Ancient Zeila: Case closed: the Adel empire was an indigenous civilization based in Somaliland - Suleiman Amin

Part I

Introduction:

The clock of time never stops. Our modern times are a continuation of an ancient times. our lives came from other lives that existed in the universe long time ago. Live never begins in a vacuum, one of the major tenants of the living theory or cell theory if you will is, all living things came from pre-existing cells. Which means our modern civilization and existence came from and connected to other people and civilizations that existed before us. Those who will come after us will continue the civilization the place where our existence stops. The cycle will continue and only Allah knows where it will stop. Those of us living today are connected to the people of Zeila, Balahaar, Harrar and Berbera. We did not exist in a vacuum.

The ancient Zeila did not happen in a no man's land. This history has passed from generation to generation. There are stories, culture, way of living, folklore, songs, cuisine, antiquities and other foot prints inherited from that glorious Zeila civilization. Ancient Zeila exists in the psyche and minds of the direct descendants of that civilization. These descendants live in Borama, modern Zeila, Baki, Dila, Lughaya, Hargeisa, Djibouti, Harrar, Berbera and many other places today.

I completely disagree with the latest writer about Zeila. His account is full of distortions, lies and other irregularities. Anytime, somebody has account about Zeila and ignore the significance involvement of the people of the area about the civilization and history of Zeila, Harrar and other historical sites, you will smell distortion. That person will be regarded as somebody attempting to find glory in a desert. You can not talk about the history of Zeila and ignore the people who founded that ancient empire. You can't ignore Gadabursi, Isaak, Issa and Afar who are the ancient inhabitants of the area.These four communities were pivotal to the civilization, glory and the successful wars waged by the empire in defense of Islam. These four communities were the back bone of Awdal civilization and glory of Adel. Of course Adel was a cosmopolitan empire and the ancient Zeila folklore will confirm that.

That means that other people of Somali decent played some role and especially in the defensive wars against Abyssinia. According to the Zeila folklore Arabs, Indians Persians, Turkeys and others were also living in Zeila.The Mahad Asse in particular and Gadabursi in general, the Haber Awal, Isse and Afar were the core architects of Adel civilization.

I would like to underline the fact which says, the Gadabursi has significant contribution to the Adel empire fame and civilization.

Adel's rapid rise, expansion and its growing power intimidated Abyssinian rulers. That fear, and expansionist policies of successive Abyssinian emperors triggered several hundred years of wars between Adel empire and Abyssinia. Versions of those wars are going on in this modern times. The treacherous Abyssinian treaties with the colonial powers to divide and occupy Muslim territories that are inhabited by ethnic Somalis, Oromo and Afar was a huge betrayal that has sowed the seeds of an eternal suspicion between the Abyssinia and its colonized non Abyssinian ethnic groups. The relationship between the latter and Abyssinia was the relationship between a colonizer and colonized.

Colonizing only Muslim territory is not by accident. This age old calculated Abyssinian policies destined to control all the land between Sudan, the Red sea and the Indian ocean. Haile Selassie has many times inadvertently articulated this mentality. This mentality is deeply ingrained in the minds of Abyssinian Ethiopians. If you talk with member of this community, they will regurgitate that philosophy that all the land of the Horn of Africa belongs to them. One may ask where this arrogant and imperialistic philosophy came from. It came from Amod Siyon, Haile Selassie, Mengistu and it is now coming from Zinewi. That philosophy of annexation, conquest expansion and hegemony and aggression was the corner stone and still is of all the rulers of Axum, Abyssinia and the modern Ethiopia.

The then Axum and Abyssinia (Al-Habasha) were at war with the Muslim Adel Empire and other of successive governments of Zeila before them. The Adel Empire was a very powerful Muslim empire leading the confederation of about 7 emirates including the kingdom of Zeila. The seven Emirates comprising the great Adel empire were Ifat/Adel/, Dawaro, Arabini, Hadaya, Sharqa, Balli and Daara. Adel was the the most dominant of the pack. Adel empire comprises all of Somaliland, all the way to Tajourah (modern Djibouti) in the west and Shewa (Addis Ababa region). Somaliland was the major heir to Adel's history and illustrious civilization. The historical foot prints of that empire buried in the old ruins of ancient Zeila, old Amoud, Darbiyada of Abasso, Bulhar, Berbera, Awboobe, Awbarre, Tujorah, Harrar and many other places. The Zeili folklore, the Surbiyaan and the Canbaabur cuisine. Above all the legendary Zeila folklore which comprises an amalgam of many foreign languages such as Turkish, Persian Arabic and Indian is a also a living artifact of that great civilization.

The afore-said evidence and other factors are living evidence that Adel empire is not something alien. This evidence shows that Adel civilization and history is not alien, but an indigenous civilization which is deeply enshrined in the Psyche of the people of Somaliland in general and the particularly those who trace their civilization to Zeila, Bulhaar, Adari, Berbera. The Mahad Asse in particular and the Gadabursi in general usually claim that they are they are the direct descendants and heir apparents of that civilization. While the Haber Awal claim they were the direct descendants of the ancient civilizations of Bulahaar and Berbera.

