Nuur LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL, I was busy reading your article on polygamy...just in case

Salaama calaykum, my lama kumi iyo taano: Obviously blowing to pieces human beings (in this case many children and women) is not in line with the teachings of the islamic faith. I think there are political reasons behind the events in saudi arabia than religious motives. If we are to understand the problems, we should look at the underlying mechanisms including the abuse of power by the regime. The house of saud is feodal ruler who would cling to power. The saudis are basically denied basic rights that is unquestionable in many societies. But that does not constitute the murdering of innocent victims in the name of islam. Islam is a compassionate religion that values human lives and as such propagates for other ways including dialogue to better the political climate! Do you know what this would have as a consequence for the somalis and other muslim imigrants? my guess is that they would be deported, imprisoned etc thereby depriving many somalis of their income! Saaxibiyaal; Even though we should look at the patient's history inorder to diagonise, muslim should not condone violence that is said to be committed in the name of a faith to which millions of people ascribe to! Anyway, waa suaale, maxaa naga galay? qumanaheena ayaa qoorta nooga jirta!

Nuurow, Carliga aan ku dhalanay ninka waxyaabaha aad kor ku soo xustay qabta magacyo badan baa loo bixiyaa! Qorqod, Nimoow naagow, etc.. saaxib markaay raggu intaasi bartaan..BILIS XAAWALEYd maxaa u soo haray? On a more serious note saaxib, courses would not solve the problems of our society. I think the best approach is to reinstate the somali man's position as the "boss" of the household. In most somali families, the man was the breadwinner (at least in garamgaramland). While he was busy finding ways to feed his family, the womenfolk were busy taking care of family matters. Laakin beryahaan raggii waxaad moodaa in xiniyaha masuuliyadda qaada laga siibey! Roles have been redifined by the exodus to western nations. The somali man is a victim who has not only lost his economic power but also self respect! Marka aniga waxaay ila tahay in loo baahananyahay Koorsooyin dumarka soomaliyeed loogu talo galay.

Faaraxow, aad ayaad ugu mahadsantahay saaxib! Waa kalmad runtii igu cusub! now that is what I calling learning!

Afka carabta iskuma fiicanine...bal inoo sharaxa macnaha khawaariji! Mahadsanidiin!

sorry, I realised I posted something that had nothing to do with the topic at hand!

sophist, akhi afeef horta, sheekadaasi sheikh aweys ku saabsan aniga ma aan qorine, ee waan soo xigtey (eeg hoos). Markaan faalada u kaco, oo aan qoondeeyo taariikhda sheikh aweeys, anigu waxaay ila tahay inuu yahay nin wanaagsan oo muddan amaan. Laga bilaabo konfuurta soomaliya ilaa iyo xeebaha mozambique waxaa igu maqal ah inuu sheeqa ugu wacnaa fidinta diinta islaamka. Somaliddu waxaay ku maahmaahdaa "gaal dil gartiisina si". Haddaba beryahaan dambe waxaad moodaa in somalidda uu ku yimid cudur aan daawo lahayn. aniga qof aan markaan maskaxdeeyda la tashtay waxaa ii caadatay: Markii aan baaritaan kooban oo aan cilmiyeeyneen ku sameeyey wadaadkani, waxaa ii muuqatay in xilligaasi aay jirtey fariiqo (ilaa iyo haddaba waay jirtaa)- dad badan baa wadaada been ka abuura. Samurai- saaxib waa dhici kartaa inaay jirto arrintaasi, hase yeeshe malaha sheequ ma xumeene, ee waxaa buunbuuniyey dadkii ka dambeeyey!!

Baashi waa runtaa saaxib kuwaasi cajiib baay ahaayen, but I am not talking about modern day jameecos! taleex- sayid maxamed Bardheere- see above sheikh- yusuf al-kownayn. Surely these were islamic jameecos!

MMA, YU AAR WILKAM... Saaxib Giamia (Jameeco) is an islamic community.. A sort of brotherhood. There are many somalis who believe that an islamic society is hard to achieve in somalia for one reason or another. But history teaches us that there were communities (sheikh, bardheere, Taleex) which flourished. In the case of Bardheere, somali clans lived sided by side and the jameeco was a quasi government that settled disputes,run the daily lives.. p.s Sheikh madar was a great figure too.. I will see if I can get anything on him. have you got anything on sheikh xasan Barsame?

