AWKAF AUSTRALIA LENDS ITS SUPPORT TO A MAJOR QUR’ĀN PROJECT
As part of its commitment to supporting English publications of the Qur’ān to promote understanding of Islam and Qur’ān in the West, Awkaf Australia is lending its support to the complete translation of Tafsir Baydawi (Anwar al-Tanzil wa-Asrar al-Ta’wil) comprising of nine volumes into English. Supporting the publication of Qur’ān and scholarly Islamic books has been within the core work of Awqaf (Islamic endowments) in Islamic civilisation and Awkaf Australia is following this tradition in supporting this translation project. This mammoth project started after the successful publication of the introductory volume of Tafsir Baydawi into English by Shaykh Haddad. The 902-page edition was launched in many countries including Australia, and won the prestigious international Shaykh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding.
OVER 10,000 PEOPLE FLEE VIOLENCE IN NIGER
About 10,600 people have been displaced following recent attacks in two villages in Niger’s Tillaberi region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The attack claimed 105 lives – 73 in Tchombangou and 32 in Zaroumadareye villages. Hundreds of survivors fled the scene on foot, according to the UN. The Niger government provided initial support to the people affected, including food, medical supplies to health facilities and financial assistance to the families of deceased civilians, the OCHA said on January 7. Last month, at least 28 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in an attack, later claimed by the Boko Haram terrorist group, in Niger’s South-Eastern Diffa region, the UN said.
MUSLIMS IN GERMANY CONCERNED ABOUT RISE OF ISLAMOPHOBIA
Germany’s Turkish-Muslim community is alarmed by the increase in Islamophobic hate crimes. Kemal Ergun, president of the Turkish-Muslim association IGMG, said more and more mosques have become the targets of threats, vandalism or arson in recent months. “At least 122 mosques were targeted in such attacks last year,” he said, adding that dozens of mosques received multiple bomb threats by neo-Nazis or other extremist groups, sparking worry among the members of the community. According to official figures, police recorded 632 Islamophobic crimes in Germany from January to November 2020. These included insults, threatening letters, disruption of religious practice, physical assaults and damage to property. A country of over 80 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin.
FAKE HALAL MEAT SCANDAL IN MUSLIM-MAJORITY MALAYSIA
A meat-fraud scandal is roiling Malaysia after a local news outlet uncovered a cartel that allegedly bribed customs officials in order to smuggle in all kinds of meat and label it halal, triggering outrage in the Muslim-majority country. For more than 40 years, the conspirators allegedly bribed senior officers from several government agencies to import meat from non-halal certified slaughterhouses including China, Ukraine and South America, according to the New Straits Times, which first reported the story. Some of the imports included kangaroo and horse meat, which were then mixed with and sold as halal beef. Meanwhile, a Kuala Lumpur-based traders and hawkers association asked its 6,000 members to temporarily suspend the sale of beef-based products. Malaysia’s Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs ministry the country’s three largest frozen meat suppliers are reliably guaranteed halal.
MAHATHIR SLAMS ‘LIE’ THAT PN A MALAY-MUSLIM GOVT
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has slammed Perikatan Nasional leaders for claiming the current administration is a Malay-Muslim government, saying its survival depended on the support of non-Muslim MPs. Dr Mahathir Mohamad said if the Chinese and Indian leaders decide not to back PN, the government will fall. The former prime minister said the ruling coalition was in fact in a shaky position as, without the support of the non-Muslims MPs, the Muhyiddin Yassin-led government would collapse. On the other hand, Mahathir said, Pejuang, the party he founded, had never claimed to want to form a Malay-Muslim government and was prepared to work with other parties.
UN URGED TO PERSUADE SL TO ALLOW BURIAL OF COVID DEAD
Sixteen Australian organisations have made an appeal to the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and several other international organisations requesting them to persuade the Sri Lankan Government to withdraw its compulsory instruction to cremate all COVID-19 victims. The signatories to the Appeal are: Assn of United Sri Lankan Australian Muslims of Western Australia Inc. (AUSLAMWA), Austra Lanka Muslim Association Inc. (ALMA), Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka (AAGGSL), Australian National Imams Council (ANIC), Bridging Lanka Limited (BLL), Darebin Ethnic Communities Council Inc. (DECC), Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), Melbourne Human Rights Forum (MHRF), Muslim Information Network of Australasia Inc. (MINA), National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), Noorul-Islam Society, People for Human Rights and Equality (PHRE), Sri Lanka Invites (SLI), United Sri Lankan Muslim Association of Australia (USMAA), Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania (UCA Synod) and Whittlesea Tamil Association (WTA).
QATAR AIRWAYS TO RESUME FLIGHTS TO SAUDI ARABIA
Qatar Airways said it will resume flights to Saudi Arabia on January 11, following an agreement to end more than three years of dispute between the two countries. The flag carrier tweeted that its flights will return to Saudi Arabia starting with services to Riyadh on January 11, 2021, followed by Jeddah on January 14, and Dammam on January 16. The moves came after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt signed a reconciliation agreement with Qatar during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in the Saudi city of al-Ula. Saudi Arabia said that it agreed to reopen airspace and land and sea border to Qatar, as part of the agreement to lift a Saudi-led blockade imposed on Qatar since 2017.
OMAN’S SULTAN PARDONS 285 PRISONERS
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq pardoned hundreds of prisoners, including foreigners, on the first anniversary of his ascendancy to the throne. A total of 285 prisoners will be released under the pardon, including 118 foreign nationals. Haitham assumed power in the Gulf state last year after the death of his cousin Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed, who passed away at the age of 79 after ruling Oman for nearly a half-century.
6 MUSLIM WOMEN FEATURED IN THE BBC’S 100 WOMEN LIST
Twenty-six Muslim women from 20 countries are featured in the BBC’s 100 Women List of the most inspiring and influential women from around the world. This year’s list includes Hollywood actress and climate activist Jane Fonda and Sanna Marin, who leads Finland’s all-female coalition government. At 82, India’s Bilkis Bano is the oldest woman on the list. In contrast, 17-year-old environmental campaigner, Salsabila Khairunnisa, is the youngest woman on the prestigious list. The Indonesian student from Jakarta is recognised for leading a school strike every Friday against deforestation in front of the office of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
DODIN FIRST ARAB NAMED IN BIDEN’S WHITE HOUSE
Palestinian-American Reema Dodin is to be appointed Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, making her the first Arab American woman to hold the post and the first Arab-American in President-elect Joe Biden’s Administration. Dodin, who shares the position with Shuwanza Goff, will be joining the Legal Affairs team in January 2021. She currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff and Floor Director to the Democratic senator Dick Durbin. She previously served as Durbin’s floor counsel and research director. Dodin also served as an aide to the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, which Durbin chaired.
MALAYSIAN DOCTOR DEVELOPES DISPOSABLE HIJAB IN UK
A Malaysian surgeon-in-training in the United Kingdom has developed a disposable surgical hijab for female Muslim health workers to use. Dr Farah Shaheera Roslan’s contribution garnered commendation from many, including Malaysia’s Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.