Issue 126 May

MUSLIM

AUSTRALASIAN

Multimedia News & Views

ISSN: 1039-2300

Print Post Publication No. 100021354

Issue # 126

Australia: Racism or Placism?

Income Inequality in Australia

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COMMUNITY PAGE 7

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People of Persia Mobinah Ahmad

After the successful conclusion of the portrait series “People of China” in the previous issues of AMUST, a second portrait series “People of Persia” is starting with the current issue exploring all the different types of people in Iran, across gender, age, socio-economic status and geographical location.

Two enthralling ways to enjoy a new culture and country is through it’s people and their food.

Iranian cuisine is quite unique to Iran, with beef and chicken hidden underneath mountains of rice, to flavoursome meat stews, to saffron filled sweets. This photo series will get you hungry to try something new!

Historically, Persian culture had a dominating effect from as far as South East Asia to India, Central Asia and West Asia.

Farsi language was the official court language of the two most powerful and rich empires, Mughal and Ottoman.

Kashmiri and Mughal Indian cuisines are basically derived from the Persian cuisine.

Turn the pages to peer through the wonders of Iranian cuisine (page 12) and People of Persia (page 20) photo essays.

Australian Team wins Innovation Challenge Zia Ahmad

Shihaab Azam and Hamza Khan at the Kennedy Space Centre, NASA, Florida, United States of America.

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Hamza Khan, Shihaab Azam, Olivia Hutley and Kelsey Matushcka, are the first Australians ever to win one of the four divisions at the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge held on 20-24 April 2016 at NASA in Florida, USA. They are members of Team Enlighten, Year 11 students at Brisbane’s St John’s Anglican College. St John’s is the only school in Australia to make the semi-finals two years in a row.

The competition included four divisions; Aerospace and Aviation, Energy and the Environment, Cyber Technologies and Security, and Health and Nutrition.

The spark for this idea originated when Hamza and his mates were using their phones late at night and realised that their smartphones were having a detrimental effect on their sleep. The team decided to design a viable solution in the Health and Nutrition category of the Innovation Challenge.

The winning team proposed the idea to develop a mobile application to control the colours of mobile devices to eliminate anxiety, poor sleeping patterns and stress.

Their ‘Lumos App’ idea is based on studies that show extensive amounts of exposure... continued on page 2

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Australian Team wins Malek Fahd school Innovation Challenge funding restored continued from page 1 ...to lighting patterns on various devices that can lead to physical and mental issues.

The students will be offered help to establish patents for their app and also private entrepreneurial and marketing support which will assist in taking their ideas to the market.

Their teacher, Mr Nathan King was awarded the prestigious Teacher of the Year award. Mr King is the first teacher from outside of the US to win this award.

All 20 students who attended the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge took the opportunity to tour the Kennedy Space Station, the Atlantis Shuttle Exhibition and the Saturn V Rocket during their time in Florida.

The competition also allowed students to network with astronauts Captain Kathryn Hire, Jon McBride and Bob Cabana, Director of NASA. Through networking, many students from St John’s are also looking at partnering with

other schools from Asia and North America to further develop their ideas.

Hamza is the son of Dr Javaid Khan, a researcher at the University of Queensland and Mrs Zeba Khan, a teacher at the Australian Islamic College, Brisbane.

The Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge began in August 2015 with over 500 students from 16 countries joining together to create concepts, products and services to benefit humanity.

Of those, an astounding 140 teams submitted projects. With the help of judges, over 110 teams advanced to the semifinals.

These teams tackled an amazing challenge - creating business and technical plans and graphic representations for products that, only a few weeks before, were conceptual ideas.

Over 90 teams attended the 20-24 April 2016 Summit at NASA in Florida, USA.

AMUST Media The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has ordered the Department of Education to restore the funding of Malek Fahd Islamic School from first week while the School appeals the decision to stop its funding to the tune of 19 million dollars.

MFIS in Greenacre with almost 2500 students is one of the largest Schools in Australia.

The new Board of MFIS was formed last month to rescue the School which is no loner controlled by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, AFIC. The new board includes the bursar of The Kings School, Geoff Dorman, the chief executive of TAFE South Australia, Miriam Silva, and veteran NSW public school principal Martyn Bawden.

The Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham has assured that the department would continue to work through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal’s process.

The Department of Education has advised that it would give effect to the Administrative Tribunal’s decision and stated that “As a result, Malek Fahd will continue to be approved to receive Commonwealth funding under the Act during the external review process.”

Meanwhile the annual Congress of AFIC was held from Sat 30 April to 1 May in Syd-

ney where the expulsion of Muslims NSW, the state council for NSW was confirmed.

AFIC will be constituting a new Islamic Council for NSW. There were unconfirmed reports that a couple of members of Muslims NSW were assaulted the night before and therefore could attend and hence could not plead their case at the congress.

The infighting within AFIC between opposite factions is expected to continue with a number of court cases pending to be heard.

First Muslim woman magistrate AMUST Media From left: Shihaab Azam, Olivia Hutley and Hamza Khan at NASA.

Pakistani community joins ANZAC ceremonies Mohammed Ali Pakistani Community in Australia participated in the ANZAC Day’s Commemoration ceremonies on Monday 25 April 2016.

Community members paraded along with the rest of the participating groups in Canberra, Perth and Gurya, NSW. In Canberra, Pakistani delegation of 30 including women and children marched along the ANZAC Parade under the leadership of Dr Tariq Rana and Mr Mohammed Ali waving Australian and Pakistani flags.

Thousands of Canberrans who were lined up along the ANZAC Parade walkway also cheered and appreciated the participation of Pakistani delegation for the first ever time in the history of ANZAC parade in Canberra.

In Perth, a floral wreath was laid by members of Pakistani community under the leadership of Dr Zarrin Siddiqui, who is a very active community member.

In Guyra, NSW, Pakistani participation was ensured by the prominent Pakistani Australian, Retired Brigadier Zahoor Ahmad, who was Defence Attaché of Pakistan in Australia in the past. Brigadier Zahoor along with his family laid floral wreath and marched along the procession expressing solidarity with the ANZACs. Not many know that the only non- ANZAC units to land at ANZAC Cove in Gallipoli, Turkey, some 101 years ago, were two batteries of mountain artillery from the then British Army of combined India. Post partition one battery remained in the Indi-

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an Army, one became part of the Pakistani Army. Both batteries took heavy casualties supporting the ANZACs. After the Conclusion of the ceremony in Canberra current Defence Attaché of Pakistan Brigadier Muhammad Asghar said that he felt honoured by the participation of the Pakistani community.

“They (Pakistanis) were there to pay respect to those who laid down their lives in Gallipoli, and to the excellence of bravery, comradeship and devotion to the duty”, he further added.

Pakistani soldiers participation in Gallipoli is a proof of much deeper and historical relations between Pakistan and Australia. In more recent years these relationships have mutually increased in the areas of National security, Defence, Education and Agriculture.

Both Dr Tariq Rana and Mohammed Ali thanked Brigadier Muhammad Asghar for his key role in enrolling the Pakistani delegation in this year’s parade and providing much needed information and support. Sincere thanks are also due to Pakistani High Commissioner Excellency Naela Chohan who witnessed the parade along with other invited distinguished guests.

Now that Pakistanis in Canberra and other cities of Australia have started their participation in ANZAC, there is need to continue this participation in the coming years. This will provide a way to express solidarity as well as remember all those soldiers who lost their lives in that war. The participation will further strengthen diversity to the ANZAC Day’s commemoration.

Australasian Muslim Times

Urfa Masood of Sri Lankan background is the first Muslim woman magistrate appointed in Australia.

Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula last week announced her appointment to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.

“Ms Masood has extensive experience in criminal law, child protection and family law, as well as with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, which will prove invaluable in her role as a magistrate,” Martin Pakula said.

Ms Masood has worked for the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and the Australian Tax Office.

She lecturers at the College of Law, teaching advocacy.

She has also worked cases in the Magistrates’ County, Children’s, Family and Federal Courts.

Annette Vickery, deputy chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, said it was important to have magistrates with an understanding of the issues facing Aboriginal communities.

“The Aboriginal Legal Service has long been recognised as a development ground for exceptional legal talent and we congratulate one of our previous staff members on her appointment to the bench,” she said.

She has brought to the role extensive experience in criminal and family law and is the face of diversity on the Victorian bench.

The Pakistani community at the ANZAC ceremony.

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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SOCIAL 23

Iran deserves a fair go Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 the rect threat to other authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. world had turned against Iran.

While a number of Muslim states in genThis was the punishment for the Iranian people to be independent and to choose an eral and Arab regimes in particular have Islamic future by establishing a modern Is- been maintaining overt and covert relationship with the state of Israel, Iran has mainlamic Republic.

Having failed to carry out a military coup tained its principled and uncompromising in order to nip the revolution in the bud, stand against the Zionist state in support of an eight year long war was imposed on the the rights of the Palestinian People.

Indeed it has been the Iranian support that nascent nation spearheaded apparently by the Baathist regime of Saddam Hussain has enabled the resistance fighters of Hezbut in reality with the connivance of world bollah, the only force out of all Arab armed powers and financed by the authoritarian forces that has shattered the invincibility of the mighty Israeli war machine during the regimes in the Middle East. last two wars with Lebanon.

With great sacrifice of its human and However in doing so Iran has financial resources, Iran managed to come out of the debilitating EDITORIAL been heavily targeted by Israel and its powerful Zionist supporters in war keeping its territorial integAssalamu the West, maligning it, isolating rity intact and has maintained its it and warmongering against it.

Alaikum independence, democratic aspiWhile Israel has stockpiled nurations and Islamic credentials Greetings clear weapons since the 1960’s, through its modern history of 37 of Peace it has developed a coalition, not years. only to deny the acquiring of nucleHowever Iran was never left in ar weapons by Iran, but also not allow peace. During and after the war, as a result of terrorist attacks on its parliament it to carry out research in order to use nucleand other institutions, it lost the cream of ar technology for medicinal purposes, power generation etc. its revolutionary leadership.

The sanctions imposed on Iran for years, The Middle Eastern dictators, kings, sheikhs and amirs perceived the threat of had positive as well as negative effects. Iran Islamic revolution spilling over into their has been successful in developing indigeown countries sweeping away their author- nous technologies thereby becoming self itarian regimes and therefore played the di- sufficient in many ways.

On the other hand Iran has been finanvisive cards of Arabs against Persians and Sunnis against Shias in order to contain the cially cut off from the rest of the world and Islamic and democratic message reaching as a result of the shortage of raw materials, many of its factories are not able to functheir own populations.

It was a similar situation like that of tion properly. This has resulted in high inEgypt where the democratically elected flation, substantial unemployment specially Morsi Muslim Brotherhood government amongst the younger population.

Lifting of sanctions and embracing of was swiftly deposed since it posed an indi-

AMUST

AMUST Issue # 126 Friday 6 May 2016; 28 Rajab 1437 News .................................1 - 2 • Malek Fahd Funding Restored • First Muslim Woman Magistrate Boomerang ..................... 3 - 5 • The Value of Human Beings • A Personal ANZAC Story Community ..................... 6 - 9 • Leadership in Understanding Islam • Empowering Women Prisoners • MEP Delegation Visits Al Siraat

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Australia ....................... 10 - 11 • Income Inequality In Australia • Refugees: The Focus for Canberra • Interfaith Garden for Food Lifestyle ...................... 12 - 14 • The Wonders of Iranian Cuisine • A Letter to my 19 yr old Self • Halal Expo 2016

Iran by the international community and support from all sections of the Muslim Ummah is highly desirable at this stage in order to make Iran a success story.

With regards to its foreign policy, Iran needs friends and not enemies. It needs to foster working relationship with all nations in general and its neighbours in particular. Its support for the Syrian Baathist regime has been criticized not only outside, but also within Iran.

It’s time Iran took a principled approach in this area rather than simply safeguarding its national interest with a narrow vision. Iran has a great responsibility to be a catalyst for Islamic Unity and peace in the Middle East.

Z I Ahmad

Ummah ........................ 15 - 16 • Benovolence Convert Care Program • Ummah Must Maintain Its Unity • Kafir: What Does it Mean?

Education ..................... 17 - 19 • Exploring Your Talents Early • 99 Divine Attributes of Allah Travel ............................ 20 - 21 • People of Persia: Part 1 • A Journey Through Iran Business ............................ 22 • Amin’s Green Online Marketing Social .................................. 23 • Video: The Myth of Radicalisation

Australia: Racism or placism?

Nader Galil I met a Canadian gentleman of Jamaican origin who has been living in Melbourne for the past 5 years. When asked what he thinks of Australia he answered, “Australia is the most comfortably racist country in the world.” Wow! I was expecting a typical response like - “this is a great country” or “the people are so friendly!”

This brought to mind some personal experiences I had living abroad. Whilst living in the UK I was often working all over Europe.

Whenever asked where I was from I would reply that I’m Australian. Every time without fail their faces would show that look of consolation as if to say “you poor bastard.”

They would then ask me in that consolatory tone; “what’s that like - we know Australians are very racist.” This deeply saddened me as I am Melbourne born and bred of Egyptian parents who came to Australia in the late 60’s soon after the White Australia Policy was ‘relaxed.’ After a while whenever I was asked, I would end up saying that I was Egyptian just to diffuse the issue and not have to explain myself every time.

Being brought up in the predominantly white Eastern suburbs of Melbourne in the 70’s and 80’s, I was racially vilified quite regularly at school and on the streets. Also, being a good AFL player didn’t help as I was always in the spotlight on field. This was the norm back then and I appreciate that Australia has changed significantly with the inception of the ‘superficial band aid solution’ of political correctness in the 90’s.

What I have noticed that there still is an inherent culture of racism that exists in Australia - although we’re not allowed to say it out loud, it is still embedded in our psyche.

May 2016

Being a huge sports fan, one thing that always makes me extremely emotional is watching the All Blacks performing the Hakka before their games. 11 men of all ethnic backgrounds performing this sacred ritual together so passionately and with such belief. New Zealand recognised very early on the importance of their indigenous population and set structures in place to teach the history and the culture of the Great Maori people. In turn, this has produced a very tolerant society with a significant national identity.

My thoughts then turn to sadness as I live in a country with no real National Identity – or an identity that is based on a Colonial or Imperial past - one that appeals almost exclusively to the white population and with no regard to the Indigenous Australians or our ‘Multicultural Society’ - something that we supposedly pride ourselves on.

