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Community icon presented with Australian award Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad receiving the Award Medals from the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley, AC, QC on Tuesday 8 September 2020 at Government House, Sydney. Photo by Rob Tuckwell Photography. Zia Ahmad Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad OAM, 90, a retired professor of mechanical engineering and a Quranic scholar and long time community leader was presented with his Order of Australia medals on Tuesday 8 September 2020 by Her Excellency the
COVID-19 second wave: Islamophobia in media continues Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas Continuing the Islamophobic narrative in mainstream Australian media through COVID-19 pandemic, last week The Age newspaper attempted to single out Muslim security staff at the hotels and in aged care in their reporting of the state hotel quarantine inquiry in the state of Victoria. On Wednesday 16 September, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton, gave evidence at the state hotel quarantine inquiry. Some of Dr Sutton’s comments were used alongside other content in The Age newspaper in attempts at painting the picture of Muslim hotel security staff refusing to use alcohol based hand sanitiser for ‘religious reasons,’ and therefore playing a key role in the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria. Continued on page 2
Honourable Margaret Beazley, AC, QC, the Governor of NSW. The award was announced on Australia Day 26 January earlier this year but the investiture ceremony was much delayed due to the pandemic and was held in September at the Government House in Sydney under COVID-19 restrictions. Dr Ahmad, professor and head of depart-
ment of mechanical engineering in Kashmir was forced to leave his job and arrived in Australia in 1971 and has been in the forefront of building Islamic institutions, founding community organisations and promoting interfaith harmony for almost half a century. This was the first of a number of investiture ceremonies to be held in stages for the recipients of Order of Australia medals this
year in compliance with COVID-19 regulations and health advice. The Order of Australia was bestowed upon Dr Ahmad in recognition of his services to the Muslim community and for promoting interfaith harmony. Watch the video at https://tinyurl.com/drahmadoam Continued on page 9
Unified call for halt to political persecution in India Zia Ahmad An online international press conference was held on Sunday 20 September (Monday 21 September, 2 am Sydney time) organised by Reclaiming India, a joint initiative of Indian diaspora that stand for Democratic, Plural, and Progressive India. The conferenced called for a judge led independent investigation into Delhi Riots and a halt to political persecution and state-sanctioned abuse and silencing of dissenting voices in India using draconian laws under UAPA and PSA. The coalition representing a large number of diverse organisations across the world united in their commitment to justice for all, democracy and secular India highlighted the persecution of students, academics, public intellectuals and activists who are exercising their fundamental rights to protest against the unconstitutional law, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as well the current pro-corporate farm bills at the expense of Indian farmers and the National Education
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Indian farmers shout slogans as they burn effigies of Indian PM Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Policy (NEP2020) that disadvantages minorities. The keynote speaker at the event was Sitaram Yechury , political leader and former
Rajya Sabha Member with special remarks by Harsh Mander, human rights advocate and peace activist. Continued on page 3
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COVID-19 second wave: Islamophobia in media continues Professor Brett Sutton, Victorian Chief Health Officer.
Continued from page 1 To be absolutely clear, while consuming alcohol is forbidden in Islam, alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not forbidden (haram) because we are not ingesting the hand sanitiser. Same goes with the use of alcohol use as an antiseptic. Muslim leaders across Australia have consistently encouraged the use of hand sanitisers, face masks and social distancing in a bid to minimise the spread of the virus, in line with Islamic principles and in compliance with government regulations and health advice. None of our religious leaders have advised against any of the recommendations offered by DHHS. The Age news article, while not stating the word Islam or Muslims, inadvertently referenced the security staff to be Muslim, reporting (1); Professor Sutton told the inquiry that there had been instances where security staff in hotels did not appear to trust the information provided to them about infection control. “In particular about how to wear PPE gear, and the use of hand sanitiser, in particular ... concerns about using an alcohol-based sanitiser”. This hand sanitiser concern was also included in notes from the manager of Your Nursing Agency... security guards had in-
formed the agency “they were concerned about using hand sanitiser because it is against their religion”. It’s misleading and inaccurate news reporting like this that singles out minorities, causes division and further fuels the mistrust Victorians are feeling right now for those managing, or more accurately mismanaging, this second wave of COVID-19. Rebuilding that trust takes a lot of work and is necessary so that slogans like “We’re all in this together” don’t sound hollow and tokenistic. These comments have broader implications too, because they suggest that through the COVID-19 pandemic Muslims in Victoria haven’t used hand sanitisers for ‘religious reasons’, which is completely untrue. Distancing himself from these allegations, Dr Sutton swiftly issued a comment after being contacted by Islamic Council of Victoria (18/09/2020); I have seen the quotes related to hand hygiene and security staff. I did not repeat claims in the hotel inquiry that they might be related to religious concerns, because I have not heard them directly. I do not know if the quoted reasons by ‘Your Nursing Agency’ have been independently verified. I do indeed hope that I am considered a friend of the community – I have so much respect for them. To further reinstate his position of not wanting to single out any particular com-
“It’s misleading
and inaccurate news reporting like this that singles out minorities.
munity, Dr Sutton took the added initiative to publicly issue an apology for the Afghan community during his opening remarks at the press conference the following morning, stating; “I’ll start with an apology. I know members of the Afghan community might’ve felt singled out by statements I made recently. That was absolutely not my intention, so sorry... it’s a country I love and respect it’s people... I apologise.” This apology was in relation to previous comments where Dr Brett Sutton had inadvertently referenced the Afghan community drawing on his experiences from his time in Afghanistan. Several Islamic organisations and Muslim community leaders have defended Dr Sutton by saying they don’t believe he’s an Islamophobe but that his comments have been taken out of context by The Age newspaper. The more important question here of course is, if there were staff who were refusing to use hand sanitisers, for whatever reason, why were they even allowed to be on-site at the quarantine hotels, let alone as-
signed to protect millions of Victorians from the spread of COVID-19? The Age newspaper has a reader base of some 4.5 million people across print and digital platforms and as it stands Islamic religious beliefs have been positioned inaccurately in this article, to deliberately mislead these millions of readers, and feed religious bias where they lie. This is a small part of an ongoing Islamophobic narrative that has played out in intervals throughout the COVID19 pandemic on mainstream Australian media, reinforced by cherry picked comments made by prominent public figures. Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas is on the advisory board for ECCV Gambling Harm project, in the advisory group for Whittlesea Interfaith Network and currently works as the Community Engagement Facilitator for Al Siraat College. Gulhan has a robust history of advocacy for gambling industry reform and Interfaith dialogue. She is passionate about developing Muslim youth as spokespeople for their communities.
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NSW Parliament: Calls for review of trade ties with India over CAA Deepak Joshi India’s draconian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA), and the Modi Government’s authoritarian response to protests and dissent, got a mention in the New South Wales parliament of Australia. Australian Greens Senator Mr David Shoebridge MLC moved a motion against CAA on Thursday 27 August 2020 that calls for review of Australia’s trade links with India over concern for human rights violations. The motion called upon the Australian Government to: “(a) require an ongoing dialogue as part of its broader engagement with the Modi administration that critically reviews Indian Citizenship(Amendment) Act, 2019, and (b) renegotiate trade agreements between Australia and India so that they include a human rights clause.” The Humanism Project (THP), a political advocacy group of Indian diaspora in Australia, that has played a significant role in bringing this issue to the attention of NSW MPs by providing a brief to Mr Shoebridge, issued a statement saying: “We are grateful that the Greens have taken up this issue and we will continue to reach out to all political parties to engage with our work to promote secularism, human rights and democratic values in India and among the diaspora in Australia.”
This was yet another overseas response, in recent months, on India’s new citizenship laws and the BJP government’s brutal crackdown on human rights activists after it introduced key citizenship legislations that put the onus on Indians to prove their citizenship under the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and fast-track Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Those opposing these laws say that they open the door to legal discrimination against Muslims. In December 2019, Democrat Pramila Jayapal introduced the Congressional resolution urging India to swiftly end restrictions on communications and preserve religious freedom for all residents in Kashmir. In July 2020, San Francisco became the sixth US city to pass a resolution denouncing India’s contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Similar resolutions have already been passed earlier by Seattle, Albany, St Paul, Hamtramck and Cambridge. A resolution was also tabled in the European Parliament (EP) against the India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act in February 2020. The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a US Government body, has downgraded India to the lowest ranking of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) in its 2020 report on religious freedom. Deepak Joshi is a co-founder of the not-forprofit political advocacy organisation, The Humanism Project. He is Melbourne based.
Mr David Shoebridge speaking in NSW Parliament on Thursday 27 August 2020.
Text of Mr David Shoebridge’s motion Mr PRESIDENT: I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move: That this House notes that: 1. That this House notes that: (a) India’s Constitution commits it to democracy, equality, secularism, asymmetrical federalism and the protection of civil liberties, including freedom of speech and religious freedom, (b) despite this, in December 2019, India enacted the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 which discriminates on the grounds of religion in the provision of citizenship, (c) the citizenship legislation is effectively being used to revoke the citizenship of religious minorities and will result in statelessness for many vulnerable and marginalised groups,
(d) large numbers of people have been declared to be ‘foreigners’, detained, and left at risk of statelessness by citizenship ‘verification’ processes of questionable legality, and (e) protests and dissent have been met with an authoritarian government response and civil liberties have been dramatically curtailed. 2. That this House calls on the Australian Government to: (a) require an ongoing dialogue as part of its broader engagement with the Modi administration that critically reviews Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and (b) renegotiate trade agreements between Australia and India so that they include a human rights clause.
Unified call for halt to political persecution in India Continued from page 1 The press conference was briefly addressed by representatives of large number of coalition alliance members from many parts of the world summarising their media releases issued at the conference: • Dr Manish Madan, Global Indian Progressive Alliance • Raju Rajagopal, Hindus for Human Rights • Sristy Agarwal, Voices Against Fascism in India • Rohit Tripathi, Young India • Suchitra Vijayan, The Polis Project • Shariq Mustafa, Collective Against Violation and Abuse of Civil and Human Rights • (CAVACH) • Mohamed Haroon, The Humanism Project (THP) • Professor Ania Loomba, Coalition Against Fascism in India (CAFI) • Saket Malhotra, Students against Hindutva Ideology • Asad Rauf, The London Story The conference condemned “The farright Hindutva Nationalists government led by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) which is misappropriating the historical facts and misleading narrative on CAA to further political propaganda. It violates the fundamental constitutional rights as per India’s constitution – the right to equality (Article 14), right to life and liberty (Article 21), right to religious freedom (Article 25) and compromises India’s secular credentials. Zia Ahmad is the Editor-in-Chief of the Australasian Muslim Times AMUST. OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
The Humanism Project – Australia Reclaiming India – A joint initiative of Global Indian Diaspora The Humanism Project represents Indians in Australia who belong to various faiths, linguistic and cultural backgrounds and take pride in the rich diversity of our heritage. We are deeply concerned about the human right violations, assault on minorities, suppression of dissent and authoritarian tendencies of the current political dispensation in India. In past year, since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, there has been protracted internet restrictions, arbitrary use of some of India’s most stringent laws, verbal orders of detention, crippling of the local media and a systematic dismantling of all avenues for justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In February 2020, the Delhi Pogram claimed at least 53 lives and injured more than 500. This violence occurred with active participation of the Delhi Police with police officers indulging in violence with the rioters; torturing in custody; using excessive force on protesters; dismantling protest sites used by peaceful protesters and being mute bystanders as rioters wreaked havoc. In the months since the riots,
Delhi police in their investigations into the riots have filed more than 750 First Information Reports (FIRs) and at least 200 charge sheets. Most of these were targeted against students, professors and human rights activists, who were involved in organising peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Despite the aforementioned violations, there has been no attempt by the Ministry of Home Affairs to hold the Delhi police accountable till now. These government actions are just a part of a larger systemic suppression of press and academic
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freedom in India, through the invocation of repressive Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and sedition provisions against activists, students, and academics. While dissenting voices have been muted, the State and ruling party leaders have supported disinformation campaigns demonising political opponents, Muslims and dissenters. We, at The Humanism Project – Australia, call for a Judge – led independent investigation into the riots, cessation of political persecution and an immediate end to state sanctioned silence of dissent.
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Australia: Police state governance and the civil liberties of an MP Professor Stuart Rees OAM In disdain for human rights and to display power, governments deploy police forces to harass or arrest citizens, and then justify their actions with claims about the influence of foreign forces. And it’s happening right now in Australia with the Morrison government’s victimisation of NSW State Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane. That sounds like life in Belarus, Russia, China, Iran, Bashar al-Assad’s Syria or the thuggery that passes for government in Zimbabwe. But these references to abusive governance now concerns Australia itself. In this significant civil liberties issue, the persecution of Moselmane is the tip of a sinister iceberg. Below the surface are layers of secrecy which involve the media, the cowardice of politicians and sensationalism sustained by anti-Chinese sentiment. Political, Police, Media Collusion By influencing publicity about the Moselmane case, government has set the media agenda, not least in regard to leaks about police raids on the MP’s home. Who informed the media about those raids? How has a SMH journalist, Nick Mckenzie, been enabled to develop his taste for sensation, as in referring to the raids as ‘one of the most significant inquiries in recent ASIO history.’ Events of 25 June and 26 June merit investigation. At 10 pm on 25 June a magistrate signed warrants for operation in NSW. The AFP executed these as part of an investigation into possible offences under sections of the Commonwealth Criminal Code, the socalled foreign interference legislation. They
arrived at the MP’s home at 6:30 am on 26 June. As though employed on a film set, journalists plus satellite dishes and related equipment were already in place, ready to film the arrival of police. To set the stage, there must have been close cooperation between the government, police and media. How could it be otherwise? It is possible that Mckenzie and Co learned of the planned raids between 10 pm on the 25 June and 6:30 am on the 26 June? If journalists had time to drive or fly from Melbourne to be in Sydney early on the morning
of 26 June, they must have been informed before the magistrate issued a warrant? Two days later, Channel 9’s Sixty Minutes went to air with Mckenize as the key informant. Were only forty-eight hours needed to organise a program for which this journalist had boasted that for months he had been observing Moselmane’s pro-China activities. Verdict certain. Case closed. Apart from the government/media cooperation, political coincidences suggest that this matter has as much to do with domestic politics as with foreign interference. The raid occurred eight days before the crucial Eden Monaro bye election and there’s a looming pre selection contest in the NSW Upper House when the contestants are Adam Searle, Walt Secord and Shaoquett Moselmane. Only two can be elected. As Leader of the Opposition in the NSW Upper House, Searle is a potential favourite for a spot on the ALP’s Upper House ticket for the 2023 State election. If Moselmane is removed, Mr Secord has a free run. Palestine the Issue? A little more head scratching suggests that antagonism towards Moselmane concerns Palestine not China. As an Australian of Arab descent, who supports the human rights of the Palestinian people, Moselmane’s principles contrast the attitude of Walt Secord who is the Deputy Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel and has welcomed the demise of Mr Moselmane. In bullying which appears to be a taken for granted political technique, Secord has been supported by the former chief executive of the Jewish Board of Deputies, Mr Vic Ahladeff. Cues for bullying had come from radio 2GB’s Ray Hadley who, in characteristic abuse, had referred to Moselmane as ‘a train wreck’, ‘a Chinese PR spokesperson’, ‘this low life’, ‘unworthy traitor.’ Verdict certain. Case closed. In an interview with NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay, Hadley asserted that the people of NSW ‘want that bloke sacked.’ McKay responded, ‘Ray his actions have been appalling.’ Verdict certain. Case closed. On 7 April, Moselmane resigned as Assistant President of the NSW Upper House and was suspended from the Labor Party. In human costs and in financial terms, the
scapegoating of Moselmane is costing a fortune. Shaoquett’s civil liberties have been trashed. His wife is under tremendous strain. His elderly parents are traumatised. The safety of his young son has been threatened by anonymous individuals who have apparently decided that his father supports Chinese not Australian interests. Who cares as long as the powerful get their way? ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ The handling of this matter also has fumbling, bumbling features. The police told Shaoquett that he was not suspected of any wrongdoing. But as many as 40 came with sniffer dogs, stayed in his home for 18 hours, took hair and dust samples from cars, confiscated a computer and phones, sought records going back ten years including copies of his inaugural speech to parliament. Black boxes were carried in and out of the house. Media onlookers could be forgiven for speculating that the boxes contained secret, incriminating documents. To sustain the police, one box contained McDonald’s cheeseburgers, the other Subway sandwiches. This controversy is deadly serious yet looks like a re-run of a Shakespearean comedy. As theatre of the absurd, players in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ noted the significance of rumour, gossip and excitement about manufactured sensation. Perhaps the bard had been briefing Australian politicians and media. A welcome touch of satire should not divert attention from the need for a socially just outcome. This worthy parliamentarian deserves an apology from government and police, the payment of reparations and a dignified return to parliament as a duly elected member of the Labor Party.
