Issue 130 September 2016

MUSLIM

AUSTRALASIAN

Multimedia News & Views

ISSN: 1039-2300

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Muslims Need Legal Protection

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Islamophobia takes it’s toll on French beaches Abu Anees While the French highest administrative court has ruled against the ban on burkinis, several French mayors have vowed to maintain the bans on public beaches.

Burkini is the full length body suit that covers the whole body except the face, hands and feet, largely worn by Muslim women as a modest form of sportswear including swimming. It was first invented by an Australian designer Aheda Zanetti in 2004 and has since become very popular in all parts of the world.

There was an uproar last week throughout the world when images, of armed French policemen forcing a Muslim women to take her swim suit off on a French beach, were widely circulated. Following the ban, there have been several reported instances of intimidation and discrimination against Muslim women identified with headscarves in France.

More than 30 French towns last month banned the wearing of burkinis on beaches on various pretext such as safeguarding secularism, women’s rights, public order and terror concerns. A number of French top politicians have issued statements of support for the bans.

However internationally as well as within France the ban was ridiculed and considered

an absurd Islamophobic reaction sweeping France due to a spate of terrorist attacks.

The French ban was blatantly directed at wearing of Muslim women’s’ swim suits and not against similar attires on the beach such as generic wet suits or nuns in their full dress.

The Collective Against Islamophobia in France plans to sue each municipality maintaining the ban on the burkini.

There has been great community concern that acts of highly publicised terrorist attacks is leading towards Islamophobia and random acts of violence against people perceived to be Muslims living in Western countries.

The vilification of Islam and demonisation of Muslims by Donald Trump in the US, Pauline Hanson in Australia and the likes of Geert Wilders and others in Europe is creating an atmosphere of hate and xenophobia in the society.

On Sat 13 August Imam of a New York mosque Alauddin Akonji, 55 and his colleague Thara Miah, 64 were shot in broad daylight while walking. Authorities later arrested and have charged 35-year-old Oscar Morel of New York with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

A day earlier on Friday 12 August Khalid Jabara, a 37-year-old of Lebanese Christian descent, was shot to death on his front porch

French police force a Muslim woman to remove her top on Nice beach. in Tulsa, Oklahoma by his neighbour Stanley Vernon Majors, 61 who has been terrorising his family using racist slurs as “dirty Arabs”, filthy Lebanese and “Mooslems”.

In Australia Far-right nationalist groups have been emboldened by One Nation winning a number of seats in the Senate and Pauline Hanson’s ongoing rhetoric against Islam and Muslims.

EID UL ADHA MUBARAK FOR 10-11 SEPTEMBER

Olympic athletes show Sydney Uni aims to produce positive power of Islam leaders for diverse Australia Sakinah Bokhari Mentions of Islam linked to terrorism and security have been eclipsed by the athletic exploits of Muslim athletes, and prevailing stereotypes have been outpaced by the images of Muslim excellence in the 2016 Rio Olympics held in the month of August.

Muslim athletes have flourished on the Olympics’ Stage amid suspicion, racism and Islamophobia in Rio. This includes Mohamed Farah from Great Britain winning gold both in the 5000 and 10,000 marathon

race, Ahmad Abu Ghosh from Jordan winning gold in taekwondo, Ibtihaj Muhammad from the United States winning bronze in fencing and Sara Ahmed from Egypt who won bronze in weight lifting.

Prayer is Powerful On 13 August, Somali British long distance runner, Mohamed Farah, locked his legs with another runner in the 10,000 metre run and fell on the track. He bounced right back up and weaved his way strategically past the pack and claimed gold. After he crossed the finish line, Farah fell on the track again-this time to pray.

He bowed his head before a stadium of thousands of spectators. For Farah, and scores of Muslim athletes, faith is not... continued on page 3

Mohamed Farah won 2 gold medals for Great Britain.

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Zia Ahmad The University of Sydney, the oldest Australian university is proactively aiming to produce leaders for a diverse Australia, its Vice Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence articulated at a recent luncheon held in Sydney.

Dr Spence was the keynote speaker at Sydney city offices of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation during the Affinity Lecture Series with the topic “The role of tertiary education in fostering harmony” held on Thursday 25 August 2016.

The August session of the monthly Affinity Lecture Series attracted more than hundred strong diverse audience including academics from various disciplines, clerics, interfaith activists, community leaders, journalists and students.

The welcome address and introduction to the keynote speaker was given by Professor Rosemary Johnson from UTS while the question and answer session was facilitated by the Deputy Chancellor of the University of New England Jan McClelland AM. Professor Johnson introduced Dr Spence, 54 as the 25th Vice Chancellor of the University of Sydney who completed his education in English and law from the same University and then moved to Oxford University where he completed his doctorate as well as a postgraduate Diploma in Theolo-

Dr Michael Spence. Photo by Samet Erkut. gy. He worked at the University of Oxford for 20 years as an academic and administrator before moving back in 2008 to take the VC position at the University of Sydney.

Dr Spence said the founding vision of the University of Sydney was based on pursuit of excellence and community service.

He claimed that while Australia had an entrenched White Australia policy, the University of Sydney held the distinction of being the first University to admit students based on merit and welcomed people of all faiths while other universities throughout the world admitted students based on various elitist criteria and family connections.

Elaborating on the topic for his address, he said that universities by their very nature provide platform for fostering harmony... continued on page 3

Dispose of this paper thoughtfully - PLEASE RECYCLE

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Cost of establishing a water well in Tanzania is $6,000 at present and the estimated completion time is three months.

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As a remedy, our organisation has been establishing water wells accross Cambodia. To date, we established 20 wells by drilling down to 30-60 meters in remote locations of the Country. Cost of establishing a well in Cambodia is $4,500 with an estimated completion period of two months.

Such a program was undertaken due to global water crisis. Indeed, there are 748 million people who lack access to safe and clean drinking water in the world today.

Water Wells Tanzania Tanzania is among the most affected countries in the global water crisis with 47% of locals has no or limited access to clean and safe water resources.

In both countries, a name plaque of the well sponsor is attached to the site and an information sheet with GPS coordinates of the well is also provided to donors for site visits.

As a remedy, we established 15 wells in Tanzania to date. Within the framework of this project, we drill approx 50-80 meters to bring out clean water from deep ground resources and also install a water tank on site.

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For further information and to sponsor a full or partial water well, visit aro.org.au, email us on info@aro.org.au (or infovic@aro.org.au for VIC) or call us on 02 8065 8469 (or 03 9309 6168 for VIC).

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Olympic athletes show power of Islam continued from page 1 incidental, but central to their excellence in sport. “I normally pray before a race,” Farah said. “I read du’aa [Islamic invocations] and think about how hard I’ve worked and just go for it.”

Taekwondo fighter Ahmad Abughosh made history by winning Jordan’s first Olympic medal. It was gold. But Abu Ghosh’s victory was celebrated beyond the borders of the Hashemite Kingdom. Abu Ghosh, his family’s hometown village just outside Jerusalem, erupted in joy at his feat.

After his win he dropped to the ground with his arms outspread and made du’aa.

The Weight of Gendered Stereotypes A young woman in a hijab can often conjure up images of frailty and disempowerment. This is not so for two hijabi athletes Ibtihaj Muhammad and Sara Ahmed. Not only have they challenged stereotypes, they have sliced them to shreds.

Well before Ibtihaj Muhammad had won the bronze medal for the USA, she was thrust into the media limelight as the first American Olympic participant to wear Hijab while competing. She was diligent in using this opportunity to become a Muslim advocate against her country’s treatment of Muslims as well as against Donald Trump.

She told CNN “A lot of people believe that Muslim women don’t have voices or that we (don’t) participate in sport … I want to break cultural norms…I’m hopeful

NEWS

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that, in my efforts to represent our country well as an athlete – they change the rhetoric around how people think and perceive the Muslim community,”.

Egyptian weightlifter Sara Ahmed has the kind of physical power few possess. She can out-lift most women in the world. Donned in all black with a red hijab she lifted 255kg to claim the bronze medal in the 69kg class.

This feat, given her nationality and ethnicity, was unprecedented. Sara Ahmed became an instant icon in Egypt, becoming the first female medallist in the nation’s 104 year history in Olympics’ competition and the first Arab woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting.

Sara Ahmed has disrupted allusions that have enabled hijab bans in France and worn-out oppression narratives worldwide.

As she bowed her head to receive her medal, Ahmed represented world-class power, strength and Muslim womanhood.

Muslim Gold Medal winners at Rio Olympics 2016: Majlinda Kelmendi Kosovo Women’s Judo - Gold Dilshod Nazarov Tajikistan Men’s athletics - Gold Ahmad Abughaush Jordan Taekwondo Gold Fehaid Al-Deehani Kuwait Shooting - Gold Tontowi Ahmad Indonesia Badminton Gold

AMUST

AMUST Issue # 130 Friday 2 September 2016; 29 Dhul Qa’dah 1437 News

1-3

- Islamophobia on French Beaches - Olympics Show Power of Islam

4-7

Boomerang

- Muslims Need Legal Protection - Islamic Emphasis on Dealings

8- 9

Community - Eid Milan at NSW Parliament - ARO Wins Award - Conference on Hate Speech

Australia Ibtihaj Muhammad with Dalilah Muhammad.

Ruslan Nurudinov Uzbekistan Weightlifting - Gold Hasanboy Dusmatov Uzbekistan Boxing Gold Mo Farah England Athletics - 2 Gold Dalilah Muhammad America Track and field - Gold Kianoush Rostami Iran Weightlifting Gold Sohrab Moradi Iran Weightlifting - Gold Hassan Yazdani Iran Wrestling - Gold Nijat Rahimov Kazakhstan Weightlifting Gold Daniyar Yeleussinov Kazakhstan Boxing - Gold

10 - 12

- Interfaith Marriage - Welcome to Australia - Harmony Walk 2016

Lifestyle

13 - 15

- Pokemon Go Meats HSP - Jihad of Seeking Knowledge - Aussie Designer: Diana Kotb

Ummah

16 - 17

- Fasting and Feasting - HAI: Reaching Out to the Poor - Gulen Calls for Investigation

Education - Allah, the God of All - Eid-ul-Adha 2016

Travel

18 - 19 20 - 21

- People of Persia: Part 5 - Safarnameh Iran Study Tour 3

Business

22

- Halal Bubs Meeting Huge Demand - AMUST Classifieds

Social

23

- Burkini Memes - App: OnePath Network

AMUST Team

Ahmad Abughaush won Jordan’s first gold medal.

Sara Ahmed became the first female Olympic medallist from Egypt.

Sydney Uni aims to produce leaders for diverse Australia continued from page 1 where people from diverse background and ideas could freely discuss and disagree respectfully.

Dr Spence admitted that Universities just like the corporate and political structures in Australia presented a monochrome image that did not represent the diversity of Multicultural Australia.

He said that while the University of Sydney had set up staff targets for indigenous

Australians and woman, there were no targets as yet for people of non-European backgrounds.

Dr Spence was keen on education, understanding and sharing of basic information on diverse great world views amongst his staff and students. He said that he had initiated a cultural competence training program at the University, first for staff to be followed up by students.

He also mentioned of his meetings with

members of the Sydney University Muslim Students’ Association (SUMSA) in order to address instances of Islamophobia activity at the campus during the past couple of years.

At the conclusion of the program, Mr Ahmet Polat, Executive Director of Affinity announced the presentation of certificate of appreciation for the Galaxy Foundation for their support and thanked all the guests for their participation at the event.

Managing Editor: Zia Ahmad Graphic Designer: Rubinah Ahmad Chief Adviser: Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad Multimedia Journalist: Mobinah Ahmad Columnist: Dr Abul Jalaluddin (Finance) Columnist: Bilal Cleland (Victoria) Columnist: Manarul Islam (ACT) Columnist: Dr Daud Batchelor (Brisbane) 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, Luqman Landy.

AMUST Contacts PO Box 111, Bonnyrigg (Sydney), NSW 2177 Australia.

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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.

Ahmet Polat taking a selfie with the audience. Photo by Samet Erkut.

September 2016

Mehmet Saral receives award for Galaxy Foundation by Dr Spence.

Photo by Samet Erkut.

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BUSINESS 22

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SOCIAL 23

Middle East conflicts: Innocent people paying the price While the states and factions fight for to the misery of the Syrian population. territory and power in the Middle East’s The sectarian opportunists and terrorists theatre of conflict, it is the innocent civil- with no regard for innocent lives have exians including women and children who ploited this chaotic situation and exported are the real victims. the mayhem to other parts of the world creIn Syria unchallenged indiscriminate ating hate and xenophobia on a global scale. aerial bombardment by the Assad regime The defenseless people of Yemen are on and the Russians has turned cities into the other hand victims of constant aerial ghost towns burying tens of thousands of bombardment of their infrastructure, hospipeople to their death and creating suffer- tals and schools by the Saudi led coalition ing for hundreds of thousands more with with the blessing of the US, thus creating internal displacement with shortage of misery for the people of this impoverwater, food and shelter. Hence the ished country. exodus as refugees to neighbour- EDITORIAL There have been several reports ing countries and other parts of by brave Western journalists Assalamu the world prevails. showing the world how the orThe opposition factions who dinary people both in Syria and Alaikum have been fighting the governYemen are suffering, but these Greetings ment forces and each other for have failed to create an outcry of Peace territorial gains playing cat and from the international community mouse have again brought misery in order to prompt their representaon the civilian population. The imagtives in the government to address the es of children pulled out from rubble has situation. only created a media circus but no action to It is our duty as individuals to be mindful address their plight has been taken. of the rights, safety and security of fellow The US and its European allies with their humans irrespective of nationality, religion, tunnel vision and ever changing strategies sect and political affiliation. Our common in order to safeguard their own interests enemy are conflicts and wars that lead to have been adding fuel to the fire and added deaths and injury, poverty, displacement

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us on and injustice.

