The Hon Bob Carr, former
Foreign Minister under the
Gillard Government, drew a
packed house on Thursday 26
July in the Brisbane CBD.
Organized by the Crescent
Institute, the event was the
second networking event to
be held this year.
Mr Carr, the current
director of the
Australia-China Relations
Institute, spoke on a range
of issues that included his
role as Foreign Minister,
his support for Palestine's
recognition, the rise of
China and the importance of
engaging in public life. He
promoted the sale of his
latest book, a memoir
entitled, Run For Your Life,
the proceeds of which he
will be donating to the
United Nations to assist
children displaced by the
Syrian war. A voracious
reader himself, Mr Carr's
parting advice was for young
people in particular to
engage in life-long learning
if they wanted to get ahead
in political and social
life.
Crescent Institute Brisbane
facilitated the event at a
Commonwealth Bank venue in
Anne Street and Mr Fahim
Khondaker was the MC on the
night.
THE MUSLIM community of the
Lockyer Valley may soon have
a community centre to call
their own, after the Lockyer
Valley Regional Council
approved plans for a
facility in Gatton.
A spokesperson for Lockyer
Valley Islamic Association
confirmed it received an
approval from council for a
community centre at a
property on Woodlands Road
owned by the association.
The purpose built community
centre would be used for
daily prayer services,
community engagement
programs and events,
language classes and youth
programs.
The spokesperson for the
association said the centre
would be place for all
members of the community to
come together.
"Whilst our facility
will become a crucial
part of the local Muslim
community, it is also
envisaged to be a part
of the wider local
community to help foster
cross cultural and faith
relationships, to
improve the
understanding of our
faith and build bridges
in the Lockyer Valley,"
they said.
"Like every other faith,
our centre will be a
place of meeting,
education, prayer and
interaction for its
members, whilst our
activities will always
be open to all."
The association has operated
a smaller centre behind
Gatton Halal Grocers on
North St since 2013, which
services the approximately
300 member Islamic community
in the region.
Currently it is the only
place of worship in the
Lockyer Valley.
Lockyer Valley Regional
Council Planning portfolio
Chair, Cr Kathy McLean said
the application had been
approved in line with
planning legislation, after
a previous application was
rejected.
"The application had been
previously rejected on
planning grounds but the
association has since worked
to address Council's
concerns and as the
application was code
assessable and met all
legislative requirements, it
was approved," Cr McLean
said.
"The truth is that we live
in a multicultural society
with all different religious
beliefs and as a council, we
needed to base our decision
on the application and not
the applicant - which is
what we did."
On Friday 28 July, several
generations of the first
Muslim family to settle in
Mt Gravatt returned to the
land that once belonged to
their family.
The land on which the
Holland Park Mosque is built
as well the Hall opposite
were part of the Abdul Ghias
Kaus' contribution to the
Muslim community in the
early 1900's.
Ms Janeth Deen of the
Queensland Muslim Historical
Society showed the surviving
generations of the Kaus
family around the Queensland
Muslim Museum and the
collections of material
related to their family.
They were also taken on a
tour of the Mosque and
presented with a book on the
history of the Mosque and
the war diary of Mohedeen
Abdul Ghias Howsan.
Two of the grandsons then
visited the Sunnybank War
Memorial Gardens to see the
plaque installed in the
section of Australians of
Indian Heritage which the
Qld Muslim Historical
Society arranged to be
installed in June this year.
William Bernard Kaus won the
Distinguished Flying Cross
and the Legion of Honour for
his service in the RAAF and
Moheddeen Howsan lost his
life in the war at the age
of 23.
John Kaus, Janeth
Deen and Roger Kaus
at the
Sunnybank War
Memorial Gardens
CELEBRATION: Dr Leon Tang, Dr
Mohammed Sultan and Dr Joseph
Chua at the opening of the
Family Health Clinic's new wing.
WHEN Dr Mohammed Sultan
arrived in Gatton 17 years
ago, he worried he might
never fit into the
community.
He was told unless you were
born here, you'd never be
accepted as a local.
How wrong those words proved
to be.
Dr Sultan is an integral cog
of the local community after
establishing the Family
Health Clinic in 2006, five
years after arriving in the
area as a general
practitioner.
In some cases, he has tended
to four generations of the
same family.
