Ebrahim Desai

Mufti Ebrahim Desai is a South African, Deobandi Muslim Grand Mufti of Indian origin and a teacher of Islamic law. He is 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, He was the principal mufti and once the senior lecturer of Hadith (Shaykh al-Hadith) there He currently heads the Darul iftaa and provides oversight for the Fatwa Department of Jamiatul Ulama KZN and the Sheikul Hadith of Darul Uluum Numaniyyah.

After completing the memorization (hifz) of the Qur'an at the Watervaal Islamic Institute (Mia's Farm), Desai studied Islamic sciences at the Deobandi seminary, in Dabhel, India at Jamia Islamia. 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, Desai pursued a takhassus (specialization) course in Ifta under Shaykh Ahmad Khanpuri of Dabhel for two years. There he learned the principles of issuing fatwa. After completing 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 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 lecture students at the Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (IKTMC).

He 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 took 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 generated 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).

Desai authored two books, “Introduction to Hadīth: A general introduction to Hadīth and its sciences” and “Introductions to Islamic Commerce”. His fatawa have been compiled in a book titled Al-Mahmood. Another compilation of his talks at the Shariah Compliant Business Campaign is Shariah Compliant Business Campaign. The latest compilation of contemporary verdicts is Contemporary Fatawa.