Ramadan 2023

Editor in Chief:

Fawaz Chawk

Creative Director: Omar Alhashemi

Editorial Secretary:

Dr. Abdul M. Kamareddine

Layout: (OVISION)

Sydney: Monzer Gabr Adelaide: Ahmed Zreika

In Ramadan REFLECT ON ONE’S OWN DEEDS AND DON’T FORGET YOUR NEIGHBOUR

The great significance of the month of Ramadan is its blessing, uniqueness and distinction from other months. It is imperative that we re-evaluate many of the things we do in this holy month (some of which we will look at briefly), out of respect for its significance and appreciation of its symbolism, in order to honour its significance and to gain benefit from it.

Consult your conscience!

There is no better time than these blessed days to hold the conscience accountable and reawaken it, especially the conscience of those within particular institutions and associations, whose hands are stained with corruption and have fallen under the effects of money, temptations and impulse. Thus, they mismanage the administration, make mistakes and harness these institutions to satisfy their personal desires and to serve their relatives, as well as those similarly close and corrupt by employing them and bringing them to the decision centers in twisted ways. Then we see them organising Ramadan Iftars and pretending to be pious and holy, captivating those with their words as they stand on the platforms in front of guests, talking about the great meanings of this holy month. All this without paying attention to themselves, their ill will, and to their actions which are contrary to the simplest rules of Sharia, ethics and generosity.

They have stabbed the holy month of Ramadan twice; once when they did not respect the value of this month and its great spirit and meanings through their insolence that led them to organise iftar’s and give speeches scandalous to their owners, Rigid as their hearts, Empty as their minds, As discredited as they are unconscionable, It hurts everyone with a conscience.

The second stab came about when they discounted the objectives of this Iftar by publishing exhibition photos on social media, through

which they boasted about the presence of so-and-so!

Don’t forget your neighbour Ramadan Iftar is a generous tradition and a bridge for communication and connection between the members of society. It must be adhered to within certain parameters in order to link it to the essence and meaning of this holy month. Additionally, we must emphasise the moral, social, cultural and human dimensions of it, and the opportunity to benefit others who are not Muslims. You will not find a more favourable opportunity than the holy month of Ramadan to introduce yourself to others, as well as your morals, culture, humanity, truth and the significance of this holy month, which all stem from the spiritual, psychological and health benefits of fasting, and end with the zakat Al-Fitr.

Inviting your non-Muslim neighbour (whether a neighbour from home, work or mosque) to a simple Iftar, and sharing a Ramadan dish, is superior to holding large exhibitions that contain delicious dishes and sweets, surrounded by tables that carry a lot of extravagance but that ultimately, is a waste of money, food and time.

• Ramadan is a holy month, let us remember its virtue and honour its worth

• it is also the blessed month; let us take advantage of the time for self-improvement and accountability

• It is a generous month. Let us take His generosity and direct it towards the right place.

• Finally, let us have mercy on ourselves, let us have mercy on each another, and let us do what pleases the Most Merciful.

May Allah accept your fasting, prayers and obedience.

May you be blessed this year and every year!

Ramadan Mubarak

كراج ىسنت لا

ةداع يه ةيناضمرلا تاراطفلإا

براقتلاو لصاوتلل رسجو ةميرك

نم دب لا نكل

يشاحملا

ريثكلا لمحت دئاوم ،قابطلااو

لاملا يف ريذبتلاو فارسلاا نم .تقولاو ماعطلاو

فرعنلف ليضف رهش ناضمر -

هقح هيطعنو هلضف نم هنم دفتسنلف كرابم رهشو -

سفنلا ةعجارم لجأ همرك نم ذخأنلف ميرك رهشو -

بسانملا ناكملا

CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE TO BE REBUILD AFTER TERROR ATTACK

An international donor has pledged $10 million to rebuild the Christchurch Mosque where a terror attack took place in 2019.

United Arab Emirates Foundation is known for funding multi-milliondollar buildings around the world. They have assigned an Australian architect to come up with a design for the new Mosque.

The new Mosque will replace the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch. The Imam of the Linwood Islamic Centre said that he shed tears of joy after dignitaries promised to rebuild the Mosque where 51 worshippers died in 2019.

“The Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation paid off the existing building’s mortgage of more than $137,000, purchased the land in front of it, and promised to build “the best mosque in New Zealand” in its place, he said.”

Imam Abdul Lateef also mentioned that everyone in the community was happy when they got to hear the news. The new Mosque will also be the biggest one in the country. The new project will include a 325-square-metre Mosque next to a

tolerance Centre. Offices, lecture theatres, functions rooms, two apartments and three retail spaces will be a part of the Centre.

Taoufik El Idrissi, the spokesman for the foundation, said that it was a profound gesture and the community deserves it. He also said that the foundation is committed to funding the project despite the recent conflicts within the Linwood Mosque’s Trust. The only condition for the funding is that there will be no hate speech or politics and only the foundation will decide who will run it. He also claimed that this

Zealand community in general. Dr Hasan Alijagic donated his skills to design the building. He is an Australian engineer and said that he was appalled by the actions of the Australian terrorist. He also

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER

RAMADAN

I would like to wish all Australian Muslims a Ramadan Mubarak as you begin the holy month of Ramadan.

The shared experience of Ramadan brings Muslims together in prayer, service and hospitality. It is a moment to pause and reflect with friends and family.

I have had Ramadan described to me as “starving the body to feed to soul”.

As your soul is nourished, I hope you feel a strong sense of reconnection with your faith.

This year is especially significant as I look forward to breaking fast alongside my colleagues Minister Ed Husic, Minister Anne Aly and Senator Fatima Payman.

I am proud to lead a Government that includes Australia’s first Muslim Ministers, and represents and celebrates the diversity of beliefs and experiences of modern Australia.

Ramadan Mubarak.

RAMADAN: A JOURNEY OF SELF-LEADERSHIP

Like last year, many of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims observe fasting this year. Ramadan is considered the holiest month of the year when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset for thirty days as an act of worship.

It is a journey that was prescribed by Allah swt and always there is great wisdom behind every divine ruling. My belief that is there is a great deal that is hidden behind this holy month that is usually rooted in social gatherings.

Starting with the words of Allah swt through which He mentioned the main reason behind His enjoining of fasting upon Muslims and even upon the people who came before us, as He says in the Holy Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Observe fasting as it was prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the pious ones” (Qur’an, 2:183).

Attaining piety means doing the right things which God has enjoined and avoiding bad things which He has forbidden. It is about training the self to be the best version in character while practicing the rituals. This involves the cultivation of good habits.

Adopting an approach of self-leadership practice while attaining piety, I hope to help bring a self-leadership pattern that you can follow during the whole month of Ramadan and build your personal strategic plan that is based on a principle-based compass for determining your direction and fulfilling your potential. This compass is based on the acronym FAITH which stands for: focus, awareness, identify, talk the walk, and hold the bar.

At the core of the personal strategic plan is

focusing on your strengths and discovering your uniqueness which is critical to your professional and personal development.

• This first strategy is a blend of spiritual meditation and self-reflection. It is your roadmap of action for the upcoming years –providing a basis for a determination on how to be up to the task and how to maintain balance in each aspect of your life and when to take corrective steps if something is going out of balance so you become a more effective servant leader and a person and a good community member.

• The second strategy to follow is selfawareness which leads to accepting responsibility for your own actions, so you don’t blame and accuse others when things go wrong, and you continuously change for the better and accept challenges.

• The third strategy is identifying your own values that can help you improve your affinity and connection with your God almighty, with your family, and with the people around you. They are ethics or ideals that guide you when building relationships, problem-solving, and decisionmaking.

Correspondingly, identifying your core values can help you develop and achieve personal and professional goals. Also, incorporating your personal values in your personal and professional life helps you to stand out as a good person and a leader.

SELF-LEADERSHIP

• As a fourth strategy and instead of saying walk the talk I would say, it is safer to say Talk the walk. Do the right thing and be a role model then talk about it to motivate people around you as examples to follow.

According to main religious teaching of the major world religions, the same basic universal principles as: “you can’t have trust without being trustworthy”, “actions are more important than words”, and “righteousness is about having good character” (Prophet pbuh), “How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do”, (Qur’an 61:3).

“Allah does not change the condition of people unless they change what is in themselves” (Qur’an 13:11).

With its emphasis on changing character first, these verses of the Qur’an provide a powerful tool for a positive paradigm shift. It is a new level of thinking, it’s a principle-based approach that stems from an “inside-out” approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness. It means to start first with self: if you want to be trusted, be trustworthy. The is inside-out approach according to Covey is “the lasting solutions to problems and lasting happiness and success.” On the contrary, the outside-in paradigm is unhappy people who always feel victimised and focus on the weaknesses of other people and the circumstances they feel are responsible for their sluggish situation.

• The fifth strategy is holding the bar and establishing your standard of performance. It is about holding yourself accountable to the set standards.

Most of us have long-term goals and visions that we want to work toward but struggle in the daily habits that can get us there. The second step to do after implementing the above strategies is to find an accountability buddy – a good friend or colleague – who cares about you. You can share your

goals with this buddy and call on them when you are struggling. The bottom line is, no matter how many goals you have set for yourself, you have to do the work. You have to hold yourself accountable for the choices you make and the consequences they bring.

Accordingly, the above compass that I am talking about is the one through which we are able to distinguish between right and wrong and is the one that is based on universal principles such as integrity, honesty, fairness, dignity, kindness, quality of service, and patience.

As the fasting month returns each year, we must deepen our understanding of what these important characteristics of the Prophet (pbuh) teach us to be. It is about serving people and showing honesty and integrity to others.

Also, the month of Ramadan requires us to come closer to ourselves and to recognise our limits: we must, throughout this journey contemplate, reflect on the meaning of fasting and purify our hearts. Seen in this light, the fast calls into rethinking the quality of our relationships with our fellow human beings and serving all those imprisoned by poverty, injustice, or ignorance.

In calling upon us to master our desires and to think about others, the fast calls into questions that we should answer: Can we focus on our strengths and serve others? Can we show respect with honesty and truthfulness sentiment to others? How are we to find our way to a deeper humanitarian journey, and to move beyond selfishness? What does it mean to serve others with love?

Truly to fast is to worship; to worship is to love.

Ramadan Moubarak

MESSAGE FROM HON MARK McGOWAN MLA

PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

I extend my best wishes for the fasting month of Ramadan to readers of Al Wasat Magazine and all members of the Australian Muslim communities. Australia is fortunate to be home to Muslims who have come here from all parts of the world, as well as many others who were born here. Every one of them has brought their skills, energy and strength for the benefit of this nation.

The Western Australian Government recognises Western Australia’s cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity as one of our greatest strengths and appreciates the extensive

contributions made by our Muslim communities to the advancement of our State.

I wish you, your families and communities a peaceful and serene month of Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem!

Mark McGowan MLA PREMIER

TARAWEEH

This nightly congregational salah (prayer) is performed after the ‘Isha salah. Traditionally, a Hafiz of the Qur’an, a person who has memorized the whole Qur’an (in Arabic), leads the prayer. He recites the Qur’an in small portions, in proper sequence, every night and completes the recitation of the whole Qur’an before the end of the month of Ramadan. Every Muslim who attends such prayers regularly gets the opportunity of listening to the whole Qur’an in a month. If a Hafiz of the

Qur’an is not available, the Muslim who has memorized the most in a group leads the prayer and recites according to his ability. In the absence of a Hafiz some Muslims hold the Qur’an in the hand during their salah and read from it. Many Islamic scholars cite the sunnah (way) of the Prophet(S) that he always prayed during the night alone in his apartment whether it was Ramadan or not and same was the habit of many of his great companions.

en.islamway.net

6 TIPS FOR SCHOOLS HOW TO SUPPORT MUSLIM STUDENTS DURING RAMADAN

Ramadan is one of the most special and meaningful events of the Islamic calendar, observed by millions of Muslims around the world. During this incredible month, Muslims engage in a period of fasting, abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs from sunrise to sunset. It’s a time for spiritual reflection, devotion, and generosity. For Muslim students in public schools in Australia, navigating Ramadan can present some unique challenges, especially when it comes to their school routines. The good news is that schools in Australia can play a vital role in supporting their Muslim students during Ramadhan.

Ramadan Dates

The dates of Ramadan shift slightly each year, as it is based on the Islamic lunar calendar. Schools should ensure that they are aware of the dates of Ramadan and make necessary arrangements to support their Muslim students during this time. Schools can communicate the dates of Ramadan to all students and staff and ensure that they are aware that many Muslim students may be fasting during this month.

