Sayyid
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سید Sayyid (also rendered as 'Sayed' or, in Malaysia and The Subcontinent, as Syed) is an honorific title often given to descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his grandson, Hussain and Hassan (Descendants of Hassan were known as Sharif in the Arab world.).
The word means literally "lord" or "prince"—the closest English equivalent would be Sir. It is traditionally used to refer to those claiming descent from the Prophet Muhammad, through the sons of his daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib. Sayyids receive Islamic tax called Khums, a special tax levied under Islamic law. Sayyids are considered spiritually and socially supreme in the Islamic world.
In the early days of Islam, Sayyids were active in spreading Islam throughout the Arab, South Asian Countries and Indian subcontinent.
In the Arab world itself, with the exception of Iraq, the word is still used as a substitute for Mister, as in Sayyid John Smith. The same concept is captured by the word Sidi in the Western dialects of Arabic.
The surnames of Sayyids that claim descent from a Shi'a Imam are listed below, by the name of the respective Imam.
- Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 - 661) (from sons that are not from Fatima Zahra - daughter of the Prophet Muhammad)
Below this line are known as Fatimi Sayyids
- Hasan bin Ali (625 - 669)
- Husayn bin Ali (626 - 680)
- Ali ibn Husayn (658 - 713), also known as Zainul Abideen
- Muhammad al-Baqir (676 - 743)
- Jafar Sadiq (703 - 765)
- Musa al-Kazim (745 - 799)
- Ali ar-Rida (765 - 818)
- Muhammad at-Taqi (810 - 835)
- Ali al-Hadi (827 - 868)
- Hasan al-Askari (846 - 874)
- Muhammad al-Mahdi (868 - ?)
There are also Hashimi Sayyids, those who are the descendents of Abu Talib, uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, from his sons Jafar, Aqeel and Talib.