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, from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad ( ). It may be used in three senses: #In the broadest sense, it refers to any descendant of Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim (the Banu Hashim or Hashimites, already in Muhammad's day an established clan within the Meccan tribe of the Quraysh), including all descendants of Muhammad's paternal uncles Abu Talib (the Talibids) and al-Abbas (the Abbasids).. #More often, it refers to a descendant of Ali, a son of Abu Talib and a paternal cousin of Muhammad (the Alids), especially but not exclusively through Ali's marriage with Muhammad's daughter Fatima (the Fatimids). In this sense, the most common one, the term effectively refers to all descendants of the prophet. #In its narrowest sense, it refers only to someone who descends from Ali and Fatima's eldest son (and Muhammad's grandson) Hasan (the Hasanids). In this limited context, it is contrasted with the term ('lord', 'master', plural , (), which then refers only to the descendants of Hasan's younger brother Husayn (the Husaynids). The precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically. Today, descent from Muhammad through his daughter Fatima (either Hasanid or Husaynid) is more commonly designated by the term .

Etymology

The word derives from the

Arabic root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or "radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowe ...

sh–r–f, which expresses meanings related to honor, nobility, and prominence. It has no etymological connection with the English term '' sheriff'', which comes from the Old English word ''scīrgerefa'', meaning "shire-reeve", the local reeve (enforcement agent) of the king in the shire (county)..

Usage

History

Precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically. Often, the terms and were used interchangeably, while in other contexts they referred to

Hasanid The Ḥasanids ( ar, بنو حسن, Banū Ḥasan or , ) are the descendants of Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, brother of Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī and grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. They are a branch of the Alids (the descendants of ʿAlī ibn Ab ...

vs.

Husaynid The Husaynids ( ar, بنو حسين, Banū Ḥusayn) are a branch of the Alids who are descendants of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Along with the Hasanids, they form the two main branches of the . Genealogical ...

descent (especially in the Hejaz, where the

Sharifate of Mecca The Sharifate of Mecca () or Emirate of Mecca was a state, non-sovereign for much of its existence, ruled by the Sharifs of Mecca. A sharif is a descendant of Hasan ibn Ali, Muhammad's grandson. In Western sources, the prince of Mecca was kno ...

was restricted to persons of Hasanid descent). In still other contexts, they both referred to some form of

Hashimite The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921� ...

descent, but were linked to a different and specific social status. In most places the term has functioned as a mark of nobility (both the Abbasids and the Fatimids were at one time holder of the caliphate), except in South Asia, where the meaning of the term has expanded to include all Muslims of foreign descent. Thus, in the caste system among South Asian Muslims, the term designates not only Muslims of Arab descent (s or purported descendants of Ali and Fatima, and s, which include all those who claim descent from the Quraysh or from one of Muhammad's companions), but also Muslims of Pasthun ( Pathans) or Turko-Mongol ( Mughals) descent. Over time, people who were not of Hashimite descent were sometimes also granted the title as a general mark of nobility. The result of this has been that the term has become a more common designation for those claiming descent from the prophet today. As such, (or one of its many alternative spellings, like or ) has also become a common proper name.

Major sharif dynasties

* Abbasids (descendants of Muhammad's uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, ruled over a vast empire centered in Baghdad 750–945, and claimed the caliphate 750–1517) *

Idrisids The Idrisid dynasty or Idrisids ( ar, الأدارسة ') were an Arab Muslim dynasty from 788 to 974, ruling most of present-day Morocco and parts of present-day western Algeria. Named after the founder, Idris I, the Idrisids were an Alid an ...

(Hasanids, ruled over

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

789–985). * Fatimids (Husaynids, ruled over a vast empire centered in Cairo and claimed the caliphate 909–1171) * Sa'dids (Hasanids, ruled over Morocco 1510–1659) *

Alawids The Alawi dynasty ( ar, سلالة العلويين الفيلاليين, translit=sulālat al-ʿalawiyyīn al-fīlāliyyīn) – also rendered in English as Alaouite, Alawid, or Alawite – is the current Moroccan royal family and reigning ...

(Hasanids, rule over Morocco 1631–present) *

Hashimites The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the Dynasty, royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Hejaz, Hejaz (1916–1925), Ar ...

(Hasanids, ruled over the Kingdom of Hejaz 1916–1925, the

Arab Kingdom of Syria The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, No ...

in 1920, the Kingdom of Iraq 1932–1958, and Jordan 1921–present)

References

Sources cited