In The Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Political Office of Gobta Reewin (POGR) - North America and the Somali Democratic Movement Consulting Council Int’l SDM - CCI

Press Release: Peace and Brotherhood Message
August 10, 2005; PR#6.08.05

The Executive Director of POGR & 1st Founder of SDM - CCI, on behalf of the above political organizations and the peace loving people of Southwest State of Somalia, hereby issuing the following “peace and brotherhood Message” for the Somali Digil & Mirifle (SDM) People.

O my people of Maay, listen carefully to my words and messages for the sake of your salvation as well as the success and benefits you might achieve on both of your worlds - the Dunya & the Akhira:

1- If you have arguments and differences on any issue, please seek conflict resolution methods and rulings of all issues from the book of Allah (SWT) and the Sunnah of His prophet Muhammad (SAW) through the Uluma with the supplement of your traditions and customs. Remember people when Allah (SWT) Said:

a. “O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His messenger, if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.” Al-Qur’an 4:59

b. “The decision rests with none but Allah: He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges”. Al-Qur’an 6:57

c. “… And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest you falter and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” Al-Qur’an 8:46

2-O my people of Maay, remember that you are brothers twice: brothers in blood (Digil & Mirifle) and brothers in faith (Islam) - so please do not fight and kill each other if you are people of understanding and faith, and remember the following statements of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW):

d. Allah Said: “If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (forever): and the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him.” Al-Qur’an 4:93. Here is a comment from Abdullah Yusuf Ali on this verse: What is mentioned here is the punishment in the Hereafter… The legal consequences, enforceable by human society, are mentioned in 2:178 (Al-Qur’an), under the rules of Qisas. That is, a life should be taken for a life destroyed, but this should be on a scale of equality: a single murder should not commit a whole tribe to a perpetual blood-feud, as in the days of ignorance. But if the heirs of man slain accept reasonable compensation, this should be accepted, and the taking of a life for a life should be put for a stop to. This course leads to the saving of life, and is commanded to men of understanding.” C. #612.

e. Again Allah said: “Take not life, which Allah has made sacred, except by way of justice and law.” Al-Quran 6:151

f. The Prophet (SAW) Said: “The blood of a Muslim may not be legally split other than in one of three (instances): the married person who commits adultery; a life for a life; and one who forsakes his religion and abandons the community.” It was related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

g. Again the Prophet (SAW) said: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” Hadiith Hassan

h. Again the Prophet (SAW) said: “Do not envy one another; do not inflate prices one another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another; and do not undercut one another, but be you, O servants of Allah , brothers. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he neither oppresses him nor does he fail him, he neither lies to him nor does he hold him in contempt. Piety is right here - and he pointed to his breast three times. It is evil enough for a man to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. The whole of a Muslim for another Muslim is inviolable: his blood, his property, and his honor.” It was related by a Muslim.

i. The Prophet (SAW) Said: “A person who takes up arms against us is not one of us, and likewise the one who cheats us is not one of us.” Muslim.

3-O my people, remember that, beside the rights of our brotherhood, we owe to each other the rights of neighborhood because we all live in the same Southwest State; so please pay respect to each other and help each other for the good common goal instead of devising plots against each other in which the latter will weaken our strength.

j. Allah (SWT) said: “Help you one another in righteousness and piety, but help you not one another in sin and rancor; Fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.” 5:2
k. Prophet Muhammad Said: “By Allah, his faith is incomplete; By Allah, he is not a perfect Muslim; By Allah, he doesn’t believe. He was asked: O messenger of Allah! Who is he? He said: One whose neighbor is not immune against his mischief.” Bukhari & Muslim. Muslim’s version is: That person will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not safe against his mischief.”

4-O my people, let’s go back to the law and order way of life. It is not our interest to operate in a jahilliyah (Ignorance) way of life. The Arab poet said describing the Jahiliyah life: “anyone who doesn’t oppress will be oppressed (no choice)”. Another one said: if you don’t protect your pond by your weapon, someone will destroy it (no choice). So please, let’s break the cycle of violence into the cycle of peace and tranquility by following the above guidance from Allah (SWT) and his messenger (SAW). Let’s catch all of us the rope of Allah (SWT) in order to achieve the required unity. Let’s support each other like the bricks of wall support each other for strength. Let’s walk together in the straight path of Allah (SWT) in order to achieve success.

We, the above mentioned offices, are condemning all the acts of violence among our people by themselves or by the aggressors from other Somali States. We are sending our sincere prayers and condolences to those innocent people, murdered by militias, and their families respectively - May Allah protects us all! Ameen

Wa bi-Allahi Towfiq - Allah knows best.

Sh. Abdisalan A. Malla