i think there is nothing wrong with other peeps admiring our ladies,its now or never for us soMali guys to stand up for our honneys,lets not take them(sista's)for granted coz there is a lot of fellows out there who seems to see what we dont see with our abayos period.

Agrees with the good girl if you need to see some funny & weird mali nicknames somalinet is da-place to be,i think its cool being here at SOL,although my buddy's application was turn down my the bosses here.

i usually like mondays,so i'll say i wear the friday face on mondays,coz am free on sunday & monday.

47/60 traditional moslem,mungu saidia.

"Anytime you're ready, Father of Four." loooooool i liked that one,very funny the guy must have been shocked definately that was the end of mother of four line.

yes UNDERDOG mwambiye ukweli.....sasa yeye ni kani? looooooool karau wana mambo ajaaab walahi

IT HAS been a truism for decades: "Britain and America are two countries separated by the same language." Not any more, they aren't. Widely attributed to George Bernard Shaw, these words were spoken half a century ago - and if the great playwright were around today, might he feel a little nostalgic for that transatlantic rift? Because from cinema to TV, from the internet to our McDonald's, Starbucks and Gap-lined high streets, the influence of the US is everywhere. Now, say the critics, the colonialism is complete with the natives - us - speaking the language of the empire - them. Here are some of the worst culprits worth guarding against. As the French say: "Vive la difference!" CLOSURE THERE was a time when this was what happened after last orders at the Crown and Ferret. Now we're talking the pop psychology of Oprah Winfrey. "Closure" may be more succinct than: "I have finally reconciled myself to my parents' divorce, which for years impeded my psychological development", but who needs it when the old British way - lifelong bitterness - was so much more satisfying? ISSUES ONCE teenagers had spots and dodgy hairstyles; today they have "issues". Favourites include minor parental neglect, being denied the latest pair of trainers and the way Mum is so embarrassing in front of friends. Next time you hear some Avril Lavigne-alike airing her "issues" at the mall (or Tesco's car park), just stop her and say: "Real issues are Iraq or the environment. You haven't got issues, you've got acne." 24/7 WHEN people say they've been working 24/7 all week, they haven't really stayed up for 168 hours without a wink of sleep. If "open all hours" was good enough for Ronnie Barker... COULD CARE LESS LIKE "bad" for "good", this expression actually means the exact opposite - that you couldn't care less. If the trend continues, just think where we'll all end up - black will mean white, yes will mean no and Bush will mean "compassionate, intellectual, pacifist statesman". Next week: Is ****** the new clever? APARTMENT IT'S the same size as a flat, it looks like a flat, yet by calling it an apartment, estate agents can charge you an extra £50,000. All you get extra is the misguided belief that people called Ross and Rachel will drop by for brunch. Face it: you're renting a one-bed flat over the chippie, and nobody's coming round except for the rent. REGULAR FAST-FOOD speak, like fast food itself, threatens our well-being. Americans like to call normal things "regular" - eg, a regular Coke with fries. But it's no longer just in restaurants that "regular" is replacing "standard". Now people come from "a regular family" or are described as a "regular guy". Regular means customary, or at spaced intervals, or symmetrical. None of which is the same as a pint-and-a-half bucket of bad coffee or a very dull bloke in the pub. WHATEVER ALICIA Silverstone changed the English language when she dismissed her less stylishly attired preppies by saying "whatever" in the 1995 comedy Clueless. This infuriating phrase is pronounced "whut...evah" and often accompanied by an irritating eye-rolling and sullen jutting of the speaker's half-open jaw. Jane Austen, whose literary classic Emma was the inspiration for Clueless, must be revolving in her grave. GARBAGE GARBAGE are an American band led by Scots singer Shirley Manson. Britain's binmen have always and will always collect rubbish. Likewise, trash-can - the proper term is wastepaper basket or bin. Watch out for Garbage Laden, public enemy No 1. AWESOME IF only we could go back to saying things were "nice" or "pleasant". But humbly positive expressions such as "super", "great" and "lovely" have been overwhelmed by super-superlatives. Now everything is "awesome" or "totally fabulous". Can't Gordon Brown do something to keep this rampant "praise inflation" in check? I'M, LIKE, SOOOO COOL! AS in: "I'm, like, totally stoked that Dawson's Creek is about to start." Like Paris Hilton, overuse of "like" wastes our time and serves no purpose. Likewise, stretching out "so" is lazy and shows extreme poverty of vocabulary. Why not try out a proper sentence such as: "He was exceptionally cool." Assuming he was of a low temperature, that is. CAN I GET...? WHEN Jennifer Aniston says it in Friends, she really means: "May I have..." An example of the States' grab-and-go coffee-bar culture which sounds outrageously silly over here. The correct response from cafe staff to the question: "Can I get a coffee?" should, of course, be: "No you can't get it. You see, I work here, so that's my job." SPORTS FOR some reason, Americans have taken the collective noun "sport", meaning sporting activities, and added a wholly unnecessary "s". Which is almost as annoying as the word "fruits". The term "sports" belongs strictly to sports' day, not sports reporter or sports pages, which should both be singular. FRIES NOT content with forcing the Big Mac on us, the McDonald's marketing machine has introduced this verbal takeaway monstrosity to our shores. Note to US corporations: over here, we eat chips. No, that's not a chip. That's a crisp.

A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?"

loooooooooooooooool i liked the MKATE NA CHAI one,you made me laugh @ a masai friend of mine all day,thanks sis.

