Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Kenya’s Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission: A Political Gimmick or a Plausible Undertaking?
Kyphosis, Lordosis, and Scoliosis
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Fustat: Old Cairo
MY INTERVIEWS WITH VOA
Camel, Cow, and Goat Milk
The Qur'an, the book that was revealed to Prophet and Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), is a divinely revealed book that is free from doubt. The contents of milk differs depending on the animal and species. In general, cow milk contains 87.7% water, 4.9% carbohydrates (lactose), 3.4% fat, 3.3% protein, and 0.3% fat that is referred to as ash. In the United States, there are two major breeds and they are Holstein and Jersey that produce more milk than other breeds.
As for camels, milk compositions are protein 3.1%, fat 3.5%, lactose 4.4%, ash 0.79%, and total solids from 11-16%. What differentiates cow milk from that of camels is that, camel milk water content is 17% and equals human solid content that is also 17%.
Camel milk has significant "vitamin C and protective proteins such as lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulins and lysozyme. Camel milk lacks β-lactoglobulin and used as an option for the individuals intolerant to lactose of cow's milk."¹
For the student who does not have a reliable desktop or laptop computer and internet connection, research can still be done on Facebook, the world's leading social media, if one has a smartphone and reliable data. This is meant to deter plagiarism.
References
https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/jfmdp/journal-of-family-medicine-and-disease-prevention-jfmdp-5-095.php?jid=jfmdp#:~:text=Camel%20milk%20is%20rich%20in,to%20lactose%20of%20cow's%20milk.
Kurdishology
Kurdishology is the study of the traditions and history of the Kurdish people who are reputedly the largest stateless community in the world. A community with a great history, they are spread over in Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq, with Turkey having the largest population. In Turkey, they have a political party and have a bigger influence in the nation's day to day affairs of running the country.
I raised Kurdishology since it plays significant roles in Islamic studies. A point to ponder is the origin of Prophet Ibrahim who is claimed by Kurdishologists to have been from the Kurdish people who are also Semitic, like Arabs and B'nai Israel. While many scholars attribute his origin to have been B'nai Israel, modern scholars are of the opinion that he was a Kurdish.
Sheikh Abdisalam, a learned Somali scholar was once asked by his friend the origin of Prophet Ibrahim and his response was Mesopotamia or Babylonia.
Sabians
Sabaeanism
The Qur'an mentions a religion that existed in the Middle East whose followers were known as Sabi'iin. The history of these people has not been deeply elaborated. In Arabic, they are no different from the Mandaeans known as المندائيون while the Sabeans are referred to as الصابئة. When the two names are combined in Arabic, they are also known as Mandaean Sabians (الصابئة المندائيون al-Ṣābiʾa al-Mandāʾiyyūn).
An ethnoreligious group, they believe John the Baptist to have been the last prophet, even though, John the Baptist who was the son of Zacharia or Zakaria was sent to foretell the coming of Jesus, while Jesus son of Mary or Maryam was sent to foretell the coming of the Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, who is the last prophet.
"(He was told): "Zechariah, We bring you the good news of the birth of a son whose name shall be Yahya (John), one whose namesake We never created before." (It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; we have given the same name to none before (him)."
Maryam or Mary, Zakariah or Zakaria, John the Baptist or Yahya, and Isa or Jesus all hailed from the family of Imran. With the current population of Muslims estimated at 1.9 billion, the Sabean population stands at 70,000.
They are mentioned in the Qur'an in three chapters as mentioned below.
1. "Whether they are the ones who believe (in the Arabian Prophet), or whether they are Jews, Christians or Sabians – all who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and do righteous deeds–their reward is surely secure with their Lord; they need have no fear, nor shall they grieve (Al-Baqarah, 62).
2. Know well, none has an exclusive claim to the Truth.) For all those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day and do good deeds-be they either believers, Jews, Sabaeans or Christians-neither fear shall fall upon them, nor shall they have any reason to grieve (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:67.)
3. "Indeed, the believers, Jews, Sabians, Christians, Magi, and the polytheists—Allah will judge between them ˹all˺ on Judgment Day. Surely Allah is a Witness over all things."
إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
Indeed, God chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran over the worlds. The above ayah is from Surah Al Imran verse 33.
We learn from other sources that the "Mandaeans believe that Jesus was one of John's disciples but he went off the rails and distorted John's legacy." They are reportedly among the first to start baptism. They do practice wudhu or ablution like Muslims.
They are briefly mentioned in the Qur'an even though they are neither Muslims, Christians or followers of Judaism. "The Quran briefly mentions the Sabians in three places, in Sūrat al-Baqara (2:62), in Sūrat al-Māʾida (5:69), and in Sūrat al-Ḥajj (22:17)."
Described Arabian polytheism in belief, since they are not monotheistic, they are described as: "a Syrian pagan of a Hauranitic group originally of star worshipers claiming toleration from the Muslim conquerors under the pretense of belonging to the Sabian group tolerated by the Koran and including scholars and astronomers noted under the caliphate."
