sayyid

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Sayyid (Arabic: سيد‎) (plural sādah) is an honorific title that is given to males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, who were the sons of his daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Daughters of male sayyids are given the titles Sayyida, Alawiyah, Syarifah or Sharifah. Children of a Sayyida mother but a non-Sayyid father cannot be attributed the title of Sayyid, however they may claim maternal descent and are called Mirza.

Other Uses

The word literally means "master" ; the closest English equivalent would be "sir" or "lord". In the Arab world itself, the word is still used as a substitute for "Mister", as in Sayyid John Smith. The same concept is expressed by the word sidi (from the Arabic word 'sayyidi') in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic.

Some Muslims also use the term sayyid for the descendants of Abu Talib, uncle of Muhammad, by his other sons: Jafar, Abbas, Aqeel and Talib.

Alevis use seyyid (Turkish) as an honorific before the names of their saints.

Dawoodi Bohras use the title syyedina for their Da'i al-Mutlaq (spiritual leader of the Bohra community) although they are not the descendants of Fatima.

El Cid , the name given to a famous Spanish knight of the 11th century C.E., is derived from Al-Sayyid (as-sayyid), meaning lord.

Transliteration

People chose different Romanised (Latinized) transliterations based on the language with which they are familiar, not necessarily on the place where they are living. For example there are Muslim immigrants from many different countries living in London, UK. Immigrants of Arab origin may use the transliteration "sayyid" whilst immigrants of South Asian origin may use "Syed", this tendency may be extended to all ethnic communities.

Other Titles for Saadah

Other Arabic honorific terms include sheikh and sharif. The line of Hassani sayyids who ruled Mecca, Medina, Iraq and now rule in Jordan, the Hashemites, bore the title 'sharif' (plu. Ashraf). 'Sharif' is reserved for descendants of Hassan while 'Sayyid' is used for descendants of Husayn. However ever since the post-Hashemite era began, the term 'Sayyid' has been used to denote descendants from both Hassan and Husayn. Arab Shiites use the term 'Sayyid' and 'Habib' to denote descendants from both Hassan and Husayn.

Indication of descent

Sayyids often include the following titles in their names to indicate the figure from whom they trace their descent. If they are descended from more than one notable ancestor or Shi'a Imam, they will use the title of the ancestor from whom they are most directly descended.

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 transliterate the pronunciation of the word, e.g. "الزيدي" becomes "a-zz-ai-d-i". This is because 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 transliteration of the pronunciation.

• An i, wi (Arabic), or vi (Persian) ending could perhaps be translated by the English suffixes ite or ian. The suffix transforms a personal name, or a place name, into the name of a group of people connected by lineage or place of birth. Hence Ahmad al-Hashimi could be translated as Ahmad of the lineage of Hassan and Ahmad al-Harrani as Ahmad from the city of Harran. For further explanation, see Arabic names.

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 Zahra, such as Umm al Baneen/Fatima bint Hizam. Those who limit the term sayyid to descendants of Muhammad through Fatima Zahra, will not consider Allawis/Alavis to be sayyids.

³This transliteration is usually reserved for Alawi sect.

Ibn Battutah on the usage of 'Sayyid' in India

Ibn Battutah had the following to say on the usage of sayyid in India:

Sayyid was also used as a term of respect by some Indian Muslims. Therefore, someone with the name sayyid in the Indian subcontinent is not necessarily of sayyid extraction. Sayyid families originate from particular villages or towns. If the person called sayyid can prove his family originated from an authentic sayyid town, that establishes his pedigree. In the modern era, sayyid should be used only by descendants of the Prophet, and the title should no longer apply to non-sayyids as a mark of respect.

