The Somalis of London

Somalis in the UK 

Where do they come from?s

Somalia is located on the northeastern seaboard of Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. The Somali people first settled in Africa around AD1200. Since that time however, they have dispersed throughout the eight countries that make up the Horn of East Africa. The name Somali actually comes from a colloquial phrase that describes their generous nature. Though northern and southern Somalia were untied after they gained their independence from Britain, the majority of the country was ravaged by civil war in 1991, and intermittent clan warfare continued through 1993. The subsequent famine brought the nation to the brink of anarchy. In 1994, UN troops interceded, reestablishing a tentative stability.

Conversely, the Somalians are said to be one of the most unified African people groups in they share a common language, heritage, and faith. Society is extremely patriarchal and is based around the nuclear family. The people consider themselves warriors. Men leave their families to train in effective combat, and in their absence, the women rule their home with a naturally submissive but firm hand.

How do the various clans differ?

There are four distinct clan groupings. The Somaal are predominantly nomadic shepherds, and easily adapt to new and different regions. The Sab are peasant farmers, solid and stable in their permanency. They are a people of deep roots and traditions. The Digil, which include the Dabarre, are commercial farmers. They are the wealthiest of all the tribes. Among the clans, prestige is shown by hospitality. They love to hold feasts and are highly relational, relishing the quality time they spend with family and friends. The chief and his council make decisions concerning business and law.

What do they believe?

Arab tradesman introduced the nation to Islam in the middle of the sixteenth century. Spiritual freedom is limited, however, since the state religion is Islam. The Somali are a mix of Shiafite Islam (80%) and Sufi (a mystic and superstitious branch of Islam). Although the people follow stricter Islamic laws, the women do not wear the traditional coverings. They are overtly influenced by mysticism, often turning to the Wadaad (medicine man or religious leader) for charms and advice. Unfortunately, the sway of folk medicine has brought with it a dependence upon narcotics and the production and use of Khat (an euphoric drug found both in Somalia and the UK) has become rather common. There is a dark cloud over the people. Though there are missionaries who have a heart to reach out to these tribes, there are less than 3000 known Somali believers. They have access to the Bible in their language, but illiteracy is extremely high.

What are their lives like in London?

Because of famine and clan warfare, many Somalians have migrated to the UK. They have retained much of their cultural heritage despite the westernized norms found in cosmopolitan cities like London. The majority of this people group has settled in the London boroughs of Haringey and Hackney. Their society is still based on the nuclear family, and the man is the ruling head of his household. The Somali are a very independent people, and hold fast to their traditions. The women can often be seen wearing the brightly colored cloths that drape over their entire bodies, which, though not black, fits in with the orthodox Muslim standard for modesty. The children have adapted well into the Western culture, while still remaining true to the traditions they were raised under. In some ways, the older generation of women has chosen not to assimilate into this new world, and many are afraid of their western neighbors. On the other hand, ample numbers of men have taken the opportunity to expand their horizons in business and trade. For the most part, however, the Somali remain isolated within their own group, which makes it very difficult to build relationships and share the love of Jesus with them. Pray for people of peace to bridge the gap.

Shaking the Dust off Your Feet

By Nik Repkin
Vol. 34, No. 3

In 1991 a missionary of long tenure and I entered into a dialogue centered on the work in Somalia. Some of his comments are branded in my soul. He claimed that one could not justify "wasting" personnel, money, and witness among Somalis in comparison to the investment being made alongside the Holy Spirit in his country. "You give me one of your missionaries and after 48 days we will start a church. You take them to Somalia and after 48 months the Muslims will still be witnessing to you. You cannot justify that."
In 1992 a trustee of a sponsoring mission board called on the phone from the midst of a crusade in East Africa. In essence, he asked me, "How many people have you baptized, how much money have you spent, and is it cost effective?" He told me, "I will leave my hotel in five minutes. When I return tonight there will be 30 new people in the kingdom of God. You are telling me that you have had one convert in one and a half years? How do you justify staying in that place?"

Are there no places where tillers, weed-pullers, seed planters, and irrigation crews are appropriate? A convert/cost radio per se is not known in Scriptures; we do need to be good stewards of expenses, particularly in constructing "witness platforms" to the dangerously unresponsive, but to speak in terms of ratios is unbiblical. Christians do not need to "justify" their presence in areas where Christ is not known. They need simply to be "obedient."

The purpose of this paper is to briefly review a biblical rationale for continuing to focus on people groups who are not responsive and whose ministry environment constitutes risk to national and expatriate believers.

Our mandate is to go into all the world and give everyone a chance to hear clearly about Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18-20).

Our methodology remains sending those "called to go" of God to the "nations," sent and supported by those "called to stay" by God to grow the existing church (Rom. 10:14- 21).
Our resolve is to remain at the task until all nations/people groups/ethne have had a chance to hear. Often our team has been told, "You have done enough." It’s time to "shake the dust" off your feet and pull out.

Let us look at some appropriate Scriptures for a moment. There is a dire warning directed toward target recipients of witness found in Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11, and Luke 6:5 in regard to Jesus, the sending out of the 12 disciples, the hearing of the gospel and the treatment of Christ’s emissaries.
Here we notice:

Jesus sends his disciples to every town and village.
Serious consequences for rejecting both God’s message and messengers; "a warning."
The sending of the disciples to the Jewish people, a people who had revelation history, not a people group that had never heard!
The disciples were told to "shake the dust off their feet" if they or the gospel were rejected.
Jesus never withdrew his followers from a single people group. They were simply relocated/redeployed into the next village/town.

The only apostolic examples of "dusting" are found in Acts 13:50-51 and Acts 18:6. In the first, Paul was indignant at the Jews in Pisidian Antioch stirring up opposition to his preaching. However, he didn't dust off any other towns on this journey where he encountered similar Jewish-instigated persecution (Iconium and Lystra). And, he returned to Antioch to encourage the church there in Acts 14:21. In the second reference in Corinth, the dusting was a sign to the Jews that he was shifting his attention to the Gentiles.

In evaluating our efforts among the "dangerously unresponsive" one should seek to compare efforts to the commands and revelation found in Matthew 28 and Romans 10. To do otherwise, and in light of man’s desire to count heads and report numbers, could make us administratively correct while biblically disobedient. Recently an influential mission leader was reported as having said, "As long as Somalia and other countries are unresponsive and dangerous, I will use all my influence to pull us out of these places." This comment is representative of many who would trade away the provision to give all peoples a chance to hear about Jesus for factors like response, cost, or security.
It is not time to pull out of places like Somalia or people groups that have had little or no chance to hear and believe. The people group has not rejected Christ or his messengers. They have not heard clearly concerning Jesus and his gospel.

In 1992, I commented to Dr. David Barrett that "The Somalis were not responsive to the gospel of Jesus Christ." Quickly he chastened me. In essence he replied, "You cannot say that they are unresponsive. They have never had a chance to respond." Somalis have rejected U.N.-led interventions, the West, and a false, preconceived idea of Christianity. They have not rejected Christ or his message. In specific areas where Somalis and others have killed Christ’s followers we must honestly and biblically struggle with God’s will in regard to expatriate presence. Did the Jews as a people group reject Jesus by killing the Christ? In Matthew 28, did Jesus therefore tell his disciples to "shake the dust off their feet" and leave Jerusalem? No. He sent them back. Why? It’s clear (to me) that the Jewish people flocked to Jesus. It was the Jewish leadership, the "keepers of the keys," who had Jesus crucified.

Who decides when the dust is to be shaken off? Jesus as the spiritual administrative leader of the 12 disciples drew definite and clear parameters. But he then left the decision of when to leave to the Spirit-led judgment of those he had sent out. That decision was done by those "on site" within the parameters clearly set by Jesus, with further discernment to come only by faith, prayer, and fasting (Matt. 17:20, Mark 9:29, and Luke 9:37). Here, also, is seen the anger and heartbreak of Jesus. His disciples, because of a lack of faith, prayer, and fasting, were not capable of staying the course and accomplishing the harder tasks.