Unfortunately, the average non-white Australian cannot identify with either Anzac or Australia Day. This excludes nearly half our population from these national “celebrations” which supposedly shape our National Identity.

The previously mentioned inherent racism sits at the core of our identity problems in Australia. I’m afraid that if this is not addressed on a national level, following generations of ‘Australians’ will be subjected to similar types of injustices.

Adam Goodes’ fight is not dissimilar to that of “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali or the late Nelson Mandela. They were ultimate humanitarians and were ridiculed and abused in their respective homelands by the unjust white majority. They were men who fought ultimately for humanity, common sense and equality – very basic human needs.

It really offends me when privileged, middle aged men like Alan Jones and Dermott Brereton share their opinions on something they know absolutely nothing

Adam Goodes. Photo: deadlyvibe.com.au about. They are saying that it’s not racism, his fight not only represents the indigenous and that Goodes has incited this backlash population but for all the non-white Ausagainst him. This is utter rubbish! I would tralians. I identify with Adam as would all like to ask these people – “What does Rac- Indians, Asians, Africans and other minoriism feel like?” White people cannot identify ty groups which make up nearly half of our with racism as they have never been on the supposedly Multicultural population. For receiving end of it. me, Goodes’ fight is for a tolerant MulticulIf I can mention a quote from one of my tural Australia and I believe if we can get favourite movies - Any Given Sunday; this right then there will be no stopping us “Maybe it’s not racism, it’s placism – nig- as a nation and our National Identity will ga gotta know his place.” That is to say that stand firm. you can have your fight as long as it’s under our terms – cross the line and we will come Nader Galil is a Melbourne based business/ down on you like a tonne of bricks. Mix in life coach and with experience both here good old Australian tall poppy syndrome and in Europe. He has been able to gain a and Goodes has cooked up a recipe for the deep understanding of different cultures. He perfect storm. is currently studying his Bachelors Degree Adam Goodes may not know it yet, but in Psychology.

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Readers comments

Re: Our violent world: A socio- This will hopefully change the mindset of some of the Muslim leaders who think that the logical view We are living in very paradoxical age. Human rights, animal rights and environmental rights are becoming mainstream issues. Back in time our predecessors had no inkling of such noble rights. But in tandem with these New Age rights our world is no less violent. The violence at the mini or macro level can be pretty devastating. Today when one or more country attack another the human toll is blanketed with the euphemism – collateral damage. It is the mother of all justifications when the innocents are decimated. An unbalanced individual carrying the latest automatic firearm can mow down plenty in a moment of frenzy. Are we living the Golden Age of comparative tender care for our fellow-beings and animals or mired in the killing fields that has no parallel in our human history.

Violence then was contained in particular area of military action and death was usually the result of participation. A deranged guy then with a knife would cause limited damage. With science and sophisticated technology moving forward we are making dramatic progress in many fields of endeavour. But along with the surge of overcoming ignorance we appear to carry the seed of violence. This act of violence has resulted in more devastating outcome in sync with our technology. Can the violence be overcome or reduced with the passage of time? With increasing knowledge can we humans learn to live with one another, appreciate our differences and resolve our issues short of murder and mayhem?

I suppose this is one of the 6 million dollars question yet to be answered. mal

Re: Time to modify the Australian Flag

Why not include the aboriginal flag, rather than replace (exclude) the union Jack which is a major part of our historical and cultural heritage. denys

Re: From a Bihar orphanage to the Canberra press gallery

I can relate to a life experience of one not belonging to a homogeneous group. My father was from Punjab of pre-partition days, a Muslim of the shia sect. He migrated to Singapore just before the beginning of the second world war and married my Singaporean mother who reverted to Islam. Her relatives are Buddhist and Christians. We siblings speak what is known as bazaar Malay and Singlish (Singapore accent English for those who do not know). I immigrated into Australia married to a Pakistani born woman and have children who speak with Strayn accent. So in essence a pot-pourri of cultural mix. I suppose the advantage is we are less inclined to die hard racism and are not non-negotiable (who goes to Heaven) selectors of others for after-life. My family and me are Muslims with great reverence for the Ahlul-bait but would let others go their merry way without labelling them. I am in the know of the prejudice that some Chinese have of the Indians and vice-versa (particularly in the Singapore context) and also religious prejudice which at times I find more humorous then real. Not belonging to a homogeneous group in any society has its particular problem . Just ask a Tutsi tribesman who lives under the Hutu or vice -versa and you get the picture. Maybe cannibalism and genocide which they allegedly suffered is pretty extreme but the sense of not belonging for the subgroup can be pretty haunting. With increasing knowledge the barriers of creed and colour can be overcome and with a growing hybrid generation Diversity can be truly celebrated. sha

Re: Why do we need more Muslim heroines like Ayesha Dean?

Bring them on; Muslim, Asian and African characters, urbane, kind, humorous and useful guys in a writer’s plot. In today’s cosmopolitan world white only narrative is missing the plot.

Arab like looking character with hook nose chasing white girls are just Hollywood insidious potrayal to marginalise a particular society.

For a change let us have white not so innocent dames chasing a chaste non-white gentle man.

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birthday celebration of their next of kin is not complete without a breathing near naked white celebrity adorning their priceless cake. mal

Re: Unfriended: why it hurts so darn much

When it comes to unfriending on Facebook I think it depends on your relationship. You can’t be surprised when you have a ‘friend’ who’s post you never ‘like’ or show any interest in them at all online. Don’t be lead by your ego, by this I mean, if you have someone who unfriended you then think about why they did it.

I’ve had friends who unfriended me and I’ve unfriended people with no problem because I know we don’t really have a friendship. We keep people on because it seems like the ‘polite’ thing to do. Don’t let Facebook control your emotions, otherwise you’ll end up an emotional wreck with ads popping in your head.

Sam Technology has created unchartered emotional issues so to speak. Though the creator of Facebook was somewhat a loner as claimed by the media, his gadget has supported a somewhat plastic kind of relationship between subscribers. Users use the medium to show off and then stay in touch desire becomes secondary. You tell your FB friends of what you have and have done and they have to up the ante. It is also a medium for bullying. Unwitting users can be emotionally scarred when their FB friends are oblivious of the others’ sensitivities. Like the knife it can be usefully use for cutting or dangerously mishandled suffering a cut. Caveat Emptor! mal

Re: AFIC and its Schools must be saved

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Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in articles, and Letters to the Editor, Website Comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Australasian Muslim Times.

The best outcome recently was the Education Department’s action which forced AFIC to cede powers of the schools board to independent members, freeing them from the clutches AFIC and killing the “AFIC cash cows”. (schools that AFIC plundered).

The ongoing court case between AFIC and Muslims N.S.W. inc. proves that the old guards do not want to let go and will fight tooth & nail at all costs to hold on to power to feather their own nest.

Yusuf Limbada munAFIC: Among the characteristics of hypocrites are those which were described by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There are four (characteristics); whoever has all of them is a complete hypocrite, and whoever has some of them has some element of hypocrisy, unless he gives it up: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a treaty, he betrays it; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; when he quarrels, he resorts to insults.”(Narrated by Muslim, 53) https://islamqa.info/en/12387 Key Ya

Re: Marching together for refugees: Jews, Muslims and Christians

Followers of the Abrahamic religion ie Jews, Christians and Muslims can make a seismic impact (for the better) on fellow human-beings when they join hands in compassion for the marginalised in our society. Refugees may not be considered as part of our Australian society but when viewed from planet Earth perspective they are part of our human society and currently treated with shameful disdain by our mainstream politicians. Our medicos have done well when they supported the sick refugees and for genuine people of Faith. When compassion is the cornerstone of our conviction we should criticise the cruel tactics (by our leaders) impose on our fellow beings washed on our shore.

With children and women caught up in this limbo of despair the voice of Faith could make the difference. mal

Yes, the schools must be saved but I doubt AFIC is worth saving. For decades it has been split with division and infighting by various people pushing their own agendas and feathering their own nests. They have manipulated membership and elections and have used the schools as cash cows. They have set up and tried to destroy state level Islamic councils as well as suspending their membership to control who runs AFIC. They have thrown community money against the wall fighting each other in pointless and vindictive legal cases.

If AFIC is to be saved it needs a root and branch clean out from the local level all the way to the top. The old guard has to go and a properly representative organisation has to Re: Critical infrastructure asreplace it. However I doubt that will happen sets: Regulations tightened so long as the current executive and its uneThis review of foreign investment is timelected managers remain super-glued to their ly but does not go far enough. Prices on plush seats. the Australian housThe schools are a ing market are being separate matter. They inflated by the delibare definitely worth erate marketing of saving but this is only residential properties possible if they are free to overseas investors. of AFIC’s tentacles.

In some cities their They need local manare several thousand agement with strong homes and apartments parental involvement laying vacant after and experienced edupurchase by foreign cation professionals in investors. There are charge. Most imporentire residential and tantly for their survival commercial developthey need control over ments aggressively their own funds. I see marketed to overseas nothing wrong with investors. The methem co-operating as a Send us your thoughts about news or dia here in Malaysia group on issues such as current events to be published in the is full of promotions lobbying government next issue of AMUST for apartment develand common curricuopments and houses lum development. In Email us at info@amust.com.au in major Australian fact given that there capitals and this is not are probably more Islamic schools operating the only country where these are advertised. outside of AFIC’s clutches they should join I know of a number of people who have these in working for common goals. Some- purchased multiple properties in Australthing I know from talking to Muslim educa- ia both as an investment and as a potential tors AFIC fought actively against because it sanctuary should instability make living in couldn’t access and control the management their home country difficult. In Malaysia, and finances of these independent schools. the shoe is on the other foot. I have lived This if anything is proof that AFIC does not and studied here for 6 years and am now in operate with the best interests of the Muslim the process of making making my residency community at heart. more permanent. Even though I am married Gazza

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Managing Editor: Zia Ahmad Graphic Designer: Rubinah Ahmad Chief Adviser: Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad Multimedia Journalist: Mobinah Ahmad Journalist: Rouba Issa Columnist: Dr Abul Jalaluddin (Finance) Columnist: Bilal Cleland (Victoria) Columnist: Manarul Islam (ACT) Columnist: Lydia Shelly (Sydney) Columnist: Anne Fairbairn (Sydney) Promotion: Dr Wali Bokhari Web Developer: Shadow Approved Multimedia: iMoby Productions Printers: Spotpress Pty Ltd Distributers: Wrapaway Transport Pty Ltd Distributers: Abul Fateh Siddiqui, Shujaat Siddiqui, Usaid Khalil, Aamir Ahmad, Ibrahim Khalil, Usman Siddiqui, Zahid Alam, Shahab Siddiqui, Mahmoud Jaame, Mateen Abbas, Rashid Idris, Kamrul Zaman, Sakinah Ahmad, Anjum Rafiqi, Hasan Fazeel, Dr Quasim, Ismail Hossain, Hanif Bismi, Zohair Ahmad.

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to a Malaysian national I am restricted to only buying property at the high end of the housing market and have even stricter limitations on my ability to source local financing for a property purchase. All this is designed to protect lower and middle income earners ability to afford a home without the inflation of property prices caused by the sort of rampant speculation driving up property prices in Australia’s major cities, For decades Australian governments have been selling off the family silver to the highest foreign bidder to the detriment of Australian citizens. If it is good enough for Malaysia to put some controls in place to protect its citizens in the housing market then it is way past time for Australian governments to do the same for their citizens.

Gazza

Re: Activist Rap beats big corporation

By and large human beings clamour for social justice. Vested interest and greedy corporations will usually put the lid on their misdeeds. In this day of social media and an increasingly sophisticated information highway the common man cannot be kept ignorant of institutional plunder and greed.

When words get out that an organisation is anti-social their PR guys will have difficulty in containing it. This label of conspiracy theory to discredit the exposure may at times be a conspiracy against the genuine claim of injustice. So rappers and social media users!

You guys got a moral task to light up the dark crevice of systemic exploitation and foul play perpetuated by lesser beings and their cohorts. Their veneer of respectability and social conscience should be challenged. mal

Re: National recognition for Muslim high achievers from year 12

It is nice to see young kids to get this achievement specially young girls. May Allah bless them for their future career and they should be shining stars for Australia.

Abbas Raza Alvi

May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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The value of Human Beings

When freedom is lacked

Bilal Cleland American Drones frequently fly over the Tribal territories of Pakistan, unloading death on designated terrorists and the civilians around them.

Daesh/ISIS kills Iraqis and Syrians daily, tortures and beheads its opponents while mouthing Islamic slogans. Hezbollah and Iranian troops battle terrorists and Sunni civilians in Syria. Saudi Arabia bombs civilians in Yemen. Refugees flee in their millions into Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey and now into Greece, trying to reach Europe.

These are all crises in Muslim majority countries. Muslims, Christians, Yazidis are all victims of the slaughter.

When we compare what the Revelation of the Quran has to say about the place of human beings with what Muslims and their allies are doing to each other in the Muslim lands, we can become distraught.

Surah Al Baqarah made the exalted position of human beings clear with its description of humankind as ‘khalifullah’ to whom the angels were ordered to prostrate. A being with knowledge, with free will, was in its natural state, superior to the angels.

The Quran tells us that we humans have been created according the most excellent patterns or forms but that we can, if we fail to live in accord with our true nature, fall to the lowest of the low. Surah At-Tin reminds us that we can save ourselves from such a fall if we believe and do good deeds. Surah Al-Asr again warns that we are all at a loss ‘save those who believe, perform righteous deeds, exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to patience.’

In the 23rd Word of the Risale-i-Nur, Said Nursi compares the artistry incorporated into the human being to an antique work of art, more highly valued than the materials of which it is composed. “He is a most subtle and graceful miracle of His power whom He created to manifest all his Names and their

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Fazlul Huq

When freedom is lacked by the exercise of the might, When movement is curtailed by the plea of caution and safety, When the clarity of the thought is dented or denied by the lack of information, When allegiance to truth, justice and peace is confused, With the ‘belongingness’ and the desire to portray self righteousness, inscriptions, in the form of a miniature specimen of the universe.” He continues; “Man’s value is in accordance with that dominical art and by virtue of being a mirror to the Eternally Besought One.” All Muslims, apart from the marginal extremists associated with ISIS, regard the Kaaba with reverence as the Qibla of all the world. Its value was rated by Muhammad (s) as less than the value of the blood of a believer.

