Referring to a judge in court as my lord and bowing to him

Q: Can a Muslim lawyer refer to the judge as your worship, my lord etc.? Furthermore, before leaving the court one is required to do a slight bow before leaving, is this allowed?

A: This should be avoided. It is permissible for one to show some consideration to the position of the judge in terms of using words of respect. Hence, saying "your honour" is permissible. However, one should not say "My Lord" as this title is reserved for Allah Ta'ala. Similarly, one should not bow down in any way as bowing down before the creation is prohibited in Islam.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)