sheikh and his friends
Sheikh (/ʃeɪk/ SHAYK, /ʃiːk/ SHEEK; Arabic: شيخ šayḫ [ʃajx], mostly pronounced [ʃeːx], plural šuyūḫ [ʃuju:x])—also transliterated Sheik, Shykh, Shayk, Shaykh, Cheikh, Shekh, and Shaikh—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates the ruler of a tribe, who inherited the title from his father. "Sheikh" is given to a royal male at birth and the related title "Sheikha" is given to a royal female at birth.The word in Arabic stems from a triliteral root connected with age and aging, shīn-yā'-khā'. The title carries the meaning leader, elder, or noble, especially in the Arabian Peninsula within the Tribes of Arabia, where shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries. Due to the cultural impact of Arab civilization, and especially through the spread of Islam, the word has gained currency as a religious term or general honorific in many other parts of the world as well, notably in Muslim cultures in Africa and Asia.source:wikipedia
