The establishment of Oomerabad in 1924—a village located 8 km from Ambur at the foot of the historic Kailasgiri Hill—marks a milestone in the socio-economic and educational history of South India. Oomerabad derives its name from its illustrious founder, Late Janab Kaka Mohammed Oomer Sahib, a social activist par excellence. Imbued with philanthropic zeal and a progressive vision, he dedicated himself to the founding of this village and spent his hard-earned money to purchase a vast expanse of land.
Six streets were initially planned for the village, of which three were allocated to Muslims and the other three to non-Muslims. The plots of land were distributed free of cost to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Those recipients who could not afford to construct houses were provided with free financial assistance. The village, with its harmonious blend of Muslim and non-Muslim populations, stands as a living testimony to the spirit of generosity and tolerance of its noble founder, Late Janab Kaka Mohammed Oomer Sahib.
Kaka Mohammed Oomer was a prominent and successful businessman who exported leather to various parts of the world; however, his true inner satisfaction lay in acquiring religious knowledge. During his stay in Amritsar, he was blessed with close association with exceptional scholars such as Maulana Syed Abdullah Ghaznavi and Maulana Syed Abdul Jabbar Ghaznavi. In particular, his twelve-year-long companionship in the Qur’anic lessons of Maulana Abdul Jabbar Ghaznavi refined his intellectual vision and spiritual outlook. The piety, asceticism, reliance upon Allah, and deep humility of these scholars left lasting impressions upon his heart and mind—impressions that would later give rise to the foundation of a great educational institution.
In 1913, as Kaka Mohammed Oomer was preparing to return home from Amritsar, he expressed to his mentor, Maulana Abdul Jabbar Ghaznavi, a deep concern that much of his life had been spent in worldly pursuits. He now wished to dedicate his remaining years to establishing a lasting charitable institution that would bring success in the Hereafter. The wise counsel given by Maulana Ghaznavi on this occasion ultimately became the guiding philosophy of Jamia Darussalam.
Maulana Ghaznavi observed that religious schools had fallen prey to sectarian rigidity and polemical rivalries, where tolerance was increasingly absent. What was needed was an institution that would offer pure and higher education based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, demonstrate mutual respect despite doctrinal differences, and keep its doors equally open to all Muslims without distinction. With this aim in view, he established Jamia Darussalam in Oomerabad in 1924 and had it registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
Students and teachers, irrespective of their fiqh commitments and sectarian differences, were brought together under one roof. Different schools of Islamic jurisprudence, along with varied religious movements and groups, were thus united under the umbrella of Jamia Darussalam.
It was also the cherished desire of the founder that those who pursue the study of the Qur’an and Sunnah be well equipped with basic contemporary subjects such as the English language, science, mathematics, and social studies. This vision became the mission of Jamia Darussalam, and to this day, the institution continues to follow the path laid down by its founder with great commitment and dedication.
Jamia has produced—and will continue to produce—Muslim scholars and thinkers with a fine blend of religious and contemporary education. Jamia was affiliated with the University of Madras and later with Thiruvalluvar University, and its degree is considered equivalent to a B.A. in Arabic. Jamia’s degree is also recognized by Jamia Islamia Madinah al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia, and Jamia-tul-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt.