Who is available around London to join us, we are hiring a car and visiting either Leicester or Oxford/Cambridge today or tomorrow; I know it is flexible but my cousin wanna see some place before returning...maybe Max or Thierry (for free)?

Amin, Mabruuk boowe.

^^^Mr. Abu-Salman, As ever without a fail, my friend, you are piping up for our inconvenience, all manner of stuff and nonsense, dear lad... Hence, try again, dear lad; but, this time around see to it, the "emotional constipation" in which you develop the minute you heard anything positive said about Somaliland, shouldn't be clouding your judgement, indeed. And, then, perhaps, if we are so incline in that manner, we shall take you seriously, at that time, indeed. Regards, Oodweyne. What you may ignore is that I'm actually closer than you (both in the Somali sense and otherwise that is) to many parts of Somaliland, including Berbera or other places crucial to such plans (are we so primitive that such clarifications are necessary); thus, no need to add me too so swiftly to that all too convenient category of "Somaliland ennemy". Now, try and convince us why deals of such amplitude and with such ramifications, linking us to a neo-colonial, discredit multinational will help us in the long term (especially in the light of our current kleptocratic culture and institutions). Do not place way too much value into "recognition" thinking the end justify the means when the priority should be transparency first...

The real tragedy is that people with both little principles and experience mislead the masses; eg Bollore has earned an explosive image througout Africa thanks to its monoplies no other countries would accept on their soil, alongside all sorts of unethical corporate dealings. Only when stability, transparency and uprooting of the corruption culture takee place that such endeavours attract a meaning; otherwise, we will mainly witness environmental disasters and sky-rocketing corruption with the associated inflation as it is hardly sane to hand over more money to an incompetent kleptocracy! Above all, all serious experts do agree that any economic progress should be endogenous, starting with the primary or agricultural sector;oil and foreign investments usually distort the economy and gear it towards a consumption-orientated, heavily reliant one as witnessed all over the globe (with all sort of social and health consequences)...

Tx Curly for the link.

On a different note ya Xiin and sorry for the hijacking, I used to read almost anything and we had our own micro library albeit in "French"; I remember Looyaan and Sooyaan drama in Nuradin's "Sweet and Sour MIlk". There are some poignant description of social decay in other authors, eg "Les Miserables", "My sweet Orange tree" etc which affected me as I'm curious and quite sentimental, deeply moved by injustice (I remember an episode 20 years ago, at barely 6 of age, my habo carried me to her office, telling the collegues that I was a "genius" because she found me having a go at her IT manual). However, I just found out that these readings, alongside TV and video-games to be increasingly frivolous at around a decade ago, when still a young teen; avoiding them is also the best option islamically (the top Western class dispense with TV altogether here but dishes are a status symbol back in africa). But do tell us how best to approach Arabic litterature for linguistics purposes (brothers at the mosque peruse the mucallaqaat al cashara/as-sabca); some guidance, best practice, practical tips etc would be greatly appreciated...

I came accross him as a man with somewhat of a secular outlook though I'm not sure whether he may be worse than many average Somalis; anti Arab rhetoric is also anti-Islamic no matter how common this may be, just as typical somalis Kufr swear words involving usually the prophet, Deen etc (even more so if coming from an "educated" individual). Anyway, many of the "Muslim" writers celebrated by the West or the Westernised ones are hardly quite Islamic individuals while their work could often be described, at best, as "Lahw" or despicable frivolities, without a clear Shariah sanctioned purpose...

Ogaadey inaanad naga dheereen, dhankaa iyo xeebta...ducadana wad kolkaa, imisaan barafkan ku sigtay

