A/C Name:
Islamic Society
of Toowoomba
BSB #064459 A/C
# 1000 3579
Reference:
Beirut Support
Muslim Aid
Australia
Lebanon is
reeling after
the devastating
explosion in
Beirut
overnight, with
up to a 100 dead
and more than
4000 people
injured or
missing. Muslim
Aid Australia is
urgently
liaising with
our teams on the
ground to
provide
emergency
relief. Based on
the reports from
the ground, we
are aiming to
provide hot food
packs,
facilitate
mobile blood
donation
vehicles, and
provide other
emergency aid to
the most
affected.
To add to this
tragedy, we
already know how
years of
conflict between
the people and
the government
has brought the
country to an
economic halt
and the
situation is set
to grow worse.
Harsh
restrictions on
banks has
limited
individuals’ and
companies’
access to money
causing loss of
business, jobs,
and lives and
this explosion
is just the
latest in a long
list of woes
that our
Lebanese
brothers and
sisters are
facing.
We need your
generous support
to help the
people of
Lebanon!
MCHK and MAA
have come
together to
deliver
emergency aid in
Lebanon. Please
donate
generously!
I understand that comedy is a form of art and artists may have a little more liberty to be offensive. But to joke about 50 people who were killed while praying at a mosque is insensitive and offensive. Reaction by the audience was equally appalling. This is not right by any standards. Isaac Butterfield is an Australian comedian and this is not the first time he has been racist and offensive.
Ali Kadri: I understand
that comedy is a form of art
and artists may have a
little more liberty to be
offensive. But to joke about
50 people who were killed
while praying at a mosque is
insensitive and offensive.
Reaction by the audience was
equally appalling. This is
not right by any standards.
Isaac Butterfield is an
Australian comedian and this
is not the first time he has
been racist and offensive.
The Christchurch 'Joke': A
Critique of Comedy Culture
In this critique,
Almir Colan talks
about where comedy
culture is heading
today as a result of
a spiritual void as
a consequence of a
faithless society.
Key topics:
0:00 Media coverage,
intro
1:14 Recap & the
"joke"
6:19 Response
8:12 Fun at the
expense of others.
13:21 Christchurch
attack and Remove
Kebab "joke"
16:20 Anti-Muslim
heroes and
Srebrenica revenge
19:17 Where is
comedy heading
today?
21:00 Problem with
comedy culture
21:26 Way do we give
attention to these
comedians?
24:14 Clever joke -
5 opinions about
hell
26:20 Are there
limits to comedy?
33:53 Integrity in
comedy
35:35 Just because
others are doing
it...
41:16 What should be
the role of comedy
42:55 Muslim
comedians
44:04 How we tell
jokes matters
47:46 Entertainment
& impact on our life
and attitudes
53:32 Removing
doubts, the boat is
sinking
55:27 How to react
in the battle of
ideas (cancel
culture)
57:22 Final thoughts
Supporting businesses run by
women within the community
Muslimahs in Business (MIB)
love and passion is to
support businesses run by
women within the community.
Starting your own business
without guidance or support
can be quiet daunting, trust
us we know! Here we are
aiming to support, to
support and to establish a
positive impact on all In
Sha Allah! How? By having
online useful information
for your business journey,
be inspired with business
back stories, rave new
products or services with
authentic reviews, and so
on.
MIB is also the proud event
planner of our hit Muslimah
Night Bazaar!
We hold few events per year
for small businesses, giving
them an opportunity to
present themselves to a
diverse platform where they
can extend their business,
gain new connections & make
everlasting friends.
Australia’s involvement in
the war on Afghanistan:
The hidden costs to all of
us
This year you probably saw a
story about an Australian
soldier who was just stood
down as the ABC Four Corners
program aired 2012 footage
of him killing an unarmed
civilian in Afghanistan.
Soldier C" was investigated
for two allegedly unlawful
‘killings’ in Afghanistan –
one of the victims was an
unarmed and intellectually
disabled civilian. Before
this he had been awarded the
Commendation for Gallantry
for his service in
Afghanistan.
It is natural when we see
stories like these to blame
the aggressor soldier,
painting him as an unbridled
racist and extremist. And
perhaps he is this as well –
only Allah knows what is in
his heart.
