An excellent book by the late Prof. Ahmed Haile

Front cover

Back cover

Book Review by Kanga

“Give your enemy fresh milk.”  This memorable Somali aphorism from will stay with me for a long time—a highlight of the powerful life story of Ahmed Ali Haile.  In  Teatime in Mogadishu: My journey as a peace ambassador in the world of Islam, readers can discover the reconciliation work and faith journey of this Somali-born peacemaker.  His story, part of the “Christians Meeting Muslims Series,” is told with the help of David W. Shenk, who has lived in East Africa and works with Eastern Mennonite Missions.

Throughout his life Haile has given witness to the power of love and forgiveness.  The book’s title refers to the priority Haile has given to hospitality—setting an example for others of a loving home, expressing God’s love to everyone (even when it might not feel “convenient”). In his effort to live a life in keeping with the peacemaking teachings of Jesus, Haile describes Romans 12 as “an ethical manifesto” for his family, and, truly, his life exemplifies the call to live in harmony with one another, and to overcome evil with good.  This book provides inspiration for those of us who long to listen for God’s call in our lives, and to live out that call with integrity and passion.  

Born into a loving, pious Muslim home in central Somalia in 1953, Haile grew up with an awareness of God’s blessings and a desire to serve God.  As a serious student of his religion, Haile was interested in learning more about the monotheistic faiths that preceded Islam, and which are mentioned throughout the Qur’an.  When he had an opportunity to study the Bible, the life of Jesus spoke to his heart and he decided to convert to christianity.  At that time, the political regime in Somalia forbade the practice of any religion except Islam. Within this environment, it was heartening to read that Haile’s parents were very supportive of his decision.  They knew Haile was not rejecting the religion of his birth, but rather that he felt called by God to follow the path of Jesus.

During the 1970s, while Somalia experienced revolution and war with Ethiopia, Haile had the good fortune to receive a scholarship to study peacemaking and development in the U.S.  When he returned to Africa in 1982, Haile worked to nurture healthy relations with the Muslim community and his extended family, meeting weekly with elders from his clan.  “We ate and fellowshipped and conversed vigorously together.  In that way, our covenant of peace was renewed each week.”  This kind of relationship-building is an important foundation for restorative justice, and builds on pre-islamic clan traditions.

Through his studies and his life experiences, Haile determined that neither traditionalist nor modernist forces would bring peace to Somalia—only God could do that, for true restorative justice requires the healing work of the Holy Spirit. Even after losing his leg to a violent attack in 1992, Haile continued to work tirelessly for peace, and, as part of the Somali diaspora in the U.S., he continues his efforts still.

Once again, Mogadishu is in in the news, and at the center of humanitarian crisisand violent conflict. Ahmed Ali Haile’s story demonstrates that we must persist in working for peace, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.  This inspiring book includes discussion questions for each of its short chapters, which will be very helpful for book groups and Sunday school classes that use this book as a resource.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free of charge from Herald Press. No fee was received for writing this review.

Source: http://lighttoreadby.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/teatime-in-mogadishu/

Teatime in Mogadishu: My Journey as a Peace Ambassador in the World of Islam 

Available at Amazon.com 

Axmed Xayle Geerida Ku Timid – The Ahmed Haile We Lost

Axmed Xayle geerida ku timid,                   The death that took away Ahmed Haile

ee galbisay maanta                                      which made him disappear today                 

Geyigeena waxay uba ahayd,                      It meant catastrophic disaster                 

Guuldariyo hooge                                        for our motherland

Nabadoon gar gala buu ahaa,                     He was an elder and a peace maker

geesi gacan wayne                                       known for his courage and generosity 

Agoon gaawa maran baynu nahay,             We are now broke and orphans

ginina aan haysan                                        we are indeed empty handed

Afar uu gob ku ahaa balaan,                        Let me mention four things

goobta ka caddeeyo                                      for which he was respected

Dadkoo gees u kala boodayoo,                    People girding up their loins for war  

nabadu geed fuushay                                    and peace vanishes away                 

Hubkoo laysu guranahayoo,                        People arming themselves to the teeth

gawrac laysla maagay                                 to be ready for a mass slaughter  

Garaad iyo Islaan iyo Malaaq,                    When chiefs, elders and other leaders

