|
Term |
Definition |
|
4.5 power-sharing formula |
A power-sharing formula under which key positions in the state and parliamentary seats are allocated on a proportional basis across the 4 major clans and 0.5 to minorities |
|
Adoon |
Slave |
|
Af-Maay |
Somali dialect spoken in parts of southern and central Somalia, including the inter-riverine region |
|
Af-Mahaa |
Standard Somali language |
|
AFRICOM |
United States Africa Command |
|
AMISOM |
African Union Mission in Somalia |
|
Amniyat |
Al-Shabaab’s intelligence wing |
|
AS |
Al-Shabaab, militant Islamist organisation in Somalia |
|
ASWJ |
Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama’ah, the multi-clan armed Sufi group |
|
ATMIS |
African Transition Mission in Somalia |
|
AU |
African Union |
|
AUSSOM |
African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia |
|
Badeeco |
Goods |
|
Bajaaj |
Three-wheeled motor rickshaws also known as Tuk-Tuk |
|
BAMF |
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge |
|
Bandar |
Port, harbour |
|
Berket (plural berkedo) |
Water catchment |
|
Bi’da |
Innovations in Islamic law that are seen as deviating from established practices |
|
Bikro |
A concept meaning that ‘there is honour in husbands having difficulty penetrating their wives on their wedding night as it indicates purity or virginity’ |
|
Bir ma geydo |
Somali for ‘spared from the spear’ |
|
BRA |
Benadir Regional Administration |
|
Casualty |
A person who is killed, wounded or incapacitated |
|
CEDAW |
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women |
|
CID |
Criminal Investigation Department |
|
Dadka laga tirade badan yahay |
Minority, literally people who are small in numbers |
|
Dalag |
Agricultural produce |
|
Darwish, Dervish |
State level armed forces/militias/paramilitary/special police |
|
Degan |
Clan-homeland |
|
Dhaqan celis |
Somali for return to culture |
|
DIS |
Danish Immigration Service |
|
Diya |
Payment of compensation (see also mag or jilib) |
|
DSA |
Detailed site assessment |
|
Fatwa |
A legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (Sharia) given by a qualified Islamic jurist in response to a specific question or issue |
|
FFM |
Fact-Finding Mission |
|
FGM/C |
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting |
|
FGS |
Federal Government of Somalia |
|
Fiqh |
Islamic jurisprudence, referring to the science of understanding and applying the principles of Sharia (Islamic law) |
|
FMS |
Federal Member State |
|
Foosto |
Water container of about 200 liters |
|
Gadiid |
Transit |
|
GBV |
Gender-Based Violence |
|
Gibil cad |
Light-skinned |
|
Gibil madow |
Dark-skinned |
|
Godob reeb, or godobtiir |
In the context of clan conflicts/feuds, the tradition of compensating the victim’s group with one or more unmarried girls from the murder’s family who are offered for marriage |
|
Hadd crimes (plural huduud) |
Crimes that are ‘against the rights of God’ under Islamic religious law |
|
Halal |
Anything that is permitted or lawful according to Islamic law |
|
Hanbali |
One of the two main Sharia schools (madhab) present in Somalia |
|
Haram |
Actions, behaviours, foods, or practices that are forbidden by Islamic law |
|
Haramcad |
Turkish-trained police force also known as Cheetah |
|
Hiraba |
Islamic law legal category that comprises highway robbery rape, and terrorism |
|
Hisba |
Religious duty of ‘commanding right and forbidding wrong’ |
|
HSM |
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia |
|
IDP |
Internally Displaced Person |
|
IED |
Improvised Explosive Device |
|
IND |
Immigration and Naturalization Directorate |
|
Infaq |
In principle, the Islamic practice of generosity and charitable giving as a voluntary act; in the context of this report, local tax imposed by Al-Shabaab and based on need |
|
Isbaaro |
Somali for checkpoint |
|
Isbaaro soo booda |
Somali for temporary or pop-up checkpoints |
|
ISIS or ISS |
Islamic State in Somalia |
|
ISIS-Somalia |
Islamic State in Somalia, or ISS; a Somalia-based affiliate of the Iraq/Syria-based IS (also called the Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant/Syria (ISIS), or Daesh) |
|
Jaish al-hisba or Hisbah |
Armed force that Al-Shabaab uses as both police and a morality enforcement force |
|
Jareer |
Somali for curly hair |
|
Jingad |
Shack, makeshift or informal dwelling, typically constructed using readily available materials like mud, wood, or corrugated metal |
|
JISA |
Jubbaland Intelligence and Security Agency |
|
JOC |
Joint Operations Centre |
|
Khaniis |
Somali term used to designate all LGBTQI+ persons |
|
Khat |
Khat (Catha edulis) is a flowering shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and used as a recreational drug |
|
Kufar |
Arabic for unbelievers |
|
Laan dheere |
Long genealogies |
|
Maamulka ridada |
The government of apostasy |
|
Macawisley |
Communal militia |
|
Madhab |
Sharia school |
|
Mag |
Payment of compensation (see also diya) |
|
Malcaamad |
Koranic school |
|
MEDA |
Minority Empowerment and Development Agency |
|
Mooryaan |
Somali for bandits |
|
Mufsid fil-ard |
In an Islamic context, spreading corruption in the land |
|
NISA |
National Intelligence and Security Agency |
|
NUSOJ |
National Union of Somali Journalists |
|
PISA |
Puntland Intelligence and Security Agency |
|
PMPF |
Puntland Maritime Police Force |
|
PRADO |
Public Register of Authentic identity and travel Documents Online |
|
PRMN |
Protection and Return Monitoring Network |
|
PSF |
Puntland Security Forces |
|
Qaad or Jaad, or Mira |
Somali for Khat, also known as Mira (particularly in Swahili) |
|
Qadi |
Muslim judge who administers Islamic law in a Sharia court. They also have extrajudicial functions like mediation and guardianship |
|
Qisas |
Retaliation under Sharia law |
|
Saab |
Name for the Rahanweyn/Digil-Mirifle clan family (after their ancestor Saabe) |
|
Sab |
Minority group, occupational caste |
|
Samaale |
Somali ancestor for Somali clans (Dir, Isaaq, Darood, Hawiye) |
|
SGBV |
Sexual and gender-based violence |
|
Shafi’i (Shafi’s) |
One of the two main Sharia schools (madhab) present in Somalia |
|
Sharia (Shari‘a’, Sharia’ah) |
The Islamic law |
|
SHDS |
Somali Health and Demographic Survey |
|
Sheikh |
In Somalia, common honorific used for respected individuals, particularly senior religious leaders and scholars knowledgeable about Sharia law |
|
SJS |
Somali Journalists Syndicate |
|
SNA |
Somali National Army |
|
SSC |
Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn |
|
Ta’zīr |
Ordinary crime |
|
Takfir/Takfiir |
Declaring other Muslims as infidels because they do not adhere to certain behaviour |
|
TFG |
Transitional Federal Government |
|
Ulama |
Menof knowledge well versed in Muslim religious sciences (e.g. Qur’an, hadīth, fiqh) |
|
UNFPA |
United Nations Population Fund |
|
UNICEF |
United Nations Children’s Fund |
|
UNSOM |
United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia |
|
Xeer |
Customary (clan) law |
|
Xidid |
Root |
|
Xoolo |
Livestock |
|
Zakat or zakah, or zakawat in Somali |
Religious tax under Islamic law |
|
Zina |
Unlawful sexual intercourse under Islamic law |
