What's your take on the issue? Now we all agree that the ummah is weak and bacward relative to our adversaries, what does NGONGE do differently? I wanna hear it, if u don't mind...spill it plz!

Sophist, I didn't go...don't live in MN anymore! Raula, how did it go? Read this

^Awoowe naf baan ahay oo sadex yaan ku tukubayaa oo sidaa yaan kuleylka aan dibadaha inaan u baxo issaga ilaalinayaa. Haraad ima hayo ha yeeshee murqihii iyo xubnihii oo idil yaa i wada dabcey . Soo ma maqal abwaankii yidhi "Liiq-liiqad baan ahay sidii lulo dabeyleed" iyo kii ku taahay "Ma tukubay sidii habar tukale tuuksi ugu jeeda" MMA soo dhowow saaxiib oo isbarmuuti ii cab. Maxaa tidhi ""Ninkii gam'ayaa sariir gogladee, go'eygaan dhigtaa gidaarada!" Gidaarka armuu marakan siriirtaba dhaamaa. Waa xikmad qaaliya inkastoo uu "mad-madow" iiga jiro dulucda shishe ee Jamaal durbadiiba kula gartey.

Libaax hush! Shirku waa xidhan yahay!

^I work for a company owned by very shrewd businessman whose only worries is his bottom line. I could get laid off anytime of his choosing. That is all my degree could get me: to work for someone else! Bal maalintii caqliga hadda igu jidha hadaan heyn lahaa. Libaax, in 1995 there were no business in Minnesota you know. As the Brando the actor said in that memorable movie "I could've been somebody" Ciiloow wayee Annigoo arkaayaan waddada eyro-goo jadhaye, Amarkii Illaah iyo waqtigu waa wax kaa adage, Nin anbadey halkuu aadey wey ula ekooneede! Rag waa business akhyaareey. Libaax ma i maqleysaa rag waa business sxb barbarkey ka baxdaa waa bakeyle galeen.

^ You know him for real. That is not his name though Last time I saw him he was telling me how he found very lucrative business in east Africa. He said it is about importing busses and cars. He said the only competition is Indians...they are the only ones who really understands the game I'm about to embark.

Success story – self-made nomads! Typical Somalis in the West are young self-made nomads who excelled in the face of difficult and very challenging life situations. They are the Somali qaxootis in San Diego, Toronto, Minneapolis, Seattle, Atlanta, Nashville, Alexandria, etc. They were not lucky enough to have stable life, well-off parents, undisrupted schooling, or fun and memorable adolescence. They've tasted the bitter reality of civil war, spent most of their adolescent life fleeing with their parents in search of refuge. They've lived in completely impoverished refugee camps lacking resources or the means of subsistence. Camps administered by ajnabi, who just don’t understand Somalis and their ways, and surrounded by hostile local people. They've seen their parents in a very compromising circumstances begging for medicine, or standing in line waiting hours to receive the daily rations for the children, or pushed around by other parents in a fight to get water from the only water tab in the camp. They have been through a lot at early age. From the refuges camps in Ethiopia and Kenya to the sophisticated urban centers of the West, they’ve faced yet another set of challenges, culture shock, language barrier, discrimination, racism, and poverty of different kind. They come with high expectation and their parents and other relatives expected, and some instances demanded, too much from them. Young, inexperienced, and with language barrier, they showed diligence. They worked hard as cab drivers, as cashiers, as janitors, as assembly workers to make sure that mom in Nairobi, Baidowa, Galkacio, Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo, Kampala, gets her monthly allowance to make the ends meet. When faced unemployment prospect or imminent lay off you would hear them say Allah aa jooga or kheyr ay noqoneysaa, or waa la moodaa! Saber, perseverance, optimism, understanding, and responsibility, they showed all at tender age. Not they only worked hard and supported their loved ones back home but they also went back to school starting from square one. In most cases they've succeeded in attaining degree from an accredited colleges and universities. From humble beginnings, through very difficult life full of tragedy and sad memories, they have achieved their potential. I know six of these qaxootis by name. They are nurses, self-employed business owners, engineers, and lawyers. I had a roommate who worked two shifts in four days and went full time school. He graduated with engineering degree. I know a fellow who used to work as assembly worker in Seagate (high tech company in Minnesota) and who couldn’t speak English fluently. He went on to become one of the most successful nomads I know in person. He quitted his assembly job to sell phone cards. After eight years, he now owns gas stations in Mozambique, jewelry shops in three cities in America, as well as senior citizen nursing home. He employs nurses, three of them! My brother advised him not to quit his job for selling cards. His answer to him at the time: “I used to sell tomatoes when I was very young in Ansaloti market in Waberi…I know what I’m doing brotherâ€. I was in school at the time. He went ahead selling cards and he’s done very well. I've learned from him that confidence in one’s self, courage, and knowing what you want in life are the stuff success is made of. That is success story – a unique one indeed. There you have it juxa, it is not personal but rather generic one.

