The Isaaq (also Isaq, Ishaak, Isaac) ( so, Reer Sheekh Isxaaq, ar, بني إسحاق, Banī Isḥāq) is a Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory.
Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection
The Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection is an extensive map collection owned by the Perry–Castañeda Library at The University of Texas at Austin.
Many of the maps in the collection have been scanned and are available online, and most ...
– N.B. Various authorities indicate that the Isaaq is among the largest Somali clan
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
in the 12th or 13th century and married into the local Dir clan, though this story is probably legendary.
Overview
According to genealogical books and Somali tradition, the Isaaq clan was founded in the 12th or 13th century with the arrival of Sheikh Ishaaq Bin Ahmed (Sheikh Ishaaq) from Arabia.Rima Berns McGown, ''Muslims in the diaspora'', (University of Toronto Press: 1999), pp. 27–28I.M. Lewis, ''A Modern History of the Somali'', fourth edition (Oxford: James Currey, 2002), p. 22 He purportedly settled in the coastal town of Maydh in modern-day northeastern
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
, where he married into the local Magaadle clan.I.M. Lewis, ''A Modern History of the Somali'', fourth edition (Oxford: James Currey, 2002), pp. 31 & 42 According to multiple Arabic hagiologies, Sheikh Ishaaq is a descendant of
Ali ibn Abi Talib
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad, though according to I.M. Lewis this lineage was most likely invented to enhance the clan-family's prestige and to stress its proper Muslim background.
There are also numerous existing hagiologies in Arabic which describe Sheikh Ishaaq's travels, works and overall life in modern Somaliland, as well as his movements in Arabia before his arrival.Roland Anthony Oliver, J. D. Fage, ''Journal of African history, Volume 3'' (Cambridge University Press.: 1962), p.45 Besides historical sources, one of the more recent printed biographies of Sheikh Ishaaq is the ''Amjaad'' of Sheikh Husseen bin Ahmed Darwiish al-Isaaqi as-Soomaali, which was printed in
Aden
Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
in 1955.I. M. Lewis, ''A pastoral democracy: a study of pastoralism and politics among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa'', (LIT Verlag Münster: 1999), p.131.
Sheikh Ishaaq's tomb is in Maydh, and is the scene of frequent pilgrimages. Sheikh Ishaaq's ''
mawlid
Mawlid, Mawlid an-Nabi ash-Sharif or Eid Milad un Nabi ( ar, المولد النبوي, translit=mawlid an-nabawī, lit=Birth of the Prophet, sometimes simply called in colloquial Arabic , , among other vernacular pronunciations; sometimes , ) ...
'' (birthday) is also celebrated every Thursday with a public reading of his ''manaaqib'' (a collection of glorious deeds). His Siyaara or pilgrimage is performed annually both within Somaliland and in the diaspora particularly in the Middle East among Isaaq expatriates.
The dialect of the Somali language that the Isaaq speak has the highest prestige of any other Somali dialect.
Distribution
The Isaaq have a very wide and densely populated traditional territory. The clan-family makes up 80% of Somaliland's population, and lives in all of its six regions ( Awdal,
Marodi Jeh
Marodi Jeh ( so, Maroodi Jeex, ar, مرودي جيح) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, Togdheer to the east ...
, Togdheer, Sahil, Sanaag and Sool). The Isaaq have large settlements in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, mainly on the eastern side of Somali Region also known as the Hawd and formerly Reserve Area which is mainly inhabited by the Isaaq sub-clan members. They also have large settlements in Kenya, where the clan makes up a large percentage of the Somali population, and in Djibouti, where the Isaaq is the fourth largest group after the
Issa
Issa or ISSA may refer to:
Acronyms and abbreviations
*Independent Schools Sports Association, now known as the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools
*Information Systems Security Association
*Instituto Superior de Secretariado y Administracion ...
, the
Afar
Afar may refer to:
Peoples and languages
*Afar language, an East Cushitic language
*Afar people, an ethnic group of Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia
Places Horn of Africa
*Afar Desert or Danakil Desert, a desert in Ethiopia
*Afar Region, a region ...
, and the
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
The Gadabuursi are geographically s ...
, accounting for 20% of Djibouti's population. The Isaaq also inhabit Somalia, with the clan-family constituting the majority of the inhabitants of the Hodan district in Mogadishu, while a subclan of the Habr Yunis, the Damal Muse, inhabit the Mudug region of Somalia.
The Isaaq clan-family constitute the largest Somali clan in
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
. The populations of five major cities in Somaliland – Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera, Erigavo and Gabiley – are all predominantly Isaaq. They exclusively dominate the
Marodi Jeh
Marodi Jeh ( so, Maroodi Jeex, ar, مرودي جيح) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, Togdheer to the east ...
region, and the Togdheer region, and form a majority of the population inhabiting the western and central areas of Sanaag region, including the regional capital Erigavo. The Isaaq also have a large presence in the western and northern parts of Sool region as well, with Habr Je'lo sub-clan of Isaaq living in the Aynabo district whilst the Habr Yunis subclan of Garhajis lives in the eastern part of Xudun district and the very western part of Las Anod district. They also live in the northeast of the Awdal region, with Saad Muse sub-clan being centered around Lughaya and its environs.
