How exactly do you get the title of "sheik" ??

Question

Do those who are or have been Sheiks have to do anything special to obtain this title ?

Once given or earned, do you keep this title forever or can it be withdrawn due to certain circumstances?

Is this title strictly for certain countries to use for certain people?

If I were able to become a Sheik-ette, would I then be permitted to have a harem of men? Would men go for this or are they too pigheaded?

Why do I care ? Oh its just something that's bugging me I guess !

Anything you can teach me about Sheiks would be greatly appreciated.

: )

Answer 1

Shaikh, also rendered as Sheik, (Arabic: شيخ), is a word in the Arabic language meaning elder of a tribe, revered wise man, or Islamic scholar. A wife of a Sheikh is sometimes called Sheikhah (Arabic: شيخة).

The term literally means a man of old age, and is used in that sense in Qur'anic Arabic. Later it came to be a title meaning leader, elder or noble, especially in the Arabian Peninsula, where shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries.

In South Asia the term applies to individuals of Arab descent.

The title is not only used by Muslims; it is also used by Arab Christians for elder men of stature, showing that it is independent of religion. Its usage and meaning is similar to the Latin sen ex meaning old man, from which the English "senator" is derived.

In the Persian Gulf states, the title is used for men of stature, whether they are managers in high posts, wealthy business owners, or local rulers.


The title is often more informally used to address learned men as a courtesy.

And a Sheik has nothing to do with harems, that is only in the movies. The title is used for respect to a elder man or woman (sheika) or to a knowledgeable person.