''Shaikh'', also rendered as ''Sheikh'', ''Sheik'', ''Shaik'', ''Shaykh'', ''Shaikh'', ''Shekh'', ''Cheikh'', ''Šeih'', ''Šejh'', ''Şeyh'' and other variants (
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
: , ''shaykh'';
pl. ''shuyūkh''), is a title given to many South Asian Muslims. It originally was a word or
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
term in the
Arabic language
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
that commonly designated a
chief of a tribe,
royal family
A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
member, Muslim
religious scholar, or "
Elder". However in South Asia it was used as a title by groups that l had any Arab descent
Origin
In South Asia it is not just an ethnic title but an occupational title attributed to Muslim trading families. Many Shaikhs claimed to be descendants of Arabs, however some Shaikhs did not actually descend from Arabs .
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
who converted to Islam and took the title ''shaikh'' tended to be of the
Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
varna, although use of the title was flexible. In the former
Frontier Regions
The Frontier Regions (often abbreviated as FR) of Pakistan were a group of small administrative units in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), lying immediately to the east of the seven main tribal agencies and west of the settled distr ...
and
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, the title ''shaikh'' was often given to recent converts and not necessarily those of Arab descent.
The
Julaha
The Dhanak (Julaha ) are a community of Pakistan and India, which adopted the profession of weaving.
Etymology
The term ''Julaha'' may derive from the Persian ''julah'' (ball of thread). Other explanation put forth by Julaha themselves include ...
weaver caste became
Ansaris, who claimed to descend from Abu Ayub Al-Ansari. The butcher castes claimed to descend from the
Quraysh tribe
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qu ...
. The
Kayastha record keeper caste became
Siddiques, who claimed to descend from
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq.
A disparaging saying which attests to the flexibility of the title of ''shaikh'' stated: "Last year I was a Julaha (weaver); this year I am a sheikh; next year, if the crops are good, I shall be a
Syed."
Sub-divisions
The subdivisions of the Shaikh include:
* Shaikh
Qidwai
The Qidwai or Kidwai ( ur, قدوائی, ar, قدوائی) are a community of Muslims in India and Pakistan and throughout the Middle East often considered the premier subdivision of Shaikhs in South Asia, Shaikhs due to their Palestinians, Pal ...
, who claim to be descendants of the Qazi Qidwa, a son of the Sultans of Rum
* Shaikh
Hashmi Al-Hashimi, also transliterated Al-Hashemi ( ar, الهاشمي), Hashemi, Hashimi or Hashmi ( fa, هاشمی) is an Arabic, Arabian, and Persian surname.[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 ...]
clan of the
Banu Quraish
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Q ...
tribe. The Islamic prophet,
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 ...
belonged to this clan. Usually carry the title
Sayyid
''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Prophets in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali ...
or
Sharif
Sharīf ( ar, شريف, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef or sherif, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, fr ...
* Shaikh
Siddiqui
Siddiqui ()( Romanized: Ṣiddīqī ) are a South Asian Muslim Sheikh community found mainly in India and Pakistan and in expatriate communities in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region. They claim to be the descendants of Abu Bakr, the first ...
or
Akhtar
Akhtar ( fa, links=no, ) means "star" in Persian. It is a unisex name. It is also a common surname. A variant spelling is Akhter.
Notable people with the given name or surname include:
Given name Akhtar
* Akhtar Aly Kureshy Pakistani lawyer ...
, who claim to be descendants of
Abu Bakar
Abū Bakr ( ar, أبو بكر ) is an Arabic given name meaning "Father of a Young Camel" (Abu meaning 'Father of' and Bakr meaning 'Young Camel') that is widely used by Sunni Muslims.
Other transliterations include Abu Bakar, Abu Bekr, Ebubekir, ...
, the first
Khalifa
Khalifa or Khalifah (Arabic: خليفة) is a name or title which means "successor", "ruler" or "leader". It most commonly refers to the leader of a Caliphate, but is also used as a title among various Islamic religious groups and others. Khalif ...
of
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 ...
. Actually are descendants of the Hindu
Kayastha caste.
* Shaikh
Usmani
Usmani or Othmani or Uthmani is a large Muslim community (Urdu: عثمانی), found mainly in South Asia. The word Usmani or (one and the same thing) is a surname. Usmani are found throughout South Asia mainly in India and Pakistan.
Notable peo ...
(Osmani), who claim to be descendants of
Uthman Ibn Affan
Uthman ibn Affan ( ar, عثمان بن عفان, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān; – 17 June 656), also spelled by Colloquial Arabic, Turkish and Persian rendering Osman, was a second cousin, son-in-law and notable companion of the Islamic prop ...
the third
Khalifa
Khalifa or Khalifah (Arabic: خليفة) is a name or title which means "successor", "ruler" or "leader". It most commonly refers to the leader of a Caliphate, but is also used as a title among various Islamic religious groups and others. Khalif ...
of Islam
* Shaikh
Farooqi
Farooqui ( ar, الفاروقي); also transliterated as Farooqi, Faruki or Al Farooqui), is a distinct name or surname or last name of Arabic origin.
Notable Farooquis
* Umar, second Caliph of Islam associate of Muhammad
* Hafsa bint Umar, wif ...
, Honorific reverence to
Umar Farooq Bin Al-Khattab
* Shaikh Narowali
See also
*
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 ...
*
Shaikhzada
*
Sindhi Shaikh
Sheikh (Arabic and ur, شيخ), is an Arabic word meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. The Shaikh of Sindh are one of the larger communities of the Sindhi Muslims ethnic group. They speak the various dialects ...
*
Punjabi Shaikh
Punjabi Shaikh and Pakistani Sheikh or Shaikh ( ur, ) are a branch of the Shaikhs in South Asia. In Punjab, the title ''shaikh'' was given to recent converts to Islam and not to those of Arab descent as a polite euphemism.
The Shaikh caste we ...
*
Muslim Kayasths
The Muslim Kayastha ( ur, ), a community of Muslims, are related to the Kayastha of northern India, mainly modern Uttar Pradesh, who converted to Islam during the rule of the Islamic empires in India. The Muslim Kayastha and Nagar Muslims ...
*
Kashmiri Shaikhs
*
Gujarati Shaikh
*
Rajasthani Shaikh
The Shaikh of the Indian state of Rajasthan are part of the wider Shaikh community of South Asia. They form the largest single Muslim community of the state. Many members of Rajasthani Shaikh community have also migrated to Pakistan after inde ...
*
Shaikh of Bihar
*
Shaikh of Uttar Pradesh
The Shaikh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. There are four main sections in shaikhs namely siddiqi,farooqi,usmani,abbasi.They were so named because of their scholarly contributions and lineage. Word " Shaikh o ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaikhs In South Asia
Titles
Islamic culture
Social groups of Pakistan
Social groups of India
Muslim communities of India
Shaikh clans
Muhajir communities
Titles in Bangladesh