Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi

Abd al-Haqq ibn Sayf al-Din al-Dihlawi (1551-1642 CE / 958-1052H) was the first major hadith scholar of the Indian subcontinent in the modern sense, earning the title Muhaddith of Delhi. He studied hadith in Makkah and Madinah under major Hijazi scholars and returned to India to introduce formal hadith transmission (isnad-based) and commentary. His major works include Ashi'at al-Lam'at, a Persian commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih; al-Lam'at fi Sharh al-Mishkat; and Madarij al-Nubuwwah, a comprehensive seerah work. He also wrote Persian translations of hadith collections to make them accessible to Indian Muslims.