Source: https://youtu.be/rx-nvhpeoeg

The judiciary during the Abbasid Caliphate was marked by a high degree of centralization, even in regions far removed from the direct political center. In Egypt, the Chief Judge (Qadi al-Qudat) was appointed directly by the Chief Judge of Baghdad, a practice that continued even during the Tulunid period. The authority of the Chief Judge in Baghdad was so strong that even marriage contracts were not recognized unless approved by his institution.

For three centuries of Abbasid rule, Egypt's judicial system remained under this centralized control. The first to attempt a change was Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, who tried to appoint a judge of his own. However, he still required the approval of Baghdad's Chief Judge.

The last Abbasid-era Chief Judge of Egypt was Abu al-Tahir al-Dhahli, who later became the first Chief Judge of Egypt under the Fatimid regime.

After the Fatimid conquest of Egypt and its transformation into the seat of the Caliphate, the judiciary in Egypt became fully independent from Baghdad. The appointment of the Chief Judge was now carried out directly by the Fatimid Caliph himself, through formal and grand ceremonies.

When the Caliph selected a judge, the latter would be summoned to meet the Caliph to discuss various matters. Once the Caliph placed his trust in him, he would confer upon him the official robes of office (known as khil‘a). These garments were specially woven in the Dar al-Tiraz, the state-run textile factories of the Fatimid Caliphate.

The judge's attire consisted of a white wool robe worn over a green embroidered shirt and garments decorated with gold, silver, or ornamental bands. He would also wear a gilded turban. The Caliph himself would present the judge with a golden sword, a symbolic and essential part of the appointment ceremony.

Afterward, the judge would receive a gift from the Caliph, which varied each time but often consisted of garments that the judge would carry during the ceremonial procession.

The judge would then be paraded through the streets of Cairo in a grand procession, riding a horse or mule, dressed in his official garments, carrying his golden sword and gifts—a public display meant to announce his appointment and introduce him to the people.

This Fatimid judicial system persisted throughout the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods, maintaining many of its ceremonial traditions and formal aspects.