What is the ruling on qiyafah (tracking) and seeking assistance from a qa'if (tracker) who describes the owner of a trace, determining their gender, appearance, and tribe merely by looking at their trace?

The 'Qa'if' is one who tracks footprints and discerns resemblances between people. This is a known matter that some tribes, like Banu Mudlij and Aal Murrah, relied upon. The accuracy of a 'Qa'if' depends on instinct, sagacity, and practice, and can sometimes be very precise. 'Qiyafa' (the science of tracking and discerning resemblances) is not exclusive to a specific tribe; some urban dwellers and Bedouins may also be knowledgeable in it. 'Qiyafa' includes knowing footprints and can be used to determine lineages and identify perpetrators in cases of theft and murder. A 'Qa'if' must be just and experienced. Jurists rely on the 'Qa'if' to establish unknown lineage, such as for a foundling, but they differ on relying on him to identify a perpetrator. Some scholars permit relying on the 'Qa'if's statement in matters of property and crimes, if his accuracy is known through experience. Reliance on the 'Qa'if' is ultimately at the discretion of the judge, contingent upon the presence of the stipulated conditions in the 'Qa'if' and the absence of contradictory evidence.