Draft:Mohammed bin Hamdan al Sharji
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| Submission declined on 19 October 2025 by Qcne (talk). Your draft shows signs of having been generated by a large language model, such as ChatGPT. Their outputs usually have multiple issues that prevent them from meeting our guidelines on writing articles. These include: Declined by Qcne 18 days ago.
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Comment: Please carefully read WP:LLM and avoid using ChatGPT to generate or format drafts. qcne (talk) 16:53, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
Mohammed bin Hamdan al Sharji | |
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| Born | 17 February 1917 al Majazza, al Mudhaibi, Oman |
| Died | 29 April 1972 (aged 55) Rumonge, Burundi |
| Nationality | Omani |
| Known for | Community leadership, philanthropy, trade |
| Spouse(s) | Zuweina bint Hamed bin Said al Sharji, Nasra bint Salim bin Ally al Azri |
| Children | 24 |
| Relatives | Hamed bin Hamdan bin Hamed al Sharji (brother), Saada bint Hamdan bin Hamed al Sharji (sister) |
Mohammed bin Hamdan al Sharji (1917–1972) was an Omani businessman and community leader who settled in Rumonge, Burundi, in the 1930s. As mentioned in Burundian newspapers, [1][2] he played a key role in the Omani diaspora in East Africa, contributing to mosque construction, supporting education, and improving local infrastructure.
Early life
[edit]Mohammed bin Hamdan al Sharji was born in the village of al Majazza, in the Wilayat of al Mudhaibi, Oman. He was the eldest son of Hamdan bin Hamed bin Slim al Sharji. His mother died shortly after his birth, and he was subsequently nursed by a woman from the nearby village of al Khashabah, who was also caring for her own son, Mohammed bin Abdullah al Sharji.[1] During his early years, his maternal grandfather, Said bin Saif bin Omar al Sharji, who had relocated from al Majazza to Samail, played a role in his upbringing.[1] Said was also the father of Mohammed’s uncles, Khalfan and Saif.
Migration to Burundi
[edit]At the age of 17, Mohammed left Oman and traveled via Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania before reaching Burundi.[1] Unlike many contemporaries who migrated in groups, he made the journey alone from Samail, a wilayat of Oman.[2] He first arrived in Bujumbura, the capital, and later moved to Rumonge, where he settled permanently.[1] His migration was part of a broader movement of Omani families who settled across East Africa during the 19th and 20th centuries, forming what became known as the Omani diaspora.[3] This movement was primarily motivated by trade and livelihood opportunities, a pattern documented among coastal and Great Lakes communities.[4] Upon arrival, he integrated into the local Omani community in Rumonge, where he began his commercial and social activities.
Community Leadership
[edit]Mohammed became a member of the Omani community in Burundi and often acted as an informal leader. He assisted Arab and Omani traders, provided temporary shelter to Algerian refugees in 1963,[1] and regularly distributed food and essential goods to people in need, including those with disabilities.[1] One of his residences also served as a guesthouse for visiting Arab travelers.[1]
At a time when access to formal banking services was limited, traders of different backgrounds—both Muslim and non-Muslim—entrusted him with their money, as he owned one of the few private safes in the area.[1] Each year during the Muslim festival of Eid, he ordered new uniforms for his household staff, regardless of religion, as a gesture of goodwill.[1][2]
Daily Routine and Family Life
[edit]Mohammed regularly hosted informal gatherings of Omani community members at his home—each morning before opening his shop and again after the evening prayer.[1] These meetings served as occasions for social exchange and community discussion. He prepared traditional Omani coffee (qahwa) himself, following customary brewing methods, and guests typically sat together in a circle in accordance with Omani tradition.
He took an active role in the education of his children, teaching them religious and academic subjects after evening prayers.[1] Mohammed was also known for assisting vulnerable members of the community, including the poor and people with mental illness. One such individual, a woman named Minani, lived in a thatched house near his home, and he ensured that she received food daily.[1]
Contributions to Infrastructure
[edit]In the late 1960s, when Rumonge lacked formal water systems, Mohammed financially supported the Association Internationale pour le Développement Rural (AIDR), enabling water to be drawn from the Busaga mountain spring and supplied to the town’s commercial center.[1] He also provided electricity to the local community through a personal generator.[1] To signal the generator’s shutdown, he briefly blinked the lights fifteen minutes in advance, allowing residents to prepare lamps. Additionally, he made his radio available to the public, tuned to broadcasts including Voice of the Arabs and the BBC Swahili.[1]
Mohammed is reported by family sources to have contributed to local irrigation projects (the falaj) in his home village in Oman during the late 1960s. The revival of the system restored agricultural activity and contributed to local stability.
Business Activities
[edit]Mohammed was a trader known within his community.[1] He began his business from scratch,[2] operating a shop selling everyday necessities such as candles, lighters, shoes, dress materials, rice, flour, dried beans, salt, and sugar. He later expanded into palm oil and palm seeds, which were used to produce washing soap, as well as Arabica and Robusta coffee, sold on commission in Bujumbura.[2] He later expanded his business to include transport services and a petrol station [2] in Rumonge with storage for fuel oil.[5]
Mohammed also invested in real estate, owning four houses in Rumonge, one in Nyanza-Lac, two in Makamba, one in Rutana, and two in Bujumbura. He invested in farms, including a rented farm in Kigwena and a smaller one behind his house in Rumonge, where he kept dairy cows.[2]
He planned to expand his business to Zanzibar, where he had purchased a two-storey building and a large farm; however, these plans were disrupted by the 1964 revolution.[2] Mohammed also intended to establish operations in Oman, opening an HSBC bank account and negotiating the purchase of a house in Mutrah near the Corniche.[2] He also invested in real estate and agriculture in his home village and neighboring areas, including Al Wafi and Al Kharayes.[2]
Notable Incidents
[edit]Mohammed experienced several notable events during his life. One such incident occurred during a hunting expedition, a common activity among Omanis in East Africa. Mohammed was accompanied by several Omanis and local people, who fled upon encountering a lion. In his diary (translated from Arabic), he recorded the moment, stating, “I surrendered myself to Allah.” With assistance from his brother-in-law, Nasser bin Salim bin Ally al Azri, Mohammed shot and killed the lion.[1][2] This event has been recounted within his family, who commemorated it with a painted picture to preserve the story for future generations.
