Crescent Times January issue, 2010

.com.au

E E R F Monthly - Independent

Issue N 15 January 2010

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Winner of the Best Australian Muslim Media Outlet Award in 2009!

* My victory over Alan Jones p5 * Evil fatwa for evil wall! p8

Uyghur suffering

CT Exclusive Fazil Hasanov East Turkistan:

I’ve recently come back from a 3 month tour of East Turkistan. I was there when the riots happened on 5 July 2009 and was also there at the subsequent demonstrations the Han Chinese had in September 2009. I want

to share with you what I saw and experienced while I was in East Turkistan.

Being brought up in Australia in a country where there is rule of law, respect for other cultures and human rights I was shocked and appalled at the treatment the Uyghur’s were getting at the hands of the Chinese.

I was looking forward to going to the place of my birth and that of my parents but I did not

continued p3

* AlMuhaddithat:

the Women Scholars in Islam, p8

Above: In December 2009, the people of Gaza commemorated the first anniversary of the Israeli war against them, which caused the deaths of more than 1400 innocent women and children.

Artwork by Rashid Alshakshir, Melbourne.

issue 15, January 2010

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Page 2

Community Events

Australia Wide Community Events:

NSW LEARN HOW TO PRAY Date: 16 January 2010 Time: 0900- 1600 Location: 37 Matthew Street, Punchbowl Cost: $10 Registration required. Contact nswevents@ famsy.org.au or phone 0410 423 645 Open for brothers and sisters of all ages.

Prayer is the most fundamental pillar of action in Islam. It serves as a means of communication between the person and his creator; whether it is for help, forgiveness, thanks or simple worship. Unfortunately, despite its apparent importance, many Muslims have neglected the prayer and even those Muslims who do pray, more often then not don’t pray correctly. The first objective of Learn2Pray is to teach Muslim brothers and sisters of all ages and nationalities how to pray correctly. The programs cover a basic element of the oneness of Allah, main sections of Tahara (cleanliness) and Salat.

Programs for new Muslims and workshops khushuu` (humbleness) are also in the making.

SISTERS HALAQA Date: Sunday 17 January 2010 and every second Sunday of the month thereafter Time: 10:00 to 12:00 noon Location: 25 Matthew Street, Punchbowl Aimed at high school and university students, this initiative will endeavour to produce confident and cionscientious Muslim leaders.

The halaqa will consist of many exciting and innovative segments which will incorporate traditional Islamic knowledge, contemporary dilemmas facing youth and sporting activities.

For more information contact www.famsy.org. au or phone 0420 430 882

BUILD THE MASJID AUCTION ISLAMIC DA’WAH CENTRE AUSTRALIA Date: Saturday 16 January 2010 Time: viewing from 6:00pm, auction commences 6:45pm Location: 1/354 Chisholm Rd, Auburn IDCA will be holding a fundraising auction to raise the final funds needed for the land which has been approved by the local council for a masjid. Some items include: Audi Q7 Quattro, Scenic tour flights of Sydney, trip for 2 to Malaysia, Mac Book pro, Spa Bath, Umrah Trip (5 star hotel), sky diving for 2, pony saddled up, recite the first athan (upon opening of the masjid), 10 leather lounges and much more. Online Bidding: http://auction. buildthemasjid.com (Taking pre-bids now) ARABIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM 2010 Date: Orientation Day: Wednesday 27th January, 2010 Course Commencement: 31st January, 2010, duration 14 months.

Time: Sundays 10.00am - 12.00pm, Wednesdays 7.30pm - 9.30pm Location: Al-Ghazzali Centre Academy, 1021A Canterbury Road, (Cnr. Willeroo Street), Lakemba. Entry via Willeroo Street Part of al-Ghazzali Centre’s Faculty of Linguistic Sciences Programs, this program is a foundational course to develop students who have reading and writing ability in Arabic but little or no comprehension and speaking ability.

Some individuals interested in Arabic language may have some basic learning, and some may have none, but this course is designed in a streamlined manner to benefit both levels of “beginner” and “intermediate” students. The objectives of this course are: * To learn to understand and speak Classical

Arabic; * To be able to read and generally understand Traditional Texts of Islamic Sciences; * To be ready to undertake advanced level Arabic Language programs upon completion.

Cost: $1800 per person (equates to $30 per week) Enquiries: Tel: (02) 9708 1539 Registration is essential VIC PRESERVING THE PEARLS - THE EVOLUTION OF THE SUNNAH Date: 30 & 31 January 2010 Time: 08:30 am to 07:00 pm both days Location: To be confirmed, see website for details Cost: $95 Speaker: Dr Tariq Appleby Tariq Appleby was born and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. His family background is a mix of Malay, Indian and his great grandfather was English.

After completing High school Tariq went to the Islamic University of Madeenah to pursue Islamic studies. He completed his Diploma in Arabic and then in 2007 graduated with a B.A. in Hadeeth studies. His time in Madeenah coincided with that of his friend and colleague Bilal Ismail. During that time they both studied basic Fiqh with Sheikh Tawfique Chowdhury and also with other scholars in Madeenah.

He has taught in a number of Islamic centres in Cape Town, and is currently working as a teacher in the Discover Islam centre (DIC) with Dr Abdullah Hakim Quick. He also teaches with Al-Hijra foundation which offers short courses and youth programmes in Cape Town.

Registration: www.alkauthar.org SA INTERNATIONAL DEEN INTENSIVE RETREAT Date: Friday 2nd April - Tuesday 6th April 2010.

Location: Conference Centre, Victor Harbour, SA Cost: $350 per person It is with great excitement that ‘Ayn Academy in collaboration with Al-Ghazzali Centre would like to announce the “Seeking the Sacred INTERNATIONAL DEEN INTENSIVE RETREAT”, to be held in April 2010. We are very honored to be hosting 3 esteemed teachers for this Deen Intensive: Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Imam Afroz Ali, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani The 4 day Deen Intensive will feature a study of the Classical Texts: Book of Knowledge from Ihya Ulum ad-Din (Imam al-Ghazali) - commentary by Shaykh Yahya Rhodus Roadmap for the Seeker of Guidance: reflections on the Book of Knowledge instruction by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance (Imam Al Muhasibi) - commentary by Imam Afroz Ali. The Deen Intensive Retreat will be a very meaningful 4 days, with the opportunity to study sacred knowledge from international scholars in a peaceful environment perfect for reflection, with the chance to meet brothers and sisters from around Australia and New Zealand.

We are anticipating a large turnout for this program from both within Australia and internationally. Please register your place via: http://www.aynacademy.com/component/ chronocontact/?chronoformname=SeekingT heSacred

Another year over and a new year begun!

Aisha Stacey* Queensland

For new and ex Christian Muslims the festive period can be a trying and difficult time. Parties, alcohol, carolling, cards, trees, and invitations once normal parts of life have now become tests and trials. The Christmas period is ostensibly the celebration of Jesus’ birth, although in this bright new century it has become more about consumerism and hedonism. Christmas and New Year celebrations are rooted in pagan festivals and rituals, but for many they have no religious connotations, rather they represent a time of giving, sharing, and reuniting with loved ones.

These are admirable pastimes, encouraged, not forbidden in Islam. Therefore how do ex Christian Muslims reconcile a religious festival with their newfound beliefs?

When a person declares his belief in Islam, he does so with certainty. When one pronounces the words La il laha ill Allah, Muhammadan Rasulullah (there is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger) he does so knowing that God has no partners, or helpers or associates. Therefore actually celebrating a festival that declares Jesus to be God would be unthinkable. However, there is nothing in Islam that prohibits Muslims from being kind and generous to people of other religions, even if they are idolaters and polytheists, and Islam looks upon the People of the Book ( Jews and Christians) with special regard.

Participating in family reunion lunches, visits, and dinners is part of keeping family ties and demonstrating to non-Muslims that

Islam encourages respect, tolerance, and understanding between all of humankind. It may even be a chance to educate people about the love Muslims hold for prophet Jesus, and it might be an opportunity to explain that millions of Muslims around the world respect and honour Jesus and his mother Mary. This festive period could be used to point out the similarities between people who have some degree of faith in God. Care must be taken however to refrain from participating in religious rituals that might appear to condone worshipping other than, God, Allah the Almighty. Associating partners with God is a major sin. Care must also be taken to avoid other haram activities such as those that involve alcohol and pork products.

When Muslims explain to people of other faiths that they must be careful about the activities they engage in over the festive period, it allows them to clarify the true message of Jesus Christ, as contained in the Quran and the authentic traditions of prophet Muhammad.

Jesus did not offer atonement through self sacrifice but rather he offered salvation by guiding his followers to the straight path, and by softening hearts, opening closed minds and leading people back to the pure worship of One God. While any idolatry involved in Christmas and New Year celebrations is abhorrent to Muslims, anyone who loves Jesus and is willing to listen to his true message is surely on the path to Islam. * Aisha Stacey is a Gold Coast based writer. She is a regular contributor to Crescent Times.

Moving calligraphy, visual storytelling 13-30 January 2010 Erin Rutherford Sydney

Idil Abdullahi is a Somali born, Muslim Australian.

She has a thirst for learning and with time, she hopes to mature as an artist and exhibit around the world.

Her artistic journey started with Henna Art, but she has always wanted to study and learn other mediums of visual arts so is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Ceramics.

Allah The Creator, Islamic Art, nature, intuition and Sacred Poetry inspire Idil’s work. She has also found inspiration from other members of a local community organisation, the Auburn Community Development Network (ACDN). Through this group she has had the opportunity to be involved in the opening of the Peacock Gallery in Auburn Botanical Gardens (Sydney) and has also launched

an exhibition titled “Moving Calligraphy – Visual Storytelling”.

After the successful opening in Auburn, this exhibition, involving Arabic, Chinese and Indigenous Australians will be expanding and exhibiting in the Mori Gallery in Darling Harbour, Sydney. The exhibition will run from 13th-30th of January and will also include work from fellow Muslim artist, Zahrah Habibullah –Williams.

Parliament of World Religions 2009:

College has been actively involved in interfaith dialogue for a couple of years.

She believes that, done well, it is the way to build a connected society.

“Interfaith dialogues help to clear a lot of stereotypes and generalisations,’’ she said.

“They [people] start to stand up for us,’’ Thanaa said.

Thanaa notes that it’s important when discussing religion in an interfaith context to seek religious advice whenever in doubt.

“If you’re not sure of how to respond to a question, easily tell them you’ll consult and get back to them,’’ she said.

The Immigration Museum is in Flinders St and the Talking Faiths exhibition runs from 27 November 2009 until June 2010, 10 am to 5pm

each day (closed on Good Friday).

*Shayma is a Melbourne based journalist and regular contributor to Crescent Times.

Report: Uyghurs in East Turkistan suffering under the brutal Chinese occupation continued from front page get the welcome that one would expect.

Once we arrived in Urumchi the capital city of East Turkistan we were immediately taken into a room for interrogation. It was clear that the authorities were suspicious of us and we were treated as criminals before we even set foot on the land we were born in.

Spending a week in Urumchi I felt like a stranger - it did not feel like this was East Turkistan but rather just another Chinese city. As you wander the streets you notice how modern the place is with its skyscrapers, flashy cars and streets lined with boutique stores but there is not a Uyghur to be seen anywhere.

All the businesses and government department employees are exclusively Han Chinese even in areas where there is a Uyghur majority.

One of the major grievances Uyghur’s have is that they are discriminated against in employment and are not given the same opportunities as the newly arrived illegal immigrants. A case in point is my cousin who has completed his engineering degree and is fluent in Chinese and has been working for the water department for about 10 years.

He complains that the Chinese make him do menial jobs such as going out to Uyghur farmers to collect money for the water. In the 10 years he has been working he has never had a promotion but newly arrived Han Chinese are given the best positions.

Another friend of mine who works as a teacher at a Uyghur language school is being forced to attend Chinese language classes as the school is in process of converting the curriculum to Chinese. He complains that if they continue with these policies, the Uyghur children will eventually lose their language and ultimately lose their Uyghur identity. He also told me that due to the recent riots in Urumchi they make all Uyghur employees of the state

work up to 20 hours a day where the night is spent doing security or attending re-education programs. At the end of the month, instead of giving them an increase in wage for their extra work, they deduct 200 remimbi from a wage of a 1000 to help the injured Han Chinese from the Urumchi riots.

I happened to speak to one of these newly arrived Chinese immigrants who worked as the assistant to the director of a bank who surprisingly was a Uyghur. I asked him what made him come to Xinjiang and he replied that due to his low score in university exams they sent him here. He also told me that he has a number of friends already here and more on the way as the wage is proportionately higher in East Turkistan than other areas of China.

The director of the bank secretly told me that he was one of the lucky Uyghurs to have such a high paying job but that from now on there is no future left for Uyghurs - as a result he has sent all his kids overseas for a better life.

After the riots in Urumchi on July the 5th 2009, things got even worse for Uyghurs. Entire Uyghur neighbourhoods were overtaken by soldiers, there were troops stationed at every intersection with regular patrols of Uyghur neighbourhoods by armoured vehicles, continuous propaganda on all media, reeducation programs for all citizens and all roads leading to the Uyghur business districts were blocked, causing the local Uyghur economy to collapse.

On the day of Juma (the Friday prayers) there is extra military presence in front of the mosques as they check to make sure that no one under the age of 18 or any state employee is entering the mosques. They also send out helicopters to hover over the mosques and intimidate the Uyghurs who are trying to perform their prayers.

In contrast the Han Chinese in East Turkistan have never had it better as I noticed when I

spent some time in their neighbourhoods.

They live in a part of the city which was built 15 years ago on fertile land they stole from the Uyghur farmers. Their city was modern, clean, spacious and welcoming but not for the Uyghurs as it is an exclusive Chinese area.

They have modern hospitals and schools with state of the art equipment, the main streets are lit brightly at night, lined with trees and plants perfectly manicured. Their business districts have designer brand department stores and a central square where the Chinese come out at night and enjoy the atmosphere.

You see the elderly at night in the people’s square performing tai-chi and dancing to music, young boy and girls enjoying coffee at the outdoor cafes and people walking their dogs in the spacious parklands.

But the lives Uyghurs lead are quite the opposite as they live in fear, under curfew and under constant surveillance.

www.crescenttimes.com.au

In light of the 2009 Parliament of World Religions event, the Immigration Museum brought Muslim, Christian and Jewish students from a range of denominational and non denominational schools in Melbourne to document an interfaith “Talking Faiths” project through film, video and via an online discussion.

The Immigration Museum’s Community engagement manager, Tatiana Mauri said this is a collaborative project that supports intercultural and interfaith dialogue with communities and schools through the use of various personal experiences.

“An interfaith dialogue happens on one on one and also takes place in large groups,’’ Ms Mauri said

“We bring young people together to discuss their own identity; where under normal circumstances, they might not meet,” “They talk about personal issues, identity, what it means to be Australian, their families, friends and cultures,’’ Ms Mauri said.

Ms Mauri says the material gathered will be used as practical tools to facilitate and guide multi-cultural and interfaith discussions with schools, local communities and within multifaith groups.