Vicking, As Somalis say Afeef hore lahow ama adkeysi danbe lahow. I hereby declare my ignorance of the history and the inception of the Islamic firqas, be it Shia or any other firqa. I must admit I'm so curious and I'm getting into this discussion (hopefully this will be constructive, educational, and iformative one) as someone who considers Shia as one of the wrong firqa (I'm bias here....I know). That is my afeef, now back to the topic at hand. I give you the benefit of the doubt and assume they were known among the sahaba in the days of prophet PBUH. What made them different from the rest of sahaba? Did they they believed "that their religious leader or Imam has to be a direct descendant of Ali and is infallible"? And how this believe came about? They believed that because it was Divine directive from Qur'an or from the prophet PMUH? Plz bear with me fellas alright! I'm very curious about the whole thing and I will be reading some books about this subject IA to understand it so I won't rely on screen characters for info.

Mutakalim, I must admit I'm not scholar nor I have books at my disposal about the history of our relogion. However, I read a lot and in the wake of the internet I usually go Iviews and Islamicity to get informed about Islamic matters. I have posted topic about shcisms among Muslims. It was very interesting topic but no one noticed. In that topic (excerpts below) talk about Shia...if you would please read it and see if you are on the same page as this author. Schisms and heterodoxy among Muslims 4/4/2004 - Religious Social - Article Ref: IC0404-2265 Number of comments: 27 Opinion Summary: Agree:18 Disagree:2 Neutral:7 By: Javeed Akhter IslamiCity* - 1. Political discord about succession. In the first civil war fought among Muslims at Sifffin in 669 C.E (37 A.H), Ali and Muawiya agreed to settle the dispute about succession by arbitration. A group of puritans among the followers of Ali disagreed and broke away forming the first heterodoxic group in the history of Islam. They believed only God (Allah) could decide the issue of succession. How this could be accomplished is a mystery to me. One of the beliefs of this group, "The Exitors" (Kharajiya) was that any Muslim who committed a major sin became de facto an apostate and earned the death penalty. Though sincere in their beliefs "The Exitors" were uncompromising and dogmatic and were responsible for much violence in early Islam. Their descendants are called Ibadites after an early leader Abdullah bin Ibad and are much more moderate in their views. Political discord about succession also lead to the formation of the party of Ali (Shia of Ali) now simply called the Shia. The Shias account for approximately 10-15% of Muslims. They believe that the their religious or Imam has to be a direct descendant of Ali and is infallible. The Imam is the only source of religious instruction and guidance. There are many sub-sects among the Shias. The sub-sects are based largely on the number at which the chain of Imams is believed to have broken with the occultation, rather than death, of the last Imam in the chain. Iranians (Ithna Asharis or twelve Imamers) believe the chain broke with the 12th Imam. The "Ismailis" on the other hand claim the chain broke with the 7th Imam. The Ismailis consecrate the number 7 and point out that there are 7 heavens, 7 orifices in the head, 7 stages of knowledge, 7 major prophets and world goes around in cycles of 7 thousand years. Shia philosophy is highly chiliastic awaiting the return of the "occulted Imam." In the absence of the Imam his surrogate, for example the Ayatollah, has absolute authority. As a result of the massacre of Imam Husayn (Ali's son and Prophet Muhammad's grandson) and his followers at Karbala, there is also a pervasive sense of martyrdom. Annual commemoration of this massacre occurs in the first 10 days of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. s.asp?ref=IC0404-2265&p=1 Read the whole topic http://www.islamicity.com/articles/article

^Get it. Tell me if there is money to be made on this project. Or this is a non-profit endeavor.

