A NSW Supreme Court judge
has called on Muslims to
publicly disavow violent verses
of the Koran that he says have
been used by Islamic extremists
to support terrorism in
Australia.
It's time to speak out:
Justice Desmond Fagan
Justice Desmond Fagan said
the lethal messages derived
from "hostile passages" of
the Koran were not
effectively countered by
suggestions from "various
quarters" that the verses
had been "cherry picked" or
that Islam was an
"interpretive religion".
"The incitements to violence
which terrorists quote from
the Koran cannot just be
ignored by the many
believers who desire
harmonious coexistence.
Those verses are not ignored
by terrorists," Justice
Fagan said.
He said there were sometimes
assurances offered to
Western communities that
“Islam is a religion of
peace”.
"But in the absence of
express public disavowal of
verses which convey Allah’s
command for violence, as
quoted in the jihadist
literature tendered in this
case, such assurances are
apparently contradicted," he
said.
"Certainly that is how the
matter is seen by jihadi
propagandists and those who
have followed them."
Justice Fagan made the
remarks on Thursday during
his sentencing of Sameh
Bayda and Alo-Bridget Namoa,
a young couple, both 21,
found guilty in October last
year of conspiring to do an
act in preparation for a
terrorist act between
December 8, 2015 and January
25, 2016.
Justice Fagan, who has
presided over many
terrorism-related cases,
said the Islamic religion's
broad acceptance of the
Koran without denouncing
verses supporting
"intolerance, violence and
domination" would "embolden
terrorists to think they are
in common cause with all
believers and indeed that
they are the spearhead of
the religion."
Keysar Trad, founder of the
Islamic Friendship
Association of Australia,
said imams continued to
disavow violent
interpretations of sections
of the Koran.
"We continue to be extremely
vocal in countering that. As
much as we can find an
opportunity to put the
correct context to these
situations, we do," Mr Trad
said. "The underlying
premise of Islam is peace
and peaceful encouragement
for people to do what is
right."
Justice Fagan said
terrorists' perceived
scriptural support for their
actions couldn't be
effectively rebutted by
police or the courts.
"If the verses upon which
the terrorists rely are not
binding commands of Allah,
it is Muslims who would have
to say so," he said.
"If Australian followers of
the religion, including
those who profess deep
knowledge, were to make a
clear public disavowal of
these verses, as not
authoritative instructions
from Allah, then the
terrorists’ moral conviction
might be weakened."
The phones of the convicted
couple contained a vast
amount of extremist
material, including graphic
images and videos of
beheadings and soldiers
carrying Islamic flags.
In one text message Namoa
said she wanted to perform a
jihadist attack with Bayda,
or support him in such an
attack, likening the pair to
an "Islamic Bonnie and
Clyde".
Mr Trad said he would be
"very surprised" if the
people the judge was talking
about had read the Koran in
its entirety.
"I'd be very surprised if
they read any more than
snippets. The concern is
when they act on snippets
without knowing the
context," he said.
"Unfortunately what we have
in Australia from time to
time, we get people who are
ignorant of the religion,
they hear a word here or
there and want justification
for their own behaviour.
"It's not an indictment on
that religion, its an
indictment on that person."
Sydney Islamic community
leader Dr Jamal Rifi said
what the judgment conveyed
was already what most
Australian Muslims believed,
and that Bayda and Namoa had
been taught by "Sheikh
Google".
"We are grateful to the
judge for his interpretation
because that's what the
majority of Australian
Muslims interpret and
practice," Dr Rifi said.
Justice Fagan jailed Bayda
for four years, with a
non-parole period of three
years, which expired on
January 25.
Namoa was jailed for three
years and nine months, with
a non-parole period of two
years and 10 months, which
expired on January 22. Both
are now eligible to apply
for parole.
The Crown alleged the
couple's plan was for a New
Year's Eve attack carried
out by Bayda.
The judge accepted Bayda's
evidence that he was
inspired by jihadist
propaganda to commit a
violent street robbery, with
two friends, of two
non-Muslims walking down the
street that night, but he
backed out of the plan.
"It follows that I also
accept Bayda did not intend
to carry out on New Year’s
Eve an attack of a kind
likely to lead to his death.
I find it plausible in all
the circumstances that he
exaggerated to Namoa the
nature of what he was
planning," Justice Fagan
said.
He said that though the pair
were 18 at the time of the
offending, "it should have
been apparent to both of
them that citing verses of
the Koran and recounting
deeds of the prophet from
1400 years ago" couldn't
reconcile violence with
legitimate religion.
"In the belief of the
propagandists, shared by
Bayda and Namoa at the time
of their offence, violence
toward non-Muslims is not
merely an incidental tactic
for attracting attention to
the faith or to issues which
concern its followers,"
Justice Fagan said.
