The Gold Coast Mosque
organised and held the
Australian International
Quran Competition at the
Mosque on 9 September.
The entire event was
broadcast live by the Al
Jazeera network over the
internet.
The judges:
1. Sheikh Mohamed Ali
Abdelkaget: (Imam of the
Gold Coast Mosque)
2. Sheikh Akram Buksh (Imam
of Slacks Creek Mosque)
3. Sheikh Sayed Abdelalim
(Imam of Islamic House in
Sydney)
4. Sheikh Ahmed Nafaa (Imam
of Kuraby Mosque)
5. Sheikh Bassem Zeini (Imam
from Sydney)
The winners:
1st : Hafiz Fikreth
from Brisbane
2nd: Hafiz Ali Sehab
from Sydney
3rd: Hafiz Zayan Nadeem
Mohamed from Brisbane
Officers from the Queensland
Police Service, along with
representatives from
Microsoft Australia, led a
special cyber-safety
presentation to parents and
community members from the
Islamic College of Brisbane
in Karawatha late last
month.
The initiative, ThinkUKnow,
is a joint Australian
Federal Police and Microsoft
program that seeks to
educate young people and
parents about the dangers of
online activities and
provide resources to
minimise the impact of such
dangers through education
based cyber-safety
awareness.
Acting Senior Sergeant
Darnielle Fioriti and
industry expert Grant
Clayton addressed some of
the issues that young people
are facing when using modern
Information Communication
Technology, including
phishing scams, online
relationships and
cyber-bullying.
Dr Ray Barrett, the
Principal of Islamic College
of Brisbane (ICB) said that
he was impressed with the
effort the parents have made
especially to attend the
event.
“This is a new school record
in attendance for this type
of presentation.’ he said.
Farah Scott from the Parents
Advisory Committee (PAC)
said as parents, we can’t
stop our children from using
the Internet.
“We can though help them to
make the right choices to
stay safe online through
programs like this.” said
Farah Scott
The Queensland Police
Service acknowledges the ICB
community for hosting this
presentation. A special
thanks to Deputy Principal
Abdul Shariff and PAC
members for organising the
Morning Tea.
By Aliyah (Alison
Berger), Sisters Support Services Inc
Sisters
Support Services had the
pleasure of hosting Kathryn
Jones at her Book Launch on
Tuesday the 25 September at
Michael's Oriental.
Kathryn was set up on
arrival with her books ready
to greet and personally sign
each book of all the
attendees of the evening.
Whilst the ladies tucked
into some delicious entrees
the event began with an
introduction of Kathryn by
welcoming her to Brisbane to
share her knowledge and her
many skills learnt over the
past years along with a talk
about her recently published
book 'Step up Embrace the
Leader Within'.
At Sisters Support Services
we are very big on
empowering women and jumped
at the chance to coordinate
this event with Kathryn due
to her extensive experience
and background. She is the
founder of the 'Beautiful
Muslimah Academy', the
annual 'Me First Summit' and
known internationally as the
'Peaceful Parenting Coach'
as well as being a Business
Performance Coach.
Kathyrn's main focus is on
supporting Muslim women to
step us and embrace the
leader within themselves so
they can take charge of
their lives, rather than
have life take charge of
them.
Personally I was very
excited to introduce Kathryn
as I first met her at Sydney
airport before we were about
to embark on our Hajj tour
in 2013. Kathryn is from
Adelaide my hometown and I
had been keen to meet other
Muslims from there as I had
embraced Islam in Brisbane
and welcomed the opportunity
to connect with the
community there. Our Hajj
experience was a journey of
a lifetime and was one of
tears, joy, spiritual
fulfilment along with the
bonus of making lifetime
friends.
Over the past five years I
had tracked Kathryn's
success with her online
peaceful parenting courses,
joined in on the annual Me
First Summit' with amazing
talks from professionals
from different fields; and
now had the wonderful
opportunity to present this
Book Launch on such an
important topic for Muslim
women.
Kathryn engaged the Brisbane
sisters
with her warm and friendly
nature and inspired us with
stories of her past and how
she had overcome them.
Prompted by a slide show we
learnt new techniques and
strategies to embrace the
leader within.
A beautiful evening with
Kathryn who inspired all the
sisters in the room to
embrace the leader within
and to have the confidence
to make the right decisions
to benefit themselves and
those around them whether
they are a home maker,
community leader or working
within in a professional
role.
I highly recommend reading
the book and I am sure that
it will be a treasure and a
great reference for every
Muslim women to keep and
cherish. I personally found
myself entranced with the
content and not wanting to
put the book down but a busy
schedule got in the way,
Alhumdulillah.
I particularly liked the
fact that it is referenced
with Quran and authentic
hadith, which is great
evidence and back up to
incorporate and implement
into our everyday lives, to
use as a tool to benefit
ourselves as empowered women
in Islam and those around
us.
If anyone would like a copy
of the book we have some
available to purchase for
only $20.
Alhamdulillah with the duwa
and support from every one
of you the construction of
the rebuilding of Toowoomba
Masjid is progressing well.
The earth moving and removal
of damaged parts, foundation
of the front extension and
ground work for the rear
extension are completed.
The estimated cost for the
rebuilding is $900,000 and
the current shortfall is
$570,000.
As agents of Allah we are
trying to make His Light to
be clearly visible in the
region as declared in Surah
As-Saff of the Holy Qur’an:
يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا
نُورَ اللَّهِ
بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ
مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ
كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
61-8. They intend to
extinguish the Light of
Allah with their mouths.
But Allah will spread
His Light even though
the disbelievers dislike
it.
Please pray to Allah for the
timely completion of
rebuilding of the only
Masjid in the city/region
with over 2000 Muslims. A
full-time Imam teaches round
100 children in the after
hour/weekend Madrasa in the
Masjid.