“Shaoquett’s
“Mind your Hearts” Sukoon Quteifan It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (r), who attributed it to the Prophet (s), said: “Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts,” and he pointed towards the heart with his fingers. [Sahih Muslim]. 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. You can follow her on facebook @SukoonQuteifanArt.
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civil liberties have been trashed.
This is a slightly edited version of the original article that was published online at Pearls and Irritations, Public Policy Journal. Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees OAM is a human rights activist, poet, novelist, and author of books on social justice. He is the recipient of the Jerusalem Peace Prize and the Founder Director of the Sydney Peace Foundation. ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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Trump’s theatrics named Abraham Accord The Trump brokered ‘Peace’ between populations. UAE and Bahrain have been named Israeli interests are served well in deal“The Abraham Accords” taking credit ing with dictators and Sheikhs while it feels of bringing interfaith harmony between threatened with people power resulting in the followers of the three Abrahamic the real prolification of democracies in faiths. the Arab world. While there have been world As has been pointed out by wide efforts towards interMaher Maghrabi (SMH 16 faith dialogue between September 202), “Since the Jews, Christians and MusArab Spring of 2011, the lims leading towards unZia Ahmad monarchies of the Persian derstanding, toleration Gulf – and in particular those Assalamu and harmony, this current of Saudi Arabia, the United Alaikum theatrics in the Middle East Arab Emirates and Bahrain has nothing to do with inter– have moved aggressively to Greetings faith relations. reassert such despotism. Bahof Peace Israel while it projects itself rain tried to suck the footballer as the only democracy in the MidHakeem al-Araibi back into its prisdle East not only has maintained covert on system on subversion charges, only to close relationships with the Middle East- be defied by a brave Aussie campaign to ern autocrats, but ensures that they are set him free. The UAE and Saudi Arabia fikept in power while repressing their own nanced counter-revolutions in Egypt, Libya
EDITORIAL
Readers comments Re: Community icon presented your contributions to the cause of Muslims and the community at large. with Australian award His contribution will never be forgotten and he should have received that honour decades ago. Those early years were years of isolation for the Muslim community and now we see how it has flourished, based on the foundations such leaders established. Bilal Cleland Great services rendered for Islam, Muslims, interfaith regards and communal harmony in the country of their residence. Congratulations. May Allah bless them with His choicest grace in the life and hereafter. May their life and work motivate others engaged in similar work around the world. Hats off. Dr Rahmatullah Congratulations to Bhai Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad . His contribution for the community is par excellence He should have been awarded AOA long time back . May Allah bless him with a long healthy life,sound health and he be a guiding star for his children and community at large, Aameen. Dr MM Habib, Melbourne Congratulations Dr Qazi Ashfaq for your recent award of the Order of Australia. It is the pioneers of the Australian Muslim community, such as yourself who laid the foundations of our vibrant, highly multicultural and successful Muslim society. May Allah Ta’ala grant you as well abundant rewards in the Hereafter. Dr Daud Batchelor Dear brother, friend and “AMUST” organizers, Assalamu Alaikum I, as an “Alig” feel deeply obliged for your kind email. It thrills me to see that the Alig community irrespective of location continues to contribute to the wellbeing of humanity. Thanks for keeping my name on your mailing list. Gratefully yours, M Owais Jafrey Seattle, WA USA Heartiest congratulation to prof Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad, his family members, Muslim community and to the people of Australia for order of Australia award. May Allah bless him with excellent health and long life. Mumtaz Ali Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Congratulations Dr Ashfaq Ahmad OAM and I feel so privileged to have known you, OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
You are truly a legend and a living icon. Alhamdulillah. Thank you Dr Fazlul Huq Sydney Our heartiest congratulations to Doctor Saheb for achieving the award. It is honour of our community. We are pride of him, I am also one of the student of Quraan Class in mid 90s. May Allah SWT reward him for his services in Muslim community. He is a great asset of Muslim community in Australia. May Allah SWT bless him with good health and prosperity. All the best wishes to him and his family Regards & Jazakallah Khair Anjum Hoda & Family Casula, NSW Congratulations, I am proud of Ahmad family. May Allah bless each member of this beautiful family. Serkan Iner Sydney We are happy to know. Heartiest congratulations to Ashfaq saheb and all family. Good you included his photo. Imtiaz Chicago Heartiest Congratulation to Dr Ashfaq Ahmad for this well deserved recognition of his services for Muslim Community of Australia and promoting interfaith harmony. I learned a great deal from him during my stay in Sydney University in 1980s and he has been a source of inspiration me and many others. Anwar Gilani, Pakistan
AMUST ISSUE # 179 FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2020 7 SAFAR 1442 News
Bahut bahut mubarak ho. Mashallah Dr Sahib looks very fresh, healthy and young. Mansoor Sydney Heartfelt congratulations to an honour and well deserved Abbu on Order of Australian Medal Award by the Governor of NSW today 8 Sept. 2020 and also all your family members for his lifetime achievements, contributions and tireless dedications towards for the community i.e. really inspiring. May Allah SWT give him long life with good health and bless you all with happiness, health and prosperity. Aameen. Raziuddin Sydney MashaAllah Congratulations Abbu and All in the family. A well deserved recognition. May Allah SWT give him long and healthy life. Ameen. Zamir Khan Sydney Truly well deserved achievement. Always admired Qazi Sb’s lifelong efforts and scholastic ability. Proud of him. Zahid Jamil Sydney It is great and encouraging to see at least one Aligarian, Muslim from India and fatherly figure for all of us is recognised on this level. However, Chacha Shaib deserves this many years back, and this could have been organised a decade before. ICSOA is working on PR for the last few years and InshaAllah we shall see more in future. Abbas Alvi Sydney
Congratulations. Allahu Akbar. Prof Khalid Yusof Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Whole-hearted congratulations to Dr Qazi Ashfaq SB. and his family. May Allah give him a happy and healthy life - Ameen. Khursheed Anwar Sydney
Massahallah He is great example of doing for community and not expecting instant rewards, he is MA rewarded here and his Hassants will increase, IA. We should all endeavour to imitate him. Dr Mahmood Bhatti Melbourne
Congratulations to Abbu and your family for bringing this honour to the community. Your family inspired many in the community and In ShaaAllah will continue to inspire many in future as well. Mohammad Zia Adelaide
Massahallah. Thanks for sharing this inspiration and achievements of Dr Ahmad. May Allah swt accept all his good deeds and reward him immensely. Ameen. He is legend. Subhan Ali Melbourne
MashaAllah, congratulations for receiving the award. May Allah give Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad Sahab good health and long life. Saniyasnain Khan India
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and Yemen. They are perfectly comfortable oppressing their own citizens and killing their fellow Arabs in order to maintain their grip on power.” The theatrics of this Abrahamic Accord has nothing to do with peace and much to do with the self interest of Trump facing the Presidential elections, Netanyahu facing corruption charges clinging on to power, Al Khalifa of Bahrain keeps ruling by fear and Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE trying to perpetuate his hold on the riches of Gulf emirates. Now it is Saudi Arabia led by its all powerful MBS who is preparing to join this Abrahamic Peace while the Palestinians continue to suffer under Israeli might.
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Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in articles, and Letters to the Editor, Website Comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Australasian Muslim Times.
AMUST Team Editor-in-Chief: Zia Ahmad Graphic Designer: Rubinah Ahmad Chief Adviser: Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad OAM Multimedia Journalist: Mehar Ahmad Multimedia Journalist: Mobinah Ahmad Multimedia Journalist: Faseeha Hashmi Columnist: Dr Abul Jalaluddin (Finance) Columnist: Bilal Cleland (Victoria) Columnist: Manarul Islam (ACT) Columnist: Dr Daud Batchelor (QLD) Columnist: Zahid Jamil (NSW) Columnist: Shahjahan Khan (QLD) Columnist: Imam Malik Mujahid (USA) Promotion: Dr Wali Bokhari Web Developer: Shadow Approved Multimedia: iMoby Productions Printers: Spotpress Pty Ltd Distributers: Abul Fateh Siddiqui, Shujaat Siddiqui, Usaid Khalil, Ibrahim Khalil, Usman Siddiqui, Zahid Alam, Shahab Siddiqui, Mahmoud Jaame, Mateen Abbas, Rashid Idris, Sakinah Ahmad, Anjum Rafiqi, Hasan Fazeel, Dr Quasim, Ismail Hossain, Hanif Bismi, Luqman Landy.
Contact AMUST PO Box 111, Bonnyrigg (Sydney), NSW 2179 Australia. Email: info@amust.com.au Ph:(02) 9158 3020
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Islam in Australia survey results Dr Halim Rane The results of the Islam in Australia survey are in and they counter many of the stereotypes and misinformation concerning Islam and Muslims in Australia. In the aftermath of 9/11 and the ‘War on Terror’, high levels of anti-Islam/anti-Muslim sentiments and Islamophobia have been recorded. Previous research has highlighted that the Australian government’s attempts to ‘counter violent extremism’ unfairly but officially “reinforces many of the core stereotypes of Islam in the West: militancy, fanaticism, intolerance, fundamentalism, misogyny and alienness.” The Islam in Australia survey was an opportunity for the voices of Muslim Australians to inform public debate on issues that concern Islam and Muslims in Australia. The survey findings indicate that ethical considerations play a Ravi QUARTER PAGE AMUST key role in how Muslim Australians think about Islam. In relation to human equality, 95% said “marriage should be based on mutual respect rather than the subservience of one spouse to the other”, 93% said “people of all religion and no religion should be treated equally”, and 84% percent said “women should be given the same rights and opportunities as men”. Contrary to the well-worn stereotype associating Muslims with terrorism, 93% said “someone who dies attacking innocent civilians is not a martyr” and 90% said “Islam never permits armed conflict against civilians/non-combatants”. Additionally, 92%
said “halal certifiers should assess the ethical treatment of animals as part of the halal certification process”. Although the majority of Muslims in Australia today arrived after immigration restrictions were lifted in the late 1960s, Muslims have settled in Australia since the late 1800s/early 1900s and were responsible for building Australia’s oldest mosques, including the Holland Park Mosque in Brisbane (built in 1908). Like the early Muslim Australians, the vast majority Muslims today are content with life in Australia and have good relations with fellow Australians. When asked what they think about “engaging with non-Muslims as family, friends, colleagues and in general social interaction”, 92% of the survey respondents said this is “normal and good”. The survey also found that 74% are “content with the extent to which Muslims are currently able to practice Islam in Australia”. However, many Muslim Australians are critical of the way Islam is manifested in some Muslim-majority countries today. A majority of 52% said Malaysia and Turkey have had the most positive impact on the understanding and practice of Islam among Muslims in general over the past few decades. At the other end of the spectrum, 63% said Saudi Arabia has had the most negative impact on the understanding and practice of Islam among Muslims in general over the past few decades. Although countries such as Saudi Arabia have invested heavily in promoting its particular interpretation of Islam, this has not been embraced by most Muslim Australians. For the vast majority of the survey respondents, Islam aligns with values and principles of equality, human rights, social
Holland Park Mosque.
cohesion and social justice. Islam in Australia Survey Results In addition to closely resembling the broader Muslim Australian population in relation to key demographics including age, gender, place of birth, ethnicity, and employment status, 87% of the survey respondents said they publicly/openly identify as Muslim and 77% said they pray daily. This gave the researchers confidence that the survey respondents were committed Muslims, sufficiently engaged with Islam and well-placed to answer the survey questions. The overall findings of the survey have now been published in the journal Religions and further publications are forthcoming.
The researchers hope the survey’s findings will contribute to broader recognition that an authentic, ethical and peaceful Islam, that teaches mutually respectful coexistence, is not only theoretically possible but is generally exemplified in the lived experiences of Muslims in 21st century Australia. Halim Rane is an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Griffith University where he leads the Islam in Society field of study. He is the author of many books and journal articles on Islamic and Muslim issues and is the current president of the Australian Association of Islamic and Muslim Studies (AAIMS).
Where are they now? Western Grammar School’s HSC graduates of 2018 and 2019 are currently studying: • • • • • • • • • • •
Certificate III in Health Administration Bachelor of Arts & Education Bachelor of Civil Engineering Bachelor of Construction Management & Tech Bachelor of Education Bachelor of Forensic Science Bachelor of Health Science Bachelor of Islamic Studies Bachelor of Medical Science Bachelor of Professional Accounting Bachelor of Psychology
for more info visit www.wgs.nsw.edu.au 6
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Sultan Selim and the making of the modern world Bilal Cleland Those of us who have studied modern history know well the story of the rise of the dominant West, with its history of world exploration, the rise of humanism, the ascent of notions of human rights and the evolution of inclusive societies. Often the line is drawn directly from the classical civilisations of Greece and Rome to the Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci, the time when “the West rediscovered its past.” Mikhail points out; “Since the Industrial revolution and the so-called European glories of the nineteenth century, this history has been rewritten to portray European ascendancy as somehow stretching back to Columbus. This is a historical absurdity. …it also masks the fact that the Ottoman Empire struck fear into the world for centuries before it earned its derogatory nineteenth century sobriquet, “the sick man of Europe.” His book begins with a reference to a small town in north eastern Mexico, on the border with Texas, called Matamoro, “Moor
“The
slayer.” This was a term originating from the Spanish Catholics who had taken Muslim Spain from its inhabitants over years of armed struggle. Andalus, the Land of the Vandals, had been under Muslim rule from 711 CE and culminated in the crusade against Granada led by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. The review presented by Ian Morris in the New York Times mentioned the two main claims made by this work. “The first, and less controversial, is that 16th-century Christians saw everything, including the Americas, through the lens of their struggle against Islam.” [NYT, 18 August 2020 ] “The Ottoman Empire, contrary to nearly all conventional accounts of world history, was the very reason Europeans went to America.” Mikhail’s second claim is more controversial, that “the Ottoman Empire made our modern world.” “He calls his book “a revisionist account … demonstrating Islam’s constituent role in forming some of the most fundamental aspects of the history of Europe, the Americas and the United States.” From it, he says, “a bold new world history emerges, one that overturns shibboleths that have held sway for a millennium.” [NYT, 18 August 2020]
Ottoman Empire made our modern world.