On Friday night, he
officially opened the
clinic's new wing alongside
his team to a packed house
of friends, family,
long-time patients, local
business people and
dignitaries.
They have added four
additional rooms and a
waiting room with street
front access that is linked
to the existing clinic.
Dr Sultan described his time
in the Lockyer Valley as the
best of his working life.
"It's been an absolutely
fantastic journey,” Dr
Sultan said.
"The people in the
Lockyer Valley are who
we really have to thank,
they've been absolutely
brilliant to me.
"We've built up that really
good relationship and
rapport with them and I
think that's what is most
important for us.
"I'm really blessed to say
that I think this is
probably the best team I've
worked with in terms of
doctors, nursing staff and
my reception staff.”
The clinic has gone beyond
just a basic duty of care to
patients.
"I think we've also tried to
give back as much as we
can,” Dr Sultan said.
"Whatever we did was not
just about taking from the
community but trying to give
back in whichever way we
possibly could.”
Ten years ago in October
2008, CCN covered the new
President of Pakistan's
visit to Brisbane at Eidfest
and his fund raiser for his
political party at the
Southport Sharks Club.
We wrote then in
CCN No.205 of Imran
Khan's visit to Eidfest:
The star attraction of
another rain-soaked
Eidfest this year was
the appearance of
cricket
legend-turned-politician
Imran Khan who arrived
hovering over the Mount
Gravatt Showgrounds in a
specially chartered
helicopter, landed on a
strip alongside and then
was driven in a golf
buggy to the main arena
before a large expectant
crowd of fans and
dignitaries who waited
impatiently again for
the formalities to run
through before he came
on stage.
Wearing his heart on his
sleeve, Imran Khan spoke
on Islam, the West and
terrorism, with his
central message being
that the problems of the
world should be ascribed
to politics and not
religion; that there can
only be political
solutions, and that the
billions of innocent
Muslims in the world
should not be made to
answer for the actions
of a few extremists. He
then went on to answer
question on the
political situation in
Pakistan where his views
on the current political
leaders was less than
flattering.
"At 55, he's still the
full package," a
swooning young lady told
our CCN reporter just
before he headed off
again to another
engagement. "Looks,
charm, charisma,
conviction,
confidence...the list
goes on!"
Locals did not pay a lot of
attention to the visitors.
ALT-RIGHT provocateur
YouTuber Lauren Southern has
been largely ignored as she
walked the streets of
Lakemba with a pack of
security guards, claiming
she needed them.
Southern is in Sydney for an
event tomorrow night as part
of a tour in Australia with
fellow right wing speaker
Stefan Molyneux. She is
charging more than $700 for
a ticket.
The outspoken 23-year-old
Canadian paraded the main
roads of Lakemba, a town she
said she had been told “did
not fit in with Australian
culture”.
Southern said she was
filming in Lakemba “just to
see what the culture is
like”.
The outspoken 23-year-old
Canadian paraded the main
roads of Lakemba, a town she
said she had been told “did
not fit in with Australian
culture”.
Southern said she was
filming in Lakemba “just to
see what the culture is
like”.
“What do I think so far? I
think it doesn’t really look
like Australia here,
(because of) the fact that I
can hardly hear people
speaking English,” she said.
“It’s the fact that people
here are clearly not
adapting to the Western
culture, the signs aren’t in
English.”
Local police stopped the
extreme right-wing activist
before she approached the
Lakemba Mosque, telling her
there were “grave concerns”
her presence would be
“offensive” to the Islamic
community.
When asked if she understood
the police instructions, she
said “as far as I’m
concerned you have sharia
law here,” before walking
away.
After a discussion on the
multiculturism of the area
and what Southern intended
to do there, the YouTuber
agreed to walk through the
area filming but not to
speak to anyone.
Yesterday Southern came
under fire for a photo she
shared of a Darling Harbour
accommodation advertisement
looking for an “Asian Only”
couple.
“Just got to Sydney and
already seeing the lovely
impacts of
multiculturalism,” she
tweeted along with the
photo.
Australian International
Islamic College is seeking
an experienced and
self-motivated Teacher
aid/Administration assistant
to join our small team at
our City Campus.
This is a contract position
from 1st August to 7th
December 2018.
The applicant must be:
• Experienced in or
willing to work in a
composite class.
