MUSLIM
AUSTRALASIAN
Multimedia News & Views
ISSN: 1039-2300
Print Post Publication No. 100021354
Print edition published Monthly on first Friday with Website updates
Citizenship is a right BOOMERANG PAGE 3
App for reporting Islamophobia COMMUNITY PAGE 7
AMUST Issue # 115
www.amust.com.au
Phone: (02) 8006 2063 Email: info@amust.com.au
June 2015; Sha’aban 1436
War on Domestic Violence
AUSTRALIA PAGE 9
Stop Rohingya genocide
LIFESTYLE PAGE 12 News .................................1 - 2 • Stop Rohingya Genocide • Jihad Dib Makes History Boomerang ..................... 3 - 5 • Editorial: AMUST Milestone • Gallipoli With Context Community ..................... 6 - 8 • Personal Stress • AFIC Elections
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Mr Jihad Dib MP made his inaugural speech to the Legislative Assembly in the NSW Parliament on Wednesday 13 May 2015. He spoke of his pride in being sworn in as the eighth Member for Lakemba, the first Muslim to be elected to the NSW House of Representatives. During his speech Mr Dib expressed his concerns about intolerance and took the opportunity to explain the cultural significance of his own name as a way of building understanding. “My grandfather’s name, Jihad, is an Arabic word that means to strive and to improve one’s self, to overcome struggle and to help others improve their lives. “The sad reality is that intolerance is a symptom of views that seek to cause division in an otherwise harmonious community. Much more unites us than divides us. We have a responsibility to ensure that the rhetoric that seeks to encourage bigotry and disharmony never takes a foothold in main-
Australia ......................... 9 - 10 • UWS Cohesion Conference Lifestyle ...................... 11 - 13 • Is Desegregation the Answer? • Modest Street Fashion Ummah ........................ 14 - 16 • Nepal Earthquake HAI • Food Ladder Oasis for Afghans
community in Myanmar numbering around a million compared to the country’s dominant Buddhist population. Anti-Muslim violence perpetrated by Budhist extremists and policies of persecution by the Burmese government has resulted in an exodus of Rohingya boat people in the region where no country is willing to take
them. “Nope, nope, nope,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters when asked if Australia was willing to take some of them in, insisting that people seeking a new life need to “come through the front door, not through the back door.” Continued on page 16
stream Australia”, he said. Mr Dib spoke at length about the migrant experience of his own family and about the rich diversity and community spirit of his electorate, encouraging people to look beyond what can be superficial perceptions of the local area and the people who live there. He also spoke about the importance of a strong education system. He did however, raise the challenges for the electorate and the degree to which hard-working service organisations are stretched and underfunded. Despite the challenges Mr Dib described himself as an idealist and full of hope for the electorate but clear on the leadership responsibility he has taken on. Mr Dib also spoke about the importance of the rejuvenation within the electorate, suggesting that suburbs such as Lakemba had the potential to become tourist hubs. Present to watch the speech from the full public galleries were close to one hundred supporters representing friends, family, campaign volunteers and many representatives from the various organisations and groups that Mr Dib has worked with over
his many years in the community, interfaith and education sectors. The speech was met with a rousing standing ovation. Read full transcript of the speech from AMUST website.
Jihad Dib makes history AMUST Media
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Zia Ahmad A two-day international conference was held from 26 to 27 May 2015 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Voksenaasen Conference Center in Oslo, Norway, focusing on ending the persecution of Burma’s Rohingya Muslim minority with a call from seven Nobel Peace Laureates who described their plight as nothing less than a genocide. Desmond Tutu’s appeal calling for an end to the slow genocide of the Rohingya was amplified by six other fellow Nobel Peace laureates: Mairead Maguire from Northern Ireland, Jody Williams from the USA, Tawakkol Karman from Yeman, Shirin Ibadi from Iran, Leymah Gbowee from Liberia, and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel from Argentina. They stated that, “what Rohingyas are facing is a textbook case of genocide in which an entire indigenous community is being systematically wiped out by the Burmese government.” Rohingya is the name given to Muslims indigenous to the Arakan region of Myanmar (Burma). They form a tiny minority
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Education ..................... 17 - 19 • Attributes of Allah - Part 10 Travel .................................. 20 • Wandering with Shabia Social .................................. 21 • Muslim Memes Business ..................... 22 - 23 • AMUST Classifieds
Jihad Dib giving his inaugural speech at the NSW Parliament House.
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Australian Relief Organisation presents a summary of activities carried out in 2015 Nursing Home Visits Over one million elderly Australians receive aged care services. However, quality of these services are challenged with the aging population as well as a fall in the number of carers. It is also alarming that many aged care residents have no or only a few visitors for prolonged periods for various social reasons.
between our community and the elderly. Should you wish to join us for volunteering in this auspicious activity, please contact us.
Mother’s Day Event at Bear Cottage, Manly
On 10 May 2015, our ladies team organised a “Mother’s Day Event” at Bear Cottage, Manly which is the only children’s hospice in NSW. Established in 2001, Bear Cottage provides support, respite and endof-life care for children with lifelimiting conditions. Children stay with their families at Bear Cottage 24 hours a day, so they receive specialised paediatric palliative care in a warm homelike environment.
The event was dedicated to seven mothers who were staying along As a response to social exclu- with their children at Bear Cotsion, our organisation initiat- tage on that day. Aim of the event ed volunteer visits to a number was to offer the support of our of nursing homes across NSW. volunteers and the ARO commuWithout discrimination of sex, nity to those self-sacrificing mothfaith, race, age and cultural eth- ers, who are caring for their chilnicity, we aim to establish a link dren with life-limiting conditions.
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Outdoor deck was nicely decorated for the special day, and hampers were given to mothers following the complimentary dinner provided by our organisation. Spirits were high and the overall experience turned out a be an unforgettable memory for those who attended.
On 7 March 2015, over 60 community members attended a ceremony to load the emergency relief supplies to a 40 ft container for Sri Lanka. Craig Laundy; Federal Member for Reid and D.M. Ratnayake, Sydney Commercial Consul of Sri Lanka were also present, who both thanked ARO for carrying out such humanatarian activity.
Sri Lankan Clothing Appeal
As a result of the December 2014 floods in Sri Lanka, 1.2 million people were affected with 24,900 homes destroyed or damaged. Our organisation was contacted by the IDF; Intercultural Dialogue Foundation in Sri Lanka for an emergency relief request. As a response, our organisation ran a human appeal campaign, and collected clothing, shoes, bags and homeware.
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On 16 May 2015 our team visited Sri Lanka and distributed the emergency relief materials to flood victims at several locations of the Batticaloa region. Thanks to the efforts of Batticaloa Municipality and the IDF, the distribution ran smoothly and thousands of Sri Lankans benefited from our campaign.
June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
BUSINESS 22 - 23
Citizenship is a right Lydia Shelly The Abbott government has recently stated that they intend to make changes to Australian citizenship, namely to revoke Australian citizenship from Australians suspected of committing terrorism offences. Citizenship is a right and not a privilege-despite what the Abbott Government would lead you to believe. To believe otherwise, would allow our political leadership to walk away from their responsibilities towards its citizens. Believing that citizenship is a right also means believing citizens have civic responsibility. We are in danger of abdicating our democratic rights to the very political leaders who are threatening to curtail these rights. Whilst the legislation has not been introduced yet, concerns have been raised over the legal implications and the “unintended consequences” of making any such amendments to Australian citizenship. There is concern over what the Abbott Government has publicly said regarding the issue so far. Australia is a signatory to several human rights conventions that state that we cannot allow anyone to become “stateless”. Some members of the coalition have proposed making a late “reservation” that would allow Australia to make citizens who only hold Australian citizenship (and not dual citizenship), stateless. Minister Phillip Ruddock has implied that there will only be a mere presumption of an entitlement to second citizenship. In other words, there may not be any requirement that the suspected person actually holds second citizenship before their Australian citizenship is revoked. It is difficult to imagine what other country would grant citizenship to a person who has had their Australian citizenship stripped on suspicion of committing terrorism offences. On national radio last week, Minister Ruddock used an example of an Australian born person from Lebanese heritage as someone they would assume could obtain Lebanese
citizenship. If you are in Australia when your citizenship is revoked, you could be detained without charge indefinitely. If this were to occur, this would be the birth of an Australian “Guantanamo Bay”. The Abbott Government has also stated that citizenship would be stripped based on suspicion that a person has engaged in “terrorism offences” and not after a conviction in a court of law. Suspicion would be formed from “intelligence” which is then passed on to the Minister (from the Government of the day). This is outrageous. We have never had a Government that speaks so much about “the law” whilst simultaneously taking active steps to undermine legal processes. Ministerial discretion and the judicial process are not the same. The fact that intelligence forms the basis for citizenship stripping, means that an affected person would have very limited means of appeal. Any appeal would be conducted in a Tribunal (not a court) similar to a passport cancellation matter. You would be limited in seeing the “intelligence” against you, as it is secret and related to national security. Intelligence are not facts. Simply, you cannot prepare and effectively participate in any appeal process if you do not know what the details are that are alleged. This in itself is a process that has no place in a democracy. Last year, the Abbott Government said Australia had an obligation “to stem the flow of foreign fighters”. Now, they are doing a complete backflip and saying “we do not want these people in our backyard”. Australia has the most robust criminal laws relating to terrorism amongst the western democracies. Yet the Abbott Government seeks to bypass the legal system and seek discretional power to revoke citizenship. The discretional power to strip citizenship is pure “counter terrorism theatre” with very dangerous implications for our country. If and when the Bill is introduced, further information will be provided. In the meantime, contact your State and Federal members to express your concerns regarding the proposed changes. Lydia Shelley is a Sydney based lawyer and community advocate.
Moroccan Muslim woman established the first university in the world
Fatima Al Fihri (d.880) is renowned for establishing what many consider the world’s first university. One among several families who moved from Tunisia to Morocco during the reign of the Moroccan King Idris II, Fatima al-Fihri along with her family aspired to improve the community around her. Given the name Umm al Banine “Mother of the Boys”, following the death of her husband and her brothers; she along with her sister Mariam inherited a large fortune.
June 2015
Both sisters aimed to devote their money to better the community that was in need of it. Fatima built the Al Qarawiyyin mosque, while Mariam built the Al-Andalus mosque. In 859, from the 10th to the 12th century, Fatima’s mosque developed into a university which became an important centre of education and one of the first Islamic and most prestigious universities in the world. Today, the name of Fatima Al Fihri is world renowned for its relation to the world’s first university. While, the Univer-
BOOMERANG
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AUSTRALASIAN
Multimedia News & Views
Issue # 115
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AMUST reaches a milestone
The AMUST June 2015 issue # 115 com- ers belong to Muslims as well as people pletes one full year of its publication that of other faiths and no faith. They all find started with the July 2014 issue # 104 in reading AMUST a pleasure. a new format from Ramadan last year to AMUST has provided us the means to Ramadan this year. build up a network with people from a We thank Allah who enabled us to take variety of religious communities, Jewish, the initiative, gave us the skills and the abil- Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh comity to take up the challenge and provided the munities as well as people of different ethfacilities to start the project and continue it nicities in order to appreciate each other with consistency and punctuality. and live in harmony as an Australian We feel proud in that we have proMulticultural community. duced 12 print editions of AMUST We have specially partnered EDITORIAL with Aboriginal community on time in full colour with high Assalamu quality original articles written members highlighting their for AMUST by local writers issues and seeking justice for Alaikum adorned by appropriate images them as well as safeguarding Greetings including photos and graphics their cultural heritage. of Peace making it a user friendly publicaWe have made an effort to lition for all. aise with government, police and The print editions have been suppleaid agencies, businesses, communimented by on-line pdf editions of the news- ty organisations and mosques in order to paper, a frequently updated website and a promote harmony and peace in the society. periodical newsletter emailed to thousands AMUST has proved to be a vehicle of of people in Australia and overseas. positive thinking and hopes to continue on The small core team that puts together the same path in future, continually imvarious version of AMUST has been volun- proving itself and bringing people togethtarily working constantly with dedication, er through positive communication using putting their heart and mind into the project multimedia. in order to make it successful. AMUST further wishes to fill the We wish to thank our printers, newsagent communication gap with positive news distributers, hand distributers and volun- amongst the general Australian population teers who help us in packing and posting the and specifically in the Muslim community. newspaper to subscribers. Different sections of the Muslim comWe have now built up a great team of munity are doing a tremendous amount of writers within Australia as well as from positive work but due to lack of commuoverseas, young and not so young, who vol- nication, one group does not know of the untarily provide us with great write ups on activities of others. a broad range of subjects that generates inFlow of information, transparency, pubterest in AMUST for its diverse readership. licity and putting knowledge in the public AMUST is not necessarily for Muslims, domain stops rumour mongering, misunof Muslims and by Muslims, but for all. Our derstanding and conflict. columnists come from a wide rage of ages, Let the whole world know what good religious and ethnic backgrounds, both you are doing and AMUST is here to help males and females and with diverse skills you. of writing. Z I Ahmad Similarly our readership and subscrib-
Nigerian Muslim woman promoted education for men and women
Nana Asma’u (full name: Nana Asma’u bint Shehu Usman dan Fodiyo, 1793–1864) was a princess, poet, teacher, and daughter of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman dan Fodio. She remains a revered
figure in northern Nigeria. Nana Asma’u is held up by some as an example of education and independence of women possible under Islam, and by others as a precursor to modern feminism in Africa.
Courtesy of Ummah Legends: A journey to discover and celebrate the gems in Islamic history. Created by Peter Gould, Illustrated by Iman Ayoubi. www.ummahlegends.com sity itself, represents a reminder of Islamic dedication to science and knowledge. More importantly, the institution welcomed people of all religions, for, University alumni
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includes Pope Sylvester II, who would later introduce Islamic ideas of mathematics to medieval Europe and Maimonides, a Jewish philosopher and physician.
