The NSW
Parliament is conducting an
inquiry into the
Anti-Discrimination Amendment
(Religious Freedoms and
Equality) Bill 2020, introduced
by One Nation NSW Leader Mark
Latham MLC.
The Australian Muslim
Advocacy Network (AMAN) has
made a joint submission
today relating to the
Anti-Discrimination
Amendment (Religious
Freedoms and Equality) Bill
2020 (Bill).
The submission supports the
introduction of laws
protecting against
discrimination directed at a
person based on their
religious belief or
activity.
However, there is no
conscionable reason for
denying or delaying the
extension of vilification
protection for persons on
the same grounds.
In NSW, people of Islamic
faith have no form of
protection against
weaponised vilification and
disinformation due to a gap
in the law – a gap that this
Bill does not address.
AMAN is urging the Committee
to recommend that the Bill
address the vilification
gap, as it does the
discrimination gap, as a
matter of equity and public
interest.
Allowing this environment of
legal impunity to continue
may have profound
consequences for the NSW
community, as it has been
shown that conspiracy
theories, portraying Muslims
as a subhuman, barbaric
existential threat, are
designed to create a false
sense of crisis and provide
a gateway to right wing
extremism.
NSW was home to the first
white nationalist terrorist,
Brenton Tarrant, who will
face sentencing on Monday in
New Zealand for the murder
of fifty-one (51) Muslim
men, women and children, and
the lifelong injury of many
more.
Social cohesion is our
greatest strength, and must
be defended through equal
protection and dignity
before the law.
Last weekend I pushed myself
outside my comfort zone. I
joined the scout training to
be a canoeing and kayaking
instructor. It is not
something I would ordinarily
want to do but as a scout
leader and an organiser of
women’s activities with
Hurricane Stars Club I am
passionate about providing
more activities for our
youth and ladies to
participate in. I spent one
day canoeing and one day
kayaking on the upper
sections of the Brisbane
River at the Allawah
campsite.
Thankfully I was able to
complete the activities
without falling out of my
boat. My biggest challenge
came at the end of each day
when we had to practise
rescues and I had to fall
out of my boat into the cold
Brisbane River. Although
participating in these
activities was outside my
comfort zone I enjoyed both
days (except falling into
the river😜).
One of the best things about
the experience is the
support I received from the
other participants. Each day
had 15 other participants
who were either scout’s or
scout leaders, aged from 15
to 55 years old. I was the
only woman wearing a
burquini (possibility the
first ever to join) but no
one treated me any different
than anyone else. I was able
to complete the training and
enjoy the experience because
of the support of the
amazing instructors and the
other participants.
By the end of the weekend I
successfully achieved my
level 1 in both activities
Alhamdillah. I now look
forward to building up my
experience in both sports
and going on to achieving my
level 2 in each sport. When
I achieve that inshallah I
will be able to take groups
kayaking and canoeing,
providing more community
activities for our youth and
women.
HIJABI JOURNALIST
Anhaar Kareem asked: I
absolutely love debating and
public speaking and hope to
one day be a journalist.
When I watch the news,
rarely do I see anyone who
looks likes me. (A female
Muslim, wearing a hijab). Do
you think there is any
chance, in the near future,
that Australians could
accept a Hijabi journalist
like myself, on their TV
screens?
ANTI-ISLAM CONSPIRACY
THEORIES AND THE
DISINFORMATION CODE
Rita Jabri-Markwell asked:
In a week’s time, the
Australian terrorist who
murdered 51 New Zealand
Muslim men women and
children will face
sentencing. Australian
research has shown that
Anti-Islam conspiracy
theories portraying Muslims
as a sub-human incompatible
existential threat to
society are now really
common online and have been
for many years and that it
is a major gateway to
right-wing extremism. This
disinformation is often
carried out by malicious
third-party websites and
amplified through social
media platforms. We are
really pleased the
Australian government has
announced a disinformation
code that it is doing one
with the tech industry
however we would like to ask
whether that code will focus
on this particular type of
harm and if it doesn’t work,
what should the Australian
government do further to
protect Australia from the
public harm of
disinformation?
Following the release of a new report from Media Diversity Australia, Antoinette Lattouf says "too often we see 100 per cent white panels... commenting on issues that affect multicultural Australia."
Islam in Australia: A
National Survey of Muslim
Australian Citizens and
Permanent Residents by
Halim Rane, Adis Duderija,
Riyad H. Rahimullah, Paul
Mitchell, Jessica Mamone and
Shane Satterley
This article presents the
findings of a national
survey on Islam in Australia
based on responses of 1034
Muslim Australian citizens
and permanent residents.
Knowing what Muslim
Australians think about
Islam in relation to
Australian society is
essential for a more
informed understanding about
Islam and Muslims needed to
address misinformation,
Islamophobia, and extremism.
The findings presented in
this article include
typologies of Muslims;
sources of influence
concerning Islam;
interpretations of the
Qur’an; perspectives on
ethical, social, and
theological issues; issues
of concern; social
connections and sense of
belonging; views on various
Muslim-majority countries;
and perspectives concerning
political Islam, including
jihad, caliphate, and
shariah.
While respondents’
understandings,
interpretations, and
expressions of Islam overall
align with values and
principles of equality,
human rights, social
cohesion, and social
justice, a minority were
found to understand and
interpret Islam in ways that
reflect the influence of
late 20th and early 21st
century ideas associated
with Islamist political
ideology, and a smaller
sub-group were found to have
views that could be
considered extreme.
This article discusses these
findings in relation to the
early 21st century
time-period factors and the
Australian social context.
The Pakistan Association of
Northern Territory organized
the Pakistan Independence
Day celebrations during the
week.
Deputy Chief Minister,
Minister for Multicultural
Affairs Hon Nicole Manison :
Member for Wanguri ,
Assistant Minister for
Multicultural Affairs Ms
Kate Worden MLA: Member for
Sanderson and Federal Member
for Solomon Mr Luke Gosling
MP were present at the
event.
Ever since the reversion of
Hagia Sophia back into a
mosque, the Muslim call to
prayer has been resounding
from its minarets.
Originally built as a
Christian Orthodox church
and serving that purpose for
centuries, Hagia Sophia was
transformed into a mosque by
the Ottomans upon their
conquest of Constantinople
in 1453.
In 1934, it was declared a
museum by the secularist
Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk.
As of June 24 of this year,
Hagia Sophia’s icons of the
Virgin Mary and infant
Christ are covered by fabric
curtains as the edifice yet
again changes functions.
Turkish officials have
stated that the veiling of
the images, especially the
interior mosaics, is
necessary to transform the
interior into a Muslim
prayer space.
As historians of Byzantine
and Islamic art, we argue
that in their rush to
reassert the monument’s
Islamic past, Turkey’s
President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan and his associates
have inadvertently – and
superficially – emulated
certain Orthodox Christian
practices.
