I quite agree with you for once,psychology is definitely not a science just like economics, anthropology or others theories unjustly branded as social "sciences". Research in social fields could be conducted with rigorous statistical and mathematical tools; hence any brainwashing will be prevented as we'll get only results without definitive interpretations. Depression is a case in point in this regard as scientifics findings reveal that a healthy living with an appropriate diet, regular physical excercise and spiritual meaning that translate into practise, ie accompanied by constant invocations and generosity, remain the best prevention and natural treatment. Likewise the dysfunctions caused by a deficit in iode. In fact, many so-called therapies are organically embodied into Islam while the Qura'an display a formidable knowledge of human minds, not mentioning the prophet educational methodology which results are still widely there to witness. Shouldn't we deduct then that, scientifically, religion remain a natural and vital human need as body and mind strongly interact?

in London, there is somali guy who runs a school called GlobalNet ICT Solution there and the price is extremely very very cheap indeed compared to others. He teaches A+, N+, Cisco courses mostly CCNA & CCNP, Security+ and MCSA/MCSE and above all in Somali language. Does he teach in English too? The company seems not to be a Somali one so how could we contact him if he is more competitive than other Somalis? Jazakhallah khayran...

Of course, promoting Somalis unity should be among our goals; however, this can be done also peacefully as the courts leadership has clearly said it. At this moment, everyone can see the difference between Islamic Shariah caring for our well-being, country and sovereignity on one hand and the corrupt secular maffias hindering any progress on the other. Finally, when Shariah will be implemented and people eucated about Islam in every Somali region, unity will come naturally and we would be able to start a confederation with our powerful Oromo brothers as to enhance Muslims unity while strengthening our economy through integration...

I hope many of the sceptics will come and challenge live ICU representatives, if they have indeed some valid reserves vis-a-vis Somalis popular uprising; the ball is in your camp...

Here is an eye-opener opinion on the long overdue ban of this drug. Interestingly enough, Baidoa warlords or pseudo government opposed the ban which drained our meagre resources and energy on the ground that Mogadiscio's people deserve khat for having expulsed the warlords now in Baidoa! Let's hope that, inshallah, our own Somali regions will follow soon and drop their deadly addiction to finally achieve any sustainable progress while salvating our families and economy... ................................................................................................................................................... Banning Khat the Right Move With the lack of law and order in Somalia for the last sixteen or so years, many drugs chief among which is Khat, have found a permanent home in the Somali nation’s psyche. Millions of badly needed shillings or US Dollars are wasted everyday in the importation and consumption of this narcotic leaf both in Somalia and ******. While the Somalis everywhere from ****** to Somalia are busy munching on the leafy narcotic drug under the afternoon shade everyday, Kenyan and Ethiopian entrepreneurs have had a field day in collecting unparalleled profits they have never seen before the start of the Somali civil strife. Not only does the importation of Khat deprive the local economies hardly needed cash and hard currency but this imported Khat negatively impacts all facets of familial life. There are many documented cases of families going hungry while either the father or the mother, a new phenomenon, spend the family’s meager resources towards buying Khat. In the June 2006 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the effects of the consumption of Khat were documented scientifically. According to the lead researchers Dr Sagar Saha and Dr Clare Dollery, long term [Khat] use results in increasing risk of heart attack, liver damage as well gingivitis and tooth loss. Research also indicates [they add] that heavy khat chewing increases the risk of esophageal cancer. Somalis everywhere have seen the ills of Khat. There is not a single Somali family that has not experienced the side effects of Khat either directly or indirectly. Worse many places in the western world such as the United States of America have started to rigorously enforce the drug statutes in the Common Law, which criminalizes the importation and the consumption of Khat. Considering all the ills of Khat and its health and societal impact, we welcome the recent total ban imposed on both the importation and the consumption of Khat by the rulers of many parts of Somalia. Although difficult at first attempt, we believe that both the money and the time spent on the consumption of Khat can be better spent towards the resolution of both personal as well as societal problems faced by the Somalia nation. editorial@******.com ****** Online Editorial Nov 17, 2006

Of course, Shariah must be implemented at the local level without any interference; that has always clearly been ICU's policy. Likewise, military actions should be strictly limited to self-defence and prevention of any invasion, hence the crucial necessity of securing Kismayo against IGADSOM and TFG renegats. Barre Hirale was playing with fire by accepting his nomination as pseudo defence minister for the troyan horse; thus some elements inevitably forced the hand of the more prudent ICU leadership when his troops left our third city which is after all a Somali city whose inhabitants welcomed the Islamic courts and declared their own administration. Cade's militias agression was wisely dealt with again by the leadership; all this testify in favor of the courts...

Akhi, concerns about the bad elements in the courts are quite legitimate as well as the vital necessity of avoiding tribal revenges. In fact, ICU's leadership grasp these priorities better than anyone of us. However, apart from the evil legacies endemic within us, the courts face a much greater evil which is outright defeat by the cartel of crime(foreign invaders,warlords,TFG, Western propaganda, Cade's administration ect). This is by no means an easy tasks to navigate with all these swords of damocles placed on their heads and with only poorly disciplined recruits to face multiple agressions. That is why we should all be more concerned about their succes in such critical times for Islam (as should be every coherent Muslim)than with the inevitable death of some of our misguided kinsmen...

