The Honourable Bill Shorten
MP
Leader of the Australian
Labor Party
Leader of the Opposition
Australian Federal
Parliament
Dear Mr Shorten,
The Australian National
Imams Council is the peak
Muslim body that represents
the Muslim community
throughout Australia, with
over 200 Imams from all
Australian states, living in
major Australian cities. It
is also the sole body that
elects the Grand Mufti of
Australia.
The Australian National
Imams Council calls upon the
Australian Labor Party and
the current and future
Australian Government to
recognise the state of
Palestine and to work
towards resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
Australia can play a vital
and non-biased role in
resolving this ongoing
conflict that has led to the
death of tens of thousands
of innocent Palestinians and
the displacement of many
more.
It is important that the
Australian Government
honours its commitment to
the Palestinians. In 1947,
Australia voted to divide
Palestine, then recognised
the state of Israel in 1948,
but as yet has failed to
recognise the state of
Palestine; and to grant the
state of Palestine full
diplomatic rights.
It is also important to act
in the support of the right
of Palestinians for
self-determination.
Israel’s continued illegal
expansion of ‘Jewish only’
settlements on occupied
Palestinian land is in
flagrant contravention of
international law, impacting
and impeding a peaceful
workable solution.
Recent statements by the
Australian Government on
relocating the Australian
Embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem, and recognising
Jerusalem as the capital
city of Israel, seriously
concerns all Muslims around
the world, in particular
those living in Australia.
We strongly condemn any such
move or decision. this will
only contribute to further
escalation and complications
to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
The Australian National
Imams Council strongly urges
the Australian Labor Party
and political leaders like
yourself to play a positive,
unbiased role in the
Australian foreign policy
regarding the recognition of
the state of Palestine and
resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
Should you have any further
queries on this matter
please do not hesitate to
make contact at your
earliest.
Best Regards, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman
President of the Australian
National Imams Council
The iconic chocolate bar has
been certified halal,
prompting calls for a
boycott.
People are calling for a
boycott of iconic Swiss
chocolate Toblerone after
the company announced it
received halal certification
back in April.
Mondelez, the company that
produces the pyramid-shaped
chocolate, announced its
factory in Bern,
Switzerland, achieved halal
certification eight months
ago.
The company also confirmed
the recipe and production
process has not changed.
Muslims choose to eat halal
food because it meets
requirements that they
believe make it suitable for
consumption.
Production facilities can be
certified, so that any
products produced according
to the certification
standards can claim to be
halal.
The certification doesn't
mean alcohol or pork goes
into the production of
Toblerone, just the factory
must abide by certain
ethical standards and pass
regular inspections.
However, the certification
didn't please everyone with
the federal spokesperson of
Germany's far-right AfD
party claiming the move
showed the "Islamisation" of
Europe.
"Islamisation does not take
place - neither in Germany
nor in Europe," AfD's Jörg
Meuthen wrote sarcastically
on social media, according
to CNN.
"It is therefore certainly
pure coincidence that the
depicted, known chocolate
variety is now certified as
'HALAL.'"
Others turned to Twitter to
express their anger that
Toblerone is now halal
certified.
But many mocked the idea
people were boycotting
Toblerone since the recipe
or production process
remained the same and it had
always met halal criteria.
Mufti Menk is arguably the
most popular and renowned
Mufti on the planet. Having
been in the ‘Top 500 Most
Influential Muslims’ list 6
years in a row, his name and
online lectures are a staple
in millions of Muslim
households.
To no surprise, we learn the
Mufti was reading the Quran
at the tender age of 3 and
memorised it cover-to-cover
by 11 (yes, you read those
numbers right).
A fast-tracked upbringing
was just the beginning;
after being enrolled
(somewhat a surprise to him)
into Madina University,
Ismail Menk began on a
journey of hardship,
enlightenment, struggle and
joy.
We trace the Mufti’s journey
from childhood in a
Christian school, to early
medical career aspirations,
studying abroad and a
difficult divorce – all of
which made the Islamic
Scholar we know as Mufti
Menk.
The Second International
Conference on Organ
Transplantation in Islam
will be held at the Western
Sydney University on 22 and
23 November.
This conference explores a
rare topic in Islamic
theological and social
scientific discussions; how
Islam deals with organ
transplantation.