Who cares whether we are arabs or africans? We are somalis who happen to share a border with countries in a continent called africa... we have been for one reason or another become part of a political organisation called the arab league. There is no race called "african"-- yes there are afrkaners (but these are dutch). We are not arabs because we don't speak the languages that arabs speak! but we do share alot with arabs including some cultural aspects! So, who are we???? Somalis of course.... a race called somalis - Anyway, saaxibiyaal, I got a severe headache from reading the link that one of the contributors of this thread provided!!! It was typical ethnocentric article disguised as research!!! I am so sorry that our teenagers are exposed to that kind of filth.... Several somalis have boarded the boat called "somali history" that has been constructed by colonial rulers! This boat is navigated by the likes of Lewis, davis , hallender etc...but in modern times, some somalis have become passengers... I wonder when they would change their theory and write papers entitled "the missing link in charles darwin's theory- the case of somalis)?

In the meantime I would like to share with you the following history about the town of bardheere, which has for many decades succeeded in upholding an islamic based social cohesion: Horudhac: Taariikhdu waa tusmada noolasha, cilmiga lagu garto ummadihii hore waxa ay ahaayeen iyo waxa ay soo qabteen. Waxaa noo soo gudbiyey halgan dheerna u soo galey dad qorayaal ah oo kala soo kulmey dhibaatooyin badan. Taariikhdu waxay na bartaa waxyaabihii soo dhacay sida horumarka, dagaalada, ilbaxnimada, akhlaaqda, caadooyinka iyo sababaha ummadaha ay hormaraan amaba waxa dib u dhaca u keena. Taariikhdu waxay kaloo na bartaa culimada waaweyn ee ku xeeldheeraadey diinta iyo culuunta kala duwan sida adabka,siyaasada, fanka iyo heerarkii kala duwanaa ee ay soo mareen. Somaliya waxay, nasiib darro, ka mid noqotey waddamadii la gummeystey. Gumeysiga immanshihiisa ka hor waxaa Somaliya meelo badan oo ka mid ah ka jirey nidaamyo iyo ismaamul ay dadka Soomaaliyeed sameysteen raalina ka ahaayeen. Nidaamkii gumeysiga markii uu soo gaarey dalka Soomaaliya wuxuu ugu horeen burburiyey nidaamyadaas jirey, wuxuu qasey miisaankii iyo deganaashihiisiisagoo adeegsanaya ”qeybi oo xukun”, wuxuu si aad isugu deyey in uu tirtiroraad taariikheedka dalka Soomaaliya uu lahaa iyo in uu baabi’yo isla markaana duugo meelaha magaca iyo sharafta leh ee dalka iyo dadka Soomaaliya. Waxaa ayaan darro noqotey iyana in aqoonyahanka Soomaaliyeedqaarkii waqtiyadii xigey lagu barbaariyey falsafadaas, taas oo keentey daneyn la’aan taariikhda Soomaaliyeed waqtigii gumeysiga iyo maamuladii ka dambeeyey. Waxay hal-ku-dhig ka dhigteen wixii uu gumeysiga ka qorey Somaliya . Dalka Somaliya wuxuu leeyahay taariikh daxal gal ah, halgamaayaal fara badan oo dunida caan ku ah islamarkaana u soo hurey naf, maskax iyo maal dhisida iyo horumarinta dalka iyo dadka Soomaaliyeed. Waxaa loo baahanyahay taariikhdaas na bareysa garashada noloshii hore ee dalka iyo dadka Soomaliyeed in la darso. Noolasha qofka waa mid aad u gaaban marka loo fiiriyo taxanaha noolasha aadamiga ay soo martey sida bilowga miro aruursigii, ugaarsatadii, dhulgoosigii iyo degaanka beraleyda iyo warshadeyntii si loo gaaro horumar iyo barwaaqo. Taariikhda magaalada Baardhere waa qeyb muhim ah ee taariikhda aan soo xusney ee Soomaliya. Taariikhahaas waaweyn haddii la ururin lahaa si qoraal taxane ah, waxay aad wax ooga tari lahayd kordhinta garaadka ummmada. Qormadan oo ku saabsan taariikhda Baardhere, beled iyo jameeco ahaanba, waxaan ka arkeyna in ay lehayd xukuumad iyo nidaam suurta geliyey in horumar la gaaro muddo dheer ka hor inta uusan imaan gumeysiga dhulkeena. Taas oo iyana na tuseysa in ummadda Soomaaliyeed ay lahayd nidaam ismaamul oo xor ah oo ay dadka ka qeybqaataan. Magaalada Baardhere waxayna ka mid tahay degmooyinka ugu faca weyn ee ka sameysmey gudaha dhulka Somaliya, isla markaana lahaa maamul xor ah oo iyada u gooni ah. Waxay ka tirsaneyd gobolkii loo yaqiiney Jubbada sare [ Alta Jubba] intii ay jireen maamulkii gumeysiga iyo dawladii rayidka ee ka dambeysey. Waxay ka mid noqotey gobolkii jubada dhexe muddo gaaban, markii xukuumadii militeriga abuurtey gobolo hor leh. Ka dib gobolka Gedo oo isbixin waayey dhaqaale ahaan ayaa lagu kabey. Halkaas ayeyna ka tirsanayd ilaa maamulki militeriga ka burburey. Magaalada Baardhere waxay ka mid tahay magaalooyinkii Somaliya ugu horreeyey, uguna faca weyn oo laga aasaasey meel ka fog xeebta koonfureed ee