Shaykh Dr. Sajid Ahmed Umar

Shaykh Dr. Sajid Ahmed Umar initially pursued a first degree in IT. He went on to successfully open an IT business. Alongside his contemporary studies, Shaykh Sajid was a student at a Qur'an academy till the age of 18. Subsequently, he turned his attention to Islamic Studies.

He completed a 3-year University Diploma in Arabic language and Islamic Sciences at Imam Muhammed bin Saud Islamic University; he later attained a bachelor’s degree in Sharī'ah and, thereafter, a master’s degree in Judiciary (Qadha), with honors, from the Higher Institute for Judiciary Studies (Ma'had al-'āli li'l-Qa'dhā). He trained as a judge and completed a thesis on Liquidity Management using the famous Repurchase Agreement (REPO) contract and its rulings and permitted alternatives.

He attained a Ph.D. from the Higher Institute of Judiciary at Al-Imam University in Comparative Islamic Law and Judiciary. His two-volume dissertation thesis was about Sharī'ah solutions in Financial Risk Management.

Shaykh Sajid has played an integral part in Islamic academic and project development worldwide.
He has authored several articles and dissertations in both Arabic and English pertaining to the various Islamic Sciences, is an Associate Professor at Knowledge International University, and a lecturer with Al Kauthar Institute and Sabeel, and is currently the chair of the Panel of Scholars at the Islamic Finance Advisory also a Senior Advisor at the Islamic Council, and the Sharī'ah Governance Officer for the National Waqf Fund.

Shaykh Fuad Abdo

Shaykh Fuad Abdo, a UK national of Palestinian origin, in his early education, gained a Bachelor's in Islamic Law from Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud University in Riyadh, followed by a Master’s in Economics & Islamic Banking from Yarmouk University in Jordan. The Shaykh continued to study under many prominent scholars and has published many works under them. He has designed a training course for a leading bank in Saudi Arabia on Islamic Banking.

He is currently based in London and has been an Imam in many cities across the United Kingdom. He is the lead Imam at Al-Ansar Masjid, London. The Shaykh plays a vital role as a Murrabi at Sabeel, nurturing and teaching a wide range of Muslims. He also delivers sermons, lectures and regular classes across the country, whilst also being a Senior Advisor at the Islamic Council and the Vice-Chair of the Panel of Scholars at the Islamic Finance Advisory.

Umer Suleman

Umer Suleman started his career as an auditor within the big four accountancy firms, before moving to a major global finance firm in the City of London. At both organisations, Umer led the Muslim Networks.

Umer has been actively involved in Islamic Finance for over a decade, working with some of the most notable UK scholars on shariah structuring and process reviews. He currently sits as the Global Head of Risk, Compliance and Shariah for Wahed, sits on the board of the UKIFC and is co-founder of the National Waqf Fund. Additionally, Umer has also been an advisor for a number of Islamic FinTechs across the globe.

Umer was recognised for his work in 2016 as "one to watch" in the City of London by Brummel magazine for not only his work in Islamic Finance but also his role as a member of the Steerco for the Cube Network, an umbrella organisation for professional corporate Muslim Networks.

Umer is the Industry Expert of the Panel of Scholars at the Islamic Finance Advisory.