me Posted July 23, 2006 Somalia’s Islamic Courts may lead to an Islamic Renaissance (Wardheernews) Ali H. Abdulla July 2nd, 2006 Dr. Omar Abdul Kafi is an Egyptian Islamic scholar who is very popular all over the world. He projects the image of a progressive Muslim who uses his irresistible charm, logic and in-depth understanding of Islamic history to appeal to a wide audience usually put off by pseudo scholars who rely on rhetoric and demagogy to invite people to Islam. His friendly style, elegant demeanour and modern attire make him one of the most popular Islamic scholars of today. He is at par with scholars like Tareq Suweidan, Omar Khalid, Hamza Yusuf and Mukhtar Magrawi. These scholars strive to re-awaken true Islam and bring back the golden times enjoyed by Muslims when western nations were still in caves. When we evaluate members of the Islamic Courts and try to make sense of their sudden rise to power and their still unknown plans for Somalia, we should stack them up against these illustrious scholars. We may discover that most of them fall far short of such illustrious names. However, I am sure that there might be some among them who might measure up. Although he is not an elegant dresser like Dr. Abdul Kafi, the Sharif seems to be a man who can appeal to most Somalis, while Sheikh Awes may seem to many as a hardliner who may lead Somalia to more strife and bloodshed. I may be wrong in my analysis but this seems to be the overwhelming consensus. Most members of the group studied in Saudi Arabia or Sudan and may have Wahabi tendencies that are alien to the Somali people. Apart from chasing the abhorrent warlords from Mogadishu, some of them seem to be hung up on superficial things like banning the public from watching soccer games and videos. This does not mean that they are not justified in banning any movies that may corrupt our people such as X-rated movies. They are also justified in banning alcohol and the cursed Kat, two things that destroy our young people. I hope that they can also add cigarettes to the list, a harmful substance that the West is trying to get rid off and export to our shores causing us cancer and many other fatal illnesses. Despite their shortcomings, the leaders of the ICU should realise that they have a golden opportunity to not only save Somalia, but to also achieve the dreams of every Muslim in this world. Dreams that relive the glorious times of Islamic civilizations that made great strides in the areas of science, art, architecture and many other wonderful achievements enjoyed by the world today. Given the sad situation of our country, there is a need to bring back discipline and respect for the rule of law. Fair, nationalistic, God-fearing leaders with whom we can all identify, can achieve these goals; leaders who can look at the big picture and stand up above the mundane things that can divide us; leaders who shun clan affiliations and avoid the cursed 4.5 formula forced upon us in Djibouti and Nairobi; leaders who have not forgotten the missing land stolen away from us and handed over to our enemies; leaders who can reclaim these lands peacefully through tireless and sincere negotiations. The Islamic courts are justified in their rejection of the Ethiopian presence in Somalia. Every Somali who has an iota of dignity rejects their presence and interference in our affairs. However, to get the overwhelming support of Somalis, the ICU should prove to the Somali people and the whole world that they are not going to govern Somalia like the Afghanistan of the Taliban. We are fed up with wars and bloodshed. We need to start a period of stability, economic growth and great contributions to our society and the world. We are in the 21st century and we lag behind the whole world in everything. We are at the bottom of every United Nations ranking of nations be it education, health, income etc. We have a long way to go, and we should not waste this opportunity by starting a war between the ICU and the TFG. We all know that the TFG does not represent Somalis since they are not elected. So are the ICU members. I do not recall any elections that brought them to where they are today. Chasing the warlords does not give them the right to impose their will on the Somali people. The two unelected blocks need to sit down to hammer out their differences and pave the way for national elections. The TFG is in its last throes, having less than two and a half years left of its mandate. They should be allowed to complete this mandate in peace. There should also be guarantees to dispel the fears of the Islamic Courts who do not trust Abudllahi Yusuf and his Ethiopian allies. The Sudan negotiations are meant to address these issues and the TFG needs to attend in good faith. When fair elections come, there is no doubt that the ICU will win if they prove themselves worthy in these negotiations and steer Somalia to safe shores. The Islamic courts should not give the enemy a chance to destroy them in their infancy. They should avoid giving ammunition to Muslim hating individuals like J. Peter Pham, an opportunist who is trying to use Somalia as a stepping-stone to scholarly recognition. He unashamedly lobbies for the dismemberment of Somalia and uses the rise of the ICU to power as an excuse. The whole world has acknowledged the effectiveness of the ICU in getting rid of the warlords and are monitoring their next move. I hope that such a move will prove mercenaries like Pham wrong. The ICU should use common sense and avoid any thing that can bring misery, division and more bloodshed to our country. Let us all hope that they can lead Somalia to a period of great prosperity, and trigger the Islamic Renaissance awaited by Muslims all over the world. Ali H. Abdulla E-Mail:aliegeh@gmail.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SOO MAAL Posted July 24, 2006 Great article talo wanaagsan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