Prophet Ibrahim
In some religious books, you will find the following message: "revised edition" which is a noun and whose meaning is "an edition (as of a book) incorporating major revisions by the author or an editor and often supplementary matter designed to bring it up to date, compare, reissue, or reprint." When a religious book is revised by humans, that means it is not an original revelation, because, it had undergone human alterations, adulterations, changes, and many unnecessary additions meant to suit the one or those who do the editing.
On the other hand, there is a "revelation" whose meaning is "a surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed to others." The only existing book that has not undergone any form of revisions or changes, is the Arabic Qur'an.
[6/9, 9:54 PM] adan makina: وَإِذِ ٱبۡتَلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَٰتٖ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّۖ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامٗاۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِيۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهۡدِي ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: “I will make thee an Imam to the Nations.” He pleaded: “And also (Imams) from my offspring!” He answered: “But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers.”
Ibrahim was neither a follower of Judaism nor Christianity, but he was a Muslim, and, furthermore, he was the first to proclaim his dedication to Islam. In Surah Aali-Imran, verse 67, the Qur'an states:
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّۭا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًۭا مُّسْلِمًۭا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٦٧
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian; he submitted in all uprightness and was not a polytheist.
[6/9, 10:04 PM] adan makina: Ibrahim was Babylonian, Mesopotamian and hailed from the Kurdish people who are the biggest global community without a state numbering 20m and scattered between Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. Majority can be found in Turkey where they have a political party and play a significant role in the day to day running of that great country.
Furthermore, Salah-u-diin Al-Ayubi who was known to the French as Le Magnefique or the Magnificent, defeated the Crusaders and was crowned "The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques."
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Military Theory
There’s military theory that defines and informs how war and warfare are conducted.[i] In modern military history, it is a requirement for military officers to have a glimpse of military science. To better understand how warfare is conducted, the theory mainly deals with normative and explanatory analyses, where normative concentrates on behavioral phenomena while explanatory deals with the casual aspects of war. Despite military theory being multi-disciplinary, it deals with three questions:
1.
What are the natural causes of war?
2.
What are the characteristics of war?
3.
How is military power or warfare applied to attain victory?[ii]
In summarizing
war tactics, the major factors that make it a reality constitute the following:
1.
Effective Statesmanship: The total application of dynamic
military and state leadership as it relates to war. It is of vital importance
for the leader of the state to be aware of the military leader’s war
applications before embarking on the defensive or invasion. On the other hand,
top military leaders must discuss and listen to the officers fighting on the ground,
in the air or in major and minor waters.
2.
Strategy: implies properly organizing and directing select
groups to the theater of war either for the sake of defense or invasion. Having
war hardened and able-bodied men and women who can strive to survive longer
periods in the battlefields is a requirement. Depending on the type and kind of
war being fought, the military usually applies either a platoon, company or a
division. A platoon could be headed by a sergeant or senior sergeant while a
company could be headed by a captain, a battalion could be headed by colonels,
a brigadier is head of a brigade, while the military officer in charge of a
division could be the rank of a major general who is assisted by two
brigadiers. Usually, as for divisions, even though it applies to developed
countries with large militaries, a division could either be airborne, armored, infantry and
mountain divisions. In a nutshell, a military strategy has been conclusively
divided into 5 categories: extermination,
exhaustion, annihilation, intimidation, and subversion.
3.
Grand tactics: is an exclusive modern military tactic or
strategy that is applied by opposing parties to emerge victorious. Some of the
military tactics applied to this day are almost 17 in number, even though they
could exceed according to differing military sources: 1. infiltration tactics,
2. Flanking maneuver, 3. Peaceful penetration, 4. Guerilla warfare, 5. Marching
fire 6. Rapid deployment, 7. Ambush, 8. Skirmisher, 9. Frontal assault, 10.
Penetration or infiltration, 11. Envelopment, 12. Basic drill, 13. Encirclement
14. Raid, 15. Hammer and Anvil, 16. Individual movement techniques, 17. Bull
horn formation.
4.
Logistics: it is the art of moving modern military and their
heavy machineries that could be a composition of transport planes and faster
than sound jet fighters, Aircraft Carriers (A/C) and other warships such as
auxiliaries, battleships, destroyers, and frigates for long distance travels.
Other heavy carriers such as heavy trucks deliver soldiers to specific
locations before getting instructions from their commanding officer. The heavy
trucks could be loaded with armaments such as machine guns, modern automatic rifles,
and shoulder- held grenades
5.
Engineering: that is the attacking of defensive
fortifications. This fighting criteria requires sophisticated application of
the necessary war implements that could be used to cause total devastation
since a fortification is like a military barrack or garrison that is heavily
guarded. Scorched earth bombing is a modern warfare that is also known as
saturation bombing or carpet bombing. Destroying forts or all types of military
structures such as bridges, roads, farms, reconnaissance and satellite radars,
lighthouses used by ships, ports or harbors plus the jetties and their anchored
ships, mooring buoys, and oil refineries together with every type of
communication installations that sustains the enemy, is part of the scorched
earth bombings. Ancient Romans also used the scorched earth tactic against
their enemies to cut- off water supplies and farming produces.