Su'aalo miyaad uhaysa maxaakimta Islaamiga ah? Miyaad rabta inaad taageero ama talo si toos ah ugu fidisid kacdoonka ummada Soomaaliyeed ee shareecada waafaqsan? Waxaad fursad u haysataa in aad la kulanto wafdi booqosho ku jooga wadanka Ingiriiska maalinta bari ah. GOOBTU: ISLINGTON ARTS AND MEDIA SCHOOL ADDRESS: TURLE ROAD LONDON N4 3LS TAARIIKHDA: 19/11/06 MAALINTA: AXADA AH SAACADA: 2:00 PM -6PM Nearest Tube Station: Finsbury Park Station BUSES: 91, 259, 279, 4, 29, 253, and 254 Jazaakumullaah Khayran

Taking advantage of Somali's army defeat by a pro-Ethiopian international coalition,the power thirsty secular autocrat A. Yusuf provoked the paranoia of Syad's regime by trying to seize power through force alongside close kinsmens in the 70's. Faced with the challenge of both a clan based coup d'Etat and an assasination attempt, Syad barre has little choice but to promote his fidel relatives into top position. This policy, in turns, frustrated other clans and prompted the SNM to join Yusuf's SSDF, already widely decredibilized in the eyes of Somalis by joining forces with the invading Ethiopian forces (the laters crossed on several occasions into Somali territory). Opposed to Shariah rule, vehemently pro-Western and with an excellent track record in oppresing clerics in his own fiefdom, the colonel turned treat was the ideal candidate in implementing Addis-Abeba agenda in Somalia. Effectively, Yusuf's rule in Puntland was characterized by flagrant nepotism, institutionalized corruption and brutalities although the Puntlanders initially welcomed him as a "necessary evil".

Many of the courts' detractors are oblivious of basic Islamic teaching, ethics or even the most fundamental principle of Tawhid as can be expected from Western influenced minds; hence their whole paradigm vis-a-vis humankind raison d'etre and priorities is corrupt. Have you not noticed how many incoherences, intellectual dishonesty and typical Western stereotypes, besides their utter ignorance of Islam, they display in their writings? Little wonder then that they mock regularly the Tawhid fundamentals depicted as "Wahabism" according to neo-cons and Christians extremists terminology. Frankly, one can hardly be in a more desperate situation, not knowing what he believes in, what he talks about and what are his priorities and how to achieve them...

Nursing open up many opportunities in terms of jobs while really deserving your income unlike finance or retail's works where you are expected to deal with interests, alcohool ect. Obviously, the demand for this profession is expected to rise and there are already shortages worldwide. Best of all, you can more easily relocate in an Islamic country and hence raise your children in the right environment. Last but not least, you can treat and sensibilze your family in health related issues, cultivate your sense of compassion and even stimulate your children scientific awareness and curiosity; that is also when your child development & psychology lessons come in handy. Hence, a nursing course is almost ideal, especially when nurses are expected to take more and more responsibilities and are even allowed to make prescribtions in somes cases, though the debate is still going on in the UK... Apart from my experience with my relatives in the field, I guess nurses can help us in attaining our objective of intellectually curious and compassionate new generation of Somalis both at home and abroad, provided we don't neglect also the most vital Islamic environment, education and the associated coherent ethical framework...

I was decidedly too quick to dismiss Soyaal and forgot the aforementioned article from the East-African. Obviously, the most efficient way to counter Tigre Imperialism is to cooperate with other threatened Islamic countries like Sudan or Egypt and Eritrea, which although only half Muslim, is also vulnerable. Alhamdulilah, Somalia, through the Islamic courts has been finally cured and joined the struggle against the Zionists sponsored crusade that could cut entire Muslims nations from their water supplies as Egypt and Sudan rely on the Nile, which mainly originate from Ethiopia just like our Jube and Shabelle rivers. Moreover, it is not only about economic survival, but also about sovereignity, independence and equilibrium in our region; not only a strong, united and Shariah compliant Somalia will help us to liberate and protect our subjugated brothers in Ethiopia and Kenya but it will also counterbalance the evil TPLF influence throughout Eastern Africa, before it starts to exploit our massive oil and gas ressources in the colonized Somali region. Guelleh, allegedly affiliated with the Muslim brotherhood (founded in Egypt) alongside the prominent Businessman Borreh which was involved in the deal with Dubai and many others, has resumed its relations with Asmara and visited Eritrea in 2001 but he also recently gave public support to Iran's Ahmedinajad when invited in Teheran the very day Meles and Kibaki agreed in Nairobi to dispatch AIDS infected militiamen into Somalia. I've also heard of joint military excercices with Eritrean forces, a fact that largely illustrates the new relations between Asmara and Djibouti...

Where are the sources of Sooyaal? Djibouti has gone through a demobilization program following the peace accords between the FRUD (mainly Afar rebelion) and the government in 1994 (another deeper agreement has been reached in 2001). Besides, I thought the whole defence budget was inferior to $20 millions. Even by assuming that such sums were affordable, for what purpose Guelleh government would spend that amount when he got so many forces paying to protect it? Or is it another piece of propaganda to justify the suicidal burden imposed on our brothers from Woqooyi-Galbeed by the auto-proclaimed "Somaliland State" which spend almost all its income on security forces, supposedly to enforce sovereignity over the colonial borders and propitiate former militiamen?

lol devil, I'm not yet one but maybe it should be the right career given the title's effects :rolleyes: ... for now I just read and ask questions, then practise on myself.