Again, who decides when enough is enough? I believe that Jesus gives us the parameters. Biblically the dust is shaken off when either Christ’s people or his gospel are rejected. Dusting is tactical, not strategic; it is not a permanent decree—perhaps after a community has been dusted off, it can be returned to in a year, decade, or whenever, as the Spirit leads. Dusting is a public protest against hard hearts, particularly from people who know the Scriptures. Prayers based on such Scriptures as 1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, and 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 are very appropriate for frequent use by those working among the dangerously unresponsive, including communities that have been dusted off. If Christ’s gospel has not clearly been shared, then discernment and staying power are required. Every effort must be made to get the gospel among the cities, towns, and villages, circumventing those who benefit from the status quo. Jesus indeed called out the harvesters of the harvest in Matthew 9:35-38. But he did so in light of the cross and as "sheep among wolves" (Matt. 10). Is it not clear that even real harvest and persecution go hand in hand? Westerners sometimes give the impression that what is desired is to be sheep among sheep or wolves among wolves. Is the impression also given that we do not (1) accept persecution and a lack of harvest or (2) accept persecution and harvest but (3) we are only content with a harvest in the absence of persecution? Where is harvest and life-threatening persecution going hand in hand? Persecution was the New Testament norm, not the exception, in both environments of rejection and harvest. Harvest without persecution may be suspect in light of the New Testament witness. Perhaps this leads to the old adage that Christianity in many places is a "mile wide and an inch deep."

Paul was to be a model, if not the model, for today’s missionary endeavor. Yet he had to escape from Damascas (Acts 9:23) and disagreed with Barnabas (Acts 15:37-39). He was charged with treason (Acts 18:13), imprisoned in Philippi, stripped naked and beaten (Acts 16:16ff.), arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27) and imprisoned twice in Rome (Phil. 1:19-21).

As a student of modern missions, I respectfully observe that many mission sending agencies would have recalled Paul and told him early on to shake the dust off his feet, stay only with the nonpersecuting harvest areas, and "come home, you have done enough."

Thank God that did not happen. But staying the course did cost Paul his life and it must have broken the heart of the sending churches back home.

Copyright © 1998 Evangelism and Missions Information Service. This article originally appeared in the July, 1998 issue of EMQ. All rights reserved.

Bishop Recalls How Refugee Helper Died

Nairobi, October 9, 2003 (Catholic Information Service for Africa) - The Bishop of Djibouti Msgr Giorgio Bertin has narrated how veteran refugee helper Dr Annalena Tonelli was killed.

Bishop Bertin who is also the Apostolic Administrator of Somalia said that Dr Annalena was shot at close range by a man who was waiting for her at around 8:30 pm on Sunday October 5, 2003, within the hospital compound as she was going home.

"In effect Annalena had been threatened several times in the past, I made a photocopy of the two threat papers," he said.

The prelate expressed his fears that nobody may be found to continue the work of the slain doctor.

"She had only assistants, nobody who could be considered her deputy or who could replace her," said bishop Bertin.

Immediately after she had been shot, she was taken into the hospital and the doctors tried to save her life. Although many people present offered their blood for her, the bullet that had hit her was fatal and she died while undergoing treatment.

Bishop Bertin confirmed that the police have arrested several people in connection with the murder, but no certainty has been reached concerning the killer.

Only five days after she was killed, her absence was already being felt in the community.

"There is the problem of paying salaries of some of her workers for the end of the month of September," the bishop feared. "Probably also the rent of the house of Annalena for the month of September ($200 per month) is to be paid. What will happen to the TB hospital without her?" he wondered.

Doctor Annalena was also working with helpers from neighboring Kenya.

The bishop said that some teachers had only come from Kenya to help her two days before she met her death.

SOMALIA: Church of the "Minority"

August 1996

By A. Modhiso
Africanews

In spite of the intolerance from their Muslim counterparts, the Christians in Somalia are very hopeful that one day they shall proclaim their faith in Christ without risking their lives. The Catholic bishop of Mogadishu gives a briefing on the situation of the church in Somalia.

At the age of 50, Msgr.. Giorgio Bertin, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mogadishu is a rare kind of bishop to find. He is a bishop in a country with hardly ten native Christians, let alone Catholics.

However, a glance at the involvement of the church in the development of Somalia, the soft spoken Mons. Bertin can be described as a bishop for all the Somali people. "Even though there are few Christians in Somalia, the Church is alive in practically every sphere of life in this country", comments Mons. Bertin. Through its humanitarian wing, Caritas, the Catholic Church, in conjunction with other Non-Governmental Organisations, is actively involved in the reconstruction of schools and hospitals among other development projects.

Asked why the Church does not involve itself in pastoral activities, Bertin said, "it is very difficult for the church to have pastoral work when it (Church) is not officially recognised."
"Being a Christian could mean death to a local Somali. To follow Christ means risking ones life in this predominantly country," adds the bishop.

Although the diocese of Mogadishu covers the whole geographical area of Somalia (637,657 square kilometres), the bishop's work is mainly concentrated in Somaliland, with a population of about one million people. Somaliland was proclaimed a new country in May 1991, when the rebel Somali National Movement (SNM) declared the secession of northern Somalia, naming its leaders, Abd Ar- Rahman Ali Tur as its first president. With Hargeisa as the capital, the new nation has however, failed to win international recognition.

Following the secession and subsequent inter-clan fighting that ensued, refugees poured across borders to neighbouring countries in their thousands. Ethiopia alone took upto 500,000 refugees while Kenya and Djibouti absorbed 300,000 and 15,000 respectively. Another 65,000 sailed across the Red Sea to Yemen. At home thousands of people died each day despite the massive relief effort that was gathering momentum. Trigger-happy soldiers begun to loot relief supplies and seize food for themselves.

The magnitude of the meyhem prompted the resignation of the UN official in charge of the relief effort, Mohammed Shanoun, citing lack of support from New York. The international body proved incapable of protecting the relief workers or supplies. Up till the present moment, neither Somalia nor the self- proclaimed Somaliland has enjoyed peace and calm. Even after the recent death of the famous warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed of the United Somali Congress (USC), inter-clan fighting has not ceased.

Asked why he thought Aideed's death would not mean sure peace Mons. Bertin said, "I've always told the Somalis never to demonize Aideed so much. The local people are also to blame for the mess of their country. It is not only the work of a single leader". Aideed died in early August of injuries received in a clan fighting in areas controlled by his forces. He has since been succeeded by his 32-year old son, Hussein Mohamed Aideed,who has vowed to reclaim more territory, dashing any hope for peace in the troubled horn of Africa country. According to Mons. Bertin, Somalia could be subdivided into twelve different areas controlled by different clans, an indication that escalation of clan animosity could mean more meyhem.

Although the new government in Somaliland led by Mohamed Ibrahim Igaal, the successor of Ali Tur, proclaims freedom of religion, in practice it is contrary.

"I can only say mass in individual houses of foreign NGO workers. Even if the Church in Hargeisa has been rebuilt, no local Christian would feel free to attend mass there", said the bishop. He also observes that Sharia law (Islamic laws) was to be adopted but this has not been implemented so far.

Testimony: Xassan Rooxaani

Testimony: Liibaan Ibraahim Hassan (St. Liibaan of Somalia)

Shahiid Liibaan Ibraahim Xasan
12 December 1968—21 March 1994

21 Maarso 1994 ayaa xafiiska Codka Nolosha Cusub, waxa soo gaadhay warka sheegaya in Liibaan Ibraahim Xasan lagu dhex toogtay kuna dhintay magaalada Muqdisho. Xidhiidh badan oo uu la lahaa CNC kaddib, ugu dambayntii mid ka mid ah shaqaalaha idaacadda CNC ayaa Liibaan shakhsi ahaan ula kulmay kaddib markii booqasho uu ku tegay Muqdisho.  Runtii way adag tahay taariikhda shahiidkan in lagu soo koobo qoraal yar, hase ahaatee xidhiidhkiisii u horreeyay ee uu la yeeshay CNC, waxay ahayd markii uu waraaq u soo qoray xafiiska 17 Febraayo 1990. 

Waxa uu sheegay inuu la kulmay nin saaxiibkiis ah oo annaga naga helay kitaabka Axdiga Cusub [oo af-Soomaaliga ku turjumay], kaddibna wuxuu sidoo kale naga codsaday inaan isagana usoo dirno kitaab Axdiga Cusub ah, farriintiisana wuxuu ku soo xidhay: “Fadlan ogsoonaada haddii aad ii soo dirtaan kitaabkan, waxay noqon doontaa hadiyadda ugu weyn ee qof la guddoonsiiyo”.

