Give your daughters to a Mu'min. If he loves her, he would honour her. If he doesn't love her, he does't oppress her... Qac qaac. Congratulations qac qaac, Nice signature.

Do Nomads have different feelings than non nomads. I'm Nomad now but what is the benefit of being a nomad here, I still can't answer that question.

I hope the price sags from what it is now, 'cause I am poor man who can't impress financially a typical somali xaawooleey, unless she voluntarily agrees my high-class dabeecad iyo old-style xariifnimo! You are not alone br, we are in the same boat.

Russian Islam goes its own way By Leonid Ragozin bbcrussian.com, Moscow "If people wear tight jeans or skirts and speak slang, it does not mean they have veered from the path of true Islam." Shamil Alyautdinov often says things you do not quite expect from an imam. But 70 years of communism have bulldozed most religious and ethnic traditions in Russia, so do not be surprised when you hear him saying it is all right that most Muslims do not even attend the mosque. "It is not obligatory," Mr Alyautdinov adds. "Life is very fast these days, so people don't have time to go to mosque." The 31-year-old imam of the Moscow Memorial mosque, who graduated from a regular secondary school in the Russian capital's suburbia but studied Islamic theology in Egypt, finds new methods of reaching his flock, suitable for the new era. Muslims from all around the country send him e-mails with questions on various aspects of everyday life and worship. His answers have already formed several books. The most voluminous of them all - reflecting the readers' main area of interest - is the one called He And She and dedicated, as the name suggests, to relations between men and women. Another bestseller sold across the country includes some of Mr Alyautdinov's texts, although the imam strongly objects to its "provocative" name: Love And Sex In Islam. The book praised in the foreword by leading Muslim clerics, theologians, activists and even the Iranian cultural attache, covers such issues as sex change, masturbation, anal and oral sex - and many others - from the Islamic perspective. But in a country that has one of the world's highest divorce and abortion rates, these two issues top Russian Muslims' agenda, along with cross-religious marriage and premarital sex. Beliefs reassessed The country's Muslim community is extremely diverse - from Volga Tatars and Bashkirs to the ethnic mishmash of the North Caucasus. But unlike Muslim minorities in Western Europe, most Russian Muslims represent native people of what is now Russia, who inhabited their land for over a millennium They spent centuries adapting to the official dominance of Orthodox Christianity in tsarist times and then underwent the communist experiment aimed at rooting out religion and melting all ethnic groups into one great Soviet nation. The country's Muslim community makes up more than 10% of the total population. Demographers predict that by 2020 one out of five Russians will be Muslim. But the question is: How Muslim will they be? The end of communism found many Muslims dispersed among the non-Muslim population and living a lifestyle nearly indistinguishable from their fellow citizens of Russia. In the 1990s, millions of them turned back to their roots, but many soon grew disappointed with mainstream Islam and called for reforms. Rafail Khakimov, who heads the Institute of Tatar History, coined the term "Euroislam". Its main feature, he says, is a "critical attitude to everything that happens around us instead of blindly following the principles established in the Middle Ages". "The traditions of the Islamic world were shaped between the 10th and 12th centuries and preserved ever since but the liberal Islam which started developing two centuries ago is open to all experiences existing in the world," he says. 'Room for everything' Being an advisor to the president of Tatarstan, Mr Khakimov is one of those who shape the official ideology of this predominantly Muslim republic inside Russia which enjoys a high degree of autonomy Europe is the point of reference for Tatarstan's elite, including the leadership," he asserts. Mainstream clerics believe Islam does not need either a "euro" prefix or any other. "Islam is a universal religion that answers all the questions an individual or society as a whole may face," says Nafigulla Ashirov, the chief mufti of the Asian part of Russia. He says Islam gives enough room for diversity, for instance as regards what people want to wear: European-style clothes do not contradict the Koran. "But this is not modernisation - it is what Islam allows anyway," Mr Ashirov says. Some Tatar clerics add that the Hanafite theological school, dominant in Tatar Islam, is pluralistic and critical enough to answer the challenges of the epoch. Mr Khakimov, however, blames them for being out of touch with ordinary Muslims: "Tatarstan has thousands of mosques, so why are they locked? Because many imams studied abroad, for example in Saudi Arabia. But the situation in Russia is completely different from that of the Arabian peninsula." Euroislamists and mainstream clerics might disagree, but there is no feeling of enmity between them. However, there is another Muslim reformist movement whose existence worries them both. The militants The leader of the Islamic committee of Russia, Geydar Dzhemal, who claims to be close to Salafism - a purist teaching dominant in Saudi Arabia - advocates Islamic guerrilla resistance against the "barbaric" authorities. "Many young people who were provoked by the security forces, tortured and humiliated went off into the forests and mountains and most certainly perished there, but refused to kiss the boots of the new Mongols," he says. Dismissing the leaders of Chechen separatists as failed role models, he praises the people of Andijan - an Uzbek town whose residents last May staged a revolt brutally suppressed by the government. The popularity of such ideas largely depends on the Russian authorities' ability not to alienate Muslims like they did in the most notorious example of Chechnya. But it also depends on how carefully Russian Muslim leaders strike a balance between tradition and the urge for change.

