SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

v

Lines 1-6.

Textual Notes

In these lines the poet alludes to the

most important tenet of Islam (ASH-SHAHAD~

or the religious Testimony.

Lines 10-13. This is an allusion to one of the principal

obligations of Islam (ZAKAT), the alms-tax.

It is a religious duty incumbent upon any

Moslem who is free, sane, and an adult,

provided that he possesses the definite forms

of property (NISAB) which the alms-tax can

be levied on.

Lines 13-15. RAMAl/AN is the ninth month of the Muslim

Calendar in which the believers observe

83.

strict fast from dawn to sunset. The observance

of this month is one of the practices in the

Islamic religion.

Lines l6-l~. The tenets referred to are the five principal

of

tenets of Islam/which the poet enumerated

the first four in ~uccession. He has not

mentioned the observance of the pilgrimage

which is the fifth principle and which is obli-

gatory for those who can afford the expenses

to travel to the Holy Places in Mecca and

Medina.

Lines 22-27. Even though Angels do possess the quality of

life and are inhabitants of the heavenly

spheres, they are not regarded, according to

Muslim theology and metaphysics, as human