Great, I'm glad to see some sensible fellow nomads who have decided to avoid coffe and tea altogether. Besides the obvious addiction effects and its negative consequences on your physical health, tea and coffee are destructive mentally and even worsen Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity symptoms (just like food additives, sugar, white bread, pasta ect). It was already well known that sugar, just like white bread, spaghettis and rice (not the wholemeal varieties) have very little nutritional value but also destroy your health, not least by favorizing weight gain and diabete. When added to the diuretive effect of caffeine that favorize urine emission and hence mineral and vitamins loss, you can easily understand why tea and coffee abuse are suicidal. Moreover, caffeine stimulate unnecessarily the brain and thus drain your mental energy despite the initial euphoria while strengthening Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder's symptoms, something that may explain partly the fadhi-ku-dirir habit and Somalis' nervosity/paranoia. In a nutshell, to stay young, let's eat wholemeal (porridge, wholemeal bread, wheat, couscous ect) and drink plenty of pure water while avoiding anything refined or with additives wether it be refined white sugar, flour, bread, pasta or rice in addition to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables; thus not only will you salvate your look and well-being but you will also protect your brain and productivity. PS: one cup of tea without sugar or with a spoon or two of honey sometimes may not be that grave, especially the green one that has some benefits, but never ever make it into an habit...

Is the first big mosque the one built by Ibrahiim Dheere in central Hargeysa? Also, I didn't know there was a Turkish built one. Although the progress in one decade is impressive, I always thought we should focuze much more on food auto-sufficiency and environment rather than competing on buildings, ie unproductive investments. By the same token, vaccines, clean water and above all vigorously denouncing discrimination against the so-called "minorities" should be the utmost priorities. But then again, reason have to prevail upon emotion... PS: I used to be a part-time Hargeisawi since my early childhood as the family originated from the area.

This pseudo dilemma ultimately leads to the interesting question: Who is best placed to convince someone to change? Friendship seems a more secure way than marriage, but how could you befriend a "Muslim by name only"? Personaly, I try to give the best exemple I can and show the individual in question that change is not only feasible but well worthwile in many ways; in the meantime, you can be understanding and show sympathy without any special "relation" just like with anyone else. That is where some references come in handy, specially concerning the prophet way of educating people which is more relevant than other counselling and psychological references which are "values-free" (moral relativism). At any rate, this needs patience and being his wife could be part of the problem itself as far as authority is concerned (male ego compounded by possibly oversized doctor's ego). Moreover, past upbringing and education are hard to change, though it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks provided you can afford the sacrifices involved as in the case of a close relative...

Indeed, we are westernized, though to different extents, if by Westernization we mean adopting Western langages, cultures, priorities and outlook on life, not mentioning the rather misplaced inferiority complex which explain many of our ordeals in our desperate attempt in trying to copy everything we see as "modern". Now, there is a still timid revival of Islam combined with a decline of the Somali langage, especially abroad (though this does not represents a "loss" independently of Islam). This topic is important but to be concise, we need to filter out scientific progress and other strenghts of the Western world from their uncoherent paradigm and subtly engrained philosophy to adapt it to our own priorities and realities, even more than do Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Malays ect)...

Asc, I was thinking of the feature in forums which allow to classify posts in the search section according to the number of replies, readers, who started it ect. Such feature will allow Sol visitors to reach directly the most discussed posts in any given forum or the posts most widely seen or started by their favorite contributor, hence saving time...