6.
Minor tactics: it is the art of fighting individuals or small
units and was coined in 1780 by a French military author whose name was Jacques-Antoine-Hippolyte
de Guibert.
[i]
Angstrom, Jan and, Widen, J.J. (2015). Contemporary Military
Theory: The Dynamics of War. New York: Routledge. pp. 4–9. ISBN 9780203080726.
[ii]
Lider, Julian (1980). "Introduction
to Military Theory". Cooperation and Conflict. XV:
151–168 – via JSTOR.
Islamic Religious Reversion and Christian Conversion
In Islam, when someone from another faith takes the Shahada, it is best to say he or she reverted to Islam because every child is born a Muslim and that it is the parents that make him a believer or disbeliever. However, in Christianity, someone who proclaims Christianity is perceived as a convert. “Revert” emphasizes returning to your original state of submission to Allah, while “convert” centers around embracing Islam from a different belief or background." Allah is Imperceivable: No eye in the whole universe, not even the combined eyesights of everyone, can encompass His Being. Believing some angels may have seen or may be seeing Allaah, including those holding His Throne that is the Arsh, is unacceptable, because, impercibility here applies to all of Allaah’s creation. Even imagining how He looks like is a major sin.
In Islam, every human being is born a Muslim and that it is
the parents who change the newly born’s religion. “Abu Huraira reported
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
as saying:The mother of every person gives him birth according to his true
nature. It is subsequently his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a
Magian. Had his parents been Muslim he would have also remained a Muslim. Every
person to whom his mother gives birth (has two aspects of his life) ; when his
mother gives birth Satan strikes him but it was not the case with Mary and her
son (Jesus Christ).”[i]
At first Allaah created all souls at the same time,
meaning all souls including that of Adam and Eve or Hawwa were created at the
same time. Please note that the soul and the body are two different things.
Later, Allaah created Adam who is the father of humankind. Even the souls of
those who will continue to be born before the Last Day when the trumpet will be
blown were created one time. The Last Day pertains to the day when every type
or kind of creation will come to an end after the trumpet is blown. All
creation will perish, including the heavens and the earth, the stars and the
moon and everything else including the angels. When Allaah wants to create, He
simply says كُن فَيَكُونُ which means “be and it will
be” when translated into Arabic. Below, we’ll display a few verses where Allaah
used for certain explanations.
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ
ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًۭا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ١١٧
“He is the One Who has originated the heavens and
the earth, and when He wills to (originate) a thing, He only says to it: 'Be',
and it becomes (Chapter 2, verse 117).”
قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ
لِى وَلَدٌۭ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِى بَشَرٌۭ ۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ ٱللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ
ۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًۭا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٤٧
“Mary submitted: 'O my Lord, how shall I have a son when no man has ever
touched me?' He said: 'Just as Allah creates what He pleases.' When He decides
(to do) some work, He just gives it the command 'Be', and it becomes (Chapter
3, verse 47).”
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ
ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٍۢ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
٥٩
“Surely, the example of ‘Isa (Jesus) in the sight of Allah is the same as that of Adam
whom He formed from clay, then said (to him): 'Be'. And he became (Chapter 3,
verse 59).”
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ۚ قَوْلُهُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ وَلَهُ
ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ
ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ ٧٣
“And He is the One (Allah) Who has created the
heavens and the earth (in accordance with His decreed celestial order based) on
truth. And the Day when He will say: 'Be', then that (Day of Judgment) will
come into being. His Word is the truth. And His will be the sovereignty on the
Day when the Trumpet will be blown. He (is the One Who) has the knowledge of
the unseen and the seen, and He is All-Wise, All-Aware (6: 73).”
إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَىْءٍ
إِذَآ أَرَدْنَـٰهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٤٠
“Our command for a thing is but only this much
that when We intend (to bring) it (into existence), We say to it: 'Be', and it
becomes (Chapter 16, verse 40).”
مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ
مِن وَلَدٍۢ ۖ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًۭا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن
فَيَكُونُ ٣٥
“It is not Allah's Glory that He should take (to Himself anyone as) a son. Holy and Glorified is He (above this)! When He decrees any matter, He only says to it: 'Be', and it becomes (19:35).” Prophet Musa or Moses requested Allaah to allow him to see Him in person or reveal Himself to him, but it did not materialize because of Allaah’s impercebtibility. Seeing Allah, may He be exalted, in this world is not possible for anyone, whether he is a believer or a disbeliever.
However, in Christianity, there are 50 facts that Jesus is god. Far from the truth, because, in Islam, Jesus was a prophet who was conceived by his mother Mary.
Muslim (169) narrated in his Sahih that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said on the day when he
warned the people about the Dajjal: “… You should know that no one among you
will ever see his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, until he dies.”
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا
وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى
وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى
ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّۭا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًۭا
ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
١٤٣
“When Moses came at the appointed time and his
Lord spoke to him, he asked, “My Lord! Reveal Yourself to me so I may see You.”
