The

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...

noun ''qada'' (قَضَى) means "a decree" and verb ''qudiya'' (قُضِيَ) means literally "carrying out or fulfilling". In

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main ...

jurisprudence Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning ...

it refers to fulfilling or completing those duties that one may have missed due to some reason or other. It can also mean ''qadee'', a

court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to Adjudication, adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and carry out the administration of justice in Civil law (common law), civil, C ...

judgement or the art of adjudication. A ''qadee'' is binding and enforceable, unlike a

fatwa A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist ...

, which is merely a legal opinion. Issued by a Qaadee ( judge) in response to a specific case and circumstances. The ''qaadee'' may request a ''fatwa'' to help determine the legal outcome of a specific case but is not bound to follow it. The decision is based on recognized legal precedent.

References

Islamic terminology Arabic words and phrases in Sharia Sharia legal terminology Islamic jurisprudence {{islam-stub