Some of us may have some points but we should not jump into conclusions, and above all, dishonestly establish links that Nur did not in his own reasoning; that is where Castro went too far (ie implying that Nur was paranoid, condoned AS excesses etc). Cara, this kind of irony and exaggerations are all the more unwarranted in the Islamic section. To highlight basics again, Nur is more islamically learned than most Solers and thus fully deserve to be listened with due attention as well as extra respect.We can only request evidence or Dalils, remind Nur of other scholarly opinions etc, in an islamic context. On another note, yes, some scholars may permit suicide bombing in particular circumstances etc (eg by refering to instances of Sahabas jumping into enemy ranks etc); issues such as these are not as straightforward as it may sounds to the average mind or in the medias, thus the required background knowledge in Fiqh and other branches of Islamic sciences. To brother Xiin and others, let's give Nur ample opportunities to clarify his positions and overlook peripheral matters (particular leaders, negociation venues, past mistakes etc seem almost irrelevant at this stage); it is my conviction that, generally, much could be agreed upon on how best to adress these Somali challenges (the biggest hindrance is mostly about egos and lack of patience towards unavoidable human shortfalls): "imminent threats such as Kenyan or Ethiopian oil exploitation in Somali occupied territories, further acculturation of our occupied cousins alongside Somalis in the Diaspora, urgency of environmental and humanitarian challenges etc should be incorporated into the equation with their respective coefficients. Whether it be in terms of Shariah implementation prerequirement, wider Da'wah or mere military logistics, the necessity for a consensual administration, willing to play the diplomatic game, is self-evident (few would mind HI or AS taking over if a coherent, unified strategy as well as reassuring PR were forthcoming)..."

Could anyone list few good sollicitor/law centre/websites/etc to settle bills and renting related disputes, preferably those accepting legal aid and located in North London? Any other advice in dealing with similar litigations? Tx

AT, your way of thinking and vocabulary is rather unislamic, "theocracy" in the sense of Shariah and rule by the learned, or Ulamas, is exactely what we should strive for as Muslims. Actually, no matter the mistakes of the Taliban, you have no choice but to prefer them, and by far, to any secular government. To put things in their context, and however cynical this may sounds, the hasty or faulty implementation of Shariah and any resulting injustice is almost irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things. As for brother Nur, though I may point out to some inaccuracy (Ethiopians left only through As and HI struggle), the priority should be to focus on the way forward in a pragmatic way. By the same token, imminent threats such as Kenyan or Ethiopian oil exploitation in Somali occupied territories, further acculturation of our occupied cousins alongside Somalis in the Diaspora, urgency of environmental and humanitarian challenges etc should be incorporated into the equation with their respective coefficients. Whether it be in terms of Shariah implementation prerequirement, wider Da'wah or mere military logistics, the necessity for a consensual administration, willing to play the diplomatic game, is self-evident (few would mind HI or AS taking over if a coherent, unified strategy as well as reassuring PR were forthcoming)...

So you don't sing but watch other ONLF dancing, "bakhtiga ma cunno ee fuuqiisaan cabnaa" miyaa? waa iga kaftan inabti...

^ Waa jimce oo sanadi islaamga cusub, marka Tupac iyo Tubeec waxaa nooga haboon suratul Kahf iwm (Ngonge, odeygi reerka adoo ah miyaad waxan lasoo shirtagtay adeer, way noo taala... )

Through a close acquaintance, I came to know more about the late Dolal as well as his wife and daughters trauma following his brutal death. How could such a public figure and highly educated British citizen simply disappear, with little official reaction, moreover into a country where the UK is the biggest donor, of all places, with horrible pictures of his murder paraded as sole facts? .......................................................................... Family's anguish over father's 'assassination' nlnews@archant.co.uk 26 November 2009 THE "assassination" of a Hornsey political activist has not been confirmed almost a year after his suspected death in Ethiopia. Pictures of a body believed to be British citizen Dr Mohamed Sirad Dolal, 54, of Newland Road, were posted on a rebel group's website in January. His family believe he was killed in a contested region of Ethiopia - but have been left in limbo as neither the British or Ethiopian governments have confirmed the death. One of his six daughters, Sagal Dolal, 27, a biomedical scientist, of Newland Road, said: "He was assassinated and they're not telling us anything, they're not even telling us if he's dead. "I'm not satisfied with what the Foreign Office has done. All I want is a confirmation of my father's death and they're not giving it to me." Somali Dr Dolal had lived in Hornsey since 1987 and been a British Citizen since 2003. He was an activist for Somali people in the break-away state of Oga-den which is locked in a struggle for independence from Ethiopia. He last spoke to his family from Oga-den on January 15 and a website loyal to the Ethiopian government published pictures of a body on January 21. "They claimed it was my dad and everybody that saw it says it's him," said Miss Dolal. On a Voice of America radio broadcast in December, her father said his life was in danger from the Oga-den National Liberation Front (ONLF) - a rebel group of which he was a member. "He says that the ONLF are trying to kill him and sabotage the plight of the people," said Miss Dolal. "I think the Ethiopian government was involved. I think they bribed some of them to assassinate him." Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone is trying to set up a meeting with Foreign Secretary David Miliband. Ms Featherstone said: "I share their frustration at the delays in getting straight answers from the Ethiopian authorities or the Foreign Office. I will stay on the case until it is clear that they have done all they can to get some straight answers for the family." A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We have seen reports of the death of Mohamed Sirad Dolal. We are providing assistance to his family. We have no further details on the circumstances around his death. PS: the afflicted, but otherwise respected, widow's theory engage only herself in the absence of evidence...