The power of the Ottomans was directly related to the Reformation, that world changing revolution in European thought. In 1517 Selim conquered the Mamluk’s declining empire, the same year that Luther began his reformation of the church. Mikhail traces the history of the Indulgences to the twelfth century campaign to raise troops for the Crusades to free Jerusalem from the infidels. Forgiveness of sins was offered in return for service in the Crusade. “By Luther’s time, individuals could simply pay the Church – no warring required – for the forgiveness of ordinary sins such as lying or lust.” This was satanic papal corruption as far as Luther was concerned. That Luther was not burnt at the stake like earlier religious reformers was due to the dominance of the Ottomans. The Holy Roman Emperor wanted to retain the support of the Protestant Princes in his battle against them. However these princes had political objectives behind their protection of Luther, so the Emperor could not move to destroy him. The opening up of the New World, the “Christian” transatlantic slave trade, the rise of Protestantism, the deepening division between Sunni and Shia Islam and the slow spread of religious toleration (a feature of the Ottoman Empire of which Luther appears to have been ignorant), can all be traced back to Ottoman domination of the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The writing down of the Ottoman con-
tribution to the development of the modern world has been challenged before but this work makes a major contribution to the revision of the Western Christendom school of history making. God’s Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World, Alan Mikhail Liveright; Illustrated Edition (18 August 2020). Bilal Cleland is a keen reader, a prolific writer and a regular columnist of AMUST based in Melbourne.
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Wasatiyyah: The middle path to success Dr Daud Batchelor The Almighty blessed Islam with abundant principled guidance to steer us towards Ultimate Success. ‘Wasatiyyah’ is an essential aspect of the self-identity and worldview of Muslims. Allah placed the key verse on Wasatiyyah exactly half-way through the second Qur’anic chapter: Thus, we made of you a community justly-balanced that you may be witnesses over the people, and the Messenger [Muhammad] a witness over yourselves. (Qur’an 2:143) Muhammad Hashim Kamali, CEO of IAIS Malaysia, was awarded “Best Book in the World” by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for “The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam: The Qur’anic Principle of Wasatiyyah.” ‘Wasat’ means to “hold the middle between two extremes.” Opposite is ‘tatarruf’, denoting inclination towards peripheries, which is extremism and excess. Al-Qur’an designated the Ummah as the ‘Midmost community.’ Al-Zuhayli highlighted Wasatiyyah means moderation and balance in belief and character, and in the socio-political order. Opposite is extremism, ie who exceeds Islamic laws or limits of moderation. With Tawhid (Oneness of God), Wasatiyyah binds various dimensions to focus Islam on its centre. Justice (‘adl) is the closest synonym of Wasatiyyah, which underpins the Qur’anic designation of the Ummah as ‘witnesses.’ Reference to testimony in Qur’anic verse2:143 implies commitment by Muslims as witnesses to justice. Another element featured with WasatiOCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
yyah is Mizan (balance): “The Heaven He has raised high, and He has set-up the balance that you may not transgress (due) balance.” (Qur’an 55:7-9) ‘Mizan’ denotes balance between individuals and the collective (essential for successful pandemic suppression); between the physical and spiritual; between men and women.” (Allawi, NUS, Singapore) Extremism violates limits of moderation identified by reference to the Qur’an, hadiths and customs. The aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and USUK militarism emboldened Muslim extrem-
ists. The ‘War on Terror’ propelled a radical minority to the centre of attention. As emphasized to former PM Malcolm Turnbull (AMUST 2017), it is an oxymoron to speak of ‘Islamic extremism’ since by definition it cannot exist. Islam is moderate and terrorist group ISIS were non-Islamic. The Prophet (s) promoted moderation against excessive (continuous) fasting and night vigil. He said, “Observe (devotional) acts to the extent of your ability. By (Allah) no fatigue overtakes Allah until you are overtaken by it yourselves.” (Bukhari)
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Allah recommends a middle course between this world and the Hereafter: “Seek by means of the wealth God gave you the Abode of the Hereafter, but forget not your share in this world.” (Qur’an 28:77) Islam is mistakenly portrayed as a threat to peace, while most Muslims condemn extremism. Terrorists who commit cowardly murder behind a mask of Islam and imagine they are waging jihad are in the eyes of true Islam, murderers. Muhammad (s) issued strict instructions to warriors, prohibiting them from harming innocents: women, children, the aged and priests. The Qur’an discusses related concepts: Israf and Tabdhir. Kamali believes ‘Israf’ signifies extravagance of what is otherwise permissible. Tabdhir though is spending on what is unlawful. For al-Isfahani (d.1124 CE), Israf is comprehensive: e.g. when an individual exceeds natural limits. Individuals should aspire to Wasatiyyah in all matters, e.g.: Those who when they spend, are not extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between (extremes). (Qur’an 25:67) God forbids excesses: “But waste not by excess: for God loves not the wasters (Quran 6:141) and “O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not.” (Qur’an 7:31) As the Muslim community is the midmost community committed to justice and peace, we should stand on Wasatiyyah, correct imbalances, and do what we can to restore equilibrium … within ourselves, and humanity at large. 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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Suicide Prevention Workshop for Imams and community leaders Ayesha Ardati Educaid Australia facilitated a special Suicide prevention workshop for Imams and Community Leaders “Mental Health First Aid for the Suicidal Person” in collaboration with the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) on Sunday 23 August 2020. A group of 12 Imams and leaders attended the evidence-based workshop that equipped them with the skills to intervene and support individuals who are experiencing a crisis. Delivered by Educaid Au’s Co-founder and Principal Instructor, Ziyad Serhan, the session addressed key areas such as: identifying warning signs of suicide, how to confidently intervene and support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and ways to transition them to appropriate professional help. The workshop was a rare opportunity for leaders of the Islamic community in Sydney to come together and learn the skills to intervene and support an individual in crisis. The robust discussions and insights shared by participants who represented 11 different community organisations, mosques and centres throughout the day was a positive step in the right direction in starting a unique conversation within our faith-based spaces. In a post survey evaluation, Mobinah Ahmad (Managing Editor, Australasian Muslim Times AMUST) said “It was a privilege to attend this course, to listen to a well presented and informative workshop on suicide. Even though I had certain background knowledge, doing this course added to that and gave me a lot more confidence to talk about this. It provided me with a lot of clar-
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ity.” A common concern among leaders was understanding their role in assisting individuals with mental health challenges and individuals experiencing a crisis of suicidal ideation. It is often that we are unsure how to deal with certain challenging circumstances, and it is a testament to the community leaders willingness to learn and leadership for identifying their boundaries and reaching out to learn more about others the services available for people to seek the intervention they require. With the current heightened climate due to COVID-19, the embracing of these conversations and workshops is as important as ever. As part of Educaid Au’s work in educating and creating awareness in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, it continues to emphaise the importance of bridging the gap between community and already existing services. For this reason, invitations were extended to representatives from two crisis services to inform partic-
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ipants of crisis intervention and supports they provide to communities. Ryan Roumieh (Suicide Prevention Services Coordinator, Lifeline Macarthur), presented to the group about the types of services and supports Australia’s leading suicide prevention service provides to all Australians experiencing a personal crisis. Hayat Line’s Operations Manager, Mariam Ardati, shared examples of cases within the Muslim community who are struggling with mental illness and experience suicidal ideation and the need for culturally sensitive services. Participants were informed that Hayat Line is a free and confidential crisis support line for Muslims in Australia supporting individuals when experiencing a personal crisis or emotional distress. By starting the important conversation around Suicide amongst leaders, we hope the impact of breaking down the stigma and better addressing mental health related issues will be felt across communities. Summed up very nicely and after attending the workshop, Imam Tahar Mechraoui
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(Imam- Carramar Mosque) stated “Life is a gift, and we are all responsible to save it”. Let us all be that support for those who need it during their difficult times” after attending the workshop. Educaid Australia remains committed in their mission of increasing mental health literacy in school, community and workplaces. Reach out via email info@educaidau. com to find out about our programs, courses and initiatives. If you or a friend are experiencing a crisis and need support, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or you can visit www.lifeline. org.au and initiate an online chat or text. You can also contact Mission of Hope’s Hayat Line between 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday on 1300 993 398 or you can visit www.missionofhope.org.au. Ayesha Ardati is the Cofounder and Head of Administration of educAID Australia and is based in Sydney, Australia.
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Community icon presented with Australian award Continued from page 1 Dr Ahmad was accompanied by his eldest son Zia Ahmad and daughters Fauzia Siddiqui and Najia Khalil at the award ceremony at Government House in Sydney. By profession, a retired engineer and academic having earned his major qualifications at Aligarh Muslim University, India, University of Wisconsin, USA and University of Sydney, Australia, he taught at various universities in India, Australia and Papua New Guinea. A Quranic scholar of international standing, having obtained his Islamic education
from original sources after mastering English, Urdu, Arabic and Farsi languages, his major passion in life is, and has been for most of his life, the application of Islam in the daily life of mankind, both for Muslims and people of other faiths and beliefs. Dr Ahmad lives in Sydney with his wife Jamal Ara Ahmad surrounded by 70+ strong extended family and is a father, grandfather and great grandfather. The citation announced at the event for the award included a long list of services that he has been rendered by him to the Australian community during the last 50 years.
Dr Ahmad with his daughter Fauzia Siddiqui (left), son Zia Ahmad and daughter Najia Khalil after the investiture ceremony at the Government House front lawn in Sydney.
Dr Ahmad’s community achievements • Founding Secretary, Australian Islamic Mission (AIM) 1972. • Founding President, Muslims Australia (also known as Australian Federation of Islamic Councils AFIC) 1976-77. • Editor-in-Chief, Australian Muslim Times 1991; Chief Advisor, Australasian Muslim Times AMUST, 2014-current. • Member, Board of Trustees, International Council of Islamic Information (United Kingdom), since 1993. • Founder and Patron, Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM) 1993. • Founder, Member and Patron, Aligarh Muslim University Alumni of Australia (AMUAA), since 1992. • Member, Association for Indian Muslims (United States), 1992. • Founder and Patron, Islamic Foundation for Education and Welfare, since 1986. • Co-Founder and Chief Organiser, Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair (MEFF), since 1985. • Founder and Member, Council of Islamic Affairs New South Wales (now ICNSW), 1974-1976. • Founding President, Sydney University Muslim Students Association, 1972-1974. • Assembly Member, Council of Parliament of World Religions, USA, since 1993. • Establishment of the Interfaith Youth Friendship Centre, 2006.
Awards and recognition of Dr Ahmad’s contribution • Lifetime Achievement Award, Australian Muslim Achievement Awards, 2011. • Sir Syed Award, AMU Alumni of Australia, 2003. • Centenary Medal for contribution to Australian society, 2001. • Services to Islam Award, Australian Muslim Professionals (FAMP), 1994. • Community Service Award in recognition of a valuable contribution to the Bicentenary, 1988. OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
Dr Ahmad reflecting on half a century of community service in Australia after the award ceremony. Dr Ahmad showcasing his OAM medals with his great-grandchildren Eesa and Halimah Bokhari.
Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad: One of Australia’s most honoured Muslim citizens Dr Aslam Abdullah It was the winter of December 1992, the extremely deadliest winter of India ever. On the sixth day of this unforgettable month, Hindu extremists raided the 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya and demolished it brick by brick, leading to a chain of events that forever changed the country. That day’s events would lead to pogroms against Muslims in which 2,000 Indians got killed. During that time, the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin was conducting its Annual Convention to in Delhi in order to recognise high achievers in 10th and 12th grades in Indian schools. The education of Muslims was the central theme of the Convention, but the reference to the demolished mosque was inevitable during that time at the gathering. The first day sessions focussed on the general plight of Muslims. One of the speakers gave a comprehensive talk on conditions leading to the demolition of the masjid. He broke down several times describing the illiteracy, poverty, powerlessness, and persecution of Muslims in independent India. Concluding his speech, he asked
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Muslim leaders and intellectuals, “why did they let this happen? And asked their counterparts in the Hindu community, “how long will you continue to let it happen.” The audience was mesmerised and speechless. After the speech, there was absolute silence, which still rings in my ears until this day. This speaker was Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad, an Australian citizen of Indian Origin. A caring man, a dedicated community leader, a humanitarian in its real sense, a Quranic scholar, a passionate patriarch of a large family, and a compassionate intellectual, whom Australia recognised this year worthy of Order of Australia (OAM). I had heard of him and had met him in our home in Delhi where he often visited my father, a close friend with whom he would spent hours discussing issues relevant to Islam, Muslims, and India. He always appeared as a loving and compassionate person for young and old and I have kept in touch with him and his family over the past few decades. I wish to convey my congratulations to him for his high achievements and recognition by the community and the government of Australia. This is a shortened version of the full article on AMUST website.
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International webinar raises concern over “societal genocide” in Turkey Meryem Aydogan Four very special guests from four corners of the world came together on Tuesday 25 August to talk about the Erdocide: Erdogan’s Neo-Modern Societal Genocide, on Advocate’s for Dignity’s second human rights themed webinar. With four very different timezones in play, former Turkish Naval Officer, Huseyin Demirtas; former Head of Department of Public Management at Adiyaman University, Dr Bayram Erzurumluoglu; founder of Global Dialogue for Justice Dr Merj Hemp, and Australia’s very own, former executive producer of ABC Four Corners, Dr Peter Manning, led an eye-opening discussion on the meaning of societal genocide and its prevalence in modern day Turkey. Since the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, Turkey’s AKP government declared a state of emergency to purge more than 1 million of its citizens. Over one hundred thousand people were arrested on terrorism charges, with those dismissed from their jobs made to live in an open-air prison. The stigma made it difficult to find employment, leaving many in dire financial situations. Some chose to flee whilst others continue to live on family handouts without a job, a future and with withering optimism. President of Advocates for Dignity, Mr Mehmet Saral, opened the webinar by stating that calling the unlawful crackdown in Turkey a genocide may appear too harsh, as the traditional definition of genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people, particularly those of a particular race or ethnicity. As ethnic groups are not being murdered, how can we call what is happening in Turkey a genocide, he asked. To answer this question, Dr Bayram ex-
The Proud Old Lineage Dr Reginald Naulty [ “We poets of the proud old lineage who sing to find your hearts, we know not why..” James Elroy Flecker. The Golden Journey To Samarkand.”] When found, they are free to follow their imaginations, gladly, wherever they may lead: into another personhood which is more satisfying than now: perhaps designing a garden, or making an idealist`s vow, or something more physical, like a splashing sailor on the oceans far, or something more fanciful, with a different body, like a butterfly, or a flower, or a tree. They dream of liberation, and further off, obscurely, a destination. Dr Reginald Naulty, originally from Adelaide, has taught at Charles Sturt University and has been a prolific writer since 1972.
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plained the theory of ‘societal genocide’. He stated that genocide is the implementation of a massive and systematic plan of action intended to destroy all or part of a social group or groups, and is a process that requires preparation, legitimisation and consensus. “Societal genocide is a form of crime against humanity. It is when you intend to destroy all or part of a social group, along with their friends, relatives, acquaintances or anyone who sympathises or empathises with them, as is happening in Turkey with the Gulenists, many Kurds and other dissidents of President Erdogan,” he said. “Atrocities committed by political Islamists in Turkey, as part of Erdogan’s regime, is termed ‘societal genocide’ firstly because the regime planned, prepared, legitimised and socially engineered majority of the public’s consent to the atrocities committed as part of its political Islamist ideology, similar to ISIS and the Taliban,” he continued. “Secondly, they have labelled, targeted, and victimised thousands of innocent people for crimes that either did not exist or were not committed, on the basis of government blacklists prepared weeks, months or years in advance. Targeted populations were so
demonised or dehumanised that husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings, and friends could also be targeted or punished for simply being acquainted with labelled ‘criminals’ or ‘terrorists’.” These steps, which form part of what Dr Bayram calls Turkey’s neo-patrimonial-sultanism regime, are tightly aligned with Gregory Stanton’s ‘10 Stages of Genocide’. Huseyin Demirtas, who was unfairly dismissed by Erdogan’s bureaucracy after serving in the Turkish Navy for twenty-two years, authored the book ‘Erdocide: The Creepiest Human Trauma’, based on the concept of social genocide in Turkey. He elaborated on this concept, stating, “First they produce a privileged clan, they produce blacklists to use as genocidal execution lists under the regime, then they silence the media and society. The privileged clan has absolute power in the state and decide the detainments, purges and dismissals that take place, whether the alleged terrorism crimes really took place or not.” “Erdocide is a symbolic name… They are killing socially, civilly, economically… they are blocking economic channels from reaching people to survive in society. They are using prisons as concentration camps. They
are preventing medical care from reaching those in custody,” he continued. Dr Merj Kemp, who joined the webinar from the Sunshine State of Florida, reflected on the political turbulence in Turkey based on her own experiences of growing up under a brutal, marshal law in the Philippines. “Injustice is not new to me, in the Philippines and here in the USA… During the People Power Revolution in the Philippines, every sector of society said enough of dictatorship, killings and torture. People from all walks of life set aside their differences and said we have to topple this dictator,” she said. “Nuns, farmers, students, and military officers… in the end they realised they need to side with the right side of justice and history and that happened only because they made that commitment to work together.” She concluded the webinar with an encouraging message: “I think there is hope for Turkey. It is just a matter of time before the people of Turkey say enough is enough.”
rector SAF) and Sara Kalam (Advisor SAF) were present. SAF Australia and AusRelief aim to work together in future offering each other support for relief work both locally and internationally.
Daniya Syed is a student of Year 9, she is technology enthusiast and have participated in FLL International Robotics Championship competitions. Daniya also has keen interest in community related activities and volunteers herself for various charity organisations.
Meryem Aydogan is a final year Law and Journalism Student at the University of Technology, Sydney, and is based in Sydney, Australia.
Afridi Foundation Australia donates for Beirut appeal Daniya Syed Proud moments for Shahid Afridi Foundation Australia as executive team paid a visit to AusRelief headquarters earlier in September and presented a cheque of AUD $5,000 on behalf of donors from Pakistani community to help relief activities as part of Beirut Crisis Appeal. Shahid Afridi Foundation is a global charity organisation having its chapters all around the world supporting underprivileged people in Pakistan by providing them Health, Education and Clean dining water. The foundation has also helped over 35000 families in Pakistan who were affected by COVID-19 by providing them food packs. AusRelief is a relief, development and advocacy non-governmental Organisation (NGO) that is dedicated to alleviating poverty, sickness and under development using intelligent short & long term self sustainability solutions. At this occasion Mr Walid Ayad (CEO AusRelief), Mr Tom Zreika (Councillor Cumberland City Council), Mr Danny Miqati (Chaiman AIA), Mr Syed Atif Faheem (Country Director SAF), Mr Muhammad Ashraf (Director SAF), Ms Erum Atif (Di-
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Mainul for Yerrabi in ACT elections Manarul Islam Mainul Haque, a wellknown Muslim community leader in Canberra, is standing for the Greens in the seat of Yerrabi, in Canberra’s north, in the October ACT elections. Mainul is also the ACT Greens spokesperson for Multicultural Affairs during the campaign. After receiving his education in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Canada and Australia, Mainul settled in Canberra. Professionally an economist, he has been living in Canberra for nearly three decades, working as a public servant in several federal government agencies focussing on policy. Mainul was President of the Canberra Muslim Community between 2016 and 2019, during which time he led the development and delivery of the multimillion-dollar Gungahlin Mosque project. Mainul has also served as President of the Bangladesh Australia Association Canberra, President of the Canberra Islamic School and Treasurer of the Islamic Society of ACT. During his time in Canada, Mainul was the Vice President of the Muslim Students Association in Canada. Currently he is serving in several boards including, ACT Government’s Multicultural Advisory Council, Gold Creek Homestead Advisory Panel, Canberra Refugee Action Campaign, Canberra Interfaith Forum and
Mainul Haque - ACT Greens candidate for Yerrabi.
“I’m for
need based policies and not greed.
the Gungahlin Community Council. Mainul’s community service accomplishments include: • raising over $2.8 million to construct the Gungahlin Mosque. This involved successful engagement with Canberrans originating from nearly 40 different heritages • establishing a children’s playground at the Yarralumla Mosque in 2006 07 when he was President of the Canberra Islamic
School • establishing a CALD network for his department for which the team received the Secretary’s Award • recognition by the Bangladesh High Commission in 2007 as one of 10 important Bangladeshi Australians. Earlier this year, Mainul helped secure a $450,000 grant from the ACT Government to assist international students and temporary visa holders affected by Covid-19. This outcome was mainly achieved through his Op-ed in The Canberra Times in April 2020.
Mainul has also actively supported community based groups like HelpingACT to support the most vulnerable in our community during this difficult time. To underscore his broad appeal several of Canberra’s ethnic communities have hosted BBQs and other activities to raise his profile and relay his campaign commitments to the community. As an ACT Greens candidate, he has secured an election commitment from his party to: 1. Build a large multipurpose Community Cenre. 2. Revitalise Yerrabi Pond to create a ‘mini Darling Harbour without the apartments’ leading to a daily ‘multicultural food festival’ at the Yerrabi Pond foreshore. 3. Expand Gungahlin CIT to provide opportunities for all ages. “I’m for need based policies and not greed,” he said. “This is the first time a major political party in Canberra has published a large multipurpose community centre as an election commitment.” According to Mainul, these commitments will create jobs, provide opportunities for small businesses, and bring families and communities together for a more harmonious society for all Canberrans. Mainul is also an avid outdoorsman, regularly visiting the many campsites, rivers and mountains with his friends and family to take in what the Canberra’s natural surrounds offers the residents and encourages sustainable practices so that these environments remain pristine for the native flora and fauna as well as for future generations of visitors. Manarul Islam is an IT professional, community worker and AMUST correspondent based in Canberra.
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PTI Australia in action New leadership for Group PTI Australia Meet & Greet. Standing from left: Sujahir ul Salam, Sakib Manzoor, Shafqat Ali, Ghulam Jillani, Farhan Talib, Tariq Chaudhary, Master Hashim with “Father”, Zahir Hussain with “Son”, Sitting from left: Shayyan Ali, Sami Bari, Bassam Sheikh, Nadir Hafiz, Touheed Javed Mohammad, Khalid Saroha and Muhammad Ali. (Photo by Hamza Jamil Islam).
MEFF Eid Festival Hanif Bismi.
Management Committee President Hanif Bismi Vice President 1 Usaid Khalil Vice President 2 Ali Alsalami Vice President 3 Aamir Ahmad
Shafqat Ali Australian Chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI Australia) was established to promote Imran Khan’s vision in overseas Pakistani Community in Australia. Since its establishment, the local team has been working on many projects and holding community events and fundraiser for various projects in Pakistan. Recently their Intra-Party election was conducted between two panels “Collaborators” & “Unity” which was won by Unity Panel. Here is a brief introduction of the elected team. Dr Nadir Hafiz (President) is a psychiatrist by profession. He is affiliated with PTI since 2012. Bassam Sheikh (Senior Vice President) is an ICT professional with project management experience and working at UTS. He is with PTI since it was formed 24 years ago. OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
He is Ex-President PTI Victoria Chapter. Sami Ather (General Secretary) is an IT professional with a degree in business as well. Ha has been affiliated with PTI since 2012. He is also Ex-President PTI Victoria Chapter. Touheed Javed Mohammad (Additional General Secretary) is multi-skilled IT professional and Entrepreneur. Formerly, he was Deputy Event Manager in PTI NSW chapter. On the 12 September, the newly elected team invited all PTI members to meet and greet with them at Nurragingy Reserve Knox Rd, Doonside, NSW. The program started around 11 am with sausage sizzle BBQ and continued with a networking session. Later, President Nadir Hafiz addressed the present members and share his vision, goals and plans for this tenure. Expressions of interest can be sent to: samiather@gmail.com. The event was streamed live on YouTube and Facebook by Young Innovators & Pakoz Team and can be watched on PakOZ YouTube channel https://tinyurl.com/pakozyt
Zia Ahmad Australia’s first, the largest and the longest running Eid Festival, the Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair MEFF with a very long track record of holding 37 Sydney mega-events continuously during the last 35 years was cancelled this year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MEFF 2020 was replaced instead with an online webinar on the schedule date of the festival on Sunday 7 June. The next MEFF 2021 will be held in June 2021 Inshallah. The Annual General Meeting of the Australian MEFF Consortium, organisers of the Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair was held on Sunday 13 September online with the presentation of the Annual Report and election of the Management Committee and selection of Office Bearers for the next two years. The leadership of MEFF has been passed on to the newly elected President, Mr Hanif Bismi who has been associated with MEFF in various positions for a number of years. The larger MEFF Festival Committee has been constituted and will be gradually expanded to prepare for MEFF 2021.
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Secretary Fauzia Bismi Assistant Secretary Najia Khalil Treasurer Manar Ahmad Assistant Treasurer Saminah Ahmad
Trustees
The management committee also includes two trustees elected for a period of four years 2020-2024. Zia Ahmad Shujaat Siddiqui Zia Ahmad also continues in his position as Public Officer.
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‘Mental torture’: Muslim immigration detainees allege their food is not halal Faseeha Hashmi Muslim immigration detainees in Brisbane have filed a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission claiming they have not been given certified halal food for more than 12 months; infringing upon their human rights. Recent protests near Kangaroo Point hotel in Brisbane have placed a spotlight on the makeshift detention centre. The facility hosts around 100 refugees and asylum seekers who were evacuated from Nauru and Papua New Guinea (PNG) for medical reasons. These men, mostly of Muslim faith, have alleged that the establishment has not provided them with halal food and failed to meet their human rights. “After research and investigation we find out the food has been provided by Serco is
not halal food and this is from the beginning when we arrive in Brisbane,” said Iranian detainee Amin Afrid. After detainees challenged Serco, the company responsible for operating the premise to show them halal certification, it was discovered that the caterers were not halal certified. Allegedly breaching its contract with Australian Department of Home Affairs, Serco subsequently confirmed to the detainees, that the caterers were “not halal-certified” but “purchase meat from halal-certified suppliers”. The contract obtained under Freedom of Information laws – states that it “must prepare food for detainees of Islamic faith which meets the requirements of halal meals by sourcing produce certified as halal by a recognised halal food certification organisation”. Ali Kadri a spokesman for the state’s peak Muslim body and main halal certifier, the Islamic Council of Queensland explained that halal certification ensures that all meat
Police and protesters are seen during a rally in support of asylum seekers detained at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel in Brisbane. Source: AAP.
Orange Red Mountain And The Foreground Lake Fazlul Huq The foreground lake is witnessed to have remained dressed in green. As the foreshore has bodies of rocks and stones hued in grey and blue, orange and white. While the distant shore has the cover of green from countless trees made from edge to footplate of the mountain. That remains dressed in orange and gold. As patches of cloud over the upper sky are hued in the mix of orange and red. Dr Fazlul Huq was an Associate Professor in Discipline of Pathology in the School of Medical Sciences University of Sydney (just retired). Besides being a poet over 29,000 compositions, he used to lead Cancer Research Group focused on drug discovery and therapy. Dr Fazlul Huq is a retired academic and Editor-in-Chief Emanreserch Journal Of Angiotherapy. He is also the poet “Jujube” at Allpoetry.com with over 35,000 compositions.
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Police and protesters are seen during a rally in support of asylum seekers detained at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel in Brisbane. Source: AAP. products and process comply with appropriate religious standards. “[The] source companies are not halal-certified… so it’s irrelevant where these companies are sourcing their food from, because their processes, their procedures, the other ingredients they use do not have assurances,” explained Ali Kadri. Adding to their woes, he explained that detainees already face tense conditions in detention. Many of the men have significant physical and mental health conditions and were transferred to Australia because they could not get relevant treatment in Nauru or PNG. “We are doing enough injustice to them by locking them up without a crime for such a long period of time and if we can’t even provide them (basic food), (to) meet their dietary requirements, it’s a really horrible form of mental torture,” said Ali Kadri. Though in Islam, unknowing consumption of certain foods is not regarded as sinful, nevertheless, such allegations may contravene a violation of human rights. Some detainees have now modified their
diets and have reported that their health is deteriorating due to these revelations. “[I am] having just rice and yoghurt and losing a lot of weight and I’m 55 kg. I feel tired, weak, dizzy, and I get headaches. I have no choice,” said Afrid, a detainee. Lawyers from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) have aided detainees by redressing their grievance with the Australian Human Rights Commission. “They feel this is a huge violation and a huge betrayal of their rights, they feel this needs redress. The substance of the complaint is that it has breached their rights…” said ASRC caseworker Nina Field. It is hoped that the detainee remonstrance will receive a speedy resolution through conciliation with the Australian Human Rights Commission. Faseeha Hashmi, based in Melbourne has a Bachelor of International Relations from La Trobe University and a Master of International Relations from the University of Melbourne. A prolific writer, she has an interest in politics and human security.
Australia’s Father’s Day shame Dr Vacy Vlazna
funds) to Hamas. This fake accusation was officially dismissed by the Australian government in March 2017 and by World Vision, nevertheless the Israeli ‘justice’ department beat, tortured and keeps Mohammed incarcerated. Nevertheless, the Australian government simply threw him to Netanyahu’s wolves. Yet, with typical Gazan sumoud, Khalil persistently pleads to Australia for help, “My son stands by his innocence and without hesitation rejected Israel’s plea deal. He has been honoured by the UN as a Humanitarian Hero and is a loving father of five children, Khalil, 15, Asem, 13, Amro, 9, Rital, 6, and Faris, 4 who miss him so much. He is a fine man and son. My heart is broken for my son. All he was doing was trying to help needy people.” “Every single day I try to do all I can to raise awareness of my son’s cause. Thinking of him humiliated and mistreated eats me up
On Father’s Day this year, I saluted a father whose son, who has not broken Australian law, was betrayed by the Australian government: Khalil El-Halabi’s son, Mohammed, former Gaza/West Bank director of World Vision Australia, continues to be incarcerated by the Jewish state of Israel. For Khalil, on the unjust imprisonment of his son everything fell apart as political shysters sacrificed his child to foreign interests (Israeli). For Khalil, daily a new alien norm of fatherhood is burgeoned with distress and anguish in knowing his child is daily suffering emotionally, physically, and mentally. Within the restrictions of his own incarceration in the wretched Gaza death camp, Khalil El Halabi pursues online his mission to free his son Mohammad who has been illegally held without charge by Israel since 2016 and is forced to attend court over 146 times. This psychological cruelty and abuse of the international standards of the rule of law are condemned by civilised people. Mohammed was falsely accused by the Jewish state of diverting foreign aid (Australian Father, Khalil El-Halabi.
