Sharif (pl. Sharifs, Shurafa; "Noble," in Arabic)

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SHARIF (pl. sharifs, shurafa; "noble," in Arabic)

Designates generally the descendents of Fatima, daughter of the prophet Muhammad and her husband ʿAli, the cousin of Muhammad. Every Sharif (for example, the members of the Jordanian Hashimite dynasty) traces his or her ancestry back to one of their sons, Husayn (Hussein) or Hasan.

SEE ALSO Fatima;Muhammad.