KARACHI: Mufti Rafi Usmani, cleric, scholar and patron of Darul Uloom Karachi, passed away here on Friday after a prolonged illness. He was 86.

The eldest son of Mufti Shafi Usmani, a renowned cleric and founder of Darul Uloom Karachi — one of the largest seminaries of Deoband school of thought in the country — he was also the elder brother of Wifaqul Madaris Al Arabia Pakistan President Mufti Taqi Usmani.

Born in July 1936 in the town of Deoband of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Mufti Usmani migrated to Pakistan with his family in 1947. His students and admirers who were well aware of his personal and family history said Mufti Usmani memorised Quran in 1948 and then completed Darse Nizami degree from his father’s seminary, then located in the old city area of Nanakwara.

He then associated himself with teaching and academic activities with the same seminary. After his father’s demise in 1976, his close aide Maulana Abdul Hai Arifi became chief of the Darul Uloom Karachi and retained the office till his death in 1986. Afterwards, Mufti Usmani assumed the office and served it till his demise.

In 1995, after the death of Mau­lana Wali Hasan Tonki, the clerics and scholars representing Deoband school of thought appoi­nted Mufti Usmani as Mufti-e-Azam.

He had also served as vice president of Wifaqul Madaris Al Arabia Pakistan, syndicate member of public and private varsities including Karachi University and Dow University of Health Sciences, senior member of Ruet-i-Hilal Com­mittee, Council of Islamic Ideology, Zakat Council of the Government of Sindh and All Pakistan Ulema Council. He had also served as an adviser to the Shariat appellate bench of Supreme Court.

Survived by a wife, a son and three daughters, Mufti Usmani was suffering serious health complications after surviving Covid-19 some two years ago, his close aides said. He was being treated for different health complications.