The populations of five major cities in
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
The Isaaq clan played a prominent role in the Ethiopian-Adal War (1529–1543, referred to as the "Conquest of Abyssinia") in the army of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, I. M. Lewis noted that only the Habr Magadle division (Ayoub, Garhajis, Habr Awal and Arap) of the Isaaq were mentioned in chronicles of that war written by Shihab Al-Din Ahmad Al-Gizany known as Futuh ''Al Habash.''
I. M. Lewis states:
The Marrehan and the Habr Magadle agādialso play a very prominent role (...) The text refers to two Ahmads's with the nickname 'Left-handed'. One is regularly presented as 'Ahmad Guray, the Somali' (...) identified as Ahmad Guray Xuseyn, chief of the Habr Magadle. Another reference, however, appears to link the Habr Magadle with the Marrehan. The other Ahmad is simply referred to as 'Imam Ahmad' or simply the 'Imam'.This Ahmad is not qualified by the adjective Somali (...) The two Ahmad's have been conflated into one figure, the heroic
Ahmed Guray
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi ( so, Axmed Ibraahim al-Qaasi or Axmed Gurey, Harari: አሕመድ ኢብራሂም አል-ጋዚ, ar, أحمد بن إبراهيم الغازي ; 1506 – 21 February 1543) was an imam and general of the Adal Sultan ...
(...)
Early modern
Long after the collapse of the Adal Sultanate, the Isaaq established successor states, the Isaaq Sultanate and the Habr Yunis Sultanate. These two Sultanates possessed some of the organs and trappings of a traditional integrated state: a functioning bureaucracy, regular taxation in the form of livestock, as well as an army (chiefly consisting of mounted light cavalry).''Horn of Africa'', Volume 15, Issues 1–4, (Horn of Africa Journal: 1997), p.130.Michigan State University. African Studies Center, Northeast African studies, Volumes 11–12, (Michigan State University Press: 1989), p.32. These sultanates also maintained written records of their activities, which still exist. The Isaaq Sultanate ruled parts of the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
during the 18th and 19th centuries and spanned the territories of the Isaaq clan in modern day
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
and Ethiopia. The sultanate was governed by the Rer Guled branch of the Eidagale clan and is the pre-colonial predecessor to the modern
Republic of Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''List of states with limited recognition, de facto'' sovereign s ...
.
The modern Guled Dynasty of the Isaaq Sultanate was established in the middle of the 18th century by Sultan Guled of the Eidagale line of the Garhajis clan. His coronation took place after the victorious battle of Lafaruug in which his father, a religious mullah Abdi Eisa successfully led the Isaaq in battle and defeated the Absame tribes near Berbera where a century earlier the Isaaq clan expanded into. After witnessing his leadership and courage, the Isaaq chiefs recognized his father Abdi who refused the position instead relegating the title to his underage son Guled while the father acted as the regent till the son come of age. Guled was crowned the as the first Sultan of the Isaaq clan in July 1750. Sultan Guled thus ruled the Isaaq up until his death in 1839, where he was succeeded by his eldest son Farah full brother of Yuusuf and Du'ale, all from Guled's fourth wife Ambaro Me'ad Gadid.
By the early 1880s the Isaaq Sultanate had been reduced to the ''Ciidangale'' confederation with the Eidagale, Arap and Ishaaq Arreh subclan of the Habr Yunis remaining. In 1884–1886 the British signed treaties with the coastal subclans and had not yet penetrated the interior in any significant way. Sultan Deria Hassan remained ''de facto'' master of Hargeisa and it's environs.
Modern
Dervish movement
The Isaaq clan also played a major role in the Dervish movement, with Sultan Nur Aman of the Habr Yunis being fundamental in the inception of the movement. Sultan Nur was the principle agitator that rallied the dervish behind his anti-French Catholic Mission campaign that would become the cause of the dervish uprise. Haji Sudi of the Habr Je'lo was the highest ranking Dervish after Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, he died valiantly defending the Taleh fort during the RAF bombing campaign. The Isaaq sub-clans that were highly known for joining the Dervish movement were from the eastern Habr Yunis and Habr Je'lo sub-clans. These two sub-clans were able to purchase advanced weapons and successfully resist both British Empire and Ethiopian Empire for many years. The fourth Isaaq Grand Sultan Deria Hassan exchanged letters with
Muhammad Abdullah Hassan
Sayid Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan ( so, Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan; 1856–1920) was a Somali religious and military leader of the Dervish movement, which led a two-decade long confrontation with various colonial empires including the British, ...
in the first year of the movement's foundation, with the sultan inciting an insurrection in Hargeisa in 1900 as well as supplying the Mullah with vital information.