Muslims in Toowoomba are
financially stressed and
request you, your family,
relatives and community to
share this appeal to
potential donors in the
local, national and
international levels with a
request to make financial
contributions for the
project.
Bank Account Details:
Commonwealth Bank of
Australia, Toowoomba Plaza
Branch
A/C Name: Toowoomba Islamic
Charitable Organisation
Sisters
Support Services Inc had the
opportunity to coordinate
some excellent activities
these school holidays.
The mosaic art frame making
activity was a great success
and a lot of fun for all
ages.
At the macramé activity the
youth girls learnt new
skills and brought home some
beautiful wall hanging and
plant holders that they had
created. Mash Allah.
We would like to thank Sr
Amra Zlatic-Dhedhi for
coordinating the activites,
Sr Eve Boyer for her
creativity with the mosaic
art and Sr Marliana Abdullah
for sharing her brilliant
skills.
Whilst we are keeping our
youth engaged with hands on
activities we are also
empowering our Muslim
mothers to share their
skills and knowledge.
Sydney immigration lawyer
Marina and Jacqui Lambie in
Syria.
Audiences around the country
tuned in to watch Go Back To
Where You Came From Live
tonight, pegged as a
groundbreaking insight into
the complexity of mass human
migration.
Labelled SBS's "most
ambitious television event
to date", the live
broadcast/documentary
special sent a group of
eight well-known Australians
into overseas war zones, all
in the hopes of gaining
first-hand experience of the
global refugee crisis
Audiences were joined by
journalist Ray Martin and
SBS World News presenter
Janice Petersen, who watched
on from the “Nerve Centre”
in Sydney as participants
including former senator
Jacqui Lambie, Spida Everitt,
Gretel Killeen and Meshel
Laurie left the comfort of
their respective homes for
the terrifying unknown.
Jacqui and Marina in Syria
Right off the bat, viewers
were warned that the show
may contain "unexpected
elements", cutting to live
shots on the ground in South
Sudan and Syria. Martin and
Petersen then informed
audiences that Jacqui Lambie
and immigration lawyer
Marina had already been
caught up in an attack in
Syria - witnessing bursts of
gunfire and being rushed to
safety.
Sharing footage from the
terrifying incident, which
took place earlier this
week, the politician and
lawyer were quick to get
emotional.
"We have these vests on, but
people around us don't,"
Marina said through tears, a
taut-faced Lambie handing
her tissues. "I cry partly
from fear, but partly from
sadness."
Meanwhile, Lambie claimed
that she did not feel
scared, citing her strong
faith in God.
"If it's my time to go it's
my time to go," she said.
"It's as simple as that with
me."
In a pre-recorded
documentary component,
Lambie and Marina visited
the home of Muslim migrants
in Sydney, where they shared
an intense discussion over
the dinner table. Throughout
the discussion, Lambie made
it clear that she
fundamentally opposed
Marina's perspective on
refugee policy - saying that
she believes Australian
politicians need to
prioritise Australians.
Steve and Gretel in Turkey
Former prison guard Steve
and TV personality Gretel
Killeen were next up,
visiting the war-torn city
of Antakya in Turkey, where
they were shown joining the
Red Cross and delivering
food to refugees on the
Syrian border.
"There are a lot of people
who don't deserve to come to
Australia," Steve said a
prerecorded interview.
He adds: "In fact, there are
a lot of people who don't
deserve to BE in Australia."
Killeen disagrees -
referring to refugees as "an
investment" in Australia and
suggesting Steve's views
could be thinly veiled
racism.
"You're using emotion when
we should be using common
sense," Steve told Killeen.
"I'm definitely not a
racist.
"You're not going to die
here..."
Back in Syria, Marina and
Lambie were warned about
live landmines, with one
local guide warning an SBS
camera man not to move.
"Be careful my man, you're
not going to die here," the
local said, gesturing to
some ground nearby.
As gunfire goes off nearby,
Marina and Lambie once again
had incredibly different
reactions, highlighting to
two sides of the refugee
debate.
"It sounds terrible, but it
makes me want to pick up a
weapon and go help them,"
Lambie said, before firing a
gun at a target.
Meanwhile, a clearly
affected Marina spoke to
camera, describing the sight
of a decomposing body mere
metres away. Speaking to
Lambie later on, Marina
distilled their fundamental
difference in opinions -
saying that it would be her
gut reaction flee for her
life, while Lambie would
feel more compelled stay and
fight for an ideology.
To help parents keep their
children active during the
school holidays, the
Hurricane Stars Club ran a
few exciting activities. On
the weekend just before the
school holidays, we
organised a female-only
abseiling activity at
Kangaroo Point with 14
mothers and daughters having
fun climbing down the cliffs
while looking out at the
beautiful view of the
Brisbane River. It was
certainly a challenging
experience to conquer our
own fears.
We then organised four
varied activities during the
school holidays.
On the first week, we had a
day camp for boys and girls
on separate days while
during the second week, we
partnered with the
Multicultural Sports Club to
offer a Little Gardeners
program for primary school
aged children and to offer a
Learn-to-Surf lesson for
teenagers.
The Hurricane Stars Club
hired buses and transported
19 boys on one day and 15
girls on another day to
Mount Tambourine for the Day
Camp activity. They spent
the day having non-stop fun
practicing archery,
collecting wood and making
their own camp fire. The
kids cooked their own damper
(traditional Australian bush
bread) over hot coals and
then enjoyed eating it with
golden syrup. They then did
various treetop activities
where they had fun flying
around in the treetops
suspended by a rope.
Finally they climbed to the
top of a tree and rang the
bell at the top to symbolize
their successful achievement
of reaching the top. Doing
two days of the same
activities, once with boys
and once with girls, was a
clear demonstration of how
Allah created boys and girls
differently. While the boys
were bursting with energy to
do every activity, the girls
did each activity quietly
and calmly but somehow
completed them quicker than
the boys did.