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Letters to the editor Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia meat market with 1.6 billion Muslims. I am quite pleased with the editorial against the two wrong practices, ‘Anti-Semitism’ against Jews and ‘Islamophobia’ against Muslims. The irony is that these two words are not against Judiasm and Islam, but against all the Jews and Muslims, born or true in their religious doctrines and practices. The concern of AMUST specifically manifested through the editorial is very promising indicating that it is exhibiting respect for all the religions without prejudice and allowing polite and humble opinions of others as much as possible. As an AMUST well- wisher, I consider it my duty to suggest that AMUST should not only deal with wrong expression or practices of this society but also it should deal with the positive contributions of all the religions. This would counter the present general practice of misinterpretation of religions by media. Ibn Hasan Sydney
Bernardi’s halal inquiry
It is certain that the redneck fundamentalists and swastika tattoo brigade will get a good hearing from sponsor of Geert Wilders failed trip to Oz, Senator Bernardi and his mates. Hopefully it will be able to clear up the bovine detritus surrounding halal certification in Australia. News of this moronic bigotry will not go down well in the Muslim world and many individuals, apart from their governments, will decide not to select Australian offerings in their shops. Our past Aryan White Australia Policy has not been forgotten, our genocide of the First Nation peoples has been noticed and Brazil, with its multicultural multiracial society is our major competitor for the halal
Even Tony Abbott should be able to work that out. The Raj is dead. Wake up white supremacists! Bilal Cleland Melbourne
Pope’s recognition of Palestine
It is indeed very good news that Pope Francis has met Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and labelled him ‘an angel of peace’ shortly after the Vatican announced a treaty to officially recognise the state of Palestine. It was the first formal bilateral treaty between the two and confirmed the Holy See’s de facto recognition of the Palestinian state since it was granted the status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations in 2012. In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis and Mr Abbas spoke about the peace process with Israel and had expressed the hope that direct contact between Israel and the Palestinians could resume soon. Pope Francis presented Mr Abbas a medallion representing an angel of peace, telling the Palestinian leader he thought of him as ‘an angel of peace’. The two will meet again at a ceremony in Saint Peter’s square for the canonisation of Marie Alphonsine Ghattas, founder of the first Catholic congregation in Palestine, and Mariam Baouardy Haddad, who established a Carmelite convent in Bethlehem. Anne Fairbairn AM Sydney
HAVE YOUR SAY
NEWS 1-2
BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
Disclaimer AMUST Team The views and opinions expressed in articles, and Letters to the Editor or Website Comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Australasian Muslim Times.
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Managing Editor: Zia Ahmad Graphic Designer: Rubinah Ahmad Chief Adviser: Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad Journalist: Mobinah Ahmad Columnist: Dr Abul Jalaluddin (Finance) Columnist: Bilal Cleland (Victoria) Columnist: Manarul Islam (ACT) Columnist: Lydia Shelly (Sydney) Columnist: Anne Fairbairn (Sydney) Promotion: Dr Wali Bokhari Web Developer: Shadow Approved Multimedia: iMoby Productions Printers: Spotpress Pty Ltd Distributers: Wrapaway Transport Pty Ltd Distributers: Abul Fateh Siddiqui, Shujaat Siddiqui, Usaid Khalil, Aamir Ahmad, Ibrahim Khalil, Usman Siddiqui, Zahid Alam, Shahab Siddiqui, Mahmoud Jaame, Mateen Abbas, Rashid Idris, Kamrul Zaman, Sakinah Ahmad, Anjum Rafiqi, Hasan Fazeel, Dr Quasim, Ismail Hossain, Hanif Bismi.
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Send us your thoughts about news or current events to be published in the next issue of AMUST
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June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
BOOMERANG
BUSINESS 22 - 23
AMUST
Religious Intolerance: Muslim or from Theodosius? Bilal Cleland It is a remarkable shift in situations that today Islamophobes can claim that western civilization, by which they mean modern capitalist democracies, based on Christian tradition and the values of the Enlightenment, exemplifies religious toleration and human rights. They are able to portray Muslims as hostile to other religious groups, intolerant of difference and ready to resort to violence at the slightest provocation. There have always been Muslims who are intolerant and extreme in their religion. Very early in our history a group of extremists condemned Ali ibn Abi Talib, Caliph of Islam and a member of the Prophet’s family, as an unbeliever. These extremists, known as Kharijites, thought that their opinions on leadership, government, politics and shariah were the only correct ones. Anyone who disagreed with them was declared an unbeliever. This has never been the position of Islam and is not the attitude reflected in the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s). Indeed intolerance and the use of force against those who differ from the dominant religion belongs to the darkest pages of antiquity. Early followers of Jesus (as) were blamed by the pagan Roman government for the military crisis facing the empire in the third century CE. They thought that the refusal of Christians to sacrifice to the pagan gods of Rome was responsible for the military defeats then beginning to occur. In the 250s CE they were required to sacrifice or suffer the penalty for rebellion. They had
to get a signed certificate to prove it. Some congregations buckled and sacrificed. The congregation in Carthage saved itself by this method, but Cyprian, its famous bishop, was martyred for refusing. There was another persecution under Diocletian and in 304 CE it was decreed, failure to sacrifice to the gods meant death. This suddenly changed under the rule of Emperor Constantine, who announced in 312 that his victory over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge just outside Rome was due to the support of the God of the Christians. The Church has made much of the conversion of Constantine to the Christian God. Just what he understood by this is not clear, as he associated himself with Sol Invictus [the Invincible Sun] on coins as late as 320. However he and his co-emperor issued the Edict of Toleration in 313, “in which Christians were given freedom to worship and the right to have their property returned.” To bring some order to the Christians, who argued over their religion so violently that he considered it a threat to social order, he had the Council of Nicaea called in 325 to regularize the doctrines to be taught. It came up with the Trinity, with Jesus being declared to be ‘of the same substance ‘ as God the Father. Non-adherents were excommunicated and persecuted but Constantine himself died an Arian, one of those who did not fully accept the Council of Nicaea. For 55 years various views amongst the Christians were accepted and pagan worship still survived in many places. However as the military pressure mounted in the 370s CE, toleration began to decline. The new emperor, Theodosius, was convinced that his predecessor had been defeated because he did not have ‘true religion’, because he
accepted that Jesus was only ‘like’ God the Father. He decided this error must be suppressed so in 380 CE he declared to the people of Constantinople: It is Our will that all peoples ruled by the administration of Our Clemency shall practice that religion which the divine Peter the Apostle transmitted to the Romans…this is the religion followed by bishop Damasus of Rome and by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic sanctity: this is, according to the apostolic discipline of the evangelical doctrine, we shall believe in the single deity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost under the concept of equal majesty and of the Holy Trinity. We command that persons who follow this rule shall embrace the name of catholic Christians. The rest, however, whom We judge demented and insane, shall carry the infamy of heretical dogmas. Their meeting places shall not receive the name of churches, and they shall be smitten first by Divine Vengeance, and secondly by the retribution of hostility which We shall assume in accordance with the Divine Judgment. By July 381 the Nicene definition of the
Gallipoli with context: The Turkish story Irfan Yusuf About a century ago, Australia declared war on the Caliphate. In response, the Caliph called on all Muslims across the world to take part in a jihad on Australia. Actually, it wasn’t that simple. Nothing about the First World War was. High school modern history teachers tell us it started with an assassin’s bullet. Britain, France (and their current and former colonial possessions) and Russia then joined forces and fought Germany, an entity called the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Russia then dragged the Ottoman Caliphate/Empire, previously neutral in all this mess. Finally the Ottomans joined the Germans. And so Australia, a very young uber White nation with no standing professional army, entered a war to support the British Empire on the other side of the world. Joining Australia was New Zealand. Their joint rag tag volunteer army, the ANZAC Corp, found itself sailing from the Dardanelles Strait into small boats and onto the beaches of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Australia had only recently ceased being a colony, a part of the British Empire. When the Empire was at war, its enemies naturally became Australia’s enemies. But what of the Ottomans? In Australian history classes and popular media, they are referred to as “the Turks”. Turkey as a nation and a republic did not exist at that time.
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The Ottoman population included not only Turks but also Armenians, Syrians, Bosnians, Jews and other groups. The founding Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, spent much of his time in the Ottoman city of Thessaloniki, a city he described as “a Jewish city that has no equal in the world”. When the First World War broke out, Ben-Gurion established a Jewish militia that would fight in the Ottoman army. We don’t know enough about the Ottoman Empire. Australians know little about the Ottoman forces. Harvey Broadbent is an Australian historian and broadcaster who has sought to overcome this deficiency. Broadbent is no stranger to Turkey. He taught English in Turkey during 1967-69, after which he studied Ottoman history and language at Manchester University. I spoke to Broadbent recently at the Sydney Writers Festival on 22 May 2015. His most recent book, Defending Gallipoli: The Turkish Story, is the result of extensive research of Ottoman military archives all of which are written in Osmanli Arabic script. Not all the Ottoman troops were Turks. I’m not sure if any of them were Ben-Gurion’s Jewish militiamen. The 72nd and 77th Regiment were conscripts from Aleppo in Syria. If alive today, these men would have called themselves Syrian or Lebanese. They were known to have difficulties communicating with their Turkish commanding officers and fellow troops. Indeed the Syrian soldiers were often the subject of suspicion. Much of this dates back to rioting in Beirut and other cities which were violently suppressed by Otto-
Trinity, with the three components ‘of equal majesty,’ was extended to the whole of the eastern empire. Then in that same decade, it was extended to the whole of the western empire. Subordinationism, the ‘like’ formula and all forms of pagan worship were gradually banned. Heretics were criminals. Charles Freeman in “AD 381. Heretics, Pagans and the Christian State”, writes: The 380s were truly a turning point, and the story of how freedom of thought was suppressed needs to be brought back into the mainstream of the history of European thought. This intolerance was not strongly challenged in Europe until the Enlightenment began in the 1600s, and then it was, according to the work of modern scholars such as Professor Susan Ritchie and Humberto Garcia, Islamic examples of religious tolerance which impacted upon the European intelligentsia. Intolerance, far from being Islamic, was in fact deeply rooted in Roman civilization. Bilal Cleland is a keen reader, a prolific writer and a regular columnist of AMUST based in Melbourne.
DJURINGA Anne Fairbairn AM PhD(Hon) A star falls across the sky, A man of the desert sighs, ‘It is my heart.’ Over darkened Spinifex to Baiami, he chants his joy, For his spirit place among the stars, As star spirits leap and dance on the surface of Blackwater Creek, So in the brilliance above him, tonight his spirit is dancing. This man is Djuringa touched, He will walk on in his Dreaming, As the Eastern fringe of the sky grows pale and the stars fade.
man leaders. Arab troops were accused of retreating during the first week of the Gallipoli defence. In those days, retreating soldiers (including Ottoman and British troops but not Australian volunteers) were typically executed. Broadbent told me: “I have seen no documentation that indicates Arab troops were shot for retreating”. Did any Muslims fight against the Caliph at Gallipoli? Yes they did. Some 15,000 Indians fought as part of the Indian Mule Corp. Most were Hindus and Sikhs. But at least 3 Muslim graves can be found at Gallipoli on the Allied side. Irfan Yusuf is a lawyer and an award-winning writer and reviewer. His first book, “Once Were Radicals: My Years As A Teenage Islamofascist”, was published in 2009.
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Note: Djuringa is and Aranda word meaning all that is sacred. The indigenous people believe we are all part of an Eternal Dreaming. Baiamai was believed to be the great God and creator of all things. This poem is about paying respect to the Indigenous people of Australia because of the present discussion in government about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and the Constitution. At the federal level, there is now bipartisan support for amending the Australian Constitution in this regard has been maintained since 2007. Bipartisan support was reaffirmed by both major parties as election commitments in the federal election held in August 2010. The Indigenous people of Australia lived in Australia for about sixty thousand years in harmony with nature.
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on the arrival of ratulate the community ng co to e lik uld wo a e ali nal Austr with you in lighting up th n joi to nd Human Appeal Internatio ha its nd te ex madan and would like to good deeds. the blessed month of Ra pt from you and us our ce Ac h la Al ay M . an ad m lives of the needy this Ra
Light up the lives of the needy this Ramadan Assalamou ‘Alaykum The month of Ramadan is a month of generousity, charity and filled with goodness. Help spread the goodness and ease the suffering of the poor and needy worldwide. Allah has commanded us to help them, and by doing so you will reap the rewards. With your support and donations, Human Appeal International Australia’s donations in Ramadan each year reach more than quarter of a million poor and needy. Contribute to our various Ramadan projects which include Zakat Al Maal and Fitr, Feed The Fasting, Eid Clothing, Gifts, Orphan Sponsorships, Water Wells and Sadaqa Jariya. Let us together help light up the lives of the needy this Ramadan.
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June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
COMMUNITY
BUSINESS 22 - 23
NZF facilitating Zakat collection and its distribution in Australia AMUST Media
Zakat is a pillar of Islam, its regular payment being the single most important act in the life of a Muslim after the five daily prayers. The National Zakat Foundation is a ground-breaking initiative in Australia which aims to utilise Zakat funds and voluntary donations collected in Australia for the benefit of local, deserving recipients. This group includes some of the most vulnerable members of our community, including widows, orphans, refugees, the aged as well as the homeless. NZF covers five core areas that together form an end-to-end service for the Muslim community in Australia with respect to Zakat: Awareness, Education, Calculation, Collection and Distribution. “In the beginning we had to often answer the claim that there were no needy Muslims here in Australia. With our case numbers at
DISTRIBUTION FIGURES FOR April 2015
1197 in less than two years and our work has touched the lives of over 4000 Muslims, the picture is very clear”, said Ismail Davids, the National Manager of NZF. If and when you pay your Zakat this Ramadan, remember that you are not only completing the most important pillar in Islam after the five daily prayers; you are also engaging in a beautiful act of purification. Ismail Davids stated, “At NZF we pride our self on values of Trust, Transparency, Compassion and Professionalism and it is our goal that in the near future the NZF trademark will become synonymous for Muslim welfare with all local communities, Government and non-Government sectors, insha Allah.” NZF takes care of the Zakat payer as well as the receiver, as the payers needs to understand their responsibility they have in front of Allah on the Day of Judgment about this ‘forgotten’ pillar. Hence they have created a series of guides, experts and online calculator that can help you determine your Zakat
payments. NZF comprehensive Zakat management system includes: • The collection and distribution of Zakat funds to eligible recipients in the Muslim community. • Launching campaigns to raise awareness about the importance and role of Zakat, with the ultimate aim of increasing the level of Zakat consciousness in the Australia. • Running education programs to deepen the level of knowledge about Zakat and its rulings. To learn more about how you can put your Zakat into action on your doorstep visit www.nzf.org.au, or call 1300 663 729 to donate today. Ismail Davids (right), National Zakat Foundation National Manager
WE DISTRIBUTED processed 63 zakat $65,664.11 applications for help
NZF Australia says NO to violence against Women.
