The next few weeks marks an important part of the Islamic calendar.
More than 3 million Muslims from around the world come together in Mecca in peace and harmony to perform their Hajj.
Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.
CCN wishes all the Hajjis and Hajjianis HajjMabroor.
Completing the fifth pillar of Islam is a journey of a lifetime and we pray that your Hajj is accepted and that all goes well with you, inshaAllah.
In a league of their own
FROM the mosque to the football field – Queensland Muslims have launched Australia's first Islamic rugby league competition.
The youngsters swapped prayer robes for jerseys recently for the opening game in Brisbane.
But religion was still a big player in the event, with a Muslim cleric holding prayer sessions on the field before and after the match.
The all-Muslim league is the brainchild of Brisbane sales manager Oscar Akbar, 25, who has invited teams from across the country to take part.
"I noticed a lot of guys at the mosques were talking about the NRL games," he said.
"Islamic youths want to play sport, but they feel unable to go to a sports club because they are afraid of ridicule.
"By creating an all-Muslim league we can enable youngsters to take part without feeling inferior.
"It's a way for all the youths to get together and burn off their excess energy on the field, rather than getting into mischief.
"It also strengthens our community through the sport, by structuring ourselves from within."
Five teams from across Brisbane compete in the league, but Mr Akbar, who plays for the Deen Machine side, said Muslims in Sydney wanted to get involved.
"Ultimately, I want this to become a national thing so that we can then look at having an Islamic State of Origin match," Mr Akbar said.
Medical student Umjid Raheen, 27, from Springwood, in Brisbane's south, plays for the Goss Muhammed side.
"Hopefully, this league will go through the roof," he said.
"We've had a lot of public enthusiasm already, because everyone is pleased to see youngsters organising something rather than the elders telling us what to do.
"We have had religious approval to do this, and made sure an Imam from a local mosque said prayers to keep everyone safe during the game. It's something that Allah would be proud of."
More than 600 people cheered the teams on when they played their first match at Brisbane's Sunnybank Rugby Union Club.
Club chairman Gaven Head was delighted with their performance.
"The Muslim boys are really passionate about this and are training really hard. It's great to see them play a sport so quintessentially Australian and they have my full support in the venture."
The Redfern Mosque and Community Centre in Sydney which caters for the local Aboriginal community under the stewardship of Sheikh Shaheed Malik is in need of funds to complete an important phase of its project.
You can contact Sadeq Mustapha (3219 7786) or Aslam Nabi (5580 5925) for more information.
Winning Recipes
A ‘foolproof’ quick mushroom soup as the perfect starter:
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 cup cubed chicken fillet
Salt & pepper to taste
2tsp Ginger & Garlic
2Tblsp Ghee
1 tin cream style mushroom soup
1 tin milk (use mushroom tin as measuring guide)
1 small tin cream style corn (optional)
1 tin fresh cream
Coriander (dhania)
Method:
Braise onion in ghee. Add cubed chicken fillet, salt, pepper and ginger garlic. Add cream style mushroom soup and milk. Cook until slightly thick. Add cream style corn (optional). Before serving, add fresh cream and garnish with chopped coriander.
Source: SANHA e-Bulletin
A Veritable Visual Feast From EidFest
Richard Posener, a professional photographer who revels in all things cultural, was at EidFest2005 and captured the spirit of the occasion in some stunningly beautiful images.
Russell Peters: Sold Out Brisbane Performance!
Russell Peters will be in town this Friday. For a taste of what to expect (particularly the one about why Indians and Chinese can't do business together) click here.
There is a single ticket available for sale for Friday's show.
Call 0402 026 786 if you are interested.
The CCN Tipster: Making the most of your money
Looking for ways to make the most of your garage sale?
A British television station has asked a Muslim woman who wears a full face veil to deliver its annual Christmas message -- pitting her head-to-head against Queen Elizabeth II.
Khadija, a freelance teacher and lecturer in Islamic studies, is a British citizen who was born in Zimbabwe but has worn the veil for 10 years.
In a statement, Channel 4 said she would be delivering the broadcast on December 25 "in a year in which issues of religious and racial identity, freedom of expression and social cohesion have dominated the news agenda".
The speech, which usually lasts a few minutes, is shown at the same time as the Queen's more traditional offering which many Britons watch just after eating their Christmas turkey.
