# Murusade (Murursade, Mursal, Hawiye clan)

> The Murusade (Murursade, Mursal) clan of the Hawiye: family tree, branches, where they live, history and recent conflict records, from EUAA and Abbink.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/society/murusade/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Name and family tree

The Murusade are a clan of the Hawiye, one of the five large Somali clan families ([EUAA Country Guidance, 2025](https://euaa.europa.eu/country-guidance-somalia/1-general-remarks)). The name is written Murursade in standard Somali, and also Murosade, Murasade or Mursal.

| Source | Where it places the Murusade |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Hawiye > Bah Arbera > Murosade, on the same line as Karanle ([Abbink, *The Total Somali Clan Genealogy*, 2009, p. 29](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)) |
| World Bank 2005, south-central chart | Hawiye > Karanle > Murusade ([World Bank, *Conflict in Somalia*, 2005, Appendix 2](https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/b2109b26-2d10-5ac6-85c2-dbfa820c5f6e)) |
| World Bank 2005, Puntland chart | Hawiye > Mururusade (same source) |
| ACLED 2025 | Hawiye > Murusade ([ACLED clan actor list, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)) |
| Wikipedia (backup) | Hawiye > Karanle > Mursal ([Wikipedia, Karanle, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karanle)) |

Wikipedia records a clan tradition on the founder. Mursal was the youngest son of Karanle and shared a mother with Sexawle. He was also called *Waadere Karanle*, after Adere, a name for Harar, where he was said to be born ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)). The tradition says he later moved north into central Somalia (same source).

## Main branches

Wikipedia gives two main branches ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)):

- **Sabti:** Abu Bakr Sabti, Abdalla Sabti, Idinle Sabti and Ibrahim Sabti.
- **Foorculus:** Mohamed Foorculus (Hilibi), Ahmed Foorculus (Daguuro) and Ebakar Foorculus (Hawar Ceene).

Abbink lists five Murosade lineages: [Mohamed Amal](/en/society/duduble/), Nur 'Abdi, Septi, Gabdi and Foo'ulus ([Abbink 2009, p. 29](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)). His Septi and Foo'ulus match Wikipedia's Sabti and Foorculus. Wikipedia also names the Muusetuur, a sub-clan found in Dire [Dawa](/en/regions/dawa-river/) and Harar ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)).

ACLED's 2025 list codes the Murusade as one group, with the older names "Murusade-Hawiye" and "Hawiye-Muransade Sub-Clan" ([ACLED, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)). See also [Karanle](/en/society/karanle/) and [the Somali clan tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree/).

## Where they live

No census counts Somalis by clan. The Austrian research centre ACCORD notes that Somalis often claim more members than their groups have, "in order to demonstrate strength" ([ACCORD, *Clans in Somalia*, 2009, p. 11](https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1193130/90_1261130976_accord-report-clans-in-somaliarevised-edition-20091215.pdf)).

| Place | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Mogadishu | "Mogadishu is inhabited largely by Hawiye from the clans Abgaal, Habar Gedir and Murosade" ([EUAA Country Focus 2025, Mogadishu](https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2025_05_EUAA_COI_Report_Somalia_Country_Focus.pdf)) |
| Galgaduud | Main clans include Habar Gidir sub-clans and "the Murasade (Hawiye) clan" ([EUAA 2025, Galgaduud](https://euaa.europa.eu/coi/somalia/2025/security-situation/25-galmudug/251-galgaduud)) |
| Galgaduud, Al-Shabaab areas | Areas held or contested by al-Shabaab are mainly home to Duduble, Murasade and Wa'aysle ([EASO, *Somalia: Security situation*, 2021](https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2021_09_EASO_COI_Report_Somalia_Security_situation.pdf)) |
| Middle Shabelle | Among the Hawiye sub-clans of the region (same source) |
| Lower Shabelle | Among Hawiye clans in the east of the region (same source) |

Wikipedia quotes I. M. Lewis: the Murosade "are found in small groups in the region of [Merca](/en/regions/lower-shabelle/) and, in a larger body, below the Shebelle around Afgoi" ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup, quoting Lewis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)). It names Ceel Buur district as a main Murusade area (same source).

## History on record

- **Before 1900.** Wikipedia says Ceel Buur was a Murusade trading centre. It says the Murusade traded along the Benadir coast, including Mogadishu, Merca and [Barawe](/en/regions/barawa/) ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)).
- **1896.** Wikipedia says Italian forces attacked "several other villages connected to the [Geledi](/en/history/geledi-sultanate/) and Murusade clans" after the Lafoole fight, in which the consul Antonio Cecchi was killed (same source). See [resistance, 1890s to 1945](/en/history/resistance-1890s-1945/).
- **Early 1900s.** Wikipedia says border groups of the Murusade came into contact with the Dervishes and the Hobyo Sultanate, "allying with the former and opposing the latter" (same source). See [the Dervish movement](/en/history/dervish-movement-1899-1920/).
- **2022 onward.** Murusade fighters were among the clan militias known as [Macawisley](/en/institutions/macawisley/) that fought al-Shabaab. In February 2024 "the Murusade divided over government involvement" (Wikipedia, citing PeaceRep and others).

## Elders and customary law

Senior Somali clan leaders carry titles such as *suldaan*, *ugaas* or *issim*. Their role is "mainly judicial and representative". Lower down, elders (*oday*) settle disputes and manage shared land and water ([UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014](https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2002542/Somalia_-_Clans_-_CPIN_V3.0e.pdf)).

Wikipedia records a saying about the old role of Karanle judges: "*Garqaad Gareen Ajuuraan baa leh, Garnaqsi Garfuul Karanlaa leh*". It links it to Garfuul, a Murusade ancestor ([Wikipedia, Murusade, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murusade)). See [xeer, Somali customary law](/en/society/xeer-customary-law/). The Murusade seats in parliament are part of the Hawiye share; see [the Federal Parliament](/en/institutions/federal-parliament/).

## In recent conflict records

The EUAA lists clan conflicts from April 2023 to March 2025, using ACLED data ([EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1](https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2025_05_EUAA_COI_Report_Somalia_Country_Focus.pdf)). In [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/) it names:

- Murusade against Cayr (Habar Gidir), a conflict that "started in the middle of 2024".
- Murusade against Duduble (Habar Gidir), in villages near Ceel Buur. The EUAA says the fighting was "stopped by [Al-Shabaab](/en/history/al-shabaab/)".

It also records that on 18 February 2025 a Murusade militia attacked Cayr civilians near Wahbo, Ceel Buur, and two civilians died (same source). See [clan conflicts, district by district](/en/society/clan-conflicts/).

## Where sources differ

- **Under Karanle or beside it.** The World Bank's south-central chart and Wikipedia place the Murusade under the Karanle. Abbink draws them beside the Karanle. ACLED and the [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) chart put them directly under the Hawiye.
- **Branch names.** Wikipedia gives two branches. Abbink gives five lineages, two of which match Wikipedia's.
- **Early history.** Most of the history above comes from Wikipedia, a backup source, drawing on clan tradition and older writers.

## Read more

- [Hawiye](/en/society/hawiye/) and [Karanle](/en/society/karanle/)
- [Abgaal](/en/society/abgaal/)
- [The Somali clan tree: every clan and sub-clan](/en/society/somali-clan-tree/)
- [Galgaduud](/en/regions/galgaduud/) and [Mogadishu](/en/regions/mogadishu/)

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