Ninkii oomay dhalanteed biyuu u ictiqaadaaye ilo iyo jidhaamay la tahay inuu arkaayaaye wuxuu sii itaaloba haduu addinka gaadhsiiyo uu ka cab yidhaah buu kulayl omos a taabtaaye asafka iyo tiiraanyaduu kala uleeyaaye Bal soo daa waxaad hayso...

Asalaamu Calaykum, ikhwa. Yaa Castro and Xiin Can the current conflict in Somalia be considered or classified as some sort of Jihad, or is it simply a political power struggle of some sorts? And to get to the crux of the matter, as you say, let’s talk about Martyrdom Operations. First though, we must decide whether there is Jihad in Somalia in order to discuss the Martyrdom Operations therein; for a discussion on these operations without Jihad would be rather futile, as they can’t take place if there is no Jihad in the field. They are a product of Jihad. And I request a few things from you before we delve into the subject: • That you discuss the issue with evidence from the Quran, Sunnah and the Salaf (not according to your logic or take on the subject but on the opinion of scholars) • That you do not make simple sweeping statements and slap verdicts of transgression on anyone for carrying out these operations • That you are fully aware of the situation you intend to discuss and the details of the martyrdom operation in question and the elements of the operation. You agree and we can proceed of course. So is there any Jihad? Wa-Salaam

NG, Ali’s story, despite your perception, doesn’t happen unsystematically. The squirming in the seat, the pace, the limbs, the movement, the timing; these are not simply inadvertent occurrences, but rather coordinated. An intricate process, appearing unrelated, but coordinated. And however much Ali tried, he was still seen as the culprit, whose effects, deemed fortuitous, determined the outcome. All the while, he repeated the lines of one of Togdheer’s famous poets, cabdullahi Muuse: • Tabantaabaday laba gacmood, tamar ku yeeshaane • Hadday midigtu keli taagantahay, tahar ma goyseene Back to the stories. I see you like stories, so I will give you some more. See the problem with the story is that Abdi is not from Mile End, you see. He lives the reality. He does not haphazardly walk into Bakara market without the knowledge that it wouldn’t be shelled. So like any sane individual would, he takes necessary precaution, yet fully believes that, despite the precaution, whatever is ordained must come to pass. And he knows the Shabaab; knows them well. He knows their stance. He is grateful. He knows that, after Allah’s will, it is because of their presence that he can now walk freely any hour; his wealth, his life, and his honour undefiled. He doesn’t carry a pistol anymore. Last year’s incidents are still fresh in his mind; the qat-cazed soldier who molested the neighbour’s daughter; the uniformed assassin who looted his house. It is all there. The extortion. The bribery. The depredation. The kidnapping. All in the name of government building. He remembers his brother’s shop in Bakaara; a vivid image he sees. The intoxicated men with machetes, hammers, and lock breakers. The gun wielding men, he envisages. Were they government soldier or government locksmiths? Now, he doesn’t have to look after his mother whenever she goes outside. She is safe in Siinay, and so are his relatives by Caymiska. The shelling has saddened him. His heart is constricted and for a moment, he contemplates the situation. He is saddened. But he is pacified. The exploits of the soldiers pricks his conscious. The implacable greed and deceit of the marauding police; the wickedness; the dishonesty; this becomes a force that pacifies him. A change of momentum. He realises that if left alone, they would return and so will the fear. He knows the Baraka will be shelled, but still he goes there. But he is not st.upid, for when shelling begins, he knows. Everyone knows. Even the cats. He knows too that what the Shabaab are doing is mandatory; is necessary. Tough but necessary, he concedes. He looks up and remembers his twin brother... Have I told you the story about his brother? No? Well then, his name is Rabiic. He lives on a coastal strip, South East of the Mediterranean Sea. Though amiable on the exterior, a fervent heart beats inside. Most of his family is buried under the rubble after an air strike, including his own 2-year old daughter. He brushes the debris off himself and stands tall. Trickles of blood ooze out from his face. Though his teary eyes and his blackened cheeks divulge a grim story, he is optimistic. Over the years, he has built the courage to make it through any obstacle. He is resilient. He smiles. A deadly smile; unyielding and uncompromising. He calls his family ‘Shuhadaa’ or Martyrs. All sentimentality is wrung out of his chest; amputated, to the very last drop. Yet he doesn’t blame the young boy with the warafwho threw the stone that injured the transgressing soldier. The stone in whose retaliation, his family braced the dust. He calls the young boy a ‘Mujaahid’ or a Holy Worrior. Rabiic also happens to have a farm. A small but productive farm. An orchard, in fact. It belonged to his great grandfather. It was once alive. The trees bore some sweet dark fruits. A relishing sight it was. Not now though. An eerie silence fills the atmosphere. No chirruping birds; no melodious song thrushes, no fluttering butterflies, no buzzing bees. Just silence. A shroud of fog envelopes the figs. Withered and wasted they lie, with dust decorating the shrubbery. When opportunity presents itself, he attempts to bring the plants back to life. He steals water from the nearby pipeline. But then they come and trample on the fresh vegetation. See the Jew knows what is vital in keeping Rabiic under constraint. He is adamant to keep Rabiic confined to a point where he can’t flee, and will die before fleeing. This is the art of war, he assumes. Rabiic too knows the predicament very well. He knows that the Jew intends to starve him, as he gradually inches in on his land. He knows that sooner or later they will come to demolish the orchard, but he is resilient. He is full of determination. His will cannot be broken. He is willing to suffer, to bear the burden, to go through the throes of degradation so his children could live in dignity. One day he says, he will emerge from the gutter. One day. The day, he sees, is close. See both Rabiic and his brother Abdi know that their adversaries are meting out collective punishments so that a public outcry is achieved; so that the young boys throwing stones or 120s should be seen as the culprits, just as Ali was. They are not a little wet behind the ears, you see. It is a predicament. A predicament of sorts. Now, If we quit the banter and get back to the Sharci perspective of the shelling. Take this on board: As long as the invading force captures even the size of a hand-span of land in Somalia (or any other Muslim nation), then fighting for that land and using whatever means necessary to defeat the invading enemy to regain it is an OBLIGATION upon the people of that land. This is when Jihad becomes Fardhul Cayn. And there is a general consensus on this, starting from the pious predecessors until now. As for Shabab news on SoL, now that would be something wouldn’t it! Only if they employed someone like Dukey! Again, Dacwa is necessary. It is a must. And I see that you are rebuking me on behalf on Al Shabaab. But my posts are to enlighten you and the rest. It is a ‘take it or leave it’ situation, but be warned and don’t say you weren’t informed! marka Jeedslka iga daa ina-adeer.

