Sidi
Encyclopedia
Sidi is a masculine title of respect, meaning "my master" in Western Arabic language and Egyptian Arabic
(sayyid
in other dialects) equivalent to modern popular usage of the English
Mr.
. It is also used in other Arabic dialects, such as Eastern Arabic, as well as by Muslims of the Indian subcontinent in the Urdu
language; however, in these latter two cases, "Sidi" does not have so much currency as titles like sayed, janab
or saheb.
Occasionally a respected member of a Muslim society will be given the title Sidi by default in recognition of upright standing and wisdom. This especially applies to marabout
s, hence the term appears in places and mosques named after one.
In the Maghrebi kingdom of Morocco
:
In neighbouring Tunisian Arabic
, it has evolved into two separate variants: "Si" means Mister or Sir
, while "Sidi" means "Master" or "Saint
", depending on the context. For example older conservative
Tunisian
women call their husbands "Sidi", not by first name; older conservative Tunisians (both men and women) call their older brothers "Sidi", especially when there is a large age difference between them. There are two female equivalents of "Sidi": "Lella", when used in a social context, and "Sayyeda" when speaking about female saints, for example "(Es)-Sayyeda El-Manoubiyya".
In the Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia
, the word sidi is used as an honorific when addressing an older brother by many of the more traditional families.
The term was also used by Arabized Spanish, Portuguese and Berbers in Mozarabic-speaking Moorish Spain.
Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic is the language spoken by contemporary Egyptians.It is more commonly known locally as the Egyptian colloquial language or Egyptian dialect ....
(sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
in other dialects) equivalent to modern popular usage of the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Mr.
Mr.
Mister, usually written in its abbreviated form Mr or Mr. , is a commonly used English honorific for men under the rank of knighthood. The title derived from master, as the equivalent female titles, Mrs., Miss, and Ms, all derived from the archaic mistress...
. It is also used in other Arabic dialects, such as Eastern Arabic, as well as by Muslims of the Indian subcontinent in the Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
language; however, in these latter two cases, "Sidi" does not have so much currency as titles like sayed, janab
Janab
Janab is a rank title in Persian, which may be rendered as Excellency.At the court of Persia's Shahanshahs of the imperial Qajar dynasty, precedence for non-members of the dynasty was organised in eight protocollary classes, generally coupled to various offices and qualities; the highest of these,...
or saheb.
Occasionally a respected member of a Muslim society will be given the title Sidi by default in recognition of upright standing and wisdom. This especially applies to marabout
Marabout
A marabout is a Muslim religious leader and teacher in West Africa, and in the Maghreb. The marabout is often a scholar of the Qur'an, or religious teacher. Others may be wandering holy men who survive on alms, Sufi Murshids , or leaders of religious communities...
s, hence the term appears in places and mosques named after one.
In the Maghrebi kingdom of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
:
- Sidi ('Lord'): the title used as a substitute for MulayMulayMulay, Mûlay, Bulay, or Molay for the Franks, was a general under the Mongol Ilkhanate ruler Ghazan at the end the 13th century. Mulay was part of the 1299–1300 Mongol offensive in Syria and Palestine, and remained with a small force to occupy the land after the departure of Ghazan. He also...
by those male members of the ruling AlawiAlaouite DynastyThe Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of its founder Moulay Ali Cherif who became Prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay r-Rshid was able to unite and pacify the country...
dynasty sharing the first name of the Muslim Prophet, MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts... - Smiyet Sidi: a style usually reserved for the Sovereign or the Heir Apparent, loosely, but imperfectly, translated as 'His Lordship' or 'Monseigneur'
In neighbouring Tunisian Arabic
Tunisian Arabic
Tunisian Arabic is a Maghrebi dialect of the Arabic language, spoken by some 11 million people. It is usually known by its own speakers as Derja, which means dialect, to distinguish it from Standard Arabic, or as Tunsi, which means Tunisian...
, it has evolved into two separate variants: "Si" means Mister or Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
, while "Sidi" means "Master" or "Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
", depending on the context. For example older conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
Tunisian
Demographics of Tunisia
The majority of modern Tunisians are Arab-Berber orArabized Berber, and are speakers of Tunisian Arabic. However, there is also a small population of Berbers located in the Jabal Dahar mountains in the South East and on the island of Jerba...
women call their husbands "Sidi", not by first name; older conservative Tunisians (both men and women) call their older brothers "Sidi", especially when there is a large age difference between them. There are two female equivalents of "Sidi": "Lella", when used in a social context, and "Sayyeda" when speaking about female saints, for example "(Es)-Sayyeda El-Manoubiyya".
In the Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, the word sidi is used as an honorific when addressing an older brother by many of the more traditional families.
The term was also used by Arabized Spanish, Portuguese and Berbers in Mozarabic-speaking Moorish Spain.