Originally posted by Jacphar: Prayers are said to wipe sins that's if one avoids the kabaa'ir. Shirk, murder and zina are said to be the three largest kabira. Kabaa'irs or major sins are quite numerous and acts of obedience means greater divine protection from falling into them, often without even realising it. For exemple, there are many forms of everyday Shirks (having bad thoughts or expectations about Allah: eg "he won't help us" etc) while getting involved even indirectly in usury is much worse than fornication (even the recording accountant or PCs maintainers are cursed since such people are "waging war against both the prophet and Allah"). Thus, the importance of gathering at least basic islamic knowledge (Kitaab Al Tawhid, Kitaab Al Kabaa'ir etc), while continuing to pray as the core of our purpose. PS: one should adress the underlying issue through the Sunnah (fasting, marriage etc) and generally busy himself in a less lustful environment.

"Chat with Gay Men Hot American men. Low UK rates. Meet guys from across the USA now. InteractiveMale.com" This is getting out of hand lately and not improving, the Ads on Sol I mean...

Let's share them; here are some quite concise articles, including those of Ibn Al Qayyim: http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsy chology/ethics.html One of those articles: A Summary of the Effects of Sins English Translation by Abu ‘Iyaad From Ibn al-Qayyim’s al-Jawâb al-Kâfi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE: The Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allâh throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light. Imâm Shâfi‘î said: I complained to Wakî‘ about the weakness of my memory So he ordered me to abandon disobedience And informed me that the knowledge is light And that the light of Allâh is not given to the disobedient TWO: The Prevention of Sustenance: Just as Taqwâ brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwâ causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience THREE: The prevention of obedience (to Allâh): If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allâh then this would be sufficient. FOUR: Disobedience weakens the heart and the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely. FIVE: Disobedience reduces the life span and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it. SIX: Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant. SEVEN: Sins weaken the hearts will and resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely. EIGHT: Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allâh Azzawajall destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot, taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu‘ayb, seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharoah and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hûd. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allâh. NINE: Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basrî (rh) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allâh the Exalted said: “And whomsoever Allâh lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honour.” [Hajj (22:18)] TEN: The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm. ELEVEN: The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allâh. Ibn Mas‘ûd (ra) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [bukhârî] TWELVE: Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allâh. Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak said: I have seen sins kill the hearts And humiliation is inherited by their continuity The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts And the prevention of your soul is better for it THIRTEEN: Disobedience corrupts the intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient. FOURTEEN: When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said: “But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions).” [Mutaffifîn (83:14)] FIFTEEN: Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted said: “Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return.” [Rûm (30:41)] SIXTEEN: The disappearance of modesty which is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. It is authentic from the Messenger that he said: Modesty is goodness, all of it [bukhârî and Muslim] A Poet said: And by Allâh, there is no good in life or in the world when modesty goes SEVENTEEN: Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allâh, the Mighty in the heart of the servant EIGHTEEN: Sins are the cause of Allâh forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his shaytân and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for. NINETEEN: Sins remove the servant from the realm of Ihsân (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining) the reward of those who do good. When Ihsân fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience. TWENTY: Disobedience causes the favours (of Allâh) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. Alî (ra) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allâh the Exalted said: “Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many.” [shûra (42:30)] And the Exalted also said: “That is because never will Allâh change the favour He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves.” [Anfâl (8:53)] .............................................................................. PS: Investing on Ibn al Qayyim's books is one of the best ever idea, many crucial dilemmas are adressed in depth and in a most logical way ( their arabic original version is written in a simple style and is even more captivating)...

