[Z]

BRETHREN IN AFFLICTION
The persecuted Christian Church in Somalia
By: Mohamed Gurhan

Often when one of us goes to a certain church for Sunday service for the first time and the people there recognize that he or she is a Somali, we attract the attention of the deacons and security guards. Sometimes someone approaches us to enquire the reason of our being there.

"I guest you are Somali?" He or she may ask in a friendly manner. "Yes, I am Somali." We respond. "Are you Christian?" Exclaims the person in a mixed tone of happiness and hesitation. This reaction indicates that the Christian people of Kenya , the closest and most friendly neighbor of Somalia knows very little or nothing at all about the existence of Somali Christians. What do you think the world wide Christian family knows about the underground church of Somalia ? Very few international Christian missions know about it, and even some of them, with their own reasons, prefer and support the Muslim fundamentalist Somalis who persecute the Somali believers.

Is salvation only for particular peoples and nations? Who said the Kingdom of God cannot be established among the Somalis? Are the Somalis not included in the Great Commission of our Lord? Why the great world Christian family does not care about the suffering of the Somali church? Before we try to answer these questions, let us see a brief history of the Somali church.

In 1886 the Roman Catholic mission setup a mission base and established a school at the port town of Berbera in the then British protectorate of Somaliland . About the same time the Franciscan mission of the Roman Catholic Church and the Swedish Overseas Lutheran Mission each setup a mission base in Mogadishu and Kismayu towns respectively. Soon the harvest was plenty and the church was growing rapidly.

About ten year later when Sayid Mohamed Abdalla Hassan, the insurgent Muslim fundamentalist leader whom the British called the Mad Mullah of Somaliland arrived at Berbera town. There was a Somali church with hundreds of members, mainly young people and children in the boarding school.

One day Sayid Mohamed met two of the Christian children; one of them was wearing a wooden cross around his neck and talked to them.

"Are you Somalis?" He asked them.
"Yes, we are Somalis." They answered.
"Tell me your names?"
"My name is John and this is my friend James." Said one of the children.
"Are you not Muslims?" Sayid Mohamed enquired, while stripping off forcefully the cross necklace from the boy's neck.
"No, we are not, we are Christians." Said the second young boy with awe.
Sayid Mohamed left the boys very angry and swearing that he will fight with the Christians without reservation.
He aroused the modern Muslim fundamentalism in Somaliland and later founded his Dervish insurgent organization. Few decades later the church was declining. Its members either Martyred, denied their faith and turned to Islam or exiled from the country.

The Swedish Overseas Lutheran Mission, the first Christian mission expedition arrived at Kismayu portal town in 1890s and setup a mission station there. Soon they expanded their mission work to Margarita (Jamame) Mugambo and Alexandra (Jilib). They started a clinic and a school as well as a church.

Then Jubbaland region was part of British Kenya, and most of the inhabitants were Somali Absame tribes except few thousands of Bantu plantation workers brought there by the British from Zanzibar and some Arab settlers.

The Swedish Mission worked among and preached the Gospel to the Somali tribes and the Bantu plantation workers. They faced not limitations and enjoyed the British protection. The church grew tremendously. Few decades later there was a church with hundreds of Somali members.

The church of Margarita continued to grow until Jubbaland was divided into two parts and Jubba river valley was annexed to the Italian Somali protectorate. Then the Italians expelled the Lutheran Mission from Somalia . Persecution and church collapse occurred in the wake of the Lutheran mission expulsion.

Although Jubba valley was until recently where most Somali Christians in Somalia lived, that church is gone forever.

During 1950s several Christian missions arrived in Somalia and Somali inhabited territories of Ethiopia and Kenya . But only three, namely The Swedish Lutheran Mission, Mennonite mission and Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) left with their footmarks among the Somalis.

Almost all the surviving first generation Somali believers are those who attended the mission schools at Mogadishu , Jiohar, Sheikh, Kismayu, Berbera, Jigjiga, Jamame or Kallafo. Most of these schools were run either by SIM or the Mennonite Mission.

