Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān
Arab writer (16th century)
Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān, most commonly known as Arab Faqīh, was an Adalite writer of the chronicle "Futuh al-Habasha", a first hand account of the Ethiopian-Adal war in the sixteenth century.[1]
Biography
Arab Faqih was a citizen of the Adal Sultanate and a religious Sufi.[2][3] He is believed to be of Yemeni descent according to most scholars.[4][5][6] However other historians such as Enrico Cerulli state he was possibly of Harari background.[7] Linguist Giorgio Banti states it is noteworthy that his name Arab Faqīh is constructed using Arabic vocabulary while adhering to Harari 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 of Harar residents.[9]
