Inaa lilaahi wa inaa ilayhi raajicuun. Shocking to say the least. May Allah have mercy upon the deceased. More and more i'm starting to believe the conspiracy theories.

Some day I'A.

We may have had a change of leadership, but looks like nothing has changed. Somalia continues to burn, all sides refuse to negotiate, we're still dictated to by gaalo and there is no sight of Islamic governance. Xiin, i can't say i follow somali politics, but would all that be correct? And if so, what was so bad about CY then?

Xiin, the support of these scholars is based on certain conditions no?

Lame Radar, the basic point that the Hijab is wajib. The dirac alone is not a type of hijab. Can someone not be humble and gracious whilst wearing the appropriate hijab? Must it be one or the other? Islam is a deen- a way of life, hence what's in the heart is very important, but it MUST be accompanied by actions. You seem to a chip on your shoulder, hence why i don't really wish to get into it with you . Anyhow wlc

Alhamdullilah, and may Allah make this great task of bringing peace and prosperity to Somalia easy for him. May He guide him to that which is correct.

Tuujiye, why i refer to CY is obvious me thinks!

There is no need to refrain from anything, sister Rahima...As some praise IndhaCadde's action, my praise for AY isn't the issue at hand, wouldn't say? But alas it is part of the issue, it provides a stark contrast of stance wouldn’t you say? My cousins, from Kismaayo, reported the opposite of what your husband's family reported, so there goes any reliability of the media, your husband's family or my cousins, sow ma'aha? Perhaps, so then how do you determine that your version is the truth? Unless a matter is clear as day, you should probably refrain from the name-calling. Anyhoo, the proposal from Libaax sounds like a good idea , I'm over this- let's wait and hope for the best.

^I was hoping that you'd refrain from such cay, but to each their own. KK, your praise of CY on one hand and hatred for alshabaab on the other is baffling at the very least. CY is by far the worst of all in Somali politics, he will forever be remembered as the man who allowed our enemies pillage our land and people. As for the story of the supposed stoning of the 13 year old girl, you really should know that you must take everything with a grain of salt, especially as it comes from media with an agenda. My husband is from Kismaayo (and has family back home), and believe you me, the story did not occur as was reported. As for all the other accusations, it's Hamas and the Zionist state of Israel all over again, but in our case alshabaab and amxaaro (and their puppets) Once again abaayo, alshabaab is not the group that deserve your anger. May Allah guide them and us.

No, but i find comfort in knowing that Allah won't ask of my ability to colour coordinate

Of course they can Sheh, but the hijab is above ridicule. It's not just a piece of clothing, it signifies (or rather should) worship of Allah, and obeying of His command. When pointing out mistakes of sisters as with regards to her hijab, do so respectfully not full of cay calling it a penguin-hijab. As a woman who wears hijab, i find the comment extremely offensive, even though i don't wear that particular style.

^As a Muslim who believes that the hijab is compulsory (as dictated in the Quran), the dirac (alone) to me is not attire to be worn outside for all to see. If that my friend makes me self-righteous, then that i am . You and I don't even agree on the basics, at least Lily and I are on the same page on that matter.

KK, And how do you know that they are misusing diinta? Are you in their hearts or are you against their actions. If the latter, which ones specifically, and what is your source? I cannot believe that you supported CY and co, yet are abusing those who defended our people and country against the true shayaadiin, the amxaaro. It’s one thing for someone to argue that alshabaab have their wrongs, that I can accept as no human entity is without faults, but a totally different matter when they respond as you are. If you serious about being angry for the sake of Allah, then there are many other reasons and groups which should be on the top of that list, starting with puppet CY and his stooges. Your complete disrespect of the youth which have sacrificed their lives to liberate your land and people of invaders is absolutely shocking to say the least. Even with all their wrongs, you should be thankful to them for liberating your people- I sure as heck am! May Allah bless them, forgive their sins and reward them with the highest of rewards.

Marx, going by your name calling of the sisters choice of hijab, it's natural for someone to question your motive. Why couldn't you make your point of brightness without insulting? We get enough of that already, we don't need our brothers making fun also. Very sad walaahi.

^I appreciate what you're saying sister, laakiin i feel that in the current climate of Somalia, there is no need for every Halima and Farah to be attacking overzealous (perhaps) youth that mean well, when we have a million other groups/individuals to be targeting and directing our anger at. I'm sick of the bad rap this alshabaab group is getting. I believe that we can disagree respectfully with some of their tactics, but the attacks are just going too far. Next people will be blaming them for droughts and floods.

Rahima, I agree with you but then again there is no compulsion in religion. If these girls choose to play in shorts and tank tops & people wish to watch the game it’s between them & their Lord. Sister, people always misuse the ayah regarding the issue of no compulsion in religion, this is only as it applies to someone becoming Muslim. But once a person decides to embrace Islam, they are (in public) required to follow the tenants of Islam, and were an Islamic state to exist, they must follow or suffer the consequences. Today in the UK, if you are caught stealing, you will be punished for the crime you have committed. Similarly, in an Islamic state, a Muslim woman not covering is a punishable offense (after ample warning of course). In the case of Somalia where there is no Islamic state, i guess you can't punish the people, but that still doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean that you condone their sin. Like i said, wrong is wrong and no need for us to jump on the bandwagon of attacking any group because it has nothing to do with that.

We get called towel-heads by racists, fellow Muslims call our hijab a penguin hijab, alas wearing the hijab is a struggle. Marx, the sister is not looking for your approval, she is inshallah seeking that of her Lord.

So Alshabab is shaytans and Ethiopian army as enemies who can be made peace with? Istaqfurullah, if that is your thinking. This reasoning is baffling to say the least. Muslims who share a religion with you (irrespective of their wrongs) are shaydaamo, but Gaalo who are butchering your people can be made peace with? Now I've seen it all.