dalka Somaliya. Waxay u jirta xeebta Barawe qiyaas dhan 250 km. Juqraafi ahaan Bardhere waxay ku taala inta u dhexeysa 2-3° woqooyi dhulbaraha (lool=latitude) iyo 42-43° (Dhigaha=longtitude). Cimiladeeda waa mid aad u kulul, taas oo u sahlineysa in saanadka oo idil beeraha laga faaideysankaro marka la istimaalayo waraabka beeraha. Nasiib darro biyaha oo dhulka ka hooseeya awgeed waxaa adag soo saarka biyaha waraabka beeraha marka aan la isticmalynin matoorka biyaha. Bardhere waxay aad ugu hormarsantahay tacabka beeraha noocyadiisa kala duwan. Beeraha roobka oo laga soo saaro dalagyada intooda badan waa lafdhabarka dhaqaalaha. Waxay si gaar ah ugu caanbaxdey sannadihii dambe basasha iyo tubaakada oo loo iibgeyo gudaha iyo dibedda Somaliya. Magaalada aasaaskeed wuxuu ahaa baar weyn oo ku yaaley masjidka weyn. Magaca Baardhere wuxuu ka soo jeedaa laba erey oo kala ah baar iyo dheer. Baar waa geed inta badan ka baxa webiyada hareerahooda (magaca laatiinka waa Hyphaene). Baar wuxuu leeyahay manaafacaad badan. Wuxuu dhalaa miro loo yaqaano "khoono". Khoonada waxay ka koobantahay laf hoose, duf dhexe iyo xuub kore. Marka ay cayriinka tahay waa cagaar, marka ay bislaatana waxay leedahay midab dhiiga. Khoonada xuubkeeda kore iyo dufka dhexe waa la cunnaa. Waxay leedahay dhadhamo kala duwan sida macaan, qaraar, dhadhanlaaw waxayna ku xirantahay nooca geedka iyo inta geedka webiga u jiro. Lafta hoose (sedka) ku jira waxaa loogu xardhaa xoolaha. Geedka baarka wuxuu bixiyaa laamo iyo caleemo. Dhammaana waxaa lagu dhistaa guryaha. Caleenta dusha ayaa laga saara, xajmigana waxaa laga dhigtaa tiir. Tiirarka baarka oo dhowr ah ayaa inta la isku xiro loo isticmaali jirey in lagaga gudbo webiga laguna rarto alaabta sida doonta, gaar ahaan dhismaha guryahay, waxaana loo yaqaaney Sablo. Bilowgii lixdanaadkii waxaa fidey ku xadgudub iyo isticmaal xumo. Geedka baarka xajmigiisa iyo laamihiisa marka la xoqo waxaa ka soo baxa dheecaan u eg midabka caanaha oo dhadhankooda macyahay marka ay cusubyihiin. Caanaha baarka waxaa loo yaqaana shalabow, waxayna socodsiiyaan sida la sheego caloosha haddii la cabo marka ay macyihiin. Marka caanahaas meel la dhigo in muddo ah dhadhankooda wuu isbedela, waana lagu sakhraama sida khamrada oo kale. Ujeedada loo aasaasey magaalada Baardhere waxay ahayd in ay noqoto gole diinta islaamka looga dhaqmo isla markaasna dadka loogu yeero lku dhaqanka iyo fidinta islaamka. Magaalada waxaa la aasaasey laba qarni ka badan muddo laga joogo. Taariikhdu waxay ahayd 1761 sannadka miilaadiyada. Diinta islaamka mar hore ayey soo gaartey Somaliya, gaar ahaan xeebaha dalka laakiin xoog saameyn ah ma lahayn oo waxaa ka xoog badnaa dhaqannadii diinlaawaha ka harey. Waxaa jirey dhaqamo fusuq ah. Wadaado badan ayaa isku howliyey, dadaalna u galey in ay wax ka beddelaan. Qaarkood ayaa xitaa la qaadey durbaanka si ay u soo jiidtaan. Waxaase iyana jirey wadaado iyana ku tashadey in ay ka fogaadaan oo isaga haajiraan mar haddii ay wax ka qabanwaayeen. Arrintan waxay rasmi ahaan ugu qornayd oo laga akhriyey kitaab uu qorey Sheikh Cabdiyow “Khitamma bil khayr“, waxaa qoraalkiisa ka mid ahaa “mar haddii aadan fusuq wax ka qaban karin, Illah wuxuu ku amraya in aad isaga haajirtid“. Arrintaas waxay qabsatey culimo badan oo ka guurey xeebaha, gaarsiiyey diinta islaamka gudaha dalka Somaliya. Culimadaas waxaa ka mid ahaa: 1. Sh. Ibrahim Hassan Yabarow -7 days-1190H (1776) 2. Sheikh Ali Dhurre -30 yrs-1220H (1805) 3. Sheikh Abukar Adam Dhurre -24 yrs-1244H (1828) 4. Sheikh Abdulrahman Abayl -7 yrs-1251H (1835) The giamia of Bardere was burned down in 1831 due to war with Geledi sultanate. It was suspended for 20 yrsand was restablished in 1851. -20 yrs-1271H (1855) 5. Sheikh Mohamed Adam Kerow -24 yrs-1295H (1878) 6. Sheikh A/rahman Moh´d Adan -2 yrs -1297H (1880) 7. Sheikh Abdiyow Osmanow -25 yrs-1322H (1904) 8. Sheikh Ibrahim Mohamed Adan -4 yrs-1326H (1908) 9. Sheikh Ali Moallin Muddey -33 yrs-1359H (1940) 10. Sheikh Mohamed Yusuf -20 yrs-1379H (1959) 11. Hagi A/ziz Sh. Ali Moallin -8 yrs-1387H (1967) 12. Sheikh Mursal Malin Aliyow-25 yrs-1412H (1992) Sheikh Mursal was cruelly murdered on (17th december 1992 at 21:20 local time) by heavily armed militia just days before U.N. troops arrived Bardere town. All his household and valuables left with him by members of the Giamia as safe haven were looted. It is believed that the murder of the Sheikh of the Giamia at this crucial time was orchestrated in an attempt to create leadership vacuum. 13. Sheikh Hirow Moallin Ahmed - has been nominated as a caretaker 1992 - present.

Salaama, Baashi , saaxib I was also told that Sheikh Yusuf al-koweyn lived until early 1920:s. that he came from arabia with some companions who are burried in Sheikh. He is accredited with inventing alif wax ma leh, alifla kordhobey... this seems to be a little bit odd though. but let us investigate MMA this what I found. . Sheikh Aweys Ibn Mohamed Al - Barawi Al-Qadiri, was born in the coastal city of Brava in the spring of 1847. He was born to family of the Tuni clan of Digil & Mirifle. His background has been described as being from 'client agricultural communities rather than powerful nomadic clans" He apparently was a brilliant student in Koranic school in Brava and studied Arabic, religious subjects and Islamic science with two local Sheicks. One of his teachers was Sheick Mohamed Zayini A-Shanshi, was member of the Qadiriya, and he encouraged Uweys to continue his Sufi studies in Baghdad, Iraq. In 1870 Uweys arrived in Baghdad where he studied under the Qadiri master Sayid Mustafa Ibn Al-Sayid Salaman Al- Kaylani, the son of principle Sheick of the order, Salaman Al-Kaylani, who was a descendent of the prophet. This relationship was to be very important in Aweys's development as a pan-Islamic leader. The Baghdad saint Sayid Abd Al-Qadir Jeylani who died in AD 1166 founded the Qadiriya tariqa. This was the first order in Islam. Being older and more established, the Qadiriya had a larger membership in Somalia. It also tended to be less puritanical than the other Sufi orders in Somalia. Records indicate that the Qadiriya was established in Harrar before 1508. In Somalia it has long been educational institution devoted to Islamic literacy than propagandist tradition. The Qadiriya is split into two powerful branches, which reflect the North/South division in Somali society. The north branch was the Zeyli'ia founded by Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Zeyli' from Disow clan of Digil & Mirifle. And the Southern branch was leaded by Sheick Aweys was the most important leader in southern Somalia. The Qadiriya seems to have made a transition from just being primarily a Sufi order to that of converting large sections of East Africa to Islam. In 1880, the two leaders Muslim brotherhoods were making progress in East Africa. The larger and more influential was The Uweysia group of the Qadiri order named for its Somali leader. Sheick Uweys accounted for a considerable expansion of Islam in Tanganyika, Southern Somalia, Eastern Congo (former Zaire), parts of Mozambique and Malawi, the Comoro Islands and Northwest of Madagascar. Sheikh Aweys made the required Hajj to Mecca and Medina and visited various important saints tombs in the Hijaz and Yemen. After his studies he stopped as the British enclave on Aden and then returned to Somalia 1881. He returned to the coast city of Banadir and become the most important religious in the Southern Somalia, his main settlement was at Biyoley, Tiyeglow where he is buried now, every year more than a million people from East African and Somalia, and Comoro Islands visited his grave. Sheick Aweys was a man who against the colonialism and trading the black people as slaves, his fought the infidels with a strong word which caused many slaves to became free and converted to Islam, The Germans of Tanganyikan and the Italian was worried the expansion of the Islam in East Africa, Also many Arabian who was trading the slaves in Zanzibar and East Congolese was stopped the trading when the Sheick and his fellows arrived there. Sheikh Aweys was murdered in 1909 by the soldiers of Mohamed Abdullah Hasan known as (Mad Mullah) for revenge. After he was traveling near Tieglow and later was buried at Biyoley, Tiyeglow. This article was compiled by Ahmed A Farkeeti