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White Ribbon Day November 25
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Smartphone app to document Islamophobia attacks Mobinah Ahmad Islamophobia Watch Australia is a notfor-profit organisation to address the issue of Islamophobia by having a smartphone app. Muslim Australians are becoming increasingly aware of the rising anti-Muslim sentiments within the wider community. Muslims are increasingly becoming the victims of Islamophobia and discrimination in public spaces, workplaces, physical and verbal attacks, vandalism to mosques, homes and other private property. Islamophobia Watch consulted widely with members of the community, media and organisations and found that the rise of Islamophobia is increasing on several fronts. Their consultation also highlighted that many incidents of Islamophobia went unreported and in a few cases reported incidents were not acted upon by the authorities. This highlights a need to create alternative but accessible methods of reporting. To solve the issue of under-reporting, Islamophobia Watch want incidents to be reported quickly and with enough details to provide them with the support they need. The Islamophobia Watch App is an efficient and accessible way to encourage reporting incidents as they occur. The Islamophobia Watch App will work along with the Islamophobia Map. Online reporting and mapping technologies can be used as empowerment and complementary tools to support the Muslim community and organisations. The primary focus on the Islamophobia Watch App is to record and report incidents of any nature. Islamophobia Watch Australia will pro-
June 2015
vide a case referral management service to address potential psychological and legal issues that may arise from an attack. In working with victims, they would ensure that they receive appropriate services to address their trauma through our network of counsellors and legal networks with partners such as Atlas legal firm & Psych central and many more to be announced insh’allah. You can help! Post their crowdfunding page (www.islamophobiawatch.com.au) on your social media, email to your networks and making sincere dua for their cause.
Like the Islamophobia Watch Australia Facebook Page. If you’d like to donate, they have great gifts for those who donate on their crowdfunding page. IWA’s team are passionate about helping and empowering our community and to assist victims of Islamophobic attacks in the Muslim community. Board members are: Ahmed Abou-zaid, Heba Ibrahim, Shayer Islam (Melbourne), Nasser AlKhateeb, Mobinah Ahmad & Souha Alameddine (Sydney).
Screenshots from the Islamophobia Watch App. Help launch the app at www.islamophobiawatch.com.au
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Australasian Muslim Times
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AMUST
COMMUNITY
NEWS 1-2
BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
Events Boiling point forum puts Calendar spotlight on personal stress
ISRA: Islamic Family Law in Australia
Saturday 6 June, 2015 7:30PM - 9:30PM 128-134 South Parade, Auburn, NSW www.facebook.com/ events/453646738135374/
Fast Faster, Dig Deeper Saturday 6 June, 2015 7:00AM - 10:30AM 44 Rossmore Ave, Punchbowl, NSW
http://shifa.ticketleap.com/ ramadan/details
Manarul Islam Forum Australia held another one of its renowned Canberra dinner and discussions on 6 May at Taj Agra, Dickson to a packed room to discuss ways of managing personal stress. Titled “De-stressing the Boiling Point”, the forum was to bring together the Canberra community to hear from specialists in their fields. Speakers at the forum included John Powers, a professor in the School of Culture, History & Language at the Australian National University. Professor Powers focused on his own personal experience of handling stress through the teachings of Buddhism. Mary Pekin, CEO of Relationships Aus-
tralia stressed the importance of relationships between family and friends as the means by which stress can be managed. John Martin, a psychologist from western Sydney, pointed out the means by which excessive stress can be identified and then controlled so that it does not even reach the boiling point and if it does, how to bring it back down. John’s attendance at the forum was arranged by ACT Health. Finally, Graham Ramsay of ACT Health listed the avenues and services available to the public to help manage occupational, financial and emotional stress in the ACT. Elliot Dunn, a producer at ABC 666, was the MC of the evening and ensured the analogy of the boiling point (and his own cooking skills) remained relevant. Forum Australia is in its 10th year of operation and is proudly supported by the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs. For further information about this and
other forums, including photos and videos, visit www.aussieforum.org. All videos of the speeches and discussions of the night can be accessed by scanning the QR code below. The next Forum Australia dinner is planned for Wednesday 29 July 2015 and will focus on intergenerational issues. Scan the QR code for more pictures and videos.
Manarul Islam is an IT professional and AMUST correspondent based in Canberra.
My Home Away From Home
Saturday 6 June, 2015 6:00PM - 10:00PM Grand Royale Granville, 5161 South St, Granville, NSW Mob: 0451 063 543 0405 232 644
GoActive: Revitalise Your Ramadan Monday 8 June, 2015 9:30AM - 3:00PM LMA, 71-75 Wangee Road, Lakemba, NSW www.revitaliseramadan. eventbrite.com
Dinner with Chris Bowen Friday 12 June, 2015 6:30PM - 9:30PM Phoenix Restaurant, Westfield, Parramatta, NSW www.julieowens.com.au/ bowendinner
The Zaky Ramadan Show Sat 13 & Sun 14 June, 2015 10AM, 12PM, 3PM, 5PM, 7PM Bryan Brown Theatre, Bankstown, NSW
Professor John Powers addressing the audience
Business as usual: AFIC maintain its status quo AMUST Media The 51st Annual Congress of Muslims Australia (AFIC), was held from Sat 16 to Sunday 17 May in Sydney attended by delegates from all States of Australia including Christmas Island, ACT and Northern Territory to review AFIC’s activities, give directives and formulate policies. During the elections held at the congress, the sitting President of AFIC, Mr Hafez
Kassem from Sydney, was re-elected for another term of three years. Other elected office bearers included Mr Farouk Khan from South Australia as the Vice President, Mr Harun Abdullah from Tasmania as the Secretary and Mr Usaid Khalil from NSW as the Treasurer. Members of the elected Executive also included Miss Rawah El Samman as Assistant Secretary, Dr Senad Smajic as Assistant Treasurer while Dr Abdul Kamareddine, Mr Khaled Jneid and Mrs Soofia Abbas were elected as the members of the Execu-
www.one4kids.net
Pathways to Employment Expo Wednesday 24 June, 2015 10:00AM - 2:00PM 30 Broomfield Steet, Cabramatta, NSW
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tive Committee. The Congress Dinner was held to on Saturday 16 May at the Malek Fahd School in Chullora attended by interstate delegates, community leaders, politicians, Imams and interfaith representatives. Mr Kassem, while addressing guests at the Congress Dinner admitted of the bitter pre-election lobbying where he barely survived the contest. He assured the guests that AFIC under his leadership will continue with the direction in the educational development of the community. Mr Jihad Dib talked about his experience as the newly sworn member of the NSW Parliament and his feeling while giving his inaugural speech at the Parliament House during the week. AFIC, in addition to being an umbrella organization for Australian Muslims runs a large number of Schools in various cities of Australia as well as engaged in halal certification of meat and other food products. Recently there have been media reports and allegations of mismanagement and corruption in schools run by AFIC leading to enquiries and court cases that are still pending.
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Mary Pekin emphasising the importance of relationships
Hafez Kassem, AFIC President speaking at the annual congress dinner in May.
Australasian Muslim Times
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June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
AUSTRALIA
BUSINESS 22 - 23
Budget 2015-16: What is in it for us and for the Nation? FINANCE Dr Abul Jalaluddin Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey delivered the Federal Budget for 201516 on 12 May 2015. The centre piece of the budget was the assistance to small business and generous childcare benefits ensuring parents to join workforce. This budget was a turnaround and aimed at repairing the damage done in the last budget. Although it is largely received to be fair and reasonable, the Budget 201516 is dubbed as dull and routine with no real plan for future economic well-being. In 2015-16, the budget forecasts the unemployment rate to be 6.5%, economic growth to be 2.75% and budget deficit to be $35.1 billion. The budget is expected to return to surplus in 2019-20. Small Business From 1 July 2015, incorporated small businesses with annual turnover below $2 million will have company tax rate cut from 30% to 28.5%. Unincorporated small businesses such as sole traders will have a 5% discount on tax paid, up to $1,000 per year. From 7.30 PM on 12 May 2015, all small businesses are eligible to claim an immediate tax deduction for each and every item they purchase up to $20,000 till 30 June 2017. Small businesses will not pay Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) on work related portable electronic devices such as lap tops and ipads. These measures will benefit 96% of Australian businesses costing $5.5 billion over 4 years. Childcare Subsidy and Family From 1 July 2017, families earning around $65,000 or less will receive a subsidy of 85% of their childcare fee on a base daily rate of $110. There will be no annual cap for families earning $185,000 or less but families with income above it will have an annual cap of $10,000 for childcare subsidy. In addition, there will be $869 million for childcare benefit for care of vulnerable and disadvantaged children. From 1 January
2016, an interim Home Based Care Pilot Program will be funded for shift workers such as nurses, doctors, police and ambulance officers to hire a nanny to care for their children. This measure will cost $250 million to the budget. From 1 January 2016, “No Jab, No Pay” rule will remove all exemptions including religious objections, excluding medical reasons, for access to childcare benefits. In the calendar years 2016 and 2017, the Government will spend $843 million to provide universal early childhood education for up to 15 hours a week in the year before children enrol for school. The budget proposes to remove Family Tax Benefit Part B when the child turns six years of age and this tax benefit will cut off at $100,000 which used to be $150,000. Age Pension From 1 July 2017, pensioner couples with more than $823,000 in assets (lowered from $1.15 million), in addition to family home, will no longer be eligible for age pension and 91,000 retirees will lose pensions in this category. Single pensioners with more than $547,000 in assets, excluding family home, will also lose their pension. There will be a reduction in part pension for 236,000 retirees due to an increase in asset test taper rate from $1.50 to $3. For 17,000 retirees, there will be a fortnightly increase of $30 and 50,000 retirees of low income will be upgraded to full pension. These measures will save $2.4 billion over the next 4 years. Retirees who no longer receive a pension will remain eligible for Commonwealth Seniors Heath Card or Health Care Card which provides subsidies for transport, bulk-billing and prescription medication. Healthcare From 1 January 2016, the price of medicine will rise by up to $5 per script which will be $0.80 for pensioners. The Government will almost halve the GP consultation fee from $58 to $37 for child health checks. The budget will allocate $1.6 billion for high cost medicine for cancer patients and elderly which are new inclusions in the listing of the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS). It will also provide $485 million to improve the electronic health record system
for all Australians and $10 million to medical research. Reduction in Foreign Aid Foreign aid to Indonesia is slashed by 40%, from $605 million in 2014-15 to $366 million in 2015-16 while Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa will drop by a staggering 70%, from $106 million to $31.8 million in the same period. This budget has cut the Australian total foreign aid by 20%, amounting to a reduction of over $4 billion. National Security This budget allocated an enormous level of resources for national security: $750 million for Australia’s military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East; $382 million for countering violent extremism in Iraq; $450 million for new intelligence measures to protect Australia and Australians; $296 million for new information technology capabilities of Australian intelligence agencies; $131 million for telecommunications industry to retain metadata and $22 million to combat extremism and de-radicalisation programs. Regional and Drought Assistance From 1 January 2016, farmers are eligible to immediately claim deductions on cost of fencing up to $24,167 to protect their rural properties. The budget provides $250 million for Drought Concessional Loan Scheme; $25 million for pest animal control in drought affected areas; $35 million for civil infrastructure projects in drought affected areas; $20 million for social and community support services and $1.8 million for Rural Financial Counselling Services. The budget establishes a $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility for major infrastructure projects such as ports, rail-
AMUST
ways, pipelines and electricity generators Other Budget Measures Salary packaging for FBT exemption on “Meal Entertainment” which includes meals & alcohol at restaurants, holidays, cruises and weddings provided by Not-for-Profit organisations will be subject to an annual gross up cap of $5,000 per employee. There is no cap on this expense for this sector which is not available to other taxpayers. Currently, Australian mums could receive taxpayer funded Paid Parental Leave (PPL) in addition to any employer-provided parental leave entitlements. From 1 July 2016, mothers could claim only one PPL entitlement. The budget initially allocated $60 million to improve the information technology of the Department of Human Services (DHS). An amount of $1.5 billion is expected to be returned to the budget bottom line by DHS through its work to detect, investigate and deter suspected welfare fraud and non-compliance including non-reporting of incomes. From 1 January 2016, all Australian graduates with HELP debts earning incomes above the current repayment threshold of $53,345 will be required to pay off their loans no matter where they work and live, in Australia or overseas. From 1 July 2016, foreigners on working holidays will have to pay tax on the first dollar they earn and they will not be eligible for generous tax free threshold. This measure will save the budget $540 million over the forward estimate period of 4 years. Dr Abul Jalaluddin is an Islamic Finance expert, Director of MCCA, taxation advisor and a regular columnist of AMUST. He is based in Sydney.
Where is our ‘War on Domestic Violence’?
Sakinah Bokhari
There remains a national tragedy for a country that purports to be civilised, tolerant and safe. Australia is in the grip of a domestic violence crisis. Australian women are being regularly beaten, abused and killed by Australian men, usually their partners. The statistics are staggering. 1 in 3 women are affected by family violence. Since the beginning of this year, 24 Australian women have been murdered by their current or former partners. That is one every five days. In the recent budget announcements, Joe Hockey allocated a meagre $30 million to domestic violent services, most of which would be going to awareness-raising campaigns rather than the hotline or frontline services such as women’s refuges. The question must be asked whether Mr Hockey has his priorities right in allocating $1.2 billion to counter-terrorism measures when the statistics of Australians affected by terrorism are minuscule compared to women affected by domestic violence. It is clear that there is not enough funding. Calls to hotlines are going unanswered and desperate people are being turned away from community legal services and homeless shelters. There is also a need to fund men’s behaviour programs and accreditation
June 2015
for these programs as well as funding so that systems like the police, the courts and child protection services can work more effectively with each other. Waleed Aly made a powerful plea for proper domestic violence funding on The Project (13 May 2015) with the hashtag #showmethemoney alerting viewers of the frightening statistics and current funding gaps. MP Georgie Crozier, Shadow Minister for Families and Children, and MP Inga Peulich, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs recently released a media release (Family Violence Stories Risk Staying Secret, 21 May 2015) stating the experiences and voices of women and children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities risk being untold, filtered or drowned out as part of the Royal Commission into Family Violence because The Royal Commission’s terms of reference do not require the taking of direct verbal evidence from witnesses. This means that those women and children who have problems with literacy face hurdles in engaging the Royal Commission. As a community, we must be vocal and
take action about this issue. Men need to be positive role models to other men and children by encouraging respectful behaviour and speaking up against violent behaviour or attitudes that condone it. If women are to command proper authority with men we need to train young girls to take themselves much more seriously and develop the necessary mental toughness to push their own physical and mental limits. As Dr Sallee McLaren, a clinical psychologist, recently wrote in an article titled “The part women play in domestic violence” (The Age, 12 May 2015), “while we ought to be absolutely outraged about the violence of men against women, we ought to be equally outraged by the learnt powerlessness of women to command enough authority to stop it in its tracks.”. As NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says: “These are mothers, your daughters, your sisters, wives, girlfriends, these are the people that work at the desk next to you at work. These are real people and they are horrifying numbers.” For support and information about suicide prevention or domestic violence, contact: National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800 737 732 For Muslim community based help contact The National Zakat Foundation http:// nzf.org.au, The United Muslim Woman’s Association +61 2 9750 6916 or contact your local Imam or community leader. Sakinah Bokhari is a teacher based in Sydney.