Dhowr bilood kaddib ayaa Liibaan waxa uu mar kale CNC u soo diray farriintiisii labaad oo ahayd mid uu iyaga ugaga mahadcelinayo kitaabka Axdiga Cusub ee ku qoran af-Soomaaliga ee ay u soo direen, waxaanu yidhi: “Tani waa hadiyaddii ugu qaalisanayd een weligay helo.” Waxa kaloo uu aayado ka soo xigtay waxbarista  Sayid Ciise Masiix la magacaabay “Kuwa Barakaysan” ee ku sugan Injiilka sida Matayos u qoray  5. Waxaanu intaas raaciyay, in shaqaalaha CNC ay yihiin kuwo la barakadeeyay, waayo waxay isaga u muujiyeen naxariis.

Muddadaas laga bilaabo iyo ilaa dhammaadkii 1990, Liibaan iyo CNC waxay ahaayeen kuwo is waydaarsada waraaqo, sidoo kalena waxa uu dhammaystay koorsooyinka aqoondirsadka “Ilaah Keliya iyo Jid Keliya” ee uu bixiyo xafiiska CNC. Waraaqahani waxay haddaba tusinayeen, inuu Liibaan ahaa Masiixi isla markaasna aqoon u lahaa Qoraallada Quduuska ah. Mid ka mid ah waraaqihiisa, waxa ku qornaa su’aalo ay ka mid ahaayeen waxa ay Masiixiyaddu ka qabto baayacmushtarka, dhaxalka iyo guurka.

Waraaq ama farriin kalena waxa uu ku yidhi sidan: “Marka qof uu doonayo inuu rumaysto diin, waa inuu aqoon u lahaado si uu uga jawaab celiyo haddii la weydiiyo wax su’aalo ah oo ku saabsan diintiisa. Ha la yaabina haddii aan idhaahdo, ‘Ciise waa badbaadiyahayga’…ma aha khasab qofka ku dhashay waddan laga aamminsan yahay Masiixiyadda oo keli ahi inuu yahay Masiixiga runta ah. Masiixugu waxa weeye qof Ilaah uu doortay… run ahaantiina anigu waxaan helay rumaysad, hibo iyo farxad…ha la yaabin qof Soomaaliya ku dhex nooli inuu yahay mid rumaysan Ciise, maxaa yeelay qofka Muslimka ahi kuma dhaco, inuu yidhaahdo waxaan ku kalsoonahay Ciise. Run ahaantii Injiilku wuxuu ii iftiimayay jidka cusub ee rumaysadka  oo ka wanaagsan wax kasta xitaa haddii aanay dadka kale fahamsanayn. Runtii waxaan u qabaa oon xad-dhaaf ah…fadlan iisoo dira kitaab aan ka barto tukashada. ”

Warqaddii ugu dambaysay ee CNC ay ka helaan Liibaan, waxay ahayd  Disembar 1990, oo ahayd ka hor intii aanay xaruntii boostadu ku baabi’in dagaalkii sokeeye, waxaanu farriintiisa ku soo qoray codsigan: “Waxa jira dad badan oon daacad ahayn isla markaasna iska dhiga kuwo raba inay bartaan Injiilka, si aanan markaas ugu wareerin dadkaas, fadlan kiniisadda Ilaah u soo qora waraaq talabbixin ah; waayo waa meesha keliya een aqoontayda ku korodhsan karo.”

Jawaaba-celintii CNC markaas waxay noqotay midaan weligeed gaadhin Liibaan, maxaa yeelay Muqdisho waxa ka dillaacay dagaallo culus bishii Janaayo 1991. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, nimcada Ilaah daraaddeed, waxa dib u soo laabtay xidhiidhkii oo soo marayay mid ka mid ahaa cusbitaallada. Shaqaalaha cusbitaalka mid ka mid ahaa ayaa wuxuu arkay in Liibaan dabeecaddiisu  ahayd mid ka gedisan dabeecadda shaqaalaha kale ee cusbitaalka. Sidoo kalena Liibaan qofkaas wuxuu u sheegay, inuu ka mid yahay dhegaystayaasha idaacadda Codka Nolosha Cusub. Haddaba, qofkan oo keli ahi muu ahayn ka xidhiidhiya xafiiska CNC iyo Liibaan, laakiin waxa la baray Soomaali kale oo Masiixiyiin ah oo wada cibaadaysan jiray dagaalku intaanu dhicin ka hor.

Intaas kaddib, sannad iyo badhkii xigay,  shaqaalaha CNC waxay awoodeen inay xidhiidh dhow la yeeshaan Liibaan, waxaanu soo diray waraaqo uu saaxiibadiis ugu dalbayo Kitaabbo iyo koorsooyin aqoondirsiya oo dheeraad ah. Haddaba, CNC Liibaan weligood kamay dalbanin inuu shaqadan qabto oo faafiyo Injiilka, sidoo kale isna weligiis muu codsanin shaqada uu hayo in mushahar lagu siiyo. Laga bilaabo 1992-1994, in ka badan 80%  xidhiidhada dhegaystayaasha CNC ee magaalada Muqdisho, waxay ahaayeen kuwo soo mara Liibaan.

Liibaan waxa uu go’aansaday in la baabtiiso, sidaasi darteedna wuxuu u soo socdaalay Itoobiya si halkaasi loogu baabtiiso, kaddibna wuxuu Muqdisho ku laabtay badhtamihii sanadkii 1992-kii. Liibaan wuxuu sidoo kale kororka rumaysadkiisa uga sheekeeyay mid ka mida shaqaalaha CNC kaddib markii ay kulmeen 1993-kii.

Sanadkii 1982, ayaa Liibaan waxa uu akhriyay buugga uu qoray Sigmund Freud ee lagu magacaabo “Dreams” iyadoo arrintaasina ku yeelatay saamayn wayn oo ku sababtay hurdo la’aan. Waxa la isku dayay in dhibkaas laga daaweeyo iyadoo loo keenay sheekhyo oo Quraanna lagu akhriyay, laakiin waxyaalahaas oo dhammi waa ay daaweyn waayeen. Intaas kaddib, nin Masiixiya oo ajnebi ah ayaa wuxuu isaga siiyay Axdiga Cusub oo ku qoran Ingiriisi, sidoo kalena wuxuu u sheegay inuu akhriyo Warqadda kowaad ee uu qoray rasuul Yooxanaa. Waxa kaloo jirtay intaas ka hor badhtamihii 1980-kii, inuu Liibaan Kitaabka Quduuska ah ku akhriyay luqadaha Talyaaniga iyo Ingiriisida. Waxa kale oo luqadda Talyaaniga uu ku akhriyay buugga ku saabsana waraaqihii rasuul Bawlos… isaga oo Ilaahna u tukaday oo waydiistay inuu tusiyo jidka toosan ee saxda ah.

Waxa kaloo jirtay xitaa wakhtigan ka hor, inuu Liibaan dhegaystay Codka Nolosha Cusub iyo idaacado kale oo ku baaha luqada Ingiriisida. Wacdiyayaasha idaacadaha kuwii uu ugu jeclaana waxa ka mid ahaa  Ravi Zacharias, oo asal ahaan ka soo jeeday Hindiya. Liibaan waxa uu raadiyahiisa ku tilmaamay qolkiisa , waxaanu yidhi: “Kaasi wuxuu ahaa macallinkayga”. Waxa uu sheegay inay idaacaddu tahay waxa uu ugu magac daray  “dhaqanka caalamiga ah”.

Sababo badan ayuu Liibaan sheegay inuu ugu qanci waayay diinta Islaamka, waxaanu la yaabay sababta ay waajibka u tahay in Ilaah loogu tukado luqadda Carabiga, oo ah luqad shisheeye. “Maxaynu ugu jeedsannaa Maka marka aan tukanayno?” Waxyaalaha kalee Liibaan aad ka isu waydiiyay waxa ka mid ahaa: “Haddii Ilaah abuuray Aadan iyo Xaawa oo keliya, maxay tahay sababta ragga loogu banneeyay inay guursadaan afar naagood iyadoo sidoo kalena la sheegay inay jannada ku heli doonaan tiro aan aan lasoo koobi karin oo bikrado ah?”  Liibaan waxa ka yaabiyay Quraanka oo uu u arkay inuu haweenka xaqooda meel kaga dhacayo.

Waxa kale ka mid ahaa su’aalihii uu is waydiiyay:  “Sanadkii 1984 iyo 1985, waxaan is weyddiinayay Baybalka iyo Quraanka, kee baa ah waxyiga Ilaah ee runta ah?”

