipper has brought
their own mat to help stop
any potential spread of
COVID-19.
The masjid implemented
distancing with small tape
marks at least 1.5m apart.
A line of red tape cordons
off the area where these
worshippers would normally
clean their faces.
It is the holy month of
Ramadan, and this day is the
first time the community has
been able to pray together
for many weeks.
Despite the easing of
restrictions, women and
children are being
encouraged to pray at home.
For Mohammad Jamal who works
in the hospitality industry,
the chance to pray together
is an opportunity to
reconnect after a tough time
during the coronavirus
pandemic.
From midday on Friday
restrictions were lifted on
attending a place of worship
in the NT and churches,
temples and the mosque
opened up.
"People have lost work, been
totally disrupted by the
virus," he says, purple
prayer mat in hand
"It was incredibly difficult
to have the mosque shut.
This was our second home. It
means everything."
"This is the holy month of
Ramadan, it felt so strange
to pray far away from each
other."
Jamal lost his job during
the pandemic.
"We feel very happy even
though there has been all of
this suffering, to share
these moments with each
other again."
"But it still feels strange
greeting people differently,
and praying further away
from each other" he says.
"The fact that we can even
do this is a really good
sign that hopefully in time
things will start getting
back to normal."
Mohammad Jamal said being
able to go back and pray as part
of a community was important
after people had lost jobs and
struggled amid the coronavirus
pandemic
Jamal is here with his
friend Sulemain Khan, whose
life, like many others, was
up-ended by the coronavirus.
"I am a duty manager at a
Hotel, so the impacts of
this virus on our work has
been tremendous. There is a
lot less work going around,
it has been hard," he says.
"But being able to come here
gives us a message of moral
unity again. Not just as
Muslims, but as a broader
community, as Territorians
and Australians."
"It's great to be part of
that community," he says.
Sulemain Khan,
a duty manager at a Darwin
hotel, says he is glad to be
able to pray together again.
Khan misses the shared
meals, and the time to
unwind with his "brothers"
and sisters".
"We used to share food
together during this holy
month. It was a special
time," he says.
"But we are happy to respect
the law and follow the
government's rules."
"This time is about sharing
the burden with others,
being a support for those
who need it."
The Masjid falls silent as
the hundred or more people
inside prepare for the
Friday midday prayer.
People listen intently to a
sermon in both Arabic and
English.
Part of the sermon focuses
on COVID-19, and maintaining
a safe distance from others.
Then as soon as it has
begun, it is over.
People begin to file out,
directed by volunteer
wardens, one at a time.
For Mohammad Waqas, the
President of the Islamic
Society, the day is the
result of a mammoth effort
of volunteers.
"We have a responsibility to
keep everyone safe but this
time has been hard for us,
we are torn because as a
Muslim it's important to
attend the mosque it is a
religious obligation," he
says.
"We miss the connection to
our community but we have to
follow the government
advice."
Waqas says volunteers had
put up their hands to help
the busy prayer go smoothly,
even though some had lost
work and had been
"struggling".
"So many volunteers have
helped us. It's very
different to plan to prayer
during the pandemic a lot of
effort, you have to be so
organised."
"We were placing marks with
tape, we had to cordon of
the bathing area. But to be
able to pray again together
is so important. We are very
happy," he says.
When Darwin's Muslim
community marks the end of
Ramadan with Eid al Fitir,
it will be in an open space.
"We will all be out in the
open because of physical
distancing. Even as we face
this virus, it will be
joyous."
I am delighted to share some
exciting news with you all
regarding AFIC’s digital
upgrade that has been in the
making for some time.
It gives me great pleasure
to announce this new digital
identity. It has consisted
of a refresh of AFIC’s
image, a new website, a new
social media identity page
and a new way of
communicating with you, our
stakeholders and the general
public.
Please also check out the
‘About Us’ tab, which refers
to AFIC’s history, the
executive team and much
more.
The video announcing our new
digital identity can be
played above on our social
media channels. It also
explores our rich history
and the role in the
community that we have
played for several decades.
We will be endeavouring to
communicate with you
regularly and to keep our
social media channels
updated also. They can be
found below.
This is an exciting time for
AFIC as we work - together
with you - hand in hand
towards a brighter
Australia.
During Ramadan, Mufti Zeeyad
Ravat broadcasts lessons live on
social media from his home in
Melbourne, Australia. He sees
coronavirus as a test and a
vehicle to take him closer to
God.
This
year, Islam’s holiest month
has been held in lockdown in
Australia. Mufti Zeeyad
Ravat, from Melbourne, sees
some positives: ‘It’s
bonding families’
Mufti Zeeyad Ravat is an
Islamic scholar, an
authority on the day-to-day
practice of Islam. His path
to Australia was a
circuitous one, from his
birthplace in Johannesburg,
South Africa, through India,
Syria (where he studied
Arabic), Brazil, Brisbane
and Melbourne. In March last
year, he travelled to New
Zealand to lead a prayer
service in Christchurch
after 50 worshipers at a
mosque were slaughtered.
