^ Gotta love the coy remarks boys Don't worry they are well noted , your efforts have not gone to waste. Round and round we go again :rolleyes: .

Xoogsade, Yeah the process is going ahead as I write, thank god my father is buying it from a friend of his. Its about the folks from Hobyo who live there essentially 'occupy' the city because they came there with their guns. They impose rules and have clan-based administration in different fiefdoms within the city, all with utter disregard for the local (native) population. The same is true in Marka and other cities in the South. This is exactly what I was speaking of; I do believe that I was spot on with your point. Brother as I said: No one is holding anyone hostage, every man in Mogadishu is working for himself. Wind talker, if we choose to speak reality and not throw accusations of tribalism, the progression of the city is primarily being made by reer mudug/galduud (I am generalizing for many of the original inhabitants are also making a difference). As you know, the city is divided in two, one the original inhabitants the other reer/hobyo-galgadud, with most other tribes generally living on the latter of the two sides (with reer mudug/galgadud). This is the honest truth. All of the major institutions be they schools, hospitals, universities or businesses are generally run and owned by reer/Mudug-galgadud (of course once again there are others, but I speak on general terms). With all this being the case, the original inhabitants still live with reer mudug/galgadud with no animosity between the two based on tribe. Tribe is done with in Mogadishu; each man like I said is out for his own. Whilst I do not support any of these warlords establishing any regional government, if they so happen to be successful, I shall accept and support them (just like I support CY, anything for stability and governorship). If also by chance that the leaders happen to be of reer mudug/galgadud then why not, any person who is a rightful respectful citizen of the city deserves to run for the position. You my brother are going under the assumed fact that there is some sort of rivalry or animosity between the average folks of these two tribes. These two tribes are to each other like the two tribes of Bosaasso and LA are, just like they why can they not come under the same banner? Comparing the situation in Mogadishu to that in LA is just ludicrous, the people of LA do not want SL, how is that you automatically assume the people of Mogadishu do not want to be ruled by a reer Mudug-galgadud man simply because of the region which he hails from? If the people of Mogadishu refuse for any person to be a leader then I am with them, but to cry foul before any such sentiments have been shown by them is just plain wrong. You assume too much, Mogadishu (aside from those sickening warlords and supporters) is so done with tribalism and negative tribal efforts. I have complete confidence that the folks of Mogadishu would accept a reer mudug/galgadud man if they felt that he would serve their interests to the best of his capabilities, this is what matters. All in all, no regional government especially in area inhabited by so many tribes like Mogadishu is would be made up of just one tribe. Obviously, such efforts would result in an equal representation. Thanks Rahima. I cherish the day to see these houses and farms again. Join the club

^You won't be dissappointed. Beeraha have escaped the consequences of war. It's amazing; still they remain green, lush and rich. Ah, i can just picture it and almost taste the sweet mangos . We fell so in love with it that inshallah we plan to buy some in Afgooye. I was so surprised to see land so green and lush in Somalia, what can I say, the result of having parents who both hail from Mudug . I always imagined the whole of Somalia to be just like, with Boorama been rocky terrain.

Round and Round the peace table like a bunch of fools- the sad story of Somalis and Somalia. Everyman is putting the interests of his clan over that of Somalia. With that being the case, never shall we prosper.

^I could say the same about many other such garbage that is posted on these forums. E.g. By any means necessary-Prof. Togane. How is his poem any different? One is tribalistic, so is the other. Round and round we go :rolleyes:

Very constructive, incredibly worthy of posting. I can feel the love

Many people who's ancestors hail from the Northeast returned to their ancestral homeland and have begun to rebuild their lives. Where were they before that? That’s right, in the lands that you do not allow for “reer hobyoâ€. Before the civil war, were these lands not inhabited by Somalis of all regions/tribes? The people who want to change history and claim Muqdisho (and its environs) as their own are the folks from Hobyo - who have been busy in the past decade wrestling away control of the city from its traditional inhabitants (they tried to do the same land expansion exercise in Galkacyo in '93, but failed). Hang on, I’m confused. One minute Mogadishu is the capital, for all Somalis and cannot be claimed by any one qabiil, next it has traditional inhabitants and cannot be lived in by others. Explain to me which one? Allow me to give you an example; I went to beeraha of Afgooye and surrounding areas. You are right, most of them are owned by “reer hobyo/galgaduudâ€, but guess who they bought the land attained post-91 from? That’s right, reer Northeast/Northwest. So now, what is the difference? Pre-91 these lands were owned by people who were not traditional inhabitants (reer hobyo, reer Northeast, Northwest), but now only because one remains and has bought most of the land legitimately it all makes it wrong? If PLs have chosen to sell their lands in the south, then they have the right to do so just as "reer hobyo" have the right to buy them. Walaahi, the warlords (since they are the only ones who wrongfully and forcefully inhabit the lands of others including their own clansmen) have almost next to no influence and almost next to no control and ownership. The people outside of Mogadishu and surrounding areas like us are the ones who give importance to these losers. Same thing for Mogadishu, pre-91, everyone lived there, now that one remains it becomes wrong. No one is holding anyone hostage, every man in Mogadishu is working for himself. There is no need for us to keep going over the actions of a few men (i.e. warlords) and painting it as the sin of every reer hobyo folk who has migrated south. Trust me, if CY and co could of have gotten this land when he was a warlord (is, turned president), he would of have . Let’s not act like as if one set of warlords have higher morality then another set (I realize you do not support them, but this is the point). The point here is not about the people, for reer Hobyo like any other Somalis can live respectfully wherever they wish-Somalia is for all Somalis. Mogadishu my brother, is not only inhabited in large numbers by the non-traditional inhabitants of Hobyo, but also Bay/Bakool regions and those of Somali galbeed. So, should they all leave although it is their land? At the end of the day, I’ll tell you this, the average folk from Hobyo, could not care any less about their warlords, nor are they in Mogadishu wrongfully, rather as Xoogsade said they are following where the money trail Mogadishu is booming and they are trying to take part. They have worked hard for theirs like PLs have worked for theirs. Let’s cut this BS of how they supposedly wrongfully inhabit other peoples lands. Most are there by the efforts of their hard work, just like every other person who is there and hence have the right. Heck every human being has the right. This is the land of Allah and all have the right to live wherever they wish and work hard for their keep, so long as they do so respectfully, unless of course you’re reasoning that most of reer Hobyo are there wrongfully and are oppressing the people. Are you? For if you speak of a few warlords and their supporters (we could count them on our hands if by comparison), I could agree, but to generalize like that is wrong.

