Abdul Hai Arifi was born in 1898 in
United Provinces of British India. He graduated from
Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1923 and got an
LLB degree from the
University of Lucknow. He practiced law between 1926 and 1935. He left the field of law and studied
Homeopathy in 1936. He practiced homeopathic medicine until his death. He had been in touch with
Ashraf Ali Thanwi from 1923, and became his "
murid" in 1927. Thanwi authorized him in the
Chishti order in 1935. Arifi was a member of the executive council of
Darul Uloom Karachi and succeeded
Muhammad Shafi as the president of Darul Uloom Karachi and served the seminary for about ten years until his death. He died on 27 March 1986. His funeral prayer was led by
Taqi Usmani and attended by
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and
Jahan Dad Khan. He was buried in the graveyard of
Darul Uloom Karachi. His disciples include Muhammad Taqi Usmani and
Rafi Usmani. ==Literary works==