Islamic-relief.org.uk. ''Mogadishu was founded by settlers in the 8th century''
- Thread starter Fobnimo Till I Dhimo
- Start date
Mogadishu is a Somali city. It was not founded by madows (Bantus). It was not founded by Arabs. It was not founded by Persians. It was not founded by Indians. It was not founded by Italians.
It was founded and entirely ruled by Somalis exclusively. Enough of this historic revisionism.
It was founded and entirely ruled by Somalis exclusively. Enough of this historic revisionism.
Idilinaa
VIP
That link has been shared before it's from 2020. InshaAllah, many of these misconceptions will be corrected in due time. One key example is the term “Ajuuran”: rather than strictly referring to a historical sultanate or empire, I see it more as a placeholder name that reflects certain administrative dynamics. In local usage, it’s often a nickname for those involved in taxation and governance in fact, the term itself means ''taxation.''
I also want to address and correct some of the misinformation shared in this thread, particularly the misconceptions surrounding the Reer Xamar tribes.
The founders of the 4 main Xamar confederacies are from pastoral Somali lineage groups linked either to Hawiye, Xawdle or Ajuran(Abdalla Dayle) clans and then some are Sheekhal.
For example 5 out of 7 clans that make up Morshow are Ajuuran which is the Reer Eebow, ReerMahadow Amin, Reer Aweys Nuurow, 1 is Reer Kahlifow which is a Hawiye clan from Qelafo, Same with Reer Aweys Nuurow and 2 of them are Bah Xamish and Xaatimi which trace their ancestry from Arab paternal lines
Interestingly, the Reer Khalifow clan also played a key role in founding Bendawow and were said to have settled in Mogadishu alongside Morshow during the Towns founding, according to local traditions.
In another case, among the 8 sub-lineages that make up Bendawow: 5 trace their ancestry to Somali pastoralist clans Hawiye, Ishaaq, Ajuran, Ogaden, etc. The remaining 3 likely trace their descent to Arab paternal lineages
Similarly Dabarweyne they descend from mainly Xawadle.
Iskahaato it seems they were mostly made up of Reer Shaykh Mummin and Reer Indhoweyn. I am unsure what clan Reer Asceare, the italian spelling butchers the name but it also says they depended on Morshow.
This all suggests that Arab or other southwestern immigrants often assimilated into Somali clan confederacies, becoming fully integrated both culturally and genealogically. Which brings me to a deeper point:
This is exactly why I question the rigid "gibil cad" vs. "gibil madow" racial binary. That kind of division doesn’t reflect the actual structure of Somali clan systems especially in coastal urban centers like Mogadishu, where these groups lived among each other, intermarried, and formed unified confederacies.
Interestingly, in Italian colonial records and censuses, you see “gibil cad” clans counted separately from confederacies like Morshow, Dabarweyne, and Bendawow which were grouped under “gibil madow.” This separation appears arbitrary and likely based on paternal lineage dividing those who trace descent from Arab forebears vs. those from Somali pastoralist clans.
Lastly, there's no solid evidence to support the idea that Mogadishu was founded in the 8th century. The earliest known mention of Mogadishu is from the 12th century. While the city was likely founded earlier, the widely repeated stories of an Persian/Arab-founded city in the 700s/900s lack corroboration from contemporary medieval sources or archaeological evidence.
What makes the idea of an Arab founding unlikely, in my opinion, is that the economies of the southern coastal towns were deeply interconnected with their interior regions they relied on them like a lifeline. The southern coast itself has limited natural resources and is largely surrounded by red sandy hilltops with minimal arable or grazing land. This makes sustained settlement dependent on access to the inland economy.
Additionally, the existence of a continuous chain of coastal villages and towns stretching from Zayla to Kismaayo points to a long-standing indigenous presence and gradual development, rather than isolated foreign foundations.
We actually covered Etymology and the cultural relevance of the name Xamar in another thread:
I also want to address and correct some of the misinformation shared in this thread, particularly the misconceptions surrounding the Reer Xamar tribes.
The founders of the 4 main Xamar confederacies are from pastoral Somali lineage groups linked either to Hawiye, Xawdle or Ajuran(Abdalla Dayle) clans and then some are Sheekhal.
For example 5 out of 7 clans that make up Morshow are Ajuuran which is the Reer Eebow, ReerMahadow Amin, Reer Aweys Nuurow, 1 is Reer Kahlifow which is a Hawiye clan from Qelafo, Same with Reer Aweys Nuurow and 2 of them are Bah Xamish and Xaatimi which trace their ancestry from Arab paternal lines
Interestingly, the Reer Khalifow clan also played a key role in founding Bendawow and were said to have settled in Mogadishu alongside Morshow during the Towns founding, according to local traditions.
