Delicious food from around
the world, fashion, dancing,
retail and rides was the
order of the day at this
year's Eid Down Under
Festival held at the Islamic
College of Brisbane
yesterday (Saturday).
Thai, Turkish, Sudanese,
African, Japanese, Indian,
Greek and Italian food were
dished up during the day,
ending in a fireworks
display that thrilled young
and old alike.
Along with all the great
food there was fashion,
retail, helicopter rides, a
petting zoo, sports hub,
roaming cartoon characters
and superheroes and loads of
onstage entertainment
including the famous chilli
eating competition.
The event, organized by the
Islamic Council of
Queensland (ICQ), saw people
of many different
backgrounds mingle and make
the most of the occasion.
“The idea was to share the
festivities with the wider
community in Queensland,”
ICQ vice president, Ali
Kadri, told CCN.
“We don’t see this just as a
celebration for the Muslim
population but a celebration
for all Queenslanders."
A VIP interfaith event in
the afternoon was attended
by a number of different
religious groups and this
year a forum was held to
discuss "the future of the
Muslim community, world
issues and how to create a
cohesive society.”
Galila Abdelsalam,
CEO of Islamic Women’s
Association of Australia along
with Medina Meco attended the
USQ Multi Faith Services and
Garden City Mosque Eid al Fitr
Celebration on Wednesday. Thank
you Dr Stephen Wanyonyi
(Chaplain Coordinator USQ) and
Imam Abdul Kader (Garden City
Mosque) for hosting a wonderful
event where community leaders
came together to discuss the
meaning of Eid, charity and how
we can help serve the community
together.
The Brisbane staff enjoy an
Eid lunch together while
planning for the Melbourne
launch of IWAA on 8 June.
Galila Abdelsalam
CEO of Islamic Women’s
Association of Australia along
with Beengul Ali attended the
‘Supporting Young Men and
Fathers from Migrant and Refugee
Backgrounds’ Stakeholder and
Service Provider Roundtable in
Sydney. The consultation
attracted nationwide
participants from diverse
service agencies and ethnic
backgrounds. Ms Abdelsalam said,
ending violence begins with
empowering women and creating
pathways to social inclusion and
establishing employment
opportunities. Overall, the
discussions on supporting
organisations’ engagement with
young men and fathers from
migrant and refugee backgrounds
progressed through identifying
current Opportunities, Gaps in
information support and required
guidance (i.e. resources for
organisations), Identifying and
addressing risks. In addition,
incorporating wider services and
ensuring cultural competency and
inter/cross cultural
sensitivities is also essential.
In its front page story
titled “Troubling Times,”The
Australian Jewish News
(Sydney edition, Friday 22
June), accused The
Australasian Muslim Times
AMUST of veering “into
anti-Semitic territory” for
publishing three articles
that were critical of
Israel. The President of the
Executive Council of
Australian Jewry Mr Anton
Block labelled the articles
as “sinister”.
Throughout his rebuke of
AMUST, Mr Block stated that,
“AMUST’s columns chant
almost the entire creed of
contemporary anti-Semitism”
and “The errors and mindless
bigotry are too systematic
to be excused as an
editorial oversight. The
entire edition is a
disgrace.”
The Editor-in-Chief of
AMUST, Mr Zia Ahmad stated
that the severe accusations
and harsh comments by Mr
Block are unwarranted,
unfortunate and highly
offensive for a multimedia
news platform that has
worked tirelessly to promote
and work towards community
cohesion, harmony and peace
in society.
“We publish articles on
interfaith understanding and
reports on events in our
multicultural community
including the Jewish
community. We have published
and continue to publish
articles by several writers
of the Jewish faith. In
fact, one of our regular
columnists is Jewish.
Notwithstanding, we find it
incredibly repugnant
therefore, to be tarnished
by and accused of
anti-Semitism,” Mr Ahmad
said.
It appears that the NSW
Opposition leader, Mr Luke
Foley’s office was contacted
and questioned as to why his
Eid greeting was advertised
in AMUST. Reportedly his
spokesperson informed The
Australian Jewish News, that
Mr Foley “disassociates
himself with those articles”
which stand condemned by AJN.
The articles published in
AMUST in its June 2018
edition, which AJN is
referring to were written in
the context of Israel’s
killing of Palestinian
protestors in Gaza during
the month of May.
The Eid Show Got Talent 2018
organised by the charity
Human Appeal Australia was
held on Saturday night in
Bankstown amidst great
excitement and fun-filled
enjoyment.
Thousands of visitors came
to the annual Eid Show to
celebrate the end of the
fasting month of Ramadan in
a family-friendly
environment, enjoying an
array of thrilling rides,
entertaining stage shows and
games, fireworks, delicious
street food and fun for all.
During the Talent Show
children performed
exceptionally well in front
of a large audience. Their
live performances revealed
the depth of raw talent that
exists in the local
communities with some bound
for stardom.
Young Muslims showcased
their amazing skills and
talents in singing, Quran
recitation, poetry, martial
arts and other performances.
