# 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.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/sheikh-abdurahman-sheikh-nur/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who was he?

Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nur was a Somali religious leader and qadi, a judge of Islamic law ([Wikipedia, Sheikh Abdurahman Sh. Nur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)). He devised the [Borama](/en/regions/awdal/) script, also called the Gadabuursi script, about 1933 ([Castagno, *Historical Dictionary of Somalia*, 1975, "Gadabursi Script"](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)).

## Early life and family

He was born in Zeila and grew up in Borama, in the Gadabuursi community ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)). His father, [Sheikh](/en/regions/sheikh/) Warsame, was a well-known qadi for many years (same source). As a young man he taught the Qur'an in the [British Somaliland](/en/history/british-somaliland-1884-1960/) protectorate (same source).

## Qadi of the north

He followed his father into the law. He later became qadi for the whole northern region of British Somaliland ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)). He was also known for his knowledge of the history of his own community (same source).

## The Borama script

In 1933 he devised a new way of writing Somali with its own letters ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)). It fitted Somali sounds closely (same source). Castagno writes that he used it for writing his own poetry ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). Religious poems (qasidas) in the script survive ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)).

## A modest aim

He did not expect the whole nation to adopt it. In a text printed in the script, he wrote that he published it "with no intention of attempting to contribute to the already abundant confusion" over a standard ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Abdurahman_Sh._Nur)). Castagno notes it was never seriously considered for national use ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)).

## One of many efforts to write Somali

His script stands beside other Somali-made scripts. These include the Osmanya script of [Osman Yusuf Kenadid](/en/people/osman-yusuf-kenadid/) and the work of [Shire Jama Ahmed](/en/people/shire-jama-ahmed/) and [Musa Galaal](/en/people/musa-galaal/). In 1972 Somalia adopted a Latin alphabet. See [the Somali language written in 1972](/en/history/somali-language-written-1972/) and [the Somali language](/en/society/the-somali-language/).

## In short

Creator of the Borama, or Gadabuursi, script for Somali in the 1930s.

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