Ravat, 39, is a bundle of
energy, his arms waving to
make a point, one leg tucked
underneath him on a recliner
in his home in Dandenong in
south-east Melbourne. The
everyday noise of family
life (he is married with
five children) break through
from the next room as he
explains how important
Ramadan is, and how the
coronavirus pandemic has
upended its rituals.
“It’s a very different
Ramadan,” he says. “I think
it’s the first and last
Ramadan of this kind.”
There are 1.8 billion
Muslims in the world. More
than 600,000 live in
Australia, some born here,
some arriving from countries
as diverse as Indonesia,
Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt,
Indonesia, Pakistan and
Somalia. There are different
cultures, different
traditions.
Like the followers of any
religion, there are the
devout and the less devout.
Some people, says Ravat,
pray five times a day.
Others turn up for Friday
prayers only. But Ramadan is
special.
Ramadan is Islam’s holiest
month, a time for reflection
and self-discipline, as well
as fasting from dawn to dusk
for 30 days. This year in
Australia, it began on 23
April and ends on 23 May.
The idea of Ramadan hasn’t
changed, Ravat says. It’s a
time when acts of goodness –
always an obligation – are
especially rewarded. The
practice of generosity,
particularly to the poor and
vulnerable, is intensified.
Ravat’s garage is full of
boxes of groceries ready to
be delivered to those
struggling to buy food.
“We look forward to the
month of Ramadan, because
it’s that time that whatever
you couldn’t do in the last
11 months, it’s the one
month that you can speed up
things, you can get things
going from the spiritual
perspective.”
The world is full of greed
and power, he says, and
“fasting is to realign our
focus. We keep hungry for 30
days during the day. It’s
taming the ego, and
ultimately, slowly, that ego
breaks down and the
spirituality takes over.
It’s about becoming
peaceful.”
The rituals of Ramadan are
impossible this year, with
academics saying the
restrictions are a first for
Islam.
There are no communal
gatherings in mosques for
“tarawih” prayers every
night after the fast is
broken. There are no large
iftar dinners with family
and friends.
Last year, Ravat spent
Ramadan at the Pillars of
Guidance Community Centre,
which he helped found in
Melbourne’s south-east in
2016. Ravat is Sunni, of the
Hanafi school, but says the
centre’s purpose is to
welcome everyone. There’s a
strong social welfare
program, youth classes,
advice on traditions such as
weddings, and a fine-dining
restaurant.
During Ramadan, Muslims
gathered at the centre after
dusk to listen to Ravat
recite a chapter of the
Qur’an (the whole Qur’an is
spoken over 30 days) and to
teach a lesson afterwards.
As a boy in South Africa,
Ravat memorised the Qur’an –
a respected but uncommon
practice among Muslims – and
says that even if people
can’t understand Arabic, it
has meaning.
“It’s so melodious and
beautiful that when you read
it it actually soothes you
and the meaning is so
beautiful, because God is
talking to you,” he says.
This year, mosques and other
places of religious worship
are shut to prevent the
spread of coronavirus.
Families are expected to
recite the tarawih prayers
at home and iftars are only
for households. Each
evening, Ravat or his eldest
son recite a chapter of the
Qur’an to the family. The
little ones, he says, get a
little tired of the prayers
and are not expected to fast
every day.
“The challenge is that in
normal Ramadans, you have a
strong environment in the
mosque, a community that
creates that vibe of
Ramadan,” he says. “You go
to the mosque, everyone is
praying, and the imam is
reading … and there’s these
huge iftars that are
happening.
“There’s no environment
[now] … that has bothered a
lot of people, a lot of
people are feeling down,” he
says.
But “disaster is the mother
of invention”. A week before
Ramadan, Ravat set up a
makeshift studio in his
living room, with a camera
and lights. Each night he
broadcasts a lesson live on
social media. His
18-year-old son, a tech
wizard, works the camera. Up
to 12,000 people have tuned
in.
Similar experiments are
happening across the
country. Dr Ibrahim Abu
Muhammad, the Grand Mufti of
Australia and New Zealand,
has said that online tarawih
prayers should not be held
“because one of the
conditions of the group
prayers is that there is
direct contact between the
imam and the people”. But
online lessons and teachings
are encouraged.
Ravat sees some positives
emerging.
“It’s bonding families,” he
says. “We’re stuck at home
now [and] we actually eat
much more slowly because
there’s no rush.”
Every major religion has
struggled to explain
suffering in a spiritual
context. Some believers have
argued that natural
disasters are a test of
faith; others that they are
a punishment of some kind, a
notion that can seem cruel.
Jesuit priest James Martin
wrote in the New York Times
that it’s the same question
when a single child dies
from cancer or a hurricane
kills hundreds of people:
why, if God is all powerful
and all-loving, does he not
prevent such suffering?
“In the end, the most honest
answer to the question of
why the Covid-19 virus is
killing thousands of people,
why infectious diseases
ravage humanity and why
there is suffering at all
is: we don’t know,” he
writes.