This time the church revived and started to grow, but more cautious and hideous. Small group house churches sprung up in several towns throughout the Somali territory. As the church started to grow, so was the persecution, murdering and forced exile.

In 1969 when president Mohamed Siad Barre's Socialist Military government came to power they confiscated all the properties owned by the Christian missions and churches including the schools and clinics. Some of the missions and church organizations were also expelled from the country.

Muslim fundamentalism started to revive. Underground Muslim fundamentalist organizations both local and international sprang through out Somalia and the neighboring countries with the aim of establishing Islamic state in Somalia and the neighboring countries. Muslim Brotherhood and Muslim Youth Union come first through the north, particularly Hargeysa and spread their ideologies throughout the country. Later on the more radical Alitihadul Islam (The Union of Islam) and others followed.

The first and foremost objective of each and every one of these organisations was and still is to eliminate Christians and Christianity from among the Somali people. They claim that Somalis are 100% Muslim people, which is far from being true.

During president Said Barre's rule, in the 1970s and 1980s they used their influence in the government, their financial strength and the public against the church. They influenced the government to ban the printing, importing, distributing or selling of Christian literature in the country. The government and its National Security Services (NSS) secret police threatened, arrested, tortured, and murdered Somali Christians. Literally, Freedom of religion was stated in the national constitution, but practically no one applied it.

Many Somali Christians lost their jobs and businesses; others to survive abandoned their faith or immigrated to the western world. Those lucky enough got jobs with western embassies and international organizations in Mogadishu .

When president Said Barre's government was ousted from power in 1991 and national government of Somalia fall apart, Muslim fundamentalist organizations become stronger and more powerful to do whatever they wish in Somalia and even it's neighboring countries.

Fundamentalist Organizations set up a committee of several sheikhs to search and identify all Somali Christian, whether they were in or out of Somalia . They also appointed a group of armed young men to execute all Somali Christians. According to Islamic sharia, any adult who abandons Islam and converts to other faith is "murtad" and should be killed, that is legal and unquestionable.

Between January 1991 and December 1995 over two hundred Somali Christian adults were killed in Somalia and the neighboring countries of Yemen , Ethiopia , Kenya and Djibouti . Many more were wounded and either became refugee to other countries or denied their faith to save their lives. Thousands of Somali believers left Somalia and became refugees and still many more believers remain underground in Somalia . The Muslim fundamentalist ambitions of eliminating the Somali church are far from being over. They followed those who took refuge to Kenya and the neighboring countries. Many are persecuted, beaten or charged with false accusations in Nairobi by the Muslim fundamentalists.

In May 2001, Somali Christian man by the name Bashir was tranquillized by his relatives by force and abducted to Somalia through Wilson airport without the governments knowledge of his being abducted. Later we heard he was murdered in Burao , Somalia .

In February, 2003 when three Somali Christians went to Eldoret town and requested to participate the on going Somali peace conference and represent the Somali Christian community, the peace conference nearly collapsed. Most of the several hundreds of participants rejected the idea of Somali Christians participating the conference and representing Somali Christian community.

On 9th February 2003 the umbrella of the Somali Muslim religious groups, a powerful religious organ met in Mogadishu and issued a memorandum. They stated in their memorandum and press release which was broadcasted or published by several local and international radio stations, newspapers and websites several articles concerning Somali Christian believers. They also asked the participants of the peace conference not to accept any Somali who is claiming that he or she is Christian to participate the conference and sit with them. The articles were include:

1. Somali Christians abandoned Islam and must be killed;
2. Somali Christians can neither inherit nor inherited;
3. Their marriage to their spouses must be dissolved;
4. Somali Christians forfeited their Somali ness [citizenship];
5. Once they die, Somali Christians cannot be buried in Somali soil.

Fourteen sheikhs representing different major Somali clans signed this memorandum. Some of them are those who authorized and organized the campaign to eliminate Somali Christians from the horn of African region.

Despite the murdering, persecution and suffering Somali believers face daily among their own people, Somalis are converting and the church is growing.

In Nairobi I met a small number of Good Samaritan Kenyans who prayed for and supported the Somali church. But it seems the world Christian family evaded its duty and responsibility. The duty and responsibility of caring for its own infants. Somali believers need the support, encouragement and protection of the greater world Christian family.

According to the Gospel of St. Mathew 28:19 the good news of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is for all nations and peoples. Somalis are lost people. They need the grace of God. They need peace. The peace, which the prince of peace, Lord, Jesus Christ gave to us. The peace that comes from above. The peace that never fails.

Mohamed Gurhan is author, poet, songwriter, and evangelist. He converted in Mogadishu in November 1984.

[Jibril Cessay]

Only once in my life, have I encountered a Somali Christian. She was a beautiful blind girl who went to school in Egoji Meru. She was ostracized by her family because of her disability and religion. Other than her, I have always wondered if I would ever interact with another. The few Somalis I have met greatly disrespect Christianity and those affliated to it. Perhaps this air of disdain hinders an ordinary day to day relationship with the overly religious Somali.

Interesting article all the same.

[Coach]

>>>>>>They claim that Somalis are 100% Muslim people, which is far from being true.<<<<<


Somalis are NOT 100% Muslims but actually 99.99% Muslims. I have also met ONE Somali Christian in my entire life. She was married to a pious Muslim and they had two beautiful girls. She wore the traditional Somali dress with a crucufix on the chest. This is a freaky sight for any Somali because most Somalis have never seen a Christian Somali their entire life. I have also read some of the research by Christian groups who have tried to preach the Gospel in Somalia, they have encountered a lot of difficulties and found it very difficult to get converts.

Anyone who knows Somalis knows that they are strong Muslims, but the article above is blaming other things like "fundamentalism", the communist Siad Barre, Mad Mullah - who was fighting the British Christian colonialists etc. There are also a lot of opportunistic gospel preachers who came with a bucket of flour in one hand and the Bible in another, trying desperately to spread the gospel to starving people but I guess the author didn't see a point in mentionning anything that might be damaging to his agenda.


The only thing Somalis (generally) love as much as their Islam is their clan' this has been the malady that has torn their country apart, led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and caused millions to flee.

[ibraa]

There is this Kenyan Link inaongea mambo haya...

SOMALI CHRISTIANS- IS IT A MEANS OF SURVIVAL??

TALKING OF SOMALIS Read http://www.jamaat.net/deedat.htm

CHRISTIANS MISSIONARIES DECEPTION IN AFRICA-SOMALIA-A GUIDE TO MISSIONARY TACTICS IN SOMALIA AND THE SO-CALLED SOMALI CHRISTIANS.

Back to Path to Islam ...

This guide is intended to improve awareness about the tactics used by some groups and cults. The tactics of missionaries and missionary groups may vary, but there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind that will be helpful in dealing with them.

HIDDEN AGENDA

Some missionaries attempt to develop a rapport with their subject without divulging their own religious affiliation or intention. As an example to make making them seem less "Christian" missionaries are coached by their superiors to avoid using words such as "Christ" or "savior" or "baptize".If you are not sure about the religious identity of the stranger who begins talking to you about religion, ask him directly about his beliefs and agenda. Be suspicious of an indirect answer. Remember these people aren't interested in dialogue or trying to improve Anglo-Muslim links but are often in SECURE PAID EMPLOYMENT to Sell Christianity.

CREATING DOUBT

When talking to a Muslim about religion, a missionary may attempt to elicit as many "I don't know" responses as possible, in order to establish his superiority in matters of religion.Don't allow yourself to be intimidated!Remember, the missionary has studied Islamic beliefs for the sole purpose to sell Christianity to Muslims. There heart are sealed and they are no longer interested in truth.

Keep in mind that he is not speaking to you in order to exchange ideas, but rather to create as much doubt in your mind and lead you away from your faith. If you want to learn more about the Quran, doso from someone who doesn't have hidden motives. Therefore, feel free to simply end the conversation and walk away.

Remember that many of these questions and associations they are trying to sell have been debunked many times by more learned Muslims. If they were interested in dialogue the would be speaking to respected elders and community leaders exploring common ground improving understanding and faith in the community, but all one sees are the often the same questionagain to unsuspecting victims.

Ask yourself what do they hope to gain ?However, some of you may want to listen to their arguments and then learn the Muslim response, in order to be better prepared for future encounters.

One must also remember that many missionaries intentionally go into Muslim areas in Britain sothey train themselves and create the most seductive "Sales Pitch" they can manage. Once they have finished there training in salesmanship they will target unsuspecting Muslims (thelonely, vulnerable and weak) lacking in knowledge.The following pointers should give you a basic idea of what to look for.

DECEPTION

The missionary may tell you that he (or a Christian friend or acquaintance) was once an Muslim, or that he had a solid Muslim education, a traditional Muslim family life, etc. This is almost always a lie, so don't let him fool you.

The hidden message that he is attempting to convey is that he came to accept Christianity after knowing and overcoming all of the Muslim objections (Jesus being son of god, Bible being corrupted by man etc.), and therefore, why should you bother tocheck it out?

He may drop certain Islamic phrases or talk about the details of his "traditional" Muslim upbringing, in order to lend more credence to his story. In fact, his "memory" is often the result of careful coaching.The missionary might tell you that he knows the Islamic objections to his arguments, and will then proceed to show how such objectives are ill-founded.

Don't expect to hear the real Islamic response from such a source.

Back to Path to Islam ...

GOOD, BAD OR UGLY

Don't be taken in by the "good cop - bad cop" routine. This routine involves a "bad cop" who threatens the subject, and a "good cop" who protects him from the "bad cop". The subject isso grateful to the "good cop", and so worried about losing the good-will of his protector, that he invariably shows his appreciation by telling the "good cop" what he wants to hear. In similar fashion, the "good" Christian talks about how much he loves and respects Muslims, while denouncing the "bad" Christians who hate and have persecuted Muslims. The naive and ones lacking in knowledge of Christian history and bigotry will feel grateful to the "good cop", and may automatically judge him to be a friend and reliable ally. Watch out for hidden motives behind such "friendship".

WHO BELIEVES IN THE SON OF GOD?

At the outset, the missionary will talk about his belief that Jesus is the messiah. Many Muslims don't find out until later, often after they have joined a Christian friendship group, that their fundamental belief is that Jesus is god.

Any talk about "the messiah" or "son of god" is merely a cover for that belief, basic to Christianity . However, since such a concept is repugnant in Islam, this most basic belief of Christianity is glossed over as much as possible when missionaries talk to Muslims.

PROOF or SPOOF?

Don't be impressed by the claim that Christians have 50, or 100, or 300 "proofs" that they are correct in their claims about Jesus. As proof after proof is shown to be meaningless, the missionary will hide behind his numbers, as if to say: "Well, we have so many more proofs, what's the difference if you can disprove some of them".

He will attempt to "split the difference" with you: "Well, even if half our proofs prove nothing, we still have another 25 or 50, or 150". Remember, all of their proofs can be shown to be untenable. Keep in mind that a faulty point is not worth 50% of a good point, or 25%, or 10%. It is worthless. The simple mathematics are: 50 x 0 = 0, 100 x 0 = 0, 300 x 0 = 0.

Back to Path to Islam ...

CIRCULAR REASONING

Very often, the reasoning used by Christian missionaries is circular. That is, the "proof" only points to something is if you believe it in the first place, and therefore is no proof at all.

MISTRANSLATION

Be aware of the problem of mistranslating. A person who is not familiar with Arabic can be lead to accept a mistranslating which puts a Christian "twist" on a verse that never had such a meaning in the original.

If you can't check it out yourself, talk to a reliable person who can. Remember, it is no coincidence that the Muslims of past generations, who were much better versed in the Arabic, never had any serious problems refuting Christian missionary arguments.

In addition beware of Christian Translations of the Quran, many date from sixteenth to the eighteenth century with the sole intention of to discredit Islam.Please keep in mind ANY translation (interpretation) of the Quran will most definitely contain errors In its natural language (Arabic), the Quran is the direct Word of Allah (God) to mankind through the prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

Any translation of the Quran no longer retains that 'official' and perfect status, however it can be tremendously helpful to beginning students wanting to learn more about Islam.We would strongly encourage those want to learn about Islam to purchase a copy of the Quran but with the following conditions:

1. get one with commentary (tafseer)
2. make sure the tafseer is scholarly (e.g. references to reasons behind a verse, references to hadith and sunnah, etc.)
3. An excellent English translation and commentary of the Quran is Maududi's recently published work "The Meaning of the Quran".

QUOTING OUT OF CONTEXT

Often a verse will be quoted to you that has been taken entirely out of context. When the entire chapter that contains that verse is read, it becomes clear that it does not corroborate the Missionary._

CONCLUSION

Selling Timeshare or Christshare?

You may recognize many of the tactics used by some Missionaries in selling there faith as they have similarities to disreputable Timeshare and Double glazing salesman, and this raises someinteresting points:

Why would one propagate faith in such a deceitful and underhanded way, is it because:

God will not aid ones seeking the true path?

A bad product is difficult to sell unless you dupe someone?

If you are genuinely interested in faith

Why don't you go ask someone with a sound knowledge and understanding of Islam, instead of targeting the naive, vulnerable and the weak.

Why do you seek out the naive and weak and then intentionally ask Mischievous questions, when they have been answered many times by learned scholars and by people that youhave approached over the years?

Surely this does not add to knowledge or understanding.

Why do you target Muslims Considering the moral depravity often in your own family and neighbourhood and within so called Christians.

Is it because Muslims are wealthy in faith?Is it because you have so much hatred for us and you are unable, incapable or tired of other methods:

RIDICULE

There is a very large number of publications by Muslims explaining Islam in plain and simpleEnglish. Look in any public library for books on Islam, a large proportion of them will be byorientalists and Christian missionaries, what do you think motivates someone to write a book on a subject one does not believe in and an area that has been already covered by numerous other books?

Remember Christian "Translations" of the Quran whose sole intention was to discredit Islam.

CRUSADES

Butchered everyone including defenseless women and children or any one else that got in there way. Although it has taken many hundreds of years Crusaders have improved they now only kill some women and

RAPE THE REST.

The twentieth centuary has seen "Ethnic Cleansing" replace the word Crusade, in 1996 one of the youngest recorded victim of rapein Bosnia was a baby of 4 Months old. Many women and children had two of there fingers severed by the Serbs so that the three remaining fingers would remind them of the Trinity.

A WAY FORWARD

While we as Muslims believe that the entire Quran is the word of God and we would like every one to accept it as such, God Himself has given the freedom of religion which we respect.With that in mind, all we hope is that non-Muslims will at least enlighten themselves with an open heart and mind by knowing what Islam is.

We hope that Muslims, Christians andJews will find ways to work together to bring peace on earth by eradicating immorality, fear, hate, disease, poverty and injustice.Muslims welcome the chance improve dialogue and understanding with all faiths.

In addition we do not object to other groups explaining there ideas and faith to whomever expresses aninterest, but we do think it is unacceptable that missionaries demean other faiths, use deceitful methods and harass communities with what can be described highly trained and focused door to door salesman.

USE THE PROPER RESOURCES!

Most Muslims spend their time studying Islam trying to find a path to true enligtenment, and therefore may not be familiar with the "curve-ball" approach of missionaries. If you need advice concerning a problem of this sort, get in touch with people whoare familiar with the tactics being used and who know how to deal with them.

Back to Path to Islam ...

You can read How Ahmed Deedat cast "doubts" about Christianity in the following Link http://www.jamaat.net/deedat.htm

Wasalam aleykum.

[ATLian]

>Somalis are NOT 100% Muslims but actually 99.99% Muslims. I
>have also met ONE Somali Christian in my entire life.

One of my workmates is a devout Christian, and he participates in this government program which brings refugees from Africa and helps them settle in the US. So every year they adopt a family for about a month, help them understand American life and culture, then finally send them off to live by themselves. Of course they only accept Christian refugees.

The point of that preamble is last year he adopted a Somali family, this single mother and her four kids. She only spoke her language and some little Swahili, which is why I was called in to intepret. What totally floored me was they (the Somalis) were Christian and Bantu. I had no idea till then that there were Somalis who were Bantu or Christian, I assumed they were all Cu####es and Muslims. BTW they look totally Cu####ic, with the curly hair and everything, plus their names are Muslim sounding. Her husband had been killed by Muslims only coz he was Christian (at least that's the version they gave us).

I wonder how she's doing a year later. She'd never seen even simple stuff like toilets that flush, and she was now meant to go live by herself, handle a bank account, an apartment, rent, etc etc etc.

[ATLian]

>I assumed
>they were all Cu####es and Muslims. BTW they look totally
>Cu####ic, with the curly hair and everything, plus their names
>are Muslim sounding.

WTF is wrong with Mashada's censoring program. What I meant to write above was Cushaites (intentionally mispelt to fool the censors)...

[ibraa]

I said somalis are 99.9% muslims not 100% percent because you will some few stranded fellows who ought to make some living out of this so called Somali christianity..

Many times, as somalis were affected by war and sorts...Many Somalis including the so called "Mama Somali"..The Lier who said she was forced to marry and fabricated her story so that she gets some asylum in Holland.That is being crafty..You can say anything in Europe and get asylum..

Some other fellows will preach christianity after recieving some few dollars..They are not contented with Christianity..But will pretend to "preach" so that their money flow keeps them surviving..It is amazing how people make ends meet..

A brilliant Idea

[teejay]

An interesting Article.

It is wonderful to know that the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ is making inroads even in the most hostile situations. To my Brothers in Somali (The Somali Church) I have this to say to you.

1.The Christian life is not always easy

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

II Timothy 3:12-14 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”

2. Persecution does not last forever.

I Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

3. There is a promise for those persecuted by their family

Matthew 19:29 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

4. Trials help us grow spiritually.

James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Before I wind up. I should remind us all (true brothers in the lord) of what our Lord went through in the hands of men of this world. He came out victorious. Remember that if they persecuted our master then ye know that we are safe with them against us. For it said that the offspring of a snake is a snake and being of our master’s fancy we shall partake of his suffering for in declaring our allegiance to him we automatically attract the adversary.

Be ye glad for in your weakness is thy strength

[ibraa]

Somalis will love to hear "Injili tukufu" but before you preach to Somalis, What is called the Bible or "Neno la Mungu", please read this link, http://www.jamaat.net/bible/Bible1-3.html

and then Please remove the 50,000 Errors in the bible, http://www.jamaat.net/bible/Bible4-6.html

[teejay]

Ibraa. I have read your Re: and found that you are one Muslim who hates Christianity badly.

What tickles me (coach would say am gleeing) is that you in your holistic senses have the nerve to ask persons approaching Muslims to speak to them via their leaders. Don't you think that you are belittling the intelligence of these Moslems? That they cannot and are unable to make sound decisions on their own. Which brings me to another point. That the reason they are stuck to Islam is because Islam approached naive people and made them Muslims and they now fear that Christianity might do the same and rob Islam of its much boasted ever increasing following. In a sense these Moslems accepted what they did not know because they were unsuspecting individuals the lonely, vulnerable and weak and lacking in knowledge. I cant help to just how muslim they are.

Anyway good luck with your attack. I bemourn the Islamic masses that will heed to your message, Because when they do that they will have closed their ears and the doors of the hearts to the beckoning Christ ,Who behold stands at the door and knocks and if anyone shall answer He shall come and work wonders in their lives.

And by the way what peace are talking about. Isn’t written I the Koran that in this world there is no peace? You cannot expect peace when you rubbish all the effort of the Chief peacemaker Himself.