'Stringing Coral Beads': The Religious Poetry of Brava (C. 1890-1975)

A Source Publication of Chimiini Texts and English Translations
Erscheinungsjahr 2018
ISBN: 978-90-04-36288-8
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 16, 840 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 1157 g

Reihe: African Sources for African History

This book presents fifty-one didactic and devotional Sufi poems (with English translations) composed by the ulama of Brava, on Somalia’s Benadir coast, in Chimiini, a Bantu language related to Swahili and unique to the town. Because the six ulama-poets, among whom two women, guided local believers towards correct beliefs and behaviours in reference to specific authoritative religious texts, the poems allow insight into their authors’ religious education, affiliations, in which the Qadiriyyah and Ahmadiyyah took pride of place, and regional connections. Because the poems refer to local people, places, events, and livelihoods, they also bring into view the uniquely local dimension of Islam in this small East African port city in this time-period.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Vianello, Alessandra

Kapteijns, Lidwien

Kassim, Mohamed

Weitere Mitwirkende

Vianello, Alessandra

Kapteijns, Lidwien

Kassim, Mohamed

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literaturwissenschaft: Lyrik und Dichter
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Afrikanische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Islam & Islamische Studien Islam & Islamische Studien
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literaturen sonstiger Sprachräume Afrikanische Literaturen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Editors’ Introduction
Acknowledgements
Note on Transliteration
Map of Brava in Regional Context

Introduction

Note on the Primary Sources of This Publication

Reference List to the Poets and Their Poems

Annotated List of Islamic Scholars and Texts Mentioned in the S?eenzi

The Poems

Sheikh Uways

Biography

Sheikh Uways’s Poem
1 A?feeni msa?i?eeni (Ask God to bless him two thousand times)

Sheikh Qasim

Biography

Sheikh Qasim’s Poems
1 Daada Maasi?i nsoomela du?a (Dada Masiti, pray for me)
2 Chidirke ya Rasuu? A??ah (Rescue us, O Prophet of God)
3 Salaa?un sa?aamun ?ala a?-Mus?afa (Peace and blessings upon the Chosen One)
4 Meezi wa keendra (In the ninth month)
5 Hamziyyah, Jisi gani khpaandra mitume anbiya (Hamziyyah or How could the other prophets rise?)
6 ?a ilaaha ntaku Ma?abuudi wa haqi (There is no god but the true God)
7 Nakaanza kh?uunga marjaani (I start stringing coral beads)
8 Ya Sheekhi Abdu?qaadiri (O Shaykh ?Abdulqadir)
9 Ya Nabiyi salaam ?aleika (O Prophet, peace be upon you)
10 Ndruuza kasaani sow?iya (O Brothers, listen to my voice)

Dada Masiti

Biography

Dada Masiti’s Poems
1 Ba?di ya hayy ni mow?i (After life comes death)
2 Sayyid Jamaladiini (Sayyid Jamaladdin)
3 Ya Rabbi ya Mu?a?aali (O Lord, You who are Exalted)
4 Sharru ?-bilaadi (The evil that plagues the country)
5 Ya Rabbi ya Rahmaani (O Lord, You who are Compassionate)
6 Mow?aana Muhyidiini (O our lord Mu?yi al-Din)
7 A??ahu Akbar A??aahu (God is the Greatest, O God)
8 Sayyidi yiitu Si?eeni (O our Lady)

Mallim Nuri

Biography

Mallim Nuri’s Poems
1 Sh?eenzi cha ah?u al-sabri (The poem of those who were steadfast in adversity)
2 Sh?eenzi cha A?isha (The poem of A?isha)
3 Sh?eenzi cha Aamina (The poem of Amina)
4 Mooja mreheme A?eeni (O God, have mercy upon Ateni)
5 Chidirke Maana Faa?ima (Rescue us, O Lady Fatima!)
6 Sh?eenzi cha masadaa?i (The poem of the Sharifs)
7 Sh?eenzi cha Hasani na Huseeni (The poem of Hassan and Hussein)
8 Sh?eenzi cha Haawa na Aadamu (The poem of ?awwa? (Eve) and Adam)
9 Sh?eenzi cha kibri (The poem of pride)
10 Madad madad (Come to our help O Prophet)
11 Sh?eenzi cha mahaaji (The poem of the pilgrims)
12 Sh?eenzi cha mi?raaji (The poem of the mi?raj)
13 Mooja chiloongole (May God guide us)
14 Mooja ondrola d_h_ibu (O God, remove troubles)
15 M?awasuleeni Mus?afa (Seek the intercession of the Chosen One)
16 Sh?eenzi cha sabri (The poem of forbearance)
17 Sh?eenzi cha sala ?imaamu (The poem of the correct prayer)
18 Sh?eenzi cha Sayyida Khadija (The poem of Lady Khadija)
19 Sh?eenzi cha Sheikh Nureeni (The poem of Sheikh Nureni)
20 Sh?eenzi cha Faa?ima (The poem of Fatima)
21 Sh?eenzi cha hijja (The poem of the pilgrimage)
22 Sh?eenzi cha soomu (The poem of fasting)
23 Sh?eenzi cha udh?hiya (The poem of ritual sacrifice)
24 Zubadi (The Cream)

Sheikh Mohamed Sufi

Biography

Sheikh Mohamed Sufi’s Poems
1 Aadha??e aadha (Beware! Beware!)
2 Akhuaaniza kasaani (Listen to me, O brothers)
3 Salaa?u na amaani (Blessings and peace upon the Prophet)
4 Susumuki (Will you not wake up?)
5 Iyi ni bishaara (These are glad tidings)

Abastide Mohamed Sheikh Abba

Biography

Abastide Mohamed Sheikh Abba’s Poems
1 Ya man yara wa la yura (O you who see and are not seen)
2 Sheekhi Imaamu a?-Ghazaali (O Sheikh Imam al-Ghazali)
3 Mtume shtiilo galadi na fadhiila (Through the Prophet we attain God’s support and favour)

Appendix 1: Names of God Mentioned in the S?eenzi
Appendix 2: Names and Attributes of the Prophet Mentioned in the S?eenzi
Appendix 3: Names of Fatima Mentioned in the S?eenzi
Appendix 4: Names of Angels Mentioned in the S?eenzi
Appendix 5: Names of Prophets Mentioned in the S?eenzi
Appendix 6: Musical Annotation of the S?eenzi
Glossary
Bibliography
General Index

Über Autor(innen)

Alessandra Vianello, (Law degree, 1970) is an independent scholar and researcher. She has co-edited Servants of the Sharia. The Civil Register of the Qadis' Court of Brava 1893-1900 (Brill, 2006) and many book chapters and articles about the language and history of Brava.


Lidwien Kapteijns, Ph.D. History (1982), Wellesley College, is Professor of History at that institution. She has published several books, including two co-edited source publications, and many book chapters and articles about Somali and Sudanese history.


Mohamed M. Kassim, Ph.D. History (2008), Seneca College, is Professor of Computer Science at that institution. He has co-edited Servants of the Sharia. The Civil Register of the Qadis' Court of Brava 1893-1900 (Brill, 2006) and has published many book chapters and articles about the history of Brava.