Let's share them; here are some quite concise articles, including those of Ibn Al Qayyim: http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsy chology/ethics.html One of those articles: A Summary of the Effects of Sins English Translation by Abu ‘Iyaad From Ibn al-Qayyim’s al-Jawâb al-Kâfi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE: The Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allâh throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light. Imâm Shâfi‘î said: I complained to Wakî‘ about the weakness of my memory So he ordered me to abandon disobedience And informed me that the knowledge is light And that the light of Allâh is not given to the disobedient TWO: The Prevention of Sustenance: Just as Taqwâ brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwâ causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience THREE: The prevention of obedience (to Allâh): If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allâh then this would be sufficient. FOUR: Disobedience weakens the heart and the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely. FIVE: Disobedience reduces the life span and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it. SIX: Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant. SEVEN: Sins weaken the hearts will and resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely. EIGHT: Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allâh Azzawajall destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot, taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu‘ayb, seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharoah and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hûd. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allâh. NINE: Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord. Al-Hasan al-Basrî (rh) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allâh the Exalted said: “And whomsoever Allâh lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honour.” [Hajj (22:18)] TEN: The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm. ELEVEN: The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allâh. Ibn Mas‘ûd (ra) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [bukhârî] TWELVE: Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allâh. Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak said: I have seen sins kill the hearts And humiliation is inherited by their continuity The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts And the prevention of your soul is better for it THIRTEEN: Disobedience corrupts the intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient. FOURTEEN: When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said: “But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions).” [Mutaffifîn (83:14)] FIFTEEN: Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted said: “Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return.” [Rûm (30:41)] SIXTEEN: The disappearance of modesty which is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. It is authentic from the Messenger that he said: Modesty is goodness, all of it [bukhârî and Muslim] A Poet said: And by Allâh, there is no good in life or in the world when modesty goes SEVENTEEN: Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allâh, the Mighty in the heart of the servant EIGHTEEN: Sins are the cause of Allâh forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his shaytân and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for. NINETEEN: Sins remove the servant from the realm of Ihsân (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining) the reward of those who do good. When Ihsân fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience. TWENTY: Disobedience causes the favours (of Allâh) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. Alî (ra) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allâh the Exalted said: “Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many.” [shûra (42:30)] And the Exalted also said: “That is because never will Allâh change the favour He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves.” [Anfâl (8:53)] .............................................................................. PS: Investing on Ibn al Qayyim's books is one of the best ever idea, many crucial dilemmas are adressed in depth and in a most logical way ( their arabic original version is written in a simple style and is even more captivating)...

If he managed to save that much, why not then invest in Nairobi etc as others already said it? Suppose that he secures a job in these times, what people ignore back in africa is that little will remain of what you earn (on the paper); even if he miraculously lands a job paying around £400/week (which is very hard with neither local experience, references etc), only around 250 will remain after NI contributions, Income and Council taxes. Now, renting is expensive too (around £ 150-200/week for an average studio) and likewise for transports, bills etc (most have Studies related and other debts). Even at the top, having $20 000 in savings at 27 is an accomplishment in itself; for ex, my relative who is consultant and in work for around 4 years had to borrow for buying a modest plot back home. It seems we have forgotten that Allah provides while not migrating to non-Muslims is part and parcel of faith (any material surplus has pitfalls too, hence the importance of contentment). The bottom line, putting your trust in Allah and earning your living honestly reward in the long term in proportion of one's purity, much more than any passport (more blessings, better health, children etc). PS: there are thriving businesses which started with less than that; $20 000 could get you a long way in Hargeysa or Bossaso...

The late Cadow aun among other things...