We need to work in our individual capacity and collectively through our various institutions on political, religious, academic and through various media channels to create the awareness of the plight of fellow humans wherever they are and whoever they are.

This is the obligations of human rights for us all that we need to fulfil.

ZI Ahmad

Muslims need legal protection against vilification in NSW

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Shaoquett Moselmani MLC Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Attorney-General sought to make changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, specifically to repeal section 18C. Section 18C states that we cannot offend, assault, humiliate or intimidate any other person or a group of people because of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin.

The Abbott Government wanted to get rid of this section by arguing that it restricts “free speech”. Attorney-General George Brandis went further by stating that “People have a right to be bigots.”

We now have a new Federal Government, a new Senate and, alarmingly, a cohort of Senators who are intent on revisiting this issue.

Rather than show leadership, the response of Prime Minister Turnbull was astonishing, describing the call to repeal section 18C as having “worthy arguments” in favour of softening the Racial Discrimination Act but that the issue is not a current “priority” for his Government. This is nothing less than outrageous.

Adopting the proposed changes to section 18C would be a disaster for us as a nation and more so for religious minorities. In fact, the Racial Discrimination Act and Anti-Discrimination Act in New South Wales fails to address the sufferings that religious minorities face on a daily basis.

There are more than 500,000 people in the Australian Islamic Muslim and they need the protection of the law against persistent religious abuse. The abuse is so prevalent that it has become persecution on a collective scale. This collective punishment of the Australian Muslim community must stop.

According to a 2015 human rights report, Muslim Australians experience discrimination, vilification and abuse on a daily basis.

In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 5 November 2015, Judith Ireland and Beau Donelly stated: During consultations with more than 130 community, legal, university and gov-

September 2016

Readers comments twitter.com/amust_au

An Open letter to PM

ernment groups this year, discrimination against Muslims was “consistently raised as a significant concern. Many participants labelled anti-Muslim discrimination a daily or regular occurrence”... .

In an article entitled “Religion and the Racial Discrimination Act: Don’t Muslims Also Deserve Protection?” Mariam Veiszadeh noted: A decade-long national study conducted by the University of Western Sydney found that nearly half of Australians describe themselves as having anti-Muslim attitudes.

Legal protections would only apply to an Australian Muslim, for example, if one was abused as an effing Lebanese Muslim, because their race is identified. Whereas to be abused as an effing Muslim, which is attacking a person because of his faith, will provide no protection.

It has been said on many occasions that the Racial Discrimination Act has a limited ability to protect Muslim Australians. It has no ability because it only covers discrimination or vilification based on race, colour, ethnicity, national origin or immigrant status but not religion.

Muslims are not a race of people but followers of a faith across the racial and language divide. It is therefore critical to add religious vilification offences in the Racial Discrimination Act and Anti‑Discrimination Act. The Government should introduce a bill to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act to address the pain of the Muslim community.

In her article entitled “We need to call out the double standards in Australia’s Anti-Discrimination Laws”, Mariam Veiszadeh highlights the inadequacies in the

Racial Discrimination Act and notes that women across the country have been assaulted, spat on, had their prams kicked, have been punched from behind, have had abuse hurled at them, have had hot coffee thrown in their face, have been told to leave an entertainment venue, have been assaulted and thrown off trains, have been verbally intimidated, have had their cars vandalised, and have been forced to restrict their public movements out of fear. This cannot go on without action.

Why are Australian Muslims still not afforded adequate protection under the State and Federal vilification laws?

Why are Muslims in New South Wales, which has the largest proportion of Muslims, left without protection?

Why do the States of Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory cover religious discrimination in their legislation but New South Wales does not?

Is it because Muslims do not have a lobby group, or the power of big business from which to lobby governments, or is it because they do not have a powerful voice in mainstream media?

Do Muslims not deserve protection?

We as Australians should not sit in silence in the face of continued religious vilification against our fellow citizens.

We must amend the law to provide Australian Muslims with the protections they need.

The Hon Shaoquett Moselmane is a Member of the Legislative Council and Opposition Whip in the Parliament of New South Wales.

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Dear Malcolm Please see what the world communities are saying about the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi people and the destruction of the great and earliest civilization of humanity in Iraq!

The British have moved to act so that they can clear their conscience and guilt for their part in the deaths of the Iraqis.

What is Australia going to do about its role and how John Howard as PM blindly supported the US and the UK? As PM, you have the responsibility to commence similar investigations as did the British! Will you show leadership and humanity to do something or will you just brush these matters aside?

What about the deaths of 3 million children, women and elderly who died in Iraq as a direct consequence of Western sanctions in which Australia was a willing partner?

When will the world see some justice and fairness to bring those involved to trial and answer for their actions?

What the western alliance did in Iraq has been worse than what Saddam was doing and he probably got what he deserved!

What justice will be given to those innocent people who died for nothing? What about our own forces who suffered many casualties of war? What we see in the world today has its beginnings in the Iraq war!

Malcolm, we know that this would be very heavy on your mind and your heart and we pray that you will not step back for fear of criticism or loss of government but stand for real peace which will only be based on truth and justice!

History will judge you kindly if you act without fear or favour NOW! Amjad Mehboob Sydney

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Misconceptions of Shariah & The Law Bilal Cleland American Muslim communities are experiencing a great upsurge of anti-Muslim propaganda and right-wing political activity, partly as a response to the Trump presidential campaign, the refugee crisis and as a response to events in war zones across the Muslim world.

State legislatures are even passing special laws denouncing “shariah” law. Much of the vitriol is aimed at preventing “shariah” from ever being introduced to the USA, as though it is some sort of alien threat. The popular notion of shariah amongst such fearful opponents is that of the stoning of adulterers, the chopping off of the hands of thieves, the occasional crucifixion for certain crimes and the killing non-believers. Such fears have of course been fed by the atrocities of deviant killing machines like ISIS, Boko Haram and other organisations which are mainly targeting Muslims. The letter signed by over 120 international Islamic scholars to the ISIS leader in 2014 gives a good indication of how these groups deviate from Islam. [www.lettertobaghdadi.com/] Huffington Post reported on it 25 September 2014.

There is considerable confusion over just what is implied by the term “shariah.” It is basically a set of principles, not a series of laws. These principles are derived from

the Quran and the words of the Prophet Muhammad (s). All Islamic scholars agree upon the six principles of this Righteous Path – Shariah. They are: 1. The right to the protection of life.

2. The right to the protection of family.

3. The right to the protection of education (intellect) 4. The right to the protection of property (access to resources).

5. The right to the protection of human dignity.

6. The right to the protection of religion Detailed laws derived from the Quran and Sunnah were developed in the interpretive literature over the centuries. This is known as the fiqh. While the Quran and Sunnah are regarded as the foundation, the interpretations are not seen in the same light. They change over time and with location. A good outline on this matter is contained in an article by Sumbul Ali-Karmali, who has a degree in Islamic Law, “Who’s Afraid of Sharia,” [Huffington Post, September 3, 2010].

“The fiqh was meant to develop and change according to the time and place – it has internal methodologies for that to happen. It is not static, but flexible. No religion gets to be 1400 years old and the second largest in the world unless its flexible and adaptable.”

Part of this Islamic Path to Righteousness is respect for the religion of others, in accord with the Quranic verse “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: Whoever rejects Taghut [forces of Satan] and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that

never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.” Baqarah 256 The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World, binding on all who are part of his Ummah, put this into action at a very early period. These Covenants recognized the diversity of the peoples and religions of the region and showed an acceptance of different religions and cultures which took many centuries to evolve in Europe. [Morrow. John Andrew. The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with Christians of the World. Angelico press/Sophia Perennis. USA. 2013].

Ignorant fear mongering around the issue of creeping shariah law is a political tactic

Islamic emphasis on dealings Dr Daud Batchelor Viewing the situation in much of the Muslim world suggests that while teachings on ibadat (ritual worship) - prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj - have been faithfully conveyed by our Imams down the ages. Instruction on the other category of Islamic law - mu’amalat, meaning civil transactions and social interactions - has generally been given less attention.

This has led to shortcomings in the Muslim world to the extent sometimes of the abrogation of our duty to provide exemplary moral examples as beacons to humanity.

Mu’amalat focuses on relations between people (hablum minannass) rather than only on man’s relationship with his Creator (hablum minAllah). It can be considered in rather broad terms of encompassing the fields of Islamic banking, finance and economics, national governance, and the justice system, and even good manners (adab) between people.

Indications that Muslim countries are lagging behind Islamically in these fields are provided by Scheherazade Rehman and Hossein Askari in their publication, “How Islamic are Islamic Countries”.

They rated 208 Muslim and non-Muslims countries based on Qur’anic teachings and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s) and found in the societal fields mentioned that New Zealand was overall the best, while 37 non-Muslim countries scored better than the top-rated Muslim country, Malaysia.

My own research published as “A New Islamic Index of Wellbeing for Rating Muslim Countries”, found that for Islamically-significant social interaction indicators, such as adult literacy, females attending secondary school, maternal and infant mortality rates, and corruption perceptions, the Muslim world fared worse than the global average. This research further showed that Muslim countries doing best in traditional ibadah indicators – West African countries and Afghanistan – displayed poor social in-

September 2016

teractions.

It deserves further study whether this is due to a mistaken view that all that matters to get to heaven is to be regular in prayers and fasting, while good dealings with fellow Muslims and others, and concern for weaker societal members (women, infants, the poor), is of lesser consequence.

This view is also suggested by Transparency International’s 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index which shows that ten of the world’s 15 most corrupt countries are Muslim countries. Such is against the Prophet’s (s) clear teaching that “cursed is the one who bribes and the one who takes a bribe” (Hadith, Abu Daud #1595). How wonderful though it is when the spirit of sincerity and trustworthiness spreads throughout a society.

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aspects were replaced by Western codes.

This probably reflects that the application of ijtihad fell by the wayside since these legal fields were appropriated by the colonial power and Muslim jurisprudents were often not provided a role in ensuring mu’amalat laws kept pace with contemporary developments.

Australian Muslims need to be cognisant of these issues since they are simultaneously members of the worldwide Muslim community of believers (Ummah), as well as the pluralistic, multicultural Australian society.

Alhamdulillah, today there is much progress in mu’amalat fields, such as the rapid expansion of Islamic finance and the halal industry worldwide, and the raising of the role, education and dignity of women.

What is further required is strengthening

Based on Qur’anic teachings and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s) … New Zealand was overall the best, while 37 non-Muslim countries scored better than the top-rated Muslim country, Malaysia.

While God instructed that the most honourable among you is the one with the most taqwa (God-consciousness; Quran, al-Hujarat 49:13), the Prophet (s) also instructed that the best of you are those who are best to their families (Hadith, Tirmidhi #3263) and to their wives (Hadith, Tirmidhi #278).

Although ibadah actions are unlikely to show change over time, mu’amalat laws are more susceptible to the influence of socio-cultural and even technological changes. They therefore need the application of fresh ijtihad (independent reasoning) from time to time to ensure the law continues to promote justice and social equity.

Reforms of mu’amalat laws did not always keep place with societal developments resulting in some anachronisms, such as the division of the world into darul Islam and darul-harb (abode of war), whereas today non-Muslim countries which have peaceful relations with Muslim countries may be termed darul-‘ahd (abode of treaty). In many formerly colonised Muslim countries, application of the shari‘ah is often restricted only to personal and family law, while other

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and sustaining improvement in relations with non-Muslims, especially those who are fellow citizens and neighbours. The Prophet (s) said, “He is not a believer until his neighbour is safe from injurious behaviour on his part” (Hadith, Tirmidhi #1292).

Allah the Most High in Quran,Sura al-Nisa, verse 36, also ordered believers to do good to kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, close neighbours and neighbours who are strangers, and the wayfarer you meet.

Indeed the latter was a prime reason that drew this author while receiving superb hospitality as a non-Muslim travelling through Indonesia in the 1970s, to eventually accept Islam as being the Truth from the Almighty.

Dr Daud Batchelor, holds an MA in Islamic and Other Civilisations and a Diploma in Islamic Studies from the International Islamic University Malaysia, PhD from University of Malaya, MSc from the University of London, and MEngSc in environmental management from Griffith University.

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being used by those groups wishing to incite hatred and division in the Australian community. They do not even seem to be aware of what it is or of the very basic fact that the Quran and Sunnah, the foundation of shariah, mandate Muslims to respect the law of the land in which they live.

Australia has not yet reached the level of public incitement against Muslims we witness in the USA but it may develop.

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

The Rain Maker Fazlul Huq When the boy asked the cloud: ‘Are you the maker of the rain?’, The cloud said: ‘I bear water vapours that condense into rain drops.