^Get well and get some rest wallaal, you will be fine I'A. May Allah ease your pain. Istaqfur Allah, we were doin this kaftan all the while you were suffering in ER for that many hours!

What kind of project? plz elaborate a bit if u would.

^ I think I can tell confused soul when I see one. Zeylici brother I don't get it. Break it down for us: what is radical about Islam? I remember another post of urs and I guess u r onto something that I can't quite put my finger on. Here is the issue: Do you consider Americans as "liberators" or as occupiers subjugating the Iraqis to safeguard their interests whatever that is oil, democracy, containment of its adversaries such as Iran, Syria, and securing Israel’s existence by eliminating the likes of Sadam...it does not matter which one? Do you regard the folks who do vice in the name of Islam as reactionaries or do you really think there is something wrong in Islam that is in need of reform, as Bush seems to think? He wants to replace evil and the evildoers with democracy by force! Now the insurgents come into the picture in this context. In some corners they are called resistance fighters, or freedom fighters, or malcontents, or whatever as the case was in France when Germany occupied it. West, Israel, China, etc have developed nuclear, biological, chemical weapons you named it for only one purpose: to kill another human beings; anyone who dares to invade their country. I'm in loss wallahi how some folks do the math. I grant you the beheading is not good site to see but boy! Hiroshima was a site you don't wanna see. Talk about rambling this is it...n emotions play tiny lil part...ahem! I'm now in control again though.

Nur and Vicking, I regard Nur and Vicking as respectful and knowledgable nomads. I think you would agree with me that most of us including me are not very knowledgable when it comes to Islamic laws and its history. You would also agree with me, I hope, that this discussion took a wrong turn. If you were hoping to engage in a meaningful discussion and clarify things for us, you guys failed us. In the beginnig I was with Nur. Yes I was bais for I'm Somali and I always thought of Sunnis as the right firqa. I still regard Sunni as the true Islam and I accordingly follow its dictates. However, Nur for all due respect went far in his endeavor to expose the Shia's. I don't think he was wrong on the facts. In the dacwa, daacis are always cautious and they always avoid futile arguments (not discussion) for arguments won't get you converts. On the other hand, Vicking has never worn a Shica label. He might implied here and there but never said he is Sunni or Shica. What that tells me is Nur (Sunni) is engaging Vicking (Muslim as he called himself) as him being Shica. I don't kno why Vicking couldn't stop and said I'm not Shica but he continued as Shica advocate. Wouldn't it be nice if you guys are having debate on this matter to declare where you stand and what firqa you are defending. Other nomads had joined amplifying the confussion. Now, let me suggest for Nur, Vicking, and all that participated to just stop there and if you guys are humble enough I would suggest you to pm each other and not let the sheydaan get in the way. Nur your work is very important and I think you will be very effective if you keep your virtual dacwa for the sake of Allah and stop any time you find yourself arguing with other well intentioned Muslims (assume that is the case). Now that does not mean to let others propagate false about Islam or distort the teaching of Islam... Raali ahaada waan ku dheeraadey...all I'm trying to say is take a deep breath and look the box in front of you (the computer) in the eye squarly and come to some sense...wa salaam.

Awoowe gabdhaha iiga sheekee maxay murtida Somalidu ka tidhi iyaga.

I like it.