Midiba gees raacay                                      add fuel to the fire

Isagoon gabanahayn haddana,                    He was there fearless and determined

ridayn gartii eexo                                         just and impartial

Geeshkii gulufka u fadhiyay                         He counseled the warring factions

Qoloba gaarkeeda                                       reasoning with each group                 

Garansiiyay inay kala galbadaan,              Convincing them to disband

nabadu waa guul e                                      for victory is in peaceful coexistence

Nin ragoo gabanno uu dhalay,                   A father unable to feed his own children

uu gambo u waayay                                    who is penniless and empty handed

Gurigiisu uu maran yahoo,                         And there is no food in his home

gaaridii ay yaabtay                                     his wife is bewildered

Gurbood aan wax garano aqoon,              Little hungry children 

gaajo lagu seexdo                                       unable to sleep

Axmed Xayle yaa loo gudaa,                      That is when Ahmed Haile’s home

guriga kiisaahe                                           receives such needy visitors

Wixii Guule siiyay buu yira,                       He gives to them sacrificially

buuxso gacantaada                                    until they are not hungry anymore

Cilmi kii la garan waayo oo,                     When an academic solution is needed

galti bixin waydo                                        and novices are confused

Isagaa loo gayn jiray xaajadii,                   That is when they called him

garasho loo waayo                                      for he was well prepared  

Jaamacado nin galay buu ahaa,                 He attended a number of universities

Oo gunaanadaye                                         and graduated with honors

Masaladi la garan waayay buu,                  He provided the solution needed

gaanka ka cadayne                                      with clarity and eloquence

Aqoon gaamurtay buu lahaa,                      The wise man we lost

garasho dheeruhuye                                     was well educated

Kaftan aan gedaafe lahayn,                         When it was time for lighthearted jokes  

Gogosha uu joogo                                        and he is there with the people

Googaalaysi iyo sheeko ay,                          Elders start with riddles and stories

guud caddu bilowdo                                     these are the respected leaders  

Gebi aftahan intii isu fishaa,                         When all the gifted people speak

Goobta wax ka sheegto                                 in idioms with figurative meaning

Guurow iyo wixii gabay halkaa,                   Poems with evocative qualities

geeraar laga sheego                                      are well recited

Gebagebada isagaa lahaa,                           The conclusion was rightfully his

Guubaabiyo sheeko                                       with stories and commendation

Maantase haddii uu galbaday,                      But he left us today

waa xaq geeriduye                                         for all will die as ordained by God

Nebiyadii Eebbahen ee go’uu,                      He is fellowshipping today

gogol la joogaaye                                         with the departed prophets of God

Inna sida gobti yaan u caban,                      and we mourn in dignity

Guulaha awoodda le                                    for God is almighty and powerful

Ummadduu gargaarka u aha,                     The nation whose succor he was

Yaa guhaad badane                                     is in great anguish today

Geyigooda nabad uga yeel,                         Bestow peace and stability

goor iyo ayaanba                                         on our motherland

This poem was composed and translated by Brother Warsameh

May 04, 2011

Proofreading by MG

Teatime in Mogadishu

Teatime in Mogadishu is the last formal interview given by the late Prof. Ahmed Ali Haile.

