# Scholars and religious figures | Calankii Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/scholars/ Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) # Scholars and religious figures All 36 pages in Scholars and religious figures, from A to Z. Last checked **2026-11-12** - [Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi (Sheekh Cabdicasiis al-Amawi)Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi (1838-1896): Barawa-born scholar, Qadiriyya shaykh and judge and adviser to the sultans of Zanzibar.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abd-al-aziz-al-amawi/) - [Abdi Ismail Samatar (Cabdi Ismaaciil Samatar)Abdi Ismail Samatar: Gabiley-born University of Minnesota geographer and former African Studies Association president.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdi-samatar/) - [Abdi Kusow (Cabdi Kusow)Abdi Kusow: Somali sociologist at Iowa State University, writer on Somali identity and migration.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdi-kusow/) - [Abdillahi Diiriye Guled (Caraale)Abdillahi Diiriye Guled (Caraale): Somali scholar who discovered Somali poetic metre; author of Miisaanka Maansada.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdillahi-diiriye-guled/) - [Abdisalam Yasin MohamedAbdisalam Yasin Mohamed: Somali literature professor, SNM co-founder and president of Shifa University.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdisalam-yasin-mohamed/) - [Abdurahman Baadiyow (Cabdiraxmaan Baadiyow)Abdurahman Baadiyow (born 1954): Islamic historian, Mogadishu University co-founder and Islah leader.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdurahman-baadiyow/) - [Ahmed Ismail Samatar (Axmed Ismaaciil Samatar)Ahmed Ismail Samatar: Gabiley-born Macalester professor and founding editor of Bildhaan, the journal of Somali studies.](https://calankii.com/en/people/ahmed-samatar/) - [Ahmed Mumin Warfa (Axmed Muumin Warfaa)Ahmed Mumin Warfa (d. 2021): Somali botanist who co-discovered Cyclamen somalense; rector of Zamzam University.](https://calankii.com/en/people/ahmed-mumin-warfa/) - [Ali Sheikh Ahmed (Cali Sheekh Axmed)Ali Sheikh Ahmed: co-founder and first president of Mogadishu University (1997).](https://calankii.com/en/people/ali-sheikh-ahmed/) - [Aw Barkhadle (Sheikh Yusuf al-Kawneyn)Aw Barkhadle (Sheikh Yusuf al-Kawneyn), medieval scholar and saint: his teaching, the Somali names for Arabic letters, and his tomb near Hargeisa.](https://calankii.com/en/people/aw-barkhadle/) - [Aw Jama Omar Issa (Aw Jaamac Cumar Ciise)Aw Jama Omar Issa (c.1922-2014): historian who collected the Sayid's poems and wrote the first Dervish history.](https://calankii.com/en/people/jama-omar-issa/) - [Dada Masiti (Mana Sitti Habib Jamaladdin)Dada Masiti (d. 1919): Sufi poet and teacher of Barawa whose Bravanese verse spread Islamic learning among women.](https://calankii.com/en/people/dada-masiti/) - [Fakhr al-Din Uthman al-Zayla'i (died 1342/43), jurist of Zeila and CairoUthman ibn Ali al-Zayla'i (d. 1342/43): Hanafi jurist from Zeila in Cairo, author of Tabyin al-Haqa'iq, and the Riwaq al-Zayla'i at al-Azhar.](https://calankii.com/en/people/uthman-al-zaylai/) - [Hassan al-Jabarti (Xasan al-Jabarti)Hassan al-Jabarti (d. 1774): Zeila-origin mathematician and astronomer in Cairo, father of the historian al-Jabarti.](https://calankii.com/en/people/hassan-al-jabarti/) - [Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi (Maxamed Diiriye Cabdullaahi)Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi (born 1958): Somali-Canadian linguist, author of Culture and Customs of Somalia.](https://calankii.com/en/people/mohamed-diriye-abdullahi/) - [Mohamed Haji Mukhtar (Maxamed Xaaji Mukhtaar)Mohamed Haji Mukhtar (born 1947): Hudur-born historian at Savannah State University and advocate for Af-Maay.](https://calankii.com/en/people/mohamed-haji-mukhtar/) - [Musa Haji Ismail Galaal (Muuse Xaaji Ismaaciil Galaal)Musa Galaal (1917–1980): scholar of Somali language, poetry and weather lore, and a maker of the Somali alphabet.](https://calankii.com/en/people/musa-galaal/) - [Osman Yusuf Kenadid (Cismaan Yuusuf Keenadiid)Osman Yusuf Kenadid (1889–1972), inventor of the Osmanya script for Somali, poet, teacher and founding member of the Somali Youth League.](https://calankii.com/en/people/osman-yusuf-kenadid/) - [Sa'id of Mogadishu (Saciid Muqdisho)Sa'id of Mogadishu (1301–about 1361): 14th-century Somali scholar who studied in Mecca and Medina, travelled to India and China, and met Ibn Battuta.](https://calankii.com/en/people/said-of-mogadishu/) - [Said Sheikh Samatar (Saciid Sheekh Samatar)Said Sheikh Samatar (1943–2015): Rutgers historian of Somalia and author of Oral Poetry and Somali Nationalism.](https://calankii.com/en/people/said-samatar/) - [Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Zayla'i (Sheekh Cabdiraxmaan Seylici)Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Zayla'i (1820–1882): Bakool-born Qadiriyya scholar who spread the order in the interior.