"Relying upon the parts of
the Koran which they cite
and upon the example set by
the prophet, the ideology
espoused in the online
jihadi literature embraces
never-ending war against
non-believers as an inherent
and central element of
belief."
The Hurricane Stars Club is
excited to announce that we
are currently working with
Scouting Queensland to
create Brisbane’s first ever
Muslim scouting group,
Alhamdulillah. There are
already Muslim Scouts groups
in Sydney and Melbourne but
there is yet to be one in
Brisbane. Due to popular
demands from our Muslim
parents in Brisbane, we
listened and worked hard to
bring Scouts to the Muslim
community in shaa Allah.
Scouts provide girls and
boys aged 5 to 25 years old
with fun and challenging
opportunities to grow
through adventure and
activities. The purpose of
the Scout Movement is to
encourage the physical,
intellectual, emotional,
social and spiritual
development of young people
so that they contribute and
take a constructive space in
society as responsible
citizens and as members of
their local, national and
international communities.
Scouts become inspiring and
resilient leaders in the
future and by completing the
Scouting program can assist
young people into entering
universities, in shaa Allah.
Muslim scouts are different
from other scouting groups
because there is an Islamic
undertone to all activities;
all scouting leaders are
local Muslims, time is set
aside in all activities for
prayer times, separated
activities for teenage boys
and girls, special
activities are done for
Muslim celebrations and all
food provided will be halal.
The purpose of establishing
a Brisbane scouting grouping
group is to create a
structured program for the
Muslim youths in Brisbane
and offer an alternative for
Muslim children who crave
and will thrive in a more
structured movement. A
Muslim scouts group also
will offer a safe place
where they can go to make
friends, learn new things,
have adventures and most
importantly – HAVE FUN,
CONFIDENTLY.
Today’s Scout takes part in
extraordinary outdoor
activities, from
‘traditional Scouting
skills’ like camping and
bushcraft to even more
extreme challenges like
abseiling, rafting,
overnight hiking, rock
climbing, sailing… even
flying! Scouts also provide
an opportunity for kids and
youths to engage in regular
camping activities which are
in high demand in the
community.
Scouting groups are divided
into subgroups – Joeys for
ages 5 – 7 years old, Cubs
for ages 8 – 10 years old,
Scouts for ages 11 – 14
years old, Ventures for ages
15 - 17 year old and Rovers
for ages 18 – 25 years old.
The first step in creating a
Brisbane Muslim Scouting
group is to recruit scouting
leaders, either men or
women, who are interested to
lead a scouting group. We
hereby invite Mums and Dads,
Sisters and Brothers, and
Community Activists and
Leaders to work together
with us to make this dream
of establishing Brisbane
Muslim Scouts come to
fruition.
As a Leader, you can gain
formal leadership
qualifications, develop
programs, work with
like-minded individuals, and
teach young people life
lessons through offering
them the experiences of a
lifetime. Leaders complete a
nationally recognized course
to learn how to run their
groups and receive ongoing
support from the movement.
The course will give those
who complete it, credit
towards professional
qualifications that can lead
to employment. Leaders need
to be over 25 years old and
commit to only 2 hours each
week to run the scouting
group of their choice,
either Joeys, Cubs, Scouts,
Ventures or Rovers.
If you are interested to
become a Scout Leader,
please come along to an
information session on
Wednesday the 27th of
February at 6.30pm at 91,
Wembley Rd, Logan Central.
Refreshments will be
provided.
Please share this exciting
news with friends and
families and those who have
been waiting for this news.
Let us all work together to
offer more beneficial and
constructive programs for
the young in the community.
The Center for
Global Policy (CGP)
announced the
release of a new
special report
that examines
the challenges
that Muslims
face as they
seek belonging
in Western
culture amid
rising cultural
tensions.
"Muslims in
Western Europe
and the United
States," written
by CGP Senior
Fellow Myriam
Francois, and
Bethsabée Souris
examines issues
of integration
faced by Muslims
in Europe and
the United
States.
The report
highlights some
of the major
lessons learned
from Europe with
suggestions for
thought leaders
in the United
States.
Fear and
hostility toward
Muslims has
risen in the
United States
and Europe since
the early 2000s.
Muslims in
Europe face
challenges that
have led to
their
marginalization,
feelings of
alienation and,
in some cases,
the rise of
extremism.
Muslims in the
United States
are facing
similar
difficulties
albeit to a
lesser extent.
The worry is
that the
marginalization
of some within
the community
could open it up
to increased
discrimination
and subsequent
alienation.
Therefore, the
United States
should work to
prevent this by
reaching out to
those that are
marginalized.