Existing studies on organ
transplantation, rare as
they are, either look at the
argument in support of organ
transplantation and
donation, or the argument
that considers organ
transplantation and donation
to be prohibited in Islam.
What is missing is a clear
and authoritative response
to the question of organ
transplantation and donation
in Islam.
Whether organ
transplantation and donation
is permissible or not in
Islam, robust theological
and social scientific
discussions are necessary
for individuals to make an
informed determination
Each week CCN presents the
abstract and biography of
one of the speakers at the
conference:
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.
Nayed was the first
post-Gaddafi Libyan
Ambassador to the UAE for
Libya’s National
Transitional Council. He led
the Tripoli Stabilisation
Team. Prior to the Libyan
revolution he worked as an
important scholar in the
field of Muslim-Christian
relations, and is the
founder and director of
Kalam Research & Media (KRM).
Religious Scholar:
Nayed is a former professor
at the Pontifical Institute
for Arabic and Islamic
Studies (Rome), a former
professor at the
International Institute for
Islamic Thought and
Civilization (ISTAC,
Malaysia) and a senior
advisor to the Cambridge
Interfaith Program and the
Faculty of Divinity in
Cambridge, UK. Prior to the
Libyan revolution he
lectured on Islamic
Theology, Logic, and
Spirituality at the restored
Uthman Pasha Madrasa in
Tripoli, Libya, and
supervised Graduate Students
at the Islamic Call College
there. He is also a member
of the Board of Advisors of
the Templeton Foundation.
Political Leader:
Nayed’s other strengths have
not gone unnoticed, and when
he first submitted his
resignation from the post of
Ambassador to the UAE, it
was rejected, and he was
asked to take the position
again. He is viewed in many
circles as a man of
integrity, wisdom and
strength; virtues that are
needed at the highest level
to put Libya back on track.
In 2017, Nayed launched a
new movement for change in
Libya dubbed Ihya Libya
(“Reviving Libya”) which
aims to create a stable,
prosperous and democratic
country.
The students
were all
apprehensive
about going to
the mosque and
meeting Muslims
to ask about
Islamic
practices. Where
they came from,
this was
absolutely
taboo. Some
Muslims scared
them and made
them consider
Islam as a
violent faith.
But because they
trusted me and
had confidence
in my knowledge
of Islam and
experience in
public
relations, they
followed me to
the three-storey
building located
in a corner of
the Melbourne
city centre
within the free
tram ride area.
The first floor
was for the male
congregational
prayer space,
toilet and
ablution area
for males. There
was also a
little bookshop
selling Islamic
books. The
second floor was
for the women,
who had their
own toilet and
ablution
facilities
there. The third
floor was the
office space of
the council
which had a
meeting room and
a seminar hall
that could seat
100. There, we
met a kind and
talkative Malay
lady wearing a
tudung.
During the
dialogue
session, my
students plied
her with
questions
related to the
openness of the
mosque to
non-Muslims. The
lady mentioned
that they got
frequent
visitors from
non-Muslims who
asked about
various concerns
over Islam that
they heard from
the media. There
were also some
who were
somewhat
hostile, but the
council managed
these public
relation
episodes in a
friendly and
amicable manner.
It was helpful
that the mayor
of Melbourne was
a strong
supporter of the
Muslim
community, even
though he
himself was not
a Muslim.
The Melbourne
mosque also
organised public
talks on health
issues or
specific social
concerns, and it
was open to the
public which
thronged to the
third floor
seminar hall.
Before the lady
finished with
her answers,
another council
official came in
and spoke
jovially to the
students about
sports, life in
Melbourne, and
issues like
parking during
Friday prayers.
At our hotel
that night, I
asked the
students about
their take on
meeting another
world of Islam.
They said apart
from me, they
would never have
met Muslims who
were friendly,
open and
intelligent, and
who put them at
ease in
conversations. I
told them the
next time you
think of Islam,
think of
Melbourne Islam.
The next day,
the students and
I went to visit
the newly built
mosque in
Newport,
Melbourne.
As the mosque
was running low
on funding, many
of the workers
were volunteer
Muslims,
including the
contractor
himself who was
a professional
builder.
Meet
the former
garbageman now
running NSW
schools
By Jordan Baker
Murat Dizdar
is responsible for the
day-to-day operation of the
state's 2200 schools
CONTINUED FROM
LAST WEEK'S CCN....