All performers were entered
into a prize draw, with
nine-year-old Tazkir Islam
from Punchbowl announced on
stage as the winner of a
brand new laptop courtesy of
Human Appeal Australia.
Through its community care
division, the charity
focusses on activities to
help improve the social
wellbeing of Australian
children in the areas of
sports and recreation.
Performers and audience
members alike also had the
amazing once in a lifetime
opportunity to meet the Eid
Show’s special guest, the
World's Tallest Man, Sultan
Kosen. Mr Kosen is a Kurdish
Turk farmer who holds the
Guinness World Record for
the tallest living male at
251 centimeters.
The Eid Show Got Talent 2018
event was surely an evening
of entertainment that will
be remembered for a long
time to come.
Human Appeal
Australia Volunteers
Alesha, Afifah and
Ahmed Assoum with
Sohayb Badaui
dressed up as
hamoudi
HAA Volunteers
Alesha, Afifah
Human Appeal Eid
Show’s special
guest, the World's
Tallest Man, Sultan
Kosen
Laptop draw MC Scott
Phillips and Stage
Manager Rasha Hamra
The Eid Show Got
Talent 2018 laptop
draw winner Tazkir
Islam, 9 years old,
from Punchbowl, NSW
Prime Minister Turnbull with
Mr Jadwat and Muslim youth.
Prime Minister, Malcolm
Turnbull and Mr Ridwaan
Jadwat, Ambassador Designate
to Saudi Arabia hosted an
Eid morning tea celebration,
inviting 14 young Muslims
and Christians to the
Parliament House in Canberra
on Monday 18 June.
Each one of the young
Muslims in attendance had
the chance to raise issues
and concerns with the Prime
Minister. These ranged from
Islamophobia, prejudice
faced by women in hijabs and
the daily experience
encountered by the Muslim
youth today who struggle
with an identity crisis.
"Hazem Hamouda is an
Australian-Egyptian father
currently being held behind bars
in Cairo. He has been unjustly
arrested and imprisoned for now
over 100 days without evidence.
His family in Australia just
want to #BringHazemHome"
Facebook Page
The 25th of June marks
150 days since Hazem's
arrest from Cairo Airport.
At the 150 day mark,
pre-trial investigation
period is due to come to an
end. It is hoped that, if
due process occurs, Hazem
would receive a verdict.
This verdict will indicate
whether Hazem could be
formally charged, or
possibly released.
After 9 hearings, evidence
has yet to be presented to
substantiate the accusation.
His 10th hearing will be at
the end of this week. We
stand by Hazem's innocence
and believe that we will see
him come home to his family
in Australia.
- The Hamouda Family
Hazem was taken to court
today for his 10th hearing.
It was a big day for us, as
he was eligible to be
released... or have his
pre-trial detention period
extended.
We just received the phone
call to say that Hazem's
pre-trial detention has been
extended by another 45 days.
Still no evidence to
substantiate the accusation
has been presented.
His next court appearance
will be in August. We
continue to wait, hope,
advocate and pray for his
freedom.
There are approximately 1.84
billion Muslims in the world
today, making up 24.38% of
the world’s population, or
just under one-quarter of
mankind. As well as being
citizens of their respective
countries, they also have a
sense of belonging to the ‘ummah’,
the worldwide Muslim
community.
The Muslim500 publication
sets out to ascertain the
influence some Muslims have
on this community, or on
behalf of the community.
Influence is: any person who
has the power (be it
cultural, ideological,
financial, political or
otherwise) to make a change
that will have a significant
impact on the Muslim world.
Note that the impact can be
either positive or negative,
depending on one’s point of
view of course.
25
"It was unacceptable, it is
forbidden to harm the
incontinent."
Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah is
serving his sixth term as
the current and third
Secretary-General of
Hezbollah (the Party of
God). Hezbollah is a Twelver
Shia Islamic political
party, social and
paramilitary organization
based in Lebanon which seeks
social justice through
Islamic ideals. Nasrallah is
viewed as the charismatic
symbol for pro-Iranian and
pro-Ba’ath party interests
in the Middle East.
Military Power:
Hezbollah remains a de facto
security force in southern
Lebanon, and its military
presence is felt throughout
the country, with a force of
around 300,000 fighters. The
military successes Nasrallah
had in the late nineties are
seen as the main factor for
Israel’s withdrawal from
southern Lebanon in 2000,
and the repulsion of Israeli
forces in July 2006 earned
Nasrallah many more
supporters. Hezbollah
fighters have been key in
strengthening the Syrian
regime during the Syrian
civil war, and their
presence there has pushed
out DA’ISH but draws
reactions from Israel.
Social Services:
Hezbollah has also won
significant grassroots
support by cultivating a
social welfare system that
provides schools, clinics
and housing in the
predominantly Shia parts of
Lebanon. These welfare
activities are run with
efficiency and rival those
carried out by the state,
giving the organisation even
broader appeal. It also runs
Al Manar—an influential
television station.
