Omani theft of anicent books from fakhr din mosque

[Midas]

This guy's is a tribalism amd a lot of his thread is just trying to bash based on qabil. But this specific excerpt caught my eye. I knew that some columns were stolen from the fakhr din mosque. But I didnt know they also stole anicent books as well. I can onky imagine what might have been inside those books. The history of Mogadishu? Maybe even parts of the history of somalia ? Hell there probaly could have even been books in far wadaad from centuries ago for all we know. @Idilinaa @NidarNidar @Shimbiris

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">7/117 The destruction &amp; looting of Somali archaeology by Omanis <br><br>The Fakhr al-Din Mosque stands as a testament to Somali medieval Islamic heritage. One of the oldest landmarks in Mogadishu that dates back to 1269 CE.<br><br>The Omanis, in collaboration with the Italians, began… <a href="https://t.co/ImynyAOnyf">pic.twitter.com/ImynyAOnyf</a></p>&mdash; Lt Khalifa (@LtKhalifa) <a href="">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


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[Barkhadle1520]

I dont like mentioning this but it is true, because the Abgaal yaqubi sultans dispute one called omanis in and instead of helping him against their brother they came and looted all the marble of the city, even the musoleums of the past sultans outside the city were looted and destroyed, anything of value was taken or destroyed, only bits of fakhr al din was left and the city became soul-less, all the books of the history of xamar were burned or stolen

There is not a single picture or illustration of Mogadishu before the Omani sack except drawings of the musoleums by a cadaan in 1700

This is why I and others hold the view that bani yaqub were the worst Somali rulers EVER

They became vassals to Geledi and later sold Xamar to Italy

 

[Midas]

I dont like mentioning this but it is true, because the Abgaal yaqubi sultans dispute one called omanis in and instead of helping him against their brother they came and looted all the marble of the city, even the musoleums of the past sultans outside the city were looted and destroyed, anything of value was taken or destroyed, only bits of fakhr al din was left and the city became soul-less, all the books of the history of xamar were burned or stolen

There is not a single picture or illustration of Mogadishu before the Omani sack except drawings of the musoleums by a cadaan in 1700

This is why I and others hold the view that bani yaqub were the worst Somali rulers EVER

They became vassals to Geledi and later sold Xamar to Italy

I think they can legitimately be called the worst somali rulers ever. The largest and most grand somali city had its mosque and tombs sacked becuase of their incompetence. The loss is honestly incalculable.

We can only hope considering it was the Omanis who took it that these books are either in zanaibar or the omanis royal family collection.

 

[Barkhadle1520]

I think they can legitimately be called the worst somali rulers ever. The largest and most grand somali city had its mosque and tombs sacked becuase of their incompetence. The loss is honestly incalculable.

We can only hope considering it was the Omanis who took it that these books are either in zanaibar or the omanis royal family collection.

We actually dont know how much they destroyed or if they killed people or not, but xamar looked like shit after them, I think if abgaal didnt take over Xamar we couldve seen the powerful sultans of Mogadishu maybe claiming to be rulers and protectors of all Somalis during colonial times

Every book I read about this period says that if Somalis had a figure like Menelik to defend them their lands wouldnt be split and shared like pieces of cake

 

[Midas]

We actually dont know how much they destroyed or if they killed people or not, but xamar looked like shit after them, I think if abgaal didnt take over Xamar we couldve seen the powerful sultans of Mogadishu maybe claiming to be rulers and protectors of all Somalis during colonial times

Every book I read about this period says that if Somalis had a figure like Menelik to defend them their lands wouldnt be split and shared like pieces of cake

I don't know if that would have been possible. Somalis were not settled agriculturalists which are easy to control. We also weren't dependent on a few oasis like in the Arabian peninsula so if you took over the oasis you control the Bedouins which was how the house of Saud conquered the Arabian peninsula

 

[Barkhadle1520]

I don't know if that would have been possible. Somalis were not settled agriculturalists which are easy to control. We also weren't dependent on a few oasis like in the Arabian peninsula so if you took over the oasis you control the Bedouins which was how the house of Saud conquered the Arabian peninsula

It was definitely possible once the nomads see the benefits of settling, Mj are a good example lots of people settled down in cities and towns when wealth came in late 19th

 

[Idilinaa]

I saw that. I don’t even want to piss you all off more because the truth is, it gets even worse. If you read what the Italians did to the archaeology of Mogadishu and some of the things they uncovered, it’s enough to make you sick to your stomach. But I’ll save that for another time.

We actually dont know how much they destroyed or if they killed people or not, but xamar looked like shit after them, I think if abgaal didnt take over Xamar we couldve seen the powerful sultans of Mogadishu maybe claiming to be rulers and protectors of all Somalis during colonial times

Every book I read about this period says that if Somalis had a figure like Menelik to defend them their lands wouldnt be split and shared like pieces of cake

You're raising an important point, but I think we need to be precise about the historical timeline and who was in power.

The rulers of Mogadishu weren't a monolith , the Yaquubi dynasty, for instance, only took control in the late 1500s (981 AH / 1573 CE). The earlier sultans had successfully maintained Mogadishu’s independence and defended the city from foreign interference. Even Shaykh Ayadurus acknowledges this legacy of resistance.

