Sheikh Harith was born in 1941 and graduated from Al-Azhar University in 1967. He holds a doctorate in hadith (prophetic tradition) and interpretation, and taught Islamic law at Iraqi, Jordanian, and UAE universities.

According to "Al-Quds al-Arabi," al-Dari is the grandson of Sheikh Dari, a national Iraqi hero who killed colonial British officer Colonel Gerard Leachman during the 1920 revolution in Iraq.

Al-Dari is an influential member of the Muslim Scholars Association who acts as the head of media affairs for the Sunni group.

He returned to Iraq after occupation and joined the national ranks that are calling for liberation from occupation.

In July 2003, he led a delegation of Arabs to the Arab League asking it to not recognize the Governing Council.