There was another article there about crime and how the young Somalis were being brainwashed in 'radical' Islam. And just like that article, this too is based on nothing but conjecture, hearsay, and a few statistics. Crime is rising, yes. but the average Somali teenager is in no way different to the Indian, Jamaican or the English kids in his neighbourhood. The UK is riddled with crime of all sorts and to say that Somalis are the enemy within, as it appears to me, is borne out of prejudice. Somalis in London number more than 300K. only the recent influx of Somalis from the EU (whom some say are degrading the Somali culture, don't know how true that is) could reach 50K. A look at Leicester and Birmigham would confirm this.

NG, my dear friend, the metal needs an anvil in order to be hammered into shape. In order to disseminate news to the public you need a platform to project it from: a website, a radio station, satellite, etc. As far as I am aware there is a radio station that operates in the Juba area, and also extends to the Dhoobley areas, manned by the Islamic Administration of Kismayo. It hits the airwaves everyday and has, quite surprisingly, a very wide audience and entertaining programs (news bulletins, historical accounts, quizzes, Islamic education, and so son). I also hear that there are plans to extend it all the way to Mogadishu and beyond. It is a good start I say. A very good start indeed. That’s why majority of the population inside Somalia is in touch with what is going on and receive their daily dose of news – factual news. But there is one problem when it comes to the airwaves overseas; the mainstream media is the BBC, VOA and the like. And I do not expect a man of your understanding would say that their news bulletins are impartial. In my opinion, they are the ones fanning the flames of the political wrangling going on inside Somalia. Case in point is the Hotel Sham saga and the head of Yusuf Garaad’s perpetual implication that the Shabaab did it, when they claimed otherwise; and VOA’s blatant spreading of propaganda and claiming to have received its news from the leaders of Shabaab when in fact they haven’t even spoken to them! As for a website, I think we all know what happened to the former Kataaib. Where did they buy the domain name? check the host, then pull the plug on them. It is that simple! What do you suggest is the best way for them to put their message across, faced with all this? As for changing people’s mind, I say it again; it is of little interest to me personally to change people’s minds and I know fully well that achieving such a feat on this forum is a miracle! What I am doing is presenting what the Shari’ah says in regards to some of the issues troubling Somalia, and particularly the Somalis in the Diaspora, today. And these are not my view but those of scholars upon which books and books have been compiled. Also my defence of the Al-Shabaab is not from the point of they are good/they are bad sort of argument. That is childish, you would agree. My argument lies in the fundamentals of their faith. My argument is concerned with what does the Qur’an and Sunnah say about what they ‘believe’ or say they believe. I am more concerned with whether their actions and Jihad is consistent with the Sunnah and Salaf or whether they are merely innovators. Are they the first to take this path or have they been preceded by others? Are they merely using Islam as façade and surreptitiously exploiting it for their gains or they are people of true to their words? Is their brand of Islam valid? Is their Jihad justified? Is Sharif’s Islam and methods of appeasing the West better than those who reject their calls? My statements concerning the Shabaab is not the relating to NEWS as you call it (or VIEWS as I like to call them) but to the Aqeedah aspect of it all. You said: when AMISOM shell the Bakara market, I put the blame on Al Shabab for allowing such a thing to happen. Picture the scenario: An intruder enters Ali’s house and rapes his wife in front of him. On gunpoint. ‘Move a step closer and I will blow her head off,’ says the intruder. For a for moments Ali endures the pain and squirms in his seat. But soon his blood boils and he could not bear the pitiful cries of his loving wife. He stands up and grabs a knife to ward the intruder off. ‘Wrong move,’ says the intruder, cocks his gun and fires one shot, breaking his leg. He is weakened and subdued, but the pain in his chest is overwhelmingly unbearable; the screams of his wife, the degradation of his honour, his naked vulnerability. It is too much. Tears begin running down his cheeks, saliva begins to coagulate in his throat, his heart pounds faster, a pulverizing beat and his palms become sweaty. In his moment of ecstasy, the intruder is absentminded. With bloodshot eyes Ali leaps forward and dives for the gun. They struggle. They wrestle. The gun roars. He is hurt. She cries. He bleeds. Two more shots, one to the chest, one on the elbow. The knife falls. Yet again he tries with all his might to subdue the enemy. To die with dignity or to live with disgrace. He reaches for the throat. All the while, she wails. She sniffles. She screams. ‘No’ don’t! she shouts. A shot is fired. Her lung is punctured. Another is fired. Her stomach is hit. Ali throttles the intruder. They struggle. But he is loosing blood. He lets go and pushes the enemy. He goes for the knife and quickly stabs him. And silence ensued. A soft moan. A sigh of relief. He removes the knife. Blood gushes forth. He stabs him again. And again. And again. Ah! That feels good. His hand is weak. The knife drops; the blood drenched knife. He is free. She is silent. He crumbles. She faints. After recovery: He wakes up and encased in bandages he smiles. He looks to his side and faint smile meets his glance. He reaches for the wheelchair, helped by the nurse. She is lucky. She is alive. A complicated operation, but she’s alive. With a tearful look she informs him: ‘I will never be able to have babies anymore.’ She weeps. She is grateful but she weeps. It is hard. Breathing is hard on her and the nurse comforts her. He sits by her side, confused and bewildered. Gently placing her head on his lap, he smiles, gently stroking her hair. A soft breeze caresses her face. Burying her face she sobs. With tears running down her cheecks, she looks at him wistfully and says between her sobs: why did you have to do this? if you hadn’t intervened this wouldn’t have happened! A divorce was in the process. Yes indeed. He knew the intruder did not care for their lives, yet he kept attacking him, knowing full well that the intruder would retaliate with his weapon. He knew the intruder would shoot his weapon and that this might endanger his beloved wife. But he yet he attacked him! That was his only crime!