****Busted**** there are fellows in mali's chat rooms who poses to be females,or think any unique name they see on screen is a lady's name hence the famous word "i waran abaayoo" lol!

ok it goes like this the ambassador's surname Kumamoto(hot *****)kuma being ***** & moto being hot,and his wife had similar funny names,Kunya mavi(release some shit as in toilet)i guess i did some translations ama vipi jamaani you can help me out kama i did missed something,ilikuwa siku mingi since i last talked swahili.

Tanzania has rejected a newly appointed Japanese ambassador to the country. The Tanzanian Permanent Secretary in the president's office sent a refutation letter to the Japanese Prime Minister early today. In the brief letter, the Permanent Secretary expressed his apology that the newly appointed ambassador will not be allowed to take the post in Tanzania due to the contradictions that his and his wife's names will cause in the Swahili speaking society. However, The Permanent Secretary added that the issue should not be taken as a personal matter and that the ambassador will be allowed to serve the post in Tanzania if his and his wife's names will be changed. The ambassador Takauchi Kumamoto and his wife Kunyamavi Kayashika were expected to arrive in Dar es Salaam this weekend. This reminds me of my Japanese imaginary friends like: Akishuta Atahara and Nikija Nitashika.

Eh! Jamaal wee najua sana kuhusu kiganjo fellows,lazima iko jamaa yako sanse ama vipi?(j)

originally posted by socrates "i would like to meet myself first! and introduce myself to somalsijui" huh! hey bruh sorry if you thought somalisijui is a lady,it happens sometimes.....even it happen to me once.

wow! this is a good one reminds me of the reality tv show,Bachelor & Bacheloress,but why only 5? Nway i would like to meet you guys.... GUYS 1-SADE 2-MOB-DEEP 3-SHUJUI 4-NOTHERNER 5-SOCRATES SISTA'S 1-OG_GIRL 2-NARCISSISTIC SISTER 3-HOT CHOCOLATA 4-CARAMEL KISSES 5-AMEENAH i wish u said 15 anyway nutting personal..

Guys maybe you need to travel to Nairobi sometime so here are some common words that will make your Safari successfull....enjoy Kenyanese.....American English Chips-----Fries Cribas(Crisps)------Chips Soda(Any Soda)-----Coke or pop(you then specify) Karao-----Cop/5.0 Half Litter------Large Drink Supper-----Dinner Loaf-----Bread Rubbish------Gabbage Uchumi-----Kroger Nakumart------Walmart Hen-----Chicken Mama Baby-------Baby Mama Baba Watoto------Baby Dady Mahewa------Bass Ina Dunda-------It's Cranked up(It's Crunk) Kinanda--------Turn Tables CT------CD (For Luhyas) Round Mirror-----CD (For Maasai's) Throw Darts------Holla! Tuma Salamu------Shout Out Tusker-------Heineken Take a way-----To Go Mtoto Freshy(supuu)-----Statutory Rape Boot/Bonet------Trunk Petrol Station------Gas Station Katia(shukansi)------Hook up Petrol------Gas K Boo(KBS)------Metro Star Shop------Convinient Store Hakuna Steering-----Left Hand Drive Hakuna Gear------Automatic Barua------E-Mail Magistrate------Judge Accident/Crash-----Wreck Rubber Shoes-----Tennis Shoes Luthuli-------McDee Ongeza hiyo Nyanya-----Buy one Get one free Slum-----Ghetto Pond----Lake Hill-----Mountain Stream------River Shilling-----Dollar City Center-----Downtown 999------911 KenCell------T Mobile Safari Comm------Verizon Robbery------Terrorist Attack College-----School NARC-----Republican Party KANU----Democratic Party Kibaki-----Bush Moi-----Clinton Charity Ngilu-----Condoleeza Rice Lake Victoria----The Great Lakes Mombasa-----Florida Shifta-----Terrorist DOD(jeshi)----Liqour Store Nyam Chom-----Barbeque Bata Bullets----Nike Gikomba-----Flea Market Yaya Center----Mall Estate-----Apartment Complex Krest------Lemonade Disco-----Club Toilet----Bathroom Curriculum Vitae(CV)----Resume Weekly Review----TIME/Newsweek Kiosk----Stall Credits----Calling Card TV----Microwave Trust----Rough Rider Roster/Sportsman----Marlboro Cofta----Nyquil/DayQuil Roiko----spices Chapati----Taco Mboch----HouseKeeper Quencher----Tampiko/Tropicana Omo---- Tide Rexona---- Dove Serviette---- Napkins Napkin---- Diapers Sweets---- Candy Blue Band---- Butter Steers---- Wendy's Odeon(cinema)--- AMC Retrench---- Lay-off Barclays---- Bank of America Half Cast/Pointi---- Mixed Spirit Rubbing---- Alcohol For those who have been to Nairobi or from nairobi you can add some.....peace.

May allah show u cousin the jannat & may others recover fast.....pole sista

Good question La Fidele

JFK? which is which Kennedy or Kerry? if its Kennedy i'll go for him Oprah or Jerry Springer?

What i meant was the answer to the question above most sista's know the answer not that it appeared here before.....caramel no walalo i a'int talking about myself after-all am a brother thank you guys.