Adjust the schedule

During Ramadan, Muslim students may need to adjust their school schedule to accommodate their fasting. Schools can consider adjusting the timetable to allow for shorter days or early pick up times for Muslim students who are fasting during Ramadhan. This will enable Muslim students to leave school early to break their fast and rest before continuing with their studies. Schools can also consider rescheduling exams or assessments or avoid scheduling

them during fasting times.

Provide a quiet prayer space

Schools can provide a designated prayer space for Muslim students to pray and reflect during Ramadan. This can be a quiet room or a quiet, clean area maybe in the school library or a quiet corner of the classroom for this purpose, during Ramadan. This will help Muslim students to stay connected to their faith during Ramadan and support their spiritual well-being. If possible, a prayer space should really be made available all year around for Muslim students who would like to observant of their daily Islamic prayers.

Flexibility with PE classes

Physical education classes can be challenging for Muslim students during Ramadan, particularly if they are fasting. Schools can offer flexibility with physical education classes during Ramadan to support

their Muslim students. Schools can consider adjusting the physical education schedule or offering low-impact alternative activities for students who are fasting.

Encourage cultural sensitivity and inclusion

Schools should promote cultural sensitivity and inclusion during Ramadan. This can be done by educating other students and staff about the importance of Ramadan and the significance of fasting for Muslim students and families. Schools can encourage nonMuslim students to participate in Ramadan-related activities, such as fundraising for charity or attending local community iftar events, to promote greater understanding of different cultures and beliefs.

Eid Celebration

The end of the month of Ramadhan is marked by the traditional Eid celebrations. Each culture and family may celebrate

Eid a little differently but it’s generally a time spent together with family and loved ones. The first day of Eid sometimes falls on a weekday. Most large organisations offer cultural days off for employees to be able to spend this time together with their families. Australian schools could also give Muslim students the option the spend the first day of Eid in celebration together with their families at the end of Ramadhan.

Ramadan is an important time for Muslim students, and schools in Australia can do a lot to support them during this blessed month. By being aware of the dates of Ramadan, slightly adjusting the school schedule, providing a space for prayer and reflection, offering flexibility with PE classes, allowing a day off for Eid and encouraging cultural sensitivity and inclusion, public schools can ensure that Muslim students feel supported and included during Ramadan. These actions will not only support Muslim students, but also promote a culture of understanding and inclusion in schools in Australia.

Here are six tips for ways Australian schools can help their Muslim students feel valued and supported throughout Ramadan:

Dear Brothers and Sisters

As we approach the holy month of Ramadan, I want to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to you and your families. This is a time of reflection, generosity and compassion and Your continued support to Human Appeal Australia, is a testament to your commitment to these values.

Over the past 32 years, Human Appeal has been working tirelessly to provide vital aid to those in need around the world. From providing food, water & shelter to vulnerable families as well as supporting orphans and refugees, our programs have made a significant impact in the lives of millions of people.

However, there is still so much more that needs to be done. As we enter the blessed month of Ramadan, we are calling on our respected donors to once again help us reach even more people in need. Your support is critical to our mission, and every donation, no matter how big or small, can make a real difference.

By lending your generosity this Ramadan, you are helping Human Appeal provide vital assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Your support can help us deliver life-saving aid to those affected by conflict, natural disasters, poverty and bring hope to those who have lost everything.

As we prepare to observe Ramadan, I urge you to join us in this important mission. Your support can help us make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Thank you for your continued dedication to our cause, and may this holy month be a time of blessings and renewal for you and your loved ones.

Your sincerely,

Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Whoever helps a brother in his time of need, Allah (swt) will help him in this life & the next”. [Muslim]

)IDERD(

زييمتلا ىلع ءاضقلل يلودلا مويلا نإ لكشب فارتعال ةصرف وه يرصنعلا ةيرصنعلاو قرعلا اياضقب فداــه ككشتلاو ايلارتسأ يف ةرذجتملا

اهب لكشت يتلا ةفلتخملا قرطلا يف

انمازتلا ةفعاضمو انعمتجم ةيرصنعلا

اننكمي طقف اهدنع .ةيرصنعلا ةحفاكمب

فصنمو لداع عمتجم ءانب يف أدبن نأ

تايرحلاو قوقحلاب فرتعيو اقح .عيمجلل ةيساسلأا

يف طارــخــناــل تاــحارــتــقا

يونس عوبسأ دقع ةدحتملا مملأل

حفاكت يتلا بوعشلا عم نماضتلا نم اءدب ،يرصنعلا زييمتلاو ةيرصنعلا

مويلا ةغايصو راذآ /سرام 21 .يرصنعلا زييمتلا ىلع ءاضقلل

عمتجملا عضو ،نيحلا كلذ ذنمو

،ةيرصنعلا ةحفاكمل اراــطإ يلودلا

ءاضقلل ةيلودلا ةيقافتلااب ادشرتسم

تقدص يتلا ،يرصنعلا زييمتلا ىلع

ىدأو .1975 ماع يف ايلارتسأ اهيلع

يلارتسأ نوناق لوأ رادصإ ىلإ كلذ

وهو ،يرصنعلا زييمتلا طاشنب جلاعي

1975 ماعل يرصنعلا زييمتلا نوناق .)ثلونموك(

دارفلأا نم ريثكلا لاز ام ،كلذ

FASTING, CHARITY, PATIENCE & MORE

The fasting during Ramadan has been ordained for Muslims as fasting had been ordained for people that preceded them. Prophet Muhammad, addressing his companions on the last day of Shaban, said: “O people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night.

Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is

increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.”

[Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]

The concept of charity during Ramadan is an amazing transaction indeed. Allah owns everything but yet when we share a tiny bit with others He promises a

return for as many as up to 700 times. A simple smile is guaranteed to be rewarded. In fact sometimes a smile does more to a human soul than otherwise! And giving before being asked and giving more than what is asked, offers contentment and joy that is priceless.

Patience is a virtue. There may not be a better way to empower oneself than to practice patience. Allah tests some by giving too much and others by taking

Ramadan Ramadan Mubarak Mubarak

away the little they had. Such are the trials that everyone must go thru. This exercise deepens the self understanding and realization which helps one to subjugate impatience, intolerance and other such vices.

Let us InshaAllah practice ‘patience’ while being generous in ‘giving’, during our ‘fasting’ in this blessed month of Ramadan.

www.islamicity.org

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint”- 2:183

The Islamic Schools Association of Australia (ISAA) hosted the Inaugural Executive Leadership Retreat in an intense two days of workshops, keynote speakers, networking and collaboration on March 3rd and 4th at Al Siraat College in Melbourne.

The retreat was attended by principals and executive leadership teams from over 20 Islamic schools across Australia.

ISAA INAUGURAL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP RETREAT 2023

The program began with an opening recitation of the Qur’an followed by a welcome speech by Mr Abdullah Khan, ISAA President and the Executive Principal of Australian Islamic Colleges in Perth.

Mr Khan stated that, “The ISAA Executive Leadership Retreat was developed so member and non-member schools could join together and come up with new and innovative ideas, share ideas for improving the Islamic schooling sector in Australia, for strategic planning and to build capacity in terms of leadership.”

Mr Fazeel Arain, Co-founder and Principal at Al Siraat College, gave a welcome speech for guests, many who flew in that morning, stating, “It’s a humbling experience to have you all here. This retreat was once just a thought in someone’s mind. Allah SWT has given the human being two very powerful faculties; one is the power to think and the other is the power to act. It’s our thoughts that allow our actions to happen. This is a forum of thought leadership and unlocking our schools potentials to work more closely with each other.”

The first keynote speaker was Professor Jim Watterston, Dean and Enterprise Professor of Education Systems at University of Melbourne who gave a very insightful speech on the proactive reforms necessary in preparation for School Education in 2030 and beyond.

Professor Watterston challenged the executive leaders to

consider, “If we’re going to solve education issues within your schools and within Australia then we need to think about how do we change the paradigm? How do we change what is embedded in Australian education?”

President of Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), Mr Adel Salman, the second keynote speaker, presented on the topic of Upholding the Religious Ethos Challenge for Islamic schools, focusing on the Australian Law Reform Commission’s recommendations and the review of exemptions affecting religious institutions.

Mr. Salman presented on what Islamic schools in Australia can do and what practical steps they can take to mitigate these laws. He discussed the importance of coordinating efforts with other Islamic and faith based schools in collaboration with ISAA, raising concerns with authorities, applying holistic recruitment strategies and educating the school community. Mr Salman stated that, “It is vital that schools incorporate Islamic pedagogy into their entire curriculum.”

During the Table Talk sessions, facilitated by Mr Don Walkley, Manager of People & Culture at Al Siraat College, executive leaders had an opportunity to discuss what is currently on the agenda for their schools. This session uncovered a range of opportunities for collaboration.

The group prayed Jumuah together. A welcome speech was made by Ms Zainab Rida, College Co-Captain at Al Siraat

College and day one wrapped up with a special presentation by Mr Fazeel which explored the topic of Leadership from an Islamic Perspective, Influence of Leadership and Measuring our Impact.

Day two feaured a panel discussion with Mr Osama Akkad, College Co-Captain Al Siraat College, Ms Rahat Arain, CoFounder & Director Curriculum Learning & Innovation ASC, and Ms Aynur Simsirel, Principal Consultant at Independent Schools Victoria. Mr Abdullah Khan asked provoking questions from the panel on leadership in Islamic schools.Topics including post-COVID staff recruitment and retention strategies, leadership essentials for Islamic school leaders, and current projects were also discussed.

The plenary speech was made by Mr Mohamed Elbotaty, Head of Primary Years at Al Siraat College, while Mr Abdullah Khan, sought feedback from attendees and delivered a closing speech. Shaikh Waseem made the closing Duaa.

Al Siraat College Media students captured the event highlights for media coverage.

The Annual ISAA Executive Leadership Retreat is hosted at a different Islamic school each year. Principals and executive leadership teams from all Islamic schools in Australia are welcome to participate.

On behalf of the Bank of Sydney management and team, we convey our best wishes to the Muslim Community in Australia and around the world, for a Blessed Ramadan.

NEW PUSH FOR FAMINE PACKAGE AS POLLS SHOWS PUBLIC SUPPORT

Help Fight Famine

As a new poll shows overwhelming support for Australia’s aid effort, Australian politicians will today hear the case for a $110 million famine relief package from people who have direct experience of the growing crisis in Africa.

The YouGov poll of 1055 Australia voters for the Help Fight Famine campaign finds that despite the domestic cost of living crisis, a growing majority of Australian voters (60 per cent) support the Australian government funding overseas aid to developing countries. Support has increased from 52 per cent in 2019 and 57 per cent in 2021.

The poll also showed overwhelming support for famine relief in the Horn of Africa. A total of 65 percent of those polled believe Australia should provide

famine relief funding to the region. Of that number, 27 percent believe the amount should be $5.70 per person, or $150 million, 38 per cent thought Australia should pledge approximately $1.50 per Australian or $40 million. Sixteen percent of respondents felt Australia should not pledge any amount.

The Help Fight Famine campaign, a collaborative effort bringing together a number of foreign aid organistations, is also today releasing a new budget paper. The urgent case to save lives at a time of polycrisis, to be launched at parliament today, recommends a further $110 million in a Famine Prevention Package to stop a catastrophe in the worstaffected hunger hotspots in the Horn of Africa, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria.

It also recommends raising the annual allocation of the Humanitarian Emergency

Fund to $300 million and investing $200 million annually in a Global Food Security Strategy to fight the root causes of hunger. It also calls for a commitment to raise the aid budget to 0.5% of GNI and for this target to be locked in legislation, as a matter of urgency.

The paper notes that in the Horn of Africa around 20.2 million children face severe hunger, thirst and disease, compared to 10 million in July. One person is dying every 48 seconds in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

Congolese-Australian aid worker Lulu Mitshabu, will launch the paper.

“When children starve to death it is an unspeakable tragedy,” said Ms Mitshabu, Africa Program Coordinator at Caritas Australia.

“But we often overlook the broader effects, such as the surge in child marriages or the millions of children missing school. Australians are good and decent people

and when things are tough they chip in. We all thank Australia for its generosity and urge the Government to give what it can to save lives.”

The hunger crisis is particularly acute in Somalia, where it’s reported that up to 100,000 people have been facing ‘catastrophic hunger’ (source: OCHA).

