In the early sixteenth century texts, the companions of the leaders of
Adal Sultanate;
Abun Adashe and
Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi were stated to be Kabirs. During Adal's invasion of
Abyssinia, an individual described as the pious scholar Kabir Abūn b. Aḥmad al-Ǧanāsirī was responsible for the Adalite treasury. The Adalite Kabirs were actively engaged in proselytization efforts throughout the conflicts against Abyssinia. Sixteenth century writer
Arab Faqīh describes an occurrence related to the conversion of the Abyssinian province of Šuğara, wherein the Kabir requests for a segment of the army to return due to concerns that the new converts may forsake their faith: {{Blockquote A son of a Kabir named Abbas briefly ruled the
Imamate of Aussa in 1585. According to the
Afar locals in
Afambo, a
Harari Muslim scholar by the name of Kabir Hamza arrived in the region and introduced the
Hanafi legal school to
Aussa. His descendants today are known as
"Kabirtu" and identify as
Harla. Kabirtu in Afar trace their lineage to the
Walasma dynasty. Kabir Hamza Mahmud al-Awsiyyi a Harla clan affiliate was known as the scholar of
Aussa. During the mid-1600s, the
Yemeni ambassador al-Ḥaymī, traveling in
Abyssinia encountered religious scholars known as Kabirs in eastern
Tigray, who asserted their descent from Kabir Salih. The
nisba al-Kabiri has persisted to the present day, linked to notable religious families within the
Tigre and
Saho communities. Early 19th century
Emirate of Harar records indicate that the Kabir households of Harar were also known as traders who dedicated a portion of their time to locations such as
Ifat in Abyssinia. British explorer
Richard Burton, who sojourned in
Harar around the mid-19th century, references Kabirs
Khalil and Yonis, recognized as the prominent religious leaders in the
Emirate of Harar. As stated by philologist Muna Abubeker, the educational institution for aspiring scholars in Harar was known as the
Kabir Gar (house of Kabir). In the 1900s, a local Kabir aided
French archaeologists
Père Azaïs and Roger Chambard in their efforts to locate the ruins of the lost Harla city of
Derbiga in eastern
Hararghe (modern
Somali Region of Ethiopia). ==Notables==