But I am not the true maker of the rain.

You may ask the sun’, So the boy asked the sun: ‘Are you the maker of the rain?’, The sun said: ‘I provide the warmth to the molecules of water for them to change into vapour, But I am not the maker of the rain, As I only obey His Command’, Next the boy asked the wise one: “Who is the true maker of the rain?’, The wise one said: ‘The rain maker is the Maker of all things large and small including you and me, The One and the Only One To Whom the Sovereignty belongs’.

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

Australasian Muslim Times

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AMUST

COMMUNITY

Events Calendar

Combating Islamophobia: Think Again Summit Saturday 3 Sept, 2016 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM 71-75 Wangee Road, Lakemba, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 1716739631908538/

Youth PoWR 2016 Saturday 3 Sept, 2016 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, 128 Miller St, Sydney, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 864366980362826/

NEWS 1-3

BOOMERANG 4-7

COMMUNITY 8-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

Canberrans raise $101K for Queanbeyan Masjid fund

Manarul Islam The Muslim community of Canberra came together again to raise money for the masjid planned just across the border in the NSW town of Queanbeyan.

The fundraising dinner was held at the University of Canberra Refectory on Saturday 13 August.

The proceedings were started by Abdul Gaffar Khan, President of IFAM ACT who introduced the chief speaker for the night, Rizwan Ahmed, a current student of Usool at Al-Azhar University.

Rizwan Ahmed stressed the need for the Muslim community in the West to focus on the big issues and not be bogged down by

trivialities.

“Our priority should be tangible things that our community is going through,” he pointed out.

Rather than fighting over where to place your hands during prayer, we should focus on, for example, do we have all the facilities available for burials of Muslims.

He concluded his speech with an appeal to the audience to reach into their pockets and give for the building of the masjid.

Dinner was served and was followed by Isha prayer.

The total money raised in donations and pledges came to $101,000 – significant progress in IFAM ACT’s aim to raise the $600,000 target.

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

Speaker Rizwan Ahmed.

Our Global Communities Exhibition 2016 Friday 9 Sept, 2016 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM 45 Harvest Home Road, Epping, VIC Ph: 03 9408 1999 E: pff@alsiraat.vic.edu.au

The Eid Show Friday 16 Sept, 2016 Saturday 17 Sept, 2016 Sunday 18 Sept, 2016 178 Eldridge Road Bankstown, NSW www.eidshow.com

Run 4 Refugees - Sydney Running Festival Sunday 18 Sept, 2016 7:00 AM Alfred Street South, Milsons Point, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 1788378324714509/

What’s Happening or Not in Privacy?

Wednesday 21 Sept, 2016 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Suite 501, Level 5, 57-51 Pitt St, Sydney, NSW RSVP by 19 September to apolat@affinity.org.au

Twins of Faith 2016 Sydney | The Awakening Sunday 25 Sept, 2016 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Rosehill Gardens, James Ruse Dr, Rosehill, NSW www.fb.com/events/ 1048070301926611/

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

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Eid Milan party at NSW Parliament House Hanif Bismi Jihad Dib MP, Member for Lakemba and shadow minister for education organised an Eid Milan Party in partnership Pakistan Association of Australia on 9 August at the NSW Parliament House in Sydney.

The gathering was organised to celebrate the Eid after the fasting month of Ramadan.

However, unfortunately it coincided with the news of the terrorist bombing of a hospital in Quetta the previous day where a large number of lawyers and innocent people died and were injured.

The Eid Milan party continued after observing a minute’s silence, recited verses from Holy Quran and made dua in order to remember the victims of the bomb blast.

The program the proceeded by the recitation of national anthem of both Australia and Pakistan.

The state opposition leader Mr Luke Foley MP linked his passion for cricket and Pakistani cricketers and hoped Pakistan would bring its glory in sports and peace and condemned the recent bomb attack in Quetta.

Ms Julie Finn MP for Granville, Mr Geoff Lee, MP for Parramatta and Mr Guy Zangari MP for Fairfield wished everyone a happy Eid and condemned the hospital bombing in Quetta as well.

Mr Victor Dominello MP, Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation represented the NSW Primer Hon Mike Baird.

Pakistan’s newly arrived Consul General Mr Abdul Majid Yousfani highlighted the importance of Eid and briefed the current situation in Pakistan. He also promised that he would make every effort to bring Australia and Pakistan closer.

Father David Khan represented Pakistan’s Christian minority community and promised that minorities of Pakistan would stand

by Pakistan.

Mr Rana Abbas, President of Pakistan Association of Australia stressed that Pakistan is the worst victim of global terrorism and

Australasian Muslim Times

since war on terror, Pakistan has lost more than 60,000 people dead and many more injured.

He also welcomed the new Consul General and hoped to build ties with the Pakistani communities in Australia and assured all help.

Mr Abbas thanked the guests and particu-

larly NSW Parliamentarians and staff who helped make the program a great success.

Mr Jihad Dib welcomed the new Pakistan Consul General and concluded the program by saying that migrants to this beautiful country are always welcome and they always enrich and contribute to Australian culture.

Speakers at the Eid Milan party at Parliament House. Photo by Dezinor.

Audience at the Eid Milan at the Parliament House. Photo by Dezinor.

www.amust.com.au

September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

COMMUNITY

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Pakistan Day celebrations in Sydney Hanif Bismi The Pakistan Association of Australia organised Pakistan’s 70th Independence Day celebrations on Friday 26 August at the Bankstown Emporium in Sydney.

The program began with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Mr Raja Taseer followed

by Naat (poetry) by Mr Khurram Naqvi. Ms Mehreen, a post graduate student in music sang both the national anthems of Australia and of Pakistan. There was a very entertaining performance by Mr Adnan Gill the upcoming Pakistani singer.

Federal MP Mr Tony Burke addressed the audience mentioning that Pakistan is a nation of poets, highly qualified academia and world class cricketers. He hoped international cricket would come back to Pakistan.

He remembered the philosopher poet of Pakistan, Sir Dr Mohamed Iqbal and his contribution to the world and wished that one day schools in Australia would teach his poetry along with Shelly and other classical poets.

Mr Burke recognised the contribution of the Pakistan diaspora in Australia and wished them well.

Prime Minister Turnbull’s message was read by Mr David Coleman Member of Parliament from Banks who promised his support to the community and stated his keen interest in making the bilateral ties stronger between the two countries.

Mr Geoff Lee MP expressed his great appreciation of Pakistan and said both countries shared many things in common including the fact that both were former British colonies and had produced great sportsmen.

President of Pakistan Association of Australia Mr Rana Abbas thanked his team and the Pakistani community at large for helping make the function a great success. He introduced the guests of honour stressing that Pakistan as a country was going through various challenges in today’s geopolitical situation and that Pakistan played a very important role in the region.

He thanked Her Excellency Ms Naela Chohan for working closely with the community and particularly commended her

diligent action when two Pakistani students died recently in Australia and Papua New Guinea where the High Commissioner handled the delicate situations very well and organised the repatriation of the bodies back to the homeland.

Mr Abbas also thanked the Pakistani diaspora community and the Australian government in supporting Pakistan and hoped to expect the same in the future.

The chief guest of the evening, Her Excellency Ms Naela Chohan, the High Commissioner of Pakistan articulated the potential for future cooperation between Australia and Pakistan and appreciated Mr Rana Abbas and his team’s effort in arranging an event which brought Australian dignitaries and the Pakistani diaspora community together for celebrating Pakistan’s 70th independent day.

Consul General of Pakistan Mr Abdul Majid Yousfani introduced himself to the community and spoke of the historical background of Pakistan. Vice Consul Ms Bushra Salam was also introduced at the event.

A number of individuals were recognised for their contributions towards the community by presentations of awards by the High Commissioner.

CONTRIBUTE TO AMUST

CONTRIBUTE Abraham conference on TO AMUST hate speech and violence Rabia Ceylan

WRITE • SHARE • DISCUSS AMUST is building a network of correspondents in Australia and overseas in order to share the good news, positive developments and achievements in their community. Your contribution will be published on the AMUST website and will be included into the following print edition of AMUST, which is circulated throughout Australia.

WRITE WRITE •• SHARE SHARE •• DISCUSS DISCUSS

To sign up, visit www.amust.com.au/contributers AMUST is building a network of correspondents AMUST is building a network of correspondents in Australia and overseas in order to share the in Australia and overseas in order to share the good news, positive developments and achievegood news, positive developments and achievements in their community. Your contribution will ments in their community. Your contribution will be published on the AMUST website and will be be published on the AMUST website and will be included into the following print edition of included into the following print edition of AMUST, which is circulated throughout Australia.

AMUST, which is circulated throughout Australia.

ARO wins Outstanding Achievement Award

To sign up, visit www.amust.com.au/contributers To sign up, visit www.amust.com.au/contributers

Hanif Bismi

The Sydney based Australian Relief Organisation ARO has been recognised with the Outstanding Achievement Award announced on Friday 19 August at the Australian Charity Awards 2016.

The Australian Charity Award for Outstanding Achievement recognises charitable organisations that have achieved outstanding results through initiatives that have significantly benefited charitable causes.

The award was conferred by the Australian Business Awards, an international, all-encompassing awards program honouring organisations that demonstrate the core values of business excellence, product excellence, sustainability and commercial success in their respective industries.

ARO was established on August 2012 as a Not-For-Profit and Non-Government-Organisation NGO that is involved in the development, relief, and advocacy activities.

Over the last few years Australian Relief Organisation have delivered charity aid projects to 20 countries around the world, including the provision of food packages, clothing, water wells and monetary assistance. They’ve also established and refurbished 3 orphanages in Malawi, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, and have responded with emergency relief to earthquake victims in

September 2016

Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Her Excellency Mrs Naela Chohan with members of the Sydney Pakistani community.

The Abraham Conference 2016 was held on Sunday 21 August at Parramatta Mission Fellowship Hall organised by the Affinity Intercultural Foundation in partnership with the Jewish Board of Deputies, the Uniting Church of Australia and the Columban Mission Institute.

Attended by over 100 guests from diverse faith background and ethnicity including academics, clerics and business leaders, the theme of the conference this year was “Hate Speech and Violence.”

The keynote address at the conference was given by Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, Chief Minister of The Great Synagogue of Sydney.

Dr Elton elaborated on how hate speech was intricately linked to violence with the potential to greatly damage harmonious living in a diverse society.

This was followed by the Abraham Panel comprised of two representatives from each of the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam moderated by Mr David Knoll AM. The panellists included Mr Ari Lander, Dr Ghena Krayem, Fr Claude Mostowik, Ms Julie Nathan, Rev Tara Curlewis and Sheikh Haisam Farache as well as Dr Elton.

Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton.

The panellists tackled a wide range of topics including the effect of hate speech on representative communities as well addressed ways and means to curb hate speech and its harmful effects on harmonious living in Australia.

The audience included Mr Jihad Dib MP, Ms Julie Owen MP and the Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed amongst others.

Rabia Ceylan is a Project Officer at the Affinity Office in Sydney.

Nepal and flood victims in Bosnia.

The Australian Relief Organisation operates with partner organisations internationally to deliver services on the ground, working alongside governments and communities to adhere to relevant laws and overcome challenges. As part of this process they catalogue their programs for feedback and training purposes.

Locally, ARO have raised money for NSW Bushfire victims, run kitchens for the homeless and developed refugee support programs. They’ve also organised several drug and gambling forums, hospital and aged care facility visits, and have established a charity shop that sells new and used clothing.

ARO is also successfully conducting annual Qurban meat donations, fitra, sadaqa and zakat for deserving people in different countries. Also providing Ramadan dinner through Iftar packs to various countries.

Hanif Bismi is a Sydney based historian, political analyst, community activist and an Advisor to ARO.

The panel at the Abraham Conference 2016. Photo by Samet Erkut.

www.amust.com.au

Australasian Muslim Times

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AMUST

AUSTRALIA

NEWS 1-3

BOOMERANG 4-7

COMMUNITY 8-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

Eid Mubarak

Selamat Eidul Adha dan Hari Raya Haji

Eid Mubarak from our 1,500 unpaid Islamic teachers & officials and 15,000 deeni students at 150 madrasahs in Indonesia, kindergarten to senior levels, all in remote areas where no-one wanted to go to spread the deen, where no financial support is generally available.

Relevant Aust. account is: Commbank, BSB 062-701, A/C 1000 1063. Indon. a/c upon request. We accept Zakat, Sadaqah, Fidya, Qurban and Bank Interest for proper Islamic distribution.

September projects are WELLS at our schools, 1,600 complete.

Aust. organiser Luqman Hakim Landy, M. 0469 977 684, E. jimsfoundation@yahoo.com. Visitors welcome to meet Luqman in Sydney and to visit our schools in Indonesia, please contact him via mobile, e-mail or facebook.

Luqman Hakim Landy, JIMS Foundation

HELP INDONESIAN CHILDREN Education Project by JIMS Foundation International Muslim Society, registered with Indonesian Government

150 Islamic Schools

Over 15,000 More Than Students 1,000 Teachers

Hundreds of Orphans

In Java, Lombok and Sumatera, Indonesia

Pay Zakat, Fidya and QURBAN to us

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

Luqman Hakim Landy, an Australian Muslim revert has been serving the people of Indonesia through his JIMS Foundation in the ďŹ eld of daawah and education for more than 20 years.

