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Canberrans, including Muslims, came out in numbers in support of Sri Lanka and the local community. Photo by Flashed Photography. Manarul Islam The bombings in Sri Lanka had a devastating affect on the Sri Lankan community in Australia. And nowhere was this more apparent than the Sri Lankan expats and residents in Canberra. The Sri Lankan High Commission in Yarralumla opened their doors to allow the broader community an opportunity to place flowers and sign a condolence book. 10 year old Eesa Bokhari, from the Muslim community, was one of the first visitors to lay flowers on the doorstep of the High Commission.
Mr Mainul Haque, President of the Canberra Muslim Community, offered “deepest condolences for the terrible tragedy that once again struck the beautiful Sri Lanka” to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Mr Somasundaram Skandakumar. “We condemn the heinous and barbaric act of the deranged terrorists that took so many innocent lives. We condemn all forms of violence and terrorism against any individuals or groups regardless of their views or ethnicity or religion,” he added. Canberrans, including Muslims, came out in numbers in support of Sri Lanka and the local community at the Multi-Faith Memorial Service and Peace Vigil held at St Chris-
topher’s Cathedral in Manuka on Tuesday 23 April. The service, organised by Stephen Muller of the Sri Lankan Catholic community, included representatives of the major religions in Sri Lanka, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims who each recited a prayer in front of the attendees. Mr Ashrof Farouk, representing the Muslim community and himself a Sri Lankan, said a few words, before reciting Surah Al-Fatiha, in which he reminded the attendees of Sri Lanka’s decisions to waive its right to claim reparations from Japan at the end of World War II on the basis of the fact that hatred can only be stopped by love.
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Demand for safe places of worship The recent indiscriminate attacks at- in the form of racial, anti-Semitic or Islamtracting widespread media attention in ophobic crimes of hate. Christchurch and Colombo on mosques These attacks are of great concern to all and churches have instilled fear amongst people of faith and amount to a real threat to people of all religions who frequently at- freedom of religion and the freedom to wortend their places of worship. ship in congregation, a means to put their However, the terrorist attacks on faith in action. places of worship are certainIn all religious traditions, placly not a new phenomenon. es of worship are considered Mosques have been consafe sanctuaries where one tinuously targeted in Iraq, finds peace and tranquillity Afghanistan and Pakistan through devotion to one’s as a result of sectarian deity in love. Zia Ahmad violence, in particular, Historically, places of Assalamu those belonging to the worship of other religions Shia community mainly have been considered imAlaikum by groups associated with mune from desecration durGreetings ISIS. ing invasions and conflicts. Similarly, churches have Islam strictly forbade the deof Peace been attacked in Egypt and a struction of houses of worship of number of African countries from other religions. time to time by terrorists and militants. In However, from time to time unscrupulous the West, US in particular black church- rulers, contrary to the teachings of their own es, mosques and synagogues have been faith targeted and even converted other’s attacked by white supremacists and others places of worship to their own in a display
EDITORIAL
AMUST
AMUST ISSUE # 162 FRIDAY 3 MAY 2019 27 SHA’ABAN 1440
of bigotry and power. In the contemporary era, it was during the communist rule in the Soviet Union and China that places of worship came under attack, were shut down or demolished. During the Bosnian conflict in 1990’s a number of mosques were attacked. In December 1992, the centuries-old Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in secular India was demolished by Hindu extremists who have since been laying claims on a number of mosques in India. Desecration and acts of violence on all places of worship are attacks on all people of faith and threat to our religious liberties and practice of our religion without fear. All people of faith must be joined by people of no faith as well, to demand that our places of worship must be respected, be immune from threats of violence and returned back to being sanctuaries of love and safety for congregational worship by men, women and children where families feel safe.
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- Muslims Grieve with Sri Lankans - Ramadan Mubarak
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Boomerang
- ANZAC commemoration & Muslims - Root causes of massacre removed - Safe families in churches & mosques
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- Elections: Who deserves your vote - Prof Anis Ahmad Australian Tour - Divine Melodies: Showcase
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- Our perceptions of elections - Australian human rights act - Boishakhi Mela in Campbelltown
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- Remembering Colombo Christians - Book review: The Butterfly Refugee
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- Christchurch attack: Swift response - Fighting extremism from within - Stand against hate: Mufti of NZ
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- Steps to Success Part 3 - Merwa Academy in Ethiopia
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Readers comments
Re: Stand against hate: Mufti anyahu suggests that mass murder is quite possible, with little reaction from those we of New Zealand We stand in solidarity with all the believing faiths as racism diminishes in darkness. umm salma
Beautiful, extremely powerful and very reassuring words. I’m an 8th generation New Zealander I too am bewildered by Islamophobia. I also live in Christchurch. The comfort and kindness I have received from members of our local Muslim community is extremely humbling. I have cried and been comforted by the very people I should comfort. But our hearts broke together that day. Our world shattered. My heart remains so hurt, my tears come for our Muslim community but we have also seen and experienced some very humbling and respectful outcomes. May we forever remain side by side and find peace along side each other. Abbie Montgomery
Re: Can Islamophobia lead to Muslim holocaust?
The history of the Bosnian Muslim genocide should be an area of close study as there was minimal reisstance to the killings from either the Muslim world or the western democracies. It is usual to argue that a Muslim holocaust could not occur because Muslims are more numerous than Jews, so what happened in the Third Reich could not happen to us. This is questionable given the nature of the ruling class in most Muslim majority countries. The tepid response to the Chinese incarceration of Muslims and the footsies the Saudis and UAE are playing with NetMAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
would expect to resist. The present attacks on Al Aqsa also indicate that the Muslim world is still very weak and is struggling to find its voice. Inshallah that is beginning to change and that is why we have analyses emerging which point out that much of the Islamophobia being spread is coming from certain Arab regimes. Bilal Cleland
Re: Aussie Muslims’ overwhelming support for their Kiwi cousins
To all the Muslim community here in Australia; to those in my much loved New Zealand and in particular to those in Christchurch who have lost their family, friends and loved ones through this recent horrific tragedy: May love and compassion be with you throughout these darkest days. May you continue to receive this for the rest of your lives. Let us embrace our differences and show respect and kindness always. My heart is broken for each of the lives lost last week in Christchurch, but I am sure that the people of my country New Zealand will, from this day forward - demonstrate more tolerance and show more kindness and compassion to all who have come to seek a safer life in Aotearoa. Allah yakun maeak hayimaan! May God be with you always. Josephine Power
Re: Chabad Synagogue Shooting Its not a senseless act of tragedy, call it an act of terrorism like it is. Its like in New Zealand! Zac M
Sad news. We condemn terrorists attack > Take strict action against terrorists. we want peace in the world. Aftab G Very very sad and it seems no house of God is immune from the attacks of these criminals. Omar J
Re: Muslims grieve with Sri Lankan community
We grieve in your sorrow, loss and pain. May He grant patience to the bereaved families and give them better than their losses. Asadullah A Our hearts are with you
Muhammad A
When innocent lives are lost ... all people no matter what religion grieve. May the victims RIP. Angie M “Killing one Human is killing all of Humanity of the world” We have shocked and Speechless. Please pray for Sri Lanka! Biswajit C
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Anzac commemoration should include Muslim contribution Bilal Cleland
New Zealand, led by an outstanding Prime Minister, earned the respect of the world with its response to the Christchurch Massacre by a violent white supremacist from Australia. The broadcasting of the azan to the world at the memorial service the Friday after the killing and the frequency with which Maori groups showed their respect for the Muslim community in Australia and New Zealand with their performance of the haka, built strong bonds between the world Muslim community and New Zealand. However, as in most societies, there is a racist and bigoted rump despite the overwhelming compassionate response of the nation. When a NZ veteran of the Afghan war, a member of the Wellington Returned and Service Association, who was organising Anzac Day, suggested an Islamic prayer be performed at the dawn service, he received threats of violence. One Facebook comment declared “I feel that only the Christian prayer is appropriate for the dawn service. “ [Newshub NZ April 4, 2019] This attitude, while not a dominant attitude in New Zealand, reflects the attitude of many Europeans at the time of World War I.
‘Today on the Western Front,” the German sociologist Max Weber wrote in September 1917, there “stands a dross of African and Asiatic savages and all the world’s rabble of thieves and lumpens.” Weber was referring to the millions of Indian, African, Arab, Chinese and Vietnamese soldiers and labourers, who were then fighting with British and French forces in Europe. The European death toll in the war was so great that the British recruited 1.4 million Indian soldiers and the French enlisted nearly 500,000 troops from its colonies in Africa and Indochina. These non-European soldiers have remained nearly invisible in the European commemorations of the war. “Most accounts of the war uphold it as an essentially European affair: one in which the continent’s long peace is shattered by four years of carnage, and a long tradition of western rationalism is perverted. …” [The Guardian Nov 10, 2017] This invisibility led the British Legion to issue a “thank you” to Commonwealth troops who served. The contribution of Muslims has been largely ignored so the British Legion pointed out about one third of the British Indian Army, about 400,000 men, were Muslims. Altogether about 885,000 Muslims fought for the allies in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Europe. Nearly 75,000 soldiers from the British Indian Army were killed in action. Indian Army soldiers won 9,500 medals
in the five main theatres of war;, including 11 Victoria Crosses – the supreme award for valour. [The British Legion UK. The Role of Muslims during the First World War] The Gallipoli Campaign was aimed at Ottoman Turkey, the Caliph of Islam and the taking of Istanbul. Although there were rebellions amongst Indian troops against taking part in the fight, Singapore 1915 being an outstanding example, the British Indian Army was a volunteer army.
Can root causes of the Christchurch massacre be removed?
Dr Daud Batchelor
Fifty Muslims preparing for Friday worship were massacred by a white supremacist terrorist (‘T’) shattering the peace in beautiful Christchurch. An atrocity of this enormity demands action to prevent recurrence. It requires identification and removal of root causes. The Australian mass-murderer undoubtedly conducted his maleficence in NZ due to weak gun controls. Although aggravated and triggered in Europe, T’s radicalisation began in Australia. Probable root causes in Australia were identified by this writer and shared at a meeting of Muslim leaders with the Queensland Police Service (incl. Commissioner Ian Stewart) and other authorities. Primary cause is the strident anti-Muslim media of NewsCorp and Sky News. NewsCorp Australia, owns two-thirds of print media in Australian capitals and Foxtel broadcasting Sky News. A Washington Post article highlighted “anti-Muslim rhetoric has been normalized by mainstream right-wing news outlets, many owned by Rupert Murdoch.” NewsCorp and right-wing politicians call ‘Wolf’ frequently on Muslims while ignoring the big ‘Wolf’, white supremacism. New Matilda published findings that Murdoch media published in 2017 almost 3,000 stories mostly ‘slamming’ Islam. Unreasonable fears are raised such that one survey indicated Australians thought Muslims represent 17%, rather than 2.6% of Australians. Industry ‘self-regulator’, Australian Press Council, facilitates hate speech against Muslims, ignoring its own Guideline that news headlines should not implicate whole communities. Second is Australia’s excessive immigrant MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
intake, exceeding 180,000 annually since 2009. Australia became the leading Western country in percentage born overseas – 28%, compared with the US (14%) where President Trump aggressively reduced immigration. The terrorist railed against Australia’s high intake. ‘Whites’ in high unemployment regions can be radicalised from migrants ‘taking jobs’. Third are elite capitalists-cum conservatives who “lust for power and wealth.” T’s hatred, displayed in his manifesto, addresses them. Capitalism expands consumer demand through immigration and marketing. Western marketing projects that a person’s self-esteem is dependent on buying certain products. Resulting materialism and individualistic ‘sensate’ culture reduce interest in child-bearing. Australia’s fertility rate is 1.74 children; lowest ever recorded - below a 2.1 ‘replacement rate’. Consequently, the ‘white’ population is expected to become a minority by century’s end. T wishes Australia’s white births increase to avoid ‘the Great Replacement’. This is a systemic issue that requires wholesale change to Western capitalism and moral decline. Fourth is Australia’s blind alliance with the US, influenced by Israel, reflected in Trump’s anti-Muslim policies. Evidence suggests the Western-led “War on Terror” is euphemism for “War on Islam”, exemplified by the illegal invasion and death of 500,000 Iraqis. Major parties acted so Australia became world leader in passing the “most amendments to anti-terror and security laws” targeting Muslims – 54 since 9/11! Unreasonably high community fear levels are engendered by the Murdoch media and conservative politicians. While lives lost from terrorism are condemned, this writer highlights that 17 times the fatalities caused by Muslim terrorists
AMUST
The Muslim world was in decline in the early 20th century, with nationalism and European imperialism at its height. Many Arabs were also recruited to fight for national independence, which resulted in the Sykes-Picot betrayal, the Balfour Declaration and the elevation of puppet rulers across the Middle East. While today we can see the results in the Middle East and Turkey of the French-British victory in 1918, it accelerated anti-imperialist movements in India, and brought down the German, Austrian and Czarist Empires as well at the Ottomans. This terrible war also turned Japan into a menacing imperialist power in Asia, which brought Australia and New Zealand death and destruction 20 years later. Bilal Cleland is a keen reader, a prolific writer and a regular columnist of AMUST based in Melbourne.
When the woman was charmed by the leaves Adelaide Mosque - Australia’s oldest capital city mosque built in 1888. occurred in the UK (88) than Australia (5), which has twice Australia’s Muslim proportion (5% vs 2.6%), yet the UK is Muslim-friendly. Lord Mayor of London and Home Secretary are Muslims. Dozens of MPs are Muslims while Australia has three in Federal Parliament. Fifth is the perception in Melbourne and Sydney that Muslims arrived recently. Rather, Muslims had relations with Aboriginals prior to European ‘discovery’, and 110-130-year-old mosques stand in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Kevin Rudd’s call for a Royal Commission on Australia’s media ownership, deserves urgent action. Tenacity of the remaining factors doesn’t auger well for Australia’s well-being. Turkish presidential spokesmen remarked, “The world must break its silence over Islamophobic hatred.” The solution is surely promoting a common humanity than the terrorist’s destructive white supremacism. 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.
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Fazlul Huq The woman was walking in the park when the ground was covered with a thick layer of autumn leaves, Hued in red and orange, purple and gold, Because canopies of countless trees were dressed in the same. As she momentarily stopped, To drink from the nature’s fountain made in beauty and charm, A pair of leaves landed into her hands, When she became ever more charmed by beauty of the leaves. Associate Professor Fazlul Huq is based in Sydney and leads the Biomedical Science Cancer Research Group in the School of Medical Sciences, Sydney Medical School. He is also an accomplished poet with over 12,000 compositions in Bengali and English and has also been involved in various community projects.
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Safe families in churches, mosques and temples Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas As we approach the blessed month of Ramadhan for 2019 many Muslim families around the world are planning the best way to maximise the spiritual returns exclusive to this holy month. From April onwards invitations begin circulating for Ramadhan dinners to break the fast together as a community, with relatives, neighbours and Interfaith groups. Timetables and venues for Taraweeh prayers are circulated by Islamic centres offering the night prayer exclusive to Ramadhan. Young children start marking their calendars counting down to the Eid celebrations where they’re showered with toys and gifts, money and lollies. This year sadly there will be many people who are cautious and reluctant while attending Ramadhan religious services while others will skip congregational prayers altogether. There will certainly be many that attend
and most families that do, will have had age-appropriate conversations with their children on what to do in case of an emergency. In the aftermath of the Sri Lanka Easter bombings Muslim leaders and organisations from around the world issued statements condemning the terrorist attacks in the strongest terms. It was reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks on churches and prominent hotels during the Easter religious services. In the words of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern the first words echoed by Muslim communities was “They are us” as they stood together in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in humanity in Sri Lanka against violent extremism. Before the wounds of the Christchurch mosque attacks have had a chance to heal, the world is seeing another unprecedented terrorist attack on civilians at a place of worship, upon a minority community, this time of Christians, performing their religious obligations in peaceful congregation. These are calculated attacks on freedom of religion. Engineering a reality based on
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“These are
calculated attacks on freedom of religion.
fear, where Muslims are afraid to go to the mosque, Christians are afraid to go to church and freedom of religion is suppressed has no benefit to people of faith. Instead of clutching at straws and reporting that the Sri Lanka attacks were in retaliation for Christchurch, which was carried out by a delusional white supremacist, investigators would do well to follow the trail that leads to those who actually stand to benefit from these terrorist attacks. People of faith and their families who frequent places of worship have nothing to gain from these terrorist attacks. We pray for a safe and blessed Ramadhan
for all. May Allah Subhanahu wa Teala increase us in imaan and yaqeen, ameen. Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas is on the advisory board for ECCV Gambling Harm project. She’s an active member of Whittlesea Interfaith Network and currently works as the Community Engagement Facilitator for Al Siraat College. Gulhan has a robust history of advocacy for Interfaith dialogue & building resilient, compassionate communities. She is passionate about empowering and developing Muslim youth as spokespeople for their communities.
