The Islamic New Year which is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar falls this year on Monday, 29 December (tomorrow).

Many Muslims use the day to remember the significance of this month, and the Hijra, or migration, that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made to the city now known as Medina.

CCN wishes all readers a very Happy New Year in 1430.

The President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Mr Ikebal Patel congratulated the HSC students of Malek Fahd Islamic School in Greenacre (New South Wales) on their excellent HSC results.

The pass rate of 100% was achieved. 

Mr Patel stated that Malek Fahd Islamic School commenced in 1990 with a total of 150 children in Kindergarten to Year 4 with five teachers.

Today Malek Fahd Islamic School has about 1800 children and 120 teachers.

In 1998 the school had its first Year 12 class and all the 24 students qualified for university entry.

Since then, the school has been the number one school in the Bankstown Education district.

100 per cent of the Year 12 students have qualified for university entry since its commencement with a number of the students now having qualified as lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses etc.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils operated Islamic College of Brisbane has also followed in the tradition of Malek Fahd Islamic School by achieving the pass rate of 100%.

Mr Patel also confirmed that the Federation’s owned Islamic College of South Australia which had its second cohort of year 12 also had fantastic results with all year 12 students passing.

Mr Patel attributes the successes at Malek Fahd Islamic School, Islamic College of Brisbane and Islamic College of South Australia to the hard work and due diligence of students, parents, teachers and support staff respectively with the very good support from the respective State Education Departments and the Federal Department of Education Science and Training.

“I congratulate each and every one of the students and teachers, and wish all a well deserved holiday and wish all students every success in their chosen discipline at University”, he said.

Mr Patel concluded, “Islam places a very high priority on education.

It is incumbent on all Muslims to seek knowledge - Higher education provides considerable value to individuals, the economies where educated individuals live and work is a happy society in general”.

The Islamic Society of Central Queensland (ISCQ) in Rockhampton is supporting an ‘Eye camp’ in Nepal.

A group of doctors left Rockhampton on Boxing Day for the remote Himalayan district of Myagdi which they will reach by jeep from Pokhara airport.

Amongst the team of doctors is anesthetist Dr Mazhar Mahmood who will leave behind his practice in Rockhampton for the two week project using his own funds.

Farooq Haq, President of ISCQ and Imam of Rockhampton Mosque, told CCN that members of the local Muslim community have rallied behind the project and the ISCQ presented the team with a cheque of A$1500 to help support the other team members.

On Sunday the 7th of December 2007, Al-Nisa Youth Group Inc. held their Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The new board members are:

If you would like further information contact thesecretary@alnisagroup.com.au, and don’t forget to check out their website www.alnisagroup.com.au, for FUN activities over these holidays.

The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, and its local partner, the Parliament of the World’s Religions - Melbourne 2009, invite you to participate at the upcoming Parliament of the World’s Religions, to be held in Melbourne, Australia, December 3-9, 2009.

Proposals to the Program Committee for the 2009 Parliament to present a lecture, dialogue, workshop, panel discussion, religious or spiritual observance, workshop, training session or artistic performance are invited.

"The theme of the 2009 Parliament is “Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth.” This theme reflects a strong emphasis of this Parliament on the need to promote inter-religious dialogue and initiatives addressing global issues such as the environmental crisis and reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples. The Parliament is the largest interfaith gathering in the world held every five years and more than 8,000 people of faith, spirit, and goodwill are expected to attend."

More about the event....
 

Mr. Adam Gool (88), father of Nab'wiyah Adams of Eight Mile Plains, passed away on 3rd December 2008 in South Africa.

Mr. Gool spent many months in Brisbane over the past few years and was well respected for his knowledge on a wide range of subjects.

Boeta Adam, as he was known by many, was instrumental in establishing the first Muslim Youth Movement (MYM) in Cape Town in the 1960s.

A cabinet maker by trade, Mr Gool was a legal adviser, mentor and role model to many in the Cape Town community.

A protégé of his, Dr. Hoosain Ebrahim, recalls how he led by example, was extremely helpful and served as an inspiration to many. "One of his most amazing qualities was his phenomenal memory," wrote Dr. Ebrahim.

As a Hajj agent, in 1988, Mr Gool wrote to the Saudi authorities describing the difficulties that faced South Africans wishing to stay on for the hajj after the month of Ramadan. As a result of his efforts the Hajj Ministry agreed to issue Hajj visas during Ramadan.

