A Malayan Islamic writer. Hadi made important contributions to Malay nationalism. He started a journal, Al Imam (1906-08) modelled on Al Manar of Muhammad Abduh the Egyptian reformer. He ran several madarsahs in Singapore, Malaca and Penang and also founded a Press in Penang to publish books, journals and other publications mainly reformist. Hadi authored Farida Hanum (1926) and translated into Malay, Qasim Amins, and Tahrir-al-Murah from Arabic. His monthly Al Ikhwan and weekly Saudara was widely circulated throughout the Malay Peninsula.