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Australian Elections: What, Why and Who deserve your votes? Professor Shahjahan Khan The Australian election system is ‘preferential’, unlike many other countries where ‘majority’ wins the election. Also, the election system of the Members of the House (Parliament) is different from that of the Senate (Upper House). In both cases, some rules of mathematics of proportion (preference) are used to determine the winning candidate. These make the system more complicated and difficult for many ordinary Australians. Good information on the election system is found at https://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/ briefs/brief01. Although different colours of the ballot papers distinguish between House and Senate vote, the practice of voting above and below the line of the ballot paper is complicated. Voting above the line is easier but it is tantamount to voting for all Senate candidates and candidate for the House of the specific party you tick. On the other hand voting below the line requires more knowledge of the candidates to determine the preferences. The matter is further complicated as there are too many political parties in the country and even more independent candidates, especially for the Senate, adding to the long list of candidates below the line. In the recent past, a very small number of voters (only 37) made the difference between win or loss. An anti-Muslim Senator received only 19 primary votes. So, every vote matters, and it matters more in the marginal seats. Ironically, only a few racist Senators from rightwing parties have dominated and directed agendas of the outgoing government.
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In some cases, they forced the government to change its policies and modify legislation to pass the bills. Voting in the federal and state elections is compulsory in Australia. If any eligible voter fails to vote in the election for unacceptable reasons, she or he is required to pay fine. The fine for failing to vote in Queensland state election is $126.15. Australians could take advantage of pre-polling voting or postal voting if they can’t vote on the election day. The above scenario should alert every Australian to have sound knowledge about the election system of the country. They must conduct research on the political parties to find the political views and background of the candidates before deciding their voting preferences. This is more so for the migrants turned citizens who have decided to permanently settle in Australia, and hence they are required to know its system of government and election to exercise their voting right correctly. Every Australian citizen must register with the Australian Electoral Commission before being able to vote. More info at https://www. aec.gov.au/enrol/. Australia is a very successful migrant nation, like Canada and USA. Diversity is our identity and strength. The division of ‘us’ and ‘them’ is un-Australian and should be eliminated. Other than the First Nation, the custodian of the land, indigenous Australians, everyone is either a migrant or a descendant of migrants. Voters should reject anyone dividing the nation based on ethnicity or religion, and reject all forms of political extremism and religious radicalism. No Australian should vote a racist, bigot, extremist or promoter of hate and division.
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Professor Anis Ahmad’s Australia tour
Rashid Khattak
Professor Dr Anis Ahmad, a renowned scholar of Islam is visiting Australia on request of the Islamic Circle of Australia and New Zealand (iCAN). Dr Ahmad, currently the Vice Chancellor/Rector of RIPAH International University is a thinker, a social scientist, an educator and the author of around 45 books on Islamic contemporary issues. His area of expertise includes contemporary social, political and cultural challenges faced by Muslims around the globe. During his visit, he delivered a lecture in Perth on “A vision for the Muslim Community in West” on Thursday 25 April at the Australian Islamic College, Kewdale where he presented a roadmap for Muslims to address contemporary challenges. While in Sydney, on Saturday 27 April he attended a session with community volunteers in Rooty Hill and held a dialogue with Muslim women at Roselands. Dr Ahmad participated in a seminar with the title “Islam and the West” together with Dr Jan A Ali and Mr Junaid Amjad, a PhD student at the Western Sydney University, Bankstown campus on Sunday 28 April. The event was organised by the Islamic Circle of Australia and New Zealand in collaboration with the Postgraduate Student Association of Western Sydney University (WSU). At the same venue, Dr Anis Ahmad gave a public lecture on “Global threat of Islamophobia and anxiety in Muslims living in the West”. He said when we talk about Islam and its phobia in the West, we should not forget that both Muslims and the West have failed to address the basic understanding of
“what is Islam”. “For Muslims, Islam sometimes means praying five-time daily, making Hajj or Umrah, doing some charity, and observing some festivals. All these approaches reduce Islam to habitual, spiritual, legal or very personal faith,” Dr Ahmad explained. He further added, “West, on the other hand, sees Islam with a horrible history trying to impose its ideology on others with its primitive way of life and harsh punishments.” Dr Anis Ahmad addressed a gathering of scholars, community leaders and activists in Auburn and highlighted the role of the head of organisations and advising them to work together and extend support and help each other thereby generating a positive impact on the Muslim community and the overall Australian society. He underlined the role of volunteers of such organisations that they “should be visible and be relevant in this society to serve the country you have chosen for your living.” He also visited Dawah Stalls to encourage the workers of iCAN in presenting the real face of Islam in order to minimise misconception about this religion of peace. On Sunday, together with iCAN team members, Dr Anis Ahmad attended a breakfast meeting at the residence of his longtime colleague Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad in Bonnyrigg together with his family members including Mr Zia Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of AMUST and Mr Usaid Khalil, Secretary General of IFAM. Later he called on to visit another veteran leader Dr Ahsan Zafarullah at his residence to acknowledge his contribution to the community at large.
Dr Anis Ahmad giving a public lecture at WSU.
Dr Anis Ahmad visiting Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad at his residence.
Rashid Khattak is a Telecom Engineer by profession. He also works for iCAN, a dawah organisation.
The audience at the “Islam and the West” Seminar. A briefing about Dawah Stalls.
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Local. Impactful. Trusted. Since 2013, we’ve received 7,882 cases and distributed $6,382,616.42 in Zakat to those who need it. Whether it be Domestic Violence survivors, Refugees, the Muslim homeless, widowed sisters or otherwise, there are a plethora of people in Australia that are eligible to receive your Zakat. This Ramadan, help us continue to help those who need it.
Visit www.nzf.org.au
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National Muslim Youth Summit: Report launch Jasmine Joyan On Saturday 6 April 2019, ISRA launched the 2018 report of their findings from the biennial National Muslim Youth Summit. Key findings of the report found that many young Muslims seems to notice the difficulty in transitioning leadership positions to Millennials. This seemed to manifest in other concerns within the community including the lack of mentorship and opportunities. Externally from the Muslim community, it was identified that there was a continuing struggle for young Muslims in reconciling their own values with the culture of the workforce. This, with the presence of discrimination hindered the confidence and opportunities of many at the Summit. At the launch, psychologist Nasreen Hanifi discussed such discrimination particularly as a woman in a leadership position. She noted that the adversities she encountered were not only for wearing the hijab but also founded within the rhetoric of the Muslim community when she originally began to engage in such roles. Hanifi’s perseverance exemplify the struggle yet passion required in creating change.
Law student Sourosh Cina provided an analysis of the Report. He mentioned the need as Muslims to have a solid understanding of our own values in order to smoothly and successfully navigate through the workforce. Whilst terms like ‘potential’ are often
used to describe the youth, Sourosh believes these terms lack substance without execution. The Report will be the beginning in showcasing this active engagement.
Jasmine Joyan is a volunteer at Islamic Sciences and Research Academy (ISRA) and is currently studying Arts and Law at Macquarie University.
Toowoomba mosque open day and food festival
Professor Shahjahan Khan The Garden City Mosque, under construction after being burnt down in an arson attack organised a highly successful community event on Saturday 13 April 2019 attracting a large number of people from the town’s diverse population displaying goodwill and harmony. This was the 6th Annual Toowoomba International Food Festival and Garden City Mosque Open Day held in the Garden City Mosque in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Hundreds of people from all walks of life – women, children, youth and men – gathered in the Mosque premises for delicious food, warm friendship, enjoyable fun and genuine faith. The food and other stalls were set up in the open space at the carpark and formal presentation session was held at the temporary prayer hall of the Mosque property. This year’s event has been a stunning success as Toowoomba people wanted to see the progress in the rebuilding of burned Toowoomba Mosque. With fresh in memory of the tragic murder of Muslims in Christchurch Mosques in New Zealand also inspired some people to participate in the celebration. The speakers included Queensland Hon Minister Stirling Hinchliffe MP; Dr John McVeigh, Federal Member for Groom; Mayor of Toowoomba, Cr Paul Antonio; MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
State MP Trevor Watts; Dr Hass Dellal, Head of Australian Multicultural Foundation and Chair of SPS TV and Radio; USQ Vice Chancellor, Professor Geraldine McKenzie; Dr Nora Amath, National Manager of IWAA; AFIC President, Dr Rateb Jneid; and Professor Shahjahan Khan, President of the Islamic Society of Toowoomba. Imam Abdul Kader answered questions from the audience and Eng Shabbirul Mujib offered the vote of thanks. Everyone applauded the presentation of Dr Nora Amath on compassion as an inbuilt human instinct and Dr Hass Dellal’s talk on life as an Australian Muslim. People were very engaging and everyone was happy to be in the celebration of humanity. The local daily Chronicle published a pre-event story on Saturday and ran another story after the event on Monday. The TV channels, Win and 7, also covered the story. On behalf of the Society, Professor Shahjahan Khan thanked the Toowoomba community for its continuing support and commitment to leave in peace and harmony with compassion and respect. He also thanked all the sponsors including Queensland Government, AFIC and Phamcay4Less. The contributions of Muslim families and members of the community who provided food and organized activities for children and women, and all dedicated volunteers were highly appreciated. Professor Shahjahan Khan is professor of Statistics at University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He is the former President of Islamic Countries Society of Statistical Sciences and Expatriate Fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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How to become a PRIME Muslim AMUST
Usman Malik
The highly popular annual IFAM family camp was held at Fitzroy Falls from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 March 2019 encompassing relaxation and fun as well as spiritual nourishment. Every year Islamic forum for Australian Muslims organises a family camp so that all family members can benefit the social and Islamic activities. It develops greater interactions and friendship among families along the lines of enhancing their Islamic knowledge. This year camp site was selected at Fitzroy Falls in Southern Highlands of NSW which is quite popular for its mountains, rain forests, fresh water lake and waterfalls that would make it an ideal resort with good climate to enjoy. Like every year a theme of the camp was selected and this year it was chosen to be ‘how to become a P.R.I.M.E Muslim?’. All activities were designed towards this theme where P represented Preparation (through Islamic teachings), R stood for Reaching out (to other people), I was for Invitation (towards Islam), M for motivation (for inducing spirit) and E for engaging with others (to practice and share Islamic values). Brother Rais Khan, President of IFAM, in his opening remarks welcomed all the participants and advised them to get maximum benefit out of this camp. He advised to leave behind all the worries and spend the time with pure intent to learn and interact with others. Brother Rais indicated that it would help boost our mental strength and to work more effectively in practical life if message is un-
derstood and absorbed to the core of hearts. This camp was managed by a small committee led by Brother Umar Ahmed and assisted by Brother Gulzar and Ashar Siddiqui. Brother Umar Ahmed addressed to all participants and guided them for different programs arranged for families, facilities available at site and other important instructions to follow. Shaikh Rizwan from Rooty Hill gave Dars-e-Quran in which he highlighted the importance of deen in moulding our personalities to get a strong character. He told that only Islamic principles and fear of Allah could change human souls intensively without superficial results. Shaikh Aflah RooUllah, a young and energetic scholar, gave precious advices on becoming an effective ‘Dae of Islam’. He mentioned that it was not possible to call someone towards good if our personality ethics were not the same as preached. This was because people were smarter than ever and would never follow if dubious standards were seen in our lives. He also indicated several questions which
could come up in the minds of non followers in contemporary world. He explained that learning Islam in true sense would make a person more attentive towards addressing any issues of present times as well. Another young and motivated speaker was Ibrahim Khalil, son of Brother Usaid Khalil, secretary general of IFAM. Ibrahim discussed the various factors which could help us stay motivated most of the times. He briefed the human psyche in detail and told that human thought patterns changes under different circumstances. And therefore sometimes we feel to have stronger Imaan and vice versa. So it was important to stick to Salat and understanding of Quran in daily life to induce high spirit regularly. Brother Arif from Lakemba and Brother Rab Nawaz from Rooty Hill explained the life history of Hazrat Zubair (r) and Hazrat Talha (r) respectively. They gave many glittering examples from their lives to mention how deeply they were devoted towards Allah’s deen. These companions of Prophet Muhammad (s) were guaranteed for Paradise by The Prophet himself. They never
hesitated in spending their lives for good cause and eventually accepted martyrdom. Shaikh Ibrahim Ouf is a renowned Sydney based Islamic scholar. He also participated in the camp on second day and lectured on the importance of family life. He described that living in western culture might have many challenges to Muslim families especially youth. Shaikh Ibrahim Ouf said youth might be easily lured towards forbidden things of Islam in this country. This issue could be addressed by understanding their mental growth and keeping friendship with them. He insisted to always listen to your youth affectionately and help to resolve their entanglements in foul, when required. Being very strict at home could only worsen the problem, he mentioned. He also highlighted on importance of giving quality time to wife and kids every day and helping in house hold activities. This would strengthen your family bonding and things could be easily addressed by discussion before they get complicated, he explained. There were large numbers of kids who participated in the camp with their parents too. There were specially designed activities for them which included indoor and outdoor play for their physical and mental strength. Brother Abdul Ghaffar and Wasique Mohiyudin mentored these activities. Jumping castle was installed and many indoor games like Table tennis, billiards and carom boards etc. were arranged. Islamic quizzes were conducted too. This camp was concluded on Sunday afternoon 31 March after the lecture and Dua by brother Usaid khalil. He thanked all the participants and wished them best in all spheres of their lives. Usman Malik is the MGM of IFAM. He is based in Sydney.
n a d a Ram uba rak
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Best wishes to everyone celebrating this holy month of Ramadan. Wishing you, your family and friends peace, happiness and prosperity.
ED HUSIC MP FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CHIFLEY Office: Shop 6, 15 Cleeve Close Mt Druitt 2770 Email: contact@edhusic.com Phone: (02) 9625 4355 www.edhusic.com www.facebook.com/ehusic @edhusicMP Authorised by Ed husic MP, Australian Labor Party, Mt Druitt
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Mrs Firdousi Obeidullah. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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Young people to have more of a say Kuranda Seyit Last Harmony Day on Thursday 21 March, Geelong was host to a wonderful Q&A panel of young leaders hosted by The Project’s Hamish Macdonald. The event titled Your Choice Our Future Youth panel was organized by the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations, FAIR as a part of a unique project aimed at strengthening our social cohesion in regional areas. The panel consisted of five outstanding young leaders, who are at the cusp of their leadership development: Kareem El-Ansary, who has just embarked on his role as UN youth ambassador; Yong Deng a young pharmacist, who came to Australia as a refugee and is now the Vice President of South Sudanese Australian Youth United; Sara Mansour, a lawyer, spoken word poet and co-founder of Bankstown Poetry Slam; Jemma Ryan, Geelong Advertiser Magazines and Lifestyle editor and, Tina Hosseini, Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission. This highly accomplished group were full of intelligent, thoughtful and though-provoking ideas and comments, as 170 students from schools in the broader Geelong region picked their brains. The event organiser, Kuranda Seyit said, “Our youth have so much to contribute to the general discussion, in many respects, their perspectives are more relevant than the older generations, who generally are in roles of power and influence and many of our political leaders are out of touch with the community. The young leaders spoke eloquently and shared their insights. The young audience were very engaged and had
a lot of questions to ask.” The Q&A panel covered an array of issues. Hamish began proceedings with the Christchurch massacre, still raw in the minds of many of the audience. The first question came from student Josh Meehan from St Joseph’s college, asking about how we can help those in the community who are new to Australia after what happened in Christchurch? Sara Mansour kicked off the discussion. She said “It was so close to home…we all need to be spurred to action, it stems from fear of the unknown and we can breakdown that fear through capacity building and activism, I do it through my art, artivism.” “It was important to speak out against Fraser Anning’s comments, we can’t remain quiet because all it does is spread hate.” She
Family fun day in Campbelltown Sharmeen Ali The Campbelltown Youth Center (CYC) has been serving the Muslim community in general and the Muslim youth in particular for over a decade now. In the last three years, our community has been lucky that they got a beautiful Islamic centre in Leumeah, South-west of Sydney. The centre offers prayer areas, along with a big multipurpose hall for sports activ- ities for t h e youth includi n g basketball, futsal, indoor cricket and many other physical activities. They also have a beautiful studio/ teaching area which is equipped with the interactive digital board where they run learning activities for young children. Within the same facility, there is a dedicated females area where they can enjoy praying, playing and learning. In the last three years, South-west Sydney has been the fastest growing area in terms of population, and their Muslim community has grown a lot as well. MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
continued. “When our leaders make inflammatory statements it is very difficult, but we can estimate what we can do as young people and as a community, we can call out the wrong things and help others understand more about different viewpoints, we can access social media and have a voice, sign a petition, go to a rally, write a letter to your local MP and express your dismay at these comments.” Sher Leh from Kardinia International College asked, “How can we empower young people so they have a say in our future?” Jemma Ryan said, I’m in favour of lowering the age for voting, young people have a role to play.” Yong Deng said “There are lot of young people who are very smart and have a lot to
say, so we need to mentor them and teach them the experiences that prepare them to be ready to vote.” The event also featured comedian Izzy Ali and some amazing spoken word artists, including Rania Ahmed, Rhiann Isaacs, Sara Mansour and Nour Abouzeid. Events like this are just ‘gold’ and we hope that there will be more opportunities in the near future. Kuranda Seyit is a filmmaker and community worker, who wrote and directed By Compass and Quran: History of Australia’s Muslim Cameleers, which was broadcast on ABC TV. He is also founder of the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (FAIR) and was editor of Australia Fair Newspaper from 2003-2010.
