Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad was born on the 15 January of 1956 in the village of Onrahawa near Balrampur (which was called before Gondah) in the province of UP in India. His father’s name was Maqbool Ahmad.

Long ago there was no Ahl e Hadith in this village and innovations were widespread. The Ahl e Hadith Da’wah spread in the region through the efforts of Allamah AbdurRahman Mubarakpuri (the author of “Tuhfatul Ahwazi”), Shaykh AbdusSalam Mubarakpuri and many other great scholars, and Al-Hamdulillah nowadays this village has become a famous Ahl e Hadith village.

The brother of the grandfather of Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool told him that before they used to be involved in Peer Muridi (giving pledge of allegiance to a Sufi Shaykh) but when their Peer passed away, his wife used to stay once or twice a year to their house to take services from them and she would sit on the prayer mat at the time of Maghrib and not pray and when they asked why she wouldn’t pray Maghrib, she replied that one of her child passed away at the time of Maghrib, hence she left praying at this time as it is bad omen according to her. When Shaykh Salahdin’s grandmother informed his grandfather, he told her to tell the Peer’s widow not to come anymore to their house. At this time the call of Tawheed and Sunnah had reached them hence they could not tolerate such. All the people who became Ahl e Hadith used to be boycotted but they preserved and called people to the correct path and Al-Hamdulillah now the whole village is Ahl e Hadith.

His studies

Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad started his studies in this village in the Madrasah “Nur Al-Huda”. With religious sciences, he also learnt Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Hindi and English.

Afterwards in 1966, Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad went for his intermediary studies to the Madrasah “Shams Al-Uloom” in Samra and this Madrasah was established by Shaykh AbdulMubeen Manzar.

Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad went to study the last year of his intermediary studies in Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaris and he completed his intermediary studies in 1970 and finished first of his class in exams.

Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad went afterwards to study four years for higher studies in Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris and this course is called “Alamiyah”, and the Shaykh further completed 2 years of speciality in Jamiyah Salafiyah which is called “Fadheelah”, and the Shaykh obtained the certificate of “Fadheelah” in August 1976.

Afterwards the Shaykh joined the Islamic University of Madeenah in 1978 and in the Kuliyah of Hadeeth Shareef, and he graduated there with in 1981 and he always finished first or second every year.

His teachers:

His teachers in Madrasah “Nur Al-Huda”

1) Ustaz Muhammad Ahmad Athari

2) Ustaz Sayful Islam Athari

3) Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Rehmani

4) Shaykh Ziaullah Siddiqi

5) Shaykh Hasan Miyan

6) SHaykh Abdul Ghani

His famous teachers in Madrasah “Shams Al-Uloom”:

7) Shaykh AbdulMubeen Manzar

8) Shaykh Abdul Aleem Mahir Bastawi

From Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaris:

9) Shaykh AbdusSalam Rehmani

10) Shaykh Azeez Ahmad Nadwi

11) Shaykh AbdusSalam Taybi

12) Ustadh Fayroz Ahmad

His famous teachers in Jamiayh Salafiah Banaris

13) Shaykh Abdul Waheed Rehmani

14) Shaykh Abdul Mueed Banarsi

15) Shaykh Muhammad Idrees Azad Rehmani, he studied Sahih Mulism from him.

16) Shaykh Shamsul Haq Salafi, he studied Sahih Bukhari from him. Shaykh Shamsul Haq Salafi is the father of Shaykh Mohammad Ozair Shams.

17) Shaykh Dr Muqtada Hasan Azhari

18) Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri

19) Shaykh Muhammad Rais Nadwi

20) Shaykh Abdul Hameed Rehmani

21) Shaykh Anees Ar-Rahman

22) Shaykh Hadi Matlabi from KSA

23) Ustaz Shamsudin.