“We look to promote a congruent discussion structure where the students are comfortable to talk about who they are, without having to come under pressure,’’ she said.

“We’re focusing on building the online resources to make it available to both school and local communities,’’ Ms Mauri said.

16-year old Thanaa Abouzed from Minaret

As you talk to the Uyghurs in East Turkistan you can sense that they are losing hope and they want a way out. Everyone I speak to asks me how they can get out of the country but what hope can you give them when they are even denied the right to have a passport. One of my friends who recently lost the land his family had for centuries summed it up when he said that the cattle in East Turkistan have more rights and freedoms than the Uyghurs So as we celebrate our National Day we should never forget the Uyghurs back in East Turkistan who are suffering under the brutal Chinese Occupation and we should do our best to help them while we enjoy the freedoms given to us here in Australia.

issue 15, January 2010

Shayma Alshakshir* Melbourne

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Talking faiths: Students telling it like it is!

Page 3

Ummah news

*The author’s real name has not been used in order to protect him and his family from any potential reprisals by the ruling authorities in East Turkistan.

issue 15, January 2010

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Page 4

National

Hope born from Home is where the Native heart is…

Matters the ashes of Gaza Eugenia Flynn

They say that home is where the heart is, with home meaning different things to different people. For me, above all else, it means that home is with Allah – when I prostrate during my five daily prayers or when I am wrapped in full hijab I often feel comforted and “at home”. Indeed, during these times, I know that I am taking steps towards Allah.

Going home to Darwin in the Northern Territory always provides me with another sense of home. Darwin is home because much of my extended family lives there, I am back on my ancestral country, I look around and I see faces that look like mine, and no one questions or is surprised by my particular mix of cultural heritage.

Darwin is where my parents were married, where my father was born and raised, where my ancestors lived for thousands of years. It is where my mother is buried, where I hope to have my body “returned to country” (insha Allah) and where I find great comfort, beauty and peace.

Interestingly, Darwin is also where I have found members of the Ummah that I love

dearly, although I am told that some of them have since moved interstate. These Muslims are sincere and thoughtful and, much like my family, make up a significant part of the Darwin population and history.

It is significant to me that the Muslim community, in the city that I love so dearly, is one of such good character. Although I am sure it has its faults, I honestly have never felt so welcome at a Masjid as I did the first time I went to the Darwin Masjid – in particular, my non-Muslim family were also welcomed and fed at the Masjid there and they continue to talk about their visit nearly two years on.

I feel as though Darwin’s own breed of laid-back acceptance has infected the Muslim community there. If ever there was a true melting pot in Australia, it is in Darwin. In my parents’ and grandparents’ time it was truly multi-cultural, well before the rest of Australia became so, with significant groups from such diverse backgrounds as Aboriginal, German, Irish, Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Malaysian and more.

It is with a great sense of pride that I tell people of my hometown, Darwin. Now, as a Muslim, I can also tell people with pride that the Muslims there are already rich with a sense of acceptance that I call for over and over again amongst the rest of the Ummah.

Therefore, in many senses of the phrase, Darwin is where the heart is – and I would not have it any other way. *Eugenia Flynn is an Aboriginal, Chinese and Muslim woman.

In 2007 Eugenia founded the Indigenous Muslim Support Network (IMSN), which she continues to lead. Eugenia is the Deputy Chair of the National Indigenous Youth Movement of Australia (NIYMA) and is the Company Manager of an Indigenous youth performing arts company based in Adelaide.

A Swiss businessman builds a minaret on his company building in protest against a recent ban A Swiss businessman has built a minaret on top of his company building in protest against a recent ban A Swiss businessman appalled by his fellow countrymen’s decision to ban minarets has extended a chimney above his company building into a minaret in protest.

“It was scandalous that the Swiss voted for the ban. Now we have the support of all the far-right parties across Europe. This is shameful,” Guillaume Morand, who owns a chain of shoe stores, told AFP. The businessman, who is not a Muslim, explained that the he had constructed the mock minaret at his building near western Switzerland’s city of Lausanne in protest, and at the same time, to “send a message of peace.”

More than 57 percent of voters upset opinion polls and defied their government by approving the right wing motion to ban minarets - the turrets or towers on mosques from which Muslims are called to prayer.

The outcome of the referendum brought by members of the hard-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) and other right wing groups was also hailed by anti-immigrant party leaders elsewhere in Europe.

Morand blamed other political parties in Switzerland for not having campaigned against the far-right motion ahead of the referendum.

Shayma Alshakshir Melbourne On the morning of Saturday, the 27th of December 2008, the Israeli operation began with an intense bombardment of the Gaza strip. Mosques, houses, medical facilities and schools were destroyed. But worst of all, guiltless civilians were among it all.

Gazan cries reached all parts of the world.

Angry demonstrations kicked off and thousands marched in solidarity. The death toll kept piling up while world leaders were nowhere to be seen.

While the Gazans suffered the extreme freezing weather conditions, poverty, homelessness, fear, dispossession and loss, some chose to give them a hand. Towards Hope Foundation was born: A non-religious, non-political and non-profit organisation, which aims to improve the physical and mental health of children living in war torn countries.

Ms Ayoubi, an active member at the foundation, says the idea of helping children, especially in Palestine, came after the latest war on Gaza.

“I felt the necessity of doing more than just sending clothes and aid through different international organisations. The need of the people in Palestine and especially in the besieged Gaza is incredibly huge,’’ she said.

“So along with couple of similar minded humanitarian people we got together with the hope of establishing some sort of medical aid for those most in need of surgical operations namely the children in Palestine” “We are starting with the children in Gaza because at the moment and for a long time they are under siege and in dire need of medical aid,” Ms Ayoubi said.

Ms Ayoubi says Towards Hope Foundation is currently working on developing three primary projects.

“Our three tier projects are: Firstly to sponsor medics, surgeons, medical equipment and medicine and send them to Gaza. Secondly, to sponsor sick children in need of operations to be treated in neighboring countries and thirdly, in special circumstances, where children need sophisticated medical attention, we intend to bring those children to Australia Insha Allah,” she said.

“Right now we are trying to set up a mental health program for 200 children where recreational activities will be used as a tool to remedy the long lasting tragic effect of last year’s assault.’’

On the 18th of December 2009, Towards Hope Foundation held a fundraising dinner to support its cause.

Ms Ayoubi says they’ve received positive responses, yet that imposes a great

responsibility upon their shoulders.

“Our responsibility has increased ten fold from that night onwards, that is because we need to prove not only to ourselves and to those who trusted us, but above all to our Creator whose bestowed upon us this privileged mission,” she said.

“The tragedies in Palestine should be the concern of everyone with a live conscience worldwide; Muslims have more right to be concerned and feel for their brothers and sisters in Palestine because our Prophet (PBUH) portrayed to us the concept of ‘One Ummah, One body’ in a famous hadeeth,” Ms Ayoubi said.

Ms Ayoubi urges everyone to make a difference.

“The easiest yet most potent way to help is simply by making sincere Du’a.

Of course there are also many different ways to help by: sponsoring orphans, collecting warm clothes and toys to comfort the children,’’ she said.

For more information, visit: h t t p : / / w w w. t o w a r d s h o p e . o r g / or to make a donation banking details are: “Towards Hope Foundation” Bendigo Bank BSB: 633/000 A/C: 137 688 842

237 letters from Sheikh Haron on their way!

Crescent Times Exclusive Sydney

The SVP had sought support for the ban through a poster campaign depicting a burqa-clad woman against a background of a Swiss flag upon which several minarets resembling missiles were erected.

Morand said he believed the ban was all the more “scandalous” given that Switzerland actively encourages Arabs to “visit the country and to spend their money here.”

The minaret, which has been in place since Tuesday, has “generated a lot of interest,” he said, adding that he will wait and see before deciding if further action was needed to push his point.

Source: Aljazeera and newsagencies.

Despite Sheikh Haron being charged by the AFP for sending 7 condolence letters to Australian families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan, he notified the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, on 8 December 2009 that 237 letters would be sent to the families of the British soldiers who have been killed in Afghanistan since October 2001.

In further developments, Sheikh Haron’s lawyers have advised him to take legal action against the media for using defamatory statements such as “self-

styled” or “self-acclaimed” Muslim cleric in reference to him.

Sheikh Haron believes that he is a peace activist, and organised a peace protest in Sydney in November 2009 which he described as a “chain protest for peace”.

The protest was to be from 25 till 27 November 2009 in front of the Downing Centre on the corner of Elizabeth St and Liverpool St in Sydney. The Sheikh had a permit from NSW police to hold a sign (Australians don’t want war). Despite this permit, NSW police contacted Sheikh Haron and asked him stop the protest.

On 21 of December 2009, the tribunal decision ordering 2GB and Alan Jones to apologise and pay damages for hate-comments in 2005 was a victory for all minorities.

As the ABC reported, Alan Jones and his employer 2GB have been ordered to pay $10,000 in damages and apologise on air to me after I made a complaint to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal in New South Wales over a series of radio broadcasts.

The tribunal also ordered the second respondent (2GB) to conduct “a critical review of its policies and practices on racial vilification and the training provided for employees including all ‘on-air’ personnel with a view to determining whether they are adequate to ensure compliance with the racial vilification provisions contained in the Act.” This was an expensive, time-consuming and stressful victory. However, the complaint had to be made because years of efforts at engagement with talk-back radio and Jones in particular produced only temporary results that would fade away very quickly after each of the few meetings we had.

The string of comments uttered by Jones in April 05 included the following: “These mongrels.”

“Lebanese males in their vast numbers not only hate our country and heritage.”

“They have no connection to us.”

“They simply rape, pillage and plunder a nation that’s taken them in.”

“What did we do as a nation to have this vermin infest our shores?”

“Tell me we don’t have a national security problem in the making.”

“Take the gloves off, and make life a collective hell for these bastards and their followers ...”

It took approximately two years at the AntiDiscrimination Board of NSW and a further two-and-a-half years at the Administrative Decisions Tribunal to get a decision that virtually means that such comments are not acceptable for broadcast in Australia.

While this is a victory, a conclusion that arrives four-and-a-half years after the incident is a slow conclusion indeed, its slowness meant that the respondents continued with comments such as the following in the week preceeding the Cronulla riots: “Middle Eastern Grubs” “My suggestion is to invite one of the biker gangs to be present in numbers at Cronulla railway station when these Lebanese thugs arrive, it would be worth the price of admission

to watch these cowards scurry back onto the train for the return trip to their lairs ...

Australians old and new shouldn’t have to put up with this scum.”

And the following exchange: Jones: Yeah, good on you John.

John: Now, ah, my grandfather was an old digger and he used to say to me when we were growing up “Listen, shoot one, the rest will run!”

Jones: (laughs) John: Right?

Jones: (still laughing) This case has taken a great toll on me and my family over the past four-and-a-half years. The comments that went to air at 2GB motivated some people in the community to help partly fund the tribunal action, I had to borrow some and use my own finances, a third each or thereabouts in order to get an adjudication. My children understand that I preferred to fund this action instead of their university studies in order to protect Australian society against divisiveness and vilification.

While some of the comments quoted above were said to be comments made by listeners, either by phone or email, Jones still chose to broadcast them and a minority of Australian society became victimised while the majority were being told that they are the victim. This is indeed a tragic irony, that needs to be stemmed by our legislature. Otherwise, it can create fears, tensions and Cronulla-style riots and, God forbid, pogroms and worse.

The damages awarded by the tribunal, when they are eventually paid, will go directly to a Muslim Women’s Respite centre as promised all along.

The apology, if it is not appealed, will eventually come, either through agreement or by order of the tribunal, and the review will hopefully improve the standards of broadcasts to eliminate vilification.

This whole costly exercise could have been avoided soon after the broadcasts with a sincere apology. I hope that this decision will give heart to all Australians, especially the long-suffering Muslim Australians. *Keysar Trad is a Sydney based Muslim activist and writer. This article was first published in Crikey on 22 December 2009. The full transcript of the Tribunal findimgs can be found at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov. au search for: “Trad v Jones & anor (No. 3) [2009] NSWADT 318” or look for the link on Crescent Times Facebook group.

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Keysar Trad* Sydney

The Australian government has condemned the latest assault and subsequent death of an Indian student in Melbourne. The accounting graduate Nitin Garg, 21, originally from the Punjab, was stabbed to death on Saturday 3 January 2010, on his way to a job at a fast food outlet in Melbourne.

Mr Garg, from Newport, had a police escort in the ambulance as they ferried him to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he died a short time later.

According to The Age newspaper, India has called for an end to the spate of attacks against Indian students which has damaged Australia’s multi-million dollar foreign student sector.

Police said the motive for the attack, which they described as vicious, was not known.

Indian media have labelled the series of attacks against Indian students in Australia as racist, but police and the Australian government have denied that Australia is a racist country, and they have repeatedly said the attacks are not racially based.

“This is a nation that welcomes international students. We want to make them welcome, this is a welcoming and accepting country,” Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters.

Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna issued a statement condemning the “brutal attack”, with Indian media reporting him warning the attacks were creating “deep anger” in India and could have a “bearing on bilateral ties”. Later, the Indian government revealed it may issue an official warning to Indians about the safety of travelling to study or work in Melbourne.

Australia’s international student sector is the country’s third largest export earner, behind coal and iron ore, totalling $13 billion in 200708.

Attacks against Indian students in 2009, mainly in Melbourne, led to violent protests by students and strained bilateral ties, prompting Gillard and other Australian ministers to visit India to assure the Indian government that everything possible was being done to stop the attacks.

A recent study forecast a 20 percent drop in Indian students in 2010 as a result of the attacks, with a cost of $78 million to the Australian economy.

In 2009, there were more than 70,000 Indians studying in Australia. Australia is a major destination for Indian students studying abroad, who recognise the cost competitiveness of Australian education services.

Readers posted their comments online on India’s news websites: ‘‘I am an Indian occupying a reasonably responsible position in Australia, but I can state without any doubt that this is a racist country, which discriminates against Indians on every count,’’ James wrote. ‘‘Well can’t blame the Aussies,’’ wrote Daffy. ‘‘They started as a bunch of thugs, killed the Aborigines and now they continue to do same.’’

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe told The Age newspaper that it was too early to speculate whether the murder was racially motivated and it was a tragic incident. ‘‘One of the things about investigations and the investigation process is that you must have an open mind and you must not form any preconceived ideas or conclusions until such time as the evidence tells you what the cause is,’’ he said. ‘‘There is a very large population of Indian people and students in Victoria, but they make up an overall part of the population and anybody can be the subject of an assault or a robbery,’’ he said.

The latest murder comes days after police earmarked Footscray as the district to test new search powers. Under the new laws police can declare areas as designated search zones if they have a history of weapon use or if police believe an incident will occur.

At the end of November an Indian student was stabbed 14 times for 20 cents in Footscray.

The victim was approached by two teenagers allegedly demanding money. As he handed the money over, he was stabbed repeatedly.

Source: The Age newspaper and news agencies.

www.crescenttimes.com.au

My victory over Alan Jones

Melbourne: Anger over the stabbing death of Indian student

Beyond Sydney Mosque Attack

Faruque Ahmed Sydney

After Crescent Times published their article last month about the Muslim worshipper who was run over by a car in a suspected hate crime, NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, has ordered an internal police investigation into this matter. As a result a Superintendent Luke Freudenstein contacted Faruque Ahmed for further information.