NG, adeer it seems i’ve been speaking Old Irish lately! Changing anyone’s mind is something I have no desire for. And if it is the ‘application’ that is in dispute, then who is applying the rules and who is not? You are inundated with tons of ‘news’ by people whose primary objective is to gain benefit from spreading and disseminating such news. The relationship between the media and the susceptible audience is often mediated through a wide range of highly organised pressure groups, whose sole purpose is to influence the content of news by attempting to curb what is published and what is not! This is called spin doctoring adeer, and spin doctors is what Al-Shabaab do not employ! Their acts are out for all to see. Their words are justifiably congruous with their actions, unlike the feeble TFG who are in need of access to the media to convey their political discourses and appease the public. When the Shabaab commit an act, they do not mince their words (we killed the Murtad in Baladweyne) Hence there is no need for the spin doctor! As for the battle of hearts and minds, that has long been won inside Southern Somalia – it is only those in the Diaspora who are lagging behind. The safety of the Southern regions, areas under the control of the Mujahideen, is unparalleled, yet the news you follow paints you a ghastly picture of a desolate, godforsaken land. The Mujahideen have been busy building asphalt roads, clearing away rubbish, building canal and irrigation systems, distributing zakat to the needy, mediating between warring clans and dousing the flames of centuries old conflicts; and for the first time in 20 years did the residents of Kismayo, Marka, Baraawe,Jowhar, Mogadishu and the rest of the regions come to the Eid congregation in one place respectively! The largest congregations ever to assemble! The evidence is there for all to see. It is only a case of ‘selective ear lending’. Ask anyone in Somalia, what has the ‘government’ done for Somalia? Even when it was in control of the regions now administered by the Mujahideen? The answer you will receive will be akin to ‘nothing except they pillaged and plundered, raped and extorted money, bribed and battered the innocent.’ The events of looting of the Bakaara market are still embedded in everyone’s mind and even today, the 2KM circle they control in Mogadishu is riddled with theft, bribery and all sorts of vices. When crossing to the TFG’s tiny enclosure, the people don’t even take their purses or mobile phone, for fear that they may return without them. The hypocrisy of Sharif and the corruption of the TFG forces are undisputable facts. You are concerned with the NEWS of the events (without regard for its reliability) while I am concerned with Shari’ah’s stance on the events, hence the misunderstanding! p.s you said you would look into the matter deeply and reach a conclusion, have your findings yielded any fruits? Xiinow, iga warsug adeer!

Funny how many people speak about the affairs of religion by simply resorting to their own opinions and understanding. Xiinow, si daacadnima ah hadaad arrinta u guda geleysid akhi, by using sound evidence and not mere hearsay and opinion and by analysing the situation with detachment and without prejudice or preconceived notions of any sort from the onset, there is a possibility that we may agree on something, or understand one another's viewpoints; hadii kale iska daba wareegiyo baalaxooftay bahashu inaga noqon. And I am more than ready to discuss why I think Shariif's is an apostate regime and why AS are no way near the misguided Khawaarij. Brother North, you are dismayed by the AS supporters' justifications of Muslims being killed. There is no justifications for killing innocent Muslims and if anyone says there is one he is wrong. Yes Muslims are being killed but the question is - who is killing these Muslims? By Allah I am more closer to the reality than you are and nothing is as you perceive it ina-adeer! The thing is none of your are able to perceive things impartially at first. You take everything with a grain of salt. First you blame the Mujahideen (even if they say, look guys we didn't do this one! something dubious is going on) then you affix the label and then you try to justify the reason. It is a backward process and won't solve anything but meddle your thoughts... If it is the TFG 'muslims' you are talking about then, we need to go back to the definitions of who is a Muslim and who is not - we need to return to the mas'ala of Al-Asmaa wal Axkaam. This is one of the most important aspects of Islam and it can clarify a great deal of things going on in the world today. Calling someone a Muslim means he takes the Axkaam of a Muslim such as love, protection, allegiance, brothersood, etc. Calling someone a Kaafir on the other hand, means he is deprived of all the aforementioned attributes and he tkes the axkaam of a kaafir such as hate, disavowal, enmity, abhorrence of the religion, etc. The Asmaa such as Muslim, Mu’min, Murtad, Munaafiq, Faasiq, Kaafir, all have attributed to them some Axkaam which they take. Islam has conditions and is not just a word one proclaims or the simple utterance of the Shahaadateyn that guarantees his blood's inviolability. No. He must fulfil the conditions of the Shahaadateyn. Arrin culus weeye kaniye sska ilaali yaa North, yaaney bohoola kaala dhicine...