About five years ago, I was fifty-two years old and a Christian. I had not become a member of any Christian church, but all my life I had been searching for the truth. I attended many churches and studied with their teachers. All fell short and I recognized none as being the truth about Allah. Since I was nine years old, I had read the Bible everyday of my life. I cannot tell you, over the many years, how many times I searched it for the truth. During the long years of my search for the truth, I studied with many religious faiths. For over a year I studied two times a week with a Catholic priest, but could not accept Catholic beliefs. I spent another year studying with the Jehovah Witnesses and did not accept their beliefs either. I spent nearly two years with the LDS (Latter-Day Saints, i.e. the Mormons) and still did not find truth. I had a Jewish friend and we had many discussions about the Jewish beliefs. I went to many Protestant churches, some for months at a time, trying to find answers to my questions. My heart told me Jesus was not God but a Prophet. My heart told me Adam and Eve were responsible for their sin, not me. My heart told me I should pray to God and no other. My reason told me that I was responsible for both my good and bad deeds and that God would never assume the form of a man in order to tell me that I was not responsible. He had no need to live and die as a human; after all, He is God. So there I was, full of questions and praying to God for help. I had a real fear of dying and not knowing the truth. I prayed and I prayed. I received answers from preachers and priests like, “This is a mystery.” I felt that God wanted people to go to heaven so He wouldn't make it a mystery as to how to get there, how to live life accordingly, and how to understand Him. I knew in my heart that all that I was hearing was untrue. I live in Arizona, USA and at the age of fifty-two had still never talked to a Muslim. I, like many Westerners, had read much in the media about Islam being a fanatical religion of terrorists, so I never researched any books or information about Islam. I knew nothing about the religion. My Discovery About four years ago, I retired after twenty-four years as a police officer. My husband also retired as a police officer. The year before my retirement I was still a police sergeant/supervisor. Police officers worldwide have a common bond, which we call a law-enforcement brother-sisterhood. We always help one anther no matter what police department or country. That year I received a flyer asking for help with a group of Saudi Arabian police officers who had come to the United States to learn English at a local University and attend a police academy in the city that I live in. The Saudi police officers were looking for homes to live in with host families in order to learn about US customs and to practice the English that they would be learning. My son is raising my granddaughter as a single parent. We helped him to find a house next to ours so that we could help in raising her. I talked to my husband and we decided that it would be good to help these police officers. It would be an opportunity for our granddaughter to learn about people from another country. I was told that the young men were Muslims and I was very curious. An Arizona State University Saudi interpreter brought a young man named Abdul to meet us. He could speak no English. We showed him a bedroom and bathroom, which would be his when he stayed with us. I liked Abdul immediately. His respectful and kind manner won my heart! Next Fahd was brought to our home. He was younger and shyer, but a wonderful young man. I became their tutor and we shared many discussions about police work, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Islam, etc. I observed how they helped each other and also the other sixteen Saudi police officers who came to the USA to learn English. During the year they were here, I came to respect and admire Fahd and Abdul for not letting the American culture have any impact on them. They went to mosque on Fridays, said their prayers no matter how tired they were, and were always careful of what they ate, etc. They showed me how to cook some traditional Saudi foods and they took me to Arab markets and restaurants. They were very kind with my granddaughter. They showered her with presents, jokes and friendship. They treated my husband and me with much respect. Each day, they would call to see if I needed them to go to market for me before they went to study with their fellow Saudi officers. I showed them how to use the computer, and I ordered Arab papers online and began to search the Internet to learn more about them, their customs and religion. I did not want to do things that would offend them. One day, I asked them if they had an extra Qur'an. I wanted to read what it had to say. They sent to their embassy in Washington DC and they got me an English Qur'an, tapes, and other pamphlets. At my request, we began to discuss Islam (they had to speak English and this became the focus of our tutoring sessions). I grew to love these young men, and they told me that I was the first non-Muslim they had ever taught Islam to! After a year, they completed their studies and training at the police academy. I was able to help them with their police studies, as I had been a police instructor during my career as a police officer. I invited many of their brother-officers to the house to help with university projects and to practice English. One brother had his wife come to stay here in the US, and I was invited to their home. They were very gracious and I was able to talk to his wife about Muslim dress, prayer ablutions, and similar things. A week before "my foster sons" were to return home to Saudi Arabia, I planned a family dinner with all their favorite traditional foods (I bought some because I didn’t know how to cook all of them). I purchased a hijab and an abaya (long Islamic gown). I wanted them to go home remembering me dressed appropriately as a Muslim sister. Before we ate, I said the Shahadah (public declaration of faith). The boys cried and laughed and it was so special. I believe in my heart that Allah sent the boys to me in answer to my years of prayers. I believe He chose me to see the truth by the light of Islam. I believe Allah sent Islam to my very home. I praise Him for His mercy, love and kindness to me. My Journey in Islam My Saudi boys returned to their homeland about a week after my reversion. I missed them greatly, but was still happy. I had joined the local mosque as a member almost immediately after my reversion and registered myself as a Muslim. I was anticipating a warm welcome from my new Muslim community. I thought all Muslims were like my Saudi boys and the other young Saudi officers whom I had met and spent time with during the previous year. My family was still in a state of shock! They thought I would stick with this new religion for a while, become disgruntled, and move on to another religion as I had done all my adult life. They were surprised at the changes that I began to make in my daily life. My husband is a congenial man, so when I said that we were going to be eating halal foods and eliminating haram (forbidden) foods, he said, “Okay.” My next change was removing pictures of people and animals from the rooms in the house. One day my husband came home from work to find me placing family pictures that had once hung on the walls in our home, in large, handsomely-bound