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Person
Hadith narrator

Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi

شاه ولي الله الدهلوي

Qutb al-Din

1703 CE – 1762 CE (1114 AH – 1176 AH)(aged ~59) Born in Delhi Died in Delhi

Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi was an 18th-century Indian Islamic scholar, theologian, and reformer known for his efforts to revive Islamic scholarship and unify Sunni jurisprudence in the Indian subcontinent.

Born in 1703 in Delhi to the prominent scholar Shah Abdur Rahim, Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi was a leading Sunni Islamic scholar and Sufi reformer of the 18th century. He memorised the Qur'an by age seven and mastered Arabic and Persian early in life. He succeeded his father as dean of the Madrasah-i Rahimiyah and contributed to the compilation of the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri under Emperor Aurangzeb. Shah Waliullah advocated for the reconciliation of the four Sunni madhahib and emphasised a direct understanding of the Qur'an. He corresponded with Ahmad Shah Abdali urging intervention against the Maratha Empire to protect Muslim interests. He died in 1762, leaving a lasting legacy in Islamic theology and jurisprudence in South Asia.

Significance

He is significant for reviving Islamic scholarship and promoting Sunni legal unity in the Indian subcontinent during the 18th century.

Reputation in tradition

Regarded by Sunni tradition as a renewer (mujaddid) who revived hadith scholarship and promoted unity among Sunni schools of law.
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Father

Shah Abdur Rahim

Children (1)

Classical grade
sahih thiqa
Generation
Generation 22
Why they matter in hadith

Major 18th-century Indian Islamic scholar; compiler of the Forty Hadith of Shah Waliullah.

Sources: Wikipedia and classical Islamic biographical literature compiled by automated researchers. Every page is being continuously refined — if something looks off, please check back in a few days.