Madar Ahmed Shirwac, better known as Sheikh Madar (; 1825–1918) was a 19th-century
Somali political/religious leader, a social reformer, merchant and a jurist who is known as the founder of
Hargeisa
Hargeisa ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland, a ''List of states with limited recognition, de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still considered internationally to be part of Somalia. It is also th ...
.
He hailed from the Yunis Nuh division of the wider
Sacad Muuse Habr Awal
The Habr Awal, alternately known as the Zubeyr Awal (, , Full Name: '' Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad)'' is one of the largest subclans of the wider Isaaq clan family, and is further divided into eight su ...
Isaaq
The Isaaq (, , ''Banu Ishaq'') is a major Somali clans, Somali clan. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory.
The Isaaq people claim in a traditional legend ...
clan. His tomb is now a venerated Sufi shrine in the city.
Biography
Early life
Born into a wealthy mercantile family in
Berbera
Berbera (; , ) is the capital of the Sahil, Somaliland, Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country, located approximately 160 km from the national capital, Hargeisa. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of t ...
, Madar was sponsored by his father to study religion for 20 years in
Harar
Harar (; Harari language, Harari: ሀረር / ; ; ; ), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, ݘٛىيْ, ''Gēy'', ), is a List of cities with defensive walls, walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is al ...
. Harar was the centre of Islamic learning in the
Horn
Horn may refer to:
Common uses
* Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide
** Horn antenna
** Horn loudspeaker
** Vehicle horn
** Train horn
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals
* Horn (instrument), a family ...
, and a very familiar city for his
Habr Awal
The Habr Awal, alternately known as the Zubeyr Awal (, , Full Name: '' Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad)'' is one of the largest subclans of the wider Isaaq clan family, and is further divided into eight su ...
clan which controlled the lucrative caravan trade stretching to Berbera with strong ties with the
Emirate of Harar
The Emirate of Harar was a Muslim kingdom founded in 1647 when the Harari people refused to accept Imām ʿUmardīn Ādam as their ruler and broke away from the Imamate of Aussa to form their own state under `Ali ibn Da`ud.
The Harar, city of Ha ...
. Upon the completion of his studies Sheikh
Kabir Khalil one of the three top
ulema
In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam.
"Ulama ...
in Harar advised him to establish a
Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya () or the Qadiri order () is a Sunni Sufi order (''Tariqa'') founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani (1077–1166, also transliterated ''Jilani''), who was a Hanbali scholar from Gilan, Iran.
The order, with its many sub-orders, is widesp ...
tariqa commune in present-day Hargeisa.
Move to Hargeisa

In the mid 19th century Hargeisa and the surrounding region was a hotbed of clan strife with raids being made on caravans attempting to pass through.
Madar alongside other Sufi sheikhs established the ''Jama'a Weyn'' or ''the big congregation'' in Hargeisa. The new congregation adhered to the 900 year old
Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya () or the Qadiri order () is a Sunni Sufi order (''Tariqa'') founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani (1077–1166, also transliterated ''Jilani''), who was a Hanbali scholar from Gilan, Iran.
The order, with its many sub-orders, is widesp ...
order established by renowned Shaykh
Abdul Qadir Gilani
Abdul Qadir Gilani (; ; c. 1077/78 – 1166) was a Hanbali scholar, preacher, and Sufi leader who was the eponym of the Qadiriyya, one of the oldest Sufi orders.
He was born c. 1077/78 in the town of Na'if, Rezvanshahr in Gilan, Persia, ...
and introduced new practices that would put Hargeisa on the trajectory to becoming the largest Somali city in
Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...
and the second largest Somali inhabited city to date.
Hargeisa and its environs had suitable soil and ample water supply for agriculture yet the pastoralists had not been taking advantage of this fact. Madar alongside the other leaders of ''Jam'a Weyn'' introduced the cultivation of
sorghum
''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...
and the new construction of permanent housing and creating his grand mosque in 1883.
The Sheikh was also responsible for leading the communal prayers supplicating to
Allah
Allah ( ; , ) is an Arabic term for God, specifically the God in Abrahamic religions, God of Abraham. Outside of the Middle East, it is principally associated with God in Islam, Islam (in which it is also considered the proper name), althoug ...
for rain in a ritual known as ''roobdoon''.
