June 26, 2010
June 25, 2010
Kiswahili: a UN Working Language?
*Plans to elevate Kiswahili to UN working language status underway*
By HEZEKIEL GIKAMBI
Kiswahili might soon become a working language of the United Nations,
joining the league of six prominent languages in the world if a proposal by
Swahili scholars goes through.
The scholars met in Nairobi in December 2009 under the Afro-Arab Cultural
Institute (AACI), from Bamako, Mali in collaboration with the Ministry of
National Heritage and Culture of Kenya in a symposium aimed at charting the
future of the language.
Among the aims of the conference was to fight for the recognition of the
language by the UN.
"It is only a matter of time and East Africa will have found a bigger export
to the world than tea and coffee and that is Kiswahili," said Prof. Kimani
Njogu who chaired the conference.
Prof Njogu who heads a national Kiswahili association, Chama cha Kiswahili
cha Taifa-CHAKITA expressed optimism that the language stands a high chance
of being considered.
The language that made history by becoming the first African language to be
recognized as an official African Union language would give Africans and
more so East Africans reason to be proud of their region.
Spoken by close to 120 million people worldwide, Swahili is both a national
and official language in Tanzania.
In Kenya, the Committee of Experts, led by Nzamba Kitonga has proposed the
elevation of the language that is currently a national language to official
language status in their draft.
"If this proposal passes, it will be a step ahead of time in the century for
the language," said Information and Communication Permanent Secretary Dr
Bitange Ndemo who closed the conference.
He said if the new constitution is passed the way it is the government would
have 2-3 years to put every documents and its transactions in the internet
and later all governments documents in Kiswahili.
He promised to give two of the proposed Kiswahili-only digital channels to
the scholars to advance the language.
The official languages of UN are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian
and Spanish and presentations to the body are made through the said
languages.
If a participant doesn’t understand any of them, he carries with him a
translator who translates his statement to any of the six languages.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Heritage and Culture Dr Jacob Ole
Miaron who opened the conference appreciated the proposed Draft Protocol for
the establishment of the East African Kiswahili Council, saying it would
assist in the growth of the language.
“This would play a major role in enhancing political, economic, social,
cultural, education, scientific and technological development in the
region,” he said.
Efforts to have Swahili as an AU and UN language began in 2005, when a
proposal was made by the scholars to AU ministers of culture, who met in
Nairobi.
The ministers accepted the proposal and forwarded it to the Heads of States
who adopted it in a summit held in Khartoum Sudan, under the chairmanship of
President Mwai Kibaki.
"It was welcomed passionately by former Mali President Alpha Oumar Konare,
who served as Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to
2008," recalls former Director of Culture, Anami Silverse.
Other institutions represented in the two-day conference included Academy of
African Languages (ACALAN), African Union, and the League of Arab States.
Apart from taking Kiswahili to UN working language status, the conference
that brought together scholars from 14 African countries and several Arab
states, also sought to document the history of the Afro-Arab relations in
the development of Kiswahili language.
"We also want to enhance the existing cultural relations and cooperation
between the Arabs and Africans in this century and beyond," said Prof Njogu.
Giving his presentation in Arabic, Prof Ayman Ibrahim Al A’sar of Al-Azhar
University in Oman, currently a Lecturer in Arab studies in the University
of Nairobi said the relationship between Arabic and Kiswahili, which has
lasted more than 2,000 years, have immense benefits to both people.
Prof Ibrahim Noor Sharif a Kiswahili Scholar from Oman recommended the
enhancement of institutional linkages by establishing exchange programmes
between Kenyan institutions and those in the Arab world.
"Cooperation can also be enhanced through visits, workshops and regional
discussions on cultural and education matters," he said.
Arab is to Kiswahili what Latin is to English, a major source of ‘loan’
words and original donor of its earliest alphabet.
Kiswahili being a Bantu language and more so, the most Arabicized Bantu
language contains a great diversity of expressions.
“This would rekindle the significance of cultural diversity amongst the
African and Arab communities," said Prof Alamin Mazrui, a Kenyan scholar.
“This will further cement the relationship and make the African continent
first and foremost to own up the language,” he added.
The University of Nairobi came under attack from Tanzanian Scholars for
lacking an independent Kiswahili department while universities in Japan,
Germany and other foreign countries have fully fledged Swahili departments.
Prof Njogu challenged local leaders to improve on their masterly of the
language and use it often so as to give it an international appeal.
Kiswahili is the most popular African language taught alongside African
studies in over 150 universities in the USA only.
Mr Malonga Pacifique a Kiswahili lecturer at a University in Kigali, Rwanda,
underscored the growing need to embrace Kiswahili as an international medium
of communication.
