Arif ( also spelled Aref in Pashto, Persian & Urdu, or Arief in Indonesian and Malay) is an Arabic male given name that is common in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It later spread to other Muslim countries, such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey as well as among Muslims in India. In early Islam it can also refer to a man who has been taught customary law and entrusted with certain duties: distributing stipends to the warriors, collecting blood money, guarding the interest of orphans, and assisting in controlling of the markets. Given name Aarif Aarif Barma (born 1959), Hong Kong judge Aarif Rahman, Hong Kong actor Aarif Sheikh (born 1997), Nepalese cricketer Aref Aref al-Aref, Palestinian journalist and politician Aref Arefkia, Iranian pop singer Aref al-Dajani, Palestinian politician Aref Durvesh, Indian musician Aref Qazvini, Iranian poet Arief Arief Budiman, Indonesian political activist Arief Hidayat (born 1956), Indonesian judge Arief Rachadiono Wismansyah (born 1977), Indonesian businessman, politician and mayor of Tangerang Arief Yahya (born 1961), Indonesian businessman, politician and government minister Arif Arif Alaftargil (born 1973), Turkish alpine skier Arif Aziz, Azerbaijan artist and educator Arif Defri Arianto, Indonesian singer Arif Dirlik, Turkish historian Arif Erdem, Turkish footballer Arif Heralić, Bosnian metal worker Arif Karaoğlan, Turkish-German footballer Arif Mardin, Turkish-American music producer Arif Mohammad Khan, Indian politician and current governor of Kerala Arif Pašalić, Bosnian military officer Arif Sağ, Turkish singer Arif Şentürk, Turkish singer Arif Bilal Shahid, Ethiopian-American Actor/Comedian Arif Susam, Turkish singer Benjamin Arif Dousa, president of Sweden's Moderata ungdomsförbundet Arif Wazir, Pakistani politician and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz movement Muhammad Arif Sufi, Muslim alias of Malaysian convicted murderer Micheal Anak Garing Arif Zahir, American actor, rapper, singer, songwriter, and voice impressionist References Arabic masculine given names Bosniak masculine given names Bosnian masculine given names Turkish masculine given names Pakistani masculine given names