Born into a wealthy mercantile family in Berbera, Madar was sponsored by his father to study religion for 20 years in Harar. Harar was the centre of Islamic learning in the Horn, and a very familiar city for his Habr Awal clan which controlled the lucrative caravan trade stretching to Berbera with strong ties with the Emirate of Harar. Upon the completion of his studies Sheikh Kabir Khalil one of the three top ulema in Harar advised him to establish a Qadiriyya tariqa commune in present-day Hargeisa.[7][8][1]