The Superintendent asked Faruque Ahmed whether he wish to stop the internal police inquiry? Faruque Ahmed relied, “No, for the sake of accountability and transparency, this inquiry must go ahead”. Mr. Freudenstein

also said, “my initial inquiry failed to find any racial or religious reason behind this attack.”

Faruque Ahmed replied, “I have spoken to more than 20 witnesses and have evidence to support my original report. By the way, how many witnesses do you have or spoken to?”

The officer was unable to provide the answer to this question, however, he kindly volunteered his own mobile number (0401 701 042) and asked people with information regarding this shameful and tragic incident to contact him directly.

The mater is listed for hearing on 4th of February 2010. The victim remains in the Ryde Rehabilitation Centre with multiple fractures and other serious injuries.

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issue 15, January 2010

Crescent Times Sydney: Tribunal decision orders 2GB and Alan Jones to apologise and pay damages for hate-comments in 2005

Page 5

Community

issue 15, January 2010

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Page 6

International

Editorial

Once again! Crescent Times financial support!

At Crescent Times we strive to serve our community. Many, although not all, acknowledge this fact. We know that is almost imposible to please every single Muslim in this country. No one will be able to.

Though we still continue our financial struggle, we are eager to publish the best we could afford for our readers. Everyone works for free. No one has been paid any cent for his/her contribution except for one sister who was in financial need. All income goes towards printing costs, delivering the free copy to you dear reader and freighting the paper to four capital cities. This is a huge project, with significant cost and we took up the challenge to undertake this task so far, with no hesitation.

But.. we still need your contribution on a financial level either by donation, or by placing your adverts if you have any sort of business.

Our newspaper is working very well for our advertisers who place their adverts continuously.

We cover a niche market with no real competitors. There is no reason why you should not trust CT to promote your business. For as little as $50 per month for a full colour ad, you will make a difference to your business and keep the paper going and growing! We would never stop improving CT insha Allah. We aspire to be a strong fortnightly or weekly newspaper to be sold in every newsagent in the country to be read by the wider community as well as Muslims. This means much better relationships with non Muslims, as well as the opportunity of dawaa and promotion of the moderate, trustworthy, tolerant, brave version of Islam. The true Islam.

We promise to defend the truth and the oppressed - people in Palestine, in East Turkistan, Iraq, Afganistan. We are not afraid to stand alone!! Crescent Times is our collective dream and hope for a better future for all of us.

We still struggle to obtain news reporting because we cannot afford to pay journalists. Most of our great editorial team are professional people working or training for anything you could imagine apart from news reporting (with the exception of three or four). We cannot expect them to leave their jobs and work commitments to get out looking for news.

If we source sufficient advertising or donations we will be able to pay for such news reports as a top priority insha Allah. Our editor in chief struggles every issue to cover this disadvantage by any way possible, and he won’t consider CT a top professional newspaper till this gap is eliminated.

NOTICE: Werribee Islamic Centre, in Melbourne, are among the people who have recently supported us and acknowledged the mission we are involved in. Alhamdulillah they donated a significant sum to CT. I hope the rest of our readers will reach into their pockets and do the same. Even $20 would help to cover the cost of a single news report at least!

“Protect yourself from hell by even a half date (of donation)!” We accept half dates too!

USA: Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Guantanamo Torture Case: Detainees Are Not “Persons”

The United States Supreme Court has refused to review a lower court’s dismissal of a case brought by four British former detainees against Donald Rumsfeld and senior military officers for ordering torture and religious abuse at Guantánamo. The British detainees spent more than two years in Guantanamo and were repatriated to the U.K. in 2004.

The Obama administration had asked the court not to hear the case. By refusing to hear the case, the Court let stand an earlier opinion by the D.C. Circuit Court which found that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a statute that applies by its terms to all “persons” did not apply to detainees at Guantanamo, effectively ruling that the detainees are not persons for the purposes of U.S. law. The lower court also dismissed the detainees’ claims under the Alien Tort Statute and the Geneva Convention, finding the defendants immune on the basis that “torture is a foreseeable consequence of the military’s detention of suspected enemy combatants.” Finally, the circuit court found that, even if torture and religious abuse were illegal, defendants were immune under the Constitution because they could not have reasonably known that detainees at Guantanamo had any constitutional rights.

Eric Lewis, a partner in Washington D.C.’s Baach Robinson & Lewis, lead attorney for the detainees, said, “It is an awful day for the rule of law and common decency when the Supreme Court lets stand such an inhuman decision.

The final word on whether these men had a right not to be tortured or a right to practice their religion free from abuse is that they did

not. Future prospective torturers can now draw comfort from this decision. The lower court found that torture is all in a day’s work for the Secretary of Defense and senior generals.

That violates the President’s stated policy, our treaty obligations and universal legal norms.

Yet the Obama administration, in its rush to protect executive power, lost its moral compass and persuaded the Supreme Court to avoid a central moral challenge. Today our standing in the world has suffered a further great loss.”

The four former detainees - Shafiq Rasul, Asif Iqbal, Rhuhel Ahmed, and Jamal Al-Harith were held from 2002 to 2004 at Guantánamo before being sent home to England without being charged with any offense. They filed their case in 2004 seeking damages from former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and senior American military officers for violations of their constitutional rights and of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits infringement of religion by the U.S. government against any person. Their claims were dismissed in 2008 by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit when that court held that detainees have no rights under the Constitution and do not count as “persons” for purposes of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Baach Robinson & Lewis has been in the forefront of detainee litigation, working on behalf of both Guantanamo and Afghan detainees, since early 2004.

Source: Center for Constitutional Rights, USA.

“International community failed in its mandate”: Dr Anwar Ibrahim

Above: Malaysian opposition leader, Dr. Anwar Ibrahim Photo: Courtesy Shayma Alshakshir

Rashid Alshakshir & Shayma Alshakshir Melbourne During his recent visit to Australia to present at The Parliament of The World’s Religions, Malaysian opposition leader Dr Anwar Ibrahim said the Parliament is “an effort however small, towards better understanding and especially for the Muslims because they are under siege and there is misunderstanding and Islamaphobia”. He said the Parliament provided an opportunity for Muslims to express their views when the other religions would otherwise not be given the chance to listen “to our side of the story” and Muslims would also have the opportunity to listen to other people’s views.

Dr Anwar said participants in interfaith dialogues are “generally concerned and quite fair in their outlook” but reminded that they should always be “honest and frank”. He said Muslims must “explain the Muslim position on a number of issues”. Dr Anwar stressed “that we can’t say that everything is wrong with the west and everything is right with the Muslims”.

He said “the fact that there is so much tragedy, from Iraq to Afghanistan to Palestine” shows that “the western world has perpetrated so many atrocities against the Muslim world”. He said that Islam tends to always be the party that is under attack and that is the reason why Muslims should “open their eyes” and interact with the world.

Dr Anwar, who has been involved in interfaith dialogue for many years, says although it has now developed “beyond the realm of theological debate” and into involvement of “organisations, academics and governments”, some of these dialogues should, but don’t, discuss issues “that are necessarily provoking” citing the issue of Palestine as an example.

He said “leaders of world religions cannot be silent on the issues of peace and justice, because in the Islamic context, the issue of justice is central and more important than the issue of democracy that we talk about”.

While he doesn’t believe there can never be international peace without the Palestinian conflict being resolved, he does believe that without Palestinian justice “there can never be durable peace, at least in the Middle East”. He said “the international community for half a century has failed in it’s mandate” towards Palestine.

Dr Anwar criticised governments for not allowing the Palestinian people to live under the government they elected saying there is “hypocrisy and contradiction” in the way the western powers, led by the United States, carry on with their “double standards” noting that they “don’t allow democracy when it comes to Islamic Parties”. He said the world hasn’t “given time for Hamas to perform, and this is totally unacceptable”.

Dr Anwar said while Palestine may be a Palestinian issue “the international community has a moral role” in fighting for its justices.

He said Muslims “cannot deny the fact that it has importance to the whole Ummah” and that he too grew up “knowing the strife of the Palestinians”.

He said while interfaith dialogues discuss religion, they should also discuss “governance and politics” because the majority of serious problems are the result of “irresponsible governments”.

On his visit Dr Anwar Ibrahim met with Australian Foreign Minister the Hon. Stephen Smith and Minister for Broadband and Communications, Senator Stephen Conroy.

Dr Anwar did not request a meeting with the Prime Minister but said the position they took is that “Australia is a friend, is part of Asia.” He had “expected it [the Australian government] to be so consistent with the ideas of freedom and democracy, but for the Prime Minister to for example suggest Malaysia has a robust democracy” is unacceptable. He questioned how Malaysia could be a democracy when “many of the democrats had a fierce objection to free media, free elections or even an independent judiciary in Malaysia”.

Ehud Barak visits Auschwitz: A Strong Israel is both comfort and revenge

Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland last month and attended a memorial service for the holocaust victims.

At the end of the service minister Barak wrote in the visitors’ book: “A strong Israel is both the comfort and the revenge - to all the victims.” Barak was also due to visit the Warsaw ghetto with a group of IDF officers and soldiers.

Business

Commercial Contracts: Common terms in the sale of a business: (Part2)

Page 7

in respect of employees who will not be employed by the purchaser, it is important to secure some restraints, e.g. against employment by competitors, poaching customers of the business or against disclosing confidential information?

•How to secure the continuing service and cooperation of those employees intended to be re-employed, the main provisions of the service agreement which should be entered into and when that should occur?

•Whether particular employee(s) are sufficiently important that the sale should be conditional on their agreement to be re-employed and to enter into Above: Lena Khan, the young Muslim film maker.

The Campfire Film Festival recently awarded the runner up trophy to American Muslim Lena Khan for her film ‘A Land called Paradise.’

The film is now licensed by the U.S State Department and has been seen by 30 foreign embassies and watched by millions.

In a video message Khan said the film “was a community effort” and thanked the support of non-Muslims too.

The Campfire Film Festival was one of the pre-Parliament of The World’s Religions events which took place earlier last month.

The festival was established in 2006 by festival director Richard Leigh. He said the inspiration “really started in film school in 1997” but really pushed through in 2006 because “September 11 still had people saying things like ‘religion is the root of all evil.’ ” Leigh said the mission of the festival is to encourage filmmakers “to explore the spiritual in their art”. He said Australians don’t like to hear “God language” in films because they “get suspicious about the motivations behind it”.

At the awards night Leigh said he saw “the penny drop” for many people. He said “many in the audience realised for perhaps the first time that faith based films don’t have to be like a Cecil B D Milne or a Passion of Christ”. Leigh believes categorizing the film festival as faith based “doesn’t limit the audience” because people now know that “faith can somewhat be buried within the subtext of a film for it to have a spiritual significance”.

To get involved in Campfire and watch the films visit: www.campfire.net.au

www.crescenttimes.com.au

Last month, we discussed the first part of some common features of commercial contracts which concern the sale of a business. This month, we conclude the discussion.

5.Restraint of trade clauses A restraint of trade is contrary to public policy and is unenforceable, unless the restraint is reasonable in the parties’ interests and in the public interest. The restraint should be reasonable in the interests of both parties. The court must consider the whole transaction, including the terms of the

(or when the possession of the business passes to the purchaser, which is usually at the time of completion). As a general rule, until possession, the assets sold are at the risk of the seller who has the obligation to maintain the goodwill of the business and operate it in the usual manner.

The risk of loss or destruction to the subject matter of sale by reason of natural causes or deliberate action is a matter for the seller. The seller of the business should remain fully insured until completion or the delivery of possession. Thus, it is more appropriate that the risk of loss remain with the seller until completion.

There are clauses in the standard contracts which provide that the seller will maintain and operate the business as a going concern in a proper manner

Rashid Alshakshir Melbourne

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Hyder Gulam and Michael Dywer* Melbourne

Muslim Runner Up in Campfire Film Festival

until completion, thus protecting the benefit of the goodwill that the purchaser has acquired for valuable consideration under the contract.

7.Dealing with leases Businesses are often conducted on leased premises. Therefore, the purchase of a business involves the inspection of a lease by a purchaser, and, upon acceptance, its assignment to the purchaser by the seller of the business. Consent of the landlord is necessary. All business contracts presume that the lease to which the sale is subject will be made available for inspection by the purchaser and the obtaining of the landlord’s consent.

Provision is also made in some contracts for the granting of a new lease in lieu of the transfer of the existing lease. This may be preferable to a purchaser reluctant to take over an existing lease, not only because of the possibility of having to rely on an indemnity from the seller in respect of past breaches, but also because there is often a renegotiation of the entire landlord/tenant relationship upon a change in business proprietor.

8.Dealing with employees In most businesses, dedicated, skilled and experienced, long-term employees have significant roles in the continued viability of the business.

The purchaser needs to determine the following concerning existing employees of the business: •Whether to re-employ all or any of the staff?

•Which employees are particularly important for the viability and profitability of the business?

•Whether the nature of the business is such that,

the required service agreement?

9.Seller’s tuition and assistance In most small business contracts, the seller permits the purchaser to be in attendance at the business between the date of contract and completion during an agreed time so that the purchaser may observe the manner in which the business is conducted, be introduced to customers and suppliers and receive general tuition in relation to the conduct of the business.

Conclusion This article has attempted to provide a brief overview of some of the common features of commercial contracts which concern the sale of a business. Depending on the type of business being sold, there may be other matters parties need to consider when dealing commercial contracts. *Hyder is a lawyer with Logie-Smith Lanyon Lawyers, Melbourne. Hyder practices mainly in the areas of Commercial & Corporate, Defence Procurement and Islamic Finance.

He is a registered nurse, a qualified lawyer, an accredited mediator as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in Australia. Michael Dwyer is a 4th Year Law Student – Deakin University, on clerkship with Logie-Smith Lanyon Lawyers.

This article is for educational and general information purposes only and should not be relied on as (or in substitution for) legal, accounting, financial or other professional advice.

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issue 15, January 2010

agreement and all the circumstances. The validity of a restraint should be determined at the time when the restraint has been imposed (when agreement is entered into).

The party seeking to enforce a restraint has the onus of proving that the restraint is reasonable in the parties’ interests. The courts, when considering the validity of a restraint, focus on each of the following questions: •What were the legitimate interests which the party imposing the restraint was entitled to protect?

•Did the restraint adequately protect those interests? (Then it is reasonable in the imposers interest) •Was the restraint more than adequate for that purpose? (Then it is unreasonable and contrary to public policy) The three main limitations required in most types of restraint of trade to ensure reasonableness relate to (a) the scope of the activity prohibited, (b) the duration of the restraint (time) and (c) the area within which the restraint operates (space). The total restraint should be reasonable in the interests of the parties. Otherwise it is unenforceable, unless the invalid part of a restraint may be severed and the remainder remains enforceable.

A breach of a restraint-of-trade is remedied by an award of damages and/or the grant of an injunction to restrain the breach.

