.....(Hal-ku-dhigyo Dhaxal-gal Noqday) = ..... President, C/raxmaan A. Cali: ''Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland dib ayay ula soo Noqotay Qaran-nimadeedii sidaa awgeed, waa dal xor ah oo gooni u taagan maanta (18/05/1991) laga bilaabo''...>>>>> President, Maxamad I.Cigaal:''Jiritaanka Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland'' Waa mid waafaqsan xeerasha u-degsan Caalamka! Sidaa darteed, waa Qaran xaq u leh in Aduunku aqoonsado''...>>>>> President, Daahir R. Kaahin: ''Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland waa dal diimuqraadi ah oo caalamka ka sugaya Ictiraafkiisa''...>>>>> President, Axmed M. Siilaanyo: ''Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, Boqol sano haday ku qaadanayso helista Ictiraafkeedu way Sugaysaa! Mar dambena la midoobi mayso Somalia-Italia''.....[***** Ha Jirto J.Somaliland Oo Ha Joogto Waligeed *****].....

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Religious schooling and its byproducts in Somaliland


To learn religious education (RE) in the old days, a student used to go to Mal’aamad, a school of teaching Islamic basics to kids up to age of14. It usually taught children the method to pray, to treat one’s parents with kindness and to promote harmony within Muslim society and non-Muslim as well. In fact, the curriculum had been relevant, purely religious, and apolitical.

Now, in post-conflict Somalia, the Madrasa has been replacing the Mal’aamad. The former is revolutionizing orthodox Islam in fundamental ways and contradicting the latter not only as far as Hadiths go, but also with regards to the Quran recitation. Mal’aamad, the obsolete museum school in Somaliland, was more spiritual, domestic; the fees were not in cash in most cases.

It was camels or sheep collected from the pastoral community and given to the instructors on a yearly basis in return for their teaching Quran to the boys and girls. It often concentrated on teaching the Arabic alphabet to enable them to read the Book and ultimately satisfy their spiritual needs. During the 18 century, the Mullah locally known as Wadaad was seen as weak, poor, and dependant. The rest of the men were camel raiders and hence are portrayed as the toughest and as heroes till independence.

In the course of the British rule over Somaliland, many Somaliland elderly men argued that the British deliberately marginalized the role of Sheikhs or mullahs or distanced them from the administration while displaying some respect to them. Their areas of work were confined to funeral preparation; holding the commemoration of the Prophet’s birthday, and attending wedding galas that exclusively offered lunch with meat. Wadaadu beerka xaydhe leh way cunaane ilaahay maaka yaabtaanoo nasiisaan, which roughly translates as “mullahs eat fatty liver; so fear your Allah and give it to us “. But though the liver is more vulnerable to disease, I still like it: these activities are honorable in the eyes of Sufism Islam, but seem like nonsense to Wahabi offbeat in Somaliland, who are just obsessed with Jihad and destructive culture.

The Madrasa, recently imported from Arab countries, has brought a new curriculum written in Arabic that centers on how some Arabs stabbed Christians and even Muslims during the Islamic Conquest. Hujaj Binu Yusuf, for instance, is frequently mentioned as Jihadist model: how he massacred Iraqi Muslims and yet remained a Muslim!

The programmers emphasize that Hujaj killed about one hundred people; they were not only innocent but also prominent figures (al-acyaan) in society and yet other Muftis at the time would not dare to say that he committed blasphemy according to Wahabi School. Thus, such teachings are a clear message to pupils that is OK to kill people whenever you want to convert or strengthen the faith of Muslims without committing blasphemy!

On their terms of Islam, perhaps I may committed a blasphemy for reflecting facts on the ground — however, none of the Somali Muftis including Sheikh Dirir can dare to say the suicide bombers that murdered around 30 innocent people in Hargaysa are no longer Muslims but extremists claim—only their understanding of Islam— that as long as they orally confess their creed of ashahadu an anlaa ilaaha ila lalaah…, they are Muslims regardless of whatsoever they committed. This is an ambiguity that requires an answer and clarification from the greatest Islamic Scholars in the world today.

Radical preachers usually quote the Quran verses outside of their context or sababu Nasuul while the qualified Muftis, giving the benefit of the doubt, kept silent despite the fact that Islam’s cornerstone tenet calls “truth must be told even if it tastes bitter” furthermore “truth is undivided” “al-xaq laa yatajasa” in other words, either one of us is right, but we cannot be both right. The premise that both the victims and suicide bombers who died in the blast are Muslims is against the common sense; and some even some Muftis say the latter is better Muslim since he dies while advancing the cause of Islam! The principle of telling the truth but the truth is ignored for worldly interest.

Before Madrasa arrived the scene, the name of our Lord was Eebe, Somali vernacular term for God or Iskaabeer in Ahmaric or Khuda in Hindi, but that name was replaced without justification with Arabic one: Allah , but Eebe which my old aunt still uses whenever something happens to her is quite outdated and misnomer in today’s Islam in Somaliland. We are on the run! The last characteristic of orthodox Islam is quickly disappearing.