24) Ustaz Muhammad Akbar

25) Ustaz Manzoor Ahmad

26) Shaykh Abdul Hameed

27) Shaykh AbdusSalam Madni

28) Shaykh AbdurRahman Laythi

His famous teachers in Madeenah University:

29) Shaykh Dr Muhammad Aman Jami

30) Shaykh Rabee Madkhali (KSA)

31) Shaykh Sayid Najm (Egypt)

32) Shaykh Sayid Al-Wakeel (KSA)

33) Shaykh Sa’di Hashimi (Iraq)

34) Shaykh Basheer Al-Basheer (Sudan)

35) Shaykh Abdul Ghafar Hasan (Pakistan, father of Shaykh Suhaib Hasan)

36) Shaykh Muhammad Dhiya Ar-Rahman A’zami (India)

37) Shaykh AbdurRaheem Kashagri (KSA)

38) Shaykh Ahmad Ali Taha Rayan (Egypt)

39) Shaykh AbdulFattah Salamah (Egypt)

40) Shaykh Abdul Fattah Ashoor (Egypt)

41) Shaykh Ala Abu Ala (Egypt)

42) Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf (Egypt)

43) Shaykh Habeebullah AbdulQadir Sindi (Pakistan)

The scholars from whom he benefited in many sittings in Madeenah:

1) Shaykh Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbad Al-Badr
2) Shaykh Hammad Muhammad Al-Ansari
3) Shaykh Umar Muhammad Fullatah

And many others

Among those he obtained Ijazah:

1) Allamah Muhammad Haneef Bhujiyani

2) Shaykh Badiudin Shah Rashidi

3) Shaykh Muhammad A’zami

The scholars who introduced his books:

1) Shaykh Muhammad Safwat Nurudin, president of Jamiyah Ansar Sunnah Muhammadiyah in Egypt

2) Shaykh Rabee Madkhali, former head of Sunnah on Madeenah University

3) Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdil Aziz Al-Aqeel, the Shaykh of the Hanabilah

4) Shaykh Dr Bakr ibn Abdillah Abu Zayd (Lajnah Daimah)

5) Shaykh Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti

6) Shaykh Abdul Qudoos Naqwi

7) Shaykh AbdulHameed Rehmani

8) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Nasir Al-Uboodi

From his most famous colleagues:

1) Shaykh Mohammad Ozair Shams

2) Dr BadruZaman Nepali

3) Shaykh Abdullah Suud ibn Abdil Waheed

4) Shaykh AbdulQayum Shafee’

5) Shaykh Abdul Bari Fathullah

6) Shaykh Shihabullah Bahadur

7) Shaykh Abdul Majeed Sahibzad

8) Shaykh Muhammad Rafee’

9) Dr Anees Ahmad Tahir

10) Shaykh Badr Abdullah Al-Badr

His teaching in Kuwait and India

Upon the advice of his colleague Badr Al-Badr and Shaykh Falah Thani As-Sa’eedi (teacher in Kuwait University), Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad went to Kuwait on 17 February 1982 and he was appointed by the ministry of Awqaf as Imam of a Masjid. He also started to write his first two books at this time ““Zawabi’ fi Wajh As-Sunnah Qadeeman wa Hadeethan” and ““Da’wah Shaykh Al-Islam wa Atharuha fil Harakat Al-Mu’asarah”

After the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990, Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad returned to India and Shaykh AbdulHameed Rehmani, head of “Abul Kalam Azad Islamic Awakening Centre” in Delhi put him in charge there of his “Islamic Research Centre” where he published his first 2 books. Also during his stay in Dehli, he edited the book “Inma Az-Zukan” of Shaykh Badiudin Shah Rashdi, which was a refutation of the introduction of “Ila As-Sunnan” of Shaykh Zafar Ahmad Thanvi. Shaykh Zafar Ahmad Thanvi’s introduction was published under the name of “Qawaid Ulum Al-Hadith” and was dealing with principles of Hadith science, hence when Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad published Shaykh Badiudin Shah Rashdi’s reply, he changed its name with Shaykh Badiudin’s permission to “Naqd Qawaid fi Ulum Al-Hadith”.

After 3 years, Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad returned to Kuwait and became attached to Jamiyah Ihya Turath Islami.

Positions and duties exercised:

1) He was in charge of the Maktabah of Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris India
2) Former Imam and Khateeb in the ministry of Awqaf and Islamic matters in Kuwait.
3) Teacher in the Shar’i institute of Jam’iyah Ihya Turath Al-Islami in the branch of Al-Jahra
4) Director of the committee of Ilmi I’jaz of Jam’iyah Ihya Turath Al-Islami in the branch of Al-Jahra
5) President of the research committee of Jam’iyah Ihya Turath Al-Islami in the branch of Al-Jahra
6) President of the knowledge committee of Jam’iyah Ihya Turath Al-Islami in the branch of Al-Jahra
7) Director of the Kuliyah Faysal of higher modern studies in Tulsipur, India

His Arabic books authored:

1) “Da’wah Shaykh Al-Islam wa Atharuha fil Harakat Al-Mu’asarah” (The call of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah and its influence on modern movements) published by “Abul Kalam Azad Islamic Awakening Centre” and afterwards by Dar ibn Al-Atheer Kuwait.

