A Legendary Somali Christian Goes to Heaven

SFJ, 14 October 2018
Updated 15 October 2018, 07:00 AM, GMT
Kismayo, Somalia

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Ali Sharif Ibrahim, 65, has peacefully passed away in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the early hours of 13 October 2018. He leaves behind in Addis Ababa a widow, two sons and a daughter. He is also survived by seven grown-up kids who live in three different continents.

Ali Sharif, as he is popularly known, was an author, hymnologist, evangelist, apologist and above all, a born-again disciple of Christ.

Ali Sharif was born and grew up in southern Somalia under the tutorage of his famous Muslim cleric, Sharif Ibrahim. Ali Sharif was a madrassa teacher in Mogadishu, and one of the most well-known Somali Sufi Muslim clerics in Addis Ababa before the Lord found him a decade ago.

Ali Sharif, a scholar of classical – Quranic Arabic and a fluent speaker of modern Arabic was larger than life figure in the Somali church in Ethiopia; his sermons are available online (mainly YouTube and Facebook) and was a respected expert on Christian – Muslim relations. Ali Sharif’s apologetics have led several Muslim fanatics to the Lord in Addis Ababa and beyond.

A house church pastor in Baidawa, southern Somalia, described Ali Sharif as her spiritual father who encouraged her in her walk with the Lord. A Mogadishu based church leader said that "the Somali church is like an orphan without Ali Sharif's earthly presence, but we will survive this huge loss because of the Lord." A Somali Christian with Somaliland’s Secret Service chronicled how Ali Sharif encouraged him in his faith when they both lived in Addis Ababa 7 years ago.

Somalis for Jesus received within 24 hours of Ali Sharif's passing 81 condolence messages mainly from Somali Christians in Somalia. Ali Sharif will be remembered for his in-depth knowledge of Islam, eloquence, courage, and a great sense of humour.

We belong to Lord Jesus Christ and to Him we return.     

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Gabay: Markhaatifur

Anigoo dhawaan safar dhulka ah kaga soo baxay Hargeisa kuna sii jeeda Berbera ayaan waxaan ku leexday tuulada Macalinkeed Disho oo aan habeen ku hoyday. Anigoo hurdadu meel wacan ii marayso ayaan riyo ku arkay walaashay, xagga ruuxa, Dr. Maryan Cabdullaahi Macalin Maxamed, oo 14 October ee sanadkan ku geeriyootay kharixii ka dhacay Zope. Waxay isoo fartay gabaygan in aan gaarsiiyo Soomaalida.

Dib u eegistii 1aad, 02 November 2017

Maryan ma ahayn Masiixi iyo waxaan, maqlayay maalmahan

Uu maqaal ku soo qoray Bashiir[1], meel walbana geeyay

Ii masabidaayaan gartaa, maalinya habeene

Milgaheeda yaan doonayaa, inaan mar uun sheego

I dhegaysta anigaa murtida, Eebbe igu miisay

Maro kuma xirna oo Bashiir, wuu mutuxan yahay

Ma wakiil ayuu iga yahoo, wuu i matalaayay?

Mindirraacintiisiyo bal eeg, iyo miraafkiisa

Is miidaamintiisan arkaa, meelna loo dayine

Miyuu gacan madoobaadayoo, waa musallif ruuxu?

Muslim Shaaficiya yaan ahaa, aan mala lahayne

Afar sanno mar laga joogo yaan, raacayna Masiixa

Magaciisu iga mayr dembigi, waanan mahadshaaye

Ku mutaystay jannadaan hedeer, aan mushaaxayaaye
Eebbaan ku mahadinahayaa, maqaamka aan joogo

Ina Maxamad aabbahy hadduu, Muslim igu sheegay

Magaciis ha raagee haddii, murugo ay saaqday

In Islaamku uu yahay muquuf, waa mid uu garane

Muqdishuu ku noolyahoo haddeer, la is muquunshaaye

Muslim laaya Muslimiinta yaa, meel walbaba taagan

Ehelkayga mid yaan oranayaa, werefku meermeershay

War Masiixa aamina intaan, maydku idin taaban

Maxamaddiyaddu diin maahine, maqla digniintayda

Waxaa lagu mutaysanahayaa, moolkii naareede

Ka soo baxa mirifkeeda oo, raacana Masiixa

Soomaali Maxamaday i maqal, haygana mashquulin

Muunad beel waxaa idinku riday, madax adayg baase

Hadaad Maxamad diidaan mar hore, raacdaana Masiixa

Muusannawgu wuu hari lahaa, Eebbe maragtiiye

Nabad iyo muwaafaqo ayaad, mudan lahaydeene

Sayiddii Masiixii ayaan, joogaa midigtiisa

I maashayday farxadoo ma qabo, murugoo idile

Maqsuud yaan runtii ahay hadeer, waana loo marage

Muslimnimo kumaan dhimanine, Eebbe mahadiise

Anigoo Masiixiya ayuu, mawdku i haleelay

In Masiixi aan ahay anigu, mar hore cadaystay

Mana dafarin weligay, anigu Macalin Nuurkeeye

Maskax yaanse leeyahoo runtii, aan miciin sadaye

Marinada  lamaan taagnahayn, milladda taydaaye

Garaadkaynu magansanuu na baray, Macalinkeenniiye

Rev. Sabaah Mohamed Omaar

Somalia Director, Somalis For Jesus

Somalisforjesus@yahoo.com

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[1] Bashiir M. Xersi. Maryan Ma Ahayn Masiixiyad. Caasimada.net. 2017. Waxaan daalacday 01 November 2017.

A Prominent Somali Christian Killed in Mogadishu Truck Bomb Attack

Al Shabab Islamists detonated a truck bomb in a busy intersection in the heart of the Somali capital on Saturday afternoon, 14 October 2017. The Associated Press (AP), quoting Somali government sources, put the number of dead about 350, a figure that is destined to rise as many dead victims are still buried under mountains of rubble. Many of the hundreds of the wounded victims would succumb to their grave injuries. This major bombing was the third explosion in the city on that fateful day but the largest single-day massacre Somalia has ever witnessed.

Several Somali Christians died in the attack including Fardawza Haji Hilowle Jama, 39, and her two minor children and Dr. Maryan Abdullahi Mo'alim Mohamed Geddi, 22, who died on the eve of her planned graduation from a medical school. Dr. Maryan attended a local house-church in the center of the capital and played a significant role in the raising and the distribution of drought relief funds in the last two years. An article by the New York Times described Dr. Mayan as a “rising star.”[1]

Dr. Maryan is a relative of the late Somali Christian evangelist, Ali Mustaf Maka’il, who was shot and killed in Mogadishu at the age of 22 in 2006 by the now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts, Al Shabab's predecessor[2]. There are eight missing Somali Christians who were around Zope Street at the time of the explosion. No one knows where they are, but they presumed dead. The verified injured Somali Christians are eleven including four children.


Our prayers are with all the victims and their families during this difficult time.

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[1] The New York Times, It's a Dark Day for Us': Somalia Reels From Deadliest Blast. 15 October 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/10/15/world/africa/ap-af-somalia-explosion-the-victims.html, accessed 16 October 2017.

[2], Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Convert to Christianity Martyred. 20 September 2006. https://www.vomcanada.com/so-2006-09-20.htm, accessed 16 October 2017.