Ugu dambayntiina, sanadkii 1985, Liibaan waxa uu garawsaday in Baybalka oo keli ahi yahay runta, waxaanu go’aansaday waxa ugu horreeya ee waajibka ay tahay xerta Masiixa inuu qabto inay tahay is-hoosaysiinta. Liibaan saaxiibbadiis is beddelka noloshiisa ku yimid waxay ogaadeen, sanadkii 1986 isaga oo bilaabay inuu iyaga la wadaago rumaysadkiisa cusub. Ugu dambayntiina, waxay ahayd 1990 markii Codka Nolosha Cusub uu farriin usoo qoray, isaga oo ka codsanaya Baybal ku qoran afka-Soomaaliga. 

Liibaan wuxuu ahaa qof aqoon u leh Masiixiyadda oo sidoo kalena ku camal fali jiray. Wuxuu ahaa qof iimaankiisu buuxo oo si qoto dheer wax ugu fiirsada oon si fudud ugu qancin jawaabaha macno darrada ah. Sidoo kale Liibaan waxa uu ku camal fali jiray waxa Kitaabka farayo isaga oo dadka ku hareeraysan u muujin jiray jacayl iyo naxariis.

Dagaalkii sokeeye wuxuu isaga u suurto geliyay fursad badan oo dadka uu ugu markhaati-furay. Markii uu ka shaqaynayay dhakhtarka, dhakhaatiirtii reer galbeedka ahaa ee bilaa diinta ahaa, waxay ka yaabeen qaab fikirkiisa oo gebi ahaanba ka duwanaa shaqaalaha kale. Dadka xanuunsanaya uuguma kala eexan jirin qabiilkooda amaba waxyaalaha la mid ah, laakiinse wuxuu u muujin jiray naxariis dadka oo dhan, kalkaaliyanimadiisa caafimaadna may u ahayn shaqo oo keliya. Tusaale ahaan waxa jirtay mar ay nin sheekh ah oo si xun u dhaawacmay wada qaateen dood ku saabsan xagga diimaha. Intaas kaddibna, Liibaan waxa uu ugu deeqay ninkaas dhiig, markii uu bogsadayna wuxuu kula taliyay inuu dhegaysta idaacadda Codka Nolosha Cusub. Ugu dambayntiina CNC waxay waraaq ka heleen ninkaas sheekha ahaa oo codsaday in loo soo diro Kitaabbo iyo koorsooyin aqoondirsad ah.

Subaxnimadii 21 March 1994-kii, Liibaan waxa jidka loo maro xafiiskiisa  u fadhiistay labo nin. Markii 7:30 subaxnimo uu u soo baxay inuu shaqo tago, waxa ay ka toogteen meel dhow isagoo isla markiibana daqiiqado kaddib dhintay. Waxaana la sheegay in aasitaankiisii ay kasoo qayb galeen dad ay tiradoodu yar tahay. Haddaba, CNC waxa soo gaadhay waraaqo badan oo ay soo qoreen dad dhegaystayaasha idaacadda ahi, waxaanay sheegeen in Liibaan noloshiisu ay iyaga ku lahayd saamayn aad u ballaadhan.

Haddaba, aragtida wiil Liibaan oo kale ah isla markaasna leh hadiyad iyo rumaysad, waxa ay tahay mid ay ka murugoodeen dhammaanba dadka Masiixiyiinta ah ee dunida ku nooli. Tacsiyaddayada aannu shahiidkaas ugu raaxaynaynaa waxay tahay  qalbiqabowjinjta midda ku qoran Muujintii Ciise Masiix ee Yooxanaa loo Muujiyey 14:12-13.

Somali Church Leader Concerned About Situation of Christians

7/23/2003

[ENI] Leaders of Somalia's small Christian community attending talks in Nairobi have expressed concern about the plight of Christians in their troubled country.

"We live in constant fear. We have very little rights, since people believe that there are no Christians in Somalia," said Peter Ahmed Abdi, leader of the Mogadishu Pentecostal Church, who is also chairman of the tiny Somali Christian community.

Leaders and warlords of more than 20 fighting factions, as well as traditional and religious leaders such as Abdi, have gathered in the Kenyan capital for the Somali National Reconciliation Conference sponsored by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, which comprises countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa. They are trying to reach agreement on an interim government for Somalia.

Somalia slid into anarchy without a stable government after the overthrow of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. The breakaway, self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland in the northern part of the country is not recognised by any government.

Somali Christians were demanding the right to worship and assemble, to move freely and to have political representation, said Abdi, who was accompanied in the talks by two Roman Catholics. He said he had been shouted down at the conference by Muslim delegates, who had insisted Somalia had no Christians.

Somalia's few Christians are being oppressed and living in fear of being killed, Abdi said. "We do not walk openly proclaiming our faith because we can be assassinated anytime. We pray on Fridays in Somalia just like [Muslims], since they will not allow us to attend church on Sunday." Church structures erected in colonial times and shortly after the country's independence have collapsed.

Somalia is virtually 100 per cent Muslim, according to the World Christian Encyclopedia, with only about 200 Somali Catholics and small groups of Protestants associated with Mennonite missionaries and the Sudan Interior Mission. "We are calling on Christians from all over the world to help [rebuild] our churches," said John Muktar, a Somali Roman Catholic.

"Soomaalidu Waa Carabtee?"

Carabtu Islaamka hortiis waxay u qaybsanayd Carab Carab ah, Carab Carabowday iyo Carab Iscarabaysay.
Mowjaddii koowaad ee carabtu (Carab carab ah) waxay ahayd qabaa'ilkii reer Caad, reer Samuud, iwm.

Mowjaddii labaad (Carab Carabowday) ee aan asal ahaan carab ahayn, ha yeeshee caraboobay kedib markii reer Caad iyo reer Samuud eebbe xasuuqay, waxay ahaayeen qabaa'ilkii Yamanta ee reer Qaxdaan.

Mowjaddii saddexaad ee carabtu waa tii ayadu iscarabaysay ayaga oo ku dayanaya kuwii ka horreeyey ee caraboobay waana qabaa'ilkii Cadnaaniyiinta reer Makka.

Haddaba kol hadday carabtii carabta ahayd dhammaatay waxa garoonka isugu soo haray carabtii carabowday (Qaxdaaniyiin) iyo tii iscarabaysay (Cadnaaniyiin). Waxa ay isku kala garan jireen calaamado iyo dhaqan u gaar ah qolo walba sida Qaxdaaniyiinta oo qaadan jiray cimaamado iyo calamo leh midabka jaallaha, halka cadnaaniyiintu ay ka qaadan jireen cimaamado iyo calamo casaan ah, waxana ka dhaxayn jirtay colaad aan weligeed dhammaan.

Qaxdaaniyiintu markay Yaman degeen Cadnaaniyiintuna waxay degeen Makka. Haddaba kolkii uu dumay biyaxireenkii MA'RIB 532 CD Waxa dhalatay boqortooyadii SABA', halkaasi oo Qaxdaaniyiin fara badani ka haajireen Yaman una guureen meelo kala duwan. Qaar kamid ah Qaxdaaniyiintii Yaman ka haajiray waxay degeen Madiina, waana labada qabiil ee OOWS iyo KHASRAJ. Qaar kale waxay ku kala firdheen meelo kale oo kamid ah Jasiiradda Carabta iyo Suuriya.

Inkasta oo Islaamku uu babi'iyey waxa qabiilka la yiraahdo oo qabilladii oo dhan uu isugu geeyey ummad keliya, misna colaaddii iyo cadaawadii u dhaxaysay reer Qaxdaan iyo reer Cadnaan ma ayan dhammaan, waxanay sabab u noqotay masiibooyin badan oo markii dambe ku habsaday Carabta iyo Islaamka. Qaxdaaniyiintu waxay isu haysteen inay ka reer magaalsan yihiin Cadnaaniyiinta, waxanay ugu yeeri jireen "Qamiisyooley" iyagoo ku cayn jiray inay reer baadiye yihiin qamiisyada lebbista, halka Qaxdaaniyiintu iyagu ay ka lebbisan jireen dharka reer magaalka iyo waxyaabaha la isku qurxiyo intaba. Cadnaaniyiintu iyagu waxay Qaxdaaniyiinta ku cayn jireen inay "Qodato" yihiin shaqadooduna tahay beero qodashada, xirfaddaasi oo markaasi reer Cadnaan ula muuqatay wax ceeb ah oo mudan ruuxii ku shaqaysta in la yaso.