I found this article somewhat helpfull in your situation. Dealing with a disturbing and harsh Muslim brother Answered by Ustadha Zaynab Ansari My family and I just underwent a most distressing one-on-one one "da'wa session" by a person who is close to us (a distant relative). This was not the first as we have been through many such experiences with the same person before. Almost all the time instead of giving us a renewed energy in practicing Islam it always left us with a distressed mind. And even worse, I have seen many times him doing the same to our close relatives, immediate friends including non-Muslims! I always thought of his approach as really an ugly way of expositing our beautiful Deen as most of his audience are people who are newcomers in to the Deen. Instead of taking it easy on them his methods are almost always harsh. And are a lot of errors, assumptions, misjudgments about other people, accusations, and false claims in it. He will talk about all the excellent things he did for the sake of Islam and will go on to list all the "haram" things you are doing looking at your face.... In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah. May Allah's peace and blessings shower upon our beloved Messenger. Dear Brother, I pray this message finds you and your family in good health and iman. Allah Most High tells us, "It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust (in Him)." [Aal-i-Imran, 3:159] Allah the Exalted also commands us to give da'wah in the best of ways, "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance." [Al-Nahl, 16:125] Our Beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, was the epitome of compassion and gentleness, even to his greatest enemies. From the Sunna of our Beloved: 'A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 'A'isha, verily Allah is kind and He loves kindness and confers upon kindness which he does not confer upon severity and does not confer upon anything else besides it (kindness). [sahih Muslim, Book 32, Number 6273] 'A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective. [sahih Muslim, Book 32, Number 6274] Perhaps it would be wise to gently remind your relative of these Qura'nic and Prophetic wisdoms. Remind him that the Prophet, peace be upon him came as a mercy to the worlds. He came to make our deen easy, not difficult. Tell him that you appreciate his commitment and fervor. But also be honest about how some of his remarks make you feel. You may also want to point out that your non-Muslim friends would probably be far more receptive to a positive message. Alhamdulillah, I've had the opportunity to observe many different dawah styles. I'm not sure if your relative is a convert or born into a Muslim family; however, I have noticed that both groups can become a bit overzealous in making dawah to those they perceive as less-practicing, particular when the da'iya has had to undergo his or her own "rebirth" in Islam. Insha'Allah, with some age, wisdom, and nasiha, perhaps your relative will learn to tone it down. Many people who've converted to Islam or rediscovered it undergo a long process of growth and change, initially wielding Islam like a weapon, but then beginning to mellow and use hikma. For example, many new Muslims upon entering Islam would immediately cut off all relations with non-Muslim family, leave their jobs, and start condemning "the kuffar," sincerely believing that these actions were Islamic. Alhamdulillah, with time they realized that Islam is the way of moderation, tolerance, and wisdom. You mentioned that your relative has not had any formal religious training. I don't know what terms you are on right now, but it may be beneficial to encourage him to sign up with you for some courses here at SunniPath, especially those that focus on implementing the spirit of the Sunna. If you don't think he'd be receptive, why not take the course yourself and talk to the Shaykh (in private) about this problem? You may also want to consider finding a local scholar to talk to. Are there any local study circles you can attend? It might be good to invite your relative in the spirit of brotherhood and friendship. Last but not least, please be patient with him. Argumentation will only make you more frustrated. You can mention the above points in a firm yet kind way. I encourage you also to read the following articles about the conditions for enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong. Generally, the scholars tell us to only confront someone if we know we won't cause greater harm in doing so: Commanding the Good & Forbidding the Evil, And The Honor of Scholars http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=162&CATE=14 What are the priorities in dawah to non-Muslim family members? http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=5088&CATE=239 I pray Allah Most High brings everyone's hearts together on iman, taqwa, and love for Allah. And Allah knows best.

