Aliko Dangote, Boko Haram and the Fatiha

1. Hi, I’m Bobby.
[He reaches out and we shake hands]
2. Hi, car broke down man.
1. Does it drive?
2. No.
[Car towed onto the flatbed]
2. Are you from West Africa?
1. Yeah, how did you know?
2. Just, so where Senegal?
1. No Nigeria.
2. Nigeria eh.
1. Yeah.
2. Boko Haram
[smile]
2. Did you hear about that bombing recently at the mosque?
1. Yeah it was after Friday prayer.
2. That’s just ugly man. There were so many people killed.
1. Yeah in Kano.
2. Who did it? Boko Haram?
1. Who knows. It’s political.
2. Yeah all money. They’re all related.
1. Exactly.
2. So you’re Muslim?
1. No, but my parents are.
2. Your parents?
1. Yeah, my dad’s name is Abdullah and my Islamic name is Muhammad.
2. Really?
1. Yeah man.
2. But how come you’re Christian?
1. Oh cuz I was raised with my grandparents, they’re Christian.
2. Oh I see.
1. But I know the Fatiha and stuff like that.
2. No way.
1. Yeah. Alhumdolillah he rabil alimeen, Arrahman nirraheem
[I join in]
Maliki yao mideen
Iya ka na bodo
Wa iya ka nas ta een
Ih dina sira timustaqeem
Sira tal atheena
An am ta
Aly him
Ghairil magdoobi aly him
Wa la da leen
2. Wow man, you know the Fatiha.
1. Yeah when we were little kids, I used to go to school.
2. Nice. Do you know what it means?
1. No they never taught us that.
2. Alhumdolillah hi rabil alimeen. [At this point I was going on memory and interpretation since I’m not a native Arabic speaker] All praise is due to Allah the lord of the worlds.
1. Okay…
2. Arrahman nirraheem, Most gracious, most merciful. See that?
1. Yes
2. Maliki yao mideen, master of the Day of Judgement
2. Iya ka na bodo Wa iya ka nas ta een, Only He do we worship and only his help we seek
2. Ih dina sira timustaqeem, Show us the straight path.
1. The straight path?
2. Yes the straight path, the Fatiha is a prayer.
1. That’s like what I do in the mornings, I ask God to show me the straight path.
2. So say the Fatiha in the morning’s bro [smile]
2. Sira tal atheena An am ta aly him, ghairil magdoobi aly him Wa la da leen ameen, the path that you have showed others favour and not evoked your anger or led astray.
[Later]
2. Are Muslims rich in Nigeria?
1. Yeah man.
2. No man, they’re poor.
1. The richest man in Nigeria is Muslim.
2. Really?
1. Aliko Dangote.