How many of us do masters this central belief of Tawheed which condition Islam? Kitaab at-Tawheed by the respected Sheikh Muhammad Abdul-Wahhaab remains one of the master books in this field and is very readabe. Here is a translated version in both text and audio version which needs to be checked. However you can purchase it for peanuts on the well-known Darussalam Islamic editor online bookstore at http://www.darussalam.com/ (or even on the ungodly Amazon.com). In the meantime, here is a very brief introduction only by Islamweb ...................................................................................................................................................... Tawheed: The Essence of Islam What Is Tawheed? Literally Tawheed means to make something one or to call it one. In English when something is made one it is deemed to be unified. However, in Islamic terminology Tawheed means to believe that Allah is the one and only God. It is sometimes referred to as monotheism, however in the purest sense in that no other entity can in any way have the attributes or be equivalent or even in competition with Allah. All acts of worship that a person does should be to Allah or for Allah Alone. For example, prayer should only be to Allah, religious animal sacrifice should only be done in Allah's name, and fighting to establish and protect religion (Jihaad). Tawheed is therefore the central concept upon which all of Islam rests. Importance and Benefits of Tawheed: 1. Tawheed is the essence of Islam and the mainspring of its strength. All other laws, beliefs and commands of Islam stand firm on this foundation. Take it away, and there is nothing left of Islam. 2. Tawheed is the call of all the prophets to their people. Allah (SWT) says, "And verily We have sent among every nation a Messenger proclaiming Worship Allah Alone and avoid all false deities." (Qur'an 16:36) 3. Tawheed is the only reason for the world's creation. "And I created not the Jinns and Men except that they should worship Me." (Qur'an 51:56). By declaring sincere belief in Tawheed, a disbeliever will become a Muslim. Conversely, a Muslim will become a disbeliever (kaafir) if he rejects any aspect of it. 4. By Tawheed we achieve salvation from Eternal punishment in the Hereafter, right guidance in this world, and forgiveness for sins. Allah states in the Qur'an: "Verily Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him (shirk) however, He forgives all other sins as He pleases." (Qur'an 4:48). The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam {SAWS}) said: 'The worshipper's right on Allah is that He will not punish those who worship none besides Him.' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] 5. Whoever fulfils Tawheed will be admitted to the Garden (Al-Jannah) in the Hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) has stated: 'Verily Allah has promised that whosoever does not commit shirk shall enter Al-Jannah (the Garden in the Heaven).' [Al-Bukhari] 6. It is the reason for solving people's sadness because true happiness will be achieved if persons realise Tawheed within their heart. They will also never feel psychologically enslaved even if physically captive. 7. It is the only reason for Allah's pleasure and rewards. Allah says: "If you reject faith then know that Allah is in no need of you and He does not accept disbelief from His slaves." (Qur'an 39:7). Disbelief is nothing but a manifestation of shirk which is the opposite of Tawheed. 8. The acceptance of all of one's religious deeds is based upon Tawheed. Allah states: "Whoever accepts a religion other than Islam it shall be rejected by Allah and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." (Qur'an 3:85). Islam is nothing if not an embodiment of the belief in Tawheed. 9. Tawheed prevents man from eternally remaining in the Hellfire. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) stated in an authentic report: 'Whoever dies and has so much as a mustard seed of faith in his heart shall enter Al-Jannah.' Sources of Islamic Aqeedah (Belief): The Qur'an is the Revelation which Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad (SAWS) and has been passed forth to us both in form and in content in an uninterrupted transmission. Meaning, it can be verified as coming from the lips of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). It is the last scripture to be revealed to mankind. As the actual word of Allah in its original form in the Arabic language it is the first and foremost source of Islamic 'Aqeedah. Allah says: "And we did not send any Messenger before you but we inspired him (saying) none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah) so worship Me." (Qur'an 21:25) Hadith in Arabic has the general meaning of speech whether pertaining to religion or not. Then it took a special sense (Prophetic traditions), comprising all the Prophet Muhammad's (SAWS) speech, deeds, or tacit decisions. In this regard, the term Hadith and Sunnah are synonymous. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), being the fount from which both the Qur'an and the Sunnah spring, was the best to explain what each and every person should believe about Allah. The Prophet (SAWS) stated about himself: 'I am the most knowledgeable of Allah amongst you and the most fearful of him.' And he also stated: 'Every child is born on Al-Fitra (true faith of Islamic Monotheism) but his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity or Magianism.'

Akhi Nur, Indeed, the last performance of our good Sheik Sharif when interviewed by the BBC among Muqdisho's students was remarkable. For instance, his reply concerning the ICU strategy vis-a-vis Somaliland was simply brilliant and dispelled any remaining misunderstanding. Likewise his answer when asked about the possibility of any dialogue with the pseudo governement or more accurately Troyan horse for the Tigre junta: we have to deliver them Da'wa as to convince them that applying Shariah is not optional, whereas the Jihad was destinated to repel Ethiopian invasion and certainely not to fight against our brothers held in hostage in Baidoa. Again, the highly educated team advising the popular Islamic uprising has shown its efficiency to all Somalis. For now, they seem to take full advantage of available opportunities to forward our Islamic project; that is why I have no doubt that Inshallah they will be even more effective when they will set up a comprehensive media strategy of their own, catering for the whole region. In the meantime, everyone should take his duty with utmost seriousness and relay our Islamic vision whenever the opportunity arise, not least in order to counter the generalized propaganda against our faith...

Eid mubarik Warior. Your contribution is appreciated, JZKallah Khayran.

