Dhul Hijjah - Muharram Queensland S Q M T E Next issue Jan ... · carers after his release from...

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Muslim TimesQueensland

Muslim Times

Hajj - A celebration of

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Volume 7, No. 5, Nov-Dec 2011/Dhul Hijjah - Muharram 1432

Q M TNext issue Jan 2012

Deadline 10th December for

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

IT’SFREE

A Trip to Malaysia Page 19

Spring Styles

Page 30

Continued Page 4

THE NUHOVIC FAMILY endured the horrors of the Bosnian war, including being inmates of a concentration camp. They came to Australia from a refugee camp in Norway in 1996. The Nuhovic family were excited to have the opportunity to start a fresh life in the “Lucky Country.”They worked hard to save up and rent a take-a-way shop as a family business. Their home was also rented. The sons worked part time as they were full time students studying Information Technology at TAFE. One of the sons, Dzenan was involved in a car accident on his way to do the business banking. His Mazda Sedan was impacted by a MACK Truck in October 2000. This accident changed the lives of the Nuhovic family dramatically. Dzenan received severe brain injuries and spent the next two years in hospital and is now a quadraplegic.The family business was wound up and the parents became his carers after his release from hospital. It is a twenty four hour, seven days a week job. The father sleeps in a bed close to his son, to turn him every two hours and be on site in case of seizures. The mother sleeps at night, so the father can catch up on sleep in the day.

Eye Gaze Technology gives hope for quadreplegic

by Janeth Deen

Their devotion to their son, is admirable, but they are unable to receive any communication from him. Eleven years ago their son could communicate with them, now he is silent and only can indicate acknowledgement by opening and closing his eyes.Life in the concentration camp left its scars on the family, who now have to live through the torment of not being able to communicate with the son they love so much. His quality of life, future relationships both in work, socially and in his personal life were stripped away from him just after his twenty third birthday. For eleven years,

he has been incapacitated in everyway except for his sight and hearing in one ear. In spite of this, he has felt the complete love that only parents can give. Love that is involved in the personal sacrifice of their own quality of life, with the reward of knowing their son is still with them.The speech pathologist who visits Dzenan, has given the family some hope, as she is trialling an eye gaze machine on Dzenan and he is responding. However, this machine is only on trial from the company that distributes them. They will be returned once the trial is over.

FOR EVERY PARENT, selecting the most suitable learning institution to place their beloved child in after several years of nurturing and developing their person at home is a difficult task. This is due to its impact which carries on well into the child’s teen years, to adulthood and their job prospects, and ultimately the rest of his or her life. This is especially so for Muslim parents in Queensland, and the known difficulties of bringing up their child and planting the seeds of Islamic foundation in an environment where Muslims are a minority.Challenges such as whether the food provided in the schools is halal, the emphasis placed on faith of non-Islamic schools, the influence of the child’s peers on their beliefs and practice, the environment they could possibly be exposed to are some of the many concerns to every Muslim parent. The choice of school will have an obvious impact on on the child’s adulthood, practice of the faith, family and moral values and beliefs, and choice of friends, amongst others.This piece aims to shed light on the topic of which type of education is best suited for the children of Muslim families of any background and particular beliefs. It is hoped that it can inform and guide parents to make the right decisions for their children.Four families from different background and education were interviewed about their choice of schooling for their children. Questions such as why the families have chosen the particular school for their child, their findings of the chosen school, and recommendations and advice for other Muslim parents about the choice of schooling are explored.

Private Islamic SchoolMr. Amron Osman and wife Chantal chose an Islamic school for four of their five children as they both hailed from Singapore and “wanted the kids to be in an environment they are comfortable with.” In Singapore, they could practice Islam more openly and easily thus they felt their children would best transition to life in Australia by being in an Islamic school.

Choosing the right Schoolby Suraya Daly

Continued Page 6

Mr. Dzenan Nuhovic and (left to right) Mr. Nedzad Nuhovic, Mrs. Mirsad Turkanovic Nuhovic, Ms Janeth Deen and Ms Sabrina Khan

The Australian apologises to Dr Abdalla Read more on page 4

Dhul Hijjah - Muharram

2 QUEENSLAND MUSLIM TIMES – Nov-Dec 2011/Dhul Hijjah - Muharram 1432 To advertise call M Junaid Mustapha on 0403 113 123

THE HORN OF AFRICA REGION has been parched by the worst drought in 60 years. Somalia which has already been wrecked by decades of conflict is the worst hit country in the region. The United Nations now estimates that 12.4 million people are facing severe food shortages and are in desperate need of aid. The most affected areas of Somalia are in the south, particularly the regions of Lower Shebelle, Middle and Lower Juba, Bay, Bakool, Benadir, Gedo and Hiraan, where the UN says an estimated 310,000 people now suffer from acute malnutrition. US officials also stated that the famine in Somalia has killed more than 29,000 children for the past 90 days.Watching on television screens the calamity unfolding in this troubled Muslim nation, the Brisbane Muslim community responded generously and quickly to the plight of their Muslim brothers and sisters in Somalia. The Somali community in Brisbane in partnership with the Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF) sent a cash donation of $50,000 to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya where thousands of

Food distributed in the refugee camps in Kenya which now host hundreds of thousands of Somali drought victims.

(left to right) Members of the Somali Fund raising committee with Imam Imraan Husain (5th from right) and Mr. David Forde (2nd from right): Abdirisak Laad, Abdi Hersi, Sherif Farah (front), Yusuf Roble (back), Abshir Elmi (back), Mohamed Darman, Osman Shale and Ahmed Jarmal.

Brisbane Muslim Community respond to the Horn of Africa FamineBy Abdi Hersi

people fleeing from hunger and starvation are coming every day. This project is implemented by Muslim Aid Kenya which has distributed emergence relief food of approximately 40 tones comprising of 160 sacks of sugar, 700 sacks of rice, 340 sacks of maize and 4200 boxes of cooking oil. The distribution of this relief food was a success and there were about 1500 beneficiary families in the Dadaab and Dagahley refugee camps in Kenya. Each of these 1500 families received 5kg rice, 5kg wheat flour, 5kg sugar, 5kg cooking oil, tea bags, etc.Dadaab is located at the northern part of Kenya near the Somalia and Kenya border and is now the biggest refugee camp in the world. More than 166,000 Somalis have fled the country since the start of the year, with more than 100,000 of those leaving since May. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), about 1,400 people reach the overcrowded Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya each day.

The reasons why people are fleeing are mainly the difficulties associated with the fact that much of the country’s most desperate areas are no-go areas for the Aid agencies. Many of those arriving in this camp had to walk long distance without food and water. In this journey, some of the children, the weak and old people die on the way, as they face hunger and malnutrition for days and sometimes weeks. The root causes of this famine disaster is understood to be poor harvests, stemming from a lack of rain, on-going fighting, destruction of crops and poor infrastructure which all have led to serious food shortages and increasing risk of disease and death. With the drought in Somalia officially declared as famine, more and more aid and assistance will be needed by the people of Somalia for the foreseeable future. Fundraising activities are still on-going. The Somali fundraising committee thanks all participating mosques, organisation and individuals for their hard work. In particular, the committee pays tribute to the efforts of a group of young Somali girls who raised $4000 from their food stall at the Eidfest in Mt Gravatt showground. Abdi Hersi – [email protected]

QUEENSLAND MUSLIM TIMES – Nov-Dec 2011/Dhul Hijjah - Muharram 1432 3To advertise call Mohamed Junaid on 0403 113 123

Presenting the Australian flag to the school in Bethlehem of my sponsored boy; Mohamad Fanoun, who is on the left. Third from left is the Hon Sussan Ley (Federal Liberal NSW) who also sponsors a Palestinian boy at the same school

Two of my boys; Eamonn and Riordan

Being presented with a gift from President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

Receiving the Intercultural Society’s “Building Bridges 2011” award at Parliament House

Joint venture of my Lions Club of Kuraby and Crescents of Brisbane fundraising as one for Queensland flood victims

Annual attendee at the IWAQ Iftar

Coming to a suburb near you! Regular attendee at Eidfest

Assalaamu AlaykumFirstly, I would like to wish all QMT readers undertaking Hajj to Mecca, a safe and spiritually rewarding occasion.As we approach the last few months of 2011, it is timely for me to take this opportunity to reflect briefly on some of the events so far this year, that are relevant to and maybe of interest to your readers.While I have greatly appreciated the warmth and hospitality that has been afforded me, whether it has been from individuals or through community events such as Iftars during the Holy month of Ramadan, Eidfest, Creswalk, or support for my election campaign, two events stand out for me.The first was the way in which the Muslim community rallied to assist their fellow Queenslanders during the devastating Queensland floods, it was very telling that as a society, everyone came together as one to help others irrespective of race or religion in times of need. The second was the opportunity for me to meet the boy (Mohamad Fanoun) who I have sponsored for a number of years through World Vision in the Palestinian town of Nahalim, Bethlehem. I was there as part of the Australian Federal Parliamentary delegation to the region. I wish you all a safe remainder of 2011 and peace to all.

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DisclaimerQueensland Muslim Times takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the information provided within its pages is correct. However to the extent committed by law, no responsibility is accepted for incorrect or misleading entries, or typographical or human error. Advertisers and advertising agencies will indemnify the publisher against all liabilities, claims or proceedings arising from the material supplied by the advertiser or agency. All advertising shall comply with relevant state and federal laws and advertising codes of the Media Council Of Australia. The opinions expressed throughout this publication are not necessarily those of the staff of the Queensland Muslim Times. Dates and information quoted in this issue were correct at the time of printing but may be subject to variation.

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Letter to the EditorApology: Dr Mohamad AbdallaDear Friends,

AS YOU ARE AWARE, in April 2008 The Australian published a serious of articles about me that I considered to be defamatory.These articles caused me and my family a lot of grief and trauma. For the last three years I have lived with the claims made by The Australian and found myself explaining the background of these articles, and debunking the assertions made in the articles wherever I went. Many people in the Australian Muslim community expressed their dismay to me in relation to the content of the articles.Many people, including the youth, were upset at how a national paper could publish such articles about me despite my extensive years of tireless work to create better understanding between people, and my consistent message of moderation and understanding. This exacerbated the feelings of dismay and hopelessness that many Australian Muslims have been feeling for the last decade due to constant attacks on their community and faith.The local Islamic community faced the issue with courage and wisdom, and after many late night meetings demonstrated their outstanding civilised response. With high spirit and feeling of hope they provided me with much needed support and advice. I will always be indebted to them.Equally, the articles generated a great amount of support from the wider Australian community. So many Islamic and non-Islamic organisations issued media releases condemning the articles and supporting me. I was defended in the QLD State Parliament

Understanding the Prophet's Life Pioneer Environmentalist "THERE IS NONE AMONGST THE believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift." [Al-Bukhari, III:513]. The idea of the Prophet Mohammed as a pioneer of environmentalism will initially strike many as strange: indeed, the term “environment” and related concepts like “ecology”, “environmental awareness” and “sustainability”, are modern-day inventions, terms that were formulated in the face of the growing concerns about the contemporary state of the natural world around us. And yet a closer reading of the hadith, the body of work that recounts significant events in the Prophet’s life, reveals that he was a staunch advocate of environmental protection. One could say he was an “environmentalist avant la lettre”, a pioneer in the domain of conservation, sustainable development and resource management, and one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and nature. From all accounts of his life and deeds, we read that the Prophet had a profound respect for fauna and flora, as well as an almost emotional connection to the four elements, earth, water, fire and air. He was a strong proponent of the sustainable use and cultivation of land and water, proper treatment of animals, plants and birds, and the equal rights of users. In this context the modernity of the Prophet’s view of the environment and the concepts he introduced to his followers is particularly striking; certain passages of the hadith could easily be mistaken for discussions about contemporary environmental issues.

Compiled from "Prophet Mohammed: A Pioneer of the Environment" - Francesca De Chatel

Human Rights Lawyer,Sabrina Khan has worked with Janeth and the family and helped to establish a Trust Deed via which,Janeth Deen has successfully opened a trust fund in conjunction with the parents as trustees to raise funds for the eye gaze machine,This is in order to give Dzenan some means of communication and some quality of life. This will be a precious gift for both Dzenan and his parents. The machine will cost between $20,000 – $30,000 depending on the make that suits Dzenan. It does seem to be a small fortune, but the rewards will be great. Even a small amount will add up in no time. Fund raising events will be held until the amount is collected.The Muslim Charitable Foundation opened the account with a $2,000 donation.It must also be noted that a clause in the trust deed states that if Dzenan’s condition deteriorates in that he is no longer able to utilize the eye gaze machine, it will then be passed on to the Speech Pathologist to give to another person in the same condition as Dzenan.Donations can be made through Janeth Deen, who is one of the trustees of the Trust Fund,on 0435 086 796 or via Sabrina ([email protected]).Account details cannot be publicised due to privacy Laws but are available if Janeth Deen or Sabrina Khan are contacted. The Public are welcome to make a direct deposit into the account or hand cash over directly to one of the trustees.

Eye Gaze Technology gives hope for quadreplegic

From Page 1

Golden Cockeral Chicken not HalalDear Editor, The Islamic Council of Qld wishes to advise that chicken from Golden Cockeral is not halal. ICQ has not certified their plant and to the best of its knowledge no one else has done so either.It has been brought to the attention of ICQ that some restaurants/food outlets and halal butchers are buying chicken from Golden Cockerel either directly or through other wholesalers who are mixing the products with those purchased from plants that have been certified halal.

M Yusuf, President, ICQ

Message from QMT Directors and the Editorial Team MANY OF US would have farewelled family and friends these past few weeks as they travelled on the journey of a life time. Hajj is a sign of many important points.First, it symbolises the unity of the Muslim nation in belief of the Oneness of Allah, our Great Provider and Creator. During Hajj, you strive to please Allah through submitting to the ritual He has obliged for the pilgrim. Equality between Muslims is a great value that you enjoy and learn during Hajj. Everybody is applying the same rules, everybody is practicing the same rituals and everybody is seeking God's love and forgiveness.Wishing all pilgrims a Hajj Mukbool in sha Allah.Wishing all our readers, advertisers and supporters a happy Eid-ul-Adha

by the then Minister of Police, Judy Spence, in the Federal Parliament by Graham Parrett, and in the Senate by Andrew Bartlett. I received letters of support from many people from across the spectrum of our society. I was also vehemently supported by Griffith University, its Vice Chancellor, and my academic colleagues and PhD students. I will always be indebted to them also.Equipped with this moral support and belief in a fair-go, I decided to commence legal action against Nationwide News Pty Ltd for defamation. I decided to do so because I believed it was the correct moral position, and more importantly to demonstrate that it is possible to defend yourself with civility and within the confines of the law. Although the path was difficult and consuming, I am glad to inform you that my legal battle is over.On Thursday, 21 July 2011 I agreed to settle the matter with Nationwide News. The attached apology was published on the second page of The Australian on 26 July 2011. The articles have been removed from their website and I received a confidential financial payment for defamation.