Post-colonial
The Isaaq clan along with other northern Somali tribes were under
British Somaliland
British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate ( so, Dhulka Maxmiyada Soomaalida ee Biritishka), was a British Empire, British protectorate in present-day Somaliland. During its existence, the territory was bordered by Italian Soma ...
protectorate administration from 1884 to 1960. On gaining independence, the Somaliland protectorate decided to form a union with Italian Somalia. The Isaaq clan spearheaded the greater Somalia quest from 1960 to 1991.
The Isaaq played a massive role to push for unification and independence. They selected to join the Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. During the civilian government from 1960 to 1969, they held dominant positions.
Jama Mohamed Ghalib
Jama Mohamed Ghalib ( so, Jaamac Maxamed Ghalib, ar, جامع محمد غالب) was a Somali writer, former military leader and police chief, and politician from Erigavo, Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officia ...
(1960-4) and
Ahmed Mohamed Obsiye
Ahmed Mohamed Obsiye ( so, Axmed Maxamed Cabsiiye), was a Somalian politician. And senior member of the Somali Youth League, he served as speaker of the Somali Parliament during the Somali Republic's early civilian administration. He hails from ...
(1964-6), both belonging to the Isaaq clan, served as the president of the National Assembly, while a notable Isaaq member named Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal served as the Prime Minister of Somalia from 1967-9. Furthermore, when English became one of the official languages, the ministries of Foreign Trade, Foreign Affairs, Education, and Information were mainly held by the Isaaq members. They were still powerful in the early years of the military dictatorship (1969–91). However, from the late 1970s,
Marehan
The Marehan ( so, Mareexaan, ar, مريحان) is a Somali sub-clan, which is part of one of the largest Somali clan families, the Darod. The clan is one of the largest constituent sub-clans of the Darod. The majority of the Marehan live in the ...
became politically powerful under the leadership of the military dictator
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
's troops (which also included armed Somali refugees from Ethiopia); the death toll has been estimated to be between 50,000 and 200,000. After the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991 the Isaaq-dominated
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
declared independence from Somalia as a separate nation.
Mercantilism
Historically (and presently to a degree), the wider Isaaq clan were relatively more disposed to trade than their tribal counterparts due in part to their centuries old trade links with the
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
. In view of this imbalance in mercantile experience, other major Somali clans tended to resort to tribal slang terms such as "iidoor", an enviable pejorative roughly meaning trader/exchanger:
Somalis bandied about numerous stereotypes of clan behavior that mirrored these emerging social inequalities. The pejorative slang terms iidoor or kabadhe iidoora (loosely meaning "exchange") reflect Somali disdain for the go-between, the person who amasses wealth through persistence and mercantile skills without firm commitments to anyone else. As the Isaaq became more international and cosmopolitan, their commercial success and achievement ideology aroused suspicion and jealousy, notably among rural Darod who disliked Isaaq self-confidence and made them the target of stereotypes.
The Habr Awal clan of the Isaaq have a rich mercantile history largely due to their possession of the major Somali port of Berbera, which was the chief port and settlement of Habr Awal clan during the early modern period. The clan had strong ties to the Emirate of Harar and Emirs would hold Habr Awal merchants in their court with high esteem with Richard Burton noting their influence in Emir
Ahmad III ibn Abu Bakr
Ahmad III ibn Abu Bakr was the Emir of Harar (1852–1866). He was the ruling Emir when the British explorer Richard F. Burton visited the city for ten days in January 1855, which he later described in his book, ''First Footsteps in East Africa''. ...
's court and discussions with the Vizier Mohammed. The Habr Awal merchants had extensive trade relations with Arab and Indian merchants from Arabia and the Indian subcontinent respectively, and also conducted trade missions on their own vessels to the Arabian ports. Berbera, in addition to Berbera being described as “the freest port in the world, and the most important trading place on the whole Arabian Gulf, was also the main marketplace in the entire Somali seaboard for various goods procured from the interior, such as livestock, coffee,
frankincense
Frankincense (also known as olibanum) is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus ''Boswellia'' in the family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French ('high-quality incense').
There are several species o ...
,
myrrh
Myrrh (; from Semitic, but see '' § Etymology'') is a gum-resin extracted from a number of small, thorny tree species of the genus ''Commiphora''. Myrrh resin has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine. Myrrh mi ...
ghee
Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals.
Description
Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
,
hide (skin)
A hide or skin is an animal skin treated for human use.
The word "hide" is related to the German word "Haut" which means skin. The industry defines hides as "skins" of large animals ''e.g''. cow, buffalo; while skins refer to "skins" of smaller an ...
