AMUST
AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 149
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Multicultural News & Views
APRIL 2018; RAJAB 1439
Gambling Harm Awareness
BOOMERANG PAGE 6
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PH: 0490 813 359
Awards and $6000 Scholarships
COMMUNITY PAGE 8
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E-Newspaper Available
EMAIL: INFO@AMUST.COM.AU
Amna & Assmaah join Power List LIFESTYLE PAGE 21
Bilal wins prestigious Harmony Medal
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Covenants of Compassion EDUCATION PAGE 25
Sheikh Afifi appointed new Mufti
Theresa Dyckman Councillor Bilal El-Hayek was awarded the prestigious Stephan Kerkyasharian AO Harmony Medal at the Premier’s Harmony Day Dinner on Wednesday 21 March 2018, at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney. The Premier’s Harmony Dinner is the flagship of Multicultural March highlighting rich cultural diversity as a strength of the state of New South Wales where individuals are presented with Multicultural Community Medals and inducted to the Multicultural Honour Roll. The event was hosted by the Minister for Multiculturalism, Mr Ray Williams MP, in the presence of the NSW Premier, Ms Gladys Berejiklian MP and organised by Multicultural NSW. Three members of the Muslim community received top honours at the event attended by more than 1000 people including community leaders, politicians, government officials and business leaders. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian presented the Stepan Kerkyahsarian AO Harmony Medal to Bilal El-Hayek, the Arts and Culture Medal to Shireen Taweel and the Youth Medal to Bassam Maaliki. Minister for Multiculturalism, Ray Williams commended Mr El-Hayek, Ms Taweel and Mr Maaliki on their extraordinary efforts in promoting harmony and social cohesion. “Working in fields as diverse as the arts, youth work and social media, all three med-
Sheikh Abdel Aziem Al-Afifi. Zia Ahmad
Bilal El-Hayek (right) with Mr Ray Williams MP. al winners demonstrate no matter what your background or passion you can contribute meaningfully to our State,” Mr Williams
said. Continued on page 16 with photos
Islamic finance in Australia Experts discuss the changing landscape in the Australian market Mobinah Ahmad More than 100 key CEOs and Directors within the Islamic Finance Industry, as well as regulators, senior industry players and key stakeholders, packed out the top floor of the Governor Macquarie Tower at King & Wood Mallesons in Sydney on Tuesday 27 March at the 5th IFN Australia Forum 2018 exploring and engaging in constructive discourse on Australia’s Islamic finance sector. Over 18 experts in Islamic finance industry presented and discussed key topics such as Islamic investment opportunities, portfolio construction and the importance of diversification, further growth and opportunity for shariah-compliant investment funds and Islamic real estate investment, property and construction finance. Australia may still be lacking in dedicated Islamic finance laws, however, its stability,
as proven by its unbroken record of continued economic expansion over the last 26 years and lucrative real estate sector, has attracted strong interest from Islamic investors from Southeast Asia and the Middle East. To cope with the demand, the very first Islamic bank in Australia project is currently underway by IBA Group with the intention to offer investment-linked retail and fund management products and services, compliant with Shariah governance and Australian regulatory rules and regulations. This is a significant initiative to facilitate and enhance Shariah compliant banking and finance in Australia. Professor Dr John Hewson, one of Australia’s most experienced economists, financial experts and company directors was the keynote speaker for the event. Continued on page 4
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Professor Dr John Hewson gave the keynote address.
Sheikh Abdel Aziem Al-Afifi has been appointed as the Grand Mufti of Australia for a three-year term. He succeeds Dr Ibrahim Abu Muhammed, who held the post since 2011 for maximum of two consecutive terms of three years. The appointment was announced at the 11th General Assembly of the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) convened on Sunday 18 March 2018 at its headquarters in Chullora, Sydney. ANIC is the peek Islamic religious and legal authority, representing Muslims in Australia comprising of more than two-hundred Imams and Muslim scholars of different backgrounds and schools of thought across all states in Australia. The ANIC Executive Committee, led by its current President Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman, consisting of eighteen eminent member Imams was charged with electing the new Mufti at the General Assembly. The newly elected Grand Mufti concluded his acceptance speech with the following words: “We, as the Muslim community open our hearts and extend our hands to the wider Australian community. Let’s work together in order to advance Australia, to preserve our shared values, which makes Australia the great nation that it is. Sheikh Afifi was born and received his Islamic education in Egypt specialising in Quranic education. In 1994, he moved to Jordan where he was employed as an Imam by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and later appointed as an administrator over the centres for teaching of the Quran. He arrived in Australia in the year 2000 and served a number of Islamic societies and schools helping them with the institutionalised teaching of the Quran. He served as the elected President of ANIC for two terms from 2010 to 2015. Since 2010 he has been working at Al-Taqwa Islamic college in Truganina, Victoria and also serves as the Imam and Khateeb at Al-Taqwa Masjid adjoining the school. His appointment was shown live on Al Jazeera Mubasher Channel as well as broadcast by online channel OnePath based in Sydney.
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