In the Targhib wa’ l-Tarhib of Imam al-Mundhiri, 3/276 is the following hadith from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As that he said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (s) performing tawaf around the Holy Kaaba saying to it: ‘how pure and good you are! how pure and good your fragrance is! how great and exalted you are! and how great and exalted your sanctity is! But by Him in Whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, the sanctity of a believer’s blood and property in the sight of

Allah is greater than your sanctity!’“ The wickedness now being perpetrated against human beings, be they Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, ordinary civilians, women, children, in many cases by Muslims, is a terrible offence against our Creator.

Surah Maida carries a stern warning against such ‘excesses in the land.’

For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever kills a human being for other than murder or for spreading mischief in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came to them of old with clear signs yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. [Quran 5:32].

Bilal Cleland is a keen reader, a prolific writer and a regular columnist of AMUST based in Melbourne.

By all means including massaging of the truth, Due to mix and merge with fibs and lies and the use of blind eyes, There is always the danger to land into pitfalls!

Associate Professor Fazlul Huq leads the Biomedical Science Cancer Research Group in the School of Medical Sciences Sydney Medical School.

He is also an accomplished poet with over 2400 compositions covering diverse themes including life, science, society and philosophy.

You may access more of his poetry at: http://allpoetry.com/Jujube.

A personal Anzac Day message Anne Fairbairn AM For this day of remembrance I am writing about my family the Reid family, my father’s family and the Ross Munro family on my mother’s family and their involvement in World War I and World War II. My father’s father was Sir George Houston Reid GCB, GCMG, KC. Reid was elected top of the poll to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as a member for the electoral district of East Sydney in 1880. Later he became Premier of New South Wales, fourth Prime Minister of Australia and then first High Commissioner to the UK (for two terms) during World War I. He was then voted into the House of Commons.

While outwardly supportive of our troops role in World War I his personal diaries reveal he had reservations about the ANZAC deployment to the Dardanelles in 1915.

He received a letter at the time from his friend, the First Sea Lord in the British War Cabinet, Lord ‘Jackie’ Fisher, who resigned from his position in disgust at the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill’s (as Fisher saw it) misguided push for the ill-fated Dardanelles campaign.

Reid had travelled to Egypt in early 1915 where he inspected the Australian troops and was hugely impressed with their standard of training before they embarked for the Dardanelles. He also liked very much the

May 2016

many Muslims he met in Egypt and spent much time with them. He had long discussions with Sir George Chauvel in England (Harry- known as the boy from the bush) an Australian senior officer, about the need for training in Egypt because of the difficulties training in England.

However my father, Clive Reid, George Reid’s younger son, who was attending Westminster School in London at the time told me that his father, George Reid, was extremely concerned about the concept of the Dardanelles because he believed it was a misguided attempt to fight the Germans through the back door and was not sufficiently thought through. He was extremely concerned about the immense amount of deaths when the Australians troops were fighting in France at the Battle of Fromelles.

Reid’s older son Douglas had two sons Ian and Bruce who were both killed in World War II. My mother the daughter of William Ross Munro, had two older brothers - Colin and Keith Ross Munro, both killed in World War 1.

My father, Reid’s younger son Clive, served in the army in World War II. George Reid’s wife Flora Anne who I was named after, was created one of the first Dames of the British Empire for her work in assisting Australian soldiers recuperating in London during World War I. She was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in August 1917, being in the first list of appointments to the order, which had been created in June 1917As a result of what was considered to be her magnificent service during world car-

ing for the wounded.

Gorge Reid remained in the UK until his death in 1918.

Geoffrey Fairbairn, my husband was a Professor in Manning Clarke’s Department of History at the ANU. He served for a couple of years while very young in the Navy in World War 2. Fairbairn airport in Canberra is named after his father, AUSTRALIAN WAR VETERANS We honour our old veterans, we honour them with pride, And read of all the horrors they have carried deep inside.

We know they served in Europe and New

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Guinea’s highland rains, Vietnam and in Africa where many men were slain.

David J Delaney (Australian poet).

Dr Anne Fairbairn AM is a widely published poet. She is also an artist with extensive connections and travels across the Arab World.

For her many publications and work involving building understanding between cultures, Fairbairn was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM, for service to literature as a poet and for international relations, particularly in the Middle East, through Cultural Exchange.

Australasian Muslim Times

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Australasian Muslim Times

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

COMMUNITY

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Leadership in understanding and practising Islam Manarul Islam The Muslim youth of Canberra came together to discuss challenges facing Muslim youth and strategies to overcome them in the Leadership in Understanding and Practising Islam program over two weekends in April.

The leadership program was developed by the Canberra Islamic Centre (CIC) in partnership with the Islamic Sciences Research Academy (ISRA).

“The idea behind the leadership program came about from the very noticeable lack of Muslim youth participation in the broader community and within the smaller Muslim community,” said Azra Khan, President of

Mehmet Ozalp of ISRA facilitates discussion during the program.

CIC. “The leadership program was seen as one way to engage youth and provide them with the necessary skills and support to become role models and advocates for Muslim youth,” she explained.

The program aimed to provide a balanced understanding and knowledge of the principles of Islam. It also gave the attendees sound methods of being socially and religiously active and effective personal leadership skills for life.

The program was also an opportunity to connect with other young leaders to form a peer group network.

It is the first such program run anywhere in Australia and serves as a pilot program for future expansion.

During the first weekend of the program focused on the wisdom and spirit of Islam and how Islam can be understood and applied in modern life. It honed in on the fundamental approaches to Islamic religious activism as authentic within the core sources and disciplines of Islam and being effective in getting results without being confrontational.

The second weekend of the program explored essential knowledge and skills to assist in all aspects of one’s private, professional and social life. It provided the knowledge and practice in essential leadership and coaching skills that are needed by community activists and those who are committed to religious and social activism.

“It is great to see so many young Muslim men and women with enthusiasm to understand Islamic beliefs and practices in a way relevant to modern life in Australian society,” said Mehmet Ozalp, one of the facilitators of the program and founder of ISRA. “I am encouraged by the level of leadership and intellectual rigour that they have displayed throughout the two weekend intensive training sessions. Canberra Islamic Centre is a worthy representative of Islam in Canberra and ACT,” he added.

The selection of the attendees was by way

Canberra Islamic Centre signs $1.4m masjid donation agreement with Kuwait Manarul Islam The reality of a masjid at the Canberra Islamic Centre (CIC) complex in Monash, ACT, took a giant leap forward in April when a landmark agreement was reached with the Australian Embassy of Kuwait to donate $1.4m towards the completion of the project.

The project to build the masjid was initiated in 2010 and construction commenced in earnest in 2014, funded largely through community donations and fundraising initiatives. To date the carpark, foundation for the masjid, plumbing, hydraulics and the timber frame are well advanced. The donation will see to the completion of the work, originally estimated at $2.2 million.

According to Azra Khan, President of CIC, this will provide the Muslim community with a modern Masjid of a capacity of 1,000 people and an educational facility for the learning of Quran and Islamic Studies.

“In recognition of this donation, the Masjid Project will be named Sabah Al Ahmed Masjid and Islamic Education Centre,” She said.

Also according to Ms Khan, this agreement will have no impact of the governance of CIC. The current governance structure and constitution will remain with a subcommittee to manage the day to day affairs of

May 2016

Attendees of the Leadership in Understanding and Practising Islam program.

Photo: Jumanah Husna. of an expression of interest and the response was very positive with 23 youth, males and females attending.

CIC and ISRA aim to continue to support this group through facilitating ongoing discussion forums and other social and educational activities.

The National Muslim Youth is scheduled

to take place at the National portrait Gallery in Canberra on 28 May 2016. More information on this can be found on the ISRA website www.isra.org.au.

Manarul Islam is an IT professional, community worker and AMUST correspondent based in Canberra.

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masjid and Islamic Education Centre being formed. This subcommittee will be chaired by a CIC Executive Committee member and have a representative from the Kuwaiti Embassy.

An official event to mark the signing of the funding agreement was held on Tuesday 12 April 2016.

For Registration: ifamnswquiz@gmail.com http://www.ifam.org.au/Quiz2016 Br Adnan Shafiq: 0428733198 (Lakemba & Bankstown) Br Asaf Siddiqi: 0451552700 (Rooty Hill & Mt Druitt) Br Shafqat Ali: 0411244040 (Campbelltown) Br Zaffar Khan: 0430023958 (Auburn & Lidcombe)

Extended Registration Deadline: 30th April 2016 Fee: $15 for 1st child, $20 for multiple children

Sponsors The April 12 signing of the donation agreement between HE Mr Najeeb Al Bader, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Australia and Ms Azra Khan, President of CIC.

http://www.YNS.com.au

IFAM NSW (Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims NSW)

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Supported by the Muslim Community of NSW

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AMUST

COMMUNITY

NEWS 1-2

BOOMERANG 3-5

COMMUNITY 6-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 11

LIFESTYLE 12 - 14

Events Batik Girl: Program to empower Calendar Indonesian women prisoners

Women’s Health Seminar Saturday 7 May, 2016 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM MSA NSW, 3/4 Brunker Road, Chullora, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 692884590850420/

Build The Masjid Fundraising Dinner Friday 13 May, 2016 7:00 PM The Renaissance, 3 New St East, Lidcombe, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 490218637840032

Commemorating the 1948 Nakba: 68 years on Sunday 15 May, 2016 1:00 PM - 3:00PM

Manarul Islam

Lusia Efriani Kiroyan, an alumnae of Muslim Exchange Program (2012) and a Founder of Cinderella From Indonesia Center is in Australia to promote the “Batik Girl” women prisoners empowerment program being run in Indonesian prisons.

The program teaches women in these prisons on how to produce Batik Girl dolls which are then sold or donated. The women earn a salary to build self-esteem and provide for a better future after prison and the profit from the dolls go to a charity.

The “Batik Girl” Roadshow is being in communities in Melbourne, Shepparton, Canberra and Sydney is supported by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and includes Lusia, Thida thay (Myanmar, Designer & Trainer) and Hamidah Bahaswan (a psychologist from Singapore).

The “Batik Girl” Roadshow has three main goals: 1. To strengthen relationship between Indonesia-Australia and gain wider Australian support for the program which has 100 inmates who work for the production of the “Batik Girl” and more than 540 in-

mates who benefit from the program.

2. Share the social mission of “Batik Girl” and in the hope the program can also be applied in Australia. The “Batik Girl” program provides therapy for drug users in prison.

3. To promote the “1000 Batik Girl Initiative” for Indonesia. This initiative supplies Batik Girl dolls to needy children including those with cancer, HIV, Thalasemia and disabilities. The aim is to provide a thousand Batik Girls dolls in 10 cities in Indonesia.

“So we hope, Australian people can help us with our Campaign :”1Friend, 1Doll” so people contribute to buy one “Batik Girl” Dolls and the dolls will be given to unfortunate kids in Indonesia,” explained Lusia.

The program also is used to encourage young communities for “stay away from drugs”, so they can use their time becoming “social entreprenuers”.

Additionally, Lusia would like to abolish the death penalty in Indonesia by proving that, through the program, they can provide women prisoners with a second chance.

The ”Batik Girl” Hijab Series Roadshow in Australia covered: • 29th March - 6th April 2016: Melbourne

Lusia & Faridaa & Shepparton.

• 7th April 2016 - 11th April 2016: Canberra • 12th April 2016 - 15 April 2016: Sydney To support the program, like their facebook page: fb.com/CFICBatikGirl View the interview at https://youtu.be/H960tdrfRTk

Town Hall, Sydney, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 1402030143429918

IFAM NSW Quiz 2016 Sunday 22 May, 2016 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Western Sydney University, NSW ifam.org.au/quiz2016

FAMSY ‘s Girls Ramadan Seminar Saturday 28 May, 2016 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM 80 Rickard Rd, Bankstown, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 1040283009408700/

National Youth Summit Saturday 28 May, 2016 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM King Edward Terrace, Parkes, Canberra, ACT www.isra.org.au/nationalmuslim-youth-summit

MELBOURNE: The Effective Muslim Sunday 29 May, 2016 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Mantra Hotel, Melbourne, VIC lifemattersacademy.com.au

View more events online or add your own at www.amust.com.au/ calendar

8

MEP delegation visit to Al Siraat College Tanya Kubitza The Indonesian delegation of the Australia-Indonesia Muslim Leaders Exchange Program (MEP) paid a visit to Al Siraat College in Melbourne on Tuesday 12 April.

The delegation of five was on its two week Australian visit and was warmly welcomed by the Senior Leadership Team of the College Principals Mr Houghton and Ms Rahat had the pleasure of taking the delegates on a school tour where they had the chance to interact with students from both Primary and Secondary School as well as meeting teachers.

The delegates exchanged gifts with the students as a token of Australian-Indonesian friendship. The College was presented with a traditional batik table cloth to be exhibited in the Student Service Office along with cute kangaroos wearing a traditional Indonesian Batik shawl around the neck, hand-made by students of Ms Lis Safitri in West Java.

The MEP is an initiative of the Australia-Indonesia Institute within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is managed

by Australia Indonesia Connections, and is supported by the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne.

The MEP aims to foster people-to-people links between Indonesia and Australia and promotes greater understanding and recognition of religion and its role in each country. Each year since its inception in 2002,

Australasian Muslim Times

MEP delegation with Al Siraat College officials.

MEP has brought emerging Muslim leaders Dean of Psychology at YARSI University; from both countries to the neighbouring na- Mr Deni Lubis, lecturer and co-founder of tion for an intensive two week cultural and the islamic Economics Program at the Bointellectual exchange. Visits include meet- gor Agricultural University in Bogor, West ings with major religious organisations, Java; Ms Lis Safitri, teacher of Islamic theuniversities, schools, community groups, ology and exegesis at Darussalam Senior government, and the media.

High School in Ciamis, West Java and Mr The Indonesian delegation consisted of Muhammad Zahrul Anam, Member of the Mr Muhammad Sabeth Abilawa, Director Tabligh (Preaching) Council of the Central of Social Development at the Jakarta head Board of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s secoffice of Dompet Dhuafa, Indonesia’s larg- ond largest Muslim organisation. est Islamic charity; Mrs Ratih Arruum, Vice

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

COMMUNITY

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Canberra Muslims raise money for new north-side masjid Manarul Islam Canberra’s Muslims came out in force on Saturday 23 April to support the construction of the Gungahlin Masjid in Canberra’s north.