Apology to Dr Mohamad AbdallaTHE Australian published a series of articles in April 2008 about Saudi Arabian funding received by the Griffith University Islamic Research Unit (GIRU) and Dr Mohamad Abdalla’s connection to radical Islamic groups. Readers should not have inferred any wrongdoing on the part of Dr Abdalla, the head of GIRU, or that he had any connections or associations with radical Islamic groups. The Australian regrets any hurt or embarrassment the articles caused Dr Abdalla.

The Australian, 26 July 2011, page 2.



Amron reiterates that he had chosen an Islamic school because it not only had a base of Islamic knowledge, but they are also taught secular subjects like other non Islamic private schools.He says he had chosen an Islamic school because he wants his children to have a level of religious knowledge, be surrounded by fellow Muslims, and be more aware of their Muslim lifestyle through their educators and peers. Amron understands that there can be constraints and challenges in belief and practice of the faith in a public school system.By giving them this basic Islamic founding in secondary and primary school years, it will help them ascertain the right approach for going to tertiary education with their faith firmly in hand.In terms of advice for other Muslim parents, Amron believes that in the choice in schooling depends on what the parent wants out of the school and what it has to offer. Essentially, the basic foundation of Islam starts at home, and it is imperative that the parents educate their children on the religion such as teaching them the Quran, and reading stories about the Prophets. The school they go to will not necessarily teach them everything they need to know about Islam.

State SchoolMarlin and Rodney provide a different perspective in regards to the school for their children. They have chosen to send two of their five children to a community college.As the family comes from New Zealand and have only recently moved to Australia, they have put their children in the state school for transitioning reasons. “As Muslims, we have a responsibility to follow and teach Islam to our children.” says Marlin.Since putting their children into the community college, Marlin has met other Muslims in her community and found this to be a very positive outcome. In terms of academic outcomes, she believes that in their primary years, it is more about the child’s ability than the school producing academic results.Marlin advises parents who don’t put their children in Islamic school to “balance out” what they lack in Islamic knowledge or foundation. They should put them in religion classes, or teach them at home. “It is easy to be influenced, so make sure the children have the right foundations at home.”

Home SchoolGlen Sargeant and wife Zainab Shamsuddin have opted for home schooling for one of their two children and Islamic school for the other, according to their differing needs as individuals.Glen is a New Zealand born revert to Islam and an engineering draftsman while wife Zainab is a born Muslim from Malaysia. The family lived in New Zealand and had their children attend Islamic school there. As they were not satisfied with the Islamic school, the family moved to

Australia mainly for the education of their children. They eventually settled in Brisbane after being disappointed with another try at an Islamic school for their children in Melbourne.“It’s up to you how you do your everyday things – and that’s the beauty of it.” says mother, Zainab, who facilitates the homeschooling while Glen works.She sets up the schedule for the whole term and takes four hours of class in the morning. In the afternoon, they engage in activities such as baking a cake, or go for a walk. The venue that they study in can also vary. The Brisbane School of Distance Education has curriculum that is produced by Education Queensland. Since 1990, it has 4000 students state-wide and all over the world. Those that participate in home schooling also vary. Lessons are online via web conferencing and teleconferencing. The material can be printed. The lessons can be conducted anytime and anywhere, with only a Laptop and a wireless connection needed.A program is tailored for the child according to what the parent wants the child to learn, and the curriculum is for the whole year, with a numerical order of units to complete.In terms of advice, Glen says that home schooling is very much a structured method of learning for children and it is suitable for children who have specific needs that schools can’t provide. Islamic foundation starts at home, so it is a factor which is very important in home schooling.

Private School Shaheda and husband Yaakub Khan, have chosen to put their children in an Anglican college in Waterford. They have chosen the school because it is sensitive to the specific diet of their children, and they are a school which is well-versed in numeracy and literacy. They were taught to read early on and proficiently, and advanced technology is widely used in the school in subjects such as mathematics and English. They feel the school caters to the children’s academic needs.“If there’s a problem, or my child does poorly in a test, they’ll pick up on that and fix it immediately”“They immediately tell the parents, and work with you to provide extra activities to enhance their learning” says Shaheda. Shaheda says that when it comes to which school Muslim parents should put their children in, it is very subjective. A lot of the time Islamic education occurs after school so this is a factor to consider.It is hoped that the interviews that were conducted provided informative and diverse opinions and observations about the different types of schooling available for Muslim parents in Queensland. From learning what the parents have done for their children, perhaps the particular needs of the children of parents reading can be matched to the type of schooling that would cater to these specific needs.

Dr Kholoud Abdulla, a Mental Health Professional, can provide guidance on the issue from her expertise in the field of psychology. She believes that schools function as psychologically healthy environments if they meet and appropriately challenge children’s developmental needs. A parent’s decision will have a major impact on the child’s life, during school years and later in life. It extends further than academic achievement to overall development and long term prospects as individuals, members of groups and members of the work force, amongst others.The choice of schooling for children in the Muslim community can be challenging for the parents. Though, this can be contended with from learning of the experiences of other parents, observing particular needs of the individual child, gaining information about the available modes of education in the local area, consulting professionals, and of course, belief in Allah SubhanAllah Taala. May we all make the right choices for the children, insha Allah.*Suraya Daly is an aspiring feature writer, a journalism student from Queensland University of Technology, and an employee in telecommunications retail. She loves writing as a form of expression of her thoughts, knowledge, and to broaden her vocabulary.

Helpful Links:Home Schooling:Brisbane School of Distance Educationhttp://brisbanesde.eq.edu.au/wcms/Department of Education and Training: Home Schoolinghttp://education.qld.gov.au/parents/home-education/index.htmlHomeSchooling in Australia: Where do I begin?http://www.naturalparenting.com.au/flex/homeschooling-in-australia-where-do-i-begin/7822/1Islamic Schooling:Muslim Directory Australiahttp://www.muslimdirectory.com.au/directory/Islamic_Schools_Education/Queensland_Education/page-1.html?s=HIslamic College of Brisbane http://www.icb.qld.edu.au/Australian International Islamic Collegehttp://www.brisbanemuslimschool.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=63 Private Schooling:Dept of Education and Training: Find a schoolhttp://education.qld.gov.au/directory/schools/index.htmlAustralia’s Premier Private School Directory: Non Govt Schools Guidehttp://www.privateschoolsguide.com/view-users-list/all-queensland-private-schools.htmlPrivate Schools Directoryhttp://www.privateschoolsdirectory.com.au/brisbane-schools.phpState Schooling:Dept of Education and Training: Find a schoolhttp://education.qld.gov.au/directory/schools/index.htmlAustralian Schools Directoryhttp://www.australianschoolsdirectory.com.au/educationinformation.php?region=30

A closer look at home schooling “ONE REALLY POSITIVE development with home-schooling in the local Muslim community is that a group of mums are planning to meet on the last Friday of every month for support, networking and for some ‘time out’.”In the following interview a mother of two from Brisbane who wish to remain anonymous shares some thoughts on home-schooling and its benefits.Which school have you chosen for your children to attend, and what are their names and which grade do they belong to? I have a seven year old daughter in grade one and a two year old son and we have chosen to home-school both of them. Home-schooling is a form of schooling in which teaching and learning is done at home. Our vision of home-schooling demands teaching that embraces children’s individuality. In this way, all of our children will receive a tailored education in order to allow their natural love for learning to blossom.Why have you chosen this school for your children?In discussion with fellow home-schooler’s from different faiths, reasons such as their religious beliefs, fear of secularization, safety and the quality of education provided by the government schools are cited. I however, I am of the belief that home-schooling has no boundaries, children learn and love to learn before they are ‘taught how to learn’. John Taylor Gatto a famous pro home-schooling activist said “ if you take the free will out of education, that becomes schooling.” So our premise on home-schooling is to give our children the best opportunity to be the complete human being that Allah Subhana Wa Ta’Ala has intended them to be. For example, if my child wants to be an artist, we will try to give them the best opportunity to fulfill this ambition. Islamic education is about human transformation. It is about developing the ‘whole’ person so that our children appreciate their purpose and fulfill their purpose. We are trying to achieve this insha Allah Ta’Ala, through home-schooling, in part due to the scope it affords for human transformation.How do you feel about or what have you noticed about your children’s academic abilities since home schooling? With homes-schooling, the curriculum is slightly modified and tailored to each child’s needs and abilities. In this way, we gain a deep appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses, what they require more work in and what innate talents and passions Allah has blessed them with. Therefore, we can look for resources and avenues to improve their weaknesses or feed their interests. If they need to concentrate on a certain aspect more we will do that till they gain mastery in that area. Slow learning is sometimes deep learning and passion for learning must be nurtured. In contrast, we believe school offers limited opportunity to achieve these aims or to employ these ideals. Whilst a little extreme, this view was captured by Gatto when he lamented, “Although teachers do care and do work very, very hard, the institution (school) is psychopathic – it has no conscience. It rings a bell and the young man in the middle of writing a poem must close his notebook and move on to a different cell where he must memorize that humans and monkeys derive from a common ancestor.” How about their extra curricular activities? Home-schooling by its very nature is an organic experience. The line between formal and informal learning is extremely blurry. We expect that learning should be fun and that it should bring us closer to our purpose. Ideologically therefore, the notion of extra curricular activities is problematic. After all, when should learning shut off? Our classroom extends to the park, zoo, kitchen, lounge room, backyard and museum. Armed with this philosophy, our children have participated in drama, art and horse riding in the

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Choosing the right SchoolFrom Page 1

Continued Page 7


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SCHOOLS ARE IMPORTANT contexts for children’s development because of the time children spend there. Schools function as psychologically healthy environments if they meet and appropriately challenge children’s developmental needs. The degree of fit between children’s developmental needs and what the school offers affect student outcomes. When children interact with the school setting they begin to develop meaning about themselves, about others and about the nature of the school. This influences their beliefs about themselves as individuals, as learners and about the purposes, nature and goals of education. These beliefs will affect children’s engagement and participation in school. As a result, schools influence development because their characteristics affect children’s judgement of the schools environment which affects their behaviour and participation. For example schools that offer a sense of classroom community are likely to be seen as supportive by the students which will increase in student satisfaction and engagement. Specific classroom practices are associated with positive school attitudes. For example tasks that provide optimal levels of challenge, feedback that is informational rather than evaluative, recognition of mastery rather than relative performance, and grouping that minimizes interpersonal competition are all associated with enhanced academic motivation. Larger aspects of school organization and structure, such as how schools organize time, curriculum, spacing, and the continuity of contact between teachers and students affect achievement outcome.A positive social climate acts as an important resource for children’s well-being at school. The sense of connectedness to others and support from the social environment are related to resilience and contribute to numerous positive outcomes for children. Children’s peers play an influential role in their positive development and wellness. Children’s friendships serve as an important context for students’ comfort and support .Peer groups also serve to socialize children, causing children to adopt similar goals and attitudes as their peers. For example, elementary students self-select into peer groups with similar motivational orientations to their own. Inclusion in a peer group with positive orientations and motivations can be an important factor in a student’s positive adjustment in school.Your decision will have a major impact on your child’s life, during the school years and in later life.

This does not just refer to academic achievement but overall development and long term prospects as individuals, members of groups, members of the work force and so on.As a starting point for any decision, it is important to be aware of your child’s needs and abilities. These may include:• Their stage of development• Placing them in a single sex school or co

educational one• Their response to particular teaching styles• Encouragement to realise their potential• Are they able to handle travel to a school in

another area?• Can they handle making new friends easily

or do they respond best when surrounded by friends.

• Specific talents that need to be catered for, i.e. sport, arts, languages.

• Specific support programs.Also, its important to be aware of how such a placement may affect the family• Fees, tuition, travelling, boarding• Transport and travel time• Out of school hours care• Family involvement in school life• Links with family beliefs, including religious

beliefs.Other things to consider include:• What is expected from students, are the

expectations too high or low for your situation?• Is there access to particular programs

and qualifications (e.g VET, international baccalaureate)

• Is learning achieved through a large group setting or catered to meet individual needs. An approach that is individualised tends to take into consideration each child’s specific needs, skills and situation.

• What is the teacher-student ratio? If the ration is more than 30 to 1, this can have serious implications as the ability to learn can be damaged. Generally speaking a ration of 25 to 1 or less is sufficient.

• What is the interaction between teachers and students like? Is it a lecture type approach or group work? Group work allows children to learn together and from each other.

• What role does the principal play, is he/she involved in day to day activities or does he she never leave the office.

• What resources does the school offer? This may include special teachers, social workers, psychologists, guidance counsellors, librarians, computer facilities. Also, does the school offer any sports; does it have any sports facilities?

• Do you and your child feel comfortable and welcomed in the new school?

• Does the school have a policy when it comes to bullying, misbehaving. etc, and what is the policy.

• Walking through the school and looking at things like cleanliness, interactions and attitudes of children and staff can give you an idea of what the overall attitude of the school is.

• Safety is also important. Are the playgrounds, school bus load zones, kitchen, canteen, passenger car drop off areas , parking lots free of safety hazards. Are the room temperatures comfortable? If buildings are old, is there mould or asbestos problems. And does the building meet current standards?

• Is Financial support available if required (scholarships, grants, reduced fees)

Having gathered all the information, you now have to make a decisions, this is not an easy take but you can do the following;• Create a checklist for the possible schools

showing what you consider to be most important.

• Eliminate schools which do not demonstrate the things you see as important

• Review the remainder with items you consider most important moved to the top of the list.

• If you have more than one school left, look at the differences between them and see if this helps you make a decision, if it doesn’t

• Arrange to visit each school again to reinforce and or expand on the things that make them a final option,

• If something stands out, this will help you make a final decision. And don’t forget to always do istikhara, and Allah knows best.

Remember: you are not locked in if things don’t work out. There is always the option to change to another school if necessary.

*Kholoud Abdulla is a Brisbane based Mental Health Professional

first part of the year. Soon they will participate in swimming, horse riding, art, meet at the park, ice skating, drama and DIY classes. The list is endless. There are a few local groups that organize these learning opportunities and you can sign up to which ever you feel would be suitable for your children’s needs. Home-schooling is far from being closed or boring like some people may first assume, there’s plenty to choose from depending on the vision you have for your child’s education. What advice can you give for Muslim parents who don’t know which education to put their children in?Our children’s Education is a very important matter, we will be answerable to Allah SWT for this. Plato said “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.” I believe that every family is different, and every child is different, not every person can be home-schooled and some Muslim children can cope in a secular environment. Also, at what point did society accept that parents in fact are not qualified or able to ascertain what is best for their own children? How did we go from being their guides to being out of the loop? We know our children, we love them and we have only the best intentions for them. The best advice that I’ve received is make Dua! I was reminded that the Prophet Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam, the best of all creation prayed to get his sandals mended. With this in mind, we should be really praying and asking ourselves more deeply on the education of our children!What are the disadvantages of home schooling?I am passionate about home-schooling so I find it difficult to find any disadvantages. One of the common questions that I am always asked is, ‘do you have enough time? Don’t you get tired? Well, who has time these days, whether working or on homes duties? I am yet to meet any person no matter their lifestyle choices who says they have enough time. It is possible though to call a ‘time out’ whilst home-schooling. After all, life is about balance. One really positive development with home-schooling in the local Muslim community is that a group of mums are planning to meet on the last Friday of every month for support, networking and for some ‘time out’. Any home-schooling mum in the Brisbane area is welcome to join.