• Comfortable working in
upper primary- MUST hold
a valid blue card.
• Able to multitask
(teacher aid and admin).
• Proficient at
Microsoft suite.
• Willing to work as
part of a close-knit
team.
• Be able to conduct
self in a professional
manner over the
telephone and in person.
• Eager to learn all
aspects of the role.
Previous experience in
either Teacher Aid or
Administration preferred.
Like a fleeting shadow,
It journeys with us,
Sometimes behind us,
At other times ahead,
But never quite settled
within us.
Frustrating us, perplexing
us,
At our lack of ability to
pin it down.
The more we pursue it,
The more we are eluded
And exasperated.
We seek it externally
In all the outdoor glitzy
places,
Where throngs gather in
cinema halls,
Or daring, blood-chilling
amusement parks,
In flashy, tempting
super-malls.
Through uplifting narcotics
Which pretend nothing was,
Making life a series of
forgettings.
Pleasure mistaken for
contentment,
One is short-lived,
The other a permanent state.
One fed by adrenaline,
The other nourished by
thoughts of gratitude.
The error…? To seek it
elsewhere,
When all along it is lodged
inside,
Only to be unleashed by the
Remembrance of and
connection
With the One Who positioned
us here.
It is He Who is the source
of contentment.
The world, nothing but a
mere distraction,
A momentary delusive
passage,
Created by Him, for us,
To help us attain our final
destination.
Amna plays in
the Division 2 team for the
Auburn Giants.
Interview continued from last week's CCN......
You
don't need to shrink
yourself
I definitely had a defiant
spirit when I was young but
I felt like I needed to
silence that voice.
As I've gotten older I've
just owned the fact that my
skin is a little bit
rebellious, passionate
driven. It wants more.
But it took me a long time
to believe you don't need to
shrink yourself; you don't
need to downplay what you're
feeling because people
expect you to be a good girl
or more passive. Coming into
my skin has been such an
empowering experience.
Girls and women email me
all the time to tell me
I inspire them.
I've realised that I am that
person who, when I was
young, I'd look at the tele
and think: "where is she? I
can't see her because these
women don't look like me."
I am that woman who tells
young women who look like
me, and who don't, that it
doesn't matter where you
come from, it doesn't matter
if all the odds are stacked
against you, that you are
capable beyond your wildest
dreams.
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.
Ghannouchi is one of the
world’s leading Islamic
thinkers and one of the most
influential Tunisian
politicians in the
post-revolution transition
period. With the fall of
President Ben Ali,
Ghannouchi returned to
Tunisia in January 2011
after spending 20-years in
exile. He led the Ennahda
(Renaissance) Party to
victory in the October 2011
National Constituent
Assembly elections. He is
currently assistant
Secretary-General of the
International Union of
Muslim Scholars.
Politics: Ghannouchi
co-founded The Ennahda
Movement in the 1970s. He
was imprisoned several times
before being forced into
exile. After successfully
returning to Tunisia and
winning power in 2011,
Ghannouchi then, in 2014,
quit government and handed
power over to a technocratic
government, and when
elections were held later
that year, Ennahda, without
Ghannouchi leading them,
came second to the Nidaa
Tounes party.
Countering terrorism:
Ghannouchi has stated that
the widespread phenomenon of
terrorism in the Arab region
is due to corruption in the
economic, social and
political sectors. He also
believes that whoever wants
to fight extremism must do
so in moderation by
following the Tunisian
model.
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.
“I was always the most
argumentative person at
school,” says Linda Sarsour.
Born in New York to
Palestinian immigrants,
Sarsour began her public
service career in the
aftermath of the 9/11
attacks, translating for
Arabic speakers rounded up
by law enforcement.
Since then, Sarsour has
stumped for Bernie Sanders’
presidential campaign,
marched with the Black Lives
Matter movement and
co-founded the Women’s
March.
Often outspoken, Sarsour has
faced criticism for aligning
with questionable characters
and sharply denouncing
Zionism.
But many Muslims say she is
the kind of uncompromising,
unapologetic leader their
community needs right now.
“I’m young, and I still have
a lot of fight in me,”
Sarsour says.
What other Muslims say about
Sarsour:
“She embodies an
unapologetically American
Muslim identity that is
inextricably tied to other
marginalized communities.”