The Canberra Muslim Community (CMC) Fundraising Dinner at the University of Canberra saw at least 600 attendees turn up to raise over $400,000 for the construction of the masjid.

The struggle to establish the masjid has been a long one, thanks to an elongated challenge by a group calling itself Concerned Citizens who repeatedly challenged and appealed, on quite flimsy grounds, the ACT Governments approval for the masjid.

These challenges eventually were thrown out and the approval for the building remained valid.

The event was conducted by Mustapha Omari and commenced by the recitation of the Holy Quran.

Mainul Haque, the President of CMC and long time resident and active community member of Canberra, stressed, in the welcome address, that the masjid and the committee would be inclusive to all members of the Muslim community, would positively engage with its neighbours and the community and encourage women and the youth attend the venue and its events.

Mr Haq said that the masjid project had the blessing of the ACT Imam’s Council.

“They have given us their united, wholehearted support. May Allah reward them,” he said.

“Our goal is together to build a mosque for all of us but this needs your help,” he added.

This help, he clarified, could be financially or by lending expertise and assistance.

Architect Jalal Anis presented the design of the masjid and update on the progress of construction.

Imam Adama Konda, member of the ACT Imam’s Council and Imam of Canberra Islamic Centre in Monash, in Canberra’s south, also lent his support for the construction.

Imam Akram Buksh, Director and Imam of Slacks Creek Mosque in Brisbane, and the main speaker of the night, then set hearts racing and stepped up the volume and intensity of the gathering by explaining the benefits of sacrificing money and effort in the building of the masjid.

He pointed out that you cannot take the new car or latest phone with you when you die but when you do good deeds and sacrifice for building a house of Allah, these deeds follow you to the day of judgement.

His inspiring speech translated into donation after donation and by the time he had finished the pledged total had gone beyond $300,000.

Hussain Goss, from the Gold Coast Mosque, conducted a jovial and upbeat auction that saw the donations rise higher and higher.

This was followed by a sumptuous dinner, donated by Taj Agra restaurant and then Isha prayer before wrapping up.

CMC President, Mainul Haque, welcomes guests to the fundraising dinner whilst Mustapha Omari, as Master of Ceremonies for the night looks on.

To support the building of the Gungahlin Masjid, you can donate online at: www.gungahlinmosque.org.au/donations Or direct deposit: Canberra Muslim Community Bank: ANZ BSB: 012950 Account: 109547085

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Minutes totonew Leppington 45 Sydney 40 Minutes Parramatta CBDTrain Station now open with services running 25 Muslim Schools and CBD colleges 40 Minutes Minutes totoSydney Parramatta Easy Access M5,City M7CBDCBD 45 to 12 km to Liverpool 45High Minutes totoSydney 2Close 5Public primary schools Easy Access M5, M7CBD toSchools, Austral School Access to M5, M7colleges Muslim Schools and 2Easy High Schools, 5College primary schools campus) Next to AI-Faisal (Liverpool 2 Minutes High Schools, 5 primary schools College km to Liverpool Citycolleges Muslim Schools and 3212 drive to Unity Grammar 2 Minutes Muslim Schools and Close Public School km to to Austral Liverpool Citycolleges 912 drive to Malek Fahd Islamic School 12 Minutes kmtoto toAI-Faisal Liverpool City Next College (Liverpool Close Austral School 12 drivePublic to Preston Mosquecampus) Austral Public School 37Close Minutes drive to Unity Grammar College Next totoAI-Faisal College (Liverpool campus) AI- Madinah Masjid to AI-Faisal (Liverpool campus) MalekGrammar Fahd Islamic School 39Next Minutes drive toCollege Unity College 3 Minutes Minutes drive totoMalek Unity Grammar College Minutes drive Preston Mosque 912 drive to Fahd Islamic School Site Office: 404 Fourth Avenue, Austral 2179 9 Minutes drive to Malek Fahd Islamic School 7 Minutes drive totoAIMadinah Masjid 12 Minutes driveSuite Preston Mosque Head Office: 6 Level 13 | 329 Pitt St. Sydney NSW Minutesdrive drivetotoAIPreston Mosque info@mhahomes.com.au 712Minutes Madinah Masjid www.mhahomes.com.au 7 Minutes drive to AIMadinah Masjid Austral 2179 Site Office: 404 Fourth Avenue, Head Office:404 Suite 6 Level 13 | 329 Pitt 2179 St. Sydney NSW Site Office: Fourth Avenue, Austral Site Office: Fourth Avenue, Austral 2179 info@mhahomes.com.au Head Office:404 Suite 6 Level 13 | www.mhahomes.com.au 329 Pitt St. Sydney NSW Head Office: Suite 6 Level 13 | www.mhahomes.com.au 329 Pitt St. Sydney NSW info@mhahomes.com.au

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UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

AUSTRALIA

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Income inequality in Australian community FINANCE Dr Abul Jalaluddin The level of income inequality in Australia is above the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) average, but much below countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom, which have very high levels of inequality.

While inequality in Australia is not extreme by international comparison, it is worsening in the Australian communities.

According to the tax statistics analysed

by Melbourne Institute, the top 1 per cent of Australians earned an extraordinary 9 per cent of Australian total income in 2013, the highest proportion since 1950s. In 1980s, the top 1 per cent of Australians amassed just 4.4 per cent of Australian total income, an increase of 105 per cent from 1980 to 2013.

The minimum income threshold for an Australian in the top 1 per cent population was $237,800 in 2013. On average, a person earned $438,100 in the top 1 per cent Australian population.

Income inequality among the top 1 per cent is highly disproportionate and noteworthy. The top 0.1 per cent of Australians, cal-

culated to be a mere 18,750 people, earned 2.7 per cent of Australian income, the highest take home income since 1950s. The entry income for a member of the top 0.1 per cent population was $608,700. The average income of a member of the top 0.1 per cent population was $1.3 million.

The entry level income threshold for an Australian in the top 10 per cent was $94,200. The average income of Australians in the top 10 per cent was $161,767. As a comparison of average income between top 1 per cent and top 10 per cent, the former group of Australians earned 171 per cent more money than the latter in 2013.

In 2013, the national average income earned by Australians aged 15 years or older was $48,800. The average Australians received 231 per cent less income compared to the top 10 per cent of Australians and 798 per cent less if compared with the top 1 per cent of Australian population.

Australians enjoy a tax system and a system of income support payment which are progressive and highly targeted to equalise national income and wealth. The system of minimum wage prevents Australian working households from falling to an extent experienced by some developed countries.

Australia needs to maintain a firm policy focus to manage income inequality to a level that would check potential social instability and create community cohesion. These

policies would include ensuring a fair share of tax is paid by all including large corporations; rationalising tax breaks to high income earners in superannuation, negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT) concessions; providing training and up skilling opportunities to enhance a greater level of

employment and improving income support payments. .

Dr Abul Jalaluddin is an Islamic Finance expert, Director of MCCA, taxation advisor and a regular columnist of AMUST. He is based in Sydney.

Refugees: The focus Interfaith garden for for Canberra Forum food sustainability

Manarul Islam

Key speakers gave their views on the plight of refugees to the Canberra community on Tuesday 26 April during a dinner at Taj Agra restaurant in Dickson.

Organised by Forum Australia, well known for organising forums and discussions for over ten years, the Forum sought to gain a variety of views on policies and programs in accepting and settling refugees as well as the current dilemma of off-shore detention.

This was particularly relevant as the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Supreme Court had ruled that detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island was illegal according the PNG law.

The speeches and questions were facilitated by Amne Alrifai, a popular blogger at unveiledthought.com.

Muhammed Ali, President of Forum Australia, introduced the topic and the first speaker, Yvette Berry MLA, ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

Ms Berry, in a heartfelt and emotional talk, spoke of the shortfall of Australia’s response to the refugee crisis.

“For many of us there has been a confronting gap between where we are now on the issue of how Australia responds to some of the most vulnerable people,” she stated.

She continued to relate to the audience her experience with refugees and the amazing personal stories she had heard and how she

was proud at how welcoming Canberra has been to refugees.

The ACT Human Rights Commissioner, Ms Helen Watchirs, clarified the definition of refugees according the international law.

“There is no requirement under the UN Declaration of Human Rights to enter a country legally and under Article 31 of the Refugee Convention explicitly says it prohibits countries on imposing penalties on people for entering illegally,” she explained.

Veronica Wensign, the ACT Greens candidate for Yerrabi, asked the audience to put themselves in the shoes of those fleeing persecution and the experience they encounter at the hands of the Australian government.

“Why further punish an already vulnerable people for their actions when those same actions simply reflect our shared sense of humanity and fierce instinct for survival?” she asked.

The speeches were further complemented by input from Kanti Jinna, Vice Chairman of The Hindu Council of Australia, and Sam Wong, Chairman of Canberra Multicultural Community Forum.

Real world experience was also provided

by Hasib Khan, a Canberra-based migration agent, and Marion Le, the prominent refugee advocate immigration consultant, who summed up the government’s approach to processing refugee claims as “disgraceful.”

More information about this and other forums can be found at www.aussieforum.org.

Videos of speeches, questions and answers are provided at: https://goo.gl/1PbUVO

Kanti Jinna (2nd from left), Sam Wong, Veronica Wensing, Amne Alrifai, Dr Helen Watchirs with the Forum Australia EXCO. Photo: Jumanah Husna.

May 2016

Judy Friedlander The launch of the Interfaith Garden in March saw an Imam, Rabbi, Priest, Minister and Indigenous, Hindu and Buddhist leaders and representatives breaking bread together.

An exciting new Sydney initiative, which has the backing of Australia’s leading religious organizations, is setting out to prove there are good news stories in relation to the environment and social cohesion.

FoodFaith’s “Planting Seeds” interfaith and community garden, which opened on Wednesday 9 March in Lane Cove, is bringing together Australia’s faiths and cultures to work alongside one another to learn more about one another’s backgrounds and to foster more sustainable ways of growing and consuming food.

ABC Radio National describes FoodFaith as an initiative that could help the world’s food problems “with food at the heart of many of the problems facing the world, including obesity, hunger and environmental degradation”.

Founder of FoodFaith, Judy Friedlander, says that the Planting Seeds garden is a “good news story”.

“Our religious and cultural texts and teachings have a lot to say about food and sustainability”, She said.

Imam Ahmed Abdo said the project’s aim - “do things for other people, not necessarily just for ourselves” - was in line with the core beliefs of the Muslim faith.

The garden will also facilitate many educational sessions and workshops. The new 200 seat hall next to the garden will be used for regular discussions and presentations from different faith and cultural groups on beliefs, teachings, customs and practices.

Produce from the garden will be harvested and go towards meals prepared for disadvantaged groups.

FoodFaith is supported by major organisations such as the Australian National Imams Council, Islamic Sciences & Research Academy Australia (ISRA),The

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Imam Ahmed Abdo with other representatives at the Interfaith Garden.

National Council of Churches, Catholic Earthcare, Uniting Earthweb, Tzu Chi Buddhist organization, the Mazon program from North Shore Temple Emanuel, The Jewish Board of Deputies, The Hindu Council of Australia, The Buddhist Council of NSW, Aboriginal Heritage Office, The Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Meat Free Week, the Community Greening outreach program from the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, ARRCC [Australian Religious Response to Climate Change] and Lane Cove Council.

For more information: info@foodfaith. com.au; www.foodfaith.com.au; #FoodFaithAU Judy Friedlander is the Founder of FoodFaith and post-graduate researcher with the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures and has long time experience as a journalist and an editor.

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The wonders of Iranian cuisine MOBYDAYZE Mobinah Ahmad

The Iranian culinary style is unique to Iran, from Chello Kebab to Khoresh, Ash to Agoosht, it portrays a rich cultural history and a lot of delicious flavours. Across many dishes, there is a balanced taste of characteristic Persian flavours especially Saffron.

The most common dish is Chello Kebab (a mountain of rice served with roasted meat: koobideh:beef/lamb or joojeh:chicken), Khoresh (meat stew that is served with plain white rice: ghormeh sabzi, gheimeh, fesenjan), Ash (a thick soup), types of rice (polo: loobia polo, zereshk polo, baghali polo) and a range of salads and drinks.

Doogh is a savoury yoghurt based drink seasoned with mint that is commonly had with food.

A famous Iranian dish with sheep brain and hooves is called Kaleh Pacheh (but we didn’t try it).

Berian, minced lamb, spiced nan bread and minced beef Ash, a thick meat stew, spinach, beans, beef, and spices. lung.

Abgoosht/Dizi - Mesopatamian hearty lamb thick stew

Souhan: honey toffee with cardamom, saffron and nuts

Daes Makhsus Safavi Do Nafra (Esfahan) served an array of delicious meats.

Eggplant & Walnut dish served cold

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Khoresht Mast (Beef Yoghurt Dessert with Tumeric)

Zereshk Polo: Jewelled Rice, especially with red barberries) with Chicken inside.

Plain Polo with Tahdig: crunchy fried potato ontop. Khoresht, a stew with meat and celery.

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

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A letter to my 19 year old self Marriage LOVE HAQTUALLY Zeynab Gamieldien I’m not exactly 100 years old, but when I look back on some of the decisions I made in my late teens and early 20s I can’t help but cringe.

There are so many things I wish I’d known then, so many things I wish people would have told me and spoken about openly.

But I wasn’t the first person to make a few silly decisions, nor will I be the last.

In the interest of saving a few young MSA girls from treading the road best left not taken, here is a letter from me to my younger self/all the girls I see so much of myself in: Dear 19 year old self, I know you think you know what you’re doing.

I know you have good intentions and it’s all for the sake of Allah and so on and so forth.

But that’s how it always starts, isn’t it?

Innocence is often corrupted not through

evil, but through the misdirected desire to do the right thing.

You may think the right thing is to keep your voice down and your eyes to the ground in person, but the real danger is behind the screens.

You may think the right thing is to have a chat about this event or organising that stall, but it so easily comes undone.

It’s so easy to be swept away, to give your heart to some nice boy with a beard and pretty words about the ummah and what the future will hold for the two of you. Pretty words aren’t necessarily empty ones.

