raadamiir Posted March 6, 2006 Somali cleric predicts defiance of new gov't March 5, 2006 By Guled Mohamed MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A hardline Somali cleric with big influence in Mogadishu has said Muslims will oppose the Horn of Africa's fledgling new government because it is based on anti-Islamic principles. "A government that does not rule by the book of God does not deserve support," Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweis, 61, told Reuters at his house in Mogadishu. Aweis, who is on a U.S. list of most wanted terrorists and runs one of Mogadishu's powerful sharia courts, said the new interim administration formed in Kenya in 2004 cannot be supported because it was organised on secular lines. That would clash with the Islamic sharia law that suits the largely Muslim nation of 10 million people, he argued. "Such a government will only bring losses because people will clash, hate and disobey it and so it will not have authority over them," he said in the weekend interview. The government, led by President Abdullahi Yusuf, relocated to Somalia last year but has been unable to impose authority on the country and remains based in the provincial town of Jowhar due to fears over security in the capital Mogadishu. It is unclear how much popular support it can command. Somalia has been without proper central government since warlords toppled former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The new government aims to move to Mogadishu once it has guarantees for safety and resolves a rift within its ranks. Aweis said Islamists would not oppose the government with violence, but doubted it would have any success. "We cannot stop them from coming to Mogadishu or fight them," he said. "We feel that they are very weak people who cannot even help themselves, people who do not even think about the people's needs but only their selfish desires." Aweis resurfaced in 2004 after vanishing amid heightened U.S. scrutiny after the September 11 attacks. Western security services see Somalia as a potential safe-haven for terrorists. He runs the Ifka Halanka Islamic court in north Mogadishu. The courts are the only source of organised justice for the city's nearly one million people. A former soldier, Aweis started preaching in the late 1970s and has a burning desire to see Somalia under sharia law. Aweis said it was Somalia's only way out of its current turmoil and lawlessness. "We have done a lot of ground work," he said. "We are confident that soon people will be ready to be governed by the sharia law." He urged Yusuf's government to view the Islamists not as enemies but as a legitimate opposition group. Source: Reuters, Mar 05, 2006 Contact:webmaster@hiiraan.com Copyright © 2006 Hiiraan Online Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abdi2005 Posted March 6, 2006 Shekh Dahir Aweys is very honest sincere individual, i have met a person who was tough quran by shekh aways he used to let them sitt on his knee, he said he was very kind and merciful person unlike many teachers in somali dugsi. Aweys is very religious person who is willing to fight for his believe which is the book of Allah and nothing ells. He recently fought against Qanyare a warlord who works against the govermant it shows he is not fighting for personal issues otherwise he would have allied himself with this warlord against the government instead of fighting him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alle-ubaahne Posted March 7, 2006 Whether that is a crime or not, we all support the notion of Quran-based government, and that is an obligation to undertake upon every Allah-fearing Muslim. Those who oppose the fake government for somalia otherwise deserve the blame, but opposing this goverment thru legitimate reasons based on the Quran and Sunnah we believe is welcome. So, what is the news about that article other than showing the west that we're anti their rules and regulations when it comes to government? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoiBoi Posted March 7, 2006 Alle-ubaahne, I always appreciate your points of view. Agree, but I feel that goverments who genuinely serve the people play an important role, in that each individual has a different level of faith. Governments help fill these gaps, between those who are purely devoted to the Quran and those unfortunate soles who aren't. IMHO - Religious leaders don't make good politions, and politions don't make good religous leaders. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raadamiir Posted March 7, 2006 Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne: Whether that is a crime or not, we all support the notion of Quran-based government, and that is an obligation to undertake upon every Allah-fearing Muslim. Those who oppose the fake government for somalia otherwise deserve the blame, but opposing this goverment thru legitimate reasons based on the Quran and Sunnah we believe is welcome. So, what is the news about that article other than showing the west that we're anti their rules and regulations when it comes to government? Brother I agree with you 100% we all support the notion of Quran-based government but is't it to late for the notion to be made now after a non-quran-based government was made. Why are the so called sheikhs speaking out know? why not two years ago huh? I think it's to late for a debate of what kind of government we need. We got one and we should work with this government. Any one that once to oppose this government is up to something and must be fought off! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
