Punjabi Shaikh

Sheikh (Arabic & Urdu: شيخ ), is an Arabic word meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. In South Asia it is used as an ethic title generally attributed to Muslim trading families.

From the beginning of Muslim rule in South Asia in 713 AD, the Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis traveled from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently. In South Asia, after the advent of Islam, some high caste Hindus (Brahmin, Khatri or Arora) converted to Islam in the Punjab region and adopted this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh ( _ur. پنجابی شيخ). Few of the Punjabi Shaikhs families were converted from Khatri or Arora castes. Punjabi Shaikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist. Their main professions are business and public service. In Punjab, they stereotypically have a reputation for business acumen. Before the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Khatris were living in all the districts of Punjab. Most of them were concentrated in the western districts. In the western districts conversion to Islam was almost universal. People from all classes; Rajputs, Jats, Gujjars, Gakhars, etc; embraced Islam. In districts east of Sutlej River (now in Indian Punjab) conversion was limitedand large numbers of Khatris remained Hindu and some later converted to Sikhism. In 1947 almost all Punjabi Shaikhs moved to Pakistan.

Khawaja Shaikh

It has been suggested that the Khatris after converting to Islam adopted the title Khawaja Shaikh ( _ar. خواجہ شيخ) and it is generally assumed to belong to Muslim trading families.

When Khatri traders from the western districts of the Punjab; Sargodha, Jhang, Jehlum, Chakwal, Faisalabad; accepted Islam called themselves Khawaja and adopted Shaikh as title. They are also called "Khawaja Sheikh". Some of them adopted Mian as title. In recent years traders from a small town of Chiniot, of district Jhang, became prominent due to their contribution in the industries of Pakistan. These traders are known as Chiniotis or "Chinioti Shaikhs".

Famous trading family Sahgals, Sahgal Khatris of Chakwal, are known as "Punjabi Shaikh" instead of "Khawaja Shaikh". They use Mian as title.

Qanungoh Shaikh

Qanungoh Shaikhs ( _fa. قانونگوہ شيخ) are Muslim Khatris. They belonged to all the districts of the Punjab. They are descendant of Khatri families who were holding hereditary office of ‘’Qanungoh’’ (‘’Law givers’’) during the Muslim period.

This designation was used in the Punjab and other provinces of India and Pakistan for hereditary registrar of landed property in a subdivision of a district. In Mughal times most of these offices were held by Khatris. When these families converted to Islam, they called themselves Qanungo Shaikh.

Sikandrabadi Sheikh

Sikandrabad and Delhi are descendant of Muslim Khatri traders who settled in the old city of Delhi. The date of settlement in Delhi is not certain. They use Shaikh as title. After independence of Pakistan in 1947, a large number of these traders migrated to Lahore and Karachi. Some still live in Delhi [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/03/06/stories/2003030600560300.htm Death no leveller in Capital cemetery] . They have an association, "Jamiyat Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi" (Association of Punjabi traders of Delhi) [ [http://graveyard.jpsdpk.com/main Graveyard Record of Jamiyat Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi] ] , with branches all over Pakistan.

Other Shaikhs

Kashmiri Shaikhs

Kashmiri Shaikh are another community living in different districts of the Punjab. They emigrated from Kashmir during 19th & 20th century. Allama Shaikh Muhammad Iqbal belonged to this group. Muhammad Iqbal grandfather Shaikh Rafiq migrated to Sialkot in early 19th century. It has been suggested that Kashmiri Shaikhs are descendants of Kashmiri Pandits who converted to Islam and adopted this title. A town in Kashmiri district Kotli, namely Sarhota/ Karthoth are where the Shaikhs are actually from. Many of them today have changed to Butt, but truth is that people from Sarhota/ Karthoth are actually from Shaikh descent.

Distinguished Punjabi Shaikhs

* Sir Muhammad Iqbal, National Poet of Pakistan, Poet of the East. A " Sheikh" from Sialkot.
* Wasim Sajjad, Chairman of Senate and 2 time Acting President of Pakistan. A "Qanungo Shaikh" from Jalandhar.
* Najam Sethi, Chief Editor of Weekly "The Friday Times".
* Shaikh Bashir Ahmed, "Sar panch (leader)of fifty two villiges in sikandrabad"
* Mian Rafiq Saigol, Ex Chairman of Pakistan International Airline.
* Mian Mohammad Mansha; Chairman of Nishat Group, largest industrial & financial conglomerate of Pakistan.
*Aftab Ahmed Vohra, Chief Executive of Vohra Group of Industries
*Amin Saigol, founder of House of Saigols.
*Shaikh Maula Baksh, founder of Ismael Maula Baksh Industrial Group.
*Shaikh Waqar Ahmad, Activist and reformer.
*Naveed A. Sheikh, Architect and Fellow Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners

See also

* Sulehria
* Shaikhs in South Asia
* Kashmiri Shaikh
* Khawaja Shaikh
* Qanungoh Shaikh
* Siddiqui
* Shaikh Siddiqui
* Sindhi Shaikh
* Chinioti Shaikh
* Mian
* Khawaja
* Khatri
* ((sheikh SHAHID))

External links

* [http://www.shaikhsiddiqui.com/ Shaikh Siddiqui]

References

# Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H. A. Rose, " "A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 502 Vol II
# Wendy Doniger, tr. "The Law of Manu", (Penguin Books, 1991 ) Verses 43-44, Chapter 10.
# A.L. Basham " "The Wonder That Was India", ( Sidgwick & Jackson, 1967)
# D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, pp 58, Vol I
# Abu Fazal, "Ain-i-Akbari", translated by H.Blocmann & H.S. Jarrett, (Calcutta, 1873-94) 3 Vols., a gazetteer of the Mughal Empire compiled in 1590 AD.
# D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, pp 513-514 Vol II