Somali History Profiles Part 3: Hiil- Hymns of the Dead

Call to Arms
In an attempt to prevent a unified army to threaten Harar, Hiil mobilised 7000 men led by Soocadeh supported by 1000 mercenaries led by Samaale to strike the first blow against Boqor Kaahiye, who was based in modern day Gaalkacyo. Samaale arrived first and set up camp Northeast from the city and was joined a day later by Soocadeh. Kaahiye, wanting to buy time for reinforcements to arrive from his allies, sent messengers to negotiate. Soocadeh sent them back telling them he will accept nothing but a surrender and that he had one day to make up his mind. Going against Soocadeh's orders, Samaale launches an attack on the city and clashes with the city garrisions.Soocadeh, seeing the battle unfold decided to join in the attack and deal with Samaale later. Kaahiye locked himself in the city along with all the cattle and produce he could bring in. Samaale orders his men to dig under the walls in order to cave them in and Kaahiye's men would relentlessly repel them each time. Samaale, running out of time and needing to deliver a quick victory or face the repercussions of defying orders, decides to personally lead the all out assualt on the city,scale its walls and open the gates. At the cost of nearly half of his army and an a eye, Samaale and his men scale the walls and enter the city. Kaahiye,sensing defeat, surrenders to Samaale. Samaale does not open the city gates and decides to carry out his own judgment on Kaahiye and the city. Soocadeh remained camped outside and was told of Samaale's breakthrough but was not told of the surrender and instead that they were still engaging Kaahiye and would open the gates shortly. Samaale orders Kaahiye and the members of his family and inner circle to be brought before him. Kaahiye makes a last request to Samaale and asks him to be executed in the Main Temple while doing he and his family engage in their chant. In a spectacle that bewildered the crowds , headless bodies fell as songs rang throughout the temple.

"Rather than quivering in fear, he welcomed death. He never once paused or halted his beautiful chant , as corpses dropped around him. Never did i imagine i could witness such a victory like this

-Samaale describing the Temple massacre

 

Is this fan fiction? If not, whats the source?

 

Its a collection of Oral Somali history I collected whilst I was in Somalia. I translated what i wrote in Somali into English. There is so much history that Somalis dont know about. The ones i recorded were the ones i heard from multiple elders in different places

 

But gaalkacyo was founded boqor keenadiid according to some. How do you reconcile that?

 

Gaalkacyo is an ancient Somali city along with Hobyo that was founded 1700 yrs ago and Hobyo being older at 2000 yrs. Even the name alludes to a time when the city was under pagan rule. Modern Somalis resided in Galbeed and Waqooyi Galbeed. The Ajuuran used to live in Berbera before they migrated south along with Rahanwayn and Hawiya. Even in the south, places like CabudWaaq are ancient pagan cities with CaabudWaaq once being the Jerusalem of the Horn of Africa where not only ancient Somalis but Oromo,Afars would come to do pilgrimage

 

1700 years ago. Wow thats very old. Around how long ago was samaale hiil abroon born?

 

Was samaale alive before islam?

 

Samaale lived in the early 500s which js before Islam. Before the Islamic Era, Most people of the Horn of Africa were Pagans except for Samaale and his family who were the only true Monotheists in their time. The Somali word for Allah swt was Eebe and Samaale never worshipped Waaq or the false gods of the Horn of Africa.

In two accounts, Hiil chooses and blesses Samaale over his brothers,Saabe and Boorane(disputed figure). Samaale has 9 sons which almost all Somalis(except Rahanwayn) descend from. The House of Samaale was effectively responsible for establishment and spread of Islam in the Horn of Africa and even beyond that

 

Mashallah sxb, thank you very much for your work. It’s great to find gems like these that will help Somalis piece together their long and rich history. Inshallah when Somalia settles, we can set up a Historical Society of sorts that will dig into our cultural and archeological history more.

 

Aad baad uu mahadsantahay, it means alot walashey. Setting up the Historical Society would be amazing feat that with the help of Allah swt, will be achieved