Page 310 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

630 Records of Bahrain

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3, Regarding the Shia Share’ Court, for
thirteen years, from my personal experience, there
have been complaints among the Shia Bahama about
their Qadis and I am sure that as long as there
are Shia Shar'a Courts there will be factions and
^disputes and complaints. The record of the Shia

Qadis in Bahrain for the last fifty years is notorious.
The only Q,adi who was not aocused of corruption died
just before a scandal oourred. The reason for this
state of things is luck of religious and legal edu­
cation among the local Shia Ulema from whom the (^adis

are chosen. The recent re-organisation of the Shia
Share’ Court is at present causing se.tisfactipn, the
three local Q,adis are working under the supervision
of an experienced Qadi from ’Iraq, but it is more
than probable that after some time the various Shia
factions will become disoontenfled. To remedy this
state of things the Government has started a school

where Islamic law is being taught to half a dozen
selooted students all of them from the families who
in the past have provided the Ulema of Bahrain and one
young Shia is being eduoated at the religious sohool
in Luoknow. No results however can be expeoted from

this education until after a number of years.
4. The Majlis Tijara is a body of twenty merchants
divided into two committees, one of whioh sits once a
week under the presidency of a Shaikh of the Ruling
Family. They deal with commercial and diving oases
and act in an advisory capacity to all the courts.
The members are appointed by the Government, Certain
members who ore acquainted with diving customs deal

with diving cases. Both now and in the past very
great difficulty has been experienced in persuading