The title of Grand Mufti (Arabic: مفتي عام) refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases. The collected opinions of the Grand Mufti serve as a valuable source of information on the practical application of Islamic law as opposed to its abstract formulation. The Grand Mufti's fataawa (plural of "fatwā") are not binding precedents in areas of civil laws regulating marriage, divorce, and inheritance. In criminal courts, the Grand Mufti's recommendations are generally not binding either. In the Ottoman Caliphate the Grand Mufti was a state official, and the Grand Mufti of Constantinople was the highest of these. The British retained the institution in some Muslim areas under their control and accorded the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem the highest political stature. In countries such as Australia where the office of Grand Mufti receives no official seal of government imprimatur, clerics can be elected to the position by one segment of the Islamic community in that country and yet not be recognised by other Muslim communities in that country.[1]
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The following clerics, among others, carry the title of Grand Mufti:
Indonesia has a unique system of mufti, in which the position of Grand Mufti is held by Indonesian Ulama Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia). This assembly can make fataawa (plural of fatwā), such as the fatwā about Mirzai/Qadiyani and how the Mirzai/Qadiyaniyah are kafir
Malaysia also has unique system of Mufti. Nine of Malaysian state have their own constitutional Monarchy; the Sultan (title for rulers of Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor, Perak and Johore) and Raja (title for ruler of Perlis). These monarch has authority over religious matter of their own states, therefore, each of these nine states have their own Mufti and usually control the Islamic Council or Islamic Department of the states. At national level, National Council of Fatwa (Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan) has been formed under Department of Islamic Advancement of Malaysia (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, JAKIM). The nine Muftis of each states together with some officials appointed by JAKIM in National Council of Fatwa, collectively issue fataawa at national level. JAKIM also appoint five Muftis for the five states which doesn't have Sultans.
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