In some countries, it is given as a surname to those of great knowledge in religious affairs, by a prestigious religious leader from a chain of Sufi scholars.[citation needed]
The word is mentioned in the Qur'an in three places: verse 72 of Hud, 78 of Yusuf, and 23 of al-Qasas.
This title generally refers to men, there are also a small number of female sheikhs in history, Syeikha or Sheikha this generally refers to women.
Etymology and meaning
The word in Arabic stems from a triliteral root connected with aging: ش-ي-خ, shīn-yā'-khā'. The title carries the meaning leader, elder, or noble, especially in the Arabian Peninsula within the Tribes of Arabia, where Shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries. Due to the cultural impact of Arab civilization, and especially through the spread of Islam, the word has gained currency as a religious term or general honorific in many other parts of the world as well, notably in Muslim cultures in Africa and Asia.[citation needed]
Sufi term
In Sufism (tasawwuf), the word shaikh is used to represent a spiritual guide who initiates a particular order (tariqa) which leads to Muhammad, although many saints have this title added before their names out of respect from their followers. A couple of prominent examples are Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, who initiated the Qadiriyya order, and Sheikh Ahmad al-Tijani, who initiated the Tijaniyyah Sufi order.[3]
In Mount Lebanon, the title had the same princely and royal connotation as in the Arabian peninsula until the Ottoman invasion in 1516, since it represented an indigenous autonomous "sui iuris" ruler or tribal chief.[4] Examples of some ancient families that hold the title of "sui iuris" sheikh is the Al-Chemor family, ruling since 1211 CE in Koura and Zgharta until 1747 CE[5][6] and the Boudib family (descendants of the Hashemite family) who were Ehdenian rulers of Jebbeh since 1471 CE until 1759 CE. The descendants of this sovereign family now live in Miziara, Mexico and Nigeria.[7] Even the Abu Harmoush family heads, which ruled the Chouf region until the Battle of Ain Dara in 1711 CE, were "sui iuris" sheikhs. After the Ottoman rule and the implementation of the Iltizam system, the title gained a noble instead of royal connotation, since it was bestowed by a higher authority; in this case the Ottoman appointed Emir, who was nothing more than a mültezim or tax collector for the empire.[8] Some very influential Maronite families, who had the title bestowed upon them, are (in chronological order): the El Hachem of Akoura (descendants of the Hashemite family, since 1523), the El-Khazen (since 1545), the Hubaysh of Kisrawan and the Douaihy of Zgharta. Other families who are nowadays addressed or known as "sheikhs" were not traditionally rulers of provinces, but instead they were high-ranking officials at the service of the Emir at that time.
Maghreb
In the Maghreb, during the Almohad dynasty, the caliph was also counseled by a body of sheikhs. They represented all the different tribes under their rules, including Arabs, (Bedouins), Andalusians and Berbers and were also responsible for mobilizing their kinsmen in the event of war.[9]
In Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia, sheikhs are respected by local Muslims. In Indonesia, the term is usually spelled "syech", and this is usually attributed to elderly ulama. Higher knowledgeable people of Islamic studies in Indonesia are usually referred to as "ustad" or "kyai".[citation needed]
Iran
From the perspective of Iran, the word or title of sheikh possesses diverse meanings, among individuals who are aged and wise, it has been an honorific title used for elders and learned scholars, such as: Sheikh al-Rayees Abu Ali Sina, Sheikh Mufid, Sheikh Morteza Ansari. In the past, Islamic scholars who were the Muhammad's descendants, were called Sayyid/Seyyed instead of sheikh.[16]
A daughter, wife or mother of a sheikh is also called a shaykhah. Currently, the term shaykhah is commonly used for women of ruling families in the Arab states of the Arabian Peninsula.[20]
^Abun-Nasr, Jamil M. (2007). Muslim Communities of Grace: The Sufi Brotherhoods in Islamic Religious Life. Columbia University Press. p. 94. ISBN978-0-231-14330-1.
^A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered, 2001, Kamal Salibi