Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqi () is a Muslim family name, found in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Sheikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqis to signify noble Arab heritage. According to tradition, people having surname "Siddiqi" are offspring of Abu Bakr Siddique (), the first Khalifa (Caliph) and an early companion and friend of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. People claiming Siddiqi descent can be found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. However, representatives in these countries are not referred to as Siddiqi, but are instead known by various local names.
Horn of Africa eventually transformed into Islamic Mogadishu, Berbera, Zeila, Barawa and Merka, which were part of the "Berber civilization". The city of Mogadishu came to be known as the "City of Islam" and controlled the East African gold trade for several centuries. During the Middle Ages, several powerful empires dominated the regional trade in the Horn, including the Adal Sultanate, the Ajuran Sultanate, the Warsangali Sultanate, the Zagwe dynasty, and the Sultanate of the Geledi. The Sultanate of Showa, established in 896, was one of the oldest local Islamic states. It was centered in the former Shewa province in central Ethiopia. The