* *
*The writer is the Education Features Editor, *
*with **Taifa Leo, a Kiswahili publication *
*of the Nation Media Group- Nairobi Kenya.*
June 10, 2010
Taking it to the Streets 2010
On June 20th, the Inner City Muslim Action Network is hosting one of the nation and world's most unique events: Taking it to the Streets 2010, a Muslim-organized street festival featuring Mos Def, Brother Ali, Tinarwein, the Reminders, OneBeLo (from Binary Star) and more. This festival is groundbreaking in its vision and execution. I will be writing more about it and the relation between hip-hop and Islam in America later. For now, check out the schedule online
May 17, 2010
Swahili Tutoring Service in Nairobi Kenya
This came in the inbox, so I thought I would pass it on. If you have used this service or know of other Kiswahili language programs, you can leave a comment below. The mobile dictionary app looks like a good investment if you are into digital learning.
Swahili Tutors
Faida za Dhikri kabla ya Kulala
MTU AMBAYE ANATAKA MWENYEZI MUNGU AMPUNGUZIE UCHOVU (UZITO) WA KAZI YAKE
"Fatma, Mwenyezi Mungu amuwiye radhi,alimuomba mtume,Mwenyezi Mungu amfikishie rehema na amani,ampe mtumishi, Mtume akamwambia Fatma;Je nikufundisheni yaliyokuwa bora kuliko hayo mlioniomba? Mkitaka kulala,mlete takbira allaahu akbaru mara 34, na mlete tahmidi alhamduli-laahi mara (33) na mlete Tasbihi subuhaanallaahi mara (33),hayo ni bora kwenu kuliko mtumishi"
May 5, 2010
Khutba from Sheikh 'Abdullah 'Adhami
The following khutba in Swahili is a beautiful expression of the meaning of marriage and the nature of the love that prevails between two people. May Allah make it easy for us to love one another. (thanks to TAMCO)
Kwa kuoa huchukui tu mke, Bali unachukua ulimwengu wako mzima. Kuanzia hapo mpaka maisha yako yote mke wako atakuwa mwenzio, mwandani wako, na rafiki yako mpenzi.
Atashiriki katika nyakati zako nzuri, siku zako, na miaka yako. Atakuwa pamoja nawe katika furaha na shida, katika mafanikio na tabu, katika ndoto zako na katika wakati wa hofu. Ukiumwa, atakupa huduma bora kabisa. Wakati unapohitaji msaada atafanya vyovyote awezavyo kwa ajili yako. Wakati una siri, ataitunza siri yako, wakati unahitaji ushauri, atakupa ushauri mzuri kabisa.
Atakuwa na wewe utakapoamka asubuhi kitu cha kwanza ambacho macho yako yataona ni macho yake. Wakati wa mchana, atakuwa na wewe, kama kuna wakati mchache hatokuwa na wewe kwa kimwili, atakuwa anakufikiria wewe, anakuombea dua kwa moyo wake wote, akili yake yote, na roho yake nyote. Ukienda kulala usiku, kitu cha mwisho macho yako kuona itakuwa ni yeye, na ukilala bado utakuwa unamuona katika ndoto zako. Kwa kifupi atakuwa ni ulimwengu wako mzima na wewe utakuwa ulimwengu wake mzima.
Kielezo bora kabisa ambacho mimi binafsi nishawahi kusoma kinafafanua ukaribu wa wanandoa juu ya wao kwa wao na kielezo hicho kipo katika aya ya Qur-aan ambayo inasema:
((Wao ni vazi kwenu, na nyinyi ni vazi kwao)) [Al-Baqarah 2:187].
Na Kweli, wanandoa ni kama vazi juu ya wao kwa wao kwa sababu wanapeana ulinzi, liwazo, kinga (stara), msaada (tegemeo), na mapambo ambayo vazi linampa mtu. Hebu jaribu kufikiri msafara wakati wa siku za baridi kwenda sehemu kama vile Alaska bila ya kuwa na nguo! Wanandoa wetu wanatupa kiwango kile kile cha faraja (liwazo), ulinzi, na msaada katika msafara wa maisha yetu katika dunia hii kama vile nguo itakavyofanya katika msafara wa Alaska.
