Sayyid Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali
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''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the
Islamic prophet Prophets in Islam ( ar, الأنبياء في الإسلام, translit=al-ʾAnbiyāʾ fī al-ʾIslām) are individuals in Islam who are believed to spread God in Islam, God's message on Earth and to serve as models of ideal human behaviour. So ...
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
through his grandsons,
Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali ( ar, الحسن بن علي, translit=Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; ) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ...
and
Husayn ibn Ali Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...
, sons of Muhammad's daughter
Fatima Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...
and his cousin and son-in-law
Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
(Ali ibn Abi Talib). While in the early islamic period the title Al-Sayyid was applied on all the members of the of
banu hashim ) , type = Qurayshi Arab clan , image = , alt = , caption = , nisba = al-Hashimi , location = Mecca, Hejaz Middle East, North Africa, Horn of Africa , descended = Hashim ibn Abd Manaf , parent_tribe = Qu ...
, the tribe of Muhammad. But later on the title was made specific to those of
Hasani Hassan or Hasan is an Arabic, Irish, Scottish, or Jewish (Sephardic and Mizrahic) surname. Etymology and spelling There are several unrelated origins for this surname: * In Arabic, Hassan is a transliteration of two names that both derive f ...
and Hussaini descent, Primarily by the
Fatimid Caliphs This is a list of an Arab dynasty, the Shi'ite caliphs of the Fatimid dynasty (909–1171). The Shi'ite caliphs were also regarded at the same time as the imams of the Isma'ili branch of Shi'a Islam. Family tree of Fatimid caliphs ...
. Female ''sayyids'' are given the titles ''sayyida'', ''syeda'', ''alawiyah'' . In some regions of the
Islamic world The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. In ...
, such as in Iraq, the descendants of Muhammad are given the title ''
amīr Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremo ...
'' or ''mīr'', meaning "aristocrats", "commander", or "ruler". In
Shia Islam Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, m ...
the son of a non Sayyid father and a Sayyida mother claim the title
Mirza Mirza may refer to: * Mirza, Kamrup, town in Assam, India * Mirza (name), historical royal title & noble * ''Mirza'', the genus of giant mouse lemur * "Mirza", song by Nino Ferrer * ''Mirza – The Untold Story'', Punjabi action romance film wri ...
. In
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...
a person being a descendant of Muhammad, of either maternal or paternal descent, can claim the title of ''Sayyid'' only by fulfilling special requirements that are mostly based on the claimant's demonstrated knowledge of the Quran under the assessment of a Naqib al-Ashraf.Tazkare Khanwade Hazrat Ishaan, p. 61, by Muhammad Yasin Qaswari Naqshbandi, published by Kooperatis Lahorin, Edare Talimat Naqshbandiyya The current Naqib ul Ashraf of the Qadiriyya wa Naqshbandiyya is the 54th Imam of the Tariqa, descending from Bahauddin Naqshband by blood through the Naqib and
Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
Sayyid Mir Fazlullah Agha, known as Imam Al- Rafi Ishaan. A few Arabic language experts state that it has its roots in the word ''al-asad'' , meaning "lion", probably because of the qualities of valour and leadership. The word is derived from the verb sāda, meaning to rule. The surname seyyid/sayyid (pl. sâda as in sādat Quraysh or the chiefs of Quraysh tribe) existed before Islam. Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic defines seyyid as master, chief, sovereign, or lord. It also denotes someone respected and of high status. Although reliable statistics are unavailable, conservative estimates put the number of Sayyids in the tens of thousands. In the
Arab world The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...
, ''sayyid'' is the equivalent of the English word "
liege lord Homage (from Medieval Latin , lit. "pertaining to a man") in the Middle Ages was the ceremony in which a feudal tenant or vassal pledged reverence and submission to his feudal lord, receiving in exchange the symbolic title to his new position (inv ...
" or "master" when referring to a descendant of Muhammad, as in ''Sayyid Ali Sultan.'' The word '' saeed'' (from the contracted form ''sayyidī'', "my liege") is often used in Arabic.People of India by Herbert Risely


History

The Sayyids are by definition a branch of
Banu Hashim ) , type = Qurayshi Arab clan , image = , alt = , caption = , nisba = al-Hashimi , location = Mecca, Hejaz Middle East, North Africa, Horn of Africa , descended = Hashim ibn Abd Manaf , parent_tribe = Qu ...
, which according to tradition traces its lineage to Adnan, and therefore directly descends from
Ishmael Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...
( Ismaeyl), and collaterally descends from his paternal half-brother
Isaac Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was the ...
( Ishaaq), the sons of
Abraham Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jew ...
(
Ibrahim Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam. For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam. Ibrahim may also refer to: * Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people ...
) . The descent of Banu Hashim through an ancestor called Adnan to the legendary Ishmael and Abraham are traditional and religious beliefs, not historical facts. Banū Hāshim (Arabic: بنو هاشم) is the clan of Muhammad, whose great-grandfather was Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to as Hashemites. Descendants of Muhammad usually carry the titles ''Sayyid'', ''Syed'', ''
Hashmi Al-Hashimi, also transliterated Al-Hashemi ( ar, الهاشمي), Hashemi, Hashimi or Hashmi ( fa, هاشمی) is an Arabic, Arabian, and Persian surname.Sharif'', or the Ashraf clan (synonymous to Ahl al-Bayt) . Today, two sovereign monarchs –
Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein ( ar, عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين , translit=ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯānī ibn al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of t ...
and Mohammed VI of Morocco – and the former royal family of Libya are also considered to be a part of Banu Hashim . The Hashemites (Arabic: الهاشميون, Al-Hāshimīyūn; also House of Hashim) are the ruling royal family of Jordan. The House was also the royal family of Syria (1920), Hejaz (1916–1925) and Iraq (1921–1958). The family belongs to the Dhawu Awn, one of the branches of the Hasanid Sharifs of Mecca – also known as Hashemites – who ruled Mecca continuously from the 10th century until its conquest by the House of Saud in 1924. Their eponymous ancestor is Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, great-grandfather of Muhammad. Traditionally,
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
has had a rich history of the veneration of
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
, especially of those attributed to
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
. The most genuine prophetic relics are believed to be those housed in the ''Hirkai Serif Odasi'' (Chamber of the Holy Mantle) in
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
's
Topkapı Palace The Topkapı Palace ( tr, Topkapı Sarayı; ota, طوپقپو سرايى, ṭopḳapu sarāyı, lit=cannon gate palace), or the Seraglio A seraglio, serail, seray or saray (from fa, سرای, sarāy, palace, via Turkish and Italian) i ...
.


