Punjabi Shaikh
Encyclopedia
Sheikh is an Arabic word meaning elder of a tribe, lord, Honorable revered old man, or Islamic scholar
. In South Asia it is used as an ethnic 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 (Brahmins, Rajputs and Khatri
s) converted to Islam
in the Punjab region
and adopted this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh (Punjabi
) پنجابی شيخ. Punjabi Shaikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist but a few families also cultivate their own land in the western districts. Their main professions are business and public service. In Punjab, they stereotypically have a reputation for business acumen. The Khawaja Shaikh, with their sub-division the Chiniotis
and the Qanungoh Shaikh
are two such communities.
Before the independence of Pakistan
in 1947, Khatri
s were living in all the districts of Punjab
. Most of them were concentrated in the western districts. People from all classes; Khatris, Rajputs, Gujjar
s, Gakhars
, etc; had converted to Islam
. The Siddiqui
Shaikhs and Quraishi
Shaikhs are communities that are the descended from these converted classes. They are found in Punjab as Punjabi speaking Shaikhs and also found in Sindh as Sindhi speaking Shaikhs.
The Saraswat Brahmins, including Mohyals, adopted Sheikh as their title upon high cast conversion to Islam
. Similarly, many Rajput
clans had converted to Islam during the early 12th century and were also given the honorary title of Sheikh (elder of the tribe) by their Arab rulers. Sheikh rajputs were the earliest in Rajputs to embrace Islam
.
were Khatri.
The Muslim
Khatri are the Khatri converts to Islam. Although a large majority of Khatris are Hindus, some converted to Islam. The conversion started in 12th century and continued till 1947. In western districts of the Punjab (Sargodha, Mianwali, Multan, Jhang, Chakwal, Rawalpindi and Faislabad) converted Khatri traders called themselves "Khoja". Some time they are called "Khoja Sheikh". With the advent of Islam following invasions by Turkic
tribes from Afghanistan
and the North West Frontier Province from the 11th century onwards, there were conversions of Hindus to the faith from among various Punjabi communities, including Khatris.Generally they retained their tribal, clan or caste affiliations as has been the norm in the region. Similarly, the Khatris who converted to Islam, continue to retain a strong social identity and are known as Punjabi Shaikhs.
Pakistan continues to have a prominent community of Khatris known as Punjabi Shaikhs as well as Khawaja Shaikhs. Some Muslim Khatris like the Sahgal family
, Aftab Ahmed Vohra
, Najam Sethi
, etc of Pakistan are examples of well-known and successful Muslim Khatris. They are also known as Khoja
and Chiniotis
.
In addition the Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi
community are also of Khatri ancestry. Historically, this community lived in Delhi
, and other north Indian towns, but after the partition of India
, they have all moved to Pakistan
.In Pakistan
also the Muslim
Khatris are expanded to various occupations.
adopted the title Khawaja Shaikh and to this community belong many prominent Muslim
trading families of South Asia
.
When Khatri traders from the western districts of the Punjab like Sargodha
, Jhang
, Jehlum
, Chakwal
, Faisalabad
accepted Islam called themselves Khawaja
and adopted Shaikh as title. They are thus called Khawaja Sheikh. Some of them have also adopted Mian
as title. In recent years traders from a small town of Chiniot
,in the Chiniot District
, became prominent due to their contribution in the industries of Pakistan
. These traders are known as Chiniotis
or Chinioti Shaikhs. The famous trading family of Sahgals, Sahgal Khatris of Chakwal
, are known simply as Punjabi Shaikh instead of Khawaja Shaikh. They use Mian
as title.
The first censuses of the Punjab were conducted by Denzil Ibbetson
and Edward Maclagan
in 1883 and 1892. According to their reports, the Khawajas of Bhera in Shahpur, Sargodha District
were converted from Khatris, and those from Jhang
were said to be converted from Arora
. At Chiniot
in Jhang District
, Majority of the Khawajas are Khatris, while some are Arora. They reported the following sections (gotras) of Khatris from Chiniot:
Adal
, Behrara, Churra, Maggun (or Maghoon), Sahgal, Wadhaun (or Vadhavan), Wihara, Talwar
, Puri
, Topra.