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on the inside. I want to hold him close to my chest and tell him how proud I am for all he has done for Gaza and the Palestinian people.” The majority of Australian politicians are parents and a majority haven’t denounced the grave injustice threatening the child of their parental contemporary. I say this is mainly down to two reasons: • the majority of politicians belong to two major parties and once elected they make the Faustian pact of sacrificing integrity and honour (if ever existed) for ambition which means. . . • by towing the party line that involves, in these three cases, another sacrifice sacrificing Australian sovereignty for subservience to Israeli interests and/or zionist donor monies. On Father’s Day I offered my respect to Khalil for his love, courage and moral integrity and also to our First Nations’ fathers who mourn their child’s death in custody or unjust incarceration. And, lest we forget the aching fathers in distant persecuted lands whose asylum-seeking children are cruelly incarcerated for the past 7 years by our government. Shame Australia. Dr Vacy Vlazna is Coordinator of Justice for Palestine Matters. She is the editor of a volume of Palestinian poetry, I remember my name. ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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UN “Humanitarian Hero” tortured in Israeli prison Chris Hayes MP ‘Every single day I try to do all I can to raise awareness for my son’s cause. I want to hold him close and tell him how proud I am for all the work that he’s done for Gaza and the Palestinian people.’ These are the words of a heartbroken father, Khalil El-Halabi, who recently contacted me regarding the ongoing plight of his son, Mohammed El Halabi, the former director of World Vision Australia operating in Gaza and the West Bank. He was arrested on 15 June 2016 by the Israeli authorities on allegations of funnelling $50 million of World Vision money into the terrorist group Hamas. The father of five, who was responsible for supervising humanitarian relief programs for World Vision, was declared by the United
Nations in 2014 as a ‘humanitarian hero’. It has now been more than four years since his arrest, with the Israeli prosecutors yet to prove the allegations made against him or order his release. According to reports, Mr El Halabi has been subjected to physical and psychological torture, has restricted medical care and limited visitation rights, and has been forced to attend court 146 times, without evidence having been presented to substantiate the allegations. Mr El Halabi’s Jerusalem based lawyer has also been obstructed at every turn. The Israeli courts have imposed unprecedented restrictions on the defence counsel throughout the four-year ordeal, thereby depriving Mr El Halabi of the prospects of a fair trial or the presumption of innocence before the law. His lawyer argues that this is a very clear case of political bias, stating, ‘Mohammed is a scapegoat for a misinformation campaign to intimidate international humanitarian organisations working in Gaza.’
Creating Yourself Zayna Siddiqui I bid farewell to the Atlantis above And explored the expanse of the sea I found the sound of my own breath comforting It reminded me that I am alive I had never felt so alive Yet so calm Peaceful, in a trance Enchanted by the schools of brightly coloured fish and the striking coral Taking a big breath I watched as the the bubbles danced to the surface I swam into an unknown Deeper And deeper I was interrupted from my trance Reality greeted me with a sucker punch I couldn’t stay here forever As much as I wanted to The oxygen would run out of the tank
I’m disgusted with the drama and dirty politics The vile decisions people make to get where they want to be My remedy is the sea The sea is my escape My addiction, obsession without it i would fall apart
I gazed into the magnificent sunset that touched the horizon Intense hues of pinks, oranges, blues and greens blended together As if the sky had been an empty canvas waiting to be splashed with colour
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Mr Chris Hayes MP is the Federal Member for the NSW seat of Fowler and Chief Opposition Whip.
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They know their duty in the world It’s stamped into their minds To help people And make the world a better place
I swam up and broke the stillness sucked in the pure salty air
I had already metamorphosed into a decent human being But, some people are like monsters Contaminated with evil and corruption Their hearts turn black like charcoal of the transgressions they commit
international community continues to place public pressure on Israel to finalise his trial without further delay. In this matter, Israel should and must remain accountable for upholding human rights, maintaining due process and, above all, complying with the rule of law.
However don’t be fooled These people have steel cores If you throw a jab They won’t be afraid to throw one back
What do you want to do with your life? It’s up to you Your actions and words can impact thousands of people Albeit good or bad That’s your choice That you will make
I withdrew to my boat And watched as the world crumbled apart like a disaster cake They should know not to have too much dessert Or else they’ll become heavy with despair Greed filling them up Burdened by their own corruptions Rotten to the core But maybe that’s exactly what they want to be so they can divide and conquer
Investigations conducted by our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and independent auditors, as well as World Vision, have all failed to show any evidence that the money was ever diverted. World Vision has even gone so far as to say ‘the allegations are incomprehensible’ and that Mr El Halabi simply did not have access to the amount of money in question. With no evidence presented thus far by the Israeli authorities to substantiate the charge against Mr El Halabi, it is imperative that the
Some people are kind and genuine They have hearts of gold Their sincere actions reflect their speech Their speech is like pure honey It heals wounds and fights radicals
The only thing I could hear Was my heart exploding Air I needed air It was running out Black spots in my vision Sharp pains in my chest
I desperately wish I could return To the schools of brightly coloured fish and the striking corals But that was for another day I had spent too much time bewitched by the sea
Mohammed Al Halabi arrested by Israel in 2016 has remained in prison under torture.
Tea in hand I sipped out my worries They flew from the prison of my mind Like birds that had received their freedom Tomorrow I will venture into the sea again With hope of finding something new to discover Because ultimately all that you can do, After everything has been done, is Hope. Zayna is a Year 12 student at Unity Grammar College. She enjoys reading, writing and observing the world around her.
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F1 Grand Prix set to return to Turkey in 2020 Faseeha Hashmi Turkey’s Intercity Istanbul Park is poised to host a Grand Prix for the first time since 2011 this year. Formula One has announced that the long-awaited championship is set to return to the city of Istanbul. Intercity Istanbul Park was once well-regarded for its races between 2005 and 2011, then ceased to do so due to commercial reasons. For many, Turkey’s emergence last month as a candidate for a race came as a surprise. The circuit venue has been primed by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who hopes to reintroduce Formula One to the city once more. Nevertheless, the exhilarating race is likely to reinvigorate the countries motorsport industry. Formula One has confirmed the remainder of its 2020 calendar year. Four more races have now been finalised to conclude the season in Turkey, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, taking the total to a potential 17 races this year, should none be adversely impacted by COVID-19.
The prized motorsport has gone to considerable lengths to resume racing during the coronavirus outbreak, this resulted in the postponement and cancellation of various competition for Formula One, Formula E and MotoGP. Despite these trying times, Chairman of circuit owners Intercity Vural AK stated that he aims for an aspirational six-figure crowd and a one-year deal with Formula One to be extended beyond the November race. “We plan to host 100,000 people by applying the highest level of measures (at the racing venue, to prevent the spread of the virus),” said AK. Turkey’s Istanbul Park is regarded as a serious contender with a fearsome reputation amongst the world’s most renowned d r i v ers boasts top speeds of 270kph (170mph), four distinct apexes
and numerous bumps. Of the current grid, only six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez, all of whom have prior experience in Formula One machinery at the circuit. French racing driver Esteban Ocon who has never raced in Turkey enthusiastically stated his eagerness for the upcoming race. “Turkey is a fan-
tastic circuit, if it comes to the calendar, awesome. It’s an old-school circuit, something I was watching on TV when I was younger. [The] massive left-hander, flatout [circuit], is going to be pretty impressive,” animated Ocon.
The perceptual fear of suffering Hena Jawaid Life is a trajectory of challenges of diverse nature. A mind, enriched with knowledge and wisdom is able to see different pictures of a situation. The questions like “why I have been put into it?” “for what reasons, I am being subjected to this trial?”. All these queries confer a meaning to a suffering through which a suffering can become less painful and more enlightening. Everyone in this world has to go through the chain of trials. It is a promise by Allah. “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.” (Quran 2:155) No life is without challenges or worries. It has been observed that individuals who try to decipher the message behind the hardships, grow themselves through tribulations.
On the other hand, people constantly whining and complaining over the pain, troubles and issues have difficulty in looking at the other aspect of a test. They overwhelm their minds and souls with the thoughts which only encircle the dy- namics of i s s u e s (creating extreme scenarios and hold onto the a g o n i s i n g emotions coming out of it). They involuntarily harm their psyche and personal growth in this way. The threat can be better understood by delineating two things. 1. The actual threat – fear coming out of it. 2. The perceptual threat out of actual one – perceptual fear. The perceptual fear is monstrous. It branches out into range of burning emotions and feelings which are the real triggers that sabotage men- tal and physical health. The strong founda- tion of faith, reliance over the God’s decision and
believe in the goodness of nature can shift ones focus to utilise the challenge for personal development. Sometimes , in life, challenges appear to train us but we, unfortunately, are deluded by the grave appear- ance/perception of a challenge and waste our energy by resisting it with all our might. Whereas, the whole prospect can be altered when we accept the flow of events and trust the Divine nature. The Divine nature always mentor and nurture us in one way or another. As Prophet Muhammad (s) said: “Life is good for a momin in all its shapes, he is thankful in times of plenty and pa- tient in times of calamity.” The psycho- logical support to get through the dif- ficult times can be obtained by: 1. Reading biographies of people who were subjected to trials and they nurtured themselves though it (Vic-
tor Frankl, Nelson, Prophets, Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Rumi). 2. Talking to people who can offer perspective on a situation rather than aggravating negative emotions (therapists). 3. Writing your thoughts on a journal. 4. Seek a time out (going away for a reflection walk). 5. Quran recitation (pondering over the stories and examples mentioned by Allah 6. Communicating with Allah (as if He is sitting and listening actively). No one is spared in this world from the face of adversity but as it is wisely said by Charles Bukowski: “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.
my home is. Home is here and home is there, and it is as simple or as complicated as that. Looking at the bright side we get the best of both. Many may find this double life strange and uneasy, I find that there is a sense of liberation in being able to feel comfortable in any place that you are in and it is almost a miracle to be able to call home a place so far, far away
from where you were born. If you are in a similar boat, please tell me if you have found the answer.
Hena Jawaid is a mental health professional having trained in Pakistan and US completing 5 years of medicine and then 4 years training in psychiatry. She has contributed to international and national newspapers, magazines and scientific journals on professional and community issues and spends many hours volunteering for various NGOs.
Living the expat life Mehwesh Ahsan March of 2019 marked a ‘decade’ of living an expat life - a reminder that it has been a ‘decade’ to that leap of faith we took when my husband and I packed our bags to step out of our home country and start a life from scratch in a new country. There are always questions that we get asked about the life as an expat and I thought I can do a mini series of some of these questions and my views on it based on my experiences. When you have a home away from home, the first and foremost question is: Where is YOUR home?
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I think this is one of the most frequently asked questions you face as an expatriate. More than others, you will often find yourself looking for answers. I, for one had to face this question while in my home country, Pakistan, as well because I was born in a different city, brought up in a different city and eventually settled and got married in an entirely different city. Due to the nature of my father’s job, I have lived in other cities too for short periods. So, I have been at the receiving end of this question for a long time. It got easier when I moved abroad in cases where Pakistan is sufficient answer as ‘home country’, until I run into someone who knows a bit about Pakistan and asks me the city and I actually pause to think what answer to give. So, I did not know back then how to answer this question, nor do I know now. I don’t think I would ever have a definite answer perhaps, I will always pause and think of where
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Making events deaf-friendly and accessible Ayah Wehbe In light of International Week of the Deaf 2020 (21- 25 September 2020) and National Mosque Open Day (31 October 2020), I offer tips on how to make our religion, mosques and events accessible for people with hearing loss. I acknowledge that people with other disabilities also face barriers. But I focus on Muslims with hearing loss because I am one myself, and this is part of my PhD research at University of New South Wales (UNSW). Growing up, I faced many barriers trying to access my religion or feel part of the (Muslim) community. Only recently there have been amazing improvements. Lakemba Mosque/ Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) and Imam Husain Islamic Centre (IHIC) are leading the way in Sydney. There are also other organisations also making religion accessible for people with hearing loss. But I (and others like my deaf friend Mevlut) have been involved and consulting with these two organisations for the last few years which includes Auslan (Australian sign language) interpreting for their events/live-streaming and videos. Here are some tips from my experiences: 1. Consult people with lived- experiences. If you don’t know where to start, invite local Muslims with disability for a chat! Learn about their challenges and what resources you can offer. Aim for an ongoing relationship and involve them in your planning. Even better, hire them or pay them for their time. 2. Plan early! I know Arab/Muslim communities tend to leave things last minute. But incorporating inclusive practices and access adjustments need time. Don’t plan your event and then ‘realise oh we didn’t book an interpreter’. Consider what ac-
cess you can provide from the start of planning process and allow time for booking and funding. 3. Funding is a big issue why organisations can’t offer access. Mosques, organisations and the Ummah should take responsibility in covering costs. Include access costs in budget planning, arrange fundraisers, allocate a portion of ticket costs for this. 4. Auslan (Australian sign language) interpreters need at least 2 weeks notice. There is a shortage of interpreters in the country. In Sydney, there are only 2-4 professional Auslan interpreters who are Muslim themselves or have relevant experience. Other interpreters do not have much knowledge about Islam or working in Muslim settings. Be patient with them, offer as much support and information. 5. We need more Muslim Auslan interpreters- especially Muslim Men who can interpret Friday Khutbahs or gender specific situations. Encourage the youth to consider this career or sponsor them! 6. Not everyone knows sign language! There are many other access measures you can take, such as booking live-captioning, priority seating at the front, helpful signage, facing the person when you speak. You can read more in my blogs (Silent Signs) about these challenges and what has been done so far. I hope my PhD will also provide more information as I am observing different religious/community programs and events. I am also currently conducting interviews with Muslim women with hearing loss to find out more about their experiences. I am looking for more Muslim women (Auslan users) to interview.
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Auslan interpreter Rebecca Cramp at event for IHIC. Auslan interpreter Lizzie Price at IHIC.
Ayah Wehbe is a disability researcher and PhD scholar at UNSW Sydney. She is also a community advocate for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Muslims and blogger of Silent Signs.
LMA live held on 9 September with Sh Ahmad Tebbie (left) and Auslan interpreter Rebecca Cramp (right).
My uncle’s stick called Fawzia Rania Ahmed My uncle had a stick he called Fawzia, kept on top of his grey wooden wardrobe. Only its head showed from the top side and it never moved from its place. It just stayed there forcing us to be disciplined whenever we were there. Eleven cousins in a tiny house on Friday morning are hard to have without something breaking. And even though we feared the stick or what it symbolised, it brought out the best in us. Nowadays with the fear surrounding COVID-19, I find myself thinking of Fawzia and how sometimes fearing the consequences and controlling our desire to run havoc can sometimes bring out the best in us. Some of us now learnt to appreciate things they passed by everyday and never had the head space to see. Some changed a lot of their ways to the better and found ways to enjoy life for what it is now. Some decided to change careers and fulfil dreams they never otherwise would have. And Some started to reassess and reprioritise only to realise they had it all wrong. So what beauty has COVID-19 OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
brought out in you? For me, I changed. I started to relive different verses of the Quran via contemplation. We have high-rises and armies and money yet an unseen organism has brought the world to it knees. This is when a verse from Surah Al-Rahman came to mind: “ So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?”. This virus has helped me appreciate what I once took for granted, and affirmed a lot of things for me. It affirmed that I am not that strong after all, we are not that powerful after all! It was a reminder that Allah is great and always will be. It affirmed that
he doesn’t need us, we need him. I see that when I watch people crying outside the mosques because they miss prostrating now that they cannot. It affirmed how much we need Allah in our lives. I started writing again, to heal my wounds and others. I realised that so many people are hurting, and together we can help each other up. I realised how much I love nature, and how beautiful Allah’s creation really is. I finally have time to properly have my heart and soul in my prayer, and not the list of how many things I need to do per day. I started to hear the birds tweet and I started star gazing. How can anyone be surrounded
by so much beauty and not see it? I decided to change careers and that life is short so it is best do pursue something that you are passionate about. I changed from the science field and decided to study counselling so I make a difference and help people. I wanted to study human behaviour and learn more of how the Nafs works. How a creature so fragile and be so deluded into thinking he is so powerful. Powerful enough to step on everything and everybody, only to be reminded by the creator that he is nothing. He owns nothing, he controls nothing and he will go back to God with nothing. As one of my teachers once described the human being as the “Chosen Zero”. Someone who is worth nothing but was chosen by God to be something. Let us try and learn from COVID-19 and my favourite stick Fawzia, that sometimes within calamities our hearts evolve to the better, and sometimes fear can save lives. It can warn us about harm, spiritual and physical harm. It can transform our days to the better and definitely bring out the best in us. Rania Ahmed is a Melbourne based writer and poet. Her aim is to change perspective via her and therefore inspire the change from within.