Indication of descent

In the early period, other than general usage, the Arabs also allowed the terms ''Sayyid'' to descendants from both
Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali ( ar, الحسن بن علي, translit=Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; ) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ...
and
Husayn ibn Ali Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...
. .Encyclopaedic Ethnography of Middle-East and Central Asia: A-I, Volume 1
edited by R. Khanam
Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
Sayyid scholars wear black turbans, while non-Sayyid Shia scholars wear other colors (most commonly white).
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
Islamic Names: An Introduction
By Annemarie Schimmel. The descendants of Ali and his other wives are called ''Alevi sayyid''; they are titled Shah, Sain, Miya Fakir or Dewan. Those ''Sayyids'' who are Shia often include the following titles in their names to indicate the figure from whom they trace their descent: Note: (For non-Arabic speakers) When transliterating Arabic words into English there are two approaches. * 1. The user may transliterate the word letter for letter (e.g., "الزيدي" becomes "a-l-z-ai-d-i"). * 2. The user may transcribe the pronunciation of the word (e.g., "الزيدي" becomes "a-zz-ai-d-i"); in Arabic grammar, some consonants (''n, r, s, sh, t'' and ''z'') cancel the ''l'' (ل) from the word "the" ''al'' (ال) (see sun and moon letters). When the user sees the prefixes ''an'', ''ar'', ''as'', ''ash'', ''at'', ''az'', etc... this means the word is the transcription of the pronunciation. * An ''i'', ''wi'' (Arabic), or ''i'', ''vi'' (Persian) ending could perhaps be translated by the English suffixes ''-ite'' or ''-ian''. The suffix transforms a personal name or place name into the name of a group of people connected by lineage or place of birth. Hence ''Ahmad al-Hassani'' could be translated as ''Ahmad, the descendant of Hassan'', and ''Ahmad al-Manami'' as ''Ahmad from the city of
Manama Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is h ...
''. For further explanation, see
Arabic name Arabic language names have historically been based on a long naming system. Many people from the Arabic-speaking and also Muslim countries have not had given/ middle/family names but rather a chain of names. This system remains in use throughout ...
s. 1Also, El-Husseini, Al-Husseini, Husseini, and Hussaini. 2Those who use the term ''Sayyid'' for all descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib regard Allawis or Alavis as Sayyids. However, Allawis are not descendants of Muhammad, as they are descended from the children of Ali and the women he married after the death of Fatima, such as Umm ul-Banin (Fatima bint Hizam). Those who limit the term ''Sayyid'' to descendants of Muhammad through Fatima,
Allawi Alawi ( ar, علاوي) means "follower of Ali" or "descendant of Ali", and is a common surname (and sometimes as a given name) in the Muslim world. In Arab countries occupied by the British Empire, the name is transliterated as "Alawi". In Arab cou ...
s/Alavis are the same how ''Sayyids''. Some Sayyids are ''Najeeb Al Tarfayn'', meaning "Noble on both sides", which indicates that both of their parents are Sayyid.


Existence of descendants of Hasan al-Askari

The existence of any descendant of
Hasan al Askari Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ( ar, الحَسَن بْن عَلِيّ بْن مُحَمَّدُ, translit=al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad; ), better known as Hasan al-Askari ( ar, الحَسَن ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ , translit=al-Ḥa ...
is disputed by many people. Some genealogies of Middle Eastern and Central Asian families (mostly from Persia), East Africa (mostly in Somalia and Ethiopia), Khorasan, Samarqand, and Bukhara show that Hasan al-Askari had a second son called Sayyid Ali Akbar, which indicates that al-Askari had children and substantiates the existence of
Muhammad al Mahdi Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Mahdī ( ar, محمد بن الحسن المهدي) is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justic ...
. Whether in fact al-Askari did have children is still disputed, perhaps because of the political conflicts between the followers of the Imamah and the leadership of the
Abbasids The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
and
Ghulat The ( ar, غلاة, 'exaggerators', 'extremists', 'transgressors', singular ) were a branch of early Shi'i Muslims thus named by other Shi'i and Sunni Muslims for their purportedly 'exaggerated' veneration of the prophet Muhammad (–632) and his ...
Shiites who do not believe in Hasan al-Askari's Imamah. Another group of historians studying the pedigrees of some Central Asian saints' ''shejere'' (genealogy trees) believe that the Twelfth Imam was not the only son of Hasan al-Askari, and that the Eleventh Imam had two sons: Sayyid Muhammad (i.e., the Shia Mahdi) and Sayyid Ali Akbar.page 41 "النجف الأشرف) السيد محمد مهدي ابن السيد محمد اصفهاني الموسوي الكاظمي "دوائر المعارف في الأسماء الحسنى) According to the earliest reports as from official family tree documents and records , Imam Hasan al-Askari fathered seven children and was survived by six. The names of his biological children were: Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, Musa, Ja’far, Ibrahim, Fatima, Ayesha, and
‘Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
, sometimes referred to as Akbar, Asghar or Abdullah. Sayyid ‘Ali Akbar bin Imam Hasan al-Askari is Sultan Saadat (Sodot) who died in Termez. His burial place is located in the main mausoleum
Sultan Saodat Sultan Saodat is a complex of religious structures located on the outskirts of modern Termez, in Uzbekistan. The complex of Sultan Saodat, which was formed between the 10th and 17th centuries, holds the graves of the influential Sayyid dynasty ...
memorial complex in Termez. According to other old genealogical sources Sayyid Ali was the second son of Sayyid Imam Muhammad al Askari who is considered the elder brother of imam
Hasan al-Askari Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ( ar, الحَسَن بْن عَلِيّ بْن مُحَمَّدُ, translit=al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad; ), better known as Hasan al-Askari ( ar, الحَسَن ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ , translit=al-Ḥa ...
These Central Asian notable ''sayyid'' families have historical genealogical manuscripts that are confirmed with seals by many Naqibs, Muftis, Imams, Kadi Kuzzats, A’lams, Khans, and Emirs of those times. One descendant of Sayyid Ali Akbar was Saint Ishan (Eshon) Imlo of Bukhara. Ishan Imlo is called "saint of the last time" in Bukhara,https://shajara.org/2020/06/29/%d1%8d%d1%88%d0%be%d0%bd-%d0%b8%d0%bc%d0%bb%d0%be-%d0%b1%d1%83%d1%85%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%b9-%d2%b3%d0%b0%d0%b7%d1%80%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%b3-%d1%88%d0%b0%d0%b6/ Эшон Имло Бухорий ҳазратларининг шажараси ҳақида as it is believed that after him there were no more saintsAsian Muslims generally revere him as the last of the saints. According to the source, Ishan Imlo died in 1162AH (1748–1749); his mausoleum (mazar) is in a cemetery in Bukhara. Notable descendants of Sayyid Ali Akbar are Sufi saints like Bahauddin Naqshband,https://shajara.org/2020/06/29/naqshbandiya-shajarasi-izidan/ NAQSHBANDİYA SHAJARASİ İZİDAN descendant after eleven generations; Khwaja Khawand Mahmud known as Hazrat Ishaan, descendant after eighteen generations; the two brothers Sayyid ul Sadaat Sayyid Mir Jan and Sayyid ul Sadaat Mir Sayyid Mahmud Agha, maternal descendants of Hasan al Askari; ''
qadi A qāḍī ( ar, قاضي, Qāḍī; otherwise transliterated as qazi, cadi, kadi, or kazi) is the magistrate or judge of a '' sharīʿa'' court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and mino ...
'' Qozi Sayyid Bahodirxon; and Sufi saints
Tajuddin Muhammad Badruddin Taj al-Din ( ar, تاج الدين ) may refer to: Politicians and religious leaders * Cheraman Perumal Tajuddin ( 7th century)- First Hindu to convert to Islam and possibly only companion of the Prophet Muhammad from India *Al-Shahrastani or in ...
and Pir Baba. In her book ''Pain and Grace: A Study of Two Mystical Writers of Eighteenth-Century Muslim India'', Dr.
Annemarie Schimmel Annemarie Schimmel (7 April 1922 – 26 January 2003) was an influential German Orientalist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islam, especially Sufism. She was a professor at Harvard University from 1967 to 1992. Early life and education ...
writes: Although Shiite historians generally reject the claim that Hasan al-Askari fathered children other than Muhammad al-Mahdi, Bab Mawlid Abi Muhammad al-Hasan writes, in the Shiite hadith book '' Usul al-Kafi'':


Africa

Muslim historians claimed that three of the descendants of Ali ibn Abu Talib migrated into Somalia and Ethiopia. The two Ashrafs migrated to Ethiopia and the remaining sayyid settled in Somalia.


Ethiopia

Muslim historians and geologists claimed that one of the Ashrafs called Hajji Ali migrated into southern part of Ethiopia. After he migrated there, he had a son and named him Gan-Silte. His children then called by their father's name "Silte". according to the Silte tribesmen, the father of Hajji Aliyye (Hajji Ali) was Hajji Omar bin Osman, who was an Arab. He used to live in
Hejaz The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...
, now part of Saudi Arabia. He migrated to Harar first, then settled in the southern part of Omnan which is now a part of Silte.


Middle East

Men belonging to the ''Sayyid'' families or tribes in the Arab world used to wear white or ivory coloured daggers like
jambiya A jambiya, also spelled janbiya, jambya, jambia and janbia ( ar, جنۢبية ''janbīyah''), is a specific type of dagger with a short curved blade with a medial ridge that originated from the Hadhramaut region of Yemen. They have spread all ov ...
s,
khanjar A ''khanjar'' ( ar, خنجر, ku, Xencer, bn, খঞ্জর, khôñjôr tr, Hançer, fa, خنجر, ur, خنجر, sh, Handžar) is a traditional dagger originating from Oman, although it has since spread to the rest of the Middle East ...
s or shibriyas to demarcate their nobility amongst other Arab men, although this custom has been restricted due to the local laws of the variously divided Arab countries.


Iraq

The ''Sayyid'' families in Iraq are so numerous that there are books written especially to list the families and connect their trees. Some of these families are: the Alyassiri, Al Aqeeqi, Al-Nasrullah, Al-Wahab,
Al-Hashimi Al-Hashimi, also transliterated Al-Hashemi ( ar, الهاشمي), Hashemi, Hashimi or Hashmi ( fa, هاشمی) is an Arabic, Arabian, and Persian surname.Quraishi, Al-Marashi, Al-Witry,
Al-Obaidi Al-Obaidi ( ar, العبيد, Al-Ubaidi or Al-Obeidi) is one of the Arab tribes in Iraq settled around Al Jazira, Mesopotamia. It hails from the tribe of Zubaid, which itself is an offshoot of the ancient Yemenite tribe Madh'hij. The tribe was an i ...
, Al-Samarai,
Al-Zaidi The surname Al-Zaidi (Az-Zaidi) can denote one or both of the following: *Sayyid Arab descendants of Zayd ibn Ali that either stayed in Kufa, Iraq or returned to Al-Hijaz. *The use of the surname Al-Zaidi to designate association may be with the ...
, Al-A'araji, Al-Baka, Al-
Hasani Hassan or Hasan is an Arabic, Irish, Scottish, or Jewish (Sephardic and Mizrahic) surname. Etymology and spelling There are several unrelated origins for this surname: * In Arabic, Hassan is a transliteration of two names that both derive f ...
, Al-
Hussaini Husseini (also spelled Hussaini, Husaini, Hecini, Hosseini , Houssaini or Husayni, ar, حسیني) is an Arabic surname. Etymology It is a nisba derivation of the given name Hussein or Husain from the name of Imam Husain ibn Ali. People with the ...
, Al-
Shahristani Hussain Ibrahim Saleh al-Shahristani (born 1942) is an Iraqi politician who served in different cabinet posts, including as Iraq's Minister of Higher Education. Early life and education al-Shahristani was born in 1942 in Karbala, Iraq. He hails ...
, Al-Qazwini Al-
Qadri The Qadiriyya (), also transliterated Qādirīyah, ''Qadri'', ''Qadriya'', ''Kadri'', ''Elkadri'', ''Elkadry'', ''Aladray'', ''Alkadrie'', ''Adray'', ''Kadray'', ''Kadiri'', ''Qadiri'', ''Quadri'' or ''Qadri'' are members of the Sunni Qadiri ta ...
,
Tabatabaei Tabatabaei ( ar, طباطبائي, ''Ṭabāṭabāʾī''; fa, طباطبایی, ''Ṭabâṭabâyī'') (also spelled Tabatabai, Tabatabaee, Tabatabaie, Tabatabaeyan) is a surname of Iranian/ Persian origin Arabic family name (Tabataba’i), an ad ...
, Al- Alawi, Al-Ghawalib (Al-Ghalibi),
Al-Musawi Al-Musawi ( ar, الموسوي, ) is a surname that indicates a person comes from a prestigious and highly respected Arabian family descending from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through al-Imam Musa al-Kadhim ibn Jafar as-Sadiq (7th Shi'a Imam). Fa ...
, Al-Awadi (not to be confused with the Al-Awadhi
Huwala Huwala ( ar, الهولة, sing. Huwali هولي) also collectively referred to as Bani Huwala, is a blanket term usually used to refer to Iranian Arabs who originate from the Arabian Peninsula, initially migrating in the 13th and 14th century fro ...
family), Al-Gharawi, Al-Sabzewari, Al-Shubber, Al-Hayali, Al-Kamaludeen and many others.


