Posted by Fay on June 10, 2008, 5:15 am, in reply to "Re: titles"
The brothers and sons of a Sheikh are sheikhs also. The daughters and sisters of a Sheikh are sheikhas. When a woman marries, she keeps her maiden name. The wife of a Sheikh is only a Sheikha therefore if she is already the daughter of a Sheikh.
To avoid confusion, after Sheikh
Real life example, the Crown Prince of Dubai (the heir) is His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Hamdan has a cute young sister and her title is Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, bint meaning daughter of.
Their father, the Ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, is known as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum.
I'd say that Sheikh/a is more like Prince/ss than King, it denotes royal blood. If the Sheikh fathering the child recognises him/her when illegitimate, then the child gets the title too.
A Sheikh's First Wife (he can have two others with her consent)is usually a Sheikha and of the same nationality. The others don't have to be.
Sheikh Mohammed has 14 children by his first wife Sheikha Hind, one daughter by his second wife Princess Haya of Jordan (no idea why she is a Princess not a Sheikha)and several other sons and other daughters by other women all recognised with Sheikh or Sheikha.
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