Taleexi Posted October 2, 2007 Maan hadal in Garowe: Massaging the Mullah A. Duale Sii'arag October 01, 2007 “I merely represent a new, mature wave of the Islamic awakening that is taking place today from Algeria and Jordan to Khartoum and Kuala Lumpur. As first evidenced in the Iranian revolution, this awakening is comprehensive – it is not just about individual piety; it is not just intellectual and cultural, nor is it just political. It is all of these, a comprehensive reconstruction of society from top to bottom”. Hassan al-Turabi Read here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paragon Posted October 2, 2007 After the ingestion of several bundles of specially selected brand of Awaday Qat, we got locked into spirited debate with a well-versed Islamic ideologue, an avid supporter of the Union of Islamic Courts which was toppled by the Ethiopian troops in last December. Our eloquent interlocutor was a man of probity, with a wealth of lore in Islamic teachings. He was witty, glib, well-informed, charming and passionately opinionated. Buoyed by the recent gathering of the mullahs in Asmara, he was keyed up for the possible revival of the Union of Islamic Courts. Here is how our animated discourse unfolded. Maan hadal: The Sheikh, the Mullah, the Wadaad has always been there amongst us, holding the holy book in one hand and tilling a black rosary in the other; teaching Quran and preaching the message of Allah to the public from his pulpit; promoting virtue and righteousness and defiling vice. What come of you? What brought about this shift of paradigm? You were the spiritual leader of the folks with celestial role of judging matters of faith. The affairs of the state were an exclusive turf of political ideologues, the trendsetters, the statesmen. Why encroach into others domain – in the domain of politics? The Mullah: I am not the docile, reclusive, apolitical and silent bystander of the old Wadaad - neutralized by the greedy, decadent, self-seeking and conceited secular politicians and reduced to reciting verses of the holy Quran over the treats of tender meat of the sacrificial young goats and other lavish festivities of the affluent. I am the natural, spiritual and the moral leader of the society. I have been out in the cold for too long. I am here to replace the petty political chameleons that come to nothing - impotent politicians with voracious appetite for avarice, who betrayed the public trust and shirked the responsibilities bestowed upon them. I am here to assume my rightful position – the topmost. Maan hadal: You may erode your religious legitimacy by venturing into the risky and uncharted waters of political affairs. Politics is a dirty business. You seem to be adroit at seizing whatever opportunity deemed expedient for grabbing power and its trappings. However, your quest for power would eventually compromise the authenticity of your religious message. You need to leave politics to the seasoned professionals – the political animals, who are adept at the subtle art of mudslinging and intrigue, sleazy and unsavory manipulations, shifty and unpredictable maneuverings. The Mullah: I understand that politics is a murky business. I am not looking for a monkey-business, either. Ours is political Islam and is at variance with your secular politics. Our political dealings will be guided by the Quran. The dealings of the secular politicians are marked by trickery, vengeance, self-centeredness and egotism. We might not be adept at the qualities of mudslinging and intrigues which the politicians excel in, yet we have our own way of suspending the wisdom of the masses and controlling their vibes and can conveniently unleash them. We are well versed in the art of demagoguery and we know how to label you as stooge of the west. Maan hadal: Who actually can ignite a revolution which can herald the wind of change? We believe that people are driven by economic needs more than spiritual needs. The Mullah: When a Mullah sneezes, everyone catches the cold. On our single call, people readily abandon their loved ones to lay down their lives at the altar of the Jihad. We can cause political earthquake of very high magnitude at any time from the pulpit. With one stroke of pen, we can relegate the politicians to the stature of heretics. You know it for a fact that on account of the waning public confidence on corrupt politicians, the climate is ripe for us to take over the realm of authority. Maan hadal: No country can be sufficient unto itself and no country can remain an island shielded from the encroachment of globalization. What is your political program? The problems facing Somalis are monumental. What do you propose to resolve Somalia’s intractable problems? Are you clamoring to establish a government of the Wadaad, by the Wadaad, for the Wadaad where anyone who does not subscribe to your skewed interpretation of Islam is disqualified or declared “excommunicated”? The Mullah: Allah’s Commands have been laid down in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, but their correct understanding and interpretation remains the exclusive preserve of the Mullahs. It is the sole responsibility of the Mullahs to lead the faithful to the virtuous, rewarding path to Allah. We want to establish an Islamic polity in the Horn of Africa. The Somali people are 100 percent Muslims. Neither clan lineage nor artificial boundaries can divide them. Corrupt politics and foreign exploitation are the root causes of their woes. The solution to their myriad problems doesn’t lie with clan alliances and coalitions, with regionalism and secession and with pseudo-governments concocted in foreign countries. Naturally, an Islamic regime is the answer and the only unifying factor. Hence, our program is to bring all Somalis under a unified Islamic rule. Somalis in the Horn of Africa have the right to unite under a just and legitimate Islamic state. Maan hadal: You have been linked to international Islamic radical organizations such as al-Qaeda. Some of your top leaders are alleged by the UN to be associates of the most wanted Islamic ideologue, Osama bin Laden. The Mullah: We are linked to Islamic radical groups, but at the same time we have a very soft image of religion to sell as well, whereby we can instill the commitment to peace and humanitarianism. Our social welfare system and elaborate safety nets are unparalleled anywhere in the world. Through Zakat, alms and donations we cater to the requirements of the needy people running the whole gamut of orphans, widows and the most vulnerable people at the lower social strata who are always unattended and neglected by the politicians. We have the manifesto of free education and health care which does not find any place in the selfish policies of the so-called secular politicians. Lol. I like it. Seems Siiraag iyo aniga are thinking and writing along the same lines . PS: Qaat can be the fuel of the most enlightened and intelligent debate/writing ever accomplished. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NASSIR Posted October 4, 2007 "The Mullah: I am not the docile, reclusive, apolitical and silent bystander of the old Wadaad - neutralized by the greedy, decadent, self-seeking and conceited secular politicians and reduced to reciting verses of the holy Quran over the treats of tender meat of the sacrificial young goats and other lavish festivities of the affluent. I am the natural, spiritual and the moral leader of the society. I have been out in the cold for too long. I am here to replace the petty political chameleons that come to nothing - impotent politicians with voracious appetite for avarice, who betrayed the public trust and shirked the responsibilities bestowed upon them. I am here to assume my rightful position – the topmost. " Siiarag is a marvelous writer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
