Darod

The Darod is a Somali clan. The semi-legendary forefather of this clan is Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as Darod. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries, the Somali hinterlands adjacent to Oromia, and both sides of the Kenya–Somalia border. The Darod clan is the largest Somali clan family in the Horn of Africa.

Origins

According to Somali tradition, Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib's semi-legendary descendant Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, a son of the Sufi Sheikh Isma'il al-Jabarti of the Qadiriyyah order, fled his homeland in the Arabian Peninsula after an argument with his uncle. During the 10th or 11th century CE, Abdirahman is believed to have then settled in modern-day Sanaag just across the Red Sea and married Dobira, the daughter of the Dir clan chief. This union is said to have given rise to the Darod clan family. Thus, it established matrilateral ties with the Samaale main stem.
Despite this, scholarly sources regard the narrative as a genealogical fabrication, noting that the pre-Islamic name Darod suggests an originally Cushitic personage who was later ennobled as a Muslim saint.

Gidaya kingdom (12th century)

Contemporary writers confirm that Gidaya kingdom is associated with Geri clan of the Somali mentioned in the Futuh al-Habasha who today live around Jigjiga, the presumed location of Gidaya state.
Gidaya rose to prominence due their inland interior trade which extended as far as modern day Addis Ababa, this corresponds well with the findings of British archeologists confirming that Somali groups dominated the Ethiopian highlandIn the thirteenth century the Arab writer al-Mufaḍḍal mentions a Geri King of Gidaya extending his authority as far as Shewa. A later Geri ruler known as Sihab al-Din Gidaya Girri is identified as the lord and principal ruler of Gidaya. According to Dr. Lapiso Delebo the Gidaya Kingdom was one of the Islamic states that had rapidly developed in the Horn of Africa from the ninth to fourteenth centuries Sixteenth century Adal writer Arab Faqīh, notes that the Gidaya Kingdom were part of the army of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi during the Ethiopian-Adal war
According to the British anthropologist and Somali Studies veteran Ioan Lewis, the traditions of descent from noble Arab families related to the Prophet are most probably figurative expressions of the importance of Islam in Somali society. However, "there is a strong historically valid component in these legends which, in the case of the Darod, is confirmed in the current practice of a Dir representative officiating at the ceremony of installation of the chief of the Darod family."
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. Besides historical sources such as Al-Masudi's Aqeeliyoon, a modern manaaqib printed in Cairo in 1945 by Sheikh Ahmad bin Hussen bin Mahammad titled Manaaqib as-Sheikh Ismaa'iil bin Ibraahiim al-Jabarti also discusses Sheikh Darod and his proposed father Isma'il al-Jabarti, the latter of whom is reportedly buried in Bab Siham in the Zabid District of western Yemen.
Sheikh Darod's own tomb is in Haylaan, situated in the Sanaag region of Somaliland, and is the scene of frequent pilgrimages. Sheikh Isaaq is buried nearby in Maydh, as is Sheikh Harti, a descendant of Sheikh Darod and the progenitor of the Harti Darod sub-clan, whose tomb lies in the ancient town of Qa’ableh. Sheikh Darod's mawlid is also celebrated every Friday with a public reading of his manaaqib.
The Harti were supporters of their cousin Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, who is reported to be from the Geri Kombe clany
Somali tribes, especially the Geri koombe of the Darod clan who became his immediate in-laws, were lined up behind him supporting him every step of the way
I.M Lewis states:

Somali contingents played a notable part in the Imam's victories and Shihab ad-Din, the Muslim chronicler of the period writing between 1540 and 1560, mentions them frequently. Most prominent were the Darod clans of the Harti faction who were now in possession of the ancient port of Mait in the east, and expanding westwards and southwards from this centre. This Darod support was reinforced by ties of marriage, for the Imam was related by marriage to one of the Darod leaders.

This is especially true with the Geri Koombe who were in-laws with Imam Ahmed. Garad Matan married Imam Ahmed's sister who her name was Fardawsa. Garad Matan being the chieftain of Geri Koombe supported the Jihad and served as an Adalite general, second in command to Imam Ahmed.

He also sent a messenger to the tribe of Girri which was the tribe whose leader and chieftain was Mattan bin 'Utman bin Kaled, the Somali, his brother-in-law who was one of the heroic and gracious knights who died as a martyr in the battle for the Amba as will be recalled at some length later on. The storyteller, may God have mercy upon him, says: On the left was the Somali tribe of Harti, from the people of Mait; a people not given to yielding. There were three-hundred of them, famous among the infantry as stolid swordsmen. In the same way there was the tribe of Yibberi, around four-hundred infantrymen, archers. So the imam attached them to the five-hundred who held the centre, saying to them, 'Hold your positions; don't budge, anyone of you.' The tribe of Girri were all horsemen, renowned as riders.

