Mufti Waseem Khan (Hafizahullah)

Mufti Waseem Khan is presently the Chairman and Principal of a prestige Islamic Institute in Trinidad known as ‘Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago’. He is also a teacher at the Institute where he teaches Hadith (Sahih Al Bukhari), Aqaa’id, Tafseer of the Quran and Fiqh. He is the head Mufti of the Department of Ifta at the Institute and the Chairman of both the Darul Uloom Halal and Hilal Committees. He is a renowned Islamic scholar who is well known and highly respected through the length and breadth of Trinidad and the West Indies. Mufti has also traveled to the UK and USA, delivering lectures and discourses to the Muslims and has also lectured at different Universities in the UK. With respect to his studies, he (first of all) started his basic Islamic studies in Quranic recitation, tajweed and fiqh in Trinidad, under the tutorship of the leading scholars of Trinidad. He then left for India in 1983 and took enrollment in the Aalim course in one of the most famous and renowned Islamic Institutes of India known as ‘Jamia Islamia’ situated in Dabhel, Gujarat. There, he studied for a period of three years.After this, Mufti Waseem traveled to Karachi, Pakistan to continue his studies. In Karachi, he was admitted in the world’s famous and renowned Institute of Pakistan known as Jamiatul Uloom Al Islamia, Newtown, Karachi, which was founded by the great Muhaddith, Allama Yusuf Al Binnori (A.R). At the Jamia, Mufti Waseem continued his studies in advanced and higher Arabic and Islamic Studies, until he successfully completed the eight year Aalim course at the Jamia in 1991. During this time, he obtained the following Certificates and Degrees from Wifaqul Madaris Al Arabiyah, Pakistan:

  1. Shahadah Al Thaanawiyyah Al Aammah (Certificate – Secondary level of Islamic Studies)
  2. Shahadah Al Thaanawiyyah Al Khaasah (Certificate – Advanced level Islamic Studies)
  3. Shahadah Al Aaliyah (Bachelor’s level in Islamic Studies/Equivalent to BA)
  4. Shahadah Al Aalimiyyah (Master’s level in Islamic Studies/Equivalent to MA)

These were achieved after successful completion of the examinations (over a period of eight years), conducted by Wifaqul Madaris Al Arabiyah (Board of Religious Educational Institutes of Pakistan, recognized by the Government of Pakistan through University Grants Commission, Ministry Of Education). The Certificates and Degrees were all given and endorsed by Wifaqul Madaris, Pakistan, and accepted as being equivalent to the levels stated by all Islamic Universities in Pakistan and outside of Pakistan. During this period, Mufti Waseem had the opportunity of studying Uloomul Hadith, Uloom At Tafseer and Uloomul Fiqh under some of the greatest scholars of Pakistan. He studied the entire Sahih Al Bukhari from the three great Shaikhs of Hadith, namely:

  • Shaikhul Hadith Mufti Wali Hasan Tongi (a.r), (the late grand Mufti of Pakistan),
  • Shaikhul Hadith Mufti Ahmadur Rahman (a.r) (the then Principal of the Jamia)
  • Shaikhul Hadith Shah Misbahullah Sahab (D.B).

He studied the entire Sahih Al Muslim from the great scholars of Hadith, Shaikhul Hadith Dr. Mufti Nizamuddeen Shamzi (a.r), (the then head Mufti of the Jamia), and also Shaikh Dr. Abdur Razzaq (presently the Principal of the Jamia in Newtown). He studied the entire Jami’ of Tirmizi from the great scholar Shaikh Dr. Habibullah Mukhtar (a.r) (the former Principal of the Jamia). He studied the Sunan of Abu Dawood from the great scholar Shaikh Maulana Yusuf Ludhiyanwi (a.r), and completed the other books of Ahadith from the leading scholars of the Jamia.

