An authentic Somali intellectual and islamic character, yet fully humble; he seems always to the point in analysing coherently the root causes of our tragedy instead of dwelling into superficialities as it is the norm. This also proves again, if ever needed, that true giftedness has little to do with titles, pedigree and other cheap attributes. MMA, Soomaalidu wali ma mutaysan inay dadka sidan faham iyo bini aadamnimo Allah ku maneeyste hogaamiyaan laakin naxariista eebe lagama quusto...

True. However, Puntland Health ministry is relatively well organised and motivated comparing to that we have in Hargeysa, as an expert familiar with both told me (it was like the entire health system did not matters for two decades). Let's hope the technocrats now in power in both places will finally be allowed to alleviate some of that suffering as it is not merely a matter of ratios or dollars but of public education, road traffic regulations, medicines control and creativity as many countries have shown...

Young Hassan, who recently reverted to Islam, admire Somali conviviality; an intelligent, inquisitive as well as multilingual acquaintance, we helped him practice his Arabic, Somali and French, his paternal langage (he speaks Swahili and some Amharic as well). Now, he seems ready for Hargeysa or Djibouti despite his cosmopolitan, privileged upbringing: Henry De Thierry, now Hassan, speaks Somali

They indeed have US/Canadian numbers sxb; don't know about free EU calls though...

Tx Abdiladiif and all, I'm lately calling from my Gmail to US/Canadian numbers, including Hargeysa and Arabsiyo (horta are American numbers in Africa something legal/ethical?)...

Ciid Mubaarak all, Taqaballaah minnaa wa minkum or may Allah accept your (good works) and ours. Here is Eid Fiqh at a glance by Muhammad Alshareef, very clear and convenient: Eid 101 Another informative clip by the same great teacher: Spirit of Eid ~ Taraweeh Truffles Above all, Let's not forget to forgive it all and reconnect with any Muslim we cut off, in order we get forgiven by Allah; likewise maintaining ties with even distant relatives open the door for blessings and these are ideal opportunities...

Wa iyaakum bro and sis. Ideal time too for salat/dua istikhaarah (check number 74), for decision making and as described here.