The story left out of this
reporting, and out of our
own mental rationalisation,
is how this soldier and many
like him came to the point
of hating and targeting
Afghans, Muslims; when this
radicalisation began, and
how much our armed forces
leadership and political
leadership is responsible.
More than 26,000 Australian
personnel have served in
Afghanistan since the war
began in October 2001. Today
around 400 Australian troops
remain in the country, after
most combat troops were
withdrawn in 2013. Forty-one
Australian soldiers have
been killed, along with more
than 150,000 Afghans,
including around 50,000
civilians.
How were Australian soldiers
prepared for this war? The
‘War on Terror’ carrying the
image of Osama Bin Laden.
Whether intentionally done
or not, Australian soldiers
were trained relentlessly in
a way where Islam, Muslim,
terror were built together
into their psyche. To many
soldiers, civilians and
Taliban operatives ‘all
looked the same’.
It is also commonly reported
that when these soldiers
returned to Australia, with
post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), physical
disabilities, that the
mental health and ongoing
support wasn’t there. The
‘brotherhood’ of the armed
forces was gone, and left
alone, they were susceptible
to a new type of propaganda,
the one that portrayed all
Muslims as a threat that
were trying overtly and
covertly to ‘take over the
country’. Far right groups
and pages carrying these
extreme right narratives,
blaming ‘the assault’ of new
Muslim immigrants for all
their woes in being
neglected by the army, the
state, for the suffering of
all white Australians
forgotten by their political
leadership, became a honey
pot for these men.
Over two decades, these
far-right pages and groups
channelled (and continue to
channel) more extreme right
material to Australian
audiences, with wide
consequences for our
community.
While it may seem strange
for someone to feel
genuinely fearful and
victimised by us as a
threat, we have to treat
this seriously and with a
sensible measure of
compassion.
The monster is not us, and
nor is it ex-servicemen and
women. If we are to
collectively heal, and make
all of our families safer
and more well, we have to
take collective
responsibility for engaging
with the psychologically
wounded on all sides, and
use our democratic channels
to demand accountability and
restoration from those
institutional and political
actors that inflicted those
wounds.
We won’t fully know the
impact of these decisions on
the growth of anti-Muslim
sentiment in Australia, in
comparison to other
contributing factors. We do
know that this sentiment was
mirrored in mainstream news
opinion, and the language of
top level politicians, with
former Australian Prime
Minister Malcolm Turnbull
reflecting as much in his
recent memoir.
We also know that
understanding this
particular facet of harm
through war, military
training and post-war
neglect of servicemen and
women, provides a solid
entry point for much needed
conversation and healing.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rita Jabri-Markwell
is a Lawyer and
Adviser to the
Australian Muslim
Advocacy Network (AMAN).
The views,
thoughts and opinions
expressed here are the
author’s alone and do not
necessarily reflect or
represent the views and
opinions of Crescents
Community News (CCN) or any
organizations the author may
be associated with.
Do you want to inform and
get your opinion and
expertise out there into the
community?
CAIR Calls on Senate Committee to Oppose
Trump's Anti-Muslim, Racist Nominee Douglas
Macgregor as U.S. Ambassador to Germany
Douglas Macgregor
The Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR),
the nation's largest Muslim
civil rights and advocacy
organization, called on
members of the U.S. Senate
Committee on Foreign
Relations to oppose
President Trump's nomination
of Retired Army Colonel
Douglas Macgregor to the
post of U.S. Ambassador to
Germany.
Macgregor has a long history
or making violent
anti-Muslim, anti-Mexican
and anti-immigrant remarks.
Macgregor's History of
Anti-Muslim and Mexican
Remarks
In 2018, Macgregor
disparaged Muslim refugees
fleeing to Europe as
"invaders," following German
Chancellor Angela Merkel's
decision to allow refugees
to enter that county.
Macgregor claimed Merkel
"seems more concerned about
providing free services to
millions of unwanted Muslim
invaders" than funding
"armed forces in the defense
of its country."
In 2016, Macgregor said on
an internet radio show that
Muslim refugees are "not
coming to assimilate and
become part of Europe" but
come "with the goal of
eventually turning Europe
into an Islamic State"
adding "That's a bad thing
for the West. It's a bad
thing for Europeans."