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Hindutva trying hard to impact US elections Dr Aslam Abdullah Learning from the American Israeli Political Action Committee, the Hindutva fascist group in India, the RSS, in its strategy meeting as early as 2012, concluded that through its sympathisers and members in the US, it could emulate the Jewish lobby groups in influencing US politics in their favour. It decided to create a lobby to impact the US policies towards a BJP controlled India if it has sufficient US Congress and Senate members with a supporting President. The US Hindu organizations that fed them with vital information of the US electoral process and its money-based politics were the Hindu Vishwa Parishad of America (VHPA) formed in 1970 and the Hindu American Federation, HAF, in 2003. Both these groups owe their origin to Golwalkar, the Hindutva leader who was an ardent supporter of Hitler and his policy of the annihilation of Jews. The Hindutva lobby is now mature and ready to flex its muscles in the 2020 election. For the lobby, their entry is like a stealth Yudh (religious war) to preserve the interests of their kind of Hindus and Hinduism. Obviously, they are not confined to the US but they have already made inroads in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Its leader, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, openly casts his non-existing vote for Trump. Its parties RSS and BJP instruct the VHP, HAF, and different outfits, including Hindu Republican and Hindu Democratic Pacs, to make inroads in the political circles. It is an example of how a foreign country uses its influence in the US to impact elections. The Pacs have donated extensively, mostly to Hindu candidates. In this election, the Hindutva lobby is investing heavily in a candidate contesting an open seat in Texas’s 22nd Congressional district. The Hindutva forces in their internal circles describe Sri Preston Kulkarni as a Hindu warrior in the Dharam Yudh (reli-
Joe Biden.
gious war) to preserve the interest of the fascist group of RSS. Even though the candidate pretends to be a secularist, yet he has no objections to the funds, the Hindutva supporters have contributed to his campaign. The report of Peter Freidrich explains the flow of Hindutva money to the candidate in detail. https://tinyurl.com/y43qvfoy District 22 covers a mostly suburban south-central portion of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. It included the majority of Fort Bend County, including most of the Sugarland, Missouri City, Rosenberg, Needville, and the county seat of Richmond and the Greater Katy area west of Houston. Additionally, the district also contains portions of northern Brazoria County, including Pearland and Alvin, and a small part of southeast Harris County centered on Friendswood. Republican Pete Olson represents the district, who is not running in 2020. It has a population of 881, 407, and the majority of the residents identifies as Republicans. Sri Preston Kulkarni, who was the 2018 Democratic nominee for this seat, faces off once again for this seat, but this time against Fort Bend County incumbent Sheriff Troy Nehls. Kulkarni, born in Louisiana to Kulkarni and Margret Preston is a nephew of slain BJP general secretary Parmod Mahajan and speaks English, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Hebrew. The Muslim voters are swing voters as they may determine the outcome. In the last election, Olson defeated Sri by a margin of less than 14,000 votes. Of the over 138,000 votes Sri got, some 15 percent were Mus-
Kamala Harris. lims because many Imams and a Muslim political action committee Emgage, came to his support. It was part of an exchange of Sri’s help to a Muslim, who was running for a Sugarland City Council seat. But they supported him mainly because they did not know the background of Sri and his unspoken relations with the Hindutva groups and leaders. They were not fully aware of the Hindutva. In 2020, Sri relies on the Emgage director and a few religious leaders and Muslim physicians to attract Muslim votes. Emgage, Houston, director, and a few local Muslim physicians are his sycophants as said by many Muslims of the district. One of the voters, said that the Muslim supporters of Sri have made it a prestige and ego issue and may not change their position even if the community rejects Sri. Sri has held a few meetings through zoom with Muslims of the district. In one such session, the community was not allowed to ask questions about donations (read the article clicking the link above to understand the extent of funds given by Hindutva hate mongers) that Sri has got from Hindutva fanatics. In such a meeting, those who expressed their intention to question Sri on RSS were blocked. Many who attended these meetings called them a big joke. The Hindutva are presenting this race as part of their religious crusade in the USA. But they are aware that without Muslim support, Sri may not win the election. Hence, they have reportedly recruited Muslim individuals who ignored the Hindutva groups’ anti-Muslim and anti-Muslim policies in the
Donald Trump. US and India. These groups have reportedly accepted lynching as part of the Hinduisation of India, and they held celebration when their leader Modi inaugurated the construction of a Temple, built on the Babri mosque site destroyed by Hindutva terrorists in 1992. These Muslims refuse to accept facts and through their political support, stabbing Muslim Indians and weakening the cause of the community in the country. Unfortunately, the national executive of Emgage, a Muslim PAC, is silent on this. It is time to question such Muslim groups for their support of candidates whose hidden agenda is to serve forces determined to annihilate Muslims in India. The Muslims living in District-22 must make a distinction between facts and deception. The Hindutva forces are using deceptive tactics to get Sri elected, and if Muslims who support him do not see the truth, the community will suffer in the US as well as in India and elsewhere. The Democratic party must take note of the fact that a foreign government through its connections with Hindutva groups in the USA is interfering in the US election. Dr Aslam Abdullah is a resident scholar at Islamicity.org. He is also the editor of the Muslim Observer published from Detroit, MI, USA. He is based in the USA and is a trustee of the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin. He has taught at several colleges and universities in India, England, and the USA.
Exam time: Is the government putting students’ lives at risk in India? Faseeha Hashmi Soon, millions of Indian students are anticipated to sit their long-awaited university entrance exams, yet, this year the prized exams are at the centre of growing controversy as the country reaches new heights in the spread of coronavirus. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) are both annual competitive tests that effectively determine the fate of millions of Indian students. These esteemed examinations dictate the careers for medical and engineering colleges, respectively; two professions highly-regarded in India. The issue, however, has taken a political turn after state governments opposed to the decision of the education ministry to hold the examination and potentially expose hundreds of thousands of students and their
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families to COVID-19. In response, students have protested on Twitter and other social media platforms demanding the government postpone the tests. Adding further mental pressure and anxiety to students, are fears of contracting the virus on the way to the exam centre, or at the overcrowded centre itself, risking lives. Yet, COVID-19 is not the only issue. Floods have ravaged the states of Bihar and Assam, affecting as many as 8 million people imposed to lockdown until 6 September; complicating
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matters further. Recognising the pleas of the studious, Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg weighed in on the students’ behalf that the exams were an unjust expectation upon Indian students. “It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the COVID-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID,” twitted Greta. Regrettably, India’s Supreme Court dismissed the students’ petitions, saying that “ultimately life has to go on and the career of the students cannot be put
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on peril for long and a full academic year cannot be wasted”. Indian leaders have contended that further delays will squander the academic year. “Students and guardians constantly put pressure on us to conduct the examinations,” said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. Furthermore, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exams, has so far refused to reschedule the critical test due to the pandemic, stating that it can no longer be put off. In India, the pressures of academic achievement and family expectations are well-pronounced and tremendously cherished. Though concerns of holding back academic progress are relevant arguments, it certainly should not be gambled for placing the wellbeing of students at risk. In a supremely competitive environment, this may be their only chance of applying for colleges and launching their careers. ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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Senator Kristina Keneally: Counter-Terrorism Dialogue 2020 In his first annual threat assessment in February, ASIO Director General Mike Burgess caught the public’s attention when he named right-wing extremism as a terrorist threat. Australia’s 2015 Counter-terrorism strategy – the last one that was released – takes a broad approach to the violent extremism problem. But, reflecting the threat environment of the time, the Strategy focuses almost entirely on the violent jihadist threat. Unfortunately, as a country, we have a long way to go on right-wing extremism. We have not even had a serious, national conversation about how the Australian right-wing extremist who carried out the Christchurch terrorist attacks was radicalised… and the extent to which that radicalisation has its roots in Australian right-wing extremist groups. We must ask how ideas in Australian mainstream society encouraged him. Many of the ideas espoused in the right-wing extremist space have historical roots or have broader mainstream resonance and support. Take the generally positive notions patriotism, pro-family, or ethnic pride. There’s nothing wrong with being patriotic or pro-family or proud of your ethnic background, of course – I consider myself all three. But these generally positive characteristics are increasingly being used by extremists and other actors to subvert people to darker, racist, anti-immigrant, nationalistic and fascist views. There is easy slippage between mainstream ideas and right-wing extremist views. The fringe becomes normalised and generally positive notions about country and family become divisive constructs. It’s not just extreme ideas that get normalised, and weaponised, by borrowing from the mainstream. The preferred – albeit legal – social media outlets of the right-wing fringe gain legitimacy when Australian parliamentarians join and promote them, as has happened in recent months. Clearly, leadership on keeping Australians safe from the threat of right-wing extremism must begin with the Federal Government. National security is, after all, a federal responsibility. Tonight, I will briefly outline five steps we can and should take now. These five are not an exhaustive list, but rather a first step to build a country that is resistant and resilient in the face of the rising threat of right-wing extremism. These five steps are proscription, prevention, protection online, pronunciation and positive reinforcement. You will note that I do not include legislation or security focused solutions in that list. This is not because I do not value those responses. New laws, new ways of bringing together law enforcement and security agencies – such as the joint Counter terrorism task forces – have served us well, and I expect them to continue to do so. But these are not the only way – or even the most effective way – to tackle the right-wing extremist threat. Let’s start with Proscription of right-wing extremist groups. All of our Five Eyes partners – Canada, the United Kingdom, the US and New Zealand – have proscribed right-wing extremist groups as terrorist organisations. Australia has not listed any. We are the odd one out. In fact, just last week New Zealand proscribed Brenton Tarrant – the individual – as a “terrorist entity”, the first time for such a proscription. I am well aware that the debate around proscribing right-wing extremist groups is contentious because of the amorphous and fractured nature of the group scene here in Australia. But we need to remember why proscripOCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
tion was originally created – to recognise and send a message about what we, as a community, reject. When Australia’s proscription laws were introduced in 2002, the Federal Government looked directly to the rationale for proscription offered by the United Kingdom, quote: “a clear symbol of public revulsion and reassurance that severe measures are being taken”. In plain English, in other words… we won’t tolerate this. This symbolic value of executive proscription should not be overlooked. I accept that some argue that Australian right-wing extremist “groups” (to use that term loosely) are too fractured to meet the proscription threshold, or savvy enough to stay just below the proscription threshold. But there are international groups that have been proscribed by our Five Eyes counterparts that have linkages to Australia and could be proscribed here. Such proscription would be symbolic, but it would be more than just symbolic. Some experts suggest that, in our increasingly networked world, any practical distinction between domestic and international terrorism has almost gone completely. Movements do not exist in isolation, but rather link and take inspiration from each other and from individuals within movements. For example, look at the string of attacks started by Anders Brevik in 2011. Each successive attack cited and built upon the previous as an inspiration, tragically including the Christchurch attacks by one of our own. A group does not have to have a fully formed up chapter here in Australia to pose a threat to Australian interests, or the Australian people. Now let’s look at Prevention. Right-wing extremist views are not going to wither away on their own like some passing fad. Right-wing extremism is on the rise. Concerningly, COVID may be accelerating the problem, with more people at home, without work, in front of screens, and ripe for propaganda, recruitment and radicalisation. Australia needs to just as serious about preventing the creation of terrorists as it is about dealing with individuals once they are radicalised. Since 2013-14, the Department of Home Affairs has allocated over $53 million to CVE programs. This funding covers a wide range of activities, and it’s unclear how much of any present funding allocation – if any – is allocated to those at risk of rightwing extremism. However, there is no doubt there is an over-emphasis on Islamic extremism and under-emphasis on right-wing extremism
in historical federal CVE funding priorities. Some of our Federal leaders speak about “all forms of extremism” as if various ideologies can be lumped into one category and addressed with the same solutions. CVE programs, both on the governmental and non-governmental level, must now be designed to address specific forms of violent extremism, and tailored accordingly. Next, let’s look at Protection online. Labor supports the Christchurch Call initiatives. I am aware of some of the issues that platform providers have encountered in interpreting and applying the legislation, but we should see these issues as an opportunity to improve the legislation, not abandon it. We should also be exploring definitions of online hate, and we need to work with social media platforms to delete accounts and remove content that promotes extreme right-wing ideology and violence. I was alarmed earlier in the year when I heard the Home Affairs Minister tell ABC Insiders that right-wing extremists were on the dark web and were hard to track down. Right-wing extremists are hiding in plain sight, on Facebook and other common use social media platforms. They use certain words and phrases that have everyday meanings but also convey coded content to those ‘in the know.’ In pockets of far right and anarchist groups, there’s a word often bandied about… it’s “boogaloo.” In January, NPR first reported that fringe movements including right-wing militias and “patriot groups” had begun using the word “boogaloo” on social media as a thinly veiled code for a race-based or civil war. Both Twitter and Facebook have removed accounts and content relating to right-wing extremists in recent months, but no doubt there is more than can be done to identify when people are searching for certain words or phrases to disrupt and deter them. Next let me talk briefly about Pronunciation. We also need our national leadership to be consistent in pronouncing – that is naming – and condemning right-wing extremist views. Leaders’ words have power, and when our national security agencies identify a threat to the security of the Australian people, our national leaders have a responsibility to publicly pronounce and condemn this behaviour when it occurs. Some of us will remember the debates about whether to identify terrorist activity motivated by Islamic extremism as Islamic. It was an understandable debate – after all, it was not in our national interest to vilify a religion that hundreds of thousands of our citizens practiced peacefully. I’m a trained theologian and a Catholic. I confess I never had a problem with the term Islamic extremism, because I understood it for what it was – an extreme, and
Media Scan Ainullah
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perverted, form of Islamic theology. I did not see all Islamic people as responsible for the actions of Islamic extremists, any more than I saw all Catholics responsible for the actions of paedophile priests and the bishops who protected them. And if you are really interested, I wrote an article on the Catholic extremism – specifically, a perverted form of ecclesiology, or theology of the church – that motivated the bishops to hide paedophile priests. It’s on the Guardian website if you are really keen. If we can’t name a problem, we can’t explain and understand it, and we certainly can’t begin to address it. Yet all too often we see labels applied to right-wing extremists that minimise the motivations and ideology behind their actions – something that rarely occurs when Islamist terrorism is even suspected. Attackers like Brenton Tarrant are not merely “gunmen” or “murderers” – as some of the local press, both the ABC and NewsCorp, described him last week. Tarrant and people like him are terrorists and proponents of a vile ideology – rightwing extremism – and must be named out loud. Lastly, let’s look at Positive reinforcement. Malcolm Turnbull is fond of saying Australia is the most successful multicultural nation on earth. He is right. This isn’t an accident. For the past four decades we have committed ourselves to creating a multicultural society where people are valued for who they are rather than where they come from. But we have also worked hard to acknowledge that Australia is a more interesting and successful place because we have taken in and taken on board the customs, food, traditions and culture of every land on earth. Every generation must positively reinforce the values of our multicultural community, or we risk losing it. This means we must always be on guard, and not allow racism, hate speech, discrimination and other non-criminal hateful behaviours take hold in our community. Racism is often a gateway to other extremist narratives. It can be the stepping stone to the path of radicalisation. Regrettably, we don’t have a current anti-racism campaign. The last federally funded anti-racism campaign was launched by the Gillard Government in 2012 and expired in 2018. This is simply unacceptable. Community values – such as the benefits of a multicultural Australia – can be easily lost if they are not positively reinforced and reintroduced to every generation. Right-wing extremism is here, but it doesn’t need to be here to stay. The five steps I’ve outlined tonight are proscription, prevention, protection online, pronunciation and positive reinforcement – are the first steps our national leaders can and should take. They can send a loud and clear message about who Australia is as a community, what we value, and what we reject. There are many other steps, including new laws, no doubt, and more law enforcement action. That will be welcome – but we cannot legislate and arrest our way out of this problem. These five steps are only the beginning. Some of the harder yards come when we understand why some people – especially some young men — are attracted to rightwing propaganda. There is a whole other area to explore in terms of education, skills, employment and opportunity. But we must make a start. At a national level, we must begin the effort, the war, if you will, on right-wing extremist hate, and the violence it begets. Our national security demands it, and the safety of all Australians requires it. Thursday 10 September 2020, Canberra.