Ilaahey haa uu naxariisto. This is the problem in Somalia, day by day, the good are dying out.

Jumatatu said clearly " my defence for the warlords of Mogadishu will stand as long as we have stooges in here who tend to give Yeey the status of 'Mother Teresa'" So here he is defending his warlords bassed " you do same"!. Like you sister OG, I was dumbstruck at first by Jumas reasoning, but after some contemplating came to reason, he isn’t exactly alone in this; most Somalis are probably in the same circle of thinking. However on the other hand, NGONGE has made many truthful and spot-on points. They’re you and me, saaxib. For it is us who support them, whether morally or financially. The problem lies with two points as far as leadership is concerned, those who knew best (our elders) have all but moved on to the next world and those who now know best (the religious and intellectuals) all seem to be sitting back and not facing these warlords as a united front. Each man is happy to live in their carefree cushioned life whilst leaving the affairs of our homeland in the hands of the least capable. This is the point, which irritated me most on my visit to Somalia. Amazingly the country is running on the efforts of these good people, yet they always seem to be missing from the leadership roles- many I believe have given hope of a united country under the one authority. People in general just follow, only a few men lead. Unfortunately for Somalis and Somalia, we follow the most decedent folks amongst us.

I sure as hell won't be holding my breath.

CAAMIR, Cracks fingers, it gets tiring pressing the same keys continually Deary, for one I do support this government. I would support it no matter who would be president (my only condition being that he is Muslim). I’ve said this a billion times (or at least close) and no need to keep going over the same things. However, I as a Somali have a right to reject certain policies of the government and certain aspects of them. Although I believe that this government is full of warlords and supporters alike and although I believe that this move to bring in gaalo troops is wrong, I as a Somali who wants a viable government supports it. Now, don’t ready too much into this, it is as it is-that I guarantee you . Comparing him to the current president is i must say a clear prejudices you hold towards a democractically elected president. Interesting. What is the bloody difference between the two horta? In my books both blood suckers (may Allah forgive one and guide the other while he still has a chance to repent). To me it matters not who did what more (for as they say one man’s terrorists is another mans freedom fighter or in the case of Somalis, one mans warlord is another mans nationalist leader). Rahima, dearest Abdiqasin on a press conference after the fall of Bossaso called Abdullahi a Kafir, not acting like one but being one. It was widely reported on Mogadishu media and beyound and raised some eye brows. Yeah I know you’ve said that, but could you try a quote or something from reliable sources. Some like Inda Cade, Ato, GALAAL and Abdiqasin[ id ont have a job] are trying to hide behind a smoke screen of "The Amxara are coming for us". Do you realize that almost every Somali (with the exception of the die-ahrd CY supporters) are against this move. Don’t worry about the views of these men, rather look at the objections of the average Somalis, at the end of the day it is that which matters, no? Is that the retarded form of reverse psychology they taught you growing up? Just wondering. I like that. Good one, but no my dear dear misinformed brother. My point was beautifully stated by Xoogsade: Mogadishu might be the most dangerous place to you, but it is home to millions including Somalis who come from as far as Ethiopia. Despite its security problems, people live in it, travel to it, do business in it, go to schools and colleges, move their families from europe, canada and America to it. The city is not void of people, wealth and other sorts of progress. It is actually better than the whole Puntland combined in terms of economics and educational institutions (check the websites for schools and colleges of Mogadishu and compare) despite the opportunities Puntland has in terms of open ports with security. 1) You agree so we technically have nothing to argue about No we did have something to argue about. In your bid to disagree with the person who made the comment about Mogadishu been at its peak, you somehow managed to turn it into lets-attack-xamar play session and it is this which I object to. He over-beaitufiied the situation (anyone who claims that of any part of Somalia is kidding themselves) and you also exaggerated the situation (for the negative). Like I said, go and see for yourself. If you are indeed a true lover of the city, for like you I too was born and raised in Xamar, not one of the late comers, I do not get a thrill out of anyone belittling the city (or any other for that matter) for at the end of the day there success is my success, there failures are my failures. Are we on the same page now? But, my turn to ask a question. Other than you being a female, is there a difference between you and JUMATATU (honorable USC spokesman)? Once again you make me smile, only because I wonder how you could conclude that I support the USC simply because I defend Mogadishu against unfair comments? Do I have to support the USC to love the city? The USC and their like (i.e. all warlords) are the enemies of Somalia, including Mogadishu. ME HATE USC, ME NO LIKE WARLORDS BE THEY THOSE OF PL OR MOGADISHU. Comprende Mr. Wind talker ? Or do we need to do a 101 on Rahimas views ? It's a boring class i hear. Again my brother, Xoogsade has said what I feel: Critica, I am neither misinformed about Xamar nor drawning in a see of negative tribalism. My parents live there and I call the town regularly, know what is going on more than someone who has no relatives or haven't been there other than what he reads about the town knows. As for negative tribalism, Should a son be harbouring ill-feelings for his mother's tribe? It is not befitting for a son to be siding with either of his parents tribes. People like me feel the brunt of negative tribalism since we straddle between families who are from different tribes. The last thing I want is any dispute, disruption and issues between my parent's relatives. I never supported a warlord but prayed for their death, and when they died, I was happy and relieved. Away with evil was my first utterance. The only thing they did was make my life uncomfortable and disabled me to face one of my parents knowing how she might have felt. Honestly, life is difficult for any Somali muslim who wants to live among Somalis in these trying times. Much apologies Xoogsade, I keep stealing your point, but why quite when you are on to a good thing . Ppl What did you expect from Reer Mudug. Their life revolve around Qabiil. They live, breathe and talk Qabiil. They have great appetite for destruction, and are in love with power. It is sad Somalis keep on choosing these people as presidents. AbdiQasim was failure, and so is Yeey. They both are hardcore tribalists, and the region they hail from represents all that's wrong with Somalis.Perhaps next time we choose the more decent and deserving Somalis from other regions. Here, Here, I don’t like Reer Mudug either- ignorant bunch of tribalists (I’m speaking generally of course, so please Duke and Co no need to bring out the gloves ). I think it’s in the water. I believe the success of Somalia lies in other regions taking the leadership roles; these people need to be put on the back burner before they continue to plunder the country. Rahima walashis Duke became a parent in the sense that his sister had a baby boy . Oh right. My bad, I thought the he had scored himself a little kid. Oh well another time maybe.