Mahusiano baina ya wanandoa ni ya kustaajabisha kabisa katika mahusiano yote ya kibinaadamu: Idadi ya mapenzi na mahaba, undani na ukaribu, huruma na imani, amani na utulivu ambao unajaza nyoyo za wanandoa ni jambo lisiloelezeka kwa wepesi. Ufafanuzi pekee wa mantiki ambao unaweza kuelezeka juu ya haya mastaajabu makubwa katika hisia zote za kibinaadamu ni kwamba: Ni kitendo cha Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, ((Na Mwenyezi Mungu Amekuumbieni wake [na wenza katika jinsi yenu])) [An-Nahl 16:72]
Mola wetu tu Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala katika katika Utawala Wake usio na upeo wa huruma Yake isiyo na mipaka na Hekima Yake adhimu Anaweza kujenga na kuzididimiza katika akili hizi hisia za kustaajabisha na za kubarikiwa katika nyoyo za wanandoa. Kwa kweli Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala Anawakumbusha wale ambao wanatafuta ishara Zake katika ulimwengu huu kwamba hisia hizi katika moyo wa wanandoa ni katika ishara Zake ambazo zinatakiwa zimuongoze mwanaadamu katika kuwepo Kwake kama Alivyosema katika Qur-aan, (Na katika Ishara zake ni kuwa Amekuumbieni wake zenu kutokana na nafsi zenu ili mpate utulivu kwao. Naye Amejaalia mapenzi na huruma baina yenu. Hakika katika haya bila ya shaka zipo ishara kwa watu wanaofikiri." [Ar-Ruum 30:21]
Lakini Mwenyezi Mungu Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala Anajua kwamba moyo wa binaadamu sio kitu ambacho kiko tuli, wakati mwengine huwa dhaifu na wakati mwengine huwa na nguvu. Hisia zinaweza kubadilika na hubadilika pindi wakati unavyosogea. Mapenzi yanaweza kufifia na kupayuka mbalini. Mshikamano wa ndoa unaweza kuwa dhaifu kama haujahudumiwa vizuri. Furaha katika ndoa haiwezi kudharauliwa; furaha ya kuendelea inahitaji utowaji wa daima kutoka pande zote. Ili mti wa mapenzi ya ndoa ubaki hai na kuendelea kuishi, udongo lazima udumishwe, uhifadhiwe, umwagiwe maji na ulelewe.
Kumbuka kwamba Mtume wetu Muhammad (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alipata nafasi ya kwenda kwenye majangwa na kushindana mbio na mke wake Bibi 'Aishah. Bibi 'Aishah alimshinda Mtume lakini baadae aliponenepa, Mtume alimshinda Bibi 'Aishah. Kumbuka kwamba Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alimchukua mkewe kwenda kuwatazama vijana wa Ki-Ethiopia wakicheza michezo ya utamaduni wao. Maonyesho ya hisia yanahitajika kuweza kuufanya mshikamano wa ndoa usifanye kutu na kuoza. Kumbuka kwamba utapata thawabu kutoka kwa Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala) kwa hisia zozote unazomuonyesha mkeo kama Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alivyosema: ((Mmoja wenu atapata thawabu kwa chochote ambacho atafanya ili kutafuta radhi za Mwenyezi Mungu hata kwa tonge analomlisha mkewe))
Kamwe usidharau umuhimu wa vitu vidogo vidogo kama vile kuweka chakula kwenye mdomo wa mkeo, kumfungulia mlango wa gari, na hali kadhalika. Kumbuka kwamba Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alikuwa anasogeza goti lake kwa mkewe amkanyage kuweza kumpanda ngamia.
Jaribu kutafuta wakati ili nyote wawili muweze kuswali pamoja. Kuuimarisha uhusiano kati yenu na Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala) ni hakikisho kubwa kuwa uhusiano wenu wa kindoa utabaki madhubuti. Kuwa na amani kati yenu na Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) daima kutapelekea ndani mwenu kuwa na amani zaidi.
Kumbuka kwamba Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) aliwapa habari nzuri (aliwabashiria) wanandoa wanaoamka usiku kuswali pamoja. Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) anamsisitiza mwanandoa anayeamka mwanzo amuamshe mwenzake, japo kummwagia maji katika uso wake.
Daima jaribu uwezavyo kuwa mtu mzuri kwa mkeo kwa njia ya maneno na vitendo. Ongea nae, mchekee, tafuta ushauri wake, muulize juu ya mawazo yake, tumia wakati maalum na yeye na daima kumbuka kwamba Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alisema: ((Wabora katika nyinyi ni wale ambao ni wabora kwa wake zao))
Mwishowe, ni kawaida kwa wanandoa kuahidi kuwapenda na kuwaheshimu wanandoa wenziwe mpaka mauti yawatenganishe. Naamini kwamba ahadi hii ni nzuri au ni bora kabisa, lakini haitoshi! Haitoshi kumpenda mkeo tu. Lazima upende anachokipenda pia. amilia yake, anaowapenda yeye uwapende pia. Usiwe kama mwenzangu mmoja ambaye hakufurahiwa kuja kwa wazazi wa mke wake kukaa kwa wiki chache. Alimwambia wazi mkewe “Mimi siwapendi wazazi wako”. Bila ya kusita mkewe alimtazama machoni kwa hasira na kusema, “Na wako pia siwapendi”.
Mapenzi yasiishe na pia tunaamini kuna maisha baada ya mauti ambapo wale ambao walifanya wema katika dunia hii wataungana na wanandoa wenzio ((Ingieni Peponi, nyinyi na wake zenu; mtafurahishwa humo)) [Az-Zukhruf 43:70] Pia wataungana na watoto wao.
