With Brisbane as his first stop on his lecture tour of Australia, Shaykh Waleed Basyouni , PhD, stepped off the plane and headed straight to the Brisbane Islamic Centre (BIC) to see, at first hand, the construction currently being undertaken on the site.
As one of the most important leaders of the da‘wah in the West, Shaykh Waleed was particularly keen on the plans for a Community Centre as an intrinsic part of the Masjid project, and to offer his own personal insight and knowledge gained from his years of experience as an active member of a number of Islamic organizations and Islamic Societies such as NAIF, and as Director of the Texas Da‘wah Convention.
He graduated with a Bachelor in Islamic Sciences from Al-Imam Muhammad University (KSA), did his Master’s in Islamic Theology, World Religions and Modern Religious Sects from Al-Imam Muhammad University, and achieved a Doctorate in Theology from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Indiana.
Shaykh Waleed on a tour of the BIC project.
Standing in front of the recently constructed perimeter walls shaping the foundation for the Mosque and the forecourt area, Shaykh Waleed said that he was pleasantly surprised to witness the birth of such a grandiose and ambitious project. With the scaffolding to the Community Centre now removed, the Shaykh could clearly see the 300-undercover car park in full view.
Speaking on the role of a Dawah Centre, as proposed in the BIC project, Shaykh Waleed said it would become a place where the community could come together to learn about their religion, share their faith, and participate in dawah activities.
“These Centres play a crucial role in spreading the message of Islam and promoting understanding and harmony among different communities. They offer a wide range of services and programs, including religious education, community events, and outreach activities.”
“BIC is setting a firm foundation for the future of the Muslim community,” says Shaykh Waleed.
His advice to the BIC organizing committee was to seek out the services of an Imam from conception to construction, and to engage with the project, the administrators, and the community throughout the development of the project. He also explained some of the principles he adopted for his successful Clear Lake Islamic Centre project in Houston, Texas.
BIC should, he said, see itself as a part of the larger Brisbane area and aim to improve the well-being of all people in the community, and commit to providing excellent services to Brisbane and its surrounding areas. Rather than getting directly involved, the BIC should cooperate with other organizations on positive causes that meet Islamic norms and act as a platform to support existing expertise and services.
The Shaykh could see that the Centre’s mission was to provide an environment that was fun, safe and family friendly, while also committing to reviving the authentic teachings of the Quran and Sunnah in the lives of Muslims today.
Focus now is on completing the foundations for the Masjid.
HOW YOU CAN HELP BUILD THE BIC:
Donations
Brisbane Islamic construction Fund
Suncorp Bank BSB: 484799
ACC: 480458040
For overseas transfers: Swift Code METWAU4B
WEBSITE:
https://bic.org.au/
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