Dr. Ibrahim Xasan Caddow Allaha u naxariistee Oo aan ugu badiyey dadka meeshaa ku geeriyoodey, Waxaan bartay sanadku markuu ahaa 1985 waxaanuna isku baranay magaala madaxda maraykanka ee Washington, halkaasoo uu ka watay waxbarashadiisa sare ilaa uu ka qaatay shahaadada PhD, kuna takhasusay waxbarashada. Kadibna Jaamacadaha American University iyo George Mason iyo qeyrkood ayuu wax ka dhigay. Sagaashameeyada horraankeedii ayuu wuxuu shaqa ka helay Bangiga Islaamiga ee Jiddah (Islamic Development Bank) inuu xagga waxbarashada iyo jaamacadaha kala taliyo ardayda bangigu minxooyinka siiyo, xilligaas habeen uu gurigiisa Jidda igu casuumey wuxuu ii sheegay inuu la qabsan kari la’yahay qaabka shaqada ee Bangiga, ayna dhici karto inaanu waqti badan sii wadin. Sidaas ayey noqotay oo Ibrahim wuu ka tegey shaqadaas, iyadoo lacag badan la siinayey. Wuxuuna mar kale ku noqday Maraykanka. Wuxuu muddo la shaqaynayey Safaaradda Imaaraadka carabta Washington, lataliye xagga tacliinta, hase yeeshee iyadana waqti dheer masii wadin. Ibraahim Allaha u naxariistee wuxuu ahaa nin aan qal qalooc iyo isdaba marin u dul qaadan Karin, saas darteedna uu shaqooyin badan uga tegey . Kadib Ibrahim isagoo ku taahayey in badan inuu dalka kusoo noqdo oo wuxuu soo bartay wax ku taro, wuxuu ku fikerey inuu dalka kusoo noqdo si kasta oo duruuftu u adagtahay. Dabadeedna wuxuu Muqdisha ka asaasay Iskuul Private ah. Mar aan Muqdisha gurigiisa isku aragnay 2002-3 wuxuu iiga sheekeeyey inuu ku taamayo iskuul taya leh xag diin iyo xag aduunyo. Ibrahim oo ahaa nin diinta ku adag, wuxuu shuruud ka dhigay, macalin kasta wuxuu doono ha dhigo, science ama Math, inuu aragti diineed leeyahay, diintana wax ka yaqaan, wuxuu kaloo ardada shardi uga dhigay iney qamiis (uniform) u noqda iskuulka, iyo in anshaxa islaamiga aad loo ilaaliyo. Wuxuu arrinkaa ku qeexay risaala yar oo uu qoray, maalintaasna i tusay laakiin aanan hadda hayn. Kadibna Ibrahim wuxuu wax ka qaban qaabiyey Jaamacadda Banadir ee markaa Kulliyadda Caafimaadka keliya ahayd, sidoo kale wuxuu qayb ka qaatay. Xilligii ay soo ifbaxday Maxaakimtii Islaamka ee beelaha Muqdishana wuxuu qayb ka noqday dhaqdhaqaaqoodi, dabadeedna waxaa loo magacaabay Xoghayihii arrimaha Dibadda ee Maxaakimta. Ibrahim Allaha u naxariistee ma aheyn nin siyaasadda jecel, ama u samaysan xitaa inuu siyaasi noqdo. Waayo siyaasiyiintu waa dad laab laab badan, Ibrahimna wuxuu ahaa nin toos u kaca (straight) oo aan laa laab lahayn. Maxaakimtii markey dhacday ka dib, Ibrahim kama maqnayn saaxada, hase yeeshee waxaa muuqatey inuu xoogaa dhinac uga istaagey, gaar ahaan markii la sameeyey Isbahaysigii Asmara, kaasoo aanu ka qayb gelin, markii isbahaysigu u kala jabay Jabuuti iyo Asmarana Ibrahim dhinacna ma raacine wuu ka haray, wuxuuna ka mid ahaa dadkii ka shaqaynayey in dib loo mideeyo. Wuxuu Prof. Ibrahim dib uga soo muuqday saaxada markii DKMG jabuuti lagu soo dhisay halkaasoo Wasiirka Tacliinta Sare loo magacaabey, waana halka uu Prof. Ibrahim islahaa, dadkuna is lahaa waxbuu ka qaban karaa, oo waa shaqa uu aqoon iyo khibrad u leeyahay. Waxaan aad ugu malaynayaa Prof. Ibrahim inuu jagadaas u galay niyad ah inuu Ummadda wuxuu ku tari karo ku taro. Intii uu hayey hawshanna waxaa la dhihi karaa wuxuu ka mid ahaa ama ugu horreeyey dadka fara ku tiriskaa ee wax la taaban karo qabtay, maxaa yeelay boqollaal arday ayuu minxooyin uga soo qaaday wadamada yemen iyo qeyrkeed oo uu guddoonsiiyey, iyadoo awal kumanyaal doolar lagu gadan jirey. Sifooyinka ugu weyn ee Ibrahim Allaha u naxariistee lahaa waxaa ka mida, inuu ahaa nin Muslina oo diinta aad u jecel, caqiida toosan oo wadadii salafka haya, sunnada ku dheggan oo ay ka muuqato, xaqqa wuxuu u arko aan marna ka weecan adduunku hadduu dhinac ka safto. Waxaan Ibrahim ku bartay Allaha u naxariistee, nin toos u socda oo aan leex leexad iyo war wareeg aqoon oo jeclayn, zaahid ah oo aan adduunyo raadis ahayn, tawaaduc leh oo aan isla weynaan aqoon. Ibrahim Allaha u naxariistee, wuxuu Maraykan iyo qeyrkeedba ka heli karey shaqooyin wax badani kasoo galaan, nolol adduunyo oo qabowna leh, hase yeeshee wuxuu jeclaa inuu dalkiisa ku noolaado waxna taro, isaga ayaana maanta isagoo madluuma lagu dilay. Xitaa sida meydkiisu u yaalley meeshii lagu dilay ayaa markhaati ka ahayd inuu ilaahay uga ashtakoonayey kuwa dulmiga ku dilay Ibrahim. Ilaahay waxaan uga baryey Ibrahim inuu u naxariistu, Jannadana nagu kulmiyo, Ilaahow ajarkiisa hanaga qadin, gadaashiisna Axmed wuxuu ahaa nin aad u caqli badan. Deggan oo fikir fiican. Qabow oo aan kulayl iyo xaraarad cidna ku qaabilin. Wuxuu ahaa nin had iyo jeer inaan lakala tegin ee wax laysku waafiqi karo, waxna lagu heshiin karo aaminsan. Wuxuu ahaa nin diinta ku soo bar baaray, aqoon u leh, waxaanan is leeyahay mudadii yarayd ee uu jagadan hayey, wax badan inuu Soomaalida ugu qabtay, ama heshiisyo uu la galo wasaaradaha wax barashada carabaha, ama manaahijta wax barashada, ama kobcinta aqoonta iyo iskuulada, wuxuuna ahaa nin karti badan oo agaasimka shaqooyinka aad ugu wanaagsan, waxaadna ka garaneysaa miraha uu ka tegey iyo Mu’asasada uu wax ka dhisay, isagoo ku haminayey marar badan Imam Shaafici, Jaamacad inuu gaarsiiyo, oo xitaa diraasadeedi diyaarshey. Ammin, waxay ahaayeen Soomaalida ku dayasho mudan ee mabaadi' aduunyo ka hor mariya (models, principled men); Suaasha waxayse tahay miyay Soomaali, qish iyo cunsurnimo ku caan baxay, istaahilaan raggaaso kale? ps:waxaan ku arkayay riyo habeenimadii qaraxa ka horreysay; waad mahadsantahay Maaddeey.

