sheikh n : the leader of an Arab village or family [syn: sheik, tribal sheik, tribal sheikh, Arab chief]

English

Alternative spellings

• sheik

Noun

1. Alternate spelling of sheik.

Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants (Arabic: , shaykh; pl. shuyūkh), is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder". It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a lord, 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.

It also refers to a man over 40 or 50 years old generally or a Muslim who is a student of knowledge. 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.

The word Sheikh is not to be confused with an Alim, pl. Ulema, (a learned person in Islam, a scholar), Mawlawi, Mawlana, Muhaddith, Faqih, Qadi, or Mufti.

Etymology and meaning

• 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

Dalai Lama, Holy Roman Emperor, Inca, Kaiser, Muslim rulers, Prinz, abdal, ardri, atheling, bey, cacique, caesar, cham, crown prince, czar, dervish, emir, fakir, hajji, heir apparent, heir presumptive, imam, kaid, khan, king, knez, mikado, mirza, muezzin, mufti, mullah, murshid, negus, padishah, pendragon, pharaoh, prince, prince consort, prince regent, princeling, princes of India, qadi, rig, sachem, sagamore, santon, shah, shahzada, sherif, shogun, tenno, tycoon