Be aware of your child’s needs and abilities by Kholoud Abdulla*


I’VE BEEN REFLECTING recently on how much we are all just groping about in the dark when it comes to Facebook, in terms of how we treat it, and each other. I’m as guilty as anyone. I’ve used it to for everything from the benign (keeping in touch, sharing news, photos, other ephemera) to the benevolent (political and social activism, dawa, charity) to the malevolent (argumentation, escapism). I’ve even had a shot at using it to promote a business. For whatever purpose it’s used, it’s used heavily: 50 % of more than 800 million active users log on every day. A friend of mine actually says she doesn’t keep a Facebook account because she feels that the way people use it is rather too much like worship…While Facebook can be great for rallying around a cause, it is too often used to rally around a “lost cause”: where the issue is long-dead or stalemated, but we hang in there for three days and 250 comments or so just to stick the boot into each other or score “pointless” points. How many comments do you think it takes before it’s just the old Devil talking to himself?What I am suggesting is, not to have done with polite and patient disagreement. What I am suggesting is perhaps let’s be selective and careful about how we do it on Facebook. Let’s face it, a lot of the endless disagreements come down to a variety of common denominators: old arguments that have had people red in the face with each other since the beginning of time. Including the beginning of time, for that matter…Face me, don't Facebook meWhy do we behave this way on Facebook? Well, it’s like the fast food of discourse, isn’t it? We are hungry, so we fly through Macca’s, and feel absolutely terrible, poorly nourished and mildly hungover afterwards. Similarly, we see something on Facebook that “pushes a button” for us and we race to comment and hit reply, rather than either declining, or digesting the offending morsel as well as we can before making a healthy choice about how we choose

to respond, if at all. We are back and forth all day simultaneously sipping the poison and vomiting it back up, destroying valuable time, not to mention friendships, and crushing opportunities for good deeds underfoot.Because we can’t see each other, or feel each other, Facebook also too quickly becomes “Two-Face” Book. I have said things to people (people I love!)on Facebook, that I would never, EVER have said in person. And of course you even see entire Facebook pages, let alone threads, devoted to discrediting people, digging dirt, even flirting with slander.I’ve rarely found Facebook a very productive forum for fruitful discussion, though I believe it can be if we start to think about how we are going to proceed in terms of etiquette. I have loosely developed a Six “P’s” of Facebook: if it’s Productive, Peace-building and Positive, bring it on. If it’s Petty or Personal, contact me Privately. Ideally, “Face me, don’t Facebook me” if you want to discuss anything at length or it’s of a controversial or confrontational nature. Let’s not waste too many hours picking over things, and eachother, on Facebook. Life’s too short. Trying to manifest our own personal Utopia on our news feed will rarely be successful, particularly if we have many and varied friends.Like my wise friend, some people see Facebook as the Devil’s playground and avoid it completely. I prefer to treat it like a wild and unpredictable horse: you have to rein it in and ride it carefully. You are not in an open field: there are countless traps and potholes, pitfalls and personalities. The worst culprit can be our own “lower self”, thrilling for a chance to come out and play, under the deceptive anonymity of the computer screen. Facebook etiquette Obviously too, on a medium such as Facebook personal details can be easily compromised, those of yourself or friends and family whom you discuss. Before discussing personal details and sensitive issues on Facebook, think: who

can see this? Who might see this? If the issue is particularly sensitive, there can be legal and ethical ramifications. Check the six “P’s” as listed above- if it’s private, or personal, send a message or have a phone conversation- a novel idea!There are many options for customizing your Facebook site, especially with the new changes, and likewise there is plenty of material out there dealing with privacy issues. There appears to be little concerning “Facebook etiquette” however. It is only through internet marketing resources that I have come across some helpful tips. The sanctity of a person’s wall for example. As a marketer, your wall is your real estate, or as US Marketing Coach Todd Falcone likes to put it, your “kitchen”. If you think about visiting someone’s wall or commenting on their status as entering their kitchen, it changes how you behave.Sheikh Kamal el Mekki recorded a wonderful lecture on the fiqh of cell phones. I found that much material from this lecture applicable to

Facebook, being also a ubiquitous instrument of modern communication. The Sheikh proposes we consult our religion and apply the adab for visiting to our use of cell phones, which could also be applied to Facebook, ala Todd Falcone and his “kitchen” metaphor. Sheikh el Mekki reminds us that our phones involve the tongue, a precipitous and tireless instrument of spiritual downfall. Similarly, Facebook: perhaps now the fingertips, in extension, can be considered along with the tongue, and similar care and restraint observed.Interestingly, it was when I was focusing pretty much 100% on internet marketing, that I noticed the best manners and restraint on Facebook, from business associates of various ethnic and religious backgrounds on my list. Obviously one is less likely to indulge in rudeness and controversy when your next deal is at stake. But why on earth can’t we be so positive and careful when friendship is the currency?

Todd Falcone’s humorous tips on etiquette for Facebook marketers:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJHFmpCkGs&feature=player_embedded#!

Sheikh Kamal el Mekki’s lecture on the “Fiqh of Cell Phones”:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umk4io13kDY

IWAQ AGM

The Many Faces of Facebookby Sarah Mehmet

IWAQ Executive (left to right) Nashwa El-Adl (Secretary), Fatima Abdelkarim (President), Azza El-Makaw1 (Vice President) and Shamira Osman (Treasurer).

THE ANNUAL General Meeting of the Islamic Women's' Association of Queensland was held at their offices on 15th October. Political aspirants Kim Marx and David Forde were given an opportunity to introduce themselves to the members present. Ms Fatima Abdelkarim continues for another term in her long-standing role as president of the organization.


“Islam is not a religion of peace…it is a mentality of victimhood” quoted Ayaan Hirsi Ali, on the motion 'Islam is a Religion of Peace' at an Intelligence Squared event.Ms Hirsi Ali’s statement has been echoed throughout the Globe and used as a platform to base attacks on Islam as a religion that is everything else but peace. It allegedly victimizes its women, oppresses the voice of females who have a desire to live, breathe and speak freely.This is a far cry from the truth. Islam is derived from the Arabic root "Salema": peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission (or adherence) to the will of God and obedience to His law. Muslims greet one another and others with a peaceful greeting. It is important to distinguish between Islam as a religion and the followers of Islam. Islam is like a golden thread, the Quran a manual to guide upon the effective use of the thread. Sunnah or the books of traditions (Ahadith) enhance the use further.The Golden thread is peaceful, perfect, pure and whole. It is deemed infallible, complete and at peace. The person who uses it, the followers of Islam are human beings in their billions across the seas. Human beings are not infallible and hence susceptible to error. These errors are part and parcel of life’s tribulations.The distinction drawn here is whilst Islam is a religion of peace, those who practice it may at times err and not conform to the principles of peace. In this sense if one analyses the life of Ms Hirsi Ali and the alleged oppression and female circumcision she endured under violent circumstances, it is evident that her distress is a result of people who have ill treated her. In no way has Islam treated her this way.In fact, the voice of Islam, via the Quran would speak to the contrary. These voices of young children, adults and the elderly unite in preaching the same message of Peace, beautifully and coherently memorized over time so as to prevent the message from distortion and change:-

Evidence of Peace2:256 “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error”5:28 "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear God, the cherisher of the worlds"60:8 "God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers"

Evidence that Islam honours its WomenThe verse 2:256 of Quran gives women the freedom of choice and expression. She is free to choose her religion and encouraged in Islam to express their ideas and can pose questions and their opinions on topics like religion, economic and social issues.The nineteenth surah of the Quran is named after Maryam, peace be with her (Mary, mother of Jesus). Further looking at Equality of the Genders, The Quran not only states on numerous occasions that men and women are equal and deserving of due justice, it also applies that equality in its Verses. According to Dr.Tarig Al Swaidan’s discovery, where the term “man” is mentioned 24 times in the Quran, the term “woman” is also mentioned 24 times, equally.Muslims do not believe in the concept of "vicarious atonement" but rather believe in the law of personal responsibility. Islam teaches that each person is responsible for his or her own actions. On the Day of Judgment Muslims believe that every person will be resurrected and will have to answer to God for their every word, thought, and deed. Consequently, a practicing Muslim is always striving to be righteous.Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following Islam. Among the many teachings of

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Peace under Fire at the Hands of Hirsi Ali

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, "...the best among you are those who treat their wives well." (Ahadith: Bukhari, Muslim,Tirmidhi)Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfilment of God's decree to dress modestly. From a practical standpoint, it serves to identify one as attempting to follow God in daily life and, therefore, protects women from unwanted advances from men. This type of modest dress has been worn by righteous women throughout history. Prominent examples are traditional Catholic Nuns, Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.People are outspoken specifically when

challenging the hijab, claiming as Hirsi Ali has a symbol of “victimization” and “Oppression”, yet when a catholic nun wears her veil beautifully, it is seen as an act of devotion.That isn’t Islam victimizing women, it’s the thinking and judgement of people.Islam grants women numerous rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to earn money, to financial support, to an education, to an inheritance, to being treated kindly, to vote, to Mahr, to keep their maiden name, to worship in a mosque, and so on.I submit my apologies to Ms Hirsi Ali, for the treatment she allegedly endured at the hands of oppressors. Justice is due to all those who have suffered at the hands of oppressors, and at the

hands of those who claim they act in the name the golden thread of Islam. This thread binds and unites in peace. People who have chosen to act unjustly under the banner of Islam do not represent Muslims as a whole simply because Islam should not be held accountable at the hands of careless reckless people.The Golden Thread, honours its women and teaches peace. This is the platform subsequent debates ought to take, towards which I take a peaceful stand.

A CHAT IN CHAMBERS with Human Rights Lawyer, Sabrina Khan

A Regular Column from the Chambers of a Barrister who pledges peace to all humanity.


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Time for a Change

LIBERIA'S PRESIDENT Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni women's rights activist Tawakul Karman have been named winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the names at a ceremony in the capital, Oslo saying the three were honoured for their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work".Geir Lundestad, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, told Al Jazeera that it was a conscious decision to award this year's prize to women."We want to point to the role of women and the inferior role of women and how this role can be improved," he said."I mean, women suffer in wars and if we are to have peace, we have to have democracy with full rights for women and we also have to have women as peace builders. So this year, it was the year of the women."The committee said that since her inauguration in 2006, Johnson-Sirleaf had "contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women".

'Leading part'Gbowee mobilised and organised women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women's participation in elections, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.It said Yemen's Karman had "played a leading part in the struggle for women's rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen" in what was described as the "most trying circumstances both before and during the 'Arab Spring'".The winners will receive their award at a ceremony in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death in 1896 of prize founder Alfred Nobel.Sirleaf became Africa's first elected female head of state in 2005 and is seeking a second term in next week's Liberian elections.Al Jazeera's Will Jordan, reporting from Liberia's capital, Monrovia, said the prize would be a "big benefit" for Johnson-Sirleaf in her re-election bid.But he said the Liberian leader might struggle to win votes in the capital, as most of her supporters live in rural areas.The head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjoern Jagland, had told public broadcaster NRK earlier on Thursday that he believed this year's pick would be "well-received all over the world."He said then that the award would be "very powerful ... but at the same time very unifying".While the 2011 pick "is not without conflict", he stressed the prize would "not create as strong reactions from a single country as it did last year" with the choice of Liu Xiaobo.

Favourites played downJagland played down observers' favourite this year: actors within the Arab Spring uprising, which brought the overthrow of

Three women share Nobel Peace PrizeA president and two activists honoured for their non-violent campaigns in Africa and in the Middle East. Aljazeera.net

longstanding government sin Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and rattled the ones in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain."There are many other positive developments in the world that we have looked at," he said."I think it is a little strange that researchers and others have not seen them."Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Centre, told Al Jazeera the choice of the three women was "surprising"."People were very excited and thought this year would be the year of the Arab Spring. I am not sure what the rationale was exactly, but I think this might be interpreted as a slight to the Arab world," he said.

Esraa Abdel Fattah and Ahmed Maher of Egypt, who founded the April 6th youth movement, had been seen as top picks.The movement, which began on Facebook, "played a key role in maintaining the direction and non-violent character of the uprisings in Egypt," which led to the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in February after 30 years in power, Kristian Berg Harpviken, the head of the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, said.Google executive Wael Ghonim, also a central inspiration to the protests on Tahrir Square in Cairo, was another observer favourite, as was Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni, who chronicled the revolution in her country on the internet.Among other names that had been circulating were Sima Samar, an Afghan doctor and women's rights activist, and Svetlana Gannushkina, a Russian activist, and her human rights group, Memorial.The EU, currently battling daunting debt problems, had also been increasingly mentioned as a possible winner for its role in keeping the peace in most of Europe for more than half a century.

Welcome to my first column in the Queensland Muslim Times. It is a great

honour to be able to write a regular column for the paper, which I know is widely read in the community. For my first column, I thought I should outline our plans to tackle the issue that comes up most regularly as I get around our great state.Everywhere I go in Queensland people are telling me that cost of living is a big concern.A recent Queensland Council of Social Services Cost of Living Report found that many Queensland households are struggling to make ends meet with drastic increases in the cost of electricity, water, rent, public transport and food prices.Worryingly, they also said that many families have to choose between putting food on the table and paying utilities bills.We all know that water bills have doubled and power bills continue to go through the roof - not to mention the fact that we’re now paying more to fill up the car.Rego has gone up by 27 per cent since 2008 and we’ll have to dig deep when we go to renew our driver’s licences – they’re going to double in price under the current Labor Government.When families are struggling to make ends meet and pay their water, power and car rego bills, there’s something fundamentally wrong.That’s why we need a new approach to managing Queensland where the focus is one of genuine frontline service delivery and cutting waste.The LNP has already announced our four point plan to tackle skyrocketing water prices, as well as aplan to reduce electricity bills and we’ve also pledged to freeze the cost of registration for the family car for our first term in office if we’re elected. This amounts to savings of between $250 and $330 per year.