Luqman was born in Sydney 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.

10

Australasian Muslim Times

www.amust.com.au

September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

AUSTRALIA

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Will you marry me? Interfaith marriage Philip Feinstein Picture this: A young man of Arab decent, Ibrahim, is in love. His beloved, Sarah, is of Jewish or Christian decent. They can see a great future for themselves and are now considering marriage.

Will love conquer all?

Will their love help to stave off any difficulties that they may face? They certainly believe that their love is strong enough to handle any situation. But coming from very different backgrounds, there are numerous questions and issues that lie ahead. The real tests will face them soon.

I had the pleasure of interviewing three very distinguished and respected leaders of their own faiths: Imam Farhan Khalil from Mount Druitt; Reverend Bill Crews from Ashfield; and Rabbi Zalman Kastel from St Ives. All three were given a series of deep and meaningful questions about how they would handle the idea of a mixed marriage and how that will be interwoven into people of different faiths. The initial responses immediately put them in a category of their own.

Imam Khalil pointed out that people usually view mixed and interfaith marriages to be the same, but they should be treated separately as they both have their limitations.

Reverend Crews stated that a marriage is a marriage. “It is about love. To me love transcends all faiths.”

Rabbi Kastel agreed with Imam Khalil and distinguished between a cultural mixed marriage, which he likened to a celebration of diverse people and humans, while an interfaith marriage is often an attempt at transcending division relating to a different set of beliefs and cultural differences which may have obstacles.

With regards to family and community approval, there was again a difference of opinion. Imam Khalil emphasised the importance of family involvement and focussed on the future: “If families are not involved, things can really become difficult for the person who is going through marriage crisis, as they might not have access to immediate family support.” Reverend Crews pointed out that approval is important but not imperative. “I have found that often family approval is something to be worked on rather than received from the start” he said. Rabbi

Reverend Bill Crews.

Kastel observed the common situation of great difficulties here for a couple in love being torn between family disapproval and the love they have for each other.

The line was also drawn between a couple’s love for each other and that of their faith or belief. Reverend Crews again reverted to ‘love is love’ and that there is always room for one more, adding that love does not imply possession. Rabbi Kastel likened this point to a married couple of the same faith where one was very religious and the other not. “There can be religious restrictions in many situations like foods to be eaten, travel restrictions, Sabbath formalities etc. If one partner asks the other to restrict their belief of God out of their love for them, they are crossing a line - love does not conquer all because we all have our beliefs - we need to have a marriage of integrity and negotiation, and of accommodating conflicting principles.” Imam Khalil pointed out that a promise of marriage does not rank higher than any religious or family commitment, adding “I believe every relationship has its own importance and as human beings, we are in need of a partner, family and spiritual relation with God.” Could a marriage of different faiths work where the partners keep their own religious aspirations? And would they have a great chance of a successful marriage?

Reverend Crews was emphatic in his an-

Imam Farhan Khalil. swer: “Yes the marriage could work and it does work - they know about upcoming challenges and difficulties” he said. Crews then compared interfaith love to the story of Romeo and Juliet: “Love is a gift from God that needs to be owned and honoured. It’s human beings and what they do when they encounter this love that is so important.”

Imam Khalil took the religious line when he said “I think people marrying from a different faith can work, and as long as we live according to the divine legislations, we will have peace.” Rabbi Kastel again pointed to the difference between marriages involving people less involved with rituals and rules and more traditional people where potential obstacles needed to be thoroughly examined beforehand. “One should be fully aware of the pitfalls well in advance” he commented.

With regards to a person changing their religion prior to marriage, or marrying outside their faith, the comments were interesting: Imam Khalil explained that Islam explicitly indicates that only males are allowed to marry people of the book (Christians and Jews) whereas women are not allowed to marry outside Islamic faith, unless the man converts to Islam. He added: “Islam is a gender equal religion but even bigger than that, Islam is based on equity where justice prevails over anything.”

Reverend Crews disagreed stating that both should be allowed to marry.

Rabbi Zalman Kastel.

Rabbi Kastel said that Orthodox Judaism prohibits intermarriage, but would welcome a marriage with a person of any background if that person converted to Judaism.

Meanwhile back to the loving couple Ibrahim and Sarah: They have many hurdles to face and may be advised to seek counselling.

In discussing the issues with Kogarah Clinical Psychologist, Tom Jones, one learns more about mixed marriages having two sides to the coin. “On one side is the desirability of doing all the constructive things, while on the other side is the fact that the necessary communication and compromises may not work” said Jones. “One may have to choose between the marriage and the other priorities - religion, community and family of origin. This is likely to be a tough choice.” * Tom Jones is private clinical psychologist in Kogarah. He can be contacted on (02) 9587-9916 and can assist with marriage counselling other matters arising from interfaith marriage.

Next month we will continue with Part 2 of this challenging question.

Philip Feinstein is a Sydney based writer, musician and activist working for MUSIC FOR REFUGEES www.musicforrefugees.org

Pakistan Independence Day in Canberra Manarul Islam The Canberra Pakistani community had an open invitation to attend the Pakistan Independence Day event at the new Pakistan High Commission at 4 Perth Avenue, Yarralumla on Sunday 14 August.

The event commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran followed by a flag hoisting ceremony by the Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Her Excellency Mrs Naela Chohan.

The guests were then invited inside the new building where they were reminded of the sacrifices undertaken by the people of Pakistan. It was also highlighted that the plight of Kashmiris is still not resolved.

The event was also used to launch Issue 2 of Partners in Research and Development, the flagship publication of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), which focussed on agricultural collaboration between Australia and Pakistan. ACAIR was represented by Don Heatley OAM, ACIAR Commission Chair.

The High Commissioner then gave her speech to the guests, welcoming them to 70th Independence Day and wishing them Azadi Mubarak.

“Of course most of you are Australians,

September 2016

Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Her Excellency Mrs Naela Chohan (in green) with the Canberran Pakistani community. but I know that, having lived abroad, you “Pakistan is our identity that we earned have great love for the home you have left through immense sacrifice. Today we celbehind,” she said. “Your heart will always ebrate Independence Day with a sense of beat for it.” deep gratitude and humility before Allah

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Flag hoisting by Pakistani High Commissioner.

Subhana Wa Tala for His countless blessings and bounties,” she added.

The speeches were followed by refreshments.

Australasian Muslim Times

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AMUST

AUSTRALIA

NEWS 1-3

BOOMERANG 4-7

COMMUNITY 8-9

Fifty years since the Battle of Long Tan

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

Harmony Walk 2016 to be held in Fairfield

Anne Fairbairn AM The recent decision by the Vietnamese Government to restrict the commemoration activities of Australians involved in the Long Tan military operation of 1966 is well understood by many thinking Australians.

The Vietnamese Government has refused the Australians commemorations because so many Vietnamese were killed by the Australian and American Forces.

This is not to say that the countrymen and women of these unfortunate young Australians who fought and died at Long Tan challenge or discount the efforts they made to fulfil their duties under the Australian flag.

According to official figures 245 Viet Cong died while 18 Australians died as well as 24 were wounded.

For as history has revealed they were merely serving participants in a war not of their choosing and one which became progressively unpopular with Australians.

My husband, Professor Geoffrey Fairbairn who worked in Professor Manning Clarks Department of History at ANU wrote a great deal on this subject expressing his deep concern about the Vietnam intervention. His area of expertise was the history of South East Asia.

The Australian Government did not initiate war with the North Vietnamese, but entered the country in 1962 at the request of the South Vietnamese Government, then led

by Ngo Dinh Diem, providing 30 military advisers.

Australia’s support for the South Viet-

namese Government was in keeping with other European and Asian Nations.

Sadly, by 1965 the United States had committed to increased involvement in the Vietnamese conflict and Australia under its Alliance had introduced conscription under the National Service Scheme in 1964.

However by 1969 much dissatisfaction with this war and Western involvement occurred among the Australian people as well as the United States and other involved nations.

By 1970 moratoriums attracted more than 200,000 people throughout Australia. All of the Australian military forces were withdrawn from Vietnam by 1972.

I wish to express my deep sadness for the loss of Australian lives, as well as Vietnamese lives, and I believe I share with most Australians who regret that this catastrophe ever occurred.

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

IN MEMORY OF THE VIETNAMESE KILLED AT LONG TAN When Fall the Autumn Leaves Have you ever whispered to me Soft tender words of days of yore When fall leaves dropped on lost alley and fulte echoed beyond the door?

Have you ever thought about me your hands touching the leafy trees Laughing with wind and birds merry And my bitter love memories?

My heart is like cold lake in fall Reflecting moon in midst of night.

I wish the days more slowly flight, Yet mindless you care not at all.

When winter came by the river, You hastily walked down the aisle.

Do you recall last hot summer When my heart lingered all the while?

Translated by Thomas D Le.

ARO organises Welcome to Australia for refugees Hanif Bismi Australian Relief Organization in partnership with Settlement Service International organized “Welcome to Australia” on Saturday 6 August 2016 in order to welcome 180 newly arrived refugees mainly from Iraq and Syria while some from Afghanistan and Iran.

The evening program including dinner was held at Amity College at its Preston campus in Sydney.

Mr. Ahmet Aydogan, the President of ARO welcomed guests and acknowledged the dignitaries and assured the new arrivals that they are not a burden on the society.

He stated that ARO is Sydney based charity that operates across the country through a branch in Melbourne and offices in other cities.

Mr. Peter Shergold, the NSW Coordinator General for Refugee Resettlement and Chancellor of Western Sydney University was the guest of honor and opened the program by welcoming the new arrivals and said that the new arrivals in Australia aspire to find jobs and educate their children in order to establish new secure life in the new country.

He also appreciated the work of ARO and SSI helping refugees and others to settle and integrate smoothly into the Australian society.

Ms Elisabeth Shaw, Acting Chair of SSI welcomed the new arrivals and guaranteed ongoing support to refugees and that the refugees were not alone.

She assured that along with ARO and Amity College, SSI will look after the community and provide ongoing support for refu-

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Welcome to Australia event at Amity College. gees. of Australian Relief organization welcomed Ms Shaw highly appreciated the support all guests and assured that the refugees conand contribution of ARO in resettling the tributed towards Australia’s progress and refugees and other needy people around the enriched multiculturalism. world and was delighted to continue workHe furthered pointed out that today we ing with ARO. have the highest level of displaced people Mr Abdullah Aksu, Chairman of Amity globally since World War II, where up to 65 Colleges expressed his pleasure in hosting million people have been displaced from the dinner. Amity college has been operating their homes due to wars and other conflicts. for over two decades in three campuses at Mr Tumen assured the 180 new settlers Preston, Auburn and Illawarra. that they were in a safe land and welcomed He said that Amity College was truly a them by saying that they are an asset to Ausmulticultural Australian school with over tralia.

1,800 students coming from 46 diverse He thanked Amity College and SSI for backgrounds. Amity College is proud to as- making the event a great success and hoped sist the refugees paving path towards smooth towards working in partnership with the settlement process in Australia. Currently Coordinator General and the SSI in future Amity College has sponsored four refugee guaranteeing that ARO will be at their serchildren at the Illawarra campus. vice to assist in any possible way.

Mr. Cihan Tumen, Chief Executive Officer

Australasian Muslim Times

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Ernie Friedlander The next Harmony Walk will be at Fairfield Park, Fairfield on Wednesday 28 September 2016 from 11 am to 4 pm.

This will be a day for everyone to participate in and share the spirit of inclusion and diversity. It will be a chance for people from all communities to come together in one of Sydney’s most flourishing and diverse communities.

The Moving Forward Together Association is organising the Harmony walk with support from Multicultural NSW, the Fairfield Council, NRL, the Australian Football Association, STARTTS, the Australian MEFF Consortium, the Australian Baha’I Association, the Australian Catholic University and some local schools.

The Harmony Walk event has been successfully staged in Coogee in 2012 while the event was held in 2013 & 2014 at Cathedral Square in Sydney and in 2015 in Blacktown.

Along with the Harmony Walk events the organization has a highly successful Harmony Poster & Song Writing competition with 4000 -6000 entries annually. Is not political, non sectarian. The organizing committee has educators, a former judge, professors, and individuals from all walks of life, representing a diverse group who work together, seeking to promote the values of peace and harmony towards a decent and inclusive society.

“The aim for this event and the ones in past is to take away the fear of the unknown, for Fairfield and beyond in particular celebrate our diversity, stand united, share and join in fun and activities. Promote a healthy life style and to the regions continued success of being a diverse group of people locally and beyond” stated Ernie Friedlander the President of Moving Forward Together Association.”

The objectives of Moving Forward Together are: • Encourage respect for national, ethnic, and religious differences, while promoting adherence to Australian law and values.

• Promote Harmony, Respect, Diversity, Social Cohesion, and inclusion for a better understanding among all sectors of the community.

• Nurture a broad social conscience, where individuals have rights, but also responsibilities to others.

• Facilitate education and networking across the nation and among communities to help promote acceptance and understanding.

Ernie Friedlander OAM is the President of the Moving Forward Together Association based in Sydney.

