Islam in Somalia
Somalia first encountered Islam in the ninth century (CE). Sufism-influenced moderate Islam has historically been practiced by Somalis. The Salafi movement, however, has increased its political clout in recent decades. This theory proposes a stricter reading of the Qur'an and was created in opposition to Western imperialism. It is centered on the idea of looking back in time to a previous historical era in an effort to comprehend how the modern world ought to be structured.
Most Somalis live firmly rooted Sunni Islamic personal, political, and legal traditions. Religion has a direct impact on daily life and government. Shari'a decisions influence national legislation and conventional customary law, therefore actions that violate Islamic principles are punishable by law. Blasphemy and "defamation of Islam," for instance, are crimes. The Shari'a penal code is not, however, implemented in Somalia.
The country as a whole has different interpretations of Islam and levels of conservatism. Due to the influence of jihadist islamist organisations, religious conservatism has become more visible in some areas (see below). As a result of beliefs that Muslim life in the West is growing increasingly unfriendly, some Somalis have also been noticed to be experiencing pressure to live as a "good" Muslim. Somalis who live abroad could also feel pressured to lead more religious and moral lives than they did back home in order to protect themselves from being corrupted by non-Muslim influences.
People regularly display their faith by their attire, dietary restrictions, regular prayer, and frequent allusions to Allah's (God's) will or blessing. One can see that many individuals revere Allah by the way they speak; it is normal to weave praise of Him into everyday conversations. Furthermore, it is common for Somalis to include God in future predictions that commonly end with the phrase "Inshallah" (Arabic for "God willing") This demonstrates the widespread conviction that God's will ultimately determines the course of events. Every Friday, men gather for special prayer services at almost every town's mosque.
