Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Encyclopedia
Ebrahim Desai is a Muslim Deobandi
mufti and teacher of Islamic law based in Durban,Sherwood, South Africa
. He runs the fatwa website Ask Imam, an online Islamic questions and answers (Q&A) database and used to head the Dar al-Ifta
of Madrasah In'aamiyyah
, Camperdown as the Principal Mufti
as well as used to be the Senior Lecturer of Hadith
(Shaykh al-Hadith) there He currently heads the Darul iftaa in Sherwood, Durban South Africa and is the oversight for the Fatwa Department of Jamiatul Ulama KZN.
, Desai engaged in study of the Islamic sciences at the hundred year old seminary of Deobandi
persuasion, in Dabhel
, India. Here, he studied the Darse Nizami curriculum for nine years, which included the study of Qur'anic Tafsir
, Usul al-Tafsir, Hadith
, Usul al-Hadith, Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Islamic jurisprudence)according to the Hanafi
school of Islamic law and Arabic language.
After completing his study in Darse Nizami, Mufti Desai Sahab, pursued a takhassus (specialization) course in Ifta
under Ahmad Khanpuri of Dabhel for two years. This is where he learned the principles of issuing fatwa
. After the completing of this course, he completed another year of studies in Ifta
under the late Mufti
of India, Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, the author of the multivolume Fatawa Mahmudiyya.
. He travels to various countries on a regular basis. In the past he has held workshops on matters related to Islamic Finance and Shari'ah-Compliance in business and trade in the United States. In March 2008 he traveled to Hong Kong
, China
to deliver a lecture as a guest speaker to students at the Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (IKTMC).
He also serves as a religious advisor to the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).
In his role as an authority in Islamic finance, Desai has taken a strict stance on "Shar'iah Compliance" of certain banks and institutions. His opinion shunning the transparency of Al Baraka Bank (South Africa) in Islamic finance activities has generated much discussion among the Muslim community in South Africa.
In 2005, Desai was elected to the working committee of the South African Islamic Financial Services Authority (SAIFSA).
He has said that jihad
is acceptable against a country that doesn't allow the propagation of Islam to its inhabitants.
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
mufti and teacher of Islamic law based in Durban,Sherwood, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He runs the fatwa website Ask Imam, an online Islamic questions and answers (Q&A) database and used to head the Dar al-Ifta
Ifta
Ifta is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany....
of Madrasah In'aamiyyah
Madrasah In'aamiyyah
The Madrasah In’aamiyyah Camperdown, is an institute of higher Islamic learning and teaching based in Durban, South Africa. A number of students from United States, Canada, Belgium, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia are receiving education at the...
, Camperdown as the Principal Mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
as well as used to be the Senior Lecturer of Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
(Shaykh al-Hadith) there He currently heads the Darul iftaa in Sherwood, Durban South Africa and is the oversight for the Fatwa Department of Jamiatul Ulama KZN.
Biography
After completing the memorization (hifz) of the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, Desai engaged in study of the Islamic sciences at the hundred year old seminary of Deobandi
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
persuasion, in Dabhel
Dabhel
Dabhel is a town in Gujarat state of India. It is famous for its Arabic education, most notably given in Jamiah Islamiah Talimud-din.Dabhel lies some 25-30km south of Surat and 10-15km north of Navsari, to the east is Vesma crossroad on NH 8 and to the west is Maroli...
, India. Here, he studied the Darse Nizami curriculum for nine years, which included the study of Qur'anic Tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
, Usul al-Tafsir, Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, Usul al-Hadith, Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Islamic jurisprudence)according to the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
school of Islamic law and Arabic language.
After completing his study in Darse Nizami, Mufti Desai Sahab, pursued a takhassus (specialization) course in Ifta
Ifta
Ifta is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany....
under Ahmad Khanpuri of Dabhel for two years. This is where he learned the principles of issuing fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
. After the completing of this course, he completed another year of studies in Ifta
Ifta
Ifta is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany....
under the late Mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
of India, Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, the author of the multivolume Fatawa Mahmudiyya.
Activities
Desai is also actively involved in DawahDawah
Da‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
. He travels to various countries on a regular basis. In the past he has held workshops on matters related to Islamic Finance and Shari'ah-Compliance in business and trade in the United States. In March 2008 he traveled to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to deliver a lecture as a guest speaker to students at the Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (IKTMC).
He also serves as a religious advisor to the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).
In his role as an authority in Islamic finance, Desai has taken a strict stance on "Shar'iah Compliance" of certain banks and institutions. His opinion shunning the transparency of Al Baraka Bank (South Africa) in Islamic finance activities has generated much discussion among the Muslim community in South Africa.
In 2005, Desai was elected to the working committee of the South African Islamic Financial Services Authority (SAIFSA).
He has said that jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
is acceptable against a country that doesn't allow the propagation of Islam to its inhabitants.