When the Foundation Stone Was Laid

When the Foundation Stone Was Laid

Ehsan Ahmed K, Vaniyambadi (Tamil Nadu)

Whenever I saw the magnificent building of Islamiah High School, I often wondered what the atmosphere in Vaniyambadi must have been like on the day the foundation stone for this magnificent building was laid. I always thought that the event must have been historic in the history of Vaniyambadi, one whose discussions were far-reaching and that gained extraordinary fame, involving innumerable people. Recently, during my research, I came across an old issue of The Madras Weekly Mail, a newspaper from Madras, which published a detailed report about the event. This report not only includes details about the establishment of Islamiah School and the event itself but also sheds light on the educational development of Muslims in Vaniyambadi.

The report includes the following details:

• Details of the foundation stone laying ceremony
• Speeches delivered at the ceremony
• Information about the financial supporters of the school
• Efforts made to improve the education of Muslim children
• A report on the school’s progress
• Information about other branches of Madrasