Theological Director — SANHA Halaal Authority

Moulana Navlakhi was born in South Africa in the year 1965. The family origins are in India, and he is the 7th generation residing in South Africa. Born during the peak of the apartheid regime, he witnessed the challenges and atrocities faced by the non-white community.

His primary and secondary education was achieved in the local Asian government schools in Johannesburg. During this period, he simultaneously pursued vernacular education at the Madrasa Jaami' ul-Uloom in Newtown, a suburb of Johannesburg. He was motivated by his mentor to pursue memorisation of the entire Qur'aan which was accomplished in the year 1978 at the age of 13.

In the year 1980, he travelled to the United Kingdom to pursue tertiary Islamic education at the world-famous seminary, Darul Uloom al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah, in Holcombe, Bury. After completing the introductory year, he chose to continue with his higher Islamic education at the world-renowned institute, Jamiah al-Uloom al-Islamiyyah in Banuri Town, Karachi, Pakistan. He graduated in the Aalamiyyah degree (equivalent to a Masters) in Arabic and Islamic Theology in the year 1988.

Upon his return to South Africa, he joined the Council of Muslim Theologians (Jamiatul Ulama, South Africa) where he served as Member of the Ta'limi Board (Board of Islamic Education), Member of the Editorial Board of the Ar-Rasheed Periodical, and Executive Member of the Halaal Department. He was thereafter appointed by the Council to serve as Shari'ah Consultant at the Islamic Bank Ltd Johannesburg and assisted in developing Shari'ah modules and monitoring the general operations for Shari'ah compliance.

In 1994, when the formation of the South African National Halaal Authority was mooted, the Council commissioned him as the Senior Consultant in developing Halaal protocols for the National Halaal Authority. He was thereafter appointed the Chief Shari'ah Director of the organisation and serves in that capacity to the present date. He currently serves in an Executive capacity on the World Halaal Council organ whose aim is to harmonise Halaal Certification Standards at a global level, and contributes to various socio-religious bodies in South Africa as well as international forums in the field of Halaal.