By CCN's embedded reporter on the spot Abdul Rahman Keri

	Despite the rain more than 500 passionate and vocal Brisbanites turned out yesterday in support of a rally calling for a cease to the attacks on the people of Gaza.   People of different faiths and backgrounds expressed concern at Queen’s Park on the humanitarian condition of Gazans amidst consistent Israeli attacks. ‘Free, free Palestine’ was the mantra of the rally – a collective support for Palestinian sovereignty. Public speakers alleged some governments and media organisations are complicit in denying Palestinians self-determination and a hindrance to improving their human condition; they also condemned the blockade of Gaza.
With Hamas gaining the reins of power in Gaza in 2007, Israel responded with an economic blockade in Gaza that severely reduced their living standards – 80 % of the Gazan population are unable to support themselves, according to the UN.   Seeping raw sewage through city streets, high unemployment and malnourished children are some of the effects of the Israeli blockade on Gazans. To date Israel has allowed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza after days of continued bombing but according to Oxfam, ‘critical gaps’ are stifling the delivery of aid.
	Rally organiser, Anas Abdalla emphasised the humanitarian condition of the Palestinians and the need to overlook politics and unite on human rights issues. ‘We’re not here to talk about the political issues but the humanitarian disaster that is at hand...this is not an issue about religious constituencies or religious affiliations, it is a human rights issue’, said Anas Abdalla. Mr. Abdalla commended deputy prime- minister Julia Gillard’s announcement of an immediate $5 million aid package to Gaza but said the underlying issue was the unresolved occupation of Palestine. ‘Australia is generally a champion on human rights; in Zimbabwe, in East Timor, we are asking the Australia government to step up to the plate in relation to the Palestinian issue and be a champion there also’, he said.
Michael Shaik (pictured on the right being interviewed by Gary Hardgrave on Radio 4BC) of the advocacy group, Australians for Palestine, was flown in from Melbourne as the keynote speaker with several others taking to the podium to express their thoughts and views on the situation.
	300 red, white, black and green balloons were released into the Brisbane skies as a symbolic gesture in remembrance of the victims of the recent attacks.   The rally received wide coverage last night on SBS, ABC and Channels 9 and 10.   Further rallies are planned for Brisbane.

Several Mosques in Brisbane raised the issue of the recent bombings in Gaza during the Friday kuthbahs (sermons) and called on worshippers to support the rally and pray for the victims.

Sydneysiders gathered in Sydney to condemn Israeli bombing raids in the Gaza Strip, urging the Federal Government to take a strong stance against the conflict.

Many of the city's major mosques closed their doors for Friday prayers, with worshippers gathering in a Lakemba park in the city's south-west to pray for victims of the Israeli air strikes on the Hamas-controlled territory.

As a reminder of the lives lost, a coffin was brought to the front of the crowd, followed by eight Muslim leaders. More....

The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) condemned the "brutal and disproportionate military action launched by the Israeli Government against innocent Palestinian people, including women and children" in a press release.

South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Fatima Hajaig (pictured right), summoned the Israeli Ambassador, Mr Dov Segev-Steinberg, to a meeting at the Union Buildings in order to express the grave concern of the South African government at the brutal assault by Israeli military forces on the Palestinian people in Gaza. More...

The organisers of a protest held in South Africa outside the US Embassy had planned to throw shoes at a large picture of US president George W. Bush, but this did not go as planned.

"The target we were supposed to throw shoes at was burned by our comrades," an organiser told the crowd.

Ikebal Patel, AFIC President issued a press release condemning the situation in Gaza and wrote to Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith seeking a meeting with him to discuss the Palestinian issues. AFIC has also set up a fund for Palestine relief.

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Opinion Piece in the Western Muslim

Why our leaders need to learn the art of public relations by Firaz Khan

I am no longer surprised when I see an inarticulate member of the Muslim community on television trying to speak on behalf of the mainstream Muslim community.

It always seems like the Imams, most of whom are immigrants, are the ones that manage to get on television and embarrass us all.

It was an incident that happened a few months ago, but it is a perfect example of why Muslims need to learn the fine art of Public Relations.

The latest incident that I came across was on an episode of the Michael Cohen show.

Cohen had two guests, Tariq Fatah of the Muslim Canadian Congress and Steve Rockwell, an Imam from Ontario who hosts a program called “Call of the Minaret.”