Maximize the last 10 days of Ramadan 8/30/2010-By: Abdul Malik Mujahid Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Quran as, "better than a thousand months" (97:3). Any action done on this night such as reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, etc. is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr. Allah's Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time." (Muslim). Allah's peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet said: Look for Laylatul Qadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan (Bukhari). The Prophet said: "Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven." (Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Huraira). Here are some tips of things we can do on the Night of Power and the time before and after it. 1. Take a vacation for Allah. We take a break from our jobs for almost everything in life. Why not this time to focus on worshiping and thanking our Creator. If this is not possible at least take a few days off if you can. This can make it easier to stay awake at night to do extra Ibadah, not having to worry about getting to work the next day. It will also facilitate doing Itikaf. 2. Do I'tikaf. It was a practice of the Prophet to spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan in the masjid for I'tikaf. Those in I'tikaf stay in the masjid all this time, performing various forms of zikr (the remembrance of Allah), like doing extra Salat, recitation and study of the Quran. They do not go outside the masjid except in case of emergencies, therefore, they sleep in the masjid. Their families or the masjid administration takes care of their food needs. I'tikaf of a shorter period of time, like one night, a day or a couple of days is encouraged as well. 3. Make this special Dua. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' "(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi). The transliteration of this Dua is "Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee" 4. Recite the Quran. Perhaps you can choose Surahs or passages from the Quran, which you have heard in Tarawih this past Ramadan to recite. If you attend a class where the recitation of the Quran is taught, this is a great time to put your knowledge into practice. 5. Reflect on the meaning of the Quran. Choose the latest Surah or Surahs you've heard in Tarawih and read their translation and Tafseer. Then think deeply about their meaning and how it affects you on a personal level. 6. Get your sins wiped out. Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger said: Whoever stands (in prayer) in Laylatul Qadr while nourishing his faith with self-evaluation, expecting reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven. [bukhari and Muslim). Don't just pray using the shorter Surahs that you know. Try to make your prayers longer, deeper and meaningful. If you are familiar with longer Surahs, read the translation and explanation and then pray reciting these Surahs, carefully reflecting on the meaning while you pray. Even if you are only familiar with the shorter Surahs, read the translation and explanation beforehand, and then pray reflecting on the message of the Surahs. This is a good way to develop the habit of concentration, even in regular prayers, where many of us tend to be fidgety and/or easily distracted. 7. Make a personal Dua list. Ask yourself what you really want from Allah. Make a list of each and everything, no matter how small or how big it is, whether it deals with this world or not. Allah loves to hear from us. Once this list is ready, you can do three things: Ask Allah to give you those things Think about what actions you have taken to get those things Develop a work plan to get those things in future. 8. Evaluate yourself. Ask yourself those questions that need to be asked. Do an evaluation of where you are and where you are going. Let this evaluation lead you to feel happiness for the good you have done and remorse for the bad you have done. This latter feeling should make it easier to seek Allah's sincere forgiveness when making the Dua mentioned in tip number one above. 9. Make long, sincere and deep Duas One of the best times to do this is during the last part of the night. Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet said: When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him? (Bukhari, Muslim). That means for instance, waking up one hour before Suhoor time to ask Allah for anything and everything you want that is Halal. This can be done using the Duas of the Sunnah, but also Dua in your own language, with sincerity and conviction. 10. Memorize a different Dua every night They don't have to be long. They can be just one line. And be sure to know what they mean generally at least, even if you don't know the exact translation in English. You can put them on index cards (or and keep them with you during the day, glancing at them during work, while driving, waiting in line, etc.) Then practice them at night in prayer. 11. Have Iftar with the family If you've spent Iftar time on weekdays in your cubicle at work alone with a couple of dates, now is the last few days you'll have this Ramadan to spend with your family. Use it wisely. 12. Take the family to Tarawih Have your spouse and kids missed Tarawih most of Ramadan because you weren't there to drive them to the Masjid, which is too far away to walk to? If so, do all of yourselves a favour and bring everyone for Tarawih in these last ten nights. 13. Attend the Dua after the completion of Quran recitation Almost all Masjids where the Imam aims to finish an entire reading of the Quran in Tarawih prayers in Ramadan will be completing their recitation in these last ten nights. They may try to end on one of the odd nights and read the Dua at the end of a reading of the Quran. Attend this particular night's Tarawih prayer with your family. See if you can attend different Masjids' Tarawih prayers the night they finish reading the Quran. 14. Finish reading a book on the Prophet Read about the Prophet's life, which can increase your love for him and Islam by seeing how much he struggled for Allah's sake. It may inspire you to push yourself even harder during these last ten nights. This community is built on sacrifice. 15. Plan for the next year Once you've done a self-evaluation, you can plan on where you want to go, at least in the next 12 months. Laylatul Qadr is a great night to be thinking about this (without taking away from your worship), since you'll Insha Allah, be in a more contemplative state. You may choose to dedicate one night of power for evaluation and one night for planning for the next year. 16. To do list for the Night of Power Make a to do checklist for each Night of Power. This should define how you would like your night, the one better than a thousand months, to be used. Pick things from this list and define the sequence you would like to do things in. This will help you avoid wasting your time in unproductive chats which common in the festive atmosphere of Masjids at the Night of Power. Abdul Malik Mujahid, is the President and Director of Sound Vision Foundation Inc. He is an Imam in the Chicago area and the Chairperson of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC). http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=ic0610-3135

