by M Kassim · Cited by 8 — Outside of. Brava, only a few members of the Qadiria brotherhoods in the southern coastal towns of Somalia have incorporated some of these poems in their dhikr
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fiDhikrwill Echo from All Corners:fl Dada Masiti and the Transmission of Islamic Knowledge 1Mohamed Kassim2Mana Siti Habib Jamaluddin (1219H-17 Shawal, 1339H),3popularlyknown as Dada Masiti (Grandmother Masiti), was born in Brava. She was kidnapped at the age of six and taken to Zanzibar where she was sold into slavery. She was found after approximately ten years by rela- tives or family friends who recognized her and brought her back to Brava. Upon her return, Dada Masiti became immersed in religious studies. Few details are known about her stay in Zanzibar, but the kid- napping, servitude, and eventual return are mentioned in her poem entitled fiYa Rabbi ya Muta™alifl (O, My Exalted Lord).Dada Masiti™s poetry is memorized, transmitted, and aestheticallyquoted by the Bravanese people, and specifically by Bravanese women, both in Somalia and in the diaspora. Although she is the most prominent woman scholar in Brava, she is not the only one. The Bra- vanese traditionally trained young women to become Quranic school teachers.4Some of the women acquired advanced religious education and Sufi mystical training. In the case of Dada Masiti, she became a symbol of the true mystical seeker.Dada Masiti™s poetry is characterized by emotional eloquence andimagination. It is poetry that proceeds from a deep emotional desire for repentance, atonement, and spiritual connection to the Divine. Another recurring theme is her orientation towards the hereafter and a denunciation of the vain desires of this world. In this poem, for exam- ple, she says:104brought to you by COREView metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.ukprovided by DigitalCommons@Macalester College
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Nkarheente ka sabuuriI have settled down with patienceKu rhiinda kaako umuuriWaiting for your ordersKulava baytul ghuruuriTo leave the abode of deceptionKeendha nuumba ya xalaaliAnd go to the abode sanctioned by GodThe Bravanese have a long tradition of using stenzi(religiouspoetry) to commemorate and praise distinguished ulama. But stenzipoetry is not limited to eulogies alone, they also allude to a body of religious principles, historical events, and moral wisdom. As in other areas of Africa, such as the Hausa region of Nigeria5and the Swahilitowns of East Africa, vernacular verse has had a major impact in spreading Islam among the masses of Bravanese and their immediate neighbors. These poems, to my knowledge, have not previously been published and are little known outside of southern Somalia. Outside of Brava, only a few members of the Qadiriabrotherhoods in the southern coastal towns of Somalia have incorporated some of these poems in their dhikrsessions.Around the beginning of 1909, Shaikh Nurein Al-Sabir (1829Œ1909), the eminent Bravanese jurist and scholar, asked Dada Masiti, the revered saint and poet from Brava, to compose a poem to console his followers and to prevent the people of Brava from weeping after his death. The Shaikh was in his early 80s and was apparently in poor health. He most probably chose Dada Masiti for this task because of her barakaas a pious AshrafSufi and as a distinguished poet. About tendays before his death, Dada Masiti composed an emotionally moving poem that has become the best-known eulogistic poem in Brava. Although this poem was intended to comfort people, and it certainly did that at the time, its beautiful depiction of the life and death of Shaikh Nurein can still move people to tears. It is said that Shaikh Nurein told Dada Masiti to start with the verse:Bacda xayi ni mowtiAfter life comes deathShaikhi chifa isiloowaWhen the Shaikh dies, no one should weepThe following are excerpts from this beautiful poem:Mohamed Kassim105
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BBa ac cd da a H Ha ay yy yi i(After Life)Bacda xayi ni mowtiAfter life comes deathShaikhi chifa isiloowaWhen the Shaikh dies, no oneshould weepBismillahi AndikaWrite fiin the name of God,flNi awali yakanzowaFor everything begins that wayRabbi Rahmani RahimuOur Lord is the Most Compassion-ate, the Most MercifulRahmaye hurhombowaAnd we ask for His mercyChirhombeni RahmayeLet us beg for His mercyShaikhi kunaxarisowaAnd that the Shaikh be granted His compassionUkarhi wa sakaratiMay the Shaikh be sparedShaikhi kuchize kupowaThe torturous agonies of dyingShaikh Nureini nasimuShaikh Nureini, the Gentle Breeze, Rahma mba kurhombelowaLet us pray that God shows him mercyNote the suffix fiwafl at the end of every verse. This signifies a sound ofdeep sadness and gives the poem even more poignancy. Dada Masiti tries to celebrate the Shaikh™s life and mourn him at the same time. She goes on and asks why people should mourn when the Shaikh is going to heaven to join and stay with the people most beloved by the Lord:Yiiko Jannatul CadniThere is the paradise called EdenNdaawo weena Hu pendoowaReserved for the beloved of our LordNda weena wa peenzela ntoIt is for those who are very much beloved and piousRuuxu zaawo Hu taloowaAnd whose souls have been specifically selectedJamaca ya MuqarribiinaThose who are closest to GodWonte wa takunganyoowaWill all be assembledNasuxba ya NabiyyiAnd the Prophet™s CompanionsQariibuye Hu wekoowaWill all stay by his sideDada Masiti here is referring to the Sunnah belief that the souls of thevirtuous will join other pure souls in the transitional abode of Barzakh.6Her poetry clearly shows the depth of her knowledge of the Quran andBildhaanVol. 2 106
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Sunnah. She continues the verse and stresses how important Shaikh Nureini was as a scholar and as a shaikh:Sheekhi fadhiye ni faaydaWe can benefit from sitting next to the ShaikhKurhomboowa hupatoowaAnd we pray for this,Kaake hupatoowa diiniTo acquire religious knowledgeKanzi Ya kuxafidhoowaAnd treasures worth preservingKaake hupatoowa cilmuAs well as other knowledgeManfaca yakhtumiloowaOf practical use7Kaake hupatoowa caqliWe gain wisdom from himNijohari humeroowaPrecious stones worth looking forXayyi yasheekhi pendaaniValue the Shaikh™s lifeDaa™imu Ha ipatoowaSince eternal life is impossibleDaa™imu Ha ipatoowiEternal life is impossibleKufa ina yaqinoowaAnd death is a certaintyBut Dada Masiti does not give up hope that the Lord could spare theShaikh for a few more years so that he might keep disseminating and sharing his knowledge:Rhombani Sheekhi ku raagaPray that the Shaikh may live onCumriwe ku zidoowaAnd that his life be extendedCumriwe ujiziidaFor if his life is extendedCilmu ina fafishoowaHe will disseminate more knowledgeCilmu FafishaaniThe dissemination of knowledgeDiini Ina dhisatoowaWill strengthen our religionKoodhi Ya Sheekhi KodheerhoAnd whatever the Shaikh saysSuura kurhangaliloowaWarrants careful considerationIf the Lord does not extend the Shaikh™s life, then Dada Masiti insiststhat people should not weep. On the contrary, they should celebrate: Sheekhi chifa ha iloowiWhen the Shaikh dies, no one should weepIta ku dhikirishoowaInstead people should recite dhikrIta kuvuma dhikiriDhikr will echo from all cornersNa quraani khsomoowaAnd the Quran will be readMohamed Kassim107
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Sheekhi Chifa HulowaayiWhy should people weep,Nimuunti wa khfurhoowaAs it is a day of joyNdiwo muunti wa furaha[The day he dies] is actually a day of joyIta kurharhisanyoowaAnd a day to visit each other in celebrationDada Masiti then describes what the funeral rites for the Shaikh will belike; how his body will be washed, how it will be perfumed with incense. The deceased Shaikh will be dressed in his long white hanzu8and his turban, and then wrapped in a white shroud. She describes thesadness of his followers during this process:Wasimeemo kumnuurishaThose who are standing and reciting dhikrand Quran9Maatozi ya takitikoowaTears will flow down their cheeksYatakiitika maatoziTears will keep flowingNguwo sta kolozoowaAnd wet their clothesWote watakuraashaAll will follow the funeral processionMuuyi uta kulatoowaAnd the town will be desertedWenye muuyi nawageeniLocal people and visitorsNtaku khtamburhanoowaWill be indistinguishable in this crowdThen Dada Masiti, referring to the Hadith, describes how God willreward those who follow the funeral procession:10Naako itakuuya NaadaAnd then a divine call will be madeKhalqi ina kirimoowaFor the crowd to be rewarded11Wa takuuyo nimalaaykaAngels will descendWiingi wakhtumishoowaTo perform this serviceWatakaawanya thawaabuThey will distribute heavenly rewards12Jisa buni hawanyoowaMuch like roasted coffee beans are distributed13Hatta waako zorhokooniEven those watching from the windowsBaraka wa takhpoowaWill receive this blessingBildhaanVol. 2 108