Faysel Ahmed Selat, President of the Somali Community Association of Queensland, who is also appearing at the launch, said that the devastating impacts of the crisis in Somalia are being felt by Somali community members in Australia.

“The Somali community in Australia is deeply distressed and financially affected by what’s happening with their loved ones back home,” said Mr Selat.

“Many are going without and sending money to family members who would

otherwise have nothing. When you see your loved ones suffering from hunger, you try to support them at any cost.”

Help Fight Famine spokesperson and Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain, said Australia should invest to deal with both the immediate crisis but also have a longer-term strategy.

“In the Horn of Africa, children are starving to death in increased numbers, and across the world more people than ever go to bed hungry and wake up unsure how they’ll sustain themselves or their family. The world is getting hotter, conflicts are erupting, new and unknown diseases are emerging. But food is essential. And through science, co-operation and investment no-one needs to go hungry.”

WORKS TO START ON WORLD-CLASS BROADMEADOWS TRAINING CENTRE

Work has started on a new centre of excellence in Broadmeadows that will deliver vital training for jobs in health and community services thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney turned the first sod on Kangan Institute’s new Broadmeadows Health and Community Centre of Excellence, which was supported by a $60 million Labor Government investment.

The new centre will deliver courses in high priority areas including aged care, mental health, disability, pathology, allied health, and early childhood education and care.

The new building will have flexible learning spaces, state-of-the-art laboratories for health simulation and outdoor spaces.

The centre is being built at Kangan Institute’s Broadmeadows campus in Pearcedale Parade, with construction expected to be completed in late 2024, creating 300 jobs.

Kangan Institute has

signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with local healthcare providers, including DPV Health and Northern Health, to support future training needs.

Students studying at the centre will have access to placements through partnerships between Kangan Institute and providers.

Since 2014, the Government has made a record $3.5 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support higher education, ensuring Victorians have access to high quality education and rewarding career pathways.

“We’re delivering a new health and community training centre in the heart of Broadmeadows so students in the northern suburbs have access to world-class training facilities, securing more workers in priority industries and building key skills for the future.” the Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney said.

“This huge investment will be the Jewel in the crown for Kangan Broadmeadows, providing locals with the high- quality training

needed for the State’s most rewarding and in-demand jobs.” the Member for Broadmeadows Kathleen Matthews-Ward said.

“The Health and Community Centre of Excellence will deliver the health and community training needed to support the growing northern corridor, with students and teachers learning and teaching in state-of-the-art facilities” Kangan Institute Chief Executive Officer Sally Curtain said.

Islamic College of Melbourne

RAMADAN ASSEMBLY

Islamic college of Melbourne

The College welcomed all of our Primary students and staff with a very special Ramadan assembly. The College gym was well and truly transformed into a Ramadan-themed sanctuary for all to enjoy, with our Primary School Captains leading the morning’s program and College Principal Dr Abdul M Kamareddine reading a very special story to all of the students in attendance.

With Nasheed performances and public speaking, the assembly had a great energy and naturally, a festive feeling. A great thank you to all of our staff and students who made this event so special.

Ramadan Mubarak everyone.

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND WHY IT MAKES US SAD

Come on get happy! Or not. How is it possible that today’s International Day of Happiness, a global call to embrace happiness and wellbeing, can encourage feelings that are the antitheses of the warm, glowy emotion we’re supposed to feel?

Victoria University’s (VU) Dr Peter Gill, Community Psychologist, and Joe Losinno, Clinical Psychologist from the Institute for Health and Sport, might have the answer. “There’s a common view that we should mostly be happy, and if we’re not happy, then we’re in a neutral space. The well-meaning call to ‘cheer up and appreciate the good things in life’ is also an opportunity to reflect on the concept and definition of happiness, public messaging of ideologies related to happiness, and their collective impact on wellbeing,” says Dr Gill. We all experience moments of spontaneous joy or feelings of happiness, but the idea of happiness as a constant state is flawed. If we could achieve near perpetual happiness, then experience itself would change and it would no ‘feel’ like happiness.

“Emotions operate as juxtapositions, we can’t experience joy or happiness unless we experience its shadow emotions, which includes melancholy, sadness and other emotional states that help us heal from grief, life stressors and traumas. To deny those feelings, or to actively supress them in the pursuit of happiness is potentially damaging,” adds Joe Losinno.

The expectation that happiness is easily achievable, that many others have achieved it, and that therefore we all should achieve it too, can lead to feelings of frustration, confusion, failure, and the psychological version of chasing our collective tails.

“If we’re lucky, most of our lives contain many moments of joy and happiness that happen as a result of having core needs met, feeling connected to others and our community, and authentically experiencing the emotional spectrum. While we support social celebrations and calls to address disadvantage, discrimination, and poverty, we need to be careful not to disseminate a very limited and short-sighted view of happiness,” says Dr Gill.

The Holy Month of Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer and charity and is a reminder of the important contribution Australian Muslims make in our community. As we welcome the beginning of Ramadan this week, I wish all Muslims the very best for a Blessed Ramadan.

An Institute specialises in Building and Construction training

TIV donates $30,000 to help with rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria

The Trade Institute of Victoria (TIV) specialising in building and construction training, was established in 2007 by Reif Keceli and Jasmine Lin.

Reif worked in project management and general management roles, as well as running his own successful business within the industry. When he struggled to find experienced people to hire, Jasmine proposed the idea that they create a hands-on practical training organisation.

Reif’s passion to teach young people the skills they needed was met with enthusiasm by Jasmine who had an extensive background in marketing, sales and operations. They collaborated to bring the vision to life, and in 2007, TIV successfully launched its first course.

Today TIV offers an array of quality building and construction courses with

government funding available. They range from Certificate to Diploma levels and include Certificate III in Carpentry, Certificate IV in Building and Construction, and Diploma of Building and Construction. The courses are also available online and for international students. In addition, there are multiple short courses on offer such as Construction Induction Training (White Card) and Builders Registration.

What’s different about TIV?

TIV offers a stimulating, friendly and personalised learning environment, with modern and extensive facilities at five locations in Melbourne. Training campuses are located at Dandenong, Tottenham, West Footscray, Williamstown and soon to open, Bendigo. The flexibility of training modules is also a drawcard, enabling full-time tradespeople and even AFL footballers to study at night for their qualifications.

TIV is dedicated to educating people who are working or

wish to work in the building and construction industry. The courses offered are facilitated by a team of industryexperienced trainers. TIV’s standing as a respected and loved trade school is evident by the number of students who return to up-skill qualifications.

With the value of helping others at its core and a long history of supporting local communities, TIV recently donated $30,000 to the Australian Light Foundation Community Services to help with rescue efforts after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

16 years on and TIV are proud of the legacy they are building. They have trained thousands of students who have become tradespeople and registered builders across Australia.

To find out more about which course might suit you, contact our friendly course advisors on 03 933 9511 or visit www.tiv. vic.edu.au.

Share the Blessings this Ramadan

Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, fasting, and giving to those in need. Sharing blessings through charity is a fundamental part of this holy month for Muslims worldwide. By extending a helping hand to the less fortunate, we not only benefit them but also purify our own souls and foster a sense of community and unity by stimulating charitable deeds such as zakat al-Fitr, feeding the fasting person, clothing for Eid, and other charitable deeds.

Who must give the zakat?

There are conditions that must be satisfied by the person in order to give Zakat. In brief, these conditions are:

1. Islam. The person must be a Muslim

2. Adulthood. The Zakat is not needed from a child.

3. Sanity. The Zakat is not a must from an insane person.

4. Owning the money that is in excess of what’s needed for necessities.

5. The Nisab. It is a minimum amount of money that is owned by a person before Zakat Al-Maal can be levied. The Nisab for gold is 85 grams, and for silver, it is 595 grams.

6. The Nisab must be kept one year by the owner.

Zakat al-Fitr

What is it?

Zakat Al-Fitr is a charitable donation that Muslims are required to make at the conclusion of Ramadan. The origin of this obligation dates back to the month of Sha’ban in the second year of Hijrah.

Ibn ‘Uma said: “Allah’s Messenger ﷺ commanded that every Muslim, whether slave or free, male or female, young or old, should pay one portion of dates or one portion of barley as Zakat al-Fitr. He also instructed that it be paid before the people went out to offer the ‘Eid prayer.”

When is it paid?

It is not allowed to postpone giving Zakat al-Fitr beyond the day of Eid. According to the majority of scholars, it is acceptable to pay Zakat al-Fitr one or two days prior to Eid. Ibn Umar reported that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed them to give Zakat al-Fitr before people went out to perform the Eid prayer. However, some scholars such as Al-Shafi’i and Abu Hanifa state that it is permissible to pay Zakat al-Fitr even at the beginning of Ramadan.

Won’t be able to fast this Ramadan? Pay your fidya for $15 per day. Follow

Feed the Fasting

One of the most beloved acts of charity that Muslims can perform during the holy month of Ramadan is to provide food for other fasting Muslims. By supplying food to those who are fasting, you not only receive the benefits of your own fast, but also the equivalent rewards of those who break their fast with one of your meals.

Human Appeal Australia has identified this campaign as one of their main priorities during Ramadan. With your assistance, funds can be directed to specific countries, and our local field officers can prepare and distribute food to all those in need of breaking their fast.

Zakat al-Maal

Zakat: A pillar of Islam

Zakat is a yearly payment of one-tenth of a person’s wealth or possessions and is considered an obligation in Islam. It is also one of the religion’s five main pillars.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, stated that “Islam is founded on five pillars: bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, performing prayers, giving Zakat, making the pilgrimage to Mecca, and fasting during the month of Ramadan.” [Bukhari]

Eid Clothing

One of the most beloved Sunnah practices on the day of Eid is to wear nice clothes and present oneself well to others as a way of expressing happiness on this special day. This is especially important for children, who may experience a heightened level of joy and appreciation when wearing new clothes. Unfortunately, many children are unable to enjoy this type of celebration and happiness on Eid due to their parents or guardians’ inability to afford such occasions.

To participate in this noble act of kindness, donors can contribute any amount they wish towards purchasing clothes for these underprivileged children, enabling them to experience the joy of Eid as it was intended.

“The best charity is that given in Ramadan”

- Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Serving

Ramadan opening hours: Start from Saturday 25th of March

Open after taraweeh prayer till fajr prayer

We’re serving Suhoor

We will be closed during the day for the whole month of Ramadan

On behalf of Al-Taqwa College’s Board members and Management, we take this opportunity to wish all Muslims the blessings of the Holy Month of Ramadan. May the Spirit of Ramadan stay in our hearts and illuminate our souls from within.

Ramadan Mubarak!

The Name RAMADAN

The word Ramadan comes from the noun Ramad, which refers to “the reflected heat of stones resulting from the intense heat of the sun.”

When the Arabs changed the names of the months from their ancient names, they renamed them according to the seasons in which they happened to fall. The ninth month, which used to be called Natiq, fell during the summer, the time of extreme heat, which is why it was named Ramadan.

THE MONTH OF FASTING IN CULTURAL ISLAM

In much of the Muslim world today fasting has been reduced to a mere ritual, and the month of Ramadan has become a time of celebration and festivities instead of religious contemplation and abstinence.

Ramadan nights are, for many, nights of partying and enjoyment which continue until the dawn in some countries.

There, the night becomes the day and the day becomes the night.

In many places, the light meal

which is supposed to be taken prior the dawn becomes a major threecourse meal.

For this reason, very few experience real hunger during the fast.

And at the time of breaking the fast, another three-course meal is taken, followed by a sampling of all kinds of sweets imaginable.

As a result, many Muslims complain about gaining weight during Ramadan and doctors regularly warn people about the medical consequences of overeating.

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Do you know that fasting kills viruses and ejects viruses?

Scientists say that refraining from food and drinks for certain periods gives a chance to the immune system to practice its functions strongly and reduces the burdens on the systems of the body

because excess food wears it out. Therefore, once you begin fasting, your body cells begin ejecting the toxins piled up there all year long and you will feel more energetic and relieved and stronger than you’ve ever felt before!

Western studies confirm that fasting cures diabetes and the heart

A recent study published at the American Magazine of Clinical Nutrition Science showed that irregular fasting similar to fasting like Muslims is very crucial to treating some chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart and arteries. Another study published at the American Society of Animal Science indicated that irregular fasting increased the efficiency of two hormone receptors “ Adiponectin” which participates in regulating the body’s sugar consumption and fatty acid metabolism in mammals, as well as playing a role in increasing the

response of the tissues to the Insulin which regulates the building and destruction of glucose in the body. Another study prepared by nutrition specialists and published by the British Journal of Nutrition which targeted a group individuals who fast during Ramadan has revealed that the change in the time of meals as well as decreasing its number during the Holy Month helped increasing the body’s response to Insulin for those who have factors leading to diabetes.