For the Little Gardeners
activities, the kids painted
and decorated their own
flower pot and then filled
it with potting mix and
planted a flowering plant.
It was a good introduction
to basic gardening for the
young children.
In the Learn To Surf
program, participants were
taken by bus to Kurrawa
Beach, Gold Coast where they
had fun learning to surf.
They might not be ready to
surf at Bell’s Beach yet but
they had fun learning basics
of surfing.
All in all, the holidays
activities were fully-booked
and enjoyed tremendously by
all the participants. The
activities were able to be
offered at subsidised rates
because of the support and
kind donations of the
community.
The Queensland Youth
Engagement Panel (QYEP) will
provide young Queenslanders
with opportunities to
influence and inform
decisions that affect their
lives.
A key element of the
Queensland Youth Strategy is
ensuring young people can
have their say in shaping
relevant government
policies, programs and
projects. It also sets the
vision and priorities for
government in improving
outcomes for young
Queenslanders.
The QYEP is one of our many
actions to ensure we hear
from young Queenslanders.
The panel will:
• provide input into the
development of the
Queensland Youth
Engagement Charter
• inform government on
the best ways to engage
with young people
• share their ideas and
views on government
policies, programs and
projects
• design and deliver a
youth project related to
a Queensland Youth
Strategy priority
• have a major role in
shaping Queensland Youth
Week.
As a QYEP member you will be
expected to connect with
your networks and peers to
gather ideas on agreed
topics and bring what you
learned back to the QYEP for
consideration.
Radiothon is one of the 3
core sources of operating
funds for the Radio 4EB
station alongside our CBF
funds and memberships, and
our major fundraiser each
year. It is annual event,
where within that we ask our
listeners and supporters for
their favourite Radio
Station to broadcast and
remain on air.
People who donate to Radio
4EB during Radiothon over
$25, can go into a draw to
win some prizes and here is
where you can get into a
mutually beneficial
relationship with the
station.
Our Radiothon this year will
happen between 10th of
October to the 21st of
October, 2018.
The WAW awards celebrate the
quiet achievers through
nominations of Muslim women
who have contributed to
family and community or
promoted peace, human
rights, advanced arts,
education, STEM, public
health and environmental or
social justice.
(continued from last week's
CCN)
NOMINEE NO. 7
Suhana Salim is an
influential leader
of her community and
founder of the
Multicultural Melton
Sisters association.
“Meet
Suhana Salim, a
truly wonderful
woman, who
demonstrates great
leadership for City
of Melton community.
Suhana is an
influential leader
of her community and
founder of the
Multicultural Melton
Sisters association.
She goes above and
beyond each day to
advocate for her
community and
achieve fantastic
outcomes against
great odds.
Suhana worked to
establish the
Multicultural Melton
Sisters Association
and has provided
isolated Muslim
women a space to
gather together for
social connection.
She tackles social
isolation by
encouraging women to
participate in
broader community
activities. Suhana
advocates for women
in her group and
community and has
achieved wonderful
outcomes, such as
working with the
local council to
organise regular
outings and a space
for sharing
multicultural
cooking lessons for
women.
Her next project is
working with Melton
Council to establish
women’s only
physical activities
-particularly
swimming and
exercise. Suhana is
also active in the
Malay Australian
community. She is a
fantastic role
model, especially
for other women. She
loves to share her
culture with others,
working towards
growing a cohesive
intercultural
Australian society.”
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.
Shah Karim Al-Hussayni, also
known simply as the Aga Khan
(Imamate: 1957-present), is
the leader of the Shia sect
of Muslims known as the
Nizari Ismailis. For 5–15
million Nizari Ismaili
Muslims the Aga Khan is the
49th hereditary Imam, with
lineage descending back to
Ali, the cousin of the
Prophet Muhammad. He is only
the fourth Aga Khan, a
hereditary title bestowed
upon the Imam by the Shah of
Persia in the mid-nineteenth
century. The period from
July 2017 to 11 July 2018
has been designated the
Diamond Jubilee Year of the
Aga Khan’s 60th year of
reign.
Hereditary Leader of
Ismailis: The Aga Khan
derives his position of
authority from his lineage.
At the age of 21 the Aga
Khan bypassed his father and
uncle to become the 49th
Imam, a choice that his
grandfather made because he
felt the community needed a
leader ‘who has been brought
up and developed during
recent years and in the
midst of the new age, and
who brings a new outlook on
life to his office.’
Unparalleled
Philanthropist: The Aga
Khan Development Network (AKDN)
is a collection of
development and humanitarian
agencies working in areas of
poverty. The network is
widely known for its
architectural and cultural
work, including projects
that revitalize historic
cities. Some projects
include the renovation of
the Old City of Aleppo and
the Al-Azhar Park in Cairo.
The Aga Khan’s foundation
maintains a strong and
enduring presence in
developing
countries—building health
care capacity, promoting
economic development in
rural areas and helping
improve educational
opportunities. The AKDN is
particularly influential in
Central Asia, where it works
in areas that are often
neglected by other
organizations.
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.
In college, Dalia Mogahed
studied engineering, but she
also wrote about geopolitics
for the school newspaper.
After a stint in the
corporate world, Mogahed
combined her interests in
data and religion as
executive director of the
Gallup Center for Muslim
Studies, where, through
detailed surveys, she
revealed “What a billion
Muslims actually think.”
Mogahed is now director of
research at the Institute
for Social Policy and
Understanding, where she
helps conduct
“solution-seeking” research
on American Muslims.
Her TED Talk on “What it’s
like to be a Muslim in
America” has been viewed 2.8
million times.