The topic of the show was supposed to touch on polygamy and then go onto various other topics concerning the Muslim community.

Whereas Fatah was representing the view of secular liberal Muslims, Rockwell was supposedly there to represent the mainstream everyday Muslim in Canada.

Needless to say, Rockwell did a horrible job at it. Not only was he inarticulate, he did not know how to engage in a civil exchange of ideas.

More often than not, he would bring up points that had nothing to do with the issue at hand.

And when he was unable to counter an argument, he would throw his hands up and say, “I thought I was here to talk about polygamy.” It was an embarrassment.

Now this is the way I see it.

We do have Imams out there that represent the views of the mainstream Muslim community.

But they are rare. The ones that do exist either do not wish to partake in media discourse, or are not approached by the various media outlets that exist.

Muslims do not like to acknowledge it but there are media outlets that want to have Imams and other spokespeople who represent mainstream, moderate Islam to come and speak.

But for one reason or another we never see them.

So in the end we are left with people who can’t engage in a proper debate, speak proper English and communicate their ideas in a coherent fashion.

Their intentions may be well but in the end, the audience is left with the impression that Muslims are not in sync with the rest of society.

For the past few years, public relations in Muslim in North American and European societies has been a massive failure.

If our product is Islam, a religion that claims to be one of peace and tolerance, then we should be marketing our religion as such.

In a time where the average person is informed mainly through television and the internet, the Muslim community must become masters of communicating those ideas on those mediums.

It’s one thing to have a person of great Islamic knowledge speak in a lecture style format to a sympathetic audience, in a Jummah setting, for example.

But in the public realm, the skills required our totally different. Our leaders need to realize the need for savvy media polished spokespeople.

If the Imams don’t have the necessary skills to do it themselves, then we should be appointing qualified spokespeople to be our voice – and every member of the congregation should be trained to direct all media inquiries to them, so that the community speaks with one clear and coherent voice.

After all, it is only Muslims that can properly represent our religion. Nobody else is going to do it for us.
 

Source

A bouncing baby girl, Imaan, was born to Yasmeen and Shaheem Towner at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane on Thursday 1st January 2009.

Imaan tipped the scales at 3.5kg.
 

Imaan is the 4th grandchild of Dr. Mohammed and Shireen Seedat of Robertson.

Father and daughter are pictured on the left.

Hollywood is preparing a new epic film on the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and the birth of Islam.

 
"[It] is not about division and conflict but will focus wholly on the rich values common to all Muslims, like compassion and tolerance," producer Oscar Zoghbi said in a statement.

The movie, "The Messenger of Peace", will be set during the time of Prophet Muhammad to portray the birth of Islam and is expected to be shot in the holy sites of Makkah and Madina in Saudi Arabia.

Zoghbi, who has contributed to the 1976 film "The Message", regarded as the only epic to portray early Islam, said he appreciates the sensitivities and challenges linked with the subject.

He stressed that there will be no depiction of Prophet Muhammad on screen.

Islam prohibits the personification of any prophet of God in movies or dramas.

The Message (pictured left), which was shot in Arabic and English versions in 1976, prompted worldwide controversy when it was rumoured that Anthony Quinn was starring as the Prophet.

Instead, the Prophet and his companions were heard speaking, by the movie character, off-camera but never directly shown.

The director signified Prophet Muhammad's presence with light organ music and occasionally framed the film from the prophet's point of view as he observed the actions of his followers.

Needed

The new movie will be the second English-language film of its kind made in the West to portray early Islam, producers said.

"In the 21st century there is a real need for a film that emotionally engages audiences on the journey that led to the birth of Islam," said Hollywood director Ramsey Thomas, who will write the script.

He noted that the script will be in English, but the movie will be dubbed into other languages, in particular Arabic.

Executive producer of the new movie, Hajja Subhia Abu Elheja, also noted that over three decades, only one Hollywood movie, The Message, tackled the birth of Islam.

"It is telling that only one great historical film has ever been made about Islam, a religion with 1.5 billion followers, whereas Christianity has been the subject of over 30."

Like Thomas, Abu Elheja agrees that media and the cinema industry in particular can help bridge the gap between the Muslim world and Western societies.

"Since 9/11, Islam's image has suffered tremendously," she said.

"Now more than ever it has become important to bridge the gap of understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims."
 

Source