2) “Zawabi’ fi Wajh As-Sunnah Qadeeman wa Hadeethan” (storms facing the Sunnah in old and recent times) published by “Abul Kalam Azad Islamic Awakening Centre” and afterwards by Dar ibn Al-Atheer Kuwait.

3) “Al-Marah bayna Hidayatil Islam wa Ghawayatil I’lam” (the women between the guidance of Islam and misguidance of information) published by Dar Ilaf Ad-Dawliyah, Kuwait

4) “Ahlul Hadith fi Shibhi Qaratil Hindiyah wa Alaqatuhum bil Mamlakah Al-Arabiyah As-Su’udiyah wa Gahyriha min Ad-Duwal Al-Arabiyah” (Ahl e Hadith in Indian subcontinent and their link with Saudi Arabia and other Arabic countries); Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad co-authored this book with Shaykh Arif Javed Muhammadi, and it was introduced by Shaykh ibn Aqeel, Shaykh Al-Uboodi and Shaykh Ishaq Bhatti. It was published by Dar Al-Bashair Islamiyah Beirut Lebanon. This book contains pictures of many Ijazat in Hadith of Saudi scholars which they received from Indian scholars.

5) “Ad-Difa’ ‘anil Hadith wa Rad Shubuhatil Mustashriqin” (defence of Hadith Shareef and refutation of doubts of westerners)

6) “’Awamil Wahdah Al-Ummah Al-Islamiyah” (the factors of the unity of the Islamic Ummah)

7) Madarisuna Muhaddadatun min Dakhiliha (Our Madaris are threatened from their inside)

8)“Al-Ustaz Abul Hasan An-Nadwi wal Wajh Al-Akhar min Kitabatihi” (The teacher Abul Hasan Nadwi and the other side of his writings), published by Gheras Li Nashr Wa Tawzi Kuwait, criticising some Sufi views of Shaykh Abul Hasan Nadwi.

9) “Silsilah Arkan Al-Iman” (series on the pillars of faith)

10) “Nazarat fi Sifatil Ghuraba” (reviews about attributes of strangers)

11) Aalam wa Aamal (pains and hopes), published by Gheras Li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait

12) “Sahih Al-Bukhari, Asah Kitab ba’d Kitab Allah Azza wa Jall, wa Dawruhu fi Tahqiq Maqasid Ash-Shariah wa Ibraz Khasaisiha”

His Tahqiqat (books published with his verification):

1) “Masalah Al-Ulu wa Nuzul” of ibn Tahir, published by Maktabah ibn Taymiyah Kuwait

2) “Mukhtasar Al-Muamal fi Rad ilal Amr Al-Awal” of ibn Shamah. First edition published by Maktabah As-Sahwah, second by Gheras Li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait

3) “Irshad An-Nuqad” of Ameer As-San’ani, published by Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah

4) “Tuhfatul Anam” of Muhammad Hayat Sindhi. First edition published by Maktanah Mu’ala, second by Gheras Li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait.

5) “Al-Mutawari” of ibnul Muneer Al-Iskandari, published by Maktabah Mu’ala

6) “Al-Imta’ bil Arabeen” of ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani, published by Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah.

7) “Az-Zahr An-Nadhar fi Hal Al-Khidr” of ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, second edition published by Maktabah Ahlil Athar Kuwait.

8) “Al-Hamiyah Al-Islamiyah” of As-Sarmari and “Al-Qaseedah” of Al-Yafi’i in defence of Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyah. The first edition was published by “Abul Kalam Azad Islamic Awakening Centre” and the second by Gheras Li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait.

9) “Tuhfatul Mawdud fi Ahkam Al-Mawlood” of Hafiz ibnul Qayim, published by Dar Al-Ilaf Ad-Dawliyah Kuwait.

10) “Naqd Qawaid Ulum Al-Hadith” of Shaykh Badiudin Shah Rashidi, published by Gheras Li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait.