We have also promised to cut the Labor Government’s new $7,000 tax slug on buying an average family home because we know people just can’t afford to keep putting their hands in their pockets to pay for the government’s economic mismanagement.That is because we are serious about cutting the cost of living.We believe Queenslanders deserve some relief from the continual hip pocket hits.We need to get our great state back on track with a government committed to proper forward planning and cost-effective delivery of infrastructure and health, education and police and ambulance services.My team and I are energetic and will be working every day to get Queensland back on track.In contrast, this tired Labor Government has been in power for 20 of the past 22 years and it is time for a change.We're working with the local community, industry groups, stakeholders and councils to ensure our plans for Queensland work for Queenslanders.We’ve released a number of policies, which I encourage you to have a look at on our website: www.candoqld.com.auI am also very keen to hear about issues affecting you and your family so please email me on [email protected] look forward to keeping you up to date on the LNP’s plans and policies to get Queensland back on track.Kind regards, Campbell Newman

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The Corner By Bilal RaufChaiSo Says The High Court …

On 31 August 2011, the High Court sounded the death knell for the Labor Government’s proposal to send asylum seekers to Malaysia for processing. The decision is significant

and demonstrates that the rule of law is alive and well.Under the Government’s proposal, Australia would have sent 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia and accepted 4000 refugees over a period of 4 years. The deal was signed off between the respective countries on 25 July of this year. Soon after, the first boatload of refugees to be sent to Malaysia arrived at Christmas Island. Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration proudly proclaimed that the Malaysian deal sent a ‘’very strong message’’ and ‘’(T)hat if you come to Australia by boat, you will be returned to Malaysia and you will have no preferential treatment in your processing”. It appeared that, much like John Howard did over a decade ago, the Labor Government had scored a few points by kicking the politicised football which is the fate of the refugees who arrive in Australia by boat. But then, a challenge was mounted in the High Court on behalf of two asylum seekers who arrived at Christmas Island, as a part of a larger group. The High Court temporarily restrained the Minister from sending the two asylum seekers to Malaysia. Following a full hearing, the Court held that, under the Migration Act 1958, the Minister cannot validly declare a country as a place to which asylum seekers can be taken for processing unless three criteria are met. Firstly, the country must be legally bound by international law or its own domestic law to provide access for asylum seekers to effective procedures for assessing their need for protection. Secondly, it must provide protection for asylum seekers pending determination of their refugee status. Thirdly, it must provide protection for persons given refugee status pending their voluntary return to their country of origin or their resettlement in another country. More generally, the country must also meet certain human rights standards in providing that protection.Malaysia as a country did not meet the above criteria. Importantly, Malaysia was not a party to the Refugees Convention or its Protocol. It also did not recognise the status of refugees nor afford them protections in its domestic law. Therefore, the Minister’s attempt to declare Malaysia as an acceptable place for processing refugees was, in simple terms, invalid.And so the High Court brought to an end the Government’s hope of claiming a victory by sending refugees offshore. The Minister, in reflecting the mood of the Government, responded bitterly, if not melodramatically, when he said ‘’I think you can expect people smugglers to be capitalising on this arrangement and to say ‘you can come to Australia now because the Malaysia agreement has been ruled invalid by the High Court”.The decision of the Court is a breath of fresh air in an era when refugees have been treated disdainfully by governments. While the Labor Government scurries to salvage a policy to deal with refugees, Tony Abbott continues to utter Nauru, much like a parrot with a limited vocabulary, at least in the English language. And so the sorry saga continues and will likely do so until the next election.But what the Court’s decision emphasises is that ruling governments, much like the subjects, cannot act beyond the law. The rule of law provides a check on the exercise of political power. This is more than can be said for countries which are so called Muslim countries (for instance, Malaysia). Its significance cannot be understated and it is a reminder of our good fortune in being able to reside in a country where there are sound legal and other institutions and stablility. Importantly, even the Prime Minister cannot arbitrarily toss out needy refugees who land on ‘our’ shores. Need I say anymore.

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Putting Our Community First Authorised: D Forde, 93 Rubicon Crescent, Kuraby QLD 4112

New Grand Mufti THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL IMAMS COUNCIL unanimously appointed Ibrahim Abu Muhammed to the role of Grand Mufti. Dr Ibrahim is a current serving member of the Fatwa board of the National Imams Council of Australia. He has replaced the outgoing Mufti Sheikh Fehmi Naji El-Imam AM.Dr Ibrahim Abu Muhammad is one of the most prominent Muslim scholars in Australia. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his childhood. Completed his formal studies in Islam at the renowned and historic Al-Azhar University, Cairo where he completed a Masters at the College of Usuluddin and later a PhD. From 1988 to 1991 he taught Islamic Studies in Ajman College in Al-Ayn University, Abu Dabi. Dr Ibrahim has also taught postgraduate studies in Islam at Leaders College under the Defence Ministry of Abu Dabi from 1991 to 1996.Dr Ibrahim was a cultural advisor at the Islamic Council of NSW during 1997. In 1999 he established Quran Kareem Radio Australia which broadcasts Arabic and English programs daily to an audience of more than 25,000 listeners. Dr Ibrahim is also a Shariah advisor for The Muslim Community Co-operative (Australia) Ltd, better known as MCCA, since 1992.Dr Ibrahim has authored 26 books which have been published in Arabic. He has recently published the second edition of his book Invitation to Contemplate, which was translated into both English and French He regularly delivers Friday sermons at major mosques in Australia and holds regular monthly public lectures for the Muslim community in Sydney, where he is based.

Below is a transcript from an interview with SBS reporter Suheil Damouny.Dr Ibrahim: The first thing I need to do is to protect, the identity of Islam in the Australian community because it is also our community and our country. We want Muslims have a proud presence in society. We encourage the Muslim youth of Australia to be educated in order to engage intellectually with the wider community. We need to have a unique culture, but we also need to honour Australian law and it's principles.Suheil Damouny: Some have criticised your inability to speak English, therefore questioning your suitability for the role of Mufti.Dr Ibrahim: The dialogue between generations is not restricted to one person, but the values to be delivered by trusted channels. Those channels consist of Imams who can speak English and Arabic well. I value the importance of language and although I may not speak English, I still have a lot to say and contribute. Language is more than being able to say “ Good morning” and “How are you?” Language is emotional and is valued as the pillar of culture. So what you say with it, is important.Suheil Damouny: What does it mean to you to be a Muft?Dr Ibrahim: The job entails safeguarding the values of Islam which are based on humanitarian and moral principles. These principles are not only shared by Muslims, but by all Australians. Safeguarding these principles is a priority. In Australia, there are things that unite Muslims and non-Muslims from all faiths and cultural backgrounds. This puts Australia in a unique position to enrich the world by truly calling itself multicultural nation.


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Muslim TimesQueensland

Muslim TimesHajj 2011

Graham QUIRK& Kim MARX

Getting things doneDelivering for you in Karawatha Ward

Lord MayorGraham Quirk

Kim MarxKarawatha Ward

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I congratulate all the Muslim friends for a successful pilgrimage and a safe return to their families.

by plane, bus, car, etc. Some endure great hardship, others merely buy a first class ticket, but they come as equals. People make this journey prepared to stand at the House of God (or Kaba) and affirm their love for God and His religion of Islam. “And proclaim to humankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj)” (Quran 22:27).The Hajj is several days of total devotion to the One God. Muslims come together to celebrate His praises, ask for His forgiveness and demonstrate unity for His sake alone.Throughout the Muslim world, Hajj has come to symbolise unity. Although Muslims may be disunited due to many outside influences, such as money, politics, border disputes or other worldly concerns. Hajj is the great leveller. At Hajj, all Muslims are equal; nothing about the rituals they perform makes one person better than another.More than 2 million Muslims stand in one place, wearing the same simple clothing, following the same rituals and saying the same words. They are united in their devotion to God. The black man stands next to the white man and they call on God with one voice. The king stands beside the pauper and they declare their submission to the will of God using the same words.Muslims from every corner of the globe are united in their submission to the will of God. They cry out as if with one voice, “Here I am O God, here I am at your service, and You have no partner. Here I am. All praise, grace, and dominion belong to You. You have no partner.” This supplication is said repeatedly by the pilgrims. It is their answer to God’s call for the Muslims to perform Hajj.These words are repeated with joy and reverence by all, regardless of status or class. Some people are so overcome with emotion that they weep, others feel elated and happier then they have ever felt before. Every person there feels that he is one person, alone among millions answering God’s call and God hears his supplication and sees his arrival. The pilgrims feel amazed that they are the guest of the most Merciful God. He or she attends this gathering by the invitation of God, not at the invitation of a government or an organisation, nor at the request of a family member or friend.Hajj is performed because God has invited the believers to congregate together. Regardless of place of birth, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or status, all are welcome, and all are equal in the sight of God. The Muslims gather to meet one another and demonstrate to each other, and the world that they are united. Unity in diversity. They are united by their worship of One God.“O humankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with God is

that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (piety, God consciousness). Verily, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware" (Quran 39:13).Islam is the religion of unity. Repeatedly throughout the Quran God reminds the believers that they must remain united and seek strength through unity. Hajj epitomises this unity. People from every race and colour come together in submission to the will of God. Muslims are one brotherhood and they come together with a sense of purpose and a desire for peace. “The believers are nothing else but brothers (in Islam). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear God, that you may receive mercy” (Quran 39:10).“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of God (this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember God’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islam), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus God makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided” (Quran 3:103).Hajj is the largest annual gathering of Muslims; it is the largest gathering of people united by the peacefulness and serenity that is Islam. Anything that disturbs the peacefulness of Hajj is prohibited. No matter what is happening in the material world at Hajj, peace prevails. Muslims gather together and their diversity is a wonder to behold. The old stand with the young, the rich stand with the poor, people of all colours and nationalities stand shoulder to shoulder in prayer, and perform rituals side by side. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, said, “In their love, kindness, and compassion for each other, the believers are like a human body (Saheeh Al-Bukhari). Muslims at Hajj are one people, they are a soothing sea of humanity, gathered together to worship One God. Muslims turn their faces in one direction and submit to the will of God. They are united by their love of God, and united in their diversity.

* Aisha Stacy is a Queensland based writer who currently writes for www.islamreligion.com and have written for various online and print Islamic media outlets, including www.islamonline.net . This article first appeared on www.islamreligion.com and has been published in QMT with the author's permission.

Where am I?MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE surround me. We all have one common goal, one purpose for being here together. I do not stand out from anyone else. There are no signs of wealth or greatness upon me. No Rolex watch or Nike shoes to mark me as a rich person. I am one person alone, in a sea of humanity. I am black or white, yellow or brown, the colour of my skin is not important. I am from Europe or Asia or South America, my homeland is any corner of this wide earth. The people around me are young and old, male and female, rich and poor. We represent humankind in our diversity, yet we are united. We are unity in diversity.

I am at HajjHajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims declare that there is no god worthy

of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger; they pray, they fast, they pay obligatory charity, and they go to Hajj. Hajj is a pilgrimage to the city of Makah in Saudi Arabia. At the mosque and in the surrounding area, Muslims perform prayers and rituals. Hajj is an obligatory act performed once in a lifetime by all mentally, physically, and financially able Muslims.“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makah) to the House (Kaba) is a duty that mankind owes to God, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves then God stands not in need of any of mankind, jinn and all that exists” (Quran 3:97).This year, 2011, Hajj is end of October. Muslims from all over the world will gather to worship God. They arrive in Saudi Arabia,

Hajj: A Celebration of Peace A simplified overview of a pilgrim’s journey to Hajj by Aisha Stacy*


Hajj 2011

THE LOCATIONS WHICH are noted in the Qur'an are those where the prophets lived through history (such as Mount Tur and the valley of Tuwa), or the cities where Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) lived and taught about religion to the people. Sacred places are a reminder of the struggles between prophets and their followers against unbelievers. They also remind us of the extraordinary patience and decisiveness of these blessed people in God's way. For this reason, the sacred sites are a cause of increased excitement and enthusiasm among believers. Believers feel a special spiritual bond with these lands and sites. They want to get to know these lands, which carry the valuable memories of the prophets. In the following pages, we will focus on some of these sacred sites.

God has made the Kaaba, the Sacred House, a special institution for humanity, and also the sacred months and the sacrificial animals and the ritual garlands.That is so you will know that God knows what is in the heavens and in the Earth and that God has knowledge of all things. (Qur'an, 5:97)

The Hajj (pilgrimage) is a duty commanded to all Muslims by God in the Qur'an. This most important task of the Hajj takes place with the circling of the Kaaba (the House).Today, the Kaaba is found in the courtyard of the Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque). It was built according to God's command by Prophet Abraham and his son, Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon them).

And We located the position of the House for Abraham... (Qur'an, 22:26)Just as it is explained in this verse, Prophet Abraham (pbuh) built the Kaaba in the place and in the way God commanded him to.The Kaaba is a site where people can

come together and worship God. God specified that the Kaaba would be a clean and safe site where the believers would worship.The careful protection of the Kaaba is one of the most important duties of Muslims. Our Lord,

Who commanded Prophet Abraham (pbuh) to keep the Kaaba clean and safe for believers, also made it clear in the Qur'an that only believers are to protect it. In a verse from the Qur'an, God reveals that the true protectors and guardians of the Kaaba are those who believe:... Only people who guard against evil can be its guardians. But most of them do not know that. (Qur'an, 8:34)Another important aspect of the Kaaba within the Islamic world is that it is the direction of prayer for Muslims. Muslims all over the world, in prayer five times a day, worship in the direction of the Kaaba.

The first house established for humanity was that at Bakka, a place of blessing and a guidance for all beings. (Qur'an, 3:96)And when Abraham built the foundations of the House with Ishmael: “Our Lord, accept this from us! You are the All-Hearing,

the All-Knowing.” (Qur'an, 2:127)... A mosque founded on performing one's duty from the first day has a greater right for you to stand in it. In it there are men who love to purify themselves. God loves those who purify themselves. (Qur'an, 9:108)And We located the position of the House for Abraham: “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who circle it, and those who stand and bow and prostrate.” (Qur'an, 22:26)Announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They

will come to you on foot and on every sort of lean animal, coming by every distant road. (Qur'an, 22:27)

Maqam Ibrahim (Station of Abraham)On the east side of the Kaaba, about two meters high, one meter wide, there is a rectangular structure covered in glass on its top part and marble on the bottom. This structure protects a stone that Prophet Abraham (pbuh) stepped on while building the Kaaba. Islamic and historical sources accept this as the point mentioned in the Qur'an as "the Maqam of Abraham."

The stone, which is called "Hajar al-Aswad" is traditionally accepted as the starting point for the circling of the Kaaba. According to stories, this stone was put in its place by Prophet Abraham (pbuh). "Hajar al-Aswad" means "The Black Stone." This stone, which is found on the east side of the Kaaba, is about one and a half meters high. It is yellowish black, and oval

shaped. There are red spots on it. The sides are covered in silver. People making the Hajj begin their circulation of the Kaaba at the Hajar al-Aswad. While circling the Kaaba, pilgrims face this stone, lifting their hands in praise. Safa and Marwa are among the landmarks of God, so anyone who goes on pilgrimage to the House or does the pious visit incurs no wrong in going back and forth between them.. (Qur'an, 2:158)Safa and Marwa are two hills to the east of the Kaaba. Mount

Safa is about 15 meters higher than the Haram area, while Mount Marwa is about 8 meters in height. There are about 420 meters in between the two hills. The area in between them is called "Masa," which is adjacent to the Masjid al-Haram. In pictures, you can see pilgrims performing Sa'y (walking between Safa and Marwa). Arafat is a large and flat plain of twenty-four square kilometers which lies to the north of Mecca. It is outside of Haram. The name "Arafat" is the plural of "arafa," and comes from the root of the words "irfan" (insight) and "marifa" (knowledge). It also means mountain.

