Farah Nur

Farah Nur (Somali: Faarax Nuur) was a famed Somali poet and warrior of the Arap Isaaq clan.[1]

Farah Nur Faarax Nuur
Born	Hargeisa
Died	1930s British Somaliland (now Somaliland)
Nationality	Somali
Occupation	Poet

Poetry

Farah's poetry had deep meaning and he was known for his eloquence and ability to cover a breadth of topics.

Aakhiru Sabaan

The poem Farah is most remembered for today is the Aakhiru Sabaan or The End of the World and its first four lines have immortalized the poet in the Somali conscious. An anti-colonial rallying cry Farah lists the colonizers and calls upon Somalis to stand up.[2]

Ingiriis Axmaariyo Talyaan wey akeekimiye Arligaa la kala boobayaa nin u itaal roone Waa duni la kala iibsaday oon nala ogeysiine Anse ila ah aakhiru sabaan iligyadiisiiye	The British, the Ethiopians and the Italians are squabbling The country is snatched and divided by whoever is stronger The country is sold piece by piece without our knowledge And for me, all this is the teeth of the last days of the world
—Faarax Nuur Aakhiru Sabaan [3]

Afar Iyo Afar

Farah's Arap and the Saad Musa had come to an agreement after a long period of fighting. The first to speak from amongst the Saad Musa was the poet Maxamed Bulxan and he decided to surprise the Arap with a geeraar. Farah being the preeminent fighter and poet from amongst the Arap felt compelled to respond and composed this famous response on the spot.[4]

Geeraar baan awelkiisiyo Aakhirkiisa hayaayoo Idaajaa iyo Weyllun Ardeydaa dhiganeysee Albaqraan ka aqaanoo Anoon looxa ka eegin baan Habeenkii akhriyaa Rag ninkaan is-abbaarrana Asad baan ku noqdaa Ninkaan aammin la qaatana Axdigaan bojiyaa Maalintay urur joogtana Af aqoonka miyi Anigow iba saaroo Anaa lay igmadaa Afartaa afartoodiyo Dar kaloo la asaaga Haddii aad aragtaan Annagaa axdigii iyo Aamminkiiba fureyna

Of the geeraar I have its beginning And also its end Idaajaa and Weyllun Which the students were learning And I know Al-Baqra Without looking at the board I can recite the whole evening To men which I am facing (in battle) I become a lion To the man that I trust I stick to the contract On the day when there is a meeting I am the spokesman I am the first to speak It is me who is chosen To those four things there are four things Other lines which are equal If you see them It is we who have broken The contract and the trust

—Faarax Nuur Afar iyo Afar[5]

Nabadshe and the Wadaad

Aadan Jugle a Habr Yunis man had a nephew named Nabadshe who was from the Arap. Nabadshe had asked his uncle for the hand of one of his daughters. Jugle agreed and said to return in two years with fifty camels as mahr. Nabadshe had returned and was shocked to find that the girl had been married and Jugle stipulated the same price to another man. He confronted his uncle and Jugle apologized and promised his next daughter in a years time and set the same mahr. Nabadshe again came a year later to find this daughter married. Jugle was reprimanded by the elders and Nabadshe was promised a third daughter and praised for his patience. Again Jugle would marry off his daughter and got the same fifty camels. Heartbroken and betrayed, Nabadshe took a spear and set out to the home of his uncle, ultimately stabbing the old man and killing him. Following this Nabadshe would be caught by British authorities and sentenced to death in court for the murder. The judge asked if Nabadshe had anything to say for himself after the sentence and he stood and recited this gabay.[6]

Kelyo nimaan laheyn baa baqee kani adaygayga Iyo Aadan kaalkaan la dhacay kari ogaantiisa Iyo sidanan uga kaadinine ugaga kow siiyey	A man without kidneys is frightened but with my strong ones And the large spear with which I set upon Aadan well And the way in which without hesitation I killed him
—Nabadshe[7]

A Wadaad had been called to reconcile the Arap and Habr Yunis and instead decided to recite a gabay filled with insults and curses, and most uncharacteristic for a religious man, the Wadaad was a cousin of the recently killed Jugle. Farah Nur heard of the gabay from the Wadaad and reprimanded him. Following Farah's words no one would pray behind the Wadaad again and he became outcast.[8]

Bal arkoo addoomaha qofkii la ibtilaynaayo Kolka horeba naar oogan baa or uga yeedhaaye Isimkii wadaad wow eg yahay Awna lagu sheegye Bal amaaradii culimadii waa ku aragnaaye Eedaanna waa laga maqlaa oogta waaberiye Indha-Hamille iyo Hoobal baa aayadow dhiga’e Waa aaladdii Bucur-Bacayr tuu ku aakidaye Adna orodday looxiina waa ku abhinaayaaye Aakhiro Kitaabkaagu sow ku ashkatayn maayo

Just look at that person who is ruining the servants (of Allah) At the start he calls out clamour from flaming fire The name of religious scholar is like the title Aw (Sheikh) which has been said of him So we see the signs of the religious scholars in him The call to prayer is heard at that flame of dawn The one with strange unchanging eyes and Hoobal teach him the aayas (satanic verses) He is the instrument of Bucur-Bacayr through which he has assured you You ran (taking a different path) and the board on which the Qur’aan is written will admonish you Will your book not accuse you in the after life?

—Faarax Nuur [9]

See also

• Deria Hassan
• Kite Fiqi
• Salaan Carrabey
• Hussein Hasan

References

1. Andrzejewski, B. W.; Lewis, I.M. (1964). Somali Poetry: An Introduction, The Oxford library of African literature. p. 57.
2. Andrzejewski, B. W.; Lewis, I.M. (1964). Somali Poetry: An Introduction, The Oxford library of African literature. p. 57.
3. Somali Poetry: An Introduction, The Oxford library of African literature, p. 57
4. Orwin, Martin; Axmed, Rashiid (2009). War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature Suugaanta Nabadda iyo Colaadda. Progressio. p. 186. ISBN 9781852873295.
5. War and Peace: An Anthology of Somali literature, p.189
6. Orwin, Martin; Axmed, Rashiid (2009). War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature Suugaanta Nabadda iyo Colaadda. Progressio. p. 210. ISBN 9781852873295.
7. War and Peace: An Anthology of Somali literature, p.189
8. Orwin, Martin; Axmed, Rashiid (2009). War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature Suugaanta Nabadda iyo Colaadda. Progressio. p. 211. ISBN 9781852873295.
9. War and Peace: An Anthology of Somali literature, p.211