As a kid, he'd
go to Turkish
school on
Saturdays, and
spend the rest
of his time
studying (unless
he was watching
his beloved
Western Suburbs
Magpies at
Lidcombe Oval).
His teachers
could see he was
bright, and drew
his parents'
attention first
to the
opportunity
class test, and
then to the
selective
schools one.
When Dizdar was
accepted into
Fort Street
High, one of
only seven
selective
schools in
Sydney at the
time, his
teachers even
mapped out the
bus route to
persuade his
parents to send
him.
Selective
schools were
intended to
bring bright
kids together,
so they could
push each other
further. Not
everyone agrees
with them, but
Dizdar felt the
competition and
extracurricular
activities were
good for him;
"it made me work
harder". In
recent years,
there has been
increasing
concern about
the number of
students being
coached for the
selective
schools entrance
test, giving
them an
advantage
unavailable to
children like
Dizdar, whose
parents could
have never paid
the tens of
thousands of
dollars
required.
The department
is reviewing the
test, trying to
find a way to
ensure kids from
lower
socioeconomic
backgrounds have
the same chances
as wealthier
ones. "It was
meant to pick up
kids like me
from a very
disadvantaged
background ...
and grow that
talent and
ability," he
said. "[I'm]
really proud
we're tackling
that, having
been a student
that went down
that path."
At the end of
year seven,
Dizdar was near
the bottom of
the rankings in
a class full of
bright kids. But
his work ethic
kicked in, and
by year 12, he
was dux. In the
HSC, he came
first in the
state in three
unit geography
and second in
three unit
economics. His
tertiary
entrance rank
was 99.95,
giving him a
golden ticket to
every university
course. He chose
law, but had a
secret; he
wanted to be a
teacher. "I
didn't tell
anyone," he
says. "Because
if you come from
working-class
stock and you've
got, like I did,
parents who did
it the tough way
... medicine
[and law are]
the ticket."
He'd been
fascinated by
teaching since
he was 14. "I
would be
watching [my
teachers]
thinking, 'could
I execute like
that? Could I
inspire like
they're
inspiring? Could
I influence and
shape like they
were
influencing?
They were
masters of
controlling and
motivating and
testing and
challenging and
inviting
contention."
Dizdar did well
at law, of
course. But it
didn't excite
him, and after
two years he
decided to
switch to
education. His
parents were
horrified, and
university
officials called
a meeting to
dissuade him.
But for him, it
was the perfect
fit. Dizdar
remembers
driving to his
first practical
placement with
four other
teaching
students. "In
the afternoon,
the rest of them
were crying in
the car," he
says. "I'm
saying, 'stick
it out, this is
phenomenal'.
We’ve
got the degrees,
so why do Muslim
women struggle
to get jobs?
By Aina Khan,
freelance
journalist
Armed
with the
professional
gold
dust of
a
degree,
these
women
should
be on
the way
towards
a
blossoming
career.’
For the last
decade, more
Muslim women
than men are
going into
higher
education. Armed
with the
professional
gold dust of a
degree, these
women should be
on the way
towards a
blossoming
career.
However, a new
report by the
Institute for
Public Policy
and Research (IPPR)
highlights that
for Pakistani
and Bangladeshi
Muslim women
like me, this
glowing success
vanishes as
these women
struggle to
enter the labour
market.
Tumbling down
the rabbit-hole
of unemployment
they go, where a
“complex
interplay” of
increasing
discrimination,
everyday
Islamophobia,
some “cultural
conservatism”
and the failure
of mainstream
services,
“including
employment
support, benefit
and welfare
systems,
subsidised
childcare and
mental health
support” let
these women
down.
Of
course, none of
this comes as
any surprise.
Two years since
Louise Casey’s
review on
integration
blamed
regressive
“cultural or
religious
values” in
Pakistani and
Bangladeshi
Muslim
communities for
holding women
back from
integrating and
working, it is
depressing to
see how little
has been done
since.
The
disproportionate
focus on the
un-British
“patriarchal
culture” of
Muslims in the
Casey review
served not as an
attempt to
resolve
disengagement
among these
women, but as a
political
scarecrow to
distract from
the structural
barriers that
also affect
these women, and
indeed all women
from black,
Asian and
minority ethnic
(BAME)
backgrounds.
The knee-jerk
assumption that
culture alone is
what holds back
Muslim women is
dressed in the
trappings of
colonialism
where “British”
culture,
whatever that
may be, is more
“civilised”. It
is this very
same civilised
culture in which
women in the UK
have borne 86%
of the austerity
burden and BAME
women especially
have been
disproportionately
affected by cuts
to benefits, tax
credits and
public services
since 2010. One
woman is killed
every three days
in the UK and
women’s refuges
have had their
budgets slashed
by almost a
quarter in the
last seven
years. Forgive
me, but my
womanhood is not
oppressed by my
faith, but by
the callousness
of austerity
Britain.
Where mainstream
organisations
have failed to
build trust in
local
communities, the
IPPR report also
highlights how
community-based
projects such as
Shantona, a
women and family
centre in Leeds,
have stepped in
to complete the
vital task of
engaging Asian
Muslim women and
equipping them
with skills,
notwithstanding
dwindling access
to funding and
local authority
grants.
Oversubscribed
and stretched
for resources,
how long must
they run on
sheer altruism
and goodwill
before
mainstream
organisations
will step in?
But the
challenge isn’t
simply for
Muslim women to
get their foot
through the
door, because
there are also
many hurdles
within the
workplace. The
obsession with
the sartorial
choices of
Muslim women has
found its way
into the
work-space. When
politicians
openly liken
Muslim women
wearing the
niqab to
letterboxes,
this legitimises
Islamophobia and
“othering” that
already
disproportionately
affect visibly
Muslim women.
There is also
the big
elephant-in-the-room
that is class.
Findings from
the Race
Disparity Audit
suggest that
your life
chances are
significantly
lower if you are
from a minority
background,
despite the fact
that the
representation
of ethnic
minority
individuals
within the
labour market
boost the
economy by about
£24bn a year.
The compassion
afforded to the
plight of the
white working
class is
painfully absent
when discussing
class issues in
the context of
the Muslim
community,
despite the fact
that 46% of the
Muslim
population lives
in 10% of most
deprived local
authority
districts in the
UK. As the first
graduate in the
family, my own
ascent up the
rickety ladder
of social
mobility has
been
challenging:
financial
instability from
unpaid
internships and
low-paid jobs,
years of
couch-surfing
and living out
of a suitcase in
order to save on
extortionate
rent, premature
burn-out, and a
crippling sense
of impostor
syndrome which
Michelle Obama
recently spoke
about, has
followed me in
varying degrees
from university
to the
workplace.
The aspiration
and hunger to
succeed was
always there.
However, the
networks,
professional
role models,
signposting and
the confidence
to navigate
worlds so
detached from my
working-class,
single-parent
roots was not.
It was only with
an iron-clad
support network
of mental
cheerleaders,
personal and
professional
mentors of women
from similar
backgrounds,
with a
sprinkling of
sheer
stubbornness,
that any
semblance of
success has come
my way. Yet we
continue to
regurgitate the
myth of British
meritocracy, the
fuzzy idea if
you work hard
you will
succeed.
Meritocracy is
an unforgiving
path for women
like me living
at the
intersections,
faced daily with
the exhausting
task of smashing
a glass ceiling
stubbornly
reinforced with
sexism, racism,
classism and as
of late,
Islamophobia.
Theresa May
promised “a
country that
works for
everyone” when
she became prime
minister. But
the Britain
emerging from
the turbulence
of Brexit
negotiations is
fast tumbling
into the
faultlines of
divisiveness and
inequality.
Until the
interconnections
between race,
class, and
gender are fully
recognised when
it comes to
discussions
surround Muslim
women’s access
to the labour
market, unless
mainstream
organisations
step into assist
community
projects, we
risk losing a
generation of
women who could
be not just an
economic asset
to this country,
but a powerful
social one as
well.
HM King Abdullah II, 2018
Templeton Prize Ceremony,
Washington National
Cathedral
Templeton
Prize
His Majesty
King Abdullah II of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
speaking at the 2018
Templeton Prize Ceremony at
Washington National
Cathedral, November 13.
King Abdullah II was awarded
the 2018 Templeton Prize in
the presence of ambassadors,
Jordanian and U.S.
government officials, and
Washington political
leaders, faith leaders, the
media, and society.