What other Muslims say about
Mogahed:
“People respect Dalia
because she brings actual
data to discussions about
American Muslims. She has
the ear of Muslims around
the world.”
While
I lost my mum to
domestic
violence but I
won't let fear
or racists keep
me silent
By Amani
Hayda (lawyer,
artist and
executive board
member at
Bankstown
Women's Health
Centre dedicated
to advocating
for the health
and wellbeing of
women. In 2018
she was a
finalist in the
Archibald Prize
and the Law
Society of NSW
Just Art Prize
and is currently
completing a
Masters in
Islamic Studies
at ISRA/CSU.
A
painting
by Amani
Haydar
of two
Muslim
women
My
faith
has
helped
me
rebuild
my
confidence
and come
to terms
with the
horror
and
sadness
I've
faced..
CONTINUED FROM LAST
WEEK'S CCN....
Are
men prepared to help change the story?
Patriarchy has taken so much from women.
It has deprived us of freedom, personal
safety, and political agency.
It chips away at our confidence and
muffles our voices. It undervalues our
time and talents.
Those of us who rely on religion or
spirituality to navigate these
challenges do not want to be told that
we should also let patriarchy take our
faith. To suggest that our faith makes
us complicit in our own oppression and
that we should therefore abandon it is
victim blaming.
So where to from here?
The address I gave at the masjid after
my mum's murder was brief, but in it I
urged the men present to honour her
memory by reflecting on how they might
become better husbands, better men.
I knew my mum's death was still vivid
and raw for those men. I could see them,
they could see me, and I saw that moment
as an opportunity to connect.
Despite the slow progress and frequent
disappointments since, I believe that
speaking up was worth all the fear and
vulnerability I confronted in that
moment. And it was exactly what my mum
would have wanted me to do.
So, to the men who are annoyed at
outspoken women like me, who tell me my
faith is holding me back, that I cannot
be a feminist: you cannot have my story.
To the Muslim men I used to know, those
who are silent and complicit, and those
who see religion only as a validation of
their desire for power and control: you
cannot have my story.
I stand for neither of you. Whether you
are my brother in faith or only in
humanity, if you are not ready to
listen, to help change the story, you
cannot have mine.
Opinion by
Raheel Raza,
Guest Columnist,
Toronto Sun
As a Muslim mother who
never saw a niqab when I was growing up
in Karachi, Pakistan, I am astonished to
see Canada’s judiciary caving in to
Islamists who have nothing but contempt
for Canada’s values of gender equality.
I write this as a Muslim Canadian who
does not have any specific political
leanings.
But in the 25 years I have called Canada
home, I have seen a steady rise of
Muslim women being strangled in the
pernicious black tent that is passed off
to naďve and guilt-ridden white,
mainstream Canadians as an essential
Islamic practice.
The niqab and burka have nothing to do
with Islam.
They’re the political
flags of the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS,
the Taliban, al-Qaida and Saudi Arabia.
Now I learn I have not only to fight the
medieval, theocratic adherents of my
faith for a safe space for myself, I
have to battle the Federal Court of
Canada as well, which has come out on
the side of these facemasks.
The ruling concerns the case of Zunera
Ishaq, a 29-year-old woman who emigrated
to Canada from Pakistan in 2008.
After previously showing her face to an
immigration official in 2013 when taking
her citizenship test, she refused to
take part in the citizenship ceremony
because she would have to show her face
while taking the oath of citizenship.
the TORONTO
SUN
Why
Hollywood writer
Ubah Mohamed
hated her name
By Naima Mohamud
UBAH
MOHAMED
Getting a TV job in the immediate
aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in
the US with a name like Ubah Mohamed was
not easy.
"As a test, I changed my name and I
immediately got offered work as a
production assistant," says Mohamed, who
opted for familiar Western names.
"I had a new alias every week. It was
frustrating," she told me on the phone
from California.
Growing up in the US, it was difficult
being viewed as "different" and choosing
an "American name" was a path many of
her contemporaries with unfamiliar names
took, she says.
Her family's move to Memphis from New
York when she was aged 13 was when she
found her Somali identity most
problematic.
'I took off my hijab'
"'Are you a nun?' they'd ask me, because
for the first year of school in Memphis
I wore a hijab.
"I ended up taking off my hijab and
changing my name after that year."
But this name-changing is a thing of the
past, as the Somali-American is now
proudly writing TV scripts in Hollywood
under her own name.
Ubah
Mohamed
says she
inherited
her
strong
personality
from her
mother
She has written for shows such as The
Whispers and Arrow and is currently a
staff writer with The CW Television
Network, working on the Legends of
Tomorrow series.
Ironically, given her earlier
rejections, she reached her current
position by being more open about her
heritage.
Now living in Los Angeles, Mohamed is
the oldest of three children.
Her mother Asha Abdalla and father Saleh
Mohamed, who met and married in Somalia,
moved to the US to study and settled on
the east coast before starting a family.
On her first visit to her parents'
homeland in 2000, Mohamed travelled to
the northern city of Erigavo in the
breakaway republic of Somaliland, where
she visited a famous ancient graveyard.
"There were rocks as far as the eye
could see. And all the rocks marked the
sites of man-made graves, but there were
no names on them."
The graveyard was also used to bury
those who died in the civil war that
began in the 1980s.
It was an experience that changed her
life, making her count her blessings.
"Had my mother not decided to leave, I
would have been left in that life,"
Mohamed's said.
This galvanised her to pursue her dream
of becoming a Hollywood TV writer and
she moved to Los Angeles.
Legends
of
Tomorrow
premiered
in
January
2016 and
its
fourth
season
is soon
to air
But it was a struggle.
"I was trying to get writing jobs and it
was taking a while.
"In 2012 I was literally going to leave
LA. I had been there for five years when
I got accepted into the Cosby writing
programme."
The 15-week workshop was designed to
assist writers complete their scripts.
