Garad (Harari: ገራድ, Somali: Garaad, Arabic: الجراد, Oromo: Garaada) is a term used to refer to a king, Sultan or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanate.[1][2]
Etymology
The origin of the term Garad is uncertain.[3] According to Enrico Cerulli, Garad originates from the era of the Adal emirate.[4] Garad denotes a headman within a "Gaar" (clan/house).[5][6] In the Somali language Garad roughly translates to "chief" or "wise man", as well as "wisdom".[7][8] Garad also denotes a "chief" in Harari and Silt'e languages respectively.[9] A proposed word origin in the Harari language is Gaar Eqad, which literally means "front of the house."[10] However according to Leslau, Garad is a Cushitic loanword in the Harari language.[11] Another word origin in the Somali language is Gar Aad, which is the concatenation of the words "justice" and "move towards", therefore the literal meaning of Garad in Somali is "One who seeks Justice"[12]
History
Several Muslim states and dominions including Hadiya Sultanate, Sultanate of Darfur, Ganz province, Harla and Somali Sultanate leaders were known as Garads.[13][14][15][16]
Within Somali clans the use of the traditional hereditary title "Garad" is most widespread among the Dhulbahante and Karanle and was also used by the Habr Awal up until the 1940s.[17][18][19] According to tradition the Somali Girhi's founding Garad "Aboker" lived five centuries ago in Harar.[20] Tradition among the Somali Geledi clan claim Aw Kalafow, a descendant of Abadir, was the first to use the title Garad.[21] Enrico Cerulli and others state that the Harari titles such as Garad were embraced by Somali chiefs.[22][23]
In the early seventeenth century Emirate of Harar, Garad was the title given to tax collectors on behalf of the state. According to Richard Caulk, Garad was a bygone Harari title that was introduced to the Oromo of Hararghe whom also began using it.[24][25] Garads were also commanders of the army called the Malassay in the Harar Emirate.[26] An eighteen century Harari chronicle states the Harar region went through major upheavals in the late 1700s which led to the destruction of several villages administrated by Garads.[27]
Somali Garad clans
There are many Somali clans suffixed with Garad, in particular subclans of the Marehan and Dhulbahante, which include:[28][29]
- Reer Garad
- Farah Garad
- Mohamoud Garad
- Guuleed Garad
- Ali Garad
- Yasin Garad
- Abdi Garad
Places
- Jijiga Gerad Wilwal Airport, airport in Jijiga, Ethiopia
- Garado, city in Wollo Province of Amhara Region derived from Garad.[30]
- Garad Erer, hill overlooking Porc-Epic Cave near Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
- Garad (Garacad), port city in Puntland, Somalia
Notable Garads
- Mahfuz of Adal Sultanate
- Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros
- Dhuh Barar, last leader of the Somali Tolje'lo Isaaq dynasty
- Deria Abdalla, 4th chief of the Habr Awal clan as well as the father of the clan's first Sultan, Abdulrahman Deria
- Mohammed of Hadiya Sultanate, father of Empress Eleni of Ethiopia
- Ibrahim, of Sultanate of Darfur
- Asmadin of Wej
- Usman Oda of Emirate of Harar, father of Oromo scholar Bakri Sapalo
- Abun Adashe of Adal Sultanate
- Dhidhin, first chief of the Somali Warsangali clan
- Abu Bakr Qatin of Adal Sultanate
- Sediso K’albo, last leader of the Gan-Silt'e dynasty
- Sidi Mohammed, forefather of Halaba people
- Matan ibn Uthman Al Somali of Adal Sultanate
- Aboker, first chief of Somali Girhi clan
- Jama Ali, current chief of the Somali Dhulbahante clan
- Hassan Enjamo of Kebena
- Aze of Hadiya
- Ādan Ṣadiq of Imamate of Aussa
- Abass, continued jihad in Ethiopian territory even after Imam Ahmed Gurey's death
- Abdiqani Jama, grand chief of the Dhulbahante clan and one of the signatories of the Somaliland declaration of independence