Why does tribalism even exist?

[haxxor]

I do not understand why it still works to today modern world. In past, tribes was very important in villages, it was almost like government and clan elders being president. Now, an increasing number of people moving to urban cities and I still see some of people with their minds infected with tribalism who cares to praise their clan and insult other rival clans.

Honestly, let me ask you few questions:

Why do you care about your tribe?

What is the point of being proud of your tribe if your tribe doesn't even spoon feed you nowadays (This doesn't apply to anyone living in villages)? You cannot go out and beg someone same as your tribe for food.

What benefits do you get from bashing other people's tribe, or even, asking "What's this man's tribe"?

Do you believe that tribalism should be demolished?

Is nationalism good thing?

[934]

"Why does tribalism even exist?"

The same reason there is a gender difference, there is also difference between nations and tribes. All created by Allah for us to know and benefit each other instead of using our differences to shed unnecessary blood.

[TheSultaan]

I hate tribalism its a cancer may allah destroy triblism

[haxxor]

"Why does tribalism even exist?"

The same reason there is a gender difference, there is also difference between nations and tribes. All created by Allah for us to know and benefit each other instead of using our differences to shed unnecessary blood.

Wouldn't it be the same if it was nationalism instead of tribalism? We would still get to know each others and benefit each others too.

[The_Emperior5]

Clanism or or Tribilism is bad if you hate another group community just based on clan ,, but the Clan can help each other there are many People that help each other through the Clan System , For instance a person from a particular Clan is sick or needs Money Tolka will raise money i have seen it , it cannot be bad , Lady nas for instance she got a whole new laptop from Tolkeeda, so it can help in a positive way,, its just how you put in practice.

[TheSultaan]

I agree with Emperior

[haxxor]

Clanism or or Tribilism is bad if you hate another group community just based on clan ,, but the Clan can help each other there are many People that help each other through the Clan System , For instance a person from a particular Clan is sick or needs Money Tolka will raise money i have seen it , it cannot be bad , Lady nas for instance she got a whole new laptopr from Tolkeeda, so it can help in a positive way,, its just how you put in practice.

Like I said, it would work in small places, like villages. But definitely not urban cities. Also, there is many Somali diaspora people who love tribalism, even if it does not benefit them. I do believe that tribalism was good thing in past, now it's not good thing anymore, and all it breeds is war. Look at Al-Shaabab (In 2006 or something where they took over whole of southern Somalia), there was little or no tribalism fighting in Al-Shaabab. Al-Shaabab even united people in name of religion (But they used religion in wrong way but that's another topic), and this is exactly what we want, Islamic republic of Somalia. Islamic republic of Somalia is good thing as long as it doesn't force the religion on people, does not follow the extermist ideologies of Islam and still respects people who chose not to follow the religion of Allah.

[ahmedbrant]

Tribalism kinda makes sense if u live in somalia and even then it isn't the right thing.
What i fail to understand is how individuals raised in the west can be tribalists.
I guess the apple never falls far from the tree

[Saraxnow]

Clanism or or Tribilism is bad if you hate another group community just based on clan ,, but the Clan can help each other there are many People that help each other through the Clan System , For instance a person from a particular Clan is sick or needs Money Tolka will raise money i have seen it , it cannot be bad , Lady nas for instance she got a whole new laptopr from Tolkeeda, so it can help in a positive way,, its just how you put in practice.

Like I said, it would work in small places, like villages. But definitely not urban cities. Also, there is many Somali diaspora people who love tribalism, even if it does not benefit them. I do believe that tribalism was good thing in past, now it's not good thing anymore, and all it breeds is war. Look at Al-Shaabab (In 2006 or something where they took over whole of southern Somalia), there was little or no tribalism fighting in Al-Shaabab. Al-Shaabab even united people in name of religion (But they used religion in wrong way but that's another topic), and this is exactly what we want, Islamic republic of Somalia. Islamic republic of Somalia is good thing as long as it doesn't force the religion on people, does not follow the extermist ideologies of Islam and still respects people who chose not to follow the religion of Allah.

Tribalism was never a good thing. Never. Just like Racism. Having different races, tribes, genders etc, is normal and what Allah has blessed us with. But using it to produce hate, discrimination or flame wars then this is what is categorically called Injustice. (Putting something where it does not belong is injustice). Just as Allah has made us into different races and tribes, in that same way we should appreciate ,accept and learn from one another. There is an ayah that says '' And We have made you into Nations and Tribes so that you may know one another[/b]'' , not hate, not kill, not back-bite, not to look down on etc. Know and learn from one another....fulli stop.

I agree though that, in Somalia, for the first time in its history, has Tribal affiliations taken a back seat since the appearance of ''Islamic'' groups such as UIC and Al-Shabaab. Hopefully, this will translate and and change the future and social-construct of Somalis into giving more importance to another one's values rather than their lineage.

[934]

Somalis need something that can unite them beyond tribal and nationalistic lines. Nationalism itself is a concept alien to Islam as it unite people on the bases of of families and tribal relations far away from ideological unity. And that's where Islam comes in, to save the sorry plight of a nation torn apart by perceived nobility just as it was during the age of Jahilliyah. Tribal pride that serves nothing more than hate towards a fellow muslim brother should be given up, as they are more contemptible in the eyes of Allah, than a pig. There is no greater uniter than Islam itself and al-shabab or other muslim militant that we see as going the wrong way shouldnt be a reason to denounce what Allah has prescribed for us.

