Mufti [Abu Abdillah] Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari is a young, traditionally trained scholar who studied in different parts of the world. Born in Leicester, UK, and raised under the guidance of his illustrious father, Shaykh Mawlana Adam, he started learning about Islam from a very young age and memorized the entire Qur’an at a very tender age of nine. He initially studied the Arabic language and various other traditional Islamic sciences including Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir), Hadith and Fiqh at Dar al-Uloom, Bury, UK, under many Shuyukh notably: Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Motala and the late Shaykh al-Hadith Islam ul Haq, and thus received authorizations (ijazahs) in various books including the six major collections of Hadith. He also received Ijazah in Hadith from the late Grand Mufti of India, Shaykh Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, and underwent a one year course of specialization in the science of issuing religious/legal verdicts (Fatwa).

 

After graduating from the Dar al-Uloom, he travelled to Karachi, Pakistan, where he studied under one of the greatest living scholars, Justice (Rtd) Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani and others, and received authorizations. Later, he travelled to Damascus, Syria, where he increased in experience and knowledge by studying under the great Ulama there and received authorizations (ijazahs) from Shaykh Abd al-Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Abd al-Latif Farfur al-Hasani and others.

 

His authored books include: Islamic Guide to Sexual Relations, Birth Control & Abortion in Islam, Elucidation of Forty Hadiths on Marriage, The Issue of Shares and Simplified Rules of Zakat. He has also published Shaykh Zakariyya Kandahlawi’s Wujub I’fa’ al-Lihya (The obligation of growing a beard) and Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri’s Mabahith fi Aqa’id Ahl al-Sunna aka: Al-Muhannad ala‘l-Mufannad (Discussions in the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna), both with critical analysis and footnotes in Arabic. He is also widely known for his detailed and well-researched fiqh related articles.

 

The Shaykh has taught many courses and lectured extensively on a range of topics, and continues to travel regularly teaching and lecturing both in the UK and abroad. Many of his lessons and lectures are available free in the Audio Visual section of the Darul Iftaa website, including the 22 part series on Islamic Manners conducted from Shaykh Abdul-Fattah Abu Ghudda’s Min Adab al-Islam, 18 part series on the Virtues & Fiqh of Ramadan and the 8 part series on the10 Things of Natural Disposition (fitra). He has also released a 19 CD audio set titled: The Fiqh of Marriage, which is widely available.

 

Presently, he resides in Leicester, UK. He is a teacher of various traditional Islamic sciences in Leicester, London and other locations, and a Director and researcher at the Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence (Darul Iftaa, www.daruliftaa.com). He is a Member of the Al-Qalam Shari’ah Scholars Panel (established to meet the growing demand from Muslim consumers and businesses for authentic, professional, Shari’ah based guidance), and also a advisor on Islamic Banking.