r/Somalia

Let’s say your Somali but born in England you lived your whole life there and your a really talented footballer and you have the option to represent the country of your origin or your nationality what would you pick. If you choose England you have a higher chance to win stuff but your might feel a lil guilty. You pick Somalia it’s cool but they are really bad in football and there is corruption in the football federation. There is also racism in the Uk with politics and stuff so yeah. A real life example would be Mo Farah but he moved to the Uk when he was young and represented England in the olympics.

This young brother is a high level talent being recruited by many high major D1 programs across America he has taken a level up this spring especially with his offensive production I’m already seeing some recruiting services ranking him as a five star recruit allahumabarik some are already calling him an nba prospect he has endless potential inshallah he reaches his goals

Salam all,

I’m not posting this for people to feel bad but just wanted to see if anyone else is going through or has been through this.

I’m a Madhibaan female born and raised in the west. I’m in my late 20s, considered by many as attractive, have hobbies, finished my masters and have a very good career. Here’s the problem, every man that approaches me when they find out i’m Madhibaan tell me they can’t continue because their family will never allow it. This has happened many times in my life but it’s getting to a point where i’m thinking at this point I won’t be able to find anyone.

I know I can find an ajanabi but I prefer someone from my own culture. Has anyone else been through this?

As-Salaamu Alaikum walaalyaal

We are in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, the best days of the year, and many of you are fasting and increasing in worship for the sake of Allah.

Please keep a sister in your sincere du’as. She lost her baby during childbirth and became paralyzed afterwards. Her family is going through an extremely difficult time.

May Allah grant her complete shifa, ease her suffering, reward her for every moment of pain, and reunite her with her child in Jannah. Ameen.

Please remember her in your prayers before iftar and during these blessed days.

I think corruption is just too out of control across every region. It feels impossible to get rid of because the corruption is just too ingrained and embedded in Somalia and the people benefiting from the system—especially those powerful families running Mogadishu and other areas—don't want it to change. Is there any real way to fix this? And can we find a solution before the oil money starts hitting Somalia?

Asc! I’m 20f and just curious to hear people’s experiences. If you’re married, was getting married worth it and why? If you aren’t married, how do you think marriage (especially living in the west) would change things for you?

Any Somali Doctors or medical students on here, preferably women. I’m considering this career bath and would love to talk to and see what it’s like as a hijabi in the field. I currently work in healthcare, but looking into specialise further, but I keep getting discouraged by those around me as they think it’ll be difficult for me as I am black/women/hijabi

Tried my hand at making Somali words for English concepts that don’t really have native equivalents in the language. This was mostly just for fun but I’m curious what native speakers think. I tried to follow the Somali language rules instead of randomly making words up.

Some examples

Cringe: ceebdidid
(ceeb + didid = shame-recoiling/flinching)

Gaslighting: runrogid
(run + rogid = truth-twisting. Uses the verbal noun -id)

Screenshot: shaashadqabad
(shaashad + qabad = screen-capture)

Doomscrolling: best I can come up with is hoogrogis but it is too literal

Bureaucracy: maamulwareeg
(maamul + wareeg = administrative circling)

Existentialism: nafraadis
(naf + raadis = searching the self/soul)

Code-switching: afrogrogasho
(af + reduplicated rogrog + asho = repeated language-switching)

Microaggression: gefqarsoon
(gef + qarsoon = hidden or subtle offense)

Privacy: gaarxirnaan
(gaar + xirnaan = protected separateness. Uses the -naan state form)

Trauma: dhaawacraag
(dhaawac + raag = lingering/lasting wound)

Nostalgia: xasuusraag
(xasuus + raag = lingering memory)

Introvert: gudjeedle
(gud + jeed + le = inward facing person)

Extrovert: dibedjeedle
(dibed + jeed + le = outward facing person)

Anxiety: welwelkac
(welwel + kac = rising/restless worry)

I was thinking back on my life recently. I went through depression, anxiety, and a lot of dark moments when I was younger, just like everyone else. But now when I look back at it, I feel like a big reason for it was just being young and inexperienced, not really understanding life yet.

As I got older, my perspective changed completely (23 now). I stopped focusing on things outside of my control, and I started appreciating small things more. Sometimes my dumbass will just sit over a bowl of rice and genuinely feel happy that I’m able to eat and have a meal in front of me and I often catch myself doing the same thing with a piece of gum and so on.

What’s strange to me now is that almost nothing makes me sad anymore. It’s become concerning, even when someone close to me dies, I’ll feel sad for a very short period and I’m back to happy again and if I think about it again it doesn’t change my happiness and I just see it as a natural occurrence now, while my relatives grief for a while. I don’t feel sad when I lose a lot of money or I’m stressed or something didn’t work out. My errand car (new car) literally got stolen 3 days ago, and I felt no sadness or stress about it at all. Literally nothing makes me sad anymore. I could be going through some tragic shit and I don’t have a sip of sadness inside of me, like I’m just happy as I’m going through whatever it is. When it comes to the death of a loved one, I’ll feel sad for a very very short period and I’m back to normal as if I just didn’t lose someone.

And before anyone judges my character and thinks I’m a bad or isolated person, I’m not. I’m actually a very caring and sympathetic person. I treat people with respect and I try to be fair with everyone. I am a people’s pleaser, especially with my family. I’m also very social. If you are an introvert you’d probably hate me more than anything. That’s why this feels confusing to me. I should at least grief like a normal person or feel sad when I lose someone or when something major happens. I don’t really understand why I changed like this.

part of me wonders if it’s normal to be like this. I don’t think it is.

Does anyone else feel this way?

The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The companions asked, "Not even jihad in the path of Allah?" He said, "Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for the man who goes out with his life and his wealth and returns with neither." (Bukhari)

I want you to imagine having your book of records and turning to the days when it was Dhul Hijjah, seeing every good deed being multiplied in the tens of thousands, and then seeing how little you took advantage of it, then wishing you could turn back time and be given one more chance to change that, how would you do differently?

These are the greatest ten days of the entire year. The Hujjaj are guests of Allah in His sacred house. For those of us at home, this is our chance to compete with them in worship.

For those good deeds you told yourself you would eventually start, now is the time, when it would be the most rewarding outside of Laylatul Qadr.

Don't belittle even the smallest deeds like meeting others with a cheerful face.

Purify your intentions constantly and make every deed sincerely for Allah’s sake.

Have taqwa privately and publicly, you don't want anything to cancel out your deeds and make your efforts pointless.

Make dhikr the backbone of your days

The Prophet ﷺ specifically commanded us to increase in tahlil, takbir, and tahmid during these days. Don't let an hour pass without your tongue being moist with the remembrance of Allah. Get a finger counter and aim high. 10,000+ is not unrealistic if you stay consistent.

Prioritise:

• Istighfar: seeking forgiveness is the best of dhikr
• SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illAllah, Allahu Akbar: explicitly encouraged in these days
• Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ: for every one you send, Allah sends ten back, forgives ten sins, and raises you ten degrees in rank

Reclaim the dead moments of your day. Commuting, cooking, waiting, doing housework, make dhikr through all of it. And try to contemplate the meaning of what you're saying. That's what takes it from a habit of the tongue to a state of the heart.

Fast as many of the nine days as you can

The Prophet ﷺ used to fast the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah. Fasting is one of the most beloved acts you can do in these days.

But at an absolute minimum, do not let the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah) pass without fasting it. The Prophet ﷺ said it expiates sins from the previous year and the coming year. That's two years of minor sins wiped out for one fast.

On the days you're not fasting, avoid overeating. A heavy stomach hardens the heart and kills khushoo in prayer. Eat nutritious food so you need less of it to feel satisfied.

Guard your heart

Actions are judged by intentions. Purify yours before every deed and make it sincerely for Allah. A small deed done with sincerity can outweigh a huge deed done for show, and an impure intention can turn a mountain of deeds into scattered dust on the Day of Judgement.

Avoid arguments, sins, anything that clouds the heart. The quality of your worship is directly tied to its state.

Don't neglect your prayers

Perform wudu well and bring your heart fully into your salah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "No Muslim performs ablution well and then prays two cycles with his heart and direction focused, except that Paradise will be necessary for him." (Muslim)

Stand before Allah with faith, hope, and the intention of having your sins forgiven, whether that's your five daily prayers or voluntary night prayers.

Give charity every single day

Don't bank everything on one day. Set a minimum amount to give each day so no day passes without some act of generosity. If you want to give more on Arafah, great, but be consistent throughout.

If you can feed a fasting person, do it. You get the reward of their fast without anything being reduced from theirs.

Helping people IS worship if you do it for Allah's pleasure alone

Don't think that helping your family or someone in need is time away from worship. It often IS the worship. One of the greatest deeds in the sight of Allah is being of genuine benefit to His servants. If you have to choose between helping someone and doing a personal good deed, helping is usually the better choice.

And encourage the people around you to make the most of these days too. Your reminder could be the reason someone's life changes.

Write a dua list

Write down everything. The big things, the things that feel impossible, the fears you carry, the dreams you haven't said out loud. Ask for all of it. Use Allah's names, especially Ya Dhal Jalali wal-Ikram and Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum. Send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, seek forgiveness, then ask.

Have certainty He will answer. Allah says in Hadith Qudsi: "I am as My servant thinks of Me." Don't be pessimistic or stingy in your dua. You reap what you sow.

Don't forget your brothers and sisters in Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, and across the globe. Include your family and friends by name, so the angels say ameen, and for you the same.

These ten days move fast. Don't let them pass you by. If anyone has anything to add, please do, so we can all benefit