mudarris (head teacher) at Darul Uloom Deoband. On his father's side he was Ayyubi Ansari and on his mother's side he was Siddiqi. Early education Khalil Ahmad began his education at the age of five in a maktab (elementary school) with study of the qaidah, a common text for learning Arabic script. For barakah (blessing), his grandfather Mamluk Ali conducted the opening bismillah ceremony. In a short time completed nazirah (reading) of the Qur'an and then began studying Urdu. In Ambehta and Nanauta he completed hifz (memorization) of the Qur'an and study of the primary Urdu and Persian books under various teachers. At the age of eleven, he began his Arabic studies in Gwalior with his paternal uncle Maulana Ansar Ali Saharanpuri, who served as Sadrus Sudur in Gwalior, head of the state's religious department. With Ansar Ali he studied the primary books of Arabic—Mizan as-Sarf, Sarf Mir, and Panj Ganj. After some time Khalil Ahmad's father, who was also employed in Gwalior, resigned from his work and returned to Ambehta with Khalil Ahmad. His education was assigned to Maulana Sakhawat Ali Ambehtawi, with whom he studied up to Kafiyah and its commentary Sharh Jami in Arabic grammar. Thereafter, in compliance with his father's wishes, he enrolled at the government English-medium school and commenced secular studies. Higher studies When Darul Uloom Deoband was opened in Muharram 1283 AH (May 1866) and Maulana Yaqub Nanautawi was appointed as sadr mudarris (the head teacher), Khalil Ahmad took permission from his parents and travelled to Deoband, where he resumed his Islamic studies from Kafiyah. Six months later Mazahir Uloom was established and Mazhar Nanautawi was appointed sadr mudarris. Due to the environment not suiting him at Deoband, he transferred to Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur and entered in the class of Mukhtasar al-Ma'ani. At Mazahir Uloom he spent several years acquiring knowledge of subjects including fiqh, usul al-fiqh, hadith, and tafsir. Most books were taught by Maulana Mazhar Nanautawi and some by Maulana Ahmad Hasan Kanpuri. Studies in hadith were commenced in 1285 AH (1868) with Mishkat al-Masabih. Sahih al-Bukhari and Hidayah were among the books studied in 1286 AH (1869). In the annual examinations Khalil Ahmad was regularly among the students who received prizes for high marks. He received his sanad-i faraghat (graduate degree) in 1288 AH (1871) at the age of 19. That year he received a copy of Sahih al-Bukhari as a