Popularity: His
popularity peaked just after
the 2006 conflict with
Israel, when many Sunni
Muslims looked to him as a
figure of defiance against
Israel. Since the Syrian
conflict, however, many if
not all of these supporters
have left him because of his
support of the Syrian (Alawi)
regime against the Syrian
people, the majority of whom
are Sunnis. His claim that
the Syrian conflict is not
sectarian in essence is not
one that many Sunni Muslims
agree with. He is widely
seen as one of the main
victors of the Syrian
conflict. Nasrallah recently
declared “victory” in the
Syrian war, adding that what
remained was “scattered
battles.”
ANOTHER FROM THE TOP 50
INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS IN NEXT
WEEK'S CCN
CNN spent a year
interviewing more than 100
American Muslims, asking who
they think are the most
influential Muslims in their
fields. We sought nominees
for whom religion is part of
their public identity, but
other than that, we let
American Muslims do most of
the talking.
For decades, the experiences
of African-American Muslims
were largely unknown or
ignored, argues Sherman
Jackson. But through
lectures and books like
“Islam and the Blackamerican,”
Jackson has resurrected and
unpacked their history,
explaining how these
forgotten stories are
essential to understanding
Islam in America.
Raised in Philadelphia,
Jackson converted to Islam
as a young man and soon
began a deep study of its
traditions and laws.
After academic stops in
Cairo and Michigan, Jackson
is now the Chair of Islamic
Thought and Culture at the
University of Southern
California and co-founder of
the American Learning
Institute for Muslims.
What other Muslims say about
Jackson:
“He brings a unique
perspective to a tradition
often seen as ‘foreign’ and
in need of assimilation. He
can basically laugh at
that.”
The lives, ambitions, and
beliefs of more than 40
members of Brisbane's Muslim
community have been put
under the spotlight in a new
project aimed at dispelling
misconceptions about Islam
and its followers.
Award-winning documentary
photographer Matt Palmer
interviewed and photographed
41 Muslims living in the
Queensland capital for his
online project, Faces of
Islam.
You
probably know
there are
barriers to
accessing help
when it comes to
family and
domestic
violence.
But if you're
from a migrant
background, it
can be even more
difficult -
particularly if
you're living in
a regional area.
"It's access to
services," says
Faiza El Higzi
(pictured),
who is a member
of the
Queensland
Domestic
Violence
Implementation
Council.
Ms El Higzi says
refugee families
who arrive here
are inducted
into services
and learn how to
seek help, but
it's a different
story for many
migrants.
"They come to
the airport,
nobody meets
them, they find
their way and so
the only contact
points they have
in their life
about help and
support are the
doctor and the
religious
leader," she
says.
Ms El Higzi was
part of a
consultation
process with the
central
Queensland
multicultural
community, which
is looking at
ways to work
with doctors,
religious
leaders and even
schools to break
down these
access barriers.
The
recommendations
are being
reported back to
the State
Government.
ABC Capricornia
Western
Sydney poet
Maryam Azam
explores the
modern
experience of
wearing the
hijab
By Claire
Nichols for The
Hub on Books
Azam
says she
was was
tired of
reading
'orientalised'
depictions
of
hijabi
women in
poetry.
For the poet Maryam Azam,
the experience of wearing the hijab can
mean many different things. At times the
headscarf is soft and sensuous. At
others, it's a symbol of power.
The silk
of my
scarf
is
sensual
on my
skin &
the
drapes
fall
more
precisely
than any
hairstyle.
From You
Can't
Touch Me
"There's not just one
state of being associated with wearing
the hijab," she says.
"At times wearing a hijab is very much
about putting on your spiritual
mind-frame. So when you're wearing it,
for example, you don't feel like doing
something that's not really the right
thing to do.
"At other times wearing a hijab can feel
a lot like armour. Because I know my
body is covered, and the shape of my
body is covered, when I have
interactions with some men out on the
street, if somebody's trying to ogle at
me, I feel really empowered because I
know they can't see anything."
The Western Sydney poet was inspired to
write about her own experience of
wearing the hijab after exploring the
representation of hijabi women in
contemporary poetry for a university
honours project.
"What I noticed was that women who wear
the hijab or the niqab, or any kind of
Islamic veiling, tended to be
represented in very much orientalised
terms," she says.
"It was the typical, repressed woman,
silenced, without a voice."
The poetry was a source of frustration
for Azam, who found that most people
writing about the hijab had never worn
one.
"Being a hijab wearer myself, I found
these representations really
disempowering," she says.
"The idea that they were painting about
the experiences of these hijab-wearing
women was totally alien to me."
So she decided to write some poetry of
her own.
The result is The Hijab Files, a book of
poems that explores a contemporary,
Australian experience of wearing the
headscarf.
There are lunchtime prayers amongst the
disinfectant smells of a Sydney school
sick bay, and scarves are hot and itchy
in the Australian sun.
The book celebrates the joys and
frustrations of wearing the hijab.