He issued a Hajj Bulletin which made special mention of some of the regulations that were published by the mu'assasah.

A few years ago, he wrote to the Saudi Government informing them that there was (an Arabic) printing error in the Qu'ran which they were distributing to the hajis. The distribution of the Qu'rans was immediately terminated.

Another close friend of his, Yusuf Abrahams, said that Mr Adam Gool was a "giant; forthright, well read, self-taught, knowledgeable and outspoken".

Tahir Levy held that he was a fervent political activist against the apartheid regime and during the 1960 unrests would secretly visit the black townships and distribute food to the needy.

Mr. Gool was a prolific writer and a number of his articles appeared in the Muslim News. He provided input to the South African Law Commission on the discussion paper on Islamic marriages.

Mr. Gool leaves behind his children: Nab'wiyah, Sulaiman, Shahidah, Thabit and his 13 grandchildren.

A fortnight ago the Queensland Police Service won the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Public Service for a series of football games organised by Sgt Jim Bellos.

Qld I-CARE Assoc. Inc. was involved in two of these events, the ECCQ Cup and the Muslim QPS Rugby League match, and I would like to take this opportunity to recognise some people who helped with these events.

Working within the community brings its own rewards, however it is nice to be officially recognised every now and then. For that I am grateful to Jim and the QPS for their initiative and for allowing Qld I-CARE to be involved.

I would like to thank Superintendent Pat Ryan and the QPS Rugby League team, Gavin Head and the Sunnybank Rugby Union Club, and Oskar Akbar and his team playing for the Muslim community.

Thanks also to Danny Hoyland (4BC) for compering the event, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, Commissioner Bob Atkinson and Susan Booth from the Anti Discrimination Commission and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, for their support and sponsorship.

A big thank you to Bill Harrigan, a world class referee who took time out to make our night a special one. Our sponsors Rebel Sports for all the giveaways on the night, and our team of workers, especially Sultan Deen without whose support I wouldn’t get a lot of things done.

The Qld I-CARE team for their dedication and effort – you all know who you are, thank you for everything.

There is another rugby league game coming up in the next few months against the QPS, and I hope that you can all come out and enjoy the game and support a good cause.

Yasmin Khan
President
Qld I-CARE Assoc. Inc.
 

Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. A young Orthodox woman, ROCHEL MESHENBERG, is about to begin her first year as a special education teacher at the local public school. She is also about to embark on what her father and mother call the "most exciting time of her life" – the process of finding a husband via the time-tested method of using a "shadchen," or matchmaker.

As the school year gets underway, Rochel meets NASIRA KHALDI, a Muslim woman of Syrian descent. Nasira is also a first-year teacher. The two young women – Rochel in long skirt and conservative blouse, Nasira in headscarf – stand out in this public school context. The principal, a secular Westchester Jew, is forever reminding them that although they are some of her smartest, most gifted teachers, they are also stunted by their outmoded customs, religions, and by their patriarchal worldviews. She tells them of her experiences in the women's movement and her desire to see them reach their full potentials.

As the school year progresses, Rochel and Nasira realize they share much in common, not least of which is that they are both going through what the outside world would call "arranged marriages." As their friendship deepens, they are exposed to their respective worlds. They prepare for school at one another's houses, meet one another's families, and discuss commonalities and differences.

Meanwhile they are also both meeting potential spouses. Rochel is having no luck. The shadchen is pairing her with men who, although they have good jobs or prospects, don't match her in intellect, curiosity in the world, or humour. The men presented to Nasira by her family are also not her equal. Rochel begins to question whether this age-old practice is going to work. Nasira has greater faith, as she views her parent's loving union as such a success.

With the family pressure too great, and the dates continuing to go badly, Rochel storms from the house. She visits an estranged cousin, who left the faith years ago, and is exposed to what a secular life might be. Meanwhile Nasira, concerned at her friend's state, and having met a promising prospect herself, does the unthinkable. She manipulates the Orthodox matchmaking system on behalf of her friend. The gamble pays off.

As the school year draws to an end, these two women have found their future spouses. They have also developed a friendship that transcends their insular Brooklyn communities and the religions that seem so at odds in the broader world. They share a friendship that will endure as they move on to become wives and mothers, and continue to be modern women with deep religion convictions.
 

The Trailer

Winner Best Film Brooklyn Int'l Film Festival

More about the Movie

The full movie can viewed at :

http://www.freefullmovies.net/movies/arranged.html