Iran

''Sayyids'' (in fa, سید ''Seyyed'') are found in vast numbers in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. The Chief of "National Organization for Civil Registration" of Iran declared that more than 1 million of Iranians are ''Sayyid''. The majority of ''Sayyids'' migrated to Iran from Arab lands predominantly in the 15th to 17th centuries during the
Safavid Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
era. The Safavids transformed the religious landscape of Iran by imposing
Twelver Twelver Shīʿīsm ( ar, ٱثْنَا عَشَرِيَّة; '), also known as Imāmīyyah ( ar, إِمَامِيَّة), is the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, comprising about 85 percent of all Shīʿa Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers t ...
Shiism on the populace. Since most of the population embraced Sunni Islam, and an educated version of Shiism was scarce in Iran at the time, Ismail imported a new group of Shia ''
Ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
'' who predominantly were Sayyids from traditional Shiite centers of the Arabic-speaking lands, such as
Jabal Amel Jabal Amil ( ar, جبل عامل, Jabal ʿĀmil), also spelled Jabal Amel and historically known as Jabal Amila, is a cultural and geographic region in Southern Lebanon largely associated with its long-established, predominantly Twelver Shia Musl ...
(of southern Lebanon),
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
,
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
, and southern Iraq in order to create a state clergy. The Safavids offered them land and money in return for loyalty.The failure of political Islam, by Olivier Roy, Carol Volk, pg.170The Cambridge illustrated history of the Islamic world, by Francis Robinson, pg.72The Middle East and Islamic world reader, by Marvin E. Gettleman, Stuart Schaar, pg.42The Encyclopedia of world history: ancient, medieval, and modern ... by Peter N. Stearns, William Leonard Langer, pg.360 These scholars taught Twelver Shiism, made it accessible to the population, and energetically encouraged conversion to Shiism. During the reign of
Shah Abbas the Great Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid Shah (king) of Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son ...
, the Safavids also imported to Iran more Arab Shias, predominantly ''Sayyids'', built religious institutions for them, including many ''
Madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
s'' (religious schools), and successfully persuaded them to participate in the government, which they had shunned in the past (following the Hidden imam doctrine). Common ''Sayyid'' family surnames in Iran are
Husseini Husseini (also spelled Hussaini, Husaini, Hecini, Hosseini , Houssaini or Husayni, ar, حسیني) is an Arabic surname. Etymology It is a nisba derivation of the given name Hussein or Husain from the name of Imam Husain ibn Ali. People with the ...
,
Mousavi Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh ( fa, میرحسین موسوی خامنه, Mīr-Hoseyn Mūsavī Khāmené, ; born 2 March 1942) is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the forty-ninth and last Prime Minister of Ir ...
, Kazemi, Razavi, Eshtehardian,
Tabatabaei Tabatabaei ( ar, طباطبائي, ''Ṭabāṭabāʾī''; fa, طباطبایی, ''Ṭabâṭabâyī'') (also spelled Tabatabai, Tabatabaee, Tabatabaie, Tabatabaeyan) is a surname of Iranian/ Persian origin Arabic family name (Tabataba’i), an ad ...
,
Hashemi Al-Hashimi, also transliterated Al-Hashemi ( ar, الهاشمي), Hashemi, Hashimi or Hashmi ( fa, هاشمی) is an Arabic, Arabian, and Persian surname.Hassani, Jafari, Emami, Ahmadi, Zaidi, Imamzadeh, Sherazi, Kermani (kirmani),
Shahidi Shahidi ( fa, شهیدی) is a common surname in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Like the given name Shahid, it is a Muslim theophoric name, from '' Aš-Šāhid'' (), one of the 99 names of God in the Qur'an. It is derived from ''šāhid '', t ...
, and
Mahdavi A Mahdavi is an adherent of Mahdavia, a Mahdi'ist Muslim denomination. It may also refer to: Places * Shahid Mahdavi Stadium, a stadium in Bushehr, Iran * Shahrak-e Mahdavi, a village in Fars, Iran People An Iranian surname: * Ahmad Mahdavi Damg ...
.


Bahrain

In
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
''Sayyids'' are used to refer to great-grandchildren of Muhammed. ''Sayyids'' are funded every where and in vast populations although number are contradicted. ''Sayyids'' started living in
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
since the beging of the 8th century. The Bahrainis spurted, Imam Ali in his wars in the
Camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...
,
Siffin The Battle of Siffin was fought in 657 CE (37 AH) between Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth of the Rashidun Caliphs and the first Shia Imam, and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the rebellious governor of Syria. The battle is named after its location Si ...
and
Nahrawan The Nahrevan Canal (Persian: کانال نرهوان) was a major irrigation system of the Sassanid and early Islamic periods in central Iraq, along the eastern banks of the Tigris and the lower course of the Diyala River. Created in the 6th centu ...
, and several Bahraini men emerged from the leaders of the Commander of the Faithful including the companion
Zayd ibn Suhan Zayd ibn Suhan ( ar, زيد بن صوحان) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and is revered by Shia Muslims. He was the brother of Sa'sa'a bin Sohan. He is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari. He was killed in the Battle of the Camel ...
al-Abdi who was killed in the
Battle of the Camel The Battle of the Camel, also known as the Battle of Jamel or the Battle of Basra, took place outside of Basra, Iraq, in 36 AH (656 CE). The battle was fought between the army of the fourth caliph Ali, on one side, and the rebel army led by ...
when he was fighting alongside the Commander of Imam Ali. And the companion
Sa'sa'a bin Sohan Ṣa‘ṣa‘ah ibn Suhān ( ar, صعصعة بن صوحان) was born in the year 598 CE, corresponding to about 24 years before Hijra in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. He was a companion of ‘Alī and is revered by the Shia. He belonged to the tribe of ...
Al Abdi who was the ambassador of the Commander of the Faithful to
Mu`awiyah Mu'awiya I ( ar, معاوية بن أبي سفيان, Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān; –April 680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 661 until his death. He became caliph less than thirty years after the deat ...
, and he and
Mu`awiyah Mu'awiya I ( ar, معاوية بن أبي سفيان, Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān; –April 680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 661 until his death. He became caliph less than thirty years after the deat ...
have many stories that historians have transmitted to us. Historians have called them this title because they agreed on a Thursday that they would die for the sake of the Commander of the Faithful. The tomb of
Zayd ibn Suhan Zayd ibn Suhan ( ar, زيد بن صوحان) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and is revered by Shia Muslims. He was the brother of Sa'sa'a bin Sohan. He is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari. He was killed in the Battle of the Camel ...
is still visited in
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
and is called by Bahrainis as Prince Zaid, as well as the tomb of the great companion
Sa'sa'a bin Sohan Ṣa‘ṣa‘ah ibn Suhān ( ar, صعصعة بن صوحان) was born in the year 598 CE, corresponding to about 24 years before Hijra in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. He was a companion of ‘Alī and is revered by the Shia. He belonged to the tribe of ...
Al Abdi who is buried in
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
.