6.The passing of risk Generally in standard agreements, the risk passes to the purchaser only upon completion of the sale

Page 8

International

Book review: Al-Muhaddithat: the Women Scholars in Islam

issue 15, January 2010

www.crescenttimes.com.au

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Author: Mohammad Akram Nadwi

East - West Tarek Chamkhi Evil fatwa for evil wall!!

Review: Abdul Shaheed Drew This book covers centuries of female scholarship from the time of the Prophet onwards. Although women became scholars in all fields of knowledge, this particular book covers the prominent female scholars of Hadith.

It should be noted that Al-Muhadithat is only the Muqaddimah or introduction to Akram’s 40 volume biographical dictionary on this subject.

That’s right, 40 volumes dedicated to female scholars of Hadith. Only the introduction has been translated from Arabic into English and it consists of about 300 pages.

Al-Muhaddithat is a great source of reference for female scholarship in Islamic history. It is well indexed and divided into ten chapters dealing with a number of valuable subjects. The biographical examples I isolated [below] were chosen in order to provide a feel for some aspects of the book. Overall, I am pleased that such a detailed work has been translated into English.

Likewise, it is significant because it highlights the potential of female scholarship.

During classes held in various venues such as mosques, houses, schools etc, the attendees would be male and female and likewise the teachers could be male or female. The lists of attendees were recorded in the student’s manuscripts which note the names of many female students. Akram records that women became proficient with the pen in the second year after the migration to Madinah (Hijrah). For the centuries that followed, women as well as men sought out the obligatory knowledge of their religion based on the Hadith, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim.”

Akram points out that much early education started at home with the parents and relatives.

Afterwards further studies continued with a teacher in the mosque. They would also learn from their husbands and there were situations where their husbands would learn from them.

A man who had a Shaykhah as a wife could refer to her for difficult juristic issues. The author gives some examples of parents who passed their knowledge to their daughters such as Imam Malik. His daughter memorized the Muwatta from him - the best book at that time for Hadith and Fiqh issues. Likewise, Saeed ibn Al-Musayyab had a daughter who learnt all the Hadiths her father knew by heart. The Umayyad Caliph Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan asked if his son Al-Walid could marry Saeed ibn Al-Musayyab’s daughter. Rather than marry the Caliph’s son, Saeed refused and preferred for her to marry one of his impoverished students. Her husband said about her, “She was among the most beautiful people, and most expert of those who know the book of God by heart, and most knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Prophet, and most aware of the rights of the husband.”

The author gives many examples of greatly influential female teachers. For example, Umm Kiraam, Kareema Al-Marwaziyyah who came from central Asia was considered to be among the best women of the fourth Hijri century, learning the entire Sahih of Al-Bukhari from her teacher Abul-Haytham Al-Kushmihani. Kareema later traveled with her father and settled in Makkah where students would travel from far and wide to learn the Sahih of Al-Bukhari from her.

Akram notes, “Her version of it has always been particularly popular.” Imam Al-Dhahabi stated about her, “Whenever she narrated, she would compare with her original. She had knowledge and good understanding [combined] with goodness and worship.”

Another famous Shaykhah was Fatimah bint Saeed Al-Khair (sixth Hijri century). Her father was a scholar and she married one of her father’s greatest students. Her father took her to learn from many scholars in different places. In fact, the map that appears on the cover of this particular

Above: Al-muhaddithat book cover.

book under review shows the study journeys of Fatimah. Fatimah had too many students to mention, so Akram left them out of the Muqaddimah. Her teachings were very influential and far reaching. In Akram’s biographic dictionary about the Muhaddithat, he composed 20 pages alone on Fatimah bint Saeed Al-Khair.

The author gives name after name such as Aasia bint Muhammad AlIrbili. She received Ijaazahs (permission to teach a text or subject) from over two hundred of her teachers male and female.

Many of our great male scholars such as Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Al-Hajr had numerous female teachers. For example, Al-Mizzi, Ibn Taymiyah and Al-Dhahabi had Zaynab bint Makki ibn Ali ibn Kaamil Al-Harrani as one of their teachers.

Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan (the Caliph) used to attend Fiqh classes with Umm Ad-Dardaa (a Muhaddithah and Taabiiyyah) etc. Although it is only the introduction, this book demonstrates great research in isolating the significance of these invaluable scholars in our illustrious history. It is also very well referenced.

Akram makes the point in his preface that the correct Islamic etiquette was followed, including no intermixing which could lead to forbidden relationships and Islamic attire such as hijab was worn - as it is commanded from the Most-High.

These women were upright adherents to the way of Islam as it was revealed.

Out of 8000 biographical accounts, Akram notes that there were no complaints from any of these women with respect to the position of women in Islam. They did not give the impression of inferiority or show disdain for the teachings of Islam or for family life. Rather, they were firm defenders of the Sunnah and their scholarship attests to that. One of the women considered to be a reformer of her time (seventh Hijri century) was Umm Zaynab, Fatimah bint Abbas AlBaghdadiyyah. When we say reformer, it is not in reference to changing the religion, rather it is in reference to returning it back to the way it should be. She was praised by the scholars of AhlusSunnah wal-Jamaah such as Ibn Taymiyyah who said she was a great scholar, jurist and leader of the women of her time. Al-Dhahabi commented that “the women of Damascus and Egypt were reformed by her. She had a lot of popularity and influence over the hearts [of people].” Ibn Kathir mentioned that “she commanded good and forbade evil, spoke out and opposed deviant sects and opposed the people of bidah, in [all] that she did what men were unable to do.”

“The believing men and believing women are protecting friends (awliya) of one another, they bid to good (al-ma’ruf), and forbid from evil (almunkar); they establish the prayer and give the alms (zakah) and obey God and His Messenger (Surah Al-Tawbah 9:71) Published by: Interface Publications, Oxford, 2007.

What a shameful fatwa!! What bloody slaves of tyranny theses scholars are! (apologies for swearing but I have to, to feel slightly better) Egypt, unbelievably, instead of opening the border with Gaza to enable the 1.5 million Palestinians, who have been besieged since 2006, to get their basic food, medication, and fuel, they build a wall to stop the last resort of smuggling goods underground, which had been providing some sort of relief. Many dozens of poor smugglers have been killed by collapses of tunnels, water, poison gases, or have been arrested by Egyptian authorities and held without trial. Recent reports from Gaza have revealed that dozens of small infants have died due to a lack of formula, one of many essential items that are no longer available.

This is a repetition of what happened in the 1990s during the siege of Iraq, when tens of thousands of Iraqi infants died because of lack of formula, medication and proper nutrition.

Importantly, the Azhar scholars decided that to support the Egyptian regime is more important than those innocent fellow Muslims next door in Gaza when they concluded that the wall is HALAL! (permissible) When Hamas won the election in 2006, it was obvious that the Gazan people who had overwhemingly elected Hamas in a free democtratic election, were motivated not simply to establish an Islamic state in a 360 km2, but to elect those who could defend their dreams of freedom and their basic rights. They were tired of the corrupt Abbas administration and hoped that Hamas would

be better than the Palestinian organisation of Palestinian liberation, OPL, bad guys, who had been transformed into Israeli servants (in the majority of cases).

All who studied shariaa will be aware that our deen is sincere advice. Whoever is killed by a tyrant simply because he states the truth or supports a just cause, is a martyr. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, said: amongst the seven who will be shaded in the hereafter where there is no shade are “a man who told a tyrant off, (requested or ordered him to stop evil doing), and in consequence is killed”. I know dozens of stories in our history about such martyrs, including the late Egyptian scholars: Sayyed Kutb and Abdulkader Ouda, were just two of many.

However, it seems that Mr Tantawi has chosen to live his life in the opposite way. To please the palace of Egyptian president Husni Mubarek, intead of pleasing Allah. It seems he has no fear of hell or the judgment day whatoever. He does whatever the tyrants ask him to do, even if he mixes up the religion of countless Muslims who have seen Al-Azhar as a traditional centre for learining and rulings for Sunni Islam for centuries.

Luckily, Egypt has given birth to many brave scholars, some of them my beloved teachers, including the president of the International League of Muslim Scholars, Imam Yusif al Qaradawi. He issued an immediate counter fatwa saying that the building of this evil wall in Raffah, is a major sin - is HARAM! Who we would trust? The “official” fake scholars of Azhar or the brave independant scholars such as al Qaradawi, who defend the Ummah, in Palestine and elsewhere, against the Zionist’s long term plans in the region.

Obviously we would trust blindly the real scholars of the Ummah indeed.

Ya Allah, relieve the suffering of your poor innocent Gazan creatures, the best way you can as soon as possible! You know that there is not not much we can do alone to support them! Ameen.

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Reflections - A Decade of Being Muslim In March of 2010 I will enjoy my 10th anniversary of being a Muslim. I give thanks to Allah for guiding me to Islam and I pray for all who have not seen and accepted the truth of Islam.

I look back on this past decade and have several thoughts I wish to share with you. I was very naive when I converted to Islam. I had the mistaken belief that Muslims were one Ummah and united. I was very happy that I would be part of a huge group of people world-wide who shared one belief - one faith. I spent time reading Qur’an and books about Islam prior to my reversion to Islam. However, I did not have strong ties to Muslims in a community nor did I first study with a “teacher” of Islam until after my reversion.

Prior to my reversion I had spent decades searching for the truth about God and found all formal religions lacking. I came to believe that the disunity of the people within the other major religious faiths was a major cause for much of the harm and untruth in the world.

Perhaps, if I had taken the time to learn more about Muslims, I would not have been so happy. It was with great disappointment that I learned during this past decade about the many divisions among Muslims and how history, culture, traditions, and even nationalism have impacted how Muslims practice Islam and what Muslims accept and reject of the Islamic faith.

It was with great sadness that I came to accept that Muslims are not so different from the other people of the Abrahamic faiths in how they have divided and lost the unity that Allah told us was our strength. Muslims have become a divided people and are not unified as one people sharing one faith. This fact is, in my opinion, at the root of many of the ills which plague our many Muslim communities: the inability of Muslims to unite and be supportive of one another and work for the common good of all.

There are cliques and groups within groups in our communities having their own agendas which are often contrary to what is best for Muslims and a community and sometimes contrary to Islamic teachings.

I am not writing about differences found in following one madhab or another or asking questions when seeking correct answers and truth. It is expected that there would be some differences of opinion.

I am writing about the divisions that do not foster Muslim support for one another within our Ummah. Such great divisions within our faith that create hate among ourselves that result in grown Muslim men shouting ‘Allah is Great!’ while they slaughter Muslim children in a school classroom, soccer field, or school bus!

We, as Muslims, ask for Allah’s help in our times of need: for the homeless, hungry, disadvantaged among so many of our people around the globe...but we do not unite together to combat these problems. Will Allah help His people who refuse to help each other and refuse to unite as sisters and brothers in Islam?

While we continue with our petty grievances against one another and blame everyone but ourselves, is it little wonder that things remain unchanged for the Ummah?

I have been fortunate to experience many instances of Muslims pulling together for a just or good cause, but these instances are isolated and specific and not a matter of what is common but rather what is often an exception to how Muslims behave, treat one another and support good works in His name.

Islam is not the problem my sisters and brothers… the problem(s) originate and reside within the hearts and minds of Muslims. *Linda D. Delgado is an award winning Muslim poet and author and the owner-publisher of Muslim Writers Publishing, a division of Islamic Rose Books. www.MuslimWritersPublishing.com.

Ongoing Polygamy Debate:

Zabrina A. Bakar* My dearest friend called me yesterday. She was having a bad day, you know, the type that qualifies for ‘rock-bottom, and then me’ kind of day.

As she was ‘passionately’ describing her ‘memorable moments’ of the day, it was clear that her emotions were running high and her thoughts were all cluttered, disorganised and jumbled up. She wished for things that she had never asked to happen to anyone, to happen to the person that had caused her so much distressed.

I quickly reminded her of the verse of Allah the Most Loving who said in His Holy Book that guides human souls: Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious - see V.2:2), when an evil thought comes to them from Shaitan (Satan), they remember (Allah), and (indeed) they then see (aright) (A’raf 7: 201) She made me think that day.

My friend is a lovely person but under a severely and extremely stressful circumstance, her thoughts wandered to a territory she had never crossed before.

I realised here that Allah has made it clear that our minds could ‘stroll’ around if we do not control them. Of course if it strolled towards goodness, alhamdulillaah, right?

But what if it wandered towards something bad?

For example, when we got upset with someone, or injustice was done to us, or we found that someone had betrayed us, or we are angered, what were our thoughts at that time?

What were the things that crossed our minds?

What were the words at the tip of our tongues?

Was there an urge of retaliation? How about revenge? Perhaps intent to pay back? Maybe even a quick prayer of condemnation for the other person?

Well, perhaps some of our thoughts do not really qualify as evil thoughts but they sure do not qualify as good ones either, you agree?

And mind you, those thoughts are definitely

A response to Dr Amirudin and Sabrine Elkhodr Yunous Vagh Perth

I do not think that sister Sabrine displays “an obvious hatred of polygyny” as alleged by Dr Amirudin. She is merely stating her opinion about rulings that affect women. It is surprising that an obviously erudite person like Dr Amirudin does not agree that polygynous marriages are the exception rather than the rule. A simple test would be to ask whether he himself is a product of such a union or whether he has empirical proof that a man having several wives at the same time is more common than men with singular spouses as a part of polygamy.

The verses around this ruling of men being allowed to “marry two, three or four” wives are governed by context. That context was a new society that was at war. Within the context of war and battles, it is inevitable that women are widowed and their offspring orphaned. To preserve the social structure of growing and fledgling communities, orphans were to be cared for. Men were encouraged

to do this as guardians. The guardians of these orphans were allowed access to the wealth and inheritance of these same orphans with the proviso that their inheritances were not devoured and with the knowledge that to do such a thing is a heinous crime [4,2]. Furthermore “the orphans were to be treated justly” [4,3]. In the event that the guardians found it difficult or “feared that they would not be able to deal justly with the orphans” [4,3], then marriage was allowed to the mother of the same orphans and the concession was to allow such a man to “marry two, three or four” women that seemed “good to you” [4,3]. This was in order that the male guardians did not fall into error of unjustly devouring the wealth and property of orphans. This therefore is the important prerequisite of the verse and it is governed by the condition of “dealing justly with the orphans [4,3].

Having to then deal with more than one wife comes with its added and concomitant burdens on “dealing justly between the wives”. Consequently, a male guardian was advised to stick to “only one”

if he “feared” he could not “deal justly between the women” [4.3].

There is a concept on interpretation of the Quranic verses that states the Quranic verses explain one another (Al quranu yufassiru ba’dau ba’dan). The question then arises whether it is possible for a man to deal justly amongst his wives.

There can be no argument about this as Allah Himself states that “you will not be able to deal justly amongst your women, no matter how hard you try” [4,129]. Consequently it is then accepted that this is impossible. In the second part of the same verse, Allah makes it clear that a man is “not to be disinclined to one with a total disinclination so as to leave her hanging” [4.129] as this is also a possibility. Of course, a thinking man, who weighs up consequences will “fear” the possibility of injustice where one wife is actually “left hanging” [4.129]. Taken together the verses indicate that one wife is the rule and that polygamy is the exception.

A man who is fearful of injustice will therefore not accept the concession. The other man is allowed the

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Linda D. Delgado*

Ice Cubes and Candles

whispered and ‘specially delivered’ to our mind courtesy of His enemy.

So, what did Allaah want us to do then?

Remember Him…and then only could we see what is right, insha Allah…

With that, I quickly reminded myself and my dearest friend of the words of our Creator, Allah the Greatest, the Most Loving, the Best Planner with this verse, Say: “nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector”: and on Allah let the Believers put their trust (At-Taubah 9:51) Allah has said that nothing will happen to us except with His permission. Therefore, if we continuously get upset and fail to exercise patience, aren’t we sort of showing our anger, dissatisfaction, frustration and irritation towards Allah too?

Don’t you think this is what satan wanted from us in the first place? To make us unhappy, angry and displeased with Allah’s Plans, the One Who gave us life? Do we want to give the enemy of Allah victory because we aren’t able to control our discontent over the small ‘mishaps’ we face daily? Do we really want to see him doing the happy dance while we are fuming with anger? Do we want to allow him to use us as proof to Allah of the unworthiness of His Creation- the human being? Do we?

Astaghfirullaah…

Billy Graham once said: Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.

So, I have decided to pour into my head some ice-cube water to reduce the heat and to light a candle in my heart to warm it up, insha Allah.

What about you my friends? Care to stock some ice-cubes and candle for future use?

Think about it…

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FOCUS:

*Sis Zabrina also known as Zabrina A. Bakar, is a Life Storyteller, motivational writer and speaker; and author of Islamic motivational book Life is an Open Secret www.lifeopensecret.com which contains 18 inspirational stories from ordinary life experiences.

She passionately writes about life daily happenings, viewed and analyzed from unique perspective, blended with the Qur’anic verses and Hadeeth of the Prophet SAW for solutions to illustrate the easiness, simplicity, relevancy and completeness of Islam to today’s world.

Her works are published in various countries across the Muslim world. She maintains an active blog at www. wisdomthruwords.blogspot.com.

concession of inequality amongst the wives, but is urged not to leave one in suspense. If however, a man has erred and left one wife hanging, then he is encouraged “to reconcile the situation and guard against error, as Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” [4,129].

In my opinion as an experienced counsellor and mentor, those wishing to marry more than one wife at the same time are driven by lust rather than any sense of justice or the preservation of a society, and much less the fact that a man is obeying a command or ruling of Allah. These particular rulings are alleviations and circumstantial.

Finally, to suggest that a Muslim or Muslimah leave Islam, because of a matter such as this where there is disagreement, is definitely not in the vein of “beautiful argument” and goes against the exhortation mentioned in the Quran. Sabrine is correct in posing her question about this, as it is a case of falling into error, due to overreaction resulting from a bruised ego, rather than purposeful response and repartee. I would like to say that Sabrine “is to be admired for her courage” as I believe she held her own in her responses.

issue 15, January 2010

Life Storyteller

Page 9

Regular Columns

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Page 10

Ummah news

CIA Ordered Blackwater To Murder 9/11 Suspect Reportedly, in 2004, the CIA sent a team from the private security firm Blackwater, now Xe, to Hamburg to kill an alleged al Qaeda financier who was investigated for years by German authorities on suspicion of links to al Qaeda, according to a little-highlighted element in a Vanity Fair article to be published this month.

The report cited a source familiar with the program as saying the mission had been kept secret from the German government.

“Among the team’s targets, according to a source familiar with the program, was Mamoun Darkazanli, an al Qaeda financier living in Hamburg who had been on the agency’s radar for years because of his ties to three of the 9/11 hijackers and to operatives convicted of the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa,” writes Vanity Fair’s Adam Ciralsky.

“The CIA team supposedly went in ‘dark,’’ meaning they did not notify their own station - much less the German government - of their presence; they then followed Darkazanli for weeks and worked through the logistics of how and where they would take him down,” reports the magazine.

Washington authorities, however, “chose not to pull the trigger,” it said.

Vanity Fair has reemerged as a powerful journalistic force in recent years, outing the long-secret “Deep Throat” source of The Washington Post’s Watergate reporting.

Earlier reports revealed that the Bush Administration was considering a “targeted assassination” program - in apparent breach of international treaties - which would have put lethal targets on the backs of those terror suspects beyond the reach of US law. The article adds that the CIA also considered taking out Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, believed to be the mastermind behind Pakistan’s development of a nuclear bomb.

Berlin denies any knowledge of the CIA operation, according to a German media outlet.

German authorities have previously investigated Darkazanli but never charged him; he was arrested in 2004 on a Spanish extradition request but released nine months later.

Toodyay Bushfire

Photos: Aftermath of the Toodyay bushfire, Crescent Times, Toodyay

Crescent Times, Toodyay, WA

issue 15, January 2010

The devastating bushfire that swept through the southern streets of Toodyay on 29 December 2009 has been declared a state natural disaster.

The fire is believed to have started in the vicinity of power infrastructure, in particular a power pole affected by dry rot that was felled during the strong winds and 45+ degree temperatures of the early afternoon. Residents close to the fire origin confirmed that the fire quickly raced past their homes to spread to adjoining properties.

A number of residents were saved by quick thinking friends and neighbours who alerted them to the rapidly advancing fire front in time for them to escape their properties. Local volunteer fire fighters were quickly on the scene but were over powered by the sheer size and speed of the fire.

Despite this, a number of homes were saved by these volunteers and by FESA personel when they arrived. Volunteer fire brigades from Perth and further out into the wheatbelt also attended the fire ground to assist. By nighfall,

flames were visible from the main street as they burned through bush at the top of a nearby hill. Residents in fire affected and threatened areas were evacuated to Northam and to the Toodyay town hall overnight. CT staff were among those evacuated overnight as fires burned closer to CT’s main office in Toodyay, they were able to return to the undamaged office the following day. One of the evacuees, Margaret McKeown, described how she fled the property with her 3 year old granddaughter: “Sparks from the fire front set the paddock next door on fire before we even really knew the fire was coming” she told CT. Her husband, Mick McKeown, stayed at the property and successfully defended their home with the support of fire fighting appliances from a number of brigades. Others were not so lucky with a total of 38 homes destroyed donations to support survivors of the fires can be made to any branch of the Bendigo bank or via the website www. bendigobank.com.au

Al-Azhar Supports Israeli Apartheid Egypt’s top Islamic body issued a fatwa sanctioning the construction of a steel wall between Egypt and the impoverished Gaza Strip, causing a stir amongst scholars who accused Egypt of stifling the resistance in the strip.

The Center for Islamic Research (CIR) at the al-Azhar university, supposedly the world’s leading institution of sunni Islam, issued a fatwa last week saying the construction of a steel barrier between Egypt and Gaza was in line with Islamic teachings as it was part of Egypt’s right to defend its territory.

“It is Egypt’s legitimate right to erect barriers that would stop the damage caused by the tunnels linking Rafah to Gaza,” an Azhar statement said, after it was approved by alAzhar’s Grand Imam Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi. This barrier will only deepen the siege of Gaza and offer Gazans no way out of the three-year old Israeli blockade. It will ensure that they are deprived of food, medicine and fuel and will crush the resistance. Many Palestinian children in Gaza have died of malnutrition because of the lack of formula and basic medical supplies.

Scholars have called on the Egyptian government to halt the construction of the wall and to officially apologize to Palestinians living in Gaza.

Yehia Ismail, secretary general of al-Azhar Scholars’ Front, which is leading the campaign against the wall, argued that the last fatwa steps away from the stance the CIR has always adopted on the Palestinians.

“According to the resolutions of the second CIR conference, held in May 1965, the Palestinian struggle is the struggle of all Muslims,” he told reporters. “Palestine is part of Muslim heritage and history and Muslims will not rest in peace until it is liberated.”

Ismail argued that since the liberation of Palestine is the duty of every Muslim, abstaining from doing so or becoming involved in activities that would hinder supporting Palestinians is considered a grave sin.

Meanwhile Egypt’s Minister of Religious Endowment, Mohamed Hamdi Zaqzouq, defended the wall and the fatwa and refused to associate them with abandoning the Palestinian cause.

“We will always support the Palestinian cause and we have lost thousands of our sons in the struggle for Palestine,” he told a conference of

Sheikh Sayyad Tantawi, the head of Al Azhar, Egypt

imams in Alexandria. “However, Egypt has the right to protect its borders.” Zaqzouq rejected criticism of the fatwa and al-Azhar.

It seems as though al-Azhar hadn’t had enough ridicule when the Grand Shaykh of the wellrespected and renowned Islamic University alAzhar, located in Egypt, admonished a young girl for wearing the niqab and subsequently stated that the body covering, which only reveals the eyes, must be purged from Egypt.

Now it seems that the scholars of Islam over at al-Azhar are trying to one-up themselves.

“It is one of Egypt’s legitimate rights to place a barrier that prevents the harm from the tunnels under Rafah, which are used to smuggle drugs and other (contraband) that threaten Egypt’s stability,” the paper quoted the clerics as saying.

“Those who oppose building this wall are violating the commands of Islamic law,” they added, after a meeting attended by Egypt’s top cleric Sheikh Mohammed Said Tantawi, who is a government appointee.

Notably, during last three years, the only way the besieged people of Gaza get their basic food, some medication and fuel is through smuggling via underground tunnels. Around 1.5 million innocent human beings are currently imprisoned within 139 square miles of land; 1.5 million human beings without access to clean water, food, electricity, and other basic necessities for everyday sustenance.

The wall, which is similar to the Israeli West bank apartheid wall, is to be 10km long, up to 30 meters deep underground and fitted with security surveillance to detect smugglers.

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International

George Galloway: Progressive Politics Needed in Australia

issue 15, January 2010

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Above: George Galloway

Photo: courtesy George Galloway

Jamal Daoud* Sydney George Galloway is not only a progressive example of the western politician, he has exposed the so called “progressive” politicians around the western nations.

He has also dismissed many theories about the qualities and criteria of who could be classified as “progressive” Western politician.

It is widely accepted in Western politics (including Australia) that progressive politicians should: 1. Support the culture of drug abuse, abortion, homosexuality and anti-family moral values.

2. Support all separation and independence movements.

3. Oppose religion and religious regimes and follow the “religion is the opium of masses” principle.

4. Be good liars, make as many promises as possible even if there is no capacity to achieve a single one.

George Galloway has dismissed all these criteria and yet he qualifies as a unique progressive politician in a western democracy.

George Galloway has made a lot of promises and given many speeches on a wide range of sensitive issues. But he has acted upon them.

He travelled to Iraq and opposed the war , despite being labelled as pro-Saddam and proterrorism.

He opposed the listing of Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organisations in Britain.

He actively supported these organisations and even travelled to meet Hamas leadership and gave them donations publicly.

He opposed Israeli aggression against neighbouring countries.

He also upset the stereotypic definition of a western progressive politician, as he: Opposed abortion, alcohol and drug abuse.

Opposed Scotland’s separation from England.

Supported Iran’s self-declared Islamic regime and demanded that Western regimes respect the decision of citizens of Islamic states to choose their governments.

This is why Galloway has left a deep impact on British politics. He has also left positive finger-prints on international politics.

In comparing him to “our” progressive politicians, we see a significant difference.

Our “progressive” politicians are busy

going around the country making promises that they will never fulfil. They also blame both the oppressor and the oppressed in sharing responsibility of any cycle of violence, and claim that this is the most progressive stance available.

Let me give some concrete examples here: Our “progressive” politicians equate the barbaric Israeli aggression with the resistance’s rockets in responsibility for the cycle of violence in the Middle East.

Our “progressive” politicians have never been able to take practical steps to match their promises and

media releases.

None of our “progressive” politicians have made it to Gaza to show solidarity with its people against the barbaric invasion.

All our “progressive” politicians agreed to anti-Muslim legislation that listed many Islamic resistance groups on the list of terrorist organisations.

All our “progressive” politicians condemned the Iranian regime because it is a religious one. They also condemned Iran for it’s nuclear program (which is so far peaceful). But none of them condemned the Israeli military nuclear programs.

All our “progressive” politicians are supportive of the cultures of: drug abuse, abortion, homosexuality, anti-family values.

All our “progressive” politicians are pro all independence movements, even if some of these movements are just tools for imperialism used to divide countries opposing imperialism and colonialism.

These “progressive” politicians were active making promises, visiting mosques and giving nice talks about the importance of multiculturalism and respect of religious diversity in society just before elections. But after the elections, these politicians either disappear or participate in encouraging racism and discrimination.

It is alarming that “regressive” and right wing parties were the ones that introduced nonanglosaxon politicians and politicians from marginalised groups to parliament, while the “progressive” parties were active in aborting any such important steps.

We clearly need an Australian Galloway in Australian politics. But in this pursuit, we clearly should give up our betting that the current “progressive” parties (left Labor, Greens) will make any such move, as they have a very strange definition of progressiveness.

In Arabic we say: no one should scratch your itchy back but your nails. And indeed we should work to create real progressive political force in Australia that will respect our achievements, increase our representation and work towards relieving our suffering. *Jamal Daoud is a Sydney based writer and activist. He is a regular contributor to Crescent Times.

Cairo’s Rent Boys

Yvonne Ridley* Cairo

The activities of the rent boys who parade up and down Al-Shawarby Street in Cairo provide a good metaphor for the relationship the Egyptian Government has with Israel and the US. Both are quite shameless and ruthless; prepared to do whatever it takes to please ... in order to secure a fistful of dollars.

But at least the man whores of Al Shawarby are honest about their trade as they eagerly hustle potential customers.

Yes, they are shameless but so is the Egyptian Government as it continues to enforce the brutal siege in Gaza for Israel’s pleasure and America’s dollars.

The tears it sheds for the besieged people of Gaza are crocodilian.

And today the government stands before its people completely naked, without honour as the last fig leaf of decency floats despairingly to the ground.

I am making this rather crude analogy as I sit in my hotel room over-looking the River Nile.

The view is breath-taking and just 50 yards away is the Egyptian Museum which reveals a rich history of a once great country.

The buildings around are decrepit, rundown like much of the country.

But I haven’t sat down to give you a travel report. I am one of 1400 peace activists from across the world, trapped in Cairo, unable to move forward to take part in the Gaza Freedom March planned for New Year’s Day. Most of us answered the rallying call of the US peace activist group Code Pink.

Meanwhile another shameful drama is unfolding just a few hundred miles away as lifelong Palestinian supporter George Galloway sits trapped in the port of Aqaba as his latest Viva Palestina convoy has been stopped from moving forward.

The British MP’s convoy of 250 vehicles and hundreds more supporters has been prevented from leaving Jordan with its much needed aid.

Why? Because America and Israel have told Egypt not to let a single vehicle or peace activist pass through its country to the Rafah border and into Gaza where an entire population is suffering beyond belief and, it seems, beyond humanitarian relief.

So why doesn’t Egypt tell Washington and

Viva Palestina convoy needs your help

To date, until the last minute of preparing this issue, the Viva Palestina convoy with over $2 million of aid and over 200 vehicles from all over the world, is still stuck in Alarich, Egypt after Egyptian Authorities prevented the humanitarian aid mission from bringing relief to the besieged people of Gaza.

