Unlike Western judges, qadis do not look to precedent when deciding the outcome of a dispute. While it is entirely possible that a qadi could arrive at the same decision as in a similar previous case, this depends heavily on the character and background of the individuals involved in the case. The same set of facts, when applied to different people, can lead a qadi to make different decisions. What the qadis do not take into consideration in formulating the verdict is the intent of the accused's actions. Whether or not the accused intended to commit the act or its consequences is not important in the eyes of the qadi. Rather, only the effects of a person's actions actually matter and are taken into account by the