Darawiish Movement
“I have no forts, no houses, no country. I have no cultivated fields, no silver or gold for you to take — all you can get from me is war, nothing else. I have met your men in battle and have killed them. We are greatly pleased about this. Our men who have fallen in battle have won paradise. God fights for us. We fight by God’s order. If you wish war I am happy; if you wish peace I am also content. But if you wish peace, go away from my country to your own. If you wish war, stay where you are. — Sayyid Muhammad Abdallah Hassan
This statement by the leader of the Darawiish Sayyid Muhammad Abdallah Hassan to the British colonialists encompasses what this movement was truly about. The Darawiish movement was an Islamic Pan-Somali Nationalistic movement which aimed at establishing Shariah law and removing colonial powers from the 5 Somali regions beginning with British Somaliland. The Darawiish state was formed in 1899 by the Sayyid in Burco, Somaliland.
Years earlier, in 1895 after completing Hajj and studying Sunni Islam in Saudi Arabia and Sudan the Sayyid returned to the port city of Berbera, Somaliland only to be greeted by British colonial officials demanding him to pay taxes. The Sayyid famously replied “did you pay taxes when you came here?” The Sayyid was angry, imagine coming to foreign lands and asking the natives to pay taxes, and when the natives refuse you call him “The Mad Mullah.” The British of the old were truly a different breed. A small scuffle ensued after the Sayyid refused to pay and the Sayyid headed to the countryside to start preaching his ideals whilst recruiting men to fight against these imperialists for the next 4 years.
I believe a bit of a background on British Somaliland is necessary to fully understand this anti-colonial movement. At their peak the British empire covered around 25% of the world’s land surface. The countries they “colonized” were exposed to varying degrees of colonization anywhere from being occupied or treating the native populations similar to slaves. There was also something referred to as a Protectorate which is a dependent territory that has been granted local autonomy over most internal affairs while still recognizing the suzerainty of a more powerful sovereign state without being its direct possession. British Somaliland was the latter in that they were a protectorate. The Somalilanders facing the greatest imperial force set several conditions that were non-negotiable. 3 conditions that stood out the most were as follows. The first was that no British infidel was allowed to have kids on Somaliland soil and if they were to break that condition that British child would be taken away by Somalilanders and raised as a Muslim, whilst the parents were killed. The second condition was no British infidel was allowed to own businesses nor land on Somaliland soil. The third condition was that no missionaries were allowed nor preaching Christianity to the locals. For these Somalilanders to dictate terms to the British was something unheard of in much of the colonial world. The British respected Somalis as they were familiar with the intelligence and bravery of the Somalis. As Richard “The Lion Heart” and Phillip of France held Salahuddin Ayubbi in high regard, even though he was a foe, the British equally held the Somalis, most notably the Isaaq clan of Somaliland in high regards. Sir Charles Eliot a Colonial administrator and diplomat wrote, “It is certainly to be desired that we should utilise the Somalis. There can be no doubt that they are the most intelligent race in the Protectorate, though it may be urged with some justice that they are also proud, treacherous, fanatical, and vindictive. Too much stress, I think, is often laid on these bad qualities, and it is certain that the average Englishman has little sympathy for the Somali. He tolerates a black man who admits his inferiority, and even those who show a good fight and give in ; but he cannot tolerate dark colour combined with an intelligence in any way equal to his own. This is the secret of the almost universal dislike of the Babu, and it reappears in the unpopularity of the Somali among East African officials. The Somali are not willing to agree to the simple plan of having a fair fight and then shaking hands when defeated, but constantly indicate that they think themselves our equals or superiors, and not unfrequently prove it.”
In his famous letter to the British in 1899 challenging their very presence the Sayyid was dubbed by the British as “The Mad Mullah.” For in their imperialistic minds his dismissal and refusal to obey colonial rule and request they pay him taxes confirmed his “madness.” In the picture located to the left which has been translated to English from Arabic this is an excerpt from a different letter in one of his temporary treaties with the British and Italians. Notice how Sayyid Muhammad Abdallah Hassan always speaks from a position of power whether friend or foe. In an age before television, internet, and streaming Youtube the Sayyid used poetry as a tool for propaganda and media. Both to gain support and for psychological warfare against his enemies. The 2 most notable recruits the Sayyid had were Sultan Nur of the Habar Yunis, Isaaq tribe and Haji Sudi of the Habar Jaclo, Isaaq tribe. These 2 Mujahhids were instrumental in the Darawiish movement and if not for these two the movement would not have spread far and wide. Sultan Nur and Haji Sudi were second and third in command of the Darawiish. Sultar Nur Ahmed Aman was a Sheikh and the Sultan of the Habar Yunis sub-clan of the Isaaq. His tribe funded the Darawiish and provided weapons, horses, and livestock for the movement along with protection guaranteed by the eastern Habar Yunis. Before joining the Darawiish Sultan Nur had his own movement which was anti-french Roman Catholic. Realizing their interests aligned the Sayyid wrote Sultan Nur a letter asking him to unite with him and help expel infidels from Somaliland. With this new powerful ally the Darawiish would expand from Burco and flourish. Haji Sudi was the right hand man of the Sayyid and the chief lieutenant of the Darawiish Movement. Haji Sudi was a former interpreter for the British Royal Navy and was a highly intelligent man who could speak English, Hindustani, Arabic, Swahili, and Somali. In addition, to being fluent in several languages he was familiar with the tactics and customs of Sudanese freedom fighters due to his time in the Royal Navy. All these qualities and experiences proved to be quite beneficial to the Darawiish movement. The Sayyid’s aunt was also married to Haji Sudi’s brother which brought them only closer together.