Kolkii ay billowdeen furitaannadii Islaamku casrigii khaliifkii Cumar bin Khaddaab (RC), Islaamku wuxuu ku fiday dalalka Shaam, Masar, Afrikada waqooyi (Liibiya, Tuuniisiya, Aljeeriya iyo Marooko). Masar waxa uu Islaamku uga sii gudbay Suudaan. Guud ahaan, dalalkaasi ma aanay ahayn carab, ha yeeshee kolkii ay diinta Islaamku gaartay bay luqada carabiga ka dhigteen luqadooda rasmiga ah, yeesheenna Saqaafad (Dhaqan + Aqoon + Luqad) carbeed, sidaasi bayna ku noqdeen mowjaddii afaraad ee carbeed, carabtaasi cusub oo markaasi loo bixiyey Carab Saqaafadeed.

Ummadihii kale ee Islaamka galay sida; Furus (Iiraan), Tattaar (Jamhuuriyadaha Aasiyada dhexe), Muslimiintii Hindiya, Maleeshiya, Indooniisiya, iwm., ma aanay qaadan luqada carabiga, balse waxay sii haysteen luqadohoodii hooyo ee asalka ahaa, halka dalalkii kale ee bariga dhexe; Shaam (Suuriya, falastiin iyo Lubnaan), Ciraaq, Masar, Suudaan iyo dalalka Afrikada waqooyi luqada carabigu ay kaga noqotay luqadoodii hooyo oo ay si wadajir ah ugu wada hadlaan dadka Muslimiinta ah iyo kuwa aan Muslimiinta ahayn ee dalalkaas ku nool dhammaan. Taa micneheedu waxa weeye in carabnimada saqaafaddu keentay ay teendhada carbeed soo wada gelisay dadyow aan ayagu asal ahaan markii hore carab ahayn kana dhana saddexdii mowjadood ee carbeed ee aynu soo tilmaannay. Dadyowga caynkaas ah waxa kamid ahaa Aashooriyiin, Kancaaniyiin, Fiinaqiyiin, Faraaciin, Nuubiyiin, Suudaaniyiin iyo Barbariyiin ku kala noolaa dalalkii Islaamku gaaray.

Haddaba aynu si caqli iyo xikmadi ku jirto isu weydiinno eh Soomaalidu waa carabtee?. Kol haddaanay reer Caad iyo reer Samuud ka soo jeedin ama reer Qaxdaan iyo reer Cadnaan amaba ahayn mowjaddii afaraad ee luqada dhaqanka iyo aqoonta carbeed qaadatay sidaana ku carabowday lana baxday carab saqaafadeed, xaggaynu ku carabownay?, maxaynu ku carabownay?, goormaynuse carabownay?.

Luqadu ma aha oo qura aalad loo adeegsado in la isku afgarto, balse waxa weeye buundo ay saqaafaddu ugu kala gudubto dadyowga luqadaasi ku hadla, waana dhaqan saameeya qofka shakhsiyaddiisa iyo hab dhaqankiisa guud, waana taa tan dadyowga carbeed (Muslin iyo Masiixi intaba) ka dhigtay kuwo isku dhaqan iyo caadooyin ah. Sharshal kolkii uu Masaarida ka warbixinayey waxa uu tilmaamay in aanu wax farqi ahi u dhaxayn qofkooda Muslinka iyo kooda Qibdiga ah aan ka ahayn in mid Masjidka galo kan kalena Kaniisadda. Sharshal waxa uu warbixintiisa uga jeeday in dhaqanka, caadooyinka iyo guud ahaan saqaafadda dadka Masaarida ahi diintay doonaan ha haysteene isku mid tahay.

Haddaba, carab ma sheegan karaa qof aanay hooyadii erey carabiya aqooni?. Maxay isku difaacayaan dadka carabta inagu daray kolka la weydiiyo maxaynu carab ku noqonnay?. Miyaanay inooga sharaf roonayn inaynu niraahno waxaynu nahay dal Islaam ah sida dalka adduunka ugu Islaamka badan (Indooniisiya) oo ay ku nool yihiin in ka badan laba boqol oo milyan oo Muslimiin ahi. Sida Maleeshiya, Bakistaan, Turkiga, Iiraan, iwm. Xiriirka naga dhexeeya annaga iyo carabtu miyaanu ku habboonayn inuu ahaado mid ku dhisan diinta Islaamka kol haddaynaan isku dhaqan iyo luqad midnaba ahayn. Markan hadalkaa leeyahay anigu qof ahaan waxan afka carabiga wax ku baranayey muddo koow iyo toban sano ah, waxanan carab la noolaa muddo fara badan, ha yeeshee imisa Soomaaliya ayaa ila mid ah oo sheegan karta inay carab ku saqaafad yihiin?. Miyaanay ceeb ahayn inaan carabnimo sheegto hooyaday oon "Kaalay" Af-Carabi ku oran karin?.

Mulsimiintu kolkay furteen degeenna dhulkii "Andalus" la oran jiray (Koofurta Isbeyn) inay ku midoobaan dareenkoodii diineed iskaba daaye waxay ku kala tageen dareenkii qabyaaladeed. Waxay u kala jajabeen qolooyin, madaxa qolo walibana waxa uu isku magacaabay inuu boqor qoladiisa u yahay. Halkii bay qolooyinkii carbeed caydii, cadaawadii iyo colaaddii kasii wadeen iyada oo qolo waliba ay ku caynayso tan kale reer baadiyenimo ama qodatonimo. Cadaawadaasi joogtada ah iyo dagaalkaasi aan dhammaanayn ee u dhexeeyey ummadda Islaamku waxay fursad siiyeen Isbaanishkii inay qolaba mar jebiyaan ilaa ay ugu dambeyntii jebiyeen boqortooyadii Garanaada, Muslimiintiina ku soo celiyeen galbeedka Afrika kedib markay siddeed boqol oo sano ka talinayeen Andalus.

Qofka taariikh yaqaanka ahi waa kan garanaya siduu u saameyn lahaa taariikhda lafteeda. Qofka si cilmiyeysan u darsa dhacdooyinka taariikhiga ahina waa kan awood u yeesha inuu naftiisa ka xoreeyo qoolal iyo silsilado fara badan oo ku xirxirnaa, awoodiisana u jiheeyo inuu ku qabto waxyaabo faa'iido u leh ummaddiisa iyo asaga laf ahaantiisa intaba.

Guntii iyo gunaanadkii, waxaan ummadda Soomaaliyeed iyo waxgaradkeeda kula talin lahaa inay ku dadaalaan laba umuurood:
Tan hore, Inay ku hoos midoobaan dalladda diinta Islaamka kana xoroobaan kala qoqobka iyo qolo-qolada, kuna cibra qaataan wixii ku dhacay dadyowgii iyaga ka horreeyey waddada ay iminka hayaan qaaday, qolada iyo qabiilkana qaaya mooday.
Tan labaad, inay ku faanaan diintooda Islaamka iyo dadnimadooda Soomaalinnimo, kana koraan tabaciyada iyo carab kadaba cararka, hadday carabi khayr leedahay iyadaa wax isku fali lahayd eh.

Qore
Sabriye Macallin Muuse
sabkaxaaji@hotmail.com

Qabiil Soomaaliyeed oo ka Cabanaya Masiixiyiintooda!

Mudullood Muslin ama Masiixi



by: Dr. Ali Ahmed Hirabe
Email: Hirabe_a@hotmail.com



Waxaan isweeydiiyaa Mudulood miyuunan aheeyn Muslim mise wax kale aayaa ku hoos qarsan Muslinimada eey sheeganaayaan, waxaa xaqiiq ah in umadaani eey ahaan jireeyn Muslim marka la fiiriyo taariikhda aan soo marnay, taa waxaan ula jeedaa umada Mudulood wax yaabaha lagu yiqiin ayaa waxaa ugu horeeya ku dhawaanshaha diinta Islaamka, waxaan shaki ku jirin in eey ka dhasheeyn Mudulood culumo aad u faro badan islamarkaasna lagu yaqaan barashada ama barida diinta umadaha la diriska ah, waxaa eey dad badani isweeydiiyaan oo eey qiraan in Mudulood caadada lagu yiqiin eey ka mid aheeyd in eey wax walba ka jeclayeen in eey Faataxada qaataan marka dhib loogeeysto sida dilka ama dhaawaca ku yimaad , dhaqankaas waxuu ahaa mid qaas u ah Mudullood oo kaliya, taa waxaa daliil u ah in Faataxada eey tahay hooyada Quraanka Kariimka haddii aad dib u fiirisid umada kale ee Soomaaliyed waxaa hubaal ah in marka dhib dhaco eey waxa ku kala qaadan jireen xoolo iwm.

