Emir

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Image:Bokhara1909.jpg Emir (also sometimes rendered as Amir or Ameer, Arabic: أمير commander) is a high title of nobility or office, historically used in Islamic nations of the Middle East, North Africa, the Turkic world etc.

1 Middle eastern origins
2 In other muslim cultures
3 Derived titles
4 Other uses
5 See also
6 Sources and References

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Middle eastern origins

Originally it was a title of honor given to descendants of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima Zahra. Centuries after the time of Muhammad it became used in a wider range of contexts, such as the title used by chieftains of Bedouins of Arabia and by nobles and officials of the Ottoman Empire.

Emir is also the term used by the Kuwaiti al-Sabah dynasty to refer to their ruling monarch since their independence on June 19, 1961. Qatar likewise uses this title since 1971, and Bahrain did so from 1971 to 2002.

In Arabic and Persian :

a country ruled by an independent emir is an emirate, as in the United Arab Emirates (but they're part of an elective, federal monarchy).
Another meaning of the word "emir" is prince, specifically, the male descendant of a sovereign, as in the sultanate of the Maldives (besides the native title Manippulu). In some states it could mean "crown prince" (more typically Wali al-Ahd). For example, before the crowning as King Abdullah of Jordan, the son of King Hussein was still referred to as "Emir Abdullah" (in this case a obsolete title of the dynasty, which adopted the higher title of Malik = king).

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In other muslim cultures

In various muslim states, Amir was also a nobiliary title, as under the (Turkic?) form ämir in the Tartar Khanate of Kazan

In India it is also means rich.

In certain decimally organised Muslim armies, e.g. in Mughal India, Amir was an officer rank, commanding 1000 horsemen (divided in ten units, each under a Sipah salar), ten of them under each Malik.

Emir is also the title of the religious leader (without political power) of the Ahmadiyya anjuman ishaat-i Islam, a minor Muslim sect, established in Lahore since April 1914, with five incumbents to date

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Derived titles

The word emir is also used less formally for leaders in certain contexts, for example the leader of a group of pilgrims to Mecca is called an emir hadji. Where an adjectival form is necessary, "emiral" suffices.

The Caliphs first used the title emir ul-mu'mineen, "Commander of the Faithful", stressing their leadership in the military formof Jihad (Holy War); both this command and the title have been assumed by various other Muslim Princes, including Sultans and Emirs.

The Western naval rank admiral comes from the Arabic title amir al-bahr, "general at sea", which has ben used for naval commanders and occasionally the Minister of Marine

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