Images of Mary and Christ
were often ritually veiled
and unveiled in Byzantium,
while later Ottoman Muslim
rulers did not engage in
such practices.
Images of Mary and Jesus in
Islam
When Sultan Mehmed II, known
as the “Conqueror” or Fatih,
took over Constantinople, he
headed straight to Hagia
Sophia, declared it a mosque
and ordered it protected in
perpetuity.
He did not order the
ninth-century mosaic of Mary
and Christ in the interior
removed or covered. Instead,
Ottoman historians tell us
that he stood in awe,
feeling that the eyes of the
Christ child followed him as
he moved about the
structure.
Although images of humans
are almost never found in
mosque architecture, the
depictions of Mary and Jesus
remained uncovered in the
mosque of Hagia Sophia until
1739. At that time, the
mosaic was plastered over.
The plaster was later
removed during the
building’s 1934 conversion
into a museum.
The centuries-long display
may have been a gesture in
appreciation of the Prophet
Muhammad, who is said to
have preserved an icon of
the Virgin and Christ when
he destroyed the pagan
statues at the Kaaba,
Islam’s holy sanctuary, in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In this and other cases,
Muslim rulers clearly
understood that religious
figures can be used for
devotional purposes without
necessarily being
idolatrous. This nuance has
been lost as of late in the
more recent debates
surrounding representations
of the Prophet Muhammad.
From the medieval period
onward, Mary and Christ are
in fact a recurring motif in
Islamic art. They are
depicted in metalwork, on
glassware and book
paintings.
European prints of the
mother-and-child pair were
also collected into albums
by the Ottoman elites of
Constantinople in the 17th
century. Not shunned or
destroyed, these images were
sought after, safeguarded
and even embellished with
colorful paints.
Veiling icons in
Christianity
In the history of
Christianity, covering
images, and revealing them
at significant moments,
often testified to their
power. The wrapping,
encasing, framing and
veiling of the most precious
images and objects signaled
and guaranteed their divine
qualities.
Thus relics were stored in
containers and icons
strategically enshrouded.
Sometimes, paintings of Mary
and Christ in medieval
Western European manuscripts
were screened by veils sewn
onto folio pages.
Lifting these cloth
“shields” enabled viewers a
full visual and tactile
experience of the divine
depiction beneath.
The Virgin Mary, or
Theotokos, as she was known
in Byzantium, is closely
associated with veils. The “maphorion,”
or the cloth with which she
is believed to have covered
her head and shoulders, was
housed in Constantinople. It
was said to be invested with
protective powers and
believed to ward off
enemies.
A Byzantine miracle
Turkish officials claim that
the curtains covering the
mosaics are on an electronic
rail system and that they
shall be lowered to cover
the icons only during prayer
times.
But if the strips of cloth
covering the Mary and Christ
mosaic are to be raised
intermittently and
nonmanually between prayers
as proposed, then a
startling – if purely
cursory – coincidence would
emerge.
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It would resemble somewhat a
well-known 11th-century
Christian miracle in
Constantinople. The story
goes that each Friday
evening, the veil covering
an icon of Mary and Christ
would rise by itself after
prayers. It would remain
lifted until the following
day when it fell again – on
its own.
The raised veil was
interpreted, among other
things, as a sign of the
tangible interface between
the divine and mortal worlds
and, more specifically, as
the Virgin Mary’s embrace of
her devotees.
The paradox of the past
The rich symbolism of the
11th-century miracle and
other instances of Orthodox
practice is certainly lost
in the current strategy of
veiling at Hagia Sophia.
Ideological struggles over
this world heritage
structure since 1934 reveal
the extent to which the
monument serves as a symbol
for the staking of political
power and religious
authority among Christians,
Muslims and secularists in
Turkey and beyond.
This time around, rather
than maintain Hagia Sophia
as a monument of
coexistence, the Turkish
government’s actions have
sharpened an already tense
ideological divide between
pious and secular Turks, and
between Muslims and
Christians worldwide.
But beyond the political and
religious posturing, we
argue that Erdoğan and his
team have also accidentally,
and speciously, brought back
the fabric veiling of icons,
one of the practices of
Byzantine Orthodoxy.
Christiane Gruber
Professor of Islamic Art,
University of Michigan
Paroma Chatterjee
Associate Professor of
History of Art, University
of Michigan
(l to r) Dr.
Zakaria Amin (Secretary),
Farouk Adam, Saba Ahmed,
Causiem Ahmed, Dr.
Azharul Karim,
Dr. Humayon
Kabir (Caretaker), Dr Jim
Chalmers
Last week Slacks Creek
Masjid Trustees visited Dr
Jim Chalmers MP. Member for
Rankin to discuss the
Mosque's Masjid Safer Grant
and combating COVID19
together.
Muslims in the Ottomam
Empire celebrated the New Year
on the 1st of Muharrem, the
first month of the Islamic Hijri
calendar.
The Islamic calendar, known
as the Hijri calendar, was
started in 622 CE, marking
the emigration of the first
Muslims in Mecca to Medina.
Referred to as the 'Hijra',
this exodus was taken as a
basis to start the Islamic
calendar by the second
caliph Omar.
The Islamic calendar is
based on a different set of
conventions than the
solar-based Gregorian
calendar. Each month has
either 29 or 30 days, but
usually in no discernible
order. Traditionally, the
first day of each month is
the day of the first
sighting of the hilal
(crescent moon) shortly
after sunset. Determining
the most likely day that the
hilal could be observed was
a motivation for the
Muslims' interest in
astronomy, which put Islam
at the forefront of that
particular science for many
centuries.
The Islamic New Year is the
1st of Muharrem, a month
during which many historical
events having deep
implications took place.
Embraced by the Ottomans,
the Hijri calendar had been
used as the official
calendar until the
present-day Republic was
established and decided to
use the solar calendar as a
part of its westernization
efforts.
By adopting this new
calendar, the leaders of
newly established Turkish
Republic ended the Ottoman
traditions of celebrating
the Islamic New Year.
Instead, citizens living
under the new regime started
to celebrate the 1st of
January as the New Year,
like the western Christian
world.
Indeed there are drastic
differences in the mentality
of celebrating new years in
these two diverse
traditions. While the ‘new’
New Year still has not
recognized by a considerable
large part of Turkish
society, the beginning of
the New Year according to
the Hijra calendar had a
special place for Muslims in
the Ottoman society and was
celebrated widely.
According to a report which
appeared in the Ikdam
Newspaper in 1901, senior
officials, Islamic scholars
and prominent figures in the
society extended their New
Year greetings to the
Ottoman Sultan.
The Ottoman palace was at
the centre of the 1st of
Muharrem celebrations.
Islamic scholars, senior
bureaucrats and
representatives of
non-Muslim communities in
the society demonstrated a
harmonious coexistence by
annually visiting the
Sultan’s Palace in Istanbul
as they did for other
religious fests to extend
their warm wishes. During
the celebrations at the
palace, attendees prayed
that the new year would
bring fortune and victories
to the state. As a response,
officials in the palace
distributed specially-minted
golden and silver coins
named ‘Muharremiyelik’ and
‘Abundance of the Year’ to
the visitors.
