Sheikh Hussein

The sanctuary of Sheikh Hussein stands in the high country of Bale, near the Wabe Shabelle. It is a revered place of pilgrimage for Muslims of southeastern Ethiopia and the wider Horn of Africa. The tomb of the holy man is surrounded by religious buildings, and pilgrims have long gathered here to honour the saint associated with the spread of Islam in Bale. Tradition places Sheikh Hussein around the thirteenth century. At the end of the eighteenth century, religious teachers renewed the pilgrimage and strengthened the sanctuary's place in the life of Muslim communities. Oromo and Somali pilgrims alike came to the shrine, making it a meeting place across the different peoples and landscapes of the region.