Oman

In Oman, ''Sayyid'' is used by members of the
Al Said The House of Busaid (, ), also known as Al Said dynasty, is the current ruling royal house of the Oman, and former ruling royal house of the Omani Empire (from 1744 to 1856), Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (1856 to 1970) and the Sultanate of Za ...
ruling royal family. The absolute ruler of the country retains the title
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
with members of the royal family eligible for succession to the throne given the title
Sheikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
, these may also use the title Sayyid should they wish to, although as Sheikh supersedes this, it is not a widely used practice. Members of the extended family or members by marriage carry the title ''Sayyid'' or ''Sayyida'' for a female. Such titles in
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
are hereditary through paternal lineage or in some exceptional circumstances, such as an honorary title given by royal decree. Members of the
Al Said The House of Busaid (, ), also known as Al Said dynasty, is the current ruling royal house of the Oman, and former ruling royal house of the Omani Empire (from 1744 to 1856), Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (1856 to 1970) and the Sultanate of Za ...
family use the term Sayyid solely as a title and not as a means of indicating descent, as the Al Said royal family does not descend from
Banu Hashim ) , type = Qurayshi Arab clan , image = , alt = , caption = , nisba = al-Hashimi , location = Mecca, Hejaz Middle East, North Africa, Horn of Africa , descended = Hashim ibn Abd Manaf , parent_tribe = Qu ...
or from Imam Ali and instead descends from the
Qahtanite The terms Qahtanite and Qahtani ( ar, قَحْطَانِي; Arabic transliteration, transliterated: Qaḥṭānī) refer to Arab people, Arabs who originate from South Arabia. The term "Qahtan" is mentioned in multiple ancient Arabian inscriptio ...
Zahran tribe.


Yemen

In Yemen the ''Sayyids'' are more generally known as ''sadah''; they are also referred to as '' Hashemites''. In terms of religious practice they are
Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
,
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
, and
Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
. ''Sayyid'' families in
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
include the Rassids, the Qasimids, the Mutawakkilites, the Hamideddins, some Al-Zaidi of
Ma'rib Marib ( ar, مَأْرِب, Maʾrib; Old South Arabian: 𐩣𐩧𐩨/𐩣𐩧𐩺𐩨 ''Mryb/Mrb'') is the capital city of Marib Governorate, Yemen. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of ''Sabaʾ'' ( ar, سَبَأ), which some scholars ...
, Sana'a, and Sa'dah, the Ba 'Alawi sada families in Hadhramaut, Mufadhal of
Sana'a Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Governo ...
, Al-Shammam of Sa'dah, the Sufyan of Juban, and the Al-Jaylani of Juban.


Libya

The ''Sayyids'' in Libya are Sunni, including the former royal family, which is originally Zaidi-Moroccan (also known as the
Senussi The Senusiyya, Senussi or Sanusi ( ar, السنوسية ''as-Sanūssiyya'') are a Muslim political-religious tariqa (Sufi order) and clan in colonial Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi ( ar, السنوسي ...
family). The El-Barassa Family are ''Ashraf'' as claimed by the sons of Abdulsalam ben Meshish, a descendant of Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib.


South Asia

Although people in
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
claim Hashemite descent, genealogy family trees are studied to authenticate claims. In 1901 the total number of Sayyids in
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
was counted as 100.


History of South Asian ''Sayyids''

''Sayyids'' migrated many centuries ago from different parts of the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and
Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
(
Turkestan Turkestan, also spelled Turkistan ( fa, ترکستان, Torkestân, lit=Land of the Turks), is a historical region in Central Asia corresponding to the regions of Transoxiana and Xinjiang. Overview Known as Turan to the Persians, western Turke ...
) during the invasion of the
Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
, Ghaznavid dynasty,
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).
, and
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
, encompassing a timespan of roughly until the late 19th century. ''Sayyids'' migrated to
Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
, Uch, Bihar Sharif, Sheikhpura , and
Attock Khurd Attock Khurd ( ur, ; ''"''Little Attock''"'') is a small town located beside the Indus River in the Attock District of Punjab Province in Pakistan. Khurd and Kalan are Persian words, themselves derived from Sanskrit (''Kshudra'' means "small ...
(Punjab) and settled there very early. Other early migrant ''Sayyids'' moved deep into the south to the
Deccan sultanates The Deccan sultanates were five Islamic late-medieval Indian kingdoms—on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range—that were ruled by Muslim dynasties: namely Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda. Th ...
located in the
Deccan Plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...
region in the time of the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan,
, and later
Golkonda Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparud ...
, Nizam Shahi of
Ahmednagar Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
,
Bijapur Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur district of the Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluk. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural ...
, Bidar, and Berar. Several visited India as merchants or escaped from the Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid, Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad and Safavid Empire, Safavid. Their names appear in Indian history at the dissolution of the Mughal Empire, when the Sayyid brothers created and dethroned emperors at their will (1714–1720). The first Muslims appointed to the Council of India and the first appointed to the privy council were both ''Sayyids''.Descendants of Prophet Muhammad in India
By K D L Khan, Published on: 14 January 2012


Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Seyyed Hazara, Sayyids (Sadat) are recognized as an ethnic group. On 13 March 2019, addressing the Sadat gathering at the presidential palace (Arg), President Ashraf Ghani said that he will issue a decree on the inclusion of Sadat ethnic group in new electronic national identity card Afghan identity card, (e-NIC). President Ashraf Ghani decreed mentioning 'Sadat tribe' in the electronic national identity on 15 March 2019. Sayyids of the north are generally located in Balkh and Kunduz; while in the east they can be found in Nangarhar. While most are Sunni Muslims, some in the Bamiyan province are to Shi'a.