The United
States should
draw on the
measures
European
countries have
already taken to
curb Muslim
alienation while
remembering
America's
historical
success in
integrating its
immigrant
communities.
The conversion
of social,
political,
and/or personal
influencers to
Islam has
historically
played an
important role
in drawing their
followers,
admirers,
subjects, and/or
acquaintances
closer to the
message of
Islam.
In the life of
the Prophet ﷺ, a
prominent
example of an
influencer was
Saʾd ibn Muʿādh.
Saʾd was a
chieftain of one
of the clans of
the Banu Aws
tribe of Yathrib.
The Prophet had
sent Musʿab ibn
ʿUmayr to teach
the converts in
the city and to
invite others to
Islam, but Saʾd
strongly
disapproved of
this and
confronted
Musʿab. After a
conversation,
Saʾd embraced
Islam, and then
convened his
clan and asked
them how they
felt about him.
They replied
that he was
their chief,
excellent in
judgment, and
committed to
their best
interests. He
then informed
them that he had
embraced Islam,
and by nightfall
his entire clan
had followed
him.[87]
The Prophet ﷺ
also sent
letters to
rulers in the
vicinity of
Arabia,
implicitly
acknowledging
their role as
social
influencers and
inviting
them—and,
through them,
their
followers—to
Islam. These
included the
rulers of
Abyssinia,
Byzantium, and
Persia, and the
governors of
Ghassān (an Arab
Christian client
state of
Byzantium),
Yamāmah (an Arab
kingdom in
present-day
central Saudi
Arabia), and
Alexandria.[88]
Part of the
wisdom behind
the Prophet’s
decision to send
these letters is
revealed in the
fact that in
many parts of
the world, the
conversion of an
influential
political leader
to Islam was an
important
milestone in the
spread of Islam
in that region.
The case of the
Umayyad leader ʿAbd
al-Malik ibn
Marwān (r.
685-705) is
illustrative,
especially
because it
implicitly
reveals that
this process
(i.e.,
conversion by
influence)
played a role
even in the
Islamization,
even of regions
that had been
conquered by
Muslim forces. (Shām
was the first
region outside
of Arabia to
fully come under
Muslim
rule).[89]
However, as
Thomas Carlson
has argued, the
Islamization of
Syria was “a
multi-faceted
social and
cultural
process” that
could not be
considered
complete even in
1516, when the
Ottomans
conquered the
region―nearly a
thousand years
after it fell
under Muslim
rule.[90]
Many factors
played a role in
the Islamization
of Shām. One of
them was Shām’s
centrality to
the early Muslim
empire, as the
Umayyad dynasty
(r. 661-750)
chose Damascus
as its capital.
The Umayyads
sought religious
legitimacy as a
means to
justifying their
rule, and Syria
was the first
region in which
efforts toward
that end took
shape.[91] ʿAbd
al-Malik
publicized Islam
in Shām as a
matter of
policy: he made
Arabic the
official
language of the
empire’s
administration,
minted
distinctly
Islamic coins
for the first
time, had
milestones
featuring the
basmalah set up
to help
travellers find
directions, and
had the iconic
Dome of the Rock
constructed in
Jerusalem.[92]
By
institutionalizing
Islam in Shām, ʿAbd
al-Malik and
other
influencers in
the region after
him―including
leaders such as
the famous Salāh
ad-Dīn (Saladin,
d. 1193) and
prominent
Islamic scholars
such as Ibn ʿAsākir,
al-Nawawī, Ibn
Taymiyyah, Ibn
al-Qayyim, Ibn
Kathīr, and al-Dhahabī
(all fl. c. 13th
century)―inevitably
enabled
non-Muslims to
engage closely
with Islamic
beliefs,
practices, and
worldviews. From
there, many
non-Muslims
chose to embrace
the faith, some
rejected it, and
others may have
even borrowed
from it.
A social
influencer
involved in the
spread of Islam
in parts of
Southeast Asia
was the famous
Chinese Muslim
admiral Cheng Ho
(d. 1433).
Between 1405 and
1433, Ho led
seven maritime
expeditions for
the Ming
dynasty, which
took him to the
major ports of
the Indian Ocean
and as far away
as Mombasa
(Kenya).
Curiously, many
of Ho’s crew
were Hui Muslims
like himself,
and some
performed hajj
during the
voyages.[93] Ho,
his Muslim
shipmates and
the Chinese
Muslim envoys
who followed
them to Java and
other parts of
Southeast Asia
all helped Islam
spread in this
region,
primarily by
establishing
mosques.[94]
Their pioneering
efforts can be
appreciated
through the fact
that, today,
there are over
105 million
Javanese
Muslims, making
them the
fourth-largest
ethnic group
among Muslims
(behind only
Arabs, Bengalis
and
Punjabis).[95]
To this day,
many mosques in
the region are
named after the
mariner, such as
the Cheng Ho
Mosque in
Palembang,
Indonesia.
