GAROWE, Somalia Feb 16
2012 (Garowe Online) – Thousands from all over Somalia attended Sheikh
Abdiqadir Nur Farah's funeral, one of Somalia’s most prominent Islamic scholars
was laid to rest in Garowe on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.
Puntland President
Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire various Puntland
Ministers, officials from the Somali Federal Government, Islamic scholars from
all over Somalia and all ages of people attended the funeral.
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| Thousands pray Janaza prayer for Sheikh Abdiqadir |
Sorrow and mourning
could be seen among the many thousands’ of faces at the funeral who gathered in
the hot sun to watch as one of Somalia’s most prominent scholars was laid to
rest in Garowe capital of Puntland state.
After burying Sheikh
Adbiqadir, one hour after midday prayers, there was a ceremony to commemorate
the Sheikh’s life and his tireless effort to promote peace in Puntland and Somalia.
There was also a message to the terrorists behind the scholar’s murder.
Firstly, Sheikh Yusuf
Adan, one of Sheikh Abdiqadir’s longtime friends, while struggling to hold back
tears gave a speech about the departed Sheikh’s life and his devotion to peace in
Somalia.
“He was a martyr and a
great man, a man who wanted nothing but peace for Somalis and a disgusting act
like this proves his martyrdom. If I briefly speak of the beloved sheikh’s life,
he and I were one of the first to attend the Islamic University in Medina in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Sheikh Yusuf.
Sheikh Yusuf continued
saying that he and Sheikh Abdiqadir were sent by the University to Niger to spread
Islam. He and Sheikh Abdiqadir traveled back to Somalia where Sheikh Abdiqadir
became a judge.
“The murderers of
Sheikh Abdiqadir do not have the religion of Islam, if you {Al Shabaab} think
you are on the right path of Islam and commit actions like these you are living in a fantasy world,” said Sheikh Yusuf.
Various Islamic scholars
also spoke like Sheikh Nur Baruud telling the people that in Islamic law those
who help or assist murderers like these in anyway knowingly, are equally responsible
for the crime in the eyes of God.
“A man who kills a
person like Sheikh Abdiqadir, in of all places, a mosque, while praying does
not have a soul, he who helps that person achieve his goal is just as condemned”
said Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salaad Director of the Islamic Scholar Committee.
The Islamic scholars
suggested that a Somali wide conference needed to be held to discuss the impact
of Al Shabaab on Somalia and what the Islamic religion says about terror
organizations such as Al Shabaab.
Traditional elders described
the death of Sheikh Abdiqadir as a dark day for Puntland and Somalia.
“As you very well
know, he {Sheikh Abdiqadir} was the first to assist disaster victims, was
always the first to reconcile warring clans, he was a peacemaker. No one can take
his place. We shouldn’t leave the fight against Al Shabaab to the Puntland
government; everybody needs to do their part to fight against these enemies {Al
Shabaab},” said Suldan Saeed Suldan Garaase.
Somali Federal
Government (SFG) Minister of Interior Abdikarim Guled also gave a brief statement
from Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, sending his condolences to the family
of Sheikh Abdiqadir and stating that the SFG would cooperate more to fight Al Shabaab.
“This violent crime
and disgusting act will help unify us {Puntland and SFG} to fight against the
terror organization that has waged war on our Sheikhs, intellectuals,
government officials and community leaders,” said Minister Guled.
Finally Puntland President
Abdirahman Mohamed Farole spoke about the loss of the "great sheikh" and what it
means to Puntland and Somalia.
“The loss of Sheikh
Abdiqadir is like when a star dies, you were depending on that star for travel
or movement or for sight and it’s hard to cope without it. We are hoping that a
new star will burn bright for us,” said President Farole.
Continuing President
Farole said, “He died in the place he loved so much.”
President Farole also
welcomed the Somali wide conference on the impact of Al Shabaab to inform the
people of Somalia.
“These terrorists have
waged war on the people of Somalia, they are looking for power. Look at their actions,
killing students, sheikhs, our mothers and elderly, they are slowly trying to
destroy our society,” said Puntland President, accusing Al Shabaab leader Ahmed
Godane for the disgusting act.
“Our youth need to
really carefully look at the ideologies of these groups and see if this is what
they want for their people,” said President Farole.
People from Hargeisa,
Las’anod, Bossaso, Mogadishu, Galdogob and Galkayo came to Garowe, the administrative
capital to participate.
People all over Africa
and abroad sent their condolences to the departed sheikh including former
Puntland President Mohamud Musse Hersi who sent his condolences to Sheikh
Abdiqadir from Bossaso.
The young man who
killed Sheikh Abdiqadir Nur Farah was apprehended by courageous citizens who
were wounded while risking their lives to capture the murderer. According to
Puntland authorities the killer is in Puntland custody and will be brought to
justice shortly.
GAROWE ONLINE