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THE ATTRACTION OF ISLAM NOT MUSLIMS

My introduction to Islam came in the 1970s when as an arrogant Anglo Australian I visited Egypt with friends. They were not particularly interested in religion and neither was I.

I was a committed Unitarian of the Melbourne Peace Memorial Church, which had a strong social justice and generally leftist orientation.

Its logo is “To Seek the Truth and Serve Humanity,” which I wholeheartedly endorse.

When in Egypt I met my first Muslims, people I considered to be in the depths of barbarism just waiting for a thousand years of Unitarian enlightenment from the West to descend upon them.

The Unitarians in Europe have a long history of persecution for denial of the myth of the Trinity, considered to be an essential requirement of civilisation since the Decree of Theodosius in 381 CE when freedom of opinion was forbidden in the Roman Empire. One of the most famous Unitarians was Michael Servetus, burnt alive by the Protestant Calvin In Geneva, with books about Muhammad tied to his feet.

As Unitarianism developed it demanded freedom of religion, which was accepted by the Muslims, with John Sigismund of Transylvania becoming the first Unitarian monarch in Europe, under Ottoman protection in the 1600s. When the Hapsburg

government, of mutual consultation and of democracy. They were famous for their contribution to science, like Joseph Priestley the discoverer of oxygen who opposed the Tories and was forced to flee Britain from a mob of church and king supporters who burnt down his house in 1791. It was with this progressive history that I encountered my first Muslims in Cairo 50 years ago. Ramadan 2023 ناضمر

Roman Catholics eventually took over Hungary, the Unitarians were subjected to genocide. Unitarianism became associated with opposition to exploitation, to slavery, to racism and the subjection of women. Unitarians in the American colonies helped draw up the revolutionary Declaration of Independence, which was never implemented in full.

It was gob-smacked to find that my progressive European Enlightenment ideas were all contained in the Quran, a book which to that time, I was convinced was the rambling of some deluded ancient Arab.

Religious toleration, freedom of belief, respect for the rights of women more advanced than nineteenth century Britain, the divine significance of mutual consultation in affairs including governance, total denial of any semblance of ethnic or racial superiority, was all part of that Revelation by Muhammad (s) and elucidated by his life, acting as the Quran in motion. His Final Sermon made a particular impression upon me as did his attitude to Bilal the former slave and to Julaybib, probably suffering from dwarfism.

I accepted Islam with the Egyptian brother who introduced me to the teachings of the Quran.

When I returned to Australia I was a unaware of the Muslim community but was teaching ESL in Myer House in Melbourne CBD. One of my early students, Turan Buday got me to attend the mosque and from then I became involved in the community.

It was a rocky road. While most individuals impressed me with their openness and friendship, there were many instances of culture shock and feelings of alienation.

My involvement in Islamic Council meetings were traumatic and I saw behaviour which I never saw amongst Unitarians or people in the Peace Movement of which I had been part for over ten years.

There were many cases of xenophobic denigration of other Muslims, fights between Islamic societies, jealous wars inside societies and very questionable decision by leaders. Racism, misogyny, greed and nationalism abounded alongside claims to be living in accord with Islamic teachings while ignoring them at every crisis and conflict.

Conflicts over halal slaughter income was for years a source of anger and nastiness which shocked me.

I just started to give up. I stopped attending the mosque, stopped praying but did not give up halal meat or toilet ablutions. Not sure why, perhaps because I still felt attached to something.

This lasted a few months but I found that I could not depart from Islam. I acknowledged the validity of the Message of Islam, its compassion and tolerance even if they were not common in the Muslim community.

The example of my friend Jemal Hasan eventually brought me back into the fold and I have remained there.

I became involved in the Islamic Council of Victoria then in the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. I saw some dreadful corrupt behaviour, vicious fights between organisations and individuals, was subjected to slander and poisonous commentary but I understood by then that Islam is not the Muslims.

The only big hit I have taken in the past few years was the appalling response of a section of the Muslims to the pandemic. Vaccination was declared haram by some voices and I remember one imam being persecuted for agreeing to vaccination. The wearing of masks was attacked. The suspension of Friday congregational prayers was described as some form of treason. Conspiracy theories abounded and were spread by those who should have known better.

It was as though the white supremacists of the Trump camp were infiltrating the Ummah. That seems to have passed and now I wait with baited breath for our community response to the Indigenous demand for a Voice to Parliament. We are being tested as individuals and as a community. We are judged by our intentions.

SUPPORT CONTINUES FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

The aid program organised by the ALF Community Services and Relief Fund for the earthquake victims into Turkiye and Syria continues without a break.

Last month, our volunteers visited victims in person to provide cash donations as well as food and clothing. We also provided various families with direct deposits of funds to their bank accounts to support with rental assistance and relocation costs.

We have now commenced the delivery of 2000 Ramadan food packs for the areas impacted by the earthquake including Iskenderun, Antakya, Samandag, Kahramanmaras, Afsin,

Göksun, Elbistan, MalatyaErkenek, and Adıyaman central and regional as well as Halep in Syria. The Ramadan food packets include 20 different items. Including transportation, each pack costs between $35 to $40 AUD.

Those who wish to sponsor Ramadan packs

RAMADAN MUBARAK

can make direct payment to our bank account. Our next donation collection will be to provide cash valued at $80 AUD on Eid Day to earthquake victims currently staying in tent cities across the areas impacted by the earthquake.

Your Australian Greens MPs and Senators wish you and your family a time of love, blessings and peace.

May Allah SWT accept your donations and protect us all.

Donations can be made to:

ALF Community Services

BSB: 083215

Acc: 900532133

Tax deductible

Reference: your email address

Ramadan Kareem

As Ramadan begins, I send my best wishes to Muslim communities in this time of reflection and renewal. May you have peace and good health as we mark another year. My thanks to all those working in the community to promote a fair and equitable society for all – I acknowledge your leadership and look forward to continuing this work together in the coming year. Well wishes and a blessed Ramadan to all.

DO YOU HAVE EXTRA WEIGHT… THEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY LIES AHEAD

Hence, all the doctors from around the world confirm that refraining from food is the easiest and cheapest way to curing obesity, something that fasting achieves for you. Therefore, Allah has given us a gift whose value you can’t know unless you recognize its benefits,

it is the Holy month of Ramadan. It is an opportunity to reset your body rhythm, eliminate the excess fat, giving your body the chance to reorganize the work of the hormones and blood cells so that they might do their job in organizing the systems of the body and curing excess weight.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM A CHRONIC DISEASE WHICH NEITHER DOCTORS NOR MEDICINE COULD CURE?

There are several studies which confirm that fasting cures chronic diseases. A chronic disease is an illness which couldn’t be cured with any medicine and remains for a long period of time. Now you have a golden opportunity to cure it no matter what IT is, because liver, kidney, colon and other chronic

diseases have been finally cured by fasting. And when, brother and sisters, you realize the importance of fasting in curing them, then you undoubtedly will become more eager to this month and you would feel happy and joy while fasting because you’ll gain many benefits..

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SADAQAT AL-FITR

In general, any material help extended to the poor, needy and to those who ask and are deserving is called Sadaqah. Sadaqat al-Fitr, which is also called Zakat al-Fitr, is the obligatory material help extended to the poor of the society before the ‘Eid prayers, preferably to be given early enough for the poor to prepare for the celebration.

‘UMRAH OR MINOR HAJJ IN RAMADAN

There is a report from Prophet Muhammad (S) saying that performing ‘Umrah in the month of Ramadan is equal to performing a major or complete Hajj. Hajj is a pilgrimage to Makkah. Hajj is the enactment of some of the trials and tribulations of Prophet Abraham(A), his wife Hajirah (Hagar) and his oldest son, Isma’il(A) (Ishmael). Hajj includes the sacrifice of Ishmael, represented by the sacrifice of an animal, such as a ram, goat,

sheep, cow or a camel. Complete Hajj lasts for five days but ‘Umrah is completed in a couple of hours. ‘Umrah is only a small part of the Hajj. An animal sacrifice may be offered at the completion of ‘Umrah. ‘Umrah may be performed anytime during the year but it has special significance in Ramadan. Hajj is performed only during the 8th and 13th days of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

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Bronwyn Halfpenny MP State Member for Thomastown

It means the world to our City to proudly celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of our community. May the sacred month of Ramadan bring you peace, happiness and joy.

Mayor Angela Evans

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WISDOM BEHIND FASTING: THE PURPOSE OF FASTING

Firstly: we must note that one of the names of Allah is al-Hakim (the Most Wise). The word Hakim is derived from the same root as hukm (ruling) and hikmah (wisdom). Allah alone is the One Who issues rulings, and His rulings are the most wise and perfect.

Secondly: Allah does not prescribe any ruling but there is great wisdom behind it, which we may understand, or our minds may not be guided to understand it. We may know some of it but a great deal is hidden from us.

Thirdly: Allah has mentioned

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the reason and wisdom behind His enjoining of fasting upon us, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) [Noble Quran

2:183]

Fasting is a means of attaining taqwa (piety, being conscious of Allah), and taqwa means doing that which Allah has enjoined and avoiding that which He has forbidden.

Fasting is one of the greatest means of helping a person to fulfill the commands of Islam.

The scholars have mentioned some of the reasons why fasting is prescribed, all of which are characteristics of taqwa, but there is nothing wrong with quoting them here, to draw the attention of fasting people to them and make them keen to attain them.

Source: www.fastramadan. com

BEYOND HUNGER AND THIRST

HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS THAT WE CAN TRY TO INCORPORATE IN OUR DAILY RAMADAN AND BEYOND.WE SHOULD:

• Not react immediately if we dislike any thing. Rather, we would take time and try to respond in a calm and polite manner.

• Ignore those useless talks that serve no purpose.

• Ensure that we do not indulge in backbiting or demeaning anyone.

• Ensure that we show kindness to youngsters and respect to elders.

• Not focus on food and consume things that are not nutritious because Allah asks to be mindful of our health also.

• Control our anger, egos, arrogance and rash talking.

• Not hurt anyone and if we cross our limits we would immediately apologize.

• Maintain quietness most of the time.

• Greet everyone with a sweet smile.

• Give our children a feel of taraweeh prayers by praying with them this nightly prayer.

• Invite the poorer and the needy families to our homes at least once in the month of Ramadan to honor them.

• Be generous in sharing our resources to the poor and the neglected.

• Try to read the Quran with translation and understanding if we do not know Arabic and with

reflections if we know Arabic.

• Spend sometime alone to observe prayers and recite the Quran and reflect on our life.

• Focus on some of the suras of the Quran so that we could either memorize them or understand them in depth..

• Give the Zakat ul Fitr so that the money could be distributed in an organized manner to the poor and the needy.

• Ensure that not a single prayer is delayed.

• Give one book on Islam to anyone who wants to learn more about Islam.

• Hug our children, our parents and our nearest ones to thank them for their presence in our lives and to remind ourselves of the importance of family.

• Ignore the minor or major behavioral issues of people and treat them with patience.

• Ensure that we would not visit internet sites that are provocative or that promote immorality.

• Help our spouses in home chores and avoid criticizing them for their mistakes.

• Always remember that all that we are doing is to fulfill our obligations to our Creator who seeks our wellbeing in this life and the life hereafter.

HEALTHY NUTRITION AND FASTING PREVENT DEMENTIA

What is dementia?

Dementia (meaning “deprived of mind”) is a serious cognitive disorder. It may be static, the result of a unique global brain injury or progressive, resulting in long-term decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the body beyond what might be expected from normal aging.

Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population, it may occur in any stage of adulthood. This age cutoff is defining, as similar sets of symptoms due to organic brain syndrome or dysfunction, are given different names in populations younger than adult.

Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome (set of signs and symptoms) in which affected areas of cognition

may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. It is normally required to be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed.

Effect of Healthy nutrition and fasting

“Healthy nutrition and periodic fasting activate brain” Says Hanz diteleyv Vasman director of the Department of Neurosurgery at University of Münster hospital. Also he confirms that calories restriction prevents disorders in the brain’s functions and reduces the possibility of dementia. He added that researches proved that healthy and low calories foods which are full of the fatty acid(omega3 ) increase the efficiency of delivering signals in the brain.