Previous presenters include cartoon family The Simpsons and Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation Ali G.
The issue of Muslim integration into British society has been high on the political agenda since the July 7, 2005 suicide bombings on London's transport system killed 52 innocent people.
One of the highest profile cases was that of teaching assistant Aishah Azmi, who was last month sacked from a state-run junior school in northern England for refusing to remove the niqab.
In October this year, former foreign secretary Jack Straw revealed that he asked women visiting his constituency office to remove the niqab and Prime Minister Tony Blair later added that the veil was a "mark of separation".
Litvinenko's Father Says Son Requested Muslim Burial
Aleskandr Litvinenko in a London hospital on
November 20, three days before he died
On November 1, 2006, Alexandr Litvinenko suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized. He died three weeks later, becoming a rare victim of lethal polonium-210 radiation poisoning under highly suspicious circumstances.
During his illness Litvinenko, an Orthodox Christian, had converted to Islam. The fact that Litvinenko's revelations about FSB misdeeds was followed by his poisoning — and his public accusations that the Russian government was behind his malady — resulted in worldwide media coverage.
Litvinenko's father, Valter, told RFE/RL's Russian Service his son converted to Islam shortly before his death and wished to be buried according to Muslim tradition.
"He told me about his decision two days before he died. He said, 'Papa, I have to talk to you about something serious. I've become a Muslim,'" Walter Litvinenko said.
"I said, 'Sasha, it's your decision. As long as you don't become a communist or a satanist, that's the main thing.' I'm a Christian myself, but I have a granddaughter whose father is Kabardin -- my daughter's husband, he's Muslim as well," he continued. "We haven't lost God; we believe in God. But how to believe in God, how to pray -- everyone should do that in the way they consider best."
Valter Litvinenko, who described the conversion as "an important personal decision," said his son had been thinking about becoming a Muslim for some time because of growing disenchantment with the Russian Orthodox Church.
'Personal Matter'
Akhmed Zakayev, the London-exiled Chechen separatist envoy, told RFE/RL that Litvinenko asked him about the possibility of converting in the early days of his illness.
"I told him it was a purely personal matter, that it isn't important to which god we pray as long as we aren't doing ignoble acts," Zakayev said. "And I sort of dropped it. But he over and over again returned to the subject."
Zakayev added that Litvinenko went on to pronounce the shahadah, the fundamental Muslim statement of faith.
"Any student of Islam will tell you that there are no particular rituals for converting to Islam. All you have to do is say one sura" -- a verse or chapter from the Koran -- "and from that moment if the person who pronounces this sura, this shahadah, has sincere intentions, from that moment he is considered a Muslim," he said.
Last Rites
Zakayev said despite the harshly debilitating effects of Litvinenko's illness, he remained of sound mind. Just days before his death, Zakayev said, Litvinenko worked for 16 hours with police officers investigating his poisoning.
Zakayev said Litvinenko remained hopeful he would recover. One day before his death, however, Litvinenko asked Zakayev to bring an imam to his hospital room to perform last rites.
"On November 22, at his request, I, with his wife's approval, brought an imam to him," Zakayev said. "He read over him a sura from the Koran, the one that is read over a dying Muslim."
Zakayev noted that, according to Muslim ritual, prayers are conducted over the body before burial. Now, he added regretfully, " that part of the process which Aleksandr requested cannot be fulfilled because of the exceptional circumstances of the radiation in his body and the fact that the coffin that will contain his body cannot be opened for 6 1/2 years."
Iktimal Hage-Ali, 22, was named New South Wales' Young Australian of the Year.
She is a finalist for the national Young Australian of the Year to be named next month.
Ms Hage-Ali is also on Prime Minister John Howard's Muslim Reference Group
IFA Youth lends a helping hand
As one of it's many upcoming projects for 2007, Islamic Females Association (IFA) Youth is collaborating closely with the Mater Hospital to arrange a volunteer program for those interested in putting their spare time to a worth while cause.
There is a wide selection of volunteer work available at the Mater, but does involve approximately 4 hours a week over 16 weeks.
IFA will shortly be rallying up volunteers, both male and female, so watch this space and your inbox for the latest progress.
IFA Youth
ifa.qmt.org.au
From the CCN Cradle
Congratulations to Fahim and FatimaGutta on the arrival of their 2.8 kg baby daughter, Madinah, at 4.15 pm on Saturday last week.
