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Darod

 
Wikipedia: Darod
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Main article: Somali clan
Darod
بني داوود
Regions with significant populations
 Somalia
 Ethiopia
 Yemen
 Kenya
Languages

Somali and Arabic
Religion

Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups

Banu Hashim, Meheri, Hawiye, Isaaq, other Somali clans

The Darod (Somali: Daarood, Arabic: بني داوود‎) is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar (compound) and ood (place enclosed by wall, trees, woods, fence, etc).

The Darod population in Somalia lives principally in the north, with a presence in the Mogadishu area as well as southwestern Somalia. Outside of Somalia proper, there are various Darod sub-clans in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province (currently administered by Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively), as well as Yemen. Several sources, including the Canadian Report of the Somalia Commission of Inquiry, indicate that the Darod is the largest Somali clan.[1][2] However, other sources such as the CIA and Human Rights Watch indicate that the Hawiye is the largest Somali clan.[3][4]

Contents

History

The majority of Darod clan members claim to be descendants of Muhammad ibn Aqil, son of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib. Aqeel ibn Abi Talib was the second of four sons of Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, who was the uncle and protector of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Abu Talib during those early days was head of the Banu Hashim. The Darod have strong tribal relationships with the other Hashemites.

According to early Islamic books and Somali tradition, Muhammad ibn Aqil's descendant Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti (Darod), a son of the Sufi sheikh of the Qadiriyyah order, fled his homeland in the Arabian Peninsula after an argument with his uncle.[5] During the 10th or 11th century BCE,[6] he is believed to have then settled in northern Somalia just across the Red Sea and married the daughter of the Dir chief, which is said to have given rise to the Darod clan family.[5] A similar clan mythology exists for the Isaaq, whom are said to have descended from one Shaykh Ishaq ibn Ahmad al-'Alawi, another Banu Hashim who came to Somalia around the same time.[5][6] As with Sheikh Isaaq, there are also numerous existing hagiologies in Arabic which describe Sheikh Darod's travels, works and overall life in northern Somalia, as well as his movements in Arabia before his arrival.[7]

The Darod were supporters of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi during his 16th century conquest of Ethiopia, especially the Geri, Marehan, Yabarre, Harti and Bartire sub-clans, who fought at the Battle of Shimbra Kure and many others.[8]

Nobility

The Darod clan has produced numerous noble Somali men and women over the centuries, including many Sultans. Traditionally, the Darod population was mostly concentrated in the northern and northeastern cities on the Gulf of Aden and upper Indian Ocean coast in the Horn of Africa. Darod noble men ruled these settlement pockets until the European colonial powers changed the political dynamics of Somalia during the late 19th century. Before many Darods began pushing southward in the mid-1850s, the Warsangali Sultanate governed the interior regions of Sanaag and Sool, while Majeerteen sultanates held steadfast in solidly established posts from Bosaso to Hobyo.

In addition to their traditional strongholds in northern Somalia, Marehan, Ogaden, and Harti Darod members settled further down south and southwest in the Gedo region (a region which was part of Upper Jubba as well as the entire length of the Jubaland region, composed of Gedo, Middle Jubba and Lower Jubba).

Lineage

Darod is the son of the famous Sufi Sheikh, Ismail bin Ibrahim Al-Jabarti, who is believed to have been born in Arabia. Tradition holds that he is descended from the Banu Hashim.[5]

According to the book Aqeeliyoon, his lineage is: Abdirahmaan Bin Ismaa'iil Bin Ibraahim Bin Abdirahmaan Bin Muhammed Bin Abdi Samad Bin Hanbal Bin Mahdi Bin Ahmed Bin Abdallah Bin Muhammed Bin Aqil Bin Abu-Talib Bin Abdul-Mutalib Bin Hashim.[6]

Sons of Daarood Ismail

Darod had five sons:

  • Muhammad bin Abdirahman: Maxamed-Kablalax Daarood
  • Ahmed bin Abdirahman: Axmed-Sade Daarood
  • Hussien bin Abdirahman: Xuseen-Tanade Daarood
  • Yousuf bin Abdirahman: Yusuuf-Awrtable Daarood
  • Eissa bin Abdirahman: Ciise Daarood

Clan tree

There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. 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.[9][10]

In the south central part of Somalia the World Bank shows the following clan tree:[11]

  • Darood
    • Kablalah
      • Koobe
      • Kumade
    • Isse
    • Sade
      • Mareehan
      • Facaye
    • Ortoble
    • Leelkase (Lelkase)

In Puntland the World Bank shows the following:[12]

  • Darod
    • Marehan
    • Awrtable
    • Lelkase

Notable Darod people

Darod's tomb

Darod is buried in an old town called Haylaan near Badhan in the north-eastern Sanaag region of Somalia. His wife Dobira is buried just outside of the town.

Darod's tomb

Darod's tomb

Darod's tomb

Dobira's tomb

Dobira's tomb

Haylaan, former home of Darod and his resting place

Haylaan

Haylaan

Haylaan

Notes

  1. ^ "The Situation in Somalia". Report of the Somali Commission of Inquiry, Vol. 1. http://www.dnd.ca/somalia/vol1/v1c11e.htm. Retrieved November 21, 2005. 
  2. ^ Somalia Assesment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure, Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain
  3. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2002). "Ethnic Groups". Somalia Summary Map. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/somalia_ethnic_grps_2002.jpg. Retrieved February 15, 2006. 
  4. ^ Human Rights Watch (1990). "Somalia: Human Rights Developments". Human Rights Watch World Report 1990. http://www.hrw.org/reports/1990/WR90/AFRICA.BOU-09.htm. Retrieved November 21, 2005. 
  5. ^ a b c d Rima Berns McGown, Muslims in the diaspora, (University of Toronto Press: 1999), pp.27-28
  6. ^ a b c I.M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali, fourth edition (Oxford: James Currey, 2002), p. 22
  7. ^ Roland Anthony Oliver, J. D. Fage, Journal of African history, Volume 3, (Cambridge University Press.: 1962), p.45
  8. ^ Sihab ad-Din Ahmad bin'Abd al-Qader, Futuh al-Habasa: The conquest of Ethiopia, translated by Paul Lester Stenhouse with annotations by Richard Pankhurst (Hollywood: Tsehai, 2003), pp. 50, 76
  9. ^ Worldbank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p.55
  10. ^ Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure, p. 43
  11. ^ Worldbank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p.56 Figure A-2
  12. ^ Worldbank, Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p.57 Figure A-3
  13. ^ [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/so.html#history History of the flag]
  14. ^ Somalia Online

References

External links


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