Arabic titles
Ḥakīm andḤākim are twoArabic titles derived from the sametriliteral root Ḥ-K-M "appoint, choose, judge".
This title is one of the99 Names of God in Islam.
Hakīm (alternative transcription Hakeem) indicates a "wise man" or "physician", or in general, a practitioner ofherbal medicine, especially ofUnani andIslamic medicine, likeHakim Ajmal Khan,Hakim Said,Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, etc.
Hakīm or Hakeem (Urdu:حکیم,Hindi:हकीम) is also used for practitioner ofEastern medicine,[1] those versed in indigenous system of medicines.[2]
Hakīm was also used more generally during theIslamic Golden Age to refer topolymath scholars who were knowledgeable in religion, medicine,the sciences, andIslamic philosophy.
Some examples of hakīm are:
- In oldAbyssinia orEthiopia,Hakim usually meant a learned person, usually aphysician. Hence aHakim-Bejt was a doctor's house or hospital.
- InBangladesh,India and Pakistan,Hakim orHakeem denotes a herbal medicine practitioner, specially ofUnani medicine.
- InTurkey,hekim denotes a physician, whilehakim can be used for a very wise person or philosopher. (See also the use of thehomonymous wordhakim for a judge, mentioned below.)
Hākim (alternative transcription Hakem) means a ruler,governor orjudge. As with many titles, it also occurs as a part of the names of many individuals.
- InLebanon, the full title of theEmirs under Ottoman (and a while Egyptian) sovereignty wasal-Amir al-Hakim (الأمير الحكيم), 1516–1842
- In three futurePersian Gulf emirates, the first monarchic style washakim:
- Since 1783 when the conquering al-Khalifah lineage settles on Bahrain to 16 August 1971, its style wasHakim al-Bahrayn (حكيم البحرين, 'Ruler ofBahrain'), thenAmir Dawlat al-Bahrayn (أمير دولة البحرين, 'Emir of the State of Bahrain'); since 14 February 2002, they have been styledMalik al-Bahrayn (ملك البحرين, 'King of Bahrain').
- InKuwait, since its 1752 founding, the ruling Al Sabah dynasty's style wasHakim al-Kuwayt (حكيم الكويت, 'Ruler of Kuwait'), from 1871 alsoKaymakam (قایمقام): district administrator, while recognizing the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire (askazan [district] of Baghdad and from 1875BasraVilayet (ولایت, seats of the governors, styledWali, in Iraq) until 3 November 1914, then under Britishprotectorate) until independence on 19 June 1961. Since then the style has officially beenAmir ad-Dawlat al-Kuwayt (أمير الدولة الكويت, 'Emir of the State of Kuwait');
- Since on Muhammad ibn Thani's 12 September 1868 treaty with the British, effectively establishingQatar (previously considered to be a dependency of Bahrain) as an independent State (limited to Doha and Wakrah, only later expanded to the entire peninsula), his al-Thani dynasty's style wasHakim Qatar (حكيم قطر, 'Ruler of Qatar'). From 1871, they were also stykedKaymakam, Ottoman district administrator, as with Kuwait above, until 3 November 1916, thereafter under British protectorate. Since independence from Britain on 3 September 1971, the style has beenAmir Dawlat Qatar (أمير دولة قطر, 'Emir of the State of Qatar').
- InLibya, Hakim was the 1946 – 12 February 1950 style of the "ruler" of the former sultanate ofFezzan (فزان) during the UN administration (in practice by France, with its own concurrent military governor); the only incumbent, Ahmad Sayf an-Nasr (bornc. 1876, died 1954), stayed on as regionalwali (governor; in FrenchChef du territoire 'head of the territory') in the unitedLibyan kingdom until 24 December 1951, with a FrenchResident at his side, and then, without such French shadow, as first royal governor (until 1954).
- InYemen until 1902 (changed to Sultan) the rulers of the Quaiti State of Shir and Mukalla, ash-Shihr Wa´l Mukalla, as before the 10 November 1881 merger with the Naqib of Mukalla's state it has been the princely style of ash-Shihr since independence from the Ottomans in 1866.
As with many titles, the word also occurs in many personal names, without any noble or political significance.
