Isaq

Isaq, also spelled Isaaq or Ishaq in some transliterations, is a Somali clan-family in the Horn of Africa. The name is traditionally linked to Ishaq, the Arabic form of Isaac, and Isaq genealogies trace ancestry to this figure. The Isaq are one of the largest Somali clan-families, encompassing multiple sublineages and lineages that together form a distinct social group within Somali society.

Geographically, Isaq communities are concentrated in what is today Somaliland, with heartland in major towns such as Hargeisa and Berbera, as well as inland areas. Smaller populations are found in northern Somalia, Djibouti, and the Somali region of Ethiopia, and there is a sizable Isaq diaspora in Europe, the Middle East, and North America due to migration and displacement.

Linguistically, most Isaq speak Somali, often using the Northern Somali dialect in certain areas. Arabic is commonly used in religious and trade contexts. Cultural life centers on clan lineage and customary law, known as xeer, with elders playing a central role in dispute resolution and governance. The Isaq have historically been involved in commerce, pastoralism, and urban administration, contributing to regional networks across the Horn of Africa.

Historically, the Isaq subgroups have played a significant role in regional politics and economic life. They were a major Somali group during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were central to the development of the area that became British Somaliland. Since 1991, Somaliland has maintained a de facto autonomous government in the region largely associated with Isaq-inhabited areas, though the political status of Somaliland remains internationally disputed.

Today, the Isaq are one of several Somali clan-families that shape the social and political landscape of Somaliland and the broader Horn of Africa, with populations across the region and in the global Somali diaspora.