In A Brief Guide to Hijab Fashion, Azam
lists the different looks a wearer can
enjoy: a laff scarf for long days at the
office, a khaleeji for a hot Sydney
summer, a regular scarf twist-tied
behind the neck for Bali resort-chic.
The hijab is a source of empowerment,
making her "as distant and inviolable as
the moon".
But there are challenges, too. A young
Azam is insulted by a man in a tunnel at
Blacktown station who tells her, "Go and
hide behind your effing scarf".
A friend stops wearing the hijab for
fear of discrimination.
In a more humorous poem, a woman wearing
a niqab has this interaction with a boy
in a local shopping centre.
At
Westfield
Mt
Druitt
a boy in
a white
snapback
snarled
ninja
under
his
breath
as she
walked
past.
No-one
saw
how she
grinned
and
whispered
to
herself,
hi-ya!
From
Ninja
The book also unpacks the modern Muslim
dating experience. There are crushes,
flirtations, and heartbreaks on the
Muslim dating site Ishqr.
He
changed
his
relationship
status
to
single,
even
though
he said
he liked
me
several
Whatsapp
convos
ago
and
that, by
the way,
no-one
else
had ever
made him
feel
this
way,
even
though
he took
down his
Ishqr
profile,
saying
he
didn't
need it
anymore.
From
Facebook
Relationship
Status:
Single
The Hijab Files took five years to
write. Maryam Azam hopes it will help to
break down the cliches about hijabi
women, and reveal the many reasons that
modern women wear the headscarf.
"It's different things at different
times, and that's what I wanted to show
in this collection," she says.
From first Muslim
Woman Member of NSW Upper House
to first Muslim Woman Senator in
Canberra.
Watch an exclusive interview of
Dr Mehreen Faruqi about her five
years of work and plans as a
future Senator.
Caliph Donald Trump and the
Rise of the Christian Taliban
The Intercept
Mehdi Hasan is
here to warn you about a growing
threat to the laws and values of
the United States from a group
of religious extremists and
fanatics.
No, he's not talking about
so-called jihadists or
Islamists, or to “creeping
Sharia.” Mehdi is referring to
what he like to call the
“Christian Taliban” — those
Bible-thumping fundamentalists
who are bent on theocratizing
the U.S. government.
There's the attorney general of
the United States, Mullah Jeff
Sessions, who wants Sharia law,
but of the biblical variety. And
there's Mullah Ted Cruz, who
calls himself a Christian first
and an American second.
As in the Middle East, to really
politicize religion, you need a
bunch of politicized clerics.
Caliph Donald Trump can call on
some of America’s finest to make
the case for Christian
supremacism.
Mullah Robert Jeffress said God
gave Trump the authority to
“take out” Kim Jong-un. Mullah
Jim Bakker says we have to
“obey” Trump because God “had
him elected.”
If that isn’t the language of
theocracy, of zealotry, then
what is?
Latifa Abu Chakra
Ealing NUT Hijab Debate (UK)
NUT debate about
Ofsted and the hijab
How Islamist militant groups
are gaining strength in Africa
VOX
Islamist terrorist groups have
found a new home, and it's not
in the Middle East — it's in
Africa.
Ali and the long journey to
Australia
Guardian
Australia
Thirteen pupils
from seven countries have drawn
on their imagination and
personal experiences to create
the story of a 10-year-old and
his family and their search for
safety. Ali and the Long Journey
to Australia is a stop-motion
film based on a tale written and
illustrated by students from
refugee backgrounds at Noble
Park primary school in
south-east Melbourne.
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.
Promoting diversity? Teacher wears full face
Muslim veil, reads from Koran in Swiss
school
SWITZERLAND: A teacher in Switzerland
has made headlines after wearing a full
face veil and reading passages from the
Koran out loud during a lesson on Islam,
local media reports. The stunt was
apparently aimed at promoting diversity.
“She [the teacher] came into class
completely veiled without warning and
started reading lines from [the] Koran
out loud”, students from a vocational
school in the Swiss capital told local
20 Minuten newspaper.
Though nobody is said to have left the
class, the extraordinary move raised a
few eyebrows. Some of the students
claimed later that “it did not belong in
a classroom,” the news outlet reports.
The video released by 20 Minuten claims
to show the teacher in question wearing
a niqab – a Muslim face-covering veil –
reading passages from the Koran. Some of
the words are bleeped out. The teacher,
however, is not a Muslim and reportedly
bought the niqab during a vacation in
Egypt.
The school administration backed the
lesson as promoting diversity. The
teacher was discussing the book ‘The
Kite Runner’ by Afghan-American author
Khaled Hosseini. Set in the late 1970s,
the book tells the story of the fall of
Afghanistan’s monarchy and the rise of
the Taliban.
“Individual aspects were discussed in
class, such as the history of
Afghanistan or the Taliban,” Daniel
Hurter, the deputy director of the
school, said. “[This] Thursday [the
class] was about Islam.” He even claimed
students were “happy” with how the
subject was presented.