September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

LIFESTYLE

SOCIAL 23

Pokemon Go meats Halal Snack Pack

AMUST

Mobinah Ahmad

Ever heard of Pokémon Go with a meaty twist? Islamic Relief Australia successfully held their first ever Pokemon Go meats HSP | Go for Charity on Saturday 13 August in Burwood Park!

With an enormous pikachu mascot mobbed by the little kids, the day was a lot of fun!

Attendees also participated in a pokemon go themed scavenger hunt hunt where they had to look for clues around the park.

An animal petting zoo included a llama, calf, rabbits, geese and so many more!

Kids also got to choose between a number of jumping castles that kept them occupied for hours.

Koshari Korner served up amazing Egyptian street food and Glaçage served up scrumptious Pokemon themed cupcakes!

Halal Snack Packs were served all round

by King Kebab House. Senator Sam Dastyari attended with his kids and was really excited to try some Koshari, HSP and meet Pikachu!

Islamic Relief Australia posted on their Facebook page “Pokemon Go meats HSP was a blast! What a better way to spend a Sunny day in Sydney. We hope you enjoyed your time as we did ours. See you at our next event!”

(Top Left), Walid Elsabbagh, owner of Koshari Korner, his assistant and Senator Sam Dastayari.

(Top Right) Islamic Relief’s Pikachu mascot was adored by all the children and adults alike!

(Bottom) Owner of King Kebab House serves Senator Sam Dastayari a halal snack pack with chicken, garlic sauce, barbecue sauce and chilli sauce and emphasised that there was no chilli sauce! Pikachu is trying to steal some of the snack pack.

Misadventures of the Modern Muslim

ISRA’s iDeb8 Is Social Media: beneficial or harmful?

AMUST Media Aftab Malik, one of the world’s leading Islamic scholars is back in Sydney, continuing to inspire the Australian Muslim community.

Malik was invited to speak at the Lebanese Muslim Association in Lakemba on Saturday 27 August as part of their Youthink lecture series.

The speech topic:Through the looking glass: The Misadventures of the Modern Muslim.

“ISIS are not medieval, because if they are medieval, that indicates that they represent medieval Islam. That is incorrect, they are authentically heretical.”

On the LMA event page: Like Alice, in Lewis Carroll’s enticing story of a young girl, challenged by a fantastical world, Muslims today are also confronted by a parody of Islam.

They see Muslims carrying out acts so heinous, that they cannot fathom how they can be justified in the name of a Merciful God. And yet, many non-Muslims see the very same acts as being carried out “in the name of Islam,” just as the criminals claim.

With blood flowing ever freely, the honour of the Prophet Muhammad being dragged through the proverbial mud, and the sanctity of life being crushed underfoot by murderous hearts, this lecture will attempt to make sense of this fantastical world in which a parody of Islam lives.

September 2016

AMUST Media “If the language of the people of today is social media, then that is where we need to be.” said Shaykh Ahmed Abdo.

The Islamic Science and Research Academy Australia held its 2016 iDeb8 posing the question “Does Social Media Do More Harm Than Good?”

The Affirmative Team were Ramia A Sultan, Mehal Krayem, Soner Coruhlu and the Negative Team Lydia Shelly, Shaykh Ahmed Abdo, Mohamed Taha.

Congratulations to all the speakers, the debate was great to watch. It was held at Bryan Brown Theatre on Saturday 6 August 2016.

It will seek to explore the intellectual fault lines of normative Islam and its parody, thus allowing everybody to distinguish beauty from the ugly and fact from fiction.

One attendee said “I’m honoured and delighted to listen to pearls of wisdom from this extra goodlooking, smart scholarly mind of our times.” The event was held in the LMA Library, and there was a good turnout by members of the community.

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The Jihad of seeking knowledge AMUST

to a revert, when I asked him if he ever felt overwhelmed with knowledge, he said “ Yes and No. I was always curious to learn and know more about religion. It can at times be confusing, but that’s because of limited knowledge, so one has to keep seeking knowledge to gain a better understanding of faith. It was very interesting to know about how in depth and detailed fiqh can be and the many different aspects of how one can practice Islam. The leniency, the practicality is quite fascinating.”

Although Fiqh is just a small part of Islamic knowledge, it made me realise how little I know of my own faith which at first was very concerning. However at the same time, it has also given me the inspiration and motivation to continue to seek more knowledge about Islam. In Surah Al Mujadilah (58:11), The Quran mentions “God will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge, in high degrees; and Allah is Aware of what you do.”

MOBYDAYZE Mobinah Ahmad After 18 years of school and university, I thought it was time to be more educated about my own religion which I had neglected (aside from the Sunday schools I did when I was a kid). Without much thought, I quickly filled in the application and sent it off. After I got accepted into the Masters of Islamic Studies, it was at that time, I began to look into what I’ve signed up for.

I was not really sure what to expect, I was coming to this with an open mind - wondering how this degree would have an affect on my religiosity. The concepts of the first two subjects seemed to be opposite to one another: one was looking at theology and the other was spirituality. I had such a great time learning these subjects, I was feeling really inspired and found that my relationship with Islamic knowledge was strengthening, I was beginning to think in unfamiliar territory.

I never really questioned what my beliefs were. For the longest time, I just thought belief just required (blind) faith, however it was refreshing to learn that there is a lot of logic and reasoning behind the concept of belief.

There was this one moment when the lecturer asked the class why would a person believe that the Quran was the word of God? It just was, I figured. Thats what I was brought up with. From my initial understanding, you

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read the Quran and just had the belief it’s the untouched word of God. Just like that. It sounds so frivolous now that I think about it.

I was so focused on the simplest expressions of Islamic beliefs, without understanding the interpretive theology and rational argument that form such beliefs.

It wasn’t until the next semester, which is where I’m at now - half way through my subject of Jurisprudence (Fiqh) where I am officially overwhelmed. Being born into a Muslim family - madhabs and sects was never really on my radar. I just practiced the faith the way my family did. I was aware of

the different madhabs and that some people chose to practice Islam slightly differently, but I never really thought much about it.

It was at the point where I was watching a student presentation and he was going into the utmost detail of what I thought was a pretty simple act, explaining how each madhab has a different opinion on the matter and the way it should be done.

Learning the rituals related to the five pillars of Islam, looking at the criteria and method for every practice in the four schools of thought: Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali can be quite overwhelming. Speaking

Mobinah Ahmad works in the new media industry and is a multimedia journalist for The Australasian Muslim Times based in Sydney.

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Aussie designer to watch: Diana Kotb Saltanat Bora For today’s Modest Fridays, I’m so pleased and and excited to feature home-grown Australian designer, Diana Kotb.

A follower tagged her on one of my Instagram images, and once I checked her profile, I was stunned.

The aesthetic and creativity of her designs and the styling of the shoots was just mind blowing. The ‘modest fashion’ world at the moment is saturated with designers, but rarely have I come across something truly unique and original.

The designs exude quality and luxurious craftsmanship “without ever being pretentious”, in the words of the designer herself.

My readers would all know by now that I believe that humility is a big part of being ‘modest’. But I think what also needs to be appreciated and prioritised is good quality clothing, that is timeless and able to be worn again and again.

We need to shift our obsession with cheap, disposable ‘trendy’ clothing that is consumed without consideration of the impact this habit may be having on our earth and our society. As a community, we need a paradigm shift. Islam has always upheld and appreciated beauty, and warned of the excesses of consumerism.

This should not go astray in the world of fashion where people have lost their appreciation for clothing of the highest quality.

Diana Kotb’s vision encapsulates this.

She stresses that her designs are for the woman who is “unbroken, uncompromisable and unapologetic about her love for her faith and the strength it ignites.”

A look at her campaign videos, which are a thing of beauty themselves, sums up all that I was saying above about quality, timelessness and modesty.

To top it all off, her clothes are designed and made in Australia.Believe me, Diana Kotb is a name you don’t want to forget.

Her latest campaign images are incredibly beautiful. Visit dianakotb.com/collection to view her line. This article was originally published in themodestlife.co.

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September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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Wedding Feature: Zahraa + Abdul Hafeethe Marriage

Bureau

THE MODEST BRIDE

Seeker & Sought For

Saltanat Bora Zahraa and Abdul Hafeethe’s wedding was rustic chic beautiful. Zahraa’s floral appliqué dress with overskirt was so pretty, the little flower girls were sweet in their frothy pink gowns and flower crowns, and the overall relaxed and elegant feel was executed perfectly.

Zahraa planned her wedding down to the minutest detail, and incorporated some thoughtful elements, such as the advice cards and the flower station where guests could take the arrangements home.

Most importantly, it was a gathering of their nearest and dearest which made for an ultimately heartwarming and memorable affair.

How Did You Meet: We met in 2007 at community gathering. He had come from South Africa with his father, they were planning to move to Melbourne and had come to see what Melbourne was like.

We had a mutual friend who he came with. I took one glance at him, heard his accent and was smitten.

I told my friend and she couldn’t keep her mouth closed and blurted it out to him. Later that evening he came straight up to me and asked “is it true?” My 14 year old self was so taken a back that: a) a boy was talking to me b) Was what true? c) To never trust that friend with a secret again.

The Proposal: I wish I could say that the proposal was like one of those extravagant ones you see on youtube though it is quite the opposite. Traditionally the male is to ask for the girls hand in marriage and that’s what Abdul Hafeethe along with his father and family came to do. My family and I were all present and my father knew the intention of their visit. We had been together for 2 years.

When Hafeethe asked my father his reaction wasn’t the normal yes, no or your too young or maybe. My father blurted out immediately that he had to ask his mothers (my grandmother) permission.

Mind you for the last two years that Hafeethe had been visiting the house to see me, my grandmother thought that Abdul Hafeethe was my younger brother’s friend. So Hafeethe left that evening with no answer.

Though I believe when my father came to terms that his only daughter was growing up and my grandmother gave her blessing, two months later we were engaged on my mother’s birthday and the night before Hafeethe’s birthday (he says getting engaged was the best birthday present).

The Engagement: The engagement was a 2-year engagement. It allowed us to travel to South Africa to visit and introduce each other to our families. Abdul Hafeethe’s father’s side still reside in Cape Town along with all my mother’s side. The two year engagement also allowed us to become part of each other families, family friends and communities as it was very important to us as you don’t only marry the person you marry the family too.

Wedding Planning: The planning process for me was easy. I inherited my mother’s organizational skills and have a real knack for serial list making, though I’ve also inherited a strong sense of procrastination and hesitation from my father.

So I would have lists of all that needed to be done just the process in completing it took longer than necessary but would all fall into place. My mother helped me with a lot of the planning and organizing as I was still finishing up my last semester of my degree, she was and still is the perfect partner.We had many highlight moments small things like not being able to find material and then magically it being there. My wedding shoes were a nightmare to find but I went into a store on Sydney road that was closing down and the last pair for $50. The groom’s suit was his only priority and task for the wedding (and to show up).

September 2016

An initiative by the Islamic Foundation for Education and Welfare (IFEW)

Seekers It was 2 weeks before the wedding and he still didn’t have a suit (typical him). So 4 days before the wedding he went suit shopping and 1 hour later walked out with a suit that fit perfectly didn’t need a stitch of alterations and didn’t blow the budget.

Venue: The wedding venue was decided by my mother. We wanted a venue that incorporate outdoor and indoor. The wedding was to be in summer, we were having kids so we wanted the guests to be able to roam freely talk and interact with each other and playing outdoor games. We originally had chosen a venue, it was a barn with large wooden panels. Though unfortunately the venue closed down. My mum went venue hunting one morning and stumbled upon Lindenderry and booked it. I hadn’t seen the venue only pictures from the website and only saw it 4 months before the wedding.

The venue was everything we wanted.

Inspiration: The wedding was about celebrating our marriage as we had already had the religious ceremony in September 2014, which was celebrated with immediate family only. So this wedding celebration was where we could have the closest and dearest friends and family with us.

“A wedding can happen anywhere and at any time, but it can only be a true celebration when all the people you love are there to share it with you”. The people we had invited have all known me since I was born and have met each other at all of our main events. So it was an opportunity for everyone to meet up again and reconnect. The style and theme had to allow for interaction to take place it had to have a formal but relaxed ambiance. Also if it rained would allow people to comfortably mingle, we live in Melbourne we can never depended on the weather.

The decoration styling was completely derived from pinterest and a previous wedding we had seen styled by style and discourse (http://www.styleanddiscourse.com/ weddings) at the wedding venue. We used colours that were going to be present around summer and were featured in the bridal bouquet and flower girls dresses. I wanted the wedding to be succinct throughout, and flow from outdoors to indoors. Rustic and pastels.

The Dress: My dress was inspired by one of my favourite designers Elie Saab, everything similar to this wedding fell in place. I found the dressmaker recommended by my mums work friends and oh she was phenomenal. The material was purchased from Tessuti Fabrics (http://tessuti.com.au/ melbourne/) We were so lucky it was the last of what they had. My dressmaker helped me redesign the dress making it more appropriate. She hand stitched and picked/unpicked and placed flowers to cover more areas. I wanted my dress to be the main feature I wanted it to be simple and elegant, but not too formal and something that many didn’t expect from me. I’m the basic girl in grey white and black.

DIY elements: The whole wedding was

DIY being a graphic designer I knew exactly the style and theme I was going for. Being a bit of a control freak I wanted to do it ALL. The tables had hessian runners, which we purchased and cut.The jars that housed the table arrangements, were collected throughout the year by family members. The menu, table and name cards I designed, printed and cut.