This is how Arafat is mentioned in the Qur'an:There is nothing wrong in seeking bounty from your Lord. When you pour down from Arafat, remember God at the Sacred Landmark. Remember Him because He has guided you, even though before this you were astray. Then press on from where the people press on and ask God's forgiveness. God is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 2:198-199)Pictures of Arafat and Mount Rahmat during the Hajj.

Mina is the name of the place between Mecca and Mash'ar al-Haram. During Hajj, pilgrims also visit Mina. Some of the important rituals of the Hajj take place here:

Remember God on the designated days. Those who hurry on [to leave Mina] in two days have done no wrong, and those who stay another day have done no wrong – those of them who guard against evil. So fear [and respect] God. And know that you will be

gathered back to Him. (Qur'an, 2:203)Left: The top of Mina.

Sacred Locations Noted in the Qur’anby Harun Yahya


Hajj 2011

The Muslim Business Network (MBN) wishes all of our fellow Muslims Eid Mubaarak to all prilgrims a Hajj Mukbool Insha-AllahPlease remember us in your duas as we remember all of our members,their families and the entireUmmah in our duas.Wasalaam,MBN Executive Committee

Flight Star would like to wish this year's Hajj group a most rewarding Hajj.Br. Shaukat Br. Hanif Br. Mohammed SamiSr. Zubaida Sr. Ruksana Sr. HameedaBr. Rafiq Br. Rahman Sr. MumtazSr. Naseem Sr. Khadija Sr. AishaBr. Rafeeq Sr. Amina Br. AbdulSr. Bibi Sr. Fatima Br. TariqBr. Khuram Br. HariaSr. Mariam Br. HanifMake Dua for their safe return to their families In sha Allah.

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EVEN FOR THOSE not performing the pilgrimage, Hajj, the first ten days of this month are considered very sacred and a time for increased reflection, seeking Allah's forgiveness, doing good and various other forms of worship.Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) has said about the first ten days of Zul Hijjah: There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing (Bukhari).So sacred are the first ten days of Zul Hijjah that Allah swears an oath by them when He says in the Quran: "By the dawn; by the ten nights" [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Swearing an oath by something indicates its importance and great benefit. What kinds of worship should be performed? While any good deed done for the sake of Allah according to the way He approves will be rewarded immensely during the first ten days, Insha Allah, some of the more specific actions mentioned in the Traditions of the Prophet are fasting and verbal Zikr (remembrance) of Allah. In terms of fasting, it is particularly encouraged to fast on the ninth day of Zul-Hijjah, known in Arabic as Yawm Arafa.

The Prophet used to fast on this day (al Nisai and Abu Dawud). Fasting on this day will expiate a Muslim's sins for two years.The verbal remembrance of Allah is another meritorious act during these first ten days of Zul Hijjah. The Prophet upon him) encouraged Muslims to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allahu akbar") during this time. The Takbeer may include the words "Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillahi’l-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise)," as well as other phrases.Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah, two of the Prophet's Companions, used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Zul-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer individually when they heard them. Generally, all good deeds are rewarded highly at this blessed time. These actions include praying, reading Quran, making Dua (supplication), giving in charity and being good to our families. In addition, seeking Allah's forgiveness at this time is also encouraged. This means more than just a verbal expression of sorrow for past misdeeds. It also requires a firm resolution to avoid making the same mistakes in the future by giving up bad habits and behavior while sincerely turning to Allah.

The first 10 days of Zul Hijjah: Why they matter soundvision.com

Left: Masjid al-Khaif in Mina.In these pictures, you can see the places of worship called the Sab'ah Masajid (Seven Masjids), built on the spot where the Battle of Khandaq (Battle of the Trench) took place. According to historical sources, the masjid on the right was used by our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace). Below is the Uhud cemetery.A different view of the Masjid al-HaramDay and night views of the Masjid al-NabawiIt is not for the idolaters to maintain the mosques of God, bearing witness against themselves of their disbelief. They are the ones whose actions will come to nothing. They will be in the fire timelessly, for ever. (Qur'an, 9:17)The mosques of God should only be maintained by

those who believe in God and the Last Day and perform prayer and give the alms, and fear no one but God. They are the ones most likely to be guided. (Qur'an, 9:18)Glory be to Him Who took His servant on a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram] to the Further Mosque [Masjid al-Aqsa], whose surroundings We have blessed, in order to show him some of Our signs. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. (Qur'an, 17:1)

Due to the fact that Masjid al-Aqsa was the first direction of prayer for Muslims, it carries an important distinction. It is accepted that Masjid al-Aqsa is the second mosque ever built, the first being the Kaaba. In 638 AD, after Jerusalem was conquered during the period of the Caliph Omar, Masjid al-Aqsa was built at the site of Bayt al-Maqdis. The fact that Caliph Omar accepted this as a place of worship is also another reason it is important for Muslims. Masjid al-Aqsa was later constructed in its new structure during the rule of a later caliph, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.

An 1890 view of Qubbat al-Sakhra and Masjid al-AqsaSay: “My Lord has commanded justice. Stand and face Him in every mosque and call on Him, making your religion sincerely His. As He originated you, so you will return.” (Qur'an, 7:29)Qubbat al-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock) is also known as the Mosque of Omar, but it was not built as a mosque. Inside the structure, there is a stone believed to have been stepped on by Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) during his ascension to heaven; the stone is considered sacred.The word "sakhra" means a "piece of rock," and so Qubbat al-Sakhra means a dome built on rock. To the east of the rock in the structure, there is a long cupboard which contains what is believed to be hairs from Prophet Muhammad's (may God bless him and grant him peace) sacred beard.And [I swear by] Mount Sinai and this safe land. (Qur'an, 95:2-3)He picks out for His mercy whoever He wills. God's favor is indeed immense. (Qur'an, 3:74)

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LAST TIME WE WERE in the Malaysian capital, as a stopover, we got caught out by a ruthless taxi driver and spent more than $60 on a 15 km drive, this time we decided to take public transport more and avoid the taxis. We started with a bus from the airport. The bus takes you to the Sentral station and then we negotiated a price with the taxi driver to get to the hotel which we were told later should have cost us no more than $5. But lucky me, I once again got into a fight with another taxi driver who refused to put on his meter and was trying to convince me that it was going to cost me $25. The distance was enough for me to walk without even working up a sweat in the tropical midday heat, but I didn’t realise that until after I was scammed out of $15.A good way to avoid the taxis is the hop on hop off bus; it’s by far the easiest and best ways to see the city on the cheap. Get off where you like, have a look around, the sights are endless, you can see the National Palace the Royal residence of the King of Malaysia, the National Mosque, Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, the Golden Triangle that will handle all your shopping and dining needs as well as China Town, Little India, and Ain Arabia. You need to start early as there

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we were in Venice. However, Melaka is no Venice, and it’s not a gondola that you travel in either. It’s a large motor boat ready to accommodate up to 30 noisy tourists. And to make matters worse, they don’t even play traditional Malay music, but you get Lady Gaga blaring out of the speakers. Not quite the peaceful trip we thought it would be.I am not sure if I had a Malaysian taxi curse on me, or if our taxi driver just wasn’t having a good day, but he didn’t take us around to many places in Melaka but he told us he would take us to see a mosque on the way home. The Malays I must admit do very good mosques, they have a knack for building them big, beautiful, colourful, and making them not only a peaceful place to pray, but amazing pieces of architecture. There are many to see in Kuala Lumpur, like the Shah Alam Blue Mosque, Masjid Negara, and Masjid Jemak but the one we popped into on our return from Melaka was the Pink mosque in Putrajaya. The most interesting thing about this mosque, apart from the colour, is that it is partly built over the water, and it looks like a floating mosque. It is a spectacular sight both inside and out, and our driver redeemed himself indeed, and I was hoping that maybe the taxi curse has been lifted.Window ShoppingShopping is a must in Malaysia and Bukit Bintang Plaza is always a good place to start, shoes and bags galore on floor after floor, electronics that you have no idea you needed, clothes that are too cheap to leave and enough food shops in between to keep your energy levels up. We also ticked off Little India where all the latest Indian clothes, DVDs and Islamic goods were. From there we walked to Chinatown, which has not changed since we last went there 5 years ago. Not only do they have the same pushy attitude, but I think some of them have the same stock from 5 years ago. If you enjoy bargaining, and buying things that won’t last

the plane trip home, then this is the place to go crazy. If you hang around long enough you often see police raids on the street vendors who set up on a cloth on the footpath. It’s quite entertaining and obviously not very effective as they have set up shop again within 15 minutes of the police leaving.After all the sightseeing and walking, we couldn’t leave until our tired bodies were rejuvenated. You can get a massage just about anywhere in Malaysia for a good price, but an interesting one that we found was the blind massage. Curiosity took over and we went to see what it was all about. We found young vision impaired people who have been trained as massage therapist. Just a word of warning here, when you see that young girl, slight of frame, you may think that she cannot possibly hurt you , let me reassure you, her hands can make you cry in pain. These amazing people have been trained well, it was a lovely way to end our relaxing holiday.Kuala Lumpur is a beautiful clean, and often hot and humid city that allows you to enjoy the cultures of China, India, Thailand and Malaysia all rolled into one city. Shopping is good for shoes, electronics, clothes and Islamic goods. Public transport is excellent, buses, trains, taxis and monorails, running on time and relatively cheap. Malaysia Airlines travels daily to KL from Brisbane and it’s a welcoming place for either a stopover or a week long break. But don’t think that KL is all Malaysia has to offer, a bus ride, or a quick flight can take you to other islands and as far away from those KL shops as you want.Flights and accommodation to Malaysia can be booked through Flight Star Travels and Tours.

Use the bus in Malaysia Confessions of a traveller

is so much to see and lots of stops to make for those photo opportunities.Islamic Arts MuseumNot far from The National Mosque is The Islamic Arts Museum which was our stop. The building is made up of different galleries and the first one is Islamic architecture. Here there are miniature models of famous mosques from around the world, it’s good to try and work out which mosque is which, and a really impressive way to start the tour. Other galleries look at Qurans, textiles, jewellery, other materials, and the influence of India and China. It took us a few hours to enjoy most of what was on display, not normally being big fans of museums; we surprised ourselves at how long it took us to get through each gallery and how much we really cared about the different scripts of calligraphy in the Qurans. Thinking that we couldn’t possibly want to know any more about the woven threads of the Moghuls we then found ourselves studying books in the excellent bookshop at the end of the galleries.Portugese inspired MelakaAfter much apprehension about using taxis ever again, we finally decided on a day trip to

Melaka and realised the best way to get there was by a taxi that we could keep for the day. My record so far was not good with taxis, so it was concerning for the 1 ½ hours it took us to get there, and we were surprised by the number of tourists already waiting for us at the coastal town. The area was once ruled by the Portuguese and you can still see the old fort and many Portuguese inspired buildings remaining. Also special to Melaka is the canals with housing on either side of the waterway. Our taxi driver encouraged us to ride a boat and pretend


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A COMBINATION OF mistakes—whether through ignorance or design—and significant omissions of fact have left the American public misinformed about why the Palestinians went to the United Nations last week and what they are trying to achieve.The biggest error repeated across the media in hundreds of headlines and stories is that the Palestinians are seeking statehood at the U.N. In fact, Palestine is already legally a sovereign state and is seeking membership of the United Nations, not statehood. The United Nations does not grant or recognize statehood. Only states can recognize other states bilaterally. The U.N. can only confer membership or non-member, observer state status to already existing states. The U.N. Charter is clear. Article 4 says that only existing states may apply for U.N. membership.Last Friday Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accepted an application for U.N. membership from PLO Chairman and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Ban sent the application to the Security Council, which began deliberating on it on Monday (Sept. 26).The very act of the Secretary General accepting the membership application is an acknowledgement from the U.N. that Palestine is already a state, since only states can apply.The Montevideo Convention of 1933 lays out the requirements for statehood: a population living on a defined territory with a government that can enter into relations with other governments. The Palestinians have all three. Though its borders with Israel are not set, other countries with border disputes have been admitted as U.N. members, such as Pakistan and India. Trygve Lie, the first U.N. Secretary-General, also wrote a 1950 memo that states do not need universal recognition to apply.Palestine declared its independence on November 15, 1988, a fact found nowhere in the American mainstream reporting of the past week. A Palestinian walked out of the Al Asqa Mosque that day in Al Quds/Jerusalem and read the declaration aloud, much as someone read the American Declaration of Independence to a

crowd in the courtyard of the Philadelphia State House on July 4, 1776.Almost immediately one hundred nations recognized an independent Palestinian state. Since then 30 more nations have recognized Palestine, some having opened Palestinian embassies in their capitals. This crucial fact too was not reported in the U.S. media. For Palestinians and those countries that recognize them, Israeli troops are occupying a sovereign nation.It was the same as when Morocco and then France and other nations recognized an independent United States years before the war against Britain was won. For Americans and those nations recognizing America , British troops became an occupation force, not an army defending British territory.The problem for the Americans then and for the Palestinians now is that the occupying nation and the world’s biggest power are not among the 130 who’ve recognized them.If there were a United Nations in 1777 the Americans could have applied for membership. And if Britain had a veto on the Security Council then as it does now, it would have blocked that membership.Today neither the occupying power, Israel, nor the world’s biggest power, the U.S., recognizes Palestinian statehood. Thus the U.S. has vowed to veto the Palestinians’ membership resolution in the Security Council.The U.S. had furiously lobbied to prevent the Palestinians from coming to the U.N. at all, including Congress threatening to cut off all aid. Having failed, Washington is now trying to delay a vote as long as possible while lobbying the several non-permanent members of the Security Council to abstain, or vote against. But the Palestinians knew from the start the U.N. process would take weeks and have so far not backtracked on their plan one inch.Membership in the U.N. requires a recommendation from the 15-member Security Council, secured with nine votes in favor and

no vetoes. If the recommendation passes, the 193-seat General Assembly must approve with a two-thirds majority. Eight votes in favor or less would kill the Security Council membership resolution, sparing the U.S. from a veto that would cost them dearly on the Arab street.Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and Lebanon are among the Security Council members who have formally recognized Palestine and are firm about voting in favor. The U.S. isn’t bothering with them. But Nigeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia and Gabon have also recognized Palestine and are under extreme American, and in the case of Gabon, French pressure to at least abstain.Falling short of eight votes would be an embarrassment for the Palestinians, but the Security Council route is only the first step. After a sure defeat in the Security Council, two options in the General Assembly remain.President Abbas told reporters on his plane back home from New York that the Palestinians are willing to wait two weeks for the Security Council to act before going to the next step for membership. That step is to try to circumvent either a U.S. veto or less than nine votes in the Security Council in the General Assembly, employing a Cold War-era resolution known as Uniting for Peace.It was introduced by the U.S. in 1950 to get around repeated Soviet vetoes on the Korean War. Francis Boyle, a legal adviser to Abbas, told me he has advised the Palestinian president to take this step. But the Palestinians would have to convince two-thirds of voting Assembly members that Palestinian membership would be a response to a “threat to peace, breach of the peace or an act of aggression” from Israel.The U.S. and Israel would fight to keep this off the General Assembly agenda. But Boyle, who cautioned that he does not speak for the Palestinians, told me he thinks the Palestinians have the votes to overcome this.Nevertheless, there seems to be a split in the PLO leadership on whether to use Uniting for Peace. Hanan Ashrawi, a PLO executive committee member, says it is still a viable option. But the Palestinians’ U.N. observer, Riyad Mansour, believes any membership bid must legally go through the Security Council first and there’s no getting around it. Abbas’ position on this is not clear. It will be interesting to see if the Palestinians try to use Uniting for Peace and what happens if they do.If they decide against it or fail, their third option is to try to become a non-member, observer state, which needs only a simple majority of 97 votes in the General Assembly which the Palestinians clearly have.Becoming an observer state would be more than symbolic. It could reshape the balance of power between Israel and the Palestinians. As an observer state, Palestine could participate in Assembly debates, but could not vote, sponsor resolutions or field candidates for Assembly committees. But more importantly, it would allow Palestine to accede to treaties and join specialized U.N. agencies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Law of the