But evidence shows that Adel civilization was primarily indigenous. Zeila, Harrar, Bulahaar and Berbera were cosmopolitan centers where many people also live. There were Turkish, Indians, Persian, Jews, Arabs, Afar, Oromo and others living in Adel empire's major cities of Zeila, Harrar, Darbyade Abaase, Aw Boobe, Berbera, Bulhaar, Awbarre and old Amoud.

There is still a lot to be discovered about the rich history and civilization of Zeila, Bulahaar and Berbera. All these precious antiquities have been ignored and even attempted to be erased by colonial powers and Ethiopia, but the responsibilities of unearthing this precious history will squarely fall on the shoulders of the people of the area. The people who claim to be the heirs to that great civilization, must uncover the hidden secrets obscured from the world by the colonial powers and their prototype post independence governments.

Those emirates were led by Adel. This empire has been carrying the torch of Islam for nearly three hundred years. The empire especially its two major cities of Zeila, and Harrar were important centers of education, enlightenment, culture, trade, cuisine, folklore and poetry. The Islamic Adel empire have reached its zenith between 14th and the 16th century. The Abyssinian emperors were so aggressive and belligerent against Adel. Among the long chain of Abyssinian leaders who attacked Adel were yaqoba Siyon, Amda Siyon, Zara Siyon and others. All the afore-said waged attacks against Adel. But most of those attacks have been repulsed based on two things, the high motivation of masses of Adel empire.

The second thing was they were defending their dignity, independence, sovereignty, land and faith. These Muslim governments led by Adel were called in Masar and Shaam (Egypt and Syria) "Bilaadal Awdal" From the "14th century until ""1887", there were endless wars of attrition between Abyssinia and the Muslim empire of Adel and other Muslim states and Emirates that came before and after its decline.The "Adel empire" (Awdal) was the largest and the most powerful of the seven Muslim emirates. From 1526-1543 the "Adel Empire" led by the legendary warrior, states man and military commander, Imam Ahmed Bin Ibrahim (Ahmed Gurey), who once annexed all Ethiopia.

The scorched earth defensive military campaigns Imam Ahmed Alqazi-Gurey waged against Abyssinia, were a direct response to the age-old Ethiopian aggression against its neighbors, Therefore, the Muslim people of the area with the help of Ottoman empire organized themselves and founded the "Adal empire" and six other Muslim emirates in a vast land in the Horn of Africa. Adal Empire and the other Muslim Emirates before it were at war with Axum and Abyssinia for nearly 500 years. If Ethiopia continues with its current policies against its Muslim neighbors, the scorched earth wars between Ethiopia and the non Abyssinian communities of the Horn of Africa will come again. if you closely watch the Ethiopian excesses and human rights abuses in Mogadishu, the oppression and mistreatment of the people of western Somalia, the oppression and subjugation of the Oromo nation, the endless meddling into the internal affairs of Djibouti and Somaliland, arming all those who hate to see the well-being of the people of Somali decent, vivid memories of Amod Siyon, Menelik, Haile Selassie, Mengistu and the other Abyssinian tyrants will come to mind.

Short synopsis of history and background information

Axumite Empire was inhabited by Cushitic speaking people in Northern Ethiopia and Semitic speaking people in southern Arabia, who settled around the red sea around 500 BC. The Abyssinians say the Ark of the covenant was brought from Jerusalem to their ancient fortress of Ava by Menelik, the son of king Solomon and the Queen of Sheba , and later transferred to Axum. From the 4th century to the 12th century the Tigrayans dominated Axum empire.The Axumite empire once extended from most of the Horn of Africa, Yemen and all the way to Nubia. The Axumites among other things were famous with their magnificent architecture, entrepreneurial spirit and opulent orthodox Christian monasteries. Axum once dominated the Eastern Mediterranean.They traded with both Rome, Persia, and Byzantine empires, in ivory, gold, frankincense, Myrah, leather, hides, and other aromatics. They were famous in architectural wonders such as towering "obelisks" , beautiful palaces and huge Abyssinian Orthodox cathedrals especially in Gonder, Gojam and Tigray.

Following the decline of the Axumite empire, the dawn of the Solomonic kings dynasty started in Gonder in "1270" by an Amhara noble, called "Yekum Amlak", and continued until the ouster of Haile Selassie by Mengistu in 1974. The Solomonic kings were believed to be descended from king Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Original Abyssinia comprises of the three states of Gonder, Gojam and Tigre. The Amharas; the group who dominated both Ethiopia and Abyssinia for more than several hundred years were originally confined in the two states of Gonder and Gojam.The other major ethnic component of Abyssinia and Ethiopia are the Tigrayans, who were originally confined also in the state of Tigray only.
Menelik 11 of Shewa; with the help of the European powers especially France, Italy and great Britain invaded the ancient Muslim; walled city of Harrar in "1887".

The new government founded in Zeila eventually became an Islamic empire, which upholds and safe guards the rights and interests of all the Muslim people in the Horn of Africa. The new government took a huge strides for the spread of Islam teachings and culture. That is what made her-the Ifat Muslim state of Zeila in a direct collision course with an orthodox-Christian-based feudal empire of Abyssinia. The latter was a very small poor state based in the remote and Abyssinian highland of Gonder, Gojam and Tigrey. there was some many bitter wars that happened between the resurgent and maritime Awdal empire and the small, poor and highland of Abyssinian. To this day that tension between Abyssinian and the Muslim people of the Horn of Africa. The Muslim of the Horn of Africa who are many times larger than their Abyssinian counterparts, who are a small minority but still enjoy significant connections with the western empire

For over several hundred years the then of Axum and Abyssinia (Al-Habasha) were at war, with the Muslim Adel Empire and other of successive governments of Zeila before them. The Adel Empire was a very powerful Muslim empire leading the confederation of about 7 emirates including the kingdom of Zeila. The seven Emirates comprising the great Adel empire were Ifat/Adel/, Dawaro, Arabini, Hadaya, Sharqa, Balli and Daara. The most dominant Adel was mostly based in Somaliland and the latter are the major heir to the illustrious civilization. The historical foot prints of that empire buried in the old ruins of ancient Zeila, old Amoud, Darbiyada of Abasso, Bulhar, Berbera, Awboobe, Awbarre, Tujorah, Harrar and many other places. The Zeili folklore, the Surbiyaan and the Canbaabur cuisine. Above all the legendary Zeila folklore which comprises an amalgam of many foreign languages such as as Turkish, Persian Arabic and Indian is a also a living artifact of that great civilization. all these precious antiquities have been ignored and even attempted to be erased by colonial powers and Ethiopia, but the responsibilities of unearthing this precious will squarely fall on the shoulders of the people of the area. The people who claim the heirs to that great civilization must uncover the hidden secrets obscured from the world by the colonial powers and their prototype so called government that followed them in the so-called decolonization of 1960.

The once shinning empire in the East was founded in the 13th century. This empire was once in line with the Ottoman empire, the Persian empire and the other great empires of the past. The Egyptian who have a very good relation with them call it Bilaad Al-Zeila. The empire was first founded in the 13 th century by two preeminent personalities, one was bu the name of Amir Omar Walasna Dunyahur. The leader was said to be a descendant of Sh. Yususf Al Kawnin who was also called by Aw Barkhadleh. Apparently the empire was founded by a religious leader and it was based on religious grounds. But it does not mean Zeila is only 700 years old. Zeila before it became the empire sometime in the 13th century was always a self-governing emirate or government since 900 A.D. When the British navy spy Sir Richard Burton disguised as a Muslim Shaikh came to Zeila several hundred years after the end of the Adel empire, Zeila was still a self governing emirate, though it was nominally ruled by the Ottoman empire sultan based in Yemen.

The energy and the spirit of spreading of Islam to the Horn of Africa earned a huge name for Zeila, when some Muslim governments called it "Diraasat Al-Islaam (Islamic studies).

The Adel empire have fought so many wars with imperial Abyssinia and thousands of people on both sides of the con flick have perished. That was a very long struggle that spanned several hundred years. The empire was well-liked by the Muslim world. People were impressed with its great justice, sound governance, activist spirit for all the Muslims around the Horn of Africa and the way they spread around the fast land of the Horn of Africa.

It is the responsibility of the descendants of the ancient inhabitants of the area to uncover the historical facts, wealth of information, great knowledge ranging from Islamic studies and secular knowledge and other archaeological and anthropological antiques. It is our duty to push the United nations to declare Zeila, Bulahar and other areas historical sites which has to preserved by the international community. Harrar the twin city of Zeila was recently declared an area of historical significance by the United nations.

Historical distortions plagues the history of the ancient twin cities of Hararr and Zeila. The history of this very important place by the British and the French colonial powers who colonized the area. Others such as Arab states such as Egypt tried to bury any significant history or historical areas around the red sea.

They were always worried about a historical and strategically located city that may compete with the Egyptian pyramids and so many other ancient historical artifacts. meanwhile the people of the area also neglected to uncover the rich history of Zeila, and the other areas of historical significance.
The empire at its zenith extends southwest to the strategically located Shawa region where Addis Abba, the modern Ethiopian capital is located. Eastward to Ras Hafoon, North West to Eritrea.

Adel empire and the successive empires of Zeila were build and led by the indigenous people of the area notably, Gadabursi, Isse, Isaak and Afar. Other people of Somali decent also contributed to that illustrious civilization.

The ledendary Zeili Folkolore is a living example of the Zeila civilization. The Zeilites belong to all different tribes of the area, but they have a distinct culture and civilization. The way they talk, cook, sing, their huge civil engagement, the spirit of volunteerism, entrepreneurship and how they conduct their marriage ceremonies is unique and different from their other brethren of the area. This means though neglected, the Adel civilization is not not dead but alive and kicking. Therefore, Lets all work together to revive our civilization. To sum it up Adel civilization belongs to the indigenous people of the area in particular and all Somaliland in general. Case closed.

Suleiman Egeh is a freelance writer and a senior science instructor
soleimoneg@yahoo.com