You always cover your biases in the appeal of patriotism, localism, shared regionalism with those you held in contempt while delibaretely ignoring their good stories and success. Every leader in a society had had shortcomings And it continues :rolleyes: … Dude, when an individuals negatives outweigh their positives, I’m not exactly going to sit here and sing their praises. Like all human beings, our president has many positives (I believe that goes without say), but looking at his negatives you tend to see more problematic issues don’t you think This would be like me praising Caydiid Sr on the way he fought against the Americans, whilst overlooking the more devastating factor, his atrocities against Muslim Somali people. I’m sure had I expressed my dislike of Caydiid Sr, I would not receive such an honorary response attacking my intentions, now would I ? Anyway, no need to try and find non-existent meanings- I’m about as transparent as anyone can be . I don’t like any of the warlords, be he our president (I'm forced to accept this one though, but i don't have to like him ), those who have died Caydiid Sr or those still alive like Caato or Morgan. Like I said, all scum! Now find something else to try and disect, you won't find much hidden here

Islam is perfect, no other issm is. If it so happens that parts of democracy are part of Islam, then we have Islam, why the need to attribute any of it to democracy or even mention this man made concept? To believe in Islam is to believe in its perfection, that Allah has completed this religion.

LoL @ Rahima.... I am too stiff to try to do Buraanbur... Really, then how is it that you do all those martial arts maneuvers, being the Legend of Zu and all ? Are you trying to diss our dhaqan young man :mad: , bloody indha yar . here a packet of Tim-Tam that never runs out Oh, rokko you are good . Girls, I would be infuriated if I was you guys, seeing red I tell ya! I mean girls, ninkaan iska celiya, he is literally slapping you guys in the face, first talk about fanny now tim tams what next G’day Sheilas :eek: There is no stopping this guy, deal with him before he gets out of hand. Don’t worry Rokko, fight to the death, I have your back. AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE .

Half lies have become full truth's to Somali's, for example its forgotten that the great "Islamic" leader Abdiqasin in a press conference called Abdullahi Yusuf a Kafir, this is haram in Islam, no? I may be misinformed, but where exactly did he refer to him as a Kafir, not an action of Kufr. Like I said there is a difference brother, so please post us the proof. I personally would like to see it for myself. No, bro, only an ignorant man would claim that Mogadishu is at its 'peak' today. Mogadishu was East Africa's brightest star in the 1980s - today, its one of the most dangerous places in the world. Let's not kid ourselves with coffee shop pride. Whilst I agree that it is not at it’s peak, I ask you how would you know how life in Mogadishu is when you have not seen for yourself? If anyone is ignorant it seems to be you on this subject (no pun intended) for it is you who relies on nothing more than hearsay from the Somali media outlets (full of BS most of the time). I don’t want to get into arguments over the same thing, but for the love of God, don’t waste your time on trying to belittle Mogadishu or any other city for that matter- try to boost your morale in other ways. Talk about how great PL is but leave others alone . I don’t know what is wrong with Somalis walaahi, it’s almost like their success lies in the hoped failure of others. Why can’t we all succeed? Putting that aside please accept my sincere congrats on your ocassion becoming a parent and please pass my regards to the sister and I pray for both her and the child best of health..amiin..! Oh how cute , Duke is a father. For some reason I thought you were young, not that you aren’t (oh I best shut up), but like Juma, I pass my congrats. Mabruuk brother and may Allah make him a righteous child -just make sure that you don’t pass on your political ideologies . We want to raise loyalists to religion and land, not warlords. Joke Joke, jeez I'm sorry relax:D PS. This is so freaky, my cousin who lives in London (who is a PL, if you know what I mean ) and whose mother is reer Hobyo (not really, from Gaalkacyo actually, but you know once again what I mean ) just had a baby- but I just found out he had a girl. Imagine, Duke being my older cousin hiding behind this screen name.

^ Inshallah the good fight will continue with the new leader. Thursday, March 10, 2005 Chechnya Rebels Name New Leader Source: BBC News Chechen rebels have named the successor to leader Aslan Maskhadov, killed in a Russian raid on Tuesday. The influential radical warlord Shamil Basayev said Abdul-Khalim Saydullayev, head of the rebels' so-called Sharia court, would take over until elections. Officials close to Maskhadov later confirmed the succession of Mr Saydullayev, a little-known cleric, following a decree signed last year. Meanwhile the dead leader's family has appealed for the return of his body. Maskhadov's widow, son and daughter made an impassioned plea to the international community to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into releasing his remains. QUICK GUIDE The Chechen conflict "Under the pretext that the slain legitimate president Maskhadov was a so-called terrorist, the Russian leadership is not releasing his body for burial," the family said. Their plea came in a letter read out at a memorial service in the Azerbaijani capital Baku on Thursday. "That way, the pain of our loss is compounded. This is blasphemous and completely inexplicable in a modern civilised world." Maskhadov was killed in a special operation by Russia's security services in the village of Tolstoy-Yurt near the regional capital, Grozny. According to officials the body will be buried in an unmarked grave. Origins unclear In a message posted on the rebel Kavkaz Center website, Mr Basayev, who has claimed responsibility for the Beslan attack and the 2002 Moscow theatre siege, called on the rebels to continue their campaign against Russia. What happened in the raid? Obituary: Aslan Maskhadov Analysis: After Maskhadov He said Maskhadov had decreed that the head of the Sharia court would take over as caretaker in the event of his death. A rival website later carried a similar message from Akhmed Zakayev, Maskhadov's representative in the UK. Mr Saydullayev has been described as an expert on Islam and Sharia law, but there is some confusion about his origins and identity. The Russian gazeta.ru website, quoting Russian intelligence services, says he is a Saudi national who came to prominence in the rebel movement in 2002 because he was able to bring funds to the movement. Other sources, including Maskhadov's son, describe him as a native of the Chechen village of Stariye Atagi. Several pro-Moscow Chechen officials said they did not know who he was and suggested he might be a fictitious figure or a puppet of Mr Basayev. Mr Basayev and another field commander Doku Umarov are considered the most powerful rebel commanders and had been seen as possible candidates themselves. It is unclear if Maskhadov's killing will boost Russia's grip in Chechnya, experts say. Maskhadov, who was elected president of Chechnya in 1997, was seen as the most moderate of Chechnya's rebel leaders, analysts say, though Moscow blamed him for several major attacks.