may Allah forgive dead Muslims, Aamin Clearly, there is a striking parallel between our predicament and the seemingly intractable security situation in places such as Afghanistan; it basically boils down to the ideal and values for which a governmental soldier would fight and sacrifice himself as well as the discipline among largely uncommitted and addicted troops. Thus, the only way out is to trade to the fullest extent possible support from now toothless warlords and corrupt politicians for more morally defensible opponents, while disbanding gradually the ridiculously oversized parliament alongside a minimal bureaucracy, maintaining only what could be sustained without any foreign interference (their boycott means simply the TFG will rely more on Western and warlord assistance). Having said that, one could only symphatise with Sharif's uncomfortable position between the two groups and his relative lack of support even from the new Puntland administration (it was recently reported a Shabab official did already switch to the TFG and HI position is not that far way from his). Crucially, while diasporas like the Eritreans contribute regularly to their government's PR and budget, Somalis need to realise that even the best leaders could only do so much in an acculturated milieu where sectarism and lack of civism reign supreme. Thus, what needs to go is this self-defeating assortment of primitive, sectarian ego and zero-sum mentality, complemented by the colonial legacy of crude, myopic individual materialism and total disregard for the general interest... Welcome Back Thierry.

^drop ur gmail, tx all.

Cawaale n Sophist (full inbox btw), could u add me in, tx.