In 2015, Macgregor similarly
said on ABC News that Muslim
refugees in Europe "are not
coming to assimilate or
become Europeans - quite the
opposite. They're coming to
take over whatever they can
get."
On that same program,
Macgregor also stated the
United States has "more than
9 million Muslims" and "I
would be surprised if some
were not inspired by the
Islamic State."
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.
PLEASE
NOTE:
Due
to the
unprecedented
uncertainty
regarding
the
coronavirus
pandemic,
The
Muslim
News has
postponed
its
prestigious
annual
awards
ceremony
until
late UK
summer.
For
the last forty
years,
Mohamed Iqbal
Asaria
CBE has been a key
figure behind the
growth and
implementation of
Islamic finance,
banking, and
insurance in the UK.
His practical
experience of
investment and
banking and his
grasp of the
jurisprudence of
Islamic commercial
law has enabled him
to make a unique
contribution to his
field.
Iqbal was a member
of the working party
set up by the
Governor of the Bank
of England to report
on issues relating
to the introduction
of Islamic financial
products in the UK.
Since 2005, he has
been Special Adviser
on Business &
Economic Affairs to
the
Secretary-General of
the Muslim Council
of Britain.
He is a Fellow of
the Chartered
Association of
Certified
Accountants and
teaches postgraduate
courses at several
leading
universities.
In 2005, he was
awarded a CBE for
services to
international
development.
The son of the late Grand
Ayatollah Mohammad Sadiq Al-Sadr,
and son-in-law of Grand
Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir Al-Sadr,
Muqtada is a highly
influential leader who
inherited control over large
social institutions that
served millions in the slums
of Baghdad.
Influence Serving the Poor: He
has concentrated on serving
Iraq’s poor Shia Muslims and
has had complete freedom to
work in many parts of Iraq,
especially Sadr City, a
district in Baghdad named
after his father. He
provides healthcare and
access to food and clean
water. He has raised issues
of corruption, high
unemployment and poor
government services.
Politics: He gained
prominence after the US
invasion of Iraq by creating
the Mahdi Army, an armed
insurgency movement that
formed its own courts and
system of law enforcement.
This is now known as Saraya
Al-Salam. Through it he has
concentrated on campaigning
against corruption in Iraq,
criticising the government
openly about this. He has
worked for Shia-Sunni unity,
and in 2017 called for
Syrian president Bashar
Al-Assad to step down and
met with Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammad bin Salman.
King-Maker: In the
May 2018 elections, Al-Sadr
allied with the communist
party, and their Sairoon
coalition won the most
seats, making him the
king-maker in Iraq’s new
government. The campaign
rhetoric focused on
corruption and tried to cut
across sectarian platforms.
Rejecting influence from
both USA and Iran, he has
focused on bringing
disparate Iraqi parties
together. He has continued
his criticism of corruption
within the Iraqi government.
Vegan Muslims
Created An
Animal-Free
Sacrifice For
The Eid Al-Adha
Tradition
Vegan
Muslims have replaced
traditional "Qurbani" animal
sacrifice with plant-based food
for Eid al-Adha, a major holiday
of Islam.
Vegan Muslims have found a
new way to celebrate Eid al Adha
One of the major
Islamic
holidays, Eid
al-Adha, is
celebrated
through animal
sacrifice. But
some vegans are
giving the
holiday an
ethical
makeover.
What Is Eid
Al-Adha?
Known as the
“Festival of
Sacrifice,” it
honors the
willingness of
Ibrahim to
sacrifice his
only son. It is
an act of
obedience before
God. On this
day, some
members of the
Muslim faith
choose an
animal—typically
sheep, goats,
cattle, or
camels—for “Qurbani,”
the act of
sacrifice. The
sacrifice is
used to
represent how
God delivered
Ibrahim a ram to
offer in place
of his son.
The sacrificed
offering is
divided into
three parts: One
is given to the
needy, the
second is shared
with friends and
neighbours, and
the remainder is
kept by the
family.
Practicing
Vegan Qurbani
Several vegan
Muslims from
around the world
spoke to The
Daily Vox, an
independent
South African
news site that
uplifts voices
of the younger
generation,
about how they
practice
cruelty-free
Qurbani.
Anissa Buzhu is
a 27-year-old
Muslim living in
The Netherlands.
