# Sacad Muuse (Sa'ad Musa, Habar Awal, Isaaq) > The Sacad Muuse (Sa'ad Musa) of the Habar Awal and Isaaq: family tree, Cabdalla Abokor and other lines, Hargeisa and Gabiley, Berbera trade and records. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/society/sacad-muuse/ Last checked: 2026-11-12 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## Name and family tree The Sacad Muuse are a clan of the Habar Awal, part of the [Isaaq](/en/society/isaaq/). Their brother line is the [Ciise Muuse](/en/society/ciise-muuse/). The name is also written Sa'ad Musa and Saad Muse. | Source | Line it gives | |---|---| | Abbink 2009 | Habr Awal > Zubeir > Muuse > Sa'ad ([Abbink, *The Total Somali Clan Genealogy*, 2009, p. 32](https://hdl.handle.net/1887/14007)) | | ACLED 2025 | Isaaq > Habar Awal > Sacad Muse; it also codes Habar Awal-Abdale Abokor ([ACLED clan actor list, September 2025](https://acleddata.com/system/files/2025-10/Somalia-clan-actor-old-to-new-list_16-September-2025.xlsx)) | | EUAA 2025 | "Jibril Abokor, Sa'ad Muse, Habar Awal (Isaaq)" ([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)) | | Wikipedia (backup) | Sa'ad, son of Musa, son of Zubayr, son of Abd al-Rahman (Awal), son of Sheikh Isaaq ([Wikipedia, Sa'ad Musa, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ad_Musa)) | Wikipedia says Zubeyr Awal, the shared ancestor of the Sacad Muuse and Ciise Muuse, is buried at Jidali in [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/) (same source). See [the Isaaq tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree-isaaq/). ## Main branches Abbink lists these groups (Abbink 2009, p. 32): | Line | Groups named under it | |---|---| | Sa'ad | Jibriil (Abokor), Reer Dalal and Reer Samatar (Haad) | | Isaq | Abokor, Yesif, Makahil and 'Abdulla | | Others listed beside them | Abdurahman, Hassan, Isma'iil, 'Abdulla, Idrais, Afgab and Egalla | Wikipedia gives a deeper line through Isaaq [Sa'ad](/en/society/sacad-habar-gidir/) ([Wikipedia, Habr Awal, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habr_Awal)): | Line | Groups named under it | |---|---| | Abokor Isaaq | Ugaadh Abokor (Ugaadhyahan), Cabdalla Abokor and Xuseen Abokor | | Xuseen Abokor > Jibriil > Ismaaciil > Nuux | Reer Yoonis Nuux (Shirdoon, Hoosh, Gadiid and Maxamed) and Reer Axmed Nuux | | Xuseen Abokor > Jibriil > Ismaaciil | Saciid Ismaaciil > Cabdalla Saciid (Reer Samatar, Reer Abane and Reer Axmed Cabdalla); also Bah Gobo and Waran'ad | | Makaahiil | Nuux, Abokor, Cumar, Maxamed and Xasan Makaahiil | **Cabdalla Abokor.** Wikipedia places Cabdalla Abokor under Abokor Isaaq, beside the Ugaadhyahan and Xuseen Abokor (same source). ACLED codes it as Habar Awal-Abdale Abokor. Wikipedia shows an 1890 photo of Warsame Yunis "of the Reer Geille Abdalla Abukar, Sa'ad Musa" ([Wikipedia, Sa'ad Musa, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ad_Musa)). Its Somali Wikipedia page was not available when this page was written. ## Where they live No census counts Somalis by clan. 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 | |---|---| | Hargeisa | The EUAA says "the Isaaq/Habar Awal clans (Sa'ad Muse and Isse Muse) predominantly populate Ibraahim Koodbuur", the 26 June district and parts of Gacan Libaah (EUAA Country Focus 2025) | | Woqooyi Galbeed | The EASO says the region is "predominantly inhabited by the Habar Awal clan", from the coast to the Ethiopian border ([EASO, *Somalia: Security situation*, 2021](https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2021_09_EASO_COI_Report_Somalia_Security_situation.pdf)) | | Gabiley and farm towns | Wikipedia names Gabiley, Wajaale, Arabsiyo, Kalabaydh, Agabar, Ceel Bardaale, Faraweyne