They are promises and well-meaning ones at that, but they are promises which may or may not come to pass.

He will tell you to wait, and your heart will jump to give him a chance, but your head should form the reply ‘I wait for no one’.

When he tells you he’s not ready, tell him to come back when he is.

If he tells you he is ready, don’t believe him until he shows you he is.

Take notes at events instead of sneaking glances across the room. Pay attention to your friends and your studies, because they are the only things you are guaranteed to leave here with.

Does all of this mean you can’t have any

fun? Of course not.

Have a giggle about the crushes, the awkward and cutesy encounters over the bake stalls and BBQs. Many of them have borne fruit and blossomed into permanent and lifelong commitments. But so many haven’t.

This is why I am telling you something you probably don’t want to hear: don’t waste your best and brightest years on uncertain love. Protect your heart before you get attached.

Protect your heart from those who would do harm to you without meaning to.

Protect your heart from the love which just isn’t ready to blossom yet.

Let the premature, uncertain love go, and trust that the certain love will come when it is ready.

PS-Just because you call him ‘brother’ doesn’t mean you aren’t flirting.

This article was originally posted on www. lovehaqtually.com Zeynab is an Australian lawyer, social inquirer, traveller and chronic human observer. She created Love Haqtually as a space for Muslims (and anyone interested) to discuss relationships, love, the weirdness of being a Muslim in the 21st century.

Halal Expo 2016: Ongoing success Rima Dabliz You’re strolling around your local shopping centre when your stomach tells you it’s time to eat.

Unsure of what you’re craving, you make your way to the centre’s food court where there is a range of international menus to choose from.

The scents are inviting and the prices tempting. Your food court walk begins, searching for that A4 piece of paper that usually hangs on the wall behind the register. Starting at the sushi bar, you stroll past the salad stand, skip past the McDonald’s queue and land at the Kebab shop which doesn’t have an A4 sheet, but has a clearly crafted “HALAL” in big, bold, yellow text behind it’s counter. Your hunt for halal food has ended and you may now carefully begin to design your kebab.

Australian Muslims go through this process daily. Scanning food courts and restaurants for halal certificates is not as tiring or tedious as some may think. Australia is fantastically accommodating for its diverse population and I, as a Muslim, am thankful for it. Food is a blessing and we can’t be too picky. But what makes our food selection process easier is an event like the 2016 Halal Expo that was held on April 10th at Fairfield Showground.

The Expo was designed to raise awareness of halal products and services both within the Islamic community but also to share it with non-Muslim Australians. It was established as a source of information and inspiration with the halal lifestyle at the centre of the project. Whilst many people may pertain the concept of halal strictly to food, the event was also successful in highlighting that halal is a lifestyle choice that affects all areas of life- from food, to finance, to clothing and to charity- for Muslims around the world.

For Expo Director, Mr Syed Atiqul Hassan, the Halal Expos held in Sydney and Melbourne are about engaging and promoting the halal lifestyle, even despite people showing public distaste towards the halal industry; “Halal food requirements belong to a global community in the world. 3 billion Muslims use halal, it’s not something happening in Australia only. This is a global requirement happening just like any other

May 2016

Bureau

Seeker & Sought For An initiative by the Islamic Foundation for Education and Welfare (IFEW)

Seekers F1510: Female, 58, Fijian Australian widow from Indian background, Administrative officer. I like to Travel watch soccer, cook, socialise and help people.

I am looking for a down to earth, loving and caring person. Someone to be my life partner and is willing to accept my son (19 years) who also lives with me.

F159: Female, 27 medical doctor, Indian residing in Saudi Arabia.

I apply Islam in my day-to-day life. I have performed Hajj twice and Umrah numerous times. I am soft spoken, humble and well cultured. I respect elders and very adjusting by nature. I am seeking for a life partner who is an educated and practicing Muslim.

M1512: Male, 57, divorced, Australian citizen from Arabic background.

I have been in Australia for 35 years and work as a painter. I like playing and watching sports. I like travelling as well. I am seeking for a Muslimah from any nationality.

M1511: Male, 37, divorced, Bangladeshi Australian, Masters in professional accounting. I am a practicing Muslim, interested in attending Islamic and Educational seminars and socialising with friends.

I am seeking a practising Bangladeshi Muslimah who resides in Australia.

M156: Male 58 divorced Pakistani Australian. I have been in Australia for 30 years and worked in IT and now I am retired. I am seeking for a Sunni muslimah widow or divorced from any culture.

Coconut Connoisseurs and co-founders of Kayter Co, Kaisser Kayter (left) and Rose Kayter (right) who specialise in dessert coconuts and treats. food requirement of any other global community. Some people have some problems with it, it’s up to them,” Mr Hassan said.

Most importantly, Mr Hassan stresses the importance of harmony at events like the Halal Expo in order to uphold the value of multiculturalism; “We have to follow our Australian values of multiculturalism. Our Australian values are respect each other’s cultures, to respect religious or cultural applications and this is what Australian values are. And we have to promote these activities and events as long as they are not hurting any other community or individual.”

The event was met with some hefty media coverage because of the clashing rallies that occurred at the Melbourne event the week before. Whilst anti-halal and anti-fascist protesters were present outside the Sydney event, Mr Hassan said they did not interfere with the proceedings inside the showground and agreed it was a day well spent; “All the sponsors were very happy, the people who attended were happy. It was a good show, we had fireworks at the end. So I really

couldn’t see anything negative. It went according to the plan.”

The showground was busy all day with the flow of people continuing from 10am to 8pm. Approximately 10 000 people attended the event with 30-40% of the attendees being children and 10-15% appearing to be non-Muslim.

So if you’re looking for some halal inspiration or just want a day of fun, the Halal Expo is the day for you. Look no further for those A4 certificates sitting behind the counter- there’s a whole showground of halal life on display at the Expo.

Rima Dabliz, 20, is a blogger studying B Communication majoring in journalism/ B Laws at UTS. She is a keen fundraiser for the International Women’s Development Agency and the Cancer Council. Her occupational goal is to work as a criminal defence lawyer whilst maintaining her passion for writing about the world and aims to develop an online youth magazine made by young Muslims, for young Muslims, about young Muslims.

www.amust.com.au

M154: Male, 42. Pakistani Australian, Accountant I come from a respectable family, I have been brought up with traditional Pakistani culture. I am a Sunni Muslim. I like reading Islamic Books, attending Islamic seminars and meeting friends of a similar background. I also like watching movies, listening to music and watching various sports. I am looking for a Sunni Muslim Pakistani woman who is educated and comes from a respectable family background.

See More at amust.com.au/ listing_types/seekers/

Placing/Responding to a notice If you would like to place or respond to a notice, fill out the matrimonial form at: www.amust.com.au/marriage-bureau All information is held in strict confidence

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Fatima & Yousif’s Wedding

THE MODEST BRIDE

Saltanat Bora

After initially not wanting a wedding at all, Fatima and Yousif’s family convinced them to have a celebration, so they settled on a small and intimate affair that didn’t stick to a particular theme, but rather was a reflection of their own personal style and their friendship.

Fatima’s custom made dress by her family seamstress was a beautiful all-over beaded gown with a trailing tulle that started at her shoulders.

The bright flowers in shades of deep plum, red, and offset with peach, cream and dusty silver accents were a stunning addition that injected colour and romance.

We love the honesty and beauty captured in each frame. Congratulations Fatima and Yousif!

How did you meet?

We attended the same high school but were barely friends. After school, we were accepted into the same university and both studied law.

When topics got tough, we began to work on assignments together.

That led to sharing some classes, participating in extra curricular activities together and slowly, becoming best friends. And the rest is history.

How long was the engagement?

The engagement was exactly two years. It gave us plenty of time to learn more about each other, finish university, and map our travel plans and other future ambitions.

How was the wedding planning process?

We were both adamant on not having a wedding at all (we were more focused on travel plans, to be honest).

After a whole heap of convincing from family however, we decided on an intimate gathering.

It left us with less than 6 months to plan.

Juggling full-time uni, full-time work the wedding planning was super intense but we managed to get through!

How did you decide on a wedding venue?

Our decision to have an intimate and warm wedding made deciding on a venue somewhat easy.

We wanted a venue that was affordable, non-themed and simple so that we could influence its design easily – like a plain canvas. Of course, the food, size and location of the venue also mattered.

We wanted a location that was easily accessible to all our loved ones. We also wanted a room that was not too big so as to maintain the intimacy, but also spacious enough for all the guests to mingle and move around comfortably.

What inspired your wedding style?

We wanted it all to just feel authentic. Our style was a mix of so many things, as opposed to one theme. Firstly, we wanted our location shoot to really reflect our personalities.

Our photographer, Chris, helped us choose specific locations. Coco Cubano was a great choice as its one of our favourite cafes and it has a nice retro feel. It honestly just felt like we were having our morning coffee before uni, except we were slightly dressed up, it was our wedding day and there was a photographer.

Brickworks Dr was our more rustic-nature shoot, another style we both like. In regards to the venue, it was just a really simple room that Helen from Sweetbride transformed into something magical with fresh flowers and candles.

Tell us about your dress My family dressmaker made my dress.

She is simply amazing. I struggled a little because I didn’t have a set image of what I wanted my dress to look like. I just knew I was set on something simple and elegant.

My dressmaker knows my style well so it turned into a working project, which was really fun. We were able to trial and error until I was sure I loved every detail. So much trial and error actually, that my dress was only complete two days before the wedding!

DIY elements to your wedding The small DIY elements were quite fun.

We worked on the decorations at my home a few days before the wedding.

Finding buntings that were the correct length and at the last minute was a mission (Yousif and his friends picked them up from interstate!)

Yousif, my brother and brother-in-laws spent all night securing them. There were also other small things including framed signs and the guestbook table content that was DIY. A memorable moment of the day Watching from my bedroom window as my grandmother danced her way up to welcome Yousif and his family, and then being walked out by my mother and father from their home for the last time.

Seeing Yousif on the other end, with our families surrounding us was so much more overwhelming than I thought it’d be – it’s indescribable, really.

What does marriage mean to you both?

Marriage is often described as one person completing the other. But that’s not how we see it at all.

Instead, we’re individuals who chose to spend the rest of our life together, to love and be loved, to motivate and be motivated, and to empower and be empowered.

It is this connection and our willingness to share each moment, all the ups and downs, that turns us into better individuals and in turn, a better couple. Each of us is a whole and when together, the possibilities are endless.

This article was originally published on www.themodestbride.com.au

Vendors Photography Bow Tie Photography Florist Sweet Bride Reception venue Paradiso Garden Room Cake Sweets by Dooha Entertainment Zaffet The Wedding Band Bridal gown Family dress-maker Headscarf styling Veiled by Zara Head piece Family dress-maker Shoes Jimmy Choo Makeup Make Up by Linda Groom’s Suit/Shoes Calibre Cufflinks Swarovski.

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Benevolence convert care program Tanya Kubitza In 2008 Benevolence Australia was established by a group of women under the visionary leadership of Saara Sabbagh.

The motivation behind establishing a new organisation was to cater for those community members, primarily women and converts, who were struggling to feel a sense of belonging and connection to their religion within existing Islamic spaces and cultural groups.

The idea was to create a welcoming, non-judgemental space, rooted in the Islamic tradition but flavoured with a localised Australian identity where individuals could feel empowered to begin or restart their path of conscious living.

What has arisen is not just an organisation but a flourishing community of families and individuals from a myriad of backgrounds who share the Benevolence vision of “Seeking the Creator through Conscious Living”.

From the inception of Benevolence, converts have played an influential role in defining the culture and feel of the organisation and the community that has grown around it.

As has been seen in many western countries, converts are consistently at the vanguard of community change and growth.

They are community leaders, teachers, scholars and powerful bridging agents between Muslim and non-Muslim communities in these countries.

Benevolence firmly believes that converts will play a leading role in shaping the future of the Australian Muslim community and articulating what an Australian Muslim identity looks like.

Converts play important roles throughout Benevolence, bringing with them a rich range of experience and skills.

Benevolence places an importance on supporting and empowering converts on their journey, recognising that the process of changing one’s faith can be confusing and challenging.

The Convert Care wing of Benevolence came into fruition when Saara and Dr Susan Carland noticed that they were both being contacted by converts looking for similar types of support. Rather than continue to cater for these individuals in an ad hoc manner , they decided to develop a more structured

curriculum and program of support to meet the shared needs of converts.

Converts have continued to be attracted to the ethos, and welcoming, non-judgemental atmosphere of Benevolence. It is a space where their past is recognised and affirmed, where they are not expecting to change who they are nor fit into a particular mould of what a Muslim “should” look like. As Imam Zaid Shakir says “come as you are, to Islam as it is”.

The Benevolence Convert Care Program is designed to cater for new Muslims, reconnecting Muslims and those who are interested in the religion. It provides a safe space to explore Islam without judgement and assumptions. This is achieved through different mediums such as regular workshops and classes held at Benevolence House as well as counseling, mentoring and social events.

Converts themselves are involved throughout all aspects of program delivery and development and the program framework is constantly reviewed and refined to best cater for current needs.

Workshops such as “How to Pray”, “Introduction to Islam” and “Prepare for Ramadan” are run at various times during the year. There are regular classes such as “Living with Excellence” on Monday nights for women and Tuesday nights for men, a class that explores spirituality and ethics in the modern world.

Convert Care runs a mentoring program designed to help new Muslims feel part of the community through a mentor and mentee relationship. Convert Care trains and supports their mentors, so that they can guide their mentees through different challenges they may face as new Muslims.

The Convert Care Program also hosts a monthly discussion forum called “Conversations” which facilitates discussions on relevant topics currently affecting the Muslim community. This is open for all to attend and is held at Benevolence House on the first Saturday of the month.

Benevolence runs a number of social events such as Quarterly Convert Catch-ups that includes an annual convert iftar (break-

ing of the fast) during Ramadan. This provides an opportunity for new Muslims to get together with other converts and mentors.

This is an informal gathering encouraging converts and their families (both Muslim and non-Muslim) to socialise in a relaxed informal environment. Other social events run by Benevolence throughout the year that converts can attend include quarterly Community Dinners and Eid day events that are shared with the wider Benevolence community.

Anyone interested in any of the above opportunities can go to the Benevolence facebook page or website www.benevolenceaustralia.org to find more information or to register your interest in these services.

There is also a regular newsletter that you can sign up for on the website to keep informed on the latest Benevolence Australia events.