MUQDISHO: AN AFRICAN TOWN by Alberto Arecchi Muqdisho (Somali spelling), the capital of Somalia, now has 1 million inhabitants, about 20% of the population of the entire country. In the last ten years in particular its growth has been chaotic and uncontrolled, with the annual rate reaching 10% or more, caused largely by the immigration of nomadic families hit by famines and wars. This profile examines the problems caused by Muqdisho’s rapid growth and offers some suggestions for controlling the towns development. The Republic of Somalia was born in 1960 from the union of former British Somaliland and former Italian Somalia, both of which had become independent. It covers an area of 638,000 square kilometres and its population at about 5 million. However, the PanSomali independence movement claims a territory of over 1 million square kilometres which includes Djibouti (a former colony of France) and large areas under Ethiopian and Kenyan administration (the ****** and Hawd, and the North Eastern Frontier respectively). The five pointed star in the republic’s emblem represents this dream of a ‘Greater Somalia’ which has to rise up from the union of the five territories: the three former colonies and the two areas under ‘alien domination’. In 1969 a military coup d’état transformed Somalia into a ‘democratic republic’ which was allied to the Soviet bloc until 1978. In that year President Mohamed Siyad Barre began a bloody war against Ethiopian troops assisted by Cuban forces, to conquer the plateau (****** and Hawd). The Somalis had to retire, losing hundreds of thousands of men and all the sophisticated weapons supplied by the USSR. Today, Somalia receives military aid from the USA. In 1978, the war and subsequent famine have produced over 1 million refugees. About 600,000 of these have been accommodated in refugee camps, while the rest have swollen the population of the outlying districts of the capital. Somalia is the only ‘black’ country which is a member of the Arab League, justifying its membership by the Moslem traditions of its people. However, the main reason for joining seems to be the considerable amount of aid received from the Saudi monarchy. Demographic trends and urbanisation It is difficult to make a precise estimate of the population of a country largely inhabited by nomads and subjected to continuous social and economic disturbances. Nevertheless, the UN has estimated the Somali population today at about 5 million, with a natural rate of increase of about 2.8%. However, according to official Somali estimates of 1965, which gave a population of 2.5 million, the population would double in 20 years. The natural rate of increase was estimated at about 2.2%. The increase in the rate of population growth shows the importance of the refugee problem: 600,000 according to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), up to 1,500,000, according to the Somali government. Between the 1931 census and that of 1963, the mainly pastoral nomadic population decreased from 80% to 71% of the total population, while the rural population increased from 8% to about 20%. The most populous region is Banaadir, which includes Muqdisho. This region also has the highest density of population (over 12 inhabitants per square kilometre), followed by Upper Jubba, with a density of only 3 inhabitants per square kilometre. The nomadic population, although reduced by repeated famines from 1974 to the present, still accounts for more than 50% of the total population and is entirely Somali by race, whereas the sedentary population (peasant farmers and fishermen) includes Bantu groups and other non‑Somali minorities. It is estimated that the labour force employed in the modern economic sector does not, in any case, exceed 25% of the urban population, i.e. not more than 300 000 people in all Somalia. Historical development Before the colonial period Muqdisho was only one of a number of harbours serving the spice and slave market on the long sandy coast from the Arabian Peninsula to Zanzibar – the others included Hobya, Marka, Baraawe, Kismaayo, Lamu, Malindi, Mombassa and Pemba. In 1935 Muqdisho had about 40,000 inhabitants, by 1950, at the start of the Italian Trust Administration, it had about 70,000 and by the end of the trusteeship in 1960 the population had risen to 102,000. The historic city of Muqdisho is made up of two parts: Xamar Weyne (Great city) and Shangaani. The buildings of these two districts, the so-called ancient ‘wall-houses’, are often multi‑family and almost always have several storeys. The roofs are supported by slender wooden rafters (buurti), typical to semi-desertic countries. The houses are built of coral stone and painted with lime-wash and are thickly clustered around streets which are almost always narrow (two to three metres). Openings to the street are usually limited to a main entrance, shop entrances and small french windows on the upper floors. Inside, there is generally a large central room from which the other rooms lead off. These are usually lower to permit the light to enter the main room from above. This arrange­ment also provides an opportunity to use transverse ventilation under the ceiling. When Muqdisho was a colonial capital, the ancient city, expression of the historical encounter between Arab and African culture, was extended in the ‘European style’. Unfortunately, while the capitals of other colonial empires (Algiers, Luanda, Nairobi, etc) were assembling and reproducing in Africa some of the best examples of metropolitan architecture and town planning, Muqdisho developed like any mediocre Italian provincial town. The architecture of the expansion to the north of Xamar Weyne provides a good example of an uninspired attempt to impose order by a square grid of streets. The first urban explosion, at the end of the 1930s, was towards the north, on the dunes which surround the urban centre. Beyond the administrative centre, the expansion took piace through a series of regulated subdivisions, starting from the villages of Shiibis and Bondheere (the word ‘village’ indicates in Muqdisho an indigenous district). By the 1950s, the expansion through autonomous ‘villages’ continued: Anzillotti (now Waaberi) and Hodan to the west, and then in 1957 Wardhigley to the north. The result of this development was a city divided into three separate parts: the historical city almost intact in the centre, the self-sufficient European belt around it, and the autonomous ‘villages’ on the outskirts. Planning initiatives The first building activities outside the historic city were carried out by the Italians after 1910. In the 1920s the government offices (later to become the law courts) and the great cathedral (the largest in the Indian Ocean region) were constructed at the edge of Xamar Weyne. In 1929 the Governor, Guido Corni, order the preparation of the first town plan, aimed at directing the growing amount of building. This plan imposed a grid layout on the city, so the existing districts of Xamar Weyne and Shangaani would be gutted. In their place, near the harbour, there was to be a centre of commerce and services for the colonial city, while the indigenous population was to be pushed into an area of huts on the outskirts. It is interesting to re-read the comments made at the time on the objectives of the town plan: The concept which has inspired it is the creation of a new European city, totally separate from the indigenous one. The line of separation between the new European centre and the old indigenous district of Xamar Weyne was laid down in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. A study was immediately arranged of the clearance needed to permit the construction of wide streets and tree-lined squares in the indigenous district of Shangaani, which consists of foul huts and constructions which are so irrational and unhygienic as to be unfit for habitation by Europeans. After the huts of the areas to be reconstructed had been emptied, they were transported and re‑erected in a well-ordered and healthy village built on the dunes to the north of the city (1929). In a later stage the expropriation and demolition of the rums of the indigenous houses was started, in order to make space for the new streets connecting the new city with Viale Vittorio Emanuele (1931 ). A second town plan was drawn up in 1937 and approved in 1938. Later, an engineer named Tuccimei prepared a revised version, but this was never officially approved. There were, in any case, adaptations to the road network of the first plan in addition to the minor modifications which had been made in the course of carrying out the work. The plan to gut the old districts which predated the Italian occupation remained in these later plans, but the high costs of this project and the absence of private ground‑tax pressure forced this proposal to be postponed. So far it has been implemented only partially, with the opening of the wide street which lacerates the Shangaani district. In 1960, at the time of independence, Muqdisho possessed a number of attributes favourable to its development as a capital city. At its centre, Xamar Weyne and Shangaani could provide a fertile cultural reference. Outside the city, there was the village concept. The land within the city was municipally owned and therefore immediately and fully available. However, it was wrongly supposed that the European city could be juxtaposed onto Somali culture and social conditions. This false assumption, combined with the population explosion which followed independence and has continued to accelerate , have meant that the city has never realised its true potential. From 1962, the United Nations has financed a pilot project for the construction of cheap housing (guriyaha giimaha jaban), at a total cost of US$120,000, co-financed by the Somali government. In 1965 the National Housing Agency (NHA) was created, and a compound of 55 apartment buildings of cheap dwellings (Case Popolari) was constructed west of Muqdisho, between 1965 and 1972. One project of ‘urbanized plots’ was also realized when the NHA parcelled out and equipped 215 plots, selling them for a ‘political price’ of about US$1 per square metre. By 1968 the population had doubled to 204,000 and it reached 255,000 by 1970. From then on, natural disasters, wars and lack of planning have driven ever larger groups of families with no resources whatsoever into ‘parasitic’ immigration. The annual rate of population growth in the outskirts of Mogadishu is over 10%, with accompanying problems of congestion, lack of services and lack of hygiene. One of the first problems facing the revolutionary government installed at the end of 1969 was ensuring the orderly planned development of the capital. In 1970, the area occupied by permanent and temporary buildings, legal and illeg­al, was about 1,500 hectares. We can estimate that this is now in the region of 7,000 to 8,000. However, it is impossible to carry out a census of the nomadic families which are continually arriving and settling at the extreme edge in their traditional huts, known as aqal. Accord­ing to the 1970 census, there were about 10,000 permanent masonry dwellings in Muqdisho, inhabited by 74,000 persons, and almost 20,000 temporary dwellings (including the shanties, but not the noma­dic aqal), inhabited by 149,000 persons. This imbalance has increased since the census and there are now probably less than 200,000 people in Muqdisho living in permanent dwellings. This implies that the congestion of the urban area and the irreversible decay of the outskirts are dangerously accelerating. There is an urgent need for a public construction programme to produce low‑cost housing in great quantity. As indicated above, the development of the town after independence went forward with massive ‘temporary’ residential parcelling out of land. The local government assigned the plots and the occupants constructed their own houses or shanties, depending on the economic position of the family. Thus, Muqdishos housing stock gradually deteriorated, and a growing shantytown area now surrounds the capital along the entire length of the belt of dunes. The shantytown area also continues within the urban area, filling the once open spaces between one ‘village’ and the next. In 1970 a Five Year Plan for the development of the urban area was drawn up. This envisaged new residential settlements on the high ground to the north, between the roads to Afgooye and Balcad. The total area covered by the plan was about 1,600 hectares, which would more than double the urban area and house at least 250,000 new inhabitants. Beyond these residential settlements, a new strip of mainly industrial and tertiary establishments (including new ministries and the university campus) was to complete urban expansion towards the hinterland. A 10 kilometre highway was built, which encloses the urban space toward the hinterland. Eight main roads set out from this highway and cross the town straight down to the sea, cutting through the sand dunes and valleys. This planning solution permits military control of the town, but it does not define the urban form of the individual sectors. From 1972 to 1974, 300 apartments were built in the Case Popolari neighbourhood. In the new district, called ‘African Village’, the prices of the apartments exceeded US$2 500. As in other countries, the attempt to improve the city favoured the middle class, which could afford the initial investment. In 1971 a research report by SAIS, an Italian research organisation made clear the need for territorial planning to precede any expansion of the town. More recent planning initiatives have included a new deep‑water harbour which was constructed in the 1970s (thus increasing the town’s commercial activities); an