 For many years , Mogadishu stood as the pre @-@ eminent city in the <unk> @-@ ul @-@ <unk> ( <unk> <unk> ) , meaning " Land of the <unk> , " which was the medieval Arabic term for the Somali coast . By the time of the Moroccan traveller Ibn <unk> 's appearance on the Somali coast in 1331 , the city was at the zenith of its prosperity . He described Mogadishu as " an exceedingly large city " with many rich merchants , which was famous for the high quality fabric that it exported to destinations including Egypt . <unk> added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan , Abu <unk> ibn <unk> ' Umar , who was originally from Barbara in northern Somalia and spoke both Somali ( referred to by <unk> as <unk> , the Benadir dialect of Somali ) and Arabic with equal fluency . The Sultan also had a retinue of <unk> ( ministers ) , legal experts , commanders , royal <unk> , and other officials at his service . 
