The Dervish Jihad in Somalia against European Colonialism (1899–1920): Was It a Sufi Religious Movement or a Jihadist Resistance Movement?”

Abstract

This paper examines the Dervish Movement in Somalia (1899–1920) within the context of European colonial expansion, focusing on the central question of whether the movement should be understood primarily as a Sufi religious reform movement or as an armed jihadist resistance. By situating the Dervish struggle within Somali religious traditions, particularly the Salihiyya Sufi order, the paper also explores the ideological foundations, leadership structures, and mobilization strategies employed by Sayyid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan and his followers, drawing on recent historiography. Furthermore, the study concludes that the Dervish Movement cannot be confined to a single category. Rather, it represented a complex synthesis of Sufi religious authority, Islamic concepts of jihad, and anti-colonial political resistance. The movement's religious discourse provided moral legitimacy and social cohesion, while armed struggle emerged as a response to foreign domination and local political fragmentation. By reassessing the Dervish Movement through a multidisciplinary lens and comparing it with other Sufi and jihadist movements in Africa, this paper contributes to broader debates on religion, violence, and resistance in colonial Africa, challenging simplistic and superficial distinctions between "religious” and “jihadist” movements in modern and contemporary history.