The incoherence of” Allies at odds over Somalia’s” Polemic

by Abdiaziz Abdi
Saturday, July 03, 2010

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Dr. Elmi has surfaced another article to corroborate once again his Islamism Ikhwani predilection. This article is the squeal to many previous articles which in them Mr. Elmi unwittingly propagated the notion---that Islamism is the only panacea for Somalia’s quandaries.

Ethiopia “has sought to insert its influence via backdoor means. It has done this by exploiting the legitimate grievances of Somalia's traditional Sufi orders, while sidelining the genuine representatives of the moderate Sufi group Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jama” thus Mr. Afyare has purported in his latest article which was posted earlier in Aljazeera.net then Hiiraan.com.

I am having hard time of comprehending Afyer’s so called “moderate Sufi group Ahlu Sunna wal-Jama”! Are those moderate Sufis meant to denote Aala Sheikh (a bunch of Somali Muslim Brotherhood who had chosen to stick with Sheikh Mohamed Molim Hassan in his imprisonment years) or Islah (another Muslim brotherhood who after impatience has got the best of them had defected from alla sheikh to institute their own band)? If Afyer’s moderate Sufi groups are intended to connote the aforementioned groups (I deem they are the ones in reference here), he has got utterly and entirely wrong!

What feat makes Muslim brotherhood to warrant the endowment of Sufi title? Earning a title in a given school of thought takes conviction in that school’s system of belief. Assigning the title of socialist to an institution, for instance, comes only after that institution imbibes and acts upon socialism dogmas. In similar manner, Muslim Brotherhood to gain the title Sufis calls for embracing Sufism disposition; a disposition they have never paraded from the time of their conception up to this time.

Sufi Islam in Somalia and elsewhere is heralded by spiritualism that centers on the mystical connection between the individual and the divine. Mystic’s ethos depicts egalitarianism, altruism and human comradeship. Their agendas are free from any overt and covert political agendas. In short, nothing like dogma creed, which imparts itself to wipe out God's enemies as quickly as possible and to rein in their kingdoms, and generate sectarian schisms----which all Islamist movements espouse more or less--- Sufi Islam has often preached absolution and human adoration.

Incongruously Mr. Elmi however, instead calling Muslim Brotherhood what they are --- namely fundamental Islamist camouflaging their antagonism with moderate skin ---- he calls them what they are not---“genuine representatives of the moderate Sufi group Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jama'a”! Mr. Elmi in his writings is the sort of proto-educator who gives edification a bad name; and a new era of Somali obscurantism, his polemic is futile!

The truth is Islamism doctrine has failed flatly the world over; it has wreaked havoc on every vicinity its seeds were transplanted: Afghanistan, Palestine, Sudan, Algeria, and Somalia are cases in point. Therefore, “eliminating Islamist movements from the political process will provide [not] extremist and violent groups”, as Afyare promulgates, but will solve Somali predicament, and will let the prosperity doors fling-open at one fell swoop!
Final word: one thing that the doctor ostensibly has got it right is this statement: “Opportunistic politician will only exacerbate the already difficult situation in the country”.

The point he flouts, alas, is the fact that those Islamist movements---which he holds in the highest regard--- dwell at the apex of opportunism politicalism realm as well; in that sense, all opportunistic politicians Islamists and non-Islamists should merit admonition. The unacceptable scenario thus is having those self-centered egocentric beasts in the Somali political process. The “US and the rest of the international community must [not] allow the status quo of 2006 to 2009 to return to Somalia”, but rather must make every effort to harness and yoke Somalia's traditional Sufi orders and secular intellectuals . Reinstating Somalia's traditional Sufi orders and secular intellectuals is the only medium and the most efficacious one to mend Somali’s mayhem.

Abdiaziz Abdi
E-mail: [email protected]

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