"I got to sit down and meet other
writers and build relationships.
"Through the Cosby programme, I got to
meet top TV writers like Raamla Mohamed
and Safia Dirie [both had Somali
parents]. It was great to meet them."
'My personality is
Somali'
Though Mohamed felt ashamed to be
different in her younger years, she now
celebrates her African roots.
"My genes are Somali, my personality is
Somali."
Writing
under
her real
name
now,
Mohamed
has
other
props in
her life
The strong personality is
in part inherited from her mother, Asha
Abdalla, who in 2004 became the first
woman to run for Somalia's presidency.
"My mother went home to try and save the
country.
"She was minister for demobilisation and
disarmament. She's been threatened and
has survived bomb attacks."
Despite these challenges, Ms Abdalla,
who has since retired from politics, has
not lost her sense of humour.
"Just recently, I was trying to reach
her. She was in Somalia's capital,
Mogadishu, and my brother finally got a
hold of her.
"The phone lines were down because of a
bombing. My mother said: 'They must have
heard it was my birthday!'"
Supernatural
stories
After many years of struggle, Mohamed
learned to use Somalia's rich heritage
of long-form storytelling in her own
work.
She began writing a story about
"djinns", spirits who take on different
forms within our world.
"Growing up, my cousin told me stories
about "djinns". The stories stuck with
me. Writing a story about this world
felt natural."
In 2014, Mohamed was one of just eight
writers out of 2,000 applicants to be
accepted into the Disney/ABC writing
programme.
"I
was so
ashamed
of being
different
that my
friends
of many
years
never
knew my
real
name"
The TV pilot she
submitted to get on the course was for a
show she called The Gifted - a series
about children with mental health
problems who find out that they had the
ability to see spirits.
During the interview, Mohamed recalled
her experience and struggle as a writer.
"I sat down with head of the programme,
Tim McNeal, and I told him I had been
ashamed of my name because it made me
feel so different," she says.
"I was so ashamed of being different
that my friends of many years never knew
my real name."
Ubah
Mohamed
is
becoming
a legend
in her
own
right
McNeal encouraged her to be more open
about her identity.
The Gifted became one of the first
scripts she penned under her real name.
"People say that you can't get far in
Hollywood with an ethnic name, still I
just couldn't put a fake name to this
script.
"I thought: 'This story is me.' I had
this moment of: 'Wow it has taken me so
long to be proud of who I am.'"
The Disney/ABC writing programme opened
the doors for Mohamed.
In 2015 she pitched and wrote a drama
series called Cold and wrote for several
shows including The Whispers, which is
executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
"To be able to work in the fantasy and
sci-fi genre universe I've been really
lucky, it's been a blessing," she says.
A Muslim Convict Story:
1791 Muslim
History Projects
Australia had
a number of Muslim convicts
and settlers. Here is the
story of Zimran who arrived
in 1791...
Kazi Mannan
HeartThreads
From poverty
in Pakistan to prosperity in
America, Kazi opened his
restaurant to the hungry,
both paying and non-paying
customers alike. Today, he's
fed thousands of people in
need.
ISLAMIC LECTURES
The role of Muslims in
the West
Abdul Qayum
(Imam of East London Mosque)
@ Slacks
Creek Mosque
Friday 5
October evening lecture
An Ideal Muslim Family in
the West
Imam Abdul
Qayum
Sydney Tour by IPDC
Lakemba
Mosque
3 October
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.
Muslim Council of Britain to train
women to run mosques
Six-month
programme aims to increase
diversity and follows calls for
greater involvement
UK: Britain’s leading Muslim
organisation has launched a scheme to
train women for leadership positions in
mosques and community bodies.
Twenty women have embarked on the
six-month intensive programme run by the
Muslim Council of Britain, aimed at
equipping them for leadership positions.
As well as one-to-one mentoring, the
women will visit “best-practice mosques”
and be given media and public speaking
training.
A national conference in Manchester this
weekend on the future of mosques,
organised by the MCB, will include a
session on the participation of women on
boards of trustees and other bodies
running places of worship and community
programmes.
Few mosques in the UK have women on
their trustee or management boards, and
men outnumber women on all charity
trustee boards by two to one, according
to the Charity Commission.
The MCB said: “This lack of diversity is
unacceptable and it is essential for the
management boards of mosques and third
sector organisations in general to
reflect the communities that they serve
in order to function effectively.”
The initiative comes as some Muslim
women are demanding equal access to and
greater involvement in running mosques.
More than a quarter of mosques in the UK
have no facilities for women, and in the
remainder access is often restricted and
the space they are allocated is limited.
In August, Scottish Muslim women
launched a campaign for equal prayer
space and inclusion in decision-making
bodies.
The Scottish Mosques for All campaign
said: “It is unfortunate that many
mosques fail to provide basic access for
Muslim women to use the facility to
pray, or the quality of the space can
often be inadequate and not suitable.
“It is also unfortunate that many
mosques have limited or no women present
at mosque trustee or managerial level,
either intentionally preventing women
from taking up these roles or not
sufficiently providing a welcoming
atmosphere where women feel comfortable
to get involved. The place and role of
women in mosques is in real crisis in
the UK and elsewhere, and this status
quo must change.”
Another organisation, Open My Mosque, is
calling for a commitment from mosques to
equality, and the Bradford-based Muslim
Women’s Council is raising funds for a
mosque led and governed by women, “based
on the principles of openness,
inclusivity, social justice and
sanctuary”.
Andleen Razzaq, a former trustee of Al
Manaar mosque in west London, who is
lead facilitator of the MCB’s women in
mosques development programme, said:
“Muslim women are doing amazing work in
the community, but often have no
experience of being trustees or on
decision-making bodies. We need to have
big conversations around the barriers to
women. Most are cultural; in Islam, men
and women have equal spiritual standing.