A more recent
example of a
social
influencer’s
role in the
spread of Islam
is that of
Warith Deen
Muhammad, the
Supreme Minister
(1975-6) of the
pseudo-Islamic,
US-based
movement known
as Nation of
Islam (NOI).
Having embraced
Sunni Islam
privately, he
gradually
reformed the NOI
to conform to
the orthodox
Islamic
tradition, and
called on his
followers to do
the same.[96] In
what may be
considered the
largest mass
conversion to
Islam in US
history, an
estimated 70,000
NOI members
followed W. D.
Muhammad into
the fold of
orthodox
Islam.[97]
It is important
to note that
influencers were
not always in
privileged
positions within
society;
“grassroots
Islamization”
led by personal
influencers also
occurred. This
was the case,
for example, in
the Lindi and
Mtwara regions
of southeastern
Tanzania in the
early 20th
century. In the
late 1800s, most
people in the
region were not
Muslim, but
today Muslims
form a large
majority of the
population. Many
conversions took
place between
1910 and 1950
through a
process in which
ordinary
villagers served
as “crucial
mediators.”[98]
Muslim traders
and Sufi
scholars had
long been
present on the
Tanzanian
stretch of the
Swahili Coast,
but they had not
been able to
deliver the
message of Islam
in the rural
areas that were
further inland.
At the same time
as the peak of
an anti-colonial
struggle
(culminating in
the Maji Maji
war of 1905-7),
“ordinary
villagers who
had spent some
time on the
coast began to
work as Qur’an
teachers, while
local networks
of lineage
elders endorsed
the construction
of mosques.”[99]
German officials
described these
men as
schamba-waalimu
(“field-teachers”).
They were
“otherwise
undistinguished
villagers,
respected for
their learning
and commitment,
but neither
particularly
wealthy nor of
high ritual or
social status,”
but they are
remembered for
taking the
initiative to
“fetch” Islam
from the coast
and spread it
across the
region.[100]
Another case of
conversion via
influencers who
were not in
particularly
privileged
positions in
society occurred
in the early
centuries of
Islamic history
in the form of
the mawālī
system of
patronage. The
Arabic word
mawla may be
used to refer to
a “client” in a
patron-client
relationship.
During the early
period of Muslim
rule in what is
today known as
the Middle East,
non-Muslims
would commonly
become
“clients,” or
mawālī, of the
emerging Arab
Muslim elite as
a way to protect
and pursue their
own interests.
As Patricia
Crone has noted,
this did not
necessarily
require the
client’s
conversion to
Islam.[101]
However, the
opportunity to
engage with
their Muslim
patrons is
likely to have
influenced many
clients to
convert. Soon,
many of the
mawālī had
mawālī of their
own, thus
creating a
“snowball
effect” of
conversions to
Islam through
personal
networks of
influence,
especially in
the first four
centuries of
Islamic
history.[102]
Lastly, on the
topic of the
spread of Islam
via influencers,
it is important
to briefly
revisit the
pioneering
thesis of
Richard Bulliet
in this field of
research.
Through a
quantitative
analysis of the
names listed in
biographical
dictionaries
from the early
centuries of
Islamic history,
Bulliet showed
that Islam
spread very
slowly as
evidenced by the
slow rate of the
change, for
example, from
names that were
identifiably
Christian to
those that were
clearly
Muslim.[103]
Looking
primarily at the
Middle East,
North Africa,
and Spain,
Bulliet also
showed that the
regional
“conversion
curves” of this
period are
‘S’-shaped,
accelerating as
more and more of
the population
converted before
leveling off,
thus implying
that people
primarily chose
to convert due
to their
personal
interactions
with Muslims.
Bulliet
helpfully
compared the
spread of Islam
to the model of
diffusion for a
new technology
or technique, a
process which
generally also
follows an ‘S’
curve: “a few
innovators would
first adopt the
new technique,
then it would
catch on with a
bandwagon effect
causing the
steep rise in
the middle of
the curve, and
finally there
would be a
steadily
diminishing
number of new
adopters as the
potential market
for the new
technique became
saturated.”[104]
Thus, Bulliet
posited that the
more Muslims a
non-Muslim was
surrounded by
and personally
interacting
with, the more
likely they were
to convert to
Islam, until
most non-Muslims
in the region
had converted.
The FBI detained
American-born journalist
Marzieh Hashemi for 10 days,
even though she had done
nothing wrong. Listen to her
account of the harrowing
ordeal.
