Shaykh ("Old Person," "Religious Scholar," in Arabic)

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SHAYKH ("old person," "religious scholar," in Arabic)

A Muslim title implying respect for wisdom or leadership, or simply for age and experience, accorded to men who have achieved some standing in their community. Among Sufis, shaykh is the title of a group's spiritual director (murshid), who is responsible for initiating his disciples into the mystic way (tariqa).

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