A Shaikh man from Aligarh, c. 1858–1868

Shaikh, also rendered as Sheikh, Sheik, Shaik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Shekh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh, Şeyh and other variants (Arabic: شيخ, shaykh; pl. شيوخ shuyūkh), is a title given to many South Asian Muslim castes. It originally was a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that commonly designated a chief of a tribe, royal family member, Muslim religious scholar, or "Elder". However in Northern India, Shaikh was used as an ethnic title, by those claiming Arab descent, particularly from prominent Muslim figures such as the Rashidun Caliphs, majority of these claims of descent from the Rashidun Caliphs are false. Only a few Shaikhs in North India are genuinely of Arab descent. [1]

Origin

In North India, 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. In Frontier Regions, Punjab of Pakistan, or Kashmir, the title shaikh was not given to those of Arab descent, but those who had descended from upper caste natives such as the Brahmins or the Rajputs, however in some other regions of North India such as Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh, there are certain Shaikhs of Arab descent.[2]

Sub-divisions

The subdivisions of the Shaikh include:

See also

References

  1. "Sheikh | Meaning, Title, Significance, & History | Britannica". 7 June 2023.
  2. Nyrop, Richard F. (1983). Pakistan a country study (4 ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 149.
  3. Pradeep Barua (2005). The state at war in South Asia. U of Nebraska Press. p. 73. ISBN 9780803213449.
  4. Amaresh Misra (1998). Lucknow, Fire of Grace:The Story of Its Revolution, Renaissance and the Aftermath. HarperCollins Publishers India. ISBN 9788172232887.
  5. Surya Narain Singh. Mittal Publications. 2003. p. 9. ISBN 9788170999089.
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