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Hatta waako zidankaaniAnd those looking down from the rooftopsWa taku latililoowaIt will be thrown to themWa chaawanya wachimarhaOnly after they have been blessed this wayTeena ina inendoowaWill people start to walk backNow sadness will overtake the people and everything that the Shaikhhas touched:Hu xuzuniko mpeengeleThe pathways along which he walked dailyKutta schinendhroowaWill feel sad,Hu xuzuniko ni darsaAs will his daily circle of studentsFadhi schitalicoowaAnd the lessons he used to teachMiskiti huwa miinzaThe Mosque will be darkAtaa tarha ichashoowaEven when it is litTarha waarhiko niyeeyeFor he was the lightNuuru ya ku rhangaaloowaA bright light we all watchedSawarataani turhaaniCalm down and be consoledSheekhi siwo wakhpatoowaFor the Shaikh is out of our reachSheekhi karheente JannaaniHe is residing in HeavenNa kurhiindra kendreloowaWaiting for us to join him*****The most popular religious poems in Chimbalazi,14the northern Swahilidialect of Brava, have been composed by poet- ulamasuch as DadaMasiti, Shaikh Qassim Al-Barawi, and Mu™allim Nuri. Their poetry provides an insight into the Bravanese outlook on the world, their beliefs and value systems. In composing these poems, the Bravanese ulamain some cases followed the classical religious works of Arabic, atleast in literary style. However, many poems show an impressive degree of originality and finesse. The poems composed by Dada Masiti cover both areas of Shari™aand tariqa.15Her poetry also deals with fun-damental principles of Islam, with Prophetic panegyrics, and with the Sufi Islamic concepts of the purification of the nafs16(self or soul) andthe suluk(spiritual journey). In one of her poems, Dada Masiti dis-cusses the reproaching nafs, saying:Mohamed Kassim109
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very similar to Rabi™a™s outlook as reflected by her works. Did DadaMasiti know about Rabi™a™s works and history? Only further investiga- tions into the life and work of Dada Masiti will reveal this.Dada Masiti™s poetry is a good example of how vernacular versewas used to transmit Islamic knowledge in Brava and its vicinity. These vernacular verses reached their intended audience through the Makhadimu, the servants working in the mosques, or through the Wal-imu, the teachers of the Quranic schools. Although the poems werecomposed for everyone in the community, the main audience was the local, non-Arabic speaking population of the town, particularly the Bravanese women.The following is a further example of Dada Masiti™s poetry. It is oneof the best-known Chimbalazi poems. It shows the emotional warmth and beauty of Bravanese Sufi poetry and gives us a brief insight into the religious ethos that was being discussed and transmitted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries on the Benadir coast of southern Somalia.YYa a R Ra ab bb bi i Y Ya a M Mu ut ta a™ ™a al li i(O My Exalted Lord)1. Ya Rabbi ya Muta™aliO my Exalted LordMawla peeke sho mithaaliThe One and Only, Unique to HimselfKhu rhoombave si sahaawiI never forget to pray to youXamiidi na kula xaaliGratefully and otherwise222. Bismilaahi hanzoowaWe begin in the name of God,Barakaye hu rhoombowaAnd ask for his blessingNdiye ya ku cabudoowaFor He is the One to worshipIsmu ya Mowla JalaaliWhose name is the Majestic One3. Rabbi Rahmani RahiimuOur Lord is most Merciful, most ForgivingVeesherho nti na kuzimuHe, who has created the earth and the skyDhekheerho ka ukariimuAnd sustained them with generosityNicmaze ha zi marhiHis abundant grace is never-ending 4. Ndiyo yangu maqsuudiIt is my objectiveKum rhomba macbuudiTo pray to the LordNa Rasuuli maxmuudiAnd to Mohamed, the Prophet23Mtume manye iqbaaliThe friendly and accessible messenger24Mohamed Kassim111