Islam is beyond
rituals, scholar
tells forum on
liberalism
Muslims
pay more
attention
to form
rather
than
substance,
resulting
in them
failing
to
understand
the
Quranic
message
to
humanity:
Forum
told
KUALA LUMPUR:
Muslims are
becoming
obsessed with
matters
concerning
rituals and
trivial matters
on do’s and
dont’s at the
expense of
Islam’s emphasis
on humanity,
said a professor
of philosophy
from the
International
Islamic
University.
Isham Pawan
Ahmad told a
forum on the
theme of
“liberal Islam”
that it was this
attitude behind
the indifference
of Muslim groups
to the Saudi-led
bombing campaign
in Yemen,
although they
were easily
riled up by
issues such as
the mixing of
males and
females in
public and the
correct way to
perform a
certain ritual.
“Today we are
talking about
how to pray,
whether women
can drive, while
issues like the
Zakat are not
talked about,”
he said,
referring to the
alms-giving, one
of the five most
important
religious
obligations in
Islam.
Speaking at the
forum “Is it
time to look
beyond the idea
of liberal
Islam?”
organised by
Islamic
Renaissance
Front and G25,
Isham said the
debate among
Muslims today
was far from the
Quran’s emphasis
on social
justice.
He said many
Muslims who
undertake the
pilgrimage to
Mecca are
worried if their
haj or umrah
would be
accepted by God.
Giving an
extreme example,
he said one
pilgrim had
hired a
religious man
for RM50,000 to
coach him
throughout the
haj pilgrimage.
“He was told on
the right
slippers or belt
to use,” he
said.
“It should be
about being more
compassionate.
But people talk
about rituals,
not about
behavioural
change after
performing the
haj,” he said.
Isham said the
concept of
liberalism would
help Muslims
contextualise
verses of the
Quran and their
meanings, so
that Muslims do
not just follow
out of “fear of
hell”, but
because they
give meaning to
life.
He said every
week during
Friday prayers,
Muslims were
warned about the
punishment of
hell, adding
that one outcome
of this is the
failure to
understand the
role of religion
in one’s life.
“Religion is
about making
transformation,”
he said.
He added that
religion should
not be used to
repress others,
saying this was
the gist of the
Quran’s message
provided its
verses are
understood in
their true
context.
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.
Imran promises wide-ranging reforms: 'All
policies for the people's
PAKISTAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)
Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday, in his
first public address since his party
grabbed a lead in the preliminary
General Election results, shared his
vision for the country and pledged to
safeguard the interests of ordinary
citizens.
Khan, in a speech made in Bani Gala that
was broadcast via video link, claimed
victory, saying that he was thankful to
have finally been given the chance to
implement the manifesto he had
envisioned 22 years ago.
"Thanks to God, we won," he said. "We
were successful and we were given a
mandate," the 65-year-old
cricketer-turned-politician said during
a live broadcast, adding that there was
"no politician victimisation" in the
acrimonious contest.
"I want to clarify why I entered
politics. Politics could not have given
me anything. I wanted Pakistan to become
the country that my leader Quaid-i-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had dreamed of."
"I want to
share the kind of Pakistan I envision ─
the type of state that was established
in Madina, where widows and the poor
were taken care of," he explained.
"Today our state is in shambles. [But]
all our policies aim to help the less
fortunate prosper," he said.
"Farmers are not paid for their hard
work, 25 million children are out of
school, our women continue to die in
childbirth because we can't give them
basic healthcare, we can't give the
people clean drinking water. A country
is not recognised by the lifestyle of
the rich, but by the lifestyle of the
poor. No country that has an island of
rich people and a sea of poor people can
prosper," he said.
Although he claimed to have "suffered
the worst kind of personal attacks" that
any political leader has had to sustain
over the last three years, he said "this
is all behind me now".
Punk Muslims erase tattoos (and sin) in
conservative Indonesia
Born again Indonesian Muslims
are flocking to a program to
have their tattoos removed
INDONESIA: Dot by dot the
laser sears the ink from Ucup's flesh,
leaving it red and raised, but there's a
look of calm satisfaction on his face.
With every painful "click" of the
tattoo-removal machine, Ucup feels he's
getting closer to Allah. "We were born
clean," he says. "We don't want to die
dirty."
