Islamic Council of Queensland

The Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ), established in 1969, an Australian Muslim organisation acting as the central representative body for the Muslim community and local Islamic organisations in Queensland, Australia.[1][2] The Council provides a number of social and religious services for Muslims in the area.

Islamic Council of Queensland
AbbreviationICQ
Formation1969
HeadquartersSunnybank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
WebsiteOfficial website

Activities

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Community

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The Islamic Council of Queensland represents more than 20,000 Muslims residing in the state of Queensland. The council also represents some 16 member organisations located in a number of cities in the state. The vast majority of mosques, mussallahs and Muslim student associations at universities are members of the organisation stretching from the Gold Coast up to Cairns.[2][3]

Services and programs

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The ICQ provides a number welfare services and Islamic ritual services for local Muslims in Queensland including marriage celebrants and burial services. The group has organised annual Quran competitions and other programs for youth development. The group has also organised a number of workshops and fund raising events.[4]

In 2008, young members of the ICQ organised a successful public relations campaign when they participated in Blood Donation Week, donating blood to Queensland blood banks.[5]

According to the Council, the Islamic community in Queensland have suffered from a number of prejudicial incidents locally, and have felt the strain on their daily lives. The Council president has attributed some of these problems to the fact that local Australians are not familiar with the religion and culture of local Muslims. The ICQ and Queensland’s Islamic community have planned an annual "Queensland Mosque Day" to encourage Australian locals to learn about the Muslim faith.[1] The Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman, encouraged locals to attend the open session.[6]

Zakaat and halal accreditation

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The ICQ collects and distributes zakaat[7] and provides halal accreditation.[8]

Organisational structure

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Executive committee

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The executive committee is responsible for the governance of the Council.[9] Members of the executive committee are selected through the AGM process and represent the variety of different ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups within the Queensland Muslim community. The members of the 2019 executive committee are:

  • Akram Buksh, President
  • Farouk Adam, Vice President
  • Muhammad Khatree, Secretary
  • Imam Akram Buksh, Assistant Secretary
  • Saba Ahammad, Treasurer
  • Ahmad Gundru, Assistant Treasurer
  • Ali Kadri, Official Spokesperson
  • Janeth Deen OAM, Committee Member
  • Binil Kattiparambil, Committee Member
  • Junaid Qadri, Committee Member
  • Amar Ali Khan, Committee Member
  • Dr Usman Malabu, Committee Member

Member societies

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ICQ member societies[3]
City/Suburb Society
Algester Islamic Society of Algester
Bald Hills Islamic Society of Bald Hills
Parramatta Park Islamic Society of Cairns
Rockhampton Islamic Society of Central Queensland
Oxley Islamic Society of Darra
Eight Mile Plains Islamic Society of Eight Mile Plains
Arundel Islamic Society of Gold Coast
Holland Park Islamic Society of Holland Park
Brassall Islamic Society of Ipswich
Lutwyche Islamic Association of Lutwyche
Mareeba Islamic Society of Mareeba
Mackay Islamic Society of Mackay
Kawana Waters Islamic Organisation of Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba Islamic Society of Toowoomba
Townsville Townsville Islamic Society
West End Islamic Society of West End

Awards

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In 2014, the Queensland state government awarded Professor Shahjahan Khan, former vice-president of ICQ, as a 2014 Cultural Diversity Ambassador award recipient.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Brodnik, Laura. "Brisbane's Muslim community speaks out." bMag. Wednesday 1 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b "About ICQ." Archived 2014-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Islamic Council of Queensland. Accessed 30 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Member societies." Islamic Council of Queensland. Accessed 30 October 2014.
  4. ^ "What ICQ does." Archived 2014-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Islamic Council of Queensland. Accessed 30 October 2014.
  5. ^ Haq, Farooq, and Ho Yin Wong. "Is spiritual tourism a new strategy for marketing Islam?." Journal of Islamic Marketing 1, no. 2 (2010): 136-148.
  6. ^ Moore, Tony. "Queensland 'Open Mosque Day' to better understanding of Islam." Brisbane Times. 19 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Zakaat". ICQ. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Application for halal accreditation". ICQ. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  9. ^ "ICQ Committee." Archived 2014-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Islamic Council of Queensland. Accessed 30 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Queensland Cultural Diversity Ambassadors." Archived 2014-11-09 at the Wayback Machine Queensland Government. Accessed 5 November 2014.
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