Sea Treaty, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), officials said.Switzerland joined the ICAO in 1947 when it was still an observer state before becoming a U.N. member in 2002. Denis Changnon, an ICAO spokesman in Montreal, told me the treaty gives members full sovereign rights over air space, a contentious issue with Israel, which currently controls the airspace above the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinians could bring claims of violation of its air space to the International Court of Justice.If Palestine joins the Law of the Sea Treaty it would gain control of its national waters off Gaza, a highly contentious move as those waters are currently under an Israeli naval blockade. Boyle said he has advised Abbas to accede to treaties, including the Law of the Sea. If they do, the Palestinians could challenge the Israeli blockade at the ICJ as well as claim a gas field off Gaza, currently claimed by Israel.Even more troubling for Israel and the US. would be Palestine joining the International Criminal Court. Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, president of ICC Assembly of State Parties, said in an interview a Palestine observer state could join the ICC and ask the court to investigate any alleged war crimes and other charges against Israel committed on Palestinian territory after July 2002, including Israel’s 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead war against Gaza that killed 1,400 Palestinian civilians.Ashrawi says Israeli settlements in Palestine can be challenged as war crimes in the court as a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.The Palestinians know they must still negotiate borders, refugees, settlements, the occupation and Jerusalem. Abbas said pushing for U.N. membership did not mean he no longer wants to negotiate. Rather gaining membership or observer state status would give the Palestinians more leverage in those talks, he said.In an effort to upstage and derail the Palestinians’ membership drive, just minutes after Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had finished addressing the General Assembly last Friday the so-called Quartet—the U.S., U.K., Russia and the U.N.—announced its vision of a one-year plan for a comprehensive settlement.The Quartet dropped its repeated call for a settlement freeze and called for no preconditions for talks. The Palestinians, who are demanding a freeze before negotiations based on the pre-occupation 1967 borders, rejected the Quartet’s plan. Israel then announced 1,100 new settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.The Quartet has failed again. Westerners cannot solve this problem. Maybe it’s time to make it the Quintet by adding the Arab League—to give voice to the Palestinians. How to get the U.S. media to become interested in more accurately reporting the Palestinian’s side of the story is another matter.*Joe Lauria is a New York-based independent foreign affairs correspondent, investigative journalist and author. This article has previously been published on www.Huffingtonpost.com and www.boilingfrogspost.com

Multicultural Queensland Partnerships Program 2011–12 Annual Grants Round

The Multicultural Queensland Partnerships Program Grants 2011–12 are now open.

The Multicultural Queensland Partnerships Program grants are allocated to projects, multicultural festivals, and cultural events that strengthen multiculturalism, foster harmonious community relations and participation, and build community capacity, including improved access to services in Queensland.

Information packages including the funding information paper and application forms are available from www.communities.qld.gov.au/multicultural or by phoning Multicultural Affairs Queensland on 3224 5006.

Closing date for submission of applications is Monday 14 November 2011.

Department of Communities Multicultural Affairs Queensland

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Palestine is already a Sovereign State and is Seeking Membership of the UN, not Statehood

By Joe Lauria*


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THE GROWING OCCUPY Wall Street movement has gained attention as a popular expression of general discontent with the inequities evident in modern western finance. However, it has been criticized for lacking focus and presenting no coherent alternative. Could more Muslim participation be of further help? Because without question the movement was inspired by the non-violent, world changing protests of Egypt's heroic citizens in Tahrir Square. In fact, Occupy Wall Street's website states on the front page, "Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99 Percent that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1 percent. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants."Now, I know a viable take on macro-economic reality isn't what Islam is best known for in America, but Muslims actually did a pretty fair job of managing world-commerce for a few hundred years.And that failed for much the same reason as most good things do: not because the principles were wrong, but because self-serving leaders found ways to manipulate them to their own advantage, regardless of the results for the rest of us. But honestly? The same thing could be said about the current failures of western finance, that the responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders

of the self-serving captains of Wall Street, today.Here's the newsflash though: regardless of our faith background, or lack thereof, the different perspectives we bring to the bargaining table might actually complement each other and help make things better together. Because all the good economic models seem to follow three simple principles: • Growth is good for everyone: "a rising tide

lifts all ships." • Risk and reward should be balanced,

experienced in proportion to the investment made.

• Gamblers don't make good investors, and visa versa.

Wondering how a Muslim perspective can complement a non-Muslim one? Well, although Islam forbids riba (often translated as "interest"), it allows other equally rational means of providing access to capital in return for a predictable reward. For instance, a so-called "Muslim Mortgage" creates a partnership between a home's resident and that home's financier, with both sides exposed to the same potential benefit and risk. If the value of the house goes up and the partners choose to sell, both come out ahead. If it goes down and they sell, they don't. Conventional "Western" mortgages, on the other hand, fix both risk and reward solely in the hands of the home's resident owner. And if that makes a lender risk-complacent while encouraging an owner to pile on risk in hopes of a windfall, tragedy often ensues. Since most of us blame the bursting of America's real estate bubble for triggering The Great

Recession, I think it's fair to ask whether it would have occurred with a more Islamic model in place.A little "old-style" rabbinical input might have helped too: Who couldn't come out ahead with their debts forgiven every few years?However, it's the hardships that have ensued -- and the feeling that they've been suffered mostly by those of us who live on Main Street -- that are behind Occupy Wall Street. Because when it comes to growing an economy, no one but Wall Street thinks Wall Street is on the same side as they are anymore. No, instead it looks like Wall Street has figured out how to make Main Street take all the risks, while they takes all the rewards. In fact, Wall Street's wizards have even worked out how to make their own ships float better while our economic ocean is running dry.The problem is hedging: a complex suite of financial techniques that make money even when everyone else is losing money, generating income in the absence of growth and perhaps even from preventing growth from happening in the first place.It's always been easier to take money than to make money, if you can figure out how to get

a w a y with it, and it's actually legal on Wall Street. But eating from your neighbor's fridge instead of filling your own? I don't think you need to be a financial wizard to realize what a stupid growth strategy that is.The thing is, that's what the Quran and both Bibles -- Jewish and Christian -- say is the worst thing about gambling: it brings no increase because it only makes money from the losses of others, shrinking the pot for everyone. Just like Wall Street's fancy bankers. And whether you believe that's from God's mouth or the collected wisdom of a thousand human generations, it's worth noting that they all agree that those practices only make for hard feelings, just like we're seeing toward Wall Street.Because Wall Street's leaders seem today no better than gamblers living off our losses, the men we have entrusted with floating our boats instead sinking them, siphoning off our economy's lifeblood instead of helping it grow, gaming away all our futures with their fancy futures financing, all for the sake of their own short term rewards. Frankly, our leaders should tell our bankers it's against the law, what they're doing. But they don't. Ever. The bottom line? Occupy Wall Street is not crazy or unreasonable or unfocused: an honest day's pay for an honest day's work for everyone, that's all they're asking for. And until Washington and Wall Street want that too, perhaps it's time for us all to Occupy Wall Street. *Dr. David Liepert is an official spokesperson for the Faith of Life Network, founded by the Chair of Canada's Imam's Council and dedicated to helping diverse communities live together in peace, host of "The Optimistic Muslim" and a National Board member of the Canadian Islamic Chamber of Commerce. He is also author of "Muslim, Christian and Jew: Finding a Path to Peace Our Faiths Can Share." This article first appeared on www.huffingtonpost.com

Should Muslims Occupy Wall Street Too? by Dr David Liepert at www.huffingtonpost.com*


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THE KING OF BOLLYWOOD, Amitabh Bachchan made a quick stop over in Brisbane this week, to receive an Honorary Doctorate from QUT, for his achievements in film- making and outstanding contribution to the global community.Mr Bachchan was greeted outside Old Government House with a small but vocal group of supporters, mostly local Indian students, who had the honour of seeing their hero up close and personal, an opportunity they relished.Proceedings at the Conferral Ceremony were very formal as in a typical graduation ceremony, with much pomp and grandeur afforded Mr Bachchan. In his address, the Chancellor of QUT, Major-General (Retd) Peter Arnison said the conferring of Honorary Doctorates, “allows the University to acknowledge the achievements of outstanding members of the community and demonstrate the high regard we place on the values of service and professional development. Mr Bachchan is a world leader in the art of film making and his multi-faceted career is an inspiration to many”.In receiving the Honorary Doctorate, Mr Bachchan spoke about the importance of education and knowledge. "A good education is the most valuable thing a human can possess. In the world beyond these walls, fortune comes and goes but education can never be taken away. Education helps us to strengthen and fortify convictions not to be swayed by preoccupation of cast and creed, race and religion."He was very humble in his speech, and talked of success and fame being sheer emptiness and that the greatest prize was the possession of good character. He spoke of constantly seeking knowledge, because “knowledge is learning what to do with all that education. Education gives a human being dignity and understanding that each one of us is important”.

On Friday Mr Bachchan launched a travel bursary named after his late father, a renowned Indian poet. Professor Peter Coaldrake, Vice Chancellor of QUT, said the bursary gave students from the Creative Industries faculty an opportunity to travel and see creative industries and institutions in India, and gain an insight into another culture.Mr Bachchan was shown around the QUT Kelvin Grove campus and entertained by acting students who were very excited to be able to show their craft to the great actor.Mr Bachchan was asked what advice he would give to acting students in their career path and said his father had a saying, “if things happen according to the way you wish that is good, if they do not happen to the way you wish, that is even better, because then it is being done according to the wishes of the Almighty.”

Mr Bachchan was originally awarded the Honorary Doctorate two years ago, but refused to accept it as at the time in support of Indian students who had been harassed and victimized in Victoria. He is currently in Australia filming his first Hollywood movie, the remake of The Great Gatsby, with a stellar cast of Leonardo Di Caprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan with Baz Luhrmann directing.

Off Shore Processing of Asylum Seekers

Muslims Australia (AFIC) press release

MR IKEBAL PATEL, President of Muslims Australia- AFIC observed that it is about time Australia matured as a country in deciding on its own shores who stays in Australia, rather than hand balling the decision making to some other country, as was the case in the early days of Australia with the mother land deciding on the fate of individuals coming to this great land. Mr Patel said the case of people seeking asylum should not be allowed to become a hard fought rugby match between the political parties with the lives of the most vulnerable human beings being thrown in scrums to be mauled and rocked just for some cheap political point scoring. One can understand that with a parliament hanging in balance, the sight of the try line can be very tantalising, but this should also be a time when real leaders arise and show courage to ensure that their legacy will live on way beyond their term in office.Mr Patel stated the need for secure borders is imperative, Australian security and customs agencies see to that adequately. Muslims Australia – AFIC calls upon the Government to abolish off shore processing and consider local measures to process people seeking asylum more expeditiously. He also calls on the government to seek remedies from within the communities, through community based organisations to offer those who present no security or other threats to the safety of Australia and its citizens to be assisted quickly so that people can get on with their lives and into meaningful employment.As the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki Moon has rightly suggested, Australia can be a world leader in compassion with insignificant change to our overall refugee intake numbers. Rather than demonising these people, after appropriate health and security checks, some of these arrivals could be quickly employed in our struggling fruit and other regional industries which could turn this divisive issue into a positive and genuine attempt at solving this humanitarian crises as well as our labour shortage dilemma. Muslims Australia’s –AFIC’s views on people seeking asylum is clear and unambiguous – anyone who meets the criteria as identified by Australian Immigration authorities, who does not present a threat to society, abides by Australian law is a welcome citizen. After all, Australia is renown for its achievement as an open, welcoming, tolerant, vibrant and diverse religious and cultural community, so lets focus and embrace those who seek our compassion and support.

QUT Honorary Doctorate to Amitabh Bachchan by Yasmin Khan


Al Tariq (The Way)

The Palestinian Institute for Development and DemocracyIT GIVES ME GREAT pleasure to introduce Al Tariq in Australia. Al Tariq, The Palestinian Institute for Development and Democracy was established in 2006 by local leaders and prominent members of the Palestinian peace camp. We are dedicated to promoting sustainable development and democratic governance in Palestine. We focus on promoting democracy and development projects that strengthen the Palestinian citizen identity and lay the foundations for a future Palestinian state and work on issues concerning women and youth. We also play an active role in the local community and work as an advocate for greater co-operation among local institutions, as well as with national and international NGOs.We believe that by focusing on developing women, nurturing future leaders of a democratic Palestinian state and creating the framework for reconciliation once a political agreement is reached. We do this by developing and administering several development projects in Palestine and partnering with many other NGOs that focus on promoting a culture of non-violence.

Young Leaders Project For the past six years, Al-Tariq has worked with young Palestinian leaders empowering them to spread the values of democracy, non-violence and dialogue in both Palestinian and Israeli society. In addition to summer encounters, where Palestinian young leaders have the opportunity to travel to Europe to meet young people from other conflict zones, Young Leaders organize and hold national meetings, where they focus on issues in their society. In bi-national meetings, Young Leaders have the opportunity to share their experience with Israelis – an empowering experience for most participants who have never met “the other”. Additionally, we are the only Palestinian organization to initiate a dialogue project where Israelis are invited by a Palestinian organization to participate, empowering Palestinian Young

From left to right-Yassmin Abdel-Magied (President of YWB), Premier Anna Bligh,Human Rights Lawyer Lady Sabrina Khan, Federal Member Graham Perrett.Youth Without Borders thanks all from the Muslim Community who contributed to its fundraiser for flood victims. The Cheque was accepted by the Premier's Disaster Relief Fund at the official handover Event recently.

Leaders and giving them the opportunity to shape the discourse.

Resource CenterThe Al -Tariq Resource Center in Al- Ram (East Jerusalem) was opened in November 2008 to strengthen the role of young people in civil society and to provide them with the resources to become local leaders in their communities promoting democracy, non-violent conflict resolution and human rights in Palestine. The resource center provides trainings and has a library, computer lab and meeting room where Palestinian and Israeli youth can meet. We have held several Palestinian-Israeli dialogue groups in this space which, unlike Ramallah, is located in area C and is accessible to both Palestinians and Israelis.

