<![CDATA[This study aims to analyze the process of the arrival of Islam in India and the development of hadith studies from the early period of Islamization to the establishment of major hadith educational institutions. This research employed a qualitative approach using a library research method. The data were collected from primary and secondary sources, including books, scholarly articles, historical documents, and relevant literature on the history of Islam and hadith studies in India. Data were analyzed using content analysis through the stages of data reduction, data display, and descriptive-analytical conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that Islam entered India gradually through trade, missionary activities (da'wah), marriage, and political expansion, leading to the establishment of Islamic civilization under the Umayyad, Ghaznavid, Ghurid, Delhi Sultanate, and Mughal dynasties. The development of hadith studies passed through four major phases: introduction, growth, reform, and institutionalization. The contributions of Abd al-Haq al-Dihlawi, Nur al-Haq al-Dihlawi, and particularly Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi marked a turning point in the revival of hadith scholarship, which was later strengthened by Dar al-Ulum Deoband and Mazahir al-Ulum through a curriculum centered on the Kutub al-Sittah. The novelty of this study lies in presenting the development of hadith studies in India through a comprehensive historical periodization that integrates Islamization, scholarly contributions, methodological developments, and the institutionalization of hadith education within a unified analytical framework.]]>
