[1] Sharafuddin was born on 24 December 1945, at the Istana Jema'ah in Klang, as the first son of the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Selangor, Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah and his first wife, Raja Saidatul Ihsan binti Tengku Badar Shah (1923–2011).

He was sent abroad to continue his education, attending the Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange, New South Wales, Australia, from 1970 and later Langhurst College in Surrey, United Kingdom, from 1974.

[2][4] After returning from the United Kingdom in 1968, Sharafuddin joined the government as a public servant, and was attached to the Selangor State Secretariat under the administration of Menteri Besar Harun Idris.

[2][4] In 1970, he was formally installed and took oath as the 8th Raja Muda of Selangor in a ceremony held at the Istana Alam Shah, Klang.

[2][4] On 22 November 2001, Sharafuddin was proclaimed Sultan of Selangor, succeeding his father, who died after serving two years as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

[8] The ceremony was attended by royal family members of the monarchies of Malaysia and federal government officers.

Also in attendance were acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who represented the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Regent of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, and Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al Muhtadee Billah.

[9][10] In 2011, he suspended the datukship of former transport minister Chan Kong Choy in relation to the latter being charged in court over the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.

[12] In May 2009, he underwent a ten-hour open heart surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.

[14] In 2014, Sharafuddin revoked the 'Dato' Seri' title of Anwar Ibrahim following the Kajang Move political crisis.

[16] In 2020, The Straits Times reported that Sharafuddin owned shares in a company that planned development in the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve.

According to an announcement by the Selangor Royal Office on Facebook, the surgery had been delayed for the past eight months but did not give a reason.

[1] The Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, a major annual sailing event, is named after him.

[25] In 1986, he drove a Proton Saga from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching, covering 1,111 km in two days.

[1] Sharafuddin's full style and title is: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj, D.K., D.M.N., D.K.

(Pahang), S.P.M.S., S.S.I.S., S.P.M.J., Sultan dan Yang di-Pertuan Selangor Darul Ehsan Serta Segala Daerah Takluknya.