Only one section of Arora is reported from Chiniot:
Goruwala.
The sections of Khawajas from Bhera were reported as follows:
Vohra
, Sahgal, Kapur, Sethi
, Duggal
, Nanda
, Magun, Mehndru, Motali. These are all Khatri
sections.
The sections of Khawajas from Pindi Bhattian were reported as follows:
Sahgal and Wadhaun. These are all Khatri
sections.
And one section of Phaphra Sheikh's is reported from there:
Phaphra
.
The Khawajas of Layyah
, Punjab
have following Khatri sections:
Kapur, Puri
and Tandan .
. They have different lineages and represent families who were holding hereditary office of ‘’Qanungoh’’ (‘’Law readers’’) 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.
and Quraishi
are also clans of Shaikh found in the Punjab.
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 Pandit
s who converted to Islam
and adopted this title. Shaikh are descended from the Brahmin tribes.
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
. In South Asia it is used as an ethnic title generally attributed to Muslim trading families.
From the beginning of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rule in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
in 713 AD, the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis traveled from the rest of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently.
In South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, after the advent of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, some high caste (Brahmins, Rajputs and Khatri
Khatri
Khatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
s) converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and adopted this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh (Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
) پنجابی شيخ. Punjabi Shaikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist but a few families also cultivate their own land in the western districts. Their main professions are business and public service. In Punjab, they stereotypically have a reputation for business acumen. The Khawaja Shaikh, with their sub-division the Chiniotis
Chiniotis
Chinyoti are one of the leading industrialists of Pakistan. They come from a small town of Chiniot. Chiniot is the headquarters of Chiniot District of Punjab province of Pakistan with a catchment area population of nearly 1 million inhabitants , is located on the banks of Chenab, southwestern...
and the Qanungoh Shaikh
Qanungoh Shaikh
Qanungoh Shaikhs are a clan of Muslim Shaikhs in Punjab and other parts of Pakistan.The Qanungoh have tribal and marital affinities with varied regional groups such as the Kukhran, Muslim Rajputs, Mohyal Brahmins, Awan, and Khattar as well as Rohillas, Rind , Gardezi and also Kakkezai in the...
are two such communities.
Before the independence of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1947, Khatri
Khatri
Khatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
s were living in all the districts of Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. Most of them were concentrated in the western districts. People from all classes; Khatris, Rajputs, Gujjar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s, Gakhars
Gakhars
The Gakhars are an ancient warrior clan who have predominantly resided in what is present day northern Punjab and South-Western Kashmir, Pakistan. In particular in the cities of Rawalpindi, Jhelum and regions of Gilgit, Baltistan, Chitral, Khanpur and Mirpur, Pakistan...
, etc; had converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The Siddiqui
Siddiqui
Siddiqui, is a Muslim family name, found in the South Asia and the Middle East. Shaikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqui/Siddique to signify their Arab heritage...
Shaikhs and Quraishi
Quraishi
Quraishi , is a family name that originates from Arabs in Saudi Arabia, particularly from the city of Mecca.- Lineage :...
Shaikhs are communities that are the descended from these converted classes. They are found in Punjab as Punjabi speaking Shaikhs and also found in Sindh as Sindhi speaking Shaikhs.
The Saraswat Brahmins, including Mohyals, adopted Sheikh as their title upon high cast conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Similarly, many Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clans had converted to Islam during the early 12th century and were also given the honorary title of Sheikh (elder of the tribe) by their Arab rulers. Sheikh rajputs were the earliest in Rajputs to embrace Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Muslim Khatris
Khatris have an extensive military tradition and have excelled in the Armed Forces, having received many honors and gallantry awards for their service. Former chief of Indian Army, General Deepak Kapoor was Khatri and he took charge from another Khatri, General Joginder Jaswant Singh (Marwah) who took charge from another Khatri, General Nirmal Chander Vij. Khatris have sometimes expanded into trade and mercantile businesses, including architecture. All ten Sikh GurusSikh Gurus
The Sikh Gurus established Sikhism from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent...
were Khatri.
The Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Khatri are the Khatri converts to Islam. Although a large majority of Khatris are Hindus, some converted to Islam. The conversion started in 12th century and continued till 1947. In western districts of the Punjab (Sargodha, Mianwali, Multan, Jhang, Chakwal, Rawalpindi and Faislabad) converted Khatri traders called themselves "Khoja". Some time they are called "Khoja Sheikh". With the advent of Islam following invasions by Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
tribes from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and the North West Frontier Province from the 11th century onwards, there were conversions of Hindus to the faith from among various Punjabi communities, including Khatris.Generally they retained their tribal, clan or caste affiliations as has been the norm in the region. Similarly, the Khatris who converted to Islam, continue to retain a strong social identity and are known as Punjabi Shaikhs.
Pakistan continues to have a prominent community of Khatris known as Punjabi Shaikhs as well as Khawaja Shaikhs. Some Muslim Khatris like the Sahgal family
Sahgal family
Amin Saigol was a businessman of Punjab, Pakistan.The Saigol family belong to the Sahgal clan of the Muslim Khatri community. Amin Saigol, the founder of the Saigol business family, was from the village of Khotian in Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. This village is now known as Saigolabad. In...
, Aftab Ahmed Vohra
Aftab Ahmed Vohra
Aftab Ahmed Vohra is a Pakistani business figure based in Lahore, mostly in the Chemical industry. He started his business in early 1970s. He is the Chairman of Vohra Group of Companies. He belongs to reputable family of Chinioti Sheikhs....
, Najam Sethi
Najam Sethi
Najam Sethi is an award-winning Pakistani journalist and the editor-in-chief of The Friday Times, a Lahore-based political weekly. He was previously the editor of Daily Times and Daily Aajkal newspapers. He also hosts a popular political program in Urdu, called Aapas ki Baat, on GEO News...
, etc of Pakistan are examples of well-known and successful Muslim Khatris. They are also known as Khoja
Khoja
The Khojas are ethnic group of Shia Muslims. The word Khoja derives from Khwaja, a Persian title .In Pakistan, many Khojas migrated to and settled in the province of Sindh and especially in the city of Karachi. While in India, most Khojas live in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and...
and Chiniotis
Chiniotis
Chinyoti are one of the leading industrialists of Pakistan. They come from a small town of Chiniot. Chiniot is the headquarters of Chiniot District of Punjab province of Pakistan with a catchment area population of nearly 1 million inhabitants , is located on the banks of Chenab, southwestern...
.
In addition the Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi
Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi
The Jamiat-e-Punjabi-Saudagaran-e-Delhi or sometime referred to as the Qaum-e-Punjabian , or simply Shamsi Biradari are a community of Muslims that historically came from Sargodha in Punjab and then lived mainly in the old Delhi, India. They also settled in a number of towns in western Uttar...
community are also of Khatri ancestry. Historically, this community lived in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, and other north Indian towns, but after the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, they have all moved to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.In Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
also the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Khatris are expanded to various occupations.
Khawaja Shaikh
Members of the Khatris caste, after converting to IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
adopted the title Khawaja Shaikh and to this community belong many prominent Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
trading families of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
When Khatri traders from the western districts of the Punjab like Sargodha
Sargodha District
Sargodha District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan, the capital of the district is Sargodha. It is an agricultural district, wheat, rice, and sugarcane being its main crops. The Sargodha district and region are also famous for citrus fruit; kino is a newly developed variety...
, Jhang
Jhang District
Jhang District is a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Jhang is the district's capital. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district's population was 2.8 million, of which 23 percent lived in urban areas. By 2008, according to estimates, the population had...
, Jehlum
Jhelum District
Jhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...
, Chakwal
Chakwal District
Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...
