AMUST
AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 154
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Multicultural News & Views
SEPTEMBER 2018; DHUL HAJJ 1439
UN: Genocide by Myanmar military
NEWS PAGE 2
Any amount of alcohol is harmful: Global study
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PH: 0432 608 350
Normalisation of racism and bigotry
BOOMERANG PAGE 7
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E-Newspaper Available
EMAIL: INFO@AMUST.COM.AU
Tony Burke explains Eid Ul Adha
COMMUNITY PAGE 11
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Eid photo competition winners LIFESTYLE PAGE 23
“I’m not going anywhere”
Mohamed Ainullah A global state of the art study has just concluded that no amount of alcohol containing drinks, be it liquor, wine or beer is safe for overall health and alcohol is a leading risk factor for disease and premature death. The health study, published on Thursday 23 August 2018 in the British medical journal The Lancet, was funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the title “Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016”. The study reported that during the year 2016, alcohol was associated with 2.8 million deaths accounting for one in 10 deaths worldwide. Muslim countries had the lowest percentage of alcohol consumption and presumably alcohol-related burden of disease. While India and China with large Muslim populations had a very low rate of alcohol consumption amongst females, it was significantly high amongst males, the study pointed out. Professor Emmanuela Gakidou, one of the main authors from the University of Washington said that even a small amount of alcohol intake was harmful negating any beneficial effects of minimal alcohol consumption. The study “found that the risk of all-cause mortality, and of cancers specifically, rises with increasing levels of consumption, and the level of consumption that minimises health l o s s is zero” a n d recommended that “these results sugg e s t that alcohol control policies might need to be revised worldwide, refocusing on efforts to lower overall population-level consumption,” of alcoholic drinks.
The Muslim prayer for rain seem to be answered Mobinah Ahmad
Zia Ahmad Senator Mehreen Faruqi gave her maiden speech on Tuesday 21 August 2018 in the Australian Federal Parliament as the hundredth woman and the first Muslim to sit in the chamber. At times she was blunt, bold and being fair dinkum addressing the issues of bigotry, racism and discrimination in her own way. “Being a Senator gives us the immense privilege of having a platform, and I intend to use it, just like my colleagues in the Greens, to speak out against injustice and amplify voices that seek justice, whoever or wherever they are. The reality is that my presence in the Senate is an affront for some. They are offended that people of colour, and Muslims, have the audacity to not only exist, but to open our mouths and join the public debate. Some, if they had their way, would ban us from making Australia our home. So it is with great pride I stand here before you unapologetically - a brown, Muslim, migrant, feminist woman. Instead of being accepted, because this is our home, we are asked to apologise for every action of someone who looks like us.
We are subject to rules that white people never will be. These are uncomfortable truths for many people, and there is sometimes an inexplicable disbelief that racism exists in Australia. But not talking about it because it might make people uncomfortable creates the very silence that allows institutional racism to persist. Calling out racism is not about making ourselves feel better or making others feel worse, or even looking for sympathy: it is a statement of reality, of what is happening every day, and that all is not ok. My presence here and that of a handful of other people of colour is just the beginning of the process, not the end. I reaffirm my commitment to stamping out racism and sexism in every way I can. Let us have the courage to acknowledge it, wherever it happens. To those who want me to F off back to where I came from, I say: Sorry, not sorry. This is my home and I’m not going anywhere. I want us to be the best we can be. To build a society where all of us matter. Exclusive: Read Senator Mehreen Faruqi’s reflections on her maiden speech on Page 7.
Tens of thousands of Aussie Muslims across Australia prayed for rain on Eid days last week and helped raise money for drought-affected Australian farmers and it seems that their prayers have been answered. It rained during the last weekend in August with up to 15mm rain falling in various parts of South East Queensland and Northern NSW. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts more rainfall during the first weekend in September. However substantial rainfall during the coming weeks will be needed to bring significant relief from drought affecting large parts of Australia. On the other hand, a number of Eid festivals planned during weekends following Eid-ul-Adha in Sydney as well as in other cities had to be cancelled due to forecasts of rain and windy conditions. Over 30,000 Muslims gathered at Lakemba Mosque, which was the largest gathering out of sixteen mosques that participated in prayer for rain. NSW Farmers spokesperson Kathleen Curry said that they really appreciated the support and thoughts from everyone in the community. “I think it really touched the heart of our farmers during this period,” Ms Curry said. “Every little bit helps.” The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Muhammad has encouraged the Australian Muslim community to work together in partnership with farmers. “For they are our fellow human being and our brothers, they are our partners in this country. What pains them pains us and what harms them harms us,” Dr Ibrahim said.
Nazeem and Hanan attend Concordia in Switzerland Mobinah Ahmad Nazeem Hussain and Hanan Dover were amongst 12 Australians joining 200 participants that were invited to the 10th annual Concordia Forum exclusive retreat on 16-19 August 2018 at the Caux Palace Hotel in Caux, Switzerland. The Concordia Forum is a global network of cross-sector leaders from Muslim back-
grounds with hundreds of people meeting annually at exclusive invitation-only retreats set in Europe and North America to synergise their talents. Out of 35 submissions, only 12 applicants get selected to present a project delivered in TedX style in the “Synergiser” sessions. Psychologist Hanan Dover from Sydney was selected for a ‘Mindful Flourish’ presentation which is an international online gateway for mental health solutions for
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Muslims. Comedian Nazeem Hussain from Melbourne presented at the HalaLOL Comedy Night at the event. The retreat is filled with networking, calligraphy workshops, a comedy night, art exhibitions, presentations, and meetings. Location for the retreat changes each year, previously being held in Portugal in 2016 and Canada in 2017. Dispose of this paper thoughtfully - PLEASE RECYCLE