Allah answered, “You cannot see Me! But look at the mountain. If it remains
firm in its place, only then will you see Me.” When his Lord appeared to the
mountain, He levelled it to dust and Moses collapsed unconscious. When he
recovered, he cried, “Glory be to You! I turn to You in repentance and I am the
first of the believers (Al-A’raf, 17:143).”
Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is
proven by the text of the Quran that it was said to Musa: {You will not see
Me}, and that seeing Allah is greater than the sending down of a Book from
heaven, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): {The
People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven.
But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, “Show us Allah
outright.”} [an-Nisa 4:153] So the one who says that any of the people saw Him
is claiming that that person is greater than Musa ibn ‘Imran, and his claim is
more serious than the claim of one who claims that Allah sent down to him a book
from heaven.” (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 2/336)
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
My Contribution to Chapter Book in French Edition
LES AUTEURS
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Somalia's Beauty of the Past
Somalia is a Horn of Africa nation bordering Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and endowed with assortments of natural resources yet its people are starving; in fact, it is fed by the international community. Majority of Somalis are followers of Islam; predominantly Somali is their language; and they share identical physical features. Somalis are categorized as Cushito-Hamitic and they have historically traded with Egyptians, Phoenicians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Abyssinians, Arabs, and Persians. In historical antiquity and as depicted in hieroglyphic writings retrieved from Egyptian tombs, Somalia has been referred to as the “Land of Punt” or the “Land of Gods”.
The "Hamitic Theory", conceived
by colonial European explorers, missionaries, and discoverers is placed
somewhere in the Horn of Africa. Perhaps, archeological excavations would
reveal much about the past history of the Somali people. Besides the tall
stature and aquiline features that make them distinct from some tribal
groupings of Africa, the preservation of relics and artifacts such as the
"Sibraar" or headband worn by adolescent Somali girls that resemble
those worn by female pharaohs of Egypt, the cluster of cave paintings notable
in the northeast of Somalia, Somali style of tribal hierarchy and
administration, the discovery of Somali vernacular wordings identical to
Egyptian hieroglyphics, Somali nomadic women mode of dress, and the vast
archeological mounds resembling Egyptian pyramids could hold significant
historical treasures if only there was stability and assured peace.
Geographically, Somalia’s
physical features range from arid to semi-arid, tropical coasts, mountain
terrains and ranges to the northeast as the great Rift Valley that runs from
Jordan to Mozambique dissects a portion of the country, depleted tropical forests
in the south, and a patch of burned land known as Guban. It has two
perennial rivers–the Shebelle and Juba Rivers respectively. It has dry river
beds and ravines, creeks, and anthill mounds. The growth of acacia tree species
sustains various types of wildlife and livestock as it is indigenous to the
arid and semi-arid ecosystem. Perhaps, trees that grow in the Somali wilderness
are the Acacia albida, Acacia senegal, and Acacia
seyal. These acacia species may also be found in the Sahel or much of
sub-Saharan Africa. Species like Casuarina equisetifolia, Casia
siamea, and the neem tree that capture the landscapes of many
towns and cities have been introduced recently before the outbreak of civil
disobedience.
The beautiful gazelle-like Litocranius
walleri or Gerenuk has its name derived from the Somali word Gerinuug
which translates to “Giraffe-necked”. Once home to the big-five game-Elephant,
Buffalo, Giraffe, Lion, and Rhino–the horrors of poaching and the crackle of
gunfire has driven many animal species toward extinction. Also, environmental
degradation and human encroachment have driven many animals across Somalia
borders into neighboring countries. What was once a land teeming with leopards,
cheetahs, lions, hyenas, elephants, and giraffes has been rendered useless and
empty as animal breeding grounds and the soil that could sustain vegetation has
been denuded of vital nutrients. A few miles outside of the town of Garissa in
Kenya, herds of migrating giraffes have now found safe haven in a sanctuary
managed by the public with help from Kenya's wildlife department.
Even Somalia's bird and insect
species have not been immune from the general calamity either. With the
collapse of the central government, so disappeared the science of insectology
and ornithology. A great many nesting fields and breeding grounds have instantly
disappeared. The tampering of the ecosystem accelerated the demise of many bird
and insect species only to be replaced by swarms of locusts and dangerous
weeds, creeping deserts and intermittent droughts.
The southern part of the country
has the potential to support agriculture. Before the collapse of the central
government, Somalia was the second leading producer of bananas in Africa.
Somalia's banana industry was funded and overseen by Somalita–a joint
Somali-Italy consortium–consequently making Somalia a haven for bananas. Prior
to the outbreak of the civil war, citrus and mango farming sustained a sizable
population of the Juba and Shebelle regions. What is left today is not worth
mentioning. Heartless warlords drove out farming communities into destitution
either as refugees or internally displaced persons surviving on humanitarian
handouts. Shockingly, the once arable lands that served as Somalia's
breadbasket have been replaced with massive marijuana plantations. It is the
introduction of the very mind-altering or psychotic drug that has affected many
of the youth serving narcissistic warlords.