offer from the Italian and FR German cooperation organisations to the Somali government of a research programme for a modern town plan of Muqdisho and the surrounding areas (about which no final decision has been made); and a survey of urban areas carried out on the basis of US satellite photographs. Role and functions of Muqdisho Like most African capitals, Muqdisho does not offer enough employment for the number of its inhabitants. One main reason for the growth of the town lies in its bureaucratic and administrative functions. A valuable source of income is provided by the expatriate technical and development cooperative personnel, who support a luxury economy very distinct from local consumption and create employment by recruiting service personnel: ‘boys’, night guardians, etc. There is no real industrial zone in the city, although next to the harbour there is a freezer warehouse to stock the meat and fish. Industries based on agricultural products are situated in the periphery, at Balcad, Afgooye, and Jowhar, some 3060 kilometres from the city. However, a small industrial zone is anticipated, next to the oil refinery under construction at Jasira, 20 kilometres south of the city. The area surrounding Muqdisho comprises an area of dunes between the Indian Ocean and the River Webi Shabelle, which runs parallel to the sea some 30 kilometres away. The fertile black soil in the valley irrigated by the river has meant that banana, papaya, mango and grapefruit plantations are located around the river. Current problems (in 1980s) The underlying objective in the planning projects of the 1970s was a halt to all immigration into the town and the creation of a kind of ‘green belt’ of agricultural villages (of about 20,000‑30,000 inhabitants each). These villages could settle people in the fertile valley of Webi Shabelle river. The first parts of this ‘green belt’ were created in 1974, during the campaign to settle the nomads. However, the villages which were created in this project had a very short life as, rather than adapt to such a radical change in their way of life, all the adults escaped to return to a nomadic life or move to the capital. The defeat of this campaign took place at the same time as the war of 1978, a period of political instability and industrial stagnation. Muqdisho’s role as a Iservice town’ has since increased and it was not until 1981 that new aid agreements with the West made it possible to consider again the development of its industrial production. The position of Muqdisho in relation to the rest of the country creates a problem of territorial balance : how can the growth of Muqdisho as the only development pole (the only port and commercial centre) of the country be avoided? Today this territorial imbalance is emphasised by the drought, which has depopulated the peripheral areas along the coast north of Muqdisho. However, in the south the two ports of Kismmayo and Baraawe could constitute alternative development poles. Furthermore, the area between Muqdisho and Kismaayo is the only fertile zone of Somalia, owing to the rivers Jubba and Webi Shabelle. However, the contrast between the southern and northern parts of the country has increased. This is mainly due to the desert zone (over 1,000 square kilometres) which separates the fertile zone from the uninhabited mountains in the north (former British Somaliland). The urban environment, which had never been good, deteriorated rapidly after independence, mainly as the result of nomads migrating to the town. These population movements have led to a chronic deficiency in the already inadequate social infrastructures, with increasingly serious consequences. A 1965 report" described Muqdisho thus: “Over 70% of the population lives in subhuman conditions, in awful districts lacking the most elementary services. Settlement in the town and in its surroundings continues to increase, without any concern for the availability of suitable dwellings or the related services and infrastructure. The new arrivals overcrowd already congested districts or erect shelters of any available material on any land which may be available, creating chaotic high density groupings, with not even elementary services, transforming a healthy environment into a hive of disease, discontent and crime”. The only change which has taken place since 1965 has been a multiplication of the problems by three or four times. After the failure of an attempt to expand towards the east (Karan village), the rapidly growing population has tended to saturate the existing urban area, by invading the areas reserved for utilities or open space and welding the formerly separate ‘villages’ into a single, almost continuous belt of temporary or illegal constructions. The original idea of ‘villages’ as separate and potentially autonomous residential units has also been almost completely nullified. The land policy established in 1970 seems to have been largely overwhelmed by the spread of illegal building, including temporary building, which followed the famine of 1974‑75. Instead of new regulations, it would therefore be better to have direct public support of self-construction by providing design suggestions and semi‑ manufactured materials (for example simple wall panels constructed of local materials). This would also offer the minimum standards of hygiene and comfort. Possible solutions As a country destitute of natural resources, Somalia is highly dependent on international agencies for the financing of development projects. The only alternative to large‑scale international aid would be a policy of self-reliance, and the extensive participation of the people in the improvement and management of their habitat and urban structures. However, it seems that the current political regime is not able to make participatory mechanisms work, nor to provide the population with the basic knowledge necessary. In this sense analogous experiences in Africa (e.g. in Tanzania and Zambia) could be useful. An international campaign of volunteers, combined with the participation of local students, could make a start towards identifying and solving Muqdisho’s alarming problems. However, although this kind of mobilisation might have been possible in the 1970s at the beginning of the ‘revolutionary’ period of the current Somali regime, at the moment it is doubtful whether governmental organisations of the developed countries have good enough relations with the Somali government to allow them to conduct the necessary research into the causes of urban sprawl and poverty in the capital. This aspect of the Somali modesty is proverbial: it has always been forbidden to take photos in the poorest districts. Instead of admitting the existence of the shantytowns, the authorities have instead tried to forget them and their inhabitants. http://www.liutprand.it/mgq.htm Cities, Guildford – UK, nr. 3, Feb. 1984

