Anjeel

Anjeel was a large tree just southwest of Eyl in Nugaal province of Somalia. The leader of the Darwiish, Sayyid Mohamed, referred to it as "The Tree of bad Counsel".[1] It was named as such because of a meeting where a coup was planned beneath the tree in early 1910.

Conspirators
Faarah Mahamuud Sugulle described as the head of the haroun in the Nelson Daily News.

In this meeting several senior members of the Daraawiish called for sedition in one way or another. Individuals who took part in this conspiracy include[2]:

  • Haaji Hasan 'Awl, Darwiish governor
  • Abdalla Qoriyow, who was the Darwiish magistrate in Taleh
  • Ahmad Fiqi, who was a Darwiish theologian
  • Faarah Mahamuud Sugulle, who was head of the haroun and the wealthiest person in the Daraawiish
  • 'Abdalla Shihiri, who was a Darwiish envoy
  • Nur Hashi, who was a khusuusi[3]

Three plans were put forth, including (a) killing the Sayyid and replacing him with a new leader, (b) replacing him without killing him, and (c) deserting the Darwiish en masse. At the end, the third plan was carried out.

Colonial era excerpt describing Shire Umbaal (spelled as "Shire Um Belli") as a counseller (khusuusi) and threatening the Majeerteen tribe for defecting.

Notification

The Sayyid was informed about the conspiracy by a man of the Jama Siyaad subclan called Shire Cumbaal, also spelled Shire Umbaal.[4] The exact words spoken by Shire Cumbaal was[5]:

Rag caawuu geedkii Canjeel ku shirey, waxayna ku tashadeen inay xarunta ka guuraan

This evening, a few men held a meeting at the Tree of Canjeel. They decided to abandon the haroun (government)

Aftermath
The Times excerpt describing Shire Umbaal (spelled Shireh Ambaleh), Adam Maleh, and Nur Hiddig as the Darwiish military leaders in 1910.

Due to Shire Umbaal's defection from the seditious meeting, and the subsequent notification, the Daraawiish managed to capture many leading conspirators. Haan 'Awl was subsequently killed. Farah Mohamud Sugulle as the leader of Anjeel who sought to usurp the Sayyid's position had his father killed, although his own life was spared. Qoriyow was punished by the decision to have him demoted by stripping him of his previous position. Other figures had fled.[5] The Reer Khalaf, a Majeerteen subclan who had previously been of the Taargooye wing of Darwiish, joined the defectors. As such, they were decimated in retaliation.[2] Confrontations between Darwiish defectors and persistent Darwiish endured for a couple of years, but among the most prominent of these confrontations was the Hadega battle in March 1910 wherein the defectors had been aided by the Issa Majeerteen tribe. Nonetheless, at Hadega, notable casualties occurred on both sides, with Nur Dolbas (Dhalbaas) and Adan Egal (Cigaal) dead on the defectors side[6] and Darwiish leaders Shire Umbaal and Adam Maleh were dead on the Darwiish side, with Shire Umbaal later being described by Robert Crewe-Milnes as "a very important leader of the Dervishes".[7] Another Darwiish leader Nur Hidig, the father of Qusuusi member Abdi Nur Hidig, was permanently debilitated from wounds sustained at this battle.[8]

References
  1. Slight, John P. "British and Somali Views of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan's Jihad, 1899–1920". Macalester College. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  2. Samatar, Said (1982). Oral Poetry and Somali Nationalism. p. 214. 'Abdalla Qoriyow, the prestigious Islamic magistrate of the Dervish capital, who took part in the conspiracy. 108 Ahmad Fiqi, also a conspirator, was the Dervish expert on Qur'anic exegesis. 109 Reference to the Sayyid's brother-in-law, Faarah Mahamuud Sugulle, whose involvement in the conspiracy was particularly bad news for the Sayyid ... After a week of intense fighting, the Sayyid emerged victorious, but not before several Dervish clans, like the Reer Samatar Khalaf Majeerteen, were decimated
  3. Omar Ciise, Jama (1974). Diiwaanka Gabayadii Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan. Nuur-Xaashi Cali Ibraahim, ... qusuusiddana ka mid ahaa oo uu walaashii C'ambaro Shiikhna u dhisay, oo aan laga filayn xumaan Sayid Maxammed iyo xarunta ku jeedda inuu ku koco, ayaa shirqoolkii Canjeel ka qayb galay.
  4. Ilmi, Ahmed (2014). The History of Social Movements in Somalia through the Eyes of Our Elders within a Diasporic Context. The Sayyid was soon informed of the council meeting that took place to get rid of his rule, by a loyal Shire Umbaal, who initially attended part of the meeting but subsequently lost heart
  5. Omar Ciise, Jama (1976). Taariikhdii Daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan. Hase ahaatee, nin raggii talada wax ka gooyey ka mid ahaa, magiciisana la oran jirey Shire Cumbaal ayaa hoos ka dusey co Sayidkii iyo raggiisii u warramay. Wuxuu yiri, “Rag caawuu geedkii Canjeel ku shirey, waxayna ku tashadeen inay xarunta ka guuraan.” ... Kan u horreeyey waa la diley, kan labaadna waa la dayriyey oo magacii iyo sharaftii uu xarunta ku lahaa baa laga qaaday, kan saddexaadna aabihiisaa shirqoolka hortiisa dariiqada lagu diley oo gaar isha ka eegaba la daba dhigay wax lala maagganaase Eebbe Weynaa og.
  6. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1910/apr/05/somaliland
  7. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1910/apr/07/somaliland
  8. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/33240578/
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