Sayyids in South Asia

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Some Sayyid families in South Asia claim direct relationship with the Prophet of Islam through his daughter Fâtimah and son-in-law Ali. Their ancestors migrated from different parts of Iran and Central Asia (Turkestan, during the invasion of Mongol Halaku and other periods of turmoil. They migrated through Herat (then part of Iran) in Afghanistan to different parts of modern Pakistan and India. These migrations occurred during the periods of Mahmud Ghaznavi, Delhi Sultanate and Mughals and continued till late into 19th century. Most sufi saints whose lineage could also be traced to Prophet Muhammad also migrated during the early periods of Delhi Sultanate and Mughals. Some of the early migrant Sayyids moved deep to the peninsular part of India, in the region of Deccan plateau in the reign of Bahmani Sultanate/Bahmani kings and later Qutb Shahi kings of Golconda, Nizam Shahi of Ahmadnagar, and other kingdoms of Bijapur, Bidar and Berar.

The history of Sayyids or Syeds in South Asia dates back to more than 1000 years. Several Syeds visited India as merchants along with the general Arab traders. They also ruled over India (Delhi Sultanate) during the period 1414-1451. Except for this brief period of India's history, Syeds or Sayyids were mostly connected to religious, spiriutal and educational activities. The notable Syeds of South Asia include Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery aka Data Ganj Bakhsh, Moinuddin Chishti, Khwaja Qutbuddin Baktiyar Kaki, Nizamuddin Auliya, Nasiruddin Muhammad Chirag-e-Dehli, Muhammad Hussaini Gisudaraz Bandanawaz, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Akbar Allahabadi, the Shahi Imams of Delhi ,Syed Shahbuddin, ,Syed Akbar, and Ashraf Jahangir simnani^{[citation needed]}.

Sayyids in Pakistan

The Ja'fari Sayyids of Sargodha and Jalalabad

The Syed Shahs and Ja'fari Sayyid families in Sargodha descendant of Shah Shams Sherazi who was the descendant of Shi'i Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. He was the son of Sher Ali, whose mausoleum is in Delhi. Sher Ali had come to India with the Mughal Emperor Humayun. In fact, Humayun moved to Iran seeking help to regain his empire when he was overthrown by Farid Khan, popularly known as Sher Shah Suri. After a special prayer for his success, Sher Ali and his two sons, Shah Shams and Jalal Shah, were asked to accompany Humayun to Delhi. On their way, they were informed that Sher Shah Suri died. Without any bloodshed in the battleground, Humayun took over and regained the power. He gifted a piece of land to Sher Ali and offered his son, Shah Shams, the marriage proposal of a girl from the Mughal family. Shah Shams accepted the proposal. In later years, the couple was blessed with five sons. Shah Shams and his family left Delhi and crossed the Jhelum River to settle in Rampur (presently known as Shahpur (Punjab) currently in Sargodha District. While his brother Jalal Shah moved to a deserted area in Afghanistan and lived there. Jalalabad, a city in Afghanistan, was named after him.

Ja'fari/Khorezmi Sayyids of Gujrat (Punjab)

The three major Syed towns in 'Gujrat' are Madina Syedan, Muhinuddin Syedan and Jamalpur Syedan. These Syeds are descendants of the 6th Imam Jafar al-Sadiq and his third born son Ali al-Aredh. They are sometimes called 'Khorezmi Syeds' as their forfathers migrated from Khorezm (Central Asia) almost one thousand years ago. Jamalpur Syedan is today well known for it's 17th century saint Syed Muhammad Shah Sharif. Mughal Emperor Akbar recruited his general Syed Dawood from here.

Taqavi Sayyids of Shergarh

Syeds of Shergarh town near Renala Khurd. These are Taqvi-ul-Kirmani descendents of Hazrat Dauad Bandagi Kirmani who's father migrated from the notable Iranian city Kermanshah. His father was a descendant of Hazrat Musa Mubarak, son of Imam Muhammad Taqi. Syeds of Pail-Piran (Khushab), Bhera Sharif (Sargodha), Pir Da Khara (Chakwal) are Hashmites descendents of Habbari Arab rulers of Sindh through Hazrat Baha ud din Zakkariyya Multani, and are invariably Sunni Sayyids (also called Pirs).