In another report in the
Ikdam Newspaper said the new
year was celebrated by
Ottoman diplomatic
representatives and
ambassadors abroad, such as
Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the
governor of Egypt, and the
ruler of Mecca, Avnu’r Refik
Pasha. Similarly, foreign
diplomats and their
interpreters also extended
their New Year greetings to
the Sultan.
On New Year's Day, it was
considered that wearing new
clothes would bring good
luck. Thus Muslim women
chose to dress in a more
elegant manner. Poems were
written for the the Sultan
regarding the New Year.
Despite the joy and
excitement, there was also
some caution in order to
prevented the celebrations
from being exaggerated out
of respect for the Prophet's
grandson Hussain, who was
martyred in this month. As
an indication of this
sensitiveness, the call to
prayer was voiced in a
special tone called Hussaini.
A POEM
A poem written by Ahmed
Tevfik, the administrator of
the port in Marmara Ereglisi,
was dedicated to the Sultan
Abdulhamid II. He described
how glad the Ottoman society
was to have such a generous
ruler like him and expressed
his wishes for him to remain
in power.
Prominent Turkish writer
Faruk Nafız Camlibel
explained: “Actually the
major celebrations were
organized on the tenth of
Muhrarem. As we recognize
the beginning of the New
Year on the day of Ashura,
the 10th of Muharram, the
day the grandson of the
Prophet fell martyr in
Kerbala several centuries
ago. This day coincided with
such a cruel act. With the
aim of boosting the morale
but at the same time not
losing respect, people
traditionally prepared
Ashura...a food known as
Noah’s Pudding in the west.
However, it is not
sufficient to recover from
the suffering stemming from
Hussain’s assassination.
Therefore, we start the
first month of the New Year
with sorrow.
Although Christian Ottomans
joined their Muslim fellows
in celebrating Hijri New
Year, they were completely
free to celebrate the
Christian New Year without
any disturbing interference
from Muslims.
Hasene Ilgaz, a Turkish
deputy who grew up in the
1910s, told of his
recollection of the new
year: “The religious fests
were very fun and
pleasurable days for us. For
us, there was no Christmas.
We recognized Christmas
approaching from the
preparations made by our
non-Muslim neighbors who
sent gifts to our homes.
Colored eggs, vasilopittas
and lavenders were among the
gifts we received. We
responded to them by giving
Turkish delight and sherbet
(a sweet drink).”
Our tiler working in the Gold Coast mosque Dawah centre, brother Louie, has accepted
Islam , May Allah bless him with a long and healthy life. If you like it share it .21/8/20
Plz support this building so we can finish it .
Nat bank Bsb 084 510
Acc. 83 916 4414
Gold Coast Mosque Trust .
I hope this video motivates you to donate. Jzk
https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/our_youth_our_future_we_need_to_invest_1
Posted by Hussin Goss on Thursday, August 20, 2020
Plz welcome Daniel from Columbia to islam.
May Allah swt protect him and accept him
19/8/20 plz share it if you like it Jzk .
https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/our_youth_our_future_we_need_to_invest_1
Mathew becomes Salahudin on this beautiful cold Saturday morning. May
Allah swt protect him and shower his blessings on him Ameem. 22/8/20
Plz share if you like it .
Welcome to islam mike May Allah swt protect you and keep you on the straight path 22/8/20 plz share if you like it and support the finishing of the Gold Coast mosque Dawah https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/our_youth_our_future_we_need_to_invest_1
Posted by Hussin Goss on Friday, August 21, 2020
Young British Youtuber
Converts to Islam
A young British Youtuber,
who used to describe himself
as an atheist, has converted
to Islam after what he
called a “very deep path of
spiritual discovery for many
years.”
Jay Palfrey shared a video
on YouTube on Sunday, August
16, showing him taking the
shahada or declaration of
faith in a mosque in Turkey.
Since 2017, Palfrey has been
touring different Muslim and
eastern countries to explore
“love for language, culture,
spirituality and travel.”
He made these journeys to
correct the image of many
beautiful places that has
been distorted by the
western media.
“The more experience I gain
through travelling and
meeting incredible people
around the world, the more
connected I get with my
spirituality,” he wrote.
“Living in Muslim countries
and learning more and more
about this beautifully
peaceful, yet greatly
misunderstood religion, has
made me realize that this is
the path I want to explore.”
True Islam
He added that a lot of
people misunderstand the
true Islam due to the
actions of a tiny minority.
Therefore, he promised to
continue his travels to
spread positivity and love.
“Throughout my travels
across the world, I will
continue to spread the
positivity of this way of
life, and show the stories
of people who continue to
make the world a better
place,” he added.
Many celebrities have
converted to Islam recently.
A month ago, Latvian
weightlifting world champion
Rebecca Koha converted to
Islam and donned hijab.
American singer Della Miles,
vocalist for Michael Jackson
and Whitney Houston, also
converted to Islam last
year.
The Irish singer-songwriter
Sinéad O’Connor converted to
Islam and changed her name
to Shuhada’ Davitt in
October, 2018.
Anxiety has been
increasingly ubiquitous
since the dawn of the
pandemic. Many of us has
been struggling with the
various challenges that this
pandemic has triggered. Some
of these challenges
illuminate and reveal
existing tensions within
ourselves, our spirituality,
our chosen lifestyles, and
our relationships; while
other challenges were a
direct effect of the
repercussions of the
pandemic, such as
employment, education,
health, and isolation.
Although the severity of the
pandemic has seemingly
peaked in Brisbane, its
consequences persist in one
way or another. Covid-19 has
almost been marked as an
era, marking life before and
after the nation’s lockdown,
and rightly so. Things have
changed: perspectives,
knowledge, routines,
relationships, work, study,
technology, more so for some
than others. And life may
continue to change from this
point henceforth.
The micro, and macro impacts
of the pandemic, and the
scale of uncertainties that
comes with it, provoke our
anxieties. For those who
have underlying anxieties,
the concerns become more
profound or may manifest in
other ways. Those who were
not struggling with
prominent anxieties prior to
the pandemic, may have
noticed that they have
developed some. Thus, as a
race, we continue to
anticipate changes and
balance that with our faith,
our relations, and
ourselves.
Striking that balance can be
a challenging art in an
evolving circumstance, and
this is where spirituality
and mental health meet.
Unfortunately, there is a
stigma around admitting
psychological distress
amongst Muslims.
Acknowledging that one is
mentally struggling, whether
to oneself or others, is
framed as a judgment. The
judgment that when one
suffers emotionally or
psychologically, one’s
Imaan is questionable.
