Somali Jews in Somalia (mini documentary)

[Maakhri2024]

The original Somali story about them never mentioned anything whatsoever to do with Jews; in fact, their leader was called Bucur Bucayr or Maxamed Hanif, probably some dude synchronising Islam and waaqism in the Middle Ages, does not sound very Jewish, does it?

Bucur Bucayr or Maxamed xaniif ( Maḥamed ḥaniif ) .

Why was he referred to as Maḥamed Xaniif?

What does Xaniif signify?

 

[Riftvalley]

Do you know the true etymology of the word ( y-b-r : Yibir)?

Seems like you know so why don’t you tell us.

 

[Guure⁸]

Bucur Bucayr is Balcaam ina Becoor ( Balaam son of Beor ) as mentioned in the Torah.

This is not a Somali story, but a biblical story.
Balaam son of Beor ( Balcaam ina Becoor ) is a biblical name, a man who deviated from religion and practiced witchcraft and sorcery.
The early Church fathers often viewed Balaam son of Beor( Balcaam ina Becoor ) as a magician and soothsayer .

Numbers 22:5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor .

Numbers 22:5 Oo wargeeyayaal buu u diray Balcaam ina Becoor oo joogay Fetoor .
5 فَأرْسَلَ بَالَاقُ رُسُلًا إلَى بَلْعَامَ بْنِ بَعُورَ فِي فَتُورَ



Surah Al-A'raf, verse 175 :
And recite to them [O Muhammad] the story of the man to whom We gave Our signs and who turned away from them; then ultimately Satan caught up with him and he was led astray.
سورة الأعراف، الآية 175
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ (175)

حدثنا ابن وكيع قال: حدثنا عمران بن عيينة, عن حصين, عن عمران بن الحارث, عن ابن عباس قال:
هو بلعم بن باعر

حدثني الحارث قال: حدثنا عبد العزيز قال: حدثنا سفيان, عن الأعمش, عن أبي الضحى, عن مسروق, عن ابن مسعود, في قوله: (واتل عليهم نبأ الذي آتيناه آياتنا) إلى (فكان من الغاوين)،
هو بلعم بن أبَر

حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال: حدثنا أبو عاصم, عن عيسى, عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد: (فانسلخ منها) قال:
بلعام بن باعر, من بني إسرائيل

Now we claiming banu isreal

 

[Maakhri2024]

Seems like you know so why don’t you tell us.

و ل د ( w - l - d ) in Arabic means to beget / gave birth .
י־ל־ד ( y-l-d ) in Hebrew means to beget / gave birth .
dhalay (dh-l-y ) in Somali means to beget / gave birth .
dhal + y = dhalay ( dh-l-y ) ↔ yadhal ( y -dh- l ) .
y ↔ w .
y ↔ k / g .

so :
( y-b-r : yibir) ↔ ( w-b-r : wabar) ↔ ( k-b-r : kabīr ) .
ك - ب -ر ↔ و - ب -ر ↔ ي - ب -ر
yawar / yiwir / yibir / yabar / wabar / kabīr : means chief or great person .

or could means the one who slaughter .
in Somali biree → bireey means : to slaughter .
bireey ( b-r-y ) ↔ yibiree ( y -b- r ) .

wabar m.l 1. Nin qolo ama tol madax u ah.
2. Mid quman, wanaagsan, suuban.

wabar m. n. chief, judge, wise man

more details when I have time.

 

[Riftvalley]

Saw that recently, looks like straight-up cap or some guy back home tryna cash in. Pretty sure the author didn’t even make a cent. If there were Jews, they were probably Yemenite and dipped when Israel was founded. Crypto-Jews in Somalia? Cmon bro. No synagogues, no rabbis, no way to even learn Judaism. Still, the idea of Abdi going home and lighting up Jewish candles is funny

Bucur Bucayr is Balcaam ina Becoor ( Balaam son of Beor ) as mentioned in the Torah.

This is not a Somali story, but a biblical story.
Balaam son of Beor ( Balcaam ina Becoor ) is a biblical name, a man who deviated from religion and practiced witchcraft and sorcery.
The early Church fathers often viewed Balaam son of Beor( Balcaam ina Becoor ) as a magician and soothsayer .

Numbers 22:5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor .

Numbers 22:5 Oo wargeeyayaal buu u diray Balcaam ina Becoor oo joogay Fetoor .
5 فَأرْسَلَ بَالَاقُ رُسُلًا إلَى بَلْعَامَ بْنِ بَعُورَ فِي فَتُورَ



Surah Al-A'raf, verse 175 :
And recite to them [O Muhammad] the story of the man to whom We gave Our signs and who turned away from them; then ultimately Satan caught up with him and he was led astray.
سورة الأعراف، الآية 175
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ (175)

حدثنا ابن وكيع قال: حدثنا عمران بن عيينة, عن حصين, عن عمران بن الحارث, عن ابن عباس قال:
هو بلعم بن باعر

حدثني الحارث قال: حدثنا عبد العزيز قال: حدثنا سفيان, عن الأعمش, عن أبي الضحى, عن مسروق, عن ابن مسعود, في قوله: (واتل عليهم نبأ الذي آتيناه آياتنا) إلى (فكان من الغاوين)،
هو بلعم بن أبَر

حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال: حدثنا أبو عاصم, عن عيسى, عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد: (فانسلخ منها) قال:
بلعام بن باعر, من بني إسرائيل

Balcaam was an Israelite Rabbi who betrayed the army of Musa A.S.

Bucur story is similar to other Somali stories of the medieval era; those of tyrant rulers/chiefs who were practicing some unislamic sexual acts and sorcery.

The time frame given for the encounter between Sheikh Yusuf is roughly 830 years. Remnants of Yibir still went around until recently collecting Samanya gifts and blessing the new born. I believe in the south they are known by a different name. Somalis say the gifts are given as a compensation for their leader, but they also fear being cursed by the Yibir, which lends itself to the theory of them having performed a previously similar role to the Ibiire of the Rendille.

When you consider that Somalis up north and near Harar still remember Bucur Bayr and his grave is still marked, as well as that of the sheikh; that, the stories are known as far as the south; then, to me it becomes clear this is an event which occurred in the early medieval period as the locals claim. The local stories never mention about Jews or biblical stories: it was always a practitioner of paganism going against a local saint in the Middle Ages.

My personal opinion is that Bucur Bcayer might have been killed by one of the local sultanates at the time or followers of sheikh Yusuf. I think it marked a watershed moment when a practitioner or a synchroniser of Islam and waaqism was killed and their influenced ended. Somalis probably still give gifts as the people of were probably scared of the generational curse of the Yibir (clans with the ability to curse and bless still exist in Rendille religion as we have said previously).

The other important factor in the role of Yibir in Somali society is the use of sticks. They perform a trick with blessed sticks and this how people recognised them when they visit their homes. Sticks and special trees are a relic from our north East African heritage. They are important elements of Rendille and Oromo ceremonies and religions.

You also have the fact the author Futuh al Habasha must have travelled these lands (north west Somali territories), as did other Arab authors. None of them mentioned the practice of Judaism by any tribes or groups during the medieval period. I highly doubt they would have missed the practice of Judaism in the heartland of the Adal sultanate. There was probably a few ancient practitioners of Judaism, possibly traders who came to visit but I highly doubt it was even entire clans or that substantial. I lean more towards the idea orthodox Christianity was more of a minority religion in the past in certain corners. There is no real archeological or historical evidence showing Torah practice being prevalent in Somalia.

Folks are literally running within an unrelated etymology of a word to make grand claims.