Sheikh

Image of Sheikh Sattam de Haddadin of Palmyra, by Russian painter Alexander Evenievich Yacovleff.

Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, and other variants (Arabic: شيخ‎, shaykh; pl. شيوخ‎ shuyūkh), is an honorific term which in the Arabic language 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 person, there existed in history also a very small number of female sheikhs.

In a Muslim context, the term refers to a man over 40^[1] or 50^[2] years old generally. Whilst even a new Muslim can be called a sheikh if he is diligent in seeking the knowledge of Islam based upon the Quran and authentic Sunnah, he can be referred to as such to those he can teach. And usually a person is known as a sheikh when they have completed their undergraduate university studies in Islamic studies and are trained in giving lectures.^[1]. The word sheikh under this meaning is a synonym of Alim, pl. Ulema, (a learned person in Islam, a scholar)^[3], Mawlawi, Mawlana, Muhaddith, Faqih, Qadi, Mufti, Hadhrat or Hafiz.

The term Shaykh is also an aristocratic title that was designated for the elevated noble Christian feudal families of Lebanon.

Etymology and meaning

The word in Arabic stems from a triliteral root connected with age and ageing: ش-ي-خ, shīn-yā'-khā'. The term literally means a man of old age, and it is used in that sense in Qur'anic Arabic. Later it came to be a title meaning leader, elder, or noble, especially in the Arabian Peninsula, where shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries. Due to the cultural impact of Arab civilization, and especially through the spread of Islam, the word has gained currency as a religious term or general honorific in many other parts of the world as well, notably in Muslim cultures in Africa and Asia.

While the title can be used religiously by Muslims to designate a learned person, as an Arabic word it is essentially independent of religion. It is notably used by Druze for their religious men, but also by Arab Christians for elder men of stature. Its usage and meaning is similar to the Latin senex meaning "old [man]", from which the Latin (and English) "senator" is derived. Accordingly, the Arabic term for eg. the US Senate is majlis al-shuyukh, meaning the Senators' Council.

As a secular honorific

In relation to royalty and other nobility, the title is used to denote men of political stature. For example, it was the term used to refer to the leaders of Kuwait's ruling al-Sabah dynasty, even though the monarchic style was actually Hakim (Arabic 'ruler') until June 19, 1961, when Kuwait joined the Arab League, and the title Emir was adopted. The same applied to Bahrain and Qatar.

Lebanese Shaykh

In Lebanon, the title and its equivalent female form (shaykha) is used when addressing members of the high-ranking noble Christian Maronite families of: El-Hachem, El-Khazen, El Daher, El Douaihy, El Gemayel, and El Khoury.

Arab Shaikh

In Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of South Asia, the title Shaikh signifies an elevated leader of Arab descent. .

Muslim religious usage

The term is often used, unofficially, by Muslims to address learned men of various Islamic sciences, such as faqihs, muftis, and muhaddiths, and more generally to convey respect for religious authorities. In Sufism tariqah (orders), it is often used as an honorific for an elder Sufi who has been authorized by the order to teach, initiate and guide aspiring murids & dervishes, as such, he is also known as, in Arabic, as a formal Murshid (lit: Guide).

The term is and/or was also used in certain Islamic parts of Africa, as in imperial Ethiopia by the hereditary Muslim rulers of Bela Shangul, and by certain Muslim notables of Wollo, Tigray and Eritrea.

For women

A daughter or wife of a shaykh is sometimes called shaykhah (Arabic: شيخة‎). Currently, the term shaykhah is commonly used for females of rich families, especially ruling families, in Arab countries.

Surname

In South Asia, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, "Shaikh" is a common surname among direct descendants of the royal Mughul Empire, or more generally, it signifies Arab or Persian ancestry. Although there are countless individuals who share the surname, most are considered to have been from royalty; most specifically Mughul Empire.

References and notes

See also

• Shaikhs in South Asia
• Punjabi Shaikh
• Kashmiri Shaikh
• Khawaja Shaikh
• Qanungoh Shaikh
• Siddiqui
• Shaikh Siddiqui
• Qallu

References

• Shaikh Siddiqui
• History of El Douaihy
• History of the Maronites and Lebanon
• "History of Lebanon" by Kamal Salibi