Sheekhaal


The Sheekhaal, also known as Fiqi Omar, is a Somali clan. They inhabit Somalia, Ethiopia Djibouti and with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District in Kenya.

Overview

Sheekhal originate from Harar in the tenth century. 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. According to the explorer Richard F. Burton, In his book First Footsteps in East Africa. The Sheekhaash or Sheekhaal is described as the only Somalis of the mountains 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. Fiqi Umar crossed over from the Arabian Peninsula to the Horn of Africa with his six sons: Umar the Greater, Umar the Lesser, the two Abdillahs, Ahmad and Siddik. Sheikh Ar-Rida is also regarded as the saint of Harar. The lineage goes back to Banu Taym, through the first Caliph Abu Bakr.
The Ahmed Loobage subclan would argue that while they are politically aligned with the larger Hawiye clan, this does not mean that they are Hawiye This view is shared by the Aw-Qutub, one of the major Sheekhal subclans; they too totally reject the notion that the Sheekhal are part of hawiye : Lobogay, Aw Qudub and Gendershe and Ali. Lewis mentions that the largest clan of the Sheikhal is the Reer Fiqi Omar, whose most important lineage, the Reer Aw Qutub, inhabit Somali region of Ethiopia. The Sheekhal clans were reportedly considered as part of the Hawiye politically until after the civil war.
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’. Shekhal are also mentioned to be one of the religious groups of Somalia along with the Ashraf.

Sheikhaal sub-clans

Faqi Ayuub Fiqi Omar Gursum in Ethiopia and Eastern Hararghe.