India

The total ''Sayyid'' population in India is 7,017,000, with the largest populations in Uttar Pradesh (1,493,000), Maharashtra (1,108,000), Karnataka (766,000), Andhra Pradesh (727,000), Rajasthan (497,000), Bihar (419,000), West Bengal (372,000), Madhya Pradesh (307,000), Gujarat (245,000), Tamil Nadu (206,000), and 25,000 in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. ''Sayyids'' are also found in the north-eastern state of Assam, where they are locally also referred to as ''Dawans''. In India, ''Sayyids'' of Hadramawt (who originated mainly from the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf) gained widespread fame. There is a big community of ''Sayyids'' settled in and around the Nanganallur region in Chennai that trace their ancestry directly to the ''Sayyids'' of Iraq. Traditional ''Sayyid'' families rarely marry outside their community, and emphasise marrying into ''Najeeb Altarfain'' (of ''Sayyid'' descent from both the mother's and father's side) families. This insistence on endogamy has begun to decline among the more urbanized families, with an increase in exogamy with other groups such as the Shaikh of Uttar Pradesh, Shaikh and Mughal (tribe), Mughals.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1246 to 1254 Manohar Publications Historically, the ''Sayyids'' of Uttar Pradesh were substantial landowners, often absentees, and this was especially the case with the Awadh taluqdars. In the urban townships, ''Sayyid'' families served as priests, teachers, and administrators with the United Kingdom, British colonial authorities given the community a preference in recruitment. Though they account for less than 3% of Muslim population, they control a majority of economic resources. The community also has a very high literacy rate. The independence and partition of India in 1947 was traumatic for the community, with many families becoming divided and some moving to Pakistan. This was followed by the abolition of the zamindari system, where land was redistributed to those who till the land. Many ''Sayyids'' who remained on the land are now medium and small scale farmers, while in urban areas, there has been a shift towards modern occupations. The ''Sayyids'' of Punjab region, Punjab belong to the ''Hasani'' (descendants of Hasan), ''Husaini'' (descendants of Husayn), ''Zaidi'' (descendants of Zayd ibn Ali, grandson of Husayn), Rizvi, (descendants of Ali al-Ridha), and ''Naqvi'' and their sub-caste Bukhari (descendants of Ali al-Hadi).


North India

The earliest migration of ''Sayyids'' from Afghanistan to North India took place in 1032 when Gazi Saiyyed Salar Sahu (general and brother-in-law of
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Mahmud of Ghazni) and his son Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud established their military headquarters at Satrikh ( from Zaidpur) in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. They are considered to be the first Muslim settlers in North India. In 1033 Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud was killed at the battle of Bahraich, the location of his ''Mazar (mausoleum), mazr''. Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud had no children. His parental uncle Syed Maroofuddin Ghazi and his family lived in Tijara until 1857 before they migrated to Bhopal. Syed Ahmed Rizvi Kashmiri and Khan Bahadur Aga Syed Hussain were both Rizvi ''Sayyids'' through Aaqa Meer Sayyid Hussain Qomi Rizvi, whose sacred shrine is in the Zainageer Village of Sopore, Kashmir. Iraqi ''Sayyids'' or Iraqi biradri in Eastern Uttar Pradesh are descendants of ''Sayyid'' Masud Al Hussaini who was the direct descendant of Muhammad's grandson Hussain ibn Ali and came to India from Iraq during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq in 1330 A.D. He settled with his seven sons and forty champions in Ghazipur (U.P.) as some of them (i.e., Syed Abu Bakr in Nonahra, Ghazipur) converted to Sunni Islam in the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi around 1517. His Shia descendants are now known as ''Sayyids'' of Ghazipur. ''Sayyids'' of Syed nagli, or Said Nagli, or the Baquari Syeds had migrated from Termez (Present day Uzbekistan) during the Sultanate era. Sikandar Lodi was the ruler of Delhi when Mir Syed Mohammad al Hussain al Hussaini al Termezi Haji al Haramain came to India and settled at Syed Nagli. He was a Baquari Syed who drew his lineage from Muhammad al Baqir. Perhaps the most important figure in the history of the Sayyid in Uttar Pradesh was Sayyid Basrullah Shustari, who moved from Mashad in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
in 1549 and joined the court of the Mughal Empire, Mughal Emperor Akbar. Akbar appointed Shustari as his chief justice, who used his position to strengthen the status of the various ''Sayyid'' families. They were preferred in administrative posts and formed a privileged elite. When the Mughal Empire disintegrated, the ''Sayyid'' played an important role in the turbulent politics of the time. The new United Kingdom, British colonial authorities that replaced the Mughal Empire, Mughals after the Battle of Buxar made a pragmatic decision to work with the various ''Sayyid'' jagirdars. Several ''Sayyid'' taluqdars in Awadh were substantial landowners under the British colonial regime, and many other ''Sayyid'' contributed to state administration.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three, edited by A Hasan & J C Das After the abolition of the zamindari system, many ''Sayyid'' zamindars (e.g. that of Ghazipur) had to leave their homes.


=Uttar Pradesh

= The ancestor of the Bārha ''Sayyids'', Sayyid Abu'l Farah Al Hussaini Al Wasti, left his original home in Wasit, Iraq, Wasit, Iraq, with his twelve sons at the end of the 13th century and migrated to India, where he obtained four villages in Sirhind-Fategarh. By the 16th century Abu'l Farah's descendants had taken over Bārha villages in Muzaffarnagar district, Muzaffarnagar. The Sayyeds of Abdullapur Meerut are descendants of great saint Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari. They had a large Jagirdara consisting of 52 villages.Abdullapur named after Syed Mir Abdulla Naqvi Al Bukhari, he built Kot Fort of this place in the 16th century, it was his main residence. Bukhari of Abdullapur are fractionate into Kannauji Bukhari and Jalal Bukhari. Kannauji's are descendants of Jalaludin Haider through Syed Mehboob Alam Naqvi-ul Bukhari Al-Maroof Shah Jewna or Shah Jewna son of warrior and chief advisor of Sikandar Lodi. Famous writer Syed Qudrat Naqvi Al Bukhari was born here later migrated to Pakistan after partition, his famous books are Ghalib kaun hai, Asaas-i-Urdu, Ghalib-i-sad rang, Seerat-un-Nabi, Hindi-Urdu lughat, Mutal'a-i-Abdul Haq, Lisani maqalaat. The ''Sayyids'' of Bilgram are Hussaini Sayyids, who first migrated from Wasit, Iraq, in the 13th century. Their ancestor, Syed Mohammad Sughra, a Zaidi ''Sayyid'' of Iraq, arrived in India during the rule of
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Iltutmish. In 1217–18 the family conquered and settled in Bilgram. A notable Sufi that belonged to a ''Sayyid'' family was Syed Salar Masud, from whom many of the Sayyid families of Awadh claim their lineage. ''Sayyids'' of Salon, India, Salon (Raebareli), Jarwal (Bahraich), Kintoor (Barabanki city, Barabanki), and Zaidpur (Barabanki) were well-known ''Taluqadars'' (feudal lords) of Awadh province. Sadaat also found in Kannauj trace their lineage from Husayn through Ali al-Hadi, a branch of Naqvi Bukhari. Famous Pir Syed Mehboob Alam Naqvi-ul Bukhari Al-Maroof Shah Jewna son of great warrior Syed Sadaruddin Shah Kabeer Naqvi (saint and also chief advisor) of Sikandar Lodi was also born in Kannauj and spent 66yrs of his life in kannauj later moved to Shah Jeewna. Makhdoom Jahaniya Mosque is still present in Shikana,Kannauj. Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan was also from Kannauj, he is a Bukhari Naqvi Sayyed converted from Shi'a Islam to Sunni Islam in the early 1800s.