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abd-al-rahman-al-zaylai/) - [Sheikh Abdallah al-Qutbi (Sheekh Cabdullaahi Qudbi)Sheikh Abdallah al-Qutbi (c. 1879-1919): Somali Qadiriyya theologian, author of The Blessed Collection.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdallah-al-qutbi/) - [Sheikh Abdinasir Haji Ahmed (Sheekh Cabdinaasir Xaaji Axmed)Sheikh Abdinasir Haji Ahmed (1957-2022): Las Anod scholar and preacher killed in Kismayo in 2022.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdinasir-haji-ahmed/) - [Sheikh Abdulkadir Nur Farah (Sheekh Cabdiqaadir Nuur Faarax)Sheikh Abdulkadir Nur Farah (1940-2013): Eyl-born scholar and judge, co-founder of Al-Furqan, killed in Garowe.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abdulkadir-nur-farah/) - [Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nur (Sheekh Cabdiraxmaan Sheekh Nuur)Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nur: Borama qadi and scholar who devised the Borama (Gadabuursi) script for Somali about 1933.](https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-abdurahman-sheikh-nur/) - [Sheikh Abikar Mahdar (Sheekh Abiikar Mahdar)Sheikh Abikar Mahdar (1816 to 1876): Qadiriyya teacher of Mogadishu and Warsheikh, teacher of Sheikh Sufi.](https://calankii.com/en/people/abikar-mahdar/) - [Sheikh Ahmed Haji Abdirahman (Sheekh Axmed Xaaji Cabdiraxmaan)Sheikh Ahmed Haji Abdirahman (d. 2011): Galkayo scholar, vice president of East Africa University, killed in Bosaso.](https://calankii.com/en/people/ahmed-haji-abdirahman/) - [Sheikh Hussein of Bale (1200s): the saint from Merca honoured in EthiopiaSheikh Hussein of Bale (1200s): Muslim saint born in Merca, credited with spreading Islam in Bale and Sidamo; his shrine, pilgrimages, hagiography and lineage traditions.](https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-hussein-of-bale/) - [Sheikh Madar (Sheekh Madar Axmed Shirwac)Sheikh Madar (1825–1918): Qadiriyya scholar and reformer remembered as the founder of Hargeisa.](https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-madar/) - [Sheikh Mohamoud Sheikh Dalmar (Maxamuud Sheekh Dalmar)Mohamoud Sheikh Dalmar: Somali journalist, Islamic scholar and Somali poetry expert, ex-BBC Somali.](https://calankii.com/en/people/mohamoud-sheikh-dalmar/) - [Sheikh Omar Farouk (Sheekh Cumar Faaruuq)Sheikh Omar Farouk (1939–2011): Somali scholar known for his recorded Quran tafsir, Arta 2000 participant, died in Mecca.](https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-omar-farouk/) - [Sheikh Sufi (Sheekh Suufi), Abd al-Rahman bin AbdullahSheikh Sufi (1829–1904): Benadiri Qadiriyya scholar, poet and mediator of Mogadishu, whose tomb draws yearly visitors.](https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-sufi/) - [Sheikh Uways al-Barawi (Sheekh Uweys)Sheikh Uways al-Barawi (1847–1909), Baraawe scholar who spread the Qadiriyya across East Africa: his life, teaching, poems and death.](https://calankii.com/en/people/uways-al-barawi/) - [Shire Jama Ahmed (Shire Jaamac Axmed)Shire Jama Ahmed (1936–1999), the linguist who designed the Somali Latin alphabet adopted in 1972 and used by Somalis today.](https://calankii.com/en/people/shire-jama-ahmed/) - [Souad Kassim MohamedSouad Kassim Mohamed (b.1976): Djiboutian linguist and playwright at the University of Djibouti.](https://calankii.com/en/people/souad-kassim-mohamed/) - [Yasin Osman Kenadid (Yaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid)Yasin Osman Kenadid (1919–1988): SYL founder and linguist who wrote the standard Somali dictionary of 1976.](https://calankii.com/en/people/yasin-osman-kenadid/) Last checked 2026-11-12 **Seen a mistake?** Fix this page ## Toosoo! 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