, Faisalabad
Faisalabad District
Faisalabad District is one of the districts of Punjab province, Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 5,429,547 of which almost 42% were in Faisalabad City....
accepted Islam called themselves Khawaja
Khawaja
Khawaja or Khwaja is a title used in Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia. It means Lord or Master.Khwajagan is a word often used to refer to a chains of Central Asian Naqshbandi Sufi Masters from the 10th to the 16th century A.D. In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh the word is used many times for some...
and adopted Shaikh as title. They are thus called Khawaja Sheikh. Some of them have also adopted Mian
Mian
Mian is family name and a title of nobility used by Muslims in the Punjab region of South Asia.-Mian Khan Pashtuns:The Pathans of Bihar , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Bihar in India, who are said to have settled in the region from the 13th Century onwards...
as title. In recent years traders from a small town of Chiniot
Chiniot
Chiniot is a city and administration headquarter of Chiniot District, in the state of Punjab, Pakistan. Located between the heart of river Chenab with the heads of small rocky hills, it is known for its wooden furniture architecture which has a great attraction in all over the world.- Name and...
,in the Chiniot District
Chiniot District
Chiniot District became the 36th district of the Punjab province of Pakistan in February 2009. Earlier it was a tehsil of Jhang District.- History :...
, became prominent due to their contribution in the industries of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. These traders are known as Chiniotis
Chiniotis
Chinyoti are one of the leading industrialists of Pakistan. They come from a small town of Chiniot. Chiniot is the headquarters of Chiniot District of Punjab province of Pakistan with a catchment area population of nearly 1 million inhabitants , is located on the banks of Chenab, southwestern...
or Chinioti Shaikhs. The famous trading family of Sahgals, Sahgal Khatris of Chakwal
Chakwal District
Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...
, are known simply as Punjabi Shaikh instead of Khawaja Shaikh. They use Mian
Mian
Mian is family name and a title of nobility used by Muslims in the Punjab region of South Asia.-Mian Khan Pashtuns:The Pathans of Bihar , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Bihar in India, who are said to have settled in the region from the 13th Century onwards...
as title.
The first censuses of the Punjab were conducted by Denzil Ibbetson
Denzil Ibbetson
Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson KCSI was an administrator in British India and an author. He served as governor of the Central Provinces and Berar from 1900 to 1902....
and Edward Maclagan
Edward Maclagan
Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan KCSI KCIE was an administrator in British India. He became Governor of the Punjab . He was Lieutenant-Governor from 1919....
in 1883 and 1892. According to their reports, the Khawajas of Bhera in Shahpur, Sargodha District
Sargodha District
Sargodha District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan, the capital of the district is Sargodha. It is an agricultural district, wheat, rice, and sugarcane being its main crops. The Sargodha district and region are also famous for citrus fruit; kino is a newly developed variety...
were converted from Khatris, and those from Jhang
Jhang
- Demographics :According to 1981 census of Pakistan population of Jhang was 1,970,944 with the 434,495 housing units in Jhang. In 1998 census, population of Jhang was 2,834,545, whose annually growth rate was 2.16%. Male population was 1,474,099 and female population was 1,360,446...
were said to be converted from Arora
Arora
Arora is an Indo-Aryan community of the Punjab region. Commentators differ in their opinions regarding the relationship between the Arora and the Khatri community....
. At Chiniot
Chiniot
Chiniot is a city and administration headquarter of Chiniot District, in the state of Punjab, Pakistan. Located between the heart of river Chenab with the heads of small rocky hills, it is known for its wooden furniture architecture which has a great attraction in all over the world.- Name and...
in Jhang District
Jhang District
Jhang District is a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Jhang is the district's capital. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district's population was 2.8 million, of which 23 percent lived in urban areas. By 2008, according to estimates, the population had...
, Majority of the Khawajas are Khatris, while some are Arora. They reported the following sections (gotras) of Khatris from Chiniot:
Adal
Adal
- Places :*Ådal, valley and former municipality in Buskerud county, Norway*Illerup Ådal, archeological site in Denmark*Adal Sultanate, former sultanate and geographic region in Northeast Africa**Adal , breed of sheep from Ethiopia**F. C...