However, this judgment
escapes the nature of life
and the mind. It does not
consider that life presents
with ups and downs, and that
humans are responsive to
their environment. This
responsivity is a built-in
mechanism for all living
things.
Acknowledging that the
constancy in life itself is
in change, helps us
normalize that our anxieties
and internal struggles are
not only valid, but also
natural. This allows us to
relinquish judgment, taking
our worries back to our
Imaan, whereby we can give
attention to our position in
life, and our relationship
with spirituality. By doing
so, we can further
introspect into our
tensions, and assess whether
we need external support or
not.
The practice of meditation
pervades humanity, and is
omnipresent in the teachings
of Islam. Health
professionals and
psychologists have been
fascinated with this ancient
practice and phenomenon in
the past two decades, using
it as interventions for
stress, concentration,
emotional regulation,
improving relationships,
addictions, and so on.
It leads us to insight
within ourselves and life
around us, it helps us
notice, observe, and learn.
When anxious, meditation is
about the honest acceptance
of the distress, and
awareness of these changes.
Bearing that insight into
oneself actually requires
the Imaan.
The virtue of mindfulness
extends through Islam,
whereby practices inculcate
the application of one’s
Imaan. Some forms of
meditation in Islam
includes, Salah,
Dhikr, Muraqabah,
and Tafakkur. The
mindfulness involved in
these practices awakens a
form of metacognition,
whereby we enlighten
ourselves with the
ruminations of our mind and
our heart.
By slowing down our mind,
and reigning its attention
to the present, and into the
self, we would have some
sense of the extent we can
re-navigate ourselves, and
whether we can benefit from
external support. We can
learn to sit with
uncertainty, and to explore
them in a spiritual way.
Through meditation, we give
ourselves the gift of
opportunity to explore our
spirituality further.
At risk of minimizing the
catastrophic effects of the
pandemic, it has somehow
presented us with the
opportunity for wisdom: for
the remembrance of Allah,
for devotion and remembrance
in seclusion (something we
have not been blessed with
achieving often in today’s
society), for contemplation,
and for self-reflection.
Ibn Al-Qayyim discussed the
various meanings of
meditation in Islam,
addressing meditation as a
key part of aligning our
perspectives, and in our
preparation for Akhirah:
reflecting (tafakkur),
remembering (tadhakkur),
examining (nathr),
meditating (ta’amul),
contemplating (i’tibar),
deliberating (tadabbur),
and pondering (istibsar).”
These words consider the
different forms of
meditation activity, and
also hint their overlap. He
says,
“It is called
‘reflection’ because in
that is the utilization
of thought and its
procurement during it.
It is called
‘remembrance’ because it
is the fetching of
knowledge which must be
considered after being
distracted or absent
from it…
It is called
‘meditation’ because it
is repeatedly examining
again and again until it
becomes evident and
uncovered in one’s
heart. It is called
‘contemplation’—taking
lessons—because one
takes a lesson from it
to apply elsewhere…
It is called
‘deliberation’ because
it is examining the
conclusion of matters,
their endings and
consequences, and
deliberating on them.”
I personally am humbled by
the challenges I have faced,
and continue to face during
this time. It took me time
to realign myself with my
mediation practices because
there was so much to adapt
to, so quickly in the
Duniya. I found some
novelty in having to
re-navigate my life.
However, I was also handed
numerous grievances that
have rocked me at the core.
I experienced a bereavement
from afar, major challenges
with my research, financial
instabilities, health
concerns, as well as
familial tensions. I began
to see my anxieties
manifesting in preparing
ridiculously lavish dishes
for Iftar during
Ramadhan. I found that my
grief led me to question the
purpose of my research. I
began doubting my ability in
doing everything I am
passionate about. I lost my
self-confidence. I even
doubted the future of my
relationship with my
partner. Although I was
still practicing my daily
self-care, there was a
tumultuous domino-effect
bubbling beneath.
This was when I realized I
had the one-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to practice
meditation. I decided to
re-organize my mind, and
reconnect with my
spirituality. I feel blessed
to be able to say that it
has been a satisfyingly
intimate learning
experience. I took myself to
learn about the different
paths of Islamic meditation.
Initially, it felt like a
daily chore. However, I
noticed that it became more
of joy, something I looked
forward to everyday.
Something I would plan for:
“What type of meditation
did I want to try today?
Dhikr? Which Dhikr? With
breathwork? Or Muraqabah?
Where would I do it?
Park? In my ‘Zen Den’?
In the backyard?
When?
Sunrise? Sunset? After
my exercise? Whilst
waiting for my partner
to finish vacuuming?”
I realized this happened
when I took the pressures of
meditation away (because
they were anxieties
themselves, a paradox in
action). I also came to
realize that I could not
manage my bereavement alone,
and thus reached out to
close friends, and my former
psychologist. Interestingly,
working through bereavement
with a secular mental health
professional reinforced me
towards acceptance of
Qadha and Qadar
(fate and divine decree),
thus strengthening my faith
further. It also gave me the
drive to reach out to fellow
Muslims in Brisbane, and
thus landed me contributing
to CCN.
The lesson I have learnt, is
that we can fall back on our
Imaan through
meditation, to find deficits
in ourselves, in order to
further strengthen our
Imaan. However, for some
of us it may be more
beneficial to approach a
mental health professional
with a cross-cultural
Islamic background. The fact
that such professionals
exist in the Australian
demographic is heartening.
It gives us hope that we can
reconcile our beliefs within
the practicalities of the
secular world. However, I
urge readers to recognize
that removing the barrier
between spirituality and
mental health is a two-way
road; the more we adhere to
the stigma of seeking help
for our mental and emotional
distresses, the less likely
will Muslims be able to help
each other. And so, I
encourage you to rise above
the stigmatized norms, and
reach out for the support
you need, in reflection of
your guiding faith.
I shall close with an honest
and eloquent poem by Rumi on
anxiety and mediation:
The Guest House
“This being human is a guest
house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a
meanness,
some momentary awareness
comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them
all!
Even if they are a crowd of
sorrows,
who violently sweep your
house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest
honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame,
the malice.
Meet them at the door
laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever
comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.”
Amirah
Shah
is a practicing
counsellor and a
researcher. She is a
member of the
Australian
Counselling
Association (ACA),
and does research at
the University of
Queensland.
Her work has
predominantly been
with culturally
diverse populations,
addressing anxiety,
depression, trauma,
end-of-life
spiritual care,
intergenerational
family therapy, and
grief.
Her dissertation
aims to understand
the spiritual
experiences of
Muslims in the face
of grief, in the
unique transcultural
tapestry of secular
Australia.
She runs a practice
called Road to
Recovery:
www.aroadtorecovery.org.
She can be reached
via email at
roadtorecovery12@gmail.com,
or through social
media at
http://facebook.com/roadtorecovery0/.
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?
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.
Moawia
Bin-Sufyan
FRSA is the founding
Chair of the Council
on Welsh Islamic
Relations, an
organization which
seeks to enhance the
understanding of
Islam in Wales, and
is currently in the
process of setting
up a forum for BAME
leaders from across
Wales.