IslamQA Ruling on Congregational Prayer in the Mosque Dear brother in faith. I start with the name of Allah. I would like to thank you for your prompt response for our previous question which was of a great help to our community (All thanks be to Allah). What is the Islamic point-of-view regarding those who attend Friday prayers in the Masjid and fail to attend any other of the daily prayers? Do you have to attend the prayers at the Masjid if time permits? All Praise is due to Allaah A- Evidence From The Qur'an First Evidence Our Lord tabaraka wa ta'aala said in S4 V102 what may be translated as "When you are with them, and stand to lead them in salat, Let one party of them stand up (in salaf) with you. Taking their arms with them: When they finish their prostrations, let them take their position in the rear, and let the other party come up which has not yet established salat- and let them establish salat with you." I say: In the verse is an order to establish salat, and the order was repeated once more, "and let the other party ..." There is evidence here that jama'ah meaning congregational prayer is obligatory on all because the obligation did not fall from being upon the second party simply by the congregation of the first party. Allah has commanded a congregational prayer while they are in a state of war and fear, and if it were only a sunnah then it would have been better to abandon the congregational prayer; however, since Allah has ordered it, and obligations like following the Imam are allowed to be violated in order for the second party to pray behind the Imam. This proves clearly that the congregational prayer is obligatory. This is a clear proof, and there is none amongst Muslims (scholars) that denies the salat of fear ordered in this verse. Second Evidence Our Lord the Exalted has said in S68 V42-43 what may be translated as "The day that a Shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to prostrate, but they shall not be able to. Their eyes will be cast down, ignominy will cover them, seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration while they were whole, and had refused.)" The evidence here is from several facets amongst them: Allah SWT punished them because they did not answer the call to prostrate. The one that is calling to salat is the one calling Athan. As has been explained by the hadeeth of Ibn Abi Maktoom: the Prophet told him "do you hear Hayya Alassalat, Hayya Alalfalah (parts of the call to prayer)"? He said yes, then the prophet said "fahayhala" which means something like "then go answer the call." This hadeeth is sahih (which means sound, and authentic) and is narrated by Abu Dawood and Ahmad. So he learned that the one who does not answer the call, has not answered. Third Evidence Allah ta'aala said in S2 V43 what might be translated as "Establish salat and pay your zakat and bow with those that are bowing". The proof therein is: That Allah SWT ordered us to bow, and meaning salat because it is a pillar of the salat. His, SWT, statement which was translated as "with those that are bowing" is an order to bow with those that are bowing, and that is not accomplished except through congregation. So this is evidence that salat al-jama'ah is obligatory because the meaning of the verse is not accomplished except through congregation. B- Evidence From The Sunnah First Evidence Abu Huraira R.A.A. narrated that the Messenger of Allah said "The heaviest salat for the hypocrite is that of Isha'a and Fajr and if they knew what was in them they would have attended them even if it meant crawling, and I have a strong desire to order the salat to be established, then order a man to lead the people in salat then I would go with some men carrying bundles of wood to a people not attending the salat and burn their houses on them." Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim, and this was Muslim's version. This hadeeth proves that salat al-jama'ah is obligatory because one's house would not be burned for leaving a sunnah. Those of the opinion that salat al-jama'ah is not obligatory find refuge in a few excuses with regards to this hadeeth which follow: They said this punishment is in reference to those that do not attend the Jum'ah (Friday) prayer, and their evidence in this regard is the hadeeth of Abdullah Bin Mas'ood narrated by Muslim that the Prophet said to a people that miss the Friday prayer "I have a strong desire to order a person to lead the salat and I would burn the homes of those that have missed the Friday prayer". This is not in contradiction to the hadeeth of Abu Huraira because Ibn Mas'ood is stating that the burning is for those that miss the Friday prayer, and Abu Huraira is stating that the burning is for those that miss salat al-jama'ah and there is no contradiction between the two because the hadeeth of Abu Huraira clearly states the Isha'a and Fajr and it is likely that what is meant is to show that both cases are worthy of the burning. They say: This has been abrogated! My reply is: Where is the proof that this has been abrogated, and who has narrated it? However, to simply claim abrogation without evidence is a forgery upon Allah which is not backed by any knowledge. They say: Ths prophet wanted to burn their houses because they were hypocrites, not because they did not attend the prayer in congregation. The best rebuttal of this statement was given by Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him in his statement, ...as for your claim that he wanted to punish them because of their hypocrisy, and not for missing the congregation this implies two errors: The first: cancelling what the Messenger confirmed and related to missing the congregation. The second: Confirming what the Messenger cancelled. For he never punished the hypocrites for their hypocrisy; to the contrary, he used to accept from them what they announced, and left what they concealed between them and Allah. As such the hadeeth of Abu Huraira remains a strong argument for the obligation of salat al jama'ah. Second Evidence What Muslim narrated in his Sahih that a blind man said, "Oh Messenger of Allah, I do not have someone to guide me to the Mosque," and thus asked the Messenger to grant him special permission not to attend congregational prayers. As he was leaving, the Messenger called him and said "Do you hear the call? ", he said "yes". He said, "Then answer." Authentic versions narrated by Ahmed and others came as: narrated by Ibn Maktoom that he said: "Oh Messenger of Allah, I am blind, live far away, and have a guide that does not suit me, so can't you give me consent to pray at home?" He said "Do you hear the call?" Ibn Maktoom replied "Yes". The Prophet then said "I cannot find an excuse for you". If the blind man has no excuse not to pray in congregation, how can there be an excuse for the one that can see? Those that conclude salat al-jama'ah to be sunnah say, "This is an order to pray in congregation that implies the preference not the obligation of salat al-jama'ah". The response to this is that since the order here was unrestricted one needs supportive evidence to conclude that it was only meant to show preference. Now how about supportive evidence confirming salat al-jama'ah to be obligatory. If supportive evidence were not necessary to conclude that an order was stated to imply preference then each and every order could be understood to have been implying preference, and nothing would remain obligatory. Third Evidence Narrated by Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them (him, and his father), that the Prophet said, "Whosover hears the call to salat, and does not respond, then there is no salat for him unless he has a valid excuse." This is a sound, and authentic hadeeth. Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote in his Risalat Assalat "... and mind you this chain (referring to chain of narration of the above hadeeth) is authentic." This hadeeth has been narrated by Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Daar qutni, Al-Hakim, Al-Baghawi, Bayhaqi, and has also been traced and judged authentic by the following scholars: Al-Thahabi, Al-Nawawi, Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani, Ibn Taimiya, Ibn Qayyim Al, and Al-Albani. Some have spoken about this hadeeth, claiming that its chain is stopped (literal translation for the Arabic word mawqoof; however, the authentic chains of narrations which have been traced to the Prophet contradict their claim. That hadeeth states that whoever does not answer the call, there is no salat for him, and this judgment would not be passed to someone who is simply going against an order which implies preference, and not obligation. Fourth Evidence Abdullah Bin Mas'ood said: who ever would be pleased to meet Allah as a Muslim, then let him take care of those salat which are called to because they are of the ways of huda (guidance), and Allah has given to your Prophet the ways of huda. And if you were to establish salat in your homes, like that person staying behind in his home, you would be abandoning the sunnah of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the sunnah of your prophet you would surely go astray. And there is not a man amongst you that purifies himself (yatatahhar), and does so properly, then directs himself to one of these mosques except that Allah will write for him with each step he takes a hasanah (merit), and raises him a grade, and drops from him a sayyi'ah (demerit). And I have seen us, where not one of us would stay behind from prayer in congregation except for a hypocrite whose hypocrisy is known. And one that could not come on his own would be carried between two men until he is stood in the row. In another narration he said, "the Messenger of Allah taught us the ways of huda, and amongst the ways of huda is salat in the Mosque in which Athan is called". Narrated by Muslim. The evidence in this hadeeth is that not praying in congregation is considered a sign of confirmed hypocrisy. It is known that the signs of hypocrisy are those of abandoning something which is obligatory, or doing something which is haram (unlawful.) And there is not a Muslim in whose heart iman (faith) has established itself, that would want to be like the hypocrites in their attributes. Fifth Evidence Ibu Sa'eed Al-Khudry said that the Messenger of Allah said, "If there are three let one of them be their Imam, and the one with the strongest right to be Imam is the one that is the best reciter of the Quran (both in terms of the amount memorized, and ability to recite it properly)". Abu Ad-Darda'a said that the Messenger of Allah said "There are not three in a town where no Athan is called, and congregational prayers are not established amongst them except that the Sheitan will overcome them, so you must stick to jama'ah because the wolf gets the stray one". Authentic hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood and Ahmed. Sixth Evidence Abu Asha'a'thaa'a Al-Muharibi said: We were sitting in the masjid (mosque) then the Mu'athin (the one that makes the call to prayer) made the call to prayer. Then a man got up from the masjid walking. Abu Huraira followed him with his sight until he left the Masjid. Then Abu Huraira said "as for this person he has disobeyed Abal Qasim (the Messenger) ". Narrated by Muslim. Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, judged this man as having disobeyed Abal Qasim , and Abu Huraira would not have passed this verdict without knowledge of the sunnah of Abal Qasim . And whosoever is considered among the disobedient then he has left something which is obligatory. These, my Muslim brothers are some of the pieces of evidence that oblige the Muslim servant to pray in congregation, and whoever ponders in the Quran and Sunnah will find more and more. Each piece of the preceding evidence is enough in itself to be proof that salat al-jama'ah is obligatory. We also remind our brothers that the Muslim servant is not allowed to reject anything from Allah or his Messenger just because a certain scholar ruled differently. Evidence is an argument against all people. Imam's that have concluded differently are expected to have a valid excuse because even they cannot contradict clear evidence from Quran and Sunnah. Their teachings that people must follow Quran and Sunnah are well known, and they, may Allah have mercy upon them, did not become Imam's except by strong adherence to Quran and Sunnah. Know this because it is beneficial to you... Of Allah's bounty upon us with regards to this issue is that the best of people, the companions of the Messenger , have had Ijma'a (consensus) in it. There are no narrations passed down from any one of them giving leave not to pray in congregation. And following is what has been confirmed by them: Ibn Mas'ood said, "and I have seen us, where not one of us would stay behind except for a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was known." (5th evidence) Ibn Mas'ood, Abu Musa Al-Ash'ary, Ali, Abu Huraira, Ayesha, and Ibn Abbas have stated, "Whoever hears the call to salat and does not answer, there is no salat for him unless he has a valid excuse." (3rd evidence) Ibn Al-Qayyim said after he presented the statements of the companions: "These are statements of the companions as you find them, authentic and well known, and there is not one known statement from any of the companions which contradicts this. Each of these pieces of evidence is enough all by itself, so how about when they all enforce one another. Verily in Allah is our success." These are the statements of the people of knowledge: Al-Baghawi wrote in Sharh Assunnah (3/349), "More than one of the companions were of the opinion that whoever hears the call and does not answer, then there is no salat for him." Ata'a bin Rabah said, "There is no excuse for anyone created by Allah in a city or country side not to attend if he hears the call to prayer." Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "If his mother forbids him from praying Isha'a in congregation, out of pity, he should not obey her. Al-Awza'i said: "There is no obedience to the father in leaving the Friday prayer, or the daily congregational prayers, regardless of whether one heard the call to prayer or not." Amongst those that have said that it is obligatory as well are Ibn Khuzaima, Al-Shafi'i, Al-Bukhari, Ibn Hibban, Dawood, Ahl Al-Dhahir, Hanabila, Ishaaq, and most of Ahl Al-Hadeeth, and some of the companions of Al-Shafi'i. You now know, may Allah have mercy upon you, the preceding evidence concerning the obligatory status of salat al-jama'ah,and the statements of those that conclude it as such from amongst the pious predecessors of our Ummah (nation.) Now what remains for you to know is that whoever prays alone, then his prayer is correct; however, he has the ithm (sin) of leaving the jama'ah (congregation). As for the acceptance, or rejection, this is up to The Creator, and no one can say that the prayer of Zaid is accepted while the prayer of Obaid is not. We ask Allaah to help us in remembering and thanking him and better worshipping him. Allaah the exalted knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Allah yarxamhu, it seems professor Salah Hashi Arab "Ereykobe" or Somali-Somali dictionary published by the "Institut des Langues de Djibouti" (ILD, part of the Cerd or centre d' etudes et de recherche de Djibouti) looks incredibly professional, neat with several useful annexes, though not yet widely distributed. That precious tool whose existence I did not even suspect until recently is part of Djibouti's efforts to preserve the Somali, apparently classified as one of the "endangered languages"... http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lanation.dj%2Fnews%2Fln156%2Farticle8.php &sl=fr&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 PS: Do/did Somalis use Somali-Somali Dictionaries by the way?

