Ahmad Ali al-Saharanfuri
- Died
- 1297 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad Ali al-Saharanfuri (1225–1297 AH / 1810–1880 CE) was an Indian Hanafi jurist and hadith scholar, known for his pioneering hadith publishing efforts and his extensive marginal commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari.
Early Life and Education
Ahmad Ali ibn Lutf Allah al-Saharanfuri was born in 1225 AH (1810 CE) in Saharanpur, where he grew up and received his initial instruction from local scholars. He adhered to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence and the Maturidi theological tradition. He traveled to Delhi to study under Mamluk al-Ali al-Nanawtawi, and received hadith transmissions from Wajih al-Din al-Saharanfuri, Ilahi Bakhsh al-Kandhlawi, and Sa'adat Ali al-Saharanfuri.
In 1259 AH (1843 CE), he traveled to Mecca for the pilgrimage and resided in the Hejaz for two years. There, he read the six canonical hadith collections under Shah Muhammad Ishaq al-Dihlawi, who granted him formal teaching authorization (ijaza) and advised him to devote himself to the service and propagation of prophetic traditions.
Scholarly Career and Publishing
Upon returning to India, al-Saharanfuri engaged in trade for his livelihood while dedicating his scholarly life to teaching and editing hadith texts. He established the Ahmadi Press (al-Matba'a al-Ahmadiyya) in Delhi to publish corrected editions of major hadith compendia accompanied by explanatory annotations. He spent nearly ten years critically verifying the text of Sahih al-Bukhari and authoring an extensive marginal commentary (hashiya) upon it.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, his press in Delhi was ruined, and his personal library was burned and lost. He subsequently re-established the press in Meerut, resuming the publication of Sahih al-Bukhari and other fundamental texts, which were later reprinted in Delhi and Mumbai.
Students and Death
Al-Saharanfuri taught hadith to a generation of prominent Indian scholars, among whom were Muhammad Qasim al-Nanawtawi, Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi, Shibli Nu'mani, Muhammad Ali al-Mungeri, and Muhammad Ya'qub al-Nanawtawi.
He suffered from paralysis and died on 6 Jumada al-Ula 1297 AH (1880 CE) in Saharanpur, where he was buried.
Answer updated
List of Works
This work is a critical edition and marginal commentary (hashiya) on Imam al-Bukhari's Sahih. Published in full in 1270 AH (1853 CE), it establishes the hadith collection's text using multiple authoritative manuscript copies while providing accompanying explanatory notes.