For example, he writes:
"Sultan Hirab

In the year 1097 AH(1686), the sultanate was assumed by Sultan Harab: Imam Muhammad bin Imam Ahmad bin Imam Mahmoud bin Imam Omar Hulul Al-Yaqubi.

And on Sunday, the 23rd of Jumada al-Akhir, 1112 AH(1700-1701), seven European ships arrived in Mogadishu. They intended to seize control of Mogadishu and anchored in the harbor for eleven days.


In response, seven of the local religious elders from the coastal clans (Shanani and Hamruni) gathered at the residence of Sheikh Faqih Ahmad bin Faqih Abu Bakr al-Qahtani bin Wa’il bin Hujr a man renowned for his miracles..... As soon as they landed on them, the ships all sank instantly."

This is directly in line with the text you previously shared:

''The prince having succeeded in maintaining his independence and repelled all European intercourse, allows the country to be very little known"

The real issue seems to have come later, when Mogadishu’s coastal elites became politically disconnected from the interior, and the broader political fragmentation deepened. That disunity especially during the 1800s created openings for outside powers to interfere and exploit rivalries.

So while it’s true that by the colonial era there was no unifying figure like Menelik to defend Somali territories, this wasn’t due to a lack of historical unity or strength. Rather, it was the result of a long post-medieval decline and internal fragmentation that gradually weakened the capacity for collective resistance.

We saw a similar pattern in Harar, which had once been a prosperous, fortified city-state. Over time, however, it too succumbed to a mix of external pressures and internal disunity.

Yet, it's important to remember that up until that period, successive Somali emirs had successfully defended their regions from both Oromo incursions and Abyssinian expansion, maintaining autonomy in the face of persistent threats.

 

[Idilinaa]

I don't know if that would have been possible. Somalis were not settled agriculturalists which are easy to control. We also weren't dependent on a few oasis like in the Arabian peninsula so if you took over the oasis you control the Bedouins which was how the house of Saud conquered the Arabian peninsula

The most pastoralist driven region in Somalia was arguably the Majerteen coast, largely because it lacked a substantial riverine hinterland suitable for agriculture. Yet, despite several attempts, the Omanis and Zanzibaris completely failed to establish control or replicate the influence they had over the southern Somali coast.

Controlling pastoralists isn’t inherently impossible. In fact, we saw how Hobyo under Ali Yusuf managed to do it. After conquering Hobyo, he expanded his realm by asserting authority over key resources like wells and grazing lands. He incorporated pastoral groups into a broader system of trade, taxation, and governance appointing local leaders as governors and naibs .

 

[Barkhadle1520]

I saw that. I don’t even want to piss you all off more because the truth is, it gets even worse. If you read what the Italians did to the archaeology of Mogadishu and some of the things they uncovered, it’s enough to make you sick to your stomach. But I’ll save that for another time.


You're raising an important point, but I think we need to be precise about the historical timeline and who was in power.

The rulers of Mogadishu weren't a monolith , the Yaquubi dynasty, for instance, only took control in the late 1500s (981 AH / 1573 CE). The earlier sultans had successfully maintained Mogadishu’s independence and defended the city from foreign interference. Even Shaykh Ayadurus acknowledges this legacy of resistance.

View attachment 365734

For example, he writes:
"Sultan Hirab

In the year 1097 AH(1686), the sultanate was assumed by Sultan Harab: Imam Muhammad bin Imam Ahmad bin Imam Mahmoud bin Imam Omar Hulul Al-Yaqubi.

And on Sunday, the 23rd of Jumada al-Akhir, 1112 AH(1700-1701), seven European ships arrived in Mogadishu. They intended to seize control of Mogadishu and anchored in the harbor for eleven days.


In response, seven of the local religious elders from the coastal clans (Shanani and Hamruni) gathered at the residence of Sheikh Faqih Ahmad bin Faqih Abu Bakr al-Qahtani bin Wa’il bin Hujr a man renowned for his miracles..... As soon as they landed on them, the ships all sank instantly."

This is directly in line with the text you previously shared:

''The prince having succeeded in maintaining his independence and repelled all European intercourse, allows the country to be very little known"
View attachment 365735

The real issue seems to have come later, when Mogadishu’s coastal elites became politically disconnected from the interior, and the broader political fragmentation deepened. That disunity especially during the 1800s created openings for outside powers to interfere and exploit rivalries.

So while it’s true that by the colonial era there was no unifying figure like Menelik to defend Somali territories, this wasn’t due to a lack of historical unity or strength. Rather, it was the result of a long post-medieval decline and internal fragmentation that gradually weakened the capacity for collective resistance.

We saw a similar pattern in Harar, which had once been a prosperous, fortified city-state. Over time, however, it too succumbed to a mix of external pressures and internal disunity.

Yet, it's important to remember that up until that period, successive Somali emirs had successfully defended their regions from both Oromo incursions and Abyssinian expansion, maintaining autonomy in the face of persistent threats.