Rahima and Rokko...u two are no better! *sniffles* And here I was trying to protect you :rolleyes: , keeping the sister loyalty. Femme, you better recognize your allies before it’s too late. The Aussie lingo is full of such things (and um, as you can see Rokko, faraha ayuu ka falan yahay- I couldn’t help it was his excuse), I might never come to your rescue again if you don’t take that back NOW :mad: . do men do buranbur? Acuudu Bilaah, of course not! Baraanbur is strictly women’s business. And Zu don’t even think about having a go! as 4 the aussies zu, rokko and the rest....y'all r just plain cold..... no chocolates for u Recount how many chocolates you have left tucked in your dirac Laughes and shuffles off with three chocolates, passes one each to Zu and Rokko, munches hastily on the third. Pokes tongue out at besbaaso Mac Sonkor

As my grandpa said when I asked him about Yusuf, his answer was " Wa askary, learned only how to kill, destroy not to defend or build a country...and Somali people deserve not less than one who kills them.. what a bad choice"!!! Amazingly this is the exact same reasoning of a very good friend of mine. When he declared his support for the man (before the election), i almost fell off my chair :eek: . I was going to terminate the friendship, but the explanation (that of your grandfathers) set my heart at ease . I couldn't live with knowing that someone so close to me could possibly support a warlord.