Religious Legacy
[edit]Mohammed contributed to the establishment of the first Ibadhi mosque in Bujumbura and fully funded the construction of the second mosque in Rumonge in 1970,[2] which later served as a religious and educational center.[1] The Rumonge mosque was renovated and expanded in 2007 to accommodate more worshippers, with a ceremony attended by the Grand Mufti of Oman, Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamed al Khalili, along with members of Mohammed’s family.[1][2]
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Grand Mufti of Oman and family member at the Rumonge mosque inauguration (2007) -
Grand Mufti of Oman visiting Rumonge, Burundi, accompanied by family member -
Family member involved in mosque renovation
Death
[edit]Mohammed was killed during a tribal conflict in Burundi on 29 April 1972,[2] after being mistaken for an enemy while attempting to recover fuel oil taken from the storage of a petrol station he owned.[5] According to some Islamic sources, he is considered to have died a martyr in defense of his family and property.[6]
His burial was delayed until the following day due to heavy fighting between the tribes, despite Islamic law recommending prompt burial.[7] Although burial inside a mosque is generally prohibited,[8] his relatives chose to bury him in the mosque he had built in Rumonge,[1] as nearby graveyards were inaccessible due to the conflict.
Community Legacy
[edit]Mohammed supported community welfare and public services, and his legacy continued through his children.[2] His son Hamed al Sharji later served as Chairman of the Commercial Disputes Resolution Authority according to a royal decree issued on 17 February 1991.[9] Hamed also made charitable contributions, including donating desks to a primary school in Rumonge.[1] Another son, Saud al Sharji, became the first officer in the Royal Army of Oman to hold a bachelor's degree in architecture.[1] His daughter, Dr. Safiya al Sharji, continued his emphasis on education, becoming an assistant professor and researcher[10]with several peer-reviewed publications in computer science.[11]
Education
[edit]Although Mohammed had no formal schooling, he taught himself Arabic through the Quran, became literate in Swahili, and conducted trade.[1] According to family sources, he prioritized education for his children, enrolling his daughters in local schools in Rumonge and sending his sons to Egypt to attend Arabic-language schools. He also accompanied the sons of his brothers-in-law—Nasser bin Salim al Azri and Sulaiman bin Abdullah al Sharji—to Egypt, supporting them until they were settled. While in Egypt, he was photographed with Omani community leaders, including Imam Ghalib bin Ali al Hinai, who later resided in Saudi Arabia.[12]
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Children of Mohammed Hamdan in Egypt (1963) -
Mohammed Hamdan with his children and his brothers-in-law's children in front of the Pyramids, Cairo, Egypt (1963) -
Mohammed bin Hamdan with Imam Ghalib bin Ali al Hinai, Egypt, 1963
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Nimbona, Athanase (2025-10-01). "RUMONGE : Contribution au développement par les étrangers nés au Burundi". Le Renouveau du Burundi (in French). Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Burunga – Société & Culture : Mohammed Al Sharji, pionnier omanais et bâtisseur de Rumonge". Iwacu Burundi (in French). 2025-10-27. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ Yenigun, M. C.; AlRahbi, Y. (2021). "The Omani Diaspora in Eastern Africa". International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. 15 (7): 207–227.
- ^ Castryck, Geert (2023). "Spheres of Life and Scales of Action among Gujarati and Omani Merchants in the African Great Lakes Region, 1920s–1930s". Itinerario: Journal of Imperial and Global Interaction. 47 (1): 59–75.
- ^ a b Nyandwi, Gérard (2016). La Crise de 1972 dans la Province de Bururi (Mémoire de maîtrise) (in French). Bujumbura: Université du Burundi, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines. p. 45.
- ^ "45 من حديث (من قتل دون ماله فهو شهيد)" (in Arabic). موقع الشيخ ابن باز الرسمي. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "How long should burial of the deceased be delayed when waiting for his relatives?". Islam Q&A. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "Burying in the mosque is not allowed". IslamOnline. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "مرسوم سلطاني رقم ١٧/٩١" [Royal Decree No. 17/1991 Appointing Hamed bin Mohammed bin Hamdan Al Sharji as Chairman of the Commercial Disputes Resolution Authority] (in Arabic). Government of Oman. 17 February 1991. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Faculty Profile – Dr. Safiya al Sharji". University of Technology and Applied Sciences. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- ^ al Sharji, Safiya; Beer, Martin; Uruchurtu, Elizabeth (2015). "A Dwell Time-Based Technique for Personalised Ranking Model". Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer International Publishing. pp. 205–214. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22852-5_18.
- ^ Peterson, J. E. (2014). Oman's Insurgencies: The Sultanate's Struggle for Supremacy. London: Saqi Books. ISBN 9780863567025.
Category:1917 births Category:1972 deaths Category:Omani businesspeople Category:20th-century Omani people Category:Burundian businesspeople Category:Omani diaspora