Farhat Hashmi considers herself an “eternal student and servant of the Quran” and, more than an icon, orator or scholar, prefers to be simply called a “Muallim” (teacher). Farhat Hashmi was born in Sargodha, Punjab to the family of Abdur Rehman Hashmi, a Muslim scholar. She received her master's degree in Arabic at the Punjab University, Lahore, and was married shortly afterwards to Idrees Zubair, a fellow Islamic scholar. Together, the couple achieved their PhD in Hadeeth Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Hashmi taught at the International Islamic University Islamabad, while also conducting informal religious study circles for women in Islamabad.

Hashmi has also been featured in the yearly publication of "The Muslim 500 - The 500 Most Influential Muslims

Married to Idrees Zubair