For Ravat, Allah is
all-knowing, the creator of
everything, which includes
Covid-19. Mehmet Ozalp,
associate professor in
Islamic Studies at Charles
Sturt University, wrote in
the Conversation that while
the emergence of the virus
might not be in human
control, its spread is. The
prophet Muhammad sought
medical treatment and
encouraged his followers to
do the same, saying that
“God has not made a disease
without appointing a remedy
for it, with the exception
of one disease – old age”.
Ravat puts it this way: “God
creates everything, whether
it is a plague or whether
it’s good times, God creates
it, but it’s us with our
actions that draws whichever
one [out].”
He does see this time as
some kind of cleansing, some
kind of reckoning. “As human
beings we are greedy, we
cannot just be happy with
what we have, we want to
conquer this world, we want
to dig every hole, we want
to turn every mountain
upside down, we want to pull
every [piece of] coal out,
we want to suppress the
weaker.”
Coronavirus is a test, a
vehicle to take him closer
to God. But has it shaken
his faith in any way, even
for a moment?
The Duke of Cambridge has
spoken with members of the
New Zealand Muslim community
a year after first
connecting following the Al-Noor
and Linwood mosque terrorist
attacks.
On Thursday, Prince William
talked to members of the
Christchurch Muslim
community via a Zoom call to
discuss grief, healing, and
how those impacted by the 15
March attacks are fairing 14
months on.
During the call, the duke
spoke with Imams and
representatives from the Al-Noor
and Linwood mosques, and the
Muslim Association of
Canterbury, according to
Kensington Palace.
The duke concluded the call
expressing how proud he is
of the community and its
resilience following
tragedy.
“I’m really proud of all of
you, the whole community and
the New Zealand Government
for how you have all dealt
with such an atrocity,” he
said. “You are a role model
for how something so tragic
can be negotiated with the
utmost grace and dignity.”
The conversation comes after
Prince William travelled to
New Zealand in April 2019 on
behalf of Her Majesty The
Queen to pay tribute to
those affected by the
Christchurch mosques
terrorist attacks, which
killed 50 people.
During his April visit, the
Duke of Cambridge met with
survivors of the terrorist
attacks, including
five-year-old Alen Alsati,
who was recovering from
critical injuries at
Starship Children's
Hospital, as well as first
responders and officers.
At the time, Prince William
offered his prayers to the
community following the
attacks, which he called a
“cruel nightmare”.
In addition to discussing
the lasting impacts of the
attacks on the community,
Prince William and the group
also touched on the
coronavirus pandemic during
Thursday's Zoom call, and
how the Muslim community has
adapted during the country’s
lockdown.
On Tuesday 12 May,
John Paul College
officially announced the
Class of 2020/2021 Student
Leadership team including
School Captains and Vice
Captains.
Starting their official
duties in Term Three 2020 in
conjunction with the current
student leadership team,
students are excited at the
opportunity to serve and
lead the College into the
new year. The leadership
team for 2020/2021 represent
a wide range of students
from different backgrounds,
culture and expertise.
Two members of the student
leadership team, Naadirah
Seedat and Abdul-Waahid
Latif are proud Muslim
community members and are
excited for the challenge
and opportunity to be
College leaders in
2020/2021.
‘I am honoured to have
been appointed a leadership
role at John Paul College
and I look forward to the
responsibilities and
challenges which lie ahead.
I wish all readers a blessed
Ramadan and a joyous Eid’
says Abdul-Waahid.
‘I have been at JPC for
more than eight years, and I
feel honoured that I will be
able to represent the
student body as their
leader. For everything that
the College has done for me,
I strive to leave a legacy
that will demonstrate the
integrity and contribution
of myself and my cohort to
the school, guiding my peers
to emulate this strong-will,
and pave their own
leadership journey’ says
Naadirah.
‘Our College Community is
very important to us and we
believe our Student College
Leadership team should
represent the whole of our
community and what it has to
offer’ says Mrs Karen
Spiller OAM CF, Principal of
John Paul College.
'At John Paul College our
purpose is To Educate, To
Inspire, and To Make a
Difference through a variety
of educational programs and
co-curricular opportunities
which push the status quo
when it comes to learning
and excellence. As a
Christian Ecumenical
College, we are an inclusive
college of all faiths and
cultures and celebrate our
diversity with initiatives
such as our Mother Tongue
club.'
‘We believe all of our
students are leaders in one
way or another, but our
College Captains are there
to support, guide and lead
the College to excellence
and live by the JPC ethos’
says Mrs Spiller.
UK's
Muslim News readers
nominated
illustrious men,
women, children and
initiatives deemed
worthy of
short-listing for a
Muslim News Award
for Excellence. The
nominees were
short-listed by an
independent panel of
judges who reviewed,
deliberated and
mused over the list.
Over
the next weeks, CCN
presents a
shortlisted
candidate who will
be treated to a gala
evening in the
presence of their
peers and other
renowned guests, when the
finalists are
announced for the
[15] coveted Awards
for Excellence.
PLESE
NOTE:
Due
to the
unprecedented
uncertainty
regarding
the
coronavirus
pandemic,
The
Muslim
News has
postponed
its
prestigious
annual
awards
ceremony
until
late UK
summer.