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Outrageous: Book on Modi in the US Curriculum Dr Aslam Abdullah The US-based digital reading platform, Epic is built on a collection of 40,000+ books from 250 plus publishers—that claims to fuel curiosity and reading confidence for kids up to 12. The platform is open to all including students and teachers living outside the US. It recently introduced a book on Modi, the current Prime Minister of India widely known as the Butcher of Gujarat responsible for the killing of Muslims during riots after the demolition of Babri mosque in 1992. How would a Jewish family feel if they find that their fourth-grader is reading a book on Hitler that presents him as a world leader and hero? How would American families react when they learn that their 8-yearold child reads a book on Osama bin Laden showing him a great revolutionary in the fight against the Russian invaders in Afghanistan? What would you say to a Muslim American family of Indian origin from Gujarat who lost several relatives in the 2002 carnage, whose child, after reading a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an iconic
and world leader, told them, “I want to be like Modi?” It is what many such families are facing in their homes when they or their children log in to the digital reading platform and read books on the world’s great leaders. By the name of Amina, a Twitterati wrote: “My 4th grader casually mentioned to me today that the “EPIC” reading app, the public schools all over the US have under their curriculum, a book on Narender Modi by the same title! “I was baffled as to why little elementary school level American kids are reading a book on a mass murderer & a dictator of heinous crimes…I read till chapter 5 to verify it’s contents. The book claims that NM didn’t only go to the university for his bachelors but also a Master’s. It frequently pointed out the corruption, crimes of the congress party & went to praise him all the while. It seemed to me that the book justified his doings.” The US government banned Modi in 2005 for his involvement in the Gujarat massacres of Muslims. More than a million Muslims suffered. Terrorists belonging to his party raped hundreds of women, killed scores of people, and destroyed property worth
millions. Modi was a persona non grata in the US and remained prohibited until 2014 when the Obama Administration lifted the ban under the United Nations’ diplomatic status policy. Modi has no record of having either a bachelor or Master’s degree and is a member of a fascist organization that praises Hitler even 70 years after his death. Like his party leaders, he believes in a Hitler-like solution of India’s minority problem. In his saffron party, he was known to revere Nathu Ram Godse who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace. Why would Epic include such a book to be part of the curriculum? Who authorized it? What was the role of the Hindutva lobby and the government of India in promoting this book in the US education system? These questions are important to raise. The book is by Alexis Burling, who claims to be an accomplished writer. I recently wrote to her the following: “I had the opportunity to read your book on Modi. It is not factual and misses several essential issues, and promotes the lies that Modi has a Master’s degree. There is no record of even his bachelor’s degree. He presided over the carnage of Muslims in In-
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dia. The US banned him from visiting the country from 2006 to 2014 for his involvement in the massacre. I am disappointed that the writer of your stature would produce a book that would mislead people. The book also ignores the fact that he belongs to the RSS, a party whose members killed Mahatama Gandhi and praises Hitler. I do not want my children to read a book honoring a murderer.” Perhaps the education community should look into the matter and ensure that no foreign entity interferes with our children’s educational upbringing.
Lessons from the Christchurch massacre Farid Ahmed One and a half years have gone by since Friday 15 March 2019, but I feel like it is just like yesterday. So many uncountable things happened since that day, including the sentencing of the killer last month, but I can’t compare anything with the terrifying moments on 15 March 2019. I had never witnessed such horror before, and I pray that I never witness it again. I pray that it never happens to any human, not just Muslims. I pray that every human life is respected as sacred by every human being. I still see the chaos, terrible sounds of shooting, some rushing out of the main room with blood on them, panic and fear on their faces, screaming from bullet injury just in front of me, dropped bodies on the ground from hit by bullets, blood on the carpet, piles of dead bodies everywhere and I see injured struggling with their pains inside the main room of An-Nur Mosque where I was at the time. A year has past but these images have not
gone away. They are still stuck in my mind and they will always be with me. My love and prayers will be with those killed and those injured until my last breath. With those traumas, I ask myself again and again, just one question. That question is, “What can I learn from that terrible event?” I love to learn so that I can share my learnings with many others. To me, 15 March 2019 was a lesson for Muslims as well as for the entire mankind. My main lesson is my dedication to the mission of my life. Our martyrs taught me to take ultimate dedication if necessary, to fulfil the mission in my life. What is my mission in my life? Allah has outlined it for me in the Holy Quran: “And I (Allah) have only created Jinn and men, that they may worship (and serve) Me.” (Quran 51: 56) What does that mission mean in reality? Its simple meaning is that I must worship Allah peacefully, for the divine peace (As-Sakeena) in my heart in this life, and for the everlasting peace in Paradise in next life. In this noble mission, whatever odds I face, I must continue with patience, perseverance, steadfastness, sacrifices of my wealth or even if necessary, with my life.
Allah taught me to say, “Say, surely, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying is for Allah, the Lord of the Universe.” (Quran 6:162) To me, 15 March was a practical lesson of that ultimate sacrifice. Peaceful worshippers took bullets, sacrificed blood, some embraced death and others walked on the path of patience and peace, but they did not give up their noble peaceful mission.
They left a shiny lesson of dedication in peace for the entire mankind. If each human practices own belief peacefully, then the world will be a peaceful place, safe and secure for everyone. Farid Ahmed is a survivor of Christchurch attack on 15 March 2019, a peace advocate, author of HUSNA’S Story and Quran teacher in Christchurch.
The sentencing of the Christchurch terrorist Tahir Nawaz We are all aware that the case of the Christchurch Terrorist who masterminded the massacre of 51 and wounding 52 Muslims during the Friday prayers on 15 March 2019 in An-Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch has now ended. He has been given the maximum sentence of life without parole that is allowed in the New Zealand Justice system. The sentencing by the High Court Judge in Christchurch has been largely welcomed by the vast majority of the community in gen-
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eral and the victims’ families in particular. Indeed, a very sad episode has ended. The New Zealand Muslim community is grateful to the Government and the relevant agencies involved in bringing the matter to a satisfactory closure. We acknowledge the different levels of impact experienced by individuals who went through this ordeal. The Muslim community gratefully acknowledges all the support given by the New Zealand Police and a host of other organisations, government as well as non-government within the country and from overseas. We should also give kudos to the media for supporting the victims’ families during the this traumatic ordeal lasting more than one and a half years. It has been an intense period with high emotions. The media was very professional in han-
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dling the issues in that from the very beginning while focussing mainly on the victims rather than the perpetrator of the crime. There is now a greater responsibility for all New Zealanders. Conversations must be held at all levels to combat “hate crime”. We should not allow any individuals or groups white supremacists and other extremists to divide the unity and the social fabric of the New Zealand society. Tahir Nawaz is Specializing in Muslim Affairs of New Zealand & Global Muslims. He is Current President of International Muslim Association of New Zealand (IMAN). He is also the Current council member for Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) and previously served as First Vice President of FIANZ. ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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Satan: A force within the human freewill Muqeem Rauf Mohammed
sive and constructive use of its freewill by suppressing the force of Satan within. This leads to the development and grooming of human individuality and its potentials. Human beings have lived and evolved on this planet over millions of years. One thing that has kept humanity alive and steered it through its quest for survival was - the human emotions. Human emotions create an unsurmountable urge to break through the walls of impossibilities. The key to human progress and development lies within its emotions, which drives human intellect towards new ideas and conceptualisation of possibilities. The scientific evolution of 14th – 17th century is a prime example of how the intellectual fraternity broke out of the clutches of religious hegemony to set free and explore the immense potentials of human emotions. That era bears testimony to the fact that unless human emotions break through the clutches of ignorance, irrationality and unscientific approach towards life, humanity suffers a great loss to its progress and gets to taste the circumstantial regressiveness of the dark ages. Human emotions drive inquisitiveness and restlessness to keep expanding the barriers of possibilities. They create the thrust or momentum while the human intellect
“Satan
gives those emotions a direction. It was the direct outcome of such emotions that made human intellect “uncover” the ever existing laws of nature governing the physical world around us and we continue to do so. The truth of the laws of nature had existed ever since the very creation and formation of the entire universe. It was the veil of ignorance covering human intellect that was lifted; hence the term “Dis-covery” was used to define the unveiling of all natural phenomena. Humanity never in its history felt so powerful until it discovered the laws of nature and the immense amounts of energies hidden in those natural forces and in particles as small as an atom. Subsequent scientific advancements have indeed made human life much easier by taking away the physical labor but it still hasn’t brought to humanity the much needed peace. Peace, I suppose, is still a distant dream to be achieved unless humanity turns its attention away from the rat race of advancing towards harnessing the energy of atom and move towards exploring and uncovering the laws of nature governing the human psyche. What used to be termed as the “human soul” in ancient religious references is called the “human psyche” in modern scientific terminology. The Quran has referred to the human psyche or soul as its Nafs - which is a complex amalgamation of countless human emotions. Understanding the cause and effects of those human emotions, I believe, holds the key to a better understanding of human personality. Now returning to the discussion of Satan, Quran states metaphorically that Satan has been given respite till the dooms day to distract and misguide humanity. It goes on to state that Satan would only be able to misguide and have its influence upon those who go astray and stay ignorant about the Quranic teachings while it wouldn’t have any control over the ones that are steadfast and adhere firmly to the Quranic teachings. Which means that the human beings who are steadfast in abiding by God’s constitution in both – thoughts and actions, would never be surmounted by the Satanic emotions embedded within their psyche. If we closely understand the message and purpose of the Quran, it claims to be a book of guidance for the entire humanity. That guidance comes as an embodiment of values, principles and laws that groom the Nafs of individuals of the human society and helps them develop into an advanced human personality- which becomes a perfect ingredient to set up an ideal human society.
is the one who revolts against the orders of Allah
“
Satan in Arabic means the one who is away from Allah’s blessings and hence devoid of pleasant things in life; the one who follows a wrong path while staying ignorant or not paying heed to the right path or the one who becomes rebellious. Satan in Hebrew means - one who creates obstacles. In short, according to the Quran, when human emotions trespass and go against God’s constitution or the Quranic order, it is referred to as Satan or Iblis. Psychologically, when human emotions blow out of proportion they over react and such overreaction creates confusion, chaos and aggression which eventually transforms into frustration. Though aggression and frustration are synonymous, one signifies the trigger point while the other signifies the eventual psychological condition. Arabic meaning of the word Satan and its mention in the Quran draws special attention. It has been referred to in numerous verses of the text, each in a different context. Let’s take a brief look at a few (Surah means Chapter): 1. Surah 19 : Verse 44 Satan is the one who revolts against the orders of Allah. 2. Surah 28: Verse 15 When Moses struck unintentionally a fatal blow to the Egyptian Copt, he said – “Oh this was a satanic action” – which means anything wrong done under emotional pressure or an emotional outburst, is Satan. 3. Surah 2: Verse 14 and Surah 12: Verse 5 The ringleaders of the people who opposed the system of Allah were referred to as Satan. 4. Surah 21: Verse 82 and Surah 38: Verse 37 Those barbaric and rebellious tribes, whom Solomon subdued, brought under his control and put them to work were called Satan. To sum up from these verses of the Quran, any authority or power which differs, deviates or revolts against the values, principle and laws of the Quranic system or in short, the course of Allah, is termed as Satan, a force within the very edifice of human individuality. This force, that impacts human thoughts and actions, becomes an important component of the human freewill, which is unique to the human species. The Quran proclaims itself to be the book of guidance for humanity which helps us choose the right path and make a progres-
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The advancements in the field of psychology are unveiling various studies and understandings of the human psyche. Human psyche and individuality strives to achieve unity in its thoughts and actions. That unity of thought is achieved through education, rational thinking, knowledge and scientific understanding of things. When human mind is flooded with misinformation and propaganda, it is driven into a labyrinth of psychological perplexity which leads to uncertainty in its judgements. Such state of psychological uncertainty has been referred to as Satan or Iblis in the Quran. Psychologists and psycho analysts term this complexity as - “a battle between two or more tendencies within an individual”. The Quran mentions – Leading such a life results in a diseased mind and Allah’s law is that He furthers such mind. This situation compels them to persistent lying and what a torturous life it is that they have to live. (Quran 2: 10) Quran relates this battle between multiple tendencies to a psychological disorder in the human psyche that triggers confusion or aggression and can compel an individual into persistent lying. A psycho analyst diagnoses his patient to figure out which tendencies are causing such psychological distress in the patients mind and then devices a solution accordingly. This battle between the two tendencies within an individual can also be related to what the Quran has called Shirk. The widely accepted notion of Shirk, as associating others with God, is trivialising the essence of the problem I suppose. I believe that not only associating something with God but associating and following any laws contrary to the laws mentioned in the Quran amounts to Shirk. One cannot believe in God’s constitution and follow his own lowly desires at the same time. One cannot practically believe in and abide by two sets of self contradicting rules at the same time. When human beings are forced to live in such a system or environment, it creates a tendency of dualism or dichotomy in an individual psyche. The Quranic message of unity of God in its totality is addressed to the human psyche. Human psyche can achieve that unity when groomed under the Quranic constitution. The Quranic constitution helps an individual differentiate between what is RIGHT and what is WRONG. It puts forth values, principles and laws determining clearly the boundaries within which the entire humanity can formulate its rules. It puts the onus of accountability and responsibility of abiding by those rules on every individual of the society. We will continue to create circumstance in which they themselves and some of their own people will see the signs and visible impact of these divine laws. Thereafter it will become clear to them that whatever the Quran had told them was based on the truth. (Quran 41:53) Each scientific discovery within the physical universe or within the field of human psychology will bear testimony to the truth about laws of God’s creation. This verse of the Quran negates the widely held perception of the conflict between religion and science. Humanity will one day uncover the truth that science is only a minute subset and in total conformity with the comprehensive message of the Quran – God’s constitution for the entire humanity. Disclamour: This article is inspired by the teachings of Allama Iqbal and other scholars. Muqeem Rauf Mohammed is a biomedical engineer by qualification and a business man by profession based in Melbourne, Australia.