In another case, among the 8 sub-lineages that make up Bendawow: 5 trace their ancestry to Somali pastoralist clans Hawiye, Ishaaq, Ajuran, Ogaden, etc. The remaining 3 likely trace their descent to Arab paternal lineages
Similarly Dabarweyne they descend from mainly Xawadle.
Iskahaato it seems they were mostly made up of Reer Shaykh Mummin and Reer Indhoweyn. I am unsure what clan Reer Asceare, the italian spelling butchers the name but it also says they depended on Morshow.
This all suggests that Arab or other southwestern immigrants often assimilated into Somali clan confederacies, becoming fully integrated both culturally and genealogically. Which brings me to a deeper point:
This is exactly why I question the rigid "gibil cad" vs. "gibil madow" racial binary. That kind of division doesn’t reflect the actual structure of Somali clan systems especially in coastal urban centers like Mogadishu, where these groups lived among each other, intermarried, and formed unified confederacies.
Interestingly, in Italian colonial records and censuses, you see “gibil cad” clans counted separately from confederacies like Morshow, Dabarweyne, and Bendawow which were grouped under “gibil madow.” This separation appears arbitrary and likely based on paternal lineage dividing those who trace descent from Arab forebears vs. those from Somali pastoralist clans.
Lastly, there's no solid evidence to support the idea that Mogadishu was founded in the 8th century. The earliest known mention of Mogadishu is from the 12th century. While the city was likely founded earlier, the widely repeated stories of an Persian/Arab-founded city in the 700s/900s lack corroboration from contemporary medieval sources or archaeological evidence.
What makes the idea of an Arab founding unlikely, in my opinion, is that the economies of the southern coastal towns were deeply interconnected with their interior regions they relied on them like a lifeline. The southern coast itself has limited natural resources and is largely surrounded by red sandy hilltops with minimal arable or grazing land. This makes sustained settlement dependent on access to the inland economy.
Additionally, the existence of a continuous chain of coastal villages and towns stretching from Zayla to Kismaayo points to a long-standing indigenous presence and gradual development, rather than isolated foreign foundations.
We actually covered Etymology and the cultural relevance of the name Xamar in another thread:
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Whats your take on Barkhadle's claims that the texts De Barros Decades de Asia (1552) and Kitab al Sulwa (Kilwa Chronicles) stating that Fakr Ad Din was Arab and that the oldest inhabitants of Xamar are Arab? I actually posted that image of the Kitab al Zunuj being wrong but he insists that it only copied what earlier 16th century texts were saying.That link has been shared before it's from 2020. InshaAllah, many of these misconceptions will be corrected in due time. One key example is the term “Ajuuran”: rather than strictly referring to a historical sultanate or empire, I see it more as a placeholder name that reflects certain administrative dynamics. In local usage, it’s often a nickname for those involved in taxation and governance in fact, the term itself means ''taxation.''
I also want to address and correct some of the misinformation shared in this thread, particularly the misconceptions surrounding the Reer Xamar tribes.
The founders of the 4 main Xamar confederacies are from pastoral Somali lineage groups linked either to Hawiye, Xawdle or Ajuran(Abdalla Dayle) clans and then some are Sheekhal.
View attachment 367391
For example 5 out of 7 clans that make up Morshow are Ajuuran which is the Reer Eebow, ReerMahadow Amin, Reer Aweys Nuurow, 1 is Reer Kahlifow which is a Hawiye clan from Qelafo, Same with Reer Aweys Nuurow and 2 of them are Bah Xamish and Xaatimi which trace their ancestry from Arab paternal lines
View attachment 367392
Interestingly, the Reer Khalifow clan also played a key role in founding Bendawow and were said to have settled in Mogadishu alongside Morshow during the Towns founding, according to local traditions.
View attachment 367393
In another case, among the 8 sub-lineages that make up Bendawow: 5 trace their ancestry to Somali pastoralist clans Hawiye, Ishaaq, Ajuran, Ogaden, etc. The remaining 3 likely trace their descent to Arab paternal lineages
View attachment 367394
Similarly Dabarweyne they descend from mainly Xawadle.
View attachment 367395
Iskahaato it seems they were mostly made up of Reer Shaykh Mummin and Reer Indhoweyn. I am unsure what clan Reer Asceare, the italian spelling butchers the name but it also says they depended on Morshow.