Tanya Kubitza is the Registrar and Marketing Manager of Melbourne based Al Siraat College.

Istanbul conference for justice and peace Extract from speech by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey given on 13 April 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Regardless of their differing political opinions, nationalities, religious beliefs or cultures, the achievement of justice and peace is a common desire amongst all people. Human history is also considered a history of the search for justice and peace.

Derived from the Arab word “peace”, Islam has from the very beginning ordered us to uphold justice in all aspects of political, business, social and economic life, and urges us to be just with all people, beginning with the family, which is regarded as the nucleus of society.

Throughout Islamic history, for almost 15 centuries, the most prominent feature of the Muslim countries established in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East has been to give significance to the upholding of justice and peace.

Despite this, we see today that the Islamic lands which should be symbols of these two pillars of life have become worlds severely lacking in both, including Syria, Iraq, central Africa, Libya, Palestine and Yemen. Millions of our brothers and sisters are fighting to survive and are desperate for peace, safety and human dignity.

Meanwhile, the ancient cities known for

May 2016

their works of Islamic civilisation, libraries, mosques, shrines and historical artefacts are being destroyed and turned into ruins before our eyes at the hands of terrorist organisations and brutal regimes.

Nowadays, the Islamic world is being crushed under the pressure of the most dangerous problems it has faced since World War One. Too many Muslim countries are being deprived of peace and safety due to armed confrontations, civil wars, collapsing societies and deteriorating political structures.

The problems not only pose a threat to regional stability, but also to world peace. As is the case in Syria, the intervention of foreign states that do not have even the slightest knowledge of, or empathy with, the society, cultures, values and history of the region, sees them use their military might and support illegitimate governments in order to serve their own interests.

In addition, sectarian incitement has led to the largest division in the ranks of Mus-

lims. Europe addressed and resolved this issue early on, in the seventh century, while the Muslim world is still prisoner to this in the 21st century. This is an issue to which we must give the utmost attention.

This dispute, which stems from political, not religious, reasons, was provoked in the name of political greed and short-term interests.

In the meantime, the terrorist organisations and forces known for their hostility towards Islam benefit the most from these policies, which incite hatred and hostility between ethnic and religious groups, as well as people from various factions who have co-existed relatively peacefully for many centuries.

We Muslims must raise our voices against all forms of oppression, regardless of who is committing these acts and their source. We must stand by the victims, whoever they are, as the identity of oppressors and victims is not important. Based on this belief, Turkey opened its doors to the refugees who are trying to flee from the

Media Scan Ainullah

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armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and we will not abandon them or leave them to the mercy of terrorist organisations or regimes which practice state terrorism.

We are gathering in Istanbul on the 13th and 14th of April not as Sunnis and Shias, Africans and Asians, Easterners and Westerners, white or black, rich or poor, or individuals of this or that ethnicity, but rather in our capacity as leaders who shoulder the responsibility for 1.7 billion Muslims and the burden of the entire humanity.

We are gathered as members of a civilisation that believes that humans are the most precious creatures and stipulates that the people must live if we want the state to live.

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Muslim Ummah must maintain its unity Zahid Jamil Recent crisis in the Middle East has resulted in serious division amongst the Muslim Ummah under the label of Sunni and Shia. Saudi Arabia is seen to be supporting Sunnis while Iran is seen to have taken up the cause of Shias.

However, the reality is that rather than differences in religious belief, it is the struggle for political supremacy that has resulted in ongoing conflict between various factions that has engulfed Syria, Iraq and Yemen. These factions are fighting a proxy war between regional players including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey as well as international powers such as USS, Russia, UK and France.

This situation in the Middle East is affecting the unity of the Ummah globally with division on the basis of Sunni and Shia.

Several political and religious leaders keep making inflammatory remarks spreading hatred between the two communities.

Yes, there are indeed some minor differences in belief and practice as well as historical interpretations between Sunnis and Shias, but a vast majority of them have lived

and wish to live in peace with each other.

When Muslims throughout the world are facing huge challenges, it is only prudent that Muslim leaders show maturity, learn from past and act wisely in maintaining the unity of the Ummah.

It is not hard to conclude that the crisis in Middle East of past few decades is largely political with both local and international players trying their best to secure their own positions and interests.

Neither the Saudi royal family is a true friend of Sunnis nor theocratic leaders of Iran have necessarily much love for ordinary Shias. Iran is safeguarding its own national interests while the Saudi royals want

to perpetuate their kingdom for as long as possible.

The entire world has identified Al Qaeda and ISIS as extremist groups, yet these same groups have been to some extent created by the Saudis and are now biting them back.

The Saudi regime is now as much at war with these terrorist groups as they are against Shiite groups in Syria and Yemen.

Saudi role in removing the short lived democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt exemplifies the concern of the Royal family has for their own political security more than anything else.

There have been criticism that following Islamic revolution in 1979, there was

a widespread purging of supporters of the Shah as well as leftists and persecution of minorities including the ill treatment of Afghan refugees, carried out by the Iranian authorities.

Both Iranians and Arabs keep blaming each other for secret and some time not so secret collaboration with Israel. Moreover it is no secret that both sides are collaborating with major world powers to harm each other.

Muslims in general need to maintain unity of the Ummah against the manipulations of its enemies and Muslim leaders should refrain from hatemongering pitting one faction of Muslims against the other.

Similarly Muslim nation states need to minimize conflict amongst each other thereby letting the Ummah to live in peace and security.

Zahid Jamil is an engineering post graduate from prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and runs a financial planning practice based in Sydney. He heads South Asian Muslim Association of Australia, SAMAA: http://samaa.org.au ), a benevolent institution offering wide range of services to the community elders. He also moderates an Islamic website “Islamic Forum for Education and Research” http://isfer.info/. Zahid Jamil regularly expresses his opinions on Talk Back Radio and writes on various forums.

Kafir: What does Who is Ghamidi? it mean?

AMUST Media

Saminah Ahmad

There is a trend amongst some young Muslims, especially on social media to declare fellow Muslims or groups as kafirs, that simply constitutes hate mongering.

Linguistically Kufr in Arabic means to hide and a Kafir is a farmer who buries seeds in the soil for germinating.

In Islamic usage of the term, Kafir means an unbeliever, someone who hides the truth by rejecting belief in God and teaching of Islam.

Some Muslims consider all non-Muslims as Kafirs which is not correct. While others call Muslims who differ from them in details of belief and practice as Kafir, that is simply hate speech.

Takfir or the practice of excommunication, one Muslim declaring another as Kafir in ill-founded accusations is considered haram and is a major sin.

The word Kafir is specifically designated for a person rather than a whole community, a race or followers of a religion.

When Prophet Muhammad (s) received God’s message he was basically the only Muslim when he started to preach what he had learned. During his address to people who were not Muslim he never addressed them as ‘Oh Kafir’ but instead he would say ‘Oh man’ or ‘Oh people’. This tells us that those were not Muslim were simply Human beings (in Arabic - Insaan).

The word Kafir has only been used in the Quran when referring to an unbeliever or an infidel. It was when the Prophet tried to peacefully explain the Divine message to people, over a long period of time and still they denied him, that is when God saw these people who have heard His message from His messenger and but still had contempt for the prophet, He then declared them as Kafir.

It was the prerogative of God, Himself only to declare them as Kafir.

Thus kafir are those people who have heard the true message of Islam and even then they have contempt towards the last Prophet and the teachings of Islam. Now it is close to impossible for us to know who God has shown the true message of Islam to or who has heard it and still deny it and

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therefore wouldn’t it be hard for us to know exactly who is a Kafir and who isn’t. It is something only God can know rather than us human beings.

Finding or naming Kafir is also not something we need to concern ourselves with. We should educate our family about Islam, do dawah work, the usual things that it basically spelled out in the Quran.

Also looking for and naming someone Kafir doesn’t do any good. Once you place a person as Kafir then you allow yourself to hate that person because it’s believed they will end up in hell any way. So why do we do it? We do it because if we point out the ‘bad’ people and we are not like the ‘bad’ people therefore that makes us the ‘good’ people. We show hate for others so we can feel good about ourselves.

Christians, Jews, all non-Muslims are not Kafir by default nor are various different followers of Islam who follow different Schools of Thought.

Kafir is someone bound for hell and the only one who can know this for sure is Allah alone.

Let us leave the judging to Him and concentrate on leading a pious and healthy life without hate.

Australasian Muslim Times

A short, meek, witty old man has been creating tremors in the world of Islam that few have noticed and most do not want to. He has explored almost every old school and has set out to restructure the age-old narrative of Islam.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi is a force to be reckoned within the realms of Islamic Sciences.

Two distinct and usually rival fluxes of Islamic thought, i.e. traditionalist and modernist, brewed up in the Muslim Subcontinent and virtually all over the Muslim world. Since its exposure to western civilization and the ultimate fall of the so-called Ottoman Caliphate, largely Muslim revivalist movements have been reactionary. The traditionalists pitched against the modernists and vice versa. Both produced their giants, each trying to dominate the general thought process of the masses.

It was Allama Shibli Nomani of the Indian suncontinent who raised a third front within the ranks of religious thought. This front was progressive and revivalist, yet it opted to carry the burden of tradition as well.

However, it was Imam Hamid Uddin Farahi that can be called the ideal manifestation of this doctrine. His student Ameen Ahsan Islahi carried forward the project of his mentor and climaxed it in the form of Tadabbur-e-Quran (a unique commentary on the Quran). Javed Ahmad Ghamidi remained under the tutelage of Islahi and extended his work in many ways.

The works of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi are

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practical manifestations of the thoughts of his two predecessors - Farahi and Islahi.

He has been developing and formulating a counter-narrative, of sorts, to the one that is presented of and within Islam. To get an understanding of the scope of his work; listed below are some of his major contributions: • A context-based interpretation of the Quran • Separation of Sunnah and Hadith • Separation of Shariah and Fiqh • Separation of Religion, Philosphy and Mysticism • Explanation of Qanoon ar Risalat and Itmam Al Hujjah • A Counter-Narrative about Islam and the state Javed Ahmad Ghamidi’s findings have challenged many notions within Islamic studies. His sense of academia is rarely found within the Islamic circles of study.

His intellectual work in the form of his book, “Meezan” (Scale), takes into account the whole of the religion of Islam. Ghamidi has presented his understanding of religion directly from the original sources free from fiqh, philosophy, and mysticism. His approach to understanding religion is systematic and scientific. He presents a thorough methodology and convinces the reader in a very logical manner.

Javed Ahamd Ghamidi and, more importantly, his thoughts are the need of the hour for the Muslim world and for the broader faith-based communities. His thoughts have the right cure for the assumingly incurable ailments spread across the Muslim world.

This write-up is a much-shortened version of a long article and has been provided

by Al-Mawrid Australia. More information about Javed Ahmed Ghamidi can be obtained from Al-Mawrid Australia by emailing to info@al-mawrid.org.au

May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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SOCIAL 23

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Islamic perspectives on higher education: USQ panel presentation Professor Shahjahan Khan The University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba hosted a panel presentation and discussion on `Perspectives on higher education and social harmony in the community’ on 15 March 2016.

The event was sponsored by the Pure Land Learning College (PLLC), Toowoomba. The global head of PLLC and a strong advocate of making Toowoomba a Model City of Peace and Harmony by UNESCO, Venerable Master Chin Kung initiated the program with his USQ Salon on `the role of education in global peace and harmony’.

His lecture was in Chinese but it was simultaneously translated in English.

The panel session was facilitated by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Services) of USQ, Prof Ken Udas, and moderated by Dr Krzysztof Batorowicz, former Director of USQ Multicultural Centre. The panel consisted of Venerable Wu Ping of PLLC; Prof Jan Thomas, USQ Vice Chancellor; Prof Tracey Bunda, Head of College for Australian Indigenous Studies at USQ; Prof Shahjahan Khan, USQ and Founding President of Islamic Society of Toowoomba; and Dr Mike Malouf from Church of Jesus Christ.

Prof Shahjahan Khan made a Power Point presentation on `Islamic perspectives on higher education – revisiting scripture and historical facts’.

The first part of his presentation covered some key words/verses of the Qur’an that emphasise on education and human status, eg Iqra – read, the first world revealed to Muhammad (s), khalifa – representative, every human being, karramna – honoured, every child of Adam. Al-Qur’an says, `Are those don’t know equal to those who know?’

In the second part he illustrated a key verse of the Qur’an that inspired Muslims to engage in education and research: “Surely, in the creation of the heavens and earth; in the alternation of the night and day, in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, with which He revives the earth after its death and spreads in it all kinds of animals, in the change of the winds and the clouds between the sky and the earth that are made subservient, there are signs for rational people.”(The Qur’an, Ch 2:164).

The sayings of Prophet Muhammad (s) that drive the Muslims for education and research include (1) Search of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim man and woman. (2) There is one reward even if your research outcome is wrong, and two rewards if right. (3) The wealth of knowledge is a lost property of Muslims, who acquires them gets them. (4) Spread even if you know one sentence. (5) The sleep of a learned scholar (alim) is more rewarding than the night long prayers of an ordinary worshipper. (6) Every disease has a cure!

Then he briefly touched the glorious history of Muslim civilisation of Al-Andalusia spreading over Spain, Portugal and southern France for a period of 800 years. Andalusia became the epicentre of Higher Education and Scientific Excellence where Jews, Christians and Muslims together laid the foundation of modern science.

He also mentioned about the Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Established in 970 AD (1046 Year Old) as the oldest place of higher learning for Muslims.