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Australasian Muslim Times
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AUSTRALIA
NEWS 1-2
BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
The lucky country got luckier AMUST
Philip Feinstein Multiculturalism in Australia has come a long way and testimony to this was the event on Thursday 21 May 2015 marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW (ECCNSW). Founded on 27 July 1975, the ECCNSW filled a void by allowing a diversity of ethnic communities to form a coalition in one voice. As a peak body, the ECCNSW is a consistent and vocal advocate of multiculturalism and provides a conduit between ethnic communities, government and the wider community. Its strength lies in grass roots knowledge of the needs of ethnic communities. The event was attended by more than 400 people from many different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds who assembled at the Conca D’Ora Event Centre in Riverwood to celebrate the occasion and great achievements. Gone was the old White Australia policy taken over by the advanced and energetic Australian Multiculturalism way of life. To echo this sentiment in his video message of congratulations, Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated how we have found unity in our diversity and strength in our differences. The evening kicked off with MC Natalie Ahmat, a proud Indigenous woman of the
Mudburra and Mabulag Island people, welcoming the guests to this auspicious occasion. In opening his address Peter Doukas, Chair of the ECCNSW, said “Tonight we are celebrating the work and achievements of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW as a tireless advocate of the bold vision of a pluralistic and multicultural Australia.” But he added “Although we are a better and more open society, our work is not yet complete.” In her address as Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Social Services, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells drew our attention to the role of the ECCNSW for its advocacy, education and community development over the past 40 years. She summarised it most aptly when she said “The ECCNSW stands as a mirror to multicultural Australia.” Between the speeches of the evening came the fabulous entertainment: The children of the Sudanese Australian Catholic Community performed an exhilarating dance routine that had the crowd clapping and stomping their feet. These 6-9 year old kids set the momentum going for the entertainment that followed. The Greek troupe had rhythms going that was unique to their culture and had the audience battling to keep up. And of course there was Marcus Rivera, the Filipino opera singer who had us all mesmerised with his unique voice. The encore he received was well deserved. At the various tables were different ethnic groups from all over the world. The Afghani
ladies with their colourful outfits stood out amongst the crowd. Their Ethiopian friend with his all white outfit complimented their dress appropriately. The Sudanese folk with their traditional apparel was iridescent in its splendour. And then there was action. The table representing the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies had an ongoing throng of people wanting to engage in conversation. The radio station representatives from the Philippines and Hungary needed no broadcasting prowess to get people talking to them.The group from the University of Western Sydney had lots of action to and from their table. The ladies from the Italian Association of Assistance had their share of attention until they hit the dance floor. The birthday cake was cut with lots of fanfare. John Ajaka, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, in referring to the partnership between Service NSW and Multicultural NSW, which enables anyone to have a document translated into English from another language by visiting a Service NSW centre, said “With 20 per cent of people in NSW speaking a language other than English at home, this is a practical and common sense initiative that will make life easier for our community.” Michelle Rowlands, Federal Opposition Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, reminded us how more accepting Australians have become in recent years to refugees from different lands. In talking of her passion in affording all Australians equality of opportunity, she said: “No matter where you
Sudanese Kids Dancing Group. (Photo by Warren Duncan, Multicultural NSW)
Mr Michael Miller, representing the NSW Governor (Photo by Warren Duncan, Multicultural NSW). live, or what your background is, everyone should have the same opportunities to succeed in life.” Meanwhile Sophie Costis, NSW Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, in her show for support to ECCNSW, showed her stance by stating “I believe in equality. I believe every member of the New South Wales community deserves and is entitled to equal access - equal access to opportunity, to fairness, to public services and to social justice.” One thing many of the attendees did not know was that one of the ECCNSW major supporters was also having their 40th birthday at this time. Mandi Wicks, senior director at SBS Radio, in her forthright and positive speech, told of the long term connection between the two organisations and how their future is bound to be linked for many years to come. The long applause certainly indicated how much the public appreciated the contribution of SBS radio and television. Happy birthday also to SBS! The evening ended with a tumultuous round of applause for the organising committee. Let us hope that the whole event will stay in our minds with the reminder that we can all get along despite our differences and despite our backgrounds. Australia is the lucky country and is becoming even luckier with such a diverse population. . Philip Feinstein is a Sydney based writer, musician and activist working for MUSIC FOR REFUGEES www.musicforrefugees.org
Conference on community cohesion at UWS ill-timed Zia Ahmad The University of Western Sydney supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services is organizing a national conference from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 July with the theme “Advancing Community Cohesion”. The conference will be held at UWS Parramatta Campus and will bring together leading decision makers, thinkers and practitioners of multicultural affairs to discuss and debate key issues and national initiatives in place to advance community cohesion within Australia. However the conference dates coincide with the last two days of Ramadan including the marking of Lailatul-Qadr (night of power) when Muslims devote themselves intensively in overnight spiritual devotion as well as Eid-ul-Fitr, the festive celebration at the end of Ramadan.
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In response to AMUST’s concerns regarding the ill-advised setting of the conference dates, Dr Sev Ozdowski, the conference convenor said that “it was not an Islamic/ Muslim conference but a multicultural conference” and “if Muslims wish to participate then they have to utilise ijtihad (individual reasoning) to determine whether they should take part or not”. While it is understood that the conference is not exclusively for Muslims, many will argue that it is very much the Australian Muslim community which is the odd one out when it comes to social cohesion (akin to an elephant in the room) and participation of Muslims will be crucial to the completeness of the conference. Professor Shahjahan Khan who had successfully applied for funding with the University of Southern Queensland to attend the conference had to cancel it when he realized that it clashed with Ramadan and Eid. He said that like him, not many Muslims will probably participate in the conference if the dates were not moved after 19 July. The suggestion by Dr Ozdowski to utilize ijtihad in order to attend the ill-timed confer-
Australasian Muslim Times
ence was considered insensitive and offensive. Professor Khan wrote to Dr Ozdowski “You may know very well that there is no room for ijtihad to change the Eid day. It is liking asking Christians to join a conference on a Christmas day”. The confirmed speakers to the conference include some Muslims, however when one was contacted by AMUST, he said he was not consulted regarding the timing of the conference. Moreover the registration fee of $350 for the conference covering lunch, morning and afternoon tea will not be good value for money for Muslim participants while they
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will be fasting during the conference. In an email to AMUST, Dr Ozdowski has assured that “the conference organisers have taken care to provide for breaking fast and prayer facility and adequate provisions have been made for Muslims particularly for those who will be fasting on the conference days”. For more information and to register for the conference or to submit a paper, please go to their website: www.advancingcommunitycohesionconference2015.com.au
Zia Ahmad is the managing editor of AMUST and is based in Sydney.
June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
LIFESTYLE
BUSINESS 22 - 23
AMUST
Is desegregation the answer Marriage Bureau to Muslim marriage woes?
Seeker & Sought For
Zeynab Gamieldien Segregation is one of those topics people tend to get up in arms about, whether for or against. Some people prefer partitions. Some people won’t attend events with partitions. Those who oppose segregation tend to be either married couples who want to go to events together, or singles who lament their missed opportunity to mingle with the opposite sex. (Of course, there are conscientious objectors too, but let’s just leave them out of the discussion for now.) This begs the question: is segregation killing your chances of getting married? At first glance, the answer could be yes. If there are no opportunities for people to see each other, let alone talk, it’s virtually impossible to meet anyone at Muslim events. Even when there’s no partition, social conventions often dictate minimal contact between the sexes. No one is going to escort you out of the building if you do talk to someone of the opposite sex, but it’s not easy. If you don’t know the person, it’s not the done thing to approach them and just say ‘so, isn’t this panel discussion on gender rights in Islam fascinating?’ Even if you have a slight acquaintance with the person, you usually need some pretext to strike up a conversation. This is particularly the case for females, who are often discouraged from initiating any form of expressing interest out of fear of appearing ‘desperate’. Consequently, many people get into what I like to call a ‘locked eye romance’: exchanging glances and smiles over the refreshments table (everyone suddenly becomes a tea drinker at these things), maybe even a friend request, but not having the space or confidence to do anything further. This is typically the case in MSAs, where people may see each other every other week at BBQs or lectures but have little opportunity to engage in conversation. But this scenario plays out even after people have left university, leaving 20somethings to play the let’s-look-at-each-other-across-theroom game long after it was a fun teenage distraction. This can leave people dispirited and frustrated, and unless there’s a mutual friend who can help out, it frequently fizzles out and goes nowhere. The lack of opportunity to talk to people of the opposite sex has one rather hilarious side effect: incentivising volunteering. Muslims love a good volunteer session, because not only do they get to feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but they also get an added bo-
An initiative by the Islamic Foundation for Education and Welfare (IFEW)
Seekers
nus: a legitimate excuse to mix with people of the opposite sex. Whether it’s helping out on a uni Shura, feeding the homeless or planting some cute little seedlings, activities will necessitate some level of interaction, and from there, it’s much easier to strike up a conversation organically. Volunteering is seen as a less confronting way of meeting people than an explicitly matrimonial event, since everything happens ‘incidentally’. Of course, it could be seen as slightly problematic that people are volunteering partly to meet a cutie with a social conscience, but others see it as the only real ‘in’ when everything else is segregated. But is desegregation the saviour of the shoddy Muslim matrimonial scene? Well, not really. It may eliminate some problems, such as a lack of opportunity, but it can introduce all kinds of other pesky dilemmas. If people are very casual about gender interaction, it could very likely result in a very relaxed, let’s-talk-for-years-before-we-decide attitude to marriage. This could work for some people, but for others, it’s just plain annoying and not at all conducive to finding a spouse. It’s all too common for people to get stuck in the Muslim friendzone, a place where hangouts and flirtations abound but from which marriages very rarely eventuate. The Muslim friendzone is not an entirely comfortable place to be, even for people who aren’t particular fussed about gender mixing. It’s difficult for Muslim men and women to become BFFs in the first place because so many topics are just entirely off-limits. If they do become close, one person will often decide that they want more and end up either getting rejected in spectacular fashion or pining away in secret, reading text messages dozens of times to extract
hidden meanings. Inevitably, people tend to distance themselves from their friends of the opposite sex once they get married, so some might argue that there’s not much point in investing in a relationship which is bound to die off. I don’t have any solutions as to how to crack the code of meeting someone. Clearly, it’s not as simple as having a big fat freemixing fest. Some people may argue that it’s not the Muslim community’s responsibility to find you a husband/wife, that if you come to Islamic classes or events your intention shouldn’t be to meet people. However, some may argue that marriage is a communal responsibility and that if we as a community don’t do more to facilitate marriages, people will resort to less reputable, riskier methods. I definitely see the issue of marriage as something we all should invest in and share as a communal responsibility, but I’m just not sure how this should be addressed. The more I see, the more I think it’s simply a matter of luck/naseeb/whatever-you-wantto-call-it, of being in the right place and the right mentality at the right time. Whether you want to wait for that to happen or try to cook up a bit of your own naseeb over a bake sale is entirely your call. How do you think Muslims could more easily meet and form connections? Does there need to be a more concerted event as a community to facilitate marriages? Zeynab is an Australian lawyer, social inquirer, traveller and chronic human observer. She created Love Haqtually as a space for Muslims (and anyone interested) to discuss relationships, love, the weirdness of being a Muslim in the 21st century.
Hassan Yusra weds
M20154: Male, 42. Pakistani Australian, Accountant I come from a respectable family, I have been brought up with traditional Pakistani culture. I am a Sunni Muslim. I like reading Islamic Books, attending Islamic seminars and meeting friends of a similar background. I also like watching movies, listening to music and watching various sports. I am looking for a Sunni Muslim Pakistani woman who is educated and comes from a respectable family background. M20153: Male, 32, Sri Lankan Australian, Engineer. I’m an engineer and revert to Islam (I’ve done a lot of research to come to this point). This is my second year as a practicing Muslim. I have high emaan. My hobbies are fitness, reading, learning Arabic, engineering, modern history, cafés and restaurants, innovation. I’m looking for a devout practicing Muslim (Sunni) sister from any cultural background. Ideally a sister with very high emaan. M20152: Male, 33, Indian Australian, Financial Analyst. I’m a revert to Islam, and I work as a financial analyst in a multi-national IT company seeking an educated Muslim woman from a cultured family. M20151: Male, 34, Sri Lankan, Self-Employed. I have been living in Sydney for the past three years. I’ve been brought with traditional Islamic culture and am seeking to find a life partner in a halal way. I pray five times a day and read Quran every day. I am a very religious person, and I am looking to marry a religious Muslim woman.
Placing a notice If you would like to place a notice, fill out the matrimonial form at: www.amust.com.au/marriage-bureau All notices will be allocated a unique number and relevant personal information kept on file. Such information will remain confidential and will not appear on the notice. All notices must be sent through the form
Hassan Haqqi, Mechanical Engineer married Yusra Imran, Medical doctor on 24 January 2014 in Karachi, Pakistan. They now reside in Sydney, Australia.
Responding to a notice
Share the celebration of your engagement, wedding or anniversary with the rest of the community! Email us at seeker@amust.com.au
June 2015
F20155: Female, 29. Sri Lankan Indian (Bahrain), Pharmacist I enjoy spending time with family, reading books, cooking Arab dishes. I read the Quran and pray 5 times a day. I’m looking for a Muslim man, aged between 30-35 yeas old, who is cultured, open-minded and who has high respect in family values.
