Shaikhs in North India
Shaikh, also rendered as Sheikh, Sheik, Shaik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Shekh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh, Şeyh and other variants (Arabic: Template:Rtl-lang, shaykh; pl. Template:Rtl-lang shuyūkh), is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder." It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar. Although the title generally refers to a male, a small number of female sheikhs have also existed in history.
Origin
In South Asia it is not an ethnic title but an occupational title[1][2] generally attributed to Muslim trading families. After the advent of Islam in South Asia, (Brahmins, Rajputs, Khatris, Kayasthas and vaishya) tribes also converted to Islam and adopted the title.[3][4][5] In South Asia, the Hindu Brahmins, Kshatriya, Rathores, Bhattis, Chauhans, manihar and other Rajput converted by different Ismaili Pirs to Islam. Ismaili Pirs gave the new converts the hereditary title of Shaikh as well as the Muslims who immigrated from Central Asia[6] and settled in Punjab adopted this title.
Sub-divisions
The subdivisions of the Shaikh include:
- Shaikh Qidwai, descendants of the Qazi Qidwa, a son of the Sultans of Rum
- Shaikh Hashmi, members of the Banu Hashim clan of the Banu Quraish tribe. The Islamic prophet, Muhammad belonged to this clan. Usually carry the title Sayyid or Sharif
- Shaikh Abbasi[disambiguation needed] descendants of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib
- Shaikh Siddiqui, descendants of Abu Bakar, the first Khalifa of Islam
- Shaikh Usmani (Osmani), descendants of Uthman Ibn Affan the third Khalifa of Islam
- Shaikh Farooqi, Honorific reverence to Umar Farooq Bin Al-Khattab
Notable people
- Javed Sheikh, Pakistani Actor.
- Farooq Sheikh, Indian actor (Bollywood and theatre), television presenter and philanthropist.
- Shaikh Ayaz, Sindhi poet of Pakistan.
- Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bengali statesman and leader of the Bangladesh independence movement.
- Sheikh Abdullah Kashmiri politician and statesman.
- Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad Pakistani Politician
See also
- Sheikh
- Shaikhzada
- Sindhi Shaikh
- Punjabi Shaikh
- Muslim Kayasths
- Kashmiri Shaikhs
- Gujarati Shaikh
- Rajasthani Shaikh
- Shaikh of Bihar
- Shaikh of Uttar Pradesh
References
- ^ Pakistan a country study. p. 149.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sociology of religion. p. 90.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Muslim backward classes: a sociological perspective. p. 22.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Sheikhs in India". Retrieved 19 Jun 2020.
- ^ Delage, Rémy (29 September 2014). Muslim Castes in India. ISSN 2105-3030.
- ^ Central Asia in Retrospect and prospect. p. 406.
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