She says that
Qurbani is less
about animal
sacrifice and
more about
“reflecting on
yourself and
serving God by
serving people.”
“Helping
others, I
perceive as
something you
can do without
animal products.
Because, by
that, we help
our planet –
which I consider
to be the first
revelation and
God’s creation.
These are all
aspects Islam
teaches us,” she
said, adding
that today’s
factory farms
are vastly
different from
the practice of
using animals
for food in
ancient times.
31-year-old
Reslane
Khassouni from
France agrees
that Qurbani is
about obedience
before God:
“On Eid-al-Adha,
I wake up early,
pray the Eid
prayer, and pray
the five
mandatory
prayers
throughout the
day. Sometimes I
give money to
charity
organisations. I
share also the
dinner with my
family.”
While many
reported
resistance from
family and
community
members, Baya
Tellai, a
resident of
Algeria, says
that she and her
sister, who is
also a vegan,
had an honest
conversation
with their
parents about
ethics. The
family now
shares a
plant-based meal
for the holiday
instead while
discussing its
teachings.
He was raised Jewish, became an Atheist, only to travel to Arabia
and become Muslim
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.
Villagers buy
sheep and goats for Eid Al-Adha
at a livestock market in
Mogadishu. A fall in demand amid
Hajj restrictions and
coronavirus fears has cut the
country’s animal exports. (AFP)
MOGADISHU,
Somalia: The annual Muslim
pilgrimage to Makkah is a time
for celebration, not least among
Somalia’s livestock herders and
traders who export millions of
livestock to feed pilgrims.
But this year coronavirus
restrictions mean the Hajj is a
small, largely Saudi affair, and
Somalia’s economy is suffering.
“Business is bad,” said Yahye
Hassan, who works in the capital
Mogadishu’s largest livestock
market where the pandemic has
suppressed trade.
“The effect of coronavirus is
apparent,” said Hassan. “The
Arab countries are not in need
of animals from Somalia, and the
nomadic people who would bring
the livestock to town for
trading are reluctant due to the
fear of infection.”
“There is a major decrease in
demand,” confirmed Nur Hassan,
another Mogadishu-based
livestock trader, who said the
shortage of domestic and foreign
buyers was catastrophic, while
supply had also seen a dip as
herders stay away.
The Hajj, which began last week,
is mandatory for all Muslims who
are physically and financially
able to undertake at least once
in their lifetime and involves
pilgrimage to the holy city of
Makkah and its Grand Mosque.
But this year Saudi authorities
have restricted the Hajj to
those already inside the country
— fewer than 10,000 domestic
pilgrims are expected, compared
with the 2 million mostly
foreign visitors who attended
last year.
Saudi demand accounts for nearly
two-thirds of Somalia’s annual
livestock exports, according to
the World Bank, which reports
that more than 5 million sheep,
goats, camels and cattle were
shipped northwards from Somali
ports through the Gulf of Aden
and the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia
in 2015.
Exports are predicted to be
sliced in half this year,
primarily due to COVID-19 travel
restrictions.
“The Hajj cancelation has
massive implications on the
lives and livelihoods of the
Somali population,” said Ahmed
Khalif, Somalia country director
at the Action Against Hunger
charity, adding that livestock
accounts for around 60 percent
of household income in the
largely rural country.
“It is a blow to the Somali
pastoralist households
particularly, who heavily
survive on livestock exports to
Saudi.”
Up to three-quarters of
Somalia’s export earnings come
from livestock, said Khalif,
making the foreign sale of
animals a crucial lifeline for
Somalia’s economy.
The annual Hajj is normally a
reliable boom time for herders,
but not this year.
“The livestock exports happen
all through the year, but the
majority — 70 percent of live
animals — happen during this
Hajj season,” said Khalif.
The evaporation of exports has
meant an oversupply in local
markets where prices have
dropped dramatically, with
camels going for $500, half
their usual price, according to
Khalif.
Good news for a relatively small
number of well-off consumers,
but a disaster for the majority
of livestock-keepers who rely on
sales to buy food, pay back
debts and cover basics such as
school fees.
Making matters even worse,
keeping animals for longer than
expected is a drain on limited
resources, said Isse Muse
Mohamed, a livestock trader in
the port town of Eyl, who warned
of “widespread effects” for the
economy.
