Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri (Urdu: خلیل احمد سہارنپوری, romanized: Khalīl Aḥmad Sahāranpūrī; December 1852 – 13 October 1927) was an Indian Islamic scholar of the Deobandi movement.
"[note 1][5] In Mu‘jam al-Ma‘ājim wa-al-Mashyakhāt it is written, "The Shaykh, the Muḥaddith, the Faqīh, Khalīl Aḥmad ibn Majīd ‘Alī […] al-Anṣārī al-Ḥanafī al-Anbayt′hawī as-Sahāranfūri al-Muhājir al-Madanī, one of the senior scholars of India.
"[6] Husain Ahmad Madani writes in the introduction to Badhl al-Majhud, "Mawlānā Abū Ibrāhīm Khalīl Aḥmad, al-Ayyūbī al-Anṣārī by lineage and origin, al-Ḥanafī ar-Rashīdī by mashrab (spiritual disposition, lit.
'spring') and madhhab (legal school), and al-Jishtī al-Qādirī an-Naqshbandī as-Suhrawardī by ṭarīqah (Sufi order) and maslak (track).
[8] The chronogram "Z̤ahīruddīn wa Aḥmad" (ظہیرالدین و احمد, "Zahiruddin and Ahmad") equates to the year of his birth, 1269, using Abjad numerals.
Khalil Ahmad began his education at the age of five in a maktab (elementary school) with study of the qaidah, a common text for learning Arabic script.
In Ambehta and Nanauta he completed hifz (memorization) of the Qur'an and study of the primary Urdu and Persian books under various teachers.
With Ansar Ali he studied the primary books of Arabic—Mizan as-Sarf, Sarf Mir, and Panj Ganj.
[8][9] His education was assigned to Maulana Sakhawat Ali Ambehtawi, with whom he studied up to Kafiyah and its commentary Sharh Jami in Arabic grammar.
Thereafter, in compliance with his father's wishes, he enrolled at the government English-medium school and commenced secular studies.
Due to the environment not suiting him at Deoband, he transferred to Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur and entered in the class of Mukhtasar al-Ma'ani.
[9][8][10] At Mazahir Uloom he spent several years acquiring knowledge of subjects including fiqh, usul al-fiqh, hadith, and tafsir.
In the annual examinations Khalil Ahmad was regularly among the students who received prizes for high marks.
That year he received a copy of Sahih al-Bukhari as a special prize from Maulana Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri.
This statement incapacitated Khalil's senses and he stammered, "Hazrat, I am worse, more contemptible, and useless than them (the humble folk).
By the choice of his honourable uncle and on the approval of Gangohi, he departed in 1293 AH to occupy the post in Bhopal at a monthly salary of fifty rupees.
Thereafter, he departed for Sikandrabad in the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh in Jumadul Awwal of 1294 AH, where he became a teacher at the Madrasa Arabiyya of the Jami’ Masjid.
In 1295 AH, a letter from Moulvi Shamsuddin, Chief Justice of Bhawalpur, was sent to Moulana Muhammad Ya'qub.
He soon progressed into a senior teacher and taught Tawdih Talwih, Hammaasa Rashidiyya, Sharhul Wiqaayah, Shara Nukhbatul Fikr, Mu'atta Imam Muhammad, and Siraji.
Even Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri would visit Khalil for advice and guidance in his writings and discourses.
In Mecca, on account of the oppression of Sharif Husain,[further explanation needed] Khalil had to return before the Hajj.
As he left the ship, he, his wife, and his brother, Haji Maqbul Ahmad, who was his right-hand man, were arrested.
Even on Eid al-Fitr, the effect of the paralysis was predominant to such an extent that he was unable to attend Salat al-Eid in the Haram.
In the first week of Rabi ul Aakhir in 1346 AH, he experienced pain in his chest, which would disappear when he was massaged.
In the second week, on the request of some of the 'Ulama of Medina, Khalil started to teach Sunan Abu Da'ud after Asr Salaah at the residence of Maulana Sayyid Ahmad.
After conducting lessons for a weekend, while returning from Zuhr Salaah on Monday, Khalil complained of more pain in his chest.
At the time of Asr Salaah, although the pain had decreased, weakness did not permit him to attend salah in the Haram.
At the time of Dhuhr Salaah, Khalil was overcome with weakness to such an extent that he was unable to perform wudu.
Twenty-four hours passed in complete silence and on Thursday, 13 October 1927, Khalil died as he repeatedly proclaimed "Allah!"
After Maghrib Salaah, Maulana Shaikh Tayyib, the rector of Madrasa Shari'a, led the Salat al-Janazah.