{{Short description|Somali clan}}{{About|a Somali clan|an overview of all Somali clans|Somali clans|their ancestral forefather|Abadir Umar ar-Rida}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{pp-move-indef}} {{Infobox tribe | name = Sheikhaal<br>بنو شيخال | ethnicity = Somali | location = {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}Ethiopia<br>{{flagicon|Somalia}}Somalia | parent_tribe = | language = {{flagicon|Somalia}}Somali<br>{{flagicon|Arab League}}Arabic | religion = Sunni Islam | branches = *Qudub Fiqi Umar (Reer Aw Qudub) *Ahmed Fiqi Umar (Reer Axmed Loobage) *Haasan Fiqi Umar (Reer Aw Xasan) * Mohamed Fiqi Umar (Sheekhaal jaziira) *Osman Fiqi Umar (Sheekhaal Gendershe) | type = Somali clan | image = | caption = | descended = Abadir Umar ar-Rida | image_size = 300 | nisba = }}
The '''Sheekhaal''' (var. '''Sheikhaal''', {{langx|ar|شيخال}}), also known as '''Fiqi Cumar''' is a clan that inhabits Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District (NFD) in Kenya.
==Overview== Sheekhal traces its ancestry to Sheikh Abadir Umar Ar-Rida, also known as ''Fiqi Umar'', who in turn traced his lineage to the first caliph, Abu Bakr (Sayid Abubakar Al-Sadiq).<ref>{{Citation |last1=Nyadera |first1=Israel Nyaburi |title=Clan Configuration and Identity Networks in Somalia |date=2024 |work=The Somalia Conflict Revisited: Trends and Complexities of Spatial Governance on National and Regional Security |pages=39–58 |editor-last=Nyadera |editor-first=Israel Nyaburi |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55732-3_2 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland |language=en |isbn=978-3-031-55732-3 |last2=Islam |first2=Nazmul |last3=Agwanda |first3=Billy |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-55732-3_2 |editor2-last=Islam |editor2-first=Nazmul |editor3-last=Agwanda |editor3-first=Billy|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
According to the explorer Richard F. Burton, in his book ''First Footsteps in East Africa,'' the Sheekhaal are described as the only Somalis who maintain a tradition of genealogy not derived from Dir and Darood. They claim descent from "Caliph Abu Bakr" and asserted that their ancestor ''Khutab bin Fakih Umar'' crossed over from Al-Hijaz to the Horn of Africa.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Burton |first=Sir Richard Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuEYAAAAYAAJ&q=Abu+Bakr+Dir+Darud |title=First Footsteps in East Africa, Or, An Exploration of Harar |date=1894 |publisher=Tylston and Edwards |isbn=978-0-7054-1500-2 |pages=193 |language=en}}</ref> Fiqi Umar crossed over with his six sons: Umar the Greater, Umar the Lesser, the two Abdillahs, Ahmad and Siddik.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Burton |first=Sir Richard Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuEYAAAAYAAJ&q=Khutab+bin+Fakih |title=First Footsteps in East Africa, Or, An Exploration of Harar |date=1894 |publisher=Tylston and Edwards |isbn=978-0-7054-1500-2 |pages=193 |language=en}}</ref> Sheikh Ar-Rida is also regarded the patron saint of Harar.<ref name="Uhlig">Siegbert Uhlig, ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: He-N'', Volume 3, (Otto Harrassowitz Verlag: 2007), pp.111 & 319.</ref> The lineage goes back to Banu Taym, through the first Caliph Abu Bakr.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XpdAzRYruCwC&q=sheekhaal%3DPA173&pg=PA126|title=The Invention of Somalia|last1=Wolford|first1=Ali |last2=Jimcale|date=1995-10-04|publisher=First Edition Design Pub.|isbn=978-0932415998|pages=55|language=en}}</ref>
Some clans of Sheekhaal would argue that while they are politically aligned with the larger Hawiye clan, this does not mean that they are Hawiye.<ref name="jama2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lAyeNqKK7bQC&pg=PA140|title=Who Cares About Somalia|author=Hassan Ali Jama|publisher=Verlag Hans Schiler|year=2005|isbn=3-89930-075-0|location=Berlin|page=140}}</ref> This view is shared by the Aw-Qutub, one of the Sheekhaal subclans; they too totally reject the notion that the Sheekhal clan are part of Hawiye. Lobogay (Loboge) are considered part of (Hiraab, Aw Qudub and Gendershe and Ali).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.somraf.org/research%20Matrerials/joint%20british%20danish%20dutch%20fact%20finding%20mission%20in%20Nairobi%20-%202001.pdf|title=Report on minority groups in Somalia|date=2000-11-24|author=Joint British, Danish and Dutch fact-finding mission to Nairobi, Kenya|page=55|accessdate=2013-01-02|location=Nairobi, Kenya|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021044246/http://www.somraf.org/research%20Matrerials/joint%20british%20danish%20dutch%20fact%20finding%20mission%20in%20Nairobi%20-%202001.pdf|archive-date=2013-10-21}}</ref>
