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Siddiquis, Qallu and other Somali clans |
The Sheikhal (var. Sheikhaal, Sheekhaal, Sheikal, Shikal) (Arabic: شيخال) or Fiqi Omar is a Somali clan whose members inhabit both Somalia and Ethiopia, with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District (NFD) in Kenya.
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Sheikhal people and Harari people are very closely related, as they claim immediate descent from the same ancestor. Historically, Hararis and the Sheikhal have had close ties, and many Hararis have intermarried with Sheikhals. Some Sheikhal clans, specifically members of the Ahmed Lobage clansmen consider themselves to be members of the larger Hawiye clan, however, others within the Ahmed Lobage clan would argue that they are politically aligned with the larger Hawiye clan, but this does not mean they are descendants of Hawiye[2]. This view is shared by the Aw-Qutub subclan which is a major Sheikhal clan, they totally reject the notion that the Sheikhal is part of Hawiye Clan in terms of descent. The Skeikhal clans were not considered as part of the Hawiye until after the civil war.[2]
The Sheikhal clan traces its ancestry to Fiqi Omar, also known as Omar Al-Rida, who in turn traced his lineage to the first caliph, Abu Bakr (Sayid Abubakar Al-Sadiq). According to Richard F. Burton, Faqi Omar crossed over from Arabia to Eastern Africa ten generations prior to 1854, with his six sons: Umar the Greater, Umar the Lesser, the two Abdillahs, Ahmad, and Siddik.[3]