mufti
Americannoun
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civilian clothes, in contrast with military or other uniforms, or as worn by a person who usually wears a uniform.
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a Muslim jurist expert in the religious law.
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(in the Ottoman Empire) a deputy of the chief Muslim legal adviser to the Sultan.
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(initial capital letter) Grand Mufti.
noun
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a Muslim legal expert and adviser on the law of the Koran
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(in the former Ottoman empire) the leader of the religious community
noun
Etymology
Origin of mufti
First recorded in 1580–90, mufti is from the Arabic word muftī literally, “a person who delivers a judgment,” originally a Muslim legal adviser; sense of mufti def. 1 arises from the legal adviser being a civil official
Explanation
A mufti is an Islamic scholar who is legally able to rule on various religious and personal matters. In some places, people going through a divorce might need the help of a mufti. In Islamic countries, muftis are officials who are authorized to make legal decisions or help judges in deciding cases. Most often, they give advice about inheritance, marriage, divorce, and other civil issues. The word mufti means "judge" in Arabic. The secondary meaning of mufti is "ordinary clothes," when they're worn by people who usually wear a uniform. So a soldier wearing civilian clothes might be said to be in mufti.
Vocabulary lists containing mufti
Words Relating to Islam
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Wednesday he met with Tunisia's chief rabbi, chief Christian archbishop and Muslim mufti, saying that receiving clerics sent a "historical message" of coexistence and tolerance.
From Reuters • May 17, 2023
After Elizabeth’s death, a video clip from 2015 went viral showing Ali Gomaa, the former grand mufti of Egypt, describing the British queen as a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2022
Six years into the war, Mr. Putin turned the chief mufti of Chechnya to betray the rebel cause.
From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2022
When Italian bombers attacked Haifa and Tel Aviv, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem sent his congratulations to Mussolini.
From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2021
As my father debated with the mufti, one of the elders spoke up.
From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
