Islamic Council of Victoria announces funding initiatives

The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) welcomes the announcement from Minister Ros Spence, Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs, that the Victorian government will be providing A$20,000 to support halal food pack distributions to needy families.

ICV President Mohamed Mohideen said, "We'd like to thank Minister Spence and the Victorian government for this much-needed financial contribution that will allow the ICV to continue our work supporting Muslim families, refugees and international students during the holy month of Ramadhhan, made even more urgent during this challenging time."

The ICV has set up a separate emergency fund of A$20,000 for Muslim families experiencing severe financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.

In addition, the ICV started an initiative to help mosques leverage online technology to connect with their communities. The government in Victoria are providing A$5,000 to cover the costs of subscribing to Zoom.

"The current restrictions on community gatherings provide an opportunity for Muslim families to focus on the message of spiritual renewal and empathy for those less fortunate, as a family," Mohideen said.

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, had earlier announced that Ramadhan would begin in Australia on 24 April as the moon was visible after sunset for 19 minutes in Sydney, and for 22 minutes in Perth.

Islamic Council of Victoria advises on burial process for COVID-19 deceased

The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), in consultation with the medical community, religious and community leaders as well as most of the Muslim funeral directors in Victoria, Australia, has come up with guidelines on handling and burying a person who has passed away due to COVID-19:

- All funerals (janazas) are to be carried with strict infection control procedures

- All staff involved in the funeral will follow personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines

- The body of the deceased must not be removed from the sealed bag

- Ritual cleansing of the body will be performed with tayyamum (using clean sand) over the body bag, or masa (wiping over the body bag with a damp cloth). The ritual will be performed by the funeral director or other trained person. If the deceased is female, the procedure will be performed by a female member of the funeral service.

- The body should then be covered in cloth over the sealed bag in preparation for the funeral.

- The body is to be taken directly to the cemetery.

- Funeral prayers with the family are to be conducted at the grave site, but social distancing rules apply. The maximum number of attendees is currently 10, but is subject to change.

Details:

Read the guidelines for prevention and control of infection in healthcare

Read the guidelines for PPE

Read the guidelines for funerals

New Australian Islamic Centre takes shape in Melbourne

Source: AIC website. Model of the AIC.

An exhibition at the National Gallery Victoria, Glenn Murcutt: Architecture of Faith, celebrates architect Glenn Murcutt's work on the Australian Islamic Centre (AIC), which is currently being constructed in Newport/Hobsons Bay, Melbourne Australia. The initiative by the NIS will provide more facilities for the growing Islamic community. According to the NIS, there are currently more than 10,000 Muslims in the area.

Murcutt and Hakan Elevli of Elevli+ Architects, a Melbourne practice, worked with the Newport Islamic Society (NIS), a non-for-profit organisation, for nearly a decade on the creation of a contemporary Australian mosque and Islamic centre. Murcutt is well known for environmentally sensitive designs with a distinctive Australian character. His buildings are a blend of modernist sensibility, local craftsmanship and respect for nature.

Murcutt is the only Australian recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize which is awarded annually to “honour a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture".

Murcutt has reimagined the geometry, colours, materiality and spatial organisation of a traditional mosque to create an accessible contemporary place of worship, learning and community. The AIC adopts Murcutt’s ethos of design, maximising the climatic conditions and using materials which are related to local bluestone quarries and the Aboriginal heritage of the location.

The minaret, a traditional part of a mosque and where the call to prayer is made, has been eliminated in Murcutt's design. In the Australian context, the call to prayer or adhan can be announced internally, avoiding disruption to local communities of a different faith. Similarly, Murcutt has taken away the often-standard dome of the mosque, incorporating lanterns that extend over the main roof and orientated to capture the light at the different times of each day. A pool is designed to deflect the afternoon sun into the prayer hall and throw water reflections onto the ceiling and walls.

The establishment is designed to include worship, educational and recreational facilities and will be built in three phases:

Phase one:

• A mosque with approximately 1,200 sq m of prayer areas for both male and female worshippers.
• An Educational Centre consisting of a library and other facilities
• Offices
• Cafe and restaurant
• Imam’s residence
• Two guest houses

Phase two:

• A school with eight classrooms for Arabic and Islamic Studies
• Dedicated study areas

Phase three:

• Indoor recreational and functions centre
• Mens' gym
• Ladies' gym
• Multifunction Hall

Interested?

The Australian Islamic Centre is at 23-31 Blenheim Rd, Newport, Victoria 3015, Australia. Check out construction milestones

Architecture of Faith is at NGV Australia, Federation Square, NGV Design Studio, Ground Level. The exhibition runs till 19 February 2017 and is open 10am to 5pm daily. Entry is free