Non-Violence Summer Camp for children Every year Palestinian students have a 3 months summer vacation, in which the majority of children do not have anything to do. They end spending most of the summer in the streets, which are very dangerous, because these surroundings can quickly become violent. Additionally, there are not suitable places or programs for children and youth and in most villagers there are no play grounds, parks or other suitable and safe places for children. Since 2006, Al Tariq has organized 2-week summer camps for 250 children during summer vacation. These camps are attended by large number of children from villages. In these camps we teach children positive alternatives to being victims or participants in the conflict and how to deal with their trauma in non-violent ways. We also engage children in art activities, the first time for many children, sports and other games to provide them with alternatives to violent games and activities. For the children’s parents this is also a unique experience as most families have never had the opportunity to enroll their children in extra-curricular activities and the parent’s learn how to engage their children in new ways.

Save the Water!Many Palestinian communities in the West Bank have little or no access to drinking water. This is mainly due to policies of the Israeli occupation, but it also has to do with water mismanagement on the part of the PA and the population itself. This project uses the wastewater re-use as a way to help three local communities in the West Bank develop self-governance and inter-institutional dialogue, increasing understanding of democracy and human rights among these communities. We chose to target three villages — Aljania, Raskarkar, and Ein Arik — in the most remote areas of Ramallah. The villages have little or no access to water, but strong local committees. Each local community is working to create a local water council and to strengthen their relationship with regional authorities and existing institutions that are focused on water rights issues in Palestine.

Crack in the WallAl Tariq is the Palestinian partner of the Parent’s Circle Families Forum. Together, we have

developed the “Crack in the Wall,” a unique project that crosses borders using social media and other communication technology. Often times, both sides argue that there is no partner for peace. This conclusion comes from a lack of direct communication with the “other”. That is why we have developed the “Crack in the Wall” project, which gives thousands of Palestinians and Israelis the opportunity to communicate with each other and to get to know We have other Projects currently in progress and will be holding information Sessions and Fundraisers to support the above causes Australia wide in the near future insha Allah. If you are interested to help fundraise please contact myself via email at: [email protected] Allahu Khairan,Sabrina KhanAustralian Ambassador for Al Tariq The Palestinian Institute for Development and Democracy

by Sabrina Khan


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‘There is healing in the black seed for every illness except death’ Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Hadith Sahih Bukhari

AS WE SLOWLY TRANSFORM into a generation that is pre-disposing ourselves to stress, pollution and poor diet, for many of us, this has led to poor health and an endless banquet of medication. While conventional medicine ‘treats’ the condition at hand, what we often forget is that our human body has a remarkable capability to heal itself. That’s where natural medicine steps in.The Black Seed (scientifically known as Nigella Sativa and famously known as ‘Habbatus Sauda’ in Arabic) is known by different names around the globe including Kalonji, Black Caraway, Black Cumin, Black Seed, Fennel Flower, Fitch, Habat-al-Baraka and Roman Coriander. The traditional use of the Black Seed can be traced back to over 3000 years. Documented evidence of the cultivation of the seed can be found in holy books such as the Bible, and in

different studies at universities and laboratories on the healing properties of Black Seed oil on various conditions and ailments. Findings from these studies have concluded that the Black Seed contains properties as an anti-biotic, anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory, anti-histaminic, anti-bacterial, anti-bronchial, anti-cancer and immune boosting agent. Given this, Black Seed oil is commonly taken to enhance or maintain immune system strength, to control high blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, to treat colds, flus and fever, asthma, allergies, inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth, and even skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The primary component of the essential oil content of Nigella Sativa- Thymoquinone contains excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It is also a strong anti-oxidant and, and in recent years, there has been a wave of research into the potential anti-cancer properties of Thymoquinone. In 2008, researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia found that Thymoquinone, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells by enhancing the process of programmed cell death. The study used a human pancreatic cancer cell line and it was found that adding Thymoquinone killed approximately 80 precent of the cancer cells. Similarly, researchers from Tulane University in the United States reported that administration of the oil of Nigella Sativa was found to kill prostate cancer cells found in lab studies. The study demonstrated that the primary component of the essential oil- namely Thymoquinone, efficiently killed hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer cells. The researchers behind this study concluded that administration of the oil of Nigella Sativa had potential to be used effectively, either alone or as an adjunct to chemotherapy, to target highly aggressive prostate cancers. This validation of the healing properties of Nigella Sativa by scientific research has led to a mass following of Nigella Sativa world-wide. Interestingly, the popularity of the use of Nigella Sativa soared in Europe after leading immunologist- Peter Schleicher found that administration of the Black Seed to his racehorse cured it of respiratory problems. Since that time, studies on the black seed have uncovered numerous uses for the herb in animals and have shown it is generally safe to be given to, and applied to animals.The extensive medicinal use of Black Seed is fast becoming a staple for all Australian households through the activities of Australian company- Hab Shifa, who have been at the forefront of this project by introducing 100% pure Black Seed products that have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia. Hab Shifa Black Seed products can be found in over 350 health and retail stores across Australia. As is common in both the conventional and complementary world of medicine, a product is first researched for its effectiveness, and if successful, is given the all-clear to be used by the masses. The case of the Black Seed is indeed the inverse of this. As research continues into the healing properties of the Black Seed, it is a further example of modern science continuing to catch up in validating that which was foretold to us over 1400 years ago. Shakira Salahudeen is Business Development Manager for Hab Shifa- Australia’s leading manufacturer of Black Seed Products. For further information on research on the Black Seed and stockists visit: www.habshifa.com.au

The Black Seed: Nature’s miracle cure by Shakira Salahudeen

Islamic scriptures such as the Hadith, while traditional use of the seed has been famously documented to be used by Cleopatra as part of her beauty regime. The seeds were even found inside the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen (presumably placed with the belief the seeds would accompany him into the next life). The Black Seed has been traditionally used as a natural remedy for several diseases and ailments. The protective and healing properties of the Black Seed are so remarkably comprehensive that for thousands of years people have regarded it as a miracle cure. The seeds can be ingested whole, however are more effective when in oil form as it is more concentrated and can be used for both ingestion and topical use. The oil of the Black Seed seed is most effective when derived through the cold-pressed method.

Black Seed Oil owes is potency to key components such as aromatic oils, trace elements, vitamins and enzymes. It contains 58% of essential fatty acids including omega 6 and omega 3. These play a vital part in the forming of Prostaglandin E1 which balances and strengthens the immune system giving it the power to prevent infections and allergies and control chronic illnesses. At present, over 100 different constituents have been identified in the Black Seed. These work synergistically, giving it the tremendous potency and power to regulate immune function. The long-standing knowledge of the healing properties of the Black Seed has been the focal point of interest to many scientists around the world. Since 1959, there have been hundreds of


CFN 17891

(Qurban)Eid Sacrifice

أضحية العيد

$120 QURBANThe qurban will be slaughtered, shippedand distributed to the following countries:• Lebanon • Palestine• Egypt • Jordan• Iraq • Bosnia• Kosovo • Indonesia• Fiji • Sudan• Eritrean Refugees

$90 QURBANThe qurban will be slaughtered locally and distributed in the following countries:• Somalia • Pakistan• Kashmir • Bangladesh• Sri Lanka • Afghanistan• India

“Oh people, it is compulsory for every household to make a sacrifice yearly” (Narrated by Al-Tirmithi & Ibn Maja)

To participate in the Eid Al Adha Sacrifice (Qurban) project, you can choose one of the following donation payment options:

• By Phone: 1300 760 155

• Online: www.humanappeal.org.au

• By Mail: Please make all cheques and money orders to:Human Appeal InternationalPO Box 406Lakemba NSW 2195

• In person:

Sydney office:119 Haldon St Lakemba NSW 2195Tel: (02) 9750 3161 Fax: (02) 9750 2524

Melbourne office:149 Sydney Rd Coburg VIC 3058Tel: (03) 9386 4677 Fax: (03) 9386 4688

قال ر�سول اهلل �سلى اهلل عليه و�سلم:

»يااأيها النا�س، اإن على كل اأهل بيت يف كل عام اأ�سحية«اأخرجه اإبن ماجة والرتمذي


Events

Queensland Police Service/Muslim Community Consultative GroupMeeting Dates:Wednesday 18 May 2011Wednesday 10 August 2011Wednesday 16 November 2011Venue:Metropolitan South Regional Office 1993 Logan Road, Upper Mt GravattTime: 6.30pmALL WELCOMEFor more information and RSVP:Sergeant Jim Bellos at [email protected]

Algester Mosque ActivitiesLadies Tafsir Classes: Every second Wednesday (after Esha)Mens Tafsir Classes: Every second Wednesday (after Esha)Khatam-e-Ghausia: Thursday nights (after Esha)For more info please check http://isoa.com.au

Inspiration talk, pizza, BBQ, fun and games – Topics that are relevant, Iman- boosting and mind-capturing.Where: AMYN Islamic Youth Centre, 16/157 North Road, WoodridgeWhen: Every Saturday, after MaghribInfo: www.AMYNweb.com All are invited

8th Annual Fun RunON SUNDAY 18th SEPTEMBER on a perfect Spring Brisbane morning more than 400 men, women, boys and girls of every age and fitness level took part in CresWalk2011 at Orleigh Park, West End.The 8th annual Fun Run, the flagship of Crescents of Brisbane, was another flawlessly and professionally organized event by the CresWalk Team in which everybody was able to participate in some form or the other, whether by running or walking for a PB, strolling along the Brisbane River with family and friends or simply enjoying the post run brunch in the park put on by the Team.All finishers were presented with a CresWalk2011 commemorative mug and there were a host of random draw prizes that included a brand new Kindle and a $250 Visa cash card.With the monies raised at Crescafe at Eidfest last month and the $5 from each CresWalk entry fee Crescents of Brisbane raised $5 000 for the the Horn of Africa Famine Appeal which was handed to Muslim Aid Australia during the presentations.The Haje Ebrahim Patel/Crescents of Brisbane Special Achievement Award for 2011 was presented to Mr. Farouk Adam by president of Crescents of Brisbane, Mustafa Ally who spoke of Mr. Adam's long and generous involvement with the community.Crescents of Brisbane thanks Mohammed and Mairoon Ally of Nandos Mt Gravatt for their sponsorship of, and wholehearted participation, in this year's CresWalk as well the Queensland Government and Multicultural Affairs Queensland and the many sponsors of the random draw prizes and other contributors who made it such a memorable event for so many.

CATEGORY WINNERS CATEGORY WINNERSPram/Wheelchair Male David Forde 11-15 yrs Male Mahmoud AbdallahPram/Wheelchair Female Sarah Mehmet 11-15 yrs Female Nadia Mohamed Yusuf Under 11 yrs Male Muhammed Abdallah 16-25 yrs Male Abdur Rahman Abdallah Under 11 yrs Female Maryam Abdallah 16-25 yrs Female Sameera Bhagoo

CATEGORY WINNERS CATEGORY WINNERS26-39 yrs Male Ahmed Abdvel Yazid 60-74 yrs Male Mohammed Noor Osman 26-39 yrs Female Kristina Petrovski 60-74 yrs Female Farida Omar 40-59 yrs Male Anver Omar 75+ yrs Male Yusuf Suleman 40-59 yrs Female Helen Abrahams 75+ yrs Female Hawa Meer

The Haje Ebrahim Patel/Crescents of Brisbane Special Achievement Award for 2011 was presented to Mr. Farouk Adam by president of Crescents of Brisbane, Mustafa Ally.

Date Day Event

30 October Sunday Glamour Ladies Charity Soiree

Organizer Scherhazade Indian Restaurant

Venue Scherhazade Indian Restaurant, 668 Wynnum Road, Morningside

Contact 0422 191 675

Time 6.30pm for 7pm

Date Day Event

7 November Monday (tentative) Eid-ul-Adha

Date Day Event

11-12 Nov Fri & Sat Dreamworld 2011

Organizer Dreamworld

Venue EIDFEST Dreamworld

Contact 0418 722 353

Time 6pm to 12pm

Date Day Event

19 November Saturday Kuraby Mosque OPEN DAY: “Building Bridges of Understanding”

Organizer FAMSY & Kuraby Mosque

Venue Kuraby Mosque

Contact TBA

Time TBA

Date Day Event

27 November Sunday (tentative) Islamic New Year

Date Day Event

3 December Saturday Annual Jalsa

Organizer Darra Madrassah

Venue Darra Mosque, 219 Douglas St, Oxley

Contact 0434 195 648

Time After Maghrib

Date Day Event

4 December Sunday Annual Multicultural Festival

Organizer Islamic Society of Bald Hills

Venue MASJID TAQWAH, 119 Telegraph Rd, Bald Hills

Contact 0429 380 537

Time 10am to 4pm

Date Day Event

6 December Tuesday (tentative) Day of Ashura

If you like your masjid or organisation’s events listed on QMT’s events

page please email us on [email protected] – please provide details of event and a contact number.



AHHH, SUMMER! What do you remember of the lazy days of summer when you were a child? What were the best times? What did you look forward to all year long? What new experiences did you have that taught you new things about the world, your talents, and yourself? For parents in two-job and three-job households, the anticipation of the fun of summer is lost in the pressured rush of figuring out child care, camps, and whether or not a vacation is financially possible this year. But it’s important to think, for a moment, about what opportunities summer does bring, both conventional, and unconventional!

There are chances to play more fullyThe chance to play all day, every day is wonderful for children. They need those long days and weeks with no pressure to perform, pass tests, or prove themselves, except by their own choosing. Play is the natural habitat of children. At play, they are using all their minds and their hearts to learn and grow.We can relax some of the rules and worries we usually live by to let fuller play happen. Having water fights in the yard, playing hide and seek at dusk in the neighbourhood, staying at the park until it’s nearly dark, making a mud hole and some really thick “chocolate” cakes in it, making a tent from a sheet in the back yard as a hideout, spitting watermelon seeds as far as you can—these are the kinds of play that don’t require electricity, don’t require any purchases. They just take imagination and a “Sure, that sounds great!” attitude from a parent.Any play that includes laughter (and doesn’t include tickling or making fun of someone) is play that helps children grow strong. They gain confidence in the goodness of others as they laugh. They feel like there’s genius in the air when they laugh. And, chuckle by chuckle, they shake loose from their fears and worries.

There are chances to learn in unusual waysWhen you have a toddler nearly ready to use the toilet, you can allow him or her to roam the back yard naked, learning to master bodily functions in a place where there can be no “accident.” When you have a child who’s afraid of the dark, you can sleep outside with her when the moon is full, to see what it’s like to have it be light all night long without a night light. When you have a child afraid of the water at the pool, you can try to stick your toe in, and then run playfully away, “afraid” of the water, so he can laugh while you “borrow” his difficulty for a half hour or so. When you’ve got a child who chews her fingernails, you can grab a puppet, and let the puppet want a nibble, getting some laughter going as your child denies

the poor puppet a taste. Summer means that fresh new things can happen, usual boundaries can flex, and parents can relax a bit more around play that one wouldn’t allow when life has to be more structured.