If you would like to respond to a notice, the matrimonial form at: www.amust.com.au/marriage-bureau and it will be emailed to them along with your email address. All information is held in strict confidence
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Australasian Muslim Times
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LIFESTYLE
NEWS 1-2
BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
Movie Review: American Sharia (2015)
Thaminah Ahmad
Omar Regan brings a new type of movie to our screens from Halalywood cinema. This is a movie where there is no profanity or sexual content but still grabs your attention with hilarious comedy and also reflects the issues we face as individuals and as a society. It casts actors from Muslims to non Muslims and also of different ethnicities - also it is pretty cool to see Eric Roberts (who starred in Batman with Christian Bale) play an important role in the movie. American Sharia stars Omar Regan as Mohammed or as he prefers to call himself ‘Mo’, an African American who works for the Motor City police force and is also a Muslim who is struggling with his own identity. Mo is a bit of a hot head, the type of person who talks first and thinks later. Police chief (Joshua Salaam) who wants to appease his Muslim community so he can get re elected decides to put together hot head Mo with calm and always smiling Abdul (Baba Ali) who loves to serve the law the Sharia way. All while the Muslim community of Motor City is being persecuted and harassed by others, sometimes by the police themselves. Mo tries his best to shake off his new and unusual partner but soon learns more about himself and how best to serve his community. The movie starts off with a gathering in the town hall and the typical complaints, why do Muslims woman cover their faces, and all Muslims are terrorists but soon gets deeper when presenting the facts of tragic events in the past were done by non Muslims such as nazi Germany and the atom bomb. The dialogue in this movie was very strong. There were many scenes where I sat amazed by what I was hearing. One of
them being, when trying to figure out how to manipulate the community, one person refers to the time of black slaves. Slave masters were afraid that they had so many slaves and that they could easily be an uprising. So to hold that back the slave owners separated them, moving the light slaves in the house the darker slaves outside driving conflict between the slaves and away from the Slave owners. This was an example on how to control the Muslim community. Take time to think about that for a moment. To me this showed how manipulation and injustice can so easily be played out without the victims themselves know what exactly just happened. Though at times it seemed the director was trying to hit a lot of issues at once which sometimes was a bit of an overload - Muslims being harassed, Mo trying ‘find himself’ and some creepy mysterious guy who had a squinting problem (who I thought was the devil, but just turned out to be your average bad guy.) It got a little confusing on who exactly were the ‘bad guys’. Even though the movie ran on a low budget, it didn’t show in the cinematography especially the chase scenes. The costume design of the police officers were spot on and they did good work on the set designs like the town hall and the police station. The actors brought a lot of emotion into the movie including comedy (I absolutely loved the cameo by Preacher Moss) and thought provoking scenes. For example while one Muslim was trying to find a cupboard to do his prayer while the Muslim who prayed openly was praised by the non Muslims colleagues as being strong enough in his faith to do his religious duty. The Soundtrack was a little strange at times. In one scene you kept hearing a clap and then the characters continue to talk and you hear another clap it wasn’t until they increases the sound of the music in the scene that you realised the clap was part of the
soundtrack. The director successfully showed how people (including Muslims) are misinformed about Islam, particularly the word Jihad and Sharia law, people may not be racist because of intolerance or fear but rather it conflicts with their re election plans and how many times in the past people were easily manipulated to fight against each other so that the real enemy couldn’t be identified and unfortunately we as humanity continually repeat this mistake. The message I left with is don’t be
ashamed of being a practising Muslim, know your rights, and there is always an alternative to violence. Also if you suffer from asthma bring an inhaler with you before you watch a comedy movie like this one. Omar said there will be a DVD release in future of American Sharia but in the mean time I recommend you support him and Halalywood by following him @omarregan on twitter and instagram. He has great ideas for future movies and needs the numbers to support this great cause.
HELP INDONESIAN CHILDREN LUQMAN HAKIM LANDY, AN AUSTRALIAN MUSLIM REVERT HAS BEEN SERVING THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA THROUGH HIS JIMS FOUNDATION IN THE FIELD OF DAAWAH AND EDUCATION FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS. HE
RUNS
150
ISLAMIC
SCHOOLS
FOR
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES CATERING FOR OVER 15,000 STUDENTS EMPLOYING MORE THAN 1,000 TEACHERS IN JAVA AND SUMATERA, INDONESIA. HIS EDUCATIONAL AND DAAWAH PROJECTS ARE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON THE GENEROSITY OF MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY. A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY LEADERS INCLUDING THE PREVIOUS TWO MUFTIS OF AUSTRALIA, SHEKH TAJUDDIN AL-HILALY FROM SYDNEY AND SHEIKH FAHMI
PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY
Donation Account Details: Name: Luqman Hakim Landy ANZ BSB: 012 341 A/C: 540 136 101
IMAM FROM MELBOURNE AS WELL AS MR KEYSAR TRAD HAVE TOURED THE SCHOOLS AND RENDERED THEIR SUPPORT. THESE SCHOOLS CATERING FOR INDONESIA’S POOR ARE ELIGIBLE FOR YOUR ZAKAAT AND SADAQA SPECIALLY IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN. WEBSITE: www.y-jims.com | EMAIL: yjimslhl@yahoo.com or jimsfoundation@yahoo.org |MOBILE: 0413 662 880 (Australia)
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www.amust.com.au
June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
LIFESTYLE
BUSINESS 22 - 23
Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program Part 1 MOBYDAYZE Mobinah Ahmad I had the privilege of being selected out of five Muslim Australians to go on the 2015 Australia Indonesia Institute Muslim Exchange Program where I spent two weeks in Indonesia. These are my reflections as well as some reflections from the other members in my group: Sarah Chaabo, Tasneem Chopra, Jhon Umar Yusuf Kyaw Naing, Sahema Saberi. The first two days, I was unfortunately sick by bringing the flu from Australia. The other participants told me they visited the Australian Embassy in Jakarta for a briefing and introduction to the program. They then visited Paramadina University where they met the Rector, Dr Firmansyah, speaking on topics such as protocol, politics and progressive thought. The next day, there was a roundtable meeting with Non-Government Organisations such as Maarif, ICIP, Ahimsa, Rahima and the Wahid Institute. Tasneem mentioned how much she enjoyed meeting a mover and shaker, Luluk from AHIMSA, an NGO in Indonesia invested in empowerment of women though income generation projects and civil society activism. Participants were able to have more of an appreciation of Indonesian cuisine, especially Kueh Dessert that was served with tea. This was a great event for the participants to network with one another and increase positive international relations. They also were able to develop more of an
understanding of what the objectives were for these Indonesian community organisations. The next day, we went to Bandung, a city in Java known for its artistic and cultural affluence. We had the privilege of meeting Ginan, founder of Rumah Cemara who envisions an Indonesia without discrimination towards people with HIV/AIDS and people who use drugs. For 12 years on, they have reached so many people. Rumah Cemara serves as a rehab/drop in centre for locals, providing counselling, support for addicts (syringe exchanges), sex workers and at risk youth. The initiative to destigmatise people living with HIV has been an ongoing effort of some inspiring change makers, lead by the exuberant visionary, Ginan. Using sports and artists mediums to engage dialogue and transition youth into opportunities that enhance their well being. Ginan himself had such an inspirational story that he so candidly spoke about. He used drugs between the ages of 13 to 20 years. Now 35, he has tremendously turned his life around, travelled the world and speaks so sincerely about his mother and God. He said “Blessings of God is through the blessings of your mother.” Rumah Cemara represents the best of progress, inspiration and recovery. www.supportdontpunish.org. We then went to a village maze where we got to have a traditional home cooked Sudanese lunch. It was amazing. My favourite dish was spinach mixed with garlic, chilli and butter. I wish I could be back there right now. After Yusuf, Sahema and Sarah went for a
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From left: Sahema Saberi, Tasneem Chopra, Ginan (Rumah Cemara), Mobinah Ahmad, Jhon Umar Yusuf Kyaw Naing. horse ride, we visited Kampung Daun (Leaf tried some western dishes and some wonVillage), and it was an outdoor restaurant in derful Indonesian mocktails. such a beautiful mountainous area situated in a jungle. There were little huts spread Part 2 in the next issue! out over the jungle mountain area. It was so beautiful to eat along a river and in amongst Mobinah Ahmad is a professional social greenery. Definitely a very romantic place. media analyst and AMUST Multimedia Tasneem had her usual satay whilst we all Journalist based in Sydney.
Modest Street Fashion Photography by Benny Baharuddin
Neil, 24, Bioinformatician Shirt is from Zara, pants from top man and boots from ASOS. I like a laid back/relax style, loose shirts with skinny jeans.
June 2015
The Modest Street Fashion series will capture the diversity of expression and style. This series explores Sydney’s emerging modest fashion market.
Amalina, 23, Student Jacket is from Paddy’s market, scarf I took from my mum, skirt is from Malaysia where I’m from. I feel more comfortable wearing skirts instead of pants as I feel more modest and more covered. I also like wearing a patterned scarf to go with the plain jacket and skirt.
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Thomas, 23, Student Socks, odd pairs off the internet, Chinos from Industrie and shirt is from Tommy Hilfiger. I like to go for a simplistic style with a little bit of colour in there.
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BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
Nepal earthquake: Human Appeal provides immediate relief Karim Elhawari In response to the Nepal Earthquakes which has affected over eight million and claimed the lives of more than 8000 people, Human Appeal International Australia sent aid in order to assist the victims. Human Appeal International Australia Director Mr Bashar Al-Jamal arrived in Kathmandu on the 3 May and personally toured the disaster areas, meeting victims and supervised the distribution of aid. The earthquake had left a trail of destruction within Kathmandu as many victims were left displaced due to their homes being
totally destroyed. Many were displaced with a severe need for food, water and shelter and high risk of catching disease. Aid was distributed within Kathmandu itself as well as in Kirtipur, 15km from Kathmandu and Ghyalchok village, Gorkha district, 3 hours away from Kathmandu. Both areas were severely affected by the earthquake with many left displaced after the destruction of their homes. The supervision of aid within these areas showed first-hand the toll the earthquake had taken on the people of Nepal. Many women and children were especially suffering, and many families were struggling to survive trying to ensure the well-being of their children.
Bashar Al-Jamal, Director of Human Appeal International Australia on the ground surveying the extent of damage caused by the Nepal earthquakes.
Those affected in Ghyalchok had their own stories on how the earthquake had affected them and their struggle for survival. The looks on the faces of the victims, their tattered clothing and their injuries told their stories of loss and suffering more effectively than any news report could tell. One of the villages where Human Appeal distributed aid consisted of totally Hindu families and they highly appreciated the fact that Muslims from as far away as Australia had come all the way to help them. Among the victims in Ghyalchok, was Farouk, a painter who barely managed to escape his home before it was totally destroyed during the earthquake and now lives in a tent with his wife and five children.
Another victim of the disaster was Abdullah, who alongside his daughter has been severely affected by the earthquakes in Nepal. Mr Al-Jamal provided reassurance and aid to them on behalf of Australian Muslim community who had generously contributed towards relief. All recipients of aid were highly thankful to Human Appeal International Australia for the aid that they have received. Over 600 families benefited from the distributions and among the items were Food parcels and water supplies, tents and blankets freely distributed to victims. Karim Elhawari is the Marketing Officer – NSW for Human Appeal International, Australia
Bashar Al-Jamal distributing aid from Human Appeal International Australia to the victims of the Nepal earthquakes who are sheltering in makeshift tents.
Food Ladder oasis for Afghan women Both Mahboba’s Promise and Food Ladder are eager to point out that the collaborative ‘Food Ladder Oasis for Afghan Women’ project will address various Millenium Development goals: MDG 1, eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; MDG 3, promote gender equality and women’s empowerment; and MDG 7, ensure environmental sustainability.
AMUST Media Australian-based non-profit organisations Mahboba’s Promise and Food Ladder are pleased to announce the launch of a collaborative social enterprise project addressing food security of vulnerable women and their families in Afghanistan. The project is titled ‘Food Ladder Oasis for Afghan Women’. Mahboba’s Promise, an organisation that has worked to support vulnerable women and children of Afghanistan for over 15 years will provide the location, utilising the site of its currently operating permaculture farm just outside Kabul for Food Ladder to install its innovative hydroponic social enterprise solution. The project will address food security by providing infrastructure as well as training to widows in Kabul so that they can grow their own food using Food Ladder’s highyield, hydroponic greenhouse system. The system will produce enough food to supplement the diets of some 250 people, generate jobs for 30 widows and become the basis of a sustainable social enterprise servicing the broader community. With a key concern for both organisations being empowerment, this project will improve the conditions of women, making them self-sufficient, and provide them with access to quality produce. “It is Food Ladder’s mission to deliver inexpensive, easy to operate horticulture infrastructure to communities challenged by inadequate or unreliable food supply to pro-
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vide nutrient-rich produce and a means of employment for the poor, “ says Food Ladder Director Kelly McJannett. “In that sense this project in Afghanistan fits our mission perfectly.” The specific goals of the project are to, (1) engage 30 widows in the social enterprise, provide training and employment through the hydroponic system, (2) generate a yield of green leafy vegetables to supplement the diets of 250 people, and (3) after 12 months, leverage funds generated through the sales of produce to expand and employ a further 10 widows from the community. “Kabul has a temperature range from 40C to -5C,” explains Mahboba’s Promise Founder and President, Mahboba Rawi. “This means that with regular farming methods there is only a window of 5 to 6 months in the year when food can be grown. The Food Ladder solution will enable more food to be produced for a longer period.” It is expected that food production yields will be enough to allow families to not only cover their own consumption, but will also provide enough for sale at market to provide an income source.
Australasian Muslim Times
For supplementary materials please consult the Mahboba’s Promise website at www.mahbobaspromise.org/food-ladder/.
Mahboba’s Promise founder Mahboba Rawi (left) and Food Ladder Director Kelly McJannett.
Inside the Food Ladder greenhouse. Picture Kylie Pitt.