photo albums. He watched and didn’t comment. Next I wrote a letter to my non-Muslim family telling them about my reversion and how it would and wouldn’t change our family relationships. I explained a few of the basics of Islam. Still my family kept their own counsel, and I continued to work on learning prayer and reading my Qur’an. I got active in sister groups on the Internet and this facilitated my learning about my new beliefs. I also attended a “Fundamentals of Islam” class at the mosque when I could get away from my work. I was still a state police sergeant and it was difficult – no, impossible to cover. This became a source of real discontent and concern for me. Just eight months and I could retire, so I asked for and was granted the right to telecommute from my home three days a week doing planning and research projects. After the first six months had passed, sisters at the mosque that I attended still hadn’t warmed up to me. I was disappointed. I began to feel like an outsider. I was puzzled and concerned. I tried to become active in community services with a few sisters who had been friendly towards me. I looked for the kindness, friendship, and best of manners that were practiced each and every day by my Saudi boys. I made many mistakes at the mosque, such as talking in the prayer room as I tried to get up and down from the floor. I went to a community celebration and ate with my left hand; I wore clear nail polish on my trimmed nails and got scolded. I did wudu (ablutions) incorrectly and was frowned at. I became very discouraged. Then one day I received a package in the mail from a sister-friend who I had met on the Internet. In the package were several abayas, hijabs, silk stockings, and a warm and friendly note welcoming me as her sister in Islam. She lives in Kuwait. Next a dear sister sent me a prayer robe and prayer rug she had hand-made herself. This dear sister lives in Saudi Arabia. I got an email that had a statement that I always remember at times when I get that “outsider” feeling. The note said: “I am glad that I became Muslim before I met many Muslims.” This is not an insult. It was a reminder that Islam is perfect and it is we Muslims who are imperfect. Just as I have shortcomings, so may my sisters and brothers. I also began to understand what I personally believe to be one of the greatest gifts that Allah gave to the Muslims: the sister and brotherhood in Islam. Over the past four years my life has changed dramatically. My family has come to accept with generosity and tolerance that I am Muslim and will remain Muslim. All thanks be to Allah for sparing me the trials of so many reverts who must deal with beloved family who strive to dissuade them from Islam. My journey in Islam will continue, and I look forward to many new experiences. Gradually, I made some sister friends locally and by cyber space, dozens of sister friends became my Muslim family bringing me support, love and friendship. It was close to my first year as a Muslim that I became ill with a series of life-threatening diseases. I clung tight to the rope of Islam and was grateful for the black seed tea and ZamZam water that my sister-friends sent me from around the world along with their daily du`aa’ (supplications). As my health continued to fail and I grew weaker physically, I had to discontinue community service work and became more isolated from the local Muslim community. I continued to work hard on my prayer, having great difficulty with the Arabic pronunciation but not giving up. My Islamic teacher made some cassette tapes, and a sister brought them to my home to help me. After two years, I had learned to recite four Surahs (chapters) of the Qur’an. This may seem like a small number to most Muslims, but for me it was a very big accomplishment. I set about learning the words for the other parts of prayer; another two years of struggle. During the early part of my third year as a Muslim, I suffered a heart attack and had heart surgery. It was a sad time for me, as I knew that I would never again touch my head to the floor when praying, but would forever have to sit in my chair and pray. It was at this time that I truly understood the provision from Allah that Islam is the religion of ease. Praying while seated in a chair is acceptable; not fasting when one is sick is acceptable. I did not have to feel that I was less a Muslim because of these circumstances. After visiting several mosques and observing that they were like mini United Nations, I began to see that the small groups within the mosque were mostly formed because of language and culture and not because of liking or disliking any person. I felt good that regardless of these differences, I could always count on a smile and an “As-Salaam’ Alaykum!” After a while, I began to gravitate towards sisters who are reverts to Islam like me. We have much in common – we experience many of the same trials, such as non-Muslim family members, difficulty pronouncing Arabic, being lonely on Muslim holidays, and not having a family member to break fast with during Ramadan. Sometimes our reversions meant losing life-long friends who just couldn’t accept our new habits, or it was because of our discontinuance of activities common to non-Muslims, such as dancing and mixing in groups. As I grew less able to do community services, I searched for some way to contribute to the greater Muslim community. I continually asked Allah for His help in this. One day, my young granddaughter suggested that I write books about my Saudi boys, Islam, and my family’s experience with Islam. I decided to write the books and also include stories about a group of young girls, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who were friends. The stories would include the young girls’ problems encountered at school and at home and I would use my knowledge of Islam as a guide for these book characters. I began writing a book series that I called Islamic Rose Books. I created an e-group for sister authors and aspiring writers and this developed into the creation of the Islamic Writers Alliance. The Alliance is an international organization created to provide support for female Muslim authors and aspiring writers. Our main goal is to help each other promote our works to readers and publishers. I also decided to help two Muslim food banks by creating databases that help them to track their inventory, clients, and contacts and to create reports necessary for funding purposes. I decided that I would spend a large portion of my profits from book sales to buy books for Islamic children’s libraries. I have discovered that many such libraries have lots of empty shelves where Islamic books belong. I still have much to learn about Islam. I never tire of reading the Qur’an and one of my favorite pastimes is reading about prominent, historical Islamic figures. When I am unsure about something in Islam, I look to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). I see how he responded to situations and use this as my guide. My journey in Islam will continue, and I look forward to many new experiences. I thank Allah daily for His Mercy and Love. Linda Delgado is a Muslim, lives in Arizona, is married, and has three children and eight grandchildren. Mrs. Delgado is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and is a retired State Police Sergeant. She is also the Director of the Islamic Writers Alliance www.islamicwritersalliance.net and author of Islamic Rose Books. www.widad-lld.com.