The absence of drug control
procedures and pharmaceutical companies has inundated Somalia with multitudes
of controlled substances having debilitating effects. Coupled with insecurity
and destitution and the collapse of the education sector, the rate of decimation
on fauna and flora remains disproportionally beyond comprehension. The central
and southern regions once contained large swathes of forests that have been
indiscriminately deforested by previous warlords who burned vital tropical
trees for charcoal processing. This coldhearted decimation of forests has been
harmful to the sustainability of nitrogen-fixing tree species. Charcoal is in
great demand in the Middle East where it is used for fireplaces and for
barbeque. Climatologically, various regions of Somalia can effectively maintain
arboriculture (the study and care of woody plants; example trees),
agrisilviculture (trees + crops), agrisilvipasture (trees + crops +
pasture/animals), hortipasture (fruit trees + pasture/animals) and horticulture
(care for garden).
Unlike some densely populated
parts of Africa where land is scarce due to population explosion, Somalia’s
sparsely populated and empty lands could be transformed into ranches so as to
entice livestock owners abandon their nomadic lifestyles. Despite suffering
educational retardation, a good number of educated Somalis in the Diaspora will
unleash expertise and monetary value once stability is found. Regardless of the
two decades of war and the destruction it wrought on the country, still many
educational institutions training the future creams of the nation operate
inside Somalia. Universities and colleges can be found in almost every region
of the country today. In the past before the current turmoil, Somalia had a
ministry that was solely responsible for overseeing forests and rangelands. An
institute outside of Mogadishu in the town of Afgoi produced the bulk of
foresters. Foreign governments and international organizations provided the
funds and expertise for various projects related to forestry, agro-forestry,
and silvipasture.
The most famous project spearheaded
by the fallen military government was the Shalambood Sand Dune Stabilization
Project that ended in success. A massive airlift for people affected by the
prolonged 1974 drought in the towns of Obbia (Hobyo) and Aynaba (Caynabo) led
to the creation of three settlements in Jujuma, Sablaale, and Kurtunwaareey in
a program that came to be known as “Danwadaagaha” meaning “collective duty”. In
the early 80s, the United States Agency for International
Development or USAID provided $800,000 to the Somali government to fight
deforestation. Thus, was born the Jalalaqsi Reforestation Project.
Working in concert
with Africare Inc., an African-American humanitarian organization and the
Somali Ministry of Forestry and rangelands, hundreds of thousands of trees and
cactus were planted inside the town of Jalalaqsi, within several refugee camps,
and alongside sand dunes. It is here I worked as a Social Science Field
Assistant working directly with a PhD candidate in Sociology. This inspiring
project brought together foresters, nursery managers, field assistants, and an
array of faces drawn from the U.S. and the Somali government respectively. I am
not sure if this project reached its final phase or if it was abandoned midway
as I left after the expiry of my contract in 1984.
In the Sanaag region, the
towering Caal Madow mountain range is suspected to contain
unexploited petroleum and other natural reserves. To this day, there are signs
left by the oil explorers that have the inscriptions 701 which would have been
OIL when read from other side. In the 70s and 80s, several Western-owned oil
consortiums carried out explorations in several parts of the country though the
end results of their activities remain elusive. Of the two hydro-electric
projects conceived in Somalia–Faanoole and Baardheere–not much power has been
generated. From what I know, the southern town of Gelib (Jilib) had enough
supply of electricity while Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, experienced
continuous blackouts at all times. There was the foreign constructed
Goulen-Gelib Road that ended successfully.
From the time a hijacked German
airliner landed in Mogadishu in the 70s, the relationship between Somalia and
East and West Germany have been good. Consequently, the West Germans brought
several projects to Somalia including the water and sewage projects implemented
by Saarberg Interplan that was headquartered in Saarbrucken, may be
credited for the installation of water systems in Mogadishu, Jowhar, Afgoi, and
Shalambood. Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) or the
German Technical Cooperation when anglicized, played a great role in the
provision of technical expertise by training Somali technicians. On the other
hand, the West Germans were responsible for the maintenance of the fleet of
motorcycles and police vehicles operated by the Somali police force. Lib-Soma–a
contract agreement between Libya and Somalia and Rom-Soma for
Romania and Somalia, were two other bilateral projects visible in the country
perhaps.
To the north east of the country
straddle the famous Golis Mountains teeming with exotic wildlife. This is the
perfect place for wildlife conservation, national parks, and tourist
attractions. Hard currency extracted from tourism could stir the economy and
also create jobs for thousands in a land where unemployment rate is a
staggering 80%. Somalia’s pristine beaches that had been neglected by previous
governments could be a hotbed for luxury hotels. However, in order to achieve
success for the hotel industry, effective running should be the prerogative of
foreign companies that possess tested knowledge and experience.
Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa measuring approximately 3,325 km.
To the north is the Red Sea and to the south is the massive Indian Ocean. With
abundance of fish and other types of marine life, these two bodies of water can
sustain the entire Somali nation of ten million. Unfortunately, since 1990,
illegal fishing of Somali waters by foreign fishing trawlers has drastically
reduced Somali fish stock. The proliferation of piracy and the contamination of
Somalia’s pristine and tropical coastline with industrial wastes remain
obstacles to maritime management and exploration. The coastline of Somalia
contains a wealth of fishes and marine life ranging from tuna, crabs, mackerel,
sardines, lobster, shrimps, turtles, sharks, exotic porpoises, and dugong.
