NOTE: According to the website Somali War Report, yesterday for the first time Ḥarakat al-Shabāb al-Mujāhidīn officially acknowledged al-Qā’idah’s presence in Somalia when al-Shabāb’s spokesman Shaykh ‘Alī Moḥamūd Raage (Shaykh ‘Alī Dheere; pictured below on the left) and an American al-Qā’idah official that goes by Shaykh Abū ‘Abdallah al-Muhājir (pictured below on the right) gave aid to Somalis. The below picture along with a second one were posted to the jihādī forums last night. AQ and Shabāb have a history of not showing the faces of individuals they are about to roll out as important figures. For instance, AQ did it with Adam Ghadan (Gadahn), Abū Talḥah al-‘Almānī (Bekkay Harrach), while Shabāb did it with Omar Hammami (Abū Manṣūr al-Amrīkī). So are we about to see the emergence of a new important American AQ figure? Time will tell. It’s quite possible though that AQ is rolling this American out since Anwar al-‘Awlaqī is now dead. And since they aren’t showing his face, it is to draw in curiosity of who this person is, which they probably believe will draw the MSM in. I just hope this isn’t another al-‘Awlaqī episode waiting to happen where everyone overreacts and makes this individual larger than he is at this juncture.
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Shaykh ‘Alī Moḥamūd Raage:
“Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon on our prophet Mohammed and all his family and companions.
We thank Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), who made Muslims one brotherhood (as) Allah says “verily believers are but one brotherhood”, for that reason, Whilst our brothers are at arms all over the world, especially those of the umbrella organisation which connects all mujahideen;-Al-Qaeda, whilst at arms, they have sent to their brothers in who reside Somalia, standing with them at this time of drought, and they previously spoke of aiding muslims (in Somalia), especially the Ameer (leader) of the Al-Qaeda Jihad Organisation Ayman Al-dhawahiri may Allah preserve him, and sufficiently before him our brother may Allah accept his martyrdom sheikh Usama Bin Laden , and today they make good upon that which they preached since it is also the conclusion of their drought campaign.
We welcome them (to their) afflicted brethren in this camp, we also after thanking Allah we thank our international brothers, especially our honourable leaders for the aid relief they sent to their Muslim brethren.
In front of you today, brought to fellow needy Muslims, is that which your Mujahideen brothers handed over to Harakat –al-shabaab Al-mujahideen who will be responsible for its distribution, and it includes , 2000 Hijabs for the purpose of sufficiently covering up to use for the performance of prayers, also 10,000 pieces of clothing for children, also enough flour,rice and coocking oil for 4,000 families, also 4,000KG of dates , 4,000 of tins of milk 900g each, and since we are of the Islamic faith 1,500 copies of the Holy Quran is included, also 1,500 copies of “hisnul Muslim” (prophetic supplication books) , $12,000 changed to Somali shilling is also to be distributed since the (dayr) rainy season is upon us so to use in farms, you can also see (donated) an ambulance to admit ill people rapidly to the field hospital, also a lot medicine is included, so we thank Allah then we than our mujahideen brothers, especially the top mujahideen command in the Al-Qaeda Jihad Organisation, who seriously took its responsibility to aid their brethren, this (action) shows that they have made true what Allah said “harsh against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves… (Quran 48:29)” … so we say to you may Allah reward and bless your efforts, so i call upon Abu abdallah al-muhajir to read us his statement for the ceremony.
Abū ‘Abdallah al-Muhājir:
Here is his audio: Abū ‘Abdallah al-Muhājir — Statement from al-Qā’idah in Somalia
“Asalamo ‘alaykom wa rahmatollahi wa barkaatoh [Peace be upon you (all) and the mercy and blessings of Allah]”
We praise Allah, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in God from the evils of our souls and our bad deeds.
Whomever Allah guides none can misguide and whom Allah misguides none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah alone, and I bear witness the Mohammed (pbuh) is his slave and messenger”
Allah says, after i seek refuge from Satan the outcast “and surely we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who are patient , “Those when afflicted with calamity say: “Truly To Allah We belong, and truly to Him is our return”:- “They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.” Quran 2:155- 2:156- 2:157
“Al-hamdulilah (Praise be to Allah) we honoured and blessed to take this opportunity to send our heartfelt greetings to our brothers and sisters in Somalia and we also take this opportunity to tell you we love you all for the sake of Allah , and we sincerely relate to your suffering and affliction during these testing times.
Dear Muslims of Somalia, it is under these strenuous circumstances that we remember the role played by our beloved Sheikh Usama Bin Laden may Allah have mercy upon him. Sheikh Osama was deeply concerned about the plight of the Muslim Ummah (nation) all over the world, including the situation in Palestine, ’iraq , Kashmir and Afghanistan to name a few places.
Having actively participated in assisting various parts of the Ummah (nation) with everything for the past 30 years, the Sheikh (Osama) also focused his attention specifically on the hardships and tests that have afflicted the Muslim Somali people for the past decade. He as leader of Al-Qaeda organisation played a major role in repelling invading force of the muslim land in Somalia, from the American invasion during the early nineties to the recent invasion of Ethiopia as well as the current invasion of AMISOM.
In addition to sacrificing his wealth and his life in the path of Allah though waging Jihad, the Sheikh greatly emphasised the importance of Muslims supporting each other, and he brought attention to the dilemmas affecting Muslims around the world. The most recent example of which is, the major flood that affected the millions Muslims in Pakistan, and today with graceful departure of our beloved sheikh and that beacon of Tawheed (monotheism) May Allah have mercy upon him, Al-Qaeda under the leadership of Sheikh Ayman Al-dhawahiri may Allah protect him, continuously highlights the plight of the Ummah and continuously supports them with every means at their disposal.
In a recent release Sheikh Ayman brought the drought in Somalia to the attention of the Muslim Ummah and encouraged to support their brothers in Somalia, and insha’allah (Allah willing) with this message some of what your brothers in Al-Qaeda have been able to gather will be distributed to our brothers and sisters, to our families in the land of the two migrations.
We would also like to take the opportunity to encourage Muslims all around the world, to come to the assistant of their brothers and sisters in Somalia, and it is obligatory on every Muslim to assist their needy brother and sisters, the prophet (Pbuh) said: “the believers in their mutual mercy, love and compassion are like a single body, if one part of it feels pain, the rest of the body join it, in staying awake and feeling the fever.
In addition to that, we would like to praise the continuing effort of harakat- Al-shabaab – al mujahideen, who while operating under extremely difficult circumstances, have made it their priority in helping their brothers and sisters …[inaudible] , and have risen above the lies and deceit distributed by the hypocritical western media.
Finally, we ask Allah to accept it from them and allow them to continue in their honourable efforts, and give them complete victory over the disbelieving forces.
Finally to our beloved brothers and sisters in Somalia, we are following you situation on a daily basis, and though a separated by thousands of kilometres, you are consistently in our thoughts and prayers, and regardless of the differences of language, color, lineage and culture, it is the pure creed of tawheed (monotheism) and that unbreakable bond of faith that unites us all.
We encourage you all to turn in repentance to Allah, increase your effort and put your trust in Allah, and by the permission of Allah you will emerge triumphant from these temporary hardships, despite the wishes of the disbelieving west to keep you in perpetual cycle of dependence.
Allah says in Surat (verse) Nuh “”I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your lord, verily he is oft forgiving, he will send you rain in abundance and he will increase in wealth and children, and will bestow
