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Sheik Hussein Shrine

Anajina or the site of the Shrine of Sheikh Husein is one of Oromia’s major sites of culture tourism. It is situated on the border of West Harargé and Bale Zones at the southern edge of Web River. It is 178 kilometers far from Robe along the all weather road that passes through Jarra, and Dallo Sabro towns.

The Shrine is named after an ancient Muslim holy man (religious leader) called Sheikh Nur Husein bin Malka or bin Ibrahim who was reputed for his religious teachings, high devotion and remarkable miraculous deeds. According to oral history, the birth of Sheikh Nur Husein, or “Sheikhana Husein” is dated back to 12th century in the same site now called Anajina. Local elders say that he was born 942 years ago from his father Malka or Sheik Ibrahim and his mother Shamsiyya. According to legend Sheikh Husein had passed 250 years alive on earth out of which he spent 50 years in a place called Sakina (in Arsi) or in a state of disappearance into spiritual life or devotion, 130 years in various parts of the world and 70 years at his Dire itself. The main attraction of the site includes:

The impressive white colored and conic shaped domes of tombs/ mosques which  scattered  in the site;
More than 900 years old famous cultural site and its monuments built under the pious person named Sheikh Muhammad Tilmo 360 years ago. There are over ten such monuments among which the oldest one is the qubba of the Sheikh’s parents. The Sheikh’s qubba, the biggest of all, is separately fenced by stout wall around an area of more than 10,000 square. Metres;

Pilgrimage visiting to the Dirré made twice a year by tens of thousands of people (pilgrim from all over Eastern, southern and western Oromia and various parts of Ethiopia).

Not all of the legends and their consequential practices which may be heard of or seen being practiced at the ‘Anajina’ are Islamic from the view point of the Shari’ah and the Islamic Monotheistic.

However, there are two annual celebration occasions at the Dire. The days are counted according to the Islamic calendar Hijirah. Thus one of the occasions is known as “Hajji”. It is in the month “Zul-Hijjah”. The peak days of this celebration are the 9th and the 10th Zul-Hijjah, or the worldwide Islamic holiday “Arafah”. The other occasion, which is known as “Zahra” is in the month “Jimadul-Thani” of the same calendar, the peak celebration days being the 14th and the 15th.

In both occasions visitors can arrive at the Dire in the afternoon of the first day to enjoy the evening /the night celebration which is the beginning of the celebration of the second peak day.

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