Between Myself and Ibn Jibrîn| Sheikh Salman al-Oadah| There are issues that I used to follow closely a while back and that would flare up from time to time. I used to refrain from responding to them, however. I had always been certain that giving such matters any extra attention would be directing my energies away from more important pursuits. Then, in spite of the fact that these issues affected me directly, I began to see that their implications extended beyond the people involved and that it was necessary to address them, not on a personal level, but in order to explain our beliefs and our religion. I still spent years avoiding these matters as much as I could, resisting the urge to responds to what was being said, waiting for a less sensitive time when addressing these issues would not be seen as a personal defense, but as a purely academic discourse. Then I received a letter from the respected Sheikh `Abd Allah b. `Abd al-Rahmân al-Jibrîn that made me start thinking that the time had come for me to say what I had to say, with the hope that Allah will make what I say beneficial to us all. What I received from Ibn Jibrîn was a letter full of questions that he had received from a very zealous brother. All of his concerns, however, could be summed up in two major questions, and it is these two that I wish to address. The questioner wrote: Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh. We wish the respected Sheikh `Abd Allah al-Jibrîn to answer the following questions: 1. What is the Islamic legal ruling regarding a person who says the following about a flagrantly sinful singer: "Allah will not forgive him unless he repents, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that he will not be excused, saying: 'All of my people will be excused except those who are flagrant about their sins.' because he had become an apostate from Islam by his action. This man is a permanent denizen of the Fire - may Allah protect us from such a fate! - unless he repents. Why? Because he does not believe in Allah's words: 'Do not approach fornication, for it is a calumny and an evil way'. I swear by Allah, whoever knows that fornication is forbidden, is a calumny, and that it angers Allah, would never go around boasting about it before the people - in front of hundreds of thousands or millions of people." O Sheikh `Abd Allah al-Jibrîn, what is the Islamic ruling on someone who says something like that? Is he not a Khârijî? Should we warn the Muslims against him for the sake of Allah and His Messenger? Should we mention him by name when we do so? Bear in mind that he has been advised about his conduct, but refuses to recant his statement. 2. What is the Islamic legal ruling about a person who makes a distinction between the divinely supported faction and the saved group and who claims that Sheikh `Abd al-`Azîz b. Bâz agreed with him on that matter? When Sheikh Bin Bâz was asked about this, he said that he did not agree with it and said that the divinely supported faction was the same as the saved group. Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh. Sheikh `Abd Allah b. Jibrîn graciously added the following comments to the letter and forwarded it to me. He wrote: `Alaykum al-Salâm wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh. I see it appropriate to refer this matter to the respected Sheikh Salmân b. Fahd al-Oadah so he may respond to it since he is specialized in these issues and he is best suited to discuss them with the questioner and no doubt the questioner will be satisfied by his answer if that questioner is sincere in seeking the truth. And Allah knows best. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, his family, and his Companions. `Abd Allah b. `Abd al-Rahmân al-Jibrîn 22/12/1422 I sincerely desire to respond to the questioner in a manner that will not injure his feelings, and I wish to clarify the issues at hand so that, by Allah's grace, there will be no misunderstanding. The first statement about the singer was made during a public lecture that I delivered entitled "A Meeting on the Platform". The respected brother indicated that the speaker had been advised about his conduct, but refuses to recant his statement. It seems as if he understood from my statement that I deem sinners to be unbelievers. I admit that the statement I made, on the face of it, might be understood that way if considered apart from its context and the circumstances in which it was made. Yet it is a well known fact that I made the statement in an impromptu speech given to the general public. Words spoken off the cuff are not indicative of all their implications and subtle meanings as much as they are just trying to hit home a general point. Aside from this, scholars are agreed that the indirect implications of a person's statement are not to be taken into consideration when direct, unambiguous statements to the contrary are available from the same person. Imam Ibn al-Wazîr discusses this matter in his book al-`Awâsim wa al-Qawâsim and says that it is a matter of agreement between the people of knowledge. The circumstances of this speaker and his well-known statements are sufficient to clarify what he meant on that occasion. However, in order to make things perfectly clear to anyone who needs clarification, I now say: No Muslim becomes an unbeliever on account of his sins as long as he does not declare these sins to be lawful acts in Islam. No one disagrees with this fact except for the sect known as the Khârijîs and those who follow in their footsteps - those who seek a way to make lawful the unjust killing of other Muslims, the seizure of their property, and the defamation of their honor. This sect is false and those who have followed it are well known. There is no need for us to ferret out peculiarities in a person's speech to try and make him one of them. It should be assumed from the start that a Muslim is of sound beliefs. So, if a Muslim disassociates himself from the teachings of the Khârijîs, then he should be believed and his affair should be left for Allah to decide. There is no need to force this person to accept the unintended implications of a certain statement of his and then recant them. The hypocrites came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) after his return from the Battle of Tabûk and offered him their excuses for why they did not participate in it. He accepted their excuses from them, sought forgiveness from them, and left their inner motivations for Allah to judge. Today, we call the Muslims who have come together as brothers in faith to realize this type of good conduct in their interactions with each other. They should accept each other's excuses and seek forgiveness for each other. They should assume the best about each other and leave what is unseen for Allah to decide. The statement in question was not intended to convey the meaning that the questioner understood from it. This should be clear because the printed text of the speech mentions his fornication, his seduction of young women, and his condemnation of those who do not act like he does. It mentions that he considers fornication to a sign of masculinity, a part of being young, and of being a complete person. It mentions that he makes light of his sins, even though Allah says: "Do not approach fornication, for it is a calumny and an evil way." Does anyone who believes that fornication is a calumny that brings about Allah's anger go around boasting about it? This makes it clear that the issue at hand was not his singing to begin with, but his praise of licentious behavior, his extolling the virtues of fornication and those who engage in it, and his ridicule of those who abstain from it that they are not real men. This is quite different than just committing the sin itself. When we look at this speech I gave, we should bear in mind that a person's words are merely the receptacle of his intended meaning. If his meaning is clear, then his choice of words may be pardoned, even if his choice of words could have been better and even if he was blatantly mistaken in his choice of words. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) has related to us the story of a man who stumbled in his words and accidentally said: "O Allah! You are my slave and I am your Lord." That man was not sinful. A person's words should not be taken out of context or exaggerated out of proportion. Hidden meanings should not be sought out by the listener or the reader so that the speaker can be held accountable for them, especially when the speaker's only purpose was to give advice and benefit people. The Khârijîs had two equally corrupt tendencies that complemented each other. The first of these was extremism in matters of belief that they mistook as reverence for the sanctity of Islamic Law. They became injudicious because of their excessive tendencies and considered anyone who committed sins to be an unbeliever. The second of these tendencies stemmed from the first. It was that they aggressed against other Muslims and were violent in their conduct towards them, going so far as to deem their lives, property, and honor lawful to them. We can thank Allah that the vast majority of Muslims do not accept the extreme views of the Khârijîs. They do not call sinners unbelievers. The number of people who subscribe to such extreme views is negligible. May Allah protect the Muslims from any harm that such people might be able to cause. Unfortunately, there are those out there who transgress against the lives and property of other Muslims using twisted interpretations. What they are doing is dangerous. I have written extensively about them and have warned people against them. Such warnings, however, are not enough. The only way we can effectively deal with this problem is to get rid of its causes, among which are the vicious attacks and draconian limitations being foisted upon those who wish to work for Islam. These circumstances force those engaged in Islamic work to withdraw within themselves, which puts them in a situation where it becomes difficult for them to engage in needed self-assessment and correction. Then there are those good people who possess understanding and reject the Khârijîs and their ideas, often vehemently. Sadly, however, some of them seem to have adopted for themselves one of the bad traits of the Khârijîs and that is their harsh treatment of those who disagree with them and the speed with which they are willing to heap accusations upon them. How quick they are to call other people heretics, misguided innovators, Murji'ites (1), or Khârijîs. They often do so without having any insight and without having sufficient knowledge to deal with the issues at hand. Their loyalty and their enmity for others become founded on this dubious basis. Often a young man among them gets so overwhelmed by such ideas that he spends all his time defending them and arguing about them and in the process wastes the most valuable years of his life which he could have spent increasing his knowledge and building his character. Correcting people and clarifying the truth to them is a duty upon the people of knowledge who are qualified to do so, who possess both the knowledge and the compassion to carry it out effectively. Allah says: "We gave him mercy from Ourselves and taught him from Our knowledge." [sûrah al-Kahf: 65] People of discernment can see which efforts in Islamic work actually devour one another and cancel each other out, even though there may be a desperate need for similar efforts to be made that would prove effective, especially in a time where the Muslims are incapable of fending off their real enemies that are descending upon our lands and our wealth and interfering in every aspect of our lives. Worse than all of this is our weakness in conveying Islam to others. While we are avidly bickering with one another on diverse matters, going around in circles without getting anywhere, four-fifths of the world are still non-Muslims, and most of them never had the message of Islam presented to them. We should see that these two glaring problems are the real struggle that we should be preparing ourselves to engage in. We should cease attacking our brothers, preferring instead to be lenient with each other, accepting each other's excuses, and regarding each other in the best possible light. We should refrain from being severe. As for those brothers who claim to be defending the honor and reputation of certain Islamic workers, I say to them: You have done a good thing. However, it is more important for you to defend Islam and its beliefs and to try to better the sorry state of the Muslims. It is also more important for you to invite non-Muslims to Islam and work constructively in serving the religion and in developing the world. It is not a problem if a person dies on true monotheism but has a bad opinion about me. It is, though, a problem for that person to die in ignorance of Allah, His religion, and His Law, or to die ignorant of His Book and His Messengers. We all know that the efforts that we can expend on our religion are limited by many constraints, so why then should we not concentrate on what is more important and beneficial? The second issue brought up by our zealous questioner is that I make a distinction between the saved group and the divinely supported faction. He also brings up that I claimed Ibn Bâz agreed with me on this issue but that he actually disagreed and said they were both the same thing. There is nothing wrong with investigating this issue, since it is a topic that always rewards reflection. Nevertheless, it is not a big issue. It is merely a matter of scholars comparing the meanings of different hadîth texts, as was done by the likes of al-Tahâwî, Ibn Qutaybah, Ibn Hajar, Ibn Taymiyah, and al-Nawawî. It is the same as what the commentators of the Qur'ân do when they compare and contrast the meanings of the words in its texts. These activities often lead to indecision and unintentional errors of judgment. The Muslims have been spared the sin of such mistakes, since the Prophet (peace be upon him) has informed us that a scholar who exercises his judgment will get two rewards if he is correct and one reward if he is mistaken. Scholars have discussed matters of far more importance that the one we are concerned with here. Take, for example the meaning of Islam and that of faith. Some said both mean the same thing, others understood from each term a distinct meaning, and still others saw a distinction between the two in some circumstances only. Each of these positions has been held by scholars of great prominence. None of them became worthy of harsh treatment on account of their opinion, since the issue is a very particular academic matter. Ibn Taymiyah deals with this issue in detail in his book entitled Kitâb al-Îmân (The Book of Faith). The opinion that I gave in my book series Rasâ'il al-Ghurabâ' came as a commentary on the texts. I consider my opinion to be correct, but concede the possibility that I might be wrong. Likewise, I believe the opinion on this issue held by our questioning brother is wrong, but I hold out the possibility that he is right. There is no absolute certainty on this issue. It is not a matter of consensus, but a matter open to discussion. Actually, some of the people who quote me on this matter make it seem as if I consider the saved group to be a completely separate and distinct entity from the divinely supported faction, which is not the case at all. I actually maintain that the saved group is a more general term than the divinely supported faction, with the divinely supported faction making up part of the saved group. Many Muslims attain salvation, even if they did not receive divine support in this world. The Companions who disagreed with each other and fought with each other were all saved, but not all of them enjoyed divine support in those matters of contention. I advise anyone who is interested to refer to what Ibn Taymiyah wrote on the matter: [al-Fatâwâ 4/443-450 and 4/467-470] The Qur'ân lends support to this position. Allah says: "It is not for the believers to go forth together. Of every group a faction should go forth to devote themselves to acquiring knowledge of the religion so they can admonish the people when they return, that perhaps they will guard themselves." [sûrah al-Tawbah: 122] In this verse, a faction is more specific than a group. In the Arabic language a faction (tâ'ifah) is smaller than a group (firqah). Even a single individual can be called a faction, as some commentators understand to be the case in the following verse: "And let a faction of the believers witness their punishment." [surah al-Nûr: 2] My position is further supported by the fact that the two words not only indicate different meanings, but they are qualified by two distinct descriptive terms. One of them is describes as "saved" and the other is described as "divinely supported". The general rule in the language is that such differences in construction indicate a difference in meaning. And Allah knows best. In any event, I never said that the divinely supported faction is completely different than the saved group. I only said the divinely supported faction is part of the saved group. Some people can attain salvation even if they fall into some error, although they will not enjoy divine support. Other people will have both salvation and divine support. I have dealt with this issue in depth in other writings and I see no reason to go into greater detail here. As for the position that the two terms are synonymous, it also has its strong points. Sheikh Nâsir al-Dîn al-Albânî writes the following on this issue in his work Silsilah al-Ahâdîth al-Sahîhah: "As for the idea promoted by one of our brother Islamic workers that there is a difference between the divinely supported faction and the saved group, it is an opinion of his that I do not see as too far from the truth. It has already been mentioned that the opinion of the hadîth scholars is that the divinely supported faction are the people of hadîth. We know for a fact that most of the saved group are not scholars of Islam at all, and definitely not all of them are specialists in hadîth. Can we not see that the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are the best representatives of the saved group, and it is for this reason we are commanded to adhere to their ways? In spite of this, they were not all scholars; most of them followed the scholars among them. Therefore, it is clear that a group is more general than a faction. At the same time, I see no great benefit in arguing about this point. We should strive instead to maintain our unity and continue working for Islam." [1/932] I admit that the terms "divinely supported" and "saved" are synonymous to a degree, since the reasons for salvation, taken together, are the reasons for divine support. Likewise, divine support is only enjoyed by people who are on the path to salvation. Therefore, there is a common denominator between the two terms. This does not mean, however, that they correspond exactly. It is possible that they are utterly synonymous, which is the opinion of some of our brothers. It is also possible that one is more general than the other, which is the opinion that we prefer. The fact that one word is more general than another does not rule out a general sense of synonymy between them. If we accept the view that our questioner seems to prefer that the terms "divinely supported" and "saved" agree in meaning absolutely, then I feel that in this case the terms still differ in their degree of intensity. Many scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah maintain that two words can disagree in the intensity of their meaning are still be in absolute agreement as to the meaning that they share. These words can still take on different shades of meaning depending on the contexts in which they are found. Scholars are agreed that a word in a given context often has a different meaning than a word taken by itself. It is an indisputable fact that there are differences between believers in their spiritual status and in their works. Paradise has many levels. The inhabitants of these many levels differ according to the differences in what they earned in their worldly lives. There are the prophets, there are those who possessed absolutely certain faith, there are the martyrs, and there are the righteous. There will be people in Paradise who are not on the level of any of these. Some people will enter Paradise without having to face judgment. Others will have to enter Hell for a time before being allowed into Paradise. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has prepared 100 levels of Paradise for those who fight in Allah's cause. The distance between any two of these levels is like the distance between the sky and the Earth. So when you ask for Paradise, ask for al-Firdaws, for it is the highest, most central place in Paradise. Above it is the Throne of the Beneficent and from it spring forth the rivers of Paradise." Scholars have offered many approaches to classifying the people into their varying degrees. The scholars of ethics and character development have been the ones to engage in this activity. They differed in their classifications because of the different factors that they took into consideration and because of the degree of detail they were willing to pursue in this regard. One of the underlying themes of Islamic Law is the justice that it brings about by putting everything in its proper place and giving every individual his or her rights. People are of different degrees in their faith and their works. Whenever a person attains a certain level of development; he then must strive to attain the one that is above it. Allah says: "And those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our paths, for verily Allah is with those do right." [sûrah al-`Ankabût: 69] The most important point that must be understood from all of this is that we should busy ourselves with knowledge that will benefit us, and we should consider such knowledge in high regard. We should not use knowledge to dispute with each other and become distracted from our goals and objectives. ______________________ (1) The Murji'ites were an early Islamic sect that held extremist views diametrically opposed to those held by the Khârijîs. They claimed that no degree of sin would have any negative effect on a person as long as that person possessed faith.