“Today, I am truly humbled
to be recognized by all of
you. But let me say,
everything you honour me for
simply carries onward what
Jordanians have always done,
and how Jordanians have
always lived – in mutual
kindness, harmony, and
brotherhood. And so, I
accept this extraordinary
prize, not on my own behalf,
but on behalf of all
Jordanians,” King Abdullah
II said in remarks at the
ceremony.
King Abdullah II, who has
done more to seek religious
harmony within Islam and
between Islam and other
religions than any other
living political leader, was
announced as the 2018
Templeton Prize Laureate on
June 27 by the John
Templeton Foundation, based
in West Conshohocken,
Pennsylvania.
ISLAMIC
Do Muslims Celebrate
Christmas?
OnePath
Network
Do Muslims
Celebrate Christmas?
It’s the holiday season and
you may be wondering do
muslims celebrate Christmas?
A time of year to take a
break from all of our hard
work and spend some much
needed time with family and
friends. It’s no coincidence
that this holiday period
happens around Christmas, as
traditionally it was a time
to celebrate the birth of
Jesus.
More recently Christmas has
been adopted by most of us
to be a cultural holiday of
gift giving and close
gatherings whilst spending
time with loved ones. We
accept the social etiquettes
such as wishing Merry
Christmas, attending
Christmas gatherings and
even to some extent,
decorating our homes and
workplaces with a Christmas
tree.
Though we do not believe in
the religious undertones of
Christmas, should we, as
Muslims, participate in
Christmas although it is a
national holiday and
celebrate this holiday? And
what are the implications of
our actions?
Here are five reasons why we
Muslims do not celebrate
Christmas..
The Guardian
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.
5 Rabi Al-Akhar, 1440AH/13
December, 2018 we received
the blessed news that my
grandson Mohammed Abdullah
Bin Abdul Aziz Sultan Deen
had completed his last hifz
lesson and is now a Hafiz of
Quran, Masha’Allah. He is
the first Hafiz in his
generation of the Deen
family.
Mohammed Abdullah is the
only son of my youngest son
Aziz and his wife Razima,
with the love and support of
his family, Alhamdulillah he
has completed his hifz under
the guidance of the one and
only Qari Fida Ur Rehman at
Kuraby.
May Allah continue to shower
his blessings on Qari Sahib
for all that he has done for
our families and for the
community at large.
l to r, Qari
Fida-ur-Rahman, Aziz Deen and
Haji Sultan Deen, and gift from
the family in the background
It was narrated that Abu
Hurayrah said: “The
Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: ‘The Qur’aan
will come on the Day of
Resurrection like a pale man
saying to its companion, “Do
you recognize me? I am the
one who made you stay up at
night and made you thirsty
during the day…” Then he
will be given dominion in
his right hand and eternity
in his left, and a crown of
dignity will be placed upon
his head, and his parents
will be clothed with
garments which far surpass
everything to be found in
this world. They will say,
“O Lord, how did we earn
this.” It will be said to
them, “Because you taught
your child the Qur’aan.”’”
My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic
State
by
Nadia Murad
WINNER OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Description
In this
intimate memoir of survival, a former
captive of the Islamic State tells her
harrowing and ultimately inspiring
story.
Nadia Murad was born and raised in Kocho,
a small village of farmers and shepherds
in northern Iraq. A member of the Yazidi
community, she and her brothers and
sisters lived a quiet life. Nadia had
dreams of becoming a history teacher or
opening her own beauty salon.
On August 15th, 2014, when Nadia was
just twenty-one years old, this life
ended. Islamic State militants massacred
the people of her village, executing men
who refused to convert to Islam and
women too old to become sex slaves. Six
of Nadia's brothers were killed, and her
mother soon after, their bodies swept
into mass graves. Nadia was taken to
Mosul and forced, along with thousands
of other Yazidi girls, into the ISIS
slave trade.
Nadia would be held captive by several
militants and repeatedly raped and
beaten. Finally, she managed a narrow
escape through the streets of Mosul,
finding shelter in the home of a Sunni
Muslim family whose eldest son risked
his life to smuggle her to safety.
Today, Nadia's story--as a witness to
the Islamic State's brutality, a
survivor of rape, a refugee, a Yazidi--has
forced the world to pay attention to an
ongoing genocide. It is a call to
action, a testament to the human will to
survive, and a love letter to a lost
country, a fragile community, and a
family torn apart by war.
