Suprovat Sydney report: The Islamic Charity Projects Association (ICPA) held its Annual Ramadan Iftar dinner in Sydney under the Patronage of Darulfatwa the Islamic High Council of Australia on Thursday the 30th of March 2023, coinciding with the 8th Ramadan 1444H.

The ICPA is pleased to welcome the holy month and reaffirms its commitment to fostering peace, unity, and cooperation amongst all members of the community. Every year, the ICPA is distinguished with its diverse and multifaceted range of religious, social, and educational activities.

The event hosted over 350 distinguished dignitaries and special guests including:

Mohammad Mehio President of the Islamic Charity Projects Association ( ICPA Australia ) . Prof Dr sheikh Salim Alwan Chairman of Darulfatwa the Islamic High Council of Australia , Jihad Dib MP for Bankstown , Ihab Matar Lebanese MP for Tripoli, John Ajaka Former President of the NSW Legislative Council , Shaouquet Moslemane MLC , Senator Dr Hilmy Mhuhammad representative MP of D.I. Yogyakarta Indonesia, Nathan Hagarty elected MP of Leppington, Charishma Kaliyanda elected MP of Liverpool, Tina Ayyad elected MP of Holsworthy.

Charbel MACARON Consul-General of Lebanon in Sydney, Bilal Aksoy Vice-Consul Turkish Religious Affairs Attaché in Sydney, Maher Dabbagh Honorary Consul of Syria in Sydney, Amir Sahinovic Honorary Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sydney, Dr Roseline YARDIN Honorary Consul for the Republic of Mauritius in Sydney, Adelle Gillen Consul of US in Sydney.

Joseph La Posta CEO of Multicultural NSW, Adam Johnson Liverpool police commander, Adam Whyte Bankstown police commander.

Councillors: Khal Asfour Mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, Bilal El-Hayek , Rachelle Harika, Ned Manoun, Mayor of Liverpool, Lisa Lake Mayor of Cumberland Council, Mohamad Mousa Mayor of Bzal Council in Akkar North Lebanon. George Zakhia, Joe Awada, Usha Dommaraju, Samantha Talakola, Khodr Saleh , Raj Datta, Sreeni Pillamarri, George Barcha, Mohamad Hussein, Ola Hamed, Sabrin Farooqui, Carmen Lazar OAM , Marie Saliba representing Dai Le Federal MP for Fowler, Betty Green, Pierre Esber, Charbel Abouraad, Richard Ammoun, Hasan Awada. Neville Tomkins Chief Commissioner of Scouts Australia NSW. Sheikhs, Imams, Community Leaders, Media,  youth, Womens , sports , scouts, principals, university and school teachers and Professionals from the wider community. ANM Masum, the only Bangladeshi Newspaper in Australia representative join to cover the whole program.

The Iftar gathering commenced with a noble recitation from the Holy Quran and a rendition of the Australian national anthem performed by students of Al-Amanah College. This was followed by an opening speech by Mohamad Mehio – President of the Islamic Charity Projects Association.  In his speech, Mehio emphasized the significance of social work that benefits both individuals and society, cautioning against those who exploit religious slogans in ways that contradict the teachings of the religion that promote tolerance and moderation.

Mehio highlighted that the ICPA has served as a fortress for the past 32 years and has safeguarded the community against various risks and threats. This has been achieved through its well-structured and diverse branches and departments. These include education, scouting, women, media, sports, and youth.

He also restated the ICPA’s commitment to promoting prosperity and moderation within the Australian community. In his speech Mehio also took the opportunity to extend his congratulations to the newly elected state members of parliament.

In his speech, the Chairman of Darulfatwa – The Islamic High Council of Australia, Professor Sheikh Salim Alwan Al-Husseiniyy emphasized the importance of Ramadan, which is marked by fasting, prayer, charity, and strengthening family ties. He added “This holy month is a time to visit and care for the less fortunate, it is when the gates of paradise are opened while those of Hellfire are closed”. In his address, Prof. Sheikh Salim Alwan discussed the temporary nature of this life and the everlasting nature of the Hereafter. He pointed out that this world is more of a place of sorrow than happiness, where people have to deal with afflictions such as diseases, calamities, wars, financial crises, and more. However, those who exhibit patience, abide by the rules of the Religion and prepare themselves for the Day of Judgement will be rewarded. This entails engaging in righteous deeds and being equipped to face any situation that arises.

Furthermore, Sheikh Salim Alwan emphasized Darulfatwa’s focus on education, guidance, justice, and moderation. He also highlighted how Darulfatwa has collaborated with moderate religious authorities to host religious courses for imams and teachers. His eminence was pleased to note that the Imams also provided food aid to those impacted by the recent earthquakes and collaborated with religious institutions in the state parliament to sign a document prepared by state parliament to condemn domestic violence

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In addition to the efforts of Darulfatwa in education, guidance, and charity work, Prof. Sheikh Salim Alwan mentioned the institution’s participation in various international conferences and events such as the International Conference of the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs in Cairo, the General Secretariat for Religious Edicts and Bodies conference in Egypt, the conference on Islamic Unity in Abu Dhabi, the Global Forum on Sufism in Morocco, and the International Conference on the Jurisprudence of Civilization in Indonesia. The purpose of these events is to help protect Australian society from harmful ideologies and shield youth from destructive ideologies.

This was followed by speeches from several politicians and officials including, the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton, newly elected Member for Bankstown Mr. Jihad Dib MP, the newly elected representative of Labor for the Leppington region  Nathan Haggarty MP, Charishma Kaliyanda the new Member for Liverpool, and Joseph La Posta, who serves as the CEO of Multicultural NSW.

Also attending the event was the Chief Commissioner of Scouts Australia Neville Tompkins, OAM who praised the work done by the ICPA, particularly its scouting groups. In their address, the speakers expressed their gratitude towards the ICPA for its ongoing efforts and contribution in promoting harmony within the Australian community.

The Iftar dinner concluded with a ceremony with Darulfatwa presenting certificates to the Islamic teachers who participated in the course on the concise biography of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

The Islamic Charity Projects Association expresses its gratitude to all who attended the event and contributed to its success and prays that the blessings of Ramadan will bring peace and security to all corners of the world.