“Keeping hundreds of goats and
sheep for an extra year will
obviously incur costs, including
the salary of the keepers,” he
said. “This is a real crisis.”
Falling incomes, increasing
costs and the loss of the Hajj
market are hitting owners such
as Adow Ganey, in the southern
town of Hudur.
“When the family wants cash for
necessary items, like sugar and
clothing, we used to take one or
two goats to the market,” he
said, “but this year things have
changed: we have to sell more
goats to get the cash we need.”
For some of Somalia’s livestock
herders and traders, already
assailed by decades of conflict
and political instability, ever
tighter cycles of drought and an
ongoing locust plague, the
cancelation of the Hajj may be
the straw that breaks the
camel’s back.
“We have never seen such a
situation,” said Abdqadar Hashi,
a livestock exporter in the city
of Hargeisa. “It’s affecting
everybody.”
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
Your Child Is NOT
You…Parent Your
Inner Child Before
You Parent Your
Child
If you are a parent
reading this, let me
just say it out
loud: THIS PARENTING
THING AIN’T EASY!
A couple of years
ago when my daughter
went on her school
camp, I few days ago
when she was packing
for her weekend
trip, I was
incessantly
bombarding her with
questions…Have you
labelled this? Have
you packed this?
Have you packed
that? Why do you
need headphones,
can’t you just look
at the stars and not
listen to music…It’s
camp, not a concert!
Do you have to swim
in the lake? What
about crocodiles?
And the
bushwalk…what about
the reptiles and
spiders?”
She literally had to
march me out of her
room and say to me:
“Mum, I will talk to
you when you calm
down and behave
yourself.” I
thought, hang on a
minute, this is what
I used to say to her
when she was
little…”Young lady,
I will talk to you
when you calm down
and behave
yourself.” Oh, how
the tables have
turned, I realised.
Pause for a moment
and reflect on your
own relationship
with your child/
children. Do you
ever feel that your
worries are governed
by your own fears
and that at times
you project those
fears on your child?
Your child is NOT
you. Your child has
his/her own QADR…preordained
path, bestowed upon
him/her by ALLAH. No
matter how much you
try to impose your
own fears on your
child, understand
one thing…your child
will either absorb
your fears and live
life with inherited
fear OR your child
will completely
reject your fears,
plus all the other
good advice you may
give, because he/she
will find it easier
to rebel than to
conform to your
fears.
So why do we impose
our fears on our
children? Our fears
too have been
inherited from other
people around us.
Somewhere cocooned
inside us lives a
child yearning to
blossom into a
fearless butterfly.
When you are able to
address your own
fears and parent
your inner child to
overcome those
fears, you will
fearlessly fly out
of that cocoon, a
butterfly who
surrenders to the
preordained path
that ALLAH has put
you on. Until you
parent your inner
child, you will
struggle with
parenting your
child. It’s a daily
practice, trust me.
How To Parent
Your Inner Child
The above link is a
video by Dr Shefali
Tsabary who has
revolutionised the
way we view
parenting. Please
watch it.
Below are some steps
you can implement if
you feel the
constant need to
control your child:
1. Catch
yourself when
you are asking
your child too
many questions.
STOP.
2. Reflect on
the questions
that you are
asking your
child and try to
understand what
is
prompting you to
ask these
questions.
3. If your
questions are
concerns, what
are you
concerned about?
4. If your
questions are
fear-based, what
are you fearful
about?
5. Identify your
fears and
concerns and
make a list of
them.
6. Sit with your
child and
express YOUR
fears and
concerns using
the phrases “I
am fearful
that…” or “I am
concerned that…”
Doing so will
show your child
that these are
your fears and
concerns and not
your child’s.
7. Hug your
child and tell
him/her that you
trust ALLAH to
keep him/her
safe and well.
8. Make wudu and
pray salah to
thank ALLAH for
making you aware
of your fears
and concerns
instead of
imposing them on
your child.
FREE
E-Book Muslimah
Mind Matters - The
Ultimate Self-Care
Guide For Muslimah
click here.
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
Gardens of
Renaissance Europe and the Islamic Empires:
Encounters and
Confluences
by
Mohammad Gharipour, ed.
DESCRIPTION
The cross-cultural exchange
of ideas that flourished in
the Mediterranean during the
sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries profoundly
affected European and
Islamic society.