Sister you shouldn't be paying any attention to those who are suffering from tribal syndrome. Yes, Somali's can be judgemental sometimes, so too can be other races. This is very good opportunity for you Modest to take as much Ajar as possible by doing some Da'wah to your somali brothers and sisters as well as your non muslim friends. I want to remind you we only should have one culture and that is our islamic faith.

I want you to question policy and suggest a better way but let us not fall on the same old crap somali opposition systems of criticising even if the other party has done something right. Very true. I'm very tired of Mogadishu camps inability to offer any other alternatives or counter proposals instead of complaining and critizising anything that comes from the Jowhar camp good or bad.

Very clever. You could use a picture that says "Before", and "Now" to get your point across sxb.

Narrow minded individuals like the one our brother alla ubaahne mentioned can be found in any culture. Better to ignore them.

I don't want to start an argument nor want to start a squabble, but why did you not make the title of your article and the name of your thread the same? Don't blow the whistle sxb. Let the brother use the title and get more hits.

Dutch Woman Embraces Islam ‘Live’ A library photo of a mosque in the Netherlands . By Nasreddine Djebbi, IOL Correspondent THE HAGUE , October 9, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A Dutch woman has reverted to Islam in a live interview on a Muslim-oriented radio in the Netherlands . Meranda Houtenbos asked the presenter on Nio radio to make public her reversion with the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the northwestern European country. The 26-year-old woman was invited to the program to opine on Islam and Muslims in view of spreading stereotypes fueled by media and the rightists. Raised Catholic, Houtenbos said she started reading about the Muslim faith after it had come under the spotlight in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. “I preferred reading to giving my ear to media,†she said. “My Muslim friends have made the task easier for me and gave me books written by trustworthy scholars.†“It was also thanks to a mosque nearby, whose imam has answered many of my questions.†Radio Nio took to the airwaves on September 4 as a special service for Dutch Muslims. It is aimed at removing wrong notions on Muslims. Muslims in Holland —estimated at one million out of the country's 16 million—have established over the past 30 years hundreds of religious, social, and cultural organizations, many of which receive grants from the Dutch authorities. No Compulsion Houtenbos said she embraced Islam out of her own volition. “Every person is entitled to choose his/her religion and I have singled out Islam,†she said in an impromptu interview. She touched on clashes with her family over the new religion and how they tried hard to convince her to backtrack on her decision. “Of course I feel alienated from my family, and my parents refused to cope with this new reality.†Rami Sukraman, the imam who was present during the interview, said more Dutch people are reverting to Islam from all walks of life. “Scientists, doctors, students and teachers have embraced Islam recently,†he told IslamOnline.net Sunday, October 9. “At least one Dutch reverts to Islam monthly in my mosque,†he added. Sukrman called on the new reverts to take difficulties into their strides and maintain close ties with their families no matter how harsh they treated them. Rafik Ahmad Vris, who reverted to Islam in 1960s, said his parents had thought of embracing Islam at that time when they saw themselves how his behavior and life have changed for the better. “But it’s not that easy nowadays since we see an avalanche of media outlets which tarnish the image of Islam and help spread Islamophobia,†he said. Dutch Muslims have been experiencing hard times since the killing of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh at the hands of a Dutch-Moroccan. Arsons on mosques and verbal assaults drove Europe ’s main rights and democracy watchdog, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to express concern in August at the increasing Dutch intolerance towards Muslims and the “climate of fear†under which the minority was living.

Maybe she is trying to impress her jamaican born husband.

