Lineage: He is Shaykh Abdirahman ibn Shaykh Umar ibn Shaykh Muhammad ibn Shaykh Dawud ibn Shaykh Ali ibn Idris ibn Abi Bakr ibn Gaabga ibn Hasan ibn Kurtumo ibn Ma’lin Salid ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Osoble ibn ‘Eli His mother was ‘Usobey bint Abdi ibn Dawud ibn Abdulle ibn Idris He descends from the Abgaal clan of the Hawiye. Birth and Youth: He was born on the fourth of Ramadhan in the year 1313 AH / February 18th, 1896 AD. He was born in Goof Cad-cade, in the rural areas of Warsheekh around 10 km away from the city. He was born into a family of knowledge and righteousness. Shaykh Dawud, his great-grandfather, founded Warsheekh and invited the Shaykh of the Shuyukh, Shayk Abi Bakr ibn Mihdar, to reside and teach in the growing town. Shaykh Umar was a very generous man; his house was often visited by Ulama and Awliya. When Shaykh Abdirahman was 6, his parents enrolled him in dugsi to learn the Qur’an under the tutelage of Mu’alim Mahamud Aw-Ahmad ibn Mu’alim Abdulle, and he completed hifdh of the Qur’an under him more than 6-10 times. After finishing the Qur’an at 10, he spent his tenth year doing khidmah of his teacher and assisting him in the dugsi. Afterwards, he began studying the religious sciences at the age of 11. He first studied the quarter of ‘Ibadat of the text At-Tanbih under Shaykh Muhammad Shiidhle. He then studied the second quarter of the text under the brother of his dugsi teacher, Shaykh Hasan Yare ibn Mu’alim Abdulle. He then returned to the countryside of Warsheekh and finished the last 2 quarters of At-Tanbih along with the first half of Minhaj At-Talibeen under his father’s cousin, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdulle ibn Shaykh Dawud. He then traveled to Muqdisho to begin properly studying knowledge. He began studying under Shaykh Muhammad ibn Fiqi Yusuf ibn Fiqi Ali in Masjid Waafle located in the Shengaani district. He studied the Ajrumiyyah text under him, along with Bahjat An-Nufus and Hidayat Al-Adhkiya in Tasawuf. He studied the ‘ibadat sections of Fath Al-Mu’in under Shaykh ‘Isa ibn Ibrahim. Shaykh Abdurahman then fell sick for a year and was unable to stay in the city. He stayed in the countryside of Warsheekh while healing. After recovering with the aid of Allah, he threw himself back into seeking knowledge under Shaykh Muhammad ibn Shaykh Husayn, studying Qadr An-Nada, ‘Imridi’s versification of Ajrumiyyah and Mufti Ahmad Zayni Dehlan’s commentary on the Ajrumiyyah, Mulhatul-‘Irab, ‘Aqidahtul-‘Awam, Aqidah Ash-Shaybaniya, Minhaj Al-‘Abidin, Bidayatul-Hidayah, Hikam Al-‘Ataiyyah, Tafsir Al-Jalalayn (which he studied over 10 times), Al-Khazrajiya & Al-Kaafiya, As-Sulam & Isaghuji, Al-Jawhar Al-Madnun, Fath Al-Mu’in, Matn Abu Shuja’, Safwat Az-Zubad, Al-Hamziya, Al-Burdah, and Mawlid Al-Barzanji. He also studied Aqidah Sanusiya and Jawharat At-Tawhid under Shaykh Abdirahman ibn Shaykh Abdullahi. Shaykh Abdurahman remained with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Shaykh Husayn until the year 1353. He then returned to Muqdhiso to study Lamiyatul Af’al and its commentary along with Nadhrul-Jawahir under Shaykh Adan ibn Mahmud Al-Ogadeeni. He stayed in the company of many righteous scholars in Muqdhiso, such as: Shaykh Ali Samatar, the great Faqih and Sufi of central Somalia – Minhaj At-Talibeen Shaykh Abdulwahab ibn Shaykh Yusuf Al-Ogadeeni – Al-Irshad Shaykh Ahmad Al-Sheekhali Shaykh Abdurahman ibn Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdullah – Al-Maqulat Al-‘Ashara Taking the Spiritual Path: Shaykh Abdurahman took the spiritual chain and ijazah from all of the Turuq in Somalia, however his path in Suluk and Tarbiyah was the Qadiri Tariqah. He took the Zayla’i branch from Shaykh Abdullahi ibn Mu’alim Yusuf Al-Qudbi, who took it from his older brother Shaykh Abu Bakr, who was the khalifa of Shaykh Abdurahman Nuuriye Az-Zayla’i. He also took the Zaylai path from Sharif Hasan ibn Sharif Uthman Al-Sarmani. He took the Uwaysi path from Shaykh Ahmad ibn Mu’alim Usman Al-Gandarshe, Shaykh Muhammad Shaa’ir ibn Shaykh Uways, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Usman Hiltire Ooyaaye, Shaykh Usman ibn Shaykh Sufi, Sharif Umar ibn Qulatayn Al-Zanjibari, Shaykh