The Name cards for each person were wooden stumps with a flag with each persons name. The wooden stump were from the pear tree at my parent’s house, which needed to be cut back. Each member who attended the wedding would have either climbed the tree, ate the pears from the tree or sat under it at some stage. So a piece of my childhood was at my wedding.

The main interaction area of the wedding was a 6m table that housed a station I had designed/created to ensure that we got memories from every guest and that people interacted with each other. At the station there was a flower stall with brown paper and string, which at the end of the event guests could wrap up the table arrangements to take home. Advice cards, a set of 4 with marriage advice, fun advice, about the couple or draw us a picture. Each guest had to fill out or draw the answers to the questions for us to read later. I made filmstrip sleeves for the guest to house their filmstrips from the photo booth, which was our thank you gift a long with a box of cake.

The Cake: It was also DIY my mother baked the cake. Two of her work friends iced and decorated it. It was the best tasting cake. I still crave it!

Meaning of Marriage: When we get asked what is married life like, our greatest explanation is one big sleepover with your best friend (and housework). Marriage is our new greatest adventure both being under the age of 23 it means building our dreams, futures and failures together. Learning to compromise, understand and allow the other person in. We are a team now working out all our kinks to building our stable future.

Memorable Moment: When everyone was seated I took a moment to look at everyone’s face. We were very close with them all, shared strong memories with them. Looking at them all coming together to celebrate our special day made me incredibly happy.

We had people that travelled from France, London, South Africa, Brisbane, Canberra, Craiggieburn even(they complain the most about distance). Also my mother speech was amazing and she’s not one for speeches. She completely blew us away.

Vendors: Photography & Videographer: Lahza Photography​, ​Stylist Chloe Staley & Rosanna West​, ​​​Florist Highett Florist​, ​Venue Lindenderry at Red Hill​, ​Bridal Gown ​& Flower Girl Dresses ​Susanne Kitson Design​ , ​Shoes Lily Rose Shoes & accessories​, ​Hair Georgia Ramman @georamman​, ​Makeup Zainab Batool @zeemakeupartist​, ​Groom’s Suit RDX Roger David​, ​Watch Breitling.

This article was originally published on themodestbride.com.

www.amust.com.au

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.

M1514: Male, 21, Bangladeshi, Hafiz of Quran. Currently doing Bachelor in Accounting. I have received 6 points in IELTS. I come from a very educated and well practising Muslim family.

My sister is an Australian citizen and is a doctor. Looking for a Muslim girl who lives in Australia.

M1513: Male, 30, Pakistani, Currently doing PhD research at Tohoku University, Japan. I enjoy travelling.

I am seeking a practising Muslimah.

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.

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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Fasting & Feasting getting popular Dr Patrick McInerney It was a wonderful month.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was out most nights. I met lots of old friends. I made new friends. We shared meals. We had a great time. But we didn’t drink any wine!

What am I talking about?

Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk – no food, no drink, no arguing, no swearing, no sexual activity. As the sun sets in the evening, they gather with family and friends for the iftar meal (literally, “breaking” the fast). I am a Catholic priest. I am not a Muslim. What has Ramadan to do with me? And why did I enjoy it so much?

I first hosted an iftar meal at the Columban house in Lahore, Pakistan in the nineties. I invited our Muslim neighbours. The old man from the house across the road came in his dressing gown. It was a wonderful sign of his feeling ‘at home’ with us. He told us it was his birthday, so we sang “Happy Birthday!” to him. We shared fruit. We chatted. They told us that they should have invited us: “We are Muslims; you are Chris-

tians; it is our duty to invite you” .… and the next week they did, first this house, then that, down the street. It was the first time we had been inside each other’s houses. We became neighbours, in the proper sense of the word, not just living in geographical proximity, but being neighbourly towards each other, becoming friends.

I am delighted that Ramadan has become a major interfaith occasion around the world.

It is certainly true where I now live in Sydney. Beside the family and neighbourhood gatherings, Muslim community organizations host iftar meals. Mosques host iftar meals. Corporate bodies host iftar meals.

The NSW Parliament hosts an iftar meal.

The Premier hosts an iftar meal. This year, for the first time, the Prime Minister hosted an iftar meal! The Catholic Archbishop hosts an iftar meal. Other churches hosts iftar meals. Often believers from other faiths are invited. Some are huge public events catering to hundreds. Others are for selected civic, religious and interfaith leaders. Some are in private homes. Some provide meals for refugees, detainees, the homeless and the needy. Ramadan is a wave of Muslim generosity reaching out to the wider society.

I have been invited to these iftar meals for many years. I am no longer a stranger to my hosts, nor they to me. Now we are meeting as friends, so Ramadan has become

a wonderful social time. I am touched by the warmth and friendliness of my Muslim hosts. When I thanked them they insisted that it was they who should be thanking me for honouring them with my visit. I am astonished by their hospitality and generosity – literally thousands of guests are being fed every night. At one such event over 700 people were treated to a three course meal.

But when I looked around the room I noted that I was the only Christian clergyman present. This saddened me as it indicated that the local Christian and Muslim communities were not in touch with each other.

Priests and Imams who are busy meeting the needs of their own communities also need to reach out to each other. Hosting and being invited for an iftar meal are great ways to build those local community relations. Being invited into a home to share an iftar meal with a family is a special privilege.

Ramadan is not just about fasting and feasting. It is also a time of spiritual devotion, of extra time spent in prayer and reading scripture. My daily intercession in the Eucharist was, “Let us pray for our Muslim sisters and brothers, that by the physical discipline of their fasting, the spiritual devotion of their hearts, and the generosity of their alms-giving, they may find grace and favour in God’s eyes”.

The extraordinary generosity and hospi-

tality of Muslims during Ramadan is all the more astonishing given the constant barrage of negative media reporting they suffer. To counter this negative media stereotype, I wish that more and more people could experience the goodness, warmth, friendliness, generosity and welcome of Muslim hosts that has been my privilege in the past month. …. and yes, I too fasted during the thirty days of Ramadan, as a gesture of Christian solidarity with Muslims, so that for me the evening meal was truly an iftar – a breaking of my fast! And now I am also truly joining in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the feast which marks the end of the month of fasting! Eid Mubarak! A blessed feast to all!!

Rev Dr Patrick McInerney is the Director of the Columban Mission Institute and Coordinator of its Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations and is based in Sydney.

Qurbani for Faiza - reaching out to the poor Alsou Kurlow Faiza is a 12-year-old girl living in Somalia, the second born in a family of six.

She has spent her entire life in this part of the world, ravaged by war for the last two decades. Apart from the destruction, the war has deprived her of her parents prematurely and now she has to look after her four younger siblings.

On a good day, they may be able to afford a meal for either lunch or dinner. And that would be due to the collective efforts of four sisters and two brothers. Literally, it is a life of hand-to-mouth. So desperate is the situation that they can’t even dream of education or decent housing. Their mud and brick home is all they inherited.

Her neighbours are equally in dire need of help. Many are either old, maimed because of war, frequent diseases with no access to medical care, lack of free movement and the practical impossibility to farm or engage in meaningful business.

They often can’t afford to send their children to school as they have to work to help support the family. Inadequate and unbalanced diets cause high mortality rates among children and the elderly. Some families can eat meat only a few times a year and usually only on special occasions.

But this story is not about Faiza and her siblings alone. There are millions of such needy cases in countries like Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Palestine, Nepal, Bangladesh, and many more!

Many of our Muslim brothers and sisters from these regions have become refugees, with little or no access to formal or casual employment. Lack of education affects job prospects in the future leaving yet another generation to live in poverty and hunger.

According to UNICEF, 66 million primary school-age children attend classes hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone. We can all join hands to make sure that Faiza and others in similar situations, do not go without something to eat.

While such cases are sad and distressing, there is still a ray of hope. Soon, Eid al-Adha will be here with us and we have

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Human Appeal International - Australia reach out to poor Somalis. an opportunity to put a smile on people like Faiza’s face.

Yes, we can alleviate their suffering. With your generosity, Human Appeal International Australia has been able to provide meat to many disadvantaged people worldwide over the past 25 years.

Last year, with your help, HAIA were able to distribute over 42,000 quality Qurbans in 23 countries. For only $130 your Qurban will be purchased, sacrificed, shipped & distributed in the following countries: Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, Fiji & Vanuatu.

HAIA will also perform the slaughtering of your Qurban locally in these destinations: Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Pakistan, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia, Nepal and for displaced Syrian,

Australasian Muslim Times

Eritrean and Burmese refugees.

The meat is distributed either fresh, hardfrozen or canned to make it more affordable and accessible for local people. HAIA officials endeavour to get the healthiest of all available animals and in order to benefit the local economy, we always purchase meet from local suppliers. Each Qurban package contains about three kilograms of meat, which will provide a family with meals for about a week.

In 2016, HAIA hopes to reach 1.8 million people around the world with the meat of Qurban. But this massive and noble venture cannot be achieved alone.

With your help, HAIA can provide more Qurban to millions of needy people and will be honoured to be a source of blessing to the most vulnerable!

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Seize the opportunity to send Qurban meat to someone you don’t know, someone you might never meet, and someone whose hope is now in your hands. HAIA commitment is to reach out to as many families as possible and to give them as many Qurbanis as your donation will help us achieve.

Let us make Eid-al-Adha a celebration with a difference this year by helping Faiza and others like her celebrate this important occasion with a smile on their faces.

You can be part of this dream and help make it a reality. Human Appeal International Australia invites you to increase your rewards during this blessed occasion by donating your Qurban to the poor and bring happiness into their lives.

September 2016

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EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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Gulen calls for international investigation into failed coup Zia Ahmad The Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen has called for an international investigation into the failed military coup in Turkey in order to clear his name and find those responsible to be tried for treason.

Imam Muhammed Fethullah Gulen, 75 is the founder of the Hizmet (Service) movement who has been living in self exile in the US for 17 years. He was promptly blamed

by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the military coup on 15 July 2016.

The Turkish government is putting pressure on the US to extradite Gulen to Turkey.

However the US administration is reluctant to do so in the absence of credible evidence against Gulen.

In an article published in the French newspaper, Le Monde on 10 August 2016, Gulen strongly condemned the coup attempt and praised the Turkish people as heroes who saved democracy.

Gulen wrote “On the night of July 15, Turkey went through the most catastrophic tragedy in its recent history as a result of the attempted military coup. The events of that night could be called a serious terror coup. Turkish people from all walks of life who thought the era of military coups was over showed solidarity against the coup and stood on the side of democracy. While the coup attempt was in progress, I condemned it in the strongest terms.”

“Twenty minutes after the military coup attempt surfaced, before the real actors were known, President Erdogan hastily blamed me. It is troubling that an accusation was issued without waiting for the event’s details and the perpetrators’ motives to emerge.

As someone who has suffered through four coups in the last 50 years, it is especially insulting to be associated with a coup attempt.

I categorically reject such accusations”, he wrote.

Gulen further added “If there are any of-

Fethullah Gulen. ficers among the coup plotters who consider themselves as a sympathisers of Hizmet movement, in my opinion those people committed treason against the unity of their country by taking part in an event where their own citizens lost their lives. They also violated the values that I have cherished throughout my life, and caused hundreds of thousands of innocent people to suffer under the government’s oppressive treatment”.

Gulen has called for an international investigation to find those responsible for the coup attempt not relying on Turkish Judicial system that he accused of currently being highly politicized.

“No one is above the rule of law, myself included. I would like for those who are responsible for this coup attempt, regardless of their identities, to receive the punishment they deserve if found guilty in a fair trial.

The Turkish judiciary has been politicized

Hundreds suffer eye injuries in Kashmir Hundreds of people have been treated for serious eye injuries at a hospital in Kashmir since violence broke out over a month ago At least 446 patients with injuries sustained from being shot at with pellet guns, which have been used against protesters by Indian forces in the region.

A majority of victims have “multiple structural damage” to their eyes, the state government told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

At least 70 people have been killed in the almost daily anti-India protests and rolling curfews prompted by the killing of Burhan Wani on 8 July.

The Central Reserve Police Force, an Indian paramilitary unit, told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that it had used 1.3 million pellets in 32 days, adding that “it

and controlled by the government since 2014 and, consequently, the possibility of a fair trial is very small. For this reason, I have advocated several times for the establishment of an international commission to investigate the coup attempt and I have expressed my commitment to abide by the findings of such a commission”, he wrote.

Despite Gulen being defamed as a terrorist and his movement called a terrorist organization with a witch hunt resulting in a wide communist style purge of tens of thousands of people after the coup, there has been no evidence of any terrorist activity by the followers of Gulen in any part of the world including Turkey.

Gulen points out “Hizmet movement participants have not been involved in one single violent incident throughout its 50-year history. They haven’t even taken to the streets to confront Turkish security forc-

Media Scan Ainullah

was difficult to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) given the nature of the protests”.

The news of eye injuries came as Jammu and Kashmir opposition leaders from the disputed region met Pranab Mukherjee, the Indian President, and asked him to “initiate a credible and meaningful process of political dialogue”.

“The central government’s refusal to deal with the situation through a political approach is disappointing and can have serious long-term implications on peace and stability in the state,” the wrote.