As of late, and particularly in these tumultuous times where ignorance has become the norm, many people, armed with only a few rudimentary lessons in religious matters, have been staging a hapless uproar. Assisted by the rumourmongers, chiefly from the gullible and nostalgic Diasporas, they went on a contempt-filled campaign of derision, hurling insults at the Mujahideen at every available opportunity. Some of the slogans of these groups include, though are not limited to, the following: They are killing Muslims They are Khawaarij They are exploiting religion for personal gain They are destroying the nation They are beheading people They are flogging men for no apparent reason They are stoning innocent girls to death They are amputating the hands of Somalis They are forcing people to prayer They coercing people into Islam They screamed, demonstrated and wailed but to no avail, as their screams fell on deaf ears and their discordant wails faded in the distant background. Befuddled by the Mujahideen’s unapologetic and unwavering stance, they now helplessly look on, defeated and depleted. But before we attempt to answer their malodorous diatribe and ill-conceived slogans, let us look at what Islam says about killing Muslims and the reasons that validate the blood of a Muslim. Generally, the blood of a Muslim, his wealth and honour are inviolable and Haraam because of his being a Muslim – that is unless he/she falls into something that invalidates this inviolability and makes his/her blood violable under Shari’ah. On the other hand, the blood of a Kaafir is generally Halaal – unless there is a covenant of safety or peace between you and them, which then makes his blood inviolable. There are many reasons that validate spilling the blood of a Muslim. Below are a few examples… Reasons that validate the blood of a Muslim: 1. General validation (Mubiix caam ah) - that allows the killing of the person and taking his wealth, so his children do not inherit him as the wealth goes to Islam. This is where the person has left the fold of Islam and the prime example of this is apostasy i.e. to turn away from Islam by action, statement or belief – and we will talk about this in more detail later as it needs a lot of clarification. 2. Partial Validation (Mubiix Juz’i ah) - in which the Muslim person is only killed but without taking his wealth and property. Here the person does not become a Kaafir and leave the fold of Islam but he has simply fallen into a thing in which Allah has set a legislation by which that Muslim should be killed, such as Xuduud. The legal verdict of Xad is applied not for apostasy but for a compensation of the sin committed, after which it will be forgiven by Allah insha-Allah. In this second category there are many examples and include, but not limited to: • Qisaas – A person who wilfully kills another Muslim will be killed in the same manner in which he had taken the life of his victim. If he stabbed his victim, he will be stabbed, if he poisoned him, he will be poisoned, and so on. • Zina or Adultery – if a married man/woman commits Zina, the verdict is that he/she will be stoned to death • Liwat or homosexuality - where both the doer of the deed and the done to are to be killed according to the hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w) • The Marrying of Maxaarim – if someone weds/marries his Maxaarim i.e those whom Allah has made illegal or Haraam for you to marry like your mother, sister, aunt, etc he will be taken to the guillotine. This, some scholars say is Riddah or apostasy according the hadith of Baraa ibn Caazib. According to the hadith, Baraa came across his maternal uncle one day, galloping with an army and holding a flag. Where are you going with the flag and the army, he asked? His uncle replied that the prophet (p.b.u.h) had send him to go to such and such place and kill the man who married the widow of his father – i.e. his Aayo or eedo as some call it -and also take his property. Here in this case the question is was the man killed for apostasy or was it simply a case of applying the Xad. And the answer becomes clear from the Hadith itself, because the prophet ordered Baraa to take the man’s property. So the property becomes Fa’i for the Muslims and whenever the property becomes Fa’i, the person or people from whom it is obtained from are non-Muslims, as Fa’I cannot be gained from a Muslim. • Similar to this case is the marrying of a Muslim woman to a Jew or a Christian – this is also apostasy as it deems the woman to have allowed something Allah had disallowed. • The killing of the Highway robbers or Modern day Moor.yaan: If a person or a group of people are bent on robbing people by use of weapons or by kidnappings and extortion, he/they should be fought and killed. Their wealth and property will not be taken as they are not being killed for apostasy, but the weapons which were used to rob people or for the fight will be confiscated as well as any wealth he’d taken from the Muslims which will be reimbursed. This is explained clearly in Suratul maa’idah’s verse 33. • Qitaalul Buqaa or Killing of the Transgressing Party: If two groups or tribes of Muslims fight, they should be justly mediated between. If one party does not accept the mediation process and transgresses, that party will be fought and killed for their blood has now become lawful because of their denial of arbitration as Allah has explained in the Qur’an. • The Heavy Drinker: if someone has drunk wine and has been flogged three times for the crime, on the fourth time he can be killed as some narrations state. This is not waajib, however, but only that it is a possibility and we have to look at the Maslaxa. Some scholars go as far as stating that if someone had committed theft for three times and had been punished with the Xad, on the fourth time he can be executed as he becomes a Faasid without a remedy. • The Spy: whoever spies for the kuffar against the Muslims whether they are at war or not will be killed, period! Either he will be killed for the kufr he committed – meaning he has taken the Kuffar as allies instead of the Muslims - or for Xad – legal ruling of that crime. The hadith of Xaatib ibn abi Baltaca is a proof of this. • Protecting Oneself: If a Muslim attacks you or your property and you warn him but he does not stop, you have the right to fight back to protect your life or property. If he kills you for your property or life while you were protecting oneself, then you are a Shaheed. If you kill him, it is justified as confirmed in the hadith of the Prophet. (man qutila duuna maalihi fahuwa shaheed) • The Second Khaliifa: If the Muslims select one Caliph and pledge their allegiance to him, then out of the blue comes another man and states that he too is the Caliph, he will be warned and advised to stop. If he persists, then he must be killed according to the hadith of Abu Saciid al Khudri in Muslim, as this brings about the disunity of the Muslim populace. • The sorcerer: The sorcerer will be killed and it is an act of Kufr as Allah explains in the Qur’an. Sorcery is one of the Nullifiers of Islam and Umar (R.A) used to order the Sahaba to go out and kill every sorcerer they see. The three schools of thought have this opinion. Imam Shaafici, however, says that the sorcerer whould be called to account and asked to explain his craft. If it is found that it contains shirk and kufr, then he should be killed, otherwise if it is a matter of petty tricks, he should be left alone. But the scholars were quick to catch him and refute him on this. When Jundub was in Iraq, he saw a man performing sorcery in front of a crowd. Waleed ibn Cuqba ibn abi Mucayd, who was an governor of that town in Iraq was also present. The sorcerer would say to the crowd that he’d open the mouth of a cow and enter it, then exit from its rear. Then he would perform it. Upon seeing this Jundub realised what was going on and simply went away. The next day he came back with a sword. Waleed was sitting and watching the amazing feats of the sorcerer as he cut off the heads of some people and then brought them back to life. At that point, Jundub got up, cut off the head of the sorcerer, and said ‘let him resurrect himself if indeed he is truthful.’ • The Kaahin or Fortune Teller – The Kaahin is the one who claims to have knowledge of the unseen. Some of the scholars say that he will be killed either for his Kufr or fasaad citing Al Maa’idah’s verser 32 as evidence to support this. • The Deviant Mubtadic or Innovator: the one who brings new innovations into the religion so as to corrupt the religion will be killed. This person is the same as the highway robber - just as the highway robber ruins the Dunya of the Muslims, the Mubtadic ruins the Akhira or hereafter of the Muslims and dents the religion of Allah. Such is the view of Malik and others. • Taariku salaah: The person who abandons prayers completely will be killed. His blood becomes lawful and majority of the scholars say that he is a kaafir. • Maanicu zakaat: The person who denies to pay the alms to the poor as prescribed by Allah will be fought and killed just as Abu Bakar has done during his battles with the apostates. These are just some examples, and, Insha-Allah, I will post some further notes on Apostatsy in the light of Qur'an and Sunnah. Wa-Salaam LX