The neurons (nerve cells) in the brain are the most

important cells in the human body so that we have to get healthy nutrition to feed these cells and to prevent many diseases. Scientists confirm that fasting plays a vital role to activate the brain cells.

Fasting and regular calorie restriction

Experts and researchers had proved that regular calories restriction is an effective technique to get healthy life also they believe that periodic fasting is more efficient for the following reasons:

1. Fasting is an effective curative and treatment method. While fasting, the whole organism has an opportunity to cure itself, due to an intensification of natural repair processes. Caloric restriction has not been proven to have such powerful curative benefits.

2. If you are aiming for an 1800 kcal daily average and fasting 100 days per year, then on the other days you do not need to restrict yourself to 1800 kcal a day; you can eat a “normal” 2500 kcal ration of daily meals. (You should of course in any case take care to eat healthy, high-quality food).

3. After the second day of fasting you normally do not feel hunger; whereas, while on a calorie-restricted diet, it is not uncommon to feel hunger every day. With experience, it is much easier to get used to fasting.

4. While on an ordinary caloric-restriction regime you have to spend time eating meals 365 days per year. But with the alternative method you save that time on

fast-days. If fasting 100 days per year, you only spend time eating on the remaining 265 days.

Fasting in Islam is the act of totally abstaining from food, drink, and sexual activity from Dawn (Fajr) to sunset. Fasting is mandatory on Muslims in Ramadan but it is optional at the rest of the year at any day.

Omega-3 is important for quite a few reasons, some of which being;

• Regulation of blood clotting

• Boosting artery wall relaxation and contraction

• Strengthening of cell membranes

• Normalizing the speed at which your heart beats

• Brain development and growth

“I wish you and your family a happy, peaceful and blessed holy month of Ramadan”

International students are flocking to Victoria and Melbourne – Australia’s best student city – injecting energy, boosting the economy and providing a ready supply of workers for jobs.

Department of Home Affairs data shows since international borders reopened in December 2021, the number of student visa holders onshore in Victoria has doubled to more than 141,000.

China, India, Vietnam, Nepal and Colombia are the top five countries supplying students and contributing to the 107 per cent jump.

Minister for Trade and Investment Tim Pallas visited the Study Melbourne Hub in Hardware Lane, handing

RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS BUOYS VICTORIA

out welcome bags filled with Melbourne essentials including a myki card and Queen Victoria Market voucher.

For eight years Melbourne has been Australia’s top performer in the QS Best Student Cities index based on affordability, quality of life, standard of universities and diversity – and in 2023 the city has moved up a spot in the world rankings to fifth behind only London, Munich, Seoul and Zurich.

International education supports Victoria’s reputation for research excellence, helping make us a leader in a highly competitive global field and underpinning the state’s innovation drive.

Graduates bolster Victoria’s highly qualified and globally connected workforce,

which makes the state a compelling proposition for businesses looking to invest in new ideas and enterprises.

Generating $6.9 billion in export revenue in 2021, international education is Victoria’s third biggest export earner, behind food and fibre and manufacturing, and supports more than 40,000 jobs.

The Andrews Labor Government is backing international education to grow, with $10 million invested from the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund to upgrade the Study Melbourne Hub and support newly arrived students.

Study Melbourne provides free legal advice on employment and accommodation matters and confidential 24-hour,

seven-day assistance to international students across Victoria.

Last year the Labor Government launched the International Education Recovery Plan 2025, backed by almost $53 million in funding for initiatives including the expansion of Victoria’s Global Education Network to 19 locations, with extra resources in Colombia, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

“We’re a welcoming state and it’s great to see large numbers of students from all around the world back in Melbourne and regional Victoria – they make us a more vibrant community.”

“International education supports tens of thousands of Victorian jobs and is a

vital part of our economy – that’s why we are so serious about supporting the sector and its growth.”Minister for Trade and Investment Tim Pallas said.

“Students are attracted by our outstanding universities, TAFEs and colleges. We’ve backed our higher education institutions and it’s fantastic to see their excellence recognised by students from around the globe.” Minister for Higher Education Gayle Tierney said.

All the prophet’s (peace be upon him) kindness on his nation is shown in Dates and in recommending them as he explained the useful things even in such matters.

• The benefits and utilities of dates are shown as some doctors mentioned the benefits of Iftar on Dates

BENEFITS OF DATES

and said: (starting Iftar with dates has a lot of healthy and nutritional benefits, some of these benefits are:

• Dates are easy to digest so they don’t exhaust the fasting person stomach.

• Dates decrease the great hunger feeling of the fasting person and so he doesn’t rush into excessive food eating which causes digestion disorders.

• Dates prepare the stomach to receive the food after being inactive through out the day with activating the release of digestive secretions and juices.

• Dates are very rich with sugary energy and so the body is supplied with the most important nutrients which is sugar that is irreplaceable as a nutrient for the brain cells and

nerves.

• Dates protect the fasting person from having constipation as a result of changing meals times or as a result of having low fiber amounts in meals.

• The alkaline salts in dates adjust the acidity of blood which result from excessiveness eating of meat and carbohydrates which causes a lot of hereditary

diseases as diabetes, gout, renal stones, gall bladder inflammations, high blood pressure and hemorrhoids).

The research of date’s benefits, prepared by nutrition department of hospitals administration in the health ministry in Kuwait.

www.fastramadan.com

HEALTHY SUHOOR MUST-HAVES

A healthy Ramdan starts with a healthy suhoor! With Ramadan fast approaching it’s important that we understand how to eat healthy and feel energized during our fasts well beforehand so we don’t get stuck the day before Ramadan wondering where to begin. With a healthy suhoor, you’ll be setting up your fasting days to be full of energy to help you keep up with your daily life and ibaadah, and most importantly so that you can get the most out of Ramadan.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Eat suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing.” (Bukhari, 1923;) There are 3 types of people when it comes to Suhoor:

1. Skip suhoor because it’s too hard to wake up in the middle of the night.

2. Have cereal for Suhoor because it’s the easiest thing.

3. Have a big dinner type meal (i.e. roti and curry etc).

The problem is, most of the time these options don’t optimally help your fast. The result is low energy levels, headaches, and hunger.

Here are 5 healthy suhoor must-haves so you can feel energized and good, and avoid feeling tired and drained during Ramadan:

1. Choose foods high in Protein

Protein is an important dietary component as it helps build and maintain muscle, but most importantly during Ramadan it helps you feel full for longer after a meal. Adding protein to your suhoor will ensure you feel satiated

for longer during your fast. Examples of protein foods include:

• Eggs

• Greek yogurt

• Beans

• Lentils

• Fish

• Chicken

2. Select Whole Grain Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are what provide you with energy, and many people make the mistake of eating simple carbs during suhoor (i.e. sugary cereal, white bread) and will feel hungry and tired shortly after. Whole grains are high in fibre which means the energy will be absorbed slower in the body helping you feel fuller and energized for a longer time. Examples of whole grain carbohydrates are:

• Whole grain bread

• Whole grain bagels

• Whole grain naan

• Oatmeal

• Quinoa

• Barley

3. Fill Up on Healthy Fats

Healthy fats will also help you feel full and satisfied throughout the day, and are an important part of a balanced diet. Examples of healthy fats include:

• Avocados

• Nut butters

• Nuts and seeds

• Ground flaxseed

• Hemp seeds

4. Add fruit/veg to every suhoor

Fruits and vegetables are high in fibre, and contain

a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Some fruits/ veggies also have a high water content which can help your hydration while fasting. Examples of fruits/ vegetables that have higher water content are:

• Watermelon

• Strawberries

• Cucumber

• Lettuce

5. Make drinking water a priority

In order to avoid dehydration throughout your fasts it’s important to ensure you’re drinking enough water at suhoor. Aim to have at least 2-3 cups of water while having your suhoor.

Source: thehealthymuslims.com

1. Umm Saleem (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“(The performance of) `Umrah during Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing Hajj with

Fruit before Meat

Hadiths About Ramadan INCOMPARABLE REWARD

me.“(Authenticated by Al-Albani)

2. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Every action a son of Adam does shall be multiplied—a good action by ten times its value, up to 700 times. Allah says: With the exception of fasting, which belongs to Me, and

I reward it accordingly. For, one abandons his desire and food for My sake.

There are two occasions of joy for a fasting person: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord, and the (bad) breath (of a fasting person) is better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of

musk. (Al-Bukhari)

3. Abu Ayub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whosoever fasts in Ramadan and then follows it with fasting six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasts forever.” (Muslim)

In the Quran, we find that on mentioning the food that the people of Paradise eat, Allah always mentions fruits first then meat. The great medical wisdom behind this order is that fruits contain simple, easy to absorb and digest sugars that are considered an essential source of energy for the human body, and can therefore satisfy the hunger quickly. On the contrary, if one starts with meat, the body will take around three hours to complete the digestion of the meat. We can see how the verse (And with fruits, any that they may select - And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.) [Al-Waqi’h 20-21] indicates the medical fact, and try to make use of it during the month of Fasting (Ramadan) by starting our meals with fruits

Dates

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave a special attention for Dates as part of the believer’s diet especially during the Holy month Ramadan…..

Allah Almighty mentioned Palm trees many times in the Quraan, and made it the food of the dwellers of Paradise, So what are the secrets of this great nutriment? Is it possible to think of using dates as remedy for some diseases? What do scientists of today say about dates?

Dates are one of the most nourishing fruits and It’s called sometimes “Bread of Desert”, More than two third of dates’ weight is natural sugar. This fruit was highly esteemed by the ancient civilizations more than 5000 years ago; ancient Egyptians considered dates as a symbol of fertility, while the Romans and the Greeks used it to ornament their stately triumph pageants. Today, dates are widely-grown in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, Italy and the United States. There are more than 600 varieties of dates.

Fasting reduces the chances of developing tumors

A study prepared by researchers at Grenoble University in France has showed that irregular fasting plays a role in decreasing the average of the development of lymphoid tumors to almost zero according to tests conducted

Fasting slows down aging

The benefits of fasting aren’t restricted to fighting chronic illnesses but they go beyond that to slowing down aging of brain cells for scientific studies have showed the role of irregular fasting in delaying the aging of brain cells and contributing in slowing down the

on mammals. Other studies have also shown that irregular fasting increases the survival levels among individuals who suffer from liver tissue injuries which have the possibility of becoming tumors in the future.

Ramadan Mubarak

appearance of Alzheimer’s. this study conducted by the national center for aging studies in the US regarding the potential influence of irregular fasting and diets in which calories are decreased by almost half, and demonstrate the role of fasting in delaying the aging of brain tissue.

Fasting reduces the possibility of developing cancers

In a recent study published in the magazine of Psychology and Endocrine which was conducted by a team of scientists a California University and they established that irregular fasting leads to stopping cancer cells from dividing and fasting proved to be more efficient than dieting.

www.kaheel7.com

On behalf of Cumberland Council, I send my warmest wishes to people of the Islamic faith during the holy month of Ramadan.

May this special time be celebrated with family and friends, filled with peace, happiness, spiritual reflection and renewal.

Mayor Lisa Lake

CUMBERLAND COUNCIL

16 Memorial Avenue, PO Box 42 Merrylands NSW 2160 www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au

A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL: WHY YOU SHOULD PAY YOUR ZAKAT TO NATIONAL ZAKAT FOUNDATION THIS RAMADAN

As I write this, my heart is heavy with the weight of the responsibility that we carry at the National Zakat Foundation (NZF). Every year, as Ramadan approaches, I am reminded of the immense need that exists within our community and the vital role that we play in providing support and assistance to those who need it the most.

For over 10 years, the team at NZF has been working tirelessly to collect and

distribute Zakat locally, providing a lifeline to thousands of eligible Muslims in need. We have seen firsthand the transformative impact that our work has had on the lives of those who have been struggling, and it is a humbling experience to be part of such a noble cause that we are grateful for every single day.

Through the blessing of Allah SWT, we have been able to distribute over $14.4 million to 19,600 eligible individuals, ensuring that they have the resources they need to live their lives with dignity and respect.

From providing emergency relief to sisters who might be homeless, to providing life skills to transform Zakat receivers to payers, we have come a long way in transforming lives in our community.