Ruuxa Mudullood waxaa lagu dhaarin jiray Ilaah magaciisa waxii jirana waa uu sheegijiray haddii eey dhib ka soo gaaraaya xitaa, halka umadaha kale eey isku dhaariyaan QOODHAA IYO XIRADAA IYO XANIINTAA iwm waxaa hubaal ah in diinta eey aheeyd waxa kaliya eey odayada Mudullood xushmad iyo qadarin siin jireen, waxaa caado u aheeyd in eey dhihi jireen " Nin aan shaqeeysan shaah waa ka xaaraan " isnaasnuujinta Mudullood kuma dheereen waxaa Ilaaheey siiyay nasiibna eey u heleen in Moqadisho uu Ilaaheey caasimadii Soomaali uu ugu dhigo, waxaa eey fursad u heleen wax walba oo eey umadi ku hormarikarta, waxaa eey dhalinta Mudullod u hano qaaday in eey umadaha kale ka hormarin waxaa eey nasiib u heleen in Xamar laga helaayay skoolaadka, jaamacdaha,iyo waliba shaqada, halka umadaha kale eey ahaayn in eey u soo safraan si eey wax u bartaan ama eey u shaqeeystaan, laa kiin nasiib xumo waxaa dalka ka dhacay cadaalad daro xoog leh, cadaalad xumidaana waxaa sabbabay in kuwii maamulka dalka qabtay in eey u bateen umadaha kale oo degaan ahaan aad ugu fogaa moqdisho, sida umadaha ku dhaqan gobolka bari, kuwa gobolada dhexe iwm.

Mudulood qidmada wadanka wax uu ka qabtay ayaa yareed waayo waxaan dhihikaraa maqaarsaar Mudulood aya jiray, maqaarsaarkaasna waxeey u badnaayeen kuwii la soo shaqeeyay talyaanigii dalka xukumaayay waxeeyna u badnaayeen kuwo aad ugu fog diinta oo badankood ahaa calmaaniyiin, rag aad iyo aad u faro badan ayaa jira kuwaas oo wada qorsho aad u dheer arinkuna waxaa uu soo bilaabmay xiligii gumeeytaha cadi uu dalka joogay, 1960 ilaa iyo maanta waxaa eey ku dadaalaayeen in umada Mudulood eey ka fogeeyaan diinta, wax qarsoon maahin waxaa jiray qaar masiixi ah oo ilaa iyo hada ka shaqeeya sidii umadaaani looga fogeeyn lahaa diinta, Cali mahdi markii lagu doortay Jabuuti waxaa caalamka la mariyay in uu ka soo jeedo qabiil aad iyo aad ugu adag diinta waxaana uu aduunka u arkay in aan loo baahneeyn in la taageero, taariikhda waxaa wanaagsan in runta laga sheego , waxaa xaqiiq ah in Mudullood uu sameeyay maxkamadaha Islaamiga markii ugu horeeysay ee taariikhda Soomaaliyeed, waxaana uu Mudullood doorbiday in umada Soomaaliyeed lagu dhaqo diinta Islaamka si loo gaaro cadaalo iyo nabad,waad garan kartaan xilgii maxkamadaha Islaamiga in Soomaalida eey u riyaaqeen halka umadaha aduunka eey ku tilmaameen in soomaaliya eey ka jirta xaqdaro xaga aadimaga, qoraaladii eey faafiyeen kuwa u olaleeya xuquuqda aadaimag aad ayeey u dhibsadeen xukunka ka jira dalka, waxaa haboon in qarnigaan aan ku jirna ee 21 aad in Mudulood uu ku noqdo diintii lagu yaqaanay si loo badbaadiyo umada Mudulood ee diin laáanta ku dhimaneeysa maalin walba, waxaad ogaatiin in hamigii eey rabeeyn kuwa masiixiga Mudullood ka ah eey gaareen maanta, waayo maanta majiro Mudullood ku mideeysan diinta ama diinta isku jecel, maanta waxaa jira in diinta aaneey qiimo iyo qadarini ka laheeyn umada Mudullood dhexdiisa, waxaa batay munaafaq, iyo masiixii mudullood oo u soo taagan in uu umadaani maran habaabiyo kana dhigo kuwo naca diinta sida maantaba eey jirto, waxaan dhihi lahaa waa in aan u kala baxnaa Muslim iyo Masiixi si aan u ogaano kuwa cadawgeena ah iyo kuwa aan cadowgeena aheeeyn, waxaad ogaatiin in aan isku raacikarin magac mudullood waayo kii Masiixiga haa iyo kii Muslimka ahaa waxaa ka dhaxeeys cadawtinimo dheer oo ilaa iyo hada socoto, Bush waxaa uu dhahay waa in aan soo celinaa calaamada Salibiyada ama kirishtada, Mudullood masaska na hoos jiifa ee cadawga ah waa in aan wallaal ka dhigan , waa in aan u kala baxnaa Islaam ama Masiixi.

Waxii la qariyaaba qaawisaatim ee Muduloodka masiixiga ah waa mid jecel in magaca Mudullood uu ku qarsanaada si uu hoowlihiisa ugu fusho magac Mudullood, aniga waxaan dhihi lahaa waa in aan aragno kuwa masiixiga ah oo fasahaadinta umada Mudullood iyo umada wada, waxaa haboon ogowbow in qarnigaan aan ku jirno lagaaray in Mudullood uu kala miirmo si loo gaaro ama loo helo badbaadada umada Mudullood.



By: Dr. Ali Ahmed Hirabe, Sweden Uppsala

Hirabe_a@hotmail.com__

"Somali Christians Should Move to the Vatican": Assiyaasa

ASSIYAASA, Eldoret 6/2/03

Nin Soomaali oo Kiristaan oo sheegtay inuu u doodayo xuquuqda dadka Kiristiyaanka ah

Nin Soomaali ah oo ka codsaday madaxa Guddiga Farsamada IGAD in loo ogolaado iney shirka Eldoret ka qeyb galaan wuxuu ugu yeeray Mujtamaca Kiristiyaanka Soomaaliya ee laga tiro badan yahay , qoraalka ninkaasi nuqul ka mid ah oo uu ku illoobay ninkii codsigaasi qoray goobtii uu ku qortay ayaa wargeyska Assiyaasa uu helay , hase yeeshee inooma suurtoobin in aan ninkaasi helno si aynu wareysi uga qaadno waayo warqadda kuma qorna magaca ninkaasi , taariikhda madaxda IGAD loo geeyey ama la qoray warqadda .

Dadka Soomaalida shirka Eldoret argagax ayaa ku dhacay , ninkaasina waa nin is qarinayo sida muuqata hadda , balse siyaasiyiinta Soomaalida ee Eldoret jooga waxey aaminsan yihiin in ninkaasi iyo cidda uu magaceeda sheegtay aysan jirin balse ay tahay caqabad hor leh oo shirka lagu burburinayo . Xaqiiqda jirtaa waxey tahay mujtamac Soomaali Kiristiyaan ah oo aynu og nahay ma jiraan , balse waxaa jira dad damiir xumo iyo imaan la’aan ay u geyso iney Kiristiyaan sheegtaan si ay u helaan sandareerto gelin ku noolow oo Markey helaan fursaddey raadinayeena ku soo laabta diinta Islaamka .

Marka hore waxa is weydiin leh qof muslim ahaa ab ka ab ma la oran karaa waan kiristiyaan hadduu yiraahdo kiristiyaan baa ahay ? jawaabta waa maya waa Murtad ee Kiristiyaan waxaa la oran karaa qofkii ab ka ab kiristiyaan ahaa. Koobi ka mid codsigaasi ayaan idin kugu soo lifaaqnay warbixinta Assiyaasa si aad uga bogataan waxa ay warqaddaasi xambaarsan tahay .


SOMALI CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY MINORITY

FROM: SOMALIA CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

TO: KENYA’S SPECIAL ENVOY TO SOMALIA

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN INCLUSION IN THE SOMALIA NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE – ELDORET

This is to inform you that the above named is for the peace of the Nationa of Somalia.The Somalia Christianity Community has faced many difficulties in their country and as you are aware it is God who is holding the universal so if we are not included in the Government it will be difficulty for the peace which many are looking for to be found. God is the prince of peace.

Note that:If we are not included in the parliament, it will be difficult for us to be in the land of Somalia and this will force us to leave the country.