To fulfil the issues from this growth, CYC has recently acquired an adjacent 950m square, $1.8 million worth, undercovered space which was really essential to fulfil the growing needs of the community. As part of their fundraising activity, they had a family fun day which was full of activities. The fair was on Sunday 14 April 2019 and went from 10 am – 4 pm, where a large number of families visited, enjoyed and learnt about the activities on offer from the centre. It was a very busy place throughout the day, with more than 30 stalls. For kids, they had a jumping castle, slides and rock climbing activities. For parents, they had shopping stalls, and for the youth, they had sports, entertainment and food stalls where at one, the famous camel burgers were also available and in high d e mand. If you want to donate for their Masjid Expansion Project. The details are: Campbelltown Youth Centre BSB: 112879 Acc:429442741 For more information: 167 Airds Rd, Minto NSW 2566 0416 066 540 WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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Islamic Museum appoints new chair and patron AMUST
Mei Nee Cheong The Islamic Museum of Australia appoints founder, Moustafa Fahour OAM, as the new Chairperson of the IMA, Mr Ahmed Fahour AO has been appointed as Patron and Dr Hass Dellal AO who has served as Chairperson of the Islamic Museum of Australia (IMA) since 2016 has been announced as Emeritus Patron. At a morning tea on Wednesday 24 April to honour his contribution to the IMA, incoming Chairperson and founder, Moustafa Fahour OAM said Dr Dellal was instrumental in helping establish the Museum. “Hass was part of the IMA’s journey before we even opened our doors to the public. During those early days, he played an important role in garnering the support of all levels of government and that of the Muslim community,” said Mr Fahour. Dr Dellal continued to support the Museum after opening and accepted the position
of Chairperson three years ago. During his tenure, the IMA has seen so much growth in visitation, strong engagement with the community, the forming of invaluable partnerships and most importantly, Dr Dellal has been pivotal in setting a strong strategic direction for the IMA’s future growth. “His contribution reaches far beyond the Islamic Museum of Australia, he has been an active leader in the Muslim community, not just in Victoria but nationally for many years and it’s our great privilege to have had his support and leadership over the years and we are thrilled he will continue to be a part of the Museum for many years to come,” said Mr Fahour. “I was privileged and honoured to have worked as a Board Director and Chairperson of the IMA with a wonderful group of Board members whose dedication and commitment is to be admired. I look forward to continuing to make a contribution to the IMA in my role as Emeritus Patron,” said Dr Dellal.
Mr Ahmed Fahour AO has been appointed as Patron of the IMA. He is also a long-time founding member and supporter of the IMA and a protagonist of improved multicultural relations in both the business sector and the
From left: Ms Magdallene Ektoras, Dr Hass Dellal AO, Prof Abdullah Saeed AM, Mr Ramzi Elsayed, Mr Moustafa Fahour OAM and Ms Wafa Fahour at the morning tea to honour Dr Hass Dellal.
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wider community. Along with Mr Fahour as the new Chairperson, two new members have been appointed to the Museum Board, Ms Farah Farouque, currently the Principal Advisor, Public Affairs and Policy, Brotherhood of St Lawrence and Mr Jevan Bouzo, Chief Financial Officer at Viva Energy Australia. The Islamic Museum of Australia is located in Thornbury, in Melbourne’s north. It is the only Islamic museum in the country and provides educational and cross-cultural experiences for all ages. The Museum is open 10am – 4pm, Monday to Saturday. Mei Nee Cheong is a marketing professional who has worked across the arts, arts education and travel. She is currently the Media and Marketing Manager at the Islamic Museum of Australia and is based in Melbourne, Australia.
Ramadan Mubarak
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‘Divine Melodies’: Showcase of Bengali Islamic heritage AMUST
Dr Faroque Amin Multicultural Sydney was the venue for ‘Divine Melodies’, a showcase of Bengali Islamic heritage held on Sunday 31 March 2019 at the Orion Function Centre, Campsie organised by Pan Pacific Vision and supported by Human Appeal Australia. Sydney, a global metropolis and the primary hub of Australian multiculturalism, has indeed experienced this cultural event of extraordinary nature for the first time. Diverse ethnic and religious communities live in this city with harmony and peaceful coexistence. As a result, festivals and events organized by various groups representing their culture and heritage are commonplace in Sydney. However, there has never been a cultural event taken place in Australia that encompasses the religion of Islam and the Bengali language. Pan Pacific Vision Inc., a non-profit organization working in media and social welfare sector organised this event in partnership with Human Appeal, a prominent Australian humanitarian organization. The event started with recitation from the Holy Qur’an by a kids’ group from Al Tadhkirah Institute, led by Imam Abu Hurairah. Around 20 kids aged between 5 to 10, named as ‘Little Muslims’, presented songs about the Praise of Allah Almighty and remembrance of the Prophet Mohammad (s). Their performance melted the hearts of the audience. Afterwards, another group of little girls called ‘Little Muslimahs’ and a group of boys called ‘Young Muslim Brothers’ presented songs, short dramas and poems on various Islamic topics. Two more cultur-
al groups, ‘Ukti’ from Sydney and ‘Yarra’ from Melbourne presented Islamic songs that were appreciated by the audience. After the short break for Maghrib prayer, recently re-elected local MP, Mr Jihad Dib came to the stage and delivered his short speech. He praised the Bangladeshi community for organizing such an extraordinary event and emphasized the importance of religious identity in a truly multicultural society. Other organizers such as Munir Ahmed, Mahmud Alam, Shibly Abdullah, Zakir Shikdar, Khaled Syfullah were present at the stage to welcome Jihad Dib. The most attractive part of this Islamic cultural event was two popular Bangladeshi Islamic singers, Saifullah Mansur and ANM Mosiur Rahman. Both of them have years of contribution in composing and singing Islamic songs without any musical instruments and popularizing this trend among the younger generations in Bangladesh. The audience in Sydney was eagerly wait-
Inaugural Islamic Conference in Canberra
Manarul Islam
The Canberra Muslim Community (CMC) held its inaugural Islamic Conference at the historic Hyatt Hotel only minutes away from Parliament House on Saturday 6 April. The 2019 Annual Islamic Conference on Al-ʾĀkhirah focused on the journey of seeking success in this life and the hereafter. The event featured a keynote address by Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman, President of the Australian National Imams Council, along with prominent and inspirational Australian guest speakers including Sheikh Akram Buksh from Brisbane, Sheikh Abu Hamza from Melbourne and Sheikh Adam Konda from Canberra. They shared their vast range of insights, experiences and advice on how this goal can be attained by developing a blueprint for Muslims individually, within the family environment and the wider community. Mr Mainul Haque, President of CMC, paid tribute to the committee and the volunteers, who, over the last few years had achieved the building of the mosque, made the mosque a vibrant centre for people of all ages and banded together to deliver its first Islamic Conference. MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman gave the keynote address at the event.
ing to enjoy their live performance. Both singers came to the stage and talked briefly about their experience of working for Islamic cultural activities and the objectives behind them. Their breathtaking performance fascinated the audience for the rest of the evening. The Bengali songs they sang in this event were already familiar to everyone, but listening to those songs directly from the singers’ live was an extraordinary experience. Those songs sometimes expressed ardour and cry for a house in the paradise, sometimes they contained joyful gratitude for the blessings of Almighty that surround us,
sometimes they melancholically wish for the return of early Islamic era, and sometimes they inspire the people to follow the prophetic tradition for changing the society. In brief, the evening of these divine melodies was an unforgettable experience for Bengali-speaking Australian audience that demonstrated that culture and religion could harmoniously walk together to quench the thirst of human souls. Dr Faroque Amin works with Suprovat Sydney, a Bengali community newspaper published from Sydney, Australia.
Ramadan Mubarak
Particular note was made of Mr Roysul Khan who had overseen the construction project. Mr Haq emphasised that there is much more work to be done and requested those attending to dig deep so that other parts of the mosque, particularly the ablution areas, can be completed. The event raised tens of thousands of dollars to that end. Included in the Conference were an afternoon tea and a sumptuous halal dinner that the Hyatt’s chef and staff are famous for. Photos of the event can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/yxh5gpf3 Manarul Islam is an IT professional, community worker and AMUST correspondent based in Canberra. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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SAMAA organises Qawwali night AMUST
AMUST Media The Mehfil-e-Qawwali held on Sunday 7 April at Bankstown Sports Club Theatre drew fans from across the communities including elders, their families, SAMAA volunteers and members, all fans of this classical art including Federal MP for Parramatta, Julie Owens. The unique event was organised by South Asian Muslim Association of Australia based in Sydney. The ensemble of Tahir Faridi Qawwal gave an outstanding performance in singing most popular qawwalis of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Sabri brothers. The atmosphere turned sombre as victims of the mosque shooting in Christchurch were remembered. Mr Zahid Jamil described the events in Christchurch most unfortunate which had disturbed the tranquillity of the most peaceful nation on the earth. He appealed to the Australian government to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of mosques in this country. Dr Sikander Khan recited holy verses from the Quran and made an emotional dua (prayer) for the martyrs of the mosque massacre and their loved ones. He prayed for peace in the region and the world. He emphasized that Islam was the religion of peace and terrorism cannot be justified under any pretext. Dua concluded with the call to the prayer and Maghreb salat. Qawwali resumed after Maghreb prayer. The group mesmerised and enchanted the audience for well over three hours, receiving rapturous applause repeatedly. With their rich rhythmic grooves, soaring vocal melodies and the classical performance, the performers were able to spellbind the audience. It was an exceptional exhibition of the ancient tradition of Sufi
music. The lead singer, Canadian born and a revert Tahir Hassan Faridi showed total mastery of this art with its smooth melodic overtures, fierce leaps of vocal passion and rich vocal choruses which captivated the audience. Mrs Shahnaz Hyder, famous Ghazal Singer of Sydney and Mrs Kaneez Fatima Ali, the senior Urdu poet presented gifts to the artists. The SAMAA volunteer Ahsan Ali was MC for the event. Speaking briefly about SAMAA, Mr Zahid Jamil told the audience that SAMAA
had entered into agreements with service providers to offer professional services to the South Asian Muslim seniors. These included Uniting and IWAA for Home Care services and Gallipoli Home for those who need Nursing Home Care. Gallipoli Home is a state of art facility built by the Turkish community with the support of the Australian government in Auburn. It offers religiously and culturally appropriate care to Muslim seniors. The Event was designed as a Service to the
Elders in our Community as SAMAA does at regular intervals to alleviate the loneliness of community elders. The elders get an opportunity not only to entertain themselves but also meet their contemporaries. The elders well appreciated SAMAA’s efforts at catering to their culturally and linguistically divergent needs. The event was supported by Bankstown Sports Club. You can listen to a few video clips of the evening at SAMAA facebook page.
ICPA celebrates Al-Isra and Mi^raj Haj Mohammad Mehio narrated the story of Al-Isra’ and Mi^raj.
Mohammad Chams Under slogan a “Journey of Enlightenment” the Islamic Charitable projects association (ICPA) held the annual Al-Isra’ and Al-Mi^raj celebration 1440 at the Al Amanah College Grand Hall Liverpool, Sydney for its community on Friday 5 April 2019. The occasion was attended by Mr Hajj Muhamad Mehio President of the ICPA, his Eminence Dr Sheikh Salim Alwan – Chairman of Darulfatwa the Islamic High Council of Australia accompanied by Dr Mohamed Bechari Secretary General of the International Muslim Communities Congress, Mr Chris Hayes (MP) – Member for Fowler Chief Opposition Whip, Ms Anne Stanley MP – Federal Member for Werriwa, Ms Tania Mihailuk MP – Member for Bankstown, Shadow Minister for Planning – Shadow Minister for Housing – Shadow Minister for Family and Shadow Minister for Community Services, Inspector Guy Habarley – Liverpool Police, a number of distinguished sheikhs, community leaders and a large number of families.
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Following the official opening welcome, the celebration began with a recitation of the holy Quran followed by a number of chants about this blessed occasion performed by the ICPA chanting band. His Eminence Dr Sheikh Salim Alwan, Chairman of Darulfatwa the Islamic High Council of Australia delivered the opening speech. Dr Sheikh Salim Alwan spoke about the blessed occasion of Al – Isra’ and Mi^raj, highlighting that this was a miracle specifically for Prophet Muhammad (s). In his ascension beyond the seven skies, our prophet entered Paradise where he saw images of some of its future inhabitants and the enjoyments they will receive. \Mr Hajj Muhamad Mehio also spoke about the recent loss of innocent lives at the two mosques in New Zealand. New Zealanders and the global community are urged to stand together stronger than ever to face all forms of extremism and phobias that may operate under an array of wicked slogans. Ministers speaking at the occasion also acknowledged the concerted efforts by the ICPA for being a ‘role model’ in community work and working diligently to address issues such as islamophobia and extremism. ISSUE 162 / MAY 2019
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A colourful display of cultural diversity
“The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.” Tanya Kubitza Primary School students, parents and staff from Melbourne-based Al Siraat College celebrated our community’s multicultural diversity with a special outdoors assembly and a cultural parade on Wednesday, 27 March 2019. It was wonderful to see our diversity displayed so vibrantly and harmoniously, with the majority of students and staff having followed the school’s call to come decked out in their traditional outfits. During the assembly, students heard from their fellow mates and teachers about their family backgrounds, traditional clothing and cultural belonging. Many had made beautiful display posters or were waving flags of their ethnic heritage while being both proud Australians and Muslims. A special Thank You to Mitch Tambo from True Culture, a proud Gamilaraay/ Birri Gubba man, for sharing his people’s culture and tradition with our school community in such an engaging and insightful way. A special video clip for the occasion was put together by staff member Mehreen Akther, featuring the many different languages spoken at Al Siraat College. Students and staff were asked to say “We all are different, but we all belong” in different languages, showcasing the beautiful diversity found both at the school and within the wider Australian community. The motto of the video is further enhanced by the following verses from the noble Qur’an:
“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honoured of you with Allah is the one who most righteous. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Al Hujraat: 13) In a similar way, our Australian identity as a nation is forged by the principle “E puribus unum. – From many: One.“. To be truly Australian is to embody a fusion of cultures, languages and religions but regardless of those differences, we are all the same and we are all one. May the celebration of our diversity
serve extra meaning after the tragedy in Christchurch and be more than just a fun day at school for our children: Rather, may it help us all to connect by having conversations outside our own ethnic or faith community to meet and get to know one another. We all share the responsibility to ensure our children will grow into a future where they will respect and love one another, irrespective of our cultural or religious differences. Now more than ever is the time to reach out to our neighbours and the wider community. No one can tear us apart when we
know one another. No child can learn to hate someone they know as a real-life friend. Tanya Kubitza is the Registrar and Marketing Manager of Melbourne based Al Siraat College. She is also a member of various interfaith groups and the Event Coordinator for the Northern Hub of Benevolence Australia. As a keen mountain biker, Tanya is an advocate for women’s participation in sports and is passionate about environmental issues, animal welfare and cancer research.
Stories and Prayers for Christchurch at ISRA Melbourne
Dr Salih Yucel, Dr Zuleyha Keskin and Sr Zeinab Mourad shared their insights and experiences right from Christchurch. Seyma Ordu On Friday 15 March, we were shaken by the news from Christchurch, New Zealand. An extremist aimed to spread fear and hatred amongst people terrorised a mosque, opening fire on people who were at the mosque for their Friday prayer. The horrific attack rightfully received condemnation from all around the world. Vigils and prayers have been held in solidarity with Muslims. After the attack, ISRA Australia sent four staff members to Christchurch to help and support our Kiwi brothers and sisters who were affected. They have seen their pain and seen the support from the community. They came back with sadness and a heavy heart MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
but also with great hope. ISRA Melbourne held a night of reflection and prayer dedicated to the victims and their families on Friday 22 March. Dr Salih Yucel, Dr Zuleyha Keskin and Sr Zeinab Mourad shared their insights and experiences right from Christchurch, where they visited the survivors and families of those we’ve lost. As the highlight of the night one of the survivors joined the session via Zoom and delivered his first-hand experience. The reflections were followed by prayers and Quran recitation. Seyma is the Student Support and Welfare Officer for Islamic Sciences and Research Academy (ISRA) based in Melbourne. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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Eight Ramadan Lessons for All Want to simplify your life? These Ramadan lessons offer practical tips for everyone, Muslims, people of other faiths and no faith. Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, is special to Muslims as a holy period dedicated to fasting, self-purification, and spiritual attainment. Whether you’re Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or just a spiritual seeker, you can probably appreciate the goals of Ramadan: a whole-body awareness of God and a humble thankfulness for whatever blessings He has granted. Achieving those goals is a challenge for anyone. But after 20 years of fasting, I’ve learned some valuable lessons to simplify and spiritualize the Ramadan experience and how to keep that special feeling alive throughout the year, lessons that can help anyone make their life a little more spiritual and uncomplicated. So check out these tips, whether you’re a Muslim who’s been fasting for years, or just someone looking for more depth in your spiritual life.
1. Take the Remembrance of God Inward
For all: Spending whatever downtime you have to remember God or peacefully meditate is a great idea for everyone. Thousands of hours go by every year in our work commutes and in chauffeuring our kids around. Why not try to use that time to quiet our minds, remind ourselves of a higher being, and appreciate what we’ve been given? For Muslims: Do dhikr (reciting short du’as, or supplications) silently while you’re driving, waiting in line somewhere, or doing endless household tasks. Keep a thasbi (the equivalent of a Muslim rosary) in your purse or pocket and use it to count off du’as (prayers).
or bi-weekly family dinner is a great time to reconnect, to learn about each other, and to discuss a designated list of topics that are of interest to your family. For Muslims: Having iftar (the fast-breaking meal at sunset) as a family is best during Ramadan. Muslims follow a lunar calendar, which moves Ramadan back 10 days earlier each year. This year most iftars will be after 5 pm, Breaking the fast with the family is a great opportunity to appreciate one another’s holy efforts and discuss spiritual topics, otherwise have dinner together.