If we can call a makeshift airport "international," then what is really next? It doesn't even have a paved road, let alone a little proper terminal (or are these two little baraakos, a la iskaabulo qol considered to be terminal?). Just try to investigate the pic first before you jump to conclusion sxb. To the right side of the pic i see something that looks like an airport(Can't call it international yet), and i can tell you, it will not require a 3D vision.

I think you might have missed that snippet. He listed these TWO areas as examples, and not exclusive areas, of migrants to the Capital thanks BN for pointing that to our brother. Look at his next sentence, " those that the former dictator brought in and made them millitary leaders, regional leaders committed heinous crimes." He ment Gedo and Galgadud sxb. Its true that there are good migrants and bad migrants and unfortunately both of these groups(Siyaad barre sponsered migrants and USC sponsored migrants) happen to be the bad migrants. History is written sxb, it will not go away.

Dagaal Dhex Maray Dad Soomaali iyo Ethiopian oo tahriibayaal ah iyo Kuwa Doomaha lagu tahriibo Wata oo Xiligaa Doonayay inay Badda ku Guraan Tahtiibayaasha iyada oo 21 Qof ay ku geeriyoodeen oo ay ku Jiraan Naaquudiyaashii iyo shaqaalahii Doonta Hobyonet.Muqdisho.Khamiis, Oct 13, 2005. Ilaa 21 ruux ayaa ku geeriyootay markii dagaal hubeysan uu dhex maray kooxo tahriibayaal Soomaali iyo Afrikaan isugu jira iyo milkiilayaasha doon ay ku tahriibayeen oo ku dhowayd xeebaha Yemen. Rakaabka ee saarnaa doonidaasi ayaa lagu sheegay in ka badan 50 ruux,iyadoo ay ka soo shiraacatay dalka somali gaaar ahaan Puntland waxaana dadkii saarnaa ay isugu jireen Soomali iyo dad kale oo Afrikaan ah. Dagaalkan ayaa waxa uu dhacay 7 dii fiidnimo ee habeenimadii talaadada aynu ka soo gudubnay waxaana dadkaan ay saarnaayeen dooni lagu tahriibo oo laga leeyahay dalka Somaliya taasoo ku soo dhawaatay xeebaha degaanka Al-xeybala ee gobolka Shabuuh ee dalka Yemen. Al-ayaam oo ah Wargeeys ka soo baxa dalka Yemen ayaa waxa uu sheegay in dadka rakaabka ah ee soo badbaaday ay xaqiijiyeen in dagaalka uu dhacay ka dib markii naakhuudihii iyo shaqaalihii kale ee ka shaqeynayay doonta ay rasaas ku fureen rakaabka si ay ugu qasbaan in ay doonida uga dagaan badda, taasoo sabab u noqotey in dadkii rakaabka ahaa ay weeraraan naakhuudihii doonta waday iyo ilaalada kale ee la socotey si ay hubka uga furtaan iyada oo wararka Dheeraadka ahna ayt sheegayaan In Naaquudiyahii iyo Shaqaalahii doonta ay geeriyoodeen iyo 15 Ethiopian ah . Waa markii ugu horeeysay ee Dadka Doomaha ku tahriiba ay Dagaal kala Hortagaan Kuwa Dhiiga Dadka ka ganacsada ee Iyagu Badda ku gura Rakaabka taasoo keentay Iminka inanay iyagu aanay badbaadin oo Hubkii ay siteen laga Furto oo dadka rakaabka ahi ay kala Doortaan Laba Dhimasho Midkii u roon inay Badda ku geeriyoodaan iyo Inay isla Dhintan Ninka Qoriga haysta ee Badda ku guraya Macna La'aanta taasoo Markii danbe ay asiibeen inay Iyaga la dagaalamaan oo hubka ka Furtaan inta ka Badbaada Rasaasta . Mustafa Nuur Ridil Muqdisho There was a somali saying, "Cagtii joogsan weeysaa mar beey ceeb lakulantaa". Cashar weeyn oo lasiiyay tuugada caadeeysatay ineey dadka miskiinta ah bada ku daadiso

very good article. informative.

Yes uchi its a positive step. Hopefully scientists and others will follow soon.

Breathtaking photos. don’t know yet whether I can use “Bufis†to describe my observation of these kids. Write word to describe him.

