Mahahir ya haife shi ne a gidan iyayensa a cikin wani matalauci na Alor Setar, babban birnin jihar Kedah, British Malaya, a ranar 10 ga Yuli 1925. Mahaifinsa, Mohamad, ya kasance na gauraye Malay da Indiya; mahaifiyarsa, Wan Tempawan, Malay ne. Mahahir ba dan asalin Malay ba ne, wanda ya yi shiru a lokacin aikinsa na siyasa, yana da alaƙa da Firayim Minista shida na Malaysia. Amma wani bangare na haihuwar Mahathir ya bambanta shi da sauran biyar: ba a haife shi a cikin aristocracy ko sanannen addini ko siyasa ba.
Siti Hasmah