Stop quoting Aydrus this is bullshit, basing your whole elite theory on this is retarded

Bani yaqub took over xamar in the mid 18th

 

[Idilinaa]

Stop quoting Aydrus this is bullshit, basing your whole elite theory on this is retarded

Bani yaqub took over xamar in the mid 18th

It's not Ayadurus writings i base the Yaqub take over, it's from a separate local manuscript that Enrico Cerulli reviewed:

This was signed by eyewtinesses dated to have occurred 981 Hijri which is 1573.

 

[Barkhadle1520]

It's not Ayadurus writings i base the Yaqub take over, it's from a separate local manuscript that Enrico Cerulli reviewed:

View attachment 365736

This was signed by eyewtinesses dated to have occurred 981 Hijri which is 1573.

View attachment 365737

This is different than what you originally sent i dont think it talks about yquubis

 

[Idilinaa]

This is different than what you originally sent i dont think it talks about yquubis

From what i gathered it's a document that talks about Abgaal taking over the city from the previous rulers and the local Somali eyewitnesses to it since we see there names signing off on it.

We have but a brief commentaries on it by Enrico Cerruli who distorts much of it.

 

[Zak12]

Sad to here about the looting and destruction of some of our history, I'm guessing the post 1991 war made things even worse.

Hopefully there are still many families who kept important manuscripts and even some of the manuscripts that were taken are resting somewhere in some Omani or Indian library. Idilinaa has also talked about how a lot of Somalia's archeology is kept preserved by the sands.

 

[Rayaale]

But I’ll save that for another time

Make a thread about this

 

[Midas]

The most pastoralist driven region in Somalia was arguably the Majerteen coast, largely because it lacked a substantial riverine hinterland suitable for agriculture. Yet, despite several attempts, the Omanis and Zanzibaris completely failed to establish control or replicate the influence they had over the southern Somali coast.

Controlling pastoralists isn’t inherently impossible. In fact, we saw how Hobyo under Ali Yusuf managed to do it. After conquering Hobyo, he expanded his realm by asserting authority over key resources like wells and grazing lands. He incorporated pastoral groups into a broader system of trade, taxation, and governance appointing local leaders as governors and naibs .

I waa thinking more of a figure who coukd unify all of Somalia like menelik did with ethiopia.

What makes the situation difficult is that unlike agriculture. Pastoralism, when its commercialized like the later 19th century Majerteen and hobyo sultans did eventually exceeds the environments carrying capacity. Since as the profit increases you keep larger and larger herds and you need more pastures since it degrades the land.

You see this with how after the turks expand into anatolia over the next couple centuries the actual pouplation of anatolia declines since these turks were nomadic pastoralists.

 

[Barkhadle1520]

I waa thinking more of a figure who coukd unify all of Somalia like menelik did with ethiopia.

What makes the situation difficult is that unlike agriculture. Pastoralism, when its commercialized like the later 19th century Majerteen and hobyo sultans did eventually exceeds the environments carrying capacity. Since as the profit increases you keep larger and larger herds and you need more pastures since it degrades the land.

You see this with how after the turks expand into anatolia over the next couple centuries the actual pouplation of anatolia declines since these turks were nomadic pastoralists.

The population of Anatolia declined significantly after manzikert because tons of people fled the Turkish invasion to Constantinople and other western anatolian cities, these people lost their homes and everything and most died due to starvation. Basically a refugee crisis.

Same thing happened on a wider scale during the Oromo invasions here

 

[Farah717]

I dont like mentioning this but it is true, because the Abgaal yaqubi sultans dispute one called omanis in and instead of helping him against their brother they came and looted all the marble of the city, even the musoleums of the past sultans outside the city were looted and destroyed, anything of value was taken or destroyed, only bits of fakhr al din was left and the city became soul-less, all the books of the history of xamar were burned or stolen

There is not a single picture or illustration of Mogadishu before the Omani sack except drawings of the musoleums by a cadaan in 1700

This is why I and others hold the view that bani yaqub were the worst Somali rulers EVER

They became vassals to Geledi and later sold Xamar to Italy

The Bani Yaqb weren't ethnically Somali just cadcad mutts rulling xamar only Geledi were Somali good thing they got conquered by them.

 

[novanova]

The Bani Yaqb weren't ethnically Somali just cadcad mutts rulling xamar only Geledi were Somali good thing they got conquered by them.

Where did you read this?

 

[Barkhadle1520]

The Bani Yaqb weren't ethnically Somali just cadcad mutts rulling xamar only Geledi were Somali good thing they got conquered by them.

Do you even know what youre talking about, they are abgaal not cadcad

Sometimes I wonder if youre Somali

 

[reer_ugaas_hussein]

Stop quoting Aydrus this is bullshit, basing your whole elite theory on this is retarded

Bani yaqub took over xamar in the mid 18th

whats your evidence they took over only in mid 18th century, isn't this too late and wouldn't make sense with the overall timeline as the the yacqubi takeover is dated to the fall of the ajuraan and their allied muzaffar? Or do you think the ajuraan and muzaffar rule ended in the 18th century?