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Parkinson’s Law and how it relates to your productivity deadline approaches, the reality of the deadline becomes more intense. It becomes our primary focus because we need to complete the task. We can’t waste time because we don’t have time to waste. This sense of urgency only comes when the deadline is breathing down your neck, and procrastination is out of the question. The important thing to take out from Parkinson’s Law is that you should always aim to give yourself as little time as possible to complete the task without jeopardising the quality. Even though you might think that giving yourself extra time will allow for quality work, you’ll probably waste time on unimportant things with that extra time (because you have the time to do so). But, you need to ensure that you are balanced, in that you don’t start giving yourself one day to complete a task that would realistically take a week. It’s important to be reasonable, whilst still pushing the limits of what’s possible with your time. The worst-case scenario in giving yourself less time is that you will get work done, but might need a little extra time to give it a polish. Which isn’t too bad of a scenario at all. With tasks that have no deadlines, it’s probably prudent to make one, otherwise they might not end up being completed at all! Hopefully, now you’ve got a basic idea of how to give yourself deadlines for tasks to maximise your time and how the Parkinson Law relates to all those all-nighters you’ve pulled off over the years. With any luck, you won’t be having any more of those.
Umar Khan Imagine this. You’ve been given one month to complete an assessment task. Plenty of time you think; I can research the task, plan it, draft it, edit it and polish it off easily. Fast forward 29 days – there are 2 days left and you haven’t started (we all know that feeling) Now, you go into overdrive. Pure focus. No procrastination. If someone saw you during this state, they’d think that you have never had any problems staying focussed before (Boy, are they wrong!). Somehow you finish the assignment, hand it in and it’s done! But, how did you complete a month’s worth of work in those two days of non-stop work? Here’s where Parkinson’s Law comes in. Parkinson’s Law states that Work expands to fill the time available for its completion. This statement was made by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in 1955. He was a British author and historian who worked in the British Civil Service, and wrote a whole book on this law, Parkinson’s Law: The Pursuit of Progress. Now, let’s try to understand this statement. Basically, the more time you have to complete something, the longer it will take. Conversely, the less time you have to complete something, the more likely it is that you’ll complete it in the proposed time (which is why all-nighters work). But, if a task does not have a specific deadline, it will most likely never get done. Now that we know this, how can we use Parkinson’s Law to improve our productivity? Normally, when we want to complete something, we make the mistake of giving ourselves extra time to complete it, thinking that this would allow us to perfect our task. But,
more often than not, most of that time is spent procrastinating, and only a small portion of that time is actually used effectively.
The thing about tasks that have very distant deadlines is that because they are so distant, they are not our primary focus. Once, the
Umar Khan is a recent IBDP graduate, now attending Macquarie University and is based in Sydney, Australia. You can check out his blog at https://katutoring.com/blog/.
Winter to spring: Caring for my bees A foraging bee goes to deposit it’s collected pollen into the Eesa’s hive.
One of Eesa’s foraging bees flies back to the hive with pollen collected from nearby flowers. Eesa Bokhari At the start of winter, the weather was getting quite cold in Sydney. This impacted my Australian Native Stingless Bees who have been struggling to collect pollen throughout winter. Bees collect pollen as their main food source. The lowest it would get at night was about 4-5 degrees celsius. The native stingless bees, Tetragonula Carbonaria (The species that I currently have) only flies out over 18 degrees
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celsius. So, if you get many days where it is under 18 degrees celsius then the bees will not be active and will not fly out due to the cold weather. At the advent of spring, the bees started to get very active. They were collecting a lot of pollen and were also active till 5 pm, around sunset. This is absolutely amazing, because in winter they would just stop working at 3 pm. I could not believe this was happening. My Australian Native Stingless Bees are now thriving and are very successful in collecting a lot of pollen for the hive. I have been monitoring the hive, mainly on the weekends and on some days, they have been very energetic (apart from few days when it was too cold for them to fly out). I measured the pollen
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that is coming into the hive because, firstly I would count the bees coming in with pollen per minute (approximately). After all my calculations I estimate that 2000 tiny balls of pollen (carried by the bees using their pollen baskets where their legs are) came into the hive. This data means that the foragers were very successful on this day. How to keep your bees happy You must make your bees happy otherwise the colony would die. To avoid this disaster in winter, you must firstly put your hive in a place where it can get the early morning sun. The native bees need this because in order to warm up from the cold night, they need some sun to also wake up the colony too. In summertime they don’t need the sun since
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it is already warm. You must be very careful about this. Your hive also needs protection from the elements, such as the rain, possible hail, very hot temperatures etc. In order to do this, you will need a shelter (A box with a tarp on the top of the hive, acting like a flat roof to protect the hive from the elements). My nana (maternal grandfather) helped me set up a home-made shelter using a styrofoam box with a tarp over the top. This is just the basics of beekeeping for Australian Native Stingless Bees. Eesa Bokhari is 11 years old and goes to Trinity Grammar Prep School. He is passionate about conserving Australian Native Stingless Bees. ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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How much tax do you pay when selling shares? Moin Zaman One of the most commonly asked questions is how do taxes work with stock market investing in Australia. Investments are taxed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), as something called a ‘Capital Gain’. This term is given to any profit you make, when you sell your shares. Capital gains from selling assets like shares are added on top of any income you make in the financial year. This would typically be your salary from your employer, that is over the minimum tax free threshold. This total income is also known as your Total Taxable Income (TTI) in that financial year. Capital Gains Let’s say I buy a $20 share and sell it for $30, I’ve made a $10 Capital Gain. There are two things to know about Capital Gains. 1. If you hold a share for longer than 12 months (and 1 day) only 50% of your profit is added to your TTI. Meaning in the above example you would only add half of $10, which is $5 to your TTI. 2. When you make a Capital Gain it can be offset by any Capital Losses you’ve
made in your lifetime. So if you gain $30 this financial year but lost $10 in the last financial year, you only pay $20 in Capital Gains and immediately use up your $10 offset. Also note that brokerage fees are included in your purchases, which means that if I want to buy a $100 share but the brokerage fee is $2 my entry price is $102. Like wise if I sold the share for $150, I would actually only make $148. Note: Dividends from shares are added to your TTI in the same financial year you receive them. Example: Person earning $80K, selling shares for a profit of $10K Let’s say you earn $80,000 per year as a salary from your job. And you’ve owned some shares for over a year and have now sold them this financial year to make a profit (the difference between price sold on market and initial cost of purchase after removing the brokerage). Assume the shares were purchased at $5,000 and sold at $10,020. $10 brokerage each for the buy and sell transactions. This gives you: $10,020 – ($5,000 + $10 + $10) = $5,000 as your profit. As you owned the shares for over a year, your capital gains is only 50% of your profit, which is half of $5,000 = $2,500. Add this to your yearly taxable income of $80,000, that gives you a TTI of $82,500. Plug this into ATOs Simple Tax Calcula-
Table from ATO. tor and it applies the different tax scales for 2019-2020. Based on the table from ATO, for $82,500 we apply the tax from row 3. $3,572 + ($82,500 -$37,000) x 0.325 = $18,359 total tax on a TTI including capital gains of $85,0000 Without the capital gains of $2,500 from selling the shares, your tax would have been $17,500 on $80,000 TTI. So the portion of tax paid on $5,000 of profit from sale of shares ends up being $859, meaning you keep $4,141, your net return on investment. Paying taxes on shares is a good problem to have In general worrying about your potential profit from shares being eaten away by a large tax bill isn’t practical.
If you do get a massive tax bill you should be fist pumping with the success, because it will mean you made a profit much larger than the tax bill itself. If you have any questions specific to your circumstances, your accountant will be able to explain things and how they might apply to you, all you have to do is ask. Selling shares if they’re owned for less than 12 months is out of the scope of this article as we almost never do it, as long term value investors at Tabarruk. This is not financial advice. Please view our disclaimer at tabarr.uk/disclaimer/
demand only increase and no matter the tension with China, the relationship we have with the is mutually beneficial. Conclusion So, the big picture view of investing for growth in the current scenario is picking the right sectors, the best halal companies in those sectors on the Australian share market.
This is not financial advice. Please view our disclaimer at https://tabarr.uk/disclaimer/
Moin Zaman is the co-founder along with Fahd Dameer, of Tabarruk, a website that teaches halal investing on the ASX share market in Australia.
5 best halal investment ideas for 2021 Fahd Dameer We’ve identified 5 ideas of where to invest in a halal way as we head into the last quarter of 2020, that we are using ourselves to set up for growth in 2021 and beyond. The reason for our choices is based on the following: In February of 2020, when China shutdown due to coronavirus, the first impact was the collapse of world trade with production coming to a grinding halt. With Chinese exports being lower and their inability to produce goods leading to devastating affects on global supply chains. In order to control the outbreak, the government was forced to lockdown the country. The media and analysts have opinions on who Australia should be looking to benchmark itself against to recover. This is bizarre as our unique economy is the one to benchmark against for others, as we have the fundamentals and are poised to recover in a better way, as we have done in past economic downturns. So, as we recover, here are 5 ideas for halal sectors in Australia to look for opportunities to invest in. 1. Consumables For some reason the world loves Australian made and Australian backed consumable products. The produce and products made from it are renowned for quality, taste, manufacturing and refined excellence. The label Australian made is brand validation in and of itself. OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 179
2. Manufacturing Australia has made some significant strides in manufacturing capability, technology and innovation. There are companies, both new and old that are disrupting traditional manufacturing processes and also enabling to expedite and make manufacturing more efficient and cost-effective, which makes them attractive investment options as we look to be self-sufficient and not rely externally for production. 3. Technology Australian and New Zealand have consistently produced some of the stalwarts of modern technology companies. With the focus on remote / working from home now, there are some technology innovators that are coming to the forefront. Some local companies are leading the way in tech revolution. 4. Healthcare There is going to be a renewed focus in Health care as the big thing countries are starting to understand is the current health care systems are too brittle to cope with a pandemic. Companies in Australia are leading the way in infection control, testing, modern therapies for diseases. The combination of healthcare and technology is also propelling some companies ahead of their competition. 5. Mining Trade between China and Australia has actually increased over the pandemic period. Our resources are essential for infrastructure projects that will be initiated around the globe, including China. The push for renewable energy will see the
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Fahd Dameer is the co-founder along with Moin Zaman, of Tabarruk, a website that teaches halal investing on the ASX share market in Australia.
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Social Spotlights APAN @AustraliaPalestine AdvocacyNetwork
My Home Disability Services @My-Home-Disability -Services Last month Shaima and her family were treated to a Bulldogs game by brother Osman Karolia and Abu Zayd. Shaima enjoyed the experience so much and couldn’t wait to tell everyone at the centre about it and how hospitable the brothers were. The brothers went above and beyond kindly gifting her a new Bulldogs jersey and getting Hazem El Masri to send her a personalised video Birthday message. Shaima has a special place in the hearts of everyone who meets her! She was involved in a car accident in November 2016 where she sustained serious head injuries. Her family were informed that she would be bed ridden but Alhamdulillah with persistence, dedication and of course Dua, she has managed to prove everyone wrong.
Huge congartulations and Alf Mabrook to members and associates of AFOPA - Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA) on their efforts and achievement in marking the 500th Adelaide #BDS protest last week! The Adelaide BDS campaign has been conducted over a period of almost 10 years, with the protests staged mainly in Rundle Mall. #FreePalestine #Adelaide
IFAM Australia
Global Muslim Women @GMuslimwomen YASMIN KHAN - Yasmin is the founder of Global Muslim Women with the vision and drive to provide a platform for all Muslim women to connect and is focused on developing the organisation with experience and integrity. Currently she is the Director of The Bangle Foundation, a social centre for the community and a support service for victims of domestic abuse. She is also a Director of Red Rose Foundation which focuses on the prevention of homicides from domestic abuse. Yasmin co-founded the award-winning Eidfest and is the 2017 Australian of the Year (Qld) Local Hero recipient, and a Churchill Fellow. The concept of Global Muslim Women came to Yasmin as she was travelling to attend her Churchill Fellowship. She hopes this platform will create an allinclusive global community of Muslim women where there are opportunities to share knowledge and address pertinent issues of the past, present and future. To find out more visit our website on www.globalmuslimwomen.com
@IFAMAustralia Alhamdulillah Br Andrew revert to ISLAM in Campbelltown Masjid in Zhur prayer today.
Brothers In Need
Together For Humanity @Together-For-Humanity It was wonderful to have our President, Mrs Madenia Abdurahman (right) join our school program. Her experience as a Principal in Australia and South African meant she was a natural with both the students and teachers! She is pictured here with two amazing Year 6 teachers from Hoxton Park PS who are driving a PBL unit to help students explore how they can contribute to cultural understanding in their school community.
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@brothersinneed.org
Community Food Hamper Project WA @CFH.Project.WA
Thank you to Sr. Munira Parkar and the students at the Langford Islamic College for their generous donations and helping us pack 41 boxes this month! If you would like to make a donation towards our September packing day, drop off your donations at Qaswa House before the end of this month! WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
At Brothers In Need, we’re always grateful for any form of support we receive from community members. Allhumdulliah, that support continued with Br. Abdul from Masco Group, who kindly donated $5000 to support our work projects for 2020 and beyond. On behalf of the team at Brothers In Need and members of our wider community doing it tough, we’d like to say thank you to Abdul and the team from Masco Group ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020
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Jacinda Ardern @jacindaardern Last night I sat down and read some of the statements by those who were injured or lost loved ones on March 15. I probably felt the same as the rest of New Zealand - devastated all over again. This time though, we heard the lasting impact of the terrorist attack that day. The hugs with papa that won’t happen again. The lost support of a partner and best friend. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have an experience of loss like that, let alone share it in front of the person responsible for your pain. To those who have been in that court room, and who have had that experience of such grief, I hope you have felt the arms of New Zealand around you all over again, and that you continue to feel that support and love for the rest of your lives.
ISRA Australia @isra.org.au Most countries overestimate the Muslim population. The French think that 31% of their population is Muslim when it is actually 7.5%. In Australia, the Muslim population is estimated to be 12% when it is actually 2.4% (Source: Ipsos MORI). This overestimation has many implications, mainly feeling the ‘threat’ that a minority is ‘taking over’. This can easily manifest itself in the form of Islamophobia and other hostile actions which seek to eliminate the group at hand.
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Australia’s first Islamic bank is coming. IBA will launch in 2021 offering a full suite of banking services:
Everyday bank accounts Investment deposit accounts Home finance plans Small business accounts
… all 100% Shari’ah-compliant. Excited about banking with IBA? Fill out the survey at www.ibagroup.co.au/survey
or simply aim your smartphone camera at this code.
Join the waiting list today: www.ibagroup.com.au
IBA is not yet a bank. We are aiming to launch in 2021. Our banking licence application is currently under consideration by APRA. IBA Group Pty Ltd (ABN 37 609 971 280). IBA cannot offer deposit or credit products at this time. 24
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ISSUE 179 / OCTOBER 2020