Shariah Board

Sheikh Prof. Younes Soualhi – Chairman

Sheikh Prof. Younes Soualhi was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Shariah Committee since 1 January 2022. Over the past year, he has exemplified his unwavering commitment to ARBM through his invaluable guidance. Prof. Younes's extensive experience has significantly contributed to fulfilling his Shariah advisory responsibilities within the ARBM Shariah Committee. Recently, he has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Shariah Committee of alrajhi bank Malaysia effective 6 July 2023.

Currently, he is the Senior Researcher, the Deputy Director of Research and Innovation and the Head of Islamic Banking Unit at the International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA). Prof. Younes also teaches at INCEIF, the Global University of Islamic Finance, Malaysia.

A distinguished subject matter expert, Prof Younes was previously Chairman of the Shariah Committee of HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad, and currently Chairman of the Shariah Committee of Munich Re Retakaful, Chairman of the Shariah Council of Experts for Salam Takaful (Nigeria), Deputy Chairman of the Shariah Committee of ABC Bahrain Bank, Algeria, the sole Shariah Advisor for Kuwait Retakaful (Labuan, Malaysia), and Shariah Committee member of Bursa Malaysia. At the moment, he sits on the Shariah Sub-Committee (Malaysia region) of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). He is also a registered financial planner (RFP, MFPC-Malaysia).

As a keen writer and researcher, Prof. Younes published many books and articles on Islamic Banking and Finance. With an extensive working experience of 26 years in academia, he taught various courses on Islamic Finance, Usul al-Fiqh, and Fiqh al Muamalat at both undergraduate and postgraduate (M.A. and Ph.D.) levels.  

He graduated with B.A. in Shariah from Emir Abdulqadir University for Islamic Sciences (Algeria). He received his M.A. from International Islamic University Malaysia and Ph.D. from University Malaya, Malaysia. He also holds a Diploma in Human Sciences.

Sheikh Dr. Habeebullah was appointed as the Member of the Shariah Committee of alrajhi bank Malaysia since 1 January 2022. Dr Habeebullah has contributed invaluable insights since becoming a member and continuous support in the organisation’s pursuit of excellence. Recently, he has been appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Shariah Committee of Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia effective 6 July 2023.

He is currently the Senior Lecturer and Deputy Dean, Academic and Internationalization at the IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

His areas of expertise and interests include Transactions in Islamic Banking and Finance, Islamic Social Finance, Islamic Capital Market, Takaful and Retakaful, Islamic Wealth Management, and Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. Dr. Habeebullah has published and joint published numerous articles and book chapters on these subject matters in highly reputable academic journals.

He taught many courses in the field of Islamic Banking and Finance. Previously, he was the Head of Program for M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Islamic Banking and Finance at the IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance. He is also supervising postgraduate (M.A. and Ph.D.) students on Islamic Banking and Finance at the Institute.

He holds L.L.B in Shariah and Law from Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan, Master’s Degree and Ph.D. in Muamalat (Islamic Law of Transactions) from International Islamic University Malaysia. As an accomplished speaker, Dr. Habeebullah actively shares his knowledge and insights through regular participation in local and international conferences. 

Sheikh Dr Abdulmajid Obaid Hasan Saleh was appointed as the Member of the Shariah Committee of alrajhi bank Malaysia, effective 6 July 2023.

Dr Abdulmajid is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, International Islamic University Malaysia. Being an expert in the field of Islamic finance, Dr Abdulmajid also garnered international recognition through his extensive publications, including books, articles, and plenary papers. Along with CSAA, he also holds a PhD in Fiqh & Islamic Finance from the Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco.

Dr. Ashurov Sharofiddin was appointed as Member of the Shariah Committee of alrajhi bank Malaysia, effective 1 April 2022. He is currently the Assistant Professor at the International Islamic University of Malaysia’s (IIUM) Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, and the Chairman of the Committee of Islamic Financial Services (CIFS). Dr. Ashurov is also a Shariah Advisor at Alif Bank, and Head of Due Diligence and the Central Asia Representative for Searaven Global Corp Ltd.

Viewed as a highly inspiring individual in his areas of expertise, a polyglot and a keen writer, Dr. Ashurov has published numerous books and articles and presented various papers on zakat, risk-based supervisory, Sukuk and dynamic capital structure.

Along with a PhD in Islamic Banking and Finance from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), Dr. Ashurov also holds MSc in Finance from IIUM and a Bachelor of Economics from the International University of Africa, Sudan.

Dr. Muhammad Shahrul Ifwat Bin Ishak was appointed as Member of the Shariah Committee of alrajhi bank Malaysia, effective 8 February 2023.

Dr Shahrul is Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Management, University Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia. He has been actively involved in Islamic finance, being the coordinator for the Masters in Islamic Finance program and has been teaching subjects related to Islamic banking and finance, such as the Principle of Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamic Financial Institutions and Markets, Shariah Aspects of Business and Finance, Financial Markets and Institutions, Usul Fiqh, Advanced Fiqh Muamalat and Shariah Rules in Financial Transactions.

Highly respected in his field of expertise, as well as highly proficient in both English and Arabic, Dr Shahrul is also an active publisher of books and articles on Maqasid Al-Shariah in Islamic finance, Ibra’, Ma’lat, and crowdfunding. Along with a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Aberdeen, he also holds a Master of Fiqh and Usul Fiqh from the Ali-Albayt University of Jordan.

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