Muslim judge who renders decisions according to the Shar 012B; ah , the canon law of Islam .
The q 0101; 1E0D; 012B; hears only religious cases, such as those involving inheritance, pious bequests, marriage, and divorce, though theoretically his jurisdiction extends to civil and criminal matters. The second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khatt 0101; b , was the first to appoint a q 0101; 1E0D; 012B; to eliminate the necessity of his personally judging every dispute that arose in the community.