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 schoolgirls filmed by man in
'disturbing' racist video being investigated
by police
Man cites Nazi doctor as he
calls for children to be
sterilised 'so they can't
multiply'
The man filmed a racist tirade
while following schoolgirls down
a road in Bow, east London
Police are investigating a “disturbing”
video that shows a man following Muslim
schoolgirls and calling for them to be
sterilised.
Footage circulating on social media
shows the man filming as he gets off a
bus in Bow, east London, while pupils
including girls wearing headscarves
leave a nearby school.
......
Islamophobia monitoring group Tell Mama
called the video “very disturbing”,
while viewers expressed shock and
disgust on social media.
The pupils were from the Central
Foundation Girls’ School, a state
comprehensive for 11 to 18-year-olds.
John Biggs, the mayor of Tower Hamlets,
and local councillor Asma Begum said the
school had been offered support.
3 men get at least 25 years in prison
in Kansas plot to kill Somali Muslims
USA: Three men were sentenced Friday to
at least 25 years in federal prison for
attempting to blow up an apartment
complex in western Kansas where Somali
Muslims lived, a plot that unnerved that
refugee community.
Patrick Eugene Stein and Curtis Allen of
Kansas and Gavin Wright of Oklahoma
chose the apartment complex in Garden
City, a city of 26,000, partly because
it contained a mosque, authorities said.
"Today's sentence is a significant
victory against hate crimes and domestic
terrorism," acting US Attorney General
Matthew Whitaker said in a news release
Friday from the Justice Department.
"The defendants in this case acted with
clear premeditation in an attempt to
kill innocent people on the basis of
their religion and national origin.
That's not just illegal -- it's morally
repugnant."
The Somalis -- who settled in Garden
City because of employment in the
meatpacking industry -- appreciate the
support they've received in the town and
do not intend to harm anyone, according
to one woman who spoke after the
sentences were handed down.
"Please, we need peace and love," said
Ifrah Farah, a member of the Somali
community, according to CNN affiliate
KWCH in Wichita. "Because we came here
for better lives. We are refugees. We
live here. We are not bad people. We
love everybody."
Muslim doctors may upset Government
abortion plans
IRELAND: Ireland’s reliance on Muslim
doctors in hospitals around the country
may derail Government plans to roll out
a national abortion service, a leading
obstetrician has said.
Large numbers of non-consultant hospital
doctors (NCHDs) working in maternity
units outside Dublin are Muslims from
abroad, according to Dr Trevor Hayes of
Kilkenny’s St Luke’s Hospital, who says
he had been personally told that they
have serious religious qualms about
performing abortions.
“A lot of the NCHDs – a lot of the
registrars and senior registrars and
SHOs (senior house officers), so the
front line – would be from Egypt, Sudan,
and generally Muslim countries,” Dr
Hayes told The Irish Catholic.
“These would be in the country
hospitals, and because of that they have
frontline exposure, and they would have
religious objections to be involved in
the abortion service.”
Dr Hayes, who was named Obstetrician of
the Year in 2009 and 2013 by Maternity
and Infant Magazine said a dependence on
Muslim consultants is preventing Cavan
General Hospital from introducing an
abortion service, and that he suspects
that conscientious objections from
Muslims could block abortions from
taking place in 12 of the country’s 19
maternity units.
“I’m not professing that I have huge
knowledge about Islam, but they have
religious objections to being involved
in it,” he said.
Dire need
According to Dr Ali Selim, spokesman for
the Dublin’s Islamic Culture Centre,
abortion is unacceptable for Muslims
except in cases of dire need. “In Islam
abortion is the lesser harm, conducted
only to save the mother’s life if all
other options prove to be useless,” he
told The Irish Catholic, adding: “Life
is God’s gift.”
According to figures published by the
Medical Council in 2016, roughly two out
of five doctors registered to work in
Ireland have trained abroad, with over
three quarters of the country’s
non-consultant hospital doctors being
international medical graduates and with
Pakistan and Sudan being the top
countries from which
internationally-qualified doctors come.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology is the field
most likely to be staffed from doctors
with overseas qualifications, with 58%
of doctors in that area having graduated
abroad.
No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison
by
Behrouz Boochani, Omid
Tofighian (Translation)
Where have I
come from? From the land of rivers, the
land of waterfalls, the land of ancient
chants, the land of mountains...
In 2013, Kurdish journalist Behrouz
Boochani was illegally detained on Manus
Island. He has been there ever since.
People would run to the mountains to
escape the warplanes and found asylum
within their chestnut forests...
This book is the result. Laboriously
tapped out on a mobile phone and
translated from the Farsi. It is a voice
of witness, an act of survival. A lyric
first-hand account. A cry of resistance.
A vivid portrait through five years of
incarceration and exile.
Do Kurds have any friends other than the
mountains?