I hope Nuradin winns the Nobel peace price. With all the negative associated with Somalians,this will help send different picture, a more positive one.

jazakallah kheyran brother.

Muslims and the Nobel Peace Prize By Minhaj Qidwai Al-Jazeerah, October 10, 2005 Al-Jazeerah Editor's Comment: If El-Baradei and the IAEA continue concentrating on Iran alone while ignoring Israel and its nuclear arsenal, then they are in fact helping Israel to continue its nuclear hegemony in the Middle East. This means that the Nobel Peace Prize would be nothing but rewarding them to do just that. *** Muslim, and Nobel Prize for peace! The news of decision from the Norwegian Nobel Committee that, the Nobel Peace Prize for 2005 is to be shared, in three equal parts, between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), its Director General, Mohamed El-Baradei (Egyptian Muslim), and Former Bush speechwriter David Frum who coined the phrase “Axis of Evilâ€, was appreciated throughout the word. Under the current tide against Islam and Muslims, this was stirring news. It depicts that Muslims, who are the followers of Islam, can be the beacon of light for the rest of the world. Mr. El-Baradei was not the first Muslim to get the Noble Prize for Peace, before him Anwar Sadat, Yasser Arafat, and Iran's Shirin Ebadi had been the recipients. The U.N. nuclear watchdog and its head Mohamed El-Baradei were informed of this news before hand, for their peace efforts, along with prize money of 1.3 million USD. Mr. El-Baradei has been especially honored for his battle to prevent states and terrorists from acquiring the atom bomb, and to ensure safe civilian use of nuclear energy. Mr. El-Baradei is a lawyer himself, and also son of a lawyer. Therefore justice is engraved in his soul. He was appointed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) secretary-general effective Dec. 1, 1997. Reappointed to second term in September 2001, third term, September 2005. Mr. El-Baradei is the second Egyptian to receive a Nobel Prize. The first one being slain Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Nobel prize is awarded to people who have performed outstandingly in its various categories, following the will of its inceptor, Alfred Nobel, signed on November 27, 1895. He was born in 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. His family was descended from Olof Rudbeck, the best-known technical genius of Sweden's 17th century era as a great power in northern Europe. Nobel invented dynamite in 1866 and later built up companies and laboratories in more than 20 countries all over the world. He died of cerebral hemorrhage in his home in San Remo, Italy on December 10, 1896. The Nobel Prize is the first international award given yearly since 1901 for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. In 1968, the Sveriges Riksbank (Bank of Sweden) instituted the Prize in Economic Sciences. Each prize consists of a medal, personal diploma, and prize amount. Recipients of the prize now carry a cash reward of nearly $1m. There are three categories for the award of the Nobel Prize. Although Alfred Nobel made much of his money, through his invention of dynamite. He had hoped that with the existence of dynamite, warmongers would have no choice but to seek peace with one another - or see their armies being blown instantly; therefore, the dynamite will be used only for peaceful purposes. This comprised his first group of individuals and organizations, which have sought to resolve wars or minimize the potential for conflict. One such example is US President Theodore Roosevelt, who took the prize in 1906 for drawing up a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; another is the shared joint award to Palestinian ! leader Yasser Arafat, former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the then foreign minister Shimon Peres for the now defunct Oslo peace accords in 1994. The second category of recipients were those who have tried to bring humanitarian relief to others caught up in conflict. The founder of the Red Cross won the first peace prize in 1901, and the organization won it again on several occasions over the following 100 years. Those who have sought to further the march of democracy and human rights have formed the key third category of recipients. Last year award in this category was awarded to the Kenyan Ms. Wangari Maathai and earlier Ms Shirin Ebadi from Iran, as does the 1991 winner - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi - and rights group Amnesty International, which took the prize in 1977. Weeping Masses of Demo (WMD): The Noble prizewinners are the people who made difference in the life of people. Although Mr. El-Baradei has tremendous achievements under his belt, but another was foiled, when he was not listened to in 2003, for the absence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in Iraq. Ignoring his report has made the WMD to be renamed from a human perspective as Weeping Masses of Demo. The illegal occupation of Iraq has made the masses of people (Demo) weep in Iraq. If Mr. El-Baradei’s report would have been accepted in 2003, the devastation caused in Iraq could have been avoided, and a peaceful solution could have been the outcome. But the intentions were marred from the beginning. Mr. El-Baradei and his team reported before the start of the war the non-existence of weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. However, the United States (US) insisted their presence and! with a false pretext invaded Iraq claiming that it had the Weapons of Mass destruction. Even if it had, the reason to invade was not the weapons of Mass Destruction but the oil in its belly. Mr. El-Baradei faced a tough time from US due to difference of opinion, especially at the time of his reelection recently. However, US congratulated him on his attaining of this fete, while muted response from Iran and North Korea. Challenges: Founded in 1957, the IAEA carries out inspections of nuclear facilities and materials to make sure they are being out peaceful use only. But its work is sometimes hampered due to non-cooperation from some governments. In the current scenario we have Israel, Iran, and North Korea. Israel is an undeclared nuclear power, thanks to the support from Uncle Sam. However, when it comes to Iran and North Korea, Uncle Sam sees the world with a different perspective. The IAEA has although won this prize based on its efforts to ensure the peaceful use of the nuclear energy, but with regards to the fore mentioned three countries it faces serious challenges in the time to come. Israel will not accept that it is a nuclear power; neither IAEA can do much in this regard. Uncle Sam always comes to rescue Israel. In