Most Welcome Sxb! The feelings is mutual. Indeed one of us has grabbed the wrong end of the stick. Me I am certain. You, you remain dubious. Either way, I welcome your efforts to flicker this flashlight. Time you have plenty, walaal, but be sure to reach a conclusion after your quest for the truth has come to an end. Man cannot afford to be dwelling in the labyrinthine chasms of doubt. After investigation he either becomes enlighted by the truth he'd discovered or remains perplexed in his benighted state. I sincerely wish for you the former and eagerly await your findings. on a lighter note, though I admire your analytical tones, neutrality can sometimes be damagine yaa NG! May Allah guide us all to the right path. in search of it, many have become disoriented and lost in the maze of other paths. I pray that Allah guides us to it, for it leads to salvation from the ever-raging fire. until then...

NG, the take of the above mentioned scholars on Operation Desert Storm was well founded. It was ijtihad on their part, so they get rightfully recompensed whether right or wrong. In this case they were wrong and they have been criticized for it too. Al-Albani rejected to sign the Fatwa when called as you recall. Scholars are not infallible. You compare Hizb taking money from Eritrea to Sharif’s case. The latter is involved in a war against Islam and stood siding with the war on Islam. And you very well know that his legislations, despite his cries of ‘I rule by shari’ah,’ are not from the Qur’an. You heard the PM on VOA stating that they don’t have to rule by the shariah that permits cutting hands etc… As for doubt, I was referring to doubt in the kufr of a kafir. It is a matter of aqeeda, like I said. Removing doubt and arriving at certainty is a condition of La ilaha illa-laah. I am certain that you do not question Ibn Taymiyyah’s status in the annals of knowledge. Read up his work, for he was one scholar who never comprised the truth nor bargained his religion cheaply. And he did pay a hefty price for this truth to be propagated. His stance on the apostates was perhaps the firmest. He made it obligatory to fight them, even though they were building mosques and praying in them, stating that they were worse than the Romans and fighting them was even more virtuous. No peace agreements can be accorded to them nor covenants he maintained, they must be fought. When the Murji’ah came out in the battle of Shaqhab, loudly exclaiming, as they usually do, that the Tartar were Muslims and fighting them was Fitna and against Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah’s response was clear: "If you find me in the ranks hand of the Tatars, holding the Qur’an in my right then kill me!” The situation of the Muslims today is the same as it was then. And just as it was at that time, the scholar, too, differ! One can not read what is in their hearts and therefore one can not be hasty with certain condemnation. …This is a big statement from you yaa NG.A really big one. Do not become ensnared into this deadly trap, sxb! This is the erroneous reasoning of the Murji’ah and Jahmiyya who reduce the entire concepts of belief and disbelief to the mere acceptance and denial of the heart alone! We do not make any judgments in life except with that which is apparent. Let a man swear a hundred oaths to testify that his heart is overflowing with Eeman, if his outward actions are actions of Kufr and clear evidence is in light against him, there is not a shred of doubt about his Kufr. We judge by the apparent, just as the Prophet (s.a.w) expressed that he was not sent to rip open people’s hearts! Sxb, if it walks like kufr, acts like kufr and smells like kufr – it must be Kufr! And unlike the Khawarij, who believe that people of corrupt religion are doomed into hell fire for the major sins they committed, everyone is a Muslim as long as he does not commit that which is a nullifier of Islam. And the nullifiers of Islam are many and include supporting the polytheists against the Muslims. And one cannot be expelled from Islam or be called a Murtad simply because of doubt or suspicion unless certainty is established. Are we not certain that by supporting Americas proxy war on Islam and Muslims worldwide and by aiding the occupying African troops in Mogadishu who continue to indiscriminately bombard the civilian population the man has committed a nullifier of great magnitude? Qadi Iyad said: “Declaring the blood of those who pray, who are upon Tawxiid to be permissible is a serious danger”, but is Sharif a man on Tawxiid? If you insist that he is a man of Tawxiid, then the law of contradiction applies: two states cannot coexist in a man! He cannot be a Mu’min and a Mushrik at the same time. So which one is it? And just as it is erroneous and grave to declare a man of Tawxiid Kaafir, it is equally grave to call Muslim someone who has left the fold of Islam. (Your angry declarations of kufir and ridda only increase my doubt). …Akhi, my statements should not hinder you from seeking the truth. They are inconsequential of course, so if you are serious about the subject, try doing a little more research into the matter and be not swayed by sentiment. And how do you get rid of your doubt you ask? The only way to get rid of your inherent doubts is to honestly study the subject in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah following the exegeses and understanding of the text by the pious predecessors and those who followed them in righteousness. There is nothing left out in the Qur’an… Wa-salaam…