During the rule of the military government, Somalia leased trawlers from
foreign governments exclusively for the exploitation of maritime waters. The
most visible was the fishing trawler Antoniato madre of Italy. Located
in the Sanaag region inhabited by the Warsangali sub-clan of the Darod, the
famous Las Qoray Fishing Cannery was reputedly the biggest in Africa
producing processed canned fish that was exported to European destinations and
a sizable product consumed locally. The factory was funded and run by the
Russians before their departure from Somalia in the late 70s. Surprisingly, the
cannery is now in operation thanks to the efforts of Warsangali entrepreneurs.
On the other hand, Somalia is endowed with livestock. It is estimated that the
number of camels in the country outnumber human population. Besides, there is a
wealth of cattle, goats, and sheep that, if effectively managed, could be used
to rejuvenate the economy. If the Somali-inhabited Garissa District in Kenya
has the highest concentration of Livestock in East and Central Africa,
likewise, Somalia’s livestock population must be vast and boundless.
Previously, the ports of Berbera, Bossasso, Mogadishu, and Kismayu served as
major transit points for Somali livestock destined for Arabia. Originally built
by the Russians, the port and airport of Berbera was rehabilitated by MWK
Int’l Ltd. Inc., based in Seattle, WA. I worked in the accounting department of
this massive project which in fact was made possible by a contract agreement
between the United States Department of Navy and the Somali Ministry of
Defense.
On the other hand and upon completion of the Port of
Berbera, the Somali government this time embarked on the rehabilitation of the
Port of Kismayu located in the south of the country. An overseas-based company
by the name George Fuller Company became the final benefactor for the
bid. Unfortunately, the fragmentation of the nation into fiefdoms controlled by
warlords, religious factions, autonomous governments, and tribal secessionists
handicapped the operation of the livestock industry. Most of the nation’s
infrastructure was either sold as scrap metal in the Middle East, became
dilapidated for lack of maintenance, or became target for artillery fire. It
beats logic that Somali livestock are being sold at throwaway prices in North
Africa and the Middle East. A goat or sheep bought in Somalia by Arab merchants
fetches the same price as a plate of rice sold in Arabian restaurants.
Surprisingly, whether in Cairo or Jeddah, Arabs, are fond of consuming meat
originating in Somalia because of its freshness, delicacy, and taste. As
history tells us, the nation of India prides to have the best quality goats
that were taken rom Somalia approximately a thousand years ago.
Saladin: le Magnifique and the Defeat of the Crusaders and the Tatars
Going by the adage “that has a beginning has an end”, the mighty Mongol Empire was finally defeated by a confederation of slaves who were historically known as the Mamluks–from Arabic meaning “property.” The Mamluks rose to prominence in Egypt and Syria in 1250.[i] Recruited at young age, Mamluk soldiers who were Muslims and followers of the Sunni sect, tremendously altered the power of the Mongols and even that of the Abbasid Caliphate rule. By then, there was another vengeful force in the Levant–a force that was entirely Christendom in concept and carried the banner historically known as the Crusades. For the sake of differentiation, Christianity is a religion while Christendom implies a Christian empire. At the Battle of Ain Jalut, under the command of the much-celebrated Kurdish Governor of Egypt who was known as Saladin, the Crusaders felt the most difficult times in their battle endeavors. With the collective security of Muslim lands at risk, Saladin had no other option but to take his sword and hit his targets where it hurt most.
Known to Muslims as Salahuddin, he was the
first to establish the Ayyubid Dynasty and the first Muslim to hold the Title
of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques–implying the mosques in Makkah
and Madinah in Saudi Arabia. To this day, perhaps a copious mentality borrowed
from Saladin, whoever becomes the King of Saudi Arabia is given the same
designation and that is The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Known to
the French as Saladin le Magnifique, meaning the Magnificent, he
mobilized a strong and large invasion force against the Crusaders. In total
there were almost seven crusader invasions in the Middle East whose main
intentions were to take over the Levant especially the Mosque at Jerusalem that
is regarded a religiously important site to Muslims, Jews and Christians. To
the Jews, the Muslim Mosque Bait al-Quds sits on the Temple of David whose
sacred book the Psalms that is known to Muslims as Zaboor was revealed to David
who is the most revered and likewise, they were after the Holy Land while the
Crusaders who were mainly Frankish, felt it was their divine duty to free the
land of Jesus Christ from the hands of Muslims.
The
seventh Crusade was led by France’s King Louis XI even though his invasion of
Egypt in 1259-60 ended in total failure.[ii]
Despite retiring to Palestine and then retaliating second time, his attempts
ended in fiasco for it never materialized due to Muslim forces ferocity in
warfare. After nine decades of occupation by the Franks, it was on October 2, 1187
when Saladin finally defeated the invading forces of Christendom. Saladin is
remembered by historians for his historical achievements while he was a ruler
over Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and Yemen. Known as Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub to
Muslims and the bearer of “Righteousness of the Faith”, Joseph was the
son of Job to the invaders and their followers, Saladin grew up in Baalbek and
Aleppo.
