An important piece of Somali history that shall be preserved, a thread on one of the most prominent #Somali thinkers & scholars, Yaasiin Cismaan Kenaadid, the son of Cismaan Yusuf Kenaadid.

Thread:
Yaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid was born in Somalia at Ceelhuur (Obbia) in 1919 and died on 27th November 1988 in Roma (Italy). He was the son of Cismaan Yuusuf Keenadiid, the poet scholar, who invented the first phonetically standard script for the Somali language in 1920s.
Yaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid was born in Somalia at Ceelhuur (Obbia) in 1919 and died on 27th November 1988 in Roma (Italy). He was the son of Cismaan Yuusuf Keenadiid, the poet scholar, who invented the first phonetically standard script for the Somali language in 1920s.
Yaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid was born in Somalia at Ceelhuur (Obbia) in 1919 and died on 27th November 1988 in Roma (Italy). He was the son of Cismaan Yuusuf Keenadiid, the poet scholar, who invented the first phonetically standard script for the Somali language in 1920s.
This script called in Somali -Far Soomaali - ‘Somali alphabet’ is also known as ‘Osmaniya script’ after his name.
Both father & son where brilliant thinkers & scholars but today we will speak about the life of Yaasiin
Yaasiin studied linguistics and classical languages (Greek & Latin) at the universities of Roma and Perugia in 1955–1957, & Slavic philology at the University of P. Lumumba in Moscow (USSR) in 1962. He got his Arts degree (Lettere) at the University of Roma–La Sapienza– in 1963.
In 1949, he founded Goosanka Afka iyo Suugaanta Soomaalida - GASS “the Somali language and literature society” within the ‘Somali youth league’.
The aim of the society was to open schools and print Somali language and literature books, with the Osmaniya script.
His perception to transform the Somali culture from oral to written was highly evident at that time. He was the director of the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Education of Somalia, member of the Somali Academy of Arts and Culture in Mogadishu.
one of the Somali intellectuals of the Somali Language Committee. In 1971 this Committee, made up of Somali intellectuals and foreign experts, had the commitment to decide about which writing script to be adopted officially for the writing of the Somali Language.
by selecting one of the three competitors: Arabic, Osmaniya and Latin characters. Finally the decision was taken and Latin characters were adopted as the writing system for Somali that has become in 1972 a written language.
Yaasin wrote numerous articles & essays for the newspapers & magazines in Somalia & abroad. He was the founder of 2 monthly journals Sahan (the explorer) & Horseed (the Vanguard). Director of the series “Somaliya–anatologia storico-culturale” –(Somalia–histo-cultural Anthology)
In 1980, he wrote Gabayadii Cismaan Keenadiid “the Poems of Cismaan Keenadiid” published in London, UK in 2007.
His translation of the 30th chapter (Juz) of the Koran into Somali in 1982, is yet to be published.
His best known and most important books are Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (Firenza 1976) and Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attivita letteraria (Napoli 1981).
The Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (The Dictionary of Somali Language) is one of the few dictionaries existing for an African Language.
His best known and most important books are Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (Firenza 1976) and Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attivita letteraria (Napoli 1981).The Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (The Dictionary of Somali Language) is one of the few dictionaries existing for an African Language.
His best known and most important books are Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (Firenza 1976) and Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attivita letteraria (Napoli 1981).The Qaamuuska Af Soomaaliga (The Dictionary of Somali Language) is one of the few dictionaries existing for an African Language.
The first monolingual Dictionary written for Somali after its official transcription & adoption as Language of Instruction. It includes 15.000 words & a milestone for Somali lexicography. It has become the indispensable reference for all successive lexical works on this language.
The Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attività letteraria is based on a thesis he wrote for his degree, & also the result of additional work. The aim of this work is to give a more complete picture of Sayidka (as he is often called), an important & complex character in Somali history.
The Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attività letteraria is based on a thesis he wrote for his degree, & also the result of additional work. The aim of this work is to give a more complete picture of Sayidka (as he is often called), an important & complex character in Somali history.
The Ina Cabdille Xasan e la sua attività letteraria is based on a thesis he wrote for his degree, & also the result of additional work. The aim of this work is to give a more complete picture of Sayidka (as he is often called), an important & complex character in Somali history.
The aim is to show that he struggled – not only with arms but also with other means such as poetic duels – against foreign colonial powers, opponents and uninvolved people among Somalis. The book contains a short historical introduction & a section devoted to Somali poetry
Which includes poems by several authors including Sayid. The nucleus of the poems - which were already present in the thesis – is formed by 17 ‘gabay’ and two ‘masafo’; they give the reader a general idea of Sayid’s personality and way of thinking.
The book contains poems by different poets who express positions in line or against those of the Sayid. There are plenty of footnotes that illustrate and explain the meaning and the context of each poem as well as particular language usages and idioms.
Yaasiin is considered as one of the most important scholars in the last century in Somalia, and a teacher for the coming generations.

His numerous pieces of work and legacies cannot be explained in the space of a twitter thread but this is just a beginning for Somalis to learn.
This information was collected by original documents kept in the family possession of the late scholar, compiled and written by his son
Xaashi Yaasin Kenaadid in 2013

Links to some of the writings & work of the late scholar can be found in the thread below.
On the following website are locations and availability of the books worldwide, including libraries.

https://www.worldcat.org/title/ina-cabdille-xasan-e-la-sua-attivita-letteraria/oclc/24108333
Yaasiin Cismaan Kenaadid, a Scholar, a patriot, a visionary, & one of the founding 13 of the SYL which led to the nation of Somalia. may Allah swt grant him Jannatul firdows, ameen.
Yaasiin Cismaan Kenaadid, a Scholar, a patriot, a visionary, & one of the founding 13 of the SYL which led to the nation of Somalia. may Allah swt grant him Jannatul firdows, ameen.
Yaasiin Cismaan Kenaadid, a Scholar, a patriot, a visionary, & one of the founding 13 of the SYL which led to the nation of Somalia. may Allah swt grant him Jannatul firdows, ameen.
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