Sheikhal people and Harari people are very closely related by blood, as they claim immediate descent from the same ancestor. Historically, Hararis and the Sheikhal have had close ties, and many Hararis have intermarried with Sheikhals. Some Sheikhals, particularly those belonging to the Aw Axmed Loobage subclan, claim they are part of the Hiraab sub-clan, which in turn is part of the larger Hawiye clan. However, other members, such as those from the Aw-Qutub subclan, dispute this.[2][English verification needed]
The Sheikhal clan traces its ancestry to Fiqi Omar, also known as Omar Al-Rida, who in turn traced his lineage to the first caliph, Abu Bakr (Sayid Abubakar Al-Sadiq). According to Richard F. Burton, Faqi Omar crossed over from Arabia to Eastern Africa ten generations prior to 1854, with his six sons: Umar the Greater, Umar the Lesser, the two Abdillahs, Ahmad, and Siddik