Coping with Arguments & Discord among Muslims on the Net Sa`d al-Mâjid Article ID: 1209 | 212 Reads A young Muslim becomes religiously motivated. He wants to learn about his faith and turns to the Internet as a source of Islamic knowledge and as a place to find a Muslim community. He visits some Islamic websites and starts following the discussion on various Muslim online forums. What he finds is a lot of sharp criticism and people incessantly taking one another to task. Even prominent scholars seem to be involved. This disheartens and discourages the young Muslim. All of us, as Muslims, want to see these problems go away. We want to see all the Muslims together without their polarizing themselves with their schools of thought and ideologies. However, Allah created evil as well as good, unbelief as well as faith. There is much to contend with. A Muslim needs knowledge and understanding of his religion to wade through it all. Proper knowledge bequeaths us with faith and with the fear of Allah that makes us unconcerned with the rebukes and insults of those who have evil intentions. The ill-mannered arguments and sharp criticisms that we find young Muslims involved in on the Internet cannot be taken as indicative of true differences among Muslim. On the Net, we are dealing mainly with unknown personalities. We do not know the identities of those who are participating in online discussions. They cannot be taken as being representative of the world’s Muslims. Because of this, some of the people online are simply unscrupulous, totally unconcerned about what they say or type. Others are ignorant. Still others have truly malicious motives. Therefore, the only disagreements that we should concern ourselves with are those coming from people of recognized knowledge and probity. When we encounter differences among known scholars on reputable, reliable websites, then we need to keep in mind that the opinions of all people are open to being accepted or rejected. The only exception to this is the Prophet (peace be upon him) in what he conveyed to us of our religion, for he had been protected from error by Allah. We should also keep in mind that sometimes the cause of a disagreement may be that someone lacks sufficient knowledge about a particular issue. The person may be unaware of a particular relevant text. There might be some disagreement about whether a certain hadîth is weak or authentic. Such is the nature of the differences that occur among scholars and students of Islamic knowledge. As for differences found among others, they are often caused by misconceptions or personal desires. Such differences are resolved when the misconceptions are dispelled or the person puts his passions and prejudices aside and returns to the truth. A person who does not have sufficient Islamic knowledge should steer clear of all of these disagreements that he encounters on the Internet. Following these arguments is not in any way a part of our faith. In fact, this discord likely to have a bad influence on a person’s faith and may lead him to fall into some of the false notions and misconceptions that are behind it. I wish to offer the following advice: 1. Keep the company of people who are religious, upright, and rightly-guided. 2. Participate in study groups with reputable and knowledgeable scholars and get a firm grounding in Islamic knowledge. 3. Listen to lectures that encourage good deeds and warn against falling into sin. 4. Put some effort into memorizing the Qur’ân. 5. Offer more voluntary worship. Keep up the Sunnah prayers that are prescribed along with the five obligatory prayers. Fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Get up and pray in the middle of the night. Make sure to pray the Witr prayer. Get involved in helping the poor and needy. 6. Adopt good manners in your dealings with others. Always be honest. Keep your promises and fulfill your trusts. 7. Beseech Allah in supplication. An excellent supplication is: “O Disposer of hearts! Dispose our hearts to be obedient to You.†The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The hearts of Adam’s descendants are between two fingers of the Beneficent as if they were all a single heart. He turns them as he wishes.†Then he said: “O Disposer of hearts! Dispose our hearts to be obedient to You.†[sahîh Muslim (2654)] 8. Take care not to waste time in activities that yield little or no benefit. We only have the limited time of our lives at our disposal. Why then should we squander it? 9. We should never despair of Allah’s mercy. Allah will raise His word and support His religion. Tamîm al-Dârî relates that he heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) say: “This matter will reach out until to the far reaches of the day and night. Allah will not leave a mud brick house or a camelhair tent except that he will bring this religion into it – making some mighty and some wretched. The might will come by Allah strengthening him with Islam and the wretchedness will be by Allah bringing him down with unbelief.†Tamîm al-Dârî used to say after that: “I saw this for myself in my own household. I saw goodness, honor, and strength come to those among them who embraced Islam, and I saw those who rejected Islam fall into weakness, dishonor, and disgrace. [Musnad Ahmad (16509)] 10. Read books and articles that discuss the matter of disagreements among Muslims and how to cope with those disagreements. There is, for instance, an excellent article on this site entitled Between Myself and Ibn Jibrîn.