PRAISE FOR NO FRIEND BUT THE MOUNTAINS
"A chant, a cry from the heart, a
lament, fuelled by a fierce urgency,
written with the lyricism of a poet, the
literary skills of a novelist, and the
profound insights of an astute observer
of human behaviour and the ruthless
politics of a cruel and unjust
imprisonment." Arnold Zable, author
of the award-winning Jewels and Ashes
and Cafe Scheherazade
"In the absence of images, turn to
this book to fathom what we have done,
what we continue to do. It is, put
simply, the most extraordinary and
important book I have ever read."
Good Reading Magazine (starred review)
"Not for the faint-hearted, it's a
powerful, devastating insight into a
situation that's so often seen through a
political - not personal - lens." GQ
Australia
"It is an unforgettable account of
man's inhumanity to man that reads like
something out of Orwell or Kafka, and is
aptly described by Tofighian as
'horrific surrealism'. It is clear from
Boochani's writing that he is a highly
educated and philosophical man; he
segues effortlessly between prose and
poetry, both equally powerful." -The
Australian Financial Review Magazine
"Behrouz Boochani has written a book
which is as powerful as it is poetic and
moving. He describes his experience of
living in a refugee prison with profound
insight and intelligence."
Queensland Reviewers Collective
The winner of Australia’s richest
literary prize did not attend the
ceremony. His absence was not by choice.
Behrouz Boochani, whose debut book won
both the $25,000 non-fiction prize at
the Victorian premier’s literary awards
and the $100,000 Victorian prize for
literature on Thursday night, is not
allowed into Australia.
The Kurdish Iranian writer is an asylum
seeker who has been kept in purgatory on
Manus Island in Papua New Guinea for
almost six years, first behind the wire
of the Australian offshore detention
centre, and then in alternative
accommodation on the island.
Now his book No Friend But the Mountains
– composed one text message at a time
from within the detention centre – has
been recognised by a government from the
same country that denied him access and
locked him up.
It is, he said, “a paradoxical feeling”.
“I really don’t know what to say,” he
told Guardian Australia in a
conversation before the main award was
announced, when he only knew of the
non-fiction prize. “I certainly did not
write this book just to win an award.
“My main aim has always been for the
people in Australia and around the world
to understand deeply how this system has
tortured innocent people on Manus and
Nauru in a systematic way for almost six
years. I hope this award will bring more
attention to our situation, and create
change, and end this barbaric policy.”
Boochani speaks via text messages,
because his internet connection keeps
cutting out – the same method he used to
write the book, an autobiographical
account of his attempt to make the
journey from Indonesia to Australia and
his subsequent incarceration.
KB says:
A great idea for picnics and school lunches.
Apple, Celery and Fennel Salad
INGREDIENTS &
METHOD
• ½ stick celery, thinly sliced
• ½ baby fennel, cut into julienne strips
• 1 green apple, cut into julienne strips
• 1 tsp. finely chopped dill
• 1 tab chopped pecans
Combine the following for the dressing and refrigerate
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tab. Salad Cream
• 1 tab. mayonnaise
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 finely sliced green chilli (remove seeds if you don’t
want the heat)
Combine all the above ingredients for the salad and
refrigerate.
Just before serving add the dressing.
Baba's Halal Kitchen
(Hussain Baba 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.)
3 Course Meal made with INSTANT NOODLE
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.
Q:
Dear Kareema, what can I do to reduce muscle
aches and stiffness after my workouts?
A:
Muscle soreness is a sign that you’ve overloaded
or really challenged your muscles, or sometimes
coming back after a short break from exercise,
you’ll tend to feel sore.
Your warm-up and post-exercise stretching is
just as important as the workout, so be sure to
include it in every session.
Muscles need to recover and repair so that they
are ready to fire up for your next session –
hence the stretching.
Using a foam roller is a great way to alleviate
the tightness and will allow muscles to work to
their full potential.
Reward yourself with a massage every now and
then too.
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:
Self-Care During
Separation or
Divorce
Relationships begin,
they evolve and
sometimes they
dissolve. We usually
say relationships
are complex things
to understand.
Perhaps the
perception needs to
change. It is not
relationships that
are too complex to
understand, it is
people who fail to
understand
themselves first, so
that they may
understand another.
Having survived 11
years in a marriage
that was physically
violent, emotionally
abusive and
psychologically
traumatic, I have
first hand
experience in
feeling like the
whole world was
against me, like I
was worthless, like
I was better off
dead and there was
no need for me here,
like it was never
going to get better,
like a part of me
was empty and
meaningless, like I
couldn’t even
breathe again. All
of these feelings of
self-loathing,
self-neglect and
negative perceptions
became my daily
companion when I
separated from my
ex-husband.
