CHIEF QAZI

NEXT TO THE EMPEROR WAS THE CHIEF QAZI,CALLED QAZI-UL-QUZUT,WHO COMBINED THE OFFICE OF CHIEF SADR WAS THE HIGHEST JUDICIAL OFFICER OF THE COUNTRY. THOUGH PRIMARILY A JUDICIAL OFFICER,HE PERFORMED CIVIL RELIGIOUS AND CLERICAL DUTIES. AS A REVENUE OFFICER ,HE COLLECTED THE JIZYA:AS A REGISTRAR,HE REGISTERED THE SALE-DEEDS,MORTGAGE DEEDS,CONVEYANCES,GIFT DEEDS AND AS AMAGISTRATE HE ACCEPTED BAIL-BONDS,SURETY BONDS,ATTESTATION OF FARMANS AND DOCUMENTS.

HE WAS APPOINTED BY THE EMPEROR AND COULD BE DISMISSED BY HIM. AS LONG AS THEY DISCHARGED THEIR WOR HONESTLY AND SATISFACTORALLY ,NO ONE INTERFERED IN THE DISCHARGED OF HIS DUTIES. PRIOR TO THE RULE OF AKBAR,HE HELD HIS COURT IN A MOSQUE OR IN HIS HOUSE WHERE THE COMPLANANTS HAD FREE ACCESS AND THEREAFTER IN THE STATE BUILDINGS ONLY. THOUGH LEARNED IN THE ISLAMIC THEOLOGY ,THE QAZI WAS NEVER CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE ENOUGH TO LAY DOWN A LEGAL PRINCIPLE ,ELUCIDATE AN OBSCURITY IN THE QURAN OR SUPPLEMENT THE QURANIC LAW BY FOLLOWING THE LINE OF ITS OBVIOUS INTENTION IN RESPECT OF CASES NOT EXPLICITELY PROVIDED BY IT. THE QAZI HAD TO ACCEPT THE AUTHORITATIVE RULINGS PROVIDED BY THE MUFTI WHO EXPOUNDED THE LAW..

THE QAZI DECIDED RELIGIOUS CASES MOSTLY CONCERNING THE PERSONAL LAW OF THE MUSLIMS AND EXECUTED THE JUDGEMENTS. HE HAD TO VISIT THE JAILS AND REVIEW THE CONDITION OF THE PRISONERS. HE HAD THE POWER TO DISCHARGE THOSE WHO DESERVED FREEDOM.IT WAS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHIEF QAZI THE QAZIS OF THE PROVINCES ,DISTRICTS ,PARGANAS AND THE QASBAS WERE APPOINTED. THE JURISDICTION OF THE CHIEF QAZI EXTENDED TO THE WHOLE OF THE EMPIRE . EXCEPT FROM DISCHARGING JUSTICE,HE PERFORMED ENORMOUS MULTIPLICITY OF FUNCTIONS AND THIS MUST HAVE GROOSLY IMPAIRED HIS JUDICIAL WORK..

SOME OF THE QAZIS BECAME CORRUPT ALSO AND TOOK BRIBES IN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE PROVINCIAL QAZIS. SOME OF THEM DELIVERED JUDGEMENTSACCORDING TO THEIR WHIMS ,SHOWING SCANT RESPECT FOR THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW .SOME OF THEM EVEN DID NOT ATTEND THE COURT AND TRIED CASES IN THEIR HOUSES. IN VIEW OF THIS THEY DID NOT RANK HIGH IN THE PUBLIC VIEWS.POPULAR DISLIKE AND CONTEMPT OF THESE EXPONENTS OF CIVIL LAW ARE ENSHRINED IN THE ADAGE-----WHEN THE QAZI BITCH DIED THE WHOLE TOWN FOLLOWED FOLLOWED IN THE PROCESSION AND WHEN THE QAZI HIMSELF DIED,NOT A SINGLE SOUL SOUL WAS PRESENT AT THE COFFIN. BUT NOT THE WHOLE OF THEM WERE CORRUPT.ABDUL WAHAB BOHRA DID NOT EVEN TOUCH A SINGLE PEENY OF HIS FATHER’S RICHES ,BUT ALSO GAVE AWAY HIS SHARE OF THEM IN CHARITY. NOT ONLY DID HE DECIDE ALL CASES WITHOUT THE FAINTEST SUSPICISION OF CORRUPT INFLUENCE OR BRIBERY,BUT EVEN DECLINED THE CUSTOMERY PRESENTS AND GIFTS FROM HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.UNFORTUNATELY THESE EXAMPLES WERE RARE.