Question for Jamal; White land means dhul cad in Somali. Dhul cad waa maxay?. Could you please use it in a sentence - in Somali of course. I never heard dhul cad being used as description for abaar. Since when did cagaar the color become synonymous with madow. Doog = cosob iyo qabow in Somali and it is used to describe when the valley becomes alive with new (cosob) grass and doog is the root word of the words such doogsi, waan doogsadey, ha doogsato, etc. which means qabow as when the reerka roob u da'o wey doogsadeen or qabowsadeen. Coming back to the black the color and how is used in Somali. Madow = mugdi, gudcur, belaayo, arrin aan cadeyn oo mad-madow ku jidho , whereas cadaan = qurux (? debatable), iftiin (caddo when like the moon light), clarity as you yourself point out...and so on. So in balance, we Somalis are just like all others we do associate balckness with....

^lol Koley annigu waan akhriyey lakin feebaro ma gaari karo dee waaba murti soconeysa oo luga loo yeeley. ahem! sadexleyda aan maqli jidhey waa tan. Sadex baa rag ugu liita (sadexduba faa'iido ma leh ) 1. Ma tashade 2. Ma tashiishe 3. Iyo Ma toshe. Mid kale waa tan: Rag waa sadex rujaal, nisful-rujaal, iyo laa walaa. 1. Ninka talo issagu uu leeyahay kuu meel maraa waa rujaal. 2. Ninka tiisu meel marin weydey ee rag la tashadana oo talada doon-doonana waa nisful-rujaal. 3. Kan aan miduu issagu leeyahay aan ku meel marin, ragna la tashan, taladii la siiyana aan qaadan ee iskala weyn waa Laa walaa. Nin aan isku da' aheyn oo issagoo waayeel ah dhintey baa iiga taariikheeya xikmadaas . Bal tan bilcaamahana soo daaya.

I pray for him and other innocent whose lives are in the line of fire. It is amazing wallahi how powerful and useful the propaganda can be. Here you have Somali, Muslim, a blue color worker doing work for a Kuwait company in a conflict zone taking calculated risk. He is now in the hands of the insurgents who would probably intend to use him as part of counter-offensive propaganda to send the signal that all those who aid the occupiers will pay a terrible price. Of course, the Kuwait couldn’t care less about this worker’s life. There are other poor mostly immigrant workers who are in desperate need for a work and who would probably would want to take the same calculated risk in order to make the ends meet. They will replace him in a heartbeat. The insurgents will try to snap one of them and try to make news again. The cycle will continue. The lives lost will always be Muslims. On the other side, you have Americans and their handpicked secularists who would feel vindicated any time an innocent poor Muslim is killed by the insurgents. It serves into their larger message to divide Muslims into good Muslim who are moderate and bad Muslim who are fundamentalists. Behind the message is the idea that the fundamentalist Islam is brutal, backward, and pre-modern; whereas the moderate Islam embraces the Western values, which are modern and progressive. The real motive behind occupation is eclipsed by the news of the “terrorists†and their brutal and evil ways such as beheadings. The fact that Iraq has become a subjugated territory on which Western powers play out their geopolitical ambitions is altogether lost in the drama that is unfolding. As NGONGE suggested, the only hope for Iraqis is to cooperate with this 1000 gorilla in their midst! that would seem a sensible thing to do but the thousands of Iraqis apparently think otherwise. As always, there are those who can’t stand the occupation, subjugation, hypocrisy, injustice, aggression, duplicity, and double standards. As often is the case, they will be tempted to fight back scramble for ways to hit back to the superior and powerful adversary. As the Somali poet once asked Boqol aan u turiheyn ka beegsada ma geesaa? There are some actions we must not do, and some weapons we must not use. But in the heat of the moment, in the face of defeat, the reason takes the back seat!

I would add the Islamists to the list MMA posted up there. One of the political puzzles is the fact that every clan has exaggerated notion of its relative political importance. It is very difficult to tell this or that clan that they are not that important or they should settle with less. It won't sit well with them especially when you are seen as ina hebel from the other side of the divide. You would think they'd focus the system of governence itself rather than current participants...sorry not with this group. I don't know nomads I am optimists by nature but I have my doubts with this political process. Let's be patient and wait and see... “What is to be said a physician,†Rousseau once asked, in his book of 'on social contract', “who promises miracles, and whose art consists entirely of exhorting his sick patients to practice patienceâ€. I guess he is talking about moi Ducada Aamiin dhaha: Allahayow sidii roon, Allahayow sidii roon, Allahayow sidii roon yaan kaa bariney.