, Behrara, Churra, Maggun (or Maghoon), Sahgal, Wadhaun (or Vadhavan), Wihara, Talwar
Talwar
The talwar is a type of curved sword or sabre from India and modern-day Pakistan...
, Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
, Topra.
Only one section of Arora is reported from Chiniot:
Goruwala.
The sections of Khawajas from Bhera were reported as follows:
Vohra
Vohra
Vohra is a Punjabi tribe and a Khatri clan. The Vohra are settled in Punjab, Pakistan and Punjab, India.- Religion :The Vohras, Wouhras or Worah are Punjabis follow mainly Sikhism and Hinduism and Islam and they travel all around the world...
, Sahgal, Kapur, Sethi
Sethi
Sethi is a common Khukhrain surname among Punjabi people. Sethis are found in Punjab, India and Pakistan and are mainly Hindus, Sikhs-Etymology:...
, Duggal
Duggal
Duggal is a prominent Khatri clan from the Punjab region of Northern India and Pakistan. Coming from an ancient bloodline of Aryan war lords the Duggals are adherents of Hinduism and Sikhism and have traditionally been an elite administrative and warrior class in India...
, Nanda
Nanda
Nanda is a surname of Punjabis . Nanda is a Tarkhan , Ahluwalia and Kamboj surname. All the clans of Tarkhan , Lohar, Gujjar, Kamboj, Ahluwalia tribes have a close genetic and ancestral relationship with each other, and together they form the Khatri/Rajput caste.-Among Kamboj people:*Nanda is a...
, Magun, Mehndru, Motali. These are all Khatri
Khatri
Khatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
sections.
The sections of Khawajas from Pindi Bhattian were reported as follows:
Sahgal and Wadhaun. These are all Khatri
Khatri
Khatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
sections.
And one section of Phaphra Sheikh's is reported from there:
Phaphra
Phaphra
The Phaphra are a small tribe of Mughal status, occupying a compact area of about at the foot of the Salt Range, east of Pind Dadan Khan in Jhelum District in Pakistan.- History :...
.
The Khawajas of Layyah
Layyah
Layyah, also spelt Leiah , is the capital city of the Layyah District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located at 30°58'0N 70°56'0E with an altitude of 143 metres .-Old History:...
, Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
have following Khatri sections:
Kapur, Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
and Tandan .
Qanungoh Shaikh
Qanungoh Shaikhs belonged to all the districts of the PunjabPunjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. They have different lineages and represent families who were holding hereditary office of ‘’Qanungoh’’ (‘’Law readers’’) 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.
Siddiqui and Quraishi Shaikhs
The SiddiquiSiddiqui
Siddiqui, is a Muslim family name, found in the South Asia and the Middle East. Shaikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqui/Siddique to signify their Arab heritage...
and Quraishi
Quraishi
Quraishi , is a family name that originates from Arabs in Saudi Arabia, particularly from the city of Mecca.- Lineage :...
are also clans of Shaikh found in the Punjab.
Kashmiri Shaikhs
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
during 19th & 20th century. Allama Shaikh Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
belonged to this group. Muhammad Iqbal grandfather Shaikh Rafiq migrated to Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
in early 19th century. It has been suggested that Kashmiri Shaikhs are descendants of Kashmiri Pandit
Kashmiri Pandit
The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu Brahmin community originating from Kashmir, a mountainous region in South Asia.-Background:The Hindu caste system of the region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the...
s who converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and adopted this title. Shaikh are descended from the Brahmin tribes.
Distinguished Sheikhs
- AL Haj Shaikh karam ellahi MD of pindi hazara transport,Ameer e karwan of Hajj people during Ayub khan's regeme.mentioned in shahab nama.(Blue eyed Shaikhs, only residing in Taxila).