Congratulations also to Imran and NaazneenOmar on the birth of their daughter, Sarah, who arrived at the Sunnybank Private Hospital on 5 December weighing 2.645kg and making it the third for the couple.
Condolences
We offer our condolences to Ms Galila Abdel-Salam (IWAQ) and her family on the recent loss of her brother, Mr. Nasr Eldeen Abdelsalam, who passed away on 1 December in Egypt from a heart attack. He was aged 54.
The Muslim Bhorat?
Nazeem Hussain, who provided the entertainment at the Australian Muslim Achievements Awards night in Sydney last week, can be seen doing a piece for the Melbourne based TV program Salam Cafe.
Taking A Stock of Your Shares
The Muslim Business Network held another one of its regular dinner/presentation nights at the Brisbane Abruzzo Club during the week.
MBN members were treated to the delights of dealing in shares, spiced up in between by Indian curry and rice, and a variety of carbo-loaded Italian fare.
Meeting with the Police Commissioner Keelty
By Amar Ali Khan
Imams, leaders and representatives of the Queensland Muslim community were invited to meet the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Mr Mick Keelty at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Office in Brisbane on 4 December 2006.
The purpose of the morning tea was to provide an informal forum between the Muslim community and the AFP and also an opportunity for discussion with Commissioner Keelty on relevant issues of interest to the community.
The gathering was welcomed by Mr Barry Turner, Manager AFP Brisbane and latter addressed by the Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mr Mick Keelty.
Mr Keelty thanked the Imams and representatives for attending the meeting and later answered questions raised in relation to better understanding between the Muslim community and the Australian Federal Police.
L to R:
Imam Imraan
Imam A. Kadir
Imam Shahzad
Imam Nawaz
Imam Uzair
Amar A Khan (VP Islamic Society of Ips & Exe. ICQ)
Abdul Jalal (President of ICQ)
Mr Mick Keelty Commissioner Australian Federal Police
G.A Salam (IWAQ)
Ms Hussain (Townsville)
Yasmin Khan (I CARE)
The commissioner also explained aspects of the Federal Anti-Terrorism legislation.
He assured the Muslim community of fair treatment by the AFP and encouraged the Muslim community to work cooperatively with the law enforcement authorities to make Australia a safer place for every one.
The Inbox
Assalalu Alaikum,
I am sure I will be among many who pass on congratulations to Sister Nora for winning the Muslim Women of the Year award.
Whilst I do not know Nora personally, I am very aware of some of the work she does within the community.
What a prestigious honour and as a fellow muslim (and women), I am immensely proud of her accomplishment.
Nora will stand as a great role-model for our youth and may she continue her good work, inshallah.
Regards, Nena Allouche
Manager
Dear Team at Crescents of Brisbane,
Nahida is delighted with the blankets, towels and toys for Salwa.
She would also like to thank your readers and Crescents for your generosity in depositing funds into her account.
She is enjoying her Hairdressing course three days a week and now able to organise proper childcare for Salwa.
Best wishes for Christmas and hope 2007 is a fulfilling year for you. I will try to keep in touch about Nahida's progress from time to time.
Regards Jenny Day
Documentary Producer
Spirited Films Pty Ltd
Assalaamou alaikoum
I have launched a new blog entitled The Islamic Workplace at http://makkah.wordpress.com and would like to invite you to visit it and to provide me with feedback on how to improve it, Insha Allah.
Issues to be discussed include: ethics, leadership, diversity, seerah and strategic planning. The blog also includes exemplary anecdotes, positive quotes and relevant videos.
If you like what you see and wish to keep track of the latest additions to my blog, please add the blog to your rss feed. The rss feed link is: http://makkah.wordpress.com/feed/.
Insha Allah, I plan to contribute regularly to the blog and to include relevant, noteworthy contributions from the blog readers.
Best wishes and shukran for any feedback,
Rafik Beekun
Dr. Rafik Beekun
Professor of Management and Strategy
Centre for Corporate Governance and Business Ethics
University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0206
USA
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Disclaimer
Articles and opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Crescents of Brisbane team, CCN, its Editor or its Sponsors, particularly if they eventually turn out to be libelous, 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 by either CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc. of the contents of these events.