Moawia has been and
continues to be,
involved with many
charitable and
statutory
organizations
including the
Prince’s Trust, the
South Wales Police
Accountability
Panel, the Prison
Advice Care Trust,
Social Care Wales,
and the Muslim
Welfare Association.
Among his many
accolades and
honours are the
Queen’s Award for
Charity, the British
Citizen Award for
Services to the
Community and
Education (BCA), and
the Prime Minister’s
Points of Light
Award.
Moawia is a governor
of two schools and a
magistrate at
Cardiff Magistrate
Courts.
He has helped raise
over £145,000 for
the charities he
supports.
Nayed was the first
post-Gaddafi Libyan
Ambassador to the UAE for
Libya’s National
Transitional Council. He led
the Tripoli Stabilisation
Team. Prior to the Libyan
revolution, he worked as an
important scholar in the
field of Muslim-Christian
relations, and is the
founder and director of
Kalam Research & Media (KRM).
Influence Religious Scholar:
Nayed is a former professor
at the Pontifical Institute
for Arabic and Islamic
Studies (Rome), a former
professor at the
International Institute for
Islamic Thought and
Civilization (ISTAC,
Malaysia) and a senior
advisor to the Cambridge
Interfaith Program and the
Faculty of Divinity in
Cambridge, UK. Prior to the
Libyan revolution he
lectured on Islamic
Theology, Logic, and
Spirituality at the restored
Uthman Pasha Madrasa in
Tripoli, Libya, and
supervised Graduate Students
at the Islamic Call College
there. He is also a member
of the Board of Advisors of
the Templeton Foundation.
Political Leader:
Nayed’s other strengths have
not gone unnoticed, and when
he first submitted his
resignation from the post of
Ambassador to the UAE, it
was rejected, and he was
asked to take the position
again. He is viewed in many
circles as a man of
integrity, wisdom and
strength; virtues that are
needed at the highest level
to put Libya back on track.
In 2017, Nayed launched a
new movement for change in
Libya dubbed Ihya Libya
(“Reviving Libya”) which
aims to create a stable,
prosperous and democratic
country. He is currently the
Chairman of the Libya
Institute for Advanced
Studies (LIAS) and has given
various interviews
confirming his intent to be
a candidate for the post of
either president or prime
minister.
Gender
inequality in
the workplace
has been in the
national
consciousness
for decades, but
COVID-19 has
exposed glaring
evidence that it
still requires
urgent
attention. Women
have been far
more adversely
affected than
men, during the
coronavirus
pandemic.
But when this
state of
emergency
eventually
passes, we have
an opportunity,
through
technology for
example, to
solve problems
like the pay gap
and the value of
unpaid work. As
part of Sydney
Ideas, Anna
Burns hosts this
discussion which
asks whether we
can nudge the
scales towards
equality, and
avoid further
gender
segregation in
the workforce.
Speakers
Liz Broderick -
lawyer, former,
and
longest-serving
Australian Sex
Discrimination
Commissioner,
the founder of
the ‘Male
Champions of
Change’ strategy
and adjunct
professor at the
University of
Sydney
Rae Cooper -
co-director of
the Women and
Work research
group at the
University of
Sydney Business
School
Miriam Muhammad
- Co-founder of
Moneygirl and
author
Hirander Sidhu -
Deputy Secretary
at the
Department of
Foreign Affairs
and Trade,
former
Australian High
Commissioner to
India
Chair: Anna
Burns - public
programs
manager,
University of
Sydney
Duration: 54min
5sec
Broadcast: Thu
20 Aug 2020,
8:05pm
Bringing up
Muslim children
in Western
countries
presents a real
struggle for
parents because
we often face
resistance from
kids, there’s a
lack of time and
we are trying to
juggle multiple
things.
There’s a
popular Swahili
proverb that
goes, “It’s easy
to give birth,
the difficulty
comes in raising
children.”
Parenting is a
tough gig. Add
teaching
religion to
children in the
mix, and it
becomes even
more
challenging.
I experienced
Islam
differently
growing up in
Kenya and living
in a Muslim
town. There were
markers to
reinforce my
identity, like
hearing the call
to prayer five
times a day,
seeing my dad
wear his white
prayer clothes,
and praying as a
family
frequently. I
didn’t
experience any
conflict between
the life I was
living and the
religion I
followed, even
though I went to
an inter-faith
school. Despite
not fully
understanding
what I was
doing, I did it
anyway because
that was the
expectation.
When I moved
away from Kenya
and had
children, I
discovered that
incorporating
religion into
our lives needed
a lot more
effort because
there were
multiple demands
on my time.
Bringing up
Muslim children
in western
countries
presents a real
struggle for
parents because
we often face
resistance from
kids, there’s a
lack of time and
we are trying to
juggle multiple
things. Children
may also be
exposed to
negativity among
their peers and
the media and
experience it in
a different way
to what their
parents did.
From experience,
my husband and I
have taken a
more mindful
approach to
including
religion in our
daily lives. We
have chosen to
include it as
part of the
children’s
upbringing
because it’s an
important part
of our identity.
We’ve aimed for
a natural
integration into
our lives, with
understanding,
rather than
something that’s
enforced on
occasions, or
enforced without
any
explanations.
In the early
years we started
off by
introducing the
concept of God,
who he is and
how to pray to
him. The
Adventist school
my son goes to
also emphasised
similar values
and teachings so
that helped
reinforce what
we taught at
home.
I went out and
bought
children’s books
that talked
about Allah, his
creations and
his love for
children. For
many years, we
sat together and
read my son
books and
answered any
questions that
came up.
We explained
basic concepts
using
age-appropriate
language and
tried to
incorporate the
idea of doing
charity on a
regular basis
and helping
others without
expecting a
reward. From a
young age, my
son was
encouraged to
join us in
prayers, even if
he sat there and
watched us pray.
If he showed an
interest in a
particular
thing, we
explained the
hows’ and whys
behind it.
We found success
in building a
consistent habit
e.g. at prayer
times all
devices get
switched off and
the entire
family comes
together to
pray. We’ve also
encouraged him
to ask questions
confidently,
without fear of
being rebuked,
and we’ve
answered them
patiently and to
his level of
understanding.
There are always
lessons that we
highlight in any
life
experiences,
trying to get
him to see it
from a humane
and Islamic
point of view.
We’ve also
chosen to use
inclusive
language and
helped him feel
comfortable in
both his worlds,
rather than
emphasising one
over the other.
Now at age
eight, he’s
learning how to
read and recite
the Quran. To
help him
understand and
apply what he’s
learning, we
often sit
together and
read the English
version of the
verses he’s
learning. It
helps him
understand in a
language that’s
familiar to him.
