Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān | |
|---|---|
| Title | Arab Faqih |
| Personal life | |
| Era | Adal Sultanate |
| Region | Horn of Africa |
| Main interest(s) | Warfare |
| Notable work(s) | Futuh al-Habasha |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Jurisprudence | Sunni |
Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān, most commonly known asArab Faqīh, was anAdalite writer of the chronicle"Futuh al-Habasha", a first hand account of theEthiopian-Adal war in the sixteenth century.[1]
Arab Faqih was a citizen of theAdal Sultanate and a religiousSufi.[2][3] He is believed to be ofYemeni descent according to most scholars.[4][5][6] However other historians such asEnrico Cerulli state he was possibly ofHarari background.[7] LinguistGiorgio Banti states it is noteworthy that his nameArab Faqīh is constructed usingArabic vocabulary while adhering toHarari grammatical rules.[8]
Arab Faqih is notable for writing the"Futuh al-Habasha" which details the sixteenth century war between Adal and Abyssinia from the point of view ofHarar residents.[9]