The Somalia constitution started in 1960 when we got independence up to now the constitution states that every Somalia has freedom of religion.

For a long time Christians have been represented in the Parliament as M.Ps and ministers e.g. Antony Mariama, Michael Maariama and others including myself.

We are fighting for the right of all the people even Kenyans because Christians are pillars of peace.

We are looking forward to have three members of Parliament in the Somalia Government one of them to Dr. Ahmed Abde Ahmed.

Finally this is what God is saying to the people of Somalia.


2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and leave and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.

Assiyaasa : waxey kula talineysaa kuwa Soomaalida ee kiristiyaan sheeganaya doonayana iney madax noqdaa ha aadeen dowladda Fetikaanka ,halkaa ayey ka helayaan waxa ayrabaan .

The Somali Concept of Gaalo!

By Cali Nuur

Growing up as a lad in the Somali inhabited area of "NFD" I remember the term "gaalo" being used to differentiate Somali Muslims from their animists, Christians and pagan neighbours. The occasional white man who visted that peripheral region was referred to as "fariinji" or "cadaan". In essence, a white man who is born or converted to the Islamic faith was addressed as "Fariinji", a black borana who practised paganism with gods such as Waaq were referred to "gaal".

However, coming to Somalia as a young man and later, in a life marked by exile I interacted with many of my Somali brethren. To my dismay, these Somalis defined the concept of gaalosim using ethnicity. In many instances, a black pagan is not called a "gaal" but "madow" while a white Muslim would always be a gaal. But that is not the aim of this article. My aim with this short article is to highlight the double standards that my people, Somalis, Practice.

In the later part of the fifties, when independence was knocking on our doorsteps, many of our parents and grandparents lived in the countryside pursuing nomadic life. The British and Italian colonists were anxious to leave power to a few greedy henchmen who would enhance the cultural and intellectual colonisation of our people. Many older and wiser men that I have spoken to have revealed that the words "alore, governo" etc was enough to acquire a political position. In the northern part, things were different. The British were reported to have invested in Institutions of higher education. Instead of scholars Somaliland also sent brutish lackeys to Xamar!. One common feature, however, was these new leaders were secularists; latent gaalos who smoked pipes, talked and walked like gaalos- Almost a half-century later, in the diasporas from London to Toronto, we are witnessing how Somalis are marginalized. On a recent visit to London which is reportedly to be home over 200 000 Somalis, I was surprised to learn of the modern day exodus of Somalis from continental Europe. This new wave of Somalis did not escape from the persecution of warlords, civil war or from dictatorship. They fled "GAALO". Apparently, many European countries have devised laws that specifically aim to target Somalis; FGM debate in Scandinavia, daily racist remarks by politicians who see Somalis as a threat to democracy, hard to integrate (in actual sense they mean assimilation) or in some cases equating Somalis with primitivism- not fit to live among the human race.

In towns such as Toronto, Birmingham, Ohio, London and Minneapolis, you have certainly seen Somali women who wear the "Xijaab" or girls who wear jeans, revealing pants, -shirts but with a "xijaab"! Equally, you might have visited the many arenas including qaad houses, coffee houses, street parliaments where men discuss "GAALO". The same "gaalo" haters could sometimes be overheard supporting a certain warlord, or tribe. In the same token you might be aware that many Somalis in welfare states are over represented in the welfare beneficiary statistics; not to mention the many separation or marriage of conveniences that aim at increasing the GAALO income!

In my layman view, we have Somali "gaalos" whose features are: · They play the blame game when discussing Somali issues; you would meet them everywhere uttering words such as "Gaalada allaha ha naga qabto; waxaan gaalada ayaa ka dambeeysa". In most cases these Somali Gaalos slander the hand that feeds them by on the one hand living on social security, while on the other hand they have the time to sit/stand idly in the "street" parliaments and condemning the white Gaalo.

Warlords and their supporters. According to the Islamic faith to which many of us subscribe to Islam is a complete submission to Allah; including refraining from murdering women, children and men. Most of the Somali warlords are involved in massacres and only GAALOS are capable of some of the atrocities.


ALLOW GAALADA MADOOW NAGA QABO!
E-mail: calinuur2@hotmail.com

Somalia: Anti-Christian Declaration

Excerpts


On 3 January 2004 a powerful Somali group Kulanka Culimada issued a statement in Mogadishu specifying that Somalia is 100% Islamic, that no other religion can be propagated in the country and that no Christians can hold any position in the government. In February 2003 they stated that all Somali Christians should be executed for apostasy, in line with shari’a.

Pray for the safety of the tiny but severely persecuted Somali Christian community.
Please pray that God will continually guide, inspire and bless decision making regarding the pursuance of the Apostasy Campaign. Pray that more church, political and Muslim leaders will come out in support of reforming the apostasy law.

Freed Somali Christian Arrives in New Zealand

Christianity Today, Week of September 5

'It was God who saved me,' Haji declares.

By Barbara G. Baker | posted 9/6/00
Yesterday, four days after they flew out of Yemen, Somali Christian convert Mohammed Omer Haji and his family arrived for permanent religious asylum in Auckland, New Zealand.

"This is a very far place here," a sleepy Haji told Compass by telephone today.

More than 24 hours after their arrival, the Somali refugee said he and his wife Sarah were still sleeping off the four marathon days and nights they had spent in planes and airports between Yemen and New Zealand. After the initial leg of their journey to the Eritrean capital of Asmara, they were routed through Jeddah, Bombay, Singapore and Sydney.

"Really it was God who saved me," the former Muslim told Compass. "I am happy that all the believers prayed for me everywhere, Christian people," Haji said. "It's a miracle that I am free."

Haji, 27, was released from a Yemeni prison in Aden on August 24, seven weeks after a local judge threatened to execute him for apostasy if he did not return to Islam. The case was halted in the courts after it was reported in the international press.

After extended negotiations with local representatives of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), under which Haji had official refugee status, the government of Yemen agreed to allow Haji and his family to be deported for resettlement elsewhere.

A refugee living in Yemen since 1994, the Somali had converted to Christianity two years ago and adopted the name George. He was first jailed last January by Yemeni security police, who reportedly beat him and tried for two months to coerce him to return to Islam. Haji was later rearrested and put on trial in June for apostasy, a capital offense under the strict Islamic law observed in Yemen.

"There is no religious freedom in Yemen," Haji commented. "Nobody knows about Jesus, and it's a sin to believe in Him."

The former Muslim had been given a one-week ultimatum at his July 5 trial to recant his faith in Christ and return to Islam, or face execution. Four days later, he told Compass, the judge at a closed-door July 9 hearing on his case offered to "give me everything I wanted" if Haji would come back to Islam.

"I don't want everything, I want Jesus Christ. I don't want anything else. If I die, I die with Jesus. He died for me and also for you," he said he told the judge. Although UNHCR staff were present at this hearing, Haji's court-appointed lawyer was neither informed nor invited.

According to the Somali refugee, one of the many miracles he experienced while in jail for his Christian faith was actually forgiving the Yemeni policeman who had beaten him the most. "That man, he beat me so much," he said. "But I forgive him, because of Christ."

Haji and his wife and son are being housed temporarily at the New Zealand Immigration Service's refugee resettlement center in Auckland. Several local churches have applied to sponsor the Haji's resettlement process since the New Zealand government offered the family asylum in late July.

Copyright © 2000 Compass Direct

Human-Rights Abuses Drive Somali Christians Underground

Khartoum, Aug. 27, 2003 (CWNews.com) - With a small Christian community in Somalia demanding the right to worship freely in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, a UN report has confirmed that the human-rights situation in the troubled African country is deplorable.

Representatives of Somalia's tiny Christian minority have been attending the Somali Peace Reconciliation talks, currently being held in Kenya, and seeking recognition for the Christian presence in Somalia. With the country now having suffered through more than a full decade of anarchy-- with the society controlled by rival warlords-- Christians have been forced underground to escape the notice of intolerant Muslim militia groups.

Verbatim: The Netherlands

1 December 2003

Saaxiib waxaa soo helay wiil Soomaaliyeed isagana Masiixi ah oo ii soo diray qoraalkan hoose.

igu salaan dhamaan qaraabada oo dhan iyo walaalaha Masiixyiinta soomaaliyeed.
waxaan ilaah kaaga baryayaa in uu kula garab galo xaalkaga iyo xaalka kuug eed innaga ku saabsan.

