Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani is one of the most distinguished Islamic scholars and jurists of the contemporary era. A renowned authority in Qur’anic studies, Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic economics and comparative religion, he has blended the traditional scholarship through profound engagement with the legal, economic and intellectual challenges of the modern world.
His scholarly influence extends far beyond the Indian subcontinent. Through his teaching, writings, fatwas, judicial service, participation in international fiqh institutions and pioneering contribution to Islamic finance, he has played a defining role in shaping contemporary discussions on the application of Islamic law in modern society.
His standing within the Muslim world has been repeatedly recognised. The The Muslim 500, published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, ranked him first among the world's most influential Muslims in its 2020 edition. He has continued to feature prominently in subsequent editions and is ranked second in the 2026 edition.
Early Life and Noble Family
Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani was born on 5 Shawwal 1362 AH, corresponding to 3 October 1943, in Deoband, in the Saharanpur district of British India. He was the youngest son of the eminent scholar Mufti Muhammad Shafi Uthmani (Rahimahullah), who later became the first Grand Mufti of Pakistan and the founder of Darul Uloom Karachi.
He was born into a family renowned for learning, teaching and religious service. His grandfather, Moulana Muhammad Yasin (Rahimahullah), was associated with Darul Uloom Deoband and taught Persian there. His father, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, was one of the distinguished graduates and scholars of Deoband and served there for many years as a teacher and senior mufti.
The family tradition of scholarship had a profound influence on young Muhammad Taqi Usmani. His earliest education was received within the home, where he benefited directly from his parents and the scholarly environment in which he was raised.
Following the migration of his family to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Partition of India, he continued his education in Karachi. His father subsequently established Darul Uloom Karachi, which became the principal institution of his formal Islamic education.
Education and Intellectual Development
Mufti Taqi Uthmani entered the formal Dars-i Nizami curriculum at Darul Uloom Karachi in the early 1950s. He distinguished himself in both the traditional Islamic sciences and his later university studies.
He obtained the Fazil-i Arabi qualification with distinction in 1958 and completed his Alimiyyah studies at Darul Uloom Karachi in 1959. In 1961, he completed his advanced specialisation in Fiqh and Ifta. Recognising the importance of understanding the modern world and its institutions, he pursued higher education at the University of Karachi and the University of the Punjab.
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Politics from the University of Karachi in 1964, followed by a Bachelor of Laws in 1967, and subsequently an M.A. in Arabic from the University of the Punjab in 1970, with first-class honours.
This combination of traditional Islamic scholarship, law, economics, politics and Arabic literature would become one of the defining characteristics of his intellectual career.
His Teachers and Scholarly Lineage
Mufti Taqi Uthmani benefited from a distinguished succession of scholars representing some of the foremost traditions of Islamic learning in the subcontinent and beyond.
Among his principal teachers were his illustrious father, Mufti Muhammad Shafi Uthmani, as well as such eminent scholars as Moulana Muhammad Idris Kandhlawi, Qari Muhammad Tayyib, Moulana Saleemullah Khan, Mufti Rashid Ahmad Ludhianvi, Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi (Rahimahumullah) and other leading authorities of the era.
He also received scholarly benefit and ijazah from eminent scholars outside the Indian subcontinent, including scholars associated with the Arab and Hijazi scholarly traditions.
This broad scholarly inheritance enabled him to combine the depth of the Deobandi tradition with a wide appreciation of the classical Islamic scholarly heritage.
A Teacher and Scholar
Teaching has remained at the heart of Mufti Taqi Uthmani's life.
He began teaching Islamic sciences at Darul Uloom Karachi while still very young and has devoted decades to the instruction of students in Hadith, Fiqh, Qur’anic studies and other branches of Islamic learning. His official profile records that he has taught Islamic sciences since 1959 and continues to serve as Rector and Shaykh al-Hadith of Darul Uloom Karachi.
His lessons in Hadith and Fiqh have attracted generations of students, while his weekly and public discourses, particularly his celebrated Islahi Khutbat, have reached a much wider audience.
Through these teachings, he has consistently sought to connect the acquisition of knowledge with spiritual reform, moral refinement and practical obedience to Allah Ta'ala.