Finally, he provided a summary of some of the pioneering Muslim scientists and the fundamental contributions they made in the area of higher education and scientific research and laid the foundation of modern science: Jabir ibn Hayyan, Abu Musa (721-815), alchemist known as the “father of chemis-

Prof Shahjahan Khan with Venerable Master Chin Kung. try.” First hospital in Damascus, Syria in tronomy. He composed the Kitab ash-shifa` around 707AD. (“Book of Healing”), a vast philosophical Al-Khwarizmi (Algorizm) (770–840 C.E) and scientific encyclopedia, and the Canon - mathematics, algorithm, algebra, calculus, of Medicine, which is among the most faastronomy & geography. He compiled astro- mous books in the history of medicine nomical tables, introduced Indian numerals Ibn Al-Haitham (Alhazen) (965-1040 (which became Arabic numerals), formulat- C.E) - mathematician and physicist who ed the oldest known trigonometric tables, made the first significant contributions to and prepared a geographic encyclopaedia. optical theory since the time of Ptolemy Ibn Ishaq Al-Kindi (Alkindus) (800–873 (flourished 2nd century). He published theC.E) - philosophy, physics, optics, medi- ories on refraction, reflection, binocular cine, mathematics & metallurgy. vision, focusing with lenses, the rainbow, Al-Razi (Rhazes) (864– 930 C.E) - phys- parabolic and spherical mirrors, spherical ical and scientist of medicine, ophthalmolo- aberration, atmospheric refraction, and the gy, smallpox, chemistry & astronomy. Med- apparent increase in size of planetary bodies ical works: Kitab al-Mansuri, well known in near the Earth’s horizon. the West in Gerard of Cremona’s 12th-century Latin translation; and ‘Kitab al-hawi’, Professor Shahjahan Khan is the Director of and “Comprehensive Book”.

MCCA and Professor of Statistics, UniverIbn Sina (Avicenna), (981–1037 C.E) - sity of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, medicine, philosophy, mathematics & as- Queensland.

Exploring your talents early Shafqat Ali “What should I do with my life?”

It happens often when you do not pick the right learning path leading to a decent career start that you dreamt of for yourself.

Let’s deal with this question in young age when you are in high school (year 9-12) deciding on your electives and majors. This is the time you want to make a decision as to “what should I do with my life”.

Before coming towards the solution box I want to quote Ayah from the Quran, Where Allah says in fourth ayat of 95th sura; SurahTin, “No doubt we created ‘man’ of the best stature (mould)”.

Just zoom in your thoughts and focus here, Allah used the word “man” which represent whole class; every human not just a particular gender, group, country, race or religion.

May 2016

It means Allah has put special and unique talent in him/her. Every human has ability to become the best at “something”. But question arises? How do I know what I am good at? That question Allah has left with us to pursue to answer.

Let me give you some quick indicators which will tell you what you are good at.

Firstly, in this age, you should try to touch every field of life. Opportunities of work should be abundant around you. For example: • Work around the house • Help dad / mum in their professional work including family business • Formal work experience opportunities in different industry organised by school • School Sports or extracurricular activities • Community work or projects • Part time jobs for pocket money Secondly, observe the following while you doing some of the above work/ jobs.

• While you are doing a job or activity; after you do that, do you get personal satisfaction? Do you feel that I have done something interesting today? Like when you finish homework of your favourite subject, do you feel good.

• When you are doing your favorite tasks, don’t worry too much about reward like pay or gifts etc. You just try enjoy doing your job.

• Excel and do a good job that everyone including your competitors praise your skills.

• When you do your tasks, forget about

time and place. Simply, enjoy doing it and never feel tired of doing it. As an example while writing this articleI for three hours in middle of night between 2 to 5am, I did not realize the time till I heard Fajr Adhan. When you are intensely involved, time flies. Your learning speed becomes fast, your imagination starts to fly and ideas keep coming in.

• When you make effort, Allah sends re-

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sources for nourishment of the talent he has put inside you. You get new ideas, you get information without any effort, you meet people without plans who want to help you in developing that talent, and you are directed to your goals.

I have stories of many of my trainee learners who found their talent in an early age and now they are leaders in their professions.

Good luck and may Allah guide you.

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AMUST

EDUCATION

NEWS 1-2

BOOMERANG 3-5

COMMUNITY 6-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 11

Radical sex education program being rolled out in schools Patrick J Byrne

The person who set up the Safe Schools Coalition Australia (SSCA) program publicly says it’s an anti-bullying program, but privately she says it’s strategy to radically change society.

Roz Ward, from La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex Health and Society, set up the program in Victoria in 2010. Since then, it has received Victorian and Federal government funding that has seen the program rolled out in 543 Schools across Australia.

Next year it will be made compulsory in Victorian secondary schools. (Parents can find out what schools are involved from the Safe Schools Coalition Australia website.)

Publicly Roz Ward has claimed that the Safe Schools program aims to stop the bulling and self-harm experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) and other students with an array of sexual identities, other than male or female.

However, Ward told last year’s Melbourne Marxism Conference that conventional notions of male and female, sex, marriage and natural family are artificial ideas imposed on society to “break the spirits of ordinary people”.1 She said that there are many other ways people can be sexual, other than male and female, that need to be taught to students so that they can “blossom in extraordinarily new and amazing ways.”

Ward’s SSCA program is aimed at young people as they enter puberty. It places a heavy emphasis on case studies and

role-playing of same sex attracted and transgender teenagers.

This program and its resources present a vast array of sexual experimentation to students. For example, it: • suggests young people role play being an older teen attracted to a person of the same sex; • encourages boys to cross dress as girls and vice versa; • says that boys identifying as girls should be able to use the girls toilets and change rooms; • tells students how to bypass school and other internet filtering systems to access recommended sites that show porn and sex aids; • tells students how to clear their computers and phones of such material so that parents cannot see what their children have been accessing on the internet; • presents as safe and acceptable hormone therapy and surgery to for a boy to look like a girl and a girl to appear as a boy; • presents as acceptable dangerous female chest binding so girls can appear hide their female identity; and • provides links to adult gay organisations.

This is hardly an anti-bullying program.

So what is behind Safe Schools Coalition Australia?

Roz Ward says that it is about sexual liberation. She put it this way to the 2015 Marxism conference, “the homosexual cannot win liberation without a general sexual liberation.” This means that means that LGBT people can only truly be sexually free when the whole of society has sexual licence to do as they please and be being liberated from the constraints of being just male and female, boy and girl, man and woman, marriage and family.

Another leading academic from the La Trobe centre that created the Safe Schools program is Dr Tiffany Jones, who specialises in education policy and transgender issues.

Jones, now at the University of New England, says that today’s post-modern sex education, of which Safe Schools is just one example, is heavily focused on what is called “queer theory”.

Jones says that the aim of queer theory is to “disrupt/destabilise” the conventional ideas of sex and gender (i.e. male and female, boy and girl), because these antiquated ideas “uphold the illusion of hetronormativity”2 (i.e. the idea that people fall into distinct and complementary genders with natural roles of being mothers and fathers in a family).

Jones is saying that the idea of male and female, of man and woman being dedicated through marriage to having and raising children in a family is nothing more than an an-

LIFESTYLE 12 - 14

tiquated idea imposed on society. Post-modern sex-education offers many other forms of sexual expression to young people by disrupting and destabilising the idea of male and female among young teenagers as they biologically change from being children to young adults.

In short, both Roz Ward and Tiffany Jones are saying that programs like Safe Schools are aimed at radically changing the idea of male, female and family. Indeed, their radical ideology is aimed at destroying these age-old ideas of what biology tells us is the natural nature of a human person.

To find out more about the dangers Safe Schools poses for your children and family, go to KidsRights.org.au where you will find valuable information and you can sign a petition to have Safe Schools defunded.

Patrick J Byrne is the National Vice President of National Civic Council and does research for the Australian Family Association.

HELP INDONESIAN CHILDREN Education Project by JIMS Foundation

150 Islamic Schools

Over 15,000 More Than Students 1,000 Teachers

In Java, Lombok and Sumatera, Indonesia

Luqman Hakim Landy, an Australian Muslim revert has been serving the people of Indonesia through his JIMS Foundation in the field of daawah and education for more than 15 years.

Luqman was born in Syndey and was introduced to Islam at a university in Canberra. He converted to Islam in 1975 after a six year search for TRUTH in Australia and a supernatural experience in Jakarta. He performed Hajj in 1979, worked with AFIC in 1979 - 1982 and was Mudir of a government Islamic Orphanage in Sabah, Malaysia 1983-85. He has 10 years teaching experience in Darwin & 12 in Jakarta He did HIJRA to Indonesia 1988 and fell into DA'WAH activities, in remote villages where people did not know Islam.

He lives in Greenacre and is happy to assist your da'wah visit to these schools in Indonesia.

Mobile: 0469 977 684 or 0413 662 880 Email: yjimslhl@yahoo.com or jimsfoundation@yahoo.com

Details: Name: Luqman Hakim Landy PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY Donation Account ANZ BSB: 012 341, A/C: 540 136 101

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

EDUCATION

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

The 99 Divine attributes of Allah Part 21 - Attributes 77 – 78

BEYOND THE BOX Dr Q Ashfaq Ahmad

This issue continues the series exclusive to AMUST on the 99 divine attributes of Allah.

Read previous parts at www.goo.gl/L1wvP2 77. Al-Wali – The Protecting Ruler And [the believers among] those to whom We have given the [previous] Scripture rejoice at what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], but among the [opposing] factions are those who deny part of it. Say, “I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not associate [anything] with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return.1 And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic legislation. And if you should follow their inclinations after what has come to you of knowledge, you would not have against Allah any ally or any protector.2 And We have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendants. And it was not for a messenger to come with a sign except by permission to Allah . For every term is decree. 3 Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wants)4 and with Him is the Mother of the Book. (Al-Lauh, Al-Mahfooz). 5 And whether We show you part of what We promise them or take you in death, upon you is only the [duty of] notifications and upon Us is the account. 6 (Ar-ra’d 13:36-40) 1. This is the response of the question raised by the opponents at this moment: if this fellow has bought the same divine message as per the previous messengers as he claims, then why don’t the followers of those messengers welcome him? In reply tell them: “Some of the followers are satisfied but some do not acknowledge and reject. So O’ Prophet! reply, ‘satisfied or angry, you informed them that Allah the Almighty has educated me and therefore I have to follow and convey His message to you.’ ” 2. This is the response of another question of the opponents of Islam. They used to ask: “What kind of message is this that you have wives and family. The prophets are not indulged in sex therefore there is no question of wives or families for them”. The Quranic verses indicate the progeny of Abraham and Ishmael (s).

3. This is also response of another challenge of the opponents that other messengers “performed” miracles. Moses was bestowed with the miracle of ‘Specter’ and the ‘Luminous Hand’. Jesus used to cure the deficiencies of blinds and lepers. Saleh directed others about the holy She-camel. What miracle have you

bought to us? The reply is: “Whosoever messenger has demonstrated miracle, he has not done it by his own ability and capability. Whenever God determined to have a miracle demonstrated by a messenger, it was manifested accordingly by Him. If Allah wills for me to demonstrate any miracle, He shall definitely give it to me. Any messenger himself is not the claimant of any divine miracle that you are pressing me to demonstrate.”

4. This is also response of another objection of the opponents they used to ask: “As the previous gospels are present, what is the necessity of a new divine document?

You claim that the gospels have been modified and so there is a need of a new document. How can there be any modification of a divine document. Why did God not preserve it?

“Moreover, you claim that your message is divine document of the same God who had revealed Taurah and Bible before this one. But how is it that your instructions are against some of the directives in Taurah? For example what things are considered prohibited in Taurah you consider them permissible?”

The reply of these objections has been detailed in the messages cited in the coming chapters of Al-Quran. In this chapter, only short comprehensive responses are expressed.

5. Ummul Kitab is the Preserved Slate, from which all the heavenly gospels have been revealed by Allah.

6. Allah asserts that Prophet should not bother about the consequence from the comments of the people who have been rejecting his invitation and questioning for what and when does it occur. He should continue on his mission wholeheartedly that has been assigned to him and leave the decision to Allah. Apparently it seems an address to the Prophet but in reality it is meant for the opponents who used to challenge the Prophet for his continuous warnings that while these do not occur now.

78. Al- Mut‘al – The Most Exalted And those who disbelieved say, “Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Rabb?”1 You are only a warner, and for every people as a guide.2 Allah knows what every female carries and what the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceed. And everything with Him is by due measure.3 [He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.

It is the same [to Him] concerning you whether one conceals [his] speech or one publicizes it and whether one is hidden by night or conspicuous [among others] by day.4

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For each one are angels in succession, before and behind him, who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any protector. 5 (Ar-ra’d 13:7-11) 1. The opponents demanded for a token through which they can believe that Muhammad (s) is the Prophet of Allah.

They were not willingly to be convinced through the arguments about the realities presented to them; they were also not willingly to be influenced by the noble virtuous life of the Prophet. They were not even prepared to apply the ethical revolution that was manifested through the new transformation of their people who embraced Islam due to the teachings and conducts of the Prophet. Moreover they did not accept logistic arguments presented in the Quran for pointing out the aberration of the Jahili (ignorant), superstitious and polytheistic practices.

Leaving all these existing evidences, they were dependent on having some miracle that could be approved by them on the basis of which they could confirm the Prophethood of Muhammad (s).

2. In the last portion of the verse 7, instead of addressing the opponents directly, Allah addressed his Prophet: “O’ Prophet don’t worry about what miracle should be demonstrated to you for presenting before them to convince them. Your task is not to convince every opponent. Your main function is to alert the carefree persons out of them and warn them of the consequence of their destiny because of their follies. This service We have assigned to the appointed prophets (guides) in every locality in every time. Now we

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are taking this service from you. So leave whoever wishes to open his eyes or whoever wishes to continue with the present negligence and carelessness.”

3. After the short response, Allah warns them that they are not living in any obscure environment where a deficient administrator deals with the affairs rather they have to deal with the Almighty Allah who is well aware about each one of the humans when they had been fashioned in the wombs of their mothers and He has full watch of all of their each and every move. Hence, the decision about the destiny is carried by Him with pure justice according to their virtues and vices.

There is no other power who can interfere in His decisions.

The growth of the limbs of each child and the deficiencies of it’s capability, disability and vigor all are directly looked after by Allah.

4. The situation is not confined only up to this information that Allah is directly observing every human-being and is well aware of his or her movement and strategies. On the top of this it is also a fact that the watch-keepers appointed by Allah are assigned to each one of the humans to be called for all the affairs of each individual living in this world. The purpose of exposing this reality to these persons is to make them aware that they are not left as freelancers in this world. Rather they are answerable to Allah for their ideas and actions for reward or punishment due to their follies.

5. “O Opponents: “Don’t have the misunderstanding that close to Allah there is some saint, stage, Jin or angel that can be bribed for excluding them from any punishment or recommending to Allah for any reward for their bad or good deeds.”

