SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

i. Whenever I try to lmprove my condition

2. I remember that that which God has

determined for me abides in some plac~.

[A. Y .M.]

In another poem, Sayid Maxamed Cabdille Xasan, who was

the leader of the Dervish movement in Somalia and who

3.6.

excelled in the art of poetry, comments on his own behaviour
while alluding to some of the fundamental Islamic virtues,
such as kindness, sincerity, justice, generosity and

patience:

Nin aan edebdarroonayn xiI waa, laga ajoodaaye

Aflagaado aan jirin nin aan, kuula imanaynin

00 kaa asluubsanahayoo, ku istixaynaaya

Ab uu yahay ba Aadmiga ninkii, sarno ekaynaaya

Abtirsiimo kii xigay nin aan, iniq u dheeraynin

Addoomaha Ilaahay nin aan, kala irdhaynaynin

Ninkii aamusoo shib ah haddii, eray xun 100 diiqo

Aan kula akeekamin intaa, ururka uu joogo

Aan xaajo awgeed la gubay, obocda jeexaynin

Anfaacigiyo dhuuniga nin aan, ku anfariiraynin

Aan xeedho soar lagu akhtimay, eber ka yeelaynin

00 sida ardallada wax cuni ,alam ka siinaynin

Intuu aqalka baanjiyo ninkaan, aradka guulguulin

Aagaanta ciirta ah ninkaan, aaska dhiganaynin

00 aan qumbaha awdan 00, ilaxidhkaw jiidin

Aaqiibo 100 galay ninay, aakid u ahaatay

00 kuu ixsaan fali intuu, udug adduun joogo

00 aan abaaldhaca aqoon, sow ikhyaar rna aha?