Dhikr - Remembering Allah by Khalid Baig "I am with my servant as long as he remembers Me." (Hadith Qudsi) The shepherd was approached by a lone traveler in the desert. "I am hungry and have ran out of food. Could I milk one of your sheep?" The shepherd replied that he was not the owner of the sheep and could not let anyone milk them without the owner's permission. The owner would surely notice it and would not like it. The traveler had an idea. "Why don't you sell one of them to me. When the owner asks, you can tell him that a wolf killed it. Wolves attack the herds all the time. I'll satisfy my hunger. You'll get the money. We'll both profit." The shepherd strongly refused saying: "But what about Allah!" Strangely, the traveler was pleased to hear that. "As long as there are people like you in this ummah, wolves won't kill the lambs," he said. The shepherd was, of course, not aware that he was talking to the Ameer-ul-Momineen, Umar, Radi-Allahu unhu, who kept his finger on the pulse of his ummah. It was the spontaneous, natural reaction of a believer who remembered Allah. And the comment came from the person who knew the value of that remembrance. Today we find wolves killing the lambs everywhere. Corruption has become common place in most parts of the Muslim world. Why? Because most of us have moved away from that remembrance that was the protection against sin and corruption! The journey of life is beautifully described in the Qur'an as a constant toil, at the end of which we are going to meet our Creator. "O mankind, Verily you are ever toiling on towards your Lord --painfully toiling-- and you shall meet Him." [inshiqaq 84:6]. The person who remembers Allah, then, is the person who keeps his eyes on his destination. The journey is arduous. The distractions are many. Satan and our own desires are constantly trying to steer us away from our goal. But the stakes are extremely high. And a vigilant and wise person will never lose sight of his destination. Such is the person who remembers Allah all the time. "Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding-- men who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides." [Aal-e-Imran, 3:190-191]. This remembrance or dhikr is itself the source of strength for the believer. According to one hadith qudsi, Allah says: "I am with my servant as long as he remembers Me." It is for this reason that a distinction is made between other ritual acts of worship, and dhikr. We are not required to engage in the former excessively. In fact we are cautioned against that possibility. But we are asked to perform dhikr profusely --keeping our heart and tongue busy in that remembrance -- all the time. We simply cannot overdo it. In fact Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Those who enter paradise will not be sorry for anything they did in this life, except the moments they spent without the remembrance of Allah." But how can we remember Allah when we cannot see Him and cannot even visualize His Person? There are two answers. First, we look at His creations, for the creation reminds one of the Creator. The verses of Aal-e-Imran quoted above mention this, as do numerous other verses throughout the Qur'an. The more we look at the grand design of the universe, the more we are reminded of the Designer. How many forces must come together with perfect coordination before a seed can sprout? What keeps this immensely complex and constantly expanding universe work so flawlessly? From the simplest to the most complex things there are pointers to the Creator on every square inch of this universe. In fact the Arabic word for the universe (alam) comes from the root ilm or knowledge, because this universe is the means of knowing the Creator. Unfortunately the tragedy that occurred when the Western civilization took the lead in science, was that this connection was severed. As the Qur'an mentions: "And how many Signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by? Yet they turn their faces away from them." [Yusuf, 12:105]. For the Muslim scientists today, a prime task must be to remove this ignorant de-linking. It is a sign of wisdom that a person looks at the universe and says Subhan-Allah, Glory be to Allah. Second, we recall Allah's blessings on us. The fact is that we cannot fully encompass the blessings of a single moment in our life. Right now somebody is reading these lines. We take the act for granted and think nothing of it. But let us pause and reflect on it. The eyes have to be working for us to recognize the printed characters. The brain has to be working for us to translate the images of characters we see on paper into meaningful statements that they stand for. We need peace of mind to reflect on it. We need available time to even begin the process. None of these is of our own making. Most of us are lucky enough to get food everyday. Again, we just take it for granted. But let us reflect on the process of production of food materials; cooking and preparation of our meals; and its consumption and digestion by our body -- and we may begin to realize the blessings that we are receiving in one bite of the simplest food we may eat! It is a sign of wisdom that a person realizes all this and says Alhamdulillah, Praise be to Allah. Subhan-Allah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu-Akbar, these are some of the forms of dhikr of Allah. To pronounce them is dhikr by the tongue. To understand and reflect on them is dhikr by heart. Both forms are highly desirable and they reinforce each other. Repetition by the tongue engraves the words in the heart. Understanding and reflection brings life to the spoken words. Together, they help us keep our eyes on our destination through the journey of life. They help us develop and strengthen our relationship with Allah, thereby bringing peace of mind and protecting us from the evil temptations. And we can hope that a person who always remembered that he has to meet with Allah will not be disappointed when that time comes. The unlettered shepherd was a greater man of understanding than the "greatest great" who does not remember Allah. If only we can understand.