KB says:
There's chicken, and there's saucy chicken! This
dish is literally finger-licking good. The
addition of a delicious peri-peri sauce is
brilliant. I say that because this recipe is so
simple, so easy, yet so tasty. It always takes
just that one ingredient to take your food to
the next level.
Starting this
week, I will also be including videos below (as
they become available) by *Hussain Baba* who is
the host and chef of *BABA’S HALAL KITCHEN*, a
show where he uses his *own unique style* to
cook *Quick, Easy and Delicious* dishes.
Saucy
Chicken
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Ingredients
1 chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 tab crushed garlic ¼
tsp turmeric powder
1 tab fine red chillies
Lemon juice of one lemon
1 tab Aromat
Marinate the chicken in the above ingredients for a few
hours or best overnight.
The Sauce
100g butter
2 tab garlic
3 tab peri peri sauce
3 tab Nando’s sauce
3 tab mayonnaise
Method
1. Melt 100g butter or ghee in a pot.
2. Add chicken and allow to cook on low heat until the water
has evaporated.
3. Place chicken in an oven proof dish.
4. Prepare sauce by placing all the ingredients in a pot and
allowing it to boil and thicken slightly.
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cover with foil and
bake @ 180 for 20 mins.
6. Remove foil and bake for a further 10 mins.
7. Serve with roti or naan bread or my families favourite -
chips.
Baba's Halal Kitchen
COOKING Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
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.
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:
Are You Living Your
Life By Design Or
Default?
Did you know that
apart from the five
senses of sight,
smell, touch, taste
and hear, ALLAH
subhaanu wa ta’ala
has also blessed us
with six mental
faculties?
ALMIGHTY ALLAH gives
us challenges and
tests on a daily
basis whereby every
moment in life one
needs to make use of
the six faculties of
the mind and react
or respond to the
five senses.
The simple thing to
understand is that
if you are living
your life by default
you are operating on
a default setting
known as REACTION.
In other words,
HABITS.
This means that you
are facing your
tests and challenges
from ALLAH in a
reactive mode. The
result of living on
this reactive mode
is that you are not
pausing to evaluate
your life and make
sense of your
habits, patterns and
ingrained self-talk.
You are giving in to
your nafs (sensory
desires) and hence
Living Life on
DEFAULT.
Now, the ideal
Muslim life is to
pass those tests and
challenges daily
that ALMIGHTY ALLAH
places in our lives
so that we may grow
more joyful, kind,
considerate and
perform righteous
deeds which please
ONLY ALLAH.
How To Live Life
By Design
Living life by
design requires us
to pause and
evaluate our
thoughts, words and
actions every single
moment and perform
righteous deeds that
are pleasing to
ALMIGHTY ALLAH. That
in itself is an
enormous challenge.
There are strategies
that you may use
daily to understand
and transform your
life so that you are
not reacting but
responding to life’s
tests and
challenges.
1. Gratitude -
every morning,
upon waking,
thank ALMIGHTY
ALLAH for the
new day HE has
blessed you
with. Thank
ALLAH for making
you Muslim,
thank ALLAH for
your family and
loved ones and
your health.
2. Record your
behaviour for
seven days -
make notes in a
journal about
how you react or
respond to
life’s daily
challenges.
Write without
judgment.
3. Analyse your
behaviour - now
take each
behaviour
pattern that you
recorded in your
journal and
analyse it with
deep reflection.
(Contact me if
you require help
with this)
Usually, a
timeline of your
life can help
with behaviour
analysis.
Noticing what
happened in your
life helps you
understand how
those behaviour
patterns were
formed. For
example, it was
very early in my
life, around the
age of five,
that I was told
that Muslims
were “bad
people, traitors
and cheaters”. I
only figured
this out when I
worked on my
personal
timeline. This
phase requires
you to use the
six faculties of
your mind
mentioned above.
4. Challenge
your behaviour -
this is the
phase that
requires you to
be completely
honest with
yourself and
tell yourself
that your
ultimate purpose
is to be and
remain a Muslim.
Challenge your
behaviours and
ask yourself if
they are in
alignment with
ALLAH’s
commandments.
5. Transform
your behaviour -
be kind to
yourself.
Transformation
does not happen
overnight. It
requires a
proper strategy,
discipline and
immense support
from people who
want the best
for you. These
people are
always very
positive and
display good,
righteous deeds.