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June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
UMMAH
BUSINESS 22 - 23
Mrs Razina Khan appointed Turkey’s top religious Chair of NCHD in Pakistan official Görmez visits Gaza
Mrs Razina Alam Khan, who had served as Senator earlier has been appointed by the President of Pakistan with the advice of Prime Minister as Chairperson of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD). She has already taken charge since 11 May 2015 subsequent to the announcement. She is the elder sister of Mr Qamar Khan, a Sydney community leader associated with the Rooty Hills mosque. National Commission for Human Development is a not for profit organization with the mission to transform lives by improving access to basic education and healthcare in the country’s poorest communities. NCHD is the leading agency fighting illit-
eracy in 134 districts of Pakistan and helping people to find routes out of ignorance. With nationwide network of 101 Human Development Support Units situated all over Pakistan and hands-on-experience, NCHD aims at enlarging the scale and scope of the efforts made by the government in ensuring the effective provision of social services. It perceives human development as a process of enlarging choices, building capacities and encouraging participation of communities at the grass roots. These capacity building exercises are targeted towards Government Line departments, community based organizations and the community.
Seven million Palestinians refugees
Mehmet Görmez, president of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, visited the coastal enclave of Gaza on the invitation of Palestinian Minister of Religious Affairs Yusuf Ismail al-Sheikh. Israel has violated human rights of Palestinians and used internationally banned weapons against civilians in Gaza, Turkey’s head of religious affairs said, during his first visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Referring to Israeli government’s eightyear blockade of the Gaza Strip, Görmez
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said that the people of Gaza had free minds and free hearts despite the daily horrors they faced. He said that the Israeli army had used internationally banned weapons in its anti-Palestinian deadly operations in the Gaza Strip. “Israel used internationally banned weapons and violated religious and human rights [of Palestinians]. Israel must be prosecuted,” he added.
Doggard planned to kill Muslims A Tennessee man, who made a failed bid for Congress last year as an independent with extreme right wing beliefs, has admitted in federal court to planning an attack on a Muslim community in New York. Robert Doggart, 63, was recorded on a wiretapped phone talking about his plan to travel along with members of a private militia to an area near Hancock, New York, known as Islamberg, to burn down a mosque, school and cafeteria, while gunning down anyone from the community who tried to stop them.
Media Scan
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday that it has recorded a population of 12.1 million people, of whom 4.6 million live in the occupied territories and the remainder abroad. The figures show that at the end of 2014, 2.8 million Palestinians lived in the West Bank and 1.8 million in the Gaza Strip. In the impoverished Gaza enclave, the population of 4.9 people per square kilometre makes its density one of the world’s highest. Of the 4.6 million people in the Palestinian territories, 43.1 percent are refugees. The balance of 7.5 million Palestinians live in exile, the majority in 31 UN-installed refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. UNRWA, the world body’s aid agency for Palestinian refugees, has 5.49 million people registered in its books. The figures were announced ahead of Friday’s 67th anniversary of the “Nakba”, or “catastrophe” in Arabic, the day when Palestinians mourn Israel’s establishment in 1948. In a statement, the head of the statistics bureau said that in 1948, “1.4 million Palestinians lived in 1,300 towns and localities in historic Palestine”. After the war that followed Israel’s creation, “Israel took control of 774 towns and villages, destroyed 531 and committed 70 killings and massacres in which 15,000 people died”, she said. Some 154,000 Palestinians decided to re-
main on their land after that conflict, and their Arab Israeli descendants now number nearly a million and a half. Other figures made public by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel NGO show that Palestinians make up 37 percent of the population of Jerusalem. The eastern part of the holy city was captured in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community. Of the Palestinians in East Jerusalem, 75 percent live below the poverty line. The illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem have escalated tensions, triggering social unrest between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. Despite severe criticism from the U.S., the EU and the U.N., Israel continues to expand the settlement project that includes major construction in areas by demolishing homes belonging to Palestinians in the disputed area. The number of Jewish settlers in the occupied territories has doubled in the last four-and-a-half years. The continued settlement threatens the pursuit of peace in the sacred territories through deepening divisions between the two communities and further exacerbating the conflict.
Islamic Councils across Australia have strongly rejected the government proposal to revoke Australian citizenship for those suspected of carrying out a terrorist act. Islamic Council of Victoria president Ghaith Krayem said, “If our purpose is to prevent terrorism then this isn’t the solution. Stripping people who are suspected of committing such acts will in no way stop the acts from occurring.” Citizenship is a basic right for all people globally; to remove it from an individual is a decision not to be taken lightly. To do so based on mere suspicion and as a punishment is contrary to the most basic principles underlying our legal system. A key platform of the Government’s strategy has been to cancel passports of those under suspicion,
under the premise that Australia has an obligation to not allow its citizens to travel overseas who may then pose a security risk to other nations. This move seems to be a complete reversal of such a position. Islamic Councils believe that in the interest of national security, we should use the full powers of the courts to prosecute anyone who has committed an act of terrorism and if the courts deem it necessary, protect the nation through our judicial system. “A further erosion of basic human rights is not the answer to solving this issue. Such a move takes us down a very slippery road and every Australian should be concerned about this announcement,” Mr Krayem said.
Ainullah
Doggart was arrested April 10 by the FBI on charges that he solicited others to violate civil rights, attempted to damage religious property because of the religious character of the property and made threats through interstate communication. Two weeks later, Doggart pleaded guilty to interstate communication of threats. A judge has not yet signed off on the plea agreement. He was released on $30,000 bond to home confinement after the agreement was made and faces between 0 and 5 years in federal prison, along with a possible fine of up to $250,000.
Islamic Councils reject revoking of Australian citizenship
June 2015
Electricity from walking on boots Turkish secondary school student Furkan Faruk Aslan managed to produce nine volts of electricity by walking on boots. The 15-year old from Erdemli district of southern Mersin province has earned the right to apply for patent. Guided by his technology design teacher Nazan Ayar of Akdeniz Secondary School, the eight grader came up with the idea in electricity production techniques studies.
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“I have always wanted to prepare a project on energy. I managed to charge a solar battery with a magnetic dynamo placed under boots,” Aslan said. “The nine-volt battery is charged after walking 200 meters and a cellphone can be charged with it,” Aslan stated, further adding that his next goal is to make a fuel-free generator.
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BOOMERANG 3-5
COMMUNITY 6-8
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
Nobel laureates call for a stop to genocide of Rohingyas AMUST
Continued from page 1 Meanwhile, a group of Filipino Muslims from academic, civil society, inter religious, government, and business sectors said that they would welcome Rohingya “boatpeople” An African country, Gambia has expressed its willingness to help and offer possible resettlement for Rohingya Muslims from Arakan while Myanmar continues to deny their citizenship and forces them to migrate. “It is sacred duty to help alleviate the untold hardships and sufferings these fellow human beings are confronted with, a Gambian government spokesman stated. Expressing deep concern about regarding the migrants stranded at sea, Gambia called on Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to assist relocating the migrants to Gambian refugee camps. Gambia also urged “all countries with a conscience” to help provide migrants who are adrift with humanitarian aid, including tents, beds, blankets, medicine and food. The conference was attended by Buddhist monks, Christian clergy, and Muslim leaders from Myanmar. Also present were genocide experts, international diplomats, interfaith and human rights leaders. Attendees explored ways to end Myanmar’s systematic persecution of the Rohingya, as well as foster communal harmony in Burma. During the Oslo conference, former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik conferred on three leading Myanmar monks who have saved Muslim lives in Burma and opposed Islamophobia the first-ever “World Harmony awards” on behalf of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a 120-yearold interfaith organization. Rev. Seindita, Rev. Withudda, and Rev. Zawtikka, were the three awardees who also chanted Buddhist prayers at the inauguration. Presenting the awards, the Parliament’s chair, Imam Malik Mujahid said, “These extraordinary monks challenge the widespread perception that all Buddhist monks clamor for violence against the Rohingyas.” The participants from 16 different countries, including leading Rohingya activists and leaders, as well as genocide scholars, adopted the following statement. Philanthropist George Soros drew a parallel between his childhood memories of life in a Jewish ghetto under the Nazi occupation in Hungary and the plight of the Rohingya after visiting a Rohingya neighborhood in Sittwe which he called a “ghetto”. “In 1944, as a Jew in Budapest, I, too was a Rohingya…The parallels to the Nazi genocide are alarming,” he said, in a pre-recorded address to the Oslo conference.
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Full Text of the Communiqué Adopted by the Oslo Conference:
Today the Oslo Conference to End Myanmar’s Persecution of the Rohingya ended. The conference was held at the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Voksenaasen, Oslo, Norway on May 26 & 27, 2015. After two days of deliberations the conference issue the following urgent appeal to the international community, based on the following conclusions: 1. The pattern of systematic human rights abuses against the ethnic Rohingya people entails crimes against humanity including the crime of genocide; 2. The Myanmar government’s denial of the existence of the Rohingya as a people violates the right of the Rohingya to self-identify; 3. The international community is privileging economic interests in Myanmar and failing to prioritize the need to end its systematic persecution and destruction of the Rohingya as an ethnic group. The call by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to end Myanmar’s genocide of the Rohingya made during the Oslo conference is supported by six additional Nobel Peace Laureates: Mairead Maguire, Jody Williams, Tawakkol Karman, Shirin Ibadi, Leymah Gbowee, and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel. The United Nations and the international community have an urgent responsibility to stop Myanmar’s systematic persecution of the Rohingya. As the home country of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, the conference urges the Government of Norway to immediately prioritize ending Myanmar’s genocide over its economic interests in that country, including sizeable investment by Telenor and StatOil. The conference calls upon the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations (UN) and other relevant international actors to take all possible measures to pressure the Government of Myanmar to do the following: • to immediately end its policies and practices of genocide; • to restore full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingya; • to institute the right of return for all displaced Rohingya; • to effectively provide the Rohingya with all necessary protection; and • to actively promote and support reconciliation between communities in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Three Buddhist monks who have made statements against anti-Rohingya hate and one of whom saved 1,000 Muslims from an angry mob, and a Burmese Christian bishop stand with Rohingya leadership and Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, a Norwegian bishop, and a Norwegian Imam for an interfaith prayer for peace and reconciliation in the Rakhine/Arakan state of Burma. Front row (left to right): Nurul Islam, Maung Tun Khin, Kyaw Min, Wai Wai Nu, Daw Khin Hla. Back row (left to right): Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, Bishop Tor Jorgensen, Rev. Sein Di Ta, Bishop Rev. Zaw Win Aung, Rev. Zaw Ti Ka, Rev. We Thudha, Imam Hamid Ali Farooq.
Former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik (left) and Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid (middle), Chairman of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR), present Rev. We Thudha (right) with the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ inaugural World Harmony Award on behalf of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, for fostering compassion, kindness, and harmony among faith communities in Myanmar. Rev. We Thudha was recognized for turning back an angry mob from a monastery where he housed fleeing Muslims.
Kurdish flutist Kemal Hassanpour plays for the assembled guests of the Oslo Conference to End Myanmar’s Systematic Persecution of the Rohingyas.
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The 99 Divine attributes of Allah Part 10 - Attributes 49-50 of Allah BEYOND THE BOX Dr Q Ashfaq Ahmad This issue continues the series exclusive to AMUST on the 99 divine attributes of Allah. Read previous parts at www.goo.gl/L1wvP2
49. Al-Ba’ith - The Resurrector “O people, if you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then indeed, We created you (Adam) from dust, then from a Nutfa1 (mixed sperm-drops of male and female) (the offspring of Adam) , then from a clot (of thick coagulated blood), and then from a little lump of flesh, some formed and some unformed (as in miscarriage or aborted) as we may make clear to you ( to show Our Power or ability)2. And We settle, whom We will, to remain in the wombs for a specified term, then We bring you out as infants, and then give you growth so that you may reach your maturity. And among you there is who dies (young), and among you there is brought back to the miserable old age so that he knows nothing after (once) having knowledge3. And you see the earth barren, but We send down upon it rain, it is stirred (to life) and it swells and grow in every lovely kind. “That is because Allah is the Truth4 and because He gives life to the dead5 and because He is over all things competent6 . “And surely, the Hour is coming, there is no doubt about it ; and certainly Allah (being resurrector7(49) will resurrect those who are in the graves8 ” (al- Hajj, 22; 5,6,7) 1. The text depicts the conflict between the Message of the Quran and the Arab polytheists at Makkah about the existence of Allah as the Supreme Being. It was on the rights and power of Allah and about His directives. The polytheists did not accept the doctrine of “Divine Monism” and the “Life after Death”. Hence, this phrase reveals that every human being is created by One Allah from the elements that are provided from the earth. 2. It is explicitly mentioned in the following verses of Al-Quran. “(That is He :) All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Almighty, the most Magnificent Who made everything He has created good and He began the creation of Man from clay. Then He made his offsprings from semen of despised water (male and female sexual discharge)” (al- Anbiyah, 32; 6-8) These verses intimate that Allah created the first human being as His divine creation. After that He provided the endurance of procreation to create human species through their nutfahs. It was the marvel that He created life with such wisdom through His order by the combination of the element of the earth that a peculiar wonderful human species came into existence. Moreover the second marvel of Allah is that He engrained a wonderful mechanism into every human individual that the intellect gets wonderstruck by its performance. 3. It is the phenomenon of aging that after a while a human doesn’t have full consciousness of his/her whereabouts. The same person who helped other humans to develop intellect and wisdom became so degraded that even the children start laughing at his/her seemingly foolish behaviour. 4. Leaving aside the whole cosmic system, if a person ponders over his birth he should realise the continuous ever-rendering real contrivance of Allah in the creation of every person. Whatever diet
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a person consumes neither contains any human seed nor any ingredient producing sexual passion. This diet after digested by body gets beautiful hair, flesh and bone and then at a particular phase in the body gets sperms that contain seeds of the human fetus. The action of these seeds is so enormous that at any moment semen contains million of sperms each of which has the capacity of generating human life when combined with the egg of the opposite sex. But it is the Will of One Wise, Master and Sovereign, to select only one of the sperm to get combined with the female egg to commence pregnancy. This egg-cell is so small that can be seen only by a microscope; this abject egg cell, being nourished for about nine months, becomes a human being after passing through different stages. If you ponder over all these stages, your intellect will pass the verdict that this is the achievement of the device of One Wise Being. It is only That One Who controls what kind of human is to be produced. This process of creation and formation occurs in millions of women every day. The important thing is that no other person or being, other than One God, can create same person. Hence this observance provides to ponder that a sensible person starts believing that Allah is only such Truth. 5. Another event, ‘Allah gives life to death’ can be proved through observed facts. People observe every day that the dead are born or brought out again. The bodies that die are transformed into different salts (calcium, iron, silicon), gases, energies which mix with existing elements and substances to bring another life by its combination. Thus non- living elements are transformed into living human by obtaining soul from God. Hence, phenomenon of death, life and death carries on throughout the world from the beginning till eternity. 6. The comment that ‘Allah is over all things competent’ can be easily proven by looking over the whole cosmos. Just above us we see the magnificent sky over our earth consisting of planets of different sizes moving around in different manners without clashing with each other. All this exact movement without disturbing any other existence, function so mathematically, minutely and scientifically that can be controlled and managed only by one Supreme Being – Allah/ God. 7 & 8. The hour of resurrection has to come or ‘ Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves’ is the rational outcome of all the facts explained in points 4, 5 and 6 above. If a person observes the performance of One God, the Creator and Controller through His manifestations in the Universe, his conscience would accept that whatever Allah wants to establish, it occurs. Whether He decides to enliven the death or to make something vanish, His order is carried out. So, the phenomena of life and death is fully in the control of Allah, the Creator and Controller.
