Duke did say that things will heat up at the 1st of Nov. Maybe this was it.

"Iam just more pissed the idea of censoring someone just because you don't agree with their political and religious views" People in authority have a responsibility to their people. There has got to be a limit somewhere. One can not distribute a leafelet encouraging peadophilia for instance. I wholly abhor the act of homosexuality but if the followers of that reverand decide to attack gays because of what he said, that would be terrible. There has got to be a line to be drawn on what one can say in public.

Salaam aleykum Paragon I dont understand this. Have the people themselves decided that they wanted Courts ruled by themselves? Or is this something to do with the Islamic Courts in Mogadishu? Why is Cadde paniking if W/gaalkacoyo themselves decided to have court?

How depressing. It makes me wonder the state the country will be in by the time we all return. That is if we ever do.

Salaam aleykum It takes a woman of strength with strong iman and great character to share her husband. Most women fall short of these values which makes it hard for us to cope with sahring our husbands. Allah permitted men to marry four wives. Having read the history of the sahaabah and their marital situations, it appears that not many has conditions. If i feel my husband could benefit having second wife (i.e. If i cant have baby, if i am sick, if i am living in another country), i would accept it. If babies are involved and my husband still decided to marry a second wife, i wouldnt ask for divorce and deprive my kids of a father. My head tells me to accept this, but my heart wouldnt cope with it as it would drive me insanely jealous. So in the end if his second marriage had detrimental effect on our marriage (i.e. if i couldnt continue to be a raalliyo wife and neglect my wifely duties that would jeopardise a place in Jannah), i would gladly ask for a divorce. But i really would like to believe that i would have patience to endure this little test. After all earth is not our final abode and we all working for our final destination.

Salaam I am amazed to read that all men have converted to Islam this year and coincidently they moved to Yemen to learn Arabic. I am very skeptical. In the US, if you ever visit Yemen, you will expect a visit from the men in black and you expect your whole life to be checked throughly, letters opened, phones bugged etc etc. It happened to family friend. ALl he did was visit his dad but the FBI even went to speak to his dad and ask him whether he was part of AL-qaeda etc.

I dont know if anyone would leave a job in the UK/US for one in Dubai in the long term. How secure is it? How long will this boom last? It is volatile region after all.

Githongo moved to the UK to live in exile after claiming that there have been threats to his life, but is considering returning to Kenya to testify to the corruption committee. He took up a post at an Oxford college. With regards to World bank and similar institutions, they have never been fair to Africa with their harmful policies. They continue to impose unfair conditions on Africa’s economies. As MMA said, it is for the west and by the west. I don't expect much from the WTO, what I know for sure is that they will bring up policies that will make Africans poorer. i.e. Ghana sends cocoa to the developed world, then it comes back as chocolate, more expensive than the cocoa itself. This only makes the rich countries richer. If Africa have any sense, they would leave conflicts behind and they should just increase trade among themselves and remove trade and travel barriers among it's people and forget about help from the West, and finally we should stop exporting raw materials and start selling finished products.

Mabrook Passion. Very worthwhile job you have there too. I remember it took me couple of months before i got a job when i graduated. Well done.

Salaam For the first in years, i went to see a movie at the cinema and i saw an advert of this film Borat. I never laughed so hard.

Salaam Xalane "For 16 yrs there was chaos in mogadisho,suddenly a govenrment is elected and holly warriors duck up from all the corners of the city,don't u think that there is more to it than that which is told?Its all evident." Isnt this a bit misleading? If i recall, 14 different govts were elected. None worked. The ICU is a product of those failures. It wasnt just sudden emergence as you seem to imply. It was because those transitional govts couldnt do their job properly. Furthermore i am not hopeful about the A Yusuf leadership therefore i dont see any prosperity under TFG anytime soon. Can you see any other alternative other than ICU at the moment? They have done remarkably well in the very short time they were in power. Just speak to anyone in Mogadishu at the moment. Please walaalayaal, let us not wish a war. U nax ummadda ku nool meeshaas. Anaggu nabad baan qabnaa, quudkeena qiil nagama galo.