Jimce mubaarak bro, I still skim through akhi and lurking; was lately thinking about a format of your writings (in that style for young/Western educated minds) adapted for mailing lists, maybe like muhammad alshareef's, of course if/when you have the opportunity...

lol it's just that the djib health sector looks familiar and I did not guess the recent Pland events would already impact there...

Great reminders Sh Nur, this topic was saved on the laptop for regular reference when I recently found it refreshing again...

was just called the other night by the delegation chief back from his Sland trip, before I learnt he precipitately jumped into the plane that morning after a request by Pland...

As a non-professional, what is the most effective method/curriculum/textbook in mathematics tutoring for adults? Some are struggling with even additions and few are more advanced, but the ideal would be to help them attain a GCSE or pre-GCSE level altogether. I have read the Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum and selected as textbook Nelson "Maths the Basic Skills Curriculum Edition - Student Book (E3-L2) (Levels 1 and 2 and 3)", which follows that curriculum. However, the whole concept of 5 different levels which appears in the textbook as well is confusing, while all the details make this method too awkward for intensive sessions once or twice a week. Thanks for sharing your similar experiences or suggestions...

That was a lighthearted allusion to K town which got beaches just like where I grew up sxb... Ramadan mubaarak again.

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correction: Failure to perform one of these four duties does NOT give us the right to neglect any of the others. Therefore, someone who commits a sin still has the duty to call others to avoid it.