Despite using the longer, more dangerous and more expensive route imposed by the Egyptian authorities which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more to get the aid to the needy, all diplomatic efforts have failed to convince the Egyptian regime to change its decision George Galloway, who launched Viva Palestina, says: “Viva Palestina and the major Turkish charity

Tel Aviv to get stuffed? For exactly the same reason a rent boy will do as his master tells him ... hard cash.

Proof? Exactly two years ago under the Bush Administration, both houses of US Congress agreed to withhold 100 million dollars in financial assistance to Egypt following Israeli claims that Egyptian authorities were failing to prevent weapons smuggling to the Gaza Strip.

Egypt receives nearly two billion dollars in US aid making it the second largest recipient of US largesse after Israel, which receives three billion dollars a year in military assistance.

And now the Middle East’s most active rent boy has a new master pimp - Barack Obama - although his White House enforcers have made sure the same house rules apply.

Now while the Egyptian Government might bend over backwards - or just bend over - the real enforcers will find Viva Palestina and the Gaza Freedom Marchers far less compliant.

We have travelled from more than 40 different countries to Cairo while others have driven thousands of miles to Aqaba to show our solidarity to the people of Gaza - we represent the largest gathering of international solidarity activists in the history of the Middle East.

Using the pretext of escalating tensions on the Gaza-Egypt border, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that the Rafah border will be closed over the coming weeks. Our message to the politicians is crystal clear: “Let us enter Gaza and let the Gaza Freedom March proceed.”

Quite simply, you cannot buy us. Integrity, freedom and our love for Gaza is not for sale at any price.

Egyptian Security goons have already used fear and intimidation on the management of the venues the Gaza Freedom Marchers have booked, as well as transport companies who contracted buses to carry us from Cairo to Gaza, with the result that these deals have been cancelled.

Egyptian Security even tried to pressurise the management of the Groppi coffee shop on Midan Talaat Harb to shut down while we were organising meetings. Despite warning us that more than six people can not gather in public places our meeting continued.

We will not bow to fear and intimidation but what we will do is increase the pressure on the Rent Boy Government and where injustice is the law resistance is our duty.

And as Malcolm X once said: “Power in defence of freedom is greater than power on behalf of tyranny and oppression.” *British journalist Yvonne Ridley is travelling with Indy film-maker Warren Biggs making a documentary about the Gaza Freedom March. She is a founding member of Viva Palestina and Stop Gaza Slaughter. She also presents the Rattansi & Ridley show and The Agenda for Press TV, as well as writing columns for newspapers across the world. Her website is www.yvonneridley.org

Yvonne is a frequent contributor to Crescent Times.

IHH, which is a partner in the convoy, are appealing for funds to cover the punitive costs that have been imposed on the convoy thanks to obstruction and delays that have been imposed on it.

“Millions of people have followed this epic journey hour by hour on channels such as Al Jazeera and Press TV, or through websites, twitter and email blasts.

“They will have been enraged as they saw the attempts to prevent it reaching its goal. But we know from thousands of messages and the outpouring of public reaction in the Arab and Muslim worlds that they too share the convoy participants determination to see the mission succeed.

“If you are inspired by this humanitarian convoy, but angry at the way it has been frustrated you now have a chance to show it. For more information or to donate, you can visit: www.vivapalestina.org

Dr. Mehdi Mostafavi, advisor to the President of Iran:

Dr Mostafavi, who plays a crucial role in the shaping of Iran’s future, says there is “not enough attention to morality and spirituality” in the world and that is why interfaith dialogues are important.

Dr Mostafavi criticized the west for portraying Iran as an evil country that doesn’t respect all religions when in fact all “religions are completely free to practice their faith”. He said Christians hold three seats in parliament and Jews and Zoroastrians hold one seat each.

Dr Mostafavi said all religions can follow their religion’s rules with issues relating to their personal lives citing marriage and divorce as an example. He said “they must only follow the country’s Islamic rule with regards to social issues”. Dr Mostafavi said freedom of religion is evident as they also “have their own schools in which they teach their faith, and have their own magazines and newspapers” and stressed they receive “fair treatment” just like everyone else in the country.

Dr Mostafavi said the west tries to damage Iran’s image because Iran “doesn’t let them take advantage of it [Iran] and carry on with their illegal activities”.

He said “we govern our country as a religious democracy” and because it doesn’t coincide with the west’s liberal democracy they simply “don’t like it”. Although the US is a heavy supporter of a religious democracy such as the occupying state of ‘Israel’ Dr Mostafavi said the west “doesn’t like an Islamic democracy”.

Iran is one of the few countries that support the Palestinians in their strife and one of the strongest supporters of Hezbollah and Hamas, who after Al-Qaeda are listed as the west’s top ‘terrorist’ organisations. Dr Mostafavi said one of the main reasons the west tries to pressure Iran is because of “our stance regarding Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine”. He said the west, led blindly by the United States “gets upset and doesn’t want to accept it when we say Palestinian people have to govern their own country”. Dr Mostafavi said Iran poses a threat to western countries only because “it doesn’t allow them to continue their illegal interests in other people’s countries”.

Dr Mostafavi stressed that the west must accept “Iran’s religious government as an equal to any other form of government” because it is run “in accordance with Islamic rules, which makes it just,

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because Islam is justice”.

Dr Mostafavi said the philospophy behind Iran’s religious type of governance is that “the people who are in charge themselves have to follow and believe these rules before they apply them on the people”.

He said this allows the people of Iran to have an ‘effect on their future and how their country will be governed in accordance with Islamic law”.

Iran and the Palestinian issue Dr Mostafavi said Palestine is a significant example “of international injustice” against a nation.

He said Iran’s opposition to Zionism is “them [Iran] challenging all injustices around the world”. Dr Mostafavi encouraged and hoped the “people of the world will join us in defending Palestine” and assured there is “no doubt that victory will come” but said more “people will need to sacrifice”.

Dr Mostafavi said negotiations have done nothing “in favour of the Palestinians” for the past 61 years and “it never will as negotiations with the Zionist enemy will only delay victory”. He said although some groups of Palestinians, referring to Fatah, compromised in their peace talks, they were still “unsuccessful in reaching a peace deal with the Israelis”.

Dr Mostafavi said the rejection of the only democratically elected government, Hamas, is one of “the biggest injustices in the world”. He said the “double standards” that the west employs are a reflection of how “honest they really are”.

Iranian children are taught about Palestine at schools and have “good knowledge” about the issue of Palestine. Dr Mostafavi said Iran is always trying to have good relationships with Palestinian parties, but “naturally have better relations with Hamas”.

Iran and the United States Dr Mostafavi affirmed Iran will not succumb to pressure from the world and will keep “challenging injustice, Zionism and western countries who want to do harm” saying that “Iran is much more powerful today than it was 30 years ago at the time of the revolution”.

Dr Mostafavi said although President Obama’s slogan was change “we have still failed to see any better actions from the US towards Muslims and the Middle East especially Palestine”. He said they were told “that now Mr. Obama has become US president you can try making a good relationship with the USA”. He said that will only happen “when words are followed by actions”.

Dr Mostafavi said President Obama’s constant “begging of Israel to halt settlement construction” but lack of action when settlement continues, shows there is bias towards the Israeli side. He said “Obama so far is no different to Bush”.

Iran and Australia EDITORIAL TEAM: EDITOR IN CHIEF: Tarek Chamkhi: editor@crescenttimes.com.au PRODUCTION EDITOR: Joanne McKeown: editor2@crescenttimes.com.au MELBOURNE EDITOR: Nasya Bahfen: nasya.bahfen@crescenttimes.com.au MELBOURNE OFFICE: Rashid Alshakshir: rashid@crescenttimes.com.au ADELAIDE OFFICE: Safwan Saparudin: safwan@crescenttimjes.com.au OPINION EDITOR: Irfan Yusuf: opinion@crescenttimes.com.au

He blamed the media for portraying a “negative image of Iran and over exaggerating the riots in the streets”. He said this had an “adverse effect on the view of the Australian people towards Iran”.

Above: Dr. Mehdi Mostafavi.

Photo: Courtesy of Shayma Alshakshir

On his visit Dr Mostafavi met with the Victorian Governor, Professor David de Kretser. Dr Mostafavi said they had “a good conversation and we explained a lot of things to him”. Along with the rest of the Iranian delegation, Dr Mostafavi visited La Trobe University and met with officials, including Vice Councillor Paul Johnson.

He said they are “trying to develop an academic relationship with Australian universities to have exchange students between the two countries.”

The Iranian Elections Dr Mostafavi criticised some westerners for “trying to take the recent elections as an opportunity to topple the government” and replace it with a “proAmerican government”. He said protests were only happening in Tehran but the media “exaggerates everything to do with Iran”. Dr Mostafavi said “protests happen in many other countries - including recently in Geneva during which people damaged buildings and burned cars a few weeks ago”.

He was upset after reading an article about the Iranian elections in The Age the day prior to the interview, which he says was “full of lies” about Iran.

Dr Mostafavi said that when a US congressman produced a photo of a supposedly dead Iranian girl,

allegedly killed at the hands of the Iranian police, the young girl came on TV to prove she was still alive. He also gave another example of a young boy who was reported by western media to have been murdered by the police force in the street. Dr Mostafavi said this was untrue and the parents of the boy came on TV and presented papers which proved the boy was in fact killed in a car accident one week before the elections.

Women’s rights in Iran

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Advisor to the President of Iran and President of the Islamic Culture & Relations Organisations Dr Mehdi Mostafavi spoke at The Parliament of The World’s Religions. In an interview, through translator Payan Izadi, he said Iran tries “to have a strong connection with other religions” and considered the Parliament a “good opportunity to find common interests between our religion Islam and others.”

Dr Mostafavi invited all governments to “independently take decisions” instead of blindly following other governments.

He said the relationship between Australia and Iran is very “routine” but they hope to build better relations.

Dr Mostafavi said Iran “respects women and their rights more than many other countries in the world”.

He said “in the west they equal women’s rights to freedom without limitation, because they use women as a tool for advertising”.

Dr Mostafavi said “65% of university students are female and women participate in all parts of organisations, universities and politics”. Dr Mostafavi said Iran believes women play a “really important role in upbringing society”.

Dr Shohreh Shahsavandi, lecturer in Applied Translation and Linguistics at the Iranian Ferdowsi University of Mashhad says “there are more than 16 female parliamentarians in Iran” and women are active in all walks of life.

Australian Muslim Achievement Awards 2009 Judging Process:

In 2009, 15 judges from around Australia were asked to participate in judging the many nominations received for this year’s Australian Muslim Achievement Awards. Six confirmed and they have agreed to release their names, which is a condition of participating.

Judges are asked to review each nominee’s information and make a decision based not only on the information provided (e.g. attachments, photos, website links and letters) but also using their awareness of the Muslim community and events around Australia.

Judging is to be made on the merit of the individual/organisation, and not the presentation of the nomination. This is because nominations can be submitted by any member of the community (excluding MoH executives, AMAA team and current judges). The only award that was decided by the MoH executive committee in 2009 is the Lifetime Achiever Award (as this is done in consultation with other community groups/ members) .

The judging process needs to reflect a choice of winners that represent excellence for the wider

Australian and Muslim community.

Judges are also asked to further research nominees so that in addition to the information provided they are also accessing more independent sources as well.

Judges do not know other judges voting choices.

Judges are highly encouraged to chose the winner based on merit and not to make “encouragement” awards or any award any personal favourite or to have any state bias.

Congratulations to all the winners.

2009 Judges Subhi Bora NSW Dr. Donya Tohidi-Esfahani NSW Wajma Padshah WA Talal Yassine NSW Rebecca de Caen SA Linda Al Ibrahim VIC With Peace, Hanan Dover President, Mission of Hope www.missionofhope.org.au h.dover@missionofhope.org.au

Contributors in tHis issue: Faruque Ahmed - Rashid Alshakshir - Sarrah Alshakshir - Shayma Alshakshir - Zabrina A Bakar - Tarek Chamkhi - Jamal Daoud - Linda Delgado - Hanan Dover - Abdul Shaheed Drew - Michael Dywer - Ebtisam El-Najjarine - Eugenia Flynn - Hyder Gulam - Fazil Hasanov - Amanda Charmand Mazumder - Joanne McKeown - Debora McNichol - Adam Parker - Yvonne Ridley - Erin Rutherford - Aisha Stacey - Keysar Trad - Yunous Vagh - Irfan Yusuf

issue 15, January 2010

Crescent Times Exclusive Rashid Alshakshir and Shayma Alshakshir Melbourne

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

“Iran is much more powerful”

Page 13

Interview

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Page 14

Palestine

Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009: VOX POP

Shayma Alshakshir and Rashid Alshakshir Melbourne

Building peace in the pursuit of justice was one of the major subthemes discussed at the Parliament of the World's Religions for 2009.

On the justice note, we recall the injustice imposed on Palestine and the people of Gaza.

On the 27th December 2008, the Israeli government led vicious attacks killing more than 1500 civilians, leaving more than 5000 injured and many more homeless, orphaned, widowed, mutilated or missing a limb. Local and international guest speakers and artists shared their thoughts on the 61-year old Palestine/Israel conflict.

“Palestine is the land that is covered by our brethren’s struggle for freedom. Covered by the ruthless acts of killing and hate for human life the blood of the children covers the streets. My heart truly bleeds for them. It is not a land that we will ever give up.’’

“Palestine is a very important matter to us.

Nowadays Palestine is the main issue in the world that the enemy of Islam is trying to hurt Islam through. Palestine is a symbol of a great injustice; it is an international injustice.

I believe every other country should play an active role to defend Palestine. In our hearts, we strongly believe victory for Palestine is close and we have no doubt about that. We believe it’ll take time and many more sacrifices will have to continue to be made. If people around the world become more aware of the Palestinian issue, victory will come sooner.

But if negotiations and discussions are opened with the enemy, then the victory will be delayed, because these negotiations have never brought the Palestinian people any rights nor considered it for them anyway.’’

Dr Mehdi Mustafavi, adviser to the Iranian President Ahmadinejad

Zaid Peter Boyd, Nasheed Singer

“Palestine is a reality and it is out there, in black and white (and red). We should not just TALK about how much Palestine means to us; we should SHOW how much it means to us. I say less talk and more positive action.’’

Nisa Terzi, Law & Journalism student

issue 15, January 2010

their land? Why do the Palestinian people have to offer their land? Why do the Palestinians have to endure such troubles? And have them migrate from one country to another, and live that harsh life? How come someone does something wrong somewhere else, but these people have to be punished? To see pictures of dispossessed Palestinians puts pressure in my heart. Logical reasoning is what we need, when we have that, people can do anything.’’

“I’m Saudi with a Palestinian heart.’’

Wafaa Aljohani, Psychology student

“The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that depression will soon be the second biggest killer in the world. Popping Prozac is not enough. 92 percent of Palestine is depressed. We need to attend to the human values, and how we can elevate the spirit to move out of this deep depression and anxiety, and violence.’’