- Muhammad Sabir Shaikh, Chairman, Association of Pakistan Assemblers, APMA, Shaikh from jalandhir
- Allama Muhammad Iqbal, National Poet of Pakistan, Poet of the East. A Sheikh from Sialk
- Abdul Hafeez SheikhAbdul Hafeez SheikhAbdul Hafeez Sheikh is a very prosperous Pakistani businessman. He owns the Bismillah Group, which heads Bismillah Textiles and BNP .- Bismillah Textiles :...
, CEO of Bismillah Group and BNP. - Mian Muhammad Mansha, Chairman of “Nishat Group” - the biggest industrial and financial conglomerate of Pakistan.
- Sheikh Muhammad Din, Founder of Din Group of companies.
- Haji Bashir Ahmed, Founder & chairman Sitara group of Industries.
- Mian Ijaz Gohar, Chief Executive of “Ejaz Group Of Companies” .
- Mian Muhammad Ismail Sheikh, Founder of The Colony group of industries.
- Sheikh Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman Ibrahim Group of Industries.
- Mian Muhammad Hanif, Chairman Madina Group of Industries.
- Sheikh Muhammad Saeed, Chairman Arshad Group of Industries.
- Sheikh Wajih ud-Din Ahmed Sherkoti, HakimHakim (title)' and ' are two Arabic titles derived from the same triliteral ḤKM "appoint, choose, judge". Compare the Hebrew title hakham.-Hakīm :...
of Sherkot 1800s - Wasim SajjadWasim SajjadWasim Sajjad was interim President of Pakistan on two occasions, serving as interim President prior to elections. Currently, being a member of PML-Q, he is the Leader of the Opposition in Senate of Pakistan.- Early life :...
, Chairman of Senate and 2 time Acting President of Pakistan. A Qanungo Shaikh from Jalandhar. - Najam SethiNajam SethiNajam Sethi is an award-winning Pakistani journalist and the editor-in-chief of The Friday Times, a Lahore-based political weekly. He was previously the editor of Daily Times and Daily Aajkal newspapers. He also hosts a popular political program in Urdu, called Aapas ki Baat, on GEO News...
, Chief Editor of Weekly "The Friday Times". - Shaikh Bashir Ahmed, "Sar panch (leader)of fifty two villages in sikandrabad"
- Mian Rafiq Saigol, Ex Chairman of Pakistan International Airline.
- Aftab Ahmed VohraAftab Ahmed VohraAftab Ahmed Vohra is a Pakistani business figure based in Lahore, mostly in the Chemical industry. He started his business in early 1970s. He is the Chairman of Vohra Group of Companies. He belongs to reputable family of Chinioti Sheikhs....
, Chief Executive of Vohra Group of Industries - Amin SaigolAmin SaigolAmin Saigol was a businessman of Punjab, Pakistan.The Saigol family belong to the Sahgal clan of the Muslim Khatri community. Amin Saigol, the founder of the Saigol business family, was from the village of Khotian in Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. This village is now known as Saigolabad. In...
, Founder of House of Saigols. - Shaikh Maula Baksh, Founder of Ismael Maula Baksh Industrial Group.
- Shaikh Anwarul Haq, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan (1977-1981).
- Shaikh Riaz Ahmed, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan (02/2002-12/2003).
- Shaikh Adul Rehman, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan (1968).
- Dr. Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (1954-1958).
- Sheikh Manzoor Qadir, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (1962-1963).
- Sheikh Anwar ul Haq, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (1970-1972)
- Sheikh Ijaz Nasir, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (1996).
- Sheikh Riaz Ahmed, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (1997).
- Khwaja Muhammad SharifKhwaja Muhammad SharifJustice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif is currently the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court. He is one those few Judges, sacked on November 3, 2007 after the enforcement of Martial Law by Pervez Musharraf, who were reinstated to their positions without taking fresh or PCO Oath....
, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (2009). - Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Punjab (2011).
- Shaikh G.H. Hidayatullah, Governer of Sindh (1947-48).
- Shaikh Din Muhammad, Governer of Sindh (1948-49).
- Abdul Kadir Shaikh, Governer of Sindh (1977-78).