The ‘Koran teaching’ lesson has
nevertheless sparked controversy outside
the walls of the school. Stefan Wittwer,
from a local union of education
facilities, said that if the teacher
presented the topic without context, it
would not be appropriate. He added that
“realistic teaching is a good thing.”
Local politician Irene Kalin said the
approach was “insensitive” and that it
would have been better if the teacher
had invited a Muslim woman to read the
Koran.
Another politician, Matthias Aebischer,
echoed her statement, saying the teacher
should have just taken the niqab to
class and shown it without wearing it.
“To discuss Buddhism, she probably
wouldn’t come and meditate in a monk’s
robe.” .
Egypt’s goalkeeper refuses ‘Man of the
match’ prize
RUSSIA: Egyptian
Goalkeeper Mohamed al-Shenawy turned
down the “Man of the Match” prize
following the football game between
Egypt against Uruguay (0-1) in the World
Cup Russia 2018 on Friday as he
discovered the prize’s sponsor is
alcohol company Budweiser, which
contradicts his Muslim beliefs.
Shenawy noticed the prize contains a
bottle of beer and decided to only take
photos of him with the prize following
the announcement, in spite of attempts
by the team’s manager Ehab Leheta to
persuade Shwenawy into receiving the
prize.
Leheta and the substitute keeper Sherif
Ekrami met with Shenawy after the
Egyptian team reached Grozny City,
trying to persuade him to take over the
prize which is “historic” and suggested
that he can remove the bottle of beer
from the prize.
The goalkeeper told Al-Masry Al-Youm
that he refused the prize because of
personal reasons and he is concerned of
keeping on his outstanding performance
in the world cup’s next games.
“We will do our best in the next two
games and will hopefully make the
Egyptian fans happy within the match
against Russia. We own all possibilities
which push us to compete for
qualification to the second round. I
hope for a bit more luck in the next two
games,” he said.
INDIA: Indian telecom
company Airtel has been heavily
criticised online after it failed to
defend a Muslim employee against
discrimination from a customer.
When an employee with a Muslim name
responded to the female customer's
request, she asked for a "Hindu
representative".
Airtel initially responded by assigning
a representative with a Hindu name.
After this prompted outrage on social
media, the company said it did not
"differentiate" based on religion.
The row began on Monday when Pooja Singh
tweeted that she had "no faith" in the
Muslim employee's "working ethics" since
"the Koran may have a different version
for customer service".
The exchange quickly went
viral and drew strong criticism online.
The former chief minister of
Indian-administered Kashmir denounced
the company, saying he would stop using
Airtel.
After it was widely condemned on social
media, Airtel put out another statement.
However, many users have continued to
criticise the company over the initial
response complying with Ms Singh's
request.
Many people have also trolled Ms Singh
for her tweet - one called her a "Hindu
bigot" and another referred to her as a
"hatemonger".
Ms Singh has since responded, claiming
that those who have criticised her have
only proved her right.
Russia’s Muslim Strongman Is Winning the
World Cup
Ramzan
Kadyrov is using sports
diplomacy to bolster his image.
The
Egyptian national team's star striker
Mohamed Salah, left, and Chechen leader
Ramzan Kadyrov pose in Grozny, the
capital of Chechnya, on June 10, ahead
of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
RUSSIA: Russian President
Vladimir Putin last week welcomed
visitors, viewers, and players from
around the world to an “open,
hospitable, and friendly” World Cup —
Russia’s first as host, and an event
that Moscow is keen to leverage for
diplomatic purposes. But there’s one man
even more eager to take advantage of the
cover of the cup — Ramzan Kadyrov,
Chechnya’s strongman, a longtime sports
enthusiast who is using the tournament
to reach out to potential allies in
North Africa and the Middle East.
Chechnya is hosting the Egyptian
national team for the duration of its
stay in Russia. The republic, which is
situated in Russia’s North Caucasus
region, has acted as a training ground
and temporary base for the team as it
works its way through its three group
stage matches.
This newfound sporting connection
between Chechnya and Egypt is the latest
evidence of Kadyrov’s growing ambitions
in the region and the broader Muslim
world, and of his increasing use of
sports to further his political
interests at home and abroad — including
by building direct diplomatic relations
between Chechnya and foreign governments
and by increasing foreign direct
investment in the republic.
Shortly after the Egyptian team’s
arrival in Russia, Chechen officials
approached Mohamed Salah, Egypt’s star
player, in his hotel room and informed
him that Kadyrov was waiting for him in
the lobby. Salah met with the Chechen
autocrat and posed for photos with him
in front of several hundred fans. The
photo op was just one moment in
Kadyrov’s ongoing all-out campaign to
present himself as a benevolent leader —
to contradict the impression created by
the republic’s recent deadly crackdown
on LGBTQ people — and to cultivate an
image among his fellow Chechens as an
influential ruler capable of befriending
celebrities. In this case, he was
rubbing shoulders with arguably the most
popular athlete in the Muslim world.
Darussalam
brings you one of their most amazing and popular
books on the Kindle. Read this book like never
before, with beautiful high-resolution graphics
and interactivity.