Continued in AMUST issue #127 June

Australasian Muslim Times

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AMUST

TRAVEL

NEWS 1-2

BOOMERANG 3-5

COMMUNITY 6-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 11

LIFESTYLE 12 - 14

People of Persia: Part 1 Mobinah Ahmad

A man at the Safavi Hotel lobby in Esfahan poses next to a beautiful peacock.

School students at Persepolis, Shiraz.

This man sits in his military uniform under an arch of Khajoo Bridge, Esfahan.

Man sells out of a suitcase at the Mausoleum of Saadi, Shiraz.

Baby in the crowd of Shiraz Bazaar.

Young men work at a traditional local restaurant: The best Chello Kebab in Tehran.

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Azame Asidi works at Passport Control at Shiraz Railway Station.

Australasian Muslim Times

Boy at Mauseoleum of Saadi, Shiraz.

A shop keeper selling traditional Esfahani Minakari plates.

Women with interesting personalities work at a local Pizza Restaurant in Esfahan.

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May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

TRAVEL

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

A Journey through Iran: An Introduction WAYFARER’S COMPASS Sana Gillani When my husband and I first told people we were going to spend eighteen days travelling through Iran, we were met with curiosity, amazement and warnings.

Iran can often be viewed with a particular political lens in the Western mind and also a sectarian lens from a lot of Sunni Muslims like myself.

Almost everyone we spoke to who had been there, assured us with a type of facially expressive certainty you don’t always see, that we were going to have an amazing time.

And we did.

Iran sits in-between Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan in Asia, with a population of over 79 million people.

It is the birthplace of one of the oldest civilisations in the world, reaching its height and expansion during the Achaemenid Empire.

Upon the entrance of Islam to the region, Iran became the scene that cultivated some of the greatest artists, scholars and scientists of the Golden era of Islam.

With the Safavid dynasty, Twelver Shia Islam was adopted as the official religion of the Kingdom, and remains till this day.

As a result of growing public resistance to the corrupt and foreign influence rife during the reign of Shah Pahlavi, the Islamic Republic of Iran was born through the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

Iran’s relationship with the West hasn’t exactly been rosy since, and the revolution has strongly shaped the structure of society as well as the lives led within it.

Iran hosts one of the most celebrated and vibrant cultures of the world, boasting a rich cuisine, poetic language, an un-matched standard for hospitality and some of the most remarkable architectural delights you will set eyes upon.

Planning for Your Trip Unless you have a close connection in the country who is going to take care of everything for you, this is not going to be a walk in the park.

You need to do thorough research to prepare for your trip to Iran if you want to make the most of your time there.

There are many things you will need to book in advance.

Often bookings and tickets will come back to you through your agency in Farsi language.

You will either need to have these documents translated for you, or try to decipher them yourself, which my husband and I managed to do since we can read Arabic and have a very basic introduction to the Farsi language.

If you are unwilling or unable to do heavy prep work for your Iran trip such as this, I suggest you book a tour with a reliable company.

This will take many a headache away from you, but you may wish to allocate some tour-free time in your trip if you can arrange it easily enough.

Many people do backpack through Iran and happen to do OK, but I don’t have much experience in this area and therefore cannot provide too much advice.

Money - The Iranian Rial is the official currency in Iran and, personally, was the currency I found most difficult to get a functional understanding during all my travels.

Cash is going to be your main form payments in Iran.

Because of sanctions, you will not be able to use an international bank card in the country and your best bet is to bring your own currency with you into the country.

Best times to visit - I would say early Autumn or early-mid Spring. Iranian summers and winters are beautiful but also more on the extreme side.

We were there in late Autumn and it was very cold, but bearable and varying across different cities.

Clothing – Subject to the weather of course. You will probably know that for women, Iranian law requires that you cover everything except face, hands and feet.

Scarfs can be loosely tied.

The most common items of clothing for women is a manteau or tunic (long sleeve) over trousers, sneakers, and a headscarf.

More traditionally dressed women will wear an iconic Iranian black Chador, which I found pretty cool when I went to Iran.

Iranian women know their style. Wearing maxi skirts and dresses, I found was very uncommon and I felt like I stood out a little bit wearing them, but not in a nasty way. They must have just thought I could be Arab.

Food – A lot of Iranian restaurants have Farsi only menus with non-English speaking staff so it’s a good idea to learn some of the most common dishes served in each region you visit.

You can also decipher some of the menus using apps and guides, like we did.

Like in some other surrounding countries, Westerners may find it most safe to avoid ice and tap water, as well as uncooked vegetables.

I often have a very sensitive stomach when travelling and found that I didn’t get ill in Iran, alhamdulilah, except mildly towards the end of my stay.

Safety – Although I highly recommend not travelling alone in Iran, especially if you are a first time traveller there, I did find it very safe and comfortable.

Do what you can not to attract the atten-

Arches of the Shah Mosque in Esfahan © Sana Gillani. tion of their police, follow the rules as best you can, respect the culture, and you will be fine.

Note that most hotels will hold your passport while you stay with them.

In terms of getting around, you will notice many, what seemed to me, makeshift taxis.

Ordinary Iranians may offer you taxi rides in unmarked cars. If you are afraid to take a chance with these people, stick to the marked taxis. Iran is full of friendly strangers.

We were often offered help by people in the streets, and especially after travelling with people on planes, trains and buses.

We felt safe to engage with these people

and accept their help, but as in all situations like this, a healthy dose of caution and traveller’s intuition never go astray.

Prayer and wudu – Prayer was relatively easy to arrange in Iran, it being a Muslim country.

As Sunnis, however, we found that some of the mosques were closed during Asr time due to difference in prayer times in Shia practice.

Wayfarer’s Compass is a Muslim Travel Hub created by Sana Gillani. The original full article was posted on www.wayfarerscompass.com.

Young locals reading poetry at the tomb of Hafez, Shiraz. © Sana Gillani.

May 2016

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Australasian Muslim Times

21

AMUST

BUSINESS

NEWS 1-2

BOOMERANG 3-5

COMMUNITY 6-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 11

LIFESTYLE 12 - 14

Amin develops green marketing idea Mehar Ahmad

Level 5 student, Amin Shahinpour from Shahidan Sokhanvar in Tehran worked on a great project called Green Marketing. At the young age of 10, Amin had proposed to set up a poster with images of grocery items and their QR codes located in high traffic areas.

Amin developed the idea, extensively researched similar past work, created a poster,

Amin Shahinpour and his Teacher Mrs Karami Shali.

produced the QR code and programmed the app.

Once complete, he implemented the project at a local subway station in Tehran, Iran.

Other locations would include subway stations, airports and universities in order for it to be convenient way for people to shop.

The purpose of the project, was to consider family economy, social issues (traffic and air pollution) and creating practical uses for electronic devices for the benefit of society.

Upon discovering the uses of a QR code on his father’s business card, Amin had the idea of creating a virtual space for easy and safe shopping with minimal effort. This launched his technology marketing project called, Green marketing.

With the help of his successful parents, Mr Mohsen Shahinpour, international marketing and advertising expert and his wife Mrs Somayyeh Avvali, an international business management expert, Amin was able to further develop his idea.

His father, Mohsen, a virtual space expert and a university lecturer in the field of marketing and advertising particularly guided and advised Amin’s on his project.

Both his parents translated a book entitled “Online Consumer Behaviour” and were able to impart the knowledge of the book to their son.

As one of the brightest students in his school, Amin Shahinpour is a mature and intelligent young man who has displayed great potential he has in technology and marketing.

Amin Shahinpour looked at similar ideas of virtual shopping in the UK and South Korea. He had also interviewed a university

Amin Shahinpour in front of his poster at the Tehran Subway. professor from the South Korean university who advised him about logistics and success. He also looked at the advantages for retailers, buyers and society.

Karami Shali, Amin’s teacher has said that the hope and trust in Allah and support from his family and teachers, Amin Shahinpour has the potential to achieve high academic degrees and accomplish great things. His project has potential and ability to compete

on a national as well as international level.

In his project acknowledgement, Amin mentions his teacher, Mrs Tahereh Karami Shali, Principal Mr Rekabdar and Mr Hamzei as an assistant at his school.

He also thanked Taleghani metro station manager, Mr Elmi, Application programmer, Mr Amini and his dear parents Mohsen Shahinpour and Somayyeh Avvali.

AMUST Classifieds Services

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iMoby Productions Female Photographer. Weddings and engagements, birthday parties, festivals, corporate events, filming and producing.

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22

Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare Our aims are to address current issues through education, information dissemination and welfare projects.

Phone: (02) 9823 2063 Website: www.ifew.com

National Zakat Foundation (NZF) Are you a Muslim here in Australia • struggling to make ends meet or know someone who is • need help to calculate your Zakat • pay your Zakat or Sadaqah?

Contact NZF on 1300 663 729 or info@nzf.org.au today!

NZF is the premier Zakat institution for the Australian Muslim community, serving Zakat payers and receivers locally since 2013.

Charity Organisations

Australian Relief Organisation (ARO) Our mission is to help people from all races, ages, religions, and social statuses in order to spread kindness around the world and to create and follow social support models.

Phone: (02) 8065 8469 Website: www.aro.org.au AMU Alumni of Australia Supports the education of underprivileged students in India.

Phone: 0422 183 035 Website: www.fb.com/AMU-Alumni-ofAustralia

JIMS Foundation An education project that helps Indonesian children by providing schools and teachers.

Phone: 0413 662 880 Email: jimsfoundation@yahoo.com

Mahboba’s Promise: Donate To Charity Mahboba’s Promise is an Australian nonprofit organisation dedicated to the women and children of Afghanistan.

Phone: (02) 9887 1665 Website: www.mahbobaspromise.org SAMAA South Asian Muslim Association of Australia (SAMAA) aims to provide care to the elderly of South Asian Muslim Community.

Phone: (02) 9543 9769 Website: www.samaa.org.au

Shadow Approved We provide strategic design and website services that enable our clients to increase sales, build brand awareness and increase customer reliability. Contact us now and let us kick-start your business. www.facebook.com/shadowapproved Email: info@shadowapproved.com

House of Sakinah House of Sakinah is a women’s support centre that aims to assist & facilitate women in need & provide support. It is an initiative of CAI. Phone: (02) 8809 2966 Website: www.fb.com/House-of-Sakinah

UAK Design Design and construction. Architectural & structural plans, Renovation & Extensions, Project Management, Duplex, Granny Flat.

Phone: 0411 081 624 Email: info@uakdesign.com.au

Human Appeal International Human Appeal International (HAI) works on a number of charitable causes, specialising in areas from Social and Educational Development to Health Care and Emergency Relief.

Phone: 1300 760 155 Website: www.humanappeal.org.au

ISRA Australia ISRA is a point of reference for Islamic education, resources and information services. ISRA conducts pioneering research on social and religious issues of relevance to the Australian society and international community.

Phone: (02) 9649 9040 Website: www.isra.org.au

Islamic Relief Australia Islamic Relief Australia promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and disease.

Phone: 1300 308 554 Website: www.islamic-relief.com.au

UCSI University Malaysia UCSI University offers more than just certificates and qualifications. We are committed to raising scholars, explorers and unique individuals who aspire to discover and actualise their talents.

Website: www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my

Buy/Sell/Trade Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair MEFF provides stallholders the opportunity to sell or promote to the Muslim community. Stall bookings open on Tuesday 22 March 2016.

Phone: (02) 9823 2063 Website: www.meff.com.au

Australasian Muslim Times

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Education University

May 2016

UMMAH 15 - 16

EDUCATION 17 - 19

TOP 3 Muslim Memes

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

#SOCIAL APP

SOCIAL 23

TOP 9

Tweets #muslimrage

VIDEOS

To Watch

AMUST

of the month

The Myth of Radicalisation

Al-Jazeera’s Facebook App page, AJ+ release a video having Sana Saeed, Senior Editor talk about how radicalisation is a myth.

“Im old enough to remember when the word “radical” was surfer bro lingo, and not used to characterise any Muslim committing a violent crime.”

She says the biggest open secret about radicalisation is that it doesn’t exist.

And talks further about what does radicalisation actually mean, and how white men extremists have been treated differently to Muslim extremists.

“White men have been responsible for 64% of mass shootings in America since 1982 and have the privilege of being ‘lone wolf’ shooters.”

There is no set criteria for what the radicalisation process actually looks like. In the US, you can’t be prosecuted for Hate Speech unless very particular circumstances.

She said continuing to talk about radicalisation without any set criteria, and targeting only Muslims makes anything and everything Muslims do, suspect.

Leading to programs like CVE (Counter Violence Extremism and surveillance in mosque/home/businesses). “Maybe its time to rethink the poorly defined language use and how that language creates programs, policies and dangerous misunderstandings that have an effect on the lives of millions. How’s that for a radical idea?”

Video Link: https://goo.gl/JODv7B

Muslimy

Available on iOS Price: Free Saminah Ahmad The Muslimy app is a place where you can find different and positive kind of things to do with Muslims. This app is only for iPhone.

When I went to the app it showed me different pages or ‘tiles’ as I swiped left.

It would go from a page about sculpture chairs to a page about following a famous person who dresses with ‘style’. I found it very random, which may appeal to some people but I would of preferred categories.

The main problem I had is that it would

Confused Islamophobes Target American Sikhs

The Daily Show’s comedian, Hasan Minhaj interviews designer and actor Waris Ahluwalia to find out Islamophobia is affecting America’s Sikh Population.

Ahluwalia said “The turban is part of my religion. It’s part of my faith. It represents who I am, what I believe in, the values that I hold dear and true. And those values are Sikh. Those values are American.”

In a panel with other Sikh Americans, they said “Americans who see Sikhs automatically think we are terrorists. The turban is what makes us the target.”

Sikhs on The Daily Show’s panel told Minhaj that they’re unwilling to say they’re not Muslim and, as one Sikh man described it, “throw another community under the bus.”

He said, “Even if it means things are harder for us, we believe it’s the right thing to do.” Another man added, “We need to be better than that as Americans. And that’s what our Sikh values teach as well.”

Video Link: facebook.com/ thedailyshow/videos

May 2016

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ask me to sign in. When I would tried to make an account it kept saying this account already exists. However then when I tried to log in it says this account doesn’t exist. I tried different names and email addresses but I could not sign in.

I understand the app is for people to easy find different things from a Muslim point from fashion to poetry to food and so on. It’s an interesting concept but just needs some tweaks.

Australasian Muslim Times

23

FINANCE

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Australasian Muslim Times

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March 2016