There are chances to learn to help children with the feeling of boredomSome summer days can lose their sparkle. Children feel listless, and say they are bored. You’ll notice that there actually are things they could do, and people they could play with, but they are missing that sense of adventure that can turn a simple piece of paper and a scissors into an experiment with hat making, or airplane crafting, or cut out design. The feeling inside of them is actually the problem, not any lack of things to do.As far as I can tell, when children say they’re bored, they really are telling you that they don’t feel connected enough to feel hopeful. So rather than become irritated that they don’t appreciate all the things they have, or all the time you’ve spent trying to make them happy, move in close. Lie down with them, or next to them, where they languish. Don’t try to solve the problem of what to do. But do look pleased to be with them. Do cuddle. Do just stay there with them, until they can absorb your presence and your attention. If you want, after several moments of just lying with your child, paying attention but not prodding, you can begin musing about things they could do. But be silly in your suggestions. Suggest things like, “Well, we could start a booger collection and pick all our noses and see how much we can get, and figure out where to store it!” “We could try to give Bowser an airplane ride like you get on my feet!” or “We could hide under the bed when Daddy gets home, and see how long it would take for him to find us.” or “I could lick your toes and see how they taste!” or “I could shake you upside down, and see if that gives you any ideas at all,” or “We could put a cotton ball on the overhead fan, and then turn it on, and see what happens!”Any silly idea will do. You’re not trying to solve the problem of what to do. You’re trying to get a bit of laughter going, and then a bit more, and then even more. While children are laughing, the bridge between you and them rebuilds. Your silly ideas, and the release of laughter, jumpstarts their minds. Soon, they know what they want to do again. If not, they become irritated with you, and your presence becomes more and more of a bother. They work themselves into a good cry, which is the other way children clear their minds of emotional sludge, and regain their enthusiasm for life. Stay. Listen to what a dumb day they are having, and how you are a stupid parent because you won’t let them x, y or z. To really get the

awful feelings out, they need a safe person to serve as their target. That would be you! You don’t have to believe that this is their full and final evaluation of your parenting. It’s not. It’s just what they need to do to get the tears going strong, so they can come back to you and feel their love for you again when they have finished.Holidays provide the chance to help children over big behavioural humpsFor children, the best thing about holidays is that their parents aren’t so busy. The prolonged contact (which often starts in the car or on a plane) gives children’s emotional minds a sense of greater safety. This, in turn, translates into children trying to set up chances to heal from the harder times they’ve had. Feelings bubble up from a child’s emotional memory that were stored there during times of forced separation, strict boundaries, or tense parent preoccupation with adult issues.

the early rising. They also took care to give their boys Special Time—each of them took one son, and did an hour of Special Time each day, trading boys back and forth from one day to the next for it. The boys were also getting unusual treats: special foods, lots of fun in the water, and even a video or two, usually forbidden at home.By the third day, their older son, who has been an edgy, tightly wound child from the beginning, launched into a big cry. The pretext was small, but the theme was, “You never take me anywhere!” He went on for very long time. His next upset was, “You never buy me anything,” launched right after he’d been allowed to buy a new toy. He was clearing out old feelings that the new and relaxed situation had shoved up for healing. The parents guess that, over the next week, he cried a total of 4 or 5 hours, hard! They listened and didn’t hurry him. Yes, it was disappointing at times, but they decided to trust his sense of what he needed to do at any one time. His little brother

Ahhh, Summer!by Patty Wipfler, Hand in Hand Parenting www.handinhandparenting.org

edited by Tasmiya Hussein

When the family comes together and spends extended time, a child’s limbic system, the seat of her emotions, gets the signal that life is better than usual. Feelings that don’t correspond to the closeness, the ease, or the sense of relaxation pop up, ready to be released. Those feelings, held in storage for days or months or years, don’t match the present circumstances. It’s as if the limbic system says, “Hey, we have a wad of xyz upset in here that is old and taking up lots of space. The world isn’t xyz any longer. Let’s heave it on out!” and up comes the upset, right at the time when parents are trying to relax and enjoy their children.If you’re not ready for your children’s emotional cleansing sessions, you’ll be irritated for sure. You’ll think, “This ungrateful kid can’t tell that we’ve practically stood on our heads to get her to Jungle World. And now she’s crying because we won’t buy her a second stuffed animal! What have I done wrong to raise such a child!?”If you have managed to remember that, when conditions are especially good, children then cry about when they weren’t wonderful, so they can leave the emotional debris of that past incident behind, you’ll think, “Well, this is a hassle for sure. But here we are, we don’t have anywhere we have to be. We can sit here and listen to her cry about wanting a second stuffed animal. We can just keep saying ‘No,’ and loving her. That’s what she needs, and that’s what we’ve got. Time and love. The rest of the people here we’ll never see again. If they are bothered by us, they can find another gift shop.”Here’s how it worksOne of our Hand in Hand mums went with her husband and her two sons on holiday to Hawaii. It was a very special trip. The whole family went through a three-hour time change, and this upset sleep and family rhythms for the first day or two. They used Playlistening—wild wrestling and pillowfights in the morning—to help relax her children, who were tense with the changes and

also had some really big cries, the most obvious of which was one sitting on the jetway on the way home, refusing to walk because the airline attendant had handed his brother a boarding pass after scanning it, but not him.The parents were feeling a bit badly done to, as they had imagined an idyllic time, full of play and enjoyment, but finding at least one big long cry each day was being chosen by one or the other or both of their sons.When they returned, they noticed a huge payoff in the behavior of their oldest. He was one who had always refused to touch a vegetable. He began showing off, eating every vegetable at dinner, and salad for breakfast! He would never clear his plate from the table. “It’s too heavy,” was his usual excuse. After the holiday, he has been showing his parents how many plates he can carry at once—he is up to five at a time! He would never allow his mum to help him with spelling or other homework. Any suggestion was rebuffed, or taken as a criticism. After holiday, presto! He was easy to work with, interested in suggestions, open to help. The boys’ mum says that they have a neighbour who gives very few compliments, and who has known her son since infancy. A week after they came home, he said to her, “Your son has become so flexible, so easygoing! I’ve never seen him like this.”She is sure that what allowed this progress to happen was the close family time, and the Special Time, Playlistening, and Staylistening they did. They hadn’t planned to create an emotional “spa” for their children. But children know when an opportunity is at hand, and they’ll go for healing and a better connection any chance they have.May your holiday offer such chancesMay you remember that your children’s upsets are the beginning of a summer growth spurt, a healthy sign that they love you and trust you to care.


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SPRING preparations

by Nimisha of Hetvi Hait & Beauty HEY GIRLS, SPRING IS JUST around the corner and this means that we will have to stare preparing for it more properly.Cleaning the house is not the only thing that you will have to do.The best thing for your body right now is to start a cleansing and beauty program.One of the first things that you will have to do is to improve the way your hair looks.With a different color of hair you will look great. Some highlights will also make you look wonderful even if you don’t change the color of your hair radically.You could also opt for semi-permanent colouring (may be Heena colour) as it will help you go through a transition stage before you actually make the transformation.

Moisture BalanceOne of the hardest things to conquer with hair is proper moisture.Just when you get your hair all moisturized to combat the dry season, it gets wet and humid, and then the sun comes out and wreaks havoc on your locks.As the weather starts to warm up and the humidity in the air increases, it’s time to change your conditioning habits. It does not mean that you need to stop conditioning, just make a few adjustments. If you deep condition once a week in the winter months, change it to every other week. If you use a heavy daily conditioner in the dry season, try changing to a lighter moisture or balancing conditioner. The rule of thumb with moisture is to listen to your hair. If you notice static, dry ends, a lot of tangles, or if your hair feels rough to the touch you are lacking moisture and need to add a deep conditioning treatment or a moisturizing conditioner to your hair routine. If your hair is limp or oily, start cutting back on the moisture.When you are not looking to change the color of your hair then you may want to change your make-up.For instance, you can use a little pick blush, some mascara and gloss and your look is done!Just remember, sometimes less is more.It is advisable to eat more vegetables in the spring and also, if you don’t have the habit of drinking 2l of water a day then you should start now.You might also want to resort to some specialized hydrating treatments for your hair in order to get rid of the dry hair.Clearly there are a lot of things that we have to take care of during the spring and these are just some of the most important issues.So here we go, take care and always look beautiful.

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! Just as we farewell one Eid, we greet another. I am of course referring to Eid Ul Adha. When we talk about Eid, the very first thing that strikes to mind is Eid shopping! Most women focus on their Eid dress and shoes along with decorated hands with Henna and bangles and of course another important component of your outfit is your handbag or clutch. A lot of the time we stress ourselves into a frenzy looking for the perfect outfit which sometimes doesn’t even exist as we have to make so many adjustments. In amidst the panic we neglect to see that we have the option to reinvent our existing wardrobe or new additions by adding seasonal accessories. Use fashion clutches and brooches in bloom as a style tip for this Eid to enhance the elegance and glamour of your ensemble. This essentially means that you don’t have to break the bank and can therefore draw attention to your impeccable taste. A tip for this Eid is to carry smart and trendy fashion clutches that will put an exclamation mark on your Eid outfit in addition to your other accessories.Fashion clutches and handbags are available in a variety of styles, sizes and colours. In order to complete your stylish and sophisticated statement find a clutch that is playful and makes a statement yet versatile enough that you can wear it with different outfits. If your budget is flexible then allow your clutch to speak a little louder and find yourself a bold colour with some detail and perhaps a pair of shoes to match.Of course it need not end there; from golden bangles to chunky chains and cocktail rings, there’s nothing like a great piece of jewellery to finish off an outfit. When it comes to hijab style, earrings are not typically worn as an accessory and therefore the emphasis is usually on bracelets and rings. For a long time, I didn’t really consider necklaces as a hijab-friendly option for my hijab always covered them up. But…. luckily, extra-long necklaces are trendy right now and it’s easy to find necklaces that are long and substantial enough to be worn with hijab.Now we all know that my favourite style tip for your wardrobe is to invest in a flattering maxi dress and/or maxi skirt and with the fast onset of the warm weather your layering skills may need updating. To avoid the heat overwhelming you must be smart when choosing your inners for such pieces. There are two options with maxis: wear a cotton inner in a contrasting colour which is great to conceal the halter maxis low v neck or wear a cotton cardigan over the dress which still covers you appropriately. With the inner be mindful not to wear it too tight as it will accentuate your shape. The great thing about the maxi as I have mentioned before is the ability to dress it up or down. As Eid is a day event enjoy the use of colour and take advantage of the seasons soft flowing fabrics which enhance the Hijab friendly option. Kaftans are also a great alternative and can be worn with loose pants in a cool linen or crepe fabric. Be sure though to ensure that either piece is NOT transparent as you may compromise your hijab. As a final note if you would like to stay safe with your outfit by choosing neutral colours introduce some colour into your accessories as mentioned above. If you’re feeling extra adventurous maybe even try a hat and don’t forget to have fun!

Handy Hijab Hints:Invest in a range of coloured under caps for your hijab and find some various styles to suit your looks.Also stock yourself with good quality safety pins for fixing your scarf and small pins for shaping and securing your fabric in place. Beware of cheap imitations!Find yourself some cool inners and slips for your dresses to avoid transparency issues and cotton is a Hijabi’s best friend in summer!

Choose your styleBy Jas Sanghera


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Double Awards for Janeth DeenISLAMIC WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION of Qld hosted a morning tea and luncheon to Honour Janeth Deen's Achievements in the Community on 13th September. In late August Janeth Deen was also awarded the 2011 Premier's Awards for Queensland Seniors by the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women, Karen Struthers MP in Parliament House.

left to right) Premier Anna Bligh, Ms Janeth Deen and Ms Karen Struthers MP

Ms Janeth Deen with IWAQ president Fatima Abdelkarim

AS WE HAVE ALREADY mentioned, most people run around on automatic pilot the vast majority of the time doing the same things in the same way over and over again. Why? Because, if you continue to think the way you have always thought, you will continue to do what you have always done. That means, most of the thoughts you have today are the same thoughts you had yesterday and these same recurring thoughts keep creating the same experiences for you. If you want to change your actions you must first change your thoughts. Your possibilities and potential are truly limitless, so if you wish to stop recreating the same negative experiences, you must choose to change who you are by thinking differently.You can change who you are by changing what you put into your mind; for example, don’t allow your thoughts to ponder on the

toxic waste the media would like to dump on you. There is a saying, “garbage in, garbage out” and it proves only too true with your thought life. Beware the rubbish coming at you from so many different directions in society which will try to mould you to its shape and have you ingest its pollution. Don’t allow problems and difficulties to overwhelm you and consume your thought life and don’t wait until circumstances change. Instead, realise that circumstances won’t ever change until you make the switch from a negative to a positive form of thinking. Do you speak the words, “I am all right, under the circumstances”? It is preferable that you always see yourself above the circumstances and controlling them; don’t allow them to control you. Certainly it’s not easy to do, especially in the midst of dark times and trials.

So what can you do?First, you can take your thoughts captive. You can only think one thought at a time, so determine to keep your thoughts in the positive realm by concentrating on your assets and focusing on your strengths. Make an effort to free your mind from distracting thoughts and restless thinking. The negatives will try to intrude but stay aware of them and deliberately concentrate on the good that can come out of a situation. Second, be confident in yourself that you can win. Stay around people who have faith in your abilities to overcome the situation and who will help strengthen your resolve. Third, take action and work towards resolving your difficulties. There are many paths you can take to a solution and if you keep your thoughts harnessed in that direction and take the necessary action, you will be free.It is also important to make an effort to free yourself from your past. Don’t wallow in it; instead leave it where it should be – behind you. Face toward your hope for the future and enjoy the ‘now’. Recognise that you do have the power to change your self-talk from the depressive to the enthusiastic. Just make sure you don’t leave a void when you get rid of polluted thinking; fill the void with positive and constructive thoughts and make an effort to think well of everyone.One of the main problems with changing from one kind of thinking to another is “habit”. It is so easy to get into the habit of thinking a certain way and when it becomes automatic one rarely questions why things are as they are. Many habits of thought begin in our childhood when we learn to keep things to ourselves to keep out of trouble. Keeping our worries to ourself or blaming outside forces for every negative situation that happens to us becomes

the safe thing to do and as we grow into adults it becomes automatic. This can mean that we become poor communicators with our family and friends and instead of keeping us safe these habits can, instead, cause distress.When you decide you need to change your thoughts your mind will take time to come to terms with these changes so be gentle with yourself. Attitudes and thoughts do not change overnight; work and training are required. Make a conscious effort to change and as you become aware of your thought patterns you will start to question why you think and act the way you do. Building new habits takes time. It may take a while before your mind feels it is safe to change but by being aware of your thoughts your results will eventually be all that you could wish for.Finally, learn from others. When you have decided on and are happy with the thought processes you want to build into your belief system, find the people who best mirror what you want and interact with them on a regular basis. The goal is not to become a carbon copy of those people but to learn from the experts, listen to new ideas, observe different ways of thinking and then try to amalgamate those ideas with your own beliefs.

* Zaffar Khan is a Brisbane based author, speaker, lifecoach and businessman.

Changing the Thought Processby Zaffar Khan


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