Godane, the little terrorist, that was behind the killing of 30 people and injuring more, is likely to be welcomed one day as War Veteran of Al-Hudabiya Battle by his tribe back to Hargaysa in full view of his victims who lost their limps or fatally maimed in case he survives US Drone raids ! Nevertheless Tribalism matters in this volatile region. Michael Mariano, the only Somali Christian before independence from time immemorial , is said to be asked by British forces how he lived among hundred percent devout Muslims “tribal protection is entitled by everyone provided he or she belongs to the concerning tribe no matter what their faith is” Mariano answered. Of course, terrorists of today exploited that tribal loophole or negative effects.

During Daahir Riyaale kaahin’s reign, Somaliland law-enforcement agency attempted to arrest confirmed terrorist in Hargaysa but in vain as his tribe took the law into their own hands to protect the criminal because he bribed his kinsmen with his black or opium money and thus earned their hearts and minds. In any event, they love him so much, Of course, he is their Jesus!

Somaliland is the only country on earth where terrorists are both honored and awarded knighthood or false martyrdom in absentia or even are prayed publicly to go to Heaven when they die elsewhere. It is suicidal act to point a walking terrorist in Somaliland who escaped from US Drone attacks in Kismayo, Southern Somalia, with one’s fingers because his tribe would get upset and revenge the informer, jihadists , however, shower their poor tribal Sultans with terror finances and deceptive affection to acquire a tribal protection.

Somalilandtimes.net, a leading newspaper as well as a terror watchdog in Somaliland, always tries to shed light to those who are engaged in naked terror activities such as fund-raising party done in Al-Huda Mosque, Somaliland’s Red Mosque, in order to fund Al-Shabaab’s slaughter campaign of the poor folks in Somalia but such revelation by the newspaper would not be without risk-taking.

Instead of teaching math or literacy to kids, Madrasa recommends selection of trash textbooks printed in Saudi Kingdom that primarily describes jihad as the only exit gateway of all evils; the only way to win over other civilizations and the only valid entry ticket to Heaven as well! The little kids regularly listen to Jihad songs without fully understanding them but with great awe and are told to keep company with the Saint Sheikhs (Jihadists) to remember Allah “zikir”.

One of the slogans which played very often in close contact with children is that if one of them dies beyond Jihad he dies as donkey; therefore, Jihad is the ultimate goal in life to attain at the all costs! “Heaven is under the shade of Swords” Hadith said but I do not know if this one is Sahihil-Bukhari/true from the prophet because many other Hadiths are proved later to be inaccurate by Saudi scholars. Saudi, like the Vatican, has the authority to nullify odd Hadiths or prove it right.

The salary of Madrasa coaches is twice as much as the bankers working with Hawala, money transfer firms, because it is paid by the Gulf oil rich countries but their pupils there have to be kept skinny as maximum as possible to fit orphan and hence Saudi sponsors pour cash to Al-Xaramayn to take care of bogus orphans which would be the next generation jihadists! Every year, a new batch of terrorists finishes the hatemongering course and refuels the dwindling firewood of the global terror! The blessed fountain never lasts!

Assimilation process takes years in order to integrate on-campus students into Jihadist mentality but those who fail to integrate into mainstream thinking in the allocated period are punished by withdrawing appreciation and other financial benefits that they used to take. Often they become socially “untouchables” or “pariah” and looked inferior in the company of their brethren friends.

As you can plainly see, Madrasa is simply encouraging violence, and mass murder of infidels as well as “hypocrites” or “less faithful Muslims” as they like to term anyone who opposes their fatal agenda, they, however, inform local community when establishing Madrasa that they teach Islam (which means peace) but this is a totally deception. The core curriculum is supremacy and domination over other faiths including Sufism Islam and destabilizing countries of the world.

Swiss national, an investor in Somaliland, whom was brutally murdered in Star Café, sent shock waves to the world, and his death kept potential investors away and had great ramification upon Somaliland overall economy.

Most Madrasas in Somaliland serve as a mobilization, integration, fund-raising, and recruitment centers, they do more work in the night than in the day; novices are sworn in as loyal jihadists. Do you love the Din (the dogma) up to death? When they collectively answered yes, the oath-taking or “mubaayaca” Arabic word they prefer to call it is approved and it usually happens in the night along with some money handouts.

Nonetheless, no one born with terror in his ass but it is radical Madrasa that changes the mindset of its clients just to prepare them as tomorrow’s suicide bombers. In this part of the world, the pupils know no other school other than this harmful one. But Somaliland is so indebted to the Saudi valuable contribution when the need of crazy mullah deficiency was at the most! “One good turn deserve another.”

But as long as the Saudi-style Madrasa exists in Somaliland and elsewhere, the Jihadist’s ideologies as well as its sweet entertainments will be alive.

By Abdirahman Mohamed Dirye (Somaliland volunteer and activist currently based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he can be reached at: mrdirye@gmail.com)

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