Born in Mauritius,
Mohammad Ryad
Khodabocus
is Community
Relations
Development Officer
for Luton Council of
Faiths.
He has a passion for
helping others to
empower and develop
themselves and is a
sports coach
specializing in
archery.
Many community
projects that Ryad
has pioneered
include the Faith
Woodlands
Communities Project
where 3,000 people
of different faiths
came together to
transform derelict
land into peace
gardens; Making
Luton a Fairtrade
Town campaign which
saw Luton gain
Fairtrade Town
status in 2011 and
2012; and the
rebranding of
Luton’s Annual
Interfaith
Pilgrimage which now
draws hundreds of
people every year.
Ryad’s community
presence is further
seen in The Luton
News, for which he
writes a weekly
column called Faith
Matters.
Donate an Eid
Gift for
Children in Need
through MAA
Dr. Susan
Carland from
Benevolence
Australia
supports Muslim
Aid Australia’s
Eid Gifts for
Kids programme.
As we approach
Eid, if you'd
also like to
bring a BIG
smile to a
child's face for
just $20, visit
http://bit.ly/EidGift_MAA
or call 1800 100
786 (24x7).
Purify your
fasts and donate
your Zakat al-Fitr
today. The
recommended
amount is $10
per person.
Giving Zakat al-Fitr
(also known as
Fitrah) is one
of the many
obligations of
the holy month
of Ramadan. Like
the Zakat on an
individual’s
savings, it also
entails giving a
small amount to
charity. Zakat
al-Fitr,
however, must be
given before the
Eid prayers are
performed.
Muslim Aid
Australia is
distributing
your Fitrah to
25 countries
this Ramadan.
Ramadan is the
time of giving,
and what better
time to give
your Zakah than
now? But Zakah
is an important
pillar of Islam,
and we want to
make sure that
you calculate it
right!
Zakah
Calculator*:
bit.ly/fZakahCalculator
Carefully
developed by our
team and trusted
by LaunchGood,
the MAA Zakah
Calculator is
the best tool to
quickly
calculate your
Zakah.
Bank Transfer:
MAA
International
BSB: 082057
ACC: 251725137
Ref: <Appeal
Name>
Due to the
nature of Zakah
and the relative
differences of
opinion, it is
advised to
consult your
local scholar
for your
calculations if
your case is
complicated, or
if you have any
specific
questions.
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the current crisis, our
teams across the globe are
ensuring
your
donations are reaching the
most vulnerable
whilst
keeping our staff and
beneficiaries safe.
Make sure your donations are
delivered the right way
by donating
Online using the links below
or calling 1800 100 786.
Habib bin Luthfi is
currently: Ra’is ‘Amm of the
Jam’iyyah Ahli Thariqah Al-Mu’tabarah
Al-Nahdliyah (Head of the
Association of Recognized
Sufi Orders), Head of MUI
Middle Java, and the
spiritual leader of the Ba
Alawi tariqah in Indonesia.
Influence Ba Alawi: The Ba
Alawi are descendants of the
Prophet (PBUH) who migrated
to Hadramaut in Yemen early
on in Islamic history. They
played a major role in
bringing Islam to the Far
East, including Indonesia
and Malaysia, and they hold
high prominence to this day.
They emphasise the
importance of inward
sincerity coupled with the
study of religious sciences,
especially as espoused by
Imam Ghazali.
Seeker of Knowledge:
Habib Luthfi started his
quest for knowledge early in
life, and first studied
under the tutelage of Ba
Alawi teachers in Indonesia.
He then travelled to Makkah
and Madinah for further
education and received
authorisation (ijaaza) in
all the traditional fields
of learning including hadith,
and sufism (tasawwuf ). His
authorisation to be a
spiritual master comes from
more than one tariqah
(spiritual brotherhood).
Spiritual Guide: He
has established thousands of
schools, mosques and
zawiyahs in Indonesia, and
has a following numbering
millions. He emphasises
spiritual practices,
especially the recitation of
litanies (awraad)
ABSTRACT
Islamophobia has been a
recurrent socio-political
narrative for some time now,
and it has been exacerbated
since the aftermath of 9/11.
Despite the plethora of
studies on the subject,
little is known about Muslim
scholars’ perception of this
phenomenon. This is due
primarily to the language
barrier since the Arabic
language is the code for
their discourse.
It is essential to consider
both Islamic and Western
perspectives to understand
the problem thoroughly and
suggest solutions, as
relying on one approach is
both biased and
uncompromising. Accordingly,
the purpose of this paper is
threefold:
First, it explains how
Islamophobia should be
defined contextually. It
frames its arguments within
three contexts: a historical
setting (Meccan and Madinah
period), Islam in the Arab
world, and Islam in the
West.
Second, the paper
demonstrates how a Muslim’s
perspective contrasts with
the Western narrative. It
critically challenges some
of the arguments put forward
in social sciences and
intellectual discourses and
adopts an unapologetic and
non-defensive approach in
the treatment of
Islamophobia.