Zain Bhikha, Musician

Dr Shohreh Shahsavandi, Teacher of Translation and Applied Linguistics at the Iranian Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

“Having being an activist in the struggle of liberation from apartheid in South Africa, any form of struggle is very close to my heart. The Palestinian people were very supportive to us in our struggle, so for me, Palestine is a very strong issue.

In South Africa, the word for “power to the people” in traditional African language was Amandla Awethu. In support of Palestine, activists have combined 2 words to show support: Amandla Intifada. Palestine and its people, for me, are symbols of resilience and resolve in the face of incredible prejudice and cruelty and it inspires the fight for liberation, justice and peace for all people around the world who are dealing with injustice and oppression. The day Palestine is liberated, it will be the platform for all those suffering under oppression to fight for their own freedom’’.

Jeremy Karodia, musician, composer and Zain Bhikha’s Producer

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Spiritual Leader

“If we accept that the holocaust has happened: who did it? Where was it done? Who was involved? European countries. So why should the Palestinian people be punished for whatever the European people have done? If Germany has done something wrong to the Jews, why didn’t Germany give them (the Jews) a part of

to live free or to be away from oppression. I just pray that Allah (SWT) allows us to make things easier for the people of Palestine.’’

“We all know that the struggle has been going on for a very long time. It is a human struggle.

Very much like it was in South Africa when I was growing up with apartheid. People were living without the life normal human beings deserve. People of Palestine are not allowed

“I don’t think we can say there can never be international peace, but certainly by ignoring Palestine, there can never be durable peace at least in the Middle East. The international community for a half a century has failed in its mandate. It is a Palestinian issue but the international community has a moral role.

The Parliament of the World’s Religions will not be successful or meaningful if we do not address what peace is. Ulama’a (scholars) and Leaders of world religions cannot be silent on the issues of peace and justice, because in the Islamic context, issues of Justice are central and more important than the issue of democracy that we talk about. The issue of dispossessed Palestinians, it must be understood. You might not agree, but at least you have to understand it.’’

Dr Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Opposition Leader and former Deputy Prime Minister

“One of the conditions of peace is justice.

Allah (SWT) says: ‘Allah commands justice and excellence’. And excellence is not to become obsessed with justice. Because when you are obsessed with justice, you can become obsessed with the stages of victims, and when you are only thinking as victims, you transform the way of justice in to victimization of your stages; that could be problematic. When it comes to war, Islam has set out war ethics.

Resistance to the oppression is legitimate; keeping in mind that you cannot kill children, women, and old men, people of religions or even nature. Anyone who is not in the army of Israel is a civilian. I was not at all accepting the silence of some people when the offensive in Gaza happened—when we knew that civilians were killed; I think this is wrong. But on this side, I will say that I will not accept that Palestinian civilians have less value than Israeli civilians.”

Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies Oxford University Photography: Rashid and Shayma Alshakshir

This is the Consolation Prize?

Debora McNichol

Here Muslims awkwardly sit at the beginning of a new year. The United States has suffered through more winter storms than most Decembers, the economy is still in the tank, people are out of jobs and are still losing their homes. Muslims in America, however, seem to not be doing too badly, alhamdulillah, despite Fort Hood and the would-be [insert vulgar phrase here] airplane bomber from Christmas Day. There does seem to be less backlash, as mainstream coverage of Fort Hood and the underwear bomber has focused less on the general Muslim population and more on extremism and the shortcomings of the FBI and CIA. It helps that the Muslims related to Major Hasan gave non-cringe-worthy interviews. Also influencing the American media is the fact that the town crier, ie, the underwear bomber’s father, is a banker and used to be the Nigerian finance minister. (How extreme can a finance minister be, anyway?)

The government of Iraq is suing Blackwater, the private military company that was performing services for the United States in Iraq.

In September, 2007, Blackwater employees allegedly massacred many Iraqi citizens and attempted to murder many more. Criminal charges on the matter were dismissed by the federal District Court in Washington, DC. The Iraqi government will urge the prosecution to appeal the dismissal as it prepares for its civil suit. Several other civil suits by individual Iraqi citizens against Blackwater (now Xe) are in the works.

The District Court’s decision was based on the prosecutor’s use of inadmissible evidence: statements ‘coerced’ from the Blackwater employees who were allegedly afraid of losing their jobs if they did not speak. The employees were given immunity from prosecution for their eyewitness accounts.

The civil suit is a consolation prize of sorts, assuming Iraq can win its case. It appears, though, that those murdered Iraqis might have to wait for Judgment Day to get their justice.

(Reality check. Federal prosecutors do not ordinarily make mistakes that will get their case against mass murderers summarily dismissed. The fact is, if the evidence on which the case was built was inadmissible, then the judge did the correct thing. The law is the law, which we count on to protect ourselves and society, even when it shows itself to be less than perfect. The case apparently should not have been built upon evidence of the Blackwater ‘confessions.’

Glean from that what you will. Insha Allah, the Court of Appeals will determine properly whether the lower court erred.)

So, in 2010, is there less anti-Muslim sentiment than post 9-11?

Arguably, yes. The Guantanamo prisoners, for example, will be seeing American justice sooner rather than later, and those who believe that American courts are better venues than military tribunals seem not to be afraid to say so any more. Americans of all faiths are speaking out against Palestinian suffering in greater numbers than before. But we have so far to go.

The US has two elected Muslim Congressmen since 9-11, Keith Ellison and Andre Carson. Congressman Ellison was reelected. But the haters are still around, in and out of the government. Fox News still hates us. Or loves us. Rest assured, they love the ratings that Ft. Hood and the underwear bomber have generated, and the fact that these incidents happened “on Obama’s watch.”

Depending on how you look at it, putting out these minor fires could be our jihad, our purgatory, or a really disappointing consolation prize. It seems that Muslims have an uneasy truce with most of America; alhamdulillah, it could be worse.

Perth

Part two of Adam Parker’s article on the history and settlement of Palestine.

I feel that I would be failing in my duty if I did not make Muslims aware of how western duplicity and zionist deception and terror brought about the state of Israel.

Matthias Chan was the personal secretary of Dr Mohammed Mahathir, the former Malaysian Prime Minister. In his book titled, “The Zionist Anglo-American Meldown” he produces a letter written

by Lord Balfour to Lord Rothschild. The letter is dated 2nd November,1917: Dear Lord Rothschild, I have pleasure in conveying to you on behalf of His Majesty’s government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations, which has been submitted by the Cabinet.

“His Majesty’s Government views with favour, the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and will use it’s best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of the non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

I should be grateful if you would bring the Declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

Yours Sincerely Arthur James Balfour.

This letter is known as the “Balfour Declaration”. At the time this promise was made, Palestine was still part of the Turkish Empire. The Palestinian people, accepting “Lawrence of Arabia’s” promise that they would be given the land after the war, were dying on the battlefields.

I have never been a rejecter of the holocaust. However, when supposed

democratic governments such as Germany and France have laws which make it a crime to question the holocaust, I have to ask, “What are they afraid of?”

Surely democracies are based upon questioning various issues!

Maybe the following address

by Rabbi Rabinowitz at the Emergency Council of European Rabbis in Budapest Hungary on 12th January, 1952, contained in Matthias Chan’s book, will provide an answer.

“We may have to repeat the grim days of World War II, when we were forced to let the Hitlerite bandits sacrifice some of our people, in order that we may have adequate documentation and witnesses to legally justify our trial and execution of the leaders of America and Russia as war criminals after we dictated peace. I am sure you will need little preparation for such a duty for sacrifice has always been a watchword for our people, and the death of a few thousand lesser Jews in exchange for world leadership, is indeed a small price to pay. To convince you of the certainty of that leadership, let me point out to you how we have turned all the inventions of the white man into weapons against him, his printing presses and radios are the mouthpieces of our desires, and his heavy industry manufactures the instruments which he sends out to arm Asia and Africa against him.

The address ends with an instruction to “go back to your countries and intensify your good work, until that approaching day when Israel will reveal herself in all

Perth: AL-HIDAYAH ISLAMIC SCHOOL

her glorious destiny as the light of the world.”

It is clear from the above that all is not what it seems to be, be it the holocaust, or any other matter, such as ownership to the land of Palestine, or any other matter which favours the Zionist.

In spite of a well-planned and welloiled Zionist machinery, their claims lie in tatters. At no time did they enjoy saturation of the land, nor did they have any longterm residence. Their claims are further debunked by the Torah Jews who accuse them of rejecting the “fundamental principles of our Torah” and making it clear that “the Jews do not need a state of their own.” They proceed by stating that “the very establishment of a “Jewish “ state is a grave violation of Jewish tradition and law”. To them, they hold true to the Torah, where “G-d” in his wisdom states in Jeremiah 29 ,7 seek out the city to which I have exiled you and pray for it to the Almighty, for through it’s welfare will you have welfare”.

The zionists are the founders of modern-day terrorism. In 1946 their founders bombed the British Embassy at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. When they entered Palestine under the U.N. resolution which created the State of Israel, they did it amid a wave of terror, which sent the Palestinians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. We should educate ourselves and see the threat in their future plans before it emerges. *Adam Parker is a Perth based Muslim community elder, activist and writer.

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However, we are not afraid of opinions! Our role is not to teach a particular package of opinions and beliefs

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Opinions

issue 15, January 2010

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Regular Columns

Bloody politics of division in my birthplace!

One of my relatives is visiting my birthplace of Karachi at the moment. She hopes to see siblings she hasn’t seen for years, in some cases, decades.

Visiting Karachi at this time is always a little risky. The city is an ethnic and sectarian melting pot. Ethnic Pathans (also known as Pushtuns) dominate the transport industry. Most other businesses are owned by so-called Muhajir Muslims who migrated from various parts of India after the 1947 Partition. There are large Shia communities of various denominations, and the Sunnis are also fragmented in various ways. To give readers an idea of just how prevalent the sectarian divide is, the last time I was in Karachi during the mid-90’s, my cousin took me for Friday prayers one day. We had to walk past 3 mosques to get to the mosque. I asked my cousin what was wrong with the first three. “One is barelvi, the other is shia and the third are ahl-i-hadis.”

Back then, Karachi experienced a multilayered civil war. No one quite knew who fought who or why. There was conflict between rival factions of the Muhajir political party.

Then there were Sunni and Shia groups fighting a proxy war on behalf of their respective Saudi and Iranian sponsors. One anti-Shia party called ASSP (which probably stood for the “Absurdly Silly Saudi Party”) fought pitch battles against the Shia TNFJ (which probably stood for “Totally Nuevo Funky Jihad”).

Exactly whose side you fought on depended on which conflict you were fighting. One day, you’d be in a trench with Ahmed shooting in the general direction of Javed and Ali from that nasty Muhajir splinter group. The next day, you and Javed were in the same trench shooting in the general Absurdly Silly direction of those nasty pro-Iranian TNFJ infidels Ahmed and Ali. Now things have taken a definite turn for the worse. For my elderly relative to visit Karachi during Muharram took plenty of guts. Like many traditional Sunni families, we commemorate Muharram in certain ways. We fast on Ashura (the 10th day of Muharram when Imam Hussain was martyred along with most of his family at Karbala) and we also refrain from certain forms of entertainment.

Pakistan TV channels frequently have religious programs commemorating Muharram, which my parents in Sydney get to watch thanks to the dish on their roof.

But this time Muharram in Karachi is bloodier than ever. Much blood is spilt during religious processions when men and boys perform rituals that many Shia religious authorities condemn as innovation. Still,

PLANET IRF

Why are Chickens Halal to eat?

Amanda Charmand-Mazumder* Bangladesh

Irfan Yusuf* Sydney

these practices have entered South Asian Shia culture in much the same way as circling and prostrating to the graves of saints has entered South Asian sunni culture.

Thousands take part in these processions.

Sometimes sectarian riots take place. But Pakistan right now has much bigger worries than sectarian rioting. When even traditionally anti-American religious party leaders are using phrases like “war on terror” in a serious fashion to describe the fight against the renegade Taliban, you know there’s an unusual level of strife.

According to one Pakistani politician, in the last year Pakistan has now had more suicide attacks than Iraq and Afghanistan. One recent attack targeted the women’s section of the Sharia Faculty at the International Islamic University of Islamabad. Talk about the Taliban implementing sharia! More recently, the notoriously anti-Shia Taliban attacked a Muharram procession in Karachi, killing over 40 people. And the most recent episode was an attack on a volleyball game that killed over 80.

So will we have special security set up for mosques (especially Shia ones), educational institutions and volleyball grounds? No way.

Don’t be surprised if Murdoch bloggers start suggesting it’s more important for our security that we perform cavity searches on non-white people for explosive underwear.

Pakistan’s terrorist attacks have received little coverage and have led to little reconsideration of our policy toward that troubled country.

Pakistan is always blamed for terrorism in various parts of the world, and it’s as if Pakistanis dying from suicide attacks is treated as a case of “serves you right”.

Still, for my relative in Karachi, the inconvenience to her schedule has been most disturbing. She may not be able to see third cousins she hasn’t seen for 40 years, presuming she even knows they exist. Which hopefully means her kids can remain single until the next trip. *Irfan is a Sydney based lawyer, writer and columnist. He is the opinion editor of Crescent Times.

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I am back with the halal debate, but this time a much different topic. As a Muslim, I thought we were permitted to eat only those animals which are herbivorous, but just like some many times before, I was wrong.

When a non-Muslim asks a Muslim, what makes an animal halal for you to eat, most of us reply with the answer that we can eat only animals which are herbivorous, that is, animals that only eat non-meat constituents (and all that is under the sea). Well, that sounds about right when you think about it. Or does it?

Cows, goats, sheep, rams and camels for example, all love their greens. But what about chickens? Aren’t they also herbivores? The answer is no.

All chicken are omnivorous, which means that they eat both plants and animals. Chickens feed on small insects and herbs and leaves, but they are also known to catch small mammals such as mice and enjoy various meats that are available in their reach!

So why, as Muslims, are we permitted to eat an omnivorous animal? After researching on this topic, I found very little information.

As some like myself may be curious, more information should be available. What I found is that carnivorous animals which live on land that hunt their prey and use their teeth, such as cats, lions and dogs are prohibited, and birds of prey who hunt their food with their claws like eagles and hawks are also forbidden. But what about an animal that digs for their prey to eat worms, or just eats what is available in front of it? Well according to the information I found, as a chicken does not hunt it’s prey, attack it, rip it into shreds so beastly with it’s canines nor does it dig it’s claws into the prey to kill it, then it is halal to eat. Also, according to the hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 5198 – the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) was seen eating chicken.

So there is our answer.

Most of the chickens we eat in Australia are grain fed, which is pretty good, but if a chicken was seen to eat meat, it is not wrong or haraam, it is perfectly natural, don’t freak out.

Though if the meat had a bad odour, then it may have eaten something impure, in this case it is disliked to be consumed. Allah knows best and may He guide us. *Amanda is a registered Mental Health Nurse in the Sydney Area Health Service. She is currently living in Bangladesh with her Bangladeshi husband working as a content writer for an IT company. Passions include World Politics and Islam, Medicine, Psychiatry and Nursing.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: All letters subject to editing,. The sender should provide his/her full name, full address and contact number to enable verification if required. You could email your letter to editor@ crescenttimes.com.au or SMS them on: 0414 155 366. Alternatively dear readers could post letters to: P.O.Box: 628 Mirrabooka, 6941, WA

Call it Shari’ah shoora or Society for Muslim Grievances not Shari’ah court!!