Part of a beautiful movement: EMM honors missionaries’ service

Written by Kristina Charles

Thursday, 12 August 2010 12:34

SALUNGA, Pa. – Eastern Mennonite Missions marked the completion of service for 32 missionary workers with a catered meal and many words of gratitude. On July 29, missionaries coming back from their international assignments for the last time joined their supporters at the Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) Meetinghouse for a time of appreciating the past and anticipating the future. Ahmed Haile (left) and his wife Martha (right) were honored for their fifteen years of mission work in Kenya at an appreciation luncheon on July 29. They were among 32 missionaries completing their service with EMM this year. Photo provided by Tammy Evans EMM President Richard Showalter thanked the group of men, women, and children who returned from four continents and six countries. “I just want to bless you today, and to thank you for being a part of the blessing of places around the world. You are part of a beautiful movement of the Spirit of God which has flourished in the places you have been and beyond,” Showalter said. Showalter noted that former EMM missionaries have continued to be mission-minded wherever they go, and some have returned to overseas work. “I just want to tell you that, some of you, you’ll be back!” he said, to a round of laughter. Glenn Kauffman, currently director of EMM’s Global Ministries Department, was formerly a missionary in Asia with his wife June. He celebrated the families in the group. “June and I went out as two and came back as four. We were multiplying missionaries! I know many of you did the same,” he said. Jeanette Hunt, from EMM’s Human Resources Department, specifically thanked the fourteen children in the group for their missionary work. “You were rubbing shoulders with people every day and expressing Jesus in the way you were living. Continue being Jesus to people, no matter where you live,” Hunt said. Matt and Judy Krebs and their children completed their service in southern Europe. They have two daughters, Landry and Anika. Both said they are excited about beginning classes in a new middle school and elementary school in Denver, Colorado, where their parents are joining a church-planting effort. Ahmed and Martha Haile raised their children, Afrah, Sofia, and Gedi, in Kenya, where they lived for 15 years. Clair Good, who was a missionary in Africa and is now the area representative for the region, thanked the Haile family for blessing him with their wisdom and grace. Martha offered hospitality to so many people that she routinely bought rice and sugar in 200 pound increments, Good said. Verle Rufenacht (right), who served in Tanzania for over 29 years and trained over 1200 nurses, received a letter of thanks from Clair Good, EMM area representative to Africa, at an appreciation luncheon on July 29. Photo provided by Tammy Evans Ahmed Haile addressed the group, reminiscing about how a time of tea with a group of friends around his table has grown into a church of one hundred people. Haile went to Nairobi to design and teach a peace studies program at Daystar University. He has been a mediator and mentor for many people during his time in Africa. “The cross makes peace. It is the difference between our faith and others,” said Haile. He urged EMM to be aware of the seeds of the gospel which have been planted in people’s hearts and to continue ministering to those who are overlooked by the world. Others honored at the luncheon were; Jim and Anna Ralph and their son, Zachary; Verle Rufenacht; and Ron and Regina Shultz and their children, Hannah, Jeremiah, and Bethany. Those not able to be present were Dennis and Shelley Abline and their children, Naomi, Janaya, and Micah; Carl and Vera Hansen; Carrie Kleinschmidt; and Lee and Lisa Zimmerman and their children, Caeley and Lily. Joe Sherer, chairman of EMM’s board of directors, looked forward with excitement to the places God would take each of the missionaries. He knew he was not “decommissioning” the workers like Navy ships before they are sent to a scrap yard. “We know that your experiences will serve you well for the next stage of your life,” he said. “God will use them wherever you go.” Source: Eastern Mennonite Missions

Memorial Service: Ahmed Ali Haile “Celebration of Life”

June 18 at 4:00 p.m. • James Street Mennonite Church You are invited to celebrate Ahmed Ali Haile’s life at a June 18 service at James Street Mennonite Church (Lancaster, Pa.). The Lancaster (Pa.) memorial service will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., with a formal time of sharing in the church sanctuary followed by refreshments and an informal sharing time in the church fellowship hall. Ahmed’s wife, Martha, and children, Afrah, Sofia, and Gedi, will be present. Ahmed, Martha, and their children served as EMM workers from 1994-2009. Haile died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 26 at the age of 58 following a six-year struggle with cancer. Haile served as a peacemaker in Somalia and in the Somali refugee community in Kenya, as a leader in the Somali believer’s group in Nairobi, and in his teaching in peace studies at Daystar University in Kenya. Ahmed’s life story is chronicled inTeatime in Mogadishu: My Journey as a Peace Ambassador in the World of Islam as told to David W. Shenk. James Street Mennonite Church is located at 323 W. James Street, Lancaster, Pa. 17603.  Please call the church office at 717-397-6707 for more information concerning the memorial service. Source: Eastern Mennonite Missions, 2011

Somali apostle reflects on a lifetime of sharing peace and good news with his people