=Bihar

= There are different families of syeds in Bihar who belong to direct descendent of Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain. Mostly there are Hussaini (Rizvi, Zaidi, Baqri) along with Hasani (Malik , Quadri or Geelani). Sadaat are settle in different part of bihar including shia and sunni sects. They are mostly migrated to bihar from Iraq and Iran. Sufi Saint Sharafuddin Maneri belongs to Banu hashim family of Imam Taj Faqih Rh. In Bihar, Sayyids were landlords, judges, barristers, intellectuals, civil servant, clerics, teachers, businessmen and farmers. Sufi Saint and a worrior Malik Ibrahim Bayu who conquered Bihar during the time of tughlaq is one the most famous personality in bihar. Bihar's first prime minister Mohammad Yunus (politician), Mohammad Yunus Nobel prize nominee and Padma shri winner Syed Hassan (educationist), Political Scientist Abu Bakr Ahmad Haleem was the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Aligarh University and Karachi University , The great Abdul Bari (professor),Zaid Hamid Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid is a Pakistani far-right, Islamist political commentator and was included in 500 most influential muslims in world and Brigadier Malik Mokhtar Karim are few names from Malik Sadaat of bihar. Zaidi Sadaat of Bihar are the descendants of Sufi saint Syed Ahmad Jajneri and Syed Mohammed Jajneri. Syed Ahmad Jajneri migrated to India from Baghdad during the reign of Muhammad of Ghor and later migrated to Bihar. He was the direct descendant of Zayd ibn Ali who was the grandson of
Husayn ibn Ali Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...
and therefore his descendants are called
Husseini Husseini (also spelled Hussaini, Husaini, Hecini, Hosseini , Houssaini or Husayni, ar, حسیني) is an Arabic surname. Etymology It is a nisba derivation of the given name Hussein or Husain from the name of Imam Husain ibn Ali. People with the ...
(Zaidi (disambiguation), Zaidi)Sadaat. His descendants are mostly settled in Bihar Sharif, Munger, Sheikhpura and Jamui region of Bihar. Most prominent personalities of Sadaat of Bihar were from Desna, Bihar. For Example Syed Mohammed Saeed Raza, Abdul Qavi Desnavi and Sulaiman Nadvi. Desna's library, established in 1892, had thousands of old Persian language, Persian and Urdu manuscripts. After the partition of India, during uncertain times of mass emigration to Pakistan, the books were donated to Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library, Khuda Bakhsh Khan Library in Patna, where a Desna section was established to house these treasures. Other famous personalities of Bihari Syed were Syed Sultan Ahmed, Syed Hasan Imam and Sir Imam Ali .


=Gujarat

= In Gujarat, most of the Sayyid families are descended from individuals invited by the Gujarat Sultanate, Muslim rulers of Gujarat to serve as advisers and administrators, and were granted ''jagirs''. During the period of Sultan Mahmud Begada (1458–1511), the sultan provided land to three Sayyid brothers and a grant to settle there after the victory of Pavagadh Fort. In 1484 the sultan conquered the fort on 21 November 1484 and transferred his capital to Champaner, which he completely rebuilt at the foothills of the Pavagadh Fort and named it Muhammadabad. During Mughal rule in Gujarat (1570–1750), the ''Sayyid'' held the majority of the civil and ecclesiastical posts. For example, the ''Sayyids'' of Thasra, Kheda district, were invited to serve as administrators and judges by the Mughal emperors, Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, and were provided land grants to settle there. They also comprised a significant portion of the Mughal army, and many are still found in old Muslim garrison towns like Ahmedabad. Many of the early Sufi saints that came to Gujarat belonged to ''Sayyid'' families, most of which came from Central Asia, Iran, Yemen,
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
, Basra, and Bahrain.Shajra-e-Nasab (Syed family tree) Sadat e Gothada -Jahidali J.Saiyad, Gothada


South India


=Kerala

= Thangals, a social group in among the Muslims of Kerala (most whom follow the Shafi'i madhab), are roughly equivalent to the Sayyids. The thangal families are numerous in Kerala. Most members of the community practices endogamy and some are considered as saints. Thangal families have many gradations of status on social and economic scale. Influential of the thangals generally come from prominent business families. They usually exercise their influence through commerce and politics.


= Tamil Nadu

= There are a notable number of ''Sayyids'' in Tamil Nadu that mostly concentrate in the cities like Erwadi, Nagore, Madurai, and Kayalpattinam. Badusha Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed of Ervadi, a Hussaini descendant of Mohammed and a ruler of Madinah, travelled to South India in the middle of the 12th century. His descendants who live in Ervadi with the clan name Levvai are from a single forefather and are ''Sayyids''. The heirs of Shahul Hamid Abdul Qadir badusha of Nagore who live there and are called with clan name of Sahib or Saab or Saabu are ''Sayyids''. Kazi Syed Tajuddin the son of Mufti Jamaluddin al Ma'abari who founded the Kazimar Big Mosque in the 13th century the first mosque in Madurai is a Hussaini descendant of Mohammed and hence belong to Syed family. Until recently, his descendants (Syeds-Qazis-Huqdars) lived in the same Kazimar Street locality in the center of Madurai city for over seven centuries and managed the Kazimar Big Mosque constructed by their forefather. Syed Tajuddin's younger son Kazi Alauddin lived in Kayalpattinam and his shrine is found there.


