Jidwaq (clan)

The Jidwaq (Jidwaaq, جيدواق) is a large Somali clan, part of one of the largest Somali clans families, the Absame Darod. Jidwaaq are well known for their conquests in Abyssinia during the 1500s they played a very prominent role in Adal Sultanate. They are famous for bringing the largest army and were very loyal to Imam Ahmed. Jidwaaq have produced notable generals such as Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein who was the right hand man of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi The Jidwaq clan primarily inhabit the Somali Region of Ethiopia, (where they live in the Jigjiga area), the North Eastern Province of Kenya and the Jubaland region of southern Somalia (where they live south of Bu'ale). The name Jidwaaq means "the path of God" in the Somali language. According to the UNHCR, the Jidwaq in the Somali Region are mostly agro-pastoralists. They often engage in agriculture but also raise livestock. The Yabirray and Bartirre were collective confederacy called Habar Maqdi and were the first tribe accept the call of jihad. They have also produced notable military commanders such as Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein who was the right hand of the Imam, a knight serving under Adal Sultanate who then later progressed to becoming a military commander leading the Somali units in battle. Arab Faqih notes Then he assembled the Somali clans the tribe of Girri, the tribe of Marraihan, the tribe of Yibberi with their chieftain Ahmad Girri, the clan of the Härti, people of Mait, the tribe of Jairan, the tribe of Mazzar. the tribe of Barsub all of these were Somalis and they were ordered by the Imam to hold the left they were all under MatanThe Jidwaaq (Bartire) and the Gerri have been described by The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society as the western-most branches of the Darod clan. The Bartire subclan in particular has been described as pastoralists in addition to growing coffee, as well as intermarrying with the Emirs of Harar, giving them an amount of influence. To the South and S.S.W.