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After the European Revolution of 1857, the Muslims in India faced a difficult time. The crumbling Mughal Empire had taken its last breath, and the British Raj not only had firmly established its rule but was growing stronger day by day. Since Muslims had held power in this country for nearly a thousand years, the English saw them as a potential threat and feared resistance from them.
This is why they adopted various methods and strategies to suppress and eliminate Muslims under their control. Politically, the common Muslims had been defeated. The British knew that although Muslims had lost their political dominance, they still possessed a weapon that, if utilized, could reignite the same fervour and passion that had enabled them to rule the country for a thousand years. And that weapon was Muslims’ faith and religion.
The British desired to not only extinguish the Muslims' fervour for faith and religion but also to completely subdue them. Consequently, organized networks of Christian missionaries were deployed throughout India to convert the people to Christianity. Street by street and alley by alley, under the supervision of the English Raj, a relentless campaign began to preach against Islam and Muslims. Boldly, they initiated the propagation of the Trinity doctrine, targeting both the common people and the elite.
The deluge of Christianity entered India with the backing of the colonial powers from Europe. It was evident that the entire religious assets of Muslims would be at risk of being swept away by the storm; religious teachings, Islamic rituals, and the Muslim community itself would be carried away like straw by the flood. And the threat was not without a reason, because the movement was supported by the British Raj, and the Muslims were subjugated and helpless.
When the Christian missionaries faced setbacks in their endeavours, they devised another nefarious plan to attack the faith and belief of Muslims. Cunningly, they instigated the AryaSamaj movement, plunging the country into a state of turmoil and unrest.
May Allah reward those noble souls who stood firm against this flood. On one hand, they laid the foundation of Islamic religious schools to strengthen the faith and belief of Muslims, and on the other hand, they stood resolutely against the Christian missionaries and remained steadfast in the battlefield until the Christian preachers withdrew. The religious identity of Muslims was thus safeguarded.
When our ancestors witnessed the plunder of the Muslim world by the European revolution, they realized that even their remaining faith was then under the scrutiny of the British and it could not be denied that this would have consequences. Eventually, as a result of the late-night prayers of the righteous scholars, the establishment of these Islamic religious schools began. First and foremost, the foundations of Darul Uloom Deoband and Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur were laid. Then, these esteemed scholars focused their attention on rural areas. The establishment of this esteemed institution, Jamia IslamiaRedhiTajpura, was also a result of their dedication and efforts.
If it is a fact that the clouds of mercy bring a message of vitality, freshness, and energy to the withered, wilted, and sun-baked crops, then it is indeed essential to acknowledge that the establishment of religious schools has revived the wilting and declining gardens of Islam in India, bringing back the blossoming season. Through the sincere efforts, struggles, devotion, and determined strive of the scholars, spiritual masters, and individuals dedicated to national and community welfare, they have uprooted the foundations of polytheism and religious innovation, which were like poisonous weeds spreading across society.
Now we are talking about a period that dates back to one and a half centuries ago when the light of Muslim rule in India had not only extinguished but also its traces were effectively erased in a systematic manner by the Western rule. It seemed as if the community - that had governed this land of India for centuries with immense dignity, justice, equality, generosity, and refinement - had now become like a sick person whose end is near, and his every breath seems to be the last. That situation must have been so heart-wrenching, soul-stirring, and worrisome for our elders that today, it is even unimagined of.
In the darkness of atheism and ignorance, a few righteous Ulama emerged as a ray of hope. These were the chosen servants of Allah, who possessed neither worldly fame and power, nor were they equipped with apparent means that could suggest they would achieve the desired goal. Being independent of all these worldly attachments, these noble personalities established two shining beacons at the end of the nineteenth century: Darul Uloom Deoband and Madrasa Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur.
In other words, this sacred group of righteous Ulama made the historical decision that “the only way to preserve the existence of Muslims in India is through religious education. By providing Islamic education, their hearts and minds can be nurtured, and a solid foundation for their survival can be established.” The only way to accomplish this was to establish institutions where the teaching of Prophetic sciences was organized. According to them, the religious, social, and cultural life of Muslims should be moulded according to Islamic patterns, which would not only guide Muslims but also provide them protection from outer influences. Additionally, it would help spread the correct Islamic teachings among them and awaken a conscientious political awareness and intellectual insight.
Sitting in a small Masjid in Deoband, these humble elders, the originators of the international movement, were planning and laying the groundwork for the future growth and expansion of the community. They were preparing the outline of the community's second awakening. Apparently, it seemed beyond comprehension that these personalities of extreme simplicity and humility, with no apparent means and resources, could constitute the spirit of a movement that is indelible and eternal and the greatness of which surpasses the masterpieces of the British.
However, the sky witnessed that the movement which these holy souls started with their profound wisdom, insight, and sincerity, has now assumed the form of an international and global movement. It is for these revered personalities that the countless revolutions and events, the rapid and fierce storms of the ever-changing world, could not hinder the progress of this movement yet. The "Guiding Light" never extinguishes.
After the establishment of prominent institutions like Darul Uloom Deoband and Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur, these insightful individuals turned their attention towards the establishment of centres of Islamic sciences in rural areas. In 1336 AH (1917 AD), they selected a location where today stands the magnificent edifices of this esteemed "Jamia Islamiya", bearing witness to its grandeur. The foundation of this Jamia was laid in the mid-fourth decade of the 14th century Hijri, on the hands of the enlightened scholar Hazrat Maulana Ali Muhammad Pandorwi (ra). Since then, distinguished scholars and thinkers have consistently bestowed special attention upon this Jamia.
Indeed, it is by the grace of Allah that, with the passage of time, this Jamia continues to progress steadily along its path. With every challenge it faces, and while surmounting every obstacle, it keeps advancing forward. Each step it takes is propelled towards the future. May the blessings of Allah and the greetings of angels reach the pure souls of those great personalities, whose benevolence and attention have been instrumental in illuminating the world, for over a century, by this bright institution of Shariah, knowledge, and spirituality.