50. Al- Shahid – The Witness “He is the One Who Has sent His Messenger with guidance and the divine doctrine1 , so that He exhibits all of its manifestations2 . And All-Sufficient is Allah as the Witness (50)” (al-Fath, 48:28) 1. The Arabic word ‘din’ translated as the ‘divine doctrine’ is expressed in the explanatory notes nos. 2,3 & 4 of the attribute no. 46 of Allah in AMUST no.44 of May 2015. Hence it has been expressed as the witness of Allah and the time of preparation of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah culminating to victory of the prophet Muhammad (s) Allah consoles the annoyed followers of the prophet on the objection for writing
the word prophet of Allah with Muhammad (s) that they should not worry as Allah Himself is the witness of the prophethood of Muhammad 2. It means that Muhammad (s) is not the founder of any divine doctrine. Hence this means that the divine doctrine revealed as Al-Quran through the last messenger is not a new divine religion. Allah has revealed one and only one divine doctrine that has been sent to the human beings in different localities and different times and it is the same one that Muhammad (s) is presenting before you just now. He is reaching out and trying his best to invite you all to believe and implement all its clauses sincerely with dedication. Continued in AMUST issue #116 July
Now, let us take another reality. The reward of good deeds and thoughts and the punishments of bad deeds and thoughts are neither performed in this worldly life. Hence, logic demands that after the life in this world, the day of Resurrection/ Accounting has been arranged by Allah to make all humans accountable for their thoughts and actions in this world. Hence the hour of Resurrection will be performed by the Resurrector, Allah (God) definitely.
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An Australian Muslim perspective: National Imams Consultative Forum 2015
AMUST Media
The views presented within this document are those adopted by the Imams in the National Imams Consultative Forum. Over three workshops held in November 2014, December 2014 and March 2015 at the University of Melbourne, facilitated by the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, more than 20 Imams from around Australia examined the contents of this document. After extensive debate, discussion and deliberation, the participating Imams adopted the conclusions enclosed. The following positions represent the views of a large number of Imams in Australia. In adopting these positions, the Imams considered the existing theological and legal positions of prominent Muslim scholars and Islamic schools of thought, in both the classical and modern periods. They also considered the position of Australian Muslims as a minority. Participating Imams agree to the 53 statements put forward in the following pages. Citizenship 1. There is no conflict between Islamic rules, values and norms and taking up Australian citizenship. 2. As citizens of Australia we should exercise our right to participate in key institutions in the country; be they political, economic, legal, security or social; while observing the fundamental teachings of our religion. 3. There is no religious requirement obligating Australian Muslims to migrate to another country or region, whether one calls that country or region a caliphate, an Islamic state or by any other name. 4. The Islamic concept of brotherhood and sisterhood applies to all Muslims wherever they are — this religious and spiritual connection between Australian Muslims and all other Muslims remains. 5. When Muslims in other countries declare war on each other, the aforementioned brotherhood or sisterhood does not automatically require us to take up arms and fight on any particular side. 6. There is no conflict between loyalty to Islam and commitment to Australia. Abiding by the Terms of Contract 7. A Muslim is required to respect and abide by the terms of an agreement or contract one enters into. 8. This requirement exists whether the contract is between a Muslim and non-Muslim or between a Muslim and Muslim. 9. Whether a Muslim enters into Australia as a temporary resident or a permanent resident, he or she is still required to abide by the laws that exist in the country. Australian Law and Shari’ah 10. Shari’ah represents Islamic norms, values, rituals, rules and regulations. 11. The commitment of a Muslim to Shari’ah does not conflict with their ability to abide by Australian law; 12. Much of what the Shari’ah requires of a Muslim can be implemented without government regulation — for example: the five pillars of Islam, the need to stay away from sins or crimes Islam specifies, the ethical and moral values of honesty, fulfilling one’s promises, and dealing with people gently and kindly. 13. The penalties for offences in Islamic criminal law (hudud) may only be implemented by a legitimate Islamic government. Thus, individuals must not implement such penalties in Australia. Fatwa 14. Issuing fatwas without the formal education required is not acceptable in Islamic tradition. 15. Individual Muslims, who have had no in-depth knowledge or training in Islamic scholarship, in particular Islamic jurisprudence, have no authority to issue fatwas. 16. Given the wide variety of disciplines
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and knowledge scholars require before issuing fatwas, a better approach in the Australian context would be to have a collective group of recognised ulama issue fatwas. Takfir 17. A Muslim is anyone who sincerely confesses that there is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of God. 18. Statement 17 is the minimum requirement of being a Muslim, and no Muslim has the right to label or declare other Muslims as non-believers or apostates. 19. Differences of opinion on interpretation by qualified scholars have always been recognised in the Islamic tradition as legitimate. 20. It is permissible in Islam to legitimately differ on any matter except those that are considered fundamentals of the religion on which there is universal agreement among Muslims. 21. It is not permissible in Islam to harm or kill a person. God has forbidden killing of a person whether he or she is a Muslim or non-Muslim. Treatment of Non-Muslims 22. Both the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasise that all human beings come from one family and that all of them have dignity that should be respected and protected. 23. In their engagement with non-Muslims, Muslims should maintain a spirit of cooperation. 24. Islam requires Muslims to interact with people of other faiths gently and fairly, to work with them for the common good, and to maintain good social and neighbourly relations with them. 25. Muslims, whether they are in a conflict zone or anywhere else, may not force anyone to convert to Islam; conversion by force is illegitimate under Islamic norms. 26. Muslims have an obligation to protect the rights of non- Muslims living in their midst, including the protection of persons, property, and places of worship. Caliphate 27. The notion of caliphate or imamate in Islam is primarily about governance, and that it is clear from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that wherever Muslims are, even if there are only three Muslims, they have to adopt some kind of governance arrangement. 28. Historically, Muslims experimented with different systems of governance, different ways of choosing rulers and different ways of administering states. 29. Muslim scholars of today have recognised the legitimacy of nation-states, although there are different ideas about the best model of governance. 30. Muslim scholars and jurists have recognised that except for a brief period in Islamic history, there has not been a single unitary state (as a caliphate) governing the affairs of Muslims. 31. We recognise that Muslim scholars and jurists in the past have discussed what a legitimate caliphate or caliph will be like and have developed certain conditions to be met if a caliphate is going to be legitimate. 32. Such conditions for its legitimacy have not been met by the so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq, and therefore claims of this caliphate carry no authority. 33. As Australian Muslims we have no obligation or requirement to listen to or follow the dictates of the aforementioned caliphate. Rebellion 34. A conflict in a Muslim majority country, where a particular group of Muslims rise up against the state, is not automatically considered Jihad. 35. Like early Muslim jurists, we should be wary of those who incite rebellion in
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Muslim societies, given the extremely destructive consequences of such rebellion. 36. The Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prohibit the killing of Muslims by other Muslims, and the advice provided by them is that when a conflict emerges between Muslims, it is the responsibility of the rest of the Muslim community to make peace between them, and if one party rejects peace then the community/state has a responsibility to force the other party to accept peace. 37. Conflicts where Muslims are fighting Muslims should not be called Jihad. Slavery 38. Although slavery existed well before Islam and for a long time in Muslim societies, the guidance provided in the Holy Qur’an and in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) strongly suggests that the objective of both was to eliminate slavery and move away from this institution systematically and gradually. 39. Slavery should be abolished and there is unanimous agreement among Muslim jurists and scholars today on the abolition of slavery, and this position carries the authority of the ummah. 40. Reintroduction of slavery is not permissible and a Muslim should not engage in the practice of slavery. Jihad 41. Jihad (lit. struggle) is an important concept in Islam and it can be understood in a number of ways: as a spiritual struggle to become a better person; using one’s wealth to improve the conditions of the needy and the community; and, in some cases, as war. 42. In the Islamic tradition the juristic (fiqh) discussions about Jihad are predominantly about rules and regulations for warfare and peace in Islam. 43. Jihad as war has been understood within the Islamic tradition as either defensive or offensive, and in general, this is a state function; that is, the state undertakes Jihad as war on behalf of the community — for example, when the community is attacked by a foreign invader. In both defensive and offensive Jihad, Muslims are bound by clear ethical and moral norms which prohibit Muslims from harming or killing non-combatants and from unnecessary destruction of property. 44. Declaring a Jihad as war is the responsibility of the state — individuals or groups do not have authority to declare a Jihad (as war), and those who take up arms against the community or the state are often considered rebels or criminals who are engaged in unlawful violence against the community. 45. As Australian Muslims, we should not respond to calls for Jihad made by individuals or groups around the world. Australian Muslims do however, have an obligation to help victims of violence, where possible, through lawful channels. National Imams Consultative Forum Suicide 46. We maintain the Islamic juristic position that taking one’s own life deliberately is suicide and therefore it is prohibited in Islam. 47. It is not permissible for a Muslim to engage in an act of suicide bombing or take
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part in it or cause havoc and destruction in Australia. 48. Given that suicide is prohibited in Islam and the person who commits suicide will be punished in hell as the Islamic tradition holds, no attention should be given to those who support the view that killing and destruction through suicide bombing and the like is a form of Jihad. 49. Even in the context of a war, a Muslim is not allowed to kill or harm a non-combatant person. Fighting in Overseas Conflicts 50. As Muslim citizens of Australia, it is our obligation to abide by the laws in force in the country in relation to such conflicts, even when we, as Muslim citizens, may disagree with such laws. 51. Not all overseas conflicts can be considered as Jihad, and some are simply civil wars, insurgencies, rebellions against a legitimate state or violence against a community, where Muslims are killing other Muslims. 52. Even when the Muslim community, represented by its ulama and leadership, collectively takes a position that a certain conflict can be labelled as Jihad, engaging in such a Jihad will have to be in a way that does not compromise our obligation to abide by the laws of the country as citizens. 53. Considering the limitations placed on the citizens by the laws in force in the country, the obligation to undertake Jihad, if there is one, can be fulfilled, for example, by providing financial or other humanitarian support to the victims of the conflict and in ways that are permitted by the laws in force in the country, and by doing whatever the community can to end such conflicts, in order to minimise the loss of life and harm to people and the destruction of property.
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The inhuman scenario of the human world
Professor Jamil Farooqui
Humans are the superior most creatures of Allah having high physical and intellectual abilities and excellent faculty of understanding. They, utilizing their abilities, developed knowledge and with the help of that searched the treasures of the earth and used them in making sophisticated machines and tools to satisfy their urges and ambitions in the best possible way. Due to technological sophistication, they not only reached the moon but also transformed the globe into a village where they can go to any place within the shortest period, understand various cultures and interact with other people. They also made rigorous efforts to create such a situation where humans can live in peace and harmony with dignity and honour. As a matter of fact, they developed socio-economic and political systems to provide them with the best opportunity and adequate facilities to satisfy their needs in a dignified way. They assured that these systems would remove human suffering and enable them to live in cooperation and harmony with others. However in spite of tremendous advancement of science and technology as well as material development, humans have failed
in making this world free of conflicts and clashes, genocide and massacres, annihilations and exterminations. They grab and snatch the belonging of others, exploit and suppress them for petty gains and deprive them of their privileges and the right of existence. The reaction and retaliation of the victims makes the situation worst. The irony is that they carry out these inhuman acts under the name of ideological frameworks of religion, democracy, human rights and welfare, which were developed to safeguard humanity from disaster. Social institutions have failed to perform the task for which they were created and serve the interest of dominant persons and groups. The government machinery is used to maintain and prolong the domination of the ruling class while the judiciary is used to get rid of the persons who are against corrupt leaders and threat to the system. Religion is used to create hatred among people, divide them into different sects and neutralize their potentiality to bring about change. International organizations are working at the will of dominant nations, taking decisions as they want and rationalizing their inhuman acts. The socio-political scenario of the world, in a nutshell, is dominated by persons and nations who have power, money and strategic skill to dictate their term and force others to submit to their will. They go to any extent, even to shed the blood of innocent persons in establishing their ide-
ologies and spreading their viewpoints by propaganda and force. The result is that humans are destroying the lives of their own brethren, become dangerous to humanity and turning this beautiful earth into a battlefield where they are fighting for the satisfaction of their wild aspiration and unrestrained egos. This is happening because humans have neglected the authority of Absolute Reality, which is none other than Allah. Humans forget that they have been created to live in this world according to the will of Allah, the most righteous and dignified way of leading life. The catastrophe is that humans began to consider themselves as the architects of the world and as such developed their own criteria of good and bad, right and wrong.