When I read about a Shari’ah solution to our problems, it delighted me immensely. At the same time it triggered a fear in my mind that the title “ Shari’ah Tribunal” would send a wrong signal inviting opposition before it’s birth and unfortunately the same has happened. I went through the proposition, found nothing wrong and this gave me much satisfaction and I prayed for it’s success.

But such headings attract the attention of all, creating doubts in their minds and why should ordinary people want to go through the article at all? They take for granted that something undesirable and parallel to Australian law is in the offing. The title should have been like this: Shari’ah Shoora, Majlis or Society for Muslim Grievances OR Shari’ah Solutions for Community’s Personal Affairs, etc Our aim is not to oppose the laws of the Australian government by forming a Majlis or body to address the grievances of the Muslim Community. What we do within to resolve our Safwan personal matters, does not bother anyone.

Due to various reasons, the community is looked upon by many with suspicion. In the circumstances, if we really want to achieve something, we have to project ourselves as responsible citizens wedded to peace and justice and have to be tactful in our constructive activities without which we cannot secure our desired goals and may create hindrance for future needs. Lack of hikmah can always spoil our case and damage our prospects. This will surely affect immigration and approvals for community works also will not come easily.

It is my earnest suggestion that this always be kept in mind in all publications. In order to succeed we must give a true and constructive picture of all our activities. We live in a country which guarantees religious freedom and we appreciate it and are thankful to Alah swt and seek His help in all we do for ourselves and in the interest of Australian society in general.

Saiyid Akhlaq Nabi, Perth

Above: Egyptian students trying to do their exams wearing swine flu masks after their school authorities prohibited them from entering classrooms wearing niqaab Below:Chinese military vehicle in front of an historic mosque in East Turkistan

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Above and below: Protesting in the streets of Sydney in memory of the Israel offensive led on Gaza in Dec 2008/Jan 2009. Other capital cities including Perth held simular protests, the Perth march was organised by Friends of Palestine, WA.

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issue 15, January 2010

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issue 15, January 2010

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Page 18

Poetry

Supporters of Palestine Rock the Streets of Sydney in Memory of Gaza

Shayma Alshakshir Sydney

Hundreds marched the streets of Sydney in memory of the Israeli offensive in Gaza in Dec 2008/Jan 2009. It was only three weeks ago, when the Coalition for Justice & Peace in Palestine protested in dismay at the welcoming of Ehud Olmert, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel into our country by the Australian government.

Jennifer Kellin, from the coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine was chairing the Sydney Rally. She says the protest is more than just a commemoration.

“We’re commemorating the attacks on Gaza when Israel bombed Gaza and bombed the civilian populations for 23 days and we’re remembering the people who died and were injured in that war,’’ she said.

“But more importantly, we’re looking to what’s happening now. Israel has put a blockade around Gaza and they don’t allow anything in or out.

“The people who have had their homes destroyed in the war last year can’t rebuild their homes,’’ Ms Kellin said.

In solidarity, protesters pitched about 10 little

tents at the Sydney town hall square. Ms Kellin says they are to remind everyone that people are still suffering the aftermath.

“People are still one year later living in tents because Israel does not allow them to rebuild their homes,’’ she said.

“Children are hungry; people go without medical attention because of the blockade,’’ Ms Kellin said.

She explains that they are also urging the federal government to support the UN calls to end the siege on Gaza.

“Australia plans to be a friend of Israel. We would like Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard to use their influence with their friends to call for an end on the blockade of Gaza, which is illegal because according to international law, collective punishment of a whole population is illegal,’’ she said.

“We as Australians can stand up and not be ashamed of the fact that we are complacent in breaking international law,’’ Ms Kellin said.

She warns: “to shut your eyes on war crimes is a war crime in itself ’’.

The protest was followed by a minute of silence to remember all those killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza one year ago.

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Phil Kaiserman

Above: Phil Kaiserman of Manchester, UK. In February Phil joined friends of Viva Palestina to send off the first convoy to Gaza - which in tribute to a life dedicated to campaigning and human solidarity,bore his own name. The Phil Kaiserman Column, led by the iconic red fire engine, was a celebration of the radical Jewish tradition Phil represented for so many decades. Sadly Phil recently passed away. May Allah grant his soul peace, ameen.

Photo courtesy: Viva Palestina

FREEDOM UNDER SIEGE I dedicate this to the people of Palestine. Our prayers and thoughts will always be with you.

Freedom will surely come.

Sarrah Alshakshir* Melbourne P-A-L-E-S-T-I-N-E A small holy land people die over me P-A-L-E-S-T-I-N-E A small holy land people die over me have no fear god is always here never let them see you let down a tear dropping all those bombs killing all those mums taking all our homes saying i’m the occupier them attacking me, makes me fly levels higher all we have are stones power from our hands they break us all our bones they dare give commands

if they do i’ll stand i surely will demand free is my wish but it ain’t my choice for the past 61 years all they did was oppose peace means you leave then we’ll retrieve retrieve palestine and make it full of peace

*Sarrah Alshakshir is a year 12 student who uses her pen to stand beside those who are oppressed

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Page 19

Fashion, Prayer Timetables

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Arabic liftout from 16th issue February 2010

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Prayer Schedule January 2010 Perth, Western Australia

Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Fajr Sunrise 3:35 5:14 3:36 5:14 3:37 5:15 3:38 5:16 3:39 5:17 3:40 5:17 3:41 5:18 3:42 5:19 3:43 5:20 3:44 5:21 3:46 5:22 3:47 5:22 3:48 5:23 3:49 5:24 3:50 5:25 3:51 5:26 3:53 5:27 3:54 5:28 3:55 5:29 3:56 5:30 3:58 5:31 3:59 5:32 4:00 5:32 4:01 5:33 4:03 5:34 4:04 5:35 4:05 5:36 4:06 5:37 4:08 5:38 4:09 5:39 4:10 5:40

Dhuhr 12:21 12:21 12:21 12:22 12:22 12:23 12:23 12:24 12:24 12:25 12:25 12:25 12:26 12:26 12:26 12:27 12:27 12:27 12:28 12:28 12:28 12:29 12:29 12:29 12:29 12:30 12:30 12:30 12:30 12:30 12:31

Asr Maghrib Isha 4:01 7:26 8:59 4:01 7:27 8:59 4:02 7:27 8:59 4:02 7:27 8:59 4:03 7:27 8:59 4:03 7:27 8:59 4:04 7:27 8:59 4:04 7:27 8:59 4:05 7:27 8:59 4:05 7:27 8:58 4:05 7:27 8:58 4:06 7:27 8:58 4:06 7:27 8:57 4:07 7:27 8:57 4:07 7:27 8:57 4:07 7:26 8:56 4:08 7:26 8:56 4:08 7:26 8:55 4:08 7:26 8:54 4:09 7:25 8:54 4:09 7:25 8:53 4:09 7:24 8:53 4:09 7:24 8:52 4:10 7:24 8:51 4:10 7:23 8:50 4:10 7:23 8:50 4:10 7:22 8:49 4:10 7:21 8:48 4:11 7:21 8:47 4:11 7:20 8:46 4:11 7:20 8:45

Prayer Schedule January 2010 Melbourne, Victoria

Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Fajr Sunrise 4:08 6:01 4:09 6:02 4:10 6:02 4:12 6:03 4:13 6:04 4:14 6:05 4:15 6:06 4:16 6:07 4:18 6:08 4:19 6:09 4:20 6:10 4:22 6:11 4:23 6:12 4:25 6:13 4:26 6:14 4:28 6:15 4:29 6:16 4:31 6:17 4:32 6:18 4:34 6:19 4:35 6:20 4:37 6:21 4:39 6:23 4:40 6:24 4:42 6:25 4:43 6:26 4:45 6:27 4:46 6:28 4:48 6:29 4:50 6:31 4:51 6:32

Dhuhr Asr 1:24 5:18 1:24 5:18 1:25 5:19 1:25 5:19 1:26 5:19 1:26 5:20 1:27 5:20 1:27 5:20 1:28 5:21 1:28 5:21 1:28 5:21 1:29 5:22 1:29 5:22 1:30 5:22 1:30 5:22 1:30 5:23 1:31 5:23 1:31 5:23 1:31 5:23 1:32 5:23 1:32 5:24 1:32 5:24 1:32 5:24 1:33 5:24 1:33 5:24 1:33 5:24 1:33 5:24 1:33 5:24 1:34 5:24 1:34 5:24 1:34 5:24

Maghrib Isha 8:46 10:32 8:46 10:32 8:46 10:32 8:46 10:32 8:46 10:31 8:46 10:31 8:46 10:31 8:46 10:30 8:46 10:30 8:46 10:29 8:46 10:29 8:45 10:28 8:45 10:28 8:45 10:27 8:44 10:26 8:44 10:26 8:44 10:25 8:43 10:24 8:43 10:23 8:42 10:22 8:42 10:21 8:41 10:20 8:41 10:19 8:40 10:18 8:39 10:17 8:39 10:16 8:38 10:15 8:37 10:14 8:36 10:13 8:36 10:11 8:35 10:10

Prayer Schedule January 2010 Adelaide, South Australia

Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Fajr Sunrise 4:20 6:05 4:21 6:05 4:22 6:06 4:23 6:07 4:24 6:08 4:25 6:09 4:26 6:09 4:27 6:10 4:29 6:11 4:30 6:12 4:31 6:13 4:32 6:14 4:34 6:15 4:35 6:16 4:36 6:17 4:37 6:18 4:39 6:19 4:40 6:20 4:40 6:20 4:43 6:22 4:44 6:23 4:46 6:24 4:47 6:25 4:48 6:26 4:50 6:27 4:51 6:28 4:53 6:29 4:54 6:30 4:56 6:31 4:57 6:32 4:58 6:33

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha 1:19 5:07 8:33 10:12 1:20 5:07 8:33 10:12 1:20 5:08 8:34 10:12 1:21 5:08 8:34 10:12 1:21 5:09 8:34 10:12 1:22 5:09 8:34 10:11 1:22 5:09 8:34 10:11 1:23 5:10 8:34 10:11 1:23 5:10 8:34 10:11 1:23 5:11 8:34 10:10 1:24 5:11 8:33 10:10 1:24 5:11 8:33 10:09 1:25 5:12 8:33 10:09 1:25 5:12 8:33 10:09 1:25 5:12 8:33 10:08 1:26 5:13 8:32 10:07 1:26 5:13 8:32 10:07 1:26 5:13 8:32 10:06 1:26 5:13 8:32 10:06 1:27 5:14 8:31 10:05 1:27 5:14 8:30 10:04 1:28 5:14 8:30 10:03 1:28 5:14 8:29 10:02 1:28 5:14 8:29 10:01 1:28 5:14 8:28 10:00 1:29 5:14 8:28 10:00 1:29 5:15 8:27 9:59 1:29 5:15 8:26 9:58 1:29 5:15 8:26 9:57 1:29 5:15 8:25 9:56 1:29 5:15 8:24 9:54

Prayer Schedule January 2010 Sydney, New South Wales

Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Fajr Sunrise 4:05 5:47 4:06 5:48 4:07 5:48 4:08 5:49 4:09 5:50 4:10 5:51 4:11 5:52 4:12 5:53 4:13 5:53 4:14 5:54 4:15 5:55 4:17 5:56 4:18 5:57 4:19 5:58 4:20 5:59 4:22 6:00 4:23 6:01 4:24 6:02 4:26 6:03 4:27 6:04 4:28 6:05 4:30 6:06 4:31 6:07 4:32 6:08 4:34 6:09 4:35 6:10 4:36 6:11 4:38 6:12 4:39 6:13 4:40 6:14 4:42 6:15

Dhuhr 12:59 12:59 1:00 1:00 1:01 1:01 1:02 1:02 1:03 1:03 1:03 1:04 1:04 1:05 1:05 1:05 1:06 1:06 1:06 1:07 1:07 1:07 1:07 1:08 1:08 1:08 1:08 1:08 1:09 1:09 1:09

Asr Maghrib 4:44 8:10 4:44 8:10 4:45 8:10 4:45 8:10 4:46 8:10 4:46 8:10 4:47 8:11 4:47 8:11 4:47 8:10 4:48 8:10 4:48 8:10 4:49 8:10 4:49 8:10 4:49 8:10 4:50 8:10 4:50 8:09 4:50 8:09 4:51 8:09 4:51 8:08 4:51 8:08 4:51 8:08 4:51 8:07 4:52 8:07 4:52 8:06 4:52 8:06 4:52 8:05 4:52 8:04 4:52 8:04 4:52 8:03 4:53 8:03 4:53 8:02

Isha 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:46 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:44 9:44 9:43 9:43 9:42 9:42 9:41 9:41 9:40 9:39 9:38 9:38 9:37 9:36 9:35 9:34 9:33 9:32 9:31 9:30

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Silk and satin. That was so yesterday.

Today its sheer shawls. Also a splash of diamantes. I’m talking about the wonderful world of hijabs. These days we have come a long way from the humble plain square scarf , the one we wore day in, day out. In fact we have come so far, it seems our wardrobes these days need to own a colour, fabric and style to match every outfit.

But the question you should ask yourself is, are you wearing the right hijab for the right occasion? Here is a guide to get it right; silk and satin hijabs were worn daily, but these days, they should be worn to weddings or any other special occasions. Shawls have come a long way.

In fact they are outselling regular square scarves today. However it’s important to get them right. Lycra shawls are made for the beach. Very new to Australia today, hijabs lavished with Swarovski stones and diamantes, can look over the top if not matched up nicely with a very plain Abaya. Lace shawls are very small so what it’s being worn with, must be taken into account, or it will look as though it’s glued to your body, along with the rest of your outfit. Hijabs with an array

of colours can also look over the top when matched with a patterned skirt, top or dress. Some women seem to think draping a floral dress with a checked hijab is comfort, and that’s all that mattered at the time when getting dressed, but they don’t take into account how much the messy colours will clash and make them look like they are living somewhere over the rainbow.

There is a beautiful hadith by the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH which states, “Eat what you feel like and wear what you feel like. But avoid two things: extravagance and arrogance.” [Bukhari].

Which takes us back to the original humble plain scarf....a great back up for everyday wear. So the next time you grab the first hijab your hand reaches in your wardrobe, remember to stop and think whether you will be feeling like you just walked out of rainbow land. There is nothing worse than wanting to run back home because the hijab you are wearing is leaving you feeling under the weather, or in this case, under the rainbow. *Ebtisam El-Najjarine, created Sissta Designs in 2005 to suit the needs of Muslim women and import quality designed clothing that would suit the needs of men, women and children. Her website: www. sissta.com.au.

issue 15, January 2010

Ebtisam El-Najjarine*

Email: info@crescenttimes.com.au

Islamic Fashion Space: Hijab Intervention

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Page 20

Fi amani’Allah

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