Dubai Islamic Bank

Shari'a Board Members

Our Shari'a Board members are widely acclaimed as leaders in the field of Islamic Finance. A humble introduction to each member is given here.

Dr. Sheikh Mohamed Ali Elgari (Chairman Shari’a Board)
Mufti Muhammad Hassaan Kaleem (Member Shari'a Board)
Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin (Member Shari'a Board)
Syed Muhammad Abubakar (Resident Shari’ah Board Member)

Dr. Sheikh Mohamed Ali Elgari

Chairman Shari'ah Board

Dr. Elgari holds a PhD in Economics from the University of California, the United States of America and a B.A. from King Abdul Aziz University. Dr. Elgari is a major figure in Islamic Jurisprudence and Islamic Finance Industry; he is a distinguished Scholar of Shari’ah, Economics and Finance, with vast experience in the guidance of Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions from all around the world.

He is part of the Shari’ah Supervision Board in several banks and Islamic Financial Institutions around the world, serving as a Chairman or a Member. The list of these Institutions include Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, Citi Bank, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, NCB (KSA), FAB, SAAB, Bank Al Jazira, Banque Saudi Fransi, Samba, ADIB, Riyad Bank, the Islamic Bank of Asia, Muzn Islamic (Oman), Bank Audi (Lebanon); as well as Islamic Takaful Companies including: AIG-Takaful, AlAhli Takaful, SAAB Takaful and a variety of other companies including DDCAP (Commodity Brokerage), The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation. He also supervises several Islamic Investment Funds.

Dr. Elgari is one of the first few to standardize the industry and certify its tools. He is a consultant for the Islamic Jurisprudence Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as, the Islamic Jurisprudence Academy of the Muslim World League. Dr. Elgari is a member on the editorial board of several academic publications in the field of Islamic Finance and Jurisprudence. He is also a member of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) and the Shari’ah Board of Dow Jones Islamic Market Index and has been a visiting professor at Harvard.

Dr. Elgari is the recipient of the Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Banking and Finance, holds the KLIFF Islamic Finance Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance (Individual), as well as EuroMoney award for Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance Sector.

Mufti Muhammad Hassaan Kaleem

Member Shari'ah Board

Mufti Hassaan Kaleem has vast experience in matters of Sharia teachings and advisory and has been teaching various courses in Islamic Studies and Arabic at Dar-ul-Uloom Karachi for the last 24 years. He is Vice Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank Limited, Shari’ah Board Member of Islamic Development Bank and for its associate institutions, Member of Pak Qatar Takaful, Sharia Consultant for Deloitte (Global Islamic Finance Team), and Sharia Council Member of Al-Ameen UBL Funds.

In addition, he is also a Sharia Board Member of Hanover Re-Takaful Bahrain, Sharia Board Member of Takaful Emirate UAE, Sharia Board Member of Amana Bank Limited Sri Lanka, permanent faculty member of Center for Islamic Economics Karachi, Trainer of Sharia Standards at Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) Bahrain and visiting faculty member of National Institute of Banking and Finance (State Bank of Pakistan).

Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin

Member Shari'ah Board

Datuk Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram is currently a Professor at INCEIF University Malaysia. Prior to joining INCEIF he was an Assistant Professor at the Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM). In the period 2002-2004, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He was also the Executive director of International Shari'ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) established by Bank Negara Malaysia till 2023.

At present, he is the Member of Bank Negara Malaysia Shari’ah Advisory Council, Member of MIFC Leadership Council, Chairman of Shari’ah Board of Employees Provident Fund Malaysia (EPF), Chairman of Shariah Supervisory Council of Labuan Financial Services Authority (FSA), Member of Internal Shariah Supervisory Committee, Dubai Islamic Bank, Member of Shariah Advisory Council International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM),Bahrain, Member of AAOIFI Public Interest Monitoring Consultative Committee (PIMCC), Member of First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) Internal Shariah Supervision Committee, Member Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE), Central Bank of Nigeria, Member of Shariah Supervisory Board, Bank Musqat Meethaq Islamic Bank, Chairman of The Shariah Advisory Committee of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) Malaysia, Chairman of Shariah Advisory Committee For Shariah Compliant Fund (SACF) of Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB) Malaysia, Member of Shariah Advisory Committee Lembaga Tabung Haji Malaysia, Chairman of Board of Director of ASNB Wakalah Sdn Bhd Malaysia and Member of Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM).

Prof. Akram holds a B.A. Honours degree in Islamic Jurisprudence and Legislation from the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan and a Ph.D. in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. He has presented many papers related to Islamic Banking and Finance and other Fiqh topics at national and International level and has conducted many training sessions particularly on Islamic Banking and Finance for different sectors since 1999. He is a registered Shariah Advisor for Islamic Securities with the Securities Commission of Malaysia and has acted as Shariah advisor in the issuance of many sukuks. In addition, he is also prolific author of academic works specifically in the areas of Islamic Banking and Finance. He is the recipient of Zaki Badawi Award for Excellence in Shariah Advisory and Research. Recipient of the Most Outstanding Individual Contribution to Islamic Finance during KLIFF 2016 organised by CERT. Winner of the 2017/1439H Malaysian Islamic Personality Award conferred by The Government of Malaysia on the occasion of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was awarded The Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service which carries the title `Datuk' on 06 June 2022 by the King of Malaysia.

Syed Muhammad Abu Bakar

Resident Shari’ah Board Member

Syed Muhammad Abu Bakar is serving as Resident Shari’ah Board Member at Dubai Islamic Bank, Pakistan and has more than 10 years of experience in Islamic finance. In addition to his Islamic studies credentials, he holds MS degree in Business Analytics from SZABIST, Islamabad and Masters in Economics from University of Karachi. This multidisciplinary approach to learning equips him with a unique perspective that bridges the gap between religious principles and modern economic realities.

He has played an active role in academia, teaching, and conducting training sessions at prestigious institutions such as Riphah University, IBA CEIF (Institute of Business Administration - Center for Excellence in Islamic Finance), and NIBAF (National Institute of Banking and Finance). He has special interests in modern technologies including data science and artificial intelligence and has conducted sessions on use of these technologies in Islamic banks and Shari’ah compliance. He has also authored articles and research papers published in national and international publications in Arabic, Turkish and Urdu languages.

Shari’ah Compliance & Secretary Shari’ah

Omair Nehal Siddiqui

Head, Shari’ah Compliance and Secretary Shari’ah Board

Mr. Omair Nehal Siddiqui has a diverse experience of over 16 years in the Islamic Banking industry. He has worked in some of the largest and most reputed Financial Institutions in the areas of Product Development and Shari’ah Compliance.

An MBA from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Certified Shari’ah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA) from AAOIFI and a Project Management Professional (PMP), Mr. Omair has a diverse local & international Islamic Finance experience.

Prior to joining DIB, he has worked at Faysal Bank, Bank Dhofar – Maisarah Islamic Banking Services (Oman) and Meezan Bank Limited in Product Development, Research and Shari’ah Compliance roles.

Following are the contact details of DIBPL Shari'a Compliance Department.

Shari’ah Compliance Department.
Dubai Islamic Bank
Head Office, 4th Floor, Hassan Chambers, DC-7,
Block 7, Kehkashan, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: + 92 21 3536 8540