- Shaikh Waqar Ahmad, Activist and reformer.
- Naveed A. Sheikh, Architect and Fellow Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners
- Sheikh Sahib Din, Qanungo and Hakim, Sangh, Mirpure, Azad Kashmir
- Sheikh Fazal Alam ASP, Mirpure, Azad Kashmir
- Sheikh Fazal Latif, DSP, Mirpure, Azad Kashmir. freedom movement leader who spearheaded attack on Kotli and Mirpure in 1947-48
- Lieutenant General Khalid Masud Sheikh, Interior Minister of Pakistan.1958
- Major General Umer Farooq Sheikh, Pakistan Army, Mirpure Azad Kashmir
- Major General Niaz Kausar Sheikh, HI(M), ASC (superseded)
- Major General Zahid Mubashir Sheikh, Arty
- Dr. Shoaib Sheikh, Surgeon
- Sheikh Jamshed Akhtar, Renowned Transporter of Mauripur, Karachi.
- Sheikh Zaryab Journalist Daily Ausaf Lahore
- Sheikh Qaisor Mehmood, Chief Executive of Papera Group of Industries and also secretary of Pakistan 'N' league political party in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. - Aziz Ali Sheikh, Award winning writer and historian who won the provincial award for his book Tareekh-e-Hafizabad (History of Hafizabad) from Govt. of Punjab in 1998
- Dr. Muzaffar Ali Sheikh, The most prominent doctor of district Hafizabad who has been the Member of Provincial Assembly of Punjab (Pakistan) and Chairman Standing Committee on Health
See also
- Shaikhs in South AsiaShaikhs in South AsiaSheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh, Şeyh and other variants , 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 revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar...
- Kashmiri ShaikhKashmiri ShaikhKashmiri Shaikh mainly live in Kashmir regions of Pakistan and India. The Kahmiri Shaikhs are considered to be a clan of Punjabi Muslims of Kashmiri origin found predominantly in Pakistan Punjab and also in India....
- Khawaja Shaikh
- Qanungoh ShaikhQanungoh ShaikhQanungoh Shaikhs are a clan of Muslim Shaikhs in Punjab and other parts of Pakistan.The Qanungoh have tribal and marital affinities with varied regional groups such as the Kukhran, Muslim Rajputs, Mohyal Brahmins, Awan, and Khattar as well as Rohillas, Rind , Gardezi and also Kakkezai in the...
- Punjabi Saudagaran-e-DelhiPunjabi Saudagaran-e-DelhiThe Jamiat-e-Punjabi-Saudagaran-e-Delhi or sometime referred to as the Qaum-e-Punjabian , or simply Shamsi Biradari are a community of Muslims that historically came from Sargodha in Punjab and then lived mainly in the old Delhi, India. They also settled in a number of towns in western Uttar...
- SiddiquiSiddiquiSiddiqui, is a Muslim family name, found in the South Asia and the Middle East. Shaikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqui/Siddique to signify their Arab heritage...
- Sindhi ShaikhSindhi ShaikhSheikh , is an Arabic word meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. The Shaikh of Sindh are one of the larger communities of the Sindhi Muslims ethnic group. They speak the various dialects of Sindhi, depending on their place of residence...
- Phaphra SheikhPhaphra SheikhPhaphra Sheikh is a clan which is basically from Pindi Bhattian and is a very small clan. They are now settled in Punjab in big cities like Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala.- History :...
- Chinioti Shaikh
- MianMianMian is family name and a title of nobility used by Muslims in the Punjab region of South Asia.-Mian Khan Pashtuns:The Pathans of Bihar , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Bihar in India, who are said to have settled in the region from the 13th Century onwards...
- KhawajaKhawajaKhawaja or Khwaja is a title used in Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia. It means Lord or Master.Khwajagan is a word often used to refer to a chains of Central Asian Naqshbandi Sufi Masters from the 10th to the 16th century A.D. In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh the word is used many times for some...
- KhatriKhatriKhatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...