Meanings of some common words

[leo28]

I dont know the meaning of following words, used commonly on the forum

salafi or salafis

shaykh or sheykh



Regarding the initial word, is this some sect or some off-shoot from some sect? for whom we use this word?

As far as the later is concerned, i see people using this word, when they intend refering something to a particular person. In south asia, the word sheikh is taken as a caste. could someone help me understand these 2 terminologies in brief plz.

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

shaykh or sheykh

lierally means 'old man'

but also used as a respectful title for an islamic scholar (young or old)

[leo28]

But many persons on the forum, when not knowing abt some particular issue, they say that they will ask their sheykh, do they mean their fathers or some religious scholars? if someone could make me understand?

[mountain-muslim]

salam

does it mean "old man" in Arabic? Btw.."pir" is "old" in Kurdish (like in your name )

w.s

[leo28]

my question still remains unanswered, if someone could deliberate upon plz

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

But many persons on the forum, when not knowing abt some particular issue, they say that they will ask their sheykh, do they mean their fathers or some religious scholars? if someone could make me understand?

usually when we refer to our shaykh, we mean a religious scholar, not our fathers.

[mountain-muslim]

But many persons on the forum, when not knowing abt some particular issue, they say that they will ask their sheykh, do they mean their fathers or some religious scholars? if someone could make me understand?

It could be their fathers, provided they are learned islamic scholars. The title of shaykh has to be earned.

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

other terminologies used:


1. Sayyidi

(master)

although Sh. Hamza mentioned that another meaning is 'the one who serves'

2. Sidi

(a North African variant of the above)

3. Pir

4. Allamah

(a title given to someone with great 'ilm)

5. Habib

a title reserved to the descendants of Ahmad ibn Isa al-Muhajir, a descendant of the prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, who migrated to hadramawt in Yemen.

[mountain-muslim]

so are they all originally arabic terms? "Pir" sounds more like a persian/kurdish word. sorry for going a bit off-topic.

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

so are they all originally arabic terms? "Pir" sounds more like a persian/kurdish word. sorry for going a bit off-topic.

no, i don't think pir is arabic. you are probably right about its origins