QUESTION: As-Salamu `alaykum. I am in love with a man, whom I met through the internet, but I have never met him face to face. My mother made me swear in the name of Allah and on the Qur’an that I would never meet this person. I made this oath to calm my mother down. Now both he (the man I love) and I are getting married to different people in December. I want to meet the person I love just once before I get married. Is there any way to absolve the oaths I made? Please answer me... I am very upset. ANSWER: Dear sister in Islam, thanks a lot for your question which reflects your care to have a clear view of the teachings of Islam. Allah commands Muslims to refer to people of knowledge to get themselves well-acquainted with the teachings of Islam as well as all aspects of life. Regarding your question, you must keep in mind that Islam does not allow any intimate relation between a man and a woman out of wedlock. Therefore, you have to repent and cut off all relations with this man. In response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: "You have breached the rules of acceptable Islamic behavior by establishing an illicit relationship with a man over the internet. If you care for your faith and honor you should stop communicating with him immediately and never do this again. The oath you have made is a most solemn one, and so breaking it is a grave offence, and entails serious consequences. Never entertain any thought about meeting this man. Now that you have decided to get married, Allah has provided you with a golden opportunity to affect a positive change in your life. Therefore, make sincere tawbah (repentance) to Allah and pray to Him from the depths of your heart to cleanse your heart of all illicit thoughts and to help you remain chaste. The following du`a' should be of considerable help; say it consistently on a regular basis and as often as you can: Allahumma tahhir qalbee wa ahsin farjee (O Allah! Cleanse my heart (of all base thoughts) and help me to remain chaste!). Cherishing the thought of meeting this man - after you have decided to embark on marriage - is like playing with fire, or driving in a slippery road without brakes. Recognize your weakness and fight the evil in your soul and get this man out of your mind. Be faithful to your husband. When we do what is right, Allah will grant us tranquility and contentment. If, on the other hand, we follow our lusts, and break the laws of Allah, we will only be dragging ourselves into perdition and ruin. It is not worth it! May Allah make faith, purity and virtuous acts, dear to our hearts and may He make us hate disbelief, fornication and illicit relations!" I believe lots of SOL sisters might already knew this but also might help others in that kind of situation...God bless you all