Salaama, I wonder whether any of you out there could help me in tracing who Sheikh Yusuf Al-kowneyn was? ' Did the town of sheikh (between berbera and Burco) get its name from the many culumo's who are burried there? Who were these scholars? Mahadsanidiin

Baashi saaxib, eebe galad balaaran ha kaa siiyo maqaalkaan! I have a question on the issue of alms. My neighbour, Cambara has been buying some jewellery for a number of years- her motives were primarly Xarago- but she claims that her jewellery is a possible saving mechanism for the future.. Following the civil war in somalia- most of the somali women sold their accumulated jewels...and she therefore says she could sell them in time of need. Now last night Cambaro bought a weighing machine to see how many grams of Gold she owned. She asked me for religious opinion on this matter.. Saaxib, I wonder if you or any other reader could explain to me : 1: Is she liable to pay alms on jewellery that is aimed for Xarago but could be Raisul maal in future? 2: What is the percentage rate? Is it the cost of purchasing the jewellery? The price today? There is a currency fluctuation.... so, how would this be tackled? 3: If she pays say for instance 2.5% zakat, what would be the nominal value next year? thanks

salaama, I hope our beloved brother Nuur would shed some light on this issue... but I am rather uncomfortable with the term "dating". Many of us tend to use this word from a western perspective. The western kind of dating, taken at face value is not neccessarily a bad thing. The dating between people of the opposite sex have been at least in theory, away for a presumptive couple to know each other, exchange views about life, see if they have a chemistry etc. Nowadays, dating has become a phrase to use when people, young and old indulge in acts that are far from the old days when dating was a marriage strategy. Dating is synomenous with "harlotism". In many cases the goal of the people who engage in the act are short term strategies meant to conquer the other party for a short period of time. My knowledge of islamic way of life is limited but my layman opinion is that dating a person with good faith is permissable- given the situation that many of us find ourselves, and the opportunities that modern day technology gives us. Gone are the days when marriage was a collective endeavour for the whole community- and the bride and groom could be guaranteed total quality control! In that circumstance, there was no need for dating. Nowadays dating is a neccessity for marriages to succeed. The manner of how it is done and strategies should of course conform to islamic guidelines.....