NG, sxb, take not this as an attempt to shape or force my opinions on you, rather as a healthy discussion based upon proofs and tangible evidence and I do apologize for my prejudgmental tones. Now, instead of being amazed at my certainty, it would be judicious to test the reliability of the source of your news. The case you are referring to of Al-Shabaab seeking help from Eritrea is slightly misconstrued. As you are aware, Al-Shabaab was part of the ICU, although not officially declared 'Al-Shabaab' at the time. And it is true that Eritrea did supply arms as well as finances to the Islamic Courts. But the Shabaab, a small guerilla group at the time, did not hold any senior offices in the ICU makeup. They were clustered together; a militarily wing and often the internal strife of ICU was a result of the difference of objectives between the two parties. After the infamous 9-day war had occurred and the relatively stable governance of the ICU had come to pass, things began clearing up and the bifurcation process began. Solidarity among groups was strengthened and the Shabaab members went farther South, thereby declaring independence from all groups. The crumbling ICU, was still receiving support from Eritrea and upon hearing that their toughest fighting wing had departed, they decided to sever all relations with them. The Shabaab were stranded. They were still in their infancy. No perfect organization and no stream of income! So they decided to start things from scratch, budding to what it is now, without extending their hands to Eritrea or any other entity. This is what I know of them, but if you have anything else to suggest that they did indeed seek help from Eritrea, I welcome it. Now come to Sharif's apostasy. So you do agree that in isolation he is an apostate. Good. We are reaching somewhere. Now enlighten me on the bigger picture that somehow disapproves of his apostasy? As for certainty, contrary to your belief, I hold the notion that to be certain and convinced of your conviction ought to be healthier and far more fulfilling than to be lurking in doubts. Of course if these convictions are justifiably held. A Muslim cannot have doubts in his belief. Having a doubt negates the condition of 'La Ilaaha illa-llaah' The Gulf War had raised many issues. During the Soviet war in Afhagnistan, Saudi Arabia was preparing her youth, offering them incentives to participate in the Jihad in Afghanistan. At the airports, there were special offices to assist the youth who wanted to travel to Afghanistan. And all went smooth and well. But then America came and then the Saudi Jihad became illegal and came to be known as 'terrorism.' What is the difference between the Soviet and America that scholars should allowed Jihad in one and forbade in the other? The Muslim scholars at the time differed. Most of the Scholars of the Sultan of course gave the fatwa that it was perfectly legal to keep an alliance with America in her war against Saddam. Heck, they even participated in the war let alone sanction it? Does this mean that they were right? Or were they protecting their interests and the advantages the alliance brought? The other scholars, of course denied this alliance. Scholars are not of the same caliber, saaxiib, and neither are they infallible. Their work will be taken only if it coincides with the texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Otherwise it will be rejected, just as the works of the khawaarij, Murji'ah, Jahmiya, Qadiriya, and so forth have been refuted and rejected. See, my friend, this is a matter of Aqeedah. And Alwalaa wal baraa is the epitome of Aqeedah! Many scholars also argued that if Muslims feel threatened by a force of Kufur, they could indeed seek the help of Jews/Christians or whomever. substantiate your claims with evidence sxb!

^Gallop forth O' gallant seeker of Martyrdom, for the battle has not yet laid down its burden!

NG, It is a prerequisite, since you asked for proofs, that you are willing to come with proofs that negate the validity of my bold certainty. The apostasy of Murtad Shariif is quite apparent to all and questioning it shows a lack of understanding of the Quranic text. See the thing is as Muslims, we don't merely follow our whims and desires. We abide by definitive and comprehensive guides that instruct us on how we ought to live and conduct ourselves: the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w) of course. This much you must agree with me. If in the affirmative, then you must also agree that the facts in these comprehensive guides are immutable and infallible. This also you must agree with me. And from these guides the verses that testify to the apostasy of Murtad Sharif are quite numerous, but just one would suffice for a man of belief: 'O you who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians as allies; they are but allies to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as allies, then surely he is one of them… [Ma'ida] In the above verse, Allah has severed the allegiance between Muslims and the Jews and Christians, proving that whoever of the Muslims allies himself with them becomes one of them - i.e leaves the fold of Islam. And once this happens all the actions of that person are nullified for actions are nullified by what negates them and (as opposed to the teaching of the khawaarij) nothing negates them in totality except for Disbelief (Kufr) as explained by Ibn Taymiyyah. And one cannot be a Muslim as well as a Kafir at the same time. One cannot be brimming with Eeman and simultaneously be dwelling in the darkness of Kufr. It has to be one or the other. You cannot be allying yourself with the America with her open manifestation of hatred towards the Muslims and continue to be a Muslim. Eeman negates and opposes taking them as allies and Eeman and taking Christians and Jews as allies cannot coincide in a heart. If, however, a Muslim were to befriend them and take them as allies, as Murtad Sharif is doing, it becomes a testament that they are upon the truth despite their massacring of Muslims worldwide. Muslim scholars have greatly discussed apostasy and its conditions and no disputes have arisen in the apostasy of those who assist disbelievers and ally themselves with them. Your friend here, Murtad Sharif, just like the apostate rulers before him, has been strongly supporting America's war on Islam. There are only two battle lines in this war: it is a battle between Islam and Kufr and Mr. Murtad Sharif has decided to join the enemy of Allah in their fight against Islam. That much should at least be perceptible to a rational mind! Xiinow, Atheer you have become rather disconsolate since the derailment of your peace caravan. A terrible thing for a man of your age! Come to me on even terms, atheer, for you very well know that I do not deign to respond with insults or streams of invective.

my certainty, is sustained by immutable proofs! Do you wish to object its validity?