11) “Jami Al-Bayan fi Tafseer Al-Quran” of Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbdirRahman Al-Eeji Ash-Shafi’i, also known as “Tafsir Al-Eeji” with the Hashiyah of Shaykh Muhammad Ghaznawi upon it. It was published by Gheras li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait with the verification of Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad.

12) “At-Tawam Al-Mur’ishah fi Tahreefat Ahl Ar-Ray Al-Mudhishah” of Shaykh Badiudin Shah Ar-Rashidi

13) “Atwaq Al-Hamamah fi Haml Sahabah alas Salamah”

14) “Hujjiyatul Hadith Shareef” of Shaykh Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi, translated into Arabic by his teacher Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari who gave him the CD of composing, and Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool published it with his verification after his teacher’s death by Gheras li Nashr wa Tawzi Kuwait.

15) “Harakah Al-Intilqaq Al-Fikri wa Juhud Shah Waliyullah fi Tajdid”: Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari had translated the famous book “Tahreek Azadi Fikr or Shah Waliyullah ki Tajdidi Masa’i” and it was published in 1984 by Jamiayh Salafiyah Banaris. Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad had made the Fihrsit of this book.

Translations from Urdu to Arabic:

1) “Mawqif Al-Jama’ah Al-Islamiyah minal Hadith”: Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad translated this famous book of Shaykh Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi showing the mistakes of Shaykh Mawdudi in Hadith and some of his rationalist views. Shaykh AbdulHameed Rehmani advised him to translate this book in Arabic. It was published by Maktabah Salafiyah Lahore by Shaykh Ataullah Haneef Bhujiyani.

2) “Nazratun fi Madhab Ahlil Hadith” of Shaykh Abul Qasim Al-Banarsi

3) “Madhab Imam Al-Bukhari fi Sahihhi”: Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad translated in Arabic this famous book of Shaykh Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi about the school of thought of Imam Bukhari in his Sahih. It has been published by Gheras li Nashr wa Tawzi.

4) “Awaliyat Ahlil Hadith fi Shibhil Qaratil Hindiyah”: Shaykh Rashid Hasan Mubarakpuri translated to Arabic the book “Bare Sagheer mein Ahl e Hadith ki Awaliyat” of Shaykh Ishaq Bhatti and Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad reviewed and introduced this translation published under his supervision by Maktabah Al-Fadl new Delhi.

5) “Mawqif Al-Aslaf mimma Sajara Bayna Sahabah minal Khilaf”: Shaykh Irshad Al-Haqq Athari’s Urdu book “Mushajarat Sahabah or Salaf ka Mawqif” has been translated in Arabic by Shaykh Rashid Hasan Mubarakpuri in India and verified and introduced by Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad, and this Arabic translation has been published by Dar Al-Lataif

6 “Tazkirah li Ulil azm min A’lam Al-Ummah fi Tarikh”: Translation in Arabic by Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad of the book of Shaykh Abul Kalam Azad “At-Tazkirah”. It has been published by Dar Al-Ilaf Ad-Dawliyah

7) “Hujjiyah Al-Hadith An-Nabawi wa As-Sunnah Al-Musharafah”: Translation in Arabic of a book by Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad of a book of Shaykh AbdusSattar Hammad on the authority of Hadith. It has been published by Dar Al-Ilaf Ad-Dawliyah

The Shaykh also wrote many Arabic biographies in different magazines of major scholars:

1) Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari
2) Shaykh Badiudin Shah Rashidi
3) Shaykh Muhammad Hashim Hadiyah of Sudan from Jamiyah Ansar Sunnah Muhammadiyah.
4) Shaykh Muhammad Safwat Nurudin, head of Jamiyah Ansar Sunnah Muhammadiyah Egypt
5) Shaykh Dr Bakr ibn Abdillah Abu Zayd
6) Shaykh Mukhtar Ahmad Nadwi

7) Shaykh Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi

8) Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri
9) Shaykh Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti

To complete I will add that Umm-ul-Qura publications have been honoured to have some of our books introduced by Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad. He wrote a lengthy introduction in Urdu of “Nighar Shaat” of Shaykh Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi, which is a collection of different epistles gathered by Hafiz Shahid Mahmood and published with his Tahqiq. Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmad also wrote a lengthy Arabic introduction to our Arabic translation of “Asbab Ikhtilaf Fuqaha” of Shaykh Irshadul Haq Athari.