Seek help from
these people to
start your
transformational
journey.
6. Reflect on
your
transformation
daily - the best
time to do this
is after Fajr
when your mind
is alert.
Reflect on your
behaviour
patterns from
the day before
and check in
with yourself
regarding your
transformation.
7. Teach someone
else how to
become aware of
their habits and
support them in
their
transformational
journey. When
you engage in
being of service
to another, you
are obliged to
practise what
you preach.
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.
Imam Mula Nasruddin,
who had a wife and 12 children, needed to move because
his rental agreement was terminated as the owner wanted
to reoccupy the home.
But he was having a lot of difficulties finding a new
house.
When he said he had 12 children, no one would rent a
home to him because they felt that the children would
destroy the place.
He couldn't say he had no children because he couldn't
lie - we all know Imams cannot and do not lie.
So, he sent his wife for a walk to the cemetery with 11
of their kids. He took the remaining one with him to see
rental homes with the real estate agent.
He loved one of the homes and the price was right -- the
agent asked: "How many children do you have?
He answered: "Twelve."
The agent asked, "Where are the others?"
The Imam, with his best sad look, answered, "They're in
the cemetery with their mother."
What and When: Oz
Sports has been hired for
the community's sole use on
Saturday 19 January 2019
from 6pm to 8pm.
Activities will include
netball, soccer, cricket and
volleyball all in the name
of fun.
Teams will be randomly
selected and participants
will be able to play at
least 2 different sports on
the night. Salaah facilities
will be provided.
For food, there will be a
sausage sizzle.
Who's Invited: Everyone!
Men, women, boys and girls 4
years old and above are
invited to participate. Kids
under 4 and non-sports
participants are also
invited to join us on the
night.
Why: The purpose is
purely for the community to
get together, network and
have some fun through sport.
How do I Sign On:
Registration can be done
online.
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.
This is
urgent plea to all our
brothers and sisters.
We have paid
a deposit to purchase a
church on the Gold Coast to
make it into a Masjid, the
church is already approved
as a place of worship as a
Masjid.
So far we
have raised $2.6m in loans
qarz e hasna and donations
and are $500,000 short.
Our
settlement is in just over
1week time. We are pleading pay
back in 12 months.
We cannot
miss out on this church
which can accommodate 500
people. We will not get this
opportunity again in the
middle of Gold Coast.
There is only
1 Masjid on the Gold Coast
which is overflowing, again
I point out we can not miss
this opportunity we will
never get this opportunity
on the Gold Coast again.
Please help
towards this house of Allah
as the reward great - a
house in Jannah Insha’Allah.
Complete the
Pledge Form or please
message or contact me......
.
Please contribute whatever
you can and share with
family and friends.
May Allah swt grant you and
your family a dwelling in
Paradise.
Imam Akram
Buksh
0431201164
Gold Coast
Islamic Cultural Centre
Bank
Account Details:
Commonwealth
Bank of Australia, Toowoomba
Plaza Branch
A/C Name: Toowoomba Islamic
Charitable Organisation
BSB No
064459,
A/C No 1034
1586,
Swift Code: CTBAAU25XXX
Contacts:
Prof Shahjahan Khan Ph
+61421081048, Email:
khans@usq.edu.au, Dr
Mainul Islam Ph
+61432533550, and Br Shahbaz
Rafiq Ph 0402398608
(Brisbane).
Water
scarcity is a major concern
for those living in Yemen,
especially those in conflict
areas. This has resulted in
people seeking water from
unclean sources and the
spread of water-borne
diseases to over 1 million
people.
MAA has embarked on a major
project to provide water to
over 3,000 people by digging
an artesian well with a
depth of 170m.
The structure will include a
concrete reservoir,
generator room, and pipes
networked to distribute
water to local areas.
You now have the opportunity
to invest in the
construction of this
life-saving Sadaqah Jaariyah
project for just $50.
Invest on behalf of
yourself, your family, and
your friends and reap the
rewards!
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
e-mail us..
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The Melbourne
city
mosque
Meet
the former
garbageman now
running NSW
schools
We’ve
got the degrees,
so why do Muslim
women struggle
to get jobs?
UK's Oldest Mosque: Incredible
pictures shine a light on Britain’s oldest
mosque dating back to the reign of Queen
Victoria
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011