4. Do New Types of Charity
For all: Recognizing the things you do for family and friends as acts of goodness that are acknowledged by God is a great step toward achieving inner spirituality. But do take a step out of your comfort zone to tackle one small charitable project each month, whether it’s donating a little money each day to your favorite charity or taking charge of your office’s annual volunteer project. For Muslims: After becoming a parent, I used to get discouraged that I couldn’t properly do those things recommended to Muslims during Ramadan: Go for tarawih prayers or read the entire Qur’an. But my mom and mother-in-law gave me sound insight: Everything you do for the comfort of your family is charity and a way of worshipping God. That being said, Ramadan is a great time to try new acts of charity and goodness: Put aside a can of food a day and donate it all when the month is up. Cook a few dishes and take them to your mosque for those who come there to have iftar.
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6. Realize That Faith and Worldly Life Go Hand-in-Hand
For all: Finding and maintaining a balance between spiritual pursuits and life practices is always a good idea. Resolving to remember God more or to be spiritual in other ways can be a soulful way to center ourselves. But I’ve found that only trained holy persons or gurus can be spiritual or religious-minded 100 percent of the time. The rest of us should make time for worldly and spiritual practices. For Muslims: During Ramadan some Muslims indulge in spiritual extremes, they may try to shutdown all “worldly” aspects of life, like watching TV or playing with kids, and replace it with all spiritually related activities. But man cannot exist on prayer alone. Yes, Ramadan is the month when Muslims are told that God stops the devil from harassing us, and our prayers are more powerful. But though we must ramp up our spiritual practices, we need to keep up our everyday routines.
7. Don’t Wait for Ramadan to Get More Spiritual
For all: If you want to become more spiritual, pray more, practice your religion more closely, or read religious scripture more, working up to it will help you attain your goal and maintain it in the long run. Starting any new practice (or giving something up in small increments) will help you gain a taste for it and work it into your regular routine. Going full blast or cold turkey is rarely the best way. For Muslims: Imam Zaid Shakir has a popular video about preparing for Ramadan as if you’re training for a big race. You can’t just stand at the starting line and then all of a sudden run the spiritual race. Start by fasting on Mondays and Thursdays in Shaban (the month preceding Ramadan) as prescribed by hadith (verified sayings of Prophet Muhammad). Want to read the entire Qur’an in Ramadan? Then before Ramadan, put aside 15 minutes each day to read the Qur’an.
5. Get to Your House of Worship and Find Community
2. Appreciate Technology, Then Tune It Out
For all: Use the technology to do what you need to do for work and family. But then, instead of spending hours surfing the web or TV channels, fight the urge and tune out. Discover your family, and discover meditation and prayer. You can start slow, cut out an hour of web surfing (or one TV program) every week and build up. For Muslims: In past Ramadans I always went on a sort of technology crash diet– television, music, inane web surfing, and movies were all self-banned for 30 days. All the extra time was designated for reading Qur’an, praying, and reconnecting with my family. Well, crash diets never work in the long term. So the better thing to do is to use technology wisely: Use your email to stay in contact with friends and family, get the news from television and the Internet, and use your ipod to listen to Qur’anic prayers. And when basic needs have been met, turn the technology off and take the extra time to pray and reconnect.
For all: If you are religious, try visiting your church, synagogue, or temple outside of regular worship services. You may meet different people and take part in different experiences that can replenish your spiritual well. If you don’t favor any particular house of worship, designate some spot, a park or your backyard at sunset–where you feel some calm, and visit it with family or friends, free of mental distractions, and with a focus on each other. For Muslims: About the only time most Muslim-Americans go to the mosque is for Friday prayers or for Sunday school. During Ramadan, why not make the mosque an integral part of worship? Go there for as many tarawih prayers as you can, especially the end ones when the Qur’an is being completed. Pick one day a week and go to your mosque for iftar. It’s amazing how good we feel to see others fasting and striving as much as we are.
3. Share Meals Together as a Family
For all: The family dinner is a concept hammered home by family and social organizations. Even some television stations, like Nickelodeon, show spots advising us to “Make time for the family table.” A weekly
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8. Avoid a Spiritual Letdown
For all: At some point, you’re probably going to work towards a big goal. Maybe you want to lose 10 pounds. Maybe you’re going to kick smoking. So you’ll go all-out to achieve that goal. But once it’s done, avoid the letdown. It’s so easy to go back to old habits once a goal is accomplished. Instead, focus on small ways to maintain that momentum. Making life-altering changes is great. But it’s how we manage small, daily changes that make the real, long-term difference. For Muslims: One of the biggest Ramadan problems is what happens immediately afterward. Muslims are consumed with fasting and prayer. Then Ramadan ends and we resume the mantle of our everyday flawed lives. What we should be doing is keeping some of our good Ramadan habits throughout the year. So be sure to engage in a cool-down period afterward with an eye toward maintaining some of your Ramadan practices. Try fasting one day a week. Resolve to keep up a charitable practice. Read the Qur’an for five minutes daily. A little bit goes a long way. (Adapted from ‘How to Make Your Life More Spiritual’ by Dilshad D Ali, Beliefnet).
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Evergreen Ateefah Sana Ur Rab O ye, who dwells in sorrow, Encircled with the dread of unknown Ye heart weeps and seeks some help But all to ever be in sight Is the clinging absence of the light! Ye wander upon thine shrewd beliefs And the depth of damage unmeasured While a bunch of comrades; with pride Adorn the racks with trophies again Along with those bearing layers of dust
The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan will begin on Monday 6/Tuesday 7 May 2019 and end on Tuesday 4 June 2019 (depending on the sighting of the moon globally, regionally or locally). Fasting (Sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam and Ramadan was the month in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed over 1400 years ago. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for Muslims to increase their spirituality, self-discipline and compassion towards others. Fasting at face value means not consuming food or drink during daylight hours (for each day of the month of Ramadan) though its spiritual side carries much more importance. Muslims are expected to fast between dawn (about an hour and a half before sunrise) and sunset. Healthy eating tips during Ramadan Avoid: • Fried and fatty foods. These can upset your stomach and give you indigestion and heartburn
Sukoon Quteifan MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
• Foods containing too much sugar, especially just before you close your fast. These can cause your blood sugar levels to drop too quickly and can cause headaches, dizziness and tiredness • Over eating at suhoor (pre dawn meal). This can lead to indigestion, heartburn and constipation • Drinking too much tea at pre dawn meal: Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body will need during the day • Do eat: • Slow digesting foods at the pre dawn meal. These last longer in the body thus making you feel less hungry • Dates are an excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium • Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat • Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates
Dawn to dusk; ye struggle alane Awaiting wind to bless thine sails Falter not and strike once more It may appear in vain; this life, But soon ye’ll witness the evergreen sprout! Ateefah Sana Ur Rab is a published author and poet from Pakistan who highlights the obscured issues of the society in her writing to spread awareness. • Watermelons are excellent for instantly hydrating the body Drink: • As much water or healthy juices as possible between Iftar (breaking of the fast) and Suhoor (pre dawn meal) so that your body can adjust fluid levels in time • Try carrying a water bottle around with you or have one in your bedroom so that you can continually sip and keep hydrated between the hours from dusk until dawn (Adapted courtesy Kushmina Begum, South Leeds Life).
Sukoon Quteifan is a graphic designer and illustrator. She is the creator and the illustrator of “Sukoon Al Quloob - Peace of Hearts”, an Islamic Cartoons facebook page. Sukoon is based in Sydney, Australia. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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Rwandan genocide commemoration in Sydney Philip Feinstein On Sunday 7 April at the St Vincent’s Private Function Room, members and friends of the Rwandan community met for a memorial service of the Genocide against the Tutsi people 25 years ago. At this formal and very solemn event, about a hundred people congregated to honour and remember family and friends who lost their lives during those terrible times. Mr Vivens Mutago, Chairman of the Rwandan Community of New South Wales, welcomed everyone and signalled the start of the mourning period. “Twenty-five years later we are here” Mutago said. “Wounded and heartbroken, but unvanquished.” He then reminded us of the remembrance flame burning at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which coincides with the duration of the brutal campaign of killings in 1994. Ladislas Bizimana, a survivor of the genocide, witnessed the killing, torture and rape of family members and friends. Now living in Australia, he has moved forward in his life and encourages others to do the same. Denise Mwenedata, another survivor, related the difficult times and how she managed to escape the atrocities while other perished around her. The lighting of the candles by everyone present was a very sombre moment all
round. This was followed by an observation of one minute of silence. Following commemoration songs and poems, Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia, spoke of the difficulties that refugees face and how we as a community can help. Jasmina Bajraktarevic, Community Services Coordinator of STARTTS, a refugee herself, then paid her respects on the day as well. As part of a panel discussion, Noel Zhabamwe, former chairman of the Rwandan Community of NSW, made reference to difficulties refugees face in his book One Thousand Hills. Dr Ari Lander, Education Offices at the Sydney Jewish Museum, spoke of the genocide and Holocaust of the Jewish people. Although many Tutsi’s had forgiven Hutu’s for what happened, at a brief Q & A afterwards, Philip Feinstein posed the question of a possible genocide happening now in Burundi and asked how it could be avoided. “Unfortunately there was no-one with a definitive answer” he said. Despite the occasion, the day ended on a positive note with people networking and comforting each other. And printed on a big board were the words: NEVER AGAIN TO GENOCIDE.
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The candles being lit by everyone.
Denise Mwenedata, survivor.
Philip Feinstein is a Sydney based writer, musician and activist working for MUSIC FOR REFUGEES www.musicforrefugees.org
Noel Zhabamwe, former chairman of the Rwandan Community of NSW.
.نتمنى لكم ولعائلتكم رمضان كريم وآمن
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AUTHORISED BY A. HIRST, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CNR BLACKALL AND MACQUARIE STS, BARTON, ACT, 2600.
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DAVID COLEMAN دايفيد كولمن
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والجنسية وشؤون الثقافات المتعددة،وزير الهجرة Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister for Immigration
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Our perceptions of the value of elections Jim Azam Nicholls Australian “democracy” presents a choice, between two dominant parties. Votes for smaller parties are eliminated. Both major parties are interlocked in that their existence depends on the persistence of the dichotomy between capital and labour. The system prioritises the sanctity of the existing power relations; it will be defended so long as both sides share the rewards of office. “Democracy” is an illusion disguising the revolving door of two co-dependent entities. Ironically, the Australian model is the bench-mark against which countries like Saudi Arabia are criticised. Coincidental to the Khashoggi Affair, there is a growing international movement to force change in the Middle East. This is a movement that in criticising overseas governance, is ignorant of the shortcomings of systems at home. In post-modernist times, the focus is switching from capital and labour towards identity and belief. Ironically, those who purport tolerance of difference are the same
that attack Islamic governance. Post-modernism is the beginning of anarchy and anything surviving the test of time is targeted. Monarchies are especially vulnerable as they represent the perceived disjuncture between those who have and those who do
Demand for an ‘Australian Human Rights Act’ Stephen Langford I must compliment AMUST on the comprehensive coverage of Christchurch tragedy in its April 2019 issue. NZ PM Jacinda Ardern has indeed shown true leadership, something I find hard to imagine here in Australia. One thing that especially riles me in Australia is that when someone who self-identifies as a Muslim says or does something silly, every Muslim cleric is expected to denounce it. Meanwhile, think of all the wretched and malign things Morrison, Abbott and Dutton have said about asylum seekers and minority groups here while self-identifying as Christians. Where is the outrage? Where are the demands that leaders of Christian churches here set the record straight about their own religion and welcoming the stranger? I gasped some months ago when I passed a building in Parramatta and noticed the name, ‘The Phillip Ruddock Heritage Centre’. This is the same Phillip Ruddock who lied about people seeking asylum throwing their children into the sea to force the Navy to rescue them. Any racist calumny seems to be OK in Australia if the motivation is to hang on to power. But do we also have to name buildings after such politicians who engage in grabbing power by divisive politics? Would the people held for over six years in mental torture as political hostages like Behrouz Boochani on Manus and Nauru be ‘detained’ there if they were European? This is racism. It is time all of us from a minority group, or with a minority connection, and that is most of us, demanded an Australian Human Rights Act that will protect all of us, including our Indigenous people from being scapegoated and persecuted for political gain. I have seen it too much: from indigenous peoMAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
ple to Muslims to Asians to Africans. Enough is enough! My father was a Jewish refugee from Austria and was welcomed by New Zealand-Aotearoa. He could not join the Air Force as an ‘enemy alien’, but somehow he did that. But at war’s end, in 1945, the RSA in NZ, like the RSL here, passed a resolution that all refugees should be sent back to where they came from with what they had when they arrived. My father was livid and wrote a letter to the paper in Wellington accusing the men who voted for it of not knowing what and who they had been fighting in Europe. In his own way, he called this anti-refugee resolution, a fascist resolution. And what we have here in Australia is the fascist treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. When I see Dutton, I imagine him dressed in a Nazi uniform. And Labor are no better. Within the two major parties, Frydenberg and Plibersek are complicit in persecuting people in the same situation their parents were in... escaping danger, seeking sanctuary. The UN calls it torture, locking up innocent people ‘indefinitely’. They will endorse policies to torture people like their parents to advance their careers, and not speak out. Proportional representation would at least introduce a new dynamic into this corrupted political system together with a Human Rights Act. As a kind of figleaf we follow Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle and Albany (WA) in having a peaceful protest for human rights, to bring the refugee hostages here immediately, and to stop treating our neighbours, Manus (PNG) and Nauru in the disgraceful, bullying, and colonialist way that has become ‘normalised’. Our protest is every Friday at 5.30pm by the Queen Victoria statue which in front of the QVB. All are welcome. If you want to know more you can phone me, Stephen Langford, on 0451 509 232.
not. This reductionist perspective takes no account of the capacity for monarchies to be benevolent. Failing monarchs ultimately cede their reign and even their lives as the price for accountability. The success of monarchy is not to be judged according to Western values. It is too harsh to judge Middle Eastern monarchies for the different opportunities and roles between men and women. Change in the West has a price. The cost of living has increased to capture the additional earnings; it now takes two incomes to finance a family and home. In parallel, the West outsources parenting to strangers in the child care trade. Is this change desirable? If not, the task of the criticised is to defend their differences.
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Saudi Arabia is conceding the moral agenda to its critics. Criticism pervades the media and has the potential to redefine the Kingdom and Islam more broadly as pariah. Saudi Arabia must win over hearts and minds. Ironically, Saudi Arabia should be taking its cue from Western gays and feminists, owning differences loud & proud and promoting its right to exist and thrive. For Western governments silence comes with a price. Saudi is an important ally because of its stability in a theater of chaos. Australia should be countering the current xenophobic shift against the Saudi Monarchy and Middle Eastern people by promoting tolerance and acceptance for their way of life; the same values the post modernists purportedly seek to apply here in Australia [when it suits]. Our governments should be mindful of falling prey to public opinion molded by outside influencers. It is important to be mindful these critical campaigns can overwhelm Governments that ultimately accede. These forces can ultimately threaten the special relationship between Australia and the Middle East. Who are we to stand in judgement over other countries and their systems when we have yet to get our own house in order? Jim Azam Nicholls, BA, MA, BSocWk, a Professional Social Worker and Policy Advisor was brought up in the United Kingdom and now living in Brisbane, Australia. As a Senior British Political Advisor, Jim played a pivotal role in a variety of policy areas including, food, agriculture, transport and European affairs. In 2014 Jim converted to Islam and is motivated in reconciling individuals, groups and nations and dedicated to the pursuit of mercy, justice and compassion.
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Peace and Greens Leader’s remembrance vigils speaks at Granville Friday Prayer Dr Annette Tzavaras
I wish to express my sympathy to our Australian and New Zealand Muslim counterparts. An analysis of the New Zealand carnage shows how Australians and New Zealanders in effect rely on distance when it comes to the tragedies committed in the name of God around the world. Yet we seem to be catechised when such activities occur on our doorstep. National pride swelled at the horrific news and empathy shone through for our New Zealand Muslim counterparts. What if we maintain this state of mind? Could we prevent further racist actions? From time to time when such events snatch the headlines, we create a platform so our communities can express hostility and sympathy against violence, then life goes back to normal. Continuity of the empathy displayed in New Zealand is called for, each one of us can contribute just by following the word of God. Treat others just as you want to be treated. In the words of Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, “Human rights are what reason requires and conscience demands. They are us and we are them” (Annan, 1997, p.1). In Australia and New Zealand this millennium, Muslim people, are our neighbours, our workmates, our Doctors, our school teachers, our shop keepers, our friends and in many cases our relatives. How can we create a more conducive public policy that
honours our Muslim community instead of victimising all Muslims? By demanding our leaders kerb Islamophobic public rhetoric, by holding our politicians to account for the social dissents, the strong difference of opinion presented around immigrants and refugees that becomes a ‘protect our borders’ voting issue. Research shows, that many of our Politian’s posture a lack of positive action in order to advance political agendas. An act that contributes to radicalisation, and speechmaking which has a devastating effect on our communities Around the world, there are numerous calls to help counter violent extremism. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the home secretary Sajid Javid (2018) launched a government strategy for countering terrorism calling for ‘stronger partnerships with communities, civil society groups, public sector institutions and industry’. Hopeful for a shared future Javid urges an approach to developing a community-led response to challenge hateful extremism. We should; Hail ‘the egg boy’ who put the outrageous Senator Fraser Anning in his place, there is no room for hate speech in Australia or New Zealand. I urge all Australians; to expand your social activities, build trust and relationships through, your Interfaith programs, in a non-stigmatising manner instead of allowing political rhetoric and government discourse about the Muslim Other to shape public opinion. We, must demand policy options which will prevent the horror of genocide occurring in the future. Litanies are a powerful and natural response but if we follow up with action imagine how more powerful that might be. Why has it required a tragedy of this mag-
RAMADAN MUBARAK I hope you all enjoy a month of celebration, peaceful reflection and blessings, and a lovely Eid-ul-Fitr surrounded by loved ones!