But our work goes beyond just financial assistance. We believe that education is the key to empowering our community and ensuring that we are fulfilling our religious obligations correctly. That

is why we have made it our mission to help educate our fellow Muslims on how to calculate their Zakat accurately, dispelling misconceptions and making the process more accessible. We have assisted many Muslims who have missed or paid Zakat incorrectly in the past, providing them with guidance and support to get back on track, helping them come closer to Allah as individuals and ultimately as

a collective community. The impact of our work goes far beyond just the numbers. At NZF, our ethos is to recognise that every human being has inherent worth and dignity, and it is our duty to do everything in our power to ensure that they are treated as such. By paying Zakat locally to NZF, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it the most, providing a beacon of hope in a world that can often feel dark and lonely. We have seen tears of joy and gratitude on the faces of those we have helped, dua for those at NZF and every single one of you who paid their Zakat, and it is a feeling that I will never forget.

This Ramadan, consider paying your Zakat and Sadaqah locally to NZF. Let us come together as a community to provide support and assistance to those who need it the most. Together, we can make a difference, fulfilling our religious obligations and bringing joy to those who need it most. Let us show the world what it means to be a Muslim, and let us do it with compassion, kindness, and love.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMADAN

Naturally, the fact that Ramadan was in the summer has no relation to why this month was chosen by Allah as the month for fasting.

Since Muslims follow the lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan will occur in all the seasons at least twice in each person’s lifetime. God clearly stated the reason for choosing this month in the Quran.

He said: “Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as guidance and clarification to

humankind, and a distinction between right and wrong. So, whoever from among you witnesses the month should fast it.” (2: 185) The significance of Ramadan lies in the fact that the revelation of the Quran began in that month. For this reason, Ramadan is often called the month of the Quran and Muslims try to spend much of their waking hours reading from the Holy Book throughout the month.

Message from the Mayor of Blacktown City

Ramadan Mubarak

As the Mayor of Blacktown City, I would like to wish a Ramadan Mubarak to the Muslim community. Blacktown City is one of the most multicultural cities in Australia and I am proud that the Muslim community is a big part of it.

We have over 31,000 Muslim residents in our City, representing a significant part of our rich diverse community.

Blacktown City prides itself on its diversity and our 405,000 residents come from 188 different birth places and speak 184 languages.

We are an inclusive city, with a range of services available to our residents whose first language is not English. Blacktown City Libraries have a wide range of resources, including books, magazines and DVDs available in more than 30 different languages. The library also has access for library members to online multicultural resources:

• PressReader, an online newspaper and magazine platform giving access to material in over 60 languages.

Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Online for Kids, which gives children the opportunity to read more than 600+ books in 30 languages.

The Libraries also run Around the World Storytime, sharing stories from all different cultures and countries to younger members our community, English Conversation Classes, Tech Savvy Seniors in multiple languages and host their annual month of Multicultural March, celebrating the diversity of Blacktown City, in honour of United Nation’s International Mother Language Day.

Our website can be translated into our most spoken languages (including Arabic) to enable our residents to stay up to date with all Council’s latest news and events.

I extend my warmest wishes and Ramadan Mubarak to all the members of the Muslim community and thank you for the contributions you have made to our city.

ISLAMIC CO-ORDINATING COUNCIL OF VICTORIA

Helping Australian businesses export halal products to over 140 countries

ICCV is the largest Halal certification organisation in Australia servicing clients locally and internationally.

ICCV is responsible for the certification, monitoring, and supervision of Halal food for the domestic market as well as the export market.

Clients cover a range of sectors including abattoirs, food processing businesses, transportation and cold storage operators.

We are the largest halal certification body in Australia. Professional, experienced and trusted.

We monitor the certified businesses for compliance of halal requirements.

We provide a means for direct supervision in house for quality assurance.

We work with abattoirs to get and keep their halal certification.

ACCREDITED MARKETS

ICCV is specifically accredited within these Muslim majority countries.

Our certification is approved for all halal importing countries.

We provide full turnkey solution for FGMs to get halal.

Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Oman, Kingdom of Bahrain,Tunisia,Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Iran, Kosova, Morocco, Maldives.

Our certificate is approved in countries that now require halal certificate if goods have halal stamps:

We provide logistics companies for cold room and transport to get halal. Canada, South Korea, China, European Union (EU), New Zealand, Russia Federation, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, United States of America (USA).

HALAL COSMETICS AND PERSONAL HYGIENE

The growing popularity of social media and the sheer number of active users on social platforms have played a big role in the growth of beauty industry including halal cosmetics and personal hygiene.

This has also led to increased competition within the industry with everyone trying to get the attention of consumers on social media.

The purchasing decisions of millennials are influenced majorly by social media]. 72% of millennials procure beauty products based on Instagram posts and other social networks. Makeup consists of the application of cosmetic products to beautify or change the way one looks either artistically or to conceal flaws.

Undoubtedly social media can negatively affect a person’s self-perception and mental health. This is caused by comparing ourselves to unrealistic images on social media of what we believe we should look like. This can then lead to dissatisfaction with our appearance and self-perception.

Comparing yourself to others on social media may have become an unintentional habit you have picked up. However, it could be negatively affecting your mental health.

So, looking good on the outside has never been so hazardous for our health and well-being. Thousands of personal care products and ingredients have come under the microscope and some of them have been banned in some countries.

PART II

For example, Phthalates which are chemical compounds used in a variety of cosmetics and personal care products. These chemicals, which are linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and cancer, have been banned from cosmetics in the European Union.

Similar to phthalates, many other petrochemical-based ingredients can be classed as halal suitable due to their non-animal origin, but they also tend to be fat soluble and can go through the skin barrier into your bloodstream and end up being stored in your body’s fat cells.

Identifying questionable or even haram ingredients in the long list of personal care ingredients is very difficult. Different Halal Certifiers have different religious

rulings on these doubtful ingredients.

The anti-aging products segment is the fastest growing in the personal care industry. One of the most commonly used anti-aging ingredients in cosmetic preparations is collagen or hydrolysed collagen.

Halal consumers should focus also on the nonactive ingredients, such as emulsifiers, preservatives, colouring, foaming agents and even packaging.

These are some of the ingredients commonly used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries: Collagen: Collagen is a primary component in many cosmetic formulations due to the fact that it is a natural humectant and moisturizer. Collagen is usually derived from animal tissue.

Amino acids: Amino acids are major components

of skin’s natural moisturizing factors and play a role in regulating skin hydration and skin ph. The best sources of amino acids are found in animal proteins such as beef, poultry and eggs.

Tallow: Tallow is an intense moisturizer that assists in retaining the skins natural moisture. It is also used in candles, soaps, lipsticks, shaving creams and other cosmetics. Tallow is odourless, tasteless, waxy white fat, consisting of suet (the hard fat about the kidneys and loins of cattle, sheep, and horses).

Lard: In cosmetics and personal care products, Lard and Lard-derived ingredients function as skin conditioning agents – emollients and occlusive. Lard is rendered pig fat, and it can be made from different parts of the animal.

Allantoin: Allantoin

comes from uric acid of an animal. is commonly applied in a variety of applications such as cosmetic creams, toothpastes, mouthwashes, shampoos, lipsticks, anti-acne products, and lotions for the purpose of moisturizing skin, enhancing the smoothness of skin, stimulating the healing of wounds, and soothing irritated skin.

Gelatine: Gelatine is applied as a gelling ingredient in many cosmetic products including face creams, body lotions, shampoos, hair sprays, sunscreens and bath salts and bubbles. Gelatine is a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. It is usually obtained from cows or pigs.

REFLECTION BY ICOM STUDENTS ON RAMADAN

Alhamdulillah, we have been given the blessing from Allah to witness and experience another holy month of Ramadan: a month full of Rahma, Maghfirah and Khair. Ramadan was the month in which our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW received the first word of the Quran: “iqra” - Read! The first thing that was revealed through the Quran was not to pray, give zakat or do Hajj. It was to read, to seek knowledge. And what better time is it to read the words of Allah and to understand it than the month of Ramadan?

As an Islamic school, Alhamdulillah we have done many things to prepare the students for Ramadan. One of the first initiatives created by the Quran and Islamic studies department was to have a halaqah every Friday in which the boys and girls sit separately in circles and recite alkalam Allah. Alhamdulillah so far, by strengthening the brotherhood and sisterhood; teaching the students the necessity of the Quran in our daily lives, this has been very successful.

Allahuma barik lahum the Quran and Islamic studies department have also spent many hours organising Ramadan guide packs for every single secondary student. This year’s packs contain some Zamzam water, dates, miswak, a prayer mat, a Ramadan card and some chocolate. This has built up excitement in welcoming the blessed month of Ramadan. These bags will help our dedicated students maximise their good deeds for the month.

They were given to the students during a special assembly dedicated to Ramadan. Alhamdulillah, this assembly gave the students some insight into how impactful and life-changing this month can be to them if they attain taqwa. Taqwa is the awareness that Allah is al-Baseer, the all-seeing, and al-Alim, the all-knowing. Knowing this, we aim to avoid sins for the sake of Allah, knowing that it displeases Him. Rather, we should be indulging ourselves in as much good as we can.

This Ramadan, let us acquire taqwa so we do not wake up on the morning of Eid and wish that we did more acts of worship. I pray that we can fully benefit from this blessed month

Thank you,

Ramadan, dear readers, is a spiritual springtime. It is a season of growth, renewal, and rejuvenation for the Muslim soul. Just as the winter frost gives way to the warmth of the sun, Ramadan thaws the hearts and blossoms the spirits of the believers. Our faith is much like a seed, nourished by acts of fasting, prayer and charity, which allow it to grow into a strong and vibrant tree. SubhanAllah, just as a healthy tree provides shelter and nourishment to those around it, a strong and fruitful faith can bring light, love and livelihood into our lives and the lives of those around us. This Ramadan is the perfect opportunity for us all to cultivate a deeper love and appreciation for Allah (SWT) so that, InshAllah, in the hereafter, we are amongst the true believers.

The profound love that the Islamic College of Melbourne holds for Ramadan is rooted in the utter joy and fulfilment this holy month allows us all to experience. We are a college that proudly advocates for sympathy, gratefulness and peace, which is why this fleeting period of heightened spirituality is always welcomed with open arms. This year in particular, the college has truly gone above and beyond to spread Ramadan cheer. InshAllah, we will begin the holy month together with the secondary Iftaar, a memorable night in which students across secondary will come together to break their fast in a timeless tradition that strengthens our unbreakable bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood. Every year, the secondary Iftaar creates a sense of unity amongst the ICOM folk, as we enthusiastically bond over a shared sense of a higher purpose that is cherished and celebrated. The night of the highly anticipated Iftaar will also see Year 12 students taking part in the Qiyam night, organised by our wonderful Quran and Islamic Studies department, during which they will stay overnight at the school to observe acts of worship together and reflect on how they wish to approach the month ahead. Moreover, the college will especially be focusing on helping those less fortunate, because as the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), the best of men, said, “Give charity without delay”. Through partnership with the Halal Food Bank, which I am very proud to say is a student-led initiative that has been planned by some incredible year 10s; secondary students will be encouraged to generously donate foods so that more Muslims across Victoria can enjoy fulfilling Iftaars with their loved ones. Overall, to say that ICOM is excited for Ramadan would be a massive understatement.

Alhamdulillah, the love that we, as Muslims, hold for Ramadan is not just for the month itself, but for the transformative effect it has on our lives and our relationship with the One, the Only, Allah (SWT). I pray that just as the spring rain brings new life to this earth, the mercy and forgiveness of Allah (SWT) is showered upon the Ummah this Ramadan, providing us all with the strength, hope and guidance we need, Ameen.

