Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.) was a visionary leader who dedicated his life to reforming Islamic education and uplifting the Muslim community.
Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.) hailed from a distinguished lineage of Rohilla Pathans. His great-grandfather, Janab Yusuf Ali Khan (R.A.), settled in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, where he became a successful horse trader. On a business trip to Junagadh, Gujarat, in 1856, he passed away and was laid to rest with full royal honors in the royal cemetery.
Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi’s (R.A.) grandfather, Maulana Shah Mohammed Hidayat Ali Sahib (R.A.), was the eldest of seven brothers. After some time, he migrated to Jaipur. Among his four sons, Janab Hakeem Altaf Ali Khan Sahib (R.A.) was the eldest, and he was the father of Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.), who was born in 1920.
Maulana Shah Mohammed Hidayat Ali Sahib (R.A.) was a renowned Sufi, scholar, thinker, and author. With his deep intellectual insight and spiritual wisdom, he recognized the latent potential in his beloved grandson, Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.). Fulfilling his wish, after his passing in 1951, the mantle of Khilafat was passed on to his grandson.
One of Maulana Shah Mohammed Hidayat Ali Sahib’s (R.A.) primary visions was to revolutionize the existing educational system and curriculum. His goal was to establish an institution that would offer both worldly and religious (Dini) education, producing individuals with the competence and potential to benefit society in all aspects.
After the demise of his grandfather, Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.) made it his life’s mission to complete the unfinished work. He aimed to reform the syllabus of Dini Madaris and repeatedly discussed this matter with educators and scholars. Despite his persistent efforts, progress was slow. Determined to see his vision realized, he resolved to establish a model institution himself.
Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.) did not just envision an educational institution but a comprehensive establishment. His vision included not only a school but also a hostel for students, staff and servant quarters, a mosque, playground, swimming pool, hospital, primary education center (Maktab), post office, bank, and shopping center. To accommodate these, a vast expanse of land was required. His dream materialized with the foundation of Jamea-tul-Hidaya, which was laid on October 17, 1976. Regular educational activities commenced in 1986.
Jamea-Tul-Hidaya represents just one part of Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi’s (R.A.) grand vision for the holistic development and progress of the Muslim Ummah, aimed at restoring its former glory. To achieve this goal, Hazrat Maulana remained active until his last days. He was a devout man of faith, embodying the highest principles of Shariah and Sufism. Respected for his unwavering sincerity, simplicity, and dedication to the community, he was soft-spoken, cultured, and courteous, with humility, patience, and compassion at his core.
Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi (R.A.) passed away in 1994, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, education, and service to the Muslim community.
These great men had a dream to establish an educational institution whose students would be inculcated with the required competence and potential to perform their duties both in the religious and worldly matters. This dream was fulfilled in the form of ‘Jamea-Tul-Hidaya’ the first residential Islamic University, which introduced technical and modern education in Madrasas. The foundation stone of the University was laid in 1976 and the university started its full-fledged education system in 1986.