Written by Jewel Showalter

Thursday, 09 September 2010 13:58

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Whether sipping tea with Muslim sheiks in Nairobi, Kenya, or teaching a class on peacemaking in North America, Ahmed Ali Haile seems equally at home. Born in Bulo Burti (Dusty Village) in central Somalia, Haile was the son of settled nomads. When he was 17, the Sudan Interior Mission hospital in his home town saved Haile from almost certain death from cerebral malaria. The Bible stories he began reading during his recovery gripped his heart, and he was fascinated to discover new dimensions to stories he’d first discovered in the Qur’an. At an appreciation banquet in July 2010, Clair Good, EMM’s representative to Africa, gives the Haile family a certificate of appreciation for their years of service with EMM. Standing: Afrah, Sofia, and Martha Haile. Photo credit: Tammy Evans “When I was memorizing the Qur’an as a young boy, the imam told me that Jesus did miracles,” he said. “That made me curious about Jesus. As I read the Bible I found that Jesus fulfilled the questions and spiritual yearnings I had as a Muslim.” Haile became part of an emerging Somali believers’ fellowship that grew up around the SIM and Eastern Mennonite Missions’ (EMM) schools and hospitals during this politically tumultuous time. Eventually he made his way to Kenya and the U.S., where he graduated from Western Mennonite High School (Oregon), Goshen College (Indiana), Indiana State University, and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Indiana). Missionary doctor Marc Erickson, who now leads Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, discipled Haile as a young believer in Somalia. Friendships like those continued to focus Haile’s passion and heart on his own Somali people – even as the country continued to unravel and plunge headlong into anarchy. Haile also met and married his wife, Martha, at Eastbrook Church. After several stints back into Somalia and a second near-death experience where he lost his right leg in a rocket attack, in 1994 the Hailes accepted EMM’s invitation to teach and develop a Peace Studies curriculum at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya. In reflecting on the past 15 years in Nairobi, Haile said, “Our years in Nairobi were very good! We were perched on the edges of the high drama unfolding in Somalia. Yet from that perch were able to engage in the call of God to serve as ambassadors of the gospel of reconciliation.” Although the Hailes’ primary assignment in Nairobi was teaching at Daystar University, a rapidly developing pan-Africa Christian university with several thousand students, their nearby home quickly became a hub for Somali friendships. “We went through 50 kilos of sugar in a month,” Haile joked, as a steady stream of Somalis – many refugees from their deteriorating homeland – stopped for an ever-present cup of sweet, cardamom-laced Somali tea. In the midst of their open home, the Hailes parented three children, Afrah, Sofia, and Gedi. Martha taught church history at Daystar while Haile focused on peace studies and Islam. The early believers’ fellowships Haile joined in Somalia and then later in Kenya had included only young men. More recently in Nairobi it was thrilling to see their friendship circles also include women and children. “Families need a community to belong to,” Martha said. “I loved hearing the joyous voices of the children as part of the mix in our Nairobi home.” He experienced the birth of the modern Somali church when the first believers were baptized in 1965, and has been part of the church ever since. “No matter what happens there, we must not forget Somalia,” Haile said. And though admitting that the Somali church – like the country – has often been a fractured community he added, “We are a people redeemed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Other highlights of their time in East Africa included several retreats for Somali believers who came from more than a dozen countries. One such gathering included at least one person from each Somali clan. “Something happened we had never witnessed before,” Haile said. “Persons representing each clan confessed their sins of hostility toward the other clans, and then prayed for forgiveness and reconciliation.” At one gathering Somali believers asked forgiveness from EMM representatives for the killing of Merlin Grove, an EMM worker who had been stabbed to death in 1962 while registering students for English classes in Mogadishu. “Heaven was touching earth as we shared in that marvelous gathering,” Haile said. “We’re so grateful for the fifteen years God gave us in Nairobi to connect with the large Somali community.” 2) Ahmed Haile (left), former Somali worker Elizabeth Nissley (center), and Martha Haile (right) enjoy an appreciation banquet for terminating EMM workers and members of their missionary support teams in July 2010. Photo credit: Tammy Evans Although religious freedom does exist in Kenya, sharing the good news is not without risks. Haile frequently committed his life into God’s hands, remembering how God had raised him up from near death at least twice before. “My life belongs to Christ,” he said. “Nothing that is outside his shepherding care can assail me. If my calling to be an ambassador of the gospel of reconciliation results in death, I am ready to accept that for the sake of Christ. I am captivated by the redemptive suffering love of Jesus on the cross. So death carries no fear for me.” In the summer of 2009 when the Haile family left Nairobi for the U.S., they faced a different kind of threat – a cancer diagnosis for Haile. But during the past year even as he faced severe health challenges and an uncertain future, Haile and Martha took time to minister to Somali communities in the United States. In April 2010 they travelled to Kenya and Djibouti to say goodbye to the Somali fellowship and bring closure to their 15 years in East Africa. Not knowing how long he has to live, Haile has also focused on writing his memoirs, calling on the help of his long-time friend and co-worker in Somali ministries, David W. Shenk. “I want my testimony for Christ to continue among Muslims and the Somali people,” Haile said. “I want people to know that Jesus fulfilled the questions and spiritual yearnings I had as a Muslim. I will never speak critically of Islam because Islam prepared me to believe in Jesus Christ.” “When I prayed and committed my life to Christ, I knew immediately that I had come home. Christ and the church are like a nomadic hut. The center pole is Jesus crucified and risen. The curved wooden ribbing is each one who believes. We meet one another at the top of the Center Pole, who holds us all together in fellowship and unity. “The woven mat, the roof of the hut, is the grace of God in Christ that covers us all. I have never departed from this home. I have come from an Islamic Somali society and I know where I am going. Whether I live or die, I am at home in Christ.” “Ahmed’s impact on Somalia and the Muslim world is profound, and cannot be measured,” Shenk said after he and his wife Grace completed a week’s worth of interviews with the Hailes. “It has been the highest privilege of our lives to help tell this wonderful story.” His memoir, My Name is Ahmed: Ambassador of Peace within the World of Islam, is scheduled for release by Herald Press next summer. Source: Eastern Mennonite Missions, 2010

