Sheikh facts for kids
Sheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh or Shekh — is an honorific in the Arabic language. It means "elder" and often means "leader and/or governor". It is commonly used for the front man of a tribe. He can be an Islamic scholar who got this title after graduating from a basic Islamic school. Sheikha is the female term. These are uncommon in the Arabic world. A sheikh who is wise is called ḥakīm and can rule.
The word is also generally used for a man over forty or fifty years of age.
Surname
In Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, "Sheikh" is a common surname among Muslims. It generally means there is Arab ancestry.
Images for kids
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Kurdish sheikhs, 1895
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Sheikh Juma Al Maktoum (left) and Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum (right) of the Maktoum family
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Somali Sheikh Muhammad Dahir Roble reading a Muslim sermon.
See also
In Spanish: Jeque para niños