Lewis (1982) mentions that the largest clan of the Sheikhal is the Reer Fiqi Omar, whose most important lineage, the Reer Aw Qutub, inhabit the Somali Region of Ethiopia.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=I.M|title=A study of pastoralism and politics among the northern Somalis of the Horn of Africa|publisher=Africana Publishing Company|location=New York|year=1982|pages=10–11|url=http://www.somraf.org/research%20Matrerials/joint%20british%20danish%20dutch%20fact%20finding%20mission%20in%20Nairobi%20-%202001.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021044246/http://www.somraf.org/research%20Matrerials/joint%20british%20danish%20dutch%20fact%20finding%20mission%20in%20Nairobi%20-%202001.pdf|archive-date=2013-10-21}}</ref> The Sheekhal clans were reportedly considered as part of the Hawiye politically until after the civil war.<ref name="jama">{{Cite book | author=Hassan Ali Jama | year=2005 | title=Who Cares About Somalia | location=Berlin | publisher= Verlag Hans Schiler | page=140 | isbn=3-89930-075-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lAyeNqKK7bQC&pg=PA140}}</ref>
General Mohamed Ibrahim Liiqliqato, who was a Sheikhal, described in his book how the Sheikhal became associated with the Hawiye and added as ‘Martileh Hiraab’ (literally meaning ''guests of Hiraab'').<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joakim Gundel |first=COI Workshop Vienna |date=December 2009 |title=Clans in Somalia Report on a Lecture |url=https://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/90_1261130976_accord-report-clans-in-somalia-revised-edition-20091215.pdf |website=www.ecoi.net}}</ref> The Sheekhaal are also mentioned to be one of the religious groups of Somalia along with the Asharaf.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The religious minority groups of Somalia |url=http://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/old-site-downloads/download-912-Click-here-to-download-full-report.pdf |website=www.minorityrights.org}}</ref>
The Wardiq a now sub clan of Issa are historically associated with the Sheekhal.<ref>{{cite book |last1=LEWIS |first1=I. M. |title=NOTES ON THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE ʿĪSE SOMALI |publisher=Istituto per l'Oriente C. A. Nallino |page=73 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41299496}}</ref> [[File:Jamal Jabiye - Sheekhaal Gendershe - 1st Somali Mayor of Mogadishu.jpg|thumb|Mohammed Sheikh Jamal- Mayor of Mogadishu]]
==Sheekhaal clans== # Reer Aw Qudub (Qudub Fiqi Cumar) # Reer Axmed Loobage (Ahmed fiqicumar) <ref name="Hagi">{{Cite book |author=Colucci |first=Massimo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kbo0AAAAIAAJ |title=Principi di diritto consuetudinario della Somalia italiana meridionale: i gruppi sociali, la proprietà con dieci tavole dimostrative, sotto gli auspici del governo della Somalia italiana |publisher= |year=1924 |location= |page=97}}</ref> # Reer Aw Xasan (Xasan fiqicumar) # Sheekhaal jaziira (Mohamed fiqicumar) # Sheekhaal Gendershe (Cismaan fiqicumar)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Al-Nadhiiri |first=Sharif 'Aydarus |title=Bughyat al-Amal fi Tarikh al Sumal (The History of Somalia). |url=https://arcadia.sba.uniroma3.it/bitstream/2307/1034/5/42_M.H.%20MUKHTAR%20-%20The%20arabic%20sources%20on%20Somalia.pdf}}</ref>
==Prominent figures== {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2022}} * Abdulrahman Kinana, first Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly, 2001–2006; former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence of Tanzania. *Mohamed Ibrahim Liqliiqato, Prominent Somali politician, diplomat, and Major General from Kismayo lower Jubba region. He was a Somali ambassador to the Soviet Union, and ambassador to West-Germany in 1970s. He also held the ministry of Agriculture and Interior ministry. He is the longest-serving speaker of the parliament, holding the position from 1982 to 1991. The Liiqliiqato bridge in Beledwen named after him. *Mohammed Hussein Ali, former commissioner of the Kenya Police and Major General. *Dahir Adan Elmi, chief of Somali Armed Forces, major general and the commander of Qabdir-Daharre Battalion in Somalia-Ethiopian War in 1977 who won bravery golden award that war. He is regarded as the most decorated general in Somali army.
== See also == * Wardiq
==References== {{Reflist}}
===Works cited=== * http://www.geeskaafrika.com/20606/somalia-the-first-governor-of-hiiraan-1960/ * {{cite book|last1=Abbink|first1=G. J.|year=2009|title=The Total Somali Clan Genealogy (second edition)<!-- Deny Citation Bot-->|series=Asc Working Paper Series|volume=84|location=Leiden|publisher=African Studies Centre|hdl=1887/14007|url=https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007}}
Category:Somali clans Category:Somali clans in Ethiopia