Naqavi Sayyids of south Punjab

Another Syed lineage descends from Hazrat Syed Jalal Ud Din. The descendants of Hazrat Pir Syed Jalal Ud Din AKA Surkh Posh Bukhari of Uchh Sharif, live in Bahawalpur (Gardezi's, bukhari's) Multan (Gardezi's, Bukhari's, Hashmi's, Naqvis), jhang (Begum Abida hussain etc), Chinniot (Rajowa Saadat etc), T.T.Singh (Pir Mahal Saadat etc). Hazrat Surkh Posh moved to Uch Sharif in 13th century from Turkistan to India during Tughluq rule. His descendants are known as Naqvis and Bukharis. He bore privilege of spreading islam in central and southern Punjab.

Hashmi Sayyid's of North Punjab

Hashmi Sayyid's of Northern Punjab lineage descends from Hazrat Asad bin Hashim (Father of Fatima Bint Asad who was mother of Hazrat Ali bin Abu Talib). First of the lineage to migrate to subcontinent was 17th decedent; Shiekh Waji-ud-Din Muhammad Ghous father of Hazrat Baha-ud-Din Zakeria Multani (1182-1262 AD). His decedents are now spread in many parts of North Punjab and Kashmir. They are in Districts Khushab (Pail Pirian), Attock, Chakwal (Watli,Karuli, Sarkal Mair) Rawalpindi and Jhelum (Pir Bhachar).^{[2] [3]}

Sayyids in China

Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar (赛典赤·赡思丁; pinyin: Sàidiǎnchì Zhānsīdīng; 1211 - 1279) is identified as the ancestor of many Chinese Hui lineages and that of most of Yunnan's Panthay Hui population. Shams al-Din was a Muslim Khwarezmian from Bukhara, sent to Yunnan by Kublai Khan after quelling a local revolt. He was the first provincial governor appointed by a Chinese imperial state. The Venetian explorer Marco Polo met Governor Shams al-Din Omar on his trip to Yunnan.

One of Shams al-Din Omar's most prominent descendants was Zheng He (traditional Chinese: 鄭和; simplified Chinese: 郑和; pinyin: Zhèng Hé; Wade-Giles: Cheng Ho; Birth name: 馬三寶 / 马三宝; pinyin: Mǎ Sānbǎo; Arabic/Persian name: حجّي محمود شمس Hajji Mahmud Shams) (1371–1433). Zheng He was a sixth-generation descendant of Shams al-Din Omar. He was a Hui Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who made the voyages collectively referred to as the travels of "Eunuch Sanbao to the Western Ocean" (Chinese: 三保太監下西洋) or "Zheng He to the Western Ocean", from 1405 to 1433. His courtesy title Sanbao may have inspired the Persian tales of Sinbad the Sailor.

Sayyids in Brunei

Sultan Sharif Ali (also known as Barkat Ali ibnu Sharif Ajlan ibni Sharif Rumaithah) was the third sultan of Brunei (1425-1433). He was made Sultan after Sultan Ahmad died without leaving any male descendants, and as such, at the request of the people of Brunei themselves, he became eligible for the throne after marrying Sultan Ahmad's daughter, Puteri Ratna Kesuma. Sharif Ali was a very pious ruler and was therefore nicknamed "Sultan Berkat" (Blessed Sultan). He was the first sultan to build a mosque, and fortified the defense of Brunei by ordering his people to build a stone fortress.

Sultan Sharif Ali was the direct-descendant of Muhammad, through his grandchild, Saidina Hassan r.a. Sultan Sharif Ali was the ancestor of the Brunei & Sulu royal families of southern Philippines. Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the current Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is his descendant.

See also

• Harrak
• Tabataba'i
• Saadat-e-Bara
• Idrisid dynasty, a Sayyid dynasty
• History of Arabs in Afghanistan
• Rizvi
• Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jilani
• Allo Mahar shrif
• Qutub Shahi

References

External links

• Ba'Alawi Sadah of Hadhramaut
• GILANI Sayyads of Masanian Sharif
• Ba`alawi.com Ba'alawi.com | The definitive resource for Islam and the Alawi Ancestry.
• The BaAlawi Genealogy
•  "Sayad". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.