Between 1100 to 1150, the Middle
East was besieged by two formidable non-Muslim forces and they were the Mongols
from northeastern Asia and the Frankish Crusaders from Europe. The man who died
penniless for distributing his wealth to the poor in the regions he traversed
during his leadership, Salahuddin was born to Kurdish parents. In modern times,
the Kurdish people are considered the largest community without a nation of
their own. Roughly with a population of twenty million, they live in Iran,
Iraq, Syria and Turkey even though many have migrated to the West and other
countries globally.
The Mamluks did not disappear in
1517 as many historians speculate. To put it right, it was Muhammad Ali of
Egypt who repulsed them and finally defeated them, even though, struggles
against these forces were aggressively handled by the French earlier. In a
nutshell, the Mamluks remained to exist until the 19th century. From
the Arabic word ‘Abd’, the Mamluks were experts in filigreed decorations since
they mastered the art of Qur’anic calligraphy and dazzling illuminations of
other tools that were given away as charitable donations to their leaders,
nobles, and the needy. They mastered the arts of textiles and rugs that were in
great demand in the Western countries. Likewise, geometrically and meticulously
wool-designed carpets, goblets, bottles, and bowls plus remarkable mosque
lamps, rejuvenated their dedication to artistry.[iii]
There were two strategies Muslim
scholars use as references to the defeat of the Tatars. One is through Da’wah
which is Islamic propagation of the Tatars or Mongols while the second tactic
was the application of Jihad that implied the use of warfare to bring their
savagery to a complete end. Muslim leaders of the last vestiges of the wars
against the Tatars suffered from lack of unity. The main battlefront at that
time was Egypt.
Monday, March 18, 2024
The Horrors of Female Genital Mutilation
By Adan Makina
*This article contains graphic pictures illustrating the
horrors of Female Genital Mutilation. Viewer discretion is advised.
I have a bone to pick with the contributors, readers, and administrators of WardheerNews. For almost two decades beginning with the fall of the military junta in 1991, the most burning issue posted on the articles section of WardheerNews and continuously debated over and over echoed topics related to the state of the Somali nation yet little attention has been given to aspects pertaining to social issues–especially the most excruciating practice that has been the cause of unspeakable pain and suffering experienced by our daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, and grandmothers–living or dead. It is a practice that is commonly known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)–a practice whose origins remain shrouded in mystery. Nowadays, it is known as Female Genital Cut (FGC). Other than unreliable mythological explanations, questionable rationality, historical narratives devoid of relative validity, and philosophical thoughts immersed in objectivity, societies who practice FGM have failed to come up with religiously and theoretically convincing evidence regarding its benefits to womankind. Female circumcision, often called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), is a practice found in some African and Middle Eastern cultures whose origin goes back to the era of the pharaohs of Egypt (though no historical data exist to substantiate such claim) where women underwent the ritual of clitoridectomy which implied the removal of the clitoris, and infibulations meaning to surgically cut-off either the labia minora or labia majora or all at the same time. Many reasons have been given as to why people of those days applied this agonizing procedure to their female kinfolk. One theory suggests that Egypt of those days was constantly embroiled in wars internally and externally which meant women and girls left behind fell prey to servants and other men around them. We also learn from authorities familiar with the cultural practices of
The picture shown above depicts an innocent baby girl being circumcised without regard for medical ethics; without antiseptics; without painkillers; without anesthesia; and without simple numbness inducing creams perhaps by a feeble lady (for such a task was reserved for elderly women) or by a visually impaired midwife assisted by the mother of the child and her accomplices. The surgical tool illustrated in this operation, regardless of whether it is a Nacet blade, a Wilkinson sword or a double-edged Gillette platinum could be contaminated and may even have been used dozens of times. As a rule, in a procedure like this one, the biological mother of the child or guardian must be present to witness the nature of the operation. In some instances, it is the child’s caretaker who navigates the circumciser’s hand and the surgical tool for the sake of mutilating the most sexually agitating, corruptible, and men-tempting sensitive parts. The removal of parts targeted by the parent or guardian will place a cap on the young girl’s impulsive sensuality in the presence of men when she attains marriageable age leaving no room for horseplay and satanic temptations. By the time the procedure is over, the mother is assured her daughter will grow up sexually virtuous until such a time when she is wed to a husband who will bear witness to the new bride’s unbroken virginity. In some rare cases, the mother of the new husband who is the new bride’s mother-in-law may investigate the bride’s purity of virginity before pronouncement of the wedding ceremony by inserting her two fingers in the vaginal opening of her son’s new wife. A wider opening is cause for fornication and could result in the annulment of the wedding. A husband may dissuade his mother from such a harrowing experience by wedding his new wife without strings attached. Positive news denotes the new wife has had unblemished character. This can be easily verified by the husband by observing the splatter of blood spill on the white bed sheet–a sign of broken virginity.
