Sharif

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Sharīf (

Arabic: شريف, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef or sherif, feminine sharīfa (شريفة), plural ashrāf (أشراف), shurafāʾ (شرفاء), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
(c. 570 CE – 632 CE). It may be used in three senses:

  1. In the broadest sense, it refers to any descendant of Muhammad's great-grandfather
  2. More often, it refers to a descendant of
    Fatimids). In the sense of descendants of Fatima and Ali (the most common one), the term effectively refers to all descendants of Muhammad.[1]
  3. In the narrowest sense, it refers only to someone who descends from Fatima and Ali's eldest son (and Muhammad's grandson) Hasan (the Hasanids). In this limited context, it is contrasted with the term sayyid ('lord', 'master', plural sāda, (سادة), which then refers only to the descendants of Hasan's younger brother Husayn (the Husaynids).[1]

The precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically. Today, descent from Muhammad through his daughter Fatima (either Hasanid or Husaynid) is more commonly designated by the term sayyid.[1]

Etymology

The word derives from the

Old English word scīrgerefa, meaning "shire-reeve", the local reeve (enforcement agent) of the king in the shire (county).[2]

Usage

History

Precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically. Often, the terms sharīf and

Husaynid descent (especially in the Hejaz, where the Sharifate of Mecca was restricted to persons of Hasanid descent). In still other contexts, they both referred to some form of Hashimite descent, but were linked to a different and specific social status.[1]

In most places, the term has functioned as a mark of nobility (both the

companions), but also Muslims of Pasthun or Turko-Mongol (Mughal) descent.[1]

Over time, people who were not of Hashimite descent were sometimes also granted the title sharīf as a general mark of nobility. The result of this has been that today the term sayyid has become a more common designation for those claiming descent from Muhammad.[1] As such, Sayyid (or one of its many alternative spellings, like Sayyed or Syed) has also become a common proper name.

Major sharif dynasties

See also

References

Citations

Sources cited

  • .
  • Online Etymology Dictionary (2001–2021). "Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com.
  • Van Arendonk, C.; Graham, W.A. (1960–2007). "Sharīf". In
    Heinrichs, W. P.
    (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition.
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