The 32-year-old is one of a growing
number of self-described Indonesian
punks, being "born-again" as devout
Muslims. "In the past I was a punk. I
was living on the street, just hanging
out with friends. I did drugs, I tried
everything. I was so bad."
Ucup also spent time in prison before
hearing about a volunteer-run programme
to cast out the evil spirits from his
body, starting with his tattoos.
Punk Muslims
"In some of the tattoos, the devil
resides," says Ahmed Zaki, one of the
founders of the Punk Muslim Movement.
Zaki started a free tattoo removal
service last year, with crowd-funded
donations, to help "cleanse" his fellow
Muslims.
"In Islam tattoos are forbidden. It's a
sin to have them" he says. "And Allah
condemns this sin."
Zaki believes even those who call
themselves anarchists, deep down, want
to embrace the rule of Islam. "They'll
have one spot in their heart where they
long to be ruled by God and men. This is
where we make an entrance."
In another sign of Indonesia's move
towards a more conservative brand of
Islam, Zaki says the Punk Muslim
movement was swamped with applicants as
soon as word got out. "More than 50,000
people registered. And so we had to
strictly select the worthy candidates
for this programme," he says.
The pilgrimage
48-year-old Amsor bin Amsir says he
"cried and begged" to be accepted into
the program.
Waiting for his turn with the
tattoo-removal-gun, he looks devout
enough, with beautiful, flowing Arabic
robes. But when he lifts the blue
garment over his head, he unveils
sleeves of colourful tattoos up both
arms.
Despite the artistic merit of the work,
Amsir now sees his tattoos as a badge of
dishonour and sin. He blames the divorce
of his parents for his decision to stray
from Islam's teachings as a youngster.
"I had a broken home. I grew up with no
love," he says. "My escape was alcohol.
I continued drinking until I got married
and had kids, but still, I didn't find
the light.
"Now I'm old and I have got grandkids.
So I want to thank God for all the
blessings."
Planning a trip to the holy city of
Mecca in December, he now wants the ink
erased from his skin. "I want to do a
pilgrimage and I want to be clean before
I leave," he said.
"This must be a gift from God, that I
can clean myself and my heart."
The exorcism
The painful process of tattoo-removal is
only part of the journey to a clean
soul.
Lasered flesh is nothing compared to the
fear the "Rukyah" ceremony strikes in
the hearts of those seeking redemption.
Patriotic songs and self-criticism: why
China is 're-educating' Muslims in mass
detention camps
Ethnic Uighurs
sit near a statue of China's
late chairman Mao Zedong in
Kashgar, Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous Region, China.
CHINA: China's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs denies their
existence. But extensive reporting by
international media and human rights
groups indicates upwards of hundreds of
thousands of Uighurs — a Muslim-minority
ethnic group — have been detained in
sprawling "re-education" centres in the
far-western Xinjiang region of China.
The camps are not only massive, with
some exceeding 10,000 square metres, but
have also been likened to prison-like
compounds, with, "reinforced security
doors and windows, surveillance systems,
secure access systems, watchtowers, and
guard rooms or facilities for armed
police".
The US Congressional-Executive
Commission on China calls it, "The
largest mass incarceration of a minority
population in the world today".
China has long been wary of its Uighur
population, particularly in the wake of
deadly riots, terrorist attacks and the
flow of Uighur militants to Syria and
Iraq to fight with Islamic State in
recent years.
But the emergence of the re-education
camps in Xinjiang raises a number of new
questions: Why has the Communist Party
come to rely on mass internment to
control the Uighurs? What are the
implications for China's future
political development under President Xi
Jinping? And how should the
international community respond?
Mesut
Ozil quits the German national team citing
'racism and disrespect'
Mesut Ozil
was one of the scapegoats for
Germany's unsuccessful World Cup
campaign.
GERMANY: German football
star Mesut Ozil says he will no longer
play for the national team because his
Turkish roots made him a target of
"racism and disrespect".
His impassioned statement was one of the
strongest issued by a player in recent
years on the subject of racism.
It came amid a political debate in
Germany about an influx of 1.6 million
migrants since mid-2014 that has seen a
rise of the far right at the expense of
traditional parties.
Ozil, 29, was a key member of Germany's
World Cup-winning side in 2014 and has
been voted by fans as the team's player
of the year five times since 2011.
But the creative midfielder faced a
barrage of criticism at home for having
his photograph taken with Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May.
Ozil says declining a meeting
with Mr Erdogan would have been
"disrespecting the roots of my
ancestors".
He and Ilkay Gundogan, a teammate also
of Turkish descent who also posed with
Mr Erdogan, were jeered by some German
fans in warm-up games before the World
Cup in Russia.
Germany failed to qualify from the group
stage in Russia, making its earliest
exit from the tournament in 80 years and
Ozil was one of the scapegoats for its
unsuccessful title defence.
Ozil, who also plays for English club
Arsenal, said German Football
Association (DFB) President Reinhard
Grindel had blamed him for Germany's
poor performance in Russia.
"In the eyes of Grindel and his
supporters I am German when we win, but
I am an immigrant when we lose," Ozil
wrote in a lengthy statement posted on
his Twitter account.
He added he did not feel accepted in
German society despite paying taxes
there, making donations to German
schools and being part of the team that
won the World Cup.
"It is with a heavy heart and after much
consideration that because of recent
events, I will no longer be playing for
Germany at international level whilst I
have this feeling of racism and
disrespect," he said.
"I used to wear the German shirt with
such pride and excitement, but now I
don't," he said.
"I feel unwanted and think that what I
have achieved since my international
debut in 2009 has been forgotten."
and Theological Responses to the Arguments of Terrorists
by
Recep Dogan
(Lecturer in Islamic Studies,
Wisdom College, Brisbane, QLD, AU)
Description
Starting in the
mid-7th century CE, there have been various
radical terrorist groups appearing in the Muslim
majority communities that have interpreted the
Qur’an and the Prophetic Traditions in very
extreme ways in an attempt to justify their
violence and mask their evil acts. As the title
of the work, Terrorism and Violence in Islamic
History from Beginning to Present and
Theological Responses to the Arguments of
Terrorist Groups suggests, it presents a brief
history of violence and terrorism through the
course of Islamic history and then provides a
comprehensive theological response to the
arguments of the extremist groups.
In Chapter One, the author highlights the
sanctity of human life and provides abundant
evidence from the primary Islamic sourcesŻ the
Qur’an and the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad,
proving that it is strongly prohibited to kill
human beings regardless of their ethnic,
cultural or religious background. Condemning all
evil acts of terrorists who violate God-given
inalienable right to life, he asserts that it is
not right to attribute terrorists to a certain
religion or faith tradition, thus labeling their
evil acts as “Islamic” or “Christian” terror.
In Chapter Two, the author sheds light on the
extreme sects appearing in Islamic history that
have misinterpreted the primary Islamic sources
to legitimize their violent extremism and
terrorism. In Chapter Three, he provides the
theological responses to refute the claims of
these extremist terrorist groups, thus proving
their sick, violent mentality on the basis of
primary Islamic sources. In Chapter Four, he
explains in great detail some of the key Islamic
notions, such as struggling in the way of God
and martyrdom, which have been exploited by the
extremist terrorist groups.
In the last chapter, the author discusses the
necessity of mutual understanding and respect
for the sacred as an alternative method to
prevent radicalism and extremism. He argues that
showing disrespect for the sacred causes
radicalism in the Muslim world, and in turn this
radicalism feeds Islamophobia in the West. He
further puts forward that the international
community should benefit from the ideas of the
moderate Muslim scholars in order to combat
terrorism effectively, using their compelling
arguments to refute the violent arguments of the
extremist groups. (Nova)
Book Reviews “Having an excellent command of Arabic,
Turkish and English, Islamic theologian Dr.
Recep Dogan has used essential primary texts in
these three languages and produced an
excellently analytical but also encyclopedically
detailed account of not only pre-modern and
contemporary violent extremists who justify
their inhumane ideologies by reference to
Islamic sources but also Islamic scholars’
refutation of these radical ideologies. The book
is a must-read for those who want to learn about
how Islamist violent extremists abuse Islam and
how they have been responded to by Islamic
scholars.” - Professor Ihsan Yilmaz,
Research Chair in Islamic Studies and
Intercultural Dialogue, Alfred Deakin Institute
for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin
University, Victoria, Australia
“This book proves a comprehensive overview of
the history of some of the main Muslim groups
who have resorted to violence in the name of
Islam. This book also makes a passionate plea
and a thoughtful rebuttal of some of the most
important theological arguments these groups
have used to justify their actions in the
religiously couched terms.” - Dr. Adis
Duderija, Lecturer in the Study of Islam and
Society, School of Humanities, Languages and
Social Science, Griffith University, Nathan,
Australia
KB says:
Recipe kindly shared by Shahnaz Faatharally: If
you want to make it ahead of time, cover with
cling film and keep in refrigerator. Take out of
fridge 20-30 mins before serving time and bake.
