As a figure known only from
oral tradition and
hagiological accounts, Ishaaq bin Ahmed's historicity is unclear, and there are varying views on the validity of the narratives about him.
Christopher Ehret considers the founders of Somali clans like the
Isaaq or the
Darod to have been historical figures, but regards the accounts surrounding them as
legends.
Mohamed Haji Mukhtar expresses skepticism that the population of two of the largest Somali clans (
Isaaq and
Darod) could descend from two Arab individuals (Ishaaq bin Ahmed and
Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, respectively). The
pan-Islamic scholar
Sharif Aydarus considers the accounts to be largely historical. He then later settled in the area of Saba' in modern-day Yemen where he married the sister of the king of the Al Haqar clan. Sheikh Ishaaq later settled in the
Al-Jawf region in northern Yemen where he married once again and had a son, Mansur, who is the forefather of the Al Mansur clan in the Al-Jawf region. He then travelled to Yaba where he married and had a son, Yusuf, who is the forefather of the Al Yusuf clan based in Yaba and
Ma'rib regions. While scholar
Ioan Lewis considers these travel accounts to be a
foundation myth, he does acknowledge that they likely reflect a historical settlement of Arabs in Somaliland. Nevertheless, Mire also notes that while the Somali clan members she interviewed stated that Ishaaq bin Ahmed arrived in Somalia about 850 years ago, historical records do indicate that migrations from
Hadhramaut and other parts of
South Arabia to Somalia took place .
Arrival in the Horn of Africa In accordance with tradition, Sheikh Ishaaq then continued his journey and migrated to
Zeila, Somaliland and finally
Harar in
Ethiopia. Several accounts indicate
Shaykh Yusuf al Kownayn and Sheikh Isaaq were known to be contemporaries in Zeila and in contact at the same time. According to a popular legend, Shaykh Yusuf al Kownayn, known locally as Aw-Barkhadle, upon meeting Sheikh Ishaaq prophesied that Sheikh Ishaaq would be blessed by Allah with many children while Shaykh Yusuf would not have descendants. According to the prophecy the descendants of Sheikh Ishaaq would also visit Aw-Barkhadle's grave and pay respect and perform
siyaaro, or pilgrimage to his tomb.
Saints and Somalis: popular Islam in a clan-based society states: Since, however, Aw Barkhadle’s precise connection with the rulers of Ifat is not widely known, he appears as an isolated figure, and in comparison with the million or so spears of the Isaaq lineage, a saint deprived of known issue. The striking difference between these two saints is explained in a popular legend, according to which, when Sheikh Isaaq and Aw Barkhadle met, the latter prophesied that Isaaq would be blessed by God with many children. He, however, would not have descendants, but Isaaq’s issue would pay him respect and
siyaaro (voluntary offerings). So it is, one is told, that every year the Isaaq clansmen gather at Aw Barkhadle’s shrine to make offerings in his name. According to tradition, after studying and proselytizing in Harar he then undertook the pilgrimage to Makkah, came back to Somaliland and went along the shore eastward to the coastal town of Maydh in eastern
Somaliland, where he converted the pagan peoples to Islam. where he married two women; one of the
Magaadle Dir clan called Magaado, and a
Harari woman called Hanifa, the daughter of a Harari emir, with descendants belonging to the
Habar Magaadle or
Habar Habusheed branches respectively. == Lineage and descendants==