To discourage a victim of circumcision from raising any objection to the procedure in adulthood, parents ensure their daughters undergo the cut at an early age. Here are some key facts from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding FGM:
- Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures
that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical
reasons.
- The procedure has no health benefits for girls and
women.
- Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems
urinating, and later, potential childbirth complications and newborn
deaths.
- An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women
worldwide are currently living with the consequences of FGM.
- It is mostly carried out on young girls sometime
between infancy and age 15 years.
- In Africa an estimated 92 million girls from 10 years
of age and above have undergone FGM.
- FGM is internationally recognized as a violation of
the human rights of girls and women.
The healing duration depends on the strength of the victim’s immune system. Medications used during convalescence include application of sifted ash to affected area, herbal medications, sprinkling of capsule powder (preferably antibiotics) or any feasible medication. For many women, FGM is a rite of Passage. In many societies where the practice is widespread, it is societal pressures that lead women to undergo the procedure as a precondition for marriage. Regardless of the implications this pharaonic practice may have on women and girls, leaders who are strict in the observation of local customs condone the continuation of the practice as a deterrence to prostitution, HIV/AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases. In some communities such as in Sudan and Somalia, the practice is so common that it is as if those engaged in the practice are going by the adage, “old customs die hard”. Almost 90% of women in Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Sudan have had the cut in one form or the other. Worldwide, the practice is pervasive in 28 countries. “It is estimated that 95% of Somali women have undergone FGM (UNICEF, 2004); and 80% of Somali women in Britain (Black and Debelle, 1998).”[2]
Feeling emotionally broken, females who feel affected most
by the cut may have the propensity to resort to atheism or other religious
practices after renouncing the faiths they grew up in. With help from human
rights advocates, willing literary activists, social campaigners or if literate
themselves, some of these aggrieved women who are vocal, impressive,
attractive, artistic, rambunctious, sociable, and fortunate enough, could find
themselves catapulting to celebrity statuses overnight by producing
much-admired manuscripts full of harrowing tales, award winning documentary
films, and even Hollywood movies in real life drama or in fabricated form. In
some documented cases, immigrant parents living in the west have been accused
of taking their daughters back to countries of origin to undergo the cut while
others, knowing that they won’t face prosecution against the practice due to
the nature of secrecy involved and the laxity of the law, mutilate their
daughters during summer vacations using surgical tools bought with taxpayers’
money.
While many who practice FGM cite religious references, some Islamic scholars
disprove it in the strongest terms. Those scholars who refute FGM claim it is neither
obligatory nor supererogatory and that it is simply a culture widespread among
nomadic and uncivilized peoples. FGM leads to lacerations, microbes, and
deformities. As you will see on a YouTube debate between two Arabic-speaking
scholars conducted by a female moderator on MemriTv, 95% of Egyptian prostitutes are circumcised while 100% of
prostitutes of the west aren’t. So why is this practice widespread only among
poor communities with high illiteracy rates? Why do we have to endorse a
practice that is the cause of pregnancy complications and death among women?
The agony faced by the millions of women who
had had the cut cannot be described in a simple essay. Removing the clitoris of
a woman is like removing the penis or tongue of a man. Where there is no
tongue, there is no sense of taste; and where there is no penis, sensation,
arousal, erection, climax, and penetration are hard to achieve. No matter how
many Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra a penis-less man consumes and no matter the
pressure and suction power of an erection pump, sexual satisfaction will remain
an elusive attraction. Among modern semi-literate Muslim men who are considered
scholars, citing fabricated Hadith for female circumcision and known as “Sunnah
Circumcision” seems to be gaining ground. Islam does not condone the
application of FGM and nowhere in the Qur’an and Hadith is female circumcision
mentioned. Sunnah circumcision denotes the cutting or shortening of the
clitoris and that’s unphilosophical, inhuman, and out of context theologically.
Circumcision is only meant for men and it has been in existence for millennia
among the People of the Book and Muslims. Without an iota of doubt, male
circumcision is obligatory and not supererogatory because, it is unhygienic for
a male organ, especially the prepuce to dangle from an uncircumcised penis.
We'll leave
it to our experts to come up with remedial measures to save the rest who are
waiting in line for the procedure from further harm and sexual ruination.
Please pick up the pen and raise your objection to this inhuman and unholy
practice.
References
[2] Somali women’s experience of childbirth in the UK:
Perspectives from Somali health workers Lianne Straus, MSca, _, AndyMcEwen,
PhDa, FadumaMohamedHusseinb
Retrieved August 8, 2010
from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hbrc/tobacco/pubs/Somali%20women's%20experience_39.pdf[2]
[2] Samir Muscali (2009).
Iraqi
Kurdistan: Girls and Women Suffer the Consequences of Female Genital
Mutilation, June 16, 2010
Retrieved August 8, 2010 from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hbrc/tobacco/pubs/Somali%20women's%20experience_39.pdf
NB: This article previously appeared on www.wardheernews.com on August 5, 2010.
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