What i find amazing is that she plans to breastfeed all eight of them- near impossible me thinks, all she'll be doing breastfeeding all day long.

^

^^Thats assuming the Taliban, I mean AlShabab don't get wiff of this. It has nothing to do with any group Lilly, but the sisters are inappropriately dressed in a place where men are present. It's one thing for someone to do something, totally different to condone it or justify it. Wrong is wrong, nothing to do with Alshabab. The event would be great, if all the spectators were women and no photographs for world viewing were taken.

JZK Blessed.

I cannot believe that people are having this argument. The pot calling the kettle black comes to mind!

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed.” The Prophet was asked: “It is right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” He replied: “By preventing him from oppressing others.” {Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith 624} Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Umar: Allah’s Apostle said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor . Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection .” {Book 43, Volume 3, Number 622: Sahih Buhari}

Islamic finance rides the storm Clancy Yeates | October 10, 2008 A thriving financial sector sounds like an oxymoron these days. Even Australia's banks - among the most profitable in the world - kept a fifth of this week's interest rate cut to cushion their margins. But there is one sector that has tongues wagging in the hubs of commerce: Islamic finance. While the Western world's financial system has been imploding, this small but rapidly growing share of world capital has weathered the storm. Sharemarkets in London and New York are a third off their peaks. Dow Jones's Islamic financials index, in contrast, rose 4.75 per cent in the most recent September quarter and lost a modest 7 per cent in the previous year. Not only has the industry been resilient; it's also on the cusp of serious expansion. It is growing faster than any other subset of world banking, at 15 to 20 per cent a year. The Economist estimates Islamic assets under management are worth $US700 billion ($1000 billion). This figure could hit $US1 trillion - about the Australian sharemarket's current value - by 2010. What's more, all this growth has come from a model of lending that rejects interest payments and shuns speculation and heavy borrowing. In short, Islamic finance bans some of the excess that has brought the West's financial system to its knees, and is looking wise indeed, or at least lucky. Islamic finance takes its guidance from sharia. The biggest markets are in the Middle East and Muslim countries, but global banks have opened sharia-compliant branches. Locally, the Muslim Community Co-operative is one of a few lenders offering the service. Justice, partnership and opposition to excessive risk are the main principles guiding Islamic banks. Outright speculation and dealing with any party that has a balance sheet more than a third of which is debt are forbidden, as are investments deemed unethical by Islamic scholars, such as casinos. But if these rules sound tough, the biggest difference is a ban on interest. Charging interest is immoral because it does not take into account how changes in the value of the loan's security can affect the borrower, sharia says. Home owners who bought near the peak are now experiencing this harsh reality: interest gives banks a steady payment from the borrower, regardless of the property market's state. However, profit is fine, and Islamic banks have devised ways to make money from lending. Instead of demanding interest, they buy the asset outright on behalf of the borrower. The borrower pays off the loan (the principle) and a fee for using the asset (rent, for example) until the amount is repaid and ownership transfers to the borrower. Just like mortgage-backed securities, the rights to loan repayments can be sold as an Islamic bond, or sukuk. But instead of a yield, the bondholder receives repayments on the loan, and some rent. As a result, Islamic lenders have not had to venture into money markets that have recently blown up. For depositors, putting your money with an Islamic bank is more like being a shareholder. Rather than interest, depositors get a cut of any profits. Understandably, Western governments are casting around for ideas on how to run a more robust financial system. But what could they possibly learn from such a different approach? Islamic finance's more prudent rules on debt look attractive in hindsight. But more fundamentally, proponents say it provides a better way to link the financial system to the "real" economy. Because Islamic banks keep ownership of the asset until the loan is repaid, they have a greater incentive to make sure borrowers do not bite off more than they can chew. The bank shares in the risks of the entrepreneur but also its failures, the argument goes. I am not suggesting we switch to a lending system without interest payments. But a big gripe emerging in recent weeks is that finance has become out of whack with the needs of the rest of the economy. In the most extreme cases, it seems investment bankers devoted themselves to developing inventive ways to get higher bonuses rather than facilitating productive investment. Islamic finance shows one way of ensuring savings are put to more useful ends. Some even say banning short selling of shares reflects sharia thinking, because it stops traders dealing with assets they don't own. "Banning short selling is one of the decisive elements in Islamic finance, so it seems almost that the conventional markets are looking at the Islamic techniques, which so far did not play any role in conventional markets," a financial journalist from Dubai, Gerard Al-Fil, told ABC radio last month. Sceptics say Islamic finance just dresses up Western finance with different titles. It is also worth noting that the system is not immune from creating bubbles, although the method of lending makes it harder for investors to pile in through debt. A conflict between its religious goals and the goal of turning a profit is another tension, The Economist notes. Nevertheless, it is booming. High oil prices have filled the coffers of Gulf states, and the region is crammed with capital works projects in need of funding. Muslims account for 20 per cent of the world's population, but Islamic finance makes up less than 1 per cent of world capital, suggesting huge room for growth. The Islamic bond market has tapered off in the credit crunch, but this appears to be a blip. About $US14 billion in Islamic bonds were issued in the eight months to August, down from $US23 billion in the same time last year, but Standard & Poor's expects issuance to hit $US25 billion next year. This potential has not crept past Western banks unnoticed, and many have fast-growing sharia-compliant arms. London is vying to capture the market and has changed its laws to allow the different property transfers required for the lending. British media report growing interest even among non-Muslims because of perceptions that it is a more ethical approach to finance. So expect to see more Islamic banks in years ahead as global banks try to cash in on this growing field. Given the present financial mess, the industry's resilience only makes it harder to ignore.