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These human made systems are neither fair nor judicious but serve the interest of a class and neglect the weak, poor and downtrodden. If this situation continues human will meet their Waterloo, face debacle and disaster and jeopardise their survival on this globe. The need of the time is that they should crush their wild desires and ambitions, treat others as their brothers/sisters, give others what they wand for themselves and share the grief and joy of others particularly the weak, the oppressed and the subjugated. They should derive the concepts of good and bad from the attributes of Allah who is the epitome of truth and goodness. Professor Jamil Farooqui is Head of the Department of Sociology at the International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Old Certainties being Challenged A History of those who followed the Torah and Gospel Bilal Cleland Muslims are often accused of believing a twisted version of Christian history, borrowed in some way from the early followers of the Christianity of Paul of Tarsus. Modern biblical research is indicating another side to the story. From the viewpoint of Islam, there is no doubt that those who submitted to God, Muslims, were those who followed the teachings of Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon them both. Jesus, who delivered the Gospel to mankind, is a figure of central importance to billions of people in the world today. Both Christians and Muslims see him as a person chosen by God for a major mission to humanity and see the Gospel he delivered as reflecting the will of the Creator. Assumptions about Jesus and his message to the world have become part of mainstream western culture, but those assumptions are being examined as never before in the light of new biblical and historical research. Many comfortable old ideas must now compete with a variety of views on Jesus, the role of James the Just, and the significance of Paul of Tarsus. The mass marketed “The Da Vinci Code” with its claim that Jesus had a family, created tremendous controversy throughout the Christian world. It is as if the Desposyni had never been part of the history of the followers of the Gospel, as if the mention of the brothers and sisters of Jesus in the New Testament and of the central significance of James the Just, the brother of Jesus, as overseer of the early Jerusalem community, had never been. An area of intense debate between Christian followers of Paul of Tarsus and Islamic scholars is the position taken by the Holy Quran: “And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the
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son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God.” ( Surah Maida 5:49) This contrasts with the writing of Paul of Tarsus, who downplays the Law of the Torah in his letter to the Galatians: “...those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse, since scripture says; Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything prescribed in the book of the Law. The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: the righteous man finds life through faith. The Law is not even based on faith, since we are told: the man who practises these precepts finds life through practising them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake, since scripture says: Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Gal 3:10-13) The partisan character of the official New Testament is now widely acknowledged. Michael Goulder, Professor of Biblical Studies at Birmingham University, stated in his study of the early church: “The New Testament gives the impression of a united, developing body of belief because it is a selection of writings; naturally it was selected by the winning mission, that is the Paulines, and that is why it consists of the Epistles of Paul (and his followers), and four Gospels, two of them ultra-Pauline and two building bridges to Jerusalem.” Ehrman concurs, arguing that “..the New Testament itself is the collection of books that emerged from the conflict, the group of books advocated by the side of the disputes that eventually established itself as dominant and handed the books down to posterity as “the” Christian Scriptures.” Read the history of the early followers of the Gospel at http://wp.me/p4ICdM-BI
Romans carry off the spoils from the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem 70 CE
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Wandering with Shabia Mantoo AMUST
Shabia Mantoo | Wayferer’s Compass
City-tripping When I’m based in London or Geneva, I end up spending many a weekend city tripping. Barcelona, Istanbul and Stockholm are among my favourite cities in Europe, with something for everyone and a great ambience and vibe. In Barcelona, I love spending time exploring the lanes off Las Ramblas and the Gothic quarter (Barri Gòtic), with its eclectic shops, museums and cafes; then heading to Barceloneta for a good seafood paella and a stroll along the golden beach to walk it off afterwards!
History lesson I’m glad I crossed Persepolis, the ‘city of Persians’ as it was once known, off the bucket list. The preserved ruins of this former Persian city are awe-inspring. Nearby Shiraz also showcases its great civilizational heritage, with its antiquated bazaars, caravanserais, teahouses, superb mausoleums paying tribute to celebrated saints and poets, and striking architectural forms from Mosques, estates and gardens. No trip to Iran however, is complete without a trip to Isfahan. A visit to the Safavid-era Imam Square will provide you with a formative understanding of why this city was known as a treasure of the Silk Road. I highly recommend a stay at the magnificent Abbasi Hotel, a former royal caravanserai (guest house).
Off the beaten track One of the world’s most beautiful places, known in fact as “paradise on earth” is Kashmir, at the foothills of the Himalayas. Due to its contested status and the fact that it remains divided across three countries, the security situation has hampered its tourism industry. Nonetheless its beauty, has inspired poets, as well as regional conflicts… With a syncretic cultural heritage, the aesthetic of the mosques and shrines in Srinagar’s old town invoke Central Asia, whilst the mountainous Pari Mahal (fairy palace) and Shalimar gardens reflect its Mughal past. Away from the capital, the spell-binding, glacial Sonamarg (the “Golden Valley”) and the soft-powdery snow-capped slopes of Gulmarg are must-sees.
Another favourite getaway destination has to be Marrakech. Stay in a preserved North African Riyad (traditional house) and day trip to the striking Atlas mountains to see the Ourika valley waterfalls. Other to-do activities include trips to the iconic Almohad Koutobia Mosque, the Saadian tombs, the Majorelle Gardens, the souk and tanneries; and of course a hamam treatment with locally sourced argan oil or black soap, and dinner at the mystical Djmaa el Fanaa square, in the heart of the city.
Stockholm is such a vibrant city. The walk from the main pedestrian street, Drottninggatan, to medieval Gamla Stan (the old town) and on to vibrant Södermalm, traversing cobblestone bridges over the crisp Baltic Sea, is refreshing. The Swedish concept of “Fika” (an institutionalized coffee break) ensures plenty of amazing cafes and patisseries along the way. Don’t forget to try cinnamon rolls and the cream-filled and marzipan coated, Princess cake.
In Asia-Pacific, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are second homes. The weekend markets, such as the enormous Chatuchak in Bangkok, are a great place to shop, relax, eat and people watch. Siam square is also great for shopping and eating and among my favourite hotels to relax or enjoy a meal from a bygone era is the beautiful Oriental along the Chao Phraya river.
In Istanbul, although it’s naturally quite touristic I never tire of spending time in the Sultan Ahmet area, with its glorious treasures; the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace . The quiet Bedestan bazar nearby, though a little expensive is a bit understated and has wonderful treasures, such as antique fine silver jewelry and Turkish-designer shawls and linen. And of course, every Istanbul journey is not complete without a mandatory boat cruise along the Golden Horn and Bosphorous, the strait between Asia and Europe.
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In Kuala Lumpur, the Golden Triangle district and the KLCC and Pavilion malls in particular satisfy the most discerning of shoppers and eaters. The KLCC food court also does the best Hong Kong barbeque chicken (outside HK of course!). In Singapore, afternoon tea at the Raffles or the brunch at the Straits Kitchen, which serves an endless assortment of pan-Asian food, are always on the agenda. A secret foodie spot is the very low-key and understated Koh Nangkam restaurant, on North Bridge Road which serves mouth-watering, homestyle Southern Thai specialties.
Quiet get-aways I highly recommend Granada with a tour of the Alhambra of course, and the old Moorish quarter of Albayzin. Though the crowds ascend during summer, a visit in spring or autumn is much quieter and the temperature is very pleasant. The Alhambra takes a full day and the adjoining Generalife (literally “the architect’s garden”) is a good place to rest tired feet, with the soothing sounds of palatial water features to keep comfort. The Albayzin is just spectacular at sunset, with amazing views to be had in the heavenly courtyard of the Granada Mosque and a tea stop at one of the alfresco cafes nearby.
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Elsewhere in Europe, another former home, Switzerland, has possibly one of the most prettiest places on earth to take in spring… Montreux, a quiet town along lake Leman is incredibly idyllic. The promenade hosts a variety of cafés and restaurants and you can explore the Chateau de Chillon which Byron was so inspired by. Its location means proximity to Geneva and Lausanne in Switzerland, and across the lake is the equally resplendent French town of Yvoire, one of the most prettiest places in France. Shop and eat -til-you-drop Most of my long-haul travels route through my former home of Dubai, so I cherish being able to replenish my supplies in this gourmand paradise. Dubai Mall has practically nearly every high street and haute couture fashion label under its roof so it’s extremely convenient (in addition to an aquarium and ice rink for good measure…) During “winter”, Dubai’s Global Village is the place to be, a huge shopping and leisure precinct with goods from all over the world and with ample entertainment. © S.Mantoo Shabia Mantoo is an Australian-British lawyer and an avid traveller. For more of Shabia’s tips and adventures you can follow her at instagram.com/shabiaglobe
June 2015
UMMAH 14 - 16
EDUCATION 17 - 19
TOP 3 Muslim Memes
TRAVEL 20
SOCIAL 21
#SOCIAL TOP 3
BUSINESS 22 - 23
TOP 5
VIRAL
Instagram Accounts
Facebook Pages to Like
Video of the Month
@ArabicMadeInChina Arabicmadeinchina.com is about getting everyone to love learning Arabic!
@LifeOfMyHeart Australian Muslim artist @marryamlum Lifestyle Photographer / Brush Lettering
@TheHijabStylist
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Ummah Legends
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Melbourne man punched for defending Muslim women
Jason Cias (36) was punched for defending Muslim women on a train in Melbourne. Two men in fluorescent orange tops verbally abusing a group of women for wearing headscarves. One of the men referred to the religious clothing after the women sat down next to them, saying: “You shouldn’t be wearing that s*** in Australia.” Cias claims an argument ensued, during which the older of the women spoke in Arabic to try and calm things down. The men then said: “You shouldn’t be speaking that s*** in Australia.” As the women got off the train, one of the men shouted an apparent sexual threat. Mr Cias “I said to the guy, ‘Mate, they’re women’. The implication there was you don’t threaten people, particularly women. Mr Cias said one of the unidentified men then punched him in the face. Scan the QR Code or visit https://youtu.be/ gSmVBmErh0U to see the video.
Designer • Stylist • Pharmacist • YouTuber • #HijabifyMe
A journey to discover and celebrate the gems in Islamic history. Created by Peter Gould, Illustrated by Iman Ayoubi.
Quranalyze It
www.fb.com/quranalyzeit Looking for a Rational & Spiritual Outlook on Islam, devoid of Superstition? You’ve come to the right place!
Muslim Events in Sydney
www.fb.com/MuslimEventsInSydney Promoting and sharing information of events, seminars and workshops.
@SydneyCyclingSisters A supportive environment for women of all ages & fitness levels to get together for regular cycles around Sydney
@OnceUponAKitchen Wholefood loving sisters. Balance. Breakfast. Cat. Arabian inspired
June 2015
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BUSINESS
NEWS 1-2
BOOMERANG 3-5
AUSTRALIA 9 - 10
COMMUNITY 6-8
LIFESTYLE 11 - 13
AMUST Classifieds AMUST
Charity Organisations
Human Appeal International Human Appeal International (HAI) works on a number of charitable causes, specialising in areas from Social and Educational Development to Health Care and Emergency Relief. Phone: 1300 760 155 Website: www.humanappeal.org.au Australian Relief Organisation (ARO) Our mission is to help people from all races, ages, religions, and social statuses in order to spread kindness around the world and to create and follow social support models. Phone: (02) 8065 8469 Website: www.aro.org.au
ISRA Australia ISRA is a point of reference for Islamic education, resources and information services. ISRA conducts pioneering research on social and religious issues of relevance to the Australian society and international community. Phone: (02) 9649 9040 Website: www.isra.org.au Ummayn Quran Institute Abdulrahman and Asma at Ummayn specialise in helping you learn to read Quran with a balanced pace, rhythm and tune to make your reading more pleasing. Phone: 0402 501 883 Website: www.facebook.com/ummayn
Australians for Revive Kashmir We are a part of a global initiative, aimed at providing help and support to the people in Kashmir - to contribute towards rebuilding and rehabilitation. Phone: 0457 766 425 Website: www.kashmir.org.au
Education
HikmahWay Institute HikmahWay offers Islamic educational courses to equip Muslims of today with the knowledge, understanding and wisdom to lead balanced, wholesome and beneficial lives. Website: www.hikmahway.com Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare The Islamic Foundation for Education & Welfare (IFEW) was founded in 1987 and operates from Sydney, Australia. Its aims are to address current issues through education, information dissemination and welfare projects. Phone: (02) 9823 2063 Website: www.ifew.com
Halal Food
Hygienic Spray (for toilet) Shattaf Tahara Spray. Stainless steel hose. Including free installation with diverter/ connector. Long distance charges apply Phone: 0418 204 251 Email: sasdqi@gmail.com
Fujiyama Japanese cuisine 100% Halal Japanese made by chefs with 12 years experience in Japan. Contact our team today for catering enquiries big or small. Phone: 0490 402 164 Website: www.facebook.com/ FujiyamaJapaneseCuisine
Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair MEFF provides stallholders the opportunity to sell or promote to the Muslim community. Stall bookings open on Monday 20 May 2015 Phone: (02) 9823 2063 Website: www.meff.com.au
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Islamic Relief Australia Islamic Relief Australia promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and disease. Phone: 1300 308 554 Website: www.islamic-relief.com.au
Australian Nasheed & Arts Academy Performing and Creative Arts for children & teenagers 3 - 16 years old. ANAA seeks to encourage, support and teach children the power of expression through arts. Phone: 0423 084 806 Website: www.nasheedarts.org.au/wp/
Buy/Sell/Trade
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AMUST is circulated among all Australians but specifically targets the Muslim population of Australia. It is distributed to a variety of communities, different faith groups and government bodies within Australia.
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Find out more at www.amust.com.au/advertising or call (02) 8003 2063
Services iMoby Productions Photography / Filming. Female Photographer. Weddings and engagements, birthday parties, festivals, corporate events, filming and producing. Phone: 0432 608 350 Website: www.imobyproductions.com MCCA Commitment and service to Australian Muslims by offering quality financial solutions that are profitable, sustainable, convenient, and Shariah compliant. Phone: 1300 724 734 Website: www.mcca.com.au Morning Star Migration Services Do you need a visa to Live, Work or Holiday in Australia? We help you with your application for all types of visas. Phone: 0478 173 474 Website: www.morningstarmigration.com.au
SAMAA South Asian Muslim Association of Australia (SAMAA) is a non-profitable incorporated association which aims to provide care to the elderly of South Asian Muslim Community. Phone: (02) 9543 9769 Website: www.samaa.org.au
Great Wall Kitchen Great Wall Kitchen makes great Indian style Halal Chinese food. We are located at 154 Haldon Street, NSW. Phone: (02) 9759 9531 Website: www.facebook.com/gwkhalal Halal Square Australia’s favourite online guide to restaurants and eateries offering halal food, halal groceries and restaurant reviews. Covering all major capital cities in Australia Website: www.halalsquare.com.au Homebush Halal Meats A halal butcher in Ashfield, provides you with the best and freshest halal meats in the area. We stock lamb, beef, goat, poultry and game meat. Phone: (02) 9799 7049 Website: www.homebushhalalmeats.com.au
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Shadow Approved We provide strategic design and website services that enable our clients to increase sales, build brand awareness and increase customer reliability. Contact us now and let us kick-start your business. www.facebook.com/shadowapproved Website: www.shadowapproved.com Email: info@shadowapproved.com UAK Design Design and construction. Architectural & structural plans, DA & CC Approval, Renovation & Extensions, Project Management, Duplex, Granny Flat. Phone: 0411 081 624 Email: info@uakdesign.com.au
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