and Allaybaday ([Wikipedia, Sa'ad Musa, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ad_Musa)) | | Sahil coast and Awdal | It places them between Ceel Sheekh and Bulhar, and in north-eastern Awdal (same source) | | Ethiopia | It names Harshin, Hart Sheik, Aware, Kebri Beyah and Jigjiga in Fafan zone (same source) | | Djibouti and Kenya | It places them in Quartier 3 of Djibouti, and in Kenya's Isahakia community (same source) | See [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/), [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/), [Somalis in Ethiopia](/en/diaspora/ethiopia/) and [Somalis in Djibouti](/en/diaspora/djibouti/). ## History on record - **1500s.** Wikipedia says the *Futuh al-Habasha* names the Habr Magaadle, including the Habar Awal, in the wars of Imam Ahmad ([Wikipedia, Sa'ad Musa, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ad_Musa)). See [Futuh al-Habasha](/en/history/futuh-al-habasha/). - **Before 1839.** It quotes I. M. Lewis that the Ayyal Yunis and Ayyal Ahmed lineages "had held Berbera and jointly managed its trade" (same source). - **1825 to 1827.** It says Habar Awal men attacked the British ship *Mary Anne* at Berbera. It says this led to a blockade and fighting in 1827 (same source). - **1800s.** It quotes an Aden record that Somali merchants there "are generally members of the Sa'ad Musa tribe" (same source). - **1955.** It says Sultan Abdulrahman Deria went to [London](/en/diaspora/london/) to ask for the return of the Haud (same source). See [the Haud transfer](/en/history/haud-transfer-1954-1955/). - **Later figures.** Wikipedia lists [Sheikh Madar](/en/people/sheikh-madar/), [Muse Bihi Abdi](/en/people/muse-bihi-abdi/), the poet [Gaarriye](/en/people/gaarriye/) and [Mo Farah](/en/people/mo-farah/) among Sacad Muuse people (same source). ## Elders and customary law Senior Somali clan leaders carry titles such as *suldaan*, *ugaas* or *issim*. Their role is "mainly judicial and representative" ([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 says the Habar Awal sultan comes from the Axmed Cabdalla line of the Sacad Muuse. It says the title was *garaad* until Sultan Abdulrahman Deria took the title of *suldaan*. It lists eight holders, from Garaad Biniin to Sultan Xasan Sultan Cabdillaahi ([Wikipedia, Sa'ad Musa, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ad_Musa)). See [xeer, Somali customary law](/en/society/xeer-customary-law/). ## In recent conflict records The EUAA lists a dormant dispute between the Gadabuursi and the Jibriil Abokor (Sacad Muuse) in Ceel Bardaale, Gabiley. It also lists a Sacad Muuse rivalry with the Ciidagale and [Habar Yoonis](/en/society/habar-yoonis/) in Hargeisa. It says such election rivalries "did not lead to armed violence" ([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)). See [Gadabuursi](/en/society/gadabuursi/), [Ciidagale](/en/society/ciidagale/) and [clan conflicts, district by district](/en/society/clan-conflicts/). ## Where sources differ - **Size.** Wikipedia calls the Sacad Muuse the majority in Hargeisa. The EUAA and EASO name the Habar Awal as a whole. No census confirms either. - **Tree.** Abbink lists Abokor under Jibriil and under Isaq. Wikipedia puts Cabdalla Abokor and Xuseen Abokor under Abokor Isaaq. - **Sources.** Much of the detail on lines and towns comes from Wikipedia, which relies on few modern sources. ## Read more - [Isaaq](/en/society/isaaq/) - [Ciise Muuse](/en/society/ciise-muuse/) - [The Isaaq tree](/en/society/somali-clan-tree-isaaq/) - [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/) - [Habar Awal](/en/society/habar-awal/) --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.