Qadi

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑːdi/

Definitions

1. An appointed individual in Islamic culture responsible for delivering justice through adjudication based on Sharia law
2. A judicial figure within a Muslim society entrusted with resolving disputes according to religious principles
3. A person designated in Islamic tradition to make legal decisions and resolve conflicts in accordance with religious law

Etymology: The Arabic root behind "qadi" is q-ḍ-y, which carries the sense of deciding, judging, and completing a matter. The active participle qāḍin, "judge," is what English took over, and the word has stayed close to that original meaning ever since: a figure who settles disputes under religious law rather than issuing decrees of his own. The word is a doublet, meaning it shares a common origin with other words that reached other languages by separate routes. In Spanish, the same Arabic source produced "alcalde," the title of a town magistrate or mayor, so a Spanish alcalde and an English qadi are cousins from one Arabic word. Other doublets from the same root include "cadi" and "kadhi," which are alternate spellings used in English and in African and Indian contexts respectively.