In support of Bashir Goth's article
For those of us who appreciate the political secularism and social
openness of Somalia, there could be no more serious alarm than what
manifests itself these days in our country.
One should look no further than the historical facts and the political and
social events that have been unfolding in Somalia over the last decade and
presented in Mr. Bashir Goth’s article on detrimental effects of Wahhabism
on our country, recently published in major websites and some newspapers.
He laid out in his article the hideous manner in which the Saudis
infiltrated surrogate fanatical clerics that have been trained in Arabia
over the years into Somali society. Mr. Goth is a proud Somali nationalist
whose philosophical thinking greatly coincides with that of many Somalis
including myself. He deservedly earned our acknowledgment of his efforts
to raise the awareness and the consciousness of our society in general and
that of our intellectuals in particular. He explicitly explained the
difference between the harmonious Sufism that Somalis have followed over
the centuries and the brand of Islam preached and practiced by these long-
bearded fanatics.
We all know how harmonious and compatible Islam and Somali culture have
been over thousands of years without any conflict, but we also know that
the surreptitiously Saudi funded surrogate fanatical groups like Ittihad
Al-Islami and Saudi frontal agencies such as Al-Harameyn under the guise
of humanitarianism are unleashed not only to uproot the Somali culture and
heritage but also reverse the Somali social thinking to create a new
society, based on their brand of Islam and narrow world vision through
their brainwashing and proselytizing schools known as (Madrasa ).
Case in point is the likes of Karshe Majiid whose reaction to Mr. Goth's
article (see hiiraan.com) has shown the kind of fanatical influence that
is not only shaping the thinking of the young but also the old, not only
those in the country but also in the Diaspora. Majiid is clearly a product
of the Saudi influence that Mr. Goth has so eloquently described in his
letter. Majiid has obviously demonstrated that he fits the fanatical mold
of Al-Qaida and the Taliban that advocates for taking society back to the
stone ages and for the enslavement of women. Fanatics like Majiid and his
ilk have shown an abysmal hatred for human progress through economic and
technological advancement and their hostility is directed at the
principles of individual freedom, democratic society and culture of
modernity.
They advocate for women to be homebound prisoners and that their only
function for contribution to society is to act as baby factories and to
clad themselves in ugly multi layer dark clothes, shielding their bodies
before getting out of the house. Not only this contradicts the evolving
nomadic-based Somali culture but it also ignores the secular political
culture of our country as Somalia has never contemplated nor entertained
the idea of establishing a system of theocracy. So militant
fundamentalists like Al-Ittihad Al-Islami are diligently working to
eradicate our history, our values and cultural identity and forcefully
implementing Wahhabi dogma to establish mass following in Somalia, as Mr.
Goth accurately detailed in his article. I deeply resent and categorically
reject the argument and the suggestion by fanatical surrogates like Majiid
that covering women and restricting their movement is a tradition of
Somali cultural origin. No, that is not a Somali culture.
Somali women had actively participated in the daily activity of family and
social life. They have always been an important contributor to the
economic progress and social well being of the nomadic, farming or urban
Somali society. They have a well-known unique dressing style both in rural
and urban influence, which has nothing to do with the way women dress in
Arabia. If Somali fundamentalists espousing Wahhabi dogma fell in love
with the way women dress and treated in the Arabian Peninsula, then love
them but we want to keep ours that way. We have our own unique identity of
cultural, linguistic and artistic values. I don't want Majiid and his
fanatical peers to impose their dogmatic views and Wahhabi fanatical
ideology on my female loved ones, because I want them to be free and be my
equals as well
Mohamud M. Ahmed (gashan)
MohGshn@aol.com
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