Sheikh Umar bin Qulatayn (also spelled as Kulatein, Kulatayn, Qulatein) bin Mudhir was an Islamic scholar following the Sufi Order of Qadariyah. Coming from Barawa, he traces his lineage to Hadramaut in Yemen and belonged to the Nadhiri family. He moved to Zanzibar at a young age where he was appointed as the Khalifa of Qadariyah later on in his life.
Biography
Sheikh Umar Qulatayn was an Ashraaf who belonged to the Nadhiry Family of the Ba Alawi, the Ba Alawi or Sadah Ba ‘Alawi (Arabic: السادة آل باعلوي, al-sādatu al-bā’alawiy) are a group who are part of the Hadhrami Sayyid families in Hadramout, (Anne, 2003). They trace their lineage to Sayyid Ahmad al Muhajir, They are believed to be descendants of the Family of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
Sheikh Umar Qulatayn’s family migrated to Barawa at a time when many Ashraaf families since 1700 AD were migrating out of Hadhramout across the world, often to spread Islam. He got married in Barawa and settled there, until he decided to join his father in Zanzibar who use to frequent there for trade and business.
Upon moving to Zanzibar, he married again from the Shatiri family (Al-Shatiri) who are another group belonging to Ba Alawi. He stayed much of his life in Zanzibar where he continued working for his father, he pursued Islamic knowledge from a young age and it was in Zanzibar where he met Sheikh Uways ibn Muhammad Al Qadiri Al Barawi. Historical sources held that it was Sheikh Uways who gave him Ijaza to become the Khalifa of Qadariyah in Zanzibar.
Death
Sheikh Umar Qulatayn died in the year 1345 AH/ 1921 CE, he was buried in Zanzibar where some of his followers visit annually to perform pilgrimage.
Nasab
His full name and lineage is said to trace back to the Prophets (Peace be Upon Him) family, below is his name in full:
Sayyid Umar bin Muhammad ba Qulatayn bin Mudhir bin Abu Bakar bin Ali bin Abu Bakar bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakar bin Ahmad bin Umar bin Muhammad al Nadhiri bin Abdallah bin Umar bin Abdurrahman bin Ahmad bin Alawiyah bi Ahmad bin Abdurahman bin Alawiyah bin Muhamad Saahib Mirbaat bin Ali Khali’ Qasam bin Alawiyah bin Muhammad Bin Alawiya bin Abdallah bin Ahmad al Muhajiri bin Eesa bin Muhammad al Naqeeb bin Ali Uraidhi bin Ja’far al Sadiq bin Muhammad al Baqir Ali Zayn al Abideeen bin Al Imaam al Hussayn bin Al Imaam Ali bin Abi Taalib wa bin Fatima Az Zahraa bint Muhammad Salallahu Alayhi wa Sallam.
Arabic Sources
References
Anne K. Bang, Sufis and Scholars of the Sea: Family Networks in East Africa, 1860–1925, Routledge, 2003, pg 12
Ulrike Freitag; William G. Clarence-Smith, eds. (1997). Hadhrami Traders, Scholars and Statesmen in the Indian Ocean, 1750s to 1960s. 57 (illustrated ed.). BRILL. p. 9. ISBN 978-90-04-10771-7.