Third, the paper discusses
the variables that affect
Islamophobia, such as
Western media and terrorism
(including state terrorism).
Finally, the paper proposes
some approaches to
mitigating the situation.
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
ISLAMOPHOBIA: A MUSLIM’S
PERSPECTIVE
...continued from last
week's CCN
Numerous Muslim
preachers, educators and
academics have discussed
the phenomenon of
Islamophobia.
However, some of these
views, particularly
those emanating from
preachers, tend to be
apologetic and
reactionary, in contrast
to academic discourse.
The works by Bakr Zakī
Awad, an Egyptian
Islamic theologian,
tackle the problem of
Islamophobia at its
roots.
For instance, in his
work Fighting the
Legality and Etiquette
in Islam, Judaism and
Christianity, Awad
emphasises that Islam
has been perceived as
the religion of the
sword.
He explains that jihad
must be understood on
the bases of the Meccan
and Medina periods. Each
period offers a unique
context.
Ben Tamsuk, a Tunisian
academic, has put
forward some valid
points in his article
“Islamophobia, a
Geo-Political Analysis”
published on the
Mominoun Without Borders
site.
He stresses Islamophobia
is “an ideological trick
to control the resources
of the Middle East.”
He believes it is not a
new phenomenon as it
began with the denial of
the prophecy of the
Prophet Muhammad by the
Christians and Jews.
Islamophobia’s strongest
expression was
manifested in the
periods of the Crusades
(1096-1292), the
expulsion of Muslims
from Granada in 1492,
the colonisation of Arab
lands, the Sykes–Picot
Agreement in 1916 and
the Occupation of
Palestine after the 1917
Balfour Declaration.
He adds that Western
media, framed by
xenophobic Orientalist
thinking, has tended to
paint an image of Islam
that constructs a Muslim
as an animal, blood
thirsty, sexual and
terrorist who despises
women and adores power,
killing and beheading.
Can a man not
make his own
cereal or fry
his own bloody
pakoras?
By Fatima
Raza
So we are at the
halfway point of
Ramadan and for
the past,
fifteen or so
days women in
most Muslim
households have
been getting up
before dawn to
prepare food so
that the entire
family can start
their fast.
Those same women
are labouring
again in the
evenings so that
the family can
break their
fast. Many see
this as a form
of not sacrifice
but of worship
and also
consider it a
privilege rather
than a duty.
Nonetheless, the
point I have
been thinking
about for a
while and which
has been gnawing
at me is the
concept of a
woman still
doing these
'activities'
even when she is
religiously
allowed to
abstain from
them.
During one's
menstrual cycle
a woman is
excused from
fasting and
praying (the
inert sexism in
this, is a topic
for another
discussion).
Thus, when a
woman, in Islam,
is on her period
she is
religiously free
from fasting and
praying
(although she is
meant to make up
for these missed
fasts after
Ramadan).
Nonetheless, the
point is that
because of her
natural
physiology and
anatomy she is
able to be
excused
religiously from
her duty to
faith but she is
definitely not
excused
culturally from
her duty to
patriarchy.
Therefore,
irrespective of
being on her
period many
women (mothers,
sisters, wives,
daughters) will
still get up
before dawn to
prepare meals
and still labour
prior to iftar
in preparing
meals, while the
men (fathers,
sons, husbands
and brothers)
will not even
bat an eye at
the sheer sexism
of this
inherently
patriarchal
construct and
concept. On
critical
analysis, if a
woman is excused
from her
'religious duty'
due to
menstruation
then why should
she have to get
up to feed the
family? Can a
man not make his
own cereal or
fry his own
bloody pakoras?
The
indoctrination
of culture is so
inherently
manifested in
the social
psyche of
society, that
women themselves
do not see this
mere act of
getting up and
making food when
they are
religiously
allowed to
abstain from it
as a mechanism
of patriarchal
control. It's
kind of
upsetting
actually, that
rather than be
able to split
responsibilities
equally, women
in most
households take
up extra burdens
for which they
are not even
acknowledged (I
understand that
I'm broad
brushing over
this issue) but
the sheer
casualness of
this injustice
has both
astounded and
bothered me for
a while and to
pen it, I think,
is worthwhile,
as it is a point
that more often
than not goes
unnoticed and
seldom discussed
as an issue of
injustice.
.
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.
Norway mosque suspect denies guilt, makes
far-right sign in court
A Norwegian
riot policeman stands in front
of the al-Noor mosque where
suspect Philip Manshaus, armed
with multiple weapons, went on a
shooting spree in the town of
Baerum, an Oslo suburb, on
August 10, 2019
NORWAY: Philip Manshaus
is accused of terror and murder after a
failed shooting spree at a mosque and
killing his stepsister.
A Norwegian man accused of carrying out
a shooting at a mosque near Oslo in
August and murdering his stepsister
denied guilt on both counts as his trial
opened in Norway.
Prosecutor Johan Overberg read out the
charges separately on Thursday. When
asked by the judge how he pleaded on
each count, Philip Manshaus said he did
not admit guilt.