I usually make it in the morning and bake just
30 mins before dinner time and I serve it piping
hot.
Baked Fish
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
3 red fish fillets
(or any other firm
fleshed white fish)
In a baking dish
(big enough to fit
fish) add:
10 cherry
tomatoes
6 - 8 cloves
garlic crushed
Zest of one
lemon
Capers
(optional)
Drizzle olive
oil on top
Drizzle some
peri peri oil on
top
Toss all
ingredients
until coated in
oil
Separately mix
together:
3 tbsp
mayonnaise
2 tbsp steers
garlic sauce
Juice of ˝ a
lemon
Salt
Pepper (freshly
crushed)
Apply on both sides
of fish.
Place fish on top of
the tomato-garlic in
the baking dish.
Top with fresh bread
crumbs and some
parsley.
Drizzle more olive
oil on top.
Bake for 20-30 mins
in a pre-heated
180deg oven or until
slightly golden on
top.
Serve hot with salad
mash/chips, lemon
wedges, onion rings,
etc.
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:
How To
Communicate With
People Who
Negatively Trigger
You
Two kinds of people
exist in your life.
One kind brings
love, light, peace,
and joy into your
life and enhances
you in your journey
to get closer to
ALLAH. The other
kind does exactly
the opposite. They
are the toxic kind
and they suck out of
you love, light,
peace, and joy and
become a hindrance
in your practice of
becoming closer to
ALLAH.
In the core of your
being, you are
always able to
identify these two
kinds of people.
However, there may
be times when you
are unable to
effectively build,
maintain and respect
your protective
boundaries that stop
these toxic people
from affecting you.
They seem to get
their way,
manipulate you into
believing in their
falsehood and
convince you that
their way is the
only way. Sadly,
sometimes their
toxicity rubs off on
you and you begin to
dwell in their toxic
energy so much so
that your own
decision-making and
your choices become
affected.
Ultimately, you
become so engrossed
in their toxic cycle
of gossiping,
bullying, put-downs,
name-calling or
constant bickering
and criticising that
you begin to
participate in that
cycle and even seek
their approval to
find meaning in your
own life. You may do
this because you
care for them and
don’t want to hurt
their feelings.
The toxic behaviours
displayed by these
people may be
negatively
triggering you. It
is now time to
become aware of
these people in your
life and re-evaluate
your relationship
with them. Your life
is a gift from ALLAH
and you have every
right to protect
your emotional and
physical health from
toxic people the
same way you would
if you were around
toxic chemicals.
10 Strategies On
Dealing With People
Who Negatively
Trigger You
1.
Make a list of
people in your
life who often
cause you to
feel drained and
tired after you
interact with
them.
2. Write down
exactly how
these
interactions
affect your body
and your mind.
Describe in
detail the way
you feel
whenever you are
in contact with
them.
3. Become
mindful of these
physical and
mental responses
so that whenever
these people
interact with
you, you will
immediately
notice these
signs in your
body and mind.
4. If the person
is physically
with you or
talking to you
on the phone or
online, spend
more time
LISTENING. While
you listen,
observe your own
bodily
sensations...Is
your heart rate
getting faster
while you are
interacting with
them? Is your
chest feeling
painful or
heavy? Is your
throat becoming
dry or painful?
Are your ears
hurting? Is your
mood becoming
angry or
negative? Are
you holding your
breath more?
5. Use these
observations as
a sign that this
person is in
need of your
duaa. Start
making silent
duaa for
him/her.
6. Take deep
breaths and
start focussing
on ALLAH. You
will notice that
the person will
begin to feel
your calm energy
and will either
take your leave,
become silent or
begin to say
something
positive.
7. If the person
is communicating
with you via
text messages,
allow yourself
time to read
first and then
put your gadget
away to respond
to their message
at a later time.
You do not have
to respond
immediately.