Being at home
during Ramadan
(because of
COVID-19
restrictions),
we made time to
break our fast
together, to
talk about Islam
and the fasting
month. I
searched through
YouTube for
children’s
videos that
explained why
Muslims fast,
the significance
of the fasting
month and the
type of values
that make a good
human being.
Often, by
explaining to
him why we do
certain things,
doing them
ourselves,
motivates him to
take part too.
We hope that by
adopting a more
mindful approach
to including
Islam in our
children’s
lives, it will
help them
develop a better
understanding of
how it can
enrich their
lives.
Rashida Tayabali
is a creative
storyteller and
freelance
writer.
Are you prepared for the life Hereafter?
Sister Yasmin Mogahed
Posted by Words U Love on Friday, December 27, 2019
Yasmin
Mogahed
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.
2020 MAHATHIR SCIENCE AWARD RECIPIENT IS
THOUGHT LEADER IN TB, TB/HIV AND EMERGING
AND RE-EMERGING EPIDEMIC INFECTIONS
This prestigious
international award is presented
annually in recognition for the best
scientific work in solving the health
problems of the Tropics
The recipient of
the 2020 Mahathir Science Award
(MSA), the most prestigious
international Science Award for
Tropical Sciences, is Professor
Sir Alimuddin Zumla, Professor
of Infectious Diseases and
International Health at
University College London, UK;
Consultant Infectious Diseases
Physician at UCL Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust, London. UK.
Sir Alimuddin’s research and
capacity development work over
30 years have allowed for
breakthroughs in Tuberculosis,
TB/HIV co-infections and
Infectious Diseases with
Epidemic potential, as well as
improved health of disadvantaged
people.
Sir Alimuddin was selected as
the recipient of this award on
basis of his illustrious career
in infectious diseases and
tropical medicine. He
established and directs a
multi-continent collaboration
with several African, Middle
Eastern, European and American
institutions on collaborative
research aligned closely to
capacity development and
training programs and his
research has truly had major
impact beyond academia.
Mahathir Science Award winners
receive USD100,000, a Gold Medal
and a Certificate.
Nominees for the Mahathir
Science Award go through a
rigorous selection process
modeled on the Nobel Prize
(scientific) selection
procedures in order to ensure
that the award is presented to
the best candidate. The
evaluation is performed by the
Fellows of Academy of Science
Malaysia (Akademi Sains
Malaysia) and by an
International Advisory Panel.
This year, the panel consisted
of Nobel Laureate Professor
Barry Marshall, previous MSA
laureates Emeritus Professor
John Sheppard Mackenzie and
Professor Alan Cowman, and the
former Director of the London
School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine Professor Sir Andrew
Haines. In deliberating they
took into consideration several
factors including originality of
work, innovation, impact and its
significance in solving the
health problems of the tropics
by improving the quality of life
and contributing to the region’s
prosperity.
Akademi Sains Malaysia
president, Professor Datuk Dr
Asma Ismail said that Sir
Alimuddin had displayed a strong
background of an impact-driven
researcher and should be lauded
for his efforts to make a
difference in the area of
tropical sciences.
“Sir Alimuddin has proved time
and time again that his interest
is to serve the world through
his research and global
collaboration efforts. His work
focuses on improving global
health, with an emphasis on
assisting poorer and
disadvantaged peoples of the
world. Our decision was
unanimous. We could not think of
a better recipient for this
year’s Mahathir Science Award,”
she said.
Professor Datuk Asma Ismail was
joined by the Mahathir Science
Award Foundation Chairman,
Professor Tan Sri Samsudin Osman,
and the Chief Executive Officer
of Akademi Sains Malaysia, Madam
Hazami Habib in conveying the
news to Sir Alimuddin via video
conferencing.
Sir Alimuddin shared his delight
on hearing the news of the
award.
“I feel extremely honoured to
have been recognized by such an
illustrious selection committee
as the recipient of the
prestigious 2020 Mahathir
Science Award. It is truly, very
humbling to be recognised by a
scientific body of great repute
within the Asian region.
“I have always believed that
impact on the community and
disadvantaged populations should
be the driving force underlying
any research and I hope that it
will encourage my peers and the
younger generation scientists to
focus on more impact-driven
research initiatives to advance
the tropical field, be it in the
area of medicine, agriculture,
architecture, engineering,
natural resources, animal or
environmental health.”
“I am very pleased that I will
have the opportunity at the
award ceremony in Malaysia to be
held next year, to meet the
Young Scientists Network of ASM,
engage with my peers; and the
fellows of ASM. I look forward
to establishing
ONE-HUMAN-ANIMAL-HEALTH
collaborations with Malaysian
researchers and to help in
empowering the next generation
of scientists from Asia to take
leadership of important tropical
health issues.”
“I strongly believe that as
scientists, we need to be
intimately involved in research,
aligned with training, capacity
development and advocacy
efforts, so that we can have an
impact for generations to come,
and sustain the progress we
make. We need to look beyond the
normal and be involved in
innovative and impactful
research projects that will be
beneficial for the future,” said
Sir Alimuddin, who was nominated
for the award by Professor
Jamshed Bomanji after he read
about it in the Royal Society of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
newsletter.
The Mahathir Science Award (MSA)
is a prestigious award bestowed
by the Mahathir Science Award
Foundation to researchers or
institutions who have made
internationally recognized
scientific breakthroughs in
pioneering tropical research
that have brought greater
positive impacts to society in
the fields of Tropical Medicine,
Tropical Agriculture, Tropical
Architecture and Engineering and
Tropical Natural Resources.
Muslim ICE Detainees Being Served Pork,
Despite Religious Restrictions, Lawyers Say
US Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
reportedly serves pork products
to Muslim individuals detained
at its Krome Service Processing
Center in Miami, despite the
center having faith-based
dietary restrictions. Attorneys
currently petitioning for
alternative meals argue that
detainees' rights to food
options consistent with their
religious beliefs are protected
under the Constitution, and
failing to provide those options
is illegal.
Lawyers from civil rights
organization Muslim Advocates
and two additional firms urged
ICE and Homeland Security
Department authorities to
address the alleged violation in
a letter issued on Wednesday.
The letter details "alarming
reports" from Muslim detainees
at the Krome Center, who said
pre-prepared meals containing
pork are served to them two or
three times per week. It
estimated several dozen of the
center's 440 detainees are
Muslim.
Although the facility offers
halal meals, which do not
contain pork, attorneys said the
meals are repeatedly spoiled and
gave detainees food poisoning
upon past consumption. An
auxiliary document exhibits
halal meal labels with August
2017 expiration dates.
Wednesday's letter alleged the
Krome Center's Halal meals were
consistently rotten prior to the
coronavirus pandemic, but Muslim
detainees were able to eat from
a wider selection of foods then.
ICE modified its available meal
options after the virus
outbreak's onset, and now
delivers prepared food to
detainees without their input.