Contribution to Qur’anic Studies
Mufti Taqi Uthmani's contribution to traditional Qur’anic scholarship is immensely significant.
He supervised the completion of the English translation of Ma'ariful Qur'an, the monumental Qur'anic commentary of his father, Mufti Muhammad Shafi (Rahimahullah). He also authored his own works on the Qur'an, including The Noble Quran, an English translation, and Tauzeeh al-Qur'an, his extensive Urdu explanation of the Qur'an.
His work Uloom al-Qur'an has also become an important introduction to the sciences of the Qur'an.
He is presently occupied with a comprehensive Tafseer of the Noble Qur'an titled, Asaan Qur'an.
Contribution to Hadith
Hadith scholarship occupies another central place in his intellectual legacy.
His monumental Takmilah Fath al-Mulhim bi Sharh Sahih Muslim, is a continuation and completion of the renowned commentary, Fath al-Mulhim and represents one of his most important scholarly achievements.
The work demonstrates his command of the sciences of Hadith, Fiqh and comparative jurisprudence and has received wide recognition among scholars.
His other contributions to Hadith and its sciences include works such as In'am al-Bari, Dars al-Tirmidhi, and The Authority of Sunnah.
The International Islamic Fiqh Academy specifically lists among his major scholarly contributions his work relating to Fath al-Mulhim, the principles and etiquette of Ifta, contemporary jurisprudential questions and modern financial issues.
A Prolific Author
Mufti Taqi Usmani's literary contribution is vast. He has written extensively in Arabic, Urdu and English, addressing subjects ranging from Qur'anic studies, Hadith and Fiqh to Islamic economics, spirituality, history and contemporary social questions.
Among his better-known works are:
- An Introduction to Islamic Finance
- The Noble Quran
- Tauzeeh al-Qur'an
- Uloom al-Qur'an
- Fatawa Usmani
- Fiqh al-Buyu’
- Fiqhi Maqalat
- Islam and Modern Economic Problems
- Buhuth fi Qadaya Fiqhiyyah Mu'asirah
- Takmilah Fath al-Mulhim
- The Authority of Sunnah
- Usul al-Ifta wa Adabuhu
- In'am al-Bari
- Dars al-Tirmidhi
His writings have been translated into numerous languages and have reached readers across the Muslim world and beyond.
Rather than merely addressing theoretical questions, much of his scholarship seeks to demonstrate how the principles of Islam can be applied faithfully to the realities of contemporary life.
International Islamic Fiqh Academy
Mufti Taqi Usmani has been a permanent member of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, an organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
According to the Academy's official biography, he has represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at the Academy since 19 November 1984. He subsequently served as its Vice-Chairman for nine years.
His participation in the Academy has placed him among scholars addressing some of the most complex contemporary questions facing the Muslim world, including financial transactions, medical ethics, economic systems, international commerce and emerging issues of Islamic jurisprudence.
A Pioneer of Islamic Finance
Mufti Taqi Usmani has made ground breaking contributions to Islamic economics and finance.
Long before Islamic banking became a significant global industry, he was engaged in examining how modern financial transactions could be evaluated and structured according to the principles of Shariah.
His writings and scholarly research addressed fundamental questions surrounding interest, banking, investment, partnerships, trade, insurance, contemporary commercial contracts and the practical implementation of Islamic financial principles.
His seminal English work, An Introduction to Islamic Finance, first published in 1998, became an important reference for students, scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the principles underlying Shariah-compliant finance.
He subsequently became one of the most influential Shariah authorities in the development of Islamic banking internationally. His involvement with Islamic financial institutions has included chairmanship and membership of numerous Shariah supervisory boards.
He has also played a prominent role in the work of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), serving as Chairman of its Shariah Council/Board and continuing to be listed among its senior Shariah scholars.
His contribution to Islamic finance was formally recognised when he received the Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Banking and Finance in 2014.
Service to the Judiciary and State
Mufti Taqi Usmani's scholarship also brought him into the highest levels of Pakistan's judicial and constitutional affairs.
