SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

122.

63. May peace be upon you
    64-6~. The Prophet was mentioned(65)

In the decrees of the prophets(64)

6~. The prayer to the Apostle

6j. Has been turned into provisions [for us]

by the Prophet

68-6~. May peace, reckoned by the esteem

of [all] creation be upon you

70. 0 Most Gracious of all creatures

7i. May peace be upon you

Lines 1-:2.

Textual Notes

The word burcad is translated here as

'curds'. Curds are separated from the rest

of the milk by shaking the vessel and are

used as food which keeps for long periods

and also as a lubricant for the skin,

necessary to prevent cracking during the

dry season. In arid areas people's skin

becomes desiccated (a state described by

the verb 'basaas' to such an extent that

they develop a craving for burcad: applied

externally. (See Hassan Sheikh Mumin 1974,

pp. 64-65). Moreover, burcad is a type

of food which is stored for the time of

drought and famine. In these lines, the

soothing and life-saving qualities of burcad

are metaphorically applied to the Prophit.