, gold and ivory.
The Habr Je'lo clan of the Isaaq derived a large supply of frankincense from the trees south in the mountains near port town of Heis. This trade was lucrative and with gum and skins being traded in high quantity, Arab and Indian merchants would visit Habr Je'lo ports early in the season to get these goods cheaper than at Berbera or Zeyla before continuing westwards along the Somali coast. Heis, in addition to being a leading exporter of tanned skins also exported a large quantity of skins and sheep to
Aden
Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
as well as imported a significant amount of goods from both the Arabian coast and western Somali ports, reaching nearly 2 million rupees by 1903. The Habr Je’lo coastal settlements and ports, stretching from near Siyara in the west to Heis (Xiis) in the east, were important to trade and communication with the Somali interior, with Kurrum (
Karin
Karin may refer to:
*Karin (given name), a feminine name
Fiction
* ''Karin'' (manga) or ''Chibi Vampire'', a Japanese media franchise
*Karin Hanazono, title character of the manga and anime ''Kamichama Karin''
*Karin Kurosaki, a character in ''Bl ...
), the principle Habr Je’lo port, being a major market for livestock and frankincense procured from the interior, and was a favorite for livestock traders due to the close proximity of the port to Aden.
Starting in the middle of the 19th century, Isaaq clans became more connected to the European commercial world as historic ties between southern Somali towns along the Benadir coast with India and Oman were being reoriented southward toward Zanzibar. Isaaq trade and migration patterns were skewed by British imperial control of Aden more toward Europe and colonies like India, Egypt, and the Sudan, enabling the Isaaq to maintain a variety of contacts across the British Empire. The Isaaq clan-family became the first Somalis to actually reside abroad, in western Europe or its colonial outposts, where they socialized in two different cultures.
The Isaaq affinity for mercantilism was not lost on the sole president and dictator of the Somali Democratic Republic (1969–1991),
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
, who disliked the Isaaq clan-family due to their financial independence, thus making it harder to control them:
Siyaad had a deep and personal dislike for the clan. The real reasons can only be guessed at, but in part it was due to his inability to control them. As accomplished business operatives, they had built a society that was not dependant on government largesse. The Isaaq had traditional trade relationships with the nations of the Arabian Peninsula that continued despite the attempts of the government to center all economic activity in Mogadishu. Siyaad did what he could, however, and Isaaq traders were forced to make the long trip to Mogadishu for permits and licenses.
Nevertheless, in the 1970s and 1980s, nearly all of the livestock exports went out through the port of Berbera via Isaaq livestock traders, with the towns of Burao and Yirowe in the interior being home to the largest livestock markets in the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
. The entire livestock exports accounted to upwards of 90% of the Somali Republic's entire export figures in a given year, and Berbera's exports alone provided over 75% of the nation's recorded foreign currency income at the time.
Clan tree
In the Isaaq clan-family, component clans are divided into two uterine divisions, as shown in the genealogy. The first division is between those lineages descended from sons of Sheikh Ishaaq by a Harari woman – the Habr Habuusheed – and those descended from sons of Sheikh Ishaaq by a Somali woman of the Magaadle sub-clan of the Dir – the Habr Magaadle. Indeed, most of the largest clans of the clan-family are in fact uterine alliances hence the matronymic "Habr" which in archaic Somali means "mother". This is illustrated in the following clan structure.I. M. Lewis, ''A pastoral democracy: a study of pastoralism and politics among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa'', (LIT Verlag Münster: 1999), p. 157.
''A. Habr Magaadle''
* Ismail ( Garhajis)
* Ayub
* Muhammad ( Arap)
* Abdirahman ( Habr Awal)
''B. Habr Habuusheed''
* Ahmed (Tol Je’lo)
* Muuse ( Habr Je'lo)
* Ibrahiim ( Sanbuur)
* Muhammad (
‘Ibraan
The Ibran ( so, Cibraan or ''Cimraan'', ar, عمران, Full Name: ''Muhammad ('cimran) ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad'') is a major clan of the wider Isaaq clan family. Ibran had two sons, Egale And Yonis. Yonis's son Mohamed have two s ...
)
One tradition maintains that Sheikh Ishaaq had twin sons: Muhammad (Arap), and Ismail (Garhajis).