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
Maintain Positive
Relationships
From the moment we
wake up in the
morning to the time
we retire to bed,
our lives revolve
around other human
beings. They all
impact our lives in
ways that propel us
to respond or react.
These responses and
reactions shape the
life we lead. How we
choose to react and
respond to people is
completely up to us.
When someone says,
“I didn’t have a
choice”, it simply
means they are
choosing to remain
in the situation
instead of
choosing an
alternative. The
truth is, there are
always alternatives.
Our daily relations
and dealings with
family members,
friends, colleagues,
strangers and
virtual entities
(those who are
communicating with
us online) form a
vital part of our
existence. These
dealings and
relations give rise
to experiences.
Experiences become
memories and
memories
subsequently become
a significant
component of
reasoning. Most of
these memories are
as a result of
inherited memories.
For example, how we
respond to an angry
outburst of another
person is often the
same way our parents
and guardians
respond to such
outbursts. We grew
up watching their
reactions and
responses and
adopted them
accordingly.
Relationships are
formed and
maintained with some
basic ingredients in
life, such as love,
trust, respect,
compassion and duty.
The following
communication
exercise will help
you nourish your
relationships to be
more meaningful,
joyful and engaging.
The vital thing to
remember for this
exercise is that one
has to be able to
hear the tone of the
voice of the
other person.
Text messaging will
not work as you are
unable to hear the
actual tone of the
voice. Telephone
or face to face is
always the best way
to have an engaging,
effective
communication.
Married couples
Spend a few minutes
daily with each
other alone in
conversation
regarding the
following specific
topics and ensure
that when one person
is talking, the
other is listening
with full attention
without any
interruption
whatsoever. When you
engage in a
meaningful
conversation such as
the one below, your
mind opens up to
embrace the joys of
life.
“What was most
joyful about
your day today
and why?”
“What are you
most grateful
for today and
why?”
“What did you do
today that has
made you a
better person
than yesterday?”
“How can I be of
help to you to
realise your
purpose in
life?”
Children
Spend time daily
with your child and
have the following
conversation. If you
have more than one
child, spend time
individually to have
this conversation.
Remember, every
child is different
and experiences the
world differently.
Ask your child the
following questions
and give full
attention to her/his
responses.
“What was most
joyful about
your day today
and why?”
“What do you
feel most
thankful to
ALLAH for
today?”
“What was
uncomfortable
for you today
and why?”
“What would you
really like to
tell me but feel
scared to share?
You can tell me
anything. You
can trust me.”
“What would you
like to do to
improve
yourself?”
“How can I help
you to be
better?”
Siblings and
Friends
Often the people who
manage to irritate
us most are our
siblings and close
friends. The
following exercise
may help open the
mind to enjoy a
meaningful, loving
relationship among
siblings and
friends. Again, the
tone of the voice is
a vital part of this
exercise.
Spend a few minutes
at least once a week
to touch base with
your sibling(s)/
friends. Ask them
the following
questions and pay
attention to the
answers without
interrupting or
formulating a
counter-argument.
“What was the
most joyful part
of your week so
far?”
“What challenges
did you face
last week?”
“What can I do
to be of help to
overcome those
challenges?"
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
A
Thousand-Year History of How Classical Ideas Were Lost and
Found
by
Violet Moller
DESCRIPTION
After the Fall of Rome, when
many of the great ideas of
the ancient world were lost
to the ravages of the Dark
Ages, three crucial
manuscripts passed hand to
hand through seven
Mediterranean cities and
survived to fuel the revival
of the Renaissance--an
exciting debut history.
The foundations of modern
knowledge--philosophy, math,
astronomy, geography--were
laid by the Greeks, whose
ideas were written on
scrolls and stored in
libraries across the
Mediterranean and beyond.
But as the vast Roman Empire
disintegrated, so did
appreciation of these
precious texts.
Christianity cast a shadow
over so-called pagan
thought, books were burned,
and the library of
Alexandria, the greatest
repository of classical
knowledge, was destroyed.
Yet some texts did survive
and The Map of Knowledge
explores the role played by
seven cities around the
Mediterranean--rare centers
of knowledge in a dark
world, where scholars
supported by enlightened
heads of state collected,
translated and shared
manuscripts.
In 8th century Baghdad, Arab
discoveries augmented Greek
learning. Exchange within
the thriving Muslim world
brought that knowledge to
Cordoba, Spain. Toledo
became a famous center of
translation from Arabic into
Latin, a portal through
which Greek and Arab ideas
reached Western Europe.
Salerno, on the Italian
coast, was the great center
of medical studies, and
Sicily, ancient colony of
the Greeks, was one of the
few places in the West to
retain contact with Greek
culture and language.
Scholars in these cities
helped classical ideas make
their way to Venice in the
15th century, where printers
thrived and the Renaissance
took root.
The Map of Knowledge follows
three key texts--Euclid's
Elements, Ptolemy's The
Almagest, and Galen's
writings on medicine--on a
perilous journey driven by
insatiable curiosity about
the world.
REVIEW
Moller traces
three of
antiquity’s
greatest
works—Euclid’s
Elements
(mathematics);
Ptolemy’s
Amalgest
(astronomy); and
Galen’s writings
(medicine)— on
their circuitous
journeys via
translation
centres of the
Middle East and
southern Europe,
to the printing
presses of
Renaissance
Venice.
Stops include
the medieval
cities of
Baghdad,
“unrivalled
anywhere in the
world for its …
scholarship and
wonder”;
Córdoba, “a
great centre of
learning” that
“drew scholars
far and wide,
especially in
the fields of
medicine [and]
astronomy”;
Toledo, where
Alfonso X
“established a
school of
Jewish,
Christian and
Muslim scholars
to translate
important texts
into the local
vernacular”; and
Palermo, where
“an open-minded
atmosphere …
prevailed at
court,” and
Arabophilic
kings employed
scholars to
translate
original Greek
texts “from
Arabic to
Latin.”
This exploration
of “the web of
transmissions of
these
manuscripts” is
entertainingly
informative.
[KB SAYS] Börek (Turkish pronunciation: [bœˈɾec]; also
burek and other variants) is a family of baked
filled pastries made of a thin flaky dough such
as phyllo or yufka, typically filled with meat,
cheese or vegetables.
Marinate Spinach Borek
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
1 bag baby spinach
½ tub ricotta cheese
¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
Garlic
Green chillies
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper
Pinch chilli flakes
Squeeze of lemon juice
Phyllo pastry
Melted butter
Yoghurt & Zaatar Dip
½ cup yoghurt
1 tblsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper
1 tsp zaatar
Bring a pot of water to boil
Add in baby spinach leaves
Boil for about 5 mins
Strain
Cool and squeeze out excess water
Add rest of ingredients to spinach
Adjust seasoning
Cut a single sheet of phyllo pastry about
10 cm wide and 30 cm in length
Brush with melted butter
Place filling and roll up like a cigar
Brush with melted butter and bake at 200
deg till golden
Mix together dip ingredients
Serve with spinach boreks
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.