( .ئيش

نيذلا طارــص ،ميقتسملا

بوضغملا ريغ مهيلع تمعنأ

اذإو .)نيلاضلا لاو مهيلع

لاصخ نم نزاوــتــلا ناــك

وهف

حيحصلا

لاضلاو ىدهلاو لطابلاو

نسح هدميو دشرلاو يغلاو

ىوقتو قحلا يرحتو دصقلا

ةيناعلاو رسلا يف برــلا

ىوهلا عابتا هتدام عطقيو

ةدمحم بلطو ايندلا راثياو

ىدهف( :ىلاعت لاق )سانلا

اوفلتخا امل اونمآ نيذلا هللا

هللاو هنذإب قحلا نم هيف

طارص ىلإ ءاشي نم يدهي )ميقتسم

اهيف عقي يتلا روملأا نم

للخ ىلع ءانب للزلاو للخلا

ملعلاو يقلتلاو مهفلا يف

ءادأ يف نزاوتلا ةيضق يه

بيلغتو اهتياعرو قوقحلا

ىلع بجاوو ،قح ىلع قح

ملظلا يف دبعلا عقيف بجاو

ماسلإاف ،ريصقتلاو يدعتلاو

نزاوـــــــتلا ملسملا ةيصخش يف

South Australia

Islamic Society of South Australia

SERVICES:

Education

Entertainment

Islamic Marriage

Hajj

Funerals

Festivals

Open Day

Halal Certificate

Counselling Services

Aged care

Arabic School

MASJIDS:

Masjid Abu Bakr

AsSaddiq

Masjid Omar Bin

Alkhattab

Masjid Murray Bridge

Masjid Whayalla

658 Marion Rd Parkholme, SA 5043

Tel: +618 8277 8725

E-mail:info@islamicsocietysa.org.au

W: www.islamicsocietysa.org.au

Sheikh

Islamic Society of South Australia

We have dental treatment under sedation and general anaesthesia. we have advanced filling and crown setting via CEREC technology.

we are major sponsors for Human Appeal, Islamic Relief, Saudi Students club Adelaide.

Muslim students awarded for their outstanding achievements HUMAN APPEAL AUSTRALIA HOSTED ITS 16TH ANNUAL YEAR 12 MUSLIM ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN MARCH IN ALL MAJOR CITIES OF AUSTRALIA

The high-achieving students were awarded certificates of achievement and valuable gifts in front of community leaders, politicians and school principals and administrators in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney where an incredible 422 students achieving ATAR of 90 and above were recognised at award Year 12 students who achieved an ATAR of 90 or above in 2022 were invited to register for the awards from all over Australia and then to be recognised in events in their state.

SYDNEY: 235 STUDENTS

On Sunday 5th of March, the ceremony in Sydney awarded the largest number of students with a total of two-hundred and thirty-five. The ceremony was opened with the heart-

warming recitation of the Quran by Sheikh Khaled Zraykah and co-MC’d by Omar Al-Jamal and Raghda Assoum. Students were invited to join various respected members of the community, school principals, politicians and businesses to

attend the ceremony which was held in The Highline Venue in Bankstown. The HSC students were honoured for their hard work, awarded certificates of recognition and were each gifted with a 9thgeneration iPad.

Australia’s Director, Bashar Al-Jamal welcomed guests, expressing his delight at the achievements of an increasing number of Muslim HSC students every year, a video clip showcasing the achievements and the

services rendered to the global community of HAA was displayed on the big screen, then various speeches were given by Jihad Dib, MP State Member for Lakemba; Leadership Umrah Tour Participant Omar Alzeidat and by student Imran Abdu

ATAR of 99.85.

The beautiful night was also attended by Wendy Lindsay MP, Member for East Hills; Sophie Cotsis, MP Member for Canterbury; Clr. Bilal El-Hayek, Clr of Canterbury Bankstown City; His Excellency Dr Ali Kraishan, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Australia and His Excellency Mr Izzat Salah Abdulhadi, the Head of the General Delegation of Palestine in Australia.

Mr Al-Jamal talked about the devastating earthquakes that

struck central Türkiye and Syria. He said she has been comforted seeing the dozens of young people who have volunteered each day to help victims of the earthquake.

‘I was just in Turkey and Syria just two weeks ago, visiting the people affected by the earthquake and delivering aid. What I saw was destruction beyond what you can imagine. Yet I saw something which eased my heart. I saw people, in particular the youth, working hand in hand with their elders to help one another. To help each other get

through these tough times. That is what we expect from you my dear High Achievers. We want you to continue excelling in

your respective careers however, you must give back. Be there for others in their time of need. You must give back to the community

that you are a part of. That is where true excellence lies’ Mr AlJamal said. Overall the night was filled with a

warm atmosphere of celebration and joy.

Muslim students awarded for their outstanding achievements HUMAN APPEAL AUSTRALIA HOSTED ITS 16TH ANNUAL YEAR 12 MUSLIM ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN MARCH IN ALL MAJOR CITIES OF AUSTRALIA

ADELAIDE: 14 STUDENTS

Year 12 Muslim Achievement Awards night in Adelaide was held on the 25 of February at Stamford Grand Hotel, honouring 14 High Achievers. The event commenced by acknowledging traditional owners of the land followed by Quran recitation.

MC Yahya Ahmad welcomed Human Appeal’s State Manager Ali Kadir who acknowledged the high achievers and outlined the amazing work Human Appeal has been doing over the years, locally and overseas.

Hon Blair Boyer, the Minister of Education, spoke on the ethics of success. The audience was also addressed by Sheikh Mohammed El Sayed, Amer El-Hosni and Abdul Salam Hamid Juma Human Appeal Umrah leadership participants.

The night was also attended by Hon Laura Henderson MLC Opposition Whip, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Shadow AttorneyGeneral; Hon Stephen Patterson MP and Hon Reggie Martin MLC and respected family members of high achievers. The Highest Achiever in Adelaide was Miss Adeena Zafar with an ATAR of 99.45. It was a celebration where leaders of the community and politicians celebrated the achievements of amazing Muslim students in year 12.

On Sunday, 26 February, the year 12 High Achievers Awards event had taken place at Duxton Hotel in Perth with 37 Muslim High achievers celebrating their achievement of scoring an ATAR of 90+.

Ms Huda Zaidi from Perth Modern School the highest achiever with an ATAR of 99.85%, gave an inspiring speech during the event about her journey, the challenges that Muslim students go through and their important role within

PERTH: 37 STUDENTS

the Australian community. She also addressed the importance of such events and how valuable they are to embracing the Muslim students

MC Amira Suraya Nunn welcomed guests, officials, community leaders as well as School Principles and sponsors.

Senator Fatima Payman gave a great engaging speech that was positively received by the attendees. She shared her journey, gave the students a list of advice

based on experience and highlighted the important role of representing the Muslim community and giving back to Australia.

The night was also attended by the Hon Mayor of Gosnells Terresa Lynes; Councillor Sara Saberi, City of Canning, Beeloo Ward; Inspector Tara Wood, the Team Leader of the WA Community Liaison team from AFP and A/F Paul Stewart, DC (Ret), Lt. Col. (Ret) Ibrahim Latheef the strategic advisor of the WA Police; Rana Al-Baghdadi,

Al-Ameen College Principal; Mohammed Nazar A. Khan, Principal of Kewdale Campus, Mrs Manal Jneid who represented the AFIC’s Women’s Wing in Australia; Dr Nasser al-Ziyadat from Nun Tutoring Centre; Mr Zubair Sayed, President of the Islamic Council of Western Australia; Balli Singh member of the Ministerial Multicultural Advisory Council of Western Australia and other community leaders.

Mr Abdullah Khan-

Executive Principal and CEO of Australian Islamic College made a speech that resonated well with the audience and shed light on the efforts that parents and schools invest in future leaders and how Islamic Schools managed to gain a prestigious place amongst the top school in WA.

Muslim students awarded for their outstanding achievements

HUMAN APPEAL AUSTRALIA HOSTED ITS 16TH ANNUAL YEAR 12 MUSLIM ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN MARCH IN ALL MAJOR CITIES OF AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE: 97 STUDENTS

On Saturday the 4th of March 2023, the 16th Year 12 Muslim Achievement Awards for the state of Victoria was organised in Melbourne at Laila Reception Centre in Brunswick and was attended by students, members of the community, politicians, school principals and family members. The event acknowledged 97 students, awarded certificates of recognition and gifted them with iPads. The highest achiever was Alishba Saeed with an ATAR of 99.95. The ceremony was opened

with the amazing recitation of the Quran by Sheikh Abdulla Hawari Imam of the Virgin Mary Mosque.

Human Appeal Australia’s Victorian Branch Manager Rabih Baytie welcomed guests followed by various speeches delivered by Dr Samantha Ratnam, MLC for Northern Metropolitan and the Leader of the Victorian Greens; Vivienne Nguyen, Chairperson of Victorian Multicultural Commission and Dr Mohammed Awad.

‘I hope students will continue to keep in their faith, language, culture, traditions and share those

around and lift this state and nation another notch up on all fronts.’- said Vivienne Nguyen

Award recipients Maryam Al-Gburi and David Apak both delivered eloquent speeches about achievements and the importance of continuing education life-long.

In attendance were Prof Aladin Zayegh, MCCA; Prof Akhtar Kalam, Chairman of MCCA; Dr Mohammad Mohideen ICV Vice President and a commissioner at VMC and Sheikh Mohamed Nawas, the secretary of the Board of Imams.

In Brisbane the event was held on Friday the 3rd of March, honouring 38 students and was attended by students along with their parents, members of the community, politicians and school principals.

The event was MC’d by Masrur Alam & Nishat Siddique with a heartwarming welcome from Bashar

BRISBANE: 38 STUDENTS

Al-Jamal, Director of Human Appeal Australia.

Several videos were shown including Video Message by The Hon. Cameron Dick MP State Treasurer of QLD, Minister for Trade & Investment. A very moving speech from Janeth Deen OAM who received the Order of Australia in June 2018 for outstanding work in the Multicultural community, as she spoke about

the history of Australia and the progress that has been made to improve human relations and the contributions of the multicultural communities in Australia. The audience also addressed speeches from Imam Akram Buksh, Branch Manager of Human Appeal Australia in Queensland, Br Farouk Adam - President of Muslim Business Council; Dr Abid Majid, Secretary of

Human Appeal Australia would like to congratulate all the Year 12 students of 2022 for their success and wish them all the best in the future. Well done and congratulations to all the high achievers for their incredible efforts.

This event would not have been possible without our generous sponsors, who have always believed in HAA’s mission and vision, by giving their utmost support to the annual Year 12 Muslim Achievement Awards.

Human Appeal Australia: Always with you on the road to goodness…

IMAQ; Mr James Martin MP Member for Stretton; Clr Jon Raven; Logan City Council; Br Fattihan Aslantas’ Umrah Tour Participant; Sheikh Alaa Elsayed, guest speaker from Canada; Saosan Hoque, a student with ATAR 99.99 and Mashrafee Mamun, a student with ATAR 99.90

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ةلاح يف

حورلا ةصحو ،تافارحنلااو ملالآا نم

نع ةميق لقت لا ليوحتلا اذه نم

بطلا دافتسا دقو ،مسجلا ةصح

نم هدفتسي مل ام ،موصلا ةيحان نم

رثكأ نكلو ،ريقاقعلاب جاعلا ةيحان

،لبقتسملاب اريثك نوهبأي لا نيملسملا

.ةخوخيشلل اباسح نوبسحي لاو

صوصخلا اذه يف انل ودبي يذلاو

امكح - ماسلإا يف - موصلل نأ

قلعتي اميف ىتح ةيمهأ رثكأ ىرخأ

موصلاف ،يحصلاو يبطلا بناجلاب فطليو ةيرشبلا سفنلا بذهي

هرودب اذهو ،حورلاب ومسيو رعاشملا هتاساكعنا ثيح نم ةيمهلأا غلاب رمأ

ىبرقلا جئاشو

In my previous offering, I had written about stress. Let me explore this topic a bit more, this time focusing on the myths related to stress. The first time I saw what stress looked like, I was a fresh graduate, barely 23, working in a multinational organisation. I was walking down a corridor with Annie, a colleague of mine, when out of the blue, the department head appeared.

“Annie!” He bellowed in a voice that I was certain could be heard by the entire department. “When are you going to finish that project of yours?”

Annie – slim, diminutive – instantly froze and so did I. I wished I wasn’t there to witness her embarrassment. We all work for different reasons. Some of us work to prove ourselves, to feed the family and to pay the bills. And for many of us, we work hoping that it will bring meaning to our lives. We want to contribute towards humanity. Yet, work might bring with it some unexpected consequences such as prolonged high stress, a source of misery.

Why talk about stress?

We are talking specifically about prolonged, chronic stress. Raise

TOP 3 MYTHS ABOUT STRESS

your hand if, despite hours of sleep, you still feel exhausted and not looking forward to go to work. You feel trapped, lethargic and wish you could do anything else but work. Not acknowledging that you’re highly stressed, not knowing how to deal with it can cause you to vent your frustrations and anxieties on your loved ones – children, spouse, family. They do not deserve to be abused just because you’re stressed at work.

More and more people are experiencing prolonged, chronic stress related to work, especially in the present work arrangements. We are expected to be available 24/7 –if you can prove that you’re fast and quick all the time, you can meet all the deadlines, you’re the company’s hero.