Here is my INTP type confirmed by the test online: Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving by Joe Butt Profile: INTP Revision: 3.0 Date of Revision: 27 Feb 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTPs are pensive, analytical folks. They may venture so deeply into thought as to seem detached, and often actually are oblivious to the world around them. Precise about their descriptions, INTPs will often correct others (or be sorely tempted to) if the shade of meaning is a bit off. While annoying to the less concise, this fine discrimination ability gives INTPs so inclined a natural advantage as, for example, grammarians and linguists. INTPs are relatively easy-going and amenable to most anything until their principles are violated, about which they may become outspoken and inflexible. They prefer to return, however, to a reserved albeit benign ambiance, not wishing to make spectacles of themselves. A major concern for INTPs is the haunting sense of impending failure. They spend considerable time second-guessing themselves. The open-endedness (from Perceiving) conjoined with the need for competence (NT) is expressed in a sense that one's conclusion may well be met by an equally plausible alternative solution, and that, after all, one may very well have overlooked some critical bit of data. An INTP arguing a point may very well be trying to convince himself as much as his opposition. In this way INTPs are markedly different from INTJs, who are much more confident in their competence and willing to act on their convictions. Mathematics is a system where many INTPs love to play, similarly languages, computer systems--potentially any complex system. INTPs thrive on systems. Understanding, exploring, mastering, and manipulating systems can overtake the INTP's conscious thought. This fascination for logical wholes and their inner workings is often expressed in a detachment from the environment, a concentration where time is forgotten and extraneous stimuli are held at bay. Accomplishing a task or goal with this knowledge is secondary. INTPs and Logic -- One of the tipoffs that a person is an INTP is her obsession with logical correctness. Errors are not often due to poor logic -- apparent faux pas in reasoning are usually a result of overlooking details or of incorrect context. Games NTs seem to especially enjoy include Risk, Bridge, Stratego, Chess, Go, and word games of all sorts. (I have an ENTP friend that loves Boggle and its variations. We've been known to sit in public places and pick a word off a menu or mayonnaise jar to see who can make the most words from its letters on a napkin in two minutes.) The INTP mailing list has enjoyed a round of Metaphore, virtual volleyball, and a few 'finish the series' brain teasers. INTPs in the main are not clannish. The INTP mailing list, with a readership now in triple figures, was in its incipience fraught with all the difficulties of the Panama canal: we had trouble deciding on: 1) whether or not there should be such a group, 2) exactly what such a group should be called, and 3) which of us would have to take the responsibility for organization and maintenance of the aforesaid group/club/whatever. A Functional Analysis -- by Joe Butt Introverted Thinking Introverted Thinking strives to extract the essence of the Idea from various externals that express it. In the extreme, this conceptual essence wants no form or substance to verify its reality. Knowing the Truth is enough for INTPs; the knowledge that this truth can (or could) be demonstrated is sufficient to satisfy the knower. "Cogito, ergo sum" expresses this prime directive quite succinctly. In seasons of low energy level, or moments of single-minded concentration, the INTP is aloof and detached in a way that might even offend more relational or extraverted individuals. Extraverted iNtuition Intuition softens and socializes Thinking, fleshing out the brittle bones of truths formed in the dominant inner world. That which is is not negotiable; yet actual application diffuses knowledge to the extent that knowledge needs qualification and context to be of any consequence in this foreign world of substance. If Thinking can desist, the INTP is free to brainstorm, calling up the perceptions of the unconscious (i.e., intuition) which are mirrored in patterns in the realm of matter, time and space. These perceptions, in the form of theories or hunches, must ultimately defer to the inner principles, or at least they must not negate them. Intuition unchained gives birth to play. INTPs enjoy games, formal or impromptu, which coax analogies, patterns and theories from the unseen into spontaneous expression in a way that defies their own comprehension. Introverted Sensing Sensing is of a subjective, inner nature similar to that of the SJs. It supplies awareness of the forms of senses rather than the raw, analogic stimuli. Facts and figures seek to be cleaned up for comparison with an ever growing range of previously experienced input. Sensing assists intuition in sorting out and arranging information into the building blocks for Thinking's elaborate systems. The internalizing nature of the INTP's Sensing function leaves a relative absence of environmental awareness (i.e., Extraverted Sensing), except when the environment is the current focus. Consciousness of such conditions is at best a sometime thing. Extraverted Feeling Feeling tends to be all or none. When present, the INTP's concern for others is intense, albeit naive. In a crisis, this feeling judgement is often silenced by the emergence of Thinking, who rushes in to avert chaos and destruction. In the absence of a clear principle, however, INTPs have been known to defer judgement and to allow decisions about interpersonal matters to be left hanging lest someone be offended or somehow injured. INTPs are at risk of being swept away by the shadow in the form of their own strong emotional impulses. Famous INTPs: Socrates Rene Descartes Blaise Pascal Sir Isaac Newton U.S. Presidents: James Madison John Quincy Adams John Tyler Dwight D. Eisenhower Gerald Ford William Harvey (pioneer in human physiology) C. G. Jung, (Freudian defector, author of Psychological Types, etc.) William James Albert Einstein Tom Foley (Speaker of the House--U.S. House of Representatives) Henri Mancini Bob Newhart Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator (D.--NM) Rick Moranis (Honey, I Shrunk The Kids) Midori Ito (ice skater, Olympic silver medalist) Tiger Woods Fictional INTPs Tom and Fiona (Four Weddings and a Funeral) Dr. Susan Lewis (ER) Filburt (Rocko's Modern Life) Copyright © 1996-2005 Joe Butt .................................................. Comments After a long instropection based on varied feedbacks and such books/tests, I have learned much more about myself and available possibilities

Sometimes, finding the right path when it comes to work/career could be confusing. However, knowing objectively yourself is always the first step in clarifying things. Here is my favorite book on careers/personal development which accuracy I personaly tested and could be sueful within a broader strategy alongside your friends and family feedbacks: Do What You Are : Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type--Revised and Updated Edition Featuring E-careers for the 21st Century. The main personality test of the book in an online version (I found it in another pansomali website): http://similarminds.com/embj.html Obviously, Western mentality and priorities conflict with our Islamic faith and values and everyone should adopt a critical stance towards such material. Psychology is not a science in the same sense as mathematics and their comments and interpretations should be taken with a boatload of salt, even though every human science is biased and superficial at best. Here is an online introduction to the different personality types: http://www.typelogic.com/ . Having said that, it would be very appreciated if our Nomads post their results online and share their thoughts or practical resolutions emanating from such introspection...