Now, 7 years later,
I know firmly in my
heart with absolute
faith that the
following ayat from
Surah Al-Baqarah is
most relevant when I
reflect on how I
survived those
terrible feelings of
self-loathing and
worthlessness:
Surat Al-Baqarah (ayat
286)
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ
نَفْسًا إِلَّا
وُسْعَهَا
“Allah does not
burden a soul beyond
that it can bear. It
gets every good that
it earns, and it
suffers every ill
that it earns...”
Going through
separation or
divorce can bring
about negative
perceptions of the
world, others and
self. More than
ever, it is during
this phase that one
needs to consciously
practise daily
ibadah and
self-care. As
muslims, we know
that ALLAH is the
best of planners.
Practise these
self-care strategies
and have faith that
ALLAH has put you
to this and HE will
put you through it
and give you what is
best for you and
your deen, In SHAA
ALLAH.
9 Self-Care
Strategies When
Going Through
Separation or
Divorce
1.
Self-Compassion
- blame is pointless
and keeps one stuck
in the past. The
whole idea is to
live “through” the
pain and grow from
it to be better and
to move on with hope
and faith. Blaming
yourself or another
will cause further
pain and anguish.
One of the best ways
to practise
self-compassion is
to express gratitude
for everything, even
those experiences
that were painful.
Thank ALLAH for
helping you survive
them. Thank ALLAH
for making you
stronger and wiser.
2. Re-visit your
life’s purpose and
dreams - when
you were younger you
must have had some
dreams or goals
about how you
envision your life
to be. Re-visit
these goals and
dreams and try to
understand how you
can move towards
them. Perhaps you
never pursued them
because of various
reasons. Now that
you have started a
new chapter in life,
use your energy into
realising your
purpose.
3. Talk it out
but don’t gossip
- speak to positive
people and a trusted
professional about
your feelings. Let
things out and
unburden, however,
be mindful that you
are not bad-mouthing
your ex-spouse.
Refrain from talking
all day, everyday
about your breakup
to different members
of the family and
relative circle.
This inevitably
turns into a gossip
session. As Muslims,
our communities are
close knitted and
people know each
other. Be mindful of
your words, in case
they may be
misconstrued and
cause hurt to
another person.
4. Eat, pray,
sleep, exercise
- keep focussing on
the daily basics of
life. Eat healthy
meals on time,
engage in daily
exercise so that
your body releases
endorphins, the
“happy hormones”,
sleep for at least 7
hours, and be sure
to commit to daily
prayers, dhikr and
silent moments of
reflection.
5. Tahajjud salah
and silence -
try getting up for
Tahajjud salah as
much as you can.
This will help you
overcome any kind of
confusion you may be
going through
regarding your
separation or
divorce. After your
Tahajjud salah, ask
ALLAH the questions
you need answered
and sit in silence.
Have faith that HE
will give you
wisdom, signs and
inspiration to make
choices that will be
good for you and
your deen.
6. Start learning
something new -
whether it is
something creative
like a new craft or
a new language, now
is a good time to
start learning
something new. This
will help you keep
your mind engaged in
something productive
instead of allowing
your mind to dwell
on the past and
bring about anxiety
for an imagined
future.
7. Rearrange your
room and de-clutter
your living space
- movement of energy
and positive
vibrations in the
home is vital.
Create a space for
yourself which will
be your sanctuary.
Rearrange furniture
and add new colours
in order to breathe
new life into your
home, filling it
with light and joy.
8. Detox your
body daily - one
of the best
strategies for
detoxing your body
is to drink plenty
of water and excrete
toxins from your
body. When your body
repairs and
replenishes from the
inside, your
immunity and overall
health improves.
9. Practice
awareness exercise
daily - this is
a 3 to 5 minute body
scan meditation
activity. Email or
text me if you would
like a FREE AUDIO to
practise a guided
awareness exercise.
This daily exercise
of the mind brings
about clarity and
awareness. It makes
you understand the
difference between
your responses and
reactions. Mastering
your responses is
how you begin living
life with immense
joy and absolute
faith in ALLAH
alone, instead of
reacting to
circumstances and
living in fear.
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.
Statistician and
Maths expert, Mula Nasruddin asked his wife: Will you
let me go out alone and enjoy time out with the boys
over the weekend, every month?
Mrs Nasruddin: What
is the probability of me saying yes as per your
calculation?
That's when Mula
Nasruddin suddenly got a whole new appreciation of the
number Zero.
A short film presented by
Shaykh Wesam Charkawi,
followed by Q&A panel with
special guests.
The History of Muslims in
Australia
The short film documentary
entitled "Before1770" is a
film designed to encapsulate
the history of Muslims in
Australia before 1770.