There is clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures that has not changed for a long time. The oldest recorded genealogy of a Somali in Western literature was by Sir Richard Burton in the mid–19th century regarding his Isaaq (Habr Yunis) host and the governor of Zeila, Sharmarke Ali Saleh
The following listing is taken from the World Bank's ''Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics'' from 2005 and the United Kingdom's Home Office publication, ''Somalia Assessment 2001''.Worldbank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics ', January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p. 55 Figure A-1Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure , p. 43
*Isaaq
** Habr Awal
*** Sa'ad Musa
*** Issa Musa
** Garhajis
*** Habr Yunis
*** Eidagale
** Arap
**Ayub
** Habr Je'lo
*** Muuse Abokor
*** Mohamed Abokor
***Samane Abokor
**Tol Je'lo
** Sanbuur
** Imraan
Stereotypes among the Isaaq clans go a long way to explaining each clan's role in Somaliland. In one exemplified folklore tale, Sheikh Ishaaq's three eldest sons split their father's inheritance among themselves. Garhajis receives his '' imama'', a symbol of leadership; Awal receives the sheikh's wealth; and Ahmed (Tolja'ele) inherits his sword. The story is intended to depict the Garhajis's proclivity for politics, the Habr Awal's mercantile prowess, and the Habr Je'lo's bellicosity.
To strengthen these clan stereotypes, historical anecdotes have been used: The Garhajis were dominant leaders before and during the colonial period, and thus acquired intellectual and political superiority; Habr Awal dominance of the trade via Djibouti and Berbera is practically uncontested; and Habr Je’lo military prowess is cited in accounts of previous conflicts.
Guled Abdi
''TallBoyz'' is a Canadian television sketch comedy troupe best known for their 2019-2022 CBC Television sketch comedy series.
The series stars Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair and Franco Nguyen, who have worked for several years in stage-based ...
, 1st Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
*
Hassan Farah
Sultan Hassan Farah ( so, Xasan Faarax, ar, حسن بن فارح was a Somali ruler. He was the third Grand Sultan of the Isaaq Sultanate
Biography
Son of Sultan Farah Guled, he was part of the second generation of the Ba Ambaro of the Rer Gule ...
, 3rd Grand Sultan of Isaaq
*
Awad Deria
Sultan Awad Deria ( so, Suldaan Cawad Suldaan Diiriye) was a Somali ruler and the 4th Sultan of the Habr Yunis during the late nineteenth century.
Biography
Awad was among the youngest sons of Sultan Diiriye who had a total of eighteen sons from ...
Sultan Mohamed Sultan Farah
Sultan Mohamed Sultan Farah ( so, Suldaan Maxamed Suldaan Faarax, ar, سلطان محمد بن فارح) was the sultan for the Arap clan, part of the wider Isaaq clan family and the first traditional leader to join the Somali National Movement. A ...
SNM SNM may refer to:
*Sacred Name Movement
*San Marino, UNDP country code
*Sant Nirankari Mission
*Scottish National Movement
* Slovak National Museum
*Somali National Movement
*Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
of the Isaaq
*
Mahamed Abdiqadir
Sultan Mahamed Abdiqadir ( so, Suldaan Maxamed Suldaan Cabdiqaadir, ar, محمد بن عبدالقادر بن عبدالله) (died 12 February 2021) was the eighth Grand Sultan of the Isaaq Sultanate.
Mahamed Abdiqadir died on 12 February 2021 ...
– 8th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
*
Madar Hersi
Sultan Madar Hersi Deria ( so, Madar Xirsi Diiriye) was a Somali ruler and the 7th Sultan of the Habr Yunis Sultanate.
Overview
Madar was a son of Hersi Deria (''not to be confused with Hersi Aman'') and grandson of Sultan Deria Sugulleh Ainashe ...
Daud Mahamed
Daud Mahamed ( so, Suldaan Daa'uud Suldaan Maxamed, ar, داؤد بن محمد بن عبدالقادر) is the ninth and current Grand Sultan of the Isaaq Sultanate. He was crowned on 13 February 2021 in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland, a day ...
, 9th and current Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
*
Sultan Osman Sultan Ali Koshin
Sultan Osman Sultan Ali Koshin ( so, Suldaan Cismaan Suldaan Cali Kooshin), is the current general sultan of the Issa Musse clans. His family were the traditional holders of the Issa Musse
The Issa Musa or ‘Isa Musa ( so, Ciise Muuse, ar, � ...
, the current Grand sultan of the Issa Musse clans
*
Sugulle Ainanshe
Sultan Sugulle Ainanshe ( so, Suldaan Sugulle Caynaanshe Xirsi) was the first Sultan of the Habr Yunis and the founder of the Habr Yunis Sultanate. Biography
The Habr Yunis Sultanate broke off from the Isaaq Sultanate during the reign of Sultan Fa ...
* Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud, Former President of Somaliland from June 2010 to December 2017, fourth and longest-serving Chairman of the Somali National Movement, and former Chairman of the Kulmiye Party
* Muse Bihi Abdi, current president of
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
* Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur, last Somali National Movement chairman and First President of Somaliland
*
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ( so, Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cabdillaahi Cirro, ar, عبد الرحمن محمد عبد الله) (born 24 April 1955), also known as Irro, is a Somaliland politician, who served as speaker of Somaliland House of R ...
, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland and the Chairman of Wadani political party
* Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, was the
Vice-President of Somaliland
The vice president of Somaliland ( so, Madaxweyne ku xigeenka Somaliland) is the deputy head of state of Somaliland and the second highest official next to the president. The vice president is the constitutional successor of the president of Som ...
from 2002 until 2010. and the second chairman of UDUB party.
*
Abdurrahman Mahmoud Aidiid
Abdurrahman Mahmoud Aidiid (Soltelco) ( so, Cabdiraxman Maxmuud Caydiid, ar, عبد الرحمن محمود عيديد) is a Somalilander politician. He is a former Mayor of Hargeisa, the largest city and capital of Somaliland from 2013 to 2021, ...
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
Ali Ismail Yacqub
Sheikh Ali Ismail Yacqub ( so, Cali Ismaaciil Yacquub) was a Somali politician, who served as the first Minister of Defence of the Somali Republic, he also served as the Deputy Minister of Justice.
Sheikh Ali was an influential member of the Som ...
Abdirahim Abbey Farah
Abdulrahim Abby Farah ( so, Cabdiraxiim Caabbi Faarax, ar, عبد الرحيم آبي فرح; October 22, 1919 – May 14, 2018) was a Welsh-born Somali diplomat and politician. He was Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations 1979-1990. He ...
, former United Nations Under-Secretary General
*
Umar Arteh Ghalib
Umar Arteh Ghalib or Omer Carte Qalib ( so, Cumar Carte Qaalib, ar, عمر عرتي غالب) (1930 – 18 November 2020) was a Somali politician. He was Prime Minister of the Somali Democratic Republic from January 24, 1991 to May 1993. Previou ...
, former Prime Minister of Somalia 1991–1993. Brought Somalia into the
Arab League
The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...
in 1974 during his term Foreign Minister of Somalia from 1969 to 1977. Former president of UN Security Council, teacher and poet
* Hussein Arab Isse, the Minister of Defence and the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia from 20 July 2011 to 4 November 2012
* Ismail Mahmud Hurre, foreign minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia from mid-2006 to early 2007
*
Ismail Ali Abokor
Ismail Ali Abokor ( so, Ismaaciil Cali Abokor) was a Somali Politician and Major General. A senior member of the Supreme Revolutionary Council, He also served as Vice President of Somalia in the era of Siad Barre between 1971 and 1982. He wa ...
Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan
Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adam ( so, Fawzia Yusuf H. Adam, ar, فوزية يوسف الحاج أدم) is a Somali politician. From 4 November 2012 to 17 January 2014, she served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia. ...
Jama Mohamed Ghalib
Jama Mohamed Ghalib ( so, Jaamac Maxamed Ghalib, ar, جامع محمد غالب) was a Somali writer, former military leader and police chief, and politician from Erigavo, Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officia ...
, former Police Commissioner of the Somali Democratic Republic, Secretary of Interior, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Minister of Transportation, and Minister of Interior.
*
Osman Dubbe
Osman Abokor Dubbe ( so, Cismaan Abokor Dubbe) is a Somali author, professor, and politician. He is the current Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Federal Government of Somalia. He belongs to the Ahmed Farah sub-division of the Habr ...
Muhammad Hawadle Madar
Muhammad Hawadle Madar ( so, Maxamed Xawaadle Madar, ar,
محمد حواضلي مذر , 1939–2005), also known as Hawadle Madar was the Prime Minister of Somalia from September 3, 1990, to January 24, 1991.Prime Minister of Somalia from 3 September 1990 to 24 January 1991
*
Ismail Ali Abokor
Ismail Ali Abokor ( so, Ismaaciil Cali Abokor) was a Somali Politician and Major General. A senior member of the Supreme Revolutionary Council, He also served as Vice President of Somalia in the era of Siad Barre between 1971 and 1982. He wa ...
Abdilahi Husein Iman Darawal
Abdilahi Husein Iman Darawal ( so, Cabdilaahi Xuseen Iimaan Darawal) is a Somaliland politician and former senior SNM senior commander. Darawal belongs to the Arap clan of the wider Isaaq clan family.
See also
* Politics of Somaliland
* ...
- Somaliland politician and former
SNM SNM may refer to:
*Sacred Name Movement
*San Marino, UNDP country code
*Sant Nirankari Mission
*Scottish National Movement
* Slovak National Museum
*Somali National Movement
*Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
Federal Government of Somalia
The Government of Somalia (GS) ( so, Dowladda Soomaaliya, ar, حكومة الصومال الاتحادية) is the internationally recognised government of Somalia, and the first attempt to create a central government in Somalia since the Somal ...
Poets
*
Hadrawi
Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame (1943 – 18 August 2022), known by the pseudonym Hadrawi, was a Somali poet, philosopher and songwriter. Having written many notable protest works, Hadrawi has been likened by some to Shakespeare, and his poetry has been ...