After Macow and his men have vowed allegiance to the Mujahideen, panic and confusion set in the hearts of the apostates in Mogadishu and elsewhere. The Mushrikeen and grave worshippers in Guriceel, Dhuusamareeb and neighbouring places began panicking and the Puntland administration received lightning shudders down her spine. It was inevitable: the Martyrdom seekers were inching towards the North. In Mogadishu, Murtad Sharif’s heart became constricted. He began gasping for breath, for the news was too devastating. With fewer obstacles in the way of the Mujahideen, this spelled disaster for the tottering interim government, knowing very well that the Mujahideen stationed in Mogadishu will soon plunge right into their fortifications and devour the trembling Ugandans and Burundis. Earlier, the apostates decided to pressurize the Mujahideen from all corners, but suffered humiliating defeat in all fronts. Then the blessed martyrdom operations in Xalane took place in which the most senior officials received a one-way ticket to meet their Lord for reckoning. A further blow to the Murtad leader. He was running out of options as well as men! Like a caged bird he’d stroll in the compounds of his house, to and fro, unable to set a foot anywhere in Somalia except his tiny enclosure. It is a predicament of sorts, dare I say. A president by name. A constitution on paper. A country to govern, yet powerless to maneuver. He knows though. He knows very well that he’d lost the war, but the pressure from the US weighs heavy on his head. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Indeed, it is a predicament of sorts! Then came the blessed occasion of Eid. A moment of merriment for all; a moment of misery for the Murtad. Unable to pray in the nearest mosque, he was confined to his house again and led the Ugandans and Burundis in prayer. What a travesty! Perhaps they should sacrifice Murtad Shariif on the comign Eid! What a wonderful sacrificial he would make for the sacrilege of the deen! On the other side, the Mujahideen have gained more land. Things are beginning to ease a little. Hiiraan has surrendered and soon too shall Galguduud follow... Ah! the winds of Change!

^Qubuuro lama qufayo maandhey. It is against Islam to build tombs marka dhulkaa lala simayaa. The prophet (s.a.w) has forbidden us from taking a grave or a tomb as a place of worship and to worship or ask for the intercession of the person in the grave is 'Shirk' and takes one out of the fold of Islam.

Ngonge, It is not easy to predict anything in this volatile situation and I am no more informed of Al-shabaab’s proposals than you are, but the fragrant winds of change have traveled across Southern Somalia producing a pleasant ambiance all around. For now their goal must be to educate the masses. Restoration of educational facilities, infrastructure and renovating decrepit buildings is already underway. Roads have been cleared of obstacles and transport flows smoothly across a wide network of cities. It is this sense of safety that has been deprived of the people by the warlords and government whose checkpoints used to charge exorbitant prices. A poor lorry driver used to pay more than $100 just to get from Mogadishu to the North. A checkpoint in Balcad would have to charge him, then another one in Jowhar, then another one in Mahadaay, then in Jalalaqsi, Buuloberde and so on… Now the road is clear and the poor man can spend his 100 dollars on gas rather than bribery. As for the future, I am more than certain that Al-Shabaab’s governance, which would be in accordance with the rulings set forth by the Qur’an, would produce better results than any previous form of governance hitherto established on Somali soil; for the legislative laws to be abided by here are ordained in the Qur’an, not simply borne out of the whims of error-prone individuals. There is reliable information that many of Murtad Sharif’s forces are absconding from his feeble government. During the fight for Beledweyn, more than 120 men were reported to have absconded, joining the Shabaab along with their weapons, and in Mogadishu they are countless! And though the government tentatively claims to have the upper hand in the battlefields, the uniformed carcasses lying in blood puddles on the battlefields and their vacant defenses negate the accuracy of that claim. Abraar, lets be men of wisdom here and not burst out simply for the sake of making a point. You sound like someone with minimal knowledge about Islam yet you have the audacity to question people’s beliefs. You do this either of willful ignorance or you have adopted a biddable nature to regurgitate words you hear on talk shows. In your posts you call Al-Shabaab ‘false Islamists’ and are attacking them and their ‘primitive clerics’? Could you expound on that a bit? What is false about their Islam and what is primitive about them? Is returning to Tawxiid and disassociating with Jews and Christians and their allies considered returning to primitiveness and a false sense of Islam? Progressive Islam? Islam is complete, so where do you want to progress to? You want a moderate form of Islam that lets women sunbathe in Lido and the beautiful beaches of Kismayo? But that is not Islam, it is the exact opposite. What you are advocating for is not feasible as long as Al-Shabaab hold power in any area. What you are inadvertently (or knowingly) advocating for is Islam based on democracy, unaware that Shari’ah had long given women rights more than any system of governance can and ever will. Shari’ah had instilled the freedoms you mention long before Christians knew what freedom of expression was! Be clear! What you are saying is that ‘I don’t want Somalia to be ruled by Shari’ah’ As for our women what choices are they denied? Be clear, don’t just write heedlessly. As for your nationalist agenda, Islam knows no nationalism. Go ahead and squirm in your seat now! I know where your problem lies Johynny- it is the teachings of Shaykhul Islam Mohammad ibn Cabdulwahaab: for as long as his teachings of Tawheed in its purest form are being propagated in Somalia, there is certainly no chance for you ever setting a foot in it.