Forbidding Wrong: a Duty upon... Sinners? Sheikh Salman al-Oadah Thu, 06/17/2010 We know it is a duty upon every Muslim to call others away from sinful behavior, and to do so with wisdom, within the limits of our various abilities. The Prophet (peace be upon him) delineated these levels for us when he said: Whoever sees something wrong should change it with his hands. If he is unable to do so, then he should do so with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then he should do so in his heart, and that is the weakest of faith." [sahîh Muslim] We also know that here are some conditions for forbidding wrongdoing, like to be reasonably sure that forbidding something wrong will not result in a greater wrong. However, is it a pre-condition that those who call others to avoid some wrongdoing have been successful in keeping away from sin themselves? The truth is that calling people away from wrongdoing is a religious duty in and of itself, and remains a duty upon a Muslim even if he or she falls into sin. There are some texts from the Qur'an and Sunnah that seem to indicate sinners should not call others to righteousness. We shall look at those now. First, we have where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: A man will be brought forward on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire. His entrails will come forth from his throat and he will hang from them going around like a donkey goes around a mill. The inhabitants of the Fire will gather around him and ask: "What is the matter with you? Didn't you used to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong?" He will reply: "Yes, I used to enjoin what is right but not do those things myself, and I used to forbid what is wrong but not refrain from them myself." [sahîh Muslim (2989)] Some people might get the idea that this man was punished because he enjoined what is right and forbade what is wrong while he was had many shortcomings in his own deeds. This is a big mistake, because the task of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is inherently worthy of reward as long as the person engaged in it is sincere and has the right intention. This man was being punished because he did the very evil deeds he forbade others from doing and he abandoned the very duties he called others towards. He was merely beautifying his outward conduct while his inner being remained corrupt. His punishment was for his sins, not because he enjoined what is right and forbade what is wrong. Then there is the verse of the Qur'an which reads: "Do you enjoin right conduct on others and forget to practice it yourselves and yet you recite the Scripture? Do you not have any sense?" [sûrah al-Baqarah: 44] In this verse, Allah rebukes these people and punishes them because they turn away from the truth though they know it full well. This makes them different from those who are ignorant of the truth, who if the come to know it would most likely follow it. They are not being punished because they called others to right conduct while being sinful. The point this verse is making is that they know full well what is right – the proof for that being their calling others to what is right – but did what is wrong in spite of their knowledge. This is why the verse concluded with the rebuke "Do you not have any sense?" Therefore, we should know that enjoining what is right is something we owe to the people, even if we fail to do what is right ourselves. The same goes for forbidding what is wrong. A poet once said: If no sinful soul exhorts others to righteousness, Then who, after Muhammad, will exhort all the sinners? No one after Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) is divinely protected from committing sins. It is, however, the duty upon every person to do the following four things: 1. Do what is right. 2. Enjoin others to what is right. 3. Abstain from what is wrong. 4. Forbid what is wrong. Failure to perform one of these four duties does give us the right to neglect any of the others. Therefore, someone who commits a sin still has the duty to call others to avoid it. And Allah knows best. .

Exactely, my brother from another Somali city by the beach; moreover, Ramadan is the month of The Qur'aan and reading it now or learning how to read it is even more important. At least, we should aim for a Juz each day (around 20 min) but one can start by even an aayah and gradually increase his hassanaats. As a sheikh reminded us, each letter is worth ten times its rewards for this Ummah since we have much less time on this earth than the previous ones. Of course, understanding (at least part of it each time) and, above all, implementing it is paramount and can be done in parallel...