“We can see the direction things are
moving in. Women are feeling more
empowered – their voices cannot be
ignored, the momentum is definitely
there. Young women in particular are
hungry for change. If men won’t welcome
them, women will be tempted to create
their own spaces.”
All mosques should “reflect the values
of equality, inclusivity and diversity”,
she added.
Ghazalla Hussain, who is taking part in
the programme, said it was helping her
build her confidence and “believe in
myself a bit more”. “A lot of mosque
committees don’t understand what women
want or need. But I think they know
times are changing, and they have to
change too,” she said.
In a speech on International Women’s Day
in March, Harun Khan, the MCB’s
secretary general, backed calls for
gender equality. It was “time to ensure
that everyone understands their own
responsibility in achieving equal access
and opportunities for men and women in
British society today”, he said.
Referring to domestic violence, pay
inequality, abuse and harassment, he
said: “Closer to home, why is Muslim
civil society still full of many mosques
that only have prayer spaces for men and
none for women, as if to imply that
prayer and a sense of community is only
for men?”
The marginalisation of women in mosques
was “simply unacceptable”, Khan added.
The MCB’s training programme for women
will be reviewed at the end of the
current pilot scheme, and there are
plans to offer a similar programme to
men in the future.
Since the Satanic Verses affair in 1988, the
British Muslim community has had its fair share
of challenges, strains and opportunities. One
individual who has had front row access through
his own involvement for the past 30 years has
been Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari.
Abdul Bari has played a significant role in the
development and expansion of East London Mosque
(ELM) into the London Muslim Centre.
His tenure (2006-10) as Secretary-General of the
Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) came during the
most challenging period in history as it
coincided with the 7/7 terrorist bombings when
the British Muslim community came under the
spotlight.
Abdul Bari has also contributed to nationwide
projects such an adequate living wage, tackling
knife crime and creating urban community trusts
through his support of Citizens UK through the
partnership of ELM and the East London Citizens
Organisation.
He has also served on the board of the London
Organising Committee of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The book is a personal
biography of Abdul Bari but he uses the
opportunity to highlight important issues of
community, inclusion, radicalisation, family,
activism and education from a personal
perspective.
His memoirs are not just about community, faith
and duty. The reader gets a glimpse of Abdul
Bari who was a Bangladeshi air force officer and
an educationalist working in special needs.
The renowned journalist Peter Oborne calls A
Long Jihad: My Quest for the Middle Way as “a
deeply moving personal story about how one
British Muslim has dealt with courage and
patience with very complex and sensitive issues
for over three decades.” However, I found the
book to be informative, yet, from my
interpretations, there are at least four
strands, which stand out in Abdul Bari’s
memoirs.
Firstly, Abdul Bari gives us a historical
understanding of the British Muslim community
over the past three decades through his own
experiences. One such experience is his insider
perspective on the formation of the MCB in 1997.
He gives his own personal account of the
challenges he himself faced as Secretary-General
and dealing with events and circumstances. He
explains in detail about the pressures from the
Blair Government in the wake of the 7/7 attacks
and how individuals went out to systematically
discredit the MCB by creating Government backed
organisations that lacked the legitimacy and
support from the community and how in 2018 they
are nowhere to be seen. Yet, despite the
pressures the MCB were under during this period,
it was an opportunity for Abdul Bari to engage
with civic organisations, trade unions and
connect with the wider British Muslim community.
Throughout the summer of 2006, Abdul Bari
travelled across the British Isles which brought
him in direct contact with mosques,
organisations, youth clubs and women
associations. This nationwide tour presented
Abdul Bari not only an opportunity to introduce
the MCB, but also a chance for the MCB to listen
to people and learn from various grass-roots
organisations on the challenges the community
was facing.
Secondly, another strand in the book I picked up
was Abdul Bari, through his various roles such
as with Citizens UK and LOCOG, reaffirmed the
belief that British Muslims can be British and
Muslim, and strive to achieve the common good by
working together as part of the mainstream
society.
In the foreword to this book, Neil Jameson,
Executive Director of Citizens UK, says the book
is “a vision, or blueprint for ‘getting on’ and
(of) ‘common good’, including both social and
political as well as spiritual dimensions.”
Whether as a young officer in the Bangladesh Air
Force training in the UK, to his post-doctoral
research in Physics and as a teacher of students
with special needs, Abdul Bari shows that as a
British Muslim one can and should contribute to
the wider society. His role as a board member of
LOCOG demonstrated how he ensured the 2012 games
was a celebration for all of London and went to
great lengths to ensure the Muslim contribution
was instrumental as part of the fabric of what
the city of London had to offer.
Abdul Bari also highlights his own professional
role as a teacher specialising in Special
Educational Needs in Tower Hamlets had given him
an insight into the day-to-day struggles of many
lives. Abdul Bari strives to tell the message of
how important it is for British Muslims to be
active members of society whether at school,
college, university or workplace and to look to
achieve the common good.
Thirdly, Abdul Bari’s book is an opportunity to
present his personal views on the concept of
identity, on how to handle extremism, the need
for education and inclusivity to name a few.
Abdul Bari does not hold back and argues there
is a need for the wider British society to deal
with the Muslim community and how the community
is here to stay and to play a positive role in
society.
Yet, Abdul Bari quite rightly says the British
Muslim community is under the microscope and
scrutiny due to the rise in populism,
Islamophobia and right-wing rhetoric. He is
critical of the right-wing media, think tanks
and politicians who have unfairly put the blame
on the Muslim community and how Islamophobia is
becoming normalised. He uses the example of the
2010 Channel 4 Dispatches programme, which
depicted the Islamic Forum Europe (IFE) as some
sinister cult trying to take over Tower Hamlets
and turn it into ‘Londonistan’. The programme
tried to prove Muslims were self-ghettoising,
yet not taken the views of the people they were
reporting on and how Channel 4 did not give the
ELM and IFE adequate time to respond to the
allegations they were accused of.