case of Iran, it has become an ego factor, same as that faced by Pakistan when India did the second round of nuclear tests in 1998, that was followed by the declaration from Pakistan. Therefore, Israel has its program that IAEA cannot do anything about. So, how to tackle Israel is a big challenge for IAEA. At the same time, Iran is also at the verge of becoming a nuclear power, however, its case is about to be recommended to the Security Council. While North Korea is just threatening to obtain as much economic gains as possible. It would be advisable for IAEA to facilitate North Korea in its quest of US market, negotiate and foster a good deal for this economically broke country. Noble Prize- Muslims Vs Others After a century of its commencement, only a handful of Muslim names appear in the list of Nobel Prize winners. So far only six people from Muslim countries have won the Nobel, with only two of them in science - Pakistan's Dr Abdus Salam (physics) and Egypt's Ahmad Zewail (chemistry). Four have won it for peace (Anwar Sadat, Yasser Arafat, Iran's Shirin Ebadi, and now Mr. El-Baradei), and Egypt's Naguib Mahfouz for literature. Most Nobel prizes are won by western countries. This clearly depicts the status of Muslims in the current era, and teaches us some lessons. One is that America and West are progressing and the Muslims are lagging far behind. Bashing of West by Muslim scholars not only creates hatred for the West but also gives pseudo impression that Muslims are superior. The torch of knowledge that once used to be with the Muslims is now in the hands of West. Whatever may be the type of society the West is breeding, we have to learn lessons from them. Their reason of progress is openness of mind, free speech, and allowing the talent to grow, which is missing in today's Muslim world. Europe liberated itself from the clutches of the darkness centuries ago, but one cannot say when a day will come when the Muslim people will begin to think for the! mselves. The US may have its neo-conservative fanatics but it also has men and women dedicated to science, art, literature, charity and human rights. Many Muslim immigrants are in western institutions for learning and contribute to science and technology in the research-oriented atmosphere they find in the West. It is a measure of the backwardness of the Muslim world that the Jewish world with a population of 12 million has won 163 Nobel prizes, 151 of them in science, while the Muslim world has produced only two Nobel laureates in science. This was not always the case. During Europe's Dark Ages, the Muslim world flourished intellectually and produced men whose contribution to the sciences and arts is recognized till this day. Spain's Averroes (Ibn Rushd) was the world's first freethinker, while Ibn Khaldun, with his monumental work Prolegomena, is considered the "father of historiography". Others include Al Beiruni, who measured the radius of! the earth in the 11th century and was wrong by a margin of 15 kilometers, Avicenna (Ibn Sina) whose book on medicine, Al Qanoon, was taught in European universities until the 17th century. One of his students was a brilliant Jewish scholar, Ibn Gabirol. The basic reason for flourishing of the intellect was the atmosphere of tolerance in the Muslim world. For that reason, Muslim Spain is recognized as intellectually Jewish history's best era. The Jews from Spain included Maimanides, whose writings profoundly affected Jewish thought. He found himself in Egypt and was a physician at Saladin's court. The Abbasid caliphs patronized learning, and encouraged the translation of Greek books on philosophy into Arabic, while Al Ghazali, in the Middle East, and Averroes in Spain were leading lights in polemics. Averroes' writings later gave rise to a school of thought in Europe called Latin Averroism. The Mongol sacking of Baghdad not only destroyed Arab civilization; it also intellectually crippled the Muslims. Since then, Muslims have not recovered. The recent second ransacking of Baghdad, by the Mongols of current era, has further demoralized the Muslims. If Muslims have to blame someone, it is themselves. There is a misconception portrayed by the Western media about Jihad that it is with a weapon in hand to fight and kill any one and Muslims are terrorists. Jihad is a struggle; and this could be against any just cause. Jihad against illiteracy, poverty, hunger, for the freedom against the oppressor, and for the sake of religion. Muslims have to learn lessons from the Jews. When the Jews can rise from the ashes of holocaust-a term coined and well marketed by them; then why not the Muslims can rise after September 11, and from the ashes of Baghdad and Afghanistan. The West and the Jews are an exemplary in terms of utilization of media, marketing, research and economic strength. Muslims have to follow the suit. If the Muslims want to compete and rise in the present world, they need a Paradigm shift. Just waiting for the Messiah to come, is not the need of the hour. An august body of Muslim Think Tank under the banner of Organization of Islamic Conference is required immediately that can oversee the required change. Change from hatred to tolerance; Jihad for literacy rather that portrayed by Western media; Open mindedness in terms of inquiry rather than tunneled vision; respecting time rather wasting it; smart, rather shabby work; economic growth rather than on a slippery slope of poverty; and to face the storm from its center, rather caving to it; are the desired changes. Only these measures can bring them strength, stability, and regaining their lost prestige in the world. To conclude, Muslims have tremendous unearthed potential. They can be instrumental in bringing peace in the world. Every Muslim should be proud of Mr. El-Baradei who has shown that Muslims can stand on to their principles and overcome challenges they face due to their opposition, and still succeed. The will of Alfred Nobel for honoring the people with outstanding achievement must be praised. His dynamite, which brought him fame and wealth, was for peace, development, and scientific inventions, not for the warmongers of the current era. Mr. El-Baradei, who has won the prize in peace, has tough challenges ahead. He has to bring equity between the Israel’s nuclear program and that of Iran, and promote economic development of North Korea. If he succeeds in doing so, we may see him repeating his performance in the time to come. Acknowledgement: This article has been written with the assistance from the information on: www.nobelprize.org Dr. Qidwai, Minhaj A. is a medical doctor, with Masters in Health and Business Administration from USA. He is a medico-marketing consultant in North America.

