I thought I knew Somali history, but Khadaafi teaches us something new everyday. I didn't know C/qadir Saqawadeen was the son of Sheikh Aweys. Other than his death by the hand of Darawish, I didn't know much either other than he was a patron saint of the Qadiriya Dariiqa in southern Somalia. When I arrived in Mogadishu in 1981, I used to go Ceelgaab to listen the chronicles of the Qadiriya ullema in Ceel Gaab narrate some of the strange stories I never heard anywhere else in Hadith or Seera of the Prophent may be and blessing of Allah with him. I memorized their chants before they begin their stories: Allahu Laa Illaha Ilalahu Mohamedu Rasululah Sheik Abulqad SheeliLah Uweys Ahmed Waliyo Allah. Certainly we are missing a lot of history, especially the anti colonial wars of Sheikh Hassan Barsame, the Lafoole battles and the Water Maal revolt, although the Kacaan had added some to the history including naming schools after them.. Non of the Mogadishu residents of today including the Unaka lifted one finger against the Italians. One thing that was clear in early twenty century was the Salaxiya of Sayid Mohamed were in uphill battle against the Qadariya which was the dominant "Dariiqa in north west Somalia, Puntland and the deep south. Even Sheikh Jamac Cumar Ciise the great historian and the biographer of the Darwiish movement wrote in his book " Taariikhda Daraawiishta" about the dislike of the Sayid of the Qadiriya. Despite his polemic tribal poems and other crimes, the great Darwiish was one of the icons of the Somali independent movement of the modern Somalia. History will show his twenty year struggle which ended with the bombing of Taleex by the British planes. It is difficult to judge the leaders of that era without looking their overall impact in history. Churchill was a drunkard who called Indians and Africans sub human, yet in British history , he is well known for his war and victory against the Nazis. When they compare their historic figures, he always raises to the top. What we are missing is the comprehensive history of the south and the contributions made by many including Saqqawadeen, Dheere Haji Dhere, Mohamed Yusuf of SYL and the war against the Italians fought by the likes Cumar Samater, Sheikh Barsame and others. All we hear is the Banadiri being pro Italian and anti independent. The Daraawiish movement was one the only two movements that shed blood to stop colonial roots in Somalia. After the collapse of the Daraawiish, the north has done nothing but to became a vessel protectorate with zero wars for independence. In fact, one of the major reasons most Somalis in the South central, Puntland and the North never appreciate the value of freedom is they never fought for it and shed a blood unlike the DAraawiish.. SNL, SYL, HDM and others were just civic pro independent movements who lost zero to war. Idaaja uses oral history without any extensive research on the issues of history. He is a good narrator of culture and literature , but not history. Brother Khadaafi, I hope you should or we should all strive to uncover the hidden history of Sheikh Aweys who spread Islam in deep south, Waamo and beyond, without denying the achievements of our heroes, Sayid Mohamed and the Daraawiish movement.

Afaraay Ahaayeen Uweesaay dileen Owliya Allaayaay ka Inkaar-sadeen. This is from a poem composed by the Qadiriyah poets after the killing of the Sheick. By the way the dervish movement did not only commit cruelty against the Qadariyah, but also against the much smaller Ahmediya School. Some folks confuse the historic impact one had to hero-ization and exoneration of ones acts. The man did leave a mark in the pages of history, but this doesn’t make one saint for that matter.