The Geri Koombe tribe played a pivotal role in leadership, Garad Matan ibn Uthman Al Somali was described by chronicler Shihāb al-Dīn as one of the most bravest and courageous military commanders in the Adal Sultanate. The Imam had gathered all the Somali tribes and entrusted them to his brother in law Garad Matan ibn Uthman Al Somali.

After that the Muslims stood their ground. The tribe of the Somali said it was the tribe of Harla that gave us away while the tribe of Harla said it was the Somali tribe that gave us away The imam split his forces into three divisions: all the Somalis were in one division whose command he entrusted to Mattan.

Shihāb al-Dīn notes that Harti soldiers took part in the Adal Sultanate army. Hamza al Jufi was an infantry leader during the Battle of Shimbra Kure. The writer Arab Faqih attributes to him bravery and courage. Hamza al Jufi was described as eager and could not restrain himself until the Adalites had to hold him back, telling him to "be patient". Arab Faqih goes on to describe the Harti just like Hamza al Jufi, recognising the bravery of the Somalis. He describes them as “famous among the infantry as solid swordsmen, and a people not given to yielding.” File:Screenshot 20230421 154102 Drive.jpg|thumb|483x483px|16th century manuscript showing Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein leading the Yabarray division of Habr Maqdi. The text underlined in red translates to “The tribe of Yabirray with their leader Ahmed Girri". As the only primary source on Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein and the Futuh Wars, this definitely illustrates the identity of Ahmed Girri as not only Somali, but also of the Jidwaaq Absame branch of the Darod clan. |centerThe Marehan clan are recorded as having played the biggest role in Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi's campaigns against the Ethiopian Empire during the 16th century. Imam Ahmad himself, alongside his successor Emir Nur ibn Al-Mujahid, as well as Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros all hailed from the Marehan clan. Along with the Habr Maqdi of the Jidwaaq; they helped push westward the enemies into the plains of Shewa and farther, helping destabilize the highland Christian empire. Evident in these battles were the Somali archers, namely the Marehan.

Lineage

Darod is the son of the famous Arabian Sheikh, Ismail bin Ibrahim Al-Jabarti, who is buried in the Zabid District of Yemen. He is believed to have been a descendant of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib who in turn hailed from the Quraysh, a historically significant Arab tribe that the final prophet of Islam Muhammed was from.
In 2009, former President of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf visited the grave of Ismail bin Ibrahim Al-Jabarti in Yemen.
According to many medieval and modern Islamic historians, Darod is descended from Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, the cousin of Muhammad and brother of Ali ibn Abi Talib. An ancient Islamic history book, called Aqeeliyoon by Al-Masudi, talks in detail about the descendants of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, wherein Darod is also mentioned. The book gives Sheikh Darod's lineage as Abdirahmaan Bin Ismaa'iil Bin Ibraahim Bin Abdirahmaan Bin Muhammed Bin Abdi Samad Bin Hanbal Bin Mahdi Bin Ahmed Bin Abdalle Bin Muhammed Bin Aqail Bin Abu-Talib Bin Abdul-Mutalib Bin Hashim Bin Qusaya.
According to Allaa'i Alsuniyah Fi Al-Aqab Al-Aqeeliyah by Ahmed bin Ali Al-Rajihi Al-Aqeeli, the lineage of Sheikh Darod/Da'ud is: "Da'ud ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim ibn Abdulsamad ibn Ahmed ibn Abdallah ibn Ahmed Ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim ibn Abdallah ibn Isma'il ibn Ali ibn Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Hamid ibn Abdallah ibn Ibrahim ibn Ali ibn Ahmed ibn Abdallah ibn Muslim ibn Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Aqeel ibn Abi-Talib Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi". Al-Aqeeli adds that Sheikh Isma'il's sons include Abi-Bakar, Da'ud, Ahmad and Abdulsamad, whose other offspring inhabit the Hadhramaut and Mahra regions in Southern Arabia.

Distribution

The Darod are believed to be a large Somali clan both in terms of population size and land inhabitation. The Darod constitute a big presence in the Somali Region of Ethiopia and are also one of the largest Somali clan in North Eastern Province of Kenya. Within Somalia, the Darod are also one of the largest clans, with traditional strongholds in the north, modern day Puntland state which is dominated by the Harti subclan of Darod. In addition, the Marehan, Ogaden, Jidwaaq, and Harti Darod members are also settled further down south in the Gedo region as well as the Middle Jubba and Lower Jubba regions of Somalia. The Darod in Somalia, roughly corresponds to the Darod's settled within the Jubbaland and Puntland states. In Somaliland the Darod settle the eastern Sool, Sanaag regions and the Buhoodle district of Togdheer
Major Darod Settlements within Somalia include Galkacyo, Kismaayo, Bosaso, and Garowe.
Darod are also the largest clan in Jigjiga in Ethiopia, and Garissa in Northern Kenya.