Sheikh Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, OON

Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar was born in Kano in July 1961. He began his higher education studying Electrical Engineering at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before shifting fully to Islamic studies. He obtained his B.A., M.A., and PhD in Hadith and Islamic Studies from the Islamic University of Madinah, specializing in the sciences of Hadith.

In his professional work, Dr. Umar has held key roles in academia, finance, and Islamic governance. He lectures in the Department of Islamic Studies at Bayero University, Kano. He also served as Permanent Commissioner in the Kano State Shari’ah Commission (2007-2010), was Special Adviser to the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor on Non-Interest Banking (2010-2014), and has contributed heavily to developing regulatory frameworks for Islamic finance in Nigeria.

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In 2025, Dr. Umar was appointed President of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) following the passing of his predecessor. He is known for combining rigorous traditional scholarship (fiqh, hadith, usul) with practical engagement—leading in Islamic finance, teaching tafsir, serving on Shari’ah boards (e.g. Stanbic IBTC, CBN), and working on legal reform like the Muslim Law of Personal Status under the Emirate of Kano.