Monday, January 12, 2009
In 1970, however, there appeared another Shiikh by the name of Shikh Maxmad Macallim Xassan, who earned his PhD at Al-Azhar University of Egypt. Shikh Mohamed started his teachings of the Quranic commentary in Somali language at C/qaadir Mosque in Mogadishu and quickly gained popularity among the Somali public as well as the communist government of Siyad Barre, who did not want him to propagate Islam besides their orientation based on Marxism, Leninism and Angelism. The Shiikh was forgotten in Labatan Jirow prison for the next 7 – 8 years.
I joined his student by the name of Axmad Nur Carab, who is now reportedly a telecom consultant/employee with NationLink in Mogadishu. After covering a number of chapters, The National Security Services branch entered the mosque one night and tried to capture the young Axmad Nur, however, the students overpowered them and he had escaped to Kenya and later earned his PhD at Mecca University, Saudi Arabia. He was accompanied by a number of his assistants and teachers. My ex-Azhari teacher became what is now known as Takfir Wal Hijra after his graduation from Mecca University, but reassessed himself until he found the right path (sirad al mustaqim) of towhiid (monotheism). I believe it is a good idea to contact to Ahmad Nur Arab who is in a better position to talk in details the difference of all these confusions. This was late 1975 and early 1976.
Many Somali students joined Ahmed Nur and others and graduated from Saudi Imam Mohamed Abdul Wahhab Universities in Medina etc and returned back to Somalia with guaranteed $300 salaries per month to propagate their version of interpretation like calling all Somali people as innovators (Bidco) and condemning their way of worshipping Allah etc. They also stressed growing beards which is not obligatory but a sunna as well as how one wears his/her clothes. Our beloved prophet Muahammad (saw) never stressed on hair and clothes. The first book they like to translate into Somali language is a book written on behalf of late Muhammad AbdulWahhab “Fathul Majiid” also called in Kenya as “Foolxumo Jiid”. The book talks about the work of AbdulWahhab especially how he demolished graves and how he uprooted “Shirk” or worshipping something other than Almighty God and many young students were scribed due to this ideology. And while Egypt was sleeping, the Saudis especially the late Ben Baz, funded heavily on this juncture.
My ex Quranic mate announced on the BBC in late 1990, that they have created a new Organization by the name “Al-Ittihad Al-Islamiya” and the BBC anchor by the time asked him “Do you want to participate in the coming election of Somalia? Is that why you came here to announce your party? Shiikh Axmad Cabdi Dahir answered that they wanted to see the Islamic Shaira Law applied and respected and that is something every Somali would like to welcome.
Al-Shabaab is just one of many Al-Ittihad Islamiya pieces and they believe that all Somali people and the whole world are on some sort of “Shirk” or innovations that it is their job to correct through beheading, mass murder etc. They are very dangerous and the Somali people need to be educated thoroughly by such educators like Shikh Janaqow who knows better than I do so that there will be a true Somali peace loving community who are at peace with themselves and their neighbors.
Imaam C/llahi C/qaadir AxmadFiqi
Toronto, Canada
[email protected]