Meet the Blockchainology community leads. None of the opinions expressed here or anywhere on the community website for forums reflect that of the previous or present organisations mentioned here.

Abdul Ashik

Ashik’s IT career spans over 22 years. He has considerable developer experience (primarily enterprise Java & web) before moving on to architecture and design of complex and high-risk integration projects, often involving multiple vendors & technology stacks on SaaS, cloud-based and on-premise platforms.

He works for a Big Four accounting firm and previously at a German automotive car parts manufacturer.

He’s been interested in economics, monetary history, Islamic finance and sound money since 2006. Between 2013-2014, in association with Kreatoc Zest, he designed and minted the London Dirham. He’s been involved in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies since 2011 and has researched and developed proofs of technology using Bitcoin, Ethereum and Hyperledger blockchains. He regularly delivers executive and corporate presentations, public and private training courses and community meetups.

Being a techie, he understands the underlying technology and has advised private clients and Sharia panels on crypto and blockchain technologies.

When not doing IT or blockchain stuff, Ashik spends his time with his family, scouting, reading and cooking.

Qualifications:

• BSc (Hons) Computer Science, Coventry University

• BCS Certified Enterprise & Solution Architect

• University of Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme

• IBM Blockchain Workshop, Hursley Park

• IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer

• Blockchain for Business – An Introduction to Hyperledger Technologies (edX)

• Blockchain Deep Fundamentals (Ivan on Tech Academy)

• Smart Contract Programming (Ivan on Tech Academy)

• Blockchain Business Masterclass (Ivan on Tech Academy)

• Certified Java Programmer

• Google Cloud Certified

• ITIL Foundation V3

Fraz Mahmud

Fraz has worked in the IT industry for almost 2 decades. Starting out as a hardware technician he quickly worked his way up to an IT Consultant and after training to become a manager was given the role of managing a team of 16 technical guys. He is also a fully qualified Project Manager and has delivered many successful projects. He is multi-skilled and talented and has set up several successful businesses in the past.

He has worked for several companies which feature in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, specialising in industries including Managed Web Hosting, Telecommunications and more recently Cloud Operations.

Fraz is very keen on learning about emerging technologies, financial markets, monetary history, economics and politics. He has actively been trading US stocks and equities and has travelled abroad on several occasions to study and be mentored by some of the best technical traders around. He has been involved in financial markets for almost 4 years and has been studying blockchain technology for close to 18 months. He holds a keen interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency and believes these technologies will revolutionise the way we do business in the future. During this time, Fraz has delivered several presentations, and training courses, held private consultancy and delivered meet-up events. He has also held discussions with CEOs of several ICO projects, conducted interviews with several ICO teams, interviewed well-known and respected analysts and traders in the crypto space and helped create an initial community with a very successful ICO.

When time permits, he likes to reflect on life and opportunities. Being a father of 3 young children keeps him very much preoccupied outside of business. He is a keen researcher of emerging technologies and history and often travels having visited over 26 countries.

Qualifications:

• BSc. Hons in Business & Information Technology, Westminster University

• Blockchain Strategy Programme, University of Oxford

• IBM Blockchain Consultant

• IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer

• RSK Smart Contract Executive*

• Blockchain Business Masterclass (Ivan Academy)

• Prince2 Practitioner

• Technical Analysis & Trading Strategies (Wealth Management Company, UK)

• CM Price Action Trading Strategies (Chartpattern.com, US)

* in progress

Mufti Faraz Adam

Mufti Faraz Adam has spent almost a decade studying Islamic law. He initially completed his Islamic studies in the six-year Alimiyyah degree at Darul Uloom Leicester. He then went on to specialise in Islamic law and graduated as a Mufti in Durban, South Africa. He super-specialised in Islamic finance during his studies. He qualified as a Mufti (juriconsult) and was accredited with: Master of Arts in Islamic Theology with a specialisation in Juristic verdicts (Iftaa) and a Diploma in Islamic Finance. Mufti Faraz went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Islamic Finance, Banking and Management at Newman University in 2017. During his studies, he has attained various industry qualifications such as the Certified Islamic Finance Executive (CIFE™) under Ethica and the Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ) with Chartered Institutes of Securities and Investment.

Mufti Faraz has been active in Sharia advisory services for a number of years and has written over 5,000 fatawa (Sharia opinions) with a large proportion regarding Islamic finance. In 2016, he joined National Zakat Foundation in UK where he serves as a Zakat advisor and researcher. He launched Amanah Finance Consultancy as a Sharia consultancy platform. Amanah Finance Consultancy provides global Sharia advisory services to a number of organisations such as Simply Ethical, Ethica, Shariyah Review Bureau, iWill Solicitors, Ummah Finance, Gateway Lawyer LLP and 5 Pillars Pte.

Mufti Faraz Adam is a leading researcher, thought leader and contributor in the Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and ICO industry. He was among the first Sharia scholars to author a research paper on the Sharia compliance of Bitcoin. He followed this with the first-ever research paper in English on the Sharia compliance of ICOs and Crypto-assets published by the Shariyah Review Bureau. He was instrumental is the Sharia compliance certification of the Stellar network and is currently working on projects involving Sharia-compliant decentralised exchanges.

He regularly delivers lectures and workshops across the UK on different aspects of Islam & specialises in delivering Islamic Finance training. Mufti Faraz Adam is passionate about establishing an economy which upholds justice, equity and growth for all members of society.

Qualifications:

• MA in Islamic Theology

• Diploma in Islamic Finance

• MA in Islamic Finance, Banking & Management

• Certified Islamic Finance Executive (CIFE)

• Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ)

• Certified Sharia Advisor and Auditor (CSAA)*

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)*

• Investment Management Certificate (IMC)*

* in progress

Mu’aawiyah Tucker

Mu’aawiyah Tucker is a Muslim convert for more than 20 years. After being introduced to Islam at college, he went on extensive research in Islamic law and principles. He later accepted Islam and turned down the opportunity he had to study Physics at the University of Oxford. He travelled to Madinah (Saudi Arabia) where he mastered the Arabic language and then went on to complete a degree in Islamic law.

He later founded his educational institute Arabic language and Islamic studies. He has been involved in education and research for more than 10 years and has been involved in cryptocurrencies for over a year, including the education of the public on what cryptocurrencies are, how they can exist in the Islamic framework and in understanding the Islamic position to money, wealth and currencies.

Qualifications:

• BA (Hons) in Islamic Law (Madinah University, KSA)

Subjects covered: Islamic finance, judicial implementation of the legal framework in Islam, the Islamic framework for economy, inheritance, Islamic legal first principles and much more.