The youth are Ahlul Haqq as we have seen throughout Muslim history. As evident by a young Prophet Ibrahim destroying idols, the first converts to Islam were composed of many youth, the people of the cave in Surah al Kahf were youth. The Sayyid knew this and recruited many youth as Mujahhids against the western invaders. The predominant clans during the formative years of the movement belonged to sections of the Dhulbahante, Habar Jaclo, Habar Yunis, and Ogaden. To ensure unity amongst his troops, instead of letting themselves identify by their different tribes, he made them identify themselves uniformly as Darawiish. The Sayyid commanded the Darawiish in a martial manner, ensured they were religiously committed, and were men of character sworn with an oath of allegiance(bayah.) The movement obtained weapons from several sources namely the Habar Jaclo tribe, Habar Yunis tribe, Ottoman Empire, and Sudan. The Darawiish started their campaign against the Ethiopians and achieved victory which garnered them lots of support amongst locals and notoriety amongst foreign empires. They then sight their eyes on the British and through guerilla warfare, which they heavily relied on, pushed the British to the coast of Somaliland. The British retreated from the interior regions of Somaliland in order to avoid further causalities from the Darawiish. One of the most famous Somali Gabays(poems) composed by the Sayyid was directed at Richard Corfield. Richard Corfield was a British colonial Commander charged with maintaining order in British Somaliland. He launched his soldiers against the Darawiish and ended up getting shot himself and dying along with most of his men. The Sayyid than famously said:
“You have died, Oh Corfield, and are no longer in this world,
a merciless journey was your portion.
When, Hell-destined, you set out for the Other World,
tell your companions how God tried you,
and tell them how the Darawiish came into battle like thunderbolts of a storm rumbling and roaring.”
The death of Commander Richard Corfield was a huge moral boost to the Darawiish and only furthered support of them locally. This was just one of many battles in which they stepped on the necks of the British. After pushing the British to the coast the Darawiish relocated their headquarters to Taleex, Somaliland and built a walled town with 14 fortresses. These fortresses included conical towel granaries that opened only at the top, wells with sulfurous water, cattle watering stations, a guard tower, walled garden, and tombs. It became the residence of Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, his wives and family. Winston Churchill made a visit to Berbera a few years back and was angry at the resistance the Darawiish were putting up. So he ordered for the first time in British history the aerial bombing of an African colony and he targeted the Darawiish headquarters with planes from The Royal Air Force. This destroyed chunks of the walled forts and killed several Darawiish leaders but the Sayyid managed to survive. The Sayyid and the Darawiish for several years after that managed to inflict huge casualties on the British and Ethiopian expansionists while being a prick in the neck of the Italians. Before the Sayyid died of natural causes on December 21, 1920 he managed to create a mobile Somali “proto-state” with fluid boundaries and fluctuating population.
The Darawiish Movement has been influential. It was the most important revivalist Islamic movement in the 5 Somali regions. The Darawiish Movement is at its core the founder of modern Somali nationalism and ignited the flame for the notion of “Somaliweyn” a Greater Somalia transcending clan and regional divisions. The Darawiish without a doubt are the idealogical architects of modern day Somalia. The Darawiish period has had a profound effect on Somali literature and poetry. With even the greatest Somali poet alive, Hadraawi, acknowledging the Sayyid’s eloquence. Hadraawi said “ He was the light I was following in my youth- my guide…The poems I like are not political, he writes about trees and stars, the rivers and rains and seasons…He’ll tell you about the camel, and he’ll capture the innermost nature of the camel.” All this Darawiish talk begs the question with all the infringements on Somalia’s sovereignty by western powers, Gulf countries, and neighboring countries is it long overdue for another revivalist Darawiish movement in the 21st century?