View attachment 367399
View attachment 367398
This all suggests that Arab or other southwestern immigrants often assimilated into Somali clan confederacies, becoming fully integrated both culturally and genealogically. Which brings me to a deeper point:
This is exactly why I question the rigid "gibil cad" vs. "gibil madow" racial binary. That kind of division doesn’t reflect the actual structure of Somali clan systems especially in coastal urban centers like Mogadishu, where these groups lived among each other, intermarried, and formed unified confederacies.
Interestingly, in Italian colonial records and censuses, you see “gibil cad” clans counted separately from confederacies like Morshow, Dabarweyne, and Bendawow which were grouped under “gibil madow.” This separation appears arbitrary and likely based on paternal lineage dividing those who trace descent from Arab forebears vs. those from Somali pastoralist clans.
Lastly, there's no solid evidence to support the idea that Mogadishu was founded in the 8th century. The earliest known mention of Mogadishu is from the 12th century. While the city was likely founded earlier, the widely repeated stories of an Persian/Arab-founded city in the 700s/900s lack corroboration from contemporary medieval sources or archaeological evidence.
What makes the idea of an Arab founding unlikely, in my opinion, is that the economies of the southern coastal towns were deeply interconnected with their interior regions they relied on them like a lifeline. The southern coast itself has limited natural resources and is largely surrounded by red sandy hilltops with minimal arable or grazing land. This makes sustained settlement dependent on access to the inland economy.
Additionally, the existence of a continuous chain of coastal villages and towns stretching from Zayla to Kismaayo points to a long-standing indigenous presence and gradual development, rather than isolated foreign foundations.
We actually covered Etymology and the cultural relevance of the name Xamar in another thread:
View attachment 367388
View attachment 367389
View attachment 367387
Where is that source from for awdal ?That link has been shared before it's from 2020. InshaAllah, many of these misconceptions will be corrected in due time. One key example is the term “Ajuuran”: rather than strictly referring to a historical sultanate or empire, I see it more as a placeholder name that reflects certain administrative dynamics. In local usage, it’s often a nickname for those involved in taxation and governance in fact, the term itself means ''taxation.''
I also want to address and correct some of the misinformation shared in this thread, particularly the misconceptions surrounding the Reer Xamar tribes.
The founders of the 4 main Xamar confederacies are from pastoral Somali lineage groups linked either to Hawiye, Xawdle or Ajuran(Abdalla Dayle) clans and then some are Sheekhal.
View attachment 367391
For example 5 out of 7 clans that make up Morshow are Ajuuran which is the Reer Eebow, ReerMahadow Amin, Reer Aweys Nuurow, 1 is Reer Kahlifow which is a Hawiye clan from Qelafo, Same with Reer Aweys Nuurow and 2 of them are Bah Xamish and Xaatimi which trace their ancestry from Arab paternal lines
View attachment 367392
Interestingly, the Reer Khalifow clan also played a key role in founding Bendawow and were said to have settled in Mogadishu alongside Morshow during the Towns founding, according to local traditions.
View attachment 367393
In another case, among the 8 sub-lineages that make up Bendawow: 5 trace their ancestry to Somali pastoralist clans Hawiye, Ishaaq, Ajuran, Ogaden, etc. The remaining 3 likely trace their descent to Arab paternal lineages
View attachment 367394
Similarly Dabarweyne they descend from mainly Xawadle.
View attachment 367395
Iskahaato it seems they were mostly made up of Reer Shaykh Mummin and Reer Indhoweyn. I am unsure what clan Reer Asceare, the italian spelling butchers the name but it also says they depended on Morshow.
View attachment 367399
View attachment 367398
This all suggests that Arab or other southwestern immigrants often assimilated into Somali clan confederacies, becoming fully integrated both culturally and genealogically. Which brings me to a deeper point:
This is exactly why I question the rigid "gibil cad" vs. "gibil madow" racial binary. That kind of division doesn’t reflect the actual structure of Somali clan systems especially in coastal urban centers like Mogadishu, where these groups lived among each other, intermarried, and formed unified confederacies.
Interestingly, in Italian colonial records and censuses, you see “gibil cad” clans counted separately from confederacies like Morshow, Dabarweyne, and Bendawow which were grouped under “gibil madow.” This separation appears arbitrary and likely based on paternal lineage dividing those who trace descent from Arab forebears vs. those from Somali pastoralist clans.
Lastly, there's no solid evidence to support the idea that Mogadishu was founded in the 8th century. The earliest known mention of Mogadishu is from the 12th century. While the city was likely founded earlier, the widely repeated stories of an Persian/Arab-founded city in the 700s/900s lack corroboration from contemporary medieval sources or archaeological evidence.
