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Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman
الشيخ احمد بن عبد الرحمان بن عثمان
Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman; الشيخ احمد بن عبد الرحمان بن عثمان
Title	Sheikh
Personal life
Died	12th century; Qundhuro, Hararghe
Children	6
Region	Somalia, Ethiopia
Main interest(s)	Islamic sciences, Islamic philosophy, Islamic literature
Religious life
Religion	Sunni, Islam

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, more commonly known as Sheikh Hawiye or just Hawiye (Arabic: الشيخ احمد بن عبد الرحمان بن عثمان, romanized: Ash-Shaykh Ahmad bin 'abd al rahman bin 'uthman, Somali: Sheekh Hawiye) was an Islamic scholar and the patriarch of the Somali Hawiye clan.^[2] According to local tradition, Sheikh Ahmed descended from Aqil ibn Abi Talib, a member of the Banu Hashim and a cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.^[3]

Origins and etymology

Sheikh Hawiye, also known as Ahmed based on oral traditions and Arabic hagiologies, is renowned as a revered saint and religious figure who bore the epithet "Hawi al 'Uluum", which means the conservator of knowledge, denoting his mastery of Islamic knowledge. Through the passage of time, this appellation was condensed to just "Hawiyah" or "Hawiye" and subsequently evolved into the ethnonym of his progeny.^[4] The genealogy of Sheikh Hawiye, as delineated in these oral narratives, Arabic hagiologies, and indigenous manuscripts, can be traced as follows: Ahmed (Hawiye) Bin Abdulrahman (Irir) Bin Uthman (Samaale) Bin Muhammed Bin Hanbal Bin Mahdi Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Aqeel Bin Abu Talib.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

It is through these sources that the lineage of Sheikh Hawiye can be comprehensively understood and appreciated within the broader historical and cultural contexts. Some scholars consider these genealogical claims as historically untenable, but instead argue that they reflect a longstanding cross cultural exchange between Somalia and Southern Arabia.^[11]^[12] 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."^[13]^[14]

Hawiye, the eldest son of Irir, is known to have a sibling named Aji, whose actual name is documented in oral traditions and further supported by Al Idrus's work "History of Somalia" as Ismail, the progenitor of Dir, also known as Abu-Bakr.^[15] Hawiye was married to two women, from whom he had six sons. The first wife, Arbera, hailing from Arab lineage, bore him three sons - Karanle, Xaskuul, and Raaran. On the other hand, his second wife, Ghirei, belonging to the Harla, gave birth to Gugundhabe, Gorgarte, and Jhambiil.^[16]^[17] This genealogical account of Hawiye's family structure is crucial in understanding the historical lineage and heritage of the Hawiye. The oral traditions and written sources provide valuable insights into the familial connections and societal structures prevalent to this day.

The tomb of Shiekh Hawiye is in Qundhuro, situated within the Haraghe region, which served as his primary residence for the later years of his life as a revered Sheikh who dedicated himself to the propagation of the teachings of Islam. Alongside Shiekh Hawiye rests his eldest son, Karanle, in a burial site.^[18] The Hawiye furthered the spread of Islam in the Horn of Africa.^[19]