The meeting of Kashmiri leaders came a day after India’s Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda called for talks with separatist leaders to end the bloody unrest in the region.

es while they have been suffering under the government’s “witch hunt,” to use Mr. Erdoğan’s own words, for the last three years”.

“Despite being subjected to a smear campaign and suffering under state oppression for the last three years in the hands of a politically controlled law enforcement and the judiciary, Hizmet movement participants have complied with the law, opposed injustices through legitimate means and only defended their rights within the legal framework”, Gulen added.

Gulen went into self-exile in 1998 after he was continuously defamed, detained and imprisoned and then acquitted after periodic military coups in Turkey since 1971.

“I openly call on the Turkish government to allow for an international commission to investigate the coup attempt, and promise my full cooperation in this matter. If the commission finds one-tenth of the accusations against me to be justified, I am ready to return to Turkey and receive the harshest punishment”, he concluded.

Halal markets are worth $2 trillions

Muslims have a whopping $11.5 trillion of wealth to their names, triggering a race among asset managers to tap this massive pool of capital, a Bloomberg report says.

According to Washington-based Pew Research Center estimates, Islam will remain the world’s fastest-growing major religion over the next few decades, with demand for investments that comply with the Qur’an tenets rising.

Over the past year, Islamic funds have lured global money managers from BNP Paribas to Schroder Investment Management Ltd. A report by the Malaysia International Islamic Financial Center in February forecast the global Islamic asset management industry to grow to $77 billion by 2019 from $58 billion at the end of 2015.

It is forecast to hit mammoth proportions given that about $9.5 trillion of Islamic wealth still remains outside the Shariah compliant finance industry.

The global halal industry is estimated to be worth more than $2 trillion, including a $1 trillion food market which is expanding.

Muslim tourists are seen as one of the fastest growing travel groups, accounting for 10% of the global travel spending in 2014, worth $150 billion.

Iran also plans to turn into the world’s hub for halal tourism which could draw as many as 15 million Muslims a year from around the world, officials have said.

Iran planned to launch its international halal food brand in the next few months, aiming to tap an under-served regional market of 400 million people.

Demand for withdrawal of sedition case against Amnesty The Indian American Muslim Council has condemned the filing of a case of sedition against Amnesty International India over claims that slogans favoring Kashmiri independence were raised at an event organized by the reputed human rights organization in Bengaluru last Monday.

“The fact that the Bengaluru Police has registered the case at the behest of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is indicative of the political and ideological motivations behind it,” said Mr.

September 2016

Umar Malick, President of IAMC. It is significant to note that Amnesty’s event had been called to discuss the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, a topic by no means anti-national or seditious. The violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir over several decades, both by State and non-State actors, is a matter of fact and has been acknowledged even by the Indian judiciary, from time to time. The international community too has been unsparing in its criticism of such violations.

It may be recalled that last March the ABVP had leveled a similar allegation of “azadi” slogans being raised at a public event in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University that had led to the arrests of JNU students, including its current students’ union president. That illiberal, anti-democratic campaign by the ABVP too was widely condemned and eventually exposed as nothing more than a brute attempt by show of strength to forestall any discussion of the state of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.

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AMUST

EDUCATION

NEWS 1-3

BOOMERANG 4-7

COMMUNITY 8-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

Allah, the God of all or for Muslims only Shifa L Mustapha How often do you see the crossword question: God of the Muslims)? The correct answer as far as the Crossworders go is “Allah”.

If we are being pedantic, in essence the answer to the question is true; Allah is worshipped by Muslims. However, the inference is that Allah is God of Muslims alone, and for those with knowledge this is not the truth of the matter.

If you were to go to a Muslim and ask this question his answer would be along these lines: “Allah, whilst being The God Whom we Muslims worship, is also The God of mankind and of everything upon the Earth and in the universe. Allah is The One and Only God, Who created all things from that which did not exist.”

For whatever reason, there are those who would hotly argue against the Muslim claim that Allah is The Creator God, and it has often been stated that He is a pagan god, or the Moon God, or that He is a false God. So who is right?

Perhaps in this instance our Atheist friend, you will wish to turn the page, but Allah is there for Atheists also, so why not just read on?

What does the word itself mean?

The word Allah is Arabic in origin and literally means “The God”. This is a unique word because, unlike many other references to deities, this word cannot be pluralized, nor yet does it have gender. In its uniqueness is the truth for believing Muslims, for “Gods” or “Goddesses” have no place within Islam. It is Allah Who Alone is God. Allah throughout history That this word is not a new word, and that Allah was known and worshipped long before the message of Islam was delivered by Prophet Muhammad may be confirmed by a

number of facts, not the least of which are as follows: (1) We know certainly that the father of Prophet Muhammad was named “Abdullah” which means “servant of Allah.”

Do not, however, fall into the trap of believing that because Arabia was a recognised pagan nation before the coming of Islam that Allah was ever considered to be a pagan god. The truth of the matter is that prior to Arabia’s disastrous plunge into idolatry the Arabs, as children of Abraham, were believers in the God of Abraham, Allah.

(2) The Ka’bah, known as the Holy House in Mecca, which is even today a place of pilgrimage for Muslims, was not only built by the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael as a place of worship and pilgrimage, but from the earliest historians, such as Ibn Ishaq, we find the other branch of Abraham’s family, the children of Isaac, also acknowledged Mecca (anciently known as Baca/ Baka to both Arabs and Jews) as a sacred site to The One God. The Prophet David has made mention of the valley of Baca and the Holy House in the Eighty-fourth Psalm. It was only when idolatry marred the purity of belief that the children of Isaac ceased their pilgrimage.

(3) Terminology from other Semitic languages: Scholars and Historians acknowledge that the language spoken by Jesus was Aramaic. So what name would Jesus have given to the Creator God? Surprisingly the answer is Allaha, which, it cannot be denied, is so very closely related to the word Allah. Also when considering the Message of Jesus we cannot escape the fact that, as stated in Mark 12:29 he reiterated the call of Deuteronomy 6:4 to his people to worship God alone: “Hear O Israel! Thy God is One Lord!” O yes, Allah was known from the dawn of time.

(4) Proof that the word Allah has always been a recognised word for The Almighty may be noted universally by the fact that in regions where Arabic is and has been the

spoken or included language “Allah” is used not only by Muslims but by practising Jews and Christians even to this day.

Therefore it is totally wrong to limit the usage of this Title to Muslim believers alone.

Is the “Allah” of Muslims the same as the “Allah” of Jews and Christians?

Well, of course to prove this point we have to look into the Qur’anic texts. It is within these texts that we find the following about Allah: He is The Almighty, The Lord God, Creator of the Universe and all that is; He it was Who bestowed life and forgiveness upon Adam and his wife as progenitors of mankind; Who brought Noah safely through the flood; Who was the Friend and Giver of sons to Abraham in his old age; Who preserved Lot; Who led Moses and the Israelites from Egypt; Whose many gifts rested upon Da-

vid and Solomon; Who blessed the wombs of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and her cousin, Mary, the virgin Mother of Jesus the Messiah who was sent as a deliverance for the Jews and to be a Sign for all peoples at the end of time; Who has never deserted humanity and Who, in His Loving-kindness, sent Muhammad as the final prophet and mercy for mankind.

Yes, indeed it is the same Allah. His Message and His Mercy has not changed. Sadly that cannot be said for the previous Messages or the world for which it has been sent.

What about the crossword?

Hmmm! Well, after all it is only a crossword!

Shifa Mustapha is writer and community worker based in Brisbane.

Being a Muslim woman in a Western world Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas

These days living in a western country isn’t easy if you’re Muslim and even more so if you’re a Muslim woman. Add an ethnic background, a darker shade of skin colour and you just about tick every box for reasons to be discriminated against. Even going for a swim in your Burkini can make headlines.

It’s takes a strong kind of woman to wear a hijab in the western world. It’s not for the faint-hearted nor the quick-to-temper, because there’ll be plenty of opportunities to misjudge you. They’ll call you oppressed, unintelligent, try to dictate how you dress and blame you for the atrocities in the world.

They may verbally abuse you, change the law to control you, and try desperately to make you take that thing off your head. The less you wear the less of a threat you are.

Most insulting of all is that they will believe wearing a hijab could only be forced upon a woman by a man and that you’re incapable, as a person, to make this decision as an act of worship to your Creator.

The reality is, and most Muslim husbands will agree, Muslim women are far from oppressed. They’re confident, outspoken, intelligent flag bearers of their faith. They’re easily identifiable, proud and resolute in their belief and their purpose. They are not terrorists. They don’t represent nor support ISIS. Vilifying them publicly is just another smear campaign to entice greater racial tension in our communities which serve a political agenda that’s toxic and divisive.

Banning the Burkah, the Burkini, or Halal labelling don’t fight terrorism. Banning the Burkini is actually oppressing a woman’s right to dress how they want. Banning halal labelling limits business opportunities for

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domestic sales and reduces export revenue.

The intention isn’t to fight terrorism but to cause fear and division amongst communities.

If we want to fight terrorism we need to start by eliminating the fear people have around Islam and Muslims. ISIS are attacking everyone without any discrimination to race or religion, including Muslims! They recruit often mentally unsound people, from the same soil they carry out the attacks in.

Home-grown-terrorists mean neighbours are cautious with neighbours and colleagues ponder if that hijabi girl will one day ‘snap’ at the office and shoot people. It’s a terrifying situation to be in, Muslim or not.

We need to start by building stronger relationships amongst community groups of all cultural and religious backgrounds through dialogue platforms so we may better understand each other. This forms the basis to inclusive, sustainable, cohesive, peaceful

Australasian Muslim Times

and compassionate communities without fear or prejudice. We present Islam in all its transparency, the way millions of peaceful Muslims around the world have embraced as their way of life. This is how to combat the evil which claims to represent me, my religion, my God. Next is to address the ISIS recruitment process. This isn’t a faraway problem in a faraway place anymore. The latest series of terrorist attacks were carried out by people who’ve been groomed into ISIS following a major personal crisis. Jake Bilardi’s mother had recently died from cancer. This void was filled by ISIS recruiters and Bilardi was radicalised within months. I’ll never forget the confusion in his father’s eyes. In times of personal crisis an ISIS vulture is the last thing we want preying on our youth, in their most fragile state. Bouhlel was in the midst of a divorce and had three children. He had history of mental health problems. No one

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in their right mind is joining ISIS. In fact the whole process is opportunistic and reeks of narcissism.

We need to disable this recruitment process at grassroots level. There are many credible established Muslim organisations that strive for the betterment of their communities everyday. These organisations need to be proactively supported by peak Government bodies and used as resources for anyone looking to learn about Islam.

They need to be promoted as resources available to all public schools, universities, clinics, grief councillors and youth groups.

This allows people to find out about Islam from credible resources, from safe, honest, God-fearing people.

What difference is it going to make to anyone if the lady at the beach wears a Burkini or not? We need to start having real discussions that generate real solutions. It’s our duty as people, as parents, as citizens of the world to make a conscious decision to lay the foundations of a more inclusive world without fear or prejudice.

Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas has a background in marketing and has been involved in organising many intercultural events including the first Telstra Iftar Dinner in Melbourne.

A mother of three daughters, she lives in Melbourne and is an advocate for intercultural dialogue. Gulhan is a strong believer in establishing communication platforms to develop strong cohesive communities.

Her work has been published in Turkish News Weekly, Offset Literary Magazine and SEED Magazine. Gulhan was nominated for Australia’s top 100 Brightest Young Minds 2006.

Photo by Kurtulus Aksu.

September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

EDUCATION

SOCIAL 23

AMUST

The 99 Divine attributes of Allah Part 25 - Attributes 85 – 86

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 85. Dhal–Jalāli walJkrām - The Majestic, Glorious and Honorable.

26. All that is on the earth is doomed to perish1. While your Rabb’s (Provider) own Self will remain full of majesty and glory. Which of your Rabb’s (Provider) wonders2 would you deny. Everyone in the heavens and on earth entreat Him3. Every day He manifests Himself in a new state. Which of your Rabb’s (Provider) favours4 would you deny (Al - Rahman 55: 26-30) 1. In this expression, the Jinn and human species have been informed about the two realities: Firstly, neither of you two species are immortal nor are your provision forever and indestructible. The only permanent and non- diminishing existence is Allah with permanent majesty and glory of whom the whole Cosmos presents witness and you two all are enjoined with the bounties and comforts in this world.

Secondly, both you two species are limited that when you approach for help and the fulfillment of your needs, none have the capability to provide for your help as they are themselves dependent upon the blessing and favors of Allah 2. Here the word “wonders” used for Allah refers to His miracles and His abnormal performance not possible to be copied by the two species. So whatever the signs for these performances exhibited by any other being as his/her personal performances, all these are basically due to the supremacy of the Rabbul ‘Ālameen (the Creator and Nourisher of all universe).

3. The performance of Allah is the customs and on-going manifestation of His attributes in the whole universe. He is the Controller and Proprietor of all the objects, instrument and changes in the world. There are numerous manifestations of his benevolence and bounties.

4. Here the word “favours” refers to his numerous attributes. So the one who in-

dulges in polytheism belies any one or more of his attributes. So any polytheist’s writings or sayings is the falsification of Allah’s attributes.

