Muhammad Hayat as-Sindhi

Abu al-Hasan Muhammad Hayat ibn Ibrahim as-Sindhi al-Madani (c. 1102-1163 AH / c. 1690-1750 CE) was a hadith scholar originally from Sindh (in modern Pakistan) who settled in Medina and became one of the most influential teachers of the 18th century. Born in Sindh, he traveled to Medina to pursue advanced studies in the hadith sciences and remained there.

As-Sindhi was deeply grounded in the hadith tradition and was known as an outstanding teacher who combined technical mastery of the sciences of narration with a commitment to following the evidence of the Sunnah. He was influenced by the scholarly tradition of Shah Waliullah's family and in turn influenced others toward a hadith-oriented approach.

His significance lies particularly in the remarkable students he trained. Among his most notable students were Shah Waliullah ad-Dehlawi — the great Indian scholar and reformer who became one of the most important Islamic thinkers of the century — and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the reformer of the Arabian Peninsula whose teachings gave rise to the Wahhabi/Salafi movement. The encounter of both these figures with as-Sindhi's emphasis on direct engagement with hadith and ijtihad had profound implications for Islamic reform movements across the Muslim world.

As-Sindhi also wrote commentaries on hadith texts. He passed away in Medina in approximately 1163 AH. His influence was disproportionate to his written output, transmitted primarily through his teaching and the transformative effect he had on the most important students of his era.