Sindhi Shaikh
Encyclopedia
Sheikh 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. The Shaikh are largely urban community, residing in the towns and cities of Sindh
, such as Hyderabad
and Sukkur
.
, it is used as an ethnic title generally attributed to Muslim trading families descended from the higher castes converts from Hindu families. Most of the Shaikhs are Brahmin
and Vaishya
converts to Islam and are generally very rich and powerful in the local administration and economy. The Shaikhs of the town of Gambhat are converts from the Sindhi
Lohana
community, and provided many distinguished individuals. Other Shaikh families are descended from Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis who travelled from the rest of the Muslim
world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently. In Sindh
, the families of the Makhdums of Hala
are Siddiqui
Shaikhs, who arrived from Central Asia
. The shaikhs who migrated from the arab lands as sufis conjointly lived with the existing wealthy Shaikh inhabitants of Sukkur [Sindh - Pakistan].
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...
. The Shaikh of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
are one of the larger communities of the Sindhi Muslims
Sindhi people
Sindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
ethnic group. They speak the various dialects of Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
, depending on their place of residence. The Shaikh are largely urban community, residing in the towns and cities of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, such as Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sindh
is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot...
and Sukkur
Sukkur
Sukkur, or Sakharu , formerly Aror and Bakar, is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River in Pakistan in Sukkur District. However, the word Sakharu in Sindhi means "superior", which the spelling of the city's name in Sindhi suggests is the origin of the...
.
Origin
In South AsiaSouth 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...
, it is used as an ethnic title generally attributed to Muslim trading families descended from the higher castes converts from Hindu families. Most of the Shaikhs are Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
and Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
converts to Islam and are generally very rich and powerful in the local administration and economy. The Shaikhs of the town of Gambhat are converts from the Sindhi
Sindhi people
Sindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
Lohana
Lohana
The Lohana also referred to as Luvana are an Indian caste,largely classified as merchants and are categorized as Vaishya or Bania caste although their ancient history proves that they are Kshatriya of Suryavanshi descant, claiming their lineage from Lava, son of Rama...
community, and provided many distinguished individuals. Other Shaikh families are descended from Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis who travelled 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 Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, the families of the Makhdums of Hala
Hala
Hala can refer to:* Hala , an Arabic given name meaning "sweetness"* An informal salutation or greeting in the Arabic language* Hāla, an Indian king of the Satavahana dynasty* Hala , a clan of India and Pakistan...
are 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, who arrived from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. The shaikhs who migrated from the arab lands as sufis conjointly lived with the existing wealthy Shaikh inhabitants of Sukkur [Sindh - Pakistan].
Distinguished Sindhi Shaikhs
- Shaikh AyazShaikh AyazShaikh Ayaz was one of the great Sindhi poets of Pakistan. He was born in Shikarpur Sindh. By profession he was a lawyer but he also served as the vice chancellor of Sindh University. His poetry brought new trends into Sindhi literature....
, SindhiSindhi languageSindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
poet of Pakistan - Najmudddin Shaikh, Former Foreign Secretary, PakistanPakistanPakistan , 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...