Al-Maẓālim (Arabic: المظالم, romanized: al-maẓālim, lit. 'injustices, grievances') were an ancient pre-Islamic institution that was adopted by the Abbasid Caliphate in the eighth century CE. The main purpose of the maẓālim courts was to give ordinary people redress.[1] Al-Maẓālim, or the sultan's court, was distinguished from the shurṭa or police courts.[2]
Abbasid Government Institution overview | |
---|---|
Formed | Late eighth century |
Dissolved | Thirteenth century |
Jurisdiction | Caliphate |
Headquarters | |
Abbasid Government Institution executive |
the mazalim tribunals were an ancient institution that was adopted by the ʿabbasids in the eighth century. Its main purpose was to enable ordinary subjects to complain about the administrative elite of the empire.
group them into two main types recognized by the adab literature: mazalim, or the sultan's court, and shurta, police courts.