, poet and philosopher; author of ''Halkaraan''; also known as the "Somali Shakespeare"
* Hussein Hasan - legendary warrior and poet and was the grandson of the 1st Isaaq Sultan Guled Abdi
* Salaan Carrabey – legendary poet
* Farah Nur, a famous warrior, poet and sultan of the Arap subclan
*
Elmi Boodhari
Elmi Boodhari ( so, Cilmi Ismaaciil Liibaan, ar, علمي اسماعيل ليبان) (1908 – 1940) was a Somali poet and pioneer in the genre of Somali love poems. He is known among Somalis as the ''King of Romance'' (Boqorkii Jacaylka). He ...
, legendary and beloved poet and pioneer for many Somali poetry/music genres, specifically romance and is dubbed the "King of Romance".
* Mohamed Hashi Dhamac (Gaarriye), legendary Somali poet and political activist
*
Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed Timacade
Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed "Timacadde" ( so, Cabdilaahi Suldaan Maxamed, ar, عبد الله سلطان محمد) was a Somali poet. He was among the most prominent bards of his day.
Biography
Timacade was born in 1920 in the small town of Galoo ...
, known as 'Timacade', a famous poet during the pre- and post-colonial periods
* Kite Fiqi – legendary Habr Je'lo warrior and poet
* Hussein Hasan – famous poet and warrior
*
Yusuf Shaacir
Yusuf ( ar, يوسف ') is a male name of Arabic origin meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew lang ...
- well-known Somalipoet
*Aden Ahmed Dube of the Isaaq, Habr-Yonis tribe, great poems aroused envy in Raage Ugaz, and infrequently, bloody wars and irreconcilable enmity.
*Mohammed Liban from the Isaaq tribe of Habr Awal, was an eloquent and witty improviser, and even better known under the name of Mohammed Liban Giader.
*Aden Ahmed Dube "Gabay Xoog" circa 1821 –1916, poet.
*Abdiwaasa' Hasan Ali Araale Guleid, wellknown poet
*Abdi Iidan Farah, 20th century Somali poet who wrote about Somali independence and camels
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
Dr. Saad Ali Shire
Dr. Saad Ali Shire Naleye ( so, Dr. Sacad Cali Shire Naaleeye) is British-Somaliland politician, agronomist and economist, who is currently serving as the Minister of Finance of Somaliland. Shire formerly served as the Foreign Minister of Somali ...
, British-Somali politician, agronomist and economist, who is currently serving as the Minister of Finance of Somaliland. Shire formerly served as the Foreign Minister of Somaliland. He also served as the Minister of Planning and National Development of Somaliland.
SNM SNM may refer to:
*Sacred Name Movement
*San Marino, UNDP country code
*Sant Nirankari Mission
*Scottish National Movement
* Slovak National Museum
*Somali National Movement
*Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
Ibrahim Boghol
Ibrahim Hassan Boghol ( so, Ibraahim Xasan Buqul) was a Somali military leader. He was a member of the Dervish council, called the ''Khusuusi'', and was also the commander of the northern Dervish army. He was among the most wanted Dervish leader ...
SNA
SNA or Sna may refer to:
Organizations
* Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), Bulgaria's largest English-language news provider
* Shanni Nationalities Army
* Singapore National Academy, a school in Surabaya, Indonesia
* Sky News Australia, an Austra ...
and later the commander of the military wing of the Somali National Movement
* Mohamed Bullaleh - Prominent 20th Century tribal chief and commander of the Hagoogane raid that destroyed Dervish movement
Betty Trask Prize
The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under the age of 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. Each year the awards total £20,000, with one author receiving a larger prize amount, called the ...
*
Chunkz
Amin Mohamed ( ar, امين محمد; born 21 February 1996), better known as Chunkz, is an English YouTube personality, host, entertainer and former musician. , his YouTube channel has over 2 million subscribers and 142 million video views. ...
– English YouTuber, musician, host and entertainer
*
Ahmed Gacayte
Ahmed Mohamed Yusuf (), most commonly known as Ahmed Gacayte (), was a famous Somali singer, songwriter and composer.
History
Ahmed Gacayte was born in 1948 in a neighbourhood called Xidigta in Hargeisa, Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya scr ...
– famous Somali singer, songwriter and composer
*
Sahra Halgan
Sahra Ahmed Mohamoud () is a Somali singer and cultural activist. also known as professionally Sahra Halgan as her stage name .
Biography
Halgan was born in 1972 in Hargeisa, Somalia, at the time led by Mohamed Siad Barre. At 13 years old, she ...
Sheikh Bashir
Sheikh Bashir Sheikh Yusuf Sheikh Hassan ( so, Sheekh Bashiir Sheekh Yuusuf Sheekh Xasan, ar, الشيخ بشير الشيخ يوسف الشيخ حسن, born c. 1905) was a Somali religious leader famed for leading the 1945 Sheikh Bashir Rebell ...
Abdallah Shihiri
Abdallah Mohamed Shihiri (, ) was a senior Khusuusi member of the Somali Dervish movement and was part of the movement since its inception. He was long time companion and a childhood friend of Mohamed Abdullah Hassan and notable weapons smugg ...
, senior advisor to the
Mullah
Mullah (; ) is an honorific title for Shia and Sunni Muslim clergy or a Muslim mosque leader. The term is also sometimes used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and sharia law.
The title has also been used in some Miz ...
Deria Arale Deria Arale ( so, Diiriye Caraale) was a senior ''Khusuusi'' member of the Somali Dervish movement led by Mohamed Abdullah Hassan.
Overview
He along with Abdallah Shihiri led the 1904 Dervish delegation that facilitated the Ilig or Pestollaza ...
, senior advisor to the
Mullah
Mullah (; ) is an honorific title for Shia and Sunni Muslim clergy or a Muslim mosque leader. The term is also sometimes used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and sharia law.
The title has also been used in some Miz ...
* Abdirashid Duale, Somali entrepreneur and the CEO of Dahabshiil
* Amina Moghe Hersi (b. 1963), Award-winning Somali entrepreneur who has launched several multimillion-dollar projects in Kampala, Uganda
* Ismail Ahmed, owner and CEO of WorldRemit which is one of the fastest growing money transfer company in the world and he's considered 7th most influential man in Britain.
* Mahmood Hussein Mattan, Somali former merchant seaman who was wrongfully convicted of the
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
of Lily Volpert on 6 March 1952
*
Ibrahim Dheere
Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam.
For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam.
Ibrahim may also refer to:
* Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people w ...
, considered to be the first Somali billionaire and richest Somali person in the world with an estimated net worth of 1.8 billion US Dollars.
*
Mohammed Abdillahi Kahin
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mono ...
'Ogsadey', Somali business tycoon based in Ethiopia, where he established MAO Harar Horse, the first African corporation to export coffee and amassed a net worth of approximately $3 Billion Ethiopian Birr.
Activists
* Edna Adan Ismail, first female Foreign Minister of Somaliland, has been called "The Muslim Mother Teresa" for her charity work and activism for women and girls
* Michael Mariano – legendary Somali politician, lawyer and key figure in independence struggle and
Somali Youth League
The Somali Youth League (SYL) ( so, Ururka Dhalinyarada Soomaaliyeed رابطة الشباب الصومالي, it, Lega dei Giovani Somali or ''Lega Somala della Gioventù''), initially known as the Somali Youth Club (SYC), was the first politi ...
* Farah Omar – anti-colonial ideologue and founder of the first Somali Association
* Hassan Isse Jama, one of the founding fathers of the
SNM SNM may refer to:
*Sacred Name Movement
*San Marino, UNDP country code
*Sant Nirankari Mission
*Scottish National Movement
* Slovak National Museum
*Somali National Movement
*Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
in London, former deputy chairman of SNM, first vice president of Somaliland.
* Hassan Adan Wadadid- One of the original founders of the Somali National Movement and served as the movement's first Vice-Chairman.
* Hanan Ibrahim, gender activist and first Somali British to be awarded Member of British Empire (MBE) for community work in UK
* Nimco Ali, British social activist
* Magid Magid – Somali-British activist and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of Sheffield from May 2018 to May 2019
Athletes
* Mo Farah, British 4 time Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated athlete in British athletics history.
* Mohammed Ahmed, Somali-Canadian
long-distance runner
Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires endurance, stamina as well as mental strength.
Within e ...
Sheikh Hamse
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief o ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
player
Journalists
* Ahmed Hassan Awke, Somali journalist and broadcaster, veteran of the
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
during his military junta.
* Rageh Omaar, Somali-British journalist and writer. He used to be a BBC world affairs correspondent, In September 2006, he moved to a new post at
Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera English (AJE; ar, الجزيرة, translit=al-jazīrah, , literally "The Peninsula", referring to the Qatar Peninsula) is an international 24-hour English-language news channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which is own ...
, and as of 2017 is currently with
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. ITV has a long tradition of television news. Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the network in 1955, and has since conti ...
* Mona Kosar Abdi – news anchor for ABC's Good Morning America
Other
* Hussain Bisad, is one of the tallest men in the world, at 2.32 m (7 ft 7 1⁄2 in). He has the largest hand span of anyone alive
* Sada Mire, Swedish-Somali
archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
, art historian and presenter
* Abdi Haybe Lambad, famous Somali stand-up comedian
*
Buurmadow
Osman Aw Mohamud ( so, Cismaan Aw Maxamuud), more commonly known as Buurmadow is a well known clan elder from Somaliland.
Biography
Mohamud was born in 1965 in El Afweyn, in the Sanaag region of Somaliland to a family of nomads, with his father b ...