The ''Jama'a'' formed a nucleus that attracted other pastoralists to come and settle in the burgeoning town. As well, clan conflicts were mitigated as the new community had managed to unify on a shared religious identity rather than aligning strictly on traditional clan basis. With the Sheikh succeeding in the task delegated to him by his master Sheikh Kabir. Religious leaders in the ''Jama'a'' took it upon themselves to place the disabled in the region under their care.
Berbera debates
In Berbera the established
Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya () or the Qadiri order () is a Sunni Sufi order (''Tariqa'') founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani (1077–1166, also transliterated ''Jilani''), who was a Hanbali scholar from Gilan, Iran.
The order, with its many sub-orders, is widesp ...
tariqa would soon be challenged by a new tariqa. The most prominent Sheikh of the
Salihiyya order was
Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, ...
who arrived in Berbera in 1895 and constructed his own masjid and began propagating. He was strongly against
khat
Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar area (present day eastern Ethiopia) and ...
and chewing tobacco, both of which the Qadiriyya had permitted. Amongst other disputes he would come to debate the leading Qadiriyya sheikhs of Berbera including Aw Gaas and Xaaji Ibrahim Xirsi. Sheikh Madar the leader of Somali Qadiriyya was invited to participate in 1897 and after rigorous discussion, the Qadiriyya tariqa had proved victorious and Mahmud Abdalla Hassan had been refuted. British authorities took note of the disturbance and turmoil and he was thus expelled from the city. The divisions were deep and both sides had accused the other of
heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy.
Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
, Mahmud Abdalla Hassan would go on to form the
Dervish
Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from ) in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage is found particularly in Persi ...
movement based on Salihiyya just two years after the debates partly in rebuke of the Qadiriyya status quo.
Influence & anti Ethiopian efforts

As a respected elder and influential peacemaker Sheikh Madar held considerable sway over the
Habr Awal
The Habr Awal, alternately known as the Zubeyr Awal (, , Full Name: '' Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Ishaaq bin Ahmed, Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad)'' is one of the largest subclans of the wider Isaaq clan family, and is further divided into eight su ...
clan and this leverage was recognized by the British Parliament in the face of the Salihiyya
Dervish Movement which had severely disrupted the trade of
British Somaliland
British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate (), was a protectorate of the United Kingdom in modern Somaliland. It was bordered by Italian Somalia, French Somali Coast and Ethiopian Empire, Abyssinia (Italian Ethiopia from 1936 ...
.
The protectorate was required to raise its own revenues to cover expenses and trade being halted or crippled was a massive blow to stability in the region.
In the 1901 Parliamentary Sessional Report Madar's influence is discussed
Sheikh Madar the head of the religious community here is entirely on the side of law and order and exerts considerable influence over the Habr Awal tribes in this direction, one and all of whom are opposed to the Mullah's faction
Reports are now current that the Mullah
Mullah () is an honorific title for Islam, Muslim clergy and mosque Imam, leaders. The term is widely used in Iran and Afghanistan and is also used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and Sharia, sharia law.
The title h ...
will move towards Odweina. At Hargaisa Sheikh Madar is collecting the Aidagalleh and Habr Awal tribes to oppose his advances in that direction. Sheikh can command a sufficient following to safeguard Hargaisa, and I should say that the Mullah will not attempt to penetrate so far west.
As well, the quickly expanding
Ethiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire, historically known as Abyssinia or simply Ethiopia, was a sovereign state that encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak a ...
had taken large swathes of new territory around the turn of the century and tribes just outside the protectorate were cowed to pay tribute to General
Ras Makonnen.
His forces threatened Hargeisa itself and coerced tribes to leave British protection. Sheikh Madar alongside other traditional leaders organized the scouting alongside protectorate authorities to gain advanced warning of potentially devastating attack. Fortunately, Makonnen was checked and the raid did not materialize.