Change the
settings of your
phone app so
that the person
is not aware
whether you have
read their
message or not.
It’s not an
emergency. If it
were an
emergency they
would be calling
000, not texting
you.
8. If the text
messages become
too aggressive,
delete them. You
don’t need to
read them at
all. You are in
charge.
9. Identify your
boundaries in
your
relationships
and respect
them. Once you
respect your own
boundaries,
others will
learn to respect
them too.
10. Always
remember, you
are answerable
ONLY to ALLAH,
no one else.
In
Shaa ALLAH, next
week we will explore
the topic:
Do You Suffer
From FOMO - Fear Of
Missing Out?
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.
Q:
Dear Kareema, what are some of the best moves I
can try to loosen stiff joints? I tend to suffer
with it during the colder months.
A:
Choose exercises like stair-climbing, walking,
swimming, cycling, etc.
These type of exercises are not
too stressful on the joints and can help with
strengthening the muscles around them which in
turn will give them more support.
Try gentle stretching after your
workouts for quicker recovery.
And it is He Who spread out
the earth, and set thereon
mountains standing firm, and
(flowing) rivers: and fruit
of every kind He made in
pairs, two and two: He draws
the Night as a veil over the
Day. Behold, verily in these
things there are Signs for
those who consider.
Cycle from Brisbane to Byron
Bay on the 10-12 August and
raise money for children’s
education in Hebron and help
spread understanding and
awareness about the
Palestinian plight with our
local community.
Riders from all backgrounds
and faiths take part because
they want to be a beacon of
hope for the people of
Palestine showing that all
over the world there is
support for the Palestinian
cause and an aim to bring
about peace in the region.
There is something for
riders of all levels of
fitness with a free family
city ride and community
event on the Friday night
and then the two day main
event cycling from Logan to
Byron Bay. You can sign up
for one, two or all three
days. Remember your sign up
costs include: accommodation
(Saturday), food, jersey,
support vehicles, insurance,
stickers, flag and
wristband. Sunday includes
bus back to Gold Coast or
Brisbane.
New Muslim Care (NMC) are proud to
be working in alliance with Sisters Support Services
(SSS) and National Zakat Foundation (NZF) to
support new Muslims with the Islam 101: The Foundations
courses.
Through collaboration we are strengthening our
organisations and sharing resources in order to continue
to provide much needed services to the community.
Our aim is to offer continuous support to new Muslims
through Islamic workshops, classes and social avenues
and enable a more seamless transition successfully to an
Islamic way of life Insha'Allah.
Sessions for brothers are envisaged for the near future.
In collaboration with Qld Police Service,
Muslimah Mind Matters and Sisters Support Services are
facilitating FOUR x 1 Day SHE live events (Free) for
Muslimahs in Brisbane.
Book FREE tickets for the first of the four events
on 11th July, especially for Mothers and Daughters.
On 31 December 2017 the only
Islamic childcare centre in the whole of Brisbane had to
unfortunately close its doors due to the Department of
Transport requiring it for their future expansion. To
date they are still in the process of securing new
premises to continue serving this very important need of
the community and the wait continues….
In the interim the need is
still there. The question most Muslims would be asking
themselves is “Where do I send my child so that he/she
can learn, grow and develop in an Islamic environment,
and establish a sound Islamic foundation?”
Msasa Montessori is a private home based learning centre
for 3-5 year olds. The focus is an Islamic based
learning environment alongside the Montessori method of
teaching. Children will be taught their basic duas,
surahs, tasbeehs, stories of the Prophets will be read
and enacted, and Inshallah their love for Allah and His
Noble Prophet Muhammed S.A.W will develop. Supported by
the Montessori method of teaching they will develop
their independence and will utilise equipment which will
enable them to develop and grow.
Montessori is a method of education based on
self-directed activity, hands-on learning and
collaborative play. The Montessori materials cover
developmental activities designed to meet the needs of
children in five curriculum areas:
Practical life skills, Sensorial activities,
Mathematics, Language and Cultural Studies.
By providing such an
environment, the children will develop a strong sense of
wellbeing and identity as Muslims and they will become
confident and involved learners with the ability to
communicate effectively and with confidence.
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
to the Crescents Community please
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Imran promises wide-ranging reforms: 'All
policies for the people's 
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7
August 2011