Enjoy, such a sweet voice. Mashallah! http://www.load-islam.com/C/Media/Zain_Bhikha/#

Wind talker, C/qaasim was the rightful leader of Somalia, had any of the warlords been in his place, I guarantee you that none of them would hand over the presidency so lightly, that was my point. Even if he controlled one brick, he was the president as recognized by the world community . C/qaasims mistake was one, his inability to deal with the warlords. Rahima, I find it ludicrous when others put forward the claim that Yeey is planning a massacre against certain groups. That is the point I was trying to emphasize on my post. Even if he was, walaahi I would not be surprised in the least bit. This is the guy who fought his own blood cousins (literally), so where do other tribes stand? Like you said, even if the speech was current it would certainly warrant damnation (which was my point) but I agree, I sure as heck wouldn’t loose sleep over it . It is absolutely a waste of time. That we agree upon, it serves no purpose really, but all I was objecting to was attributing it as publicity. Let’s just agree that it wrong, evil (just like the man it came out of) and move on. But I am not convinced that he is disposed to seek revenge on cabudwaq folks or galgaduud folks for that matter.For what purpose,you are not an abstacle to his presidency. The man has more loyalty to his power than qabiil- I don’t think that he would be so ****** as to openly declare war on any group of Somalis, subtly probably (not just qabiil, but the religious folks in particular) but not explicitly. Ms Word, And let’s not forget the war between him and the religious community of PL in the 90s.