Qashinkaan qaa qaawan ee qaad ka ku wareeray quudna kuuma hayaan qumaneey ka tasho very funny. Diracleey =1 macaswiloow = 0

How dare this moryan speak for the entire Somali nation. Soomaaliya oo dhan Xamar lee ma ahan. As long as there is Puntland, Somaliland is going nowhere. Magaca Suxufi god haloo qodo oo hala duugo! Today anybody with a computer and little knowledge of Webdesigning can reach millions around the world. Thus anybody can claim to be sheikh, suxufi, and any other title. This sufuxi and others have now a good weapon to decieve the public. I'm not denying the fact that people in Waqooyi somalia have achieved peacefull societies. But i'm not also gonna deny the fact that many other parts of somalia accomplished the same, peacefull regions. For the recognition part, i can only support when all peoples including those in sool and sanaag fully support such quest and also the rest of somalia should have a say in this important issue.

Top 10 universities in Africa are all South african universities except one, the American university in Cairo Egypty. #1 University in East africa goes to Tanzania(#13 in Africa) while Somalias Mogadishu university is in the 79th position. Good to hear Somalia, a nation without a government has a good quality university, better than 20 other universities in the african continent.

asalamu alaikum wr wb. Macaanka uguweeyn aa dareemi karto, is security iyo kalsooni ilahey. If you have these 2 characteristics, i don't know what else you could possible need.