Where are those benighted souls now who used to rejoice at the slightest setbacks of the Mujahideen during Yeey’s reign or have they simply resorted to reveling in feigned tribal glories of yesteryears? What happened to their ‘terrorists will be defeated within a few months’ mantra that they used spew across the forums? Alas! What of Reconciliation now and what of Dirrin? Despite the litany of insults and mendacious propaganda imputed to the Mujahideen, Allah has bestowed upon them His bounty. Today the Mujahideen control most of Southern Somalia, managing the affairs of the population according to the Shari’ah. And however paradoxical it may sound, today most of Southern Somalia enjoys a period of relative stability – no roadblocks, no killings, no highway robberies, no kidnappings and rape and, except for minor incidents, no robbery. Men and women are separated in public transports, disputes are settled in Islamic courts and majority of the people have come to accept and support the Mujahideen. And it is this very atmosphere of stability that is being denied to the Somali people and Muslims generally. While tombs are being demolished in some parts, locals are being taught the fundamentals of belief at the same time – thereby enabling them to practice pure Tawheed (Monotheism) and abandon worshipping saints and graves. The creed of Alwalaa wal Baraa has now firmly become instilled in majority of the people’s minds and they have, as a result, began to loathe the presence of the African forces. The hypocrisy and apostasy of Murtad Shariif has now become apparent to the masses; for the very people he used to oppose with his chants of ‘Gaal, Gaal Dooni meyno, Gaalo Raac Dooni Meyno’ are the one whom he today presides over and protects. So while many of you entertain yourselves with adorned speech and delusions of Murtad Sharif and his infidel allies annihilating the Mujahideen, I guarantee you that it will remain a mere delusion. With the support of Allah, the Mujahideen have now secured Mogadishu, save for the airport, seaport and the tiny enclosure of No. 4 and Madaxtooyo. And Insha-Allah, the time is nigh for Mogadishu’s complete takeover! To profess my support for the Mujahideen might disturb the composure of many in here, but like it or not folks – Al-shabaab has now become a permanent force to contend, so prepare your weapons! To the disconcerted folks – Qul muutuu bi qaydhikum… To the Mujahideen – Ina Nasra-llaahi qariib…

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiy aar: Axmedoow Walad Cabdalle Soomaali ku sheeg badan ayuu dhaamaa la isku wada daro. Ma maantaad tiri gaal xun baa idin dhaamaa MMA-ow? Lagaama filaneyn taa sxb! mise miyaad is bedeshay? Those non-Soomaali men do see what is beyond the immediate future -- our very survival and the future independence of our nation. It is sad reflection of us when a non-Soomaali always happens to see that, then trying kiciyo Soomaalida to realize that, to see our shared common interests. Dad, albeit minority they are, ayaa always rabana jilaafo u dhigo those men in the name of clanism. ...If the entity that this man represents, the UN and US, can bring about change in Somalia and lead her to peace and prosperity while all her women ululate and dance, then you are too naive in your thinking sxb MMA.

Dabshid, don't celebrate yet! D'jbouti is too feeble to have an effect in reversing the current political situation in Somalia. To put it bluntly, her soldiers will simply be dragged in the streets of Mogadishu, just like the Ugandans, burundis and the Ethiopians before them or even beheaded. Soon you will also see portly Arab bodies being dragged in Bakaara or Suuqa Xoolaha when the Arab league decides to send in its men. Fools that haphazardly rush into blazing fires will soon enough be burnt.

...Mr, Somalia, am I right in assuming that you are the author of this article? It is worthy of an applause, I must say, and your efforts are rather laudable - if I was a middle-aged, white lady living in Swindon that is! To someone aware of the everyday going-ons in Somalia'a capital, the article comes across as the work of a hare-brained author, without knowledge of Mogadishu or Somalia's history, past or present! If you are not the author, however, then do accept my apologies! Originally posted by Mr. Somalia: In its amorous times, lovers kissed and held hands in Mogadishu’s gardens and streets. They got married regardless of their clan affiliation. In its festive and ceremonial mood, national festivals like the Prima Luglio - the Independence Day – were held there, and city residents celebrated. In its spiritual times, sheiks and their disciples would have said their prayers at the famous Arbaca Rukun mosque with its white minaret up in the sky as though competing with the spires of the Italian Roman Catholic Cathedral over the dominance of the city’s clear blue skies. A tolerant city it was. ...See, the problem here mr. Somalia. it is the very above sentences that have spurred Somalia into an endless cycle of warfare. The question here is - do I want a Roman cathedral beside my local Arbaca Rukun? The TFG should appoint a national commission to (i) investigate the atrocities that took place in Mogadishu; ...Is this a 'rational' choice? is it plausible that the impuissant TFG can investigate atrocities - not to mention that it plays the biggest role in causing these 'atrocities'? (ii) prepare a list of all properties that had been confiscated from “other “ lineage groups in 1990s and 2000s in view of returning them to their rightful owners. This task could be delegated to the current Mogadishu’s Mayoral Administration. ...What about the properties confiscated from the very body that purports to be a legislative/governin g body? If it can't claim back its own offices, bases and residential bloacks, how can we expect it to return the properties of other people? Rather than using the same rhetoric and slogans of “Al-Qaacida, terrorism, extremism, Jihad” the TFG should reach out to those opposition groups in order to engage them in a political dialogue. Genuine reconciliation and dialogue is the only way out of the civil war. ...it is no longer a slogan, son. Wake up and smell the coffee! Al-Qaacida is here to stay!

What an id.iot!

Hallucination. Mere hallucination!

Greetings friends and foes... Aar Ilaah baan idin ku dhaarshee ma weli fadhi ku dirirkii baad wadaan? Alla maxaa aduun is bedeley - the feeble government is on its knees, heart pounding in its No. 4 compound surrounded by the Mujahideen. The final stages have come, but when shall we witness the final blow of the swordsman to amputate the crippled TFG? Where is oday Paragon when you need him mise UDS tuu u galay?

Majority of Somali graduates in London are either Bus drivers, unemployed or doing some retail stuff to make ends meet. I know so many graduates whose Firct Class degrees are collecting dust on their shelves. The main thing as Chubaka mentioned is Experience - without it you and your degree are worth nothing (especially if you're competeing against thousands of 'white' candidates - believe me recruitment is highly selective in many firms) I strongly urge anyone at uni to do as much work experience (paid or unpaid) as you can during your penultimate year - that helps alot as you need to build a portfolio and show your prospective employers that you are someone with a keen interest in your field... Good Luck...