Legacy

Following Madar's death in 1918 his son Yusuf followed in his footsteps and became a respected Sheikh in his own right. However, His other son Ali Sh Madar Ahmed chose to become an entrepreneur and become a successful and wealthy entrepreneur with the blessing of his father Sheikh Madar. At a later years. Ali Sheikh Madar's son Sh Yussuf Ali Sheikh Madar later become the 2nd Chairman of SNM and was a scholar and teacher and the first Foreign Minister of Somaliland. Sh Yusuf's son Ibrahim Yusuf Madar, also a Sheikh, would go on to be the lead mediator in the grass roots reconciliation process of the northern clans following the
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War (; ) is an List of ongoing armed conflicts, ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed ...
at the
Borama Conference
The Somaliland Peace Process refers to the series of grassroot initiatives that brought peace to Somaliland after the collapse of central government of Somalia. In conjunction with the Somali National Movement, communities in Somaliland (formerly ...
. Ibrahim ensured adequate clan representation to truly create a lasting peace in
Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...
.
Hargeisa has grown to become a vibrant cultural hub and is the current capital of Somaliland. The eponymously named neighborhood of Sheikh Madar today in Hargeisa is one of the oldest in the city and the site of the original ''jama'a'' falls in the area. Sheikh Madar's introductions and reforms left behind a lasting effect that continues into the present day. He introduced permanent settlements, reforming a nomadic life based on following after the rains and pastures. Secondly, he brought together members of various clans in an affiliation of brotherhood and directed his followers toward agriculture, changing the culture of nomadic pastoralism and as well as the culture based on single clan loyalty. The impact of Sheikh Madar's introduction of agriculture can be seen in the agricultural firms in the area west of Hargeisa,
Gabiley
Gabiley (, ), also known as Gebiley, is a city in the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland.
Gabiley is located 58 km west of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. It is in the center of the Gabiley district, bounded on the north by the Gulf of ...
and
Borama
Borama (, ) is the largest city of the northwestern Awdal region of Somaliland. The commercial seat of the province, it is situated near the border with Ethiopia.
During the Middle Ages, Borama was ruled by the Adal Sultanate. It later formed a ...
districts.
Making Sense of Somali History: Volume 1
by Abdullahi, Abdurahman Page 80
See also
* Sheikh Ibrahim Sheikh Yusuf Sheikh Madar's grandson and former Guurti leader
* Kabir Khalil Sheikh Madar's teacher
*Sultan Deria Hassan, Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
The Isaaq (, , ''Banu Ishaq'') is a major Somali clans, Somali clan. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory.
The Isaaq people claim in a traditional legend ...
clan
*Harald George Carlos Swayne
Colonel Harald George Carlos Swayne (1860–1940) was a British soldier, explorer, naturalist and big game hunter, he was the older brother of Eric John Eagles Swayne.
Military career
Commissioned into the Royal Engineers and commencing his se ...
British officer & author of ''Seventeen Trips to Somaliland'' who photographed Sheikh Madar
*Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, ...
leader of the Dervish movement and prominent Salihiyya Sheikh who was opposed to Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya () or the Qadiri order () is a Sunni Sufi order (''Tariqa'') founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani (1077–1166, also transliterated ''Jilani''), who was a Hanbali scholar from Gilan, Iran.
The order, with its many sub-orders, is widesp ...
and debated Madar
*Hargeisa
Hargeisa ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland, a ''List of states with limited recognition, de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still considered internationally to be part of Somalia. It is also th ...
the setting of most of Madar's adult life
*Sheikh Uways Al-Barawi
Sheikh Uways Al-Barawi (; 1847–1909) was a Somali scholar credited with reviving Islam in 19th century East Africa. Biography Early life
Sheikh Uways was born in Barawa during the Geledi Sultanate period on the Benadir of Somalia coast, the so ...
leading Qadiriyya scholar from Barawa
Barawa ( ''Barāwe'', , ''Baraawe'', ''Barāwa'', Italian language, Italian: ''Brava''), also known as Barawe and Brava, is the capital city, capital of the South West State of Somalia, South West State of Somalia.Pelizzari, Elisa. "Guerre civ ...
and fiercely anti-Salihiyya, architect of the Benadir revolt
*Harar
Harar (; Harari language, Harari: ሀረር / ; ; ; ), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, ݘٛىيْ, ''Gēy'', ), is a List of cities with defensive walls, walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is al ...
, the city where he studied and became versed in religion
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheikh Madar
Somalian religious leaders
Somalian Muslims
19th-century Somali people
20th-century Somalian people
1825 births
1918 deaths
Isaaq
Scholars of precolonial East Africa