Today, Hip Hop culture has, by most measures, reached its zenith. People on virtually all continents engage in all the elements of Hip Hop culture, with rap being at the forefront. Hip Hop culture sells clothes, cars, fast food, kids’ toys and all kinds of things most people never thought would have any relationship to the art form. The African oral traditions that were the roots of rap music have spawned arguably some of the most prolific, most original and most soul stirring albums of all times. Yet under the surface of Hip Hop’s “success” runs a thread of ignorance that, if continued upon, could potentially fracture the entire framework of the life-affirming qualities of this art. This thread can be described as jahiliyyah (jah-hill-ee-yah), the Arabic word for “ignorance”. In Hip Hop, many artists give lip service to knowledge and the importance of holding onto it. But the truth is that many people involved in the art embrace ignorance more readily. When most people use the term jahiliyyah, they are talking about the pre-Islamic “age of ignorance”, when the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) fought against during his time as a messenger of Allah (swt). During that time, the people of Arabia were very courageous. They were acknowledged as some of the most trustworthy people of their time. If a jahili Arab took and oath – for better or worse – one knew it would be kept. This same concept of oath-taking is not lost on the culture of Hip Hop where one of the most common sayings heard is “word”. It’s used as an affirmation that one has spoken the truth. People always say things such as “my word is my bond”, or “that’s my word ya’ll”, etc. The power of one’s word in Hip Hop is unmatched. On the other hand, there were many things about the jahiliyyah age that were not so positive. The men of that time were very territorial - all of one’s dealings were based on which area of Arabia they were from and their blood ties to various individuals. Relating this back to Hip Hop culture, one can see how much territorialism and clan affiliations permeate the art. One of the earliest (early-mid 1980s) and most popular reflections of this mindset is seen in the Boogie Down Production song “South Bronx” as well as in the MC Shan track entitled “The Bridge”, which champions the Queens area of New York. Other records that express jahili territorialism include NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton”, Tha Dogg Pound’s “New York, New York”, Mob Deep’s “LA, LA”, Ludadris’ “Welcome to Atlanta” and almost any song by West Coast rap artists. Many years later this poetic battle of territorialism would have deadly impact as the East/West rhyme “war” escalated, leading to the shooting deaths of rappers 2Pac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. But despite the shock of these deaths, the jahiliyyah mindset continues to permeate the Black ghettoes of America. And in the world of Hip Hop today we see it continue in the ongoing battle between rappers Jay-Z and Nas. Ask any Black man you know about the stress of strolling into an unfamiliar neighborhood. The first question asked by locals is often: “Ni**a where are you from?” The wrong answer to that query could have painful and sometimes deadly consequences. The only thing that can save a man in this situation is strong clan ties to someone of that territory. Answers like: “Oh, me? Man, I’m from Frisco but do any of ya’ll know T-Money? That my cousin!” are often the only thing to save the day. Another facet of jahili culture in Hip Hop is the prevalence of disrespect towards women. During the age prior to the Prophet Muhammad (saaws), male children were highly preferred over female children. People were prone to bury their newborn daughters alive rather than carry the “burden” of having a daughter. In the world of Hip Hop, women are not buried alive physically, but rather given verbal and visual burials that reflect the same ignorant value system. Every time these rap songs, with profane words directed at women, get rotation on the radio waves and TV screens they burn away the self-esteem of women world wide. This leads some men to believe that slapping a woman is “keeping it real”, because of how a lot of rappers act. Additionally, a lot of rap music encourages women not to think, not to educate themselves, not to put God’s word above man’s, not love themselves and to not expect respect from their men. Much of Hip Hop music suggests that women should prefer being a physical play toy. Unfortunately, more and more women are embracing these negative philosophies, believing that being sexually loose somehow equates to being a “strong” or “powerful” woman. Female rappers such as Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and countless others reflect the female jahili mindset. Materialism was another big issue for pre-Islamic Arabs. People were consumed with having gold trinkets, showing them off in public to signify their financial clout and status. The same is true of Hip Hop culture where the “bling bling” era has arrived – “bling bling” referring to the glimmer of the expensive jewels many artists wear. It’s about the cars, the gold teeth the clothing brands – all jahili traditions. In truth, Hip Hop is so materialistic that it borders idol worship. It reminds one of a passage in the Bible that says “Some boast of horses and of chariots, but we boast the name of the Lord.” Materialism is another deadly trend many in Hip Hop culture celebrate or silently champion by remaining quiet about its dangers. This is not to say that people should not seek success. They certainly should. But showing-off to degrade others is not needed, and it makes the entire community look foolish to the outside world. Poetry is another area in which there are commonalities between the present and Arab antiquity. During the jahiliyyah era, some of the most powerful people in Arabia were the poets. The poets of every clan would make songs of pleasure, love, war and hate at will. Tribal leaders even sought favor with the poets, for if a bard ridiculed you in those days, your integrity as a leader could be compromised. Our poets of today have power as well. However, while in years gone by groups such as Public Enemy used their voice to encourage people to “Fight the Power”, many of today's rappers use their pulpits to inspire the young to pursue frivolous paths of materialism, mindless violence and sexual conquests. And very few champion loving God and respecting and helping one’s neighbor. There is a serious imbalance in the kind of Hip Hop that is not just played on radio and TV, but even a lot of the “underground” Hip Hop has lost its consciousness and brought in some of the detrimental jahili elements. It is therefore time for a change, lest this beautiful art be lost altogether. Once the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) said, "[Religious] knowledge will be taken away [by the death of religious scholars], ignorance [in religion] and afflictions will appear; and Harj will increase." It was asked of the Prophet (saaws), "What is Harj, O Allah's Apostle?" He replied by beckoning with his hand indicating "killing”. Our religious scholars are not all dead in a literal sense. However, for many of us they might as well be; for we no longer think of them and look to them as we should. And still other scholars have been killed off by haters of the truth. By the time the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) finished his time on earth, he had unified the Arabs. The age of ignorance was gone and the status of women had been redeemed. The people’s quest for materialism, tribalism and frivolous entertainment was erased. It was replaced with a new faith in God and respect for humankind. After reaching the ghettoes of American, Islam reformed some of their worst citizens and turned them into some of its best. Malcolm X is a perfect example of this transformation. But there are countless others who changed their lives as well. If people in Hip Hop truly want to grow, they might think about following Malcolm’s lead by emulating his actions, rather than just buying a t-shirt with his words or face on it. Unless we rid Hip Hop of the jahiliyyah elements, we can only expect more sharp minded but misguided youth to perish over territorialism, materialism and the pursuit of the sensual path. I pray that Allah (swt) guide us better.

Today, Hip Hop culture has, by most measures, reached its zenith. People on virtually all continents engage in all the elements of Hip Hop culture, with rap being at the forefront. Hip Hop culture sells clothes, cars, fast food, kids’ toys and all kinds of things most people never thought would have any relationship to the art form. The African oral traditions that were the roots of rap music have spawned arguably some of the most prolific, most original and most soul stirring albums of all times. Yet under the surface of Hip Hop’s “success” runs a thread of ignorance that, if continued upon, could potentially fracture the entire framework of the life-affirming qualities of this art. This thread can be described as jahiliyyah (jah-hill-ee-yah), the Arabic word for “ignorance”. In Hip Hop, many artists give lip service to knowledge and the importance of holding onto it. But the truth is that many people involved in the art embrace ignorance more readily. When most people use the term jahiliyyah, they are talking about the pre-Islamic “age of ignorance”, when the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) fought against during his time as a messenger of Allah (swt). During that time, the people of Arabia were very courageous. They were acknowledged as some of the most trustworthy people of their time. If a jahili Arab took and oath – for better or worse – one knew it would be kept. This same concept of oath-taking is not lost on the culture of Hip Hop where one of the most common sayings heard is “word”. It’s used as an affirmation that one has spoken the truth. People always say things such as “my word is my bond”, or “that’s my word ya’ll”, etc. The power of one’s word in Hip Hop is unmatched. On the other hand, there were many things about the jahiliyyah age that were not so positive. The men of that time were very territorial - all of one’s dealings were based on which area of Arabia they were from and their blood ties to various individuals. Relating this back to Hip Hop culture, one can see how much territorialism and clan affiliations permeate the art. One of the earliest (early-mid 1980s) and most popular reflections of this mindset is seen in the Boogie Down Production song “South Bronx” as well as in the MC Shan track entitled “The Bridge”, which champions the Queens area of New York. Other records that express jahili territorialism include NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton”, Tha Dogg Pound’s “New York, New York”, Mob Deep’s “LA, LA”, Ludadris’ “Welcome to Atlanta” and almost any song by West Coast rap artists. Many years later this poetic battle of territorialism would have deadly impact as the East/West rhyme “war” escalated, leading to the shooting deaths of rappers 2Pac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. But despite the shock of these deaths, the jahiliyyah mindset continues to permeate the Black ghettoes of America. And in the world of Hip Hop today we see it continue in the ongoing battle between rappers Jay-Z and Nas. Ask any Black man you know about the stress of strolling into an unfamiliar neighborhood. The first question asked by locals is often: “Ni**a where are you from?” The wrong answer to that query could have painful and sometimes deadly consequences. The only thing that can save a man in this situation is strong clan ties to someone of that territory. Answers like: “Oh, me? Man, I’m from Frisco but do any of ya’ll know T-Money? That my cousin!” are often the only thing to save the day. Another facet of jahili culture in Hip Hop is the prevalence of disrespect towards women. During the age prior to the Prophet Muhammad (saaws), male children were highly preferred over female children. People were prone to bury their newborn daughters alive rather than carry the “burden” of having a daughter. In the world of Hip Hop, women are not buried alive physically, but rather given verbal and visual burials that reflect the same ignorant value system. Every time these rap songs, with profane words directed at women, get rotation on the radio waves and TV screens they burn away the self-esteem of women world wide. This leads some men to believe that slapping a woman is “keeping it real”, because of how a lot of rappers act. Additionally, a lot of rap music encourages women not to think, not to educate themselves, not to put God’s word above man’s, not love themselves and to not expect respect from their men. Much of Hip Hop music suggests that women should prefer being a physical play toy. Unfortunately, more and more women are embracing these negative philosophies, believing that being sexually loose somehow equates to being a “strong” or “powerful” woman. Female rappers such as Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and countless others reflect the female jahili mindset. Materialism was another big issue for pre-Islamic Arabs. People were consumed with having gold trinkets, showing them off in public to signify their financial clout and status. The same is true of Hip Hop culture where the “bling bling” era has arrived – “bling bling” referring to the glimmer of the expensive jewels many artists wear. It’s about the cars, the gold teeth the clothing brands – all jahili traditions. In truth, Hip Hop is so materialistic that it borders idol worship. It reminds one of a passage in the Bible that says “Some boast of horses and of chariots, but we boast the name of the Lord.” Materialism is another deadly trend many in Hip Hop culture celebrate or silently champion by remaining quiet about its dangers. This is not to say that people should not seek success. They certainly should. But showing-off to degrade others is not needed, and it makes the entire community look foolish to the outside world. Poetry is another area in which there are commonalities between the present and Arab antiquity. During the jahiliyyah era, some of the most powerful people in Arabia were the poets. The poets of every clan would make songs of pleasure, love, war and hate at will. Tribal leaders even sought favor with the poets, for if a bard ridiculed you in those days, your integrity as a leader could be compromised. Our poets of today have power as well. However, while in years gone by groups such as Public Enemy used their voice to encourage people to “Fight the Power”, many of today's rappers use their pulpits to inspire the young to pursue frivolous paths of materialism, mindless violence and sexual conquests. And very few champion loving God and respecting and helping one’s neighbor. There is a serious imbalance in the kind of Hip Hop that is not just played on radio and TV, but even a lot of the “underground” Hip Hop has lost its consciousness and brought in some of the detrimental jahili elements. It is therefore time for a change, lest this beautiful art be lost altogether. Once the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) said, "[Religious] knowledge will be taken away [by the death of religious scholars], ignorance [in religion] and afflictions will appear; and Harj will increase." It was asked of the Prophet (saaws), "What is Harj, O Allah's Apostle?" He replied by beckoning with his hand indicating "killing”. Our religious scholars are not all dead in a literal sense. However, for many of us they might as well be; for we no longer think of them and look to them as we should. And still other scholars have been killed off by haters of the truth. By the time the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) finished his time on earth, he had unified the Arabs. The age of ignorance was gone and the status of women had been redeemed. The people’s quest for materialism, tribalism and frivolous entertainment was erased. It was replaced with a new faith in God and respect for humankind. After reaching the ghettoes of American, Islam reformed some of their worst citizens and turned them into some of its best. Malcolm X is a perfect example of this transformation. But there are countless others who changed their lives as well. If people in Hip Hop truly want to grow, they might think about following Malcolm’s lead by emulating his actions, rather than just buying a t-shirt with his words or face on it. Unless we rid Hip Hop of the jahiliyyah elements, we can only expect more sharp minded but misguided youth to perish over territorialism, materialism and the pursuit of the sensual path. I pray that Allah (swt) guide us better.