Na mfano bora katika mintarafu hii itakuwa ni Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) ambaye mapenzi yake kwa Bibi Khadiyjah, mkewe aliyeishi naye kwa miaka 25 yalisogea mpaka kwa wale aliowapenda Khadiyjah; mapenzi yake haya yaliendelea hata baada ya kufa Bibi Khadiyjah. Ilikuwa miaka mingi baada ya kifo cha Bibi Khadiyjah na Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) hakumsahau na kila panapochinjwa mbuzi katika nyumba yake basi hutuma kifurushi kwa familia ya Bibi Khadijah na marafiki zake na kila akihisi kuwa mgeni anayegonga mlango ni Dada ya Khadijah aitwaye Hala, Mtume (Swalla Allaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) alikuwa akiomba huku akisema, “Ewe Mwenyezi Mungu Jaalia awe ni Hala."
April 27, 2010
April 20, 2010
The Muslim News: Kadhi Courts in Kenya
By Ahmed Nassir Abdullahi
Kenyans have religiously co-existed for a remarkably long time. The debate spinning around the Kadhi’s courts seems to unnecessarily strain the harmony.
This debate has generated considerable ill-feelings ever since the country undertook the constitutional review process.
This endless agitation against the Kadhi’s courts, coupled with a new policy that targets the Muslim community, seems to be forcing Kenyan Muslims to rethink their stand on a number of issues, including the Kadhi’s courts. A faint sign of an emerging paradigm seems piping from a distant.
We have heard the views of some of the churches, especially from Central Province, which is categorical in their opposition to the Kadhi’s courts. They wrongly but deliberately equate Kadhi’s courts with Sharia law. I think it is fair to say that these views are very extreme. Two issues arise on this.
First, it is almost certain that the views of the majority of Christians in the country are different from those of these vocal churches. The overwhelming majority of Christians in this country don’t have a problem with the Kadhi’s courts.
The courts have been in our constitution all along and it has never been a source of discord.
Second and more fundamentally, where do these churches get the prerogative that they can sit in judgement over the constitutional rights of the Muslim community? Who has erected for them this high pedestal from which they piously pontificate to the rest of the country?
Constitutional making is a progressive process that makes what we already have just better. It is not about the curtailment of rights that are already in existence.
The Muslim community has fairly been silent on the Kadhi’s courts and its place in the constitution. Whereas a number of Muslim organisations and some individuals have voiced their support for the courts, the majority have fairly been silent. The silent majority compromise two groups.
The majority have assumed the posture that the issue is non-negotiable and the churches are without jurisdiction. However, there is a minority among the silent, especially at the Coast and in Nairobi, who advocate an extreme view.
The Muslim extremists have their views and are an antipode to the extreme views of some of the churches. Their views are that the vociferous opposition to the Kadhi’s courts that cater for the needs of the Muslim minority means one thing.
These far right Muslims think that in light of the intransigence of some of the churches, it is time to go full throttle and demand the introduction of Sharia law in Coast and the Northern regions.
Their views are informed by the place of minorities in the history of the world. Historically, when a religious minority is oppressed and denied the right to practise its religion, a corresponding right to demand the maximum crystallises in law and in morality.
From the perspective of these fringe Muslim groups, there are issues that inform the need to introduce Sharia law in these regions, and underscore the constitutional imperative to accommodate Sharia.
The Coalition government has lately reached a consensus when it comes to the Muslim community. It has, over time, come to see Northern Kenya and the Coast Province through a new spectrum informed by flawed and fussy intelligence.
According to the coalition, these regions pose a mortal danger to the rest of the country. This new attitude, underpinned by both overt and covert oppression and intimidation, seems to have implanted in these regions a corresponding need to rotate outside the usual axis.
Second, there is a need for the country to learn from our neighbours if we are to avoid their mistakes. Sudan is a country that holds many lessons. The policies, principles and the struggle of the people of Southern Sudan didn’t just come out of the blue.
It was forced on them by the North. Successive governments in Khartoum had deliberate policies that dehumanised the South.
At one time, even Sharia law was forced on both Christian and animist inhabited regions of the South. It was because the North refused to give a constitutional recognition to the difference between the North and the South that the latter has taken the trajectory it adopted over the years.
Through the twin issues of opposition to the Kadhi’s courts and the new policy of the coalition government, the Muslim community, just like Southern Sudan, is being forced to see themselves as being different from the rest of the country. This situation is pushing them to Sharia as a shelter.
We must stop pulling the country in different directions, because pulling it together might prove difficult in future. Kenyans must reject both Christian and Muslim extremists.
Ahmednasir Abdullahi is a former chairman of the Law Society of Kenya
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