Abdul Bari also does not shy away from accepting
that the community needs to find positive ways
to empower young people, women and even the
wider community, which it is currently not doing
so. He is also critical on how British Muslims
should internally and externally create stable
homes; giving a greater emphasis on education
and how mosques throughout the country should
provide more than just access to the five daily
prayers as only then can the British Muslim
community be equipped to challenge the issues.
Finally in the title Long Jihad: My Quest for
the Middle Way, the word ‘jihad’ is significant.
Jihad is a term that has negative connotations;
and in the eyes of many, the word is associated
with war, violence and extremism, due to media
and political narratives. Abdul Bari throughout
the book uses the opportunity to highlight what
is meant by jihad. Whether through his own life
experience or views, Abdul Bari shows how his
dedication to his religion, community, society
and nation and staying on the middle path is a
mandatory social and religious requirement.
Abdul Bari in some ways is trying to reclaim the
word ‘jihad’ by speaking out against extremism
and how the believers are required to live a
life of ‘middle way’ and adopt moderation. He
refutes the argument that walking the middle way
does not mean walking a thin line of ‘dos and
don’ts’, but making an effort to remain around
the centre and avoid the two extremes. Abdul
Bari shows ‘jihad’ is a struggle to endeavour
and change for the common good and also a
commitment of self-purification through pure
intention and a collective effort to fight
against inequality, injustice and oppression in
a civil way.
Abdul Bari’s memoirs are necessary for any young
person (anybody under the age of 40) from the
British Muslim community and beyond to
understand the issues and the evolving of the
British Muslim community over the past three
decades.
I have seen for myself Abdul Bari’s commitment
and contribution to achieving a ‘common good’
for all.
Abdul Bari is one of a handful of British Muslim
individuals who has maintained a community role
and influenced nationwide outcomes at the same
time. In his retirement, he has dedicated his
life to mentoring and advising the next
generation of leaders in becoming model
citizens. His memoir is a leadership manual on
how to strive the middle way for any aspiring
community servant in Britain.
Hasan Salim Patel works in communications.
He has also worked for Al Jazeera and the BBC in
broadcast journalism and in PR.
KB says:
Shakshouka is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce
of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often
spiced with cumin. Its present egg and
vegetable-based form originated in Tunisia. It
is quite popular now in the Middle East and
North Africa.
Shakshuka
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
˝
tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 large red capsicum, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 long fresh red chilli, thinly sliced
Ľ
teaspoon caster sugar
2 x 400g cans Diced Tomatoes
4 eggs
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
˝
teaspoon ground coriander
Ľ
teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Step 1
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.
Cook onion for 3 minutes or until soft. Stir in capsicum,
garlic and fresh chilli for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in
paprika, cumin, ground coriander, dried chilli flakes and
sugar for 1 minute or until aromatic. Season.
Step 2
Add the tomato. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes or
until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Use the
back of a spoon to make 4 large, evenly spaced indents in
the mixture. Crack an egg into each indent
Step 3
Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes for soft
yolks or until cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with chopped
coriander leaves or parsley and serve hot with toast.
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.
Need a reason to get
moving? Here are some benefits of exercise to
get you going:
• Physical
activity can help manage heart disease
• Exercise controls blood pressure and
cholesterol
• Being active daily will build stamina,
strength and boost metabolism
• Build stronger bones, muscles and joints
• Lower the risk of falls as you age
• Will give you more energy
N-JOY!
Find and follow me on Instagram for more fitspo
@Kareema_Benjamin
Writer, Clarity
Coach, Founder and
Facilitator of
Healing Words
Therapy - Writing
for Wellbeing
Muslimah
Mind
Matters
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
“Emotional
Blackmail”.
Experience and
observations from my
sessions with
clients have
confirmed to me a
notion I have had
for several years
now - that Emotional
Blackmail is the
root cause of fear.
Emotional
blackmailing
involves threat in
exchange of fear.
The act of
threatening someone
to succumb them into
believing that they
need to perform a
certain act or
behave a certain way
or else the
consequence would be
negative is known as
Emotional Blackmail.
Believe it or not,
Emotional Blackmail
is practised in most
homes on a daily
basis, especially in
parent-child and
husband-wife
relationships.
Notice the next time
you say to your
child something that
sounds a bit like
this - “If you don’t
score above 90% in
your exams this
year, you certainly
won’t be getting
that new PlayStation
game you’ve been
asking for.”
Or, how often have
you heard something
that may sound like
- “If you don’t do
as I say, I’ll leave
you.”
What happens to
relationships when
there is Emotional
Blackmail?
When there is
emotional blackmail
in a relationship,
love, respect and
understanding get
replaced by
dictatorship,
bullying and
oppression. Instead
of understanding why
the child’s exam
results are lower
than expected and
trying to address
the underlying
causes, the parent
emotionally
blackmails the child
into fearing a
situation that is
undesirable. Instead
of understanding and
empathising with our
spouse, we give
emotional
ultimatums.
Adults who resort to
emotional
blackmailing are
often suppressing
anger and have an
intense need to
control. Adults who
give in to emotional
blackmailing are
often lacking
self-worth and
self-esteem and
identify themselves
as victims of
situations.
Each time a
fear-inducing
statement is made to
emotionally
blackmail another,
fear takes over. As
Muslims, we must
understand that
where there is fear,
there is no faith.
If we are to truly
fear only ALLAH then
we must live from
the space of
understanding,
compassion and
meaningful
conversations.
Often the argument
my clients make is
that if they don’t
use emotional
blackmailing, they
feel things don’t
happen according to
their expectations.