[globetrotter2]

Clanism or or Tribilism is bad if you hate another group community just based on clan ,, but the Clan can help each other there are many People that help each other through the Clan System , For instance a person from a particular Clan is sick or needs Money Tolka will raise money i have seen it , it cannot be bad , Lady nas for instance she got a whole new laptopr from Tolkeeda, so it can help in a positive way,, its just how you put in practice.

Like I said, it would work in small places, like villages. But definitely not urban cities. Also, there is many Somali diaspora people who love tribalism, even if it does not benefit them. I do believe that tribalism was good thing in past, now it's not good thing anymore, and all it breeds is war. Look at Al-Shaabab (In 2006 or something where they took over whole of southern Somalia), there was little or no tribalism fighting in Al-Shaabab. Al-Shaabab even united people in name of religion (But they used religion in wrong way but that's another topic), and this is exactly what we want, Islamic republic of Somalia. Islamic republic of Somalia is good thing as long as it doesn't force the religion on people, does not follow the extermist ideologies of Islam and still respects people who chose not to follow the religion of Allah.

Tribalism was never a good thing. Never. Just like Racism. Having different races, tribes, genders etc, is normal and what Allah has blessed us with. But using it to produce hate, discrimination or flame wars then this is what is categorically called Injustice. (Putting something where it does not belong is injustice). Just as Allah has made us into different races and tribes, in that same way we should appreciate ,accept and learn from one another. There is an ayah that says '' And We have made you into Nations and Tribes so that you may know one another[/b]'' , not hate, not kill, not back-bite, not to look down on etc. Know and learn from one another....fulli stop.

I agree though that, in Somalia, for the first time in its history, has Tribal affiliations taken a back seat since the appearance of ''Islamic'' groups such as UIC and Al-Shabaab. Hopefully, this will translate and and change the future and social-construct of Somalis into giving more importance to another one's values rather than their lineage.

Saxarlow,
You make very good points. Tribalism is racism; period. Only insecure somalis seek security in tribalism. It might have worked in camel country but in this age, tribalism is a hinder to our development. As regards the Sura of the quran, this is the most abused surah. Allah's tribes were not the sick 4,5 formulae; Somali tribes are no exact; the tribe islam talks about is Somali.

It is funny that if we ask many of the tribalists on this website what their particular tribe have done for them the answer is nothing except tarnish their names, suffering etc.

Emprorer will be the first to admit that his tribal rants and his love for this god is a social construction.

This god of somalis should be faught.

The Al-sheydhaans and the IUC are not free from tribalism.

[AhmedBoqor]

Somalis need something that can unite them beyond tribal and nationalistic lines. Nationalism itself is a concept alien to Islam as it unite people on the bases of of families and tribal relations far away from ideological unity. And that's where Islam comes in, to save the sorry plight of a nation torn apart by perceived nobility just as it was during the age of Jahilliyah. Tribal pride that serves nothing more than hate towards a fellow muslim brother should be given up, as they are more contemptible in the eyes of Allah, than a pig. There is no greater uniter than Islam itself and al-shabab or other muslim militant that we see as going the wrong way shouldnt be a reason to denounce what Allah has prescribed for us.

Very true. At the end of the day the flag that needs to rise the highest is this:

[Saraxnow]

Somalis need something that can unite them beyond tribal and nationalistic lines. Nationalism itself is a concept alien to Islam as it unite people on the bases of of families and tribal relations far away from ideological unity. And that's where Islam comes in, to save the sorry plight of a nation torn apart by perceived nobility just as it was during the age of Jahilliyah. Tribal pride that serves nothing more than hate towards a fellow muslim brother should be given up, as they are more contemptible in the eyes of Allah, than a pig. There is no greater uniter than Islam itself and al-shabab or other muslim militant that we see as going the wrong way shouldnt be a reason to denounce what Allah has prescribed for us.

Bravo

Don't forget National Pride is a false form of pride, based on the perceived superiority of language, race and culture protected by lines drawn on a sand.

[globetrotter2]

I disagree to the notion that only islam can unite it! It is the same arguments used by beheaders and tyrants in the arab world.

Many peaceful countries did not turn to religion in order to develop. If we want somalis(a) to rise from its ashes we need to abandon this stupid god called tribalism; you can only do that if you can think independently.

[Saraxnow]

Saxarlow,
You make very good points. Tribalism is racism; period. Only insecure somalis seek security in tribalism. It might have worked in camel country but in this age, tribalism is a hinder to our development. As regards the Sura of the quran, this is the most abused surah. Allah's tribes were not the sick 4,5 formulae; Somali tribes are no exact; the tribe islam talks about is Somali.

It is funny that if we ask many of the tribalists on this website what their particular tribe have done for them the answer is nothing except tarnish their names, suffering etc.

Emprorer will be the first to admit that his tribal rants and his love for this god is a social construction.

This god of somalis should be faught.

The Al-sheydhaans and the IUC are not free from tribalism.

The Tribes I mentioned in the Surah can be taken in its general meaning- that is,based on blood relations you cannot dislike someone rather you should appreciate/learn about on another.

This 4.5 is a very bad idea. Why does even exist?. It sinks tribalism even more deeper into the Somali psyche. The Somalis need to rally around what commonality they have. Nationalism is also something new to Somalis, speaking the same language or looking the same is clearly not enough for them. What we have seen though is that the most precious and beloved thing to their hearts can unite them, even if it is for a short period of time. And that is Islam. I don't think either that AlShabaab and co. are or were free from tribalism completely but they generally have managed to miraculously put Tribalism/Clannism in the background or even in the dust-bin .