In Islamic tradition, people of noble or distinguished descent, particularly descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
From Arabic ashrāf, plural of sharīf, meaning 'noble' or 'honorable,' derived from the root sharafa meaning 'to be noble.' The term has been used for centuries in Islamic genealogy and social structure.
The ashraf held special social status in many Muslim societies, and genealogies proving ashraf descent were carefully preserved as precious documents—essentially ancient DNA records for families!
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