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:
In the broadest sense, it refers to any descendant of Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim (the Banu Hashim or Hashimites, already in Muhammad's day an established clan within the Meccan tribe of the Quraysh), including all descendants of Muhammad's paternal uncles Abu Talib (the Talibids) and al-Abbas (the Abbasids).[1]
More often, it refers to a descendant of Ali, a son of Abu Talib and a paternal cousin of Muhammad (the Alids), especially but not exclusively through Ali's marriage with Muhammad's daughter Fatima (the Fatimids). In the sense of descendants of Fatima and Ali (the most common one), the term effectively refers to all descendants of the prophet.[1]
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]
The word derives from the Arabic root sh–r–f, which expresses meanings related to honor, nobility, and prominence.[1] It has no etymological connection with the English term sheriff, which comes 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 sayyid were used interchangeably, while in other contexts they referred to Hasanid vs. 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 Abbasids and the Fatimids were at one time holder of the caliphate), except in South Asia, where the meaning of the term has expanded to include all Muslims of foreign descent. Thus, in the caste system among South Asian Muslims, the term ashrāf designates not only Muslims of Arab descent (sayyids or purported descendants of Ali and Fatima, and shaykhs, which include all those who claim descent from the Quraysh or from one of Muhammad's 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 the term sayyid has become a more common designation for those claiming descent from the prophet today.[1] As such, Sayyid (or one of its many alternative spellings, like Sayyed or Syed) has also become a common proper name.
Van Arendonk, C.; Graham, W.A. (1960–2007). "Sharīf". In Bearman, P. J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition.
April 05, 2023
sharif, this, article, about, title, descendants, prophet, muhammad, family, other, uses, disambiguation, ashraf, shurafa, redirect, here, people, named, ashraf, ashraf, name, other, uses, ashraf, disambiguation, palestinian, writer, walid, shurafa, sharīf, ar. This article is about the title for descendants of the prophet Muhammad s family For other uses see Sharif disambiguation Ashraf and Shurafa redirect here For people named Ashraf see Ashraf name For other uses see Ashraf disambiguation For the Palestinian writer see Walid Shurafa Sharif Arabic شريف noble highborn also spelled shareef or sherif feminine sharifa شريفة plural ashraf أشراف shurafaʾ شرفاء or in the Maghreb shurfaʾ 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 In the broadest sense it refers to any descendant of Muhammad s great grandfather Hashim the Banu Hashim or Hashimites already in Muhammad s day an established clan within the Meccan tribe of the Quraysh including all descendants of Muhammad s paternal uncles Abu Talib the Talibids and al Abbas the Abbasids 1 More often it refers to a descendant of Ali a son of Abu Talib and a paternal cousin of Muhammad the Alids especially but not exclusively through Ali s marriage with Muhammad s daughter Fatima the Fatimids In the sense of descendants of Fatima and Ali the most common one the term effectively refers to all descendants of the prophet 1 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 sada 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 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Usage 2 1 History 3 Major sharif dynasties 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Sources citedEtymology EditThe word derives from the Arabic root sh r f which expresses meanings related to honor nobility and prominence 1 It has no etymological connection with the English term sheriff which comes from the Old English word scirgerefa meaning shire reeve the local reeve enforcement agent of the king in the shire county 2 Usage EditHistory Edit Precise usage of the term has varied both historically and geographically Often the terms sharif and sayyid were used interchangeably while in other contexts they referred to Hasanid vs 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 Abbasids and the Fatimids were at one time holder of the caliphate except in South Asia where the meaning of the term has expanded to include all Muslims of foreign descent Thus in the caste system among South Asian Muslims the term ashraf designates not only Muslims of Arab descent sayyid s or purported descendants of Ali and Fatima and shaykh s which include all those who claim descent from the Quraysh or from one of Muhammad s 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 sharif as a general mark of nobility The result of this has been that the term sayyid has become a more common designation for those claiming descent from the prophet today 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 EditAbbasids descendants of Muhammad s uncle Abbas ibn Abd al Muttalib ruled over a vast empire centered in Baghdad 750 945 and claimed the caliphate 750 1517 Idrisids Hasanids ruled over Morocco 789 985 3 Fatimids Husaynids ruled over a vast empire centered in Cairo and claimed the caliphate 909 1171 3 Sa dids Hasanids ruled over Morocco 1510 1659 3 Alawids Hasanids rule over Morocco 1631 present 3 Hashimites Hasanids ruled over the Kingdom of Hejaz 1916 1925 the Arab Kingdom of Syria in 1920 the Kingdom of Iraq 1932 1958 and Jordan 1921 present See also EditAsharaf or Ashraf Somali clan claiming descent from the prophet through Fatima List of Ashraf tribes in Libya Sharif of Mecca Sharifate of Mecca Sharifian disambiguation Sharifism term used for the rising prominence of the shurafaʾ in early modern Morocco Sherif a proper name derived from sharif including a list of people named that way Omar Sharif 1932 2015 Egyptian actor and probably the most famous person with this nameReferences Edit a b c d e f g h Van Arendonk amp Graham 1960 2007 Online Etymology Dictionary 2001 2021 a b c d Bosworth 1996 Sources cited Edit Bosworth Clifford Edmund 1996 The New Islamic Dynasties A Chronological and Genealogical Manual Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press ISBN 0 7486 2137 7 Online Etymology Dictionary 2001 2021 Online Etymology Dictionary www etymonline com Van Arendonk C Graham W A 1960 2007 Sharif In Bearman P J Bianquis Th Bosworth C E van Donzel E Heinrichs W P eds Encyclopaedia of Islam Second Edition Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sharif amp oldid 1134604136, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
