Corporate Trainer
Muhammad Umar is serving as Shariah Research Officer at Ehsan Shariah Advisors and Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (ESAAC) with over more then three years of professional experience in Islamic finance and Shariah consultancy services. He holds a strong academic foundation combining Dars-e-Nizami (Aalim Course), Specialization in Islamic Commercial Law (Mufti Course), and BS in Business Administration, further supported by certifications from NIBAF – SBP and IBA–CEIF/SECP in Islamic Banking Operations, Islamic Finance for Ulama, and Islamic Capital Markets.
His core expertise includes Shariah compliance and audit, product development and structuring, Sukuk structuring, conversion of conventional banking into Islamic banking models, and Shariah reviews for IBIs, NBFCs, and Takaful operators. He has also contributed to the review of policy and regulatory frameworks in line with SBP and SECP regulations and AAOIFI Shariah standards. Muhammad Umar effectively bridges classical Islamic jurisprudence with modern financial practices, making him a valuable contributor in Shariah consultancy, advisory, and Islamic financial structuring projects.
Professional and industry experience:
Muhammad Umar has over more then three years of professional experience in the field of Islamic finance and Shariah advisory, combining classical Islamic scholarship with modern financial expertise. As a Shariah Research Officer at ESAAC (Pvt. Ltd.), he has contributed to a wide range of assignments across banking, capital markets, NBFCs, and Takaful. His experience includes:
- Regulatory & Policy Frameworks: Review and input in regulatory frameworks, policies, procedures, and operational manuals for financial institutions in line with SBP, SECP, and AAOIFI standards.
- Sukuk Structuring: Structuring of different types of Sukuk, tailored to meet diverse financial needs and investor requirements.
- Product Development & Structuring: Design and structuring of Shariah-compliant financial products for banks, NBFCs, and corporate clients, addressing both retail and institutional financial needs.
- Shariah Audit & Compliance: Conducting Shariah audits and reviews of banks, Mutual funds, NBFCs, and Takaful companies to ensure compliance with Shariah principles.
- Bank Conversion Projects: Actively involved in the review and development of the roadmap for conversion of conventional banking to a full-fledged Islamic banking system, ensuring alignment with Shariah principles and regulatory requirements.
- Policy & Manual Development: Review and input in development of policies, procedures, and manuals for Buraq Bank (KT Bank), providing critical Shariah input for operational, product, and compliance frameworks.
- Research: Actively engaged in research initiatives such as retained earnings purification (a State Bank of Pakistan project) to determine roadmaps for conventional banks seeking conversion into Islamic banks.
Through his extensive exposure to diverse projects, Muhammad Umar has gained in-depth expertise in Shariah compliance and audit, the development and innovation of Islamic financial products, and the structuring of Sukuk and other capital market instruments. He has also been actively involved in designing conversion strategies for banks transitioning from conventional to Islamic banking models, as well as contributing to policy and regulatory framework reviews in line with SBP, SECP, and AAOIFI standards. This blend of practical experience and scholarly foundation positions him as a valuable professional resource in the field of Islamic finance and Shariah advisory.