salaama, my two cents: Imitation is not a bad thing to do in terms of business endeavours. Most of the products and methods firms use are a result of benchmarking competitors. Somali owned businesses as you mentioned are very similar and I think this depends on several factors; 1. The customers are mainly somalis who have common preferences 2: Most of those who start a business lack the basic skills that are neccessary in the western world (business plan, financsing, taxation laws, accounting). 3. We are newcomers to doing business in world cities What we are witnessing saaxibiyaal is business dynamics whose bearers are entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs make the synthesis of business. Businesses could fail or blossom for several reasons including institutional, microeconomic reasons etc. It is true that several cities have somali malls. Many are flattered by the notion of somali owned malls- and once you enter them you would find the same product, the same kind of people, hear the same kind of music etc... But could this be sustainable??? The answer is probably no because industrial dynamics is about birth and death of businesses. View the somali businesses as a learning process in which actors learn from mistakes- one of being the notion of selling the same brand !

Baashi, saaxib, could have been the case several decades ago but I would guess 2/3 are city dwellers. Somalia been undergoing urbanisation for 30 or more years. My personal opinion saaxib is that most somalis are farmers and traders. Maskiin , Culture is one of several maligmas that the nation suffers from. For fourty or more years the somali people have been made to believe that somali culture evolves around pastrolism. Unfortunately, in the somali sense as long the lyrics include references to nomadic life (the camel culture in particular) it has MURTI!. I have had some heated arguments about this issue with several of my friends and every time we end up not agreeing. I have asked several of my friends the difference between using the DIIQ and the camel in the lyrics...no one has so far provided me with a satisfacory answer! Apart from Diiq-murti ma aha line! p.s back in xamar the cultural elite of Murtism shugged off banaadiri music, yet we could witness how it was difficult to get a ticket to riwaayadaha reer xamarka!

Nurow, saaxib the concept of NASAB has been abused (just like several other things). As you correctly mentioned it has to do more with character than biology. I have seen several kitaab-gaabloows and kitaab-dheer using the concept to mean reer jaa-jabo! common sense tells us, marriage being an institution that would last long and result (in many circumstances) offsprings rests upon four pillars: Good character (nasabnimo) good faith (islamnimo) Good economic foundation (Maal) good chemistry (dooq). In the good old days when men were men and women were women, afar faataxo marriages survived because the four were albeit latent present. What we are witnessing nowadays is beeso-caashaq, beeso caabud, beeso-nasab, beeso dooq! waa suaale waad baahantahay baqti ma loo cunaa? p.s gabadhii aan haddaan reer garamgaram nahay kuu alkunay goormaad xalaalteeysani?

Ina Libaax sanka ka taabteey saaxib I don!t think they would reveal the names. The purpose of the testing was purely research and researchers don!t want to reveal the names of their objects.. But the romour mills are at work and according to some of these, several leading warlords are among the carriers...

salaama you could read about this issue on the following link... http://hiiraan.com/htdocs/2003/oct03/aids.htm I have a friend who works at Nairobi University..one of the people who carried out the research and you would surprised to know that the number tested is not evem 300, 200, 150 but 121 people!

salaama this is not just a romour...According to an article on hiiran online several delagates at the so called peaceful conference were offered medical check ups... 62 of the delegates tested positive for HIV! source> hiiranonline

Liqaaye LOL true, but there could be other nomads in SA... so that is why I did not PM you....