Scholars of Ahadith (narrations) and writers of
the biography of Muhammad, the Messenger of
Allâh, have explored his life from every angle
and aspect from birth to death. Every event and
incident of his life has been described and
narrated in detail, but no one can claim to have
rendered the Prophet’s biography its full right.
Hundreds of books have been written on the life
of Muhammad (PBUH) and this endeavour will
continue till the Day of Resurrection.
No doubt, ‘The Sealed Nectar’ (Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum)
is a book of great value and praiseworthy work
on the life of Muhammad (PBUH).This book was
written by the Eminent Shaikh Safiur-Rahman
Mubarakpuri of Jamiah Salafiyah, Banaras
(India). The first Islamic Conference on the
Seerah (biography of the Prophet (PBUH)) was
held in 1976 in Pakistan sponsored by the Muslim
World League. The League announced a worldwide
contest for writing a book on the life of the
Prophet. One hundred and fifty thousand Saudi
Riyals (SR )150,000 (forty thousand U.S.
Dollars) was announced the grand prize for the
best five books.
One hundred and seventy-one manuscripts were
received from all over the world. Out of these,
eighty-five were in the Arabic language,
sixty-four in Urdu, twenty-one were in English
and one in French and Hausa.
A board of highly qualified scholars judged the
manuscripts and announced the results. The
manuscript of Shaikh Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri,
Jamiah Salafiyah Banaras (India), the author of
this book (The Sealed Nectar )received the first
prize of SR 50,000(fifty thousand Saudi Riyals)
for its authentic and sound collections of the
narrations. Dr. Majid Ali Khan, New Delhi,
India, was placed second. The third prize went
to Dr. Naseer Ahmed, Islamic University, Lahore,
Pakistan. The fourth prize was awarded to Mr.
Hamid Mahmud of Egypt. The fifth and final prize
was awarded to Abdus-Salam Hashim of Madinah
Munawwarah. A grand award ceremony was held at
Makkah Al-Mukarramah on 12Rabi`ul-Awwal 1399A.H.
1979(C.E.). Later, the book was published by the
Muslim World League and then numerous other
organizations gained the honor of publishing
this masterpiece. Darussalam also published this
book in the Arabic language. I had wished to
publish this book in the English language for
the wider benefit of humanity. Shaikh
Safiur-Rahman willingly agreed to the idea and
consented to publish the English translation.
The stage of translation was traversed with the
help of brother Mahir Abu Dhahab, owner and
general manager of Markaz Noor Ash-Sham in
Damascus, Syria.
KB says:
Warm spices and naturally sweet butternut make
this soup the all comforting appetizer
especially in winter.
Spiced Butternut Soup
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
2 cups butternut,
peeled and cubed
¼ teaspoon ground
white pepper
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cubed chicken
fillets
¼ cup pasta
(alphabets, stars or
rice noodles)
1½ litres boiling
water
1 tablespoon butter
125ml fresh cream or
coconut cream
1 green chilli,
sliced
Chopped spring
onions, to garnish
2 cloves garlic,
chopped
2 medium carrots,
peeled, grated
½ teaspoon cumin
seeds
1. Cook butternut in
½ cup water until
soft. Puree with
remaining ½ half cup
of water and set
aside.
2. Braise green
chilli, garlic and
cumin in butter. Add
chicken, pepper and
salt and cook until
chicken is tender.
3. Add carrots,
butternut and
boiling water and
allow the soup to
simmer for
approximately 10
mins. Lastly add
pasta and simmer
further until pasta
is done.
4. Stir in cream and
heat through.
5. Garnish with
chopped spring
onions and chilly
flakes.
6. Serve hot with
croutons.
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.
Welcome to my weekly
column on
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind.
If you’re taking
time out to read
this, pat yourself
on the back because
you have shown
commitment to taking
care of your mind
and body.
Today, In Shaa
ALLAH, we will
explore the topic:
Surviving
Separation
Relationships begin,
they evolve and
sometimes they
dissolve. We usually
say relationships
are complex things
to understand.
Perhaps the
perception needs to
change. It is not
relationships that
are too complex to
understand, it is
people who fail to
understand
themselves first, so
that they may
understand another.
Having survived 11
years in a marriage
that was physically
violent, emotionally
abusive and
psychologically
traumatic, I have
first hand
experience in
feeling like the
whole world was
against me, like I
was worthless, like
I was better off
dead and there was
no need for me here,
like it was never
going to get better,
like a part of me
was empty and
meaningless, like I
couldn’t even
breathe again. All
of these feelings of
self-loathing,
self-neglect and
negative perceptions
became my daily
companion when I
separated from my
ex-husband.
Now, seven years
later, I know firmly
in my heart with
absolute faith that
the following ayat
from Surah Al-Baqarah
is most relevant
when I reflect on
how I survived those
terrible feelings of
self-loathing and
worthlessness:
Surat Al-Baqarah
(ayat 286)
َّلا ُ و ْسَعَها ِ ًسا
إ نَفْ ِّ ُف االلهَُّ
َلا ُ یَكل
“Allah does not
burden a soul beyond
that it can bear. It
gets every good that
it earns, and it
suffers every ill
that it earns...”