What makes the idea of an Arab founding unlikely, in my opinion, is that the economies of the southern coastal towns were deeply interconnected with their interior regions they relied on them like a lifeline. The southern coast itself has limited natural resources and is largely surrounded by red sandy hilltops with minimal arable or grazing land. This makes sustained settlement dependent on access to the inland economy.
Additionally, the existence of a continuous chain of coastal villages and towns stretching from Zayla to Kismaayo points to a long-standing indigenous presence and gradual development, rather than isolated foreign foundations.
We actually covered Etymology and the cultural relevance of the name Xamar in another thread:
View attachment 367388
View attachment 367389
View attachment 367387
Idilinaa
VIP
Fakr Ad-Din is most likely connected to the broader Somali Quraishi genealogical traditions, which many Somali clans share. These traditions commonly trace the origins of certain respected Shaykhs to Quraish ancestry figures believed to have migrated from Arabia, settled in Somalia, and eventually founded lineages or clans.
There’s a telling tradition recorded by local religious authorities in Mogadishu;
The most authoritative religious people of Mogadishu say that, according to the oral tradition handed down, one night the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم appeared in a dream to Hill, the presumed founder of the Somalis, a venerated Saint, and recommended him to settle in the place where the ruins currently exist of Xamar Jajab (destroyed Xamar/Xamar in ruins).
As for the Kitāb al-Sulwa (Kilwa Chronicles) and João de Barros’ Décadas da Ásia, it’s important to recognize their limitations:
- The Arabic Kilwa Chronicle was written as a response to the Portuguese version, which itself was based largely on oral testimonies from areas the Portuguese had subjugated, such as Kilwa, Pate, and Mombasa.
- Mogadishu, in contrast, was never colonized or brought under Portuguese control. As a result, writers like de Barros had no direct access to its records, archives, or authoritative oral traditions.
- This makes it highly unlikely that his account of Mogadishu is based on first-hand knowledge. Rather, it likely reflects external assumptions or second-hand hearsay influenced by similar Swahili coast narratives.
Additionally, Mogadishu’s history was shaped by a succession of local dynasties, each likely with its own version of historical memory and record-keeping. This makes the idea of a single dominant founding narrative especially one rooted in Arab identity less likely.
So while Barkhadle argues that later chronicles like Kitāb al-Zunūj simply recycled 16th-century narratives, those early texts themselves lack historical reliability when it comes to Mogadishu specifically, due to limited access and political context.
You dont know what youre talking about Decades De Asia is not based on oral accounts
Its literally said in the title he copied it from a native manuscript, instead of just trying to find a way to cope out of it, you guys need research the topic deeply or just ignore it
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Idilinaa
VIP
You dont know what youre talking about Decades De Asia is not based on oral accounts
I get what you're saying, but Decades da Ásia was written after the Portuguese made contact with the Swahili coast. It wasn’t some untouched ancient manuscript they got info from local elites during their occupation and wrote it down later.
Also, the Kilwa Chronicle was written as a response to the Portuguese version, which shows how narratives were being shaped during that time, not everything in it is neutral or ancient fact.
So it's not about “coping,” it's about understanding the context of how these texts came to be. Just because something says it came from a manuscript doesn’t make it 100% accurate or unbiased.
Idilinaa
VIP
What makes you say that ?
Idilinaa
VIP
Read this study it examines them both
Read it and it doesnt say Kitab al sulwa or the chronicle copied in Decades de Asia is oral story, just give it up its pointless to resort to stuff like this if youre not willing to get to the bottom of it
Idilinaa
VIP
Read it again because says it was co-written.
And it also talks abut portuguese intrusion into local histories and their manipulation of genealogies to legitimate conquest.
This is totally off topic its about how Portuguese chroniclers justified their conquest over Kilwa, lets just stop talking about this pointless topic going nowhere
Kitab Al Zunuj is garbage.
Did you read it ? Curious to know what are your thoughts
Skimmed through it a while back, but it's poopoo. It claims southern Somalia was ruled by and part of the Zanj. It also claims Mogadishu was founded by Yemeni Jews. I remember it even claimed the Abbasids appointed governors across the Zanj port cities. Never heard of that, obviously it's fake.
There's another Arab manuscript called Kawkab-al-durriya li-akhbar Ifriqiya that continues this lie and says the city was founded by a Yemeni and two rabbis.
You can read it here
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Lol it says nabi muuse as built mogadishu tbh im fine with that
What do you think about the other manuscripts like kitab al sulwa
It says Mogadishu was founded by settlers in the 10-11th century. How does that make any sense when there are 13th century sources describing the citys inhabitants as being Somali? Did the Arab/Persians who supposedly built the city disappear that quickly?
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