Muhammad Talha Kandhlawi was an Indian philosopher and member of the ulema, born on 28 May 1941 in Saharanpur.

His early life unfolded across a period of significant political change on the subcontinent. His citizenship reflected successive transitions: he was a citizen of the British Raj, then of the Dominion of India, and later of India. He received his education at Mazahir Uloom, where he trained within the ulema tradition.

In his scholarly work, Kandhlawi used three languages: Persian, Arabic, and Urdu. That range of languages placed him within a broad textual culture, and he carried both the role of philosopher and that of ulema — two designations that together point toward engagement with reasoned inquiry alongside religious learning. His use of Persian, Arabic, and Urdu ran throughout his career as a consistent feature of how he worked and wrote.

He died on 12 August 2019 in Meerut. His work as a philosopher and ulema, conducted in Persian, Arabic, and Urdu, defined the character of his scholarly life.