He served as a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology from 1977 to 1981. He subsequently served as a Judge of the Federal Shariat Court from 1980 to 1982, before being appointed to the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1982. He remained on the Supreme Court's Shariat Appellate Bench until May 2002.
His judicial service was particularly significant because Pakistan's constitutional framework was seeking to reconcile modern state institutions with the principles of Islamic law. His expertise in Fiqh, law and economics enabled him to contribute to this complex process from a position of considerable scholarly authority.
Additionally, his expertise in Islamic finance also led to his appointment as Chairman of the Shariah Board of the State Bank of Pakistan in 2014.
The State Bank's official record confirms that he chaired the Shariah Advisory Board for the 2014–2018 term. His tenure was part of Pakistan's continuing effort to strengthen and develop a Shariah-compliant financial system and to establish standards capable of serving the needs of a modern economy.
Al-Balagh International
Mufti Taqi Usmani has also played a major role in Islamic journalism and public scholarship.
Since 1967, he has served as editor of the Urdu publication Al-Balagh, while his involvement with Al-Balagh International has provided an English-language platform through which Islamic scholarship and contemporary religious discussions have reached an international readership.
He enjoys a long-standing editorial role with Al-Balagh and has made extensive contribution to newspapers, journals and other publications.
Through these publications, he has addressed contemporary intellectual challenges and sought to present Islamic teachings in a manner that is both faithful to the classical tradition and relevant to the modern reader.
Solutions for Modern Challenges
One of the defining features of Mufti Taqi Uthmani's scholarship is his engagement with questions arising from the modern world.
Whether dealing with economics and finance, medical questions, commercial law, international transactions, social change or contemporary intellectual movements, his methodology remains rooted in the Qur'an, Sunnah and the established principles of Islamic jurisprudence.
His approach is characterised by a careful study of the classical legal heritage combined with an understanding of modern circumstances.
This has enabled him to serve as a bridge between the traditional centres of Islamic learning and contemporary professional, academic and financial institutions.
Recognition and Honours
The breadth of Mufti Taqi Uthmani's service has been recognised internationally.
Among the honours bestowed upon him are:
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan's prestigious civil awards, conferred in 2019 in recognition of his public service.
- Order of Independence of Jordan, conferred by King Abdullah II in 2010.
- Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Banking and Finance, 2014.
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Islamic Finance Forum of South Asia.
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Islamic Finance Excellence Awards.
- Emir Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award, 2004.
Various international recognitions for his contribution to Islamic scholarship and Islamic finance.
His inclusion in The Muslim 500 has also remained a notable indicator of his global influence. He was ranked No. 1 in the 2020 edition and remains among the foremost figures in the publication's current rankings, occupying No. 2 in the 2026 edition.
A Legacy of Knowledge and Service
The life of Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani represents a remarkable synthesis of scholarship, teaching, jurisprudence, public service and intellectual engagement.
He inherited the authentic tradition of Islamic learning from his father and forbears, received an education that combined the classical Islamic sciences with modern academic disciplines, served at the highest levels of Pakistan's judicial system, contributed to international institutions of Islamic jurisprudence and played a pioneering role in the development of Islamic finance.
Yet his most enduring contribution may lie in his ability to demonstrate that traditional Islamic scholarship can remain intellectually vibrant and practically relevant in the contemporary world.
For generations of students, scholars, professionals and ordinary Muslims, his books, lectures, fatwas and teachings have provided guidance on questions ranging from personal spirituality to complex matters of law and economics.
His continuing service as Rector and Shaykh al-Hadith of Darul Uloom Karachi, his membership of international fiqh bodies and his continuing contribution to Islamic financial standards testify to a life that remains devoted to knowledge and service.
At the heart of that legacy is a commitment to the preservation of the Islamic scholarly tradition while addressing the realities of the age in which Muslims live.
Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani's life is therefore not merely the story of a scholar who attained international recognition. It is the story of a life devoted to knowledge, teaching, jurisprudence, reform and service to the Ummah - a life in which the inheritance of the great scholars of the past has been carried forward into the intellectual and practical challenges of the present age.
May Allah Ta'ala preserve Mufti Taqi Uthmani with good health and cause the Ummah to continue deriving benefit from him. Aameen.