Vekil

"Vakil" redirects here. For other uses, see Vakil (disambiguation).

Vekil or Vakil was the term used for the deputies and de facto prime ministers of the Mughal Emperor in Mughal administration. He was considered the most powerful person after Emperor in the Mughal Empire.^[1] Vakil was one of the highest positions in the hierarchy of Safavid Iran, denoting the viceroy in the administrative and some religious affairs of the realm.^[2]: 17

While in the Ottoman Empire, the viziers were considered "absolute delegates" (vekil-i mutlak) of the Ottoman Sultan.

Etymology

Vakel or Vakil was the Arabic term used in the meaning of "representative" or "proxy".^{[citation needed]}

Wakil

For the president of Zanzibar, see Idris Abdul Wakil.

In Islamic law, a wakīl (وكيل), in older literature vakeel, is a deputy, delegate or agent who acts on behalf of a Muslim ruler, receives Bay'ah, and officiates Islamic law.^[3][4] Some literalist schools like those of Ibn Hazm and Ahmad ibn Hanbal consider those who die without pledging allegiance to a Muslim ruler to be Kuffar.^[5][6][7] Likewise, Friday prayer officiated by an Imam not representative of the government of a Muslim ruler is considered invalid by the Four Schools of Madhhab, since the title Imam itself is ceremonial in prayer, and actually referring to the Muslim ruler in islamic law.

Whoever dies without having given Bay'ah, has died the death of Jahiliyyah.

— Sahih Muslim, 1851

It can refer to an attorney as well, and a diplomat or the custodian of a mosque or religious order.^[8] Wakīl is also one of the names of God in Islam, meaning "dependable", and is used as a personal name, a short form of Abdul Wakil, meaning "servant of the dependable".