With a heavy heart, on my return from Hargeisa, here are some reflections on my time there and some of what I witnessed during my stay

[A Thread]

Bismillah ...

Something that stood out to me clearly, was how ya unfortunate ones who reside in the West are practically poor compared to the people in THEIR OWN country.

Something I would highlight again and again when speaking to locals


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I would tell them
“You people are richer than the vast majority of us in the West. You own homes INCLUDING the land it sits on, you own livestock, you own fields, you own businesses along with contentment - which money can’t buy .. Us on the other hand ...


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.. many of us live in houses that don’t belong to us, the “better off” one who owns his house obtains it - more time via Haram means and merely own the outer shell, not the land it sits on. We have letters that are thrown through our doors that give us grey hairs...


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.. we’re in a gloomy society which injects Kufr into us & our kids by daily. We can seldom practice our Deen to a satisfactory level. We’re deprived of hearing the Athan which relieves the stresses of life.”

All of this I would mention to make them appreciate what they have

Hargeisa is an up and coming city that has many business opportunities. A person can become quite wealthy with ease, by Allah’s will.

A brother once told me:
“you can stand on a corner selling soap and you can make a fortune”


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I saw Yemenis, Syrians, Ethiopians, Bengalis, Pakistanis & Indians all living life their freely, working and making a living.

Though I never gave it much justice, that’s as far as Dunya is concerned. As for Deen aspects, then as they say
حدّث ولا حرج

Wallahi I believe Somalia (N, E & S) is one of the best places one can go to live and practise Islam freely without visa or legal restrictions


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The signs of Islam are apparent and uppermost. Jum’ah & Jama’ah are established, Islam is being practiced and people love hearing Khair
Reminders and lessons after Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib
The entire masjid would stay behind if someone gives a reminder after Salah


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Africans generally love to education and learning, but I was astonished at how many people I saw carrying a book and pen, young and old, particularly the sisters. I would regularly see them with books of ilm or Masahif in their hands either going or coming from class


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As for opportunities for increasing in Khair such as Sadaqah, then I would regularly witness sadaqah being given to the poor

A man would stand after the salah and bring up his need, then you’d see one guy stand and collect the sadaqah for the needy one

Amazing.


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Bear in mind that many of the people giving the money might be in need themselves.
I even witnessed a poor person giving to another poor person.Heart Melting

While there are poor people here, many a time we fear to give to one who’ll go and buy a rock with the money

Masaajid on every turn, you even have shops playing Quran or Lectures our loud for the bypassers to hear.
Alhamdulilah, my fathers brother established the first Radio station that plays Quran & talks 24/7/365. A great ni’mah from Allah


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The country even has a gvt commissioned org. which Commands the Good & Forbids the Evil that is respected and supported by the citizens. Unprecedented in Africa

ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون الى الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر

Another blessing from Allah upon the land

For a country that wearing Jilbab & Niqab isn’t compulsory, you’ll see the Muslim women voluntarily wearing them everywhere.

By Allah, these NGO’s that have been in the country for the past 30 years who work in the shadows to corrupt and every wasted liberal ..


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.. every Somali Ex-Muslim, every Pan-African/Somali who despises aspects of the Deen must get close to dying from heart attack at just walking through the streets of Hargeisa and seeing how the young men & women uphold the Deen with Honour

Let them die in their rage.

As for as-Da’watus Salafiyyah al-Mubaarakah, then by Allah it is apparent and blessed by Allah.
The Salafi Mashayikh’s hard work in teaching and preaching hasn’t gone to waste, by Allah!
The Da’wah is clear from Hizbi Da’wah and distinct with no ambiguity
الحمد لله


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The Sufi Da’wah has died, the Takfir Dawah has died, the Ictisaam Dawah is dead. The only Dawah that is on the rise and booming is the Salafi Dawah.

The Mashayikh have produced Mashayikh & strong students and not mere Jahil rabid supporters


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Many marakiz, many masajid, many Mashayikh, many beneficial students, much khair

There is currently a 2-year program in Masjid Rashid in Hargeisa with the Mashayikh teaching various Islamic Sciences ALL FOR FREE. A great Ni’mah.
تلك هي الدعوة السلفية.

This morning program is packed daily by students who come to study for no worldly gain.
I saw men and women both young and old sitting eagerly learning and benefitting.

Sh Hussain al-Faradi informed me there are a number of students from the west who travelled over aswell

I had a beautiful sitting with Sh Dr Hussain al-Faradi & Sh Abu Bakr from @al_baseerabris. From the early students of al-Allaamah AbdulKarim Xoosh. Both strong in Hadith, one holds a PhD in Hadith, the other a student of Sh Muqbil
They spoke highly of their Shaykh, Sh Xoosh

May Allah ta’aalaa preserve the Mashayikh

Some believe there that is no Salafi Dawah in Somalia or that there’s weakness in “Manhaj”. These people either haven’t been to Somalia or they don’t know what Salafiyyah really is, or both

والجاهل عدو نفسه

As for education, there are plenty of well established schools your children can learn in, w/ curriculums that involve Quran, Tarbiya & the Somali Lang(for you fish&chips parents)
One that stands out is British Islamic Academy @hefdo264

https://m.facebook.com/biaprimary/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf

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Abu Yahya AbdulQadir - A Qualified Salafi brother established this school. May Allah reward him

For most schools, vuses collect your children to & fro - say bye to hectic school runs.

Another blessing واللي يدري يدري.

For the foodies out there - وما أبرّئ نفسي - then Alhamdulilah, fresh meat, fresh milk, fresh fruit & veg. Imagine eating meat slaughtered the same day. Nothing that’s been transported from freezer to freezer.

A number of Albaik’s have also appeared in Hargeisa too

This trip was a great blessing. I benefitted a lot and managed to visit many relatives
One thing I’m proud of that Allah gave me tawfeeq to do was that I visited my mother Mako X. Axmad Qulumbe’s grave, who after Allah, was the reason I was guided
رحمها الله رحمة الأبرار

A lot more can be mentioned, but this thread is turning into a knitting ball. To conclude, I advise any Muslim, Somali & non-Somali alike, to visit the country. There’s only a flight ticket between you and Hargeisa.
I can almost promise that you’ll fall in love


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Somalis have long been a target for interior & exterior enemies. Somalia with all its regions is a great Muslim nation. I’m not big on politics, nevertheless, despite how unpopular this opinion may be to some, I ask Allah to unite the hearts of the Somali nation


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.. and I ask Allah to give them the ability to put their differences and grudges aside - just like Aws & Khazraj did when Islam united them - and to unite the lands as one Muslim nation under a righteous leader.

Know dear brother/sister ...


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.. that for this Muslim Ummah, in general, in its entirety to be split and for Somalis, in particular, is of the Kuffaars greatest interest.

I ask Allah that He gives Islam ‘izzah in every land and place.



Allah knows best
Wa SallAllahu ‘alaa Muhammad