A mufti is a person who presents the laws and fiqh of the scholars to people who ask for them. They should not give their own opinion but they should present the arguments and laws of the maraje' (grand Muftis or Ayatollahs). Most muftis are found in Saudi Arabia and Iran. The word mufti is derived from the word fatwa and it means 'one who gives fatwas'.

A mufti cannot allow people to follow his own opinions, but the mufti can follow his own opinions. A grand Mufti is a higher ranking Mufti that is followed by a large group of people. This is a lot like an Ayatollah found in Shia Islam. Some countries have their own Mufti to decree the opinion of the state.