Eid Mubarak
ITS BEEN A LONG SPIRITUAL JOURNEY ONE FILLED WITH JOY, SACRAFICE,WARMTH AND CLOSENESS TO THE ONE AND ONLY CREATOR. I TRUELY FEEL PREVILEGED TO HAVE FULFILLED FASTING THIS RAMADAN BUT THE REAL TEST WILL BE TO UPHOLD THE PROMISES AND CONTINUE WITH THE HABITS WE HAVE DEVELOPED. ONE OF THE EXPERIENCES WHICH HAS STRONGLY GROWN IN ME IS MY GROWN LOVE TO GO TO THE MOSQUE AND THE INWARD EXPERIENCES I HAVE FELT THERE, OH ALLAH MAKE ME+UMMAH STRONGER ................
Thursday 11 October 2007
Saturday 22 September 2007
RAMADAN KAREEM
I want to take this opportunity to wich everyone Ramadan Kareem and may Allah bless you wherever you are.
Monday 11 June 2007
changes and....Life experiences!
I know that I am supposed to write the continuation of my journey to hargeisa (my mother land) but to be honest I will save it for another time because whats in my mind is a complete different topic which I have now been sitting and thinking about for a while. I was watching TV with my sis and there was a document on about people travelling to other countries and on it we saw my sis old class mate. The chock I quess was how much this person had changed. I quess all people change slowly. The reason I say this is because I was looking up a word in the dictionary recently and came across the word "personality" I know very well known word but its never explained well at least I thought I knew what it extactly meant: "distinct quality behaviour which is based on the persons experience, morals" etc., so we are constatntly embarking on new experiences which adds or deletes qualities in our behaviour practice, believes and morals and so we are constantly but slowly developing. On a personal note although I cannot fully see it but me too I belive I have changed, I certaily dont have same ambition, thinking/intellect, behaviour etc. Interestingly enough before one takes action a stimulus is sent from the heart to the brain or vice versa which becomes the intention and is translated into action so if the heart is sound then the action will be sound (i.e not harmful) and so in islam care is taken to protect the heart against disease (not physical but spritiual) and so the experience which one is constantly is absorbed by can either have a positive effect or can be percieved to be negative and thus turn the person negatively. Why I say percieved is because what I see as bad may not be percieved the same by different person. And so what if one has experienced a so called bad experience turn it to good by learning from it and avoiding it next time! ones one said life is the greatest lesson no matter how many lectures and lessons and talks you go to to prepare you for life experiences you will never be equiped enough and so once you are faced with a situation you experience it and learn from its outcomes.
The time most enjoyeable and still is enjoyable and irreplaceable is the numerous enlighting stories of my mothers life experiences each story/experience/situation is so different from the other and so unexpected, exciting, endangering and soo real, a persons life experience shared!
The concept of sharing experience happens all the time that is what governs all our conversations, I tell you about my days or previous experience which I see significant and in return you share your similar or dissimilar eperience which you see as significant and so life goes on with the changes........
Friday 8 June 2007
Home sweet Home!
I know this was not the topic I wanted to discuss today, in fact I have come across so many incidences today which I usually come across in a month. However I couldn't resist thinking about that at any moment now my mum and two sisters would be landing in Hargeisa (inshallah) which none of them have seen in their twenty odd years of existence. First of all I congratulate them for having the courage, determination, and excitement (and the cash lol), to see for themselves the place that we often call home.
I myself had the privelege and travelled back in 2004. The decision was made when I was talking on the phone to my mum who was resident there for two month and I suggested that as the summer break was nearing it would be nice to take the break and come down to her. Mad as I am and always making swift decisions mum didn't hesitate and agreed, the nextthing I know is that the flight was booked and me and my brother were on our way to a trip which would be one to remember for lifetime. Our first stop was Dubai, no offence but the place is breath taking and our experience was even more breath-taking! as sweet as always mum had arranged a friend of hers to pick us up from the airport and take us to a hotel nearby, I don't know if its a human thing or just a somali thing but the guy never turned up. Even worse we were met by a scruffy somali guy who was shouting two names out, he didn't even get my name right. Anyhow the guy explained that he was set by the other guy who supposed to pick us up and take us to a hotel, and he lead us to his car. We had another obstacle to overcome, our tickets had a printing mistake and it said that we ment to fly to hargeisa the day before whoch didn't make sense as we were in Dubai the following day. I explained this to the scruffy guy who obviously had another agenda. He listened quitely as I explained what happened and the plan I had: "first we need to get to the flights office and sort this mistake out cause I am sure we are in their computer system and then once that is done we need to book a room on one of the hotels near the airport and rest for tomorrows flight" not rocket-science I thought. Once finished and about to take a breath he turns to me as he drives and says "well I have just spoken to a girl I know and I will take you there whilst me and you brother will sort out this problem". Upon hearing this I was burning with furry what the hell, he wants to dump me to some chick I don't even know worse than that what the hell does he take me for telling me what to do and speaking to me like that. "walal the three of us are going to the office we will sort this out and as I said go to a hotel thereafter" I replied, and instead of shuting up he replies in somali "qof walba dabeecad gooni bu sita" I fully understood what he sarcastically meant and I took that as form of saying ok we go by your way! I knew that this guy would be around for long to bother us, becuase as we got to the office he played like he knew it all and tried to lead the way, honestly it was a comedy show which I enjoyed. Once things was sorted out and we were back in the car I though for myself Yes only the hotel booking is left and then I won't see this guy again! but only more triuble was on the way. I asked him politely to book us a single room and he goes off calling few calls and comes back and says I booked you sharing room in which you will share with 5 other people for a night. Upon hearing this I tell him that I told him single and that sharing wouldn't be the best idea for a young muslimah, he goes off again and comes back and says you should praise me I found one but your relatives won't be happy , why I ask and he says "they are not from your qabilah or tribe....... right I say trying to keep calm I continue "listen walal (I should have stopped calling him walal because he doesn't deserve such dignity) I have been on a thirteen hour flight in which neither I have sleept well nor I have eaten well, and I had to deal with my flight issue so please the little energy I have left I don't wont to waste it on worrying about qabila, just ook it for us and we can take it from there thank you". The next thing we know we are checking in and resting in the hotel.
to be continued............
Thursday 7 June 2007
class I narcotic amongst my community!
another words for this class 1 drug is khat! Many wouldn't even call it a drug class but just a cultural exercise which has existed for hundreds if not thousands of years, but its killing my community (somalis) in vigorous and rapid sense and to my wildest dream I never though khat/caffea places would have opened here but sadely it has. Lets just give you a background info about this practice:
The origins of khat are often argued. Many believe that they are Ethiopian in nature, from where it spread to the hillsides of East Africa and Yemen. Others believe that khat originated in Yemen before spreading to Ethiopia and nearby countries. Sir Richard Burton (First Footsteps in East Africa, 1856) explains that khat was introduced to the Yemen from Ethiopia in the 15th century. There is also evidence to suggest this may have occurred as early as the 13th century. Through botanical analysis, Revri (1983) supports Yemen origins of the plant. From Ethiopia and Yemen the trees spread to Kenya, Somalia, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Arabia, the Congo, what are now Zimbabwe and Zambia, and South Africa. Traditionally, khat has been used as a socializing drug, and this is still very much the case in Yemen where khat-chewing is a predominantly male habitIt is also noted that on weekends, husbands and wives chew Khat. Children start chewing Khat at the age of 10.It is used by Christians, Jews, and Muslims, though the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (along with its Eritrean counterpart) has forbidden Christians from using it due to its stimulating effects. In Somalia, the Supreme Islamic Courts Council, which took control of much of the country in 2006, banned khat during Ramadan, sparking street protests in Kismayo. In Saudi Arabia, the cultivation and consumption of khat are forbidden, and the ban is strictly enforced. The ban on khat is further supported by the clergy on the grounds that the Qur'an forbids anything that is harmful to the body. Bringing Khat into America carries the same sentencing as bringing in cocaine or heroin.
Chemistry/ Pharmacology
Khat consist of the related alkaloid cathinone, related to amphetamines and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine. On health it causes:
increased heart rate and blood pressure which can lead to hypertension if other risk factors are present. Hypertension is number 1 cardiovascular killer in western countries and known as "Silent killer".
Ulceration of the mouth (especially the gums).
Esophagitis -Inflammation of the gullet
Gastritis -Inflammation of the stomach
Severe constipation
mild depression
impact on the liver function
tooth darkening-mouth ulcer
tremor, nightmares
lethragy, loss of concentration and energy
causes stimulation to the user which culminates into aggressive behavior.
loss of sleep, and false alertness. Due to these effects, and complexed with lack of concentration, users can cause serious accidents – on roads and with machine
slack of adequate nutrients in the body due to loss of appetite, the user lacks body strength to fight infections (lowered or compromised body immunity)
reduces sexual urge in men hence the wives of miraa chewers starve for the need of their partners. This effect of miraa may cause divorce or separation in homes.
increases the production of malformed sperms in men (deformed society?)
engaging in vain talks. this is my all time no 1 danger as the sin of backbiting is equal to adultery!
Financially: financial losses on the part of the user and his relatives as a lot of funds are used and
brings family problems, like neglecting the partner.
sources: www.nacada.go.ke, www.wikipedia.org.
I speak to elderly men who tend to take the subject as light as the feather whilst their wifes are most often the ones who suffer and most often severly. Having a normal chitt chatt with my younger brother we began to speak about the subject. As a protective older sis I always blurr out all the effects Khat can have in a way to ingrave negative thoughts about the practice in his brain so that temptation does not lead him to the practice. Anyhow he told me the whilst he was walking past this so called khat house a somali lady called him and he arrived at her service. She asked him to do her a favour and call out her husband from that house! She then began to tell my brother that her husband doesn't do anything but sit in that den the whole day and chew khat, "HE doesn't work, doesn't bring money, and forget about what he does for me but he doesn't even fulfill his responsibility as a father to the ten or so children he has". Sadened by this my brother rushed up and called him out but I guess he was too high and enjoying himself to respond to the bewildered wife because he never came out and she left with a look in her face burning with anger. To be honset I feel for her but I have seen it all to often: women being the provider of the house, being the cock, being the doctor to take care of the whole family when sick, being the school bus, being the cleaner, being the psychotherapist, the teacher, the banker, the coach and cheer leader in sports games etc. all that on the expense of her giving up everything for her children's sake. No matter how much I praise somali women it will not be enough they really take me by amazement. Don't get me wrong I have seen many somali men who doesn't have anything to do with khat and who fullil their responsibility to the fullest and I take my hat off for them but couldn't they have an influcence on their peers who carry out the practice. Surely they socialise and when they do they visit these places couldn't they then throw in a couple of words of how dangerous this practice is not only to them selves but to the somali society and reputation (I don't really give a dam about that but for the outside world we are unfortunately characterised by the practice). I guess I expect too much, I guess its more serous than I simplify, grasp and change, but I am optimistic, optimistic that the generation to come will have learned how useless the practice is by their dads who wasn't really been there for them, and I am optimistic because they will be brought up by mothers who struggled for their sake, mothers like the one I have described earlier.
one more thing before I leave this subject hopefully for good here (but I will be talking about it in my sphere) a uni collegue whom I bum into now and then told me that he was doing a mini project about khat as excited as i always am I asked him to send me a copy when he's done, we then began to discuss our experience with the substance and he told me that his brother whom he lived with for so long had taken up the practice a couple of years back and he practiced it to the fullest. Things began going down hill for his brother quitting work and spending most of his days chewing and hanging around. this young man's attiude and psychic changed so much that his brother (my collegue) was forced to move out and start his life elsewhere, troubled by this I asked "so do you still have communicate" yes he replied he is still my brother.
As a pharmacy student I know that my battle with khat has only began not ended!
The origins of khat are often argued. Many believe that they are Ethiopian in nature, from where it spread to the hillsides of East Africa and Yemen. Others believe that khat originated in Yemen before spreading to Ethiopia and nearby countries. Sir Richard Burton (First Footsteps in East Africa, 1856) explains that khat was introduced to the Yemen from Ethiopia in the 15th century. There is also evidence to suggest this may have occurred as early as the 13th century. Through botanical analysis, Revri (1983) supports Yemen origins of the plant. From Ethiopia and Yemen the trees spread to Kenya, Somalia, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Arabia, the Congo, what are now Zimbabwe and Zambia, and South Africa. Traditionally, khat has been used as a socializing drug, and this is still very much the case in Yemen where khat-chewing is a predominantly male habitIt is also noted that on weekends, husbands and wives chew Khat. Children start chewing Khat at the age of 10.It is used by Christians, Jews, and Muslims, though the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (along with its Eritrean counterpart) has forbidden Christians from using it due to its stimulating effects. In Somalia, the Supreme Islamic Courts Council, which took control of much of the country in 2006, banned khat during Ramadan, sparking street protests in Kismayo. In Saudi Arabia, the cultivation and consumption of khat are forbidden, and the ban is strictly enforced. The ban on khat is further supported by the clergy on the grounds that the Qur'an forbids anything that is harmful to the body. Bringing Khat into America carries the same sentencing as bringing in cocaine or heroin.
Chemistry/ Pharmacology
Khat consist of the related alkaloid cathinone, related to amphetamines and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine. On health it causes:
increased heart rate and blood pressure which can lead to hypertension if other risk factors are present. Hypertension is number 1 cardiovascular killer in western countries and known as "Silent killer".
Ulceration of the mouth (especially the gums).
Esophagitis -Inflammation of the gullet
Gastritis -Inflammation of the stomach
Severe constipation
mild depression
impact on the liver function
tooth darkening-mouth ulcer
tremor, nightmares
lethragy, loss of concentration and energy
causes stimulation to the user which culminates into aggressive behavior.
loss of sleep, and false alertness. Due to these effects, and complexed with lack of concentration, users can cause serious accidents – on roads and with machine
slack of adequate nutrients in the body due to loss of appetite, the user lacks body strength to fight infections (lowered or compromised body immunity)
reduces sexual urge in men hence the wives of miraa chewers starve for the need of their partners. This effect of miraa may cause divorce or separation in homes.
increases the production of malformed sperms in men (deformed society?)
engaging in vain talks. this is my all time no 1 danger as the sin of backbiting is equal to adultery!
Financially: financial losses on the part of the user and his relatives as a lot of funds are used and
brings family problems, like neglecting the partner.
sources: www.nacada.go.ke, www.wikipedia.org.
I speak to elderly men who tend to take the subject as light as the feather whilst their wifes are most often the ones who suffer and most often severly. Having a normal chitt chatt with my younger brother we began to speak about the subject. As a protective older sis I always blurr out all the effects Khat can have in a way to ingrave negative thoughts about the practice in his brain so that temptation does not lead him to the practice. Anyhow he told me the whilst he was walking past this so called khat house a somali lady called him and he arrived at her service. She asked him to do her a favour and call out her husband from that house! She then began to tell my brother that her husband doesn't do anything but sit in that den the whole day and chew khat, "HE doesn't work, doesn't bring money, and forget about what he does for me but he doesn't even fulfill his responsibility as a father to the ten or so children he has". Sadened by this my brother rushed up and called him out but I guess he was too high and enjoying himself to respond to the bewildered wife because he never came out and she left with a look in her face burning with anger. To be honset I feel for her but I have seen it all to often: women being the provider of the house, being the cock, being the doctor to take care of the whole family when sick, being the school bus, being the cleaner, being the psychotherapist, the teacher, the banker, the coach and cheer leader in sports games etc. all that on the expense of her giving up everything for her children's sake. No matter how much I praise somali women it will not be enough they really take me by amazement. Don't get me wrong I have seen many somali men who doesn't have anything to do with khat and who fullil their responsibility to the fullest and I take my hat off for them but couldn't they have an influcence on their peers who carry out the practice. Surely they socialise and when they do they visit these places couldn't they then throw in a couple of words of how dangerous this practice is not only to them selves but to the somali society and reputation (I don't really give a dam about that but for the outside world we are unfortunately characterised by the practice). I guess I expect too much, I guess its more serous than I simplify, grasp and change, but I am optimistic, optimistic that the generation to come will have learned how useless the practice is by their dads who wasn't really been there for them, and I am optimistic because they will be brought up by mothers who struggled for their sake, mothers like the one I have described earlier.
one more thing before I leave this subject hopefully for good here (but I will be talking about it in my sphere) a uni collegue whom I bum into now and then told me that he was doing a mini project about khat as excited as i always am I asked him to send me a copy when he's done, we then began to discuss our experience with the substance and he told me that his brother whom he lived with for so long had taken up the practice a couple of years back and he practiced it to the fullest. Things began going down hill for his brother quitting work and spending most of his days chewing and hanging around. this young man's attiude and psychic changed so much that his brother (my collegue) was forced to move out and start his life elsewhere, troubled by this I asked "so do you still have communicate" yes he replied he is still my brother.
As a pharmacy student I know that my battle with khat has only began not ended!
Wednesday 6 June 2007
Uni years
I have ressisted to talk about this topic even with my close friends and family. I have recently finished my finals and waiting for my results. To be trutheful I know that everything that happens is in Allahs hands , but I can't help but feeling nervousness. I strongly congratulate all you out there for enduring constant deadlines, long nights (with only person you keep praising is he whom invented coffea), only to be the last person to know how ur family (whom u live with) are doing, the constant challenges and mind manipulations by proffessors, long hour lecturs in which u discover that the best conversation that u have is during lecturs! And lets not forget all this for gaining a complete character with a specific career ahead supposedly to be practiced once graduated or at least know where you are heading in life.
However If you had asked me a week ago that I will be sleeping for long hours without worry (only about exam results), surfing the net on issues I had liked to read up on, and spending quality time with my family I would have laughed and then screamed at your face to leave me alone to ger on with my studies!
"with every hardship comes ease, with every hardship comes ease" quoted from the Qur'an
However If you had asked me a week ago that I will be sleeping for long hours without worry (only about exam results), surfing the net on issues I had liked to read up on, and spending quality time with my family I would have laughed and then screamed at your face to leave me alone to ger on with my studies!
"with every hardship comes ease, with every hardship comes ease" quoted from the Qur'an
Blogging
why blogging? a question which I have asked myself not once but many times. After having been a vivid blogg-reader and a fan of several I decided to try it for myself. My purpose is to share with people things that I see, come across and have something to say about (and now that I am out of Uni also something to keep me abit busy).
So I quess the first thing one does is introduction right? well I am "ME" a 23 year old mad not too mad but not too sane either female who by personality would desrcibe my self by the cultures I have lived with: can be cold and blunt like the swedes, hot and funny like the egyptian, filled with abig heart and philosphy like the somalis, and always start with please and end with thank you like the englishemen (and women well most of them!). If this doesn't clarify who I am don't worry my ramblings will surely form a picture in your head.......
well lets start then.......
So I quess the first thing one does is introduction right? well I am "ME" a 23 year old mad not too mad but not too sane either female who by personality would desrcibe my self by the cultures I have lived with: can be cold and blunt like the swedes, hot and funny like the egyptian, filled with abig heart and philosphy like the somalis, and always start with please and end with thank you like the englishemen (and women well most of them!). If this doesn't clarify who I am don't worry my ramblings will surely form a picture in your head.......
well lets start then.......
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