Abu Hanifa Institute, a
centre for education in
traditional Islam and youth
mentoring, utilised its
resources and community
support to document the
facts in this space.
This meant embarking upon a
journey to critical
locations in the Northern
Territory, such as Arnhem
Land, Bawaka, and Groote
Eylandt to see first hand,
the places and people who
hosted the Macassan Muslims.
This endeavour also meant
speaking to academics
specialised in the field as
well as Aboriginal elders
from the Yolngu clan.
The idea of this short film
is to establish Islam's
long-standing connection
with Australia. It is not
designed to cause pain or
disrespect to any figure,
person, organisation or a
particular community.
Date And Time
Sat, March 2, 2019
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
AEST
Location
HOYTS Sunnybank
McCullough Street
Sunnybank
Do you have healthy
lifestyle and wellbeing goals
planned for 2019?
The good news is, if you feel like
you’re ready to make a change, the
My Health For Life program is now
available, making it easier for
Queenslanders to get their health
back on track!
This free lifestyle modification
program is designed to help eligible
participants improve their health
and reduce their risk of developing
chronic disease such as type 2
diabetes, heart disease or stroke.
It takes a fresh, personalised
approach to help people move past
the barriers that stand in the way
of making healthy choices and
positive lifestyle change.
The program is run by a qualified
health professional over six
sessions.
See flyer for upcoming program
details.
For further information and to check
eligibility :
tel 0404 296 297 or
MH4L.Logan@bigpond.com.
Or you can call the secretary Abdul
Samim Khan on 0413669987.
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.
At Sisters
Suppprt Services Inc we have
qualified volunteers who help
women in their darkest moments &
time of need to empower them to
make the right choices for
better outcomes for their own
lives.
Here are some examples of our
cases over the past few months.
ALL names have been changed to
protect client identities.
1. Aisha, a victim of Domestic
Violence came to us for
assistance. We assisted her by
giving her money to buy clothing
and personal items as she left
her home quickly and with very
little. Aisha has also needed
ongoing counselling which she
has been receiving from us for
the past few months. She was
taken to appointments and
connected with the right people
who helped her start a new life
in a safe environment.
“Thank you so
much for your help. I am so very
grateful. Thank you to Sister
Services. Allah bless you all.”
2. Katie, a revert sister with
young kids needed ongoing
counselling and support as she
had not been coping well at home
and was not able to look after
herself and her family. Sisters
Support Services was there for
her; “I can’t tell you enough in
words how grateful I am, just by
listening to me when I was
feeling so low. Life is not
looking so dark anymore !”
3. Sarah also a revert sister
recently divorced with a young
child arrived in Brisbane with
virtually nothing. We have
helped her with everyday
essentials, food supplies &
assisted her to find suitable
accommodation. Sarah has some
health issues & needed financial
support with purchasing
medications & by being driven to
medical appointments by our
volunteers.
"So happy with
the help I've received from
Sisters Support Services."
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.
Every Sunday Quran Tafsir or Islamic Lesson
or Arabic Class.
After Magrib
Conducting by Imam Yahia Baej
Children Arabic/Quran Class every Tue-Wed-Thursday after
Magrib
ALGESTER
MOSQUE
Nuria Khataam
Date: Every last Wednesday of the month
Time: After Esha Salaat
Venue: Algester Mosque
Contact: Yahya
Ph: 0403338040
IPDC
HOLLAND PARK MOSQUE
Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community
Consultative Group
NEXT MEETING
Date: Thursday 21
February Time: 5.30pm – 7:00pm Venue: Upper Mt Gravatt Police Station
You are cordially invited to attend the South Brisbane
District Police /Islamic Leaders Working Group meeting on
Thursday the 21st of February 2019 at the Upper Mt Gravatt
Police Station from 5.30pm – 7:00pm.
The South Brisbane District Police aims to develop
strategies and services that reflect the needs of our
diverse Islamic community in order to foster a respectful,
peaceful and harmonious District through knowledge sharing
and dialogue.
This SBD working group will also include community leaders
from our neighbours in South East Region and Southern
Region.
The purpose of this working group is to focus on broad
issues of the Islamic faith, culture and religion and their
influence on policing.
The role of the working group is to:
Establish an information exchange mechanism that allows
the community to provide feedback on QPS Services on an
ongoing basis.
Consult with, and provide advice to our community.
Identify any emerging religious issues or trends likely to
create community interest or concern.
Facilitate effective communications between the QPS and
the Islamic community.
Formally report to QPS on matters of religious
significance.
Promote strategies and achievements to the broader
community.
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..
Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.
If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to enter their details
here.
How
Islam Spread
Throughout the
World
Daily News c.1939
post comments on
our Wall
7
August 2011