Pre Islamic Somalia

[ethan bradberry]

what did Somalis believe before being introduced to Islam? What was the culture like?

 

[DuctTape]

A complex henotheistic (One major god with spirits underneath said major god) belief system.

Deities
Eebe
(God)

Eebe is the Somali word for God and was synonymously used for the ancient Cushitic Sky God Waq. According to Somali Legend Eebo lived in the Heavens and whenever the nomads successfully prayed for rain it was known as Barwaaqo (God's rain)[1]
Ayaanle (Angels) The Ayaanle in Ancient Somalia were known as the good spirits and acted as mediators between God and humans. They were said to be bringers of luck and blessings.
Huur (Reaper) Huur was the messenger of Death and had the form of a large bird. The deity was akin to Horus of ancient Egypt and played a similar role in Somali society.
Nidar (Punisher) Nidar was the righter of wrong. He was considered the champion of those that were exploited by their fellow humans. The deity has survived in modern Somalia as a popular saying; Nidar Ba Ku Heli ("Nidar will find [and punish] you").

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

There's not much information sxb. Although it's generally accepted that our ancestors practiced the old Waaq religon.

 

[EternalLightX]

Nobody has credible evidence of what pre Islamic Somalia was as it was a very oral society

 

[Yahya Liban-Lewis]

Somalia was always Islamic and practiced the deen of Islam alhamdulillah.

 

[horumar]

Pre-Islamic Somalia had slight Abrahamic influences, although that is debatable.

Christian sites have been found in Somaliland, most likely due to Axumite influence.

There are some Jewish traditions, although I'm not sure how credible that is.

But for the most part, Somalis were traditional waaqists

 

[EternalLightX]

Somalia was always Islamic and practiced the deen of Islam alhamdulillah.

Your fucking delusional Islam is a new religion idiot ! we are talking about before Mohammed's violent conquests and enslavement of Africans

 

[ethan bradberry]

Your fucking delusional Islam is a new religion idiot ! we are talking about before Mohammed's violent conquests and enslavement of Africans

We're not here to attack people's religions

 

[EternalLightX]

We're not here to attack people's religions

This idiot thinks Somalia was always Muslim is this guy for real ?

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

Pre-Islamic Somalia had slight Abrahamic influences, although that is debatable.

Christian sites have been found in Somaliland, most likely due to Axumite influence.

There are some Jewish traditions, although I'm not sure how credible that is.

But for the most part, Somalis were traditional waaqists

Have the old Christian sites in Waqooyi galbeed been dated & what year were they discovered?

 

[ethan bradberry]

This idiot thinks Somalia was always Muslim is this guy for real ?

Yeah it's retarded to presume Somalis were always Muslim but it doesn't mean you should call Muhammad violent since that would offend Muslims.

 

[𐒁𐒚𐒒𐒂𐒘𐒂𐒗 𐒎𐒚𐒗𐒗𐒒]

"Waaq" also "Baal", a deity worshipped by people in other parts of the world at the time, some Somalis still sing "hoo BAAL ayeey", which I'm sure is an ancient sacrificial song.

CaabudWAAQ, SiiWAAQroon etc.

Our history is embedded in our names and our cultural dances and songs.

 

[EternalLightX]

Yeah it's retarded to presume Somalis were always Muslim but it doesn't mean you should call Muhammad violent since that would offend Muslims.

I don't care it's the truth their just using mental gymnastics to ignore his violence and pure hatred against those who disbelieved him.

 

[horumar]

Have the old Christian sites in Somaliland been dated & what year were they discovered in?

Good question, here is a section from Sada Mire's publication:

The Archaeology of Ancient Christianity in the Somali Context: Burials (ca. Fourth–Twelfth century CE)


To my knowledge, this section is the first report of ancient Christianity in Somali territory. Yet in the Horn of Africa, Christianity goes back to the first few centuries of the Current Era, the earliest such practice in sub-Saharan Africa. In Somaliland, an ancient Christian burial has been found at the pre-Islamic and Islamic site of Aw-Barkhadle (see Map 4). This is the first stela marked with an ancient Christian cross, probably of Byzantine appearance. Often, ancient Christian cemeteries or burials are found in what are early Islamic ruined towns. This shows that the areas that blossomed as towns under Islam were most likely also significant pre-Islamic centres. The Somali region seems to have been linked with pre-Aksumite kingdoms and South Arabian cultures as indicated by the Himyarite and Sabaean writing in the ancient burial and rock art contexts. Furthermore, as the pre-Aksumite culture paved the way for the Aksumite culture, it seems that the Somali region is also part of that early Christianity which presumably spread eastwards from current-day Ethiopia. Interestingly, the distribution of Christian sites falls roughly in the same area as the decorated stelae cemeteries, again another common tradition in the Horn of Africa.

The cruciform is known as laanqayr, and tombs are very common in the archaeology of Somaliland. There are also megalithic burials where the stones are arranged in a cross. The area of Dhuxun (62), in Saahil region, has many cruciform burials as well as other megalithic burials. There are many isolated, single Christian burials, massive in their design, which we have not included in this report. Dhubato in the Hargeysa region and the Saahil area have many ancient Christian burials which are aligned as a cross. Sites such as Suuqsade (Xarago tir), and Dhuxun of Xagal, Gala Caddo (23) near Dhagah Kure, Aroori (Laanta gadaal baxday) (24), and Kal Bare (57) contain ancient Christian burials. There are also finds of Christian codices in Somaliland. These seem to be written in Ethiopian languages, including Ge‘es. Documentation and preservation of such ancient records is urgent. Currently, there are no measures in place by the Ministry to acquire this material due to lack of financial resources as well as awareness.

Map of sites

 

[ethan bradberry]

I don't care it's the truth their just using mental gymnastics to ignore his violence and pure hatred against those who disbelieved him.

Are you one of those militant atheists?

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

Good question, here is a section from Sada Mire's publication:




Map of sites

Interesting, so would it be plausible that parts of waqooyi galbeed were under Axumite rule?

 

[EternalLightX]

Are you one of those militant atheists?

 

[horumar]

Interesting, so would it be plausible that parts of Somaliland were under Axumite rule?

Yes, most of that area including jabuuti were most likely part of Axum, not for a long while though maybe between the reign of Ezana and Najashi

 

[ethan bradberry]

Yes, most of that area including jabuuti were most likely part of Axum, not for a long while though maybe between the reign of Ezana and Najashi

Do you think Sanaag was also part of Axum?

 

[horumar]

Do you think Sanaag was also part of Axum?

I don't think so, it definitely did not reach that far into Somaliland, most likely not as far HY lands in ceerigaabo