Usman Boqolsoon, Shaykh Muhammad Geedbarkanshe, and Sharif Muhsin ibn Abu Bakr Al-Jilani, who were all Khulafa of Shaykh Uways Al-Barawi Al-Qadiri. He took the ijazah of barakah from the Rashidiya Idrisiya Tariqah from Shaykh Haji Shuayb ibn Umar from Ibrahim Ar-Rashidi from Sayid Ahmad ibn Idris, as well as Shaykh Muhammad Guled from Shaykh Muhammad Salah from Ibrahim Ar-Rashidi. He took the ijazah of barakah from the Rahmaniya Idrisiya from Shaykh Muhammad ibn Shaykh Mahmud from his father from Shaykh Ali Maye Al-Markawi from Shaykh Hasan Mu’alim from Shaykh Abdulwahid from Sayid Ahmad ibn Idris. He took the ijazah of barakah of the Rifa’i Tariqah from Sayid Bakr ibn Habib Mudhir An-Nadhiri Al-Barawi as well. He took ijazat in various forms of Salawat from many Ulama, such as Dalail Al-Khayrat from Shaykh Muhammad Fiqi Yusuf from Shaykh Abdurahman Ash-Shashi As-Sufi and from the acclaimed Qadhi of Zanzibar, Habib Umar ibn Habib Ahmad ibn Habib Abu Bakr ibn Habib Sumayt along with the Salawat of Habib Ali Al-Habshi and the Ba’Alawi Tariqah. His Works: Shaykh Abdurahman wrote several books in various topics such as: Nathr Al-Jawahir in Sarf Jala Al-‘Aynayn fi Manaqib Ash-Shaykhayn: Abdurahman Az-Zaylai wa Shaykh Uways Al-Jawhar An-Nafis fi Khawas Shaykh Uways Sharh Wajiz ‘ala Al-Maqulat Al-‘Ashara Mudhibatul-Ahzan fi Khasati Ahul-Iqan Mawlid At-Taqrib Ad-Dur Al-Munadham fi Manaqib Al-Ghawth Al-‘Adham Khadir Al-Ilham fi Takhmis ‘Aqidatul-‘Awam An-Nafais Al-Mahbubat fi Nadhm As-Salawat: A compilation of 108 poems praising Rasul Allah ﷺ in all of the various modes of Arabic poetry Al-Jawahir Al-Bahiyah fi Al-Qasaid Al-Ilahiya: 64 poems beseeching and glorifying Allah ‘aza wa jal Several poems praising Shaykh Abdulqadir Jaylani, Shaykh Uways, and Shaykh Abdurahman Az-Zaylai, and other Awliya and Mashayikh A book recording the history of Warsheekh and ‘Adale A book collecting his chains of narrations and silsilahs Shaykh Abdurahman would teach in Warsheekh, Muqdhiso, ‘Adale, and Barawe. He would teach men during the day and women during the night. He had many students and murids, such as the faqih Shaykh 'Abdulahi 'Abdi in Gaalkacyo, the Murshid Shaykh 'Umar Jilani, the great wali and Faqih Shaykh 'Ali Muumin, the Faqih of Muqdhiso Shaykh Husain 'Adde Al-Idrisi, Shaykh Ahmad Gabale Al-Qadiri, and his sons, chief of them Shaykh Muhumud ibn Shaykh Abdurahman. He was known as a fervent reciter of the Qur'an, to the extent that he once wrote out an entire Mushaf for someone without glancing at the pages and without making a single mistake. He would often recite several Azja' from memory in his Tahajud, and he would complete a khatm of the Qur'an every 3-4 nights. He used to say, 'The one who has the Qur'an in his chest should not beg people for rizq. Seek your rizq by what is in your chest!' He was a great lover of Rasul Allah ﷺ and wrote many poems in his praise. His most famous poem, which today almost every Sunni recognizes without exception, begins with: محمد يا رسول الله صلى * عليك و سلم المولى محمد is recited all across Somalia and the surrounding regions. He would spend half of his night reciting Salwat upon Rasul Allah ﷺ for almost half of the night after 'Isha, then retiring home before returning to the masjid to pray Tahajud. From his karamat narrated by his student, Shaykh Umar Jilani, was that he entered Madinah Al-Awliya (the city of saints) and met Imam Nawawi. His Death Shaykh Abdurahman spent his life in teaching and worship until his death on Tuesday, 12th of Muharam 1402 / November 1981. He was 88 years, 4 months, and 8 days old. May Allah illuminate his grave and benefit us through his knowledge and blessings in this world and the next. May Allah reward him for his efforts and make us worthy successors of his path. ** Asalamu Alaikum, brothers and sisters. My name is AlShurahbeel, and I have been active on Twitter the past couple of months posting about the history of the Ulama of Somalia, and I thought it would be a good idea to share that information on here as well, especially seeing many similarities between the Ulama of the Subcontinent and Somalia. I will be posting biographies and curriculums as well as time goes on, if Allah wills.