Eternal home for a Somali nomad: Ahmed Ali Haile dies at 58

Written by Jewel Showalter

Thursday, 05 May 2011 12:27

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Twice before, Ahmed Ali Haile had approached death’s door. A bout of cerebral malaria almost felled him as a young teen. Then years later a rocket mortar shattered his leg, but he lived to father a third child and continue peacemaking work. But on April 26, 2011, there was no reprieve. The beloved 58-year-old Somali church planter and peace teacher died in his Milwaukee home, after a six-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Martha Wilson, and three young adult children, Afrah, Sofia, and Gedi. Ahmed and Martha Ali Haile and their family attended an EMM appreciation luncheon last summer, celebrating the completion of 15 years of service among Somalis in Kenya. Left to right: Ahmed, Elizabeth Nissley (friend and MST member), Sofia Haile, Martha Haile, and Darrel Hostetter (co-director of Human Resources at EMM). Photo credit: Tammy Evans In a April 30 funeral service at Eastbrook Church of Milwaukee, senior pastor Marc Erickson welcomed the former Mennonite missionaries to Somalia, Christian and Muslim Somalis, and other family and friends who had gathered to pay tribute and reflect on Ahmed’s unusual life that straddled worlds, cultures, and religions like few others. Marc and Nancy Erickson had served as missionaries in Somalia from 1969-71 before returning to found Eastbrook, a 2,500-member, suburban/urban, multi-ethnic, multi-racial congregation. “Ahmed got a lot more out of that body than most people do,” Erickson said, with a loving glance at the casket in the front of the auditorium. The coffin, handmade by Old Order Mennonites, per Ahmed’s request, was transported to Milwaukee from Goshen, Indiana, by his longtime mentor and friend J.R. Burkholder and his wife Susan. Also at his request, Ahmed’s body was shrouded in a traditional white Somali burial cloth. Erickson, who had led Ahmed to Christ in Somalia in the early 1970s, moderated the moving service that included tributes from the Haile children, Martha’s sister, Ahmed’s brother, and longtime friends. Worship included special Somali praise music and a sermon by Erickson. In the 1970s when Ahmed and another Somali came to Erickson with the simple request, “We want to be Christians,” he had countered, “But do you know you will be rejected by your people, persecuted, and maybe killed?” When they persisted, Erickson said he realized that God had prepared this young man to come to Jesus in radical surrender. Erickson described Ahmed’s intellectual brilliance, his voracious reading of thousands of books, his careful integration of all he learned into simple Christian discipleship. He came to the West and encountered all its diversity, which made him realize how his own 3,000-year-old Semitic heritage had prepared him: the sacrificial lamb’s blood, smeared on the doorposts of his father’s Somali house, had readied him to meet Jesus, the Lamb of God. Ahmed’s spiritual journey was built squarely on this ancient Somali heritage, and what he had learned from Islam when, as a child, he memorized the whole Quran accurately and with much meaning. Without fear of death Ahmed went back into the heart of his Somali community to bear witness to these truths in 1982. Then from 1994 to 2009 Ahmed and Martha Haile and their family served as EMM workers in Nairobi, Kenya. While their primary assignment was teaching at Daystar University and helping to launch a peace studies program, their home quickly became a hub for Somali friendships and the nucleus of a Somali believers’ fellowship. At an appreciation luncheon last summer, Clair Good, EMM Representative for Africa (until the end of 2010), hands Ahmed a certificate of appreciation for 15 years of service with EMM. Ahmed’s youngest son, Gedi, assists his father. Photo credit: Tammy Evans Martha said it was not unusual to go through 50 kilos of sugar in a month as a steady stream of Somalis – many refugees from their deteriorating homeland – stopped for an