Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri

Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri (1810 – 17 April 1880) was an Indian scholar who played a key role in publishing hadith literature in India. He was among the early teachers of Mazahir Uloom, and is often credited as a founder for his contributions to the development of the seminary. His students include Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi and Shibli Nomani.

Biography Aḥmad Ali was born in 1810 in Saharanpur. He memorized the Quran in Meerut and studied primary books of Arabic with Sa'ādat Ali Faqīh in Saharanpur. He studied some portions of Sahih Bukhari with Wajīhuddīn Siddīqi and completed the studies of hadith with Shah Muḥammad Ishāq Dehlawi in 1261 AH in Mecca. Abu Salman Shahjahanpuri however points out that Syed Aḥmad Khan's statement that Aḥmad studied Saḥiḥ Bukhāri with Muḥammad Isḥāq should not be accepted.

Aḥmad Ali returned to India in 1845 and started "Aḥmadi Press" in Delhi to publish hadith literature. He spent ten years in Kolkata giving religious discourses in the Hafiz Jamaluddin Masjid. He was appointed the vice-rector of the seminary after the death of Sa'ādat Ali Faqīh; and made the principal in the absence of Mazhar Nanautawi during 1294 AH. His students include Pir Syed Meher Ali Shah, Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi, Muhammad Yaqub Nanautawi, Ahmad Hasan Amrohi, Ahsan Nanautawi and Shibli Nomani.

Aḥmad Ali died on 17 April 1880 in Saharanpur. His death was condoled by Syed Ahmad Khan.