Can I ever thank you enough for being the wonderful man you are?

Abo, thank you for your patience,

For your unconditional love,

For the warmth in your hug,

Thank you for your encouragement,

For your heart and ability to forgive my mistake,

Abo, my life is just as incomplete as the land is without the rain,

It is as if there is a constant reminder of something precious missing,

Like the feeling of inadequateness,

Or the loss of someone dear,

Abo, my love for you will never cease to exist,

Waan ku jeclahey

Appki yaad dil ko rulati hai,

Aur kitna saal yeh khamooshi rahe gaye?

Who long will the lines of anger, misunderstandings, and disappointments last?

Kitna paas bhi app kitne door ho abo macaan?

I’m sorry for all the pain that I have caused your heart,

One should be truly honored to have a father like you,

As days go by I understand the value of relationships,

The value of my father can never be measured,

Thank you for being my father,

For being the incredibly intelligent man,

For being so compassionate,

And thank you, even in absence, for being the biggest force in my life.

Abo you’re the best force in my life and I love you from the bottom of my lungs (:

With love and respect,

Your little girl,

Halima Ali Ahmed

 

For my sisters of other faiths

You see me as a one, who is trapped in darkness,

One who is held back in time,

One who is subjected to the ruling of men,

One who is a follower of a faith that oppresses her,

One who is veiled,

One who is tortured and disrespected all under the acceptance of her religion.

You see me as the illiterate woman who cannot know

Right from wrong

Left from right

Darkness from light

Happiness from sorrow!

you think my sense of dressing as a sign of obedience to men, out of fear for men

But do you know my hijab symbolizes my sincerity to my faith?

My love for my creator

My respect for the Mothers of the believers

My respect for my body

My need to be independent

My desire to be recognizes as a woman of intellect

Why did most of the respectable women in history cover?

Virgin Mary!

Mother Therese?

Play boy women seldom make history!

I am independent!

Islam is not a religion that traps or enslaves me but rather a religion that liberates me

Makes others view me as a woman and respect me.

Indeed, the status of women in Islam can never ever be equal to that of the western perception

The first person who accepted Islam was a woman

The first martyr of Islam was a woman too!

The Prophet peace be upon him said “paradise lies under the feet of your mother”

How can you possibly say Islam oppresses me?

Tortures me?

Abuses me?

Don’t you see sister for interviews you wear clothes that reveal your body, in order to be selected.

You sell your dignity in order to please the men,

Your self-esteem depends on the men who praise you, the more you show, the more you are showered with praises.

You are dependent on men!

You waste your soul and beauty,

You sell your dignity and respect,

You’re fooling yourself,

And you think I am slave to men?

If your definition of freedom is pleasing men and enslavement defines respecting oneself, then I chose the latter with pride!

Somalia-My Homeland!

Oh, Somalis!

How long will you exploit, mistreat and abuse my land?

How long will you fight and decorate my earth with the blood of my people!

Will I ever become unaccustomed to the echoes and the unpleasant sounds of guns?

Would I ever see a brighter a day, a day, where Somalis can ever come together and embrace one another!

Will there ever be a leader like Aden Abdulle Osman, the first president?

Do you ever hear the plea of this land? Do you ever feel the plight of my children!

Where are your conscience Somalis?

My 49th Independence Day is approaching, what is going to be my ceremony!

Yet, another Somali killed because of tribe?

Yet, another mother desperate and praying for a way out!

Yet another child dying of hunger and thrist?

Where are the days where Independence day was embraced with celebration!

Songs, dances, feast and happy Somalis?

Somalis who would wave the flag up high!

Somalis who would pride themselves for being Somalis, rather than darood, abgaal mise isaaq?

Somalis who would respect and adhere to the Quran and following the teachings of Mohammed PBUH!

Somalis in the west celebrate this day in lavish venues, with music, and halib iyo bariis, obvious to the fact that the ones back home are still in a state of chaos, hungry and absolute poverty?

Somalis, when would you realize the fact that you have preyed on my land like vultures for so long!

Failed it.

Disappointed it!

Abused it.

Exploited it!

Silence!

Silence hurts

Silence kills

Silence destroys

Silence is frustration

Silence is madness

Silence is evil and deadly

So, why should anyone be silent? Speak up and break the silences because when you do that there are chances that you won’t do what evil wants you to do….Let your feelings flow out! !

 

Comments

comments