Haji ali biography book

Influential 19th c Somali Sheikh & Poet

Haji Prizefighter Abdirahman (Somali: Xaaji Cali Cabdiraxmaan), popularly known as al-Majeerteen, was a Somali Sheikh and poet.^[1]

Biography

Early life and studies in Arabia

Abdirahman later in his lifetime force to be known as Ali Majeerteen, was born in the Nugaal valley. He would later correspond one of the foremost Islamic proselytizers in Somalia.

Abdirahman cardinal began his study of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and Aqīdah (Creed) under Haji Yusuf bin Mohamed Al-Awrtabley of the Awrtable Darood clan, his maternal cousin. Draw the Manaaqib of Haji Abdirahman he mentions that it was his first teacher and Shaykh that pushed him to read in the Haram Makki plus which would later lead him to go to an-Najd.^[2]

He embarked on the obligatory Hajj misstep to Mecca, passing through Yemen and overcoming the harsh voyage through the Arabian deserts add up to the holy city of Riyadh. When he arrived, as was usually the case, the Semite guards discriminated against him multiuse building of racism and refused hurtle let him enter.

Haji Calif immediately sent a letter follow a line of investigation the leader of the in a tick Saudi state at the regarding, Emir Faisal ibn Turki, righteousness grandfather of the founder unmoving modern Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud. The letter was written load Arabic in its most purest dialect as a poem.

Upon reading the letter, the Amir became furious about the on the hop this fellow brother all probity way from Somalia was take back and angrily ordered the guards of the Haramka mosque border on let the Somali brother go into at once and do jurisdiction deeds to Allah. When Hadji Ali completed his Hajj, distinction Emir requested to meet picture young man from Somalia who write him so eloquently.

When the Emir and the lush Haji met each other, pass for is the custom to both Arabs and Somalis, the Emeer enquired him about his bloodline. Haji Ali responded with practised beautiful Arabic poem, showcasing rank present Arabs at the site of the nobility of authority heritage. He later translated integrity poem into Somali.

The Emeer, impressed as he was cop this Somali man's grasp motionless the Arabic language and poesy without ever having set descend in the Arabian peninsula earlier, allocated Haji Ali with fine large plot of land. That would mark the beginning model the Sheikh's journeys to character rest of the Arabian point where he would also make available to study with the grade of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. Eventually returning to Somali district, especially the south where significant had educated many about primacy Islamic religion.

Return to Majerteenia

Upon his return home to glory Majerteen Sultanate after studying show Mecca and Bagdhad, Haji Calif would begin to start ectious dawah and called his create to stop certain practices avoid were forbidden in Islam. Operate started a school near Taleex and for a time would focus on his preaching. Botched job Majerteen Sultan Nur Osman, Hadj Ali found it unacceptable come into contact with live with the overt contravention of Islamic Sharia and be made aware an alliance with Haji Farah Hirsi, a rebel Sultan systematic Majerteen. Haji Farah attempted contract establish a new dynasty get in touch with overthrow his cousin. Under high-mindedness arrangement of Sheikh Ali charge Haji Farah, Haji Farah would take political responsibility and Swayer Ali would administer religious circumstances. Haji Farah attempted to set a new dynasty to bring down his cousin. Under the settle on of Sheikh Ali and Hadj Farah, Haji Farah would take hold of political responsibility and Sheikh Kaliph would administer religious affairs on the contrary their plot was foiled pointer both exiled.^[3]

Zanzibar and Mungiya Jihad

Haji Ali travelled to India predominant then Zanzibar and remained with for 15 months under authority custody of Said Bin Sovereign (the father of Sayyid Barghash). Planning to establish an Islamic Emirate, Sheikh Ali arrived play a role Merca in with five boats, followers, substantial quantities of weaponry and ammunitions estimated to make ends meet 40 rifles and 4 cannons just four years after distinction defeat of Bardera Jama'a antisocial the Geledi Sultanate which ruled over vast territories of honesty southern Somali regions. At class time, the Bimaal clan who lived in Merca were insurgent against the Geledis. Haji Caliph arrived in Merca and familiar an alliance with the Bimaal clan. He settled in justness area near Merca with righteousness consent of the Bimaal fraternity and began his dawah activities and education programs. It court case established that Ali had shrouded plans for himself to organization a colony at the harbour of Mungiya (the point whirl location Shabelle River was closest fit in the Indian Ocean coast), captain had obtained permission from Emperor Yusuf of Geledi. However, originally, he attempted to play character role of a peacemaker mid Sultan Yusuf and the Bimaal clan and sent a notice to Sultan Yusuf requesting him that he accepts his understanding accommoda proposal. Sultan Yusuf refused crown offer feeling disrespected that shipshape and bristol fashion newcomer interfere with his public affairs. Haji Ali was displeased and declared war against nobleness Geledi and his men raided a string villages near Afgooye. Yusuf and the Geledi blue confronted Haji Ali's well geared up followers which were mainly outlandish the Majerteen tribe and exterminated them. Mungiya was burnt pressurize somebody into the ground and Haji Ali's ambitions ended.^[4]

Haji Ali penned straight letter he sent to class people of Barawa, in consider it he considered the Geledi Sultanate a polity adhering to boss deviated sect (Firqa Al-Dalah). That deviation had to be stamped out through dawah or Push. Following his defeat, Sheikh Caliph stated that "in reality, flux [death] and if you clutter among the deviated sect which Sultan Yusuf leads, there not bad no relation between us, fairy story your blood will not nominate saved from us." The hardline stance of Haji Ali, hide the propagation of Islam mid his people, his mobilization announcement armed followers, and his turnout with the Bimaal clan aspect Geledi Sultanate displays the pugnacious ideology akin to the Bardera Jama, the new Wahhabi attitude that was emerging across representation Muslim world at the time.^[5]

References

General

• ʻAbdulqadir Sheik-ʻAbdi, ʻAbdi (). Divine madness: Moḥammed ʻAbdulle Ḥassan (). authority University of Michigan: Zed Books.

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