Gardens of Renaissance
Europe and the Islamic
Empires considers the role
and place of gardens and
landscapes in the broader
context of the information
sharing that took place
among Europeans and Islamic
empires in Turkey, Persia,
and India.
In illustrating
commonalities in the design,
development, and people's
perceptions of gardens and
nature in both regions, this
volume substantiates
important parallels in the
revolutionary advancements
in landscape architecture
that took place during the
era.
The contributors explain how
the exchange of gardeners as
well as horticultural and
irrigation techniques
influenced design traditions
in the two cultures; examine
concurrent shifts in garden
and urban landscape design,
such as the move toward more
public functionality; and
explore the mutually
influential effects of
politics, economics, and
culture on composed outdoor
space.
In doing so, they shed light
on the complexity of
cultures and politics during
the Renaissance.
A thoughtfully composed look
at the effects of
cross-cultural exchange on
garden design during a
pivotal time in world
history, this
thought-provoking book
points to new areas in
inquiry about the
influences, confluences, and
connections between European
and Islamic garden
traditions.
In addition to the editor,
the contributors include
Cristina Castel-Branco,
Paula Henderson, Simone M.
Kaiser, Ebba Koch,
Christopher Pastore, Laurent
Paya, D. Fairchild Ruggles,
Jill Sinclair, and Anatole
Tchikine.
REVIEW
While
establishing
diplomatic relations
and trading goods
during the
Renaissance, the
Islamic East and
European West
discovered a shared
passion: gardens.
European travel
narratives to the
major Islamic
empires of the
day—Ottoman Turkey,
Safavid Persia and
Mughal
India—included
descriptions,
drawings and
sketches of cities
and their gardens.
These added “to the
reciprocal flow of
ideas and concepts
in terms of
architectural and
garden design,”
including “exchanges
of gardeners” and
“horticultural or
irrigation
techniques.” Vivid
descriptions of
Ottoman gardens for
example, led to the
French court’s
replacement of
Italian gardeners
“by Ottoman
specialists after
1495.”
The “gardens of
Mughal emperors
served as models”
for the Lisbon
gardens of
Portuguese envoys to
Goa and became
“symbols of wealth
and status.”
In the cultural
rivalry between Rome
and Constantinople
(today’s Istanbul),
“villa gardens
constituted a stage
for outdoing each
other.”
This collection of
scholarly, yet
readable,
well-illustrated
essays closely
examines how Islamic
and European garden
traditions
interacted and
influenced one
another.
Q:
Dear Kareema, I have not been very active these
last few months and would like to get started
again. I love running so where to from here?
A:
Start slow and steady
to give your body some time and allow it to
adapt to your running routine once more.
Be patient and set
yourself some short-term goals.
I’d start with short
walks, leading in to running from there.
Find a workout buddy or join a running group for
extra support if you like.
Having someone else
there will make it more fun and you could
challenge each other to get the results you’re
after.
Remember though it’s much better to run more
slowly for a longer period of time and once you
get your fitness levels up, you can increase
your time and intensity.
Those who do wish for the
[things of] the Hereafter,
and strive therefore with
all due striving, and have
Faith, - they are the ones
whose striving is acceptable
[to Allah].
Quraysh also took steps to
prevent the spread of the
new religion outside of
Mecca.
A group of Muslim refugees
who escaped to Abyssinia
were promised protection by
its Christian king, the
Negus.
The Quraysh sent emissaries
after them, hoping to
convince the king to give up
his protection and send the
Muslims back to Mecca to be
persecuted.
When the Negus heard
Muhammad’s cousin Ja’far
recite verses from the Quran
about Islamic beliefs
regarding Jesus and Mary, he
refused to forsake his
fellow monotheists, and the
Quraysh had to go back to
Mecca without the refugee
Muslims.
But even if Muslims had not
escaped to distant lands,
Islam could still spread
beyond Mecca.
Thousands of Arabs visited
the city each year, and if
some of those visitors heard
Muhammad’s message and saw
Quraysh’s inability to stop
his unorthodox ideas, the
status of Quraysh as one of
the leading tribes in the
peninsula would begin to
wane.
Alternatively, the visitors
would believe Muhammad,
accept his religion, and
take it back to their
homelands, spreading Islam
outside of Mecca, and making
it harder to stop.
