Early Life
Khalil was born toward the end of Safar 1269 AH (December 1852) in Ambehta, a town in the district of Saharanpur in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh, India. He was named both "Zahiruddeen" and "Khalil Ahmad", but Khalil Ahmad became his official name.
His mother, Bi Mubarak an-Nisa, was the daughter of Maulana Mamluk `Ali and the sister of Maulana Muhammad Ya`qub Nanautawi.
Khalil commenced his studies at an elementary school at the age of five. Maulana Mamluk `Ali conducted his bismillah and Khalil soon completed the recitation of the Qur'an. He then studied the primary books of Urdu and Persian under various ulama in Ambehta and Nanauta. Thereafter, he accompanied his paternal uncle, Maulana Ansar `Ali, to Gwalior, where he studied the primary texts of Arabic grammar—Mizan as-Sarf, Sarf Mir, and Panj Ganj.
Thereafter, Khalil returned home, where his education was assigned to Maulana Sakhawat 'Ali Anbahtawi. During this period, some of his relatives insisted that he be enrolled at an English school. Though he did not want to, he commenced his secular studies. When Darul Uloom Deoband was opened in May 1866 and his uncle, Maulana Muhammad Ya'qub, was appointed as the sadr mudarris (head teacher), Khalil took permission from his parents and travelled to Deoband, where he commenced studies from Kafiyah. Six months later, in November 1866, Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur was established. There, another maternal uncle of Khalil, Maulana Muhammad Mazhar, was appointed sadr mudarris. Khalil transferred to Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur, where he entered the class of Mukhtasar al-Ma’ani.
Khalil commenced his studies in hadith by studying Mishkat al-Masabih in 1868. The following year, he studied Sahih al-Bukhari and Hidayah.
Khalil completed his academic studies and graduated from Mazahir Uloom in 1871.
Read more about this topic: Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri
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