Dr. Monzer Kahf: The modern Islamic Economists of the world
In 20th century, some Muslim
scholars devoted their lives and attempted to develop the ideas Islamic
economics and financial systems. Dr. Monzer Kahf is one of them. He is known as an eminent
economist, counselor, lecturer and expert of Islamic Shariah and laws.
He was born on 1940 at Damascus, the capital city of Syria and
completed his primary and secondary education from the educational institute of
Damascus and took a Bachelor degree (B.A in commerce) from the University of
Damascus on June in 1962 .at the same time he was awarded by the president of
Syria for his outstanding performance. In 1967, he achieved ‘High Diploma in
social and economic planning’ from the United Nations institute of planning, Syria.
This scholar attained his Ph.D in Economics (Major currency Development and
Economy) on March 1975 from the University of Utah, Salt lake city, Utah. He has
also Strong training and
knowledge of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Islamic Studies.
Undoubtedly, it can be mentioned that the performances of Dr.Kahf
was satisfactory in different organizations. In his rich working life, he
joined at different organizations including university, research institutions, and
financial institutions and worked splendidly.
Dr.
Monzer was the Instructor of School of Business, University of
Damascus, Syria (1962 – 1963) and worked as the Auditor of Government State Audit Office,
Syria from 1963 to 1971.
After completion his graduation, he taught economics (1971 –
1975) in university of Utah as a teaching assistant. He worked as the Director of Finance in Islamic Society of
North America (1975 – 1981) and the Manager of National Zakah Fund and Islamic Cooperative
Fund for Muslims in North America, (1975- 1981).
He was the Research Economist (1985 – 1999), Head of Research Division (1989
– 1991) and the Senior
Research Economist (1995 – 1999) of Islamic Research and
Training Institute (IRTI) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia and showed his stupendous performance in preparing research plans,
evaluating research works, organizing seminars on Islamic economics, banking
and finance, writing original research papers , generating ideas for research
projects ,coordinating with other departments, and networking with other
research organizations .
He joined
in the Yarmouk University, Jordan, as the Professor of Islamic
Economics and Banking in the graduate program and taught Islamic economics for
two years (2004-2005).he is the Certified Public Accountant in Syria since 1968.
Currently, he is working as a Consultant, Trainer and Lecturer of Islamic
banking, finance and economics and has Private
practice at California in USA, which is started in 1999 by him.
He founded The
Indiana state licensed Muslim Students Association’s Credit Union and the
Islamic Housing Cooperative of Indiana in 1980.later, these were the model of such
cooperatives and credit unions in the USA and Canada. He is also the founding
member of ‘International Association of Islamic Economics’ and ‘Association of
Muslim Social Scientists of the United States and Canada’. From 1974 to1999, he
was the member of ‘American Economic Association’.
Dr. Monzer is a consultant of Islamic Housing Cooperative,
Toronto, Canada, and the Islamic Society of North America and mosques in the
United States and Canada, on the matters of ‘initial work procedures’ and
‘Islamic law relating to properties at marriage, inheritance, last wills and
living trusts respectively. He provided the shariah law for Islamic financial
institutions in the USA, Canada, Trinidad, Nigeria and Guyana.
He has developed several copyrighted modules in Islamic
Banking and finance such as: “Islamic Sukuk and capital markets, “Shari’ah-based
wealth management, “conversion of conventional securities into Islamic
securities,” “structuring Islamic financial products,” “Islamic Leasing,”
Takaful and Insurance etc.
Dr.kahf visited many countries including USA, Canada, and
the countries of the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean, South East Asia and
Africa for the purpose of lecture in seminar, conference and as a consultant
for financial institutions and delivered his lectures on Islamic Financial laws
and regulations, Islamic economics and banking, Awqaf, Islamic Trusts, Islamic
estate planning, charities in the Islamic Religion (Zakah), Friday Sermons in
mosques and Islamic centers, etc. He is also the Speaker in two programs
of IslamOnline.net: Live Fatwa and Live Dialogue in special sessions on Islamic
banking, finance, Zakah and Awqaf.
Dr.Kahf is the author
of 28 books and
booklets in English and Arabic on Islamic
banking and finance, Islamic economics, Zakah, Awqaf. Some of his books are
translated to Indonesian, Turkish and Korean languages. some of his familiar
books are ‘Instruments of Meeting Budget Deficit in Islamic Economics, The
Islamic Economy: Analytical Study of the Functioning of the Islamic Economic
System, Economics of Zakah, The Islamic Economy: Analytical Study of the
Functioning of the Islamic Economic System, International Economic Relations
From Islamic Perspective, The Islamic Economy: Analytical Study of the
Functioning of the Islamic Economic System and so more.
He has written more than 100 articles, in English and Arabic, on
Islamic economics, Islamic public and private finance, Islamic banking, Zakah,
Awqaf, including entries for the Oxford
Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World.
Dr.Kahf was awarded by Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and
selected for IDB prize for his brilliant contributions in Islamic Economics,
2001
Dr.monzer kahf is a citizen of USA and currently living at
Westminster, California with his wife and children.
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