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About CoB

 

......a sometimes self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and the world around us ......

 

 

Sunday, 14 June 2009

 .Newsletter 0240

 

News you won't find on CNN!

 

 

Queenslander of the Year award goes to policeman Jim Bellos

 

BRISBANE police sergeant's commitment to multiculturalism has led to him being named 2009 Queenslander of the Year.

QUEENSLANDER of the Year . . . Sergeant Jim Bellos gets plenty of backing for his award from Raven Iuli, Bobby Whitfield and Michelle Nisingizwe. Picture: Annette Dew


Premier Anna Bligh presented the award to Sergeant Jim Bellos from the metropolitan south region.

She said Sgt Bellos policed a region with an increasing number of new residents who spoke more than 150 different languages and practised over 130 different faiths.

Sgt Bellos has established community consultative groups, multi-faith dinners, information sessions and a multicultural sporting program for 6000 youths.
 

In January Sgt Bellos was recognised in Lord Mayor Campbell Newman's Australia Day awards for his sport program, "For the Love of the Game".

Sgt Bellos said he developed the idea after noticing developing tensions between young people of different ethnicities.
 

The Courier Mail Editorial (June 10) had this to say about the award:

IF you were charged with policing an area of the city that contains 53 different ethnic groups, you might assume a lot of your work would be about defusing conflict.
But Metropolitan Region South Sergeant Jim Bellos saw the opposite on his beat.
He took the opportunity to promote harmony and common understanding among the diverse cultures that now call southeast Queensland home and ran with it.
His annual soccer tournament, dubbed the World Cup in the suburbs, has quickly become an institution, and the region's capacity for tolerance is the stronger for it.
He thoroughly deserves to be named Queenslander of the Year because he is the type of Queenslander many of us aspire to be.

Source

 

Ms Bligh says it is important to honour our top citizens in Queensland Week, particularly during the State's 150th year of independence.

"Queensland Week is a time to celebrate the State's 150 years of heritage, diversity and achievements," she said.

"Our 2009 Queenslanders of the Year embody the State's success."

The Premier says Sergeant Bellos works in region with an increasing number of new residents where the community speaks over 150 different languages and practises over 130 different faiths.

She says police-community relationships have improved through the establishment of community consultative groups, information sessions and multi-faith dinners.

"Most notably, Sergeant Bellos developed an award-winning sport program which has resulted in a marked decrease in youth crime," she said.

The program encourages interaction and improved understanding for more than 6,000 youths from diverse backgrounds.

Source

 

CCN congratulates Jim on winning this prestigious award and also for the work he has done building bridges with the Muslim communities of South East Queensland.

 

Good on yer' Jim!

 

Guide Dogs Queensland Manager receives OAM

 

Bashir Ebrahim (right) shows a new electronic mobility aid to a young client

Guide Dogs Queensland’s Rehabilitation Services Manager Bashir Ebrahim’s 18 years of service to Queensland’s blind and vision impaired community was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal on Monday, June 8.


Mr Ebrahim joined the Queen’s Birthday Honour Roll, for service to people with a vision impairment through advocacy roles.


“It’s a humbling and flattering experience to be recognised for the work that you love to do,” Mr Ebrahim said.


“Being able to use your skills and knowledge to teach and improve others lives delivers enormous rewards. And working with my highly skilled and compassionate team of instructors and staff, is an honour – so the OAM is an exciting extra.”

Bashir Ebrahim (left) and a client during a White Cane Training class


Mr Ebrahim began his career in Rehabilitation Services with Guide Dogs Victoria, before joining Guide Dogs Queensland in 1991. Initially based in Townsville, Mr Ebrahim has been instrumental in growing services to Queensland’s blind and vision impaired, in metropolitan, regional and rural communities.

 


As a result of his dedication and hard work, Mr Ebrahim became Manager of Rehabilitation Services in 2001, and has helped Guide Dogs Queensland become an internationally recognised leader in Rehabilitation Services, particularly Orientation and Mobility; and electronic travel aid training.


