Dr. Ashraf formally began his Shari’a studies in Damascus in 1997, and graduated with honors from the Mahad al-Fath in 2003, as well as privately studied several books in methodology & Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi; Hanafi fiqh, hadith and hadith sciences with Shaykh Adnan Darwish; Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Abdul Rahman Arjan; tenets of faith with Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani; hadith with Dr. Nureddin al-’Itr; and hadith sciences with Shaykh Bassam al-Hamzawi. Later in Amman, he completed studying inheritance law with Shaykh Ali Hani.

In 2006, he received his MA in Islamic Studies (Problems in Family Law for Muslims in the United States) with honors from Imam al-Ouzai, Beirut, and in 2008, his PhD with distinction in Islamic Studies (Effects of Family Law on Muslims in the United States). With his wife, Hedaya Hartford, he has co-authored Your Islamic Marriage Contract; a critical edition and commentary of Risala al-Birgivi in Arabic; and Birgivi’s Manual Interpreted in English.

Dr. Ashraf was recognized in 2010 as a certified Shariah auditor and advisor by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). This is the highest certificate given by AAOIFI, the most notable authority in the field of Islamic finance.

He currently lives in Amman, where he is studying Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Ahmad al-Jammal and teaching local courses.

Publications

• Your Islamic Marriage Contract
• A critical edition and commentary of Risala al-Birgivi in Arabic
• Birgivi’s Manual Interpreted: Complete Fiqh of Menstruation & Related Issues

Education

• Graduated with honors from the Mahad al-Fath (2003)
• MA in Islamic Studies (Problems in Family Law for Muslims in the United States) with honors from Imam al-Ouzai, Beirut (2006)
• PhD with distinction in Islamic Studies (Effects of Family Law on Muslims in the United States) from Imam al-Ouzai, Beirut (2008)
• Privately studied several books in methodology & Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi; Hanafi fiqh, hadith and hadith sciences with Shaykh Adnan Darwish; Hanafi fiqh with Shaykh Abdul Rahman Arjan; tenets of faith with Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani; hadith with Dr. Nureddin al-’Itr; hadith sciences with Shaykh Bassam al-Hamzawi; and inheritance law with Shaykh Ali Hani.
• Certified Shariah auditor and advisor by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) (2010)