Assalamu calaykum, soon wanaagsan, Nuurow saaxib xagga labeeysiga, saddexeeysiga ama afareeysiga ka waran? ama qofkii hal mar ku dhaca imtixaanka rajo ma leeyahay? Timirtii horey ayaan dab u waayey anigu! In the good old days, marriage was a revered institution, a social contract that is not only between two consenting adults but a matter for the whole community. Before we became outcasts that are loathed in world metropolis, the Somali marriage was marked by preparation, consultation and dialogue. I remember as a young KURI, how our elders met under a qurac tree and planted the seeds for marriages that never ended up in courts (well they actually did, but the courthouse then was village elders). A somali man who reached the noble age of qaangaar was required to be mentally fit, culturally competent and economically sufficient (entrepreneurial ideas could also be accepted if they were deemed to lead to economic independency). The Somali man was expected to provide proof of his ability to economically sustain a marriage. In most cases, the father or mother provided him with some camels, goats, cattle, land and in some cases a few thousand shillings to start a new life. The Somali gashaanto (NB there were other titles such as gumeeys, Geesxer (another term for caasi) and sometimes the garoob was trained for the act of motherhood. She would from the age of 7 trained to cook, respect, etc. These were often transmitted using tacit forms. The Somali gashaanto was for instance not allowed to raise her voice, she could name few words including “musqul” because she would normally wake up before the other members of the family to cook, milk and perform other duties. The ceremony normally begins with a meeting of the elders under a qurac tree, it could be in a moowlac, masjid or at one of the homes. The bridegroom’s family starts the negotiations. These are often intense and would include questions to detect if there are some mental hinders (ciyaal suuq, iskoris) of the groom, his economic statues etc. The bridegroom’s family is drilled while the bride’s family would slaughter a sheep or a goat. Satisfied the elders shake hands, recite afar faataxo and in some cases duca. If there is a family tie between the bride and groom this ceremony actually is performed using AFAR FAATAXO…. Only intelligent grooms are honoured with the words “Adeer afar faataxa ayaan kuu maray, wiil baari ah ayaad tahay, gabadheeydana waan ku siiyey”. The above two kinds of marriages seldom end up in divorce sababtoo ah waay barakeeysanyihiin. Enter the qaxooti years!!! Waxbaan aragnay. The decay of the Somali marriage in the Diaspora started in Somalia when the afar faataxo and elder-induced marriage were abandoned. Somalis in Somalia became urbanised YACNI reer magaal. Wixii aay waalidiinteena ka xishoon jirey ayaa norm noqday. Ilbaxnimo (jaahilnimo) lacageey, lacageey…. Greed… Gabadhihii afarta faataxa ayaa yaraadey… waxaa batay kuwo lacag lagu nikaaxiyo. Opportunism ama sida cilmiga dhaqaalaha “profit maximization” . Jaamac, a civil servant turned civil thief established himself a bargaining position to wed the most beautiful and influential woman. Cambaro, would not wed fiidow, a potential donkey owner, however good he is…. Etc Markii la soo yaacay (dadkii berkaasa indudeen) sahan la’aan. In the old days people sent a survey mission before they moved. The Somalis left Somalia without the sahan… we came to carli gaaleed with good welfare. Kalmado badan oo aay ka mid yihiin WAALFAYA, SINGOL MAADER; ANDHAR EEJ ayaa nagu soo biirey. These terms would turn out to be the antithesis of the Somali marriage as a social institution. The man suddenly became a prisoner of his own making. He feels that he is mentally castrated because in the western societies the state provides the necessities that the MAN was required to do. Jaamac and Fiidow did not accept that they live in another world. They still maintained the old saying “qorqod qoraansidheer” when their women folks asked them to cook, clean! It was ashame for the man to come to the sacred place called JIKO, Cushin. The man after all did not have the time to waste.. Those were sacred areas for the xaawaley to exchange gossips. But Jaamac and Fiidow were illuminated. Their peers in afbarwaaqo were hardworking men. The notion of state, family or other people taking care of their wives would have made many men to be humiliated. In the act many would have earned the title of ***** ; Q******; M*** etc Cambaro iyo Jiija iyagana they felt they have gained a testicle. On the idaacadaha gaalaada they hear about feminism. They are aware that the man only consumes. Cost variable. The only thing he contributes with is Qaaylo, kibir, jaad ii gad sigaar iigad…. And they asked the question : WHAT IS JAMAC’s value? Marka nuurow waan ku faraxsanahay moowluucaani saaxib…..

Liqaaye or anyone out there Could you please PM me if there are some somali contacts in Durban! Thanks

Nuurow saaxib are you able to salvage the thread that you entitled "a letter to the warlord" from that rathole known as somalinet (munaafuqnet)?