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5. Maxamadil MukhtariMohamed, the Chosen oneMenye siifa na fakhari[has] wonderful characteristics and dignityNa nuuruze anwaariAnd his light isZarhiko ntagu awarhiA light that was always there6. Mtume nrhoberha sacaadaO Prophet, pray for my eternal happinessNdio yangu maqsadaFor that is my objectiveMiinso inave shahaadaAnd that I may end my life with the shahada25Sacya ya kuuya ajarhiAt the time of death7. Rabbi ni ka u saciidiO Lord, may we live in happinessNaa kufa ya u shahiidiAnd die as martyrs [for the faith]Miinso kuwa towxiidiTo die reciting the tawhid26Ndio danabu na baarhiIs my whole purpose8. Ni yaqiini i hadiilaIt is definitely trueAminaani kuwa lilaAnd you should believe it as a factMowti huuya ka ghafuulaThat death comes unexpectedlySho sababu na sonkaarhiWithout an obvious reason or rationale279. Numayiitu sakaraatiAt the end mortal illnessHu dhihira ka gohaatiManifests itself, accentuated [by pain]Shidaye hay chilatiAn unrelieved anguish,Ya ulaazo na ukaliPain and agony10. Nti ya xaqi shta keendhaWe will go to the land of the JustMooya ntana yakhteendhaWhere mortals have no sayNa miinsave hiineendhaAnd where they will proceed at the endSehena shpoove hataarhiWithout any provisions [from this world]2811. Yiiko sehe mberhe yaawoThere are supplies ahead of themVeema xayri va tendaawoAnd they look forward to the virtuous29Hulatoove ruxuzaawoAnd their spirits are relievedWa vekela Jana caaliFor a higher level of heaven is reserved [for them]12. Kamu waami ni va veenoHow many mighty princesMa amiiri ya rhingeenoI have seen [congregate]BildhaanVol. 2 112
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Wa fariqeeno zungeenoAnd then go their separate waysViingi wa ruuxu na maali[men] wealthy and full of vitality13. Wa lasirho marhiyaawoThey have left their wealthImarhiize tamayaawoAnd their desires and aspiration are no moreIchu chiiko cho si chaawoWhat is left is no longer theirsXayi hu rhiindha dhaxaliFor it is the living who inherit all14. Chi langala wa jowmuuntiIf one reflects on the dead [in their graves]Wa show hadali na sowtiWho are without sound nor noiseBacda xayi ni mowti[one realizes that] after life comes deathNi yaqiini si rhivarhiThis is a fact that I never forget15. Siti sahawu na kiizaI, Siti, reject any excuses30Na khowfu ya dhanbizaAnd [live] in fear of my sinsNiigi ziiko ni rhiizaI am prohibited from a multitude [of distractions]Sina yaambo ya camaliAnd I do not claim to have done enough good deeds16. Dhanbi hu niskitishaMy sins worry meNa zamaniza na kiishaAnd my time is almost running out Viingi vaangu wa maciinshaNearly all my lifeU ma rhiize ka shalaayiHas transpired in regret3117. Rabbi ka naxarisizoO Lord, I pray for Your forgivenessKhaansa zina kunilizoWhat makes me weep especiallyKa dhanbi zaave ntukiizoAre the sins that I still carryNteeshela kana xamaaliAnd that are weighing me down as if I were a coolie3218. Nakh tamaca ku cafoowaI hope that my Lord will forgive meNa dhanbi ku ghafiriloowaAnd pardon my sinsIyo kaako hu rhomboowaYou are the Only One to whom we prayRaxmazo za sahaliAnd for You forgiveness is easy19. Duniya ni khadayoorheThis world is a deceitful placeHawayo i sin zoorheMay I not be tempted by its pleasuresMiba in latiirhe woorheFor it has already thrown me far [afield]Ka xuzuniye si rhaarhiAnd I cannot sleep from sorrow as a resultMohamed Kassim113
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20. Duniya in khada™iirheThis world has deceived meHawaye in tukiirheIts temptations have carried me awayKuwa muuya in sahawiirheI forgot to be [an obedient] servantNaarhiko raqi dhamaadiAnd hence became a destitute slave3321. Naarhiko raqi nzamiirhoI was a slave on the verge of drowningNrasirho hanti nchimbiirhoBut then I left all [entrusted] property and escapedMpete vaantu wan rudiirhoMet people who brought me backWan nreeserho ka dadhaarhiWho succeeded in bringing me back with much effort22. Wan rheeserho ka wacadiThey promised to take me backUmati ya MuxamadiFor they were from the Prophet Mohamed™s ummaVeema wanye kishtadiVirtuous people of strong faithNafsi inpeerhe daghaarhiThen my soul blamed me [for all my sins]3423. Nafsi ichi daghaloowaWhen the soul is blessed with repentance35Naku rhiindha ku bigoowaWithout being castigatedJisa veerho ntakiwoowaNo one can understand [this reform]Ilazirhe ka JalaaliFor it has been decreed by the Majesty24. Nafsi ka Mooje tubiirhe[My] Soul has repented in front of the LordWacdi na goondi tiyiirheFrom promises and warnings it has become fearfulNa nrimize zi hadiirheAnd it hereby pronounces [its repentence]Za kinaaya na sonkaarhiBoth implicitly and explicitly25. Karhantani ka tartiibuSit down quietlyMeendho iweerhe khariibuFor the time to go is approachingNtakuwalata wa xibuI am leaving my loved onesKa duca na fil maaliWith blessing and wealth3626. Duca nrasirhe numbaaniI am leaving all my blessing at homeKa waana waamo tacaani[for I am giving it] to my obedient childrenBildhaanVol. 2 114
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