Prize offered to Africa's leaders Mo Ibrahim wants to combat corruption in Africa A $5m prize for Africa's most effective head of state is being launched by one of the continent's top businessmen. UK-based mobile phone entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim - who was born in Egypt - is behind the plan to rate governance in 53 African countries each year. The contest, launched in London, will award winning leaders $5m (£2.7m) over 10 years when they leave office, plus $200,000 (£107,000) a year for life. "We need to remove corruption and improve governance," Mr Ibrahim said. 'No life after office' Then the continent would not need any aid, said Mr Ibrahim, who sold Cel Tel, his pan-African mobile phone company, to MTC in Kuwait for $3.4bn (£1.8bn) last year. HAVE YOUR SAY The intention is good but I do not think it will promote good governance Wanjiku Kagira-Kargbo Send us your comments "The day we do not need any aid will be the most wonderful day in my life." The Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership is being launched on Thursday. The award will go to African heads of state who deliver security, health, education and economic development to their constituents. In an interview with the Financial Times newspaper, Mr Ibrahim, 60, said leaders had no life after office. "Suddenly all the mansions, cars, food, wine is withdrawn. Some find it difficult to rent a house in the capital. That incites corruption; it incites people to cling to power. "The prize will offer essentially good people, who may be wavering, the chance to opt for the good life after office," said Mr Ibrahim. Support BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut said it would be the world's richest prize - exceeding the $1.3m (£700,000) awarded by the Nobel Peace Prize. The people who are doing badly and are killing their own people or stealing state resources are going to carry on doing that Patrick Smith Africa Confidential It will be available only to a president who democratically transfers power to his successor. Harvard University will assess how well the president has served his or her people while in office. Nelson Mandela, former US President Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan are among those who have welcomed the initiative. Mr Mandela described it as an example to the world. Mr Clinton said he wished Mr Ibrahim and his foundation "much success in its important work". Differing opinion And Mr Annan thanked the businessman for "establishing such a generous prize as an incentive". But not everyone agrees. Patrick Smith, of specialist publication Africa Confidential, said: "The people who know what to do and have done well are already doing it. "And the people who are doing badly and are killing their own people or stealing state resources are going to carry on doing that." Africa has one of the world's richest concentrations of minerals precious metals, yet 300 million of its residents live on less than a dollar a day. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6086088.stm Come on A/Yusuf!! DO us proud We could do with that money!

But what is to stop the TFG attacking the ICU when ethiopia heavily arm the TFG? It is catch 22 situation for the courts. If the courts wait, they could risk of being attacked by streghtened TFG. But if they take out the TFG now, they could reduce that risk. Lets face it, it is quite inevitable that the courts and TFG will face each other one day. Might as well be sooner. Having said this, i completely agree with Paragon and Muraad. The ICU shouldnt attack Baydhabo, provided they are guaranteed that they wont be attacked.

Hollywood fashion eclipsed by Islam as actresses cover up From Robert Twigger in Cairo http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,355470,00.jpg http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,355470,00.jpg SOMETHING big is happening in Cairo — the Hollywood of the Middle East. Actresses are getting overtly religious and wearing the Islamic headscarf, or even the veil. The move has roused controversy in the country that dominates the Arab film business and where actresses were traditionally a class apart, more akin to belly dancers and other bohemian entertainers. There are two types of veiled actress: those who retired to lead a pious life but have made startling comebacks, and those who continue to perform but this year have switched to wearing the hijab. Both decisions appear to have been influenced by growing fundamentalism and religious conservatism. For 30 years Egyptians have been working in the Gulf and Saudi Arabia and returning home richer and more conservative. Hanan Turk is the most celebrated recent convert to the hijab. An Arab Penelope Cruz, her decision prompted Yusef Chahine, a Cannes awardwinning Egyptian director, to say: “She must have gone crazy.†Turk replied: “Iranian cinema, in which actresses appear in headscarves, is a very sophisticated role model.†Osama Anwar Okasha, a top Egyptian screenwriter who caused a furore a few years ago with his depiction of early Islamic leaders, said: “Iran is a country ruled by Mullahs, very different from Egypt.†The implication was that Iranians had to wear scarves whereas Egyptians still had the choice. Okasha told The Times that he was puzzled by those who had condemned acting as a sin only to make a comeback. “It is utter hypocrisy,†he said. “Those actresses have witnessed their colleagues making millions; they are back to have a share of the pie.†Soheir Ramzy has returned after a 13-year absence. In the 1970s she was a top sex symbol. Now she is in a Ramadan soap opera as a mother who is also a doctor. She is as flamboyant as before, with her headscarves dotted with glitter. She said: “I am surprised that my comeback, and that of other ‘veiled’ actresses, has caused such a stir. I am convinced I can play parts that befit my status as a veiled Muslim woman.†She added: “It is a coincidence that I returned to acting at the same time as other veiled actresses, like Sabrin, and Soheir al-Bably.†Ramzy was said to have been paid three million Egyptian pounds (£280,000) for her soap role, one of the biggest fees yet in the Egyptian entertainment business. She insisted: “I was told [by clerics] I could act as long as there were no nude scenes.†Such moves signal a huge change in social values and the end of the West’s moral influence. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2418084,00.html

