Karam Shah al-Azhari محمد كرم شاه الأزهري

Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari rahimahullah stands among the foremost scholars and spiritual guides of twentieth-century Pakistan, combining mastery of the transmitted Islamic sciences with distinguished judicial service at the highest level. His foundational studies were conducted under great scholars of the Indian subcontinent, most notably Shaykh Sayyid Na'im al-Din Muradabadi, a celebrated Sufi and Qur'anic scholar. He subsequently obtained a BA from Punjab University before traveling to Egypt, where he pursued postgraduate studies in fiqh and usul al-fiqh at Al-Azhar University and made a lasting impression on the scholars there, attaining an MPhil from Al-Azhar and simultaneously an MA from Cairo University. In March 1981 he was appointed a judge of the Shariah court in Pakistan, and the following year was elevated to the Supreme Court Shariah Appellate Bench, where he served with distinction. He passed away in April 1998. His scholarly legacy rests principally on two monuments: Dhiya al-Qur'an, a comprehensive and celebrated literary tafsir, and Dhiya al-Nabi, a major sira collection. He left behind many students who continue to transmit his learning.