ever-present cup of sweet, cardamom-infused Somali tea. Many of the memorial tributes to Ahmed, both in the service and during the open microphone lunchtime, focused on Hailes’ hospitality and the way Ahmed would talk with anyone about anything without pressure. “My father always had five guests,” Gedi joked. His daughter Sofia shared a moving poem, “…Watching my Dad fight was like: Watching the before and after of a land going through drought, Body wasting away, but spirit devout…” Glenn Kauffman, EMM’s director of Global Ministries, remembered that on a number of occasions after Ahmed learned that his cancer was terminal, he had told EMM leaders, “When Orie O. Miller [early Mennonite mission leader] was dying he said, ‘Don’t forget the Somalis.’ I want to say the same thing. Do not forget the Somalis.” Kauffman and Richard Showalter, who represented EMM at the funeral, said that the experience wove together the EMM and Eastbrook strands of the Hailes’ life and ministry. “We discovered a common heart impacted by Ahmed’s profound life among us and linking us together,” they said. “May the Lord be gracious in showing the next steps he is asking of us, including workers to send.” Ahmed’s memoirs, Teatime in Mogadishu: My Journey as a Peace Ambassador in the World of Islam, were penned with longtime friend and associate David W. Shenk; the published book arrived at his home the day after his death. The book is selling for $14.99 (in Canada $17.25) and can be ordered  online or by calling 1-800-245-7894. Also, find a final interview of Ahmed Ali Haile by David W. Shenk, shot in January 2011 during the editing process for the book. A memorial service for Ahmed Ali Haile in the Lancaster (Pa.) area is planned for June 18 at 4:00 p.m. at James Street Mennonite Church.  Source: Eastern Mennonite Missions, 2011

Xerow Xusuus Mudan - An Apostle Worthy of Memorial

Prof Ahmed Ali Haile waxa uu ku geeriyooday Milwaukee, USA, April 26, 2011 isaga oo jira 58 sano.


Xuskiisa inkastoo aan lagu soo koobi karin bogag yar, haddana toddobadan cutub ee jiiftada ah, waxaan xusuus uga dhigayaa walaalkeena naga qarsoomay, Axmed Cali Xayle, oo qiime iyo qaaye aad u wayn ku dhex lahaa guud ahaan dadka Soomaalida, gaar ahaanna kaniisadda Ciise Masiix, oo uu wax badan hormuud ka ahaa.

Although one can’t narrate Ahmed Ali Haile's life and works in several pages of pros or poetry, I composed the following seven chapter Somali poem to remind both his friends and foes the important roles he played, in peace building and preaching the Gospel of Christ, amongst the Somali society and particularly that of the Somali Church of Jesus Christ in which he was one of its leaders for many years.       

Xigaalkii nabaddee                 The cherisher of peace

Xiisaddiisa samihiyo               You taught benevolence

Xal u helid masiibada             How to solve conflicts

Xarafkeeda dhigayee              You taught them all

Xarbigaa colaadaha                In times of wars and enmity

Xaladhaleyda raadshee           You counseled the fighters

Xumahoo la diidiyo                You told them to reject evil

Xurguf ka dhawrsiga              To shun clashes altogether

Xaal in loo mastuuriyo            To strive towards reconciliation

Xaajogal ahaayoow                 You were a peacemaker

Xayow Axmed Xayloow           Ahmed Ali Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee               You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha               You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee                You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee              You are respected amongst us

Xusuusteenna mudanow          We will always remember you

Xulafadiisa Eebbahay             You were a patriarch

Xiise kii u badiyee                  You loved your people

Xajinaayay qirashada              You were strong in your faith

Xarafkii Waqiisee                    And the Word of God

Xubbigiis ahaayeen                 You loved with all your heart

Xadhiggiisa gooynee               You did not abandon any of these.

Xarakada Masiixiyo                 Among the believers

Xamdigiisa badiyee                 You praised the Lord

U xadreeyay dhaaxee              You praised the Lord with hymns

Xubin wayn ka qaatoow          You were the pillar of the community

Xayow Axmed Xayloow           Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee              You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha              You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Xaasaan miskiiniyo                 Those who are really poor

Xafaare taag daran                  The weak and the needy

Xanfaf nimuu helay                 The unfortunate ones

Xantiire qoys galay                 The poor and the destitute

Isagoon u kala xilan                You were impartial

Xurquunkii daruuriga              You gave away your daily bread

Xagagab wuxuu helo               Even the money you needed

Kii u xaasinaayee                    You gave freely with love

Xayow Axmed Xayloow            Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee               You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha               You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Xigtada kuwuu baday             His own beloved clan

Xalli yidhi amuurtood             Whom he wanted to help

Xinif iyaguna qabay                They were filled with enmity

Xubintii laxaadkiyo                 And though your own leg

Kaa xuubshay xooggii            You lost by them

Lama aad xintaminee              You sought no revenge

Xeerkii Injiilka iyo                   The guidelines of the gospel

Suu Xaakimkeen qiray            The way God taught us

Xabad kii ka saaree                You forgave them

Xugmay caafintoodow            It was unconditional forgiveness

Xayow Axmed Xayloow          Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee              You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha              You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Xaruntiisa reerkiyo                  Your own home

Hadba xerada uu dego            Or wherever you were

Kii loo xoomi jirayee               People flocked to you

Xirgida cuqaashiyo                 The wise clan elders

Xaajoodka sheekhyada           Sheiks brought cases to you

Xigmadoo la qaybsado           The sagacity you shared

Xifaalaynta guudiyo               The lighthearted discourse

Xogwaranka mooyee              Confiding in each other

Iyadoon xanaaq jirin              Without frustration

Doodda xaalin jirayow           You settled all issues

Xayow Axmed Xayloow          Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee              You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha              You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Xile Maarta Xayliyo                Martha Haile, your wife

Xayi Afraxii curad                  Brilliant Afrah, your first born

Xubbidaa Safiya iyo               Your beloved Sophia

Xuur Geeddi yarihii                Lad Geeddi, the youngest

Qoyskaad xannaaniyo             The family you loved

Xoojinaysay kaalmada            You supported for life

Rabbigaa xawilayee                The Lord will take care of them

Xuska adiga mooyee               They will keep your memory alive

Xagal daaci maayaan              Nothing bad will happen to them

Ka xijaaban baalluhu              They are protected from evil

Xayow Axmed Xayloow           Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee              You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha              You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Xaggii loo badnaa iyo            You departed from us

Xudinteeda aakhiro                You went to the hereafter

Xukunkiisa Eebbaha               In the Lord’s judgment

Xalaal baad ahaydoo              You are found to be a saint

Xisbigii Masiix iyo                  You belong to the Messiah

Xaqii aad rumaysaa                 You believed in the Lord

Xisaabtaada qaadayo              The Lord is your advocate

Ku xarootay jannadee             You are at home in Heaven

Xugmadiisa Rabbigaan           And we wait for the Lord

Xallad naawilaynaa                 In faith and prayerfulness

Xayow Axmed Xayloow           Ahmed Haile, eternal life is yours

Xerowgii Eebbihiisee              You are a disciple of God

Xulashada walaalaha              You witnessed to brothers and sisters

Xilbax loo nisbeeyee               You were a true liberator

Xurmo nagu lahaayee             You are respected among us

Xusuusteenna mudanow         We will always remember you

Composed by: MG, on 3^rd May, 2011.

Translated by: Brother Warsameh