The Mufti, Supreme Religious Leader

A mufti is an Islamic ecclesiastical legal authority. The mufti of Istanbul, called the şeyhülislam, was the highest-ranking religious functionary in the Ottoman Empire. He, the grand vizier and the sultan were the three most important rulers. The şeyhülislam had to ensure that the policy of the sultan and his grand vizier did not violate the sharia or holy law of Islam.