Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (1963–2021) was a world-renowned South African Islamic scholar, jurist, and the founder of Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah in Durban. Educated at Jamia Islamia Talimuddin in Dabhel, India, he specialized in Iftaa under the guidance of prominent scholars like Mufti Ahmad Khanpuri and became a senior disciple of the late Grand Mufti of India, Hazrat Maulana Mahmud Hasan Gangohi. He gained international prominence as the founder of AskImam.org, a global fatwa portal that serves millions across more than 120 countries. Throughout his career, he served as a senior professor of Hadith at Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen and Madrasah In’aamiyyah, and was a leading authority in Islamic Finance, advising various commercial institutions and serving as the chairman of several Shari'ah boards. Ranked among the 500 Most Influential Muslims, his legacy includes extensive published works such as Introduction to Islamic Commerce and the multi-volume Al-Mahmood, as well as the training of hundreds of Muftis globally.