Shaikhs in South Asia

Shaikh (Arabic: شيخ ), meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. In South Asia, it signifies Arab ancestry. From the beginning of Muslim rule in South Asia in 713 AD, technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Arab & Muslim world, to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently. The descendents of these Arabs usually go by the title of "Shaikh".

In South Asia, after the advent of Islam, many high caste Hindus ( Brahmins, Kayasthas, Vaishyas and Khatris) converted to Islam. They also adopted the title of "Shaikh" and became part of the Muslim elite of Islamic Sultanate. In the Punjab region, Brahmins, Khatris and Aroras were prominent in adopting this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh (Urdu: پنجابی شيخ ). Most of the Punjabi Shaikh families were converted from the Khatri and Arora castes by Sufi missionaries. The prominent Buddhists clans of the Punjab also adopted this title after converting to Islam. Kashmiri Shaikhs residing in the Punjab are descendants of Kashmiri Pandits, who converted to Islam. Punjabi Shaikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist. Their main professions are business and public service.

Examples of subdivisions of the Shaikh title include:

* Shaikh Quraishi, members of the Banu Quraish tribe. The Prophet Muhammad belonged to this tribe.
* Shaikh Hashemi, members of the Banu Hashim clan of the Banu Quraish tribe. The Prophet Muhammad belonged to this clan.
* Shaikh Siddiqui, descendents of Hazrat Abu Bakr, the first Khalifa of Islam.
* Shaikh Farooqi, descendents of Hazrat Umar Farooq, the second Khalifa of Islam.
* Shaikh Usmani (Osmani), descendents of Hazrat Usman the third Khalifa of Islam

See also

* Shaikh
* Punjabi Shaikh
* Kashmiri Shaikh
* Khawaja Shaikh
* Qanungoh Shaikh
* Siddiqui
* Shaikh Siddiqui
* Sindhi Shaikh
* Mian
* Chinioti Shaikh
* Qallu

External links

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