After losing his family’s
support, being rejected by
neighbouring tribes, and
watching his own followers
persecuted for their faith,
Muhammad recognized that a
radical change was necessary
if Islam was to survive at
all.
The opportunity for such a
change came from an oasis
town 300 kilometers north of
Mecca, Yathrib.
The two main tribes of
Yathrib, Aws and Khazraj,
were engaged in a perpetual
struggle for power that
turned deadly in the 610s.
Further exasperating the
problem, numerous Jewish
tribes also lived in Yathrib
and had trouble coexisting
with the local Arabs.
Muhammad’s reputation as a
trustworthy and reliable man
was already well-known in
Yathrib, and it was in 620
when numerous notables from
the town travelled to Mecca
to seek his emigration to
Yathrib to serve as their
leader and a mediator of
their disputes.
Muhammad accepted their
offer and encouraged his
followers in Mecca to make
the journey with him, where
the oppression of the
Quraysh was absent.
Muhammad himself was one of
the last to leave Mecca in
622, when he journeyed with
his close friend Abu Bakr,
barely eluding Quraysh’s
plans to have him murdered
before he could leave.
In Yathrib, which was soon
renamed al-Medina al-Munawwarah
(the radiant city),
officially known as “Medina”
(the city), Muhammad would
find security, and the
ability to spread Islam away
from Quraysh’s opposition.
Juicier. Tastier. Saucier. 🤤🤤🤤
Two of our most loved burgers‼️
🍔 The Mr. Chicken
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☎️ Give us a call on (07) 3053 9102
Or deliver to your door 🏡🛵💨
Available on Uber, Deliveroo and MenuLog.
www.mrfishandchips.com.au
Mr Fish and Chips, home of the juiciest, freshest, tastiest burgers located in Logan Central, using fresh ingredients, handmade, hand cut everyday with burgers cooked fresh to order.
A certified Halal Restaurant. Call to pick up your order or get it delivered to your door with Uber, Deliveroo and MenuLog. Follow us on Facebook and stay up to to date with our latest meals, and deals.
Never
before, join us with
15 of the world’s
most influential
speakers! FREE Live
Online Conference,
Registration
Compulsory below.
About this Event
Brave the Storm:
Faith in times of
Crisis
Never before, join
us with 15 of the
world’s most
influential
speakers! FREE Live
Online Conference,
Registration
Compulsory below!
Throughout history,
Muslims have been
tested in countless
ways. However,
whatever the
challenge may be:
individual
struggles, pandemic
or wars, Islam has
given us tools to
courageously face
each and every test.
Join us with some of
the world’s most
respected Muslim
speakers as they
share their words of
wisdom and clarity.
This awesome lineup
has never come
together before.
Secure your FREE
seat by booking
below now!
Price: FREE
(Registration
Compulsory below)
Date: Saturday 5th
September 2020
Venue: Live Online
(Open to all
Worldwide)
Speakers
include:
Shaykh Omar Kiswani
(President/Imam of
Masjid al Aqsa)
Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
(USA)
Shaykh Zahir Mahmood
(UK)
Imam Suhaib Webb
(USA)
Ustadha Yasmin
Mogahed (USA)
Ustadha Dalia
Mogahed (USA)
Shaykh Mohammad
Akram Nadwi (UK)
Shaykh Hasan Ali
(UK)
Shaykh Sulaiman
Moola (South Africa)
Shaykh Ibraheem Menk
(Zimbabwe)
Ustadha Youssra
Kamel Kandil (USA)
Ustadha Maryam Lemu
(Nigeria)
Shaykh Sa’ad Numani
(Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh Abu Bakr al
Shateri (Saudi
Arabia)
Ustadha Maryam Amir
(USA)
Time: 7pm-10pm (UK
Time)
New York: 2pm
South Africa: 8pm
Canada: 2pm
Malaysia: 2am
The Academy Alive annual
Queensland tour is only 5 WEEKS AWAY!!
Our team is working hard on bringing you the
BEST tour yet, and we are counting down until we
get to meet all our beautiful brothers and
sisters around the state.
We are also excited to share that our production
crew will be travelling with us, and putting
together some amazing Live events, to showcase
the Muslim communities in regional areas of
Queensland.
We will be starting our journey on the 24th of
September, making our way north all the way up
to Cairns. A timetable for the full tour will be
released soon.
If there is anything you’d like to see us do
during our tour, please reach out to Academy
Alive and let us know!
JazakAllah.
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.
The Academy Alive crew has been
so excited for the upcoming
Queensland tour; they have been
camping in their garages.
Do you want tobe part of the
Academy Alive Journey? Be there with
us every step of the way as we
connect with our Muslim community
living in regional areas of
Australia.
We have got a surprise for you! 👀🤫
.
.
.
.
We have been so excited for the upcoming Queensland tour; we have been practicing our camping skills in our garages. ⛺️⛺️⛺️
Do you want to be part of the Academy Alive journey? Be there with us every step of the way as we connect with our Muslim communities living in regional areas.
https://qldtour2020.academyalive.com/register
#QLDtour #Relationships #Health #Finance #leadership
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.
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.
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.
This is the Southport
Masjid in the heart of
the Gold Coast Australia
where Muslims make up
less than 5%.
Southport
Masjid is the second
masjid on the Gold
Coast. It was
established to
accommodate the growing
Muslim community. It is
situated less than 10
minutes from Cavill
Avenue, Surfers
Paradise, making it a
prime location to also
serve the needs of
Muslim tourists. There
is ample parking and
easy access.
Because of COVID we
cannot fundraise
traditionally putting
the masjid in grave risk
of immediate
foreclosure.
Help us pay for the
masjid before it is
forced to close.
We are in desperate and
urgent need of the
masjid to save our
community.
From protest to piety,
from hate to love, from
loneliness to community,
from ignorance to
guidance, from church to
masjid, from dunya to
akhira.
With your help, our
desperation will turn to
hope. Fight alongside us
to save the masjid!
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.
Although images of humans
are almost never found in
mosque architecture, the
depictions of Mary and Jesus
remained uncovered in the
mosque of Hagia Sophia until
1739. At that time, the
mosaic was plastered over.
The plaster was later
removed during the
building’s 1934 conversion
into a museum.
Amirah
Shah
is a practicing
counsellor and a
researcher. She is a
member of the
Australian
Counselling
Association (ACA),
and does research at
the University of
Queensland.
Moawia
Bin-Sufyan
FRSA is the founding
Chair of the Council
on Welsh Islamic
Relations, an
organization which
seeks to enhance the
understanding of
Islam in Wales, and
is currently in the
process of setting
up a forum for BAME
leaders from across
Wales.
2020 MAHATHIR SCIENCE AWARD RECIPIENT IS
THOUGHT LEADER IN TB, TB/HIV AND EMERGING
AND RE-EMERGING EPIDEMIC INFECTIONS
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