The 22-year-old made an OK gesture, an
expression of white supremacy, with his
hand before taking his seat. The
proceedings were broadcast via video
link due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Overberg said Manshaus shot his
17-year-old stepsister Johanne Zhangjia
Ihle-Hansen, who was adopted from China,
four times.
Her body was found at his home in Baerum,
west of Oslo on August 10, the same day
as the mosque attack.
No one was shot or seriously injured at
the al-Noor Islamic Centre mosque, where
Manshaus, who had arrived at the place
of worship with several weapons, was
overpowered after a struggle with two
members of the mosque.
However, he was able to fire six shots
and injured one elderly worshipper.
Princess R. Lakshman
is a writer, poet,
life coach, and
spiritual
counsellor. She
lives in Brisbane,
Australia. Her
website is
www.princesslakshman.com
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.
Muslimah Mind
Matters now has a
blog site.
Please visit this
link and follow the
website to get your
latest articles on
self-care and mind
wellness from
Princess R. Lakshman
(Sister Iqra)
https://muslimahmindmatters.wordpress.com
Muslimah Mind
Matters blog site
advocates self-care
and clarity of mind
for Muslim women.
Princess R. Lakshman
is a writer, mind
wellness coach,
narrative therapist,
soon-to-qualified
clinical
nutritionist,
speaker, and
workshop
facilitator.
To suggest topics
for blogs, email
info@princesslakshman.com
Surviving
Separation
Relationships begin,
they evolve and
sometimes they
dissolve.
Relationships are
complex things to
understand. Perhaps
this perception
needs to change. It
is not relationships
that are complex to
understand, it is
people who fail to
understand
themselves first, so
that they may
understand another.
Having survived 11
years in a marriage
that was physically
violent, emotionally
abusive and
psychologically
traumatic, I have
first-hand
experience in
feeling like the
whole world was
against me, like I
was worthless, like
I was better off
dead and there was
no need for me here,
like it was never
going to get better,
like a part of me
was empty and
meaningless, like I
couldn’t even
breathe again. All
of these feelings of
self-loathing,
self-neglect and
negative perceptions
became my daily
companion when I
separated from my
ex-husband.
Now, nine years
later, I know firmly
in my heart with
absolute faith that
the following ayat
from Surah Al-Baqarah
is most relevant
when I reflect on
how I survived those
terrible feelings of
self-loathing and
worthlessness:
Surat Al-Baqarah
(ayat 286)
َّلا ُ و ْسَعَها ِ ًسا
إ نَفْ ِّ ُف االلهَُّ
َلا ُ یَكل
“Allah does not
burden a soul beyond
that it can bear. It
gets every good that
it earns, and it
suffers every ill
that it earns…”
Going through
separation or
divorce can bring
about negative
perceptions of the
world, others and
self. More than
ever, it is during
this phase that one
needs to consciously
practise daily
ibadah and
self-care. As
Muslims, we know
that ALLAH is the
best of planners.
Practise these
self-care strategies
and have faith that
ALLAH has put you to
this and HE will put
you through it and
give you what is
best for you and
your deen, In Shaa
ALLAH.
9 Self-Care
Strategies When
Going Through
Separation or
Divorce
1.
Self-Compassion
- blame is pointless
and keeps one stuck
in the past. The
whole idea is to
live “through” the
pain and grow from
it to be better and
to move on with hope
and faith. Blaming
yourself or another
will cause further
pain and anguish.
One of the best ways
to practise
self-compassion is
to express gratitude
for everything, even
those experiences
that were painful.
Thank ALLAH for
helping you survive
them. Thank ALLAH
for making you
stronger and wiser.
2. Re-visit your
life’s purpose and
dreams – when
you were younger you
must have had some
dreams or goals
about how you
envision your life
to be. Re-visit
these goals and
dreams and try to
understand how you
can move towards
them. Perhaps you
never pursued them
because of various
reasons. Now that
you have started a
new chapter in life,
use your energy into
realising your
purpose.
3. Talk it out
but don’t gossip
- speak to positive
people and a trusted
professional about
your feelings. Let
things out and
unburden, however,
be mindful that you
are not bad-mouthing
your ex-spouse.
Refrain from talking
all day, every day
about your breakup
to different members
of the family and
relative circle.
This inevitably
turns into a gossip
session. As Muslims,
our communities are
close-knitted and
people know each
other. Be mindful of
your words, in case
they may be
misconstrued and
cause hurt to
another person.
4. Eat, pray,
sleep, exercise
- keep focussing on
the daily basics of
life. Eat healthy
meals on time,
engage in daily
exercise so that
your body releases
endorphins, the
“happy hormones”,
sleep for at least 7
hours, and be sure
to commit to daily
prayers, dhikr and
silent moments of
reflection.
5. Tahajjud salah
and silence -
try getting up for
Tahajjud salah as
much as you can.
This will help you
overcome any kind of
confusion you may be
going through
regarding your
separation or
divorce. After your
Tahajjud salah, ask
ALLAH the questions
you need answered
and sit in silence.