86 – Al-Muqsit, The Just, The Equitable Those who are misers and enjoin upon people miserliness, Allah is not in need of their charity. And whosoever turns away (from Faith) then Allah is Rich (Free of All Needs), Worthy of All Praise.1 Indeed We have sent Our Messenger with clear proofs, and revealed with him the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice.2 And We brought forth iron3 wherein mighty power (in matter of war) as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help ( his religion) and His Messenger. Verily Allah is All Strong, All Mighty.4 (Al Hadeed 57: 24, 25) 1. After listening or going through this precious directive, if any person does not adopt the way of sincerity, obedience, selflessness and sacrifice then Allah does not get perturbed. There is nothing that Allah desires from humans. He is has a laudable characteristic. Only those of nice nature are accepted by Him and the evil-doers are not listed among those having His mercy and pleasure.

2. The first portion of the verse 25 denotes the mission of the Prophet’s quintessence. It mentions that all the prophets brought the same message having the three following precious commodities for humans; a) Evidence ( obvious truths): The conveyors of the message are the Prophets of Allah with clear arguments ; proves they have as the truth; the mistake of the wrong-doers ; Distinct directives of the correct way of the beliefs; morality, worships and worldly affairs b) Message: It contains the all essential advices required for the humans to adopt and practice in this world. c) Balance: Avoiding the extremes and taking the exact quantities in between as the most correct one between the two extremes, differentiating the truth and falsehood.

Hence, these three concepts were conveyed through the messengers for estab-

lishing humans’ living system both on individual and community basis.

3. The description of iron excluding all other substances indicates that Allah did not depute the Prophets only for the sermon on the maintenance of justice but it was also included in their duties to have their mission of establishing justice in the prescribed way. The believers should have to pursue the teaching of the Prophet but they are also obliged to use iron or other similar resource, equipment or technology for crushing the evil-doers coming in

the way of righteousness.

4. Allah does not need the help of humans to change the world as he is very powerful and mighty but Allah has adopted the present method of refinement for the test of the humans. In this way, the humans can elevate themselves to the pursuit of success and achievement after undergoing all the struggle. For this aim Allah adopted the scheme to work for goodness as well as eradicate the evils.

Continued in AMUST issue #131 October

Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha on 10-11 September Najia Khalil Muslims all over the world will be celebrating Eid-ul-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice largely on Sunday 11 September 2016.

Eid-ul-Adha is the second major celebration during the year marked on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. It is a celebration of the spirit of sacrifice originally attributed to Prophet Ibrahim (a).

Eid-ul-Adha coincides with the annual pilgrimage to Makkah known as Hajj where Muslims this year will gather at the plain of Arafat on Saturday 10 September.

Most of the Australians intending to go for Hajj this year have already packed their bags and have departed for the cities of Makkah and Madinah so they will be in time to join in the rituals of Hajj as well as Ziyarah,(visiting other sites surrounding Makkah and Madinah.

Some of the specific rituals of Hajj include Tawaf, Day of Arafat, Day of Tarwiyah, Muzdalifah, Ramy al-Jamarat (stoning near Mina), and the sacrifice of an animal around the 10th of Dhul Hijjah.

There were more than 4000 Muslims going for Hajj from Australia two years ago,

September 2016

and it is expected that there will be a significant rise in these attendees this year.

The Hajj is an annual event for Muslims.

Every Muslim, male and female, who can afford it, has a duty to make the pilgrimage once in a lifetime. Hajj symbolises the unity of mankind and is an annual assembly of Muslims from all over the world in the holy land.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, and is the most comprehensive form of worship in Islam due to embracing physical sacrifice as in the pillars of Salat (prayer) and Sawm (Fasting), and financial sacrifice as in Zakat

(charity).

It is recommended that pilgrims should come with provisions but, as usual one’s thought is directed at once from the physical to the spiritual. The best of such provisions is right conduct.

One of the significant parts of Hajj which anyone not even going on Hajj can share in is the sacrificing of an animal, which originated from the story of Prophet Ibrahim (a) and followed by Prophet Muhammad (s) Here in Australia, some of the Muslims will go to the abattoirs and farms to do the slaughtering themselves to relate to the ac-

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tual act of sacrificing, while others will order the animal from the butcher, but will distribute a proportion of the meat to the less fortunate.

There are others still who will send money to their families overseas or give to charities so that they can feed a proportion to the poor and needy in impoverished countries or to refugees.

Najia Khalil is the President of the Islamic Foundation for Education and Welfare (IFEW) and is based in Sydney.

Australasian Muslim Times

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AMUST

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COMMUNITY 8-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

People of Persia: Part 5 Mobinah Ahmad

An old woman wrapped in Chador exchanges prayers for donations in an alleyway of the Shiraz bazaar. I gave her some money and she made a loving dua.

Tourist in Persian traditional dress

Man sits amidst the hustle and bustle of the Grand Bazaar in Tehran

Boys wait at Shiraz Railway Station

Two men play chess as a third watches outside the Esfahan Bazaar

A group of young Iranian men take a selfie on the Tabiat Bridge, Tehran

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Australasian Muslim Times

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September 2016

UMMAH 16 - 17

EDUCATION 18 - 19

TRAVEL 20 - 21

BUSINESS 22

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SOCIAL 23

AMUST

Back to Tehran, and Qom side trip MODERN IBNE BATOTA Zia Ahmad

great man, who I had the honour of meeting in person 30 years ago.

The same night, back in Tehran, I attended a reunion with a dozen of former Iranian students and their families who completed their PhD’s from universities in Sydney during the mid nineties. Since we were running late, all of them had completed their Maghreb prayers but waited to pray Isha prayer behind me. This was really a moving experience for me of their respect and love. I had to excuse myself for being the Imam since I used a chair and a young man led the prayer.

Later we talked about the good old days and they recalled how they used to come to my house invited by my father for Iftars during Ramadan. Some of them also recalled attending the MEFF festival and reading the multilingual Australasian Muslim Times during the early nineties.

Mobinah was amazed at the love, respect

We arrived back to Tehran early morning on Friday 22 April. As expected the power couple Mohsen and Somayyeh received us, settled us in our hotel and then took us to their business office for an elaborately organised lunch.

I and Mohsen attended the huge Juma prayer at Tehran University after going through strict but very friendly security arrangement. Although I could not fully understand the Khutbah, the Imam Juma mentioned the name of Iqbal Lahori, a number of times during his sermon. This refers to

Allamah Dr Mohammad Iqbal, the famous South Asian poet whose main works are in Farsi and is loved in Iran as well for his revolutionary poetry.

On Friday afternoon we visited the modern iconic Tabiat Bridge designed by Leila Araghian at the age of 27 who won several international awards for her design.

On Saturday, my friend Hassan and his wife took us to Qom to visit the Tomb of Fatema Masume, sister of Imam Reza and the religious educational complex as well as the incredible Jamkaran mosque. On the way we also paid a visit to the huge Beheshte Zahra Cemetery compolex to read fateha on Hassan’s fathers grave who passed away earlier this year as well as visited the adjacent Mausoleum of Imam Khomaini and shed a few tears in the memory of this

Mobinah at the Tabiat Bridge.

Family reunion on-top of the Tabiat Bridge.

This is part 3 of 3 of the series Safarnameh: A two week study tour of Iran.

and warmth amongst these far flung friends with differences of language, culture, nationality and school of though but united with Islamic brotherhood.

Finally we left Tehran on Sunday 24 April, after doing our final shopping saying goodbye to our loving Power Couple Mohsen and Somayyeh at the airport with tears in our eyes and sadness in our heart for departing from such a great country and its hospitable people.

Our two week trip to Iran was short but highly enriching and we made the most of it in terms of sightseeing, spiritual enrichment, education, enjoyment of food and forging of great friendships.

Zia Ahmad is the Managing Editor of the Australasian Muslim Times and is based in Sydney.

The Power Couple Mohsen and Somayyeh in their Tehran office.

From Sydney to Tehran: Reunion after 22 years.

September 2016

Best friends for 35 years: Zia and Hassan at Tabiat Bridge.

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Australasian Muslim Times

21

AMUST

BUSINESS

NEWS 1-3

BOOMERANG 4-7

COMMUNITY 8-9

AUSTRALIA 10 - 12

LIFESTYLE 13 - 15

Halal Bubs meeting a huge demand lash, with the mere mention of the word “Halal” drawing hate online.

“I feel a little bit upset that people can be When sisters Sarah and Maryam Mouna- so nasty,” Sarah says. “I mean, we’re very jed had the idea to provide homemade Ha- young, we’re just starting our own business lal food for babies, they had no idea how and people are judging us based on what they rapidly the business would take off. think we are and what the media has told “Within about two hours we had about 50 them we are and not what we actually are.” orders,” Sarah recalls, “and we just went, And the hate is often accompanied by a ‘oh, we didn’t expect this, what are we going misunderstanding of what Halal food actuto do?’” ally is.

That was just five months ago, and since “Basically Halal food means that we get then, their business Halal Bubs has experi- our meat from a Halal certified butcher, enced an extraordinary rise. which means it’s slaughtered in a very par“We’re sending out about 2000 containers ticular way that abides by Islamic guidea week at the moment and that’s with us cut- lines,” Sarah explains. ting off the menu,” adds Maryam. “We just “Especially with the way we treat the anilet people order for three days because if we mal,” Maryam adds, “we make sure that the let it go for more than three days we would animal that’s being slaughtered is taken away just be overwhelmed. It’s like physically im- from the other animals, so the other animals possible for us to make that amount of food.” don’t see that because that would be very “I think it’s taken off this much because in stressful, I mean can we put ourselves in their general in the market for baby food there’s position?” not really a clear halal option,” Sarah exBut most insulting is the insinuation that plains. “There are varieties of Halal food that they should – “go back to where they came you can get but there’s nothing fresh and fro- from” – when in fact they are fifth generation zen.”

Australians.

They’re still running out of Sarah’s kitch“My mother’s father and grandfather en in Sydney’s Western suburbs, using Mar- fought in both World War I and II so rightyam’s experience as a chef to prepare the fully my family’s fought for this country,” meals. But they’re ready to expand interstate Maryam says.

– and even internationally.

“I’m born here. My mother’s born here.

“We’re in negotiations,” Sarah says, “mov- My whole family’s born here. I was born in ing our product to China. We’ve had interest Australia, this is where I belong. I can’t go to from Bangladesh and New York as well.” somewhere else because I don’t belong there, And last week the sisters were runners-up I belong here.” in the Australian Mumpreneur Awards Handmade category.

(Courtesy The Project.)

But with their success has come a backAMUST Media

Maryam Mounajed and Sarah Mounajed. Picture: John Fotiadis

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Kbora Ali came to Australia, aged 9, speaking no English.

She graduated high school top of her grade.

Then she joined the Australian Army – the first female Afghan refugee to do so.

Kbora Ali says “I was scared my parents would not accept my decision. I was the youngest child, the only daughter, who made a very different decision to all my sisters. They’re going to uni, I’m following a new pathway that was very new in our family especially.”

“It was hard for my dad to accept the fact that I was joining the Defence and becoming a soldier. I wanted to get out, I knew that there was something bigger that now serves a greater purpose in my life.”

A dux of her school, with marks that could send her to Australia’s most elite universities, Afghan-born refugee Kbora Ali instead made a ground-breaking decision: she joined the Army.

Video: goo.gl/a6sQGx

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Available on iOS, Android Price: Free AMUST Media ONEPATH Network is the Australian Muslim Community’s first production studio and TV Channel. Based in Sydney Australia, it is a 21st century Dawah initiative, providing authentic Islamic knowledge using a professional and contemporary approach.

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Inventor of the Burkini, Aheda Zanetti Interview SBS interviewed Aheda Zanetti, inventor of the Burkini, the controversial full-body swimsuit that has ignited debate in France.

“I wanted to give power back to them” – The Australian creator of the burkini has slammed former French President Nicolas Sarkozy for calling the fullbody swimsuit a “provocation.”

“My symbol is freedom, flexibility and confidence. I am into women’s rights. A lot of other women are bringing,endorsing and using this for whatever reason. So this wearer, is now not a Muslim anymore. She could be an atheist, cancer survivor, allergic to sunscreen. It doesn’t matter why. So you should not judge this swimsuit on one race. Once again, these Muslim women are being punished. I wanted to give power back to them, I wanted them to be more confident.”

Burkini sales skyrocket after the French controversy. Online sales in the last week have risen to over 200300%. - Zanetti says.

Video: goo.gl/GtRhXL

September 2016

www.amust.com.au

Reviews Zahid Mahmood June 21, 2016 Best app ever I really benefit from the reminders I receive every other day. It shows on my notification bar the subject and it encourages me to watch it. I wait till a good and quite time to arrive and I love to sit and watch and enjoy alhamdulillah Aamir Suhail Beneficial Thank you for the app. Very beneficial. Great work. May Allah reward you. Can you please add a download option?

Fabio Cannavo Amazing I want to thank all of you that have come together to put all this knowledge and to spread it so eloquently. However there is an issue with the share.. no one seems to be able to open then links on fb or whatsapp when I share it. Please look into it. Aside from that may Allah bless you all.

Australasian Muslim Times

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Australasian Muslim Times

www.amust.com.au

September 2016