Mukhtar Mohammed Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale spoke during Friday prayers at Granville Community Centre on 1 March, at the invitation of the Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed. “We are a country of many different cultures, many different faiths, people from right around the world who have come to Australia to make it their home. We are a better country, a stronger country because of the contributions of people like your community, and we thank you for what you have done,” Dr Di Natale said during his remarks. “We acknowledge the contributions that the Muslim community has made to Australia, not just now but from the time Australia was founded. From the Makassans trading in northern Australia with our indigenous people, from the Afghan Cameleers who helped build the interior of this country to the new generations of Australians who have chosen to make Australia their home. “When people like Peter Dutton stand up and say that bringing Lebanese people to Australia was a mistake, he’s not just attacking Lebanese Muslims, he’s attacking all of us. He’s attacking me and my family because we’re one people, together doing what we can to make this a better country.” “When Pauline Hanson and other Senators stand up and disrespect Muslims, they’re disrespecting all of us. They’re making it harder for all of us, they’re making it harder for the young girl, young boy on their way to school, they’re making their lives harder and we will not accept it. It’s why
when Pauline Hanson came into the senate and expressed their hateful fear, we turned our back on her and we stood in solidarity with the Muslim community.” “We have a lot in common, the notion of humility, the notion that we must protect the environment, the world around us because it sustains us, the notion of giving people less fortunate than us, we stand with you, we thank you for the contributions you’ve made and once again, let me acknowledge the wonderful work of Dr Ibrahim and all of you here today.” Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed gave the sermon at the Granville Community Centre immediately before Senator Di Natale’s speech. “Contributing and participating in the voting process is critical for anyone who claims a right to citizenship to a country. Voting acts as a means of upholding one’s rights and responsibilities to the country in which they are a resident and citizen,” said Dr Ibrahim. “Ignoring or refusing to vote serves nothing other than it demonstrates one’s absence and lack of desire to voice their presence and contributions to a country. “It is essential for anyone who has been granted the right to vote by their country of citizenship to utilise this right since it will serve in their best interests and the best interests of future generations to come. Voting is not only a social duty but also a personal obligation as well,” Dr Ibrahim said.
“When Pauline
Hanson and other Senators stand up and disrespect Muslims, they’re disrespecting all of us.
SENATOR FOR NSW Authorised by M Faruqi, 72 Campbell St Surry Hills NSW 2010
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DR MEHREEN FARUQI
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Mohammad Al-Khafaji: From business analyst to CEO of FECCA Suraya Daly In today’s modern Australia, multiculturalism is prevalent in all aspects of our society. We’re either grabbing a quick Vietnamese to-go Banh Mi baguette for lunch during busy days of back-to-back meetings or shopping for matching colourful accessories for our outfits at the Indian-inspired chain of female fashion stores Tree of Life, or we’re buying Turkish bread to make delicious toasted sandwiches. It is now a definitive part of us as a society, and as such, it is important that we embrace this unique asset of our nation and allow multiculturalism to thrive in every way possible. Thus, we as a nation need to ensure that Australians from multicultural backgrounds are provided with proper representation at large. The establishment of non-for-profit organisations like FECCA, The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, is integral in our nation to ensure that the needs and aspirations of Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are given proper recognition in public policy. FECCA is the peak national body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, FECCA’s role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of its constituency to government, business and the broader community. It works to promote fairness and responsiveness to our constituency in the delivery and design of government policies and programs. FECCA can help our nation continue to be the successful and harmonious multicultural society that we are. A significant organisation like FECCA must be led by a leader of a high calibre, and after an insightful conversation with the
man himself, I was honoured to be able to have fruitful discussions with the Chief Executive Officer of FECCA, Mr Mohammad Al-Khafaji. His is an inspiring story from when he and his family first moved to Australia. As a fellow overseas-born myself, Mr Al-Khafaji’s story of welcoming and appreciating a new country with bountiful opportunities is one which resonates with me. Among Mr Al-Khafaji’s duties in the organisation are to ensure its operations and finances are well-managed. He ensures that FECCA’s policy work is strong, policy papers and parliamentary submissions are responded to, and essentially, to advocate on behalf of communities. “If there is an issue to be addressed, we (FECCA) make sure that we raise it,” Mr Al-Khafaji said. Importantly, Mr Al-Khafaji’s role consists of stakeholder engagement where those in leadership speaks to their members to address the members’ concerns and issues so that the conversations can be escalated at a higher level. At its core, FECCA works towards ensuring political leaders understand that our cultural diversity is an asset to us, which we need to embrace a n d nurture. It
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wants to ensure the policies that are in place moves this concept into the future. FECCA also wants to ensure that political candidates, governments, and oppositions acknowledge that the multiculturalism of all communities, in all its diversities, requires government policy to be adapted and to ensure it addresses the unique needs of different communities. As Mr Al-Khafaji explains: “[FECCA’s work] is to make sure that we move away from politicisingrace and religion when it comes to winning votes because that’s when the dangers of us slipping as a successful multicultural nation could happen,” he said. Mr Al-Khafaji’s journey to his role as CEO today is an inspiring and interesting story. He first came to Australia at 13 in 2003, and the sense of social justice was present in Mr Al-Khafaji since the very beginning. He stresses that he owes a lot of his successes to his mentors from a young age, from the high school teachers that saw potential in him to the various mentors that have helped him through the journey. Teachers in high school would encourage young Mr. Al-Khafaji to do extra-curricular activities including being involved in University councils and debating opportunities. “I think it’s really important to make sure that our communities
If there is an issue to be addressed, we (FECCA) make sure that we raise it.
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have strong mentors to encourage young people to do extra-curricular activities - to get out there and involved, and not just sit back and expect things to happen for them,” he said. Mr Al-Khafaji highlights that to achieve success, one must have “passion, hard work, and a lot of helping hands.” Speaking on the journey to CEO of FECCA itself, Mr Al-Khafaji highlights his work with ‘Welcome to Australia’, one of the few community organisations in existence at the time, as an integral point in his career with community organisations as it greatly helped share the story of his refugee journey through Australia. A notable period of the journey was Mr Al-Khafaji’s move from his role as a Business Analyst in the private sector to enter the multicultural sector which he says was a ‘brave jump’. As Mr Al-Khafaji describes, however, the risks have paid off as the organisation grew tremendously in two-and-ahalf years nationally, also with the generosity of the community and highlighting the message of ‘Welcome to Australia’. Mr Al-Khafaji then volunteered for FECCA as an elected board member, then moved to being the Honorary Secretary, then progressed to Directory of Strategy and Engagement. Soon after, Mr Al-Khafaji was appointed the Acting Chief Executive Officer in November 2018, which led to his recent success as the official Chief Executive Officer of FECCA in April 2019. Suraya Daly is a graduate of the Queensland University of Technology in the qualifications of the Graduate Certificate in Creative Industries and a Bachelor of Journalism. She works in start-up business development and has a passion for writing, where she would often hone her creativity by contributing articles which can be found on her blog on www.surayaspeaks.wordpress.com. For enquiries, please reach out to suraya.daly@gmail.com
Condolences and prayers for Sri Lanka victims in Toowoomba
Muslims at the St Anthony’s Church with representatives of the Church. Professor Shahjahan Khan On Tuesday 23 April 2019 members of Toowoomba Masjid visited St Anthony’s Church with flowers led by President of Islamic Society of Toowoomba, Professor Shahjahan Khan and Imam Abdul Kader. The team felt a bit relieved to be able to reciprocate some of the humanity shown to the Muslim community by their Christian MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
friends after the Christchurch mosques attacks. Professor Khan said, “Unfortunately we have to do this again to stand together against the evil acts of some coward criminals. Let us send the strongest possible message to the forces of division and hate that we are all united to live in peace and harmony with mutual respect and care.” Toowoomba Mosque organised a “Prayers for Sri Lanka” gathering after Maghrib prayers in the evening on Wednesday 24
Interfaith gathering for prayers. April at the Garden City Mosque. Muslims and Non-Muslims joined the prayers led by Imam Abdul Kader. Mr Ahamed Muneer, a Sri Lankan Australian living in Toowoomba shared his feeling about the massacre and how Sri Lankan Muslims have been living peacefully with fellow Christians for centuries. He appreciated the united stand of the Toowoomba community in support of his country of origin. Dr David Tutty of the Social Justice Com-
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mission of Catholic Dioceses of Toowoomba asked everyone to remember God all the time and that the one who sincerely remembers God can’t do any evil. Imam Abdul Kader said that every one of us is created by Allah (God) and are descendants of Adam and Eve and brothers and sisters. Islam is a religion of peace and Muslims must protect the religious freedom of people of other faiths, especially sacred places of worship, even at the time of wars.
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Rachel Thomas Rookwood General Cemetery was recognised as an ABA100 Winner for Community Contribution in The Australian Business Awards 2018 and the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence (WSABE) for Excellence in Arts and Culture. Both awards acknowledged Rookwood General Cemetery as a business that encourages social cohesion and embraces multiculturalism through its diverse program of events held at the cemetery throughout the year. The Australian Business Awards commended Rookwood General Cemetery for its Community Contribution which it delivers through its stakeholder engagement strategy. The purpose of this strategy is to create more informed policies, projects, programs and services for Rookwood General Cemetery’s communities in order to enhance relationships and better serve a multicultural audience. An extraordinary range of activities were organised in order to achieve this, while taking into consideration a number of industry and public stakeholders, as well as the religions and cultures that Rookwood General Cemetery serves. These include Rookwood HIDDEN Sculptures, Remembrance Day, Greek Orthodox Easter, Jewish and Muslim consecrations, and a memorial event for Chinese Miners. Each activity demonstrates Rookwood Cemetery’s acknowledgement of the cultural significance that these events have on different communities and encourages them to celebrate together. The Excellence in Arts and Culture award from the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence recognises Rookwood General Cemetery as demonstrating an extraordinary range of outstanding and sustained achievement in community arts and cultural
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Rookwood Cemetery recognised for art and culture
development across the Western Sydney region. This award specifically acknowledged the decade-long initiative, Rookwood HIDDEN Sculptures, and its associated sub-events of workshops, tours, short films program and ceremonies. “Embracing multiculturalism through art and culture enables us to breakdown language, social and political barriers”, said George Simpson, CEO, Rookwood General Cemetery. “These two awards are a wonder-
ful recognition of the hard work our team puts in to creating a memorable experience for all of the communities we serve.” HIDDEN is an annual sculpture exhibition hosted by Rookwood, aimed to encourage the community to immerse themselves in the culture and history of Rookwood through art. Featuring artists from across Australia, the month long exhibition includes, cash prizes, an impressive panel and activities to engage the community at all ages. Rookwood General Cemetery completed a four year long project to identify and document the unofficial graves of servicemen and women buried in the grounds of Rook-
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wood as well as hosted an official ceremony for Remembrance Day to honour those who served and died in World War I. To mark the shortest day of the year and the turning point of the sun through the seasons, Rookwood General Cemetery celebrated the Winter Solstice with a unique Dusk Ceremony. A sacred day for many cultures, the purpose of this event was to bring different communities together to celebrate and acknowledge its significance together. Frequent tours around Rookwood are held to visit the many historical landmarks around the site, for the community to experience and engage in the history and culture has to offer.
Multicultural Boishakhi Mela in Campbelltown
Shafqat Ali The first Multicultural Boishakhi Festival was held on Saturday 13 April 2019 at the Campbelltown Sports Stadium, South Western Sydney showcasing the colourful heritage of the South Asian community settled in the area. Boishakhi (Baisakhi) is a festival (Mela) held towards the end of the Indian calendar year at the time of harvesting of wheat that brings economic benefits to the farmers in the agricultural belt in South Asia. The event was organised by the Multicultural Association of Campbelltown incorporating people of diverse faiths and cultural background from South Asia settled in the greater Campbelltown area. The Mela (Festival) kicked off at 2 pm with the flag raising ceremony by the mayor of Campbelltown, George Brticevic joined by Maqsood Chowdry and others councillors. There were almost 70 stalls selling food,
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clothes, toys and other items of interest to adults as well as kids. The stage performances represented all countries of South Asia and various linguistic and cultural groups from the region with songs, dances, dress parades and speeches. The Pakistani organisation ‘Pehchan 786’ represented the mother’s perspective of mother’s day. The program ended with spectacular fireworks at 10 pm. People enjoyed the food, fun festivities, meeting with family and friends in a festive environment and a great venue that the sports stadium provided. The Mela was sponsored by many leading businesses, the Campbelltown Council and Multicultural NSW. Mr Masood Chowdhry along with Mr Enam ul Haq played a leading role in organising the event most successfully. You can see more photos and videos at www.facebook.com/societymulticultural/ Shafqat Ali based in Sydney is the Training Manager at Notebook Solutions, Campbelltown and a mentor with Young Innovators Network. ISSUE 162 / MAY 2019
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Remembering Colombo Christians this Ramadan
Irfan Yusuf
Growing up with Ramadan was always fun. I grew up in a family where we all fasted. Mum used to wake us up early in the morning. She’d cook lots of fried shami kabab that would keep us thirsty all day. To combat the thirst, we’d eat watermelon. I’d eat a meat pie or two. Then at iftar, I’d eat a third and a fourth. The best thing about Ramadan was late afternoon hunger when you’d feel like you were floating. The worst thing was the lack of sleep, especially during the long days. In high school, my mates would deliberately eat in front of me. “Mmm. This cream bun is amazing. Do you want some? Whoops, I forgot. You’re fasting”. On weekends, there were plenty of iftar dinners. One of our family friends, a lady named Mona from India, used to cook the most amazing feed. We’d wish we could eat her amazing curries and biryani and extraordinary homemade Indian sweets every night. She lived down the road from the mosque from where we performed Eid prayers. After giving our salams to the angels on our
shoulders and then embrace family friends, we’d walk down to her house. Her dining table was bursting at the seams, something we’d all be doing after 30 minutes of ploughing in. In families of South Asian families, kids grow up with the same experience regardless of whether it is Divali, Holi, Easter, Christmas, Vaisakihi, Nawroz or anything else. It’s normal in these places for people to participate in each other’s religious festivals, to share food and to wish each other tidings and blessings. And if there is some tragedy that takes place, all communities are affected. The idea of attacking a mosque, a temple, a church or any other holy place is an anathema. To do so on a sacred day, whether a weekly observance such as Friday prayer or an annual festival such as Easter is something that affects the entire community. During the long civil war in Sri Lanka, various parties to the conflict would attack people by destroying houses of worship. And not just Sri Lanka. In Pakistan, the festival of Muharram if often a time when Shia communities, especially Hazara refugees, were attacked by terrorist groups while at prayer and commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. Churches and Christian festivals have also been frequently attacked in Pakistan. Terrorists have attacked Indian churches,
mosques and various communities. Before these fanatics became a major force in India, one Indian government attacked the most sacred shrine of the Sikh faith. In Sri Lanka, the festival when God’s Mercy is celebrated has become the scene of a bloodbath. Colombo Christian families are mourning their loved ones just as Christchurch Muslim families were. Just as
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non-Muslims showed enormous generosity to our communities in Christchurch, we must also use Ramadan to show our generosity to our Sri Lankan Christian brethren. Irfan Yusuf is a lawyer and an award-winning writer and reviewer. He is a PhD Candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship & Globalisation, Deakin University.
Book Review: ‘The Butterfly Refugee’ and ‘It’s Jummah Day’ by Minaret Mountain Books Suraya Daly Roger Ibn Tyrone and wife Devina are based in Sydney, Australia and write and illustrate Islamic children’s books with Minaret Mountain Books which all have a common thread of underlying positive teachings. Roger was brought up in a creative family where his parents encouraged “all roads of making art and music”. He reverted in 2000 and frequently expresses his creative and artistic side and finds inspiration for the stories through his four children. Similarly, wife Devina did not see herself represented on TV, in toys and dolls, and books, and felt that she needed to make this change herself after she had children. Their children’s book The Butterfly Refugee was the first one I read out of two. I feel the story describes well the very real experience of a young child in war-torn conditions. While the descriptions illustrated the bleak realities of war, deep symbolism and indirect references were prevalent so that children can properly follow through the stories without a rising fear through their Devina.
imagination. Some adjectives and nouns were quite realistic so I would recommend the reading age to start from 8 years with parental supervision, so as to explain further certain meanings to prevent the child’s concerns. I feel the child is taken through a journey, where he or she is not sheltered away from the harsh truths of war, but they are carried through until the triumphant moments in the story. They are instilled hope and faith in the story and a message that despite hardship and deep sorrow, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, if they never stop believing. I especially liked the symbolism of the Bunny, that Roger described perfectly in his own words: “Bunny represents time, acceptance, com-
ing to terms with loss and the strength and courage to move on.” I feel this book can inspire compassion in young hearts, and to live with the belief that there is sunshine after the rain. I feel it is important to instill positive messages in the early years so young minds can appreciate that while there is sadness, there is also bountiful kindness, beauty and happiness in the world. It’s Jummah Day is the second children’s book out of the Minaret Mountain Books written by Roger and Devina which I have had the pleasure to read. I really enjoyed the illustrations from this particular book because although they depict everyday activities like getting ready together, heading to a destination in a car together, and playing in a park together, I could feel the joy and
“This book can
imagination sparked from the ideas for the illustrations. As I understand, Roger’s illustrations are inspired by his children’s imagination and wonder. When viewing the images, I feel like I’m stepping into the beautiful inventive creative minds of a child, always hopeful and joyful, in wonderment. These feelings complement the story well. It is a simple story of Jummah Day which is a special day that the children spend with their Dad, putting on their best clothes and head to the mosque together. They pray together and listen to the Imam intently together, and learn valuable lessons on how to purify the hearts and how to treat one another, as well as learning to honour and love your parents. They then engage in more leisurely activities together. This book has a great simple and positive story that encourages the bond with the family, the value of spending time together, and to be thankful of one’s blessings and reflective of one’s actions to date. While these activities involve rather complex thinking for a child, they can carry these positive messages and lessons to adulthood to become an exemplary member of society. Roger Ibn Tyrone.
inspire compassion in young hearts, and to live with the belief that there is sunshine after the rain.
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BWWProject: Be a part of change! AMUST
Ali Hawchar Build Water Well Project (BWWProject) an organisation/project which was established early this year to provide clean, healthy, non-toxic water for the many families and people across the world, who lack the adequate fulfillment of obtaining one of their many basic human necessities. Developed and founded by Ahmad Alameddine, a sixteen-year-old who has the ambitions towards creating a world which everyone is all united and connected too. As seeing through his life, which is relatable to many Muslims across the world, not everyone is equal and that everyone must obtain their rightful human rights no matter their culture, geography, political view nor religion. Incredibly as a sixteen-year-old he found it his responsibility to do something about it. After months of planning and connecting with local businesses and organisations Ahmad developed the BWW Project. As the project is simply to connect the local community together and raise awareness and funds towards building water wells, the BWW Project is also building bridges of unity and humanity within our community and developing into an international chain of change, bringing peace and the aid of humanity connected. This blessed Ramadan the BWW Project is requesting the help and contribution of the community to create the project to be a success. The goals of the project this Ramadan is to build at least 20 water wells in Bangladesh (each well at $500). Ahmad and his team will be travelling overseas to actively
Ahmad Alameddine, CEO & Founder of Build Water Well Project (BWWProject).
build the wells in the villages. As the beloved prophet Muhammad (s) said ‘When a Muslim plants a tree, whatever is eaten from it is charity, from him and whatever is stolen is charity and whatever is charity.’ May Allah grant us the ability to do great because the power of giving the gift of a well is tremendous. Imagine the impact which you would have knowing that your rewards are endless with every drop of water being consumed is an everlasting deed for you. To be apart of this project and contribute to helping our project make an impact to the many around the world please visit our Instagram page: Bww_project, Facebook Page: BWWP or email: info@bwwproject.com or
call us on 0476 885 752. As members of the community, and as apart of humanity we hold the cards of the future and the prosperity of building bridges of unity and humanity. “Let us all unite as one and create our
The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni of Australia held its annual picnic in Sydney on Sunday 14 April 2019 at Campbell Hill Pioneer Reserve, Guildford. This picnic provided interaction between Alumni members and the community to get out of their homes in the open air, where we sat and ate together meeting, conversing and having
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Ali Hawchar Head of community projects at the Build Water Well Project (BWWProject).
AMU Alumni annual picnic
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mark on the world because together we will create a difference!”- Ahmad Alameddine
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a great time. Informal discussions were held for ideas for the benefit of the community. The event was fantastic and a huge success in attracting a large number of families including kids. On this occasion, AMU Alumni recognized the achievement of those HSC students who passed in 2018 and were pursuing their degrees in universities, by wishing and awarding them with merit certificates. A number of newly arrived couples attended the event and they were introduced to the community. Khursheed Anwar is the current President of the AMU Alumni of Australia.
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Christchurch attack:
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Swift response by IFAM and CAI Usman Malik In the wake of the Christchurch tragedy, Muslims from all over the world rushed to New Zealand for support. There were delegations from Australia, US, Canada, UK and many other countries pouring in to show their solidarity and to extend their support to the families of victims. Islamic forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM) and Charity Australia International (CAI) were not left behind and a high-level delegation comprising of Dr Kashif Aziz, vice president of IFAM, Mr Usaid Khalil, Secretary General of IFAM and Mr Wajahat Rana, Chairman of CAI, landed in Christchurch within a few days after the incident.
Mr Khurram Ali Khan, Director CAI and President of IFAM-ACT, joined the delegation later. The purpose of the delegation was to express deep grief on behalf of Australian Muslims and to coordinate in relief efforts expected from all over the world. The delegation spent more than 10 days in the city of Christchurch and assisted in relief efforts as much as possible. Local people and international delegations gathered at many different occasions to show their support to the victim families. The burial ceremony was attended by thousands and participants showed utmost respect and honour to the deceased. There were many tearful voices of New Zealanders including their Prime Minister Jacinda
Australian delegation meets Sheikh Amir, Mufti of NZ (left).
PM Scott Morrison and Mrs Morrison in front of Al Noor mosque. Ardern expressing her severe grief and sorrow. The delegation not only helped in burial services, as per Islamic traditions but also held regular meetings with victim families so that their pains could be shared and their hardships could be understood. The Australian delegation was joined by representatives from Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), ICNA Relief Canada, Helping Hands USA as well offering their condolences as well as financial assistance. A six-member team of professional Islamic psychiatrists from the US and Australia were also sent to Christchurch to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). IFAM also sent a women’s delegation, from Women Support Centre, Rooty Hill, NSW to Christchurch in order to offer further support for Christchurch Family Relief (CFR). They conducted regular meetings with Canterbury district health board CDHP and discussed various issues of common in-
terests. It was emphasised on the importance of doing any relief efforts through Islamic counselors and Islamic rituals to be followed for victim families. There were also meeting sessions with families, to tell them about relief efforts available and various avenues of support and counseling. Induction training was also conducted for health and community workers so they are better prepared for helping victimised families with respect to their tradition and cultural values. The topics covered in this Session by the panel were the following: • Sheikh Muhammad Amir – Islam and Religious Rituals • Sheikh Nizam ul Haq Thanvi –Family and Relationships in Islam • Sheikh Mohammed Zewada – Cultural Practices within Muslim Families • Sheikh Abdul Lateef – Support for victims
Since China forbids the Fast, this Ramadan let us Fast from China 1.0 million
Abdul Malik Mujahid
I was interviewing finalists for a job in Chicago when one of the best candidates unexpectedly withdrew his application. He was a Chinese Muslim. When he realized that I am a Muslim he shared with me that he is a Chinese Muslim. His father had advised him not to take the job since there might be some repercussions from the Chinese government for him to work with a Muslim organization in the USA. He told me his family could not fast in Ramadan. He also told me that his home was raided in the middle of the night by the police who took away copies of the Quran and the prayer rugs. Since he was racially and linguistically Chinese, he added, it is hard to imagine what Uighur people are going through, since they come from an entirely different ethnicity, with different cultural roots and traditions reaching back centuries before the advent of the People’s Republic of China. Now, China is the only place in the world where Muslims are not allowed to fast. In Xinjiang, formerly known as East Turkestan, Uighurs and other Muslims have been forbidden from fasting since 2017 and partially as early as 2011. This is only the icing on the cake, however. Two million innocent people have been sent to concentration camps where they are force-fed haram food. 500,000 Muslim children have been taken by force to orphanMAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
Communists placed in Uighur Muslim homes as forced “guests.” Even China admits to this.
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Two ethnic Uighur women pass Chinese paramilitary policemen standing guard. ages where they are raised as anti-Muslim communists. One million Chinese Communists are forcibly placed in the Uighur homes as “guests.” This, China has admitted to this. 5,000 mosques have been destroyed, and they are now demolishing Christian churches. An enormous surveillance state has been constructed in East Turkestan that tracks every movement, every call, every download. Police checkpoints are everywhere in the major cities. There is no escape for Uighurs. China supported Burma’s genocide of Muslims and is now laying the groundwork for genocide against Uighurs. We are calling upon people who care about freedom of religion and the sanctity of human rights to not buy any Chinese-made products during the month of Ramadan: #FastFromChina. Ramadan is about consuming less and sharing more. So let’s “Fast From China” in solidarity with those who cannot fast in China. If a product is made in China, look
for alternatives. Tell the store manager you would like to buy products made elsewhere. Post on social media what you’re doing and why you are doing it, using the hashtag #FastFromChina. Let us begin a worldwide movement to divest from a criminal regime that abuses its enormous trade surpluses to flout international law. As long as it possesses such economic power, China will feel emboldened to act arrogantly and autocratically. It is our responsibility to take action in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are being forcibly prevented from enjoying the blessings of the holy month. God controls the world, we don’t! But we will be asked what did we do when we knew about it. As citizens who are free to pray, free to fast, free to speak, let’s do our duty. More information is available at SaveUighur.org/FastFromChina. Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid is president of Sound Vision. He leads Burma Task Force as well as Save Uighur Campaign.
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Muslims are force-fed haram food in Chinese concentration camps. In the streets, they are forced to drink alcohol and consume pork.
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Muslim children forcibly taken to Chinese orphanage where they are being raised as communists.
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Mosques have been demolished and now China is even going after Christian Churches.
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Afghan orphans Fighting extremist AMUST
The innocent victims forces from within of 30 years of war Zahid Jamil
There are two million orphans in Afghanistan, many of whom do not receive an education.
Emily Mays and Juliette Bagwell There are almost two million orphans in Afghanistan. Many are left to beg on the street for food, while others are living in orphanages beset by corruption. Despite an increase in general education enrollment (Years 1-12) from 0.9 million to over 9 million since 2001, Afghanistan has a literacy rate of just 31% with female literacy rates on average 17% (UNESCO, 2017). If the rate in which children are becoming destitute is maintained, how can literacy rates in Afghanistan possibly begin to improve? Education is a priority for the Afghan Government and Foreign Aid Organizations. However, supporting orphans in every aspect of their lives is a much greater expense than exclusively providing children with education opportunities. For this reason, orphan children are often overlooked and in doing so, the poverty cycle is upheld. The Afghan government is shooting its own progress in the foot by not supporting it’s orphan children. How can orphans be given greater opportunity in life when funding is so scarce? An Australian-based organization working in Afghanistan may have the answer. Mahboba’s Promise is a well-established aid organization working in some of Afghanistan’s poorest regions. The organization is dedicated to drastically improving the quality of life for women and children in Afghanistan. Founded by an Afghan refugee, Mahboba Rawi, the organization is run by Afghan people to benefit Afghan people. And that is what their social enterprises are all about.
In 2014, the Organization set up a Confectionery Factory and Shop in Kabul as a means of training young orphans confectionery and business skills. As the project gained traction, the social enterprise began making a profit beyond what they required to run the shop. The income was poured back into the organization’s Hope House to help fund the living expenses and school fees of orphan children. This social enterprise created a self-sufficient system that has transformed the lives of so many in need. Hasibullah is one orphan boy that has created a new life for himself by virtue of this social enterprise. After he lost his father at a young age, Hasibullah was enrolled into Kabul Hope House for which he called home for most of his childhood. Hasibullah was one of the first orphan youth trained at the Confectionery Factory, later attaining valuable skills in business administration and marketing. He has used these skills to establish his own successful business selling pastries and burgers for local buyers. “I would never have imagined that one day I would start my own business. With this stability, I know I will be able to support my family in the future and have the opportunity to further my education.” Hasibullah is an excellent example of the impact investing in just one orphan can have on future generations in Afghanistan. Mahboba’s Promise is planning to expand its impact and replicate this same system in Panjshir Province. If you would like to be apart of making this project a reality, visit our crowdfunding page at https://chuffed. org/project/confectioneryforchange.
The past few decades have seen a rise in religious extremism around the world. The religious extremists built their ideologies against the tenets of their own religion and actively engage in hate campaigns radicalising their youth to engage in terrorist activity. Extremist Muslims took lead in this phenomenon as the invasion of their territories by Western powers provided a golden opportunity to spread their hate campaigns and brainwash young minds. However, at large, these extremist groups failed to gain political strength within their countries as Muslim masses rejected their methodology of violence and intimidation, especially against innocent people. They not only carried out acts of terrorism against non-Muslims but they repeatedly targeted ordinary Muslims and religious as well as political institutions within the Muslim countries and abroad. The situation in Muslim countries became so confused and volatile that even genuine Islamic political movements were crushed by autocratic Muslim regimes with the tacit approval of Western governments leading to further oppression. Hindu extremists in India, after decades of campaigns and field work, eventually gained political strength. However, it took them more than 30 years since independence to form a political party and win the first seat in the Parliament. The far-right extremist elements within the Bhartiya Janta Party continued to gain strength and with the electoral victory of the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, their hold on government was overwhelming. They created an atmosphere of hate and intimidation against minorities. The secular character of India was questioned by the international community as well as by many Indians within the country. Muslims were targeted in particular citing the distorted view of the history of 800 years of Muslim rule in India. The division of country and creation of Pakistan on the religious ground in 1947 was exploited to incite sentiments against the Muslim minority.
Burma saw the rise of Buddhist extremists groups such as Bodu Bala Sena that created havoc and widespread massacre of Muslims in Myanmar especially during the last couple of year drawing international attention. Buddhist extremist groups in Sri Lanka have been targeting both Christians and Muslims for a number of years killing them and destroying their businesses and homes. The White Supremacists groups in Western countries together with the rise of farright political parties have become a credible threat to otherwise peaceful Western secular countries. The mosque attack in Christchurch has been a wake-up call of the dangers posed by these violent groups. Israel with its Zionist ideology, as a virtual apartheid nation, continues to discriminate against indigenous people of Palestine and is engaged in extreme oppression and violence against Palestinians in Gaza and other occupied territories. Latest senseless attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka against Christians and tourists, by indigenous Muslims apparently inspired by ISIS has been shocking. While scientific progress has brought huge comfort to human beings in many life matters, the extremist elements within various religious and ideological movements are threatening the existence of peaceful communities around the globe. It is high time that instead of blaming each other, socio-political leadership of all religions, with help from religious authorities, work on strategies to tackle extremism from within and stop the hijacking of their religion by a small but devastatingly effective minority undermining global peace.
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Senator Raff Ciccone FEDERAL SENATOR FOR VICTORIA Authorised by Senator Raff Ciccone, 1013 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill VIC 3128
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Stand against hate: Mufti of New Zealand This is an adapted version of the Sermon delivered on Friday 29 March 2019 by Sheikh Mohammad Amir at Hagley Park, Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand is known as one of the most peaceful and safest countries in the world, a record the country prides itself in its reputation for being a tolerant multicultural society. However on Friday 15 March 2019 that record shattered in a spectacular fashion. A gunman walked into Masjid Al-Nur adjacent to Hagley Park in the garden city, as it is known, and began shooting indiscriminately, he went from room to room and shot as many as he could find. After he completed his massacre, he left Masjid Al-Nur and drove to the nearby mosque in Linwood where he continued with this heinous act. The end result was fifty dead and as many injured, many critically. It has since been established that he belongs to the far-right white supremacist movement which has become an international threat, elements of which also exist in New Zealand. To its credit New Zealand responded quickly and effectively. The government took steps which hit the white supremacists and racists where it hurts most. This act was called “Terrorism”, Muslims were embraced, the Prime Minister herself donned a headscarf which is arguably the most manifest symbol of Islam and Muslim migrants in these lands. Moreover, the subsequent parliamentary session began with the recitation by an Imam and the following Friday Jumu’ah prayer was held in the open in Hagley Park attended by a large crowd and observed by the entire nation. Azan (call to prayers) echoed under the open skies in Christchurch city. The government directed its state-owned radio and television to broadcast the Friday prayers comprising of the azan (call to prayers), the khutbah (sermon), and the salah (prayer), live to the entire nation. These steps were the exact opposite of what the white supremacists and other racists wanted. As a result, these steps have catapulted New Zealand’s reputation and popularity to unprecedented heights among Muslims and other sound-minded people around the world. It has changed New Zealand forever. In the wake of this tragedy, the Muslims have been embraced, bridges have been built, conversations have begun, steps are now being taken to right any wrongs and address any issues for minority communities. The ugly head of Islamophobia has been exposed like never before. Even some sectors of the news media seem to have finally come to understand the seriousness of the consequences of associating Islam and Muslims with terrorism and hatred for decades. For the Muslims, the spiritual aspect has emanated, the values of patience and prayers are being realised. The blood of the martyrs has proved to be a potent agent of unprecedented and positive change for the entire nation, in fact, it has presented an opportunity for the entire world to reflect and come clean on racism and Islamophobia. Our hope is that this awakening and realisation will extend to understanding the root causes of troubled hot spots around the world where Muslims are involved in conflicts and where they are being oppressed. The litmus test of this awakening will be a just stance and sound judgement without prejudice. Allah The Almighty has created mankind for a specific purpose; and in order to educate and guide us He has sent prophets and Messengers throughout history. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s) was the last ProphMAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
Sheikh Mohammad Amir (Mufti of New Zealand) meeting with Mike Bush (NZ Police Commissioner) on the left and Wally Haumaha (NZ Deputy Police Commissioner) on the right discussing the tragedy in Christchurch.
et and Messenger of Allah and his guidance will continue to the end of time. Allah The Almighty has encouraged humanity to read and ponder so that we can gain understanding. Unfortunately, throughout history we hear of and see individuals committing heedless acts of terror and crime directly due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. It is this ignorance which plants the seeds of hatred within their hearts and minds. If only they were to be open and receptive to a religion of Peace and people of Faith, these very haters would become respected and accepted in this religion of salvation, many examples of which are found in our books. As for the martyrs from this tragedy, they have died on the best of days, at the best of places, and during the best of acts. The martyrs have been elevated to Allah The Almighty and are now in His care. As for the injured, they are also in the care of Allah The Almighty and in the care of the good people of New Zealand who are aiding their recovery. This tragic incident did not harm Muslims in New Zealand alone but rather, it harmed the whole of humanity regardless of faith or religion. The families of the victims and the wonderful people of this nation should be assured that the blood of your martyrs has not gone in vain. This will water the seeds of positive change around the world. A change that will reduce bloodshed and improve protection of others, a change that will help to end hate, racism and Islamophobia. We as a Muslim community in New Zealand strongly believe that the security of this country is the security of our religion and faith. The New Zealand government has opened its arms to welcome the many Muslims into this country, and the New Zealand Muslim people in return opened their hearts to the people of this beautiful country. Islamophobia is a new term coined for an old disease. As Muslims, we are bewildered by Islamophobia. What is it that we do, what is it that we say, which is worth the hate? Is it the way we dress, or the way we conduct ourselves, or is it the way we pray? What is it about Muslims that is so scary and threatening?
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Muslims are a part of the fabric of New Zealand and will continue to be part of this fabric. Muslims began migrating to New Zealand from as early as the 1850s. We have helped to build this country for the better. We don’t want to be feared nor will we fear. We will stand against Islamophobia and all forms of racial intolerance together. For those who fear Islam and Muslims, we say to them come and visit us at our Mosques, come and join us, not just today but every day at every mosque around the world. A mosque is a place of contemplation and prayers; its doors are open for all people no matter what your background, religion or colour of your skin. Allah The Almighty Says: “O mankind, indeed we have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is knowing and acquainted.” Yes, “so you may know one another.” Let us know one another, let us engage and understand each other, let us clear misunderstandings, let us overcome any suspicions, let us build a better society for all. On Friday following the massacre, our Prime Minister quoted a statement made by our Prophet Mohammad Peace Be Upon Him saying: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. We have truly seen this prophetic saying in the people of New Zealand, the Government and our Prime Minister. We have also experienced and seen an overwhelming support and solidarity from many wonderful people from all around the world. The response to this tragedy from the New Zealand Prime Minister, her Government, and the public have been outstanding and worthy of being followed by all world leaders and all people around the world. We, the Muslims of New Zealand, are proud of the actions taken, and hold our heads high in being part of a country and a community that cares and loves. A people prepared to stand up and say ‘No’ to any
Muslim community in New Zealand strongly believe that the security of this country is the security of our religion and faith.
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Sheikh Mohammad Amir
form of hatred, racism and acts of terror. Today we call upon the global leaders and governments abroad to also stand firm against racism, hate speech, and the rise of right-wing extremism. This is a must to protect this world from any further acts of terror. The true weapons of terror are hatred, racism, religious-extremism and right-wing extremism. Such ideologies must be dealt with immediately and dealt with on a global scale. Furthermore, it is important to mention that this act of terror was aimed at dividing the people of New Zealand but instead, we have seen that the nation of New Zealand has become more united and is now stronger than ever. The people of New Zealand are more determined for change. This act of terror has bridged the gap between the people and the government. It has made the New Zealand people and the government a global example against any form of terror, hatred and Islamophobia. This terrorist attack has united the world and brought us together, it has sent a strong message to those who are fuelled with hate and intolerance that we will stay defiant and we will never ever be divided. The Christchurch massacre has awakened the entire world to the fact that terrorism doesn’t belong to any religion, race or colour and that all religions, all races and all nations must be united on one front against terrorism and must not stereotype the crime of an individual to others. We do not put blame on the entire nation due to the act of one terrorist. The Muslim community has been a victim of this type of stereotyping and this must come to end. Lastly Islam teaches us the importance of unity and love. Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “For indeed we sent you O Muhammad as a Mercy to the whole of mankind”. Today, my brothers and sisters, we stand in solidarity, united with the people of New Zealand, the global leaders and the people of the world. We stand united against any form of hatred and racism towards anyone, from any background, any religion or faith and any skin colour. Today, let us send a strong message that we will never be divided in our efforts for the greater good of all people. Sheikh Mohammad Amir is the Mufti of New Zealand, Chairman Ulama Board of New Zealand, Chief religious advisor to the Federation of Islamic Association of NZ (FIANZ) and Chairman of Hilal Committee.
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Muslims in NZ mark 40th anniversary of FIANZ Hajji Abdullah Drury The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) the representative body of Muslims in the country recently observed the 40thanniversary since its formation in 1979. The first Muslims to visit New Zealand were lascars - Indian sailors - on board a French ship named the Saint Jean-Baptiste captained by Jean François Marie de Surville pursuing trade opportunities from Pondicherry (the French colony in India). The ship toured Northland in December 1769. The first identifiable Muslim immigrant family came to New Zealand in 1854 from India. Wuzeerah, his wife and children, settled in the Canterbury Plains. In 1950, Muslims living in the major city of Auckland formed the first formal Islamic organisation in the country, the New Zealand Muslim Association. In 1978 representatives of the various regional Islamic organisations in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington, met to negotiate the creation of a national body. There were around 2000 Muslims in the country at the time. The Islamic Federation, was formally set up on 15 April 1979 when Mazhar S Krasniqi was appointed the first president. Krasniqi was himself a refugee to New Zealand, who in 1950 had fled the Socialist occupation of his native Kosova. In 1982 Sheikh Khalid Kamal Abdul Hafiz (1938-1999) from India arrived to serve as the Imam in Wellington and within a few years he was appointed senior spiritual advisor to FIANZ. In 1984 the Federation secured its first an-
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited the FIANZ office with her entourage of Ministers and officials to Express the Govt’s support and solidarity with the Muslim community. nual Halal meat contract with the NZ Meat the organisations that have helped seal this pace settlers who would contribute increasProducers Board. The revenue has been place for the Federation. From the outset ingly to the country’s general prosperity. partly used to build mosques, stage educa- community institutions predicated along In the final analysis the accomplishments tional seminars, operate youth camps and exclusively ethnic lines did not flourish in and successes of FIANZ have outweighed Quran recitation competitions. New Zealand and, to the credit of the earlier the setbacks and mistakes committed along The 1990’s saw massive changes to the leaders, the emphasis on diversity and in- its development. size and shape of the resident Muslim pop- clusion has ensured the moral authority the ulation. Federation wields. Hajji Abdullah Drury is a Pakeha convert to In 1990 the Islamic Women’s Council was Friedrich Nietzsche once said the real Islam and author of “Islam in New Zealand: created by Muslim women involved with pillars of a strong civilisation were unprej- A Short History of the New Zealand Musthe Islamic Federation, in order to give them udiced, independent and self-reliant people. lim Association”. He resides in Hamilton, a distinctive voice in national Muslim comThe achievements of the local Muslim New Zealand, where he is studying towards munity affairs. population attest to the remarkable resource- a DPhil at Waikato University. He is a rePresently there are over 40,000 Muslims fulness and hard work, and the latent cre- search member of the Waikato University in New Zealand – immigrants, refugees, stu- ative and entrepreneurial abilities of some Islamic Studies Group. dents, reverts, all looking to the Federation community leaders. for national leadership. Few sociologists or government planners The ethnic and social diversity within could ever have anticipated them to become
The New Zealand massacre: Lessons to learn by Muslims
Professor Kamran Siddiqui
The recent horrific massacre of innocent people in New Zealand mosques has shaken up people across the globe. At the same time, the support and solidarity shown by the people and government of New Zealand have strengthened the faith in humanity. Their actions have demonstrated that human bonds cannot be weakened by individual acts of terrorism. Muslims were the victims in these terrorist attacks and hence the reaction of Muslims around the world, to this unprecedented support and solidarity shown by the government and people of New Zealand was admired at a much higher level than other communities, as expected. But an issue is that the Muslims in general, have looked at the actions of the New Zealand government from a different perspective as compared to the rest of the world. While the world sees the events like recitation of the Quran in the New Zealand parliament, broadcasting of Muslim call for Friday prayer and the hijab-wearing of the New Zealand Prime Minister, as acts of solidarity with the victims and a demonstration that human bonds are above race and religion, Muslims see these events as a special treatment of Islam and Muslims. They assumed that the ordinary citizens who protested against this massacre, those who came forward to provide protection to Muslims or the women who wore hijab to show solidarity with Muslims, have a special place for Islam and Muslim in their hearts. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sudden-
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ly became the most favorite person in the Muslim world since they considered these acts as her admiration of Islam, which was reflected in the request by a young Muslim for her to embrace Islam. Due to this perception, Muslims, in general, were not able properly to comprehend the real message delivered by the actions of the people and government of New Zealand. The people and government of New Zealand stood up against this act of terror because they value human lives regardless of the color, race or religion. They respect the fundamental right of every human to practice the religion of his/her choice. Through their actions, they have demonstrated that humanity is above any race or religion and how to stand united and respect other’s faith. Their actions have raised the bar on how to support and stand by the people who were victimized due to their race, color or religion. They have set a new example of how to show solidarity with victims of religious hater by symbolically standing
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indistinguishably with the followers of that religion. If Muslims around the world admire and support the actions of the people and government of New Zealand in showing solidarity with Muslims who were victimized due to their race and religion, then they have to realize that by such support they are affirming their commitment to the declaration that no one should be victimized based on race or religion. They are endorsing their readiness to stand by in solidarity with such victims regardless of the religion, and condemn any action of a religious hater, intolerance and bigotry against the followers of any religion. The entire world is watching and it is time now for the Muslim community to demonstrate by their actions that they stand for humanity above any race or religion. Kamran Siddiqui is a Professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.
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Memories of Babies Dr Reginald Naulty [“They remember the babies,” said the nurse, pointing to the old women in the nursing home.] They looked out from old, broken bodies at the clinically clean rooms which attempted homeliness above the medical sterility, and their thoughts went back many years to other clinical rooms: the new-born babies at their side, the wonderful perfection of it, the tiny fingers and hands, perfectly formed, the beauty of the baby asleep, like the peace of angels, how it had sucked life from their strong, young bodies; and later, the attractive smell of the babies and the delight of their smiles, and the sense of their preciousness, and the happiness. Perhaps now, out of sight, there was something waiting, prepared by the same wisdom, and they had just to let nature run its course, and they would arrive there, somewhere better than they expected. Dr Reginald Naulty, originally from Adelaide, has taught at Charles Sturt University and has been a prolific writer since 1972. ISSUE 162 / MAY 2019
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Towards demystifying Shari’ah: Part 2 Dr Jan A Ali Read part 1: tinyurl.com/y5alk6e5 As mentioned Shari’ah literally means a path to a water hole, thus, a way to the foundation of life. Shari’ah as a term only appears once in the Qur’an (Kamali, 2010) and religiously speaking means a pathway to be followed seeking contentment and deliverance. The etymology of shari’ah as a “path” or “way” derives from the Qur’anic verse, “Thus we put you on the right way of religion. So follow it and follow not the whimsical desire (ḥawa) of those who have no knowledge” (45:18). At the time of the revelation of this verse shari’ah did not exist as a legal system and the Qur’anic reference here is to its literal sense of an explicit faith in Allah’s designated way – Islam (Kamali, 2010). The religious character of Islamic law emanates from the divine source - Qur’an and divinely inspired source - the Sunnah – believed to be representing God’s design for the correct ordering of all human activities. Although Muslims generally agree that they are bound by the shari’ah, there is no single understanding of it (Coulson, 1984). The term shari’ah was not used in the initial period of Islamic history and rarely appears in the Qur’an hadiths (reports of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) (Coulson, 1984). In Arabic al-Qanun al-Islami (Islamic law) or al-shari’at al-Islamiyya (Islamic law) are often used (Coulson, 1984). The interpretations of shari’ah and its requirements have differed historically influenced by sectarian divisions and the existence of a wide spectrum of jurisprudential schools and, in modern era, impacted by question of how to design and apply shari’ah to a constantly and fast changing contempo-
rary human conditions and circumstances. These have left shari’ah as a legal system with a dynamic nature and without a unified code. Despite this, shari’ah is the fundamental religious concept of Islam and the essence of Muslim faith. It is used in the Qur’an as mentioned earlier in relation to a way toward or purpose of faith. Shari’ah is used in relation to the whole system of law and jurisprudence within the religion of Islam. The principal Islamic ethos demands Muslims to surrender to the Will of Allah in totality, and Allah’s command for Muslim ummah (Muslim community) is expressed through the shari’ah and constitutes a system of duties that all faithful believers must fulfil. For Muslims, shari’ah is founded on the words of Allah as revealed in the Qur’an and the hadith. The Qur’anic revelation is purported to have laid down the basic standards of conduct upon which the Prophet Mu-
hammad established his first ummah. The Qur’an, it has been suggested, provides a variety of ethico-legal teachings. Some of these have a universal application while others are specific to particular circumstances and material conditions. Raji al Faruqi tells us that: “Muslims have recognized the imperatives and desiderata of the Qur’an as falling into different orders of rank or priority. Although they all belong to the divine will and are constitutive of it, Qur’anic values do not all enjoy the same degree of normativeness. Some are more fundamental and important than others. Some are direct and specific in what they demand of man; some are indirect, pointing to general directions. Some are explicit and comprehensible on first reading; others are implicit and have to be deduced from one or more Qur’anic
premises” (al Faruqi, 1986: 246). The Qur’an is taken by Muslims to present the key elements of legislation and contains legal instructions as I discussed earlier in the above section. As Hallaq explains: “The traditional count of all legal verses comes to about five hundred—a number that at first glance seems exiguous, considering the overall size of the Quran. . . . these verses represent a larger weight than the number may indicate. It is common knowledge that the Quran repeats itself both literally and thematically, but this tendency of repetition is absent in the legal subject matter. The proportion of the legal verses, therefore, is larger than that suggested by an absolute number. And if we consider the fact that the average length of the legal verses is twice or even thrice that of the non-legal verses, it is not difficult to argue. . . . that the Quran contains no less legal material than does the Torah” (Hallaq, 2005: 21). Muslims believe that shari’ah is by nature a text-based law originating from the sacred sources of Islam: the Qur’an as the literal word of Allah and hadith as the tradition—words and deeds—of Muhammad the Prophet. Apart from these two primary sacred sources that constitute the basis of shari’ah, there are three other secondary sources: ijma (scholarly consensus), qiyas (reasoning by analogy), and ijtihad (individual reasoning, which is an intellectual property for increasing ilm (knowledge of traditional practice and the trained capacity to deduce from it, using ray or juristic opinion). Combined, these five sources form the complete basis of shari’ah. Dr Jan A. Ali is a Senior Lecturer in Islam and Modernity in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at Western Sydney University. He is a Sociologist of Religion specializing in Islam with a research focus on existential Islam.