Genetic studies of ''Sayyids'' of the Indian sub-continent

The authors of the study, the Y chromosomes of self-identified Syeds from the Indian sub-continent are no less diverse than those non-Syeds from the same regions'','' suggested that Syed status, rather than being strictly patrilineal, may have been passed through other routes. The paper, "Y chromosomes of self-identified Syeds from the Indian subcontinent''",'' by Elise M. S. Belle, Saima Shah, Tudor Parfitt, and Mark G. Thomas showed that "self-identified Syeds had no less genetic diversity than those non-Syeds from the same regions, suggesting that there is no biological basis to the belief that self-identified Syeds in this part of the world share a recent common ancestry. However, self-identified men belonging to the ‘Islamic honorific lineages’ (Syeds, Hashemites, Quraysh and Ansari) show a greater genetic affinity to Arab populations—despite the geographic distancethan do their neighbouring populations from South Asia. In Northern India, 29 per cent of the Shia Muslim belong to Haplogroup J-P209, haplogroup J. There are 18 per cent belonging mainly to Haplogroup J-M172, haplogroup J2 and another 11 per cent belong to Haplogroup J-M267, haplogroup J1, which both represent Middle Eastern lineages. J1 is exclusively Near Eastern.


Southeast Asia

Most of the Alawi ''Sayyids'' who moved to Southeast Asia were descendants of Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, especially of Ba 'Alawi sada, many of which were descendants of migrants from Hadhramaut. Even though they are alleged descendants of Husain ibn Ali, Husayn, it is uncommon for the female Sayyids to be called ''Sayyidah''; they are more commonly called ''Sharifah''. Most of them live in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Moro Province in Philippines, Pattani and Cambodia. Many of the royal families of this region such as the previous royal families of the Philippines (Sultanate of Sulu, Sultanate of Maguindanao, Confederation of Sultanates of Ranao), Singapore (Sultanate of Singapore), Malaysia (Sultanates of Johor and Perlis), Indonesia (Sultanates of Siak, Pontianak, Gowa, some Javanese Sultanates), and the existing royal family of Brunei (House of Bolkiah) are also Sayyids, especially of Ba'Alawi. Some common surnames of these ''Sayyids'' are al-Saqqaf, Shihab (or Shahab), al-Aidaroos, al-Habsyi (or al-Habshi), al-Kaff, al-Aththos, al-Haddad, al-Jufri (or al-Jifri), al-Muhdhar, al-Shaikh Abubakar, al-Qadri, al-Munawwar.


Tesayyud

In the Ottoman Empire, tax breaks for "the Ahl al-Bayt, People of the House" encouraged many people to buy certificates of descent or forge genealogies; the phenomenon of ''teseyyüd'' – falsely claiming noble ancestry – spread across ethnic, class, and religious boundaries. In the 17th century, an Ottoman bureaucrat estimated that there were 300,000 impostors. In 18th-century Anatolia, nearly all upper-class urban people claimed descent from Muhammad.


Special requirements in Sunni Islam

According to Iran's religious leader and the Deobandi creed—a creed especially followed by patriarchal Pashtun tribes—the status of being a ''Sayyid'' can only be attributed through patrilineal lineage. According to
Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
opinions, children of a ''Sayyida'' mother and a non-''Sayyid'' father are referred to as
Mirza Mirza may refer to: * Mirza, Kamrup, town in Assam, India * Mirza (name), historical royal title & noble * ''Mirza'', the genus of giant mouse lemur * "Mirza", song by Nino Ferrer * ''Mirza – The Untold Story'', Punjabi action romance film wri ...
. The Persian notation "Mirza", which is a derivation of the word "Mirzada" (i.e., Son of a Mir (title), "Mir") has various meanings: one is a ''Sayyid'' leader of a ''Sayyid'' branch or community, simultaneously being a religious Islamic scholar. Thus, a ''Sayyid'' of patrilineal lineage, being the son of a Mir (title), Mir, can also be called "Mirza". This example substantiates the fact that there are different opinions concerning the transmission of the title ''Sayyid''. Another historical opinion of Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Naqib al-ashraf, Naqib al Ashrafs expresses that children of maternal prophetical descent are called '' Sharif''. However, in 1632 when an Ottoman court challenged a man wearing a ''Sayyid'' green turban, he established that he was a ''Sayyid'' on his mother's side, which was accepted by the court. In patriarchal societies, women usually have to assimilate themselves into their husband's status. However, this does not affect female descendants of Muhammad as it is seen as a sacred blood relation. Thus, the heraldic title can be given to an individual through his or hers mother's line in accordance to Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Naqib al-ashraf, Naqib al-Ashrafs. Even the Zaynabids, the descendants of Zainab binte Ali, Lady Zainab, the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib can also be titled ''Sayyid'' or ''Sharif'', according to the Egyptian Al-Suyuti. In Tajikistan matrilineal descendants are honoured. It is to be added that the supervision over the family of Bahauddin Naqshband and his descendants has been passed on through the maternal line. Hazrat Ishaan was a maternal descendant of Bahauddin Naqshband and his successor Sayyid Mir Jan was in turn again a descendant of Hazrat Ishaan from his mother's side. This indicates the possibility of even being a Mir (title), Mir or Naqib ul Ashraf from the mother's side. The requisites of it are the following: * Being able to trace his lineage back to Muhammad as ancestor * Being a Mumin, Pious Muslim * Receiving the blessings of previous Naqib ul Ashraf, Mir (title), Mir or Sayyid Mir Fazlullah Agha, Sayyid ul Sadaat * Total affiliation as an Alid, meaning a son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, hence neglecting any other affiliations * Being learned in the Quran and the Sunnah * Being a knowledgeable practicing Sufi * Noble and well-mannered character * For a Mir (title), Mir especially, being qualified as a leader The above remuneration is in accordance with a hadith of Muhammad in which he declares that a hypocrite is not to be addressed as a "Sayyid".Sunan Abi Dawud, book 43, Hadith 205 Hence it is even problematic in a judicial point of view to call a patrilineal descendant of Ali Ibn Abi Talib a Sayyid, when he does not meet the above-mentioned criteria.


See also

* Family tree of Muhammad *Kohen, a similar status in Judaism


Notes


References


Sources



{{Authority control Alids, * Arabic words and phrases Fatimah Hashemite people Islamic terminology Islamic honorifics Family of Muhammad, * Descendants of individuals