Going through
separation or
divorce can bring
about negative
perceptions of the
world, others and
self. More than
ever, it is during
this phase that one
needs to consciously
practise daily
ibadah and
self-care. As
muslims, we know
that ALLAH is the
best of planners.
Practise these
self-care strategies
and have faith
that ALLAH has put
you to this and HE
will put you through
it and give you
what is best for you
and your deen, In
SHAA ALLAH.
9 Self-Care
Strategies When
Going Through
Separation or
Divorce
1.
Self-Compassion
- blame is pointless
and keeps one stuck
in the past. The
whole idea is to
live “through” the
pain and grow from
it to be better and
to move on with hope
and faith. Blaming
yourself or another
will cause further
pain and anguish.
One of the best ways
to practise
self-compassion is
to express gratitude
for everything, even
those experiences
that were painful.
Thank ALLAH for
helping you survive
them. Thank ALLAH
for making you
stronger and wiser.
2.
Re-visit your life’s
purpose and dreams
- when you were
younger you must
have had some dreams
or goals about how
you envision your
life to be. Re-visit
these goals and
dreams and try to
understand how you
can move towards
them. Perhaps you
never pursued them
because of various
reasons. Now that
you have started a
new chapter in life,
use your energy into
realising your
purpose.
3.
Talk it out but
don’t gossip -
speak to positive
people and a trusted
professional about
your feelings. Let
things out and
unburden, however,
be mindful that you
are not bad-mouthing
your ex-spouse.
Refrain from talking
all day, everyday
about your breakup
to different members
of the family and
relative circle.
This inevitably
turns into a gossip
session. As Muslims,
our communities are
close knitted and
people know each
other. Be mindful of
your words, in case
they may be
misconstrued and
cause hurt to
another person.
4.
Eat, pray, sleep,
exercise - keep
focussing on the
daily basics of
life. Eat healthy
meals on time,
engage in daily
exercise so that
your body releases
endorphins,the
“happy hormones”,
sleep for at least 7
hours, and be sure
to commit to daily
prayers, dhikr and
silent moments of
reflection.
5.
Tahajjud salah and
silence - try
getting up for
Tahajjud salah as
much as you can.
This will help you
overcome any kind of
confusion you may be
going through
regarding your
separation or
divorce. After your
Tahajjud salah, ask
ALLAH the questions
you need answered
and sit in silence.
Have faith that HE
will give you
wisdom, signs and
inspiration to make
choices that will be
good for you and
your deen.
6.
Start learning
something new -
whether it is
something creative
like a new craft or
a new language, now
is a good time to
start learning
something new. This
will help you keep
your mind engaged in
something productive
instead of allowing
your mind to dwell
on the past and
bring about anxiety
for an imagined
future.
7.
Rearrange your room
and de-clutter your
living space -
movement of energy
and positive
vibrations in the
home is vital.
Create a space for
yourself which will
be your sanctuary.
Rearrange furniture
and add new colours
in order to breathe
new life into your
home, filling it
with light and joy.
8.
Detox your body
daily - one of
the best strategies
for detoxing your
body is to drink
plenty of water and
excrete toxins from
your body. When your
body repairs and
replenishes from the
inside, your
immunity and overall
health improves.
9.
Practise awareness
exercise daily -
practise a 3 to 5
minute body scan
meditation activity.
Email or text me if
you would like a
FREE AUDIO to
practise a guided
awareness exercise.
This daily exercise
of the mind brings
about clarity and
awareness. It makes
you understand the
difference between
your responses and
reactions. Mastering
your responses is
how you begin living
life with immense
joy and absolute
faith in ALLAH
alone, instead of
reacting to
circumstances and
living in fear.
In Shaa ALLAH, next
week we will explore
the topic:
How Conditional
Is Your Relationship
With Your Spouse?
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.
And We wrote for them in it:
a life for a life, an eye
for an eye, a nose for a
nose, an ear for an ear, a
tooth for a tooth, and an
equal wound for a wound; but
whoever forgoes it in
charity, it will serve as
atonement for him. Those who
do not rule according to
what Allah revealed are the
evildoers.
Six years after his
conversion to Islam and
after producing economic
reports in some of the most
prestigious international
media, French International
Sales Reporter Julien Drolon
partnered with Malaysian TV
producer Zara Shafie with
whom he co-produced the TV
Show “Salam Mualaf” seen by
more than 2 million viewers
on Malaysian channel TV9 to
produce and direct the first
documentary film featuring
converts from all over the
world: FREEDOM.
FREEDOM is a spiritual and
emotional documentary film
featuring 50 converts to
Islam from 25 different
nationalities over 6
continents in 15 languages -
all of them speaking from
the very depths of their
soul about their
perspectives on freedom and
Islam.
