DOHA, Qatar: The government of Qatar took yet another historic step in the end of last month of January with the decision to set up a special court for the followers of Jafariya School of Thought, further liberalizing its judicial system.

Qatar is the second GCC country after Bahrain to have liberalized its Islamic personal law.

Both Qataris and expatriates will be eligible to approach the proposed court to seek resolution of marital, family and inheritance-related disputes in accordance with the (Shia) Jafria school of thought. Personal, marital and inheritance-related disputes of Shias were hitherto resolved as per the Sunni personal law.

The Supreme Judicial Council, responsible for overseeing Qatar’s judicial system and the various courts, met here on 30 January and issued several important decisions. One of them was to set up a special court that would hear and settle marital, family and inheritance-linked disputes of Shias according to the Jafria jurisprudence.

The Council, established last year, also decided to set up a special department that would examine and register official documents of personal and family affairs of Shias.

The Council named three judges who would head the special court for Shias. They are Mustafa Mohamed Ibrahim, Al Hadi Abbas Abdullah and Dr Nasser Kazim Zuair.

Dr Zuair has been additionally appointed head of the department that would examine and register official documents related to personal and family affairs of Shias.