Jaamac

Verbatim: Sudan

17 May 2004

waan ku salaamayaa walaal..

waxaan ahay qof somali ah, oo ku nool dalka Sudan waxaan ahay ardey halkan wax ka barta,magaceygu waa Cali , waxaan jeclahay inaynu wada xiriiro hadii aad tahay church planting evengalist,aad baan u daneynayaa xiriirkaaga.

fadlan isoo jawaab hadii aad tahay qofka aan sheegayo,

mahadsanid

Cali

Verbatim: Norway

25 May 2004

Hello brother,

I am Paul ...(formerly Saeed ...). I too am a Somali. I
was born in ...,Saudi Arabia, in.... When I was 8 my mom sent me to
... to a boarding school. In 1986 (same year as yourself), I had an
out of body experience where I saw the Lord Jesus Christ. I became a Christian
and shared the same family rejection as you did. I was threatened with
execution if I returned to Saudi Arabia.
In 1990 I came to ..., Norway, and today I am an international
evenagelist. I just returned from a two year world missionary tour
through India, Kenya, England and the USA. I have always been praying for a
website [www.somalichristians.org] like this and my prayers have been answered.

God bless you for your love of Jesus. Be blessed.

Don't ever be afraid. Greater is He that is in us then he thats in the world I John 4:4

Evangelist Paul

Verbatim: Sudan

14 Febrruary 2004

sxb salaan

waanfiicanahay anugu waxaan ku mashquulsanahy shaqada rabiga
waxaan rajinayaa in an aad wakhti dhaw hawsha maraqa kacabidoontid.

ha ilaawin in aad igu xustid salaadaada aad iyo aadna iigu salaan ...wuxuu ... ii sheegay in aad hawsha somalida iyo tan .... aad isku wadi doontid in tii suurtogal ah. .... waa war xiiso leh

arimahaas iiga soo waran iyo wax kugu cusuba.

Ali

Verbatim: The Netherlands

22 November 2003

Walaal
waxan akhriyey qoraalkaagii ku saabsanaa dhibaatooyinka iyo laynta loo geystay xubnihii kaniisaddii Xamar ee sida qarsoodiga ah isugu iman jiray si ay Rabbigooda u caabudaan. Waxaad kale oo tilmaantay dhacdooyin dhowaanahan ah,

Waan ka naxay waxyaabahaas oo dhan. Hese yeeshee, Ilaah xaqaani ah baannu leenahay. Imtixaan bay innoo tahay.

Anigu Yurub baan ku suganahay, sidaas oo ay tahay, mararka qaarkood waxan la kulmaa cay, habaar ama handadaad, si kastaba ha ahaatee uma baqanayo naftayda.

Ma garanayo inay suurta gal ii noqon doonto inaan Soomaaliya ku noqdo oo aan ehelkayga iyo qaraabadayda oo dhan u sheegi karo inaan Masiixi ahay. Sidaasi waa sida aan jeclahay – dhinaca kalese naftaydaan u baqayaa.

Aan u duceyno Soomaalida Masiixiyiinta ah meel kasta oo ay joogaan. Aan u duceyno Soomaalida oo idil in Ilaah mugdiga ka saaro oo tuso iftiinka hanuunka. Aan u ducayno ruux walba oo isku hawla wanaaggeenna iyo samatabixintenna.


Eebbe ha kula jiro oo ha ku barakeeyo.


Your brother in Jesus,

Hassan

Verbatim: USA

27 December 2003

iska waran,

Oh I am so glad to get your mail. Unfortunately i cant
write
somali as good as you do but i can read it. I would love to know when
to call you so i can speak to you and ... Do you have any children.
Is your ... christian too and how do you feel as a christian. Do other
somalis in ... or around ... know or do you hide it . Sorry for such
questions but you know where we are from and the hostile behaviour
towards christians. I would love it if you send christian materials for me for
new beginers. I desire to know more about the lord . I am still learing and
please pray for me so i would become a better person ..... Sometimes i am not sure and you get scared but please pray for me. Tell me when to call and i will call.

Deeqa

Verbatim: USA

29 January 2004

iska waran

Thank you very much, I recieved the CD you have sent for me. Once again thank you. Did I tell you that I keep in touch with Maryan who lives near me, I think you gave her my e-mail address. I think am going to visit her next weekend. Thanks

Peace

Deeqa

Verbatim: London, UK

26 April 2004

waan arkay farintaadii walal aadbaanad u mahadasantahay
xageed dagantahay aan is baranee? meqo jirbaad tahay ?yaa la nooshahay sidesa u arkataa noqoshadad masixiga? ma ku faraxsantahay? aniga waa axmed deagan london waan ku faraxsanahay in aan ahay christain lakin ma oga cideyda waa secret ayagana la noolahay waxaan aadaa church ka dheer xafadeena ii sowaran walal.



brother ahmed
God bless you

Verbatim: Canada

04 June 2004

I am a friend of a Somalian Christian. He has told me a great deal of
the history of the problems with Christianity in Somalia. He has now
started a Somalia Christian Fellowship in Canada.... Any support
you can give or any communication you have would be a great asset for
him. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know.
You can contact us by e-mail at ..........


John

Verbatim: Canada

June 12 2004

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REPSONDING TO OUR LETTER TO YOU.
MY FRIEND I WAS TALKING ABOUT IS WITH ME NOW. HE WOULD LIKE TO GREET YOU AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR RESPONDING TO OUR LETTER. HE TOLD ME TO SEND YOU HIS PHONE # AND HE WOULD LIKE IF YOU COULD BE IN CONTACT WITH HIM. HIS # IS : ... ....

IF YOU WISH, YOU COULD SEND HIM YOUR PHONE # AND HE CAN CALL YOU.
I AM GOING TO CREATE HIS OWN E-MAIL FOR HIM. THAT WAY YOU CAN CONTACT EACH OTHER DIRECTLY. I WILL FORWARD HIS E-MAIL ADDRESS TO YOU ONCE IT IS FINISHED. HE ALSO ASKED ME TO ASK YOU WHAT AREA OF AFRICA DO YOU LIVE.

John

Verbatim: Canada

[June 4 2004]

Would you please get in contact with us so we may be able to discuss more about the Christian faith and how we can proceed with our group here in Canada. We have started a Somali Christian Fellowship and also would like to start a Somali Christian Communtiy. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated.

Peter

Verbatim: UAE

[28 June 2004]


May i thank my almightly God Jesus Christ..that gave me this Golden chance to know about you and write this short message for you ...
i wanna introduce myself for you:

Iam Called Mohamed … . I am a college student . live in United arab Emirates ….
i believed in Jesus as a Real god who sacrificed his Holy Blood For me and for all Mankind before one year.
Jesus found me and picked up me...after long period to know the truth about the God when i was child. and as i told u i spend whole my life in Emirates...even my Mother born in …and grandmother too...and my father born in . thats make me strong in islam and arabic language...
i read quran and some stroies abt Moses , Ibrahim , dawod , solomom...and lastly the Messiah ( christos )....i found him different from other prophets and completely different from mohammed ( prophet of islam )....and after very long story ...it will take long time to recite it...i believed in Jesus as my savior .
Til now nobody know that iam christian ..and u know why...even my family...although they suspected ...i have few christian friends and their families....god sent them for me...to be with me...thanx God that i have Paltalk that facilitate for me to comunicate with arab christians outside arabian coutries....coz u know these arab will everybody reject mohammed as prophet.....we cant talk , cant live like other people.
and i know that Somalia 100 % muslim....i wrote in yahoo ( somali christian )...i shocked when i found you and other christians somalis....and it not by chance but from our Qeddus Holy God.When i go visit my homeland …i met an elder Somali women called … and belong to christian somali family...and i heard that 40 families in british somaliland converted to christiansity before independance...and now i dont know anything about them...
Now i belong to …church...although i didnt baptized...because it forbiden to convert any muslim to christianity....so when i finish my studies after one year i will travel to any countery for baptism....Pray for me dear
finally dear.....i proud of you and any Somali know the real God our beloved Yesus Christos
and hope that reply to my message and keep a comunicate with each other....and to know more about Somalis christians...all over the world.

May God Bless You richly,

Yours
Mohamed

VERBATIM

VERBATIM is where we share correspondences with Somali believers, many of them underground, from around the world. First names of the believers are used to protect their identity. Sometimes other identifying marks are edited, too.

We sometimes use pen names for our correspondents when we see it necessary.

This blog is one place where Somali believers can communicate with the wider world—may the Lord bless and protect them.

In the Name of Jesus, may his mercy and protection be upon us.

Filsan Odawa