From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the ethnic group. For the geographical area, see Isaaq.
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Main article: Somali clan
| Isaaq |
| Total population |
|
3,000,000 (est.)[citation needed]
|
| Regions with significant populations |
|
|
| Languages |
| Somali |
| Religions |
| Islam (Sunni) |
The tomb of Sheikh Isaq, the father of the Isaq tribe
The Isaaq (also Isaq, Ishaak) (Somali language: Reer Sheik Isaxaaq); is one of the main Somali clans. The Isaaq mainly live in the northwestern Somaliland region of Somalia, the Somali Region of Ethiopia, and Djibouti. The populations of the four major cities of the Somaliland region (Hargeisa, Burco, Berbera, and Ceerigaabo) are predominantly Isaaq.
Tradition states that the Isaaq clan was founded by the arrival of Sheikh Isaq from Arabia in the 12th or 13th century. He settled at the coastal town of Maydh in northwestern Somalia, where he married into the local Dir clan. His tomb is in Maydh.The Isaaq are hashemites and are of the bani hashem clan of the quraish they are also descendants of the prophet Muhammad.
[edit] Notable Isaaq people
- Edna Adan Ismail, former Foreign Minister of Somaliland
- Faysal Ali Warabe, chairman of the Justice and Welfare Party of Somaliland (UCID)
- Habiiba Ahmed Haaji, vice-manager of the African Educational Trust
- Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, Somali politician, president (from 1993) of the Republic of Somaliland
- Hassan Haji Mohamoud, Minister of Education for Somaliland
- Rageh Omaar, Former BBC correspondent, currently an Al Jazeera English Journalist
- Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi': Somali poet and philosopher (fl. 2006). Author of Halkaraan; also known as the "Somali Shakespeare"
- Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed Timacade: Prominent poet during the pre- and post-colonial periods (peak during 1960s).
- Umar Arteh Ghalib, last prime minister of Somalia under the regime of Siad Barre
- Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo, last chairman of the SNM; current chairman of Kulmiye Party in Somaliland
