Malik

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Malik (ملك) is a word that means "king" in Arabic, also adopted in various other oriental languages, also in derived meanings. An alternative form is Malek.

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Political

Primarily a Malik is the ruling Monarch of a kingdom, called mamlaka; that term is however also used in a broader sense, like realm, for rulers with another, generally lower titles, as in Sahib al-Mamlaka.

Among the Arab kingdoms presently ruled by a Malik are:

  • Bahrain, formerly under a Hakim al-Bahrayn {"Ruler of Babrain"); from 16 August 1971 an Amirate; from 14 Februari 2002: Malik al-Bahrayn (King of Bahrain).
  • Jordan, formerly the emirate of Transjordan
  • Morocco, formerly a sultanate
  • Saudi Arabia, on 10 June 1916 the Grand Sharif of Mecca assumed title of king of the Hejaz; from 29 October 1916 "king of the Arabs and Commander of the Faithful; from 6 November 1916 recognized by the allied powers only as King of the Hejaz, Commander of the Faithful, Grand Sharif and Emir of Mecca; assumes title of Caliph 11 March 1924; from 3 October 1924: King of the Hejaz and Grand Sharif of Mecca; 22 Sep 1932 Hejaz and Nejd united as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, full style: Malik al-Mamlaka al-`Arabiyya as-Sa`udiyy ("King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia"); from 1986 prefixed to the name: Khadim al-Haramayn ash-Sharifayn ("Servant (i.e. Protector) of the Two Exalted Holy Places [Mecca and Medina]").

Other historic realms under a Malik include:

  • Egypt, former khediviate and sultanate, from 16 March 1922 Malik Misr ("King of Egypt"); from 19 October 1951 Malik Misr wa's Sudan {"King of Egypt and the [Anglo-Egyptian] Sudan"); till the republic 18 June 1953
  • Iraq since 23 August 1921 Malik al-`Iraq till 2 May 1953
  • Libya only Idris I (b. 1890 - d. 1983) (Sayyid Muhammad Idris as-Sanusi) 24 December 1951 - 25 April 1963: Malik al-Mamlaka al-Libiyya al-Muttahida ("King of the United Libyan Kingdom"); then till 1 September 1969: Malik al-Mamlaka al-Libiyya ("King of the Libyan Kingdom").
  • Maldives (after 1965): Jala'ala ul-Malik, i.e. King and the style of His Majesty; previous rulers were styled: Sultan of Land and Sea and Lord of the twelve-thousand islands, holding both the Arabic title of Sultan and the more ancient Divehi title of Maha Radun or Ras Kilege
  • the Nabhani dynasty since 1154 in Oman, later an imamate/ sultanate
  • Yemen, formerly imamate, about 2 until 27 September 1962, and in dissidence to March 1970: Imam al-Muslimin, Amir al-Mu'minin, Malik al-Mamlaka al-Mutawakkiliyya al-Yamaniyya ("Imam of the Muslimin, Amir of the Faithful, King of the Mutawakkili Yemeni Kingdom")..

In Mughal and colonial India, the princely state of Zainabad was ruled by a Malek Shri (Shri is a merely emphatical honorific, without intinsic meaning).

The title Malik has also been used, also in other languages that have adopted Arabic loanwords (mainly, not exclusively, in Muslim cultures), for various princely or lower ranks and functions.

  • In (orthodox) Georgia (country), among the numerous grandees:
    • in fourth class, (Sul-didibuli-tavadi) of the Kingdom of Kartli, commanders of banners (drosha), 6th and last in that class, the Malik of Somkheti (Somkheti-meliki).
    • in the sixth class, Grandees of the second class (mtavari) of the Kingdom of Kartli, first of the second subclass, Grandees under the Prince of Sabaratiano: the Malik of Lori, head of the house of Melikishvili.
  • In (orthodox) Armenia
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Military

Like many princely titles, it has also been used as a military rank, notably in certain decimally organized Muslim armies in India, a high rank under Khan (see that article for details and source) commanding 10.000 horseman

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Supernatural

  • It is also one of the "99 Names of Allah", and is then al-Malik (الملك) or The King in the absolute sense (denoted by the definite article), meaning the King of Kings, above all earthly rulers.
  • In Islamic belief, Malik denotes a terrible angel who guards the Hellfire, assisted by 19 sbires (zabaniya) or guardians. In the Qu'ran, sura 43, 77, Malik tells the wicked who appeal to him that they must remain in Hell forever because "they abhorred the truth when the truth was brought to them." The Hebrew sister-word melekh also denotes an angel-prince
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Compound and derived titles

  • Malika is the female derivation, a term of Arabic origin used in Persia as the title for a Queen consort (i.e. not ruling, as Islamic tradition forbids this to women). Frequently also used as part of a lady's name, e.g. Malika-i-Jahan 'Queen of the World'.

The following components are frequently part of titles, notably in Persian (also used elsewhere, e.g. in India's Moghol tradition):

  • - ul-Mulk (or ul-Molk): - of the kingdom.
  • - ul-Mamaluk (plural of ul-mulk): - of the kingdoms.

In the great Indian Muslim salute state of Hyderabad, a first rank- vassal of the Mughal padshah (emperor) imitating his lofty Persian court protocol, the word molk became on itself one of the titles used for ennobled Muslim retainers of the ruling Nizam's court, in fact the third in rank, only below Jah (the highest) and Umara, but above Daula, Jang, Nawab, Khan Bahadur and Khan; for the Nizam's Hindu retainers different titles were used, the equivalent of Molk being Vant.

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Other uses

By analogy, the word malik is also used in the weaker meaning of 'chief' in various modest titles, such as, in Persian:

  • Malik ul-Shu'ara: 'King of the Poets',, i.e. poet laureate.
  • Malik ul-Tujjar: 'King of the Merchants', an office held by the head of the merchant community in each town or city.

Like many prestigious titles, Malik or Malek is a common element is first and family names, usually without any aristocratic meaning. For example, Malik is a large community in Pakistan with Arab heritage. Malik is used both as title and surname in Pakistan.

In some modern Indian languages, malik means "owner."

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Modern cultural references

  • Malik is the name of a villain from the Japanese animated series Yu-Gi-Oh!. Malik is depicted as an Egyptian whose clan guards the tomb of the Pharaoh from grave robbers. He seeks to obtain the power of the Pharaoh.
  • Malik is also the name of one of the Prophets in the game Wild Arms 3. He is shown as youthful and agile, and, during the course of the game, is searching for a way to resurrect his mother.
  • House al-Malik is one of the five major houses in the Fading Suns Universe
  • In the "Legacy of Kain" video game series Malik is amember of "The Circle of Nine", a group of sorcerors directly linked to 9 aspects of existence. Malik is the guardian of the other sorcerors and represents the world's conflict. In "Blood Omen", the first in the series, we see him robbed of flesh and bound to his armour; though he can be seen in human form in later games.
  • In Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad, Malik is one of the main characters. He is cursed by Mystra, the god of magic, so that he cannot lie. He is also 'chosen' of his god Cyric who is 'The Prince of Lies'.
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Sources and references

  • Gustav Davidson, A Dictionary of Angels including the Fallen Ones
  • Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam
  • Jewish Encyclopedia, "Angelology"
  • James Hastings, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics IV, 618.]
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External links

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See also

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