Book launch on Islam at Western Sydney University
Dr Jan A Ali On Friday 12 April 2019 at the Western Sydney University at the Bankstown Campus, two books on Islam were launched. The first book edited by Abe W Ata and Jan A Ali entitled Islam in the West: Perceptions and Reactions was launched by Emeritus Professor Garry Trompf from the University of Sydney. This book examines the way Muslims and mainstream societies in the West perceive each other, by taking into account themes like cultural pluralism, media, religious education, interfaith dialogue, and so on. It argues that Muslims are not defined MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
solely by their faith but as an emerging group which is self-critical, reflective, and focused on clearing the misconceptions associated with their identity. Further, it posits that Westerners who are more knowledgeable about Muslims usually express positive opinions about Islam, thereby arguing that the knowledge about and attitudes towards Islam are interrelated. The second book entitled The First Command was launched by its author Mr Jamal Haider. In his book, Mr Haider examines the rise of Muslim intellectualism, its influence on the Renaissance and its regression. The book launch was sponsored by Western Sydney University Islamic and Arabic Research League and Islamic Society. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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Organisation, hard A work & success AMUST
STEPS TO SUCCESS: PART 3
Umar Khan Read parts 1 & 2: tinyurl.com/yxlm9t3t In this final part of the Steps to Success Series, we explore the importance and need for organisation, hard work and how success is perceived in Islam. Organisation Now, that we have prioritised our tasks, we need to organise them. You need to write down in a time planner or calendar your schedule – what you are doing every minute of the day. Allow times for breaks, training, etc, but ensure that your day is divided so that you know what you are supposed to be doing when. This helps with focus, as you are able to use all your available time productively. It is also important to create a balance. But – this can only be done through careful organisation of time. Another great way to organise your time is to write down a list of tasks as you think of them. For example, whilst you are doing your English homework, you remember that you need to do the last two questions of a maths exercise. Now, instead of starting the maths questions, and losing your focus, write down the maths task, and stay focussed on your English work. This example can apply to any situation. You will find that you will be more productive and more focussed. This will help you save time. As Thomas Edison said “Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.”, so it is important that you are able to organise your time appropriately. Hard Work Now that you’ve set your goals, prioritised and organised, it’s time for work. Hard work. One Muhammad Ali quote has stuck
with me throughout my life, – “I learned to run until I was tired, then run even more than that.” It showed that he worked as hard as he could physically and mentally. He only really started training when he had already pushed himself to his limit. Your goal is useless if you are not persistent and try to achieve it. Another quote that I have held dear is – “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration,” (Thomas Edison) meaning that genius is 99% about hard work and slog, whilst 1% comes from inspiration. “We must have perseverance” as Marie Curie said; keep trying to attain our goals. These great minds, all put in the hard yards to achieve success. Therefore, it is evident that we must do the same. Nothing worth having, comes easy. Success in Islam In Islam, we are also taught about the value of hard work. In the Qur’an Allah says in Surah An-Najm, “That man will only have what he has worked towards”. The Prophet (s), himself worked hard throughout his life, trying to achieve his goal, delivering the message of Islam. While Iman Al-Ghazali mentions that Umar ibn Al-Khattab (r), used to tell people, “Never should anyone of you think that dua’ for sustenance without work will avail him, for heaven never rains gold nor silver”. But we must remember as Allah says in Surah Hud, “My success is only by Allah.”; meaning that it is only through the mercy and help of Allah that we can become successful. However, it is important that we work hard to achieve our goals and also ask Allah for help, because all success is decreed by Allah. For your part, you work hard, and you leave the rest up to Allah. And, remember, “Life rewards those who work hard at it.” Umar Khan is a recent IBDP graduate, now attending Macquarie University and is based in Sydney, Australia.
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focus on social justice
4th Islamic Schooling Conference and Forum
Ramila Chanisheff The theme of the upcoming 4th Annual Australian Islamic Schooling Conference and Forum to be held on 13 & 14 July 2019 at the Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne is social justice. Justice, being a central concept, both within Islam, and contemporary education theory and practice, is sure to inspire rigorous discussion as well as shed light on urgent issues, challenges and potentials. Our vision is that this year’s event will provide researchers, educators, parents and other community members with the opportunity to discuss their most pressing social justice issues as well as policies, processes, pedagogies and other practices that either enhance or diminish social justice in and through education in Islamic schools. It also seeks to showcase inspired and innovative research and practice within schools that recognises contributions and offers potential to positively shape the field. The conference aims to be a safe place for critical discussions, sharing experiences and insights in the unique contexts of Islamic schools and the communities they serve, with special attention to educator practice and the needs of Muslim learners. The aim is to inspire all to work toward practice characterised by justice, and to nurture hope and the continued growth and success of Islamic schooling. Why Social Justice? It’s hard to imagine a more overarching nor a more timely and relevant theme than that of social justice. Islamic schooling has grown and continues to grow rapidly. Just as the establishment of Islamic schools in Australia was a reflection of the maturity of local Muslim communities, so too are we witnessing a maturity within the field of Islamic schooling. At this juncture, attention
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to social justice could hardly be more critical. In an era of education where the work of leaders and educators continues to be punctuated by the narrowing of educational aims, by increased accountability measures and heightened pressures, themes of justice in education or educational justice take on nuanced and unique forms in the case of Muslim learners and in the context of Islamic school settings. Add to this, efforts within and across Islamic schooling occur against the backdrop of a pervasive and hostile socio-political climate having direct implications on social justice – in education and more broadly in the society our learners belong and contribute to. Anticipated are a broad range of sessions examining the theme of social justice as this impacts or intersects with educational policy; debates around equity and diversity; the marginalisation and vulnerability of Muslim learners; Islamophobia and racism; with debates around privileged knowledge in curriculum; with practical possibilities for classrooms, for social action and social activism, and with attention to pedagogical concerns and priorities. Just to name a few. Don’t miss this event, join the conversation in Islamic schooling as we expand our current thinking and explore implications for practice. Registrations Now Open Registration for the whole 2 days of Conference and Forum (incl. food/refreshments) is $250.00 per person, with the option to attend any Conference or Forum session across the two days. Conference Gala Dinner is only $50 pp Islamic Museum of Australia. To register please visit https://unisa.edu.au/AAISC4 or register via Eventbrite, (If you wish to receive an invoice email cite@unisa.edu.au)
schooling has grown and continues to grow rapidly.
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Merwa Academy building a brighter future in Ethiopia Abdur-Rahman McCausland The little old man beamed at me, his face lit up with the radiance of a pure soul, his long grey beard stained orange at the tips with henna. “AssalamuAlaikum!”He gives me a fervent double-handed shake. We are in the Principal’s office at Merwa Academy Primary School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sheikh Abdul Manan is with his daughter, Ilham. She is 13, in grade seven. She chews her little finger, trying to hide behind her hand. Sheikh Abdul Manan has no home or job. He lives in a mosque. Ilham’s mother lives in another city to work as a domestic servant. Ilham also works as a domestic servant, living in the house she serves after school. They are so poor they can’t even rent a room to live together in. Mr Jamal, the principal, informs us “Ilham very bright, one of our best students. But she is falling behind because she has to work, so can’t study at home like the others.” Merwa Academy, in a green and pleasant suburb north-east Addis Ababa, is one of an only handful of Muslim schools the city of 5 million. Ethiopia is officially 34% Muslim, so there must be around 1.7 million Muslims in Addis. The dire lack of Muslim-community schools is due to previous governments sys-
tematically opposing education in a Muslim-community context. But, in 2009 a group of community leaders got together to address this, establishing Merwa as a socially and spiritually appropriate environment to raise their next generation in. Merwa has succeeded academically and has an excellent reputation for the character and discipline of its pupils. It also teaches 50
poor students free of charge. One of these is Ilham. Otherwise, she’d be forced into a government school with dismal pass-rates and a chaotic environment. Despite rapid economic growth in the past decade, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in Africa. This growth has not been distributed evenly. As living costs rise the poor get poorer, the rich get richer. Schools like Merwa face pressure from in-
From left: Abdur-Rahman McCausland, Zia Ahmad and Jemal Seid, Principal and Director. MAY 2019 / ISSUE 162
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creasing rents. Salaries must rise to hold onto quality teachers. But fees cannot go up that much or the school would exclude its own community, which is from the poorer section of society. There is no support from the government either. To address this, we have developed a new strategic plan for the school. Firstly, we need support to cover the cost of the 50 poor students, which would give Merwa a small profit this year. Then they will invest this into 5 new classrooms. The additional capacity and ongoing charitable support would put the school in the green, so it can start making money to reinvest in its future, build its strength and that of the whole community. Alhamdulillah, one donor (may Allah bless him) already covered 26 of the poor students already. Now we are seeking funding for the other 24. We have launched a crowd-funding campaign. Please help us by supporting our campaign and sharing it with your friends. Jazakum Allahu khayran. Abdur-Rahman McCausland is a British/ Irish revert. He has lived in Ethiopia since 2007 where he set up an eco-lodge and has worked on aid and development projects in areas of sustainability, food security, water and education.
Mehar Ahmad with students in lunchroom. WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
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A classic pre-election budget AMUST
FINANCE Dr Abul Jalaluddin With huge tax cuts and large infrastructure spending through the marginal seats across the nation, this Federal Budget 2019-2020 is an attempt by the government to win the next federal election to be held on Saturday 18 May 2019. In 2019-20, the economy is expected to grow by 2.75%, the rate of inflation is forecast to be 2.25%, the wage will grow at 2.5%, the rate of unemployment is 5% and the economy will be in a surplus with $7.1 billion which is an achievement after 12 years. Individual Tax Cuts There is an immediate tax cuts to low and middle income earners of up to $1,080 for single earners or up to $2,160 for dual income families which will be paid in the tax return of 2018-19. Ten million Australians will receive various amounts of tax cuts depending on their level of taxable income. From 2024-25, tax free threshold will be $18,200; the marginal tax rate for the income bracket from $18,201 to $45,000 will be 19%; the rate for income from $45,001 to $200,000 will be 30%, a reduction from 32.5% and above $200,000 will have a rate of 45%. Approximately 94% of Australians will pay tax at the rate of 30% from 202425. Public Infrastructure A total of $100 billion was allocated over the next 10 years for Australia’s roads, railways and airport infrastructure. The major projects include Western Sydney interna-
tional airport, Pacific Highway Coffs Harbor bypass, Port Botany rail duplication, Nowra bridge and the railway from Melbourne to Brisbane. The budget established an Urban Congestion Fund with $4 billion to reduce congestion in major Australian cities. An amount of $1 billion is allocated to freight routes and access to ports as well as $100 million for regional airports. Small Business Small and medium sized businesses with annual turnover under $50 million will be able to immediately claim tax deductions for each asset costing up to $30,000, an increase from $25,000. This measure will cost the budget $400 million over the next 4 years and benefit 3.4 million businesses. Currently, businesses with turnover up to $50 million pay 27.5% rate of company tax and this will be reduced to 25% from 2021-
Mubarak
Eid from
Mubarak
22. Health Over the 7 years from 2018-19, $1.3 billion is allocated to upgrade Australian health and hospital systems. Funding will focus on health infrastructure, drugs and alcohol treatment. An allocation of $737 million is made for mental health; $331 million is for new drug listing in PBS; $100 million for a comprehensive Children’s Cancer Centre in Sydney and $80 million for a Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy in Melbourne. The budget outlined a major investment of $32 billion from the Medical Research Future Fund to develop medical cures for rare cancers. Education In 2019-20, the recurrent funding for schools will reach $19.9 billion, with an average Commonwealth funding per student of $5,097. The budget set aside $30.2 million for a Local School Community Fund to upgrade libraries, classrooms and playground equipment. There will be 80,000 apprenticeships offered by the Vocational Education and Training system at the cost of $525 million over the next 4 years. The incentives for companies hiring apprentices will be doubled to $8,000 and an incentive
payment of $2,000 will be paid to young tradies employed in industries experiencing skill shortages such as construction, carpentry and plumbing. Over 4 years, the budget has provided $67.5 million to trial 10 new training hubs in regional areas with high youth unemployment and another $62.4 million to improve literacy, numeracy and digital skills. The entire university sector gets a mere $17.7 billion over 4 years. Elderly Australians Over the next 4 years, the budget allocated $725 million to improve access to care and quality of care of senior Australians. An amount of $282 million is allocated to offer 10,000 new home care packages to keep retirees at home rather than in a retirement village. From 1 July 2020, retirees aged 65 to 66 will be allowed to contribute to superannuation funds even if they are not working, costing the budget $75 million. At the moment, people aged 65 to 74 can only contribute if they are working a minimum of 40 hours in a calendar month. Regional Areas This budget establishes a Future Drought Fund of $3.9 billion to ameliorate effects of adverse weather in the bush. A grant of $300 million is provided for the flood-affected farmers of Queensland. It made a provision of $6.3 million for drought assistance and concessional loans to affected farmers. National Security In 2019-20, an amount of $571 million over the next 4 years was allocated to Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) to recruit intelligence officers, gather intelligence in war zones and investigate foreign fighters wishing to return to Australia. Assistance for Power Bills The budget provides a one-off payment of $125 to families and $75 to singles for easing cost of living pressures. This measure will cost the budget $284 million and 3.9 million Australians (mainly pensioners and cares) will receive this tax exempt payment. Dr Abul Jalaluddin is an Islamic Finance expert, taxation advisor and a regular columnist for AMUST. He is based in Sydney.
Always with you on the road to goodness
DearDear BrothersBrotandhSierss ersand Sisters
Assalamu Alaikum, Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
As Muslims around the world have completed fasting the holy month of Ramadan and are now enjoying Eid al-Fitr; it is a great pleasure to send you my best wishes and to behalf of and the friends team at Australia, I would like to extend it toOn your families in Human AustraliaAppeal and around the world.
congratulate you and Muslims around the globe on the arrival of
theinmonth of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah, Australia we have such a generous community we are proud to be part of. The benefits of your generosity and support were felt in 26 countries and locations worldwide. During Ramadan we strive to worship and give open-handedly, we aim to multiply our rewards and seek the satisfaction of
On behalf ofAllah everyThe orphan found education throughdraws orphansmiles sponsorship, Almighty. Our generosity on theevery faceswidow secured income through our income generating projects, every thirsty child who of orphans and alleviates the suffering of the poor and needy, gained access to clean water, every refugee or displaced who has been fed and given refugees and those displaced from their homes. Last Ramadan, shelter - I would like to thank you for your generous contributions. Over half a million the generous contributions our donors delivered much needed beneficiaries benefited from your Ramadanofcampaign donations.
aid to more than a quarter of a million disadvantaged people in
25the regions worldwide. As we look to year ahead, the Human Appeal team and I wish you Eid Mubarak; we hope you all will enjoy the season’s blessings and happiness with your loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join our
Eid Mubarakmission to ease suffering and rebuild lives through our various
charitable projects; Water & Sanitation, Orphan Sponsorship & Community Development, Sustainable Income, Food Aid & Nutrition, Emergency Aid & Medical Relief.
Bashar Al-Jamal Bashar Al-Jamal Director Director Human Appeal Australia
Human Appeal Australia
At Human Appeal Australia, we will always be with you on the road to goodness, carrying your kindness across the world. We ask Allah (swt) to bless your children, family and wealth. Ramadan Mubarak! Your brother,
SEENA
I N C O R P O R AT E D
Publishers of AMUST
Bashar Al Jamal Director
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UMMAH 29 - 32
EDUCATION 33 - 35
BUSINESS 36 - 37
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AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
Celebrating
5 YEARS OF MUSLIM MEDIA Saturday 20 July 2019 | The HIGHLINE Venue, Bankstown Tickets Available Soon SEENA
I N C O R P O R AT E D
Publishers of AMUST
amust.com.au/5years
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Social Spotlights
ICV - Islamic Council of Victoria
Gift a Smile
@icv.official
ICV with the help of the Muslim community of Victoria were happy to donate 20,000 dollars to the Royal Children Hospital Good Friday Appeal. Today most mosques in Victoria will put aside their Friday collections for this worthy cause. “All children are a precious gift to us and we thank the staff, doctors and nurses of the RCH for taking care of them” the ICV President said. The ICV ask all members of the community to donate generously to this worthy cause. We also were privileged to have our little hero Hyder and his mother and brother with us.
@GiftASmileProject It’s always so rewarding gifting and meeting new parents and children every fortnight in the children’s ward at Bankstown/Lidcombe Hospital. It’s so touching walking in to those gloomy rooms and cheering the atmosphere up for the families with our bright coloured balloons and showbags. Keeps the children busy and relieves their worried parents for a while in what can sometimes be a very overwhelming situation. We wish all the children a speedy recovery and will be back for more gifting soon ☺️ If you would like to help us gift more smiles you can do so by donating to: Gift A Smile | BSB 082001 | Account 714 532 519
Gungahlin Mosque @GungahlinMosque
Rahilah
@RahilahAustralia Jazkum Alalhu Khier, to everyone that participated in and sent packs for our feeding the homeless event yesterday night. Thank you Brothers In Need for allowing us to join you. Through this we have proved that working together makes a stronger impact. We are looking forward to your on going participation and support for the upcoming events. #Rahilah #brothers_in_need #feeding_homeless #islam #muslims #positivity
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This morning we went to the Gungahlin Uniting Church, who are also our neighbor, to show our sympathy and support for the terrible tragedy that stuck our christian brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. Islam, Christianity and Judaism are followers of the same Abrahamic religion and there are more things that unite us. It was overwhelming to see such a wonderful and welcoming community at the church. The perishers highly appreciate our words of support and flowers. Thank you Rev Darren Wright, and your wonderful Perishers for your continuous support for our community and our mosque. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful neighbor in our multicultural and wonderful Canberra.- Mainul Haque, President, Canberra Muslim Community Inc
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TOP 8 Muslim Memes
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7 Dr Faiz hosts TOP Tweets Senator Faruqi
#SanDiego SynagogueShooting
AMUST Media Dr Parwin Faiz, a highly popular and much loved medical practitioner having served the people in South West Sydney for the last four decades hosted a large gathering of Sydney siders from the South Asian community of diverse faiths and professions in honour of Senator Dr Mehreen Faruqi on Saturday 13 April 2019 at her residence at West Pennant Hills. Senator Faruqi spoke about breaking the
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barriers and rising above differences of religion, colour, race and gender in order to embrace humanity. She also addressed the issues of domestic violence, minority groups and renewable energy. “I’m meeting with old & new friends across NSW and the feedback is always the same: we value the Greens for climate justice, treaties with First Nations peoples and a future for all of us, no matter the colour of our skin, our bank balance, our postcode, our gender or sexuality, or our ethnicity. — in West Pennant Hills.”
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