At first glance, the importance of the Qur'aan seems self-evident; after all, it is Allah's message to mankind, the fundamental source for regulating all our affairs from purification to politics as well as a medicine to all sorts of distress or ailment (especially in the hands of fully convinced believers). Yet, and though most Muslims realise those facts to differing extents, very few of us ever succeed in giving the Qur'aan its full rights, despite attending to every other concern of ours, while even more eagerly catering to what is of little profit whatsoever. For a start, one should fully realise that sinning is in itself the root cause of much of our suffering; still much worse, sin stands in the way of gaining more of that which is most beneficial, whether it be further Ilm, more Xikmad and the accompanying good deeds. For my part, and amidst recitation sessions to a visiting leading Somali Qur'aan scholar, I discovered alongside more experienced brothers that even our Fatiha recitation was far from flawless, alongside many basic errors routinely overlooked (despite our Arabic skills and prior Qur'aan learning). Yet, it's a central fact that one's closeness to Allah's message is the ultimate yardstick in both temporal and eternal success. We can even tell from our own personal experiences how vastly different are families in whose home it is regularly recited from the rest. In fact, mere recitation is in itself one of the ultimate deeds with the most assured results in protecting one's children as well as other worldy affairs. That is because Allah's pleasure or displeasure has a lasting influence accross generations, even before our final judgment... How could we then perfect our link with the Qur'aan? Of course, implementing every Aayah is the key towards greater understanding. In paralel to correct understanding (eg Tafsir by Ibn Kathir, local mosque lessons, authentic recorded material etc), proper recitation should not be neglected too as it is paramount and condition one's Salats, rank in the afterlife and other crucially important matters. Finally, the best advise is to always find a local, competent teacher for the practical implementation of Tajweed rules; yet, excellent resources in different formats and langages are widely available, such as: Tajweed Rules of the Quran by Kareema Czerepinski which draw from the great classics of Al Jazariyyah. Also, clear and succint explanations of 'Al Jazariyyah' or 'Manduumatul Mufiid fii Cilmi Tajwiid' by Sh Cabdirashiid Cali Suufi, which will answer many questions relating to Qur'aan recitation and its Arabic are available on Nasiixa.com from the recent lessons the humble sheikh delivered locally.One can even download both texts if not available locally as these are full of surprises even for more advanced learners more or less fluent in Arabic. May Allah make us from those who took seriously his warnings in his Qur'aan, not neglecting it neither in words nor in deeds, and with full sincerity or Ikhlaas, Amin...

Amin. Ramadan karim all...

Aamin, Baarakallaahu laka, wa baaraka 'alayka, wa jama'a baynakumaa fee khayrin. Shalay xitaa Ninbrown kamaan maqlin hase yeeshe waan ducaynayaa bi duunil urz wal laxam. Hooygi dikriga Alle lagu badiyo inshaallah; "Tuxfatul Caruus" isku dey inaad gacmaha ku dhigtid...

against the status quo because the current leadership in many countries have been in power for decades. However this is easily said than done as there are severe curbs on any expression that criticizes the government in many countries. A leadership constantly shored up with Western support, especially in its most oppressive aspects (denial of most basic rights, large-scale massacres and atrocities etc)... Still, all systems of law ultimately derivate from revealed religions or other beliefs (eg French laws could be traced back to their Pagan Roman roots and Catholicism), it is called sources of law as no system of morality was created and evolved in a vacuum. Specifically, your reserves have more to do with the "Islam holding us back from progress" theme, already articulated by many with limited authentic islamic knowledge (as well as insight into Western history and societies). Thus, acquainting yourself with Arabic, Ahaadith and tafaseers at your local Islamic centre/Mosque should be your first priority, while, more generally, analysing issues in depth and in a systematic, unbiased fashion as prevention against all sorts of self-contradictions... PS: sorry if it comes as condescending but this is a sincere suggestion after analysing your posts, eg worrying about interferences in Shariah while many Aayahs and ahaadeeths explicitely uphold individual privacy, this is just one out of many points I invite you to dig a little deeper into it...

Well, many think that adopting a thorougly Western lifestyle will "civilise" them, thanks to common complexes and ignorance. I remember a time in my early teens when I was fascinated by a relative's routine of buttering some imported french toasts while preparing coffee or having a french wife while driving a peugeot like one of my teachers and family's acquaintance. Of course, the toasts rythmed with transfats and the imported butter concentrated all the fat-soluble pollutants or the industrial and processed honey has already lost much of his benefits or may do more damage than pure sugar. Thus, I now tend to simply pity all those Somalis litterally poisoning themselves and their loved ones, physically as well as mentally, to the extent of making this as their main pursuit (junk food, video-games and flat screen Tvs etc). In fact, even many seemingly harmless substances such as anti-bacterial products or the omnipresent plastics may have detrimental effects (weakened immune system, spread of resistant germs, possible link to the asthma epidemy etc for the former) and Westerners themselves are re-examining their whole health/economic/agricultural/educational systems thanks to all those unintended consequences. On top of all that, it seems much damage could be transmitted accross generations as experts in the now burgeoning field of epigenetics suspect (ie a grandmother's junk diet or a father's exposure to pollutants may compromise their progeny's health and intellectual abilities)...