JB, U better have a bundle of dawg, a lot of it cuz AS has already agreed to entertain awoowe Baashi n oblige all of his wishes! :cool: Don't u fantasize her ---- u hear! My penny lover is not ur typical UK gold digger...she got an appetite for la vida locco fyi the phone is disconnected n she won't be back till...who knows she may opt to stay. So throw these digits in the trash...they have no use pal! Go for R A U L A instead she may huff n buff...she may rant n do all of that...don't get intimidated. Lately she's been acting like that cuz the frustration n the headache of Shoobaro n few secret admirers... Take her to MacDonalds she knows all about life...even tho u r broke she knows it is about who u go with not where u go for dinner not to mention the looks , the smile, she is the bomb shell...dang! there is a reason why Shoobaro is loosing his sense...btw here is her # *&^% %$#@ ask L A U R A she won't hang up on u (them stalkers make her do that) u will be all set I n her couldn't get along...she is moody u kno that's all

Wlc back sxb Mr. I or Aniga, Where I'm at there is no Somali business. Even if there were biibito in my neck of the woods I doubt I would have stopped goin to my fav Barnes n Noble Starbucks. Here is why: u have books, magazines, n newspapers all there to read for free while sitting on Sofa. In the winter you got the fireplace all lit up for ur comfort (at least at Eden Prairie, MN where I come to appreciate their services) There are plenty of choices at this place. Now get don't me wrong I understand ur point and I think it is a good idea to support Somali business. But I gotta tell you they got long way to go and they will learn what it takes to be successful business on their own - market being the cruel teacher it has always been. I work my behind off to earn my dollars and if they want to earn it from me they better serve me well and that entails working hard to meet and satidfy ur customers.

Feynman, ha deg-degin sxb n never ever take the post personal. I think you are good addition to the site n I plea with you to stay. As spectator, I presume the innocence of OG-Girl. I just simply don’t know the facts but I suspect the Admin. do. I don’t think this is something that is in need of investigation. Simultaneous logging by users in the same account is one scenario that could end the suspicion. If that is the case I think our OG_girl has some explanation to do. The “couple of nomads†reference might mean couple of the moderators who saw the simultaneous logging and didn’t know what to make of it. So let’s hold our horses and give the Admin/Moderators the benefit of the doubt.

Akhyaareey been guur igama aha; sideedana anni waa ilbaxey nooh. Meeqa sanno aan iskool aadaayey. Waxaan bartey heer kulka jirka inuu yahay taqriiban 96F. Shaaha laftigiisa qoloda sameesa aan wacay. markey cilmiyada aan akhrinayo ka yaabeen dee waa ayagii xisaab iigu deeqay oo yidhi waar ninyahow nala shaqee. Shaaha aan sheybaarka latagey cilmiyadii Illaaheey i bareyna waan la soo kala baxay. Ma maqasheen "ICE TEA" macniwiyaadka heerkaa sare ah nin Soomaali ah oo Odey Baashi Biiq la dhaho yaa mahadaa leh. Waligiin igu faana. Wax iskool aadey idinkuma jidhaan miyaa? See wax leedihiin...war hadde iiga taariikheeya "galoobal waarmin" ka maba karo belada. Faanto ito ice tea inta ilbaxa ah intiina kale kuleylkaan ilkaha ha idin cagaartaan. Dhoorayaal.

Fariid, Hawian shirts r available for bargain. Macawis is a rare n u won't find it ur near mall. Originally posted by J11: Man is to Macawuus, as Woman is to Dirac. ..... Proverb: Naag, meel aysan ka uunsan jirin hadeey ka uunsato, meel aysan ka guban jirin bey ka gubataa looooooooooooooooooooooool this is something...hang on!...let me get my note and record this for the ciyaalka xaafada...I know I will ahve some explanation to do but it is worth the time.