Baitussaadah Institute of Islamic Studies, IUC

Prof. Dr. Sheikh Omar Kalash was born in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, into an Arab family of distinguished intellectual heritage from the Kalash lineage, whose genealogy is traced to Zainul ‘Abidin ibn Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. He was raised within a strong tradition of moderate and classical Islamic learning, in an environment deeply rooted in religious education, adab, and respect for the role of learned authorities in society.

From an early age, he received direct instruction from prominent ulama in Lebanon and the broader Arab world, alongside his formal academic education. He undertook extensive study of the Islamic intellectual tradition through the reading of classical turath texts at various levels, including works on Hadith, ‘Aqidah, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Tafsir, and other branches of Islamic knowledge. This early formation laid a strong foundation for his academic discipline and his enduring commitment to the preservation and transmission of the Islamic scholarly tradition.

He subsequently pursued higher education and obtained two Master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees (PhD) in fields related to Usul al-Fiqh and Hadith. The integration of traditional Islamic learning with modern academic training has established him as an academician of balanced intellectual orientation, grounded in both the turath tradition and contemporary scholarship.

Currently a permanent resident of Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Sheikh Omar Kalash is widely recognised as a professor with expertise across several areas of Islamic studies. His principal fields of specialisation include Usul al-Fiqh, ijtihad, Islamic curriculum and pedagogy, the history of Islam in Southeast Asia, and the study of sanad among Malay ulama, particularly in Penang. He has also been granted teaching accreditation by MAIS (Selangor), MAIWP (Kuala Lumpur), MAINS (Negeri Sembilan), and MAINPP (Penang).

Prof. Dr. Sheikh Omar Kalash is fluent in Arabic, English, and Malay. He has received numerous ijazah and sanad from recognised ulama in a wide range of disciplines, including Hadith (Kutub al-Sittah), ‘Aqidah, Fiqh, al-Qur’an, Usul al-Fiqh, and related fields. His wide-ranging expertise, intellectual integrity, and active engagement in both academic and community settings position him as an important figure in sustaining the continuity of the Islamic scholarly tradition in Penang and the broader Malay world.

Prof. Dr. Sheikh Omar Kalash Al Husainiy

Bachelor in Usul Al Fiqh, Lebanon(GU)
Master in Usul Al Fiqh, Malaysia(IIUM)
Master in Usul Al Fiqh, Lebanon(GU)
PhD in Usul Al Fiqh, Malaysia(IIUM)
Phd in Hadeeth, Malaysia(USIM)