But think about this
for a moment - are
you really in
control? Do you
really feel that
succumbing to fear
of situations would
ever yield positive
outcomes in the long
term? People may
obey you the first
time or even several
times, however,
eventually
resentment takes
over and arguments,
retaliation,
rebelliousness and
sometimes violence
become the norm of
the home.
3-Step-Strategy
to avoid Emotional
Blackmail
1.
Self-reflection
is important.
Spend a whole
day or week to
be mindful and
become aware of
what you say to
people and what
they say to you.
Do this as an
observer without
judgment.
2. Write down
these
observations in
a notebook.
Analyse these
statements and
look for those
that revolve
around fear and
punishment.
3. Have a
conversation
with the people
involved and
say: “Let us
discuss this
issue with the
goal to
understand what
is actually
causing it. Once
we understand
the cause, we
can work on a
solution.”
If you wish to know about
a specific topic
with regards to
Self-Care and
Clarity of Mind,
please email me on
info@healingwordstherapy.com.
If you wish to have
a FREE one hour
Clarity Coaching
phone session,
contact me on
0451977786
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.
Mental Health
Week is an annual, national
event that aims to improve
community awareness and
interest in mental health
and wellbeing.
Research has shown that high
levels of mental health are
associated with creativity,
learning and productivity,
and positive personal
relationships, with improved
physical health. Mental
health is about being
cognitively, emotionally and
socially healthy – the way
we think, feel and develop
relationships.
Culturally and
linguistically diverse
(CALD) women (women from
non-English speaking
backgrounds) face multiple
challenges, which can affect
their mental health.
What does positive mental
health and wellbeing mean ?
Are you copying well with
everyday life stressors ?
What works for you ?
Come and participate in this
interactive Women’s
Wellbeing workshop and learn
and share together and find
good coping strategies to
keep ourselves mentally,
emotionally and physically
healthy.
Journalist
Ms Gabrielle Chan will
deliver the keynote address
on Thursday 25 October. Ms
Chan is a renowned political
journalist and author with
over 30 years experience
working for The Australian,
ABC Radio Australia, Daily
Telegraph and Guardian
Australia.
She has a
passion for bridging the
economic and cultural divide
between the city and the
country, and has authored a
book on “Why Country
Australia is Fed Up”. This
is arguably one of the most
important topics of
discussion in Australia
today.
Register for
a ticket below. Discounted
early bird tickets are
available now!
Why
Country Australia is Fed Up
- A perspctive on Politics,
Media and the Economy
(see this
week's CCN Book Club
section)
It is that time of the month again- the second Monday of
the month. Time for Brisbane’s ONLY 100% halal BBQ at
Bunnings warehouse. Come along this Monday and enjoy a
halal sausage sizzle. All money raised goes towards our
community activities.
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.
Abu Darda
reported that the Messenger of
Allah ﷺ said, “Seek out the vulnerable
among you. Verily, you are only
given provision and support due
to your support of the weak."-
Sunan al-Tirmidhī
In Indonesia, MAA’s relief
operations now are in full swing
after the devastating
earthquake, tsunami and volcanic
eruption rocked the island of
Sulawesi and caused thousands of
deaths and displaced people.
Our relief operations are in two
phases:
The first phase is taking place
right now, and we are
distributing fresh water,
emergency food packs, hygiene
kits, bedding and other
essential items in the worst
affected town of Palu.
The second phase will be focused
on long-term aid, and on
providing a source of income to
the victims, so they can get
their lives back on track as
early as possible.
Please help save lives in
Indonesia by donating now:
➤ Online: http://bit.ly/IndoEQ1
💰 Donate via our App:
Playstore: bit.ly/PStoreAppMAA
iTunes: bit.ly/iTunesAppMAA
☎ Call 1800 100 786
🌐 Bank Transfer:
MAA International
NAB (Branch: Sydney)
BSB: 082 057 & Account No.: 251
725 137
SWIFT: NATAAU33
Ref: INDOEQ
You would be pleased to know
that the construction of
burned Toowoomba Masjid has
started last week,
Alhamdulillah.
The concrete work has begin.
We are in short of
AUD$650,000.
As you know our community is
small and financially
stressed and hence we need
generous help from people
like yourself to complete
the project.
Our request to you is for a
contribution (donation or
loan or mix of donation and
loan) to complete the
project.
But we also request you to
reach your relatives and
friends on your mailing
lists or social media who
may be able to make more
significant contributions.
Bank Account Details:
Commonwealth Bank of
Australia,
Toowoomba Plaza Branch
A/C Name: Toowoomba Islamic
Charitable Organisation
BSB: 064459 A/C Number: 1034
1586
Swift Code: CTBAAU25XXX
For more information, call
Prof Shahjahan Khan on
+61421081048
Islamic Care clothing
bins are now operational
around South East Queensland
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
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Congratulations
to all the students of Rami
Thunder Martial Art Academy
on their outstanding
achievements at the Brisbane
Open 2018. 
Sisters
Support Services had the
pleasure of hosting Kathryn
Jones at her Book Launch on
Tuesday the 25 September at
Michael's Oriental. 
sisters
with her warm and friendly
nature and inspired us with
stories of her past and how
she had overcome them.
Prompted by a slide show we
learnt new techniques and
strategies to embrace the
leader within. 
Sisters
Support Services Inc had the
opportunity to coordinate
some excellent activities
these school holidays. 
While
I lost my mum to
domestic
violence but I
won't let fear
or racists keep
me silent
Ban
niqab, burka in
all public
places
Why
Hollywood writer
Ubah Mohamed
hated her name
Text message sent to wrong number
leads to stranger attending family funeral
Since the Satanic Verses affair in 1988, the
British Muslim community has had its fair share
of challenges, strains and opportunities. One
individual who has had front row access through
his own involvement for the past 30 years has
been Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari.
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011