The film is truly
eye-opening and very
informative for non-Muslims
and for the born Muslims it
is spiritually uplifting and
encourage them to be
consistent in reminding
themselves of the main
purpose in life.
In the wake of a global rise
of anti-Muslim sentiments,
film directors Julien Drolon
and Zara Shafie are giving a
voice to a global community
of converts during a crucial
time when Islam needs to be
more understood and
appreciated as a religion
that is protecting the
rights and dignity of every
human being.
Following a successful tour
in South Africa, Turkey,
United Kingdom and Malaysia,
co-director Zara Shafie
brings a taste of FREEDOM to
Brisbane with a women only
advance screening of this
acclaimed documentary at
IWAA on Sunday 24th June
at 1:00pm.
All women are welcome, so
please share this event with
Muslims and non-Muslims
alike.
Further screenings are
planned for September
throughout Australia as part
of the FREEDOM World
Screening Tour 2018.
Some reviews of the film
FREEDOM so far:
"It was spiritually
uplifting. You'd think a
documentary with people
talking one after the
other would be
monotonous. This is
anything but that. It
was engaging and
riveting." - Fatima,
South Africa
"Excellent. Deeply
emotional and at the
same time, intriguing as
well." - Ardila,
Malaysia
"The film gives a
different perspective to
Muslims and non-Muslims
around the concept of
freedom. It's a
manifestation of the
universality of the
religion of Islam."
- Merve, Turkey
"The documentary is
absolutely beautiful.
It's the first of its
kind and it will open
the minds of people to
understand how it really
feels to be free." -
Hajara, UK
3rd Annual Australian
Islamic Schooling
Conference:
Islamic Schooling Renewal
– A Focus on Pedagogy
Tuesday 10 and Wednesday
11 July 2018
Adelaide
Pedagogy can be defined in
many ways, narrowly as a way
of teaching or a methodology
of instruction, and more
broadly as a framework for
conceptualising what is
meant by approaches to
schooling. A critical
reflection on pedagogy
within the field of Islamic
schooling is timely as we
move beyond the
establishment phase and
embrace an era characterised
by renewal.
If one considers the
provocation that pedagogy is
never politically neutral, a
unique lens for exploration
exists in the field of
Islamic schooling given the
complex politics of Muslims
and Islam in popular
Australian media as well as
in other contemporary
Western contexts and the
intersection with
contemporary schooling
contexts, sometimes
criticised as neoliberal.
How much progress has been
made in the area of pedagogy
within Islamic schooling?
What is an Islamic pedagogy
and what does it offer to
the field of Islamic
schooling? Are our current
pedagogies responsive to the
educational context and the
needs of Australian Muslim
students? How does
pedagogical practice in
Islamic schools align with
AITSL teacher standards? How
equipped is the field of
Islamic schooling to manage
necessary pedagogical
renewal?
These are just some of the
questions that Islamic
Schooling Renewal – A Focus
on Pedagogy will tackle over
two conference days, as it
examines pedagogy and
Islamic schooling for Muslim
students from a
whole-of-life and
whole-of-community
perspective.
With an impressive line-up
of international and
national speakers from
specialist disciplines and
diverse sectors, Islamic
Schooling Renewal – A Focus
on Pedagogy is sure to offer
valuable and practical
insights into the future of
pedagogy in Islamic
schooling in the West.
The conference will
critically explore pedagogy
and Islamic schooling for
Muslim students from a
whole-of-life and
whole-of-community
perspective.
Topics and themes of
presentations will include
the following but not
limited to:
• Conceptualisations of
pedagogy in Islamic
schooling
• Pedagogy – theory and
praxis
• Pedagogical leadership
• Politics and pedagogy
• Pedagogy, identity and
citizenship
• Critical pedagogical
perspectives
• Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy
• Professional learning
communities – pedagogical
conversations
• Pedagogy and implications
for curriculum and
assessment
• Professional learning and
teacher education
The 3rd Annual Australian
Islamic Schooling
Conference: Islamic
Schooling Renewal – A Focus
on Pedagogy will be held on
Tuesday 10 and Wednesday
11 July 2018 in
Adelaide, South Australia,
for more information please
contact
cite@unisa.edu.au or 08
8302 6919
Halis Media in association with Muslim Aid Australia
IWAA, 11 Watland
St, Springwood
0431 747 356
1PM
21 August
(tentative)
Tuesday
YAWMUL ARAFAH
(Day of Arafah)
9th Zil-Hijjah 1439
22 August
(tentative)
Wednesday
EID-UL-ADHA
10th Zil-Hijjah 1439
17 November
Saturday
Annual Milad-un-Nabi
Al-Mustapha Institute of Brisbane
TBA
3PM to Maghrib
PLEASE NOTE
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
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You
probably know
there are
barriers to
accessing help
when it comes to
family and
domestic
violence. 
Western
Sydney poet
Maryam Azam
explores the
modern
experience of
wearing the
hijab
Promoting diversity? Teacher wears full face
Muslim veil, reads from Koran in Swiss
school 
Darussalam
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7
August 2011