Paris Court to Rule on Muslim Baggage Handler Case By Lisa Bryant Paris 23 October 2006 A Paris court is to rule Monday on the first of several appeals by Muslim baggage handlers barred from working at Charles de Gaulle Airport because of suspected links to radical groups. The Muslims complain of discrimination. French security officials say they have barred about 43 mostly-Muslim baggage handlers from working at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, outside Paris. But a major labor union claims at least 70 Muslims have either been stripped of special passes, which allow them to access sensitive sites at the airport or have been warned they will soon lose them. Mohammed Seddiki, one of the Muslim workers who have been barred from working at the Charles de Gaulle airport Security officials fear they may be linked to radical groups. Saturday, the French interior minister defended the decision to bar the workers, saying he could not accept people with radical practices working at the airport. Police interviewed the baggage handlers about their religious practices, among other things, before barring them. Those who lost their passes - including this one interviewed on Europe 1 radio - argue they are not radical Muslims and that they are being unfairly targeted. One man said he has never been criticized about his work or told that he represented a security threat. One French trade union has filed charges of discrimination against the government, on behalf of some of the workers. So has the anti-discrimination group Movement against Racism and for Friendship among People. The organization's head, Mouloud Aounit, says the charges appear unfounded for the three men it represents. He condemns what he calls a witch hunt against Muslims since the publication of a book, earlier this year, alleging threats to the airport posed by radical Muslim workers. Security officials previously rebuffed allegations made in the book, "The Mosques of Roissy," penned by a far-right politician. But France's Interior Ministry subsequently shut down seven Islamic prayer rooms at Charles de Gaulle and another Paris airport. http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-10-23-voa13.cfm Whatever next?

Intisam & NGO Funny you should mention that. ALl this month, at the masjid we were told about 6 people dying. One 14yrd girls died of cancer. A boy of 21 died of brain tumour. A somali lady who had 5 kids passed away at the begining of ramadan. Death will happen for sure. Not sure though in the state we will die. Allow Qaatumo xumo hanagu dilin.

MR NGO She is from the fish & chips clan. Would that do?

Originally posted by Che-Guevara: Iam glad you didn't burden yourself by going into debt with 20K wedding. It seems our people don't think or plan beyond the wedding night [/qb] I think it depends on the lady you are marrying as peer pressure (unbelievable i know) is a factor. It also depends on the pressure from family. If one is strong enough to stand up to them and the bride herself is conscious of value of money (given our circumstances as Somalis), it will be a breeze and blessed union. Ever heard of "maalinteyda waaye" whatever happened to other days in your life? Surely they count!

Originally posted by Sophist: And you are shining star in a dark universe! Masha Allah Happy for your and envious of you hubby I have a sister You wont be out of pocket

^^ Or Paragon and Duke having it out!

Walaal Sophist we do have new breed (somali men and women in the west) on our hands and the situation is far from clear cut. You are correct in saying that marriage aint what it used to be. Life was simple then. A while back, i asked a family friend how her husband Jaamac was, and she replied 'Adigu lama aad socotid waxba, Jaamac waxaa ka danbeeyey labo odey'. Her kids must be confused as hell. Nowadays marriage has no value, except materially. One way to filter the gold-digger from the genuine article is to tell her that you are broke but willing to work hard to provide for her to the best of your ability. He could also say " By the by, we will have simple nikah where few odey and sheekh will attend"...See what she says. If she makes a fuss, show her the door. I had very simple wedding and so did my brother. In fact only 10people attended. I recall one of my aunts saying " Alle ba'aayey ninka wey jeceshahay, naa ninka ayaa wax walba bixiyee, keep your money". This was after they suggested that i have the wedding at Hilton! It was most satisfying and problem-free wedding we had in our big family and lovely honeymoon in Portugal followed. There are also men who can not committ and lets face it, it is partly because of our women. We made everything easy for them. It is the new generation: identity crises. My mom always used to warn me about the dangers of men taking advantage and how they almost dont mean what they say when they are courting you. This got me a wee bit paranoid however it stood me in good stead eventually. Marriage can succeed when both parties are on the same level. They have the same understanding and same goals. The same values which should guide their approach to building a stronger family: i.e How to instill family values in children. Obviusly this will be hard, given the fact that the couple may have 2 completely different upbringing and background. The key to this kind of relationship is compromising and respecting each other's opinions. and...finally never go to bed angry.

Marriage is a blessing. Men who shy away from comittments arent worth losing sleep over. Cos in their twisted mind, they think it is all take take take, without realising the giving nature of a lady.

lol @ great punchline.

Salaam aleykum Allah helps and heals people and the individual must make the first step with hope and determination. The Lord we worship is the same Lord who provided food, shelter, and help to Maryam, the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them); the same Lord who provided for Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) when he was thrown into the well, despised by his own brothers. The same Lord who help Job(peace be upon him) . Know that Allah will always be with you. When people choose to live their life under the shade of Allah, the opportunities are endless; they have tapped into the source of peace, the source of success, the source of advancement. Turn to Allah five times a day; fast and learn how to control your body and mind; do good deeds and do not just concentrate on your own needs. When problems pass you by, remember you are not alone, and ask your Lord for help. It is a promise that you will feel calm inside and your way will be clear. Pray and ask for help, gather your inner resources, and take a step forward, resting assured that the help of Allah will come. All creation will pray for you; the angels will pray for you; mankind might oppose you, but nothing will happen without Allah's permission — you will feel safe and rejoice in your miraculous life. It does not mean that you will not fail sometimes and that you will not go through the ups and downs of life, but you will have the strength and direction to pick up the pieces, keep going, and forge your way forward.

I can tell you that if you damage a tree, the most you will pay is for the damages, you certainly wont get thrown to jail. I am sorry, but i wouldnt marry Arab (or non-somali for that matter). Too diferent cultures for it to work