All of this led to the
extreme measures taken by
the Quraysh.
In 617, approximately seven
years after the first
revelations, the Quraysh
decided to implement an
all-out boycott on
Muhammad’s clan, Banu Hashim,
to whom many Muslims
belonged.
No one was to enter into any
business transactions with
them, nor marry anyone to a
member of the clan.
They were even forced into
exile in a barren valley
just outside of Mecca.
This had disastrous
humanitarian effects on the
Muslim community.
Persecution brought hunger,
social isolation and
economic woes to the
Muslims, and even the
non-Muslims who happened to
be part of Banu Hashim, such
as Abu Talib.
The few Muslims not
belonging to Banu Hashim,
such as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and
‘Uthman did all they could
to supply the persecuted
group by circumventing the
boycott’s rules, although at
great personal loss.
The boycott was draining on
the entire Muslim community,
those belonging to Banu
Hashim as well as other
clans.
In the end, the boycott was
ineffective in persuading
Muhammad to discontinue his
preaching, and it was thus
ended after just over a year
of enforcement.
Despite Quraysh’s efforts,
more people continued to
accept Islam.
The boycott also revealed
the strength of ties in the
young community, as those
not a part of Banu Hashim
were still willing to
sacrifice their wealth and
safety to help their
brothers and sisters that
were being persecuted.
Here, one of the core
concepts of Islam—that
loyalty to the religion
transcended loyalty to a
tribe or family—was on full
display.
World Wellness Group are
pleased to announce the launch of
Multicultural Connect Line. A culturally
tailored service to help link community
members to supports to help with stress,
worry and practical issues that the
covid-19 pandemic has brought to our
lives.
This initiative is funded through the
Queensland Health covid-19 Immediate Support Measures.
Please give the helpline a
ring on 1300 079 020 or visit our website
www.worldwellnessgroup.org.au (new site
launching soon!) to find out more about the
suite of services offered at World Wellness
Group.
The Academy Alive scholars
are getting ready for their annual Queensland
Tour!
With the intention of connecting with our Muslim
brothers and sisters in regional Queensland,
Sheikh Ikraam Buksh and Sheikh Luqman Najib will
be driving from Brisbane, through to North
Queensland with several stops along the way.
We are so excited for this tour! To keep up to
date with the tour schedule and details,
please sign up here.
Please share this information with anyone you
know in regional Queensland, as we would love to
meet them and connect with our brothers and
sisters all around Queensland.
COMMUNITY SURVEY
As restrictions ease, the Hurricane Stars Club
Inc is restarting it's programs in August
inshallah. We want to ensure we are providing
effective services for the community to support
and engage men, women and children with the
programs they need.
Please assist us in
this process by completing two short surveys
that will only take 5 minutes. Have your say and
help us to provide the most beneficial programs
for the community.
Alhamdulillah, over many years
I have worked with many non-Muslims who have
always asked me about Muslims & Islam, and I
have shared as much and as best as I could
within my understanding and knowledge.
Alhamdulillah I have watch them develop a
beautiful understanding of our practices, to the
extent I have seen them explain and clarify
misconceptions to others.
Once again during this past Ramadan, much was
discussed over our staff iftar dinner meeting.
So I decided to document some of this basic
Islamic information in a simple to read and
understand website and share with my staff and
colleagues.
It’s intended to be as simple as can be, whilst
still providing a good overview, including some
multi-faith interviews which I found very
valuable even to me as a Muslim.
Feel free to use and share if you feel
appropriate.
I have also shared some of the beautiful Quran
recitations and supplications with English
translation.
DR MOHAMMED IQBAL SULTAN
MFS JANAZA
Muslim Funeral Services guidelines adopted on
dealing with Janazas during this pandemic.
This includes the Covid and non-Covid Janazas, for
burials in South East Queensland.
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.
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someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
CAIR Calls on Senate Committee to Oppose
Trump's Anti-Muslim, Racist Nominee Douglas
Macgregor as U.S. Ambassador to Germany
For
the last forty
years,
Mohamed Iqbal
Asaria
CBE has been a key
figure behind the
growth and
implementation of
Islamic finance,
banking, and
insurance in the UK.
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Restricted Hajj hits Somalia’s struggling
livestock economy
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