Have faith that HE
will give you
wisdom, signs and
inspiration to make
choices that will be
good for you and
your deen.
6. Start learning
something new -
whether it is
something creative
like a new craft or
a new language, now
is a good time to
start learning
something new. This
will help you keep
your mind engaged in
something productive
instead of allowing
your mind to dwell
on the past and
bring about anxiety
for an imagined
future.
7. Rearrange your
room and de-clutter
your living space
- the movement of
energy and positive
vibrations in the
home is vital.
Create a space for
yourself which will
be your sanctuary.
Rearrange furniture
and add new colours
in order to breathe
new life into your
home, filling it
with light and joy.
8. Detox your
body daily - one
of the best
strategies for
detoxing your body
is to drink plenty
of water and excrete
toxins from your
body. When your body
repairs and
replenishes from the
inside, your
immunity and overall
health improves.
9. Practise
awareness exercise
daily – practise
a 3- to 5-minute
body scan meditation
activity. This daily
exercise of the mind
brings about clarity
and awareness. It
makes you understand
the difference
between your
responses and
reactions. Mastering
your responses is
how you begin living
life with immense
joy and absolute
faith in ALLAH
alone, instead of
reacting to
circumstances and
living in fear.
Always remember, you
are not your
experiences. You are
the FORCE that
overcomes them.
A review of the book by
Dr Adis Duderija of Griffith
University can be found
here.
DESCRIPTION
Taking us inside the world
of the madrasa--the most
common type of school for
religious instruction in the
Islamic world--Ebrahim Moosa
provides an indispensable
resource for anyone seeking
to understand orthodox Islam
in global affairs.
Focusing on
postsecondary-level
religious institutions in
the Indo-Pakistan
heartlands, Moosa explains
how a madrasa can
simultaneously be a place of
learning revered by many and
an institution feared by
many others, especially in a
post-9/11 world.
Drawing on his own years as
a madrasa student in India,
Moosa describes in
fascinating detail the daily
routine for teachers and
students today.
He shows how classical
theological, legal, and
Qur'anic texts are taught,
and he illuminates the
history of ideas and
politics behind the madrasa
system.
Addressing the contemporary
political scene in a
clear-eyed manner, Moosa
introduces us to madrasa
leaders who hold diverse and
conflicting perspectives on
the place of religion in
society.
Some admit that they face
intractable problems and
challenges, including
militancy; others, Moosa
says, hide their heads in
the sand and fail to address
the crucial issues of the
day.
Offering practical
suggestions to both madrasa
leaders and U.S.
policymakers for reform and
understanding, Moosa
demonstrates how madrasas
today still embody the
highest aspirations and
deeply felt needs of
traditional Muslims.
KB says:
A decadent yet delicious starter for Eid lunch,
this recipe will be a keeper.
Sojee with the Flavour of Burfee
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Ingredients
1 egg
2 cups milk
125g butter
¾ cup semolina/sojee
5 tab. Klim milk powder or similar creamy milk powder (make
a paste with some milk)
2 tsp ground elachi powder (cardamom)
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of saffron
Slivered almonds (coloured if preferred) and or pistachios
Method
1. Beat together the egg, milk, sugar, elachi, cream and
vanilla essence and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy
based pot, add sojee/semolina and braise for 10 min add in
the above milk mixture and simmer till it thickens slightly.
3. Add the saffron, milk powder
and mix with a wooden or non-stick spoon on low heat for ±
10 minutes.
4. Steam on low till semolina is
cooked.
5. Decorate with the slivered
almonds and pistachios and serve warm with papar.
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.
Verily this Qur'an guides to
that which is most right [or
stable], and gives the glad
tidings to the Believers who
work deeds of righteousness,
that they shall have a
magnificent reward.
"And the people
stayed home. And read
books, and listened, and
rested, and exercised,
and made art, and played
games, and learned new
ways of being, and were
still. And listened more
deeply. Some meditated,
some prayed, some
danced. Some met their
shadows. And the people
began to think
differently. And the
people healed. And, in
the absence of people
living in ignorant,
dangerous, mindless, and
heartless ways, the
earth began to heal. And
when the danger passed,
and the people joined
together again, they
grieved their losses,
and made new choices,
and dreamed new images,
and created new ways to
live and heal the earth
fully, as they had been
healed."
Despite the
uncertainty
surrounding
COVID-19, our
guest speaker
Abdul Fattah
will share with
you some
effective
strategies to
maintain a
strong mindset
and thrive
during and
beyond the
pandemic.
In this
interactive
online session,
you will learn
how to:
1. Take charge
of your most
valuable assets
- your mind,
health & time
2. Maintain good
mental and
emotional health
3. Implement
practical steps
to redesign your
lifestyle
... and much
more.
Best of all,
it's FREE and
open to
everybody!
Tickets are
limited, so
register now
to reserve your
spot.
Featuring Abdul
Fattah -
Abdul Fattah is
a
High-Performance
Coach and
Business
Strategist. He
provides
leadership
development and
executive
coaching
programs that
help leaders
create and
sustain
high-performance
teams to
maximise
bottom-line
results.