MYTH1:

It’s normal and natural to be highly stressed at work. Movies show heroes under extreme stress for long periods of time, only to come up victorious at the end. To some people, it’s heroic to be stressed; the more important the job, the more stressful you are, the better you’ll perform at work. If you’re not busy enough, not stressed enough, you’re not working hard

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enough.

Prolonged chronic stress level has nothing to do with productivity. In fact, the more stressed you are, the less productive you become; you’re bound to make poor decisions. And in case you haven’t heard, the stress hormone cortisol which your body produces when you’re highly stressed can disrupt how your body works. Highly persistent levels of cortisol makes you vulnerable to depression, anxiety, migraines and, in the long run, high blood pressure and stroke.

MYTH2: No symptoms, no stress.

There are two kinds of symptoms of prolonged chronic stress : internal and external. Internal – palpitations, sweaty palms. It’s what you feel, but not seen by others. But a person might NOT be showing any external symptoms although internally, he or she is reaching breaking point. To illustrate: Some months ago, my husband and I were requested to present a seminar on Parental Burnout. What prompted the event was the death of an employee; she had taken her own life. The thing is, nobody knew she was depressed and stressed. She was a bubbly personality and did not show any signs of burnout.

MYTH3: Alcohol helps to relieve stress.

If you think you could be a drunkard night after night, yet perform the next day, you’re mistaken because research tells us otherwise. All that alcohol does is to numb you from the present situation; you’re not able to self-regulate to respond in a more effective way. When you become sober, you still must confront the situation. Back to square one. In fact, it is no secret in the research world that this is one of the reasons people end up being alcoholic: turning to the bottle in times of stress. One glass is followed by another. And another.

As you can see, myths are dangerous untruths that may push us to make the wrong decisions. Which myth(s) above have you been clinging to that have led you to unwise, ineffective choices in life?

ةياوغ

هللا أيه دقو ،ةعاسلا مايق ىتح

بابسلأا نم ناضمر يف انل

انلعجي ام ةعاطلا ىلع ةنيعملا

نيطايشلا ةهجاوم ىلع نيرداق

لضفتيل انبر نإ لب ،ماعلا لاوط

انملعيل نيطايشلا ديقي هنأب انيلع

،روصتن امم فعضأ نيطايشلا نأ

امدنع لاإ انيلع اوطلس ام مهنأو

،مهل ةسيرف انسفنأ مهل انكرت

لوسر لاق :لاق ةريره يبأ نعف

اذإ“ :ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص هللا

ناضمر رهش نم ةليل لوأ ناك

،نجلا ةدرمو نيطايشلا تدفص

حتفي ملف رانلا باوــبأ تقلغو

ةنجلا باوبأ تحتفو ،باب اهنم

ىدانيو ،باــب اهنم

مث سانلا رثكف ةلباقلا

ةعبارلا وأ ةثلاثلا ةليللا نم

هللا لوسر مهيلإ جرخي ملف

تيأر دق« :لاق حبصأ املف

ينعنمي ملف متعنص يذــلا

لاإ مكيلإ جورخلا نم

»مكيلع ضرفت نأ تيشخ

يراخبلا هاور(

هللا يضر ةريره يبأ نع •

هنع هللا يضر ةريره يبأ نع •

ىلص هللا لوــسر لاق :لاــق

ناك اذإ« :ملسو هيلع هللا

ناضمر رهش نم ةليل لوأ

ةدرمو ،نيطايشلا تدفص

،رانلا باوبأ تقلغو ،نجلا

تحتفو ،باب اهنم حتفي ملف

قلغي ملف ،ةنجلا باوـــبأ

اي :دانم يدانيو ،باب اهنم

يغاب

On behalf of Victoria Police, I am once again delighted to extend our warmest and sincerest best wishes to the Victorian Islamic community, including our own Victoria Police Muslim Association who are observing Ramadan, the most sacred month of the Islamic year. Ramadan provides an opportunity for meaningful reflection as well as time to spend together with family and community, ending each day’s fast with an Iftar Dinner.

We look forward to celebrating Ramadan with our Islamic community and connecting with them during this Holy Month across Victoria in 2023.

Ramadan Mubarak

Commander Lisa Hardeman APM

Priority and Safer Communities Division, Victoria Police

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan Mubarak

اــي ةــجردــلا

دق ةماستبلاا ىلع داتعملا .كحض

..ىنمي اي ةنيكسلا تاكحض اهنإ«

ةيناحورلاو ةنينأمطلا ةرــضــن

يف ناميلإاب ثعبت يتلا ءاضيبلا

مايصلا .سفنلا يف ةمحرلاو بلقلا

تاحفنلاو احضلا قنور انيف قلخي

ةجهبلا رشنت يــتــلا

نم سانلا عمجت دئاوملا

مهناولأو مهتنسلأ نع رظنلا ضغب

مهدودحو مهتافاقثو مهسانجأو

ريقفلاو ينغلا دوجيف ةيمهولا

فلآتتو يطاعلاو لئاسلا مركيو

يلتعي ادحاو ابلق نوكتف بولقلا

لملأا سمش نكسيو ناضمر لاه

.مركلاو دوجلاو ريخلا طويخ ثبيو

ةبآكلاو نزحلا نم انهوجو رهطي.ةجهبلاو ةماستبلاا انرغث ملعيو

ءوسلا ةبيغلا نم انتنسلأ رهطي -

انملعيو متشلاو بسلاو ةشحافلاو

ماكلاو نآرقلا ةواتو راكذلأا ةرثك .بيطلا

سسجتلا نم انعامسأ رهطي -

تاوــصلأا ءوــسو يناغلأا عامسو

امم باط امل عامتسلاا اهملعيو .تاوصلأاو نسللأا تركذ

ايندلاب قلعتلا نــم انرهطي -

يف نمب انركذيو اهتنيزو اهتاذلمو

يسرك اهصقني

ةيعامتجلاا تلااجملا

ثدحت ماتخلا يفو

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Account Number: 4697-39566

THE JINGOISM OF AUKUS THE ENGLISH SPEAKING TRIAD

He was highly critical of the Albanese-Wong-Marles positioning on the alliance and their carrying over into the new government of the cold war warriors heading the Liberal Party jingoistic campaign around the trashing of the agreement with France and the English speaking alliance of AUKUS.

development of Japanese hostility towards the European powers and Australia, culminating in 1941 with Pearl Harbour and the bombing of Darwin.

Trap and taken Australia as its junior partner with it.

Australian deaths until Labor took us out of the war in 1972.

On 15th March former Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered a refreshing truth telling at the National Press Club, chaired by Laura Tingle, one of the untainted journalists of the ABC.

It was a remarkable presentation, which can be seen on ABC Iview, exposing the nature of the US, UK and Australian nuclear submarine deal.

Basically he argues we are being lured into an alliance which while propping up the failing British economy, cedes sovereignty over our defence to the USA in its great power rivalry with China.

The few nuclear powered submarines which we will one day acquire are too large to operate in the shallow waters on our continental shelf but seem rather designed to offer forward defence for the USA in its surveillance of the periphery of China.

If the defence of Australia is what is intended, Keating claimed that the 45 Collins class submarines we could get for the cost of a few nuclear powered submarines, costing $380 billion, would be more practical.

The National Press Club address is a must watch for those interested in the welfare of this country for its exposure of the nature of the mainstream media, as reflected in the posturing of the main corporation journalists.

The sustained campaign of the SMH and the Melbourne Age on the Chinese threat came under particular examination by Keating, who described their three articles as the worst journalism he has seen.

Disappointing Labor position

For those Labor Party stalwarts with long memories, Keating compared Albanese with PM Billy Hughes, the Labor Rat who betrayed the party over conscription for the First World War, setting up a rival conservative party in a vain attempt to get his policy accepted.

Billy Hughes at the Versailles Peace Treaty talks also strongarmed the British delegation into opposing the Japanese proposal that a clause be inserted into the treaty proclaiming recognition of racial equality.

The White Australia Policy was part of our system from 1901 until the Whitlam Labor Government threw it out in 1972.

This racism saw the

Keating said he did not defend China on its treatment of the Uyghurs but raised the silence of the local media on the attitude of the Modi Government, which it lauds, and its treatment of Kashmiri Muslims.

India is in the QUAD, initiated by Japanese PM Abe in 2007, linking Australia and the USA, which is also aimed at containing China. For those people concerned with human rights, the BJP abuses and pogroms against Muslims are mounting and serious but little remarked upon by our mainstream media.

Keating argued that there is no reason to believe that China threatens aggression against Australia and deflected certain journalist’s assertions that trade sanctions against some Australian products was evidence of such intent.

One question as to why the Chinese military build up should not be seen as a provocation, he explained by comparing Chinese military expenditure to that of the USA, which is much greater.

The AUKUS Agreement, according to his analysis, has tied us into the US defence strategy, diminishing our independence. We have in effect, seen our national foreign policy handed over to the security and defence boffins, a USA concerned about its hegemony and the failing UK.

The Thucydides Trap

It looks as though the USA has fallen into the Thucydides

The term was used by an American political scientist Graham Allison, to describe the tendency to war of an existing dominant power against a rising power which threatens its hegemony.

It comes from the description by the ancient Greek historian Thucydides of the Peloponnesian War when Sparta, afraid of the rising power of Athenian power, attacked it.

Allison did a study of 16 historical instances of an emerging power rivalling a ruling power and 12 ended in war. That does not make it inevitable.

The USA is feeling threatened by China, not because China is interested in eastward expansion, but because its economy is already outstripping that of the USA.

China is interested in trading and ties towards its west, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and across to Istanbul.

It is however very resentful of US patrolling its eastern periphery. Understandable when reflecting on its long history of suffering from European and Japanese imperialism.

As Keating remarked, how would the USA react to Chinese patrols 6 miles off California?

A History of False Premises

The USA took us into the Vietnam War on false premises.

The result was the DLP/ Liberal Party hysterical lying campaign of “the Reds are coming,” the introduction of conscription and hundreds of

Vietnam under its communist government is now a friend.

The US took us into Afghanistan against the Taliban which was said to be sheltering Al Qaeda, installed a stunningly corrupt series of governments and abandoned it once more to the Taliban with their tribal village variety of Islam.

The USA took us on false premises into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, resulting in the emergence of the terrorist Daesh, it seems largely based on the remnants of the Baath Party.

Our foreign and defence policy now appears to be in the control of remnants from the Morrison period of dominance, as outlined in Keating’s speech.

It is not looking too healthy for our nation.

Now sit back and watch the mainstream corporate media try to either demonise Keatng or just ignore him.

This will enable the electorate to see for itself the nature of our media and the importance of independent media and social media.

As the Robodebt Commissioner remarked, it was twitter which most effectively carried information about the Royal Commission, not the corporate media.

ناميلإا

ىتح موصلا ةدابع ةلزنمب عفترتل

يف ربكلأا جحلا ةلزنم يهاضتل

،ماثلآا وحمو بونذلا نارفغ

نأكو .. ناوضرلاو ةيريخلا تابثإو

يدهلا قفو - حيحصلا موصلا

لاظ يف ةديدج ةدلاو - يوبنلا

ءافصلاو يحورلا ومسلاو ناميلإا

نمل ـ بير نود ـ كلذو

مسق مدقي اميف

عاوـــنأ ”تــيوــس تاــيــماــش“

.رئاصعلاو ةظوبلاو تايولحلا

”تايماش“ ةكرش لبقتستو

تازوــجــح

Ramadan Mubarak

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Ramadan Mubarak

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“Ey Rabbimiz! Ancak sana dayandık, içtenlikle yalnız sana yöneldik. Dönüş de ancak sanadır.”

Mümtehine Suresi 4. Ayet

“Our Lord!(5416) in Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) Final Goal

Mumtahine - 4

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Human Appeal Australia (HAA) wishes to congratulate you on the start of this sacred month and we ask Allah (SWT) to bless you, your loved ones, and all Muslims around the world. HAA also takes this opportunity to remind you of our brothers and sisters who have been impacted by conflicts and natural disasters.

We invite you to share in the blessings of Ramadan by generously supporting HAA’s various projects, including Zakat Al-Maal, Zakat Al-Fitr, Iftar for the fasting, Eid Clothing, Orphan Sponsorship, Water Wells, Sadaqa Jariyah.

Your contribution will help alleviate the suffering of the displaced, refugee, poor, and needy brothers and sisters in various countries. By doing so, we hope to earn the blessings and satisfaction of Allah (SWT).