Great Qadi (Qadi al-Qudat) is a religious and secular position established during Abbasid Caliphate, specifically under the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid. The position emerged from the necessity to establish a clear separation between the Judiciary and executive authorities, particularly following the flourishing of the Islamic state, the diversification of its institutions, and the expansion of its territories. This expansion rendered it imperative that each individual in the state have an administrative position that was distinct from those held by others, to ensure the effective fulfillment of their duties.[1]
Great Qadi in Islamic history was appointed by the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid, who bestowed the position upon Imam Abu Yusuf. Abu Yusuf is regarded as the inaugural figure to establish the judiciary with a degree of autonomy from the executive authority. He established the distinctive attire for judges, delineated the responsibilities of great qadi in Baghdad, and reinforced the judicial principles espoused by his mentor, Imam Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man.[2]
At the outset, the position of great qadi was held by a single individual in Baghdad. However, with the ascendance of the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt, a second great qadi was appointed in Cairo, adhering to the Ismaili Shia doctrine. During Mamluk Sultanate, a great qadi was designated for each of the four schools of madhhab.
The appointment of a great qadi was marked by a formal ceremony where the caliph's decree was read aloud, after which the Great Qadi would exercise their judicial authority. The authority of the Great Qadi was frequently extended to encompass a range of non-judicial responsibilities, including the leadership of the Hajj, the delivery of sermons, the supervision of mosques, the provision of religious instruction, the management of the treasury (Bayt al-Mal), the guidance of religious scholars, and the oversight of city walls, among numerous other duties. This illustrates the considerable status of the Great Qadi in cities such as Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, and Córdoba (where the position was designated as Qadi al-Jama'ah).[3]