Alhamdulillah, only for Brisbane
residents are we so fortunate to have the ability to
access Islamic Education on a variety of different
platforms.
With registrations CLOSING SOON there are limited spots
remaining until classes are at full capacity 2020 with
both Full – Time and Part – Time close to capacity.
“The Quran Alive course is the culmination of over 14
years of research and development. Our Academy Alive
scholars have tailored, refined and systemised our
unique curriculum, producing world class standards of
education to suit all learning styles."
View some of our success stories of our students of
2019. 2020 could be your year!
As the clinical director of
Hayat House, Nasreen Hanifi
helps Muslims dealing with
addiction.
When Mohammad began taking
drugs in his late teens, his
behaviour wasn't just
illegal, it was forbidden by
his faith.
"It started from pot and
drinking to cocaine … then I
pretty much went downhill
from there," he recalls.
Over the following years,
Mohammad — who did not want
his full name used — spent
tens of thousands of dollars
feeding his addiction. In
the process, he lost many of
the people he loved most.
"I lost that marriage to
drugs, I lost my daughter,
for a while, to drugs, I
lost my family," he says.
"That's basically when I
knew it was either I change,
or I'm going to die. There
were only two options for
me."
'You shouldn't be taking
drugs in the first place'
Across Australia, it's
estimated there are hundreds
of thousands of people
requiring drug and alcohol
rehabilitation services
whose needs aren't being met
due to the system's "chronic
underfunding".
For Mohammad, the road to
sobriety was also
complicated by his faith. In
Islam, intoxicants are not
permissible.
"It's definitely more
shameful in the household,"
he says.
"It is hard to open up to
family members because we
shouldn't be taking [alcohol
or drugs] in the first
place, so it's a big shock
for certain family members,
depending on how religious
they are."
Mohammad tried to seek help
from rehab services outside
of his community, but he
says he never felt at ease
with the counsellors, and
his progress inevitably
stalled.
Then he heard about Hayat
House, a drug and alcohol
rehabilitation service that
caters for Sydney's Muslim
community. Finally,
something clicked.
"Because it is a Muslim
place — I don't really know
how to explain it — it's
somewhat more comfortable to
open up to [the
counsellors]," Mohammad
says.
"Maybe because it's closer
to home and you're allowed
to speak about [addiction]."
Moving beyond sin
As a trained psychologist
and the clinical director of
Hayat House, Nasreen Hanifi
has been helping clients,
like Mohammad, overcome
dependency issues for years.
"People usually feel
comfortable that they can
access a service that can
relate to them on a faith or
cultural basis," she
explains.
Hayat House is open four
days per week, but due to
physical distancing
measures, sessions are
currently run over the phone
or through Zoom. While the
free service primarily
caters to Muslim clients,
non-Muslims are also
welcome.
Dr Hanifi says clinicians
use evidence-based
practises, such as cognitive
behavioural therapy and
motivational interviewing.
"Part and parcel of our
profession is having a
non-judgmental, non-biased
approach," she says.
"If you come in here and you
think that you've committed
a sin and God's punishing
you, or whatever guilt or
embarrassment [a client]
comes with, we try not to
focus on any of that.
"Our aim is to help them
with their addiction, and
either abstain them from it,
or focus on the
harm-reduction process."
Faith in overcoming
addiction
But some clients wish to
discuss their addiction in
relation to their faith.
"I have a master's in
theology so I can do that,
but if [a clinician] is not
trained in that area, I
wouldn't recommend them to
do it," she says.
"You need to understand
Islam within its entirety to
be able to do spiritual
counselling, so we focus on
providing clinical
interventions as much as we
can."
Across Australia, many
rehabilitation and detox
clinics are affiliated with
Christian organisations. And
although Alcoholics or
Narcotics Anonymous meetings
are open to believers and
atheists alike, they operate
on a 12-step program that's
rooted in religion.
Dr Hanifi says there's a
reason why religion is often
closely affiliated to
rehabilitation services.
"[For] people who have
addiction issues,
particularly in the drug and
alcohol sector, one of the
biggest concerns they
usually have is their
faith," she says.
"The research I did
suggested that if we
implemented spirituality in
counselling sessions for
Muslim clients,
particularly, then the
outcome would be a lot
better because we can talk
about emotions, embarrassing
moments, shame — all of that
— couple it with the
religion, and give them
practical goals on how they
can manage [their
addiction]."
For Mohammad, Dr Hanifi's
holistic approach helped him
change his habits.
"A lot of people think you
just need faith, and
everything will be OK, and
that's definitely not the
case," he says.
"You need faith and you also
need psychological support."
Mohammad says Dr Hanifi also
aided his recovery by
introducing him to the
Islamic-run not-for-profit
organisation Brothers in
Need.
"I used to go with them on
Saturday nights to feed the
homeless," he recalls.
"[I learnt] there were
Muslim and Islamic options
for me, instead of me going
out to a pub and drinking or
taking drugs. There were
things I could do instead,
and I enjoyed them."
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
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