Abdullahi Yusuf wasn't the only military leader who opposed the Arta regime. Sure, we all know all the losers back then, but the only difference now is that one of them is commanding the same support that they were unwilling (for selfish/tribal reasons) to give to the previous attempt. All this proves is that they are nothing more than selfish hypocrites who are out for their own gain rather than the interests of the country that they have been elected to lead. Since Abdiqasim Salat is the best hope for Somalia, I'd like to know what good he brought for Somalia? What schools he built, what hospitals he refurbished etc. Sadly for the length of time he and his government were in power, not much, but then again C/qaasim made the fatal mistake of dealing with these warlords as sane individuals. We now know that reason is beyond them and hence must be dealt in that manner, force mixed with sasab. I have utmost respect for this man, for he aligned himself with people based on their qualities rather than tribal identity. Furthermore, he was at least man enough to let go of power and hand it over to a man who I’m sure he is not very fond of, even more amazingly instruct Somalis to give their full support and stand hand in hand with this same man. If this does not say it, then I can’t imagine a better example of C/qaasims main goal, to create a viable stable government in his homeland. Lastly, it says a great deal about a man when the religious folks of a country were behind him- to be honest they are my beacon to follow for I know that they judge based on the attributes of the person rather than factors beyond ones control. If they were opposed to him, so would I Libaax, We shouldn’t belittle such things and attribute it to publicity. This is dangerous and should be dealt with as such. We all know that such talk is very sensitive in Somalia and as the president of Somalia (not PL), then he should be very careful and take into consideration the feelings of the people who he leads, for to not do so is to create greater rifts and at this moment we need to unite the Somali people not drive them further apart.

Statement by State Defence Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Source: Kavkaz In the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate! Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds, Who made us Muslims. Peace and blessing be to Prophet Muhammad, to His Family, to His Disciples, and to all of those who follow the straight way of Allah until the Day of Judgment. And then: After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), at the moment when many Muhajirs (driven-out settlers) and Ansars (companions-in-arms) were in grief, noble Abu Baqr said: “Those who were worshipping Muhammad, know that he died. Those who worship Allah, know that He lives eternally and will never die.†“And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive†(The Koran, 2:154) State Defence Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (CRI) hereby reports that in accordance with predetermination of Almighty Allah, President of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Commander-In-Chief of CRI State Defence Council became a Shaheed (Martyr), God Willing (Insha Allah), in a battle in the village of Doikur-Aul. Aslan Maskhadov has completely fulfilled his duty before God and before his people. Just as it befits a leader of a fighting Muslim nation, he was at the head of the Mujahideen (Fighters) until he breathed his last. Aslan Maskhadov has lived a worthy life and left this life with dignity, while keeping his honour and the honour of his fellow people. We are praying to God to accept the Jihad of the Commander-In-Chief of the Mujahideen! God is Great! Allah Akbar! State Defence Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is also announcing that in accordance with CRI Constitution, CRI State Defence Council has the full governing authority throughout the entire territory of the Chechen State. State Defence Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and Military Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria hereby order to all Commanders of CRI Armed Forces, to all Commanders of Units of Northern Caucasus Sectors and Directions, as well as to all mobile squads of Chechen troops operating on the territories of CRI and outside to keep carrying out their combat missions in accordance with the previously- ratified plan of the spring/summer military campaign. God is Great! Allah Akbar! State Defence Council of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 President Aslan Maskhadov: Shaheed, Insha Allah! Source: Kavkaz On March 8 President of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov became a Shaheed (a Martyr), he fell in a battle in the village of Doikur-Aul (Tolstoy-Yurt). This report was confirmed by the Chechen Government. Moscow has not been making a secret out of extreme importance of what happened. And it has been stressed with a public report that Russian KGB/FSB chief Patrushev made to Putin. Putin was not concealing his joy either and right in front of a TV camera he issued an order to decorate the “distinguished onesâ€. Death of President Maskhadov has become the main news in media reports worldwide. And it is understandable: for quite a long time the figure of Chechen President has been determining in any affairs in the Caucasus. The invaders and puppets claim to be celebrating a victory. There really is a reason for temporary propagandistic euphoria. Now Putin and Co. will have an additional argument: “So who is there to negotiate with?†since President of Chechnya, elected without any help from the “councils of Europe†and betrayed by them, is now killed. It’s all true with the only substantial difference that in Chechnya there really is nobody else to be negotiating with because Aslan Maskhadov was the only person who believed that there was still something to talk about with Moscow. Now there is no such a person in Chechnya. Those who claim that the entire period of Russian-Chechen confrontation is now over once President Maskhadov is dead are absolutely right. By killing Maskhadov, the Kremlin has killed the last illusion in those Chechens who no matter what still believed in the so-called “international law†and civilized forms of communication with today’s regime in Moscow. A new period in the history of Russian-Chechen military confrontation has started with the death of CRI President. This period does not imply not only any negotiation, but even cessation of the war. The war will not cease, it will be stopped. But it will be stopped only when the threat from the North will be eliminated once and for all. Aslan Maskhadov is not the first Chechen President who became a Shaheed (a Martyr), Insha Allah (God Willing), and probably not the last Chechen leader who has to die in a battle for his country’s freedom. But Aslan Maskhadov became the first President, who was killed demonstratively and in a vile way in response to reaching out his hand of peace, and he was the last one who did reach out his hand for that purpose. We are asking God to accept the Jihad of President of Chechnya Aslan Maskhadov! God is Great!!! (Allah Akbar!!!) Movladi Udugov Chief of External Subcommittee of Informational Council (Majlis al-Shura) of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria