SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

237.

cherished by the nomad~. 'Almost every Somali nomad

endeavours to rear as many milch camels as he possibly

can. In their efforts to achieve this aim, they compete

with each othe~. Such competition is decried by the religious

men who do not approve of the excessive accumulation of

material wealth. In this line the reference is not only

to domestic animals but to all the riches of this world

which they symbolize:

Godol caana liyo gaadiid la raro, nin wax garanayow

ha ku gaydhanay

Geel iyo gammaan la dareersho helo iyo, godka gacal Aakhiree lagama

Guunyo aad dhacdoo isku gaafi baa, gabal dhacay

midkiin la gafsiinije

o you who understand, do not crave ~nordinatel~

for milch camels and for burden camels

Inside the pit of the grave, there shall be no kin,

no camels, nor horses which are let out to graze

While you are guarding the livestock which you

have looted, your life or that of the animals

rna y b e s e i zed [ b Y God] at sun set

(Text 10/95-97)

On particular occasions, nomadic Somalis supply their

camels with sal~. When the salt is produced, the camels

try forcefully to rush to where the salt is placed, a common

image in nomadic Somali environment. In the following line,

the longing of the Muslims for the fellowship of the Prophet

is likened to the craving of camels for salt:

Jamaacaadkii Rasuulkaa~, u jeel qabnaa

We strongly yearn for the fellowship of the

Prophet [like the camels when they yearn for

sal t]

(Text 11/23)

,I' 1