Shaikhs in South Asia
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Shaikh (Arabic: شيخ ), meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. In South Asia, it signifies Arab ancestry. From the beginning of Muslim rule in South Asia in 713 AD, the Arab technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently.
In South Asia, after the advent of Islam, many high caste Hindus (Brahman or Khatri) converted to Islam in the Punjab region and adopted this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh (Urdu: پنجابی شيخ ). Many of the Punjabi Shaikhs families were converted from Khatri tribe. The prominent Buddhists clans also adopted this title after converting to Islam. Kashmiri Shaikhs residing in the Punjab also converted from Brahman class. Punjabi Shaikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist. Their main professions are business and public service.
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