These books included:

  1. The Mu’atta of Imam Malik,
  2. Sunan of Imam Nasai,
  3. Sunan of Ibn Majah,
  4. Sharhul Ma’ani Al Athaar of Imam Tahawi,
  5. Mua’tta of Imam Muhammad,
  6. Kitabul Athaar,
  7. Mishkatul Masabih.

Mufti was also fortunate to obtain Ijazah in the six authentic books of Ahadith from his teachers (of Ahadith). He also obtained Ijazah from the great Shaikh and Jurists Hazrat Mufti Ahmad Khanpuri (D.B) and Hazrat Mufti Rafi Usmani (D.B)

Mufti Waseem also completed studies in the field of Tafseer by completing the following books of tafseer under such scholars who gained their doctorate in tafseer from Ummul Qurra University in Makka, and also from the Jamia in Madina. The books included Tafseer al Jalalain, Tafseer Al Baidhawi, Tafseer Ibn Katheer.

Mufti Waseem also did extensive and advanced studies in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence and law, dealing with the Mazahib of the four Imams of Fiqh. The books which he studied in this field were, Nurul Idhaah, Muktasar Al Qudoori, Kanz Ad Daqaa’iq, Sharhul Wiqaya and the complete text of Al Hidaya.

Besides the above, Mufti Waseem studied the science of Usoolul Hadith and completed the famous books in this field by studying the Muqadammah of Ibn Salah, Nukhbatul Fikr, Al Muqadamah in Usoolul Hadith by the Muhaddith Shaikh Abdul Haqq Ad Dahlwi, Al Madkhal fi Usoolil Hadith, Tadreebur Raawi fi Sharh Taqreeb an Nawawi by Hafiz Jalaluddeen As Suyootee.

He also studied the science of Usool At Tafseer by studying the books, Al Fawzul Kabeer, Muqaddamah of Tafseer by Imam Raghib Al Isfahani, Al Itqaan fi Uloomil Quran by Suyootee. Usoolul Fiqh was also studied by the Mufti, and in this field, he studied the following great books on the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence: Usool Ash Shashi, Nurul Anwaar, Al Husaami, At Tawdheeh.

Along with these, Mufti Waseem completed studies in the fields of Uloomul Aqaa’id (Islamic beliefs), Uloom Seeratun Nabawiyyah (the life and character of the Prophet (s.a.s), Uloom At Tareekh (Islamic History), Uloomul Ma’ani Wal Balaghah (Study of meaning and rhetoric), Al Fasahah (Classical Arabic), Uloom An Nahw Was Sarf (Study of Etymology and Syntax), Uloomul Maqarinatul Adiyaan Wal Firaq (Comparative study of religion and sects), Mirath (Laws of Inheritance).

In this way, Mufti Waseem successfully completed his studies at the Jamia Islamia in Karachi, where a number of other subjects were also studied. Having concluded his studies in Pakistan, Mufti Waseem went on to further his studies in the field of Takhassus fil Fiqh Wal Ifta (Specialization in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence) where he did the Mufti course. This, he did under the tutoring and supervision of Mufti Shabil Ali (A.R) (the founder, former Principal and head Mufti of the Darul Uloom), and Mufti Ismail Bhikha (the former head Mufti of Jamia Islamia in Dabhel, Gujarat, India). He successfully completed this course in 1992 after having done extensive research, and completed the books for this course, namely, Muqaddamah of Raddul Muhtar, Al Ashba Wan Nadha’ir, Rasmul Mufti, Adabul Mufti Wal Mustafti.

Besides the above, Mufti Waseem has done extensive studies in the field of Islamic Banking and Finance and has achieved the following:-

Post Graduate Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance – Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance [IIBI] )(UK).

Master Diploma in Islamic Finance – Academy for International Modern Studies (UK)

Certified Islamic Finance Expert – Academy for International Modern Studies (UK)

Certified Takaful (Islamic Insurance) Professional- Academy for International Modern Studies (UK)

MBA in Islamic Banking and Finance – Pebble Hills University (UK)

DARUL ULOOM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LIMITED

AUGUST 2013