Today, Hip Hop culture has, by most measures, reached its zenith. People on virtually all continents engage in all the elements of Hip Hop culture, with rap being at the forefront. Hip Hop culture sells clothes, cars, fast food, kids’ toys and all kinds of things most people never thought would have any relationship to the art form. The African oral traditions that were the roots of rap music have spawned arguably some of the most prolific, most original and most soul stirring albums of all times. Yet under the surface of Hip Hop’s “success” runs a thread of ignorance that, if continued upon, could potentially fracture the entire framework of the life-affirming qualities of this art. This thread can be described as jahiliyyah (jah-hill-ee-yah), the Arabic word for “ignorance”. In Hip Hop, many artists give lip service to knowledge and the importance of holding onto it. But the truth is that many people involved in the art embrace ignorance more readily. When most people use the term jahiliyyah, they are talking about the pre-Islamic “age of ignorance”, when the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) fought against during his time as a messenger of Allah (swt). During that time, the people of Arabia were very courageous. They were acknowledged as some of the most trustworthy people of their time. If a jahili Arab took and oath – for better or worse – one knew it would be kept. This same concept of oath-taking is not lost on the culture of Hip Hop where one of the most common sayings heard is “word”. It’s used as an affirmation that one has spoken the truth. People always say things such as “my word is my bond”, or “that’s my word ya’ll”, etc. The power of one’s word in Hip Hop is unmatched. On the other hand, there were many things about the jahiliyyah age that were not so positive. The men of that time were very territorial - all of one’s dealings were based on which area of Arabia they were from and their blood ties to various individuals. Relating this back to Hip Hop culture, one can see how much territorialism and clan affiliations permeate the art. One of the earliest (early-mid 1980s) and most popular reflections of this mindset is seen in the Boogie Down Production song “South Bronx” as well as in the MC Shan track entitled “The Bridge”, which champions the Queens area of New York. Other records that express jahili territorialism include NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton”, Tha Dogg Pound’s “New York, New York”, Mob Deep’s “LA, LA”, Ludadris’ “Welcome to Atlanta” and almost any song by West Coast rap artists. Many years later this poetic battle of territorialism would have deadly impact as the East/West rhyme “war” escalated, leading to the shooting deaths of rappers 2Pac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. But despite the shock of these deaths, the jahiliyyah mindset continues to permeate the Black ghettoes of America. And in the world of Hip Hop today we see it continue in the ongoing battle between rappers Jay-Z and Nas. Ask any Black man you know about the stress of strolling into an unfamiliar neighborhood. The first question asked by locals is often: “Ni**a where are you from?” The wrong answer to that query could have painful and sometimes deadly consequences. The only thing that can save a man in this situation is strong clan ties to someone of that territory. Answers like: “Oh, me? Man, I’m from Frisco but do any of ya’ll know T-Money? That my cousin!” are often the only thing to save the day. Another facet of jahili culture in Hip Hop is the prevalence of disrespect towards women. During the age prior to the Prophet Muhammad (saaws), male children were highly preferred over female children. People were prone to bury their newborn daughters alive rather than carry the “burden” of having a daughter. In the world of Hip Hop, women are not buried alive physically, but rather given verbal and visual burials that reflect the same ignorant value system. Every time these rap songs, with profane words directed at women, get rotation on the radio waves and TV screens they burn away the self-esteem of women world wide. This leads some men to believe that slapping a woman is “keeping it real”, because of how a lot of rappers act. Additionally, a lot of rap music encourages women not to think, not to educate themselves, not to put God’s word above man’s, not love themselves and to not expect respect from their men. Much of Hip Hop music suggests that women should prefer being a physical play toy. Unfortunately, more and more women are embracing these negative philosophies, believing that being sexually loose somehow equates to being a “strong” or “powerful” woman. Female rappers such as Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and countless others reflect the female jahili mindset. Materialism was another big issue for pre-Islamic Arabs. People were consumed with having gold trinkets, showing them off in public to signify their financial clout and status. The same is true of Hip Hop culture where the “bling bling” era has arrived – “bling bling” referring to the glimmer of the expensive jewels many artists wear. It’s about the cars, the gold teeth the clothing brands – all jahili traditions. In truth, Hip Hop is so materialistic that it borders idol worship. It reminds one of a passage in the Bible that says “Some boast of horses and of chariots, but we boast the name of the Lord.” Materialism is another deadly trend many in Hip Hop culture celebrate or silently champion by remaining quiet about its dangers. This is not to say that people should not seek success. They certainly should. But showing-off to degrade others is not needed, and it makes the entire community look foolish to the outside world. Poetry is another area in which there are commonalities between the present and Arab antiquity. During the jahiliyyah era, some of the most powerful people in Arabia were the poets. The poets of every clan would make songs of pleasure, love, war and hate at will. Tribal leaders even sought favor with the poets, for if a bard ridiculed you in those days, your integrity as a leader could be compromised. Our poets of today have power as well. However, while in years gone by groups such as Public Enemy used their voice to encourage people to “Fight the Power”, many of today's rappers use their pulpits to inspire the young to pursue frivolous paths of materialism, mindless violence and sexual conquests. And very few champion loving God and respecting and helping one’s neighbor. There is a serious imbalance in the kind of Hip Hop that is not just played on radio and TV, but even a lot of the “underground” Hip Hop has lost its consciousness and brought in some of the detrimental jahili elements. It is therefore time for a change, lest this beautiful art be lost altogether. Once the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) said, "[Religious] knowledge will be taken away [by the death of religious scholars], ignorance [in religion] and afflictions will appear; and Harj will increase." It was asked of the Prophet (saaws), "What is Harj, O Allah's Apostle?" He replied by beckoning with his hand indicating "killing”. Our religious scholars are not all dead in a literal sense. However, for many of us they might as well be; for we no longer think of them and look to them as we should. And still other scholars have been killed off by haters of the truth. By the time the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) finished his time on earth, he had unified the Arabs. The age of ignorance was gone and the status of women had been redeemed. The people’s quest for materialism, tribalism and frivolous entertainment was erased. It was replaced with a new faith in God and respect for humankind. After reaching the ghettoes of American, Islam reformed some of their worst citizens and turned them into some of its best. Malcolm X is a perfect example of this transformation. But there are countless others who changed their lives as well. If people in Hip Hop truly want to grow, they might think about following Malcolm’s lead by emulating his actions, rather than just buying a t-shirt with his words or face on it. Unless we rid Hip Hop of the jahiliyyah elements, we can only expect more sharp minded but misguided youth to perish over territorialism, materialism and the pursuit of the sensual path. I pray that Allah (swt) guide us better.