Shaykh Asghar Ali Salfi was born on 15 March 1963 in Maghrabi Champaran Bihar in the village of Barandaban. He came from a well respected and known family. His grand father Bakhish Kareem opposed the British and struggled for independence. At the time Sufism and Taqleed were prevalent in the area and Shaykh Bakhsih Kareem was involved in this as it was his environment in which Peeri Muridi was the norm.

His father Imam Mahdi left Taqleed and all these Sufi practices and became the leading Salafi Imam of his area and had great efforts in spreading the Book and the Sunnah. Shaykh Imam Mahdi passed away on the 29 November 2008 after a long illness at the age of 78.

Shaykh Asghar Ali Salfi learned first in his village, after joined the Madrasah Manzar Al-Uloom. Among his teachers at Maghrabi Champaran, we count: Shaykh Niyaz Ahmad Faizi, Shaykh Mufti Mahmood Aalim Umri, Shaykh Shafeeq Ahmad Salfi, Shaykh Abdullah Faizi, Shaykh AbdulHannan.

Afterwards he went to Maonath Bhajan (UP) and joined Jamiyah Athariyah Daar Al-Hadith. He studied there for a year Sarf, Naohw, Arabic literature, Hadith, Tafsir, Fiqh and Usul Fiqh. Among his teachers there, we count: Mufti Abdul Aziz Umri, Shaykh FaizurRahman, Shaykh AbduShakoor Athari, Shaykh Muhammad Ahmad Athari.

Then he desired to join the prestigious Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris (UP), so he went there and completed his studies there. Among his teachers there, we count: Shaykh AbdulWaheed Rehmani, Shaykh AneesurRahman A'zami, Dr Muqtada Hasan Azhari, Shaykh Rais Ahmad Nadwi, Shaykh Abid Hasan Rehmani, Shaykhul Hadith Shamsul Haq Salfi (father of Shaykh Ozair Shams), Shaykh Muhammad Mustaqeem Salfi.

After graduating from Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris, he was admitted to Madeenah University and studied there for 4 years. Among his teachers there, we count: Dr ZiaurRahman A'zami, Shaykh Muhammad Umar Fullatah, Shaykh Abdullah Al-Ghunayman, Shaykh Muhammad Ali Jami, Shaykh Awad Shahri.

He also obtained Ijazah in Hadith from Shaykhul Hadith Ubaydullah Mubarakpuri and Allamah Abdullah Al-Aqeel Shaykhul Hannabilah.

His degrees include:

1) Alimiyat wa Fazeelat, Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris
2) Graduation Madeenah University
3) Alim wa Fazil, Ilahabad Urdu Farsi Education Board UP.
4) Alim Double Fazil, Bihar state Madrasah Education Board.

After completing Madeenah University, he taught at Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris up to 2001. He taught Aqidah, Hadith, Fiqh, Furuq wa Mazahib, Tarikh and literature. His many students are involved in Dawah and teaching in India and other countries.

Shaykh Asghar Ali Salfi edited many books and among his great achievements we count:

1) Dirasah wa Tahqiq "Al-Jami fil Khatim lil Bayhaqi"
2) Dirasah wa Tahqiq of "Iqtida Al-Hanafi bi Shafii" of ibn Abdil Aziz,
3) Tahqiq wa Dirasah Matn of "Al-Hidayah liman Arada An-Naseehah"
4) "Takhrij Ahadith nez Sifah Salah An-Nabi fi daw Ifadat Al-Imam Shah Waliyullah"

Shaykh Asghar Ali also excelled in translating, he translated "Tarikh al-Islam" of Shaykh Mahmood Shakir to Urdu, as well as other books.

With this, the Shaykh was also very active in journalism, his articles are published in the monthly "Sirat e Msuatqeem", "Mir'ah", "Al-Manar", "Al-Istiqamah" and "Hindustan Express". His column on "Dars Quran wa Dars Hadith" which were published regularly in the monthly magazine "Muhadis" Banaris were very much appreciated. Also the Shaykh wrote many beneficial Arabic articles in the monthly magazine "Sawt Al-Ummah". He also wrote many articles in national newspapers on role of Ahl e Hadith in independence, as well as articles condemning terrorism.

The Shaykh gave Khutah for 11 years in Jami Masjid Hafiz Zahoor Babar Bali Banaris. After he became the secretary general of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind, he moved to Delhi and gives Khutbah in different Masajid in Delhi.

Shaykh Asghar Ali also published many book under "Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind" with his supervision, among which we count the translation of Sahih Al-Bukhari (8 vol), "Tarikh Khatme e Nubuwat" (4 vol), Translation of the Quran (2 vol, Urdu, Hindi, English) and many Tarajim Ullama Ahl e Hadith.

Likewise the magazines of Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind, "Tarjuman" (Urdu), "Islah Samaj" (Hindi), "Simple Truth" (English), "Al-Istiqamah" (Arabic) are regularly published under his supervision.

Shaykh Asghar Ali Salfi helped in establishing many religious institutes, such as:

1) Jamiyah Abu Bakr Siddiq Al-Islamiyah. Barandaban, Maghrabi Champaran, Bihar.
2) Kulliyah Aishah Siddiqah Lil Banat, Barandaban, Maghrabi Champaran, Bihar.
3) Kulliyah As-Salihat, Patnah.

The institutes that he is in charge of:

1) Madrasah Salafiyah Arah
2) Ma'had Ihya As-Sunnah, MisrWali Maghrabi Champaran.
3) Madrasah Daar Al-Kitab wa Sunnah, Muhammad Pur.

With his supervision, Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith established "Al-Ma'had Al-Aali Li Takhasus fid Dirasat Al_Islamiyah" New Delhi.

In 2001, Shaykh Asghar Ali Imam Mahdi was elected as Secretary General of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind.

Source: "Gulistan Hadith" of Shaykh Ishaq Bhatti published in 2011 by Maktbah Qudusiyah.

For further of Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind history and works:

http://www.ahlehadees.org/…/markazi-jamiat-ahle-hadees-hadi…

Note: "Tarikh Khatme Nubuwat" of Dr Baha Al Din has now reached 44 published volumes, with many more to come, and these volumes have been published in India by Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind through Shaikh Shairkhan Jameel Ahmed Umri who also played a great role in collecting the material from India and proofreading the books.