He is a member of the Queensland Vision Initiative; chairman of QLD’s Vision Impairment Agencies network; consults on a wide range of state, local and corporate projects and works with a number of vision impairment agencies on low vision clinics and workshops.


“It’s the work we do with our clients that is the real advocacy work. We improve lives through better mobility, skills and confidence and in doing so help to raise awareness and better inform the general community – it’s a true pleasure to be a part of,” Mr Ebrahim said.

 

Mr. Ebrahim was a keynote speaker at the Muslim Symposium and Expo held in Brisbane in October 31st 2007 where he talked of the work he was doing then in this area.

 

CCN congratulates Bashir on his well-deserved recognition.

 


NOTE: GDQ will be hosting an Open Day on Sunday, 5 July. For more information go here.

Little Mosque on the Prairie: Season 3 Episode 8

 

Mercy Dot Com   

 

Part 1

 

  

 

Part 2

Part 3

 

 

The Message Magazine

 

The latest issue of The Message Magazine has just been released on the theme of 'Relationships'. The issue deals with relationships with our self, family, community, technology, the past and much more.

You can download the issue at www.messagemagazine.com.au

You can also download all past issues of the magazine.
 

Muslim Marriages

 

Nada Ibrahim (pictured left) is  currently conducting a large-scale PhD research project under the Griffith Islamic Research Unit that investigates Attitudes, Beliefs and Experiences of Marital Relationships and/or Conflict in the South East Queensland Muslim community, supervised by Prof Paul Mazerolle and Dr Mohamad Abdalla.

 

This research is about an important aspect of marriage in the Muslim community. Due to the lack of research on the marital needs of the Australian Muslim community, services and programs that are culturally and religiously-appropriate are largely absent. To address the issue, Nada would like to solicit your views and experiences to inform policies and programs that meet the needs of the Muslim community in South East Queensland.

The findings of this research will benefit a number of different service providers of our community - including social agencies, counsellors, educators, social workers and Imaams. It will also inform policies to ensure greater understanding of the needs of the Muslim community. Educational as well as training programs will be informed through the research findings that ensure the sanctity of marriages and maintains the structures of Muslim families.

 

Nada's work with the Muslim community in the past 8 years has highlighted the need to involve the Muslim community in generating workable solutions.

 

You can find out more about how you can help with this project here.

 

Continuing on the road through China...

 

A taste of Muslim China from Shanghai and Beijing

 

The Xiao Tao Yuan Masjid or the Mosque of the Small Peach Garden (above) is a famous Mosque in Shanghai. During the "Cultural Revolution" many of the valuables in the Mosque were vandalized. Since the introduction of the "Open and Reform" policy of the government financial support has enabled the reconstructing and restoration the building.

 

Halal dining out in Beijing

The Nan Dou Ya Mosque (above) is one of the most famous mosques in Beijing.

 

A smile and directions to the facilities are given to visitors by very welcoming hosts. “Last year alone, we had more than 20,000 visitors who came here to pray while touring Beijing. The majority are Malaysians, with some Singaporeans and Indonesians,” Ibrahim the person in charge said.

 

Built in the Qing Dynasty (1796-1820), the mosque is known as Nan Dou Ya Qing Zhen Si to the locals, serving the Hui community in the area which now has a population of over 3,000 people or 800 households.

 
Like most of the mosques in Beijing, Nan Dou Ya mosque is a combination of traditional Chinese architecture and Islamic art – with a series of pavilions and courtyard buildings and Arabic characters and finishings.

The courtyard is surrounded by the main prayer hall, a madrasah and offices and from here one can see modern high-rise apartments adjacent to the Mosque. A clean and busy kitchen is part of the complex as is a bookshop selling Islamic souveniers.

From the exterior, passers-by see only the Chinese words written on the wall of the mosque introducing some halal food but visitors walking into the entrance area will see the five daily prayer times written in both Chinese and Arabic posted on the wall next to Ibrahim’s office.


Ziyaad a young Man on a Mission

 

Dear CCN Readers,

 

My name is Ziyaad Mahomed

 

I am in Year 11 at the Queensland Academy of Science, Maths and Technology in Toowong and am interested in the health sciences. I am doing the International Baccalaureate Diploma and as part of my diploma I want to raise funds for a special cause.

 

This is an appeal for used items, primarily books and toys of any sort, to be sold to raise funds for a home for handicapped children in Zimbabwe that is desperate for assistance.

 

During a recent trip to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, I went to Mpilo Hospital with my uncle, Mr. Moosa Hassan Esat. Within its grounds it has the St. Francis Home which was set up many years ago to care for the severe to profoundly mentally and physically handicapped children between the ages of 5-16 years. I was very touched by the plight of the children in St. Francis Home and really would like to make a difference to the quality of life of the children in the home.

 

 

 

The St. Francis Home Vision is to be the home from home choice of institution for the severely retarded child and ensuring achievement of the highest possible level of functioning and quality of life for its children

 

The St. Francis Home Mission Statement:

 

To provide individualised quality care to all children

To assist each child to attain maximum capability through training

To train children to acquire the skills for daily living

To maintain exciting skills and prevent regression

 

Conditions at the Home have reached crisis levels. Funding by Government has been steadily getting worse and as the business community has struggled  in Zimbabwe’s tough economic times it has not been able to help as much as it used to. The dedicated staff are struggling to achieve the mission goals. The children are in such great need of any decent food that they are just skin and bones. The only food they receive is 1 bowl of soup for breakfast (10am), and 1 bowl of soup for supper (4pm) when they are put to bed.

 

The conditions at the Home are at the point where sanitation is of huge concern to the nurses. The beds are small with 1 thin old worn blanket and some of the children are in bed the whole day. The risk of disease is high in such poor conditions. Some of these children are abandoned at the Home by their parents, the parents never to be seen again. For other parents this Home is the only place that they can turn to for help.

 

It is for their case that I wish to raise money, through the sale of books and toys donated by kind folk as yourselves. Towards this end I will have a stall at the Australian International Islamic College fete to be held on 17th August 2009 to sell the donated items. InshaAllah, I hope to do the same at the Indian Bazaar and at EidFest later this year.

 

My uncle is on the board of St. Francis Home and the funds will be forwarded to him so that they can be put to best use. In return I will provide you with feedback on how this project progresses.

 

I can be contacted at zmaho5@eq.edu.au or phone me at home on 3273 2786 (if I am at school or out please leave a message with anyone who is home) so that I can arrange to collect your items.

 

May Allah reward you. JazakAllah.

  

Yours sincerely,

 

Ziyaad Mahomed

 

CCN Reader's Discussion Forum

 

Have your say on www.ccnforum.ning.com

 

 

Kareema's Keep Fit Column

 

 

 Take some positive steps to good health this winter by putting your best foot forward.

 

Slip on your walking shoes and take some steps towards a healthier lifestyle. There is now evidence that physical activity such as walking can reduce the risk of some cancers. It is also important in preventing and treating illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and depression.

Brisk walking is perfect and you can incorporate it into your daily routine. Getting out these days for some 'winter walking' will have a whole range of positive effects on your brain too, and there's no doubt that it's the easiest and best form of exercise you can get which will cost you absolutely nothing but time..

I would encourage everyone to take a walk around their local neighbourhoods and discover some simple yet beautiful views you haven't witnessed before!
Remember to mix up your routine - walk, power-walk, run, ride, rollerblade - do anything except drive!

Every little bit will help you get fitter and stronger and make you feel a whole lot better. Don't forget your water bottle and stay hydrated. If you do this
consistently you will see the benefits / results sooner and reap the rewards.. Most of all - H A V E  F U N

 


TOGETHER, LET’S FIGHT GLOBESITY

Kareema

My Health and Fitness

Tel: 0404 844 786

(Accredited Member of Fitness Queensland)

 

Need an answer to a fitness related matter? Send your question to Kareema at  fitness@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

All questions sent in are published here anonymously and without any references to the author of the question.

      

CCN Readers' Book Club: You are what you read!

 

Would you like to see the cover of your favourite book on our book shelves below?

Then simply email the title and author to thebookclub@crescentsofbrisbane.org

 

Double click a book cover to find out what others think of the book

 

CCN has set up an online Book Club at Shelfari to connect with CCN book readers at:

http://www.shelfari.com/CCN_BookClub

Using the book club you can see what books fellow CCN readers have on their shelves, what they are reading and even what they, and others, think of them.

The CCN Readers' Book Club

KB's Culinary Corner

  

   Pecan Shortbread
 

Ingredients
1 Cup Butter Softened –Whip for ten minutes and then stir in
½ cup Icing sugar
¼ cup maziena.
1½ cups flour.
Beat again on high for 2 minutes
Add ½ cup chopped pecans
 

Drop a tablespoon of the mixture, leaving some space in between onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180c for 12 minutes- allow to cool before transferring onto wire racks – When cool top with sifted icing sugar or drizzle with chocolate.
 

Do you have a recipe to share with CCN readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org and be our "guest chef" for the week.

 

The CCN Chuckle

 

Jallaludinn: "Hello 'zis is Jallaludinn's Bakery, how can I help you?"
 
Customer: "I would like to order a cake for a party this week, please."
 
Jallaludinn: "What you want written on the cake?"
 
Customer: "Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that "We will miss you"....
 
Jallaludinn: "OK is that all? Okay, come to collect in three days, Madam."

 

 

 

Check here to find out what happened three days later

 

Notice Board

 

Click on image to enlarge

 

Sounds of Light

Pakistan Crisis Dinner

World Refugee Day

Hajj Workshop

 

 

AIIC Annual Fund Raiser

Course: Road to Recovery

Women in Afghanistan

GUMSA Seminars

 

 

Speed Intros

Parenting Workshop

Unity Cup Indoor Soccer Tournament

 

Golf Weekend

6-8 June CANCELLED

NEW DATE\

Tafseer at Bald Hills

Islamic Classes for Teenagers

AMAL Muslim Helpline

Achieving Wellness

 

The CCN Date Claimer

 

 

(provisional)

Date

Day

Event

(Click on link)

Organizer

Venue

Contact

Time

16 June

Tuesday

Women in Afghanistan: Challenges & Hopes

Griffith Uni

Multifaith Centre

Griffith Uni

Multifaith Centre

0404 280 582

7.15pm TO 9.30pm

20 June

Saturday

Annual Fund Raiser

Australian International Islamic College

724 Blunder Rd. DURACK

3372 1400

6pm TO 8.30pm

27 June

Saturday

Parenting Workshop (1st of three)

Al-Nisa

Rochedale Mosque, 2674 Logan Rd.

0430 511 637

7pm

28 June

Sunday

World Refugee Day Festival

Multicultural Development Assn

Annerley Soccer Grounds

333 7 5400

All day

19 July

(provisional)

Sunday

Lailatul Me'raj

10 July

Friday

Sounds of Light Concert 2009

Human Appeal International

QPAC, Southbank

1300 760 155

6.30pm

17 July

Friday

Speed Intros for Muslims

Julu Latif

Sebel Citigate Hotel, Brisbane

0400 142 786

8pm

25 July

Saturday

USQ Islamic Centre Open Day

Islamic Soc. of Toowoomba

USQ Islamic Centre, TOOWOOMBA

3735-7051

10.30am to 3pm

26 July

Sunday

Mini Tennis Tournament

Shabir Elias

Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus

0415 467 868

8.30am

6 August

(provisional)

Thursday

Lailatul Baraat

9 August

Sunday

Unity Cup Soccer Tournament

Queensland Muslims

Acacia Ridge Futsal Centre

0412 786 168

9am

22 August

(provisional)

Saturday

Start of Ramadhan

16 September

(provisional)

Wednesday

Lailatul Qadr

19 September

(provisional)

Saturday

End of Ramadhan

20 September

(provisional)

Sunday

Eid-ul-Fitr

26 September

Saturday

Eidfest

Eidfest Committee

Mt Gravatt Showgrounds

0418 722 353

All day

27 September

Sunday

MBN Eid Dinner

Muslim Business Network

The Coffee Club, RNA Showground

secretary@mbn.net.au

7pm

3 October

Saturday

QPS/EECQ Cup: 2009 Qld Multicultural football tournament

QPS & ECCQ

TBA

0438 114 619

9am to 5pm

3 October

Saturday

Eid Dinner

Islamic Society of Darra

Darra Mosque, 219 Douglas St, Oxley

0418 757 157

5.45pm

4 October

Sunday

QPS/EECQ Cup: FINALS

and

FESTIVAL DAY

QPS & ECCQ

TBA

0438 114 619

9am to 5pm

24 October

Saturday

Breast Cancer Awareness

Crescents of Brisbane

TBA

0404 296 297

TBA

27 November

(provisional)

Sunday

Eid-ul-Adha

18 December

(provisional)

Friday

Islamic New Year

 

To claim your date for your event email ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

 

 

RECURRING EVENTS

The ladies Taaleem programme this Thursday will be at the home of

 

Shireen Coovadia

10 Woodglen Place

Kuraby


11-12pm

 All Ladies Welcome!

Sunnah Inspirations

http://www.sunnahinspirations.org

Contact: 0408 270 421

University of Queensland,
323 Hawken Drive, St. Lucia

 

Every Monday

Event: Weekly Learning Circle: Sharh Riyad-us-Saliheen (An Explanation of 'Gardens of the Righteous'

Venue: Prayer Room, University of Queensland

Time: 6.45pm to 7.30pm

 

Every Friday

Subject: Fiqh Made Easy

Venue: Room E215 Building 1 (Forgan Smith), University of Queensland

Time: 7pm to 7.50pm

Every Friday

Subject: Tafseer al Qur'an (Explanation of the Qur'an)

Venue: Room E215 Building 1 (Forgan Smith), University of Queensland

Time: 8pm to 9pm

 

Sunnah Inspirations is a non-profit organisation to cater for Muslim social support and supplying information to Muslims and non-Muslims.  They have been doing various activities around Australia, and have organised Da'wah information stalls at various universities in Brisbane.  More info can be found on their website above.

 

CCN @ Facebook

 

Catch Crescents Community News at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crescents-Community-News-CCN/30163063922

Please feel free to post an entry on our Wall, start up a Discussion thread and/or become a Fan.

 

Useful Links

 

Crescents Community News (CCN) Readers' Forum

 Discussion Forum & Social Network for CCN Readers

Queensland Muslim Historical Society Inc.

Promoting the study and awareness of the rich history of the Muslims of Queensland

Young Muslims of Queensland

Social network for young Muslims of Brisbane

Sunnah Inspirations

Providing information about Islam - its beliefs, culture, practices, dispelling misconceptions

Kuraby Mosque

Holland Park Mosque

Al-Nisa

Provide young Muslim women in Queensland with support and opportunities to express themselves

Gold Coast Mosque

South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA)

Muslim Womens' Convert Support Group (MWCSG)

Network of Muslim women converts from the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas of Queensland.

Australian International Islamic College (Durack)

Eidfest 2009

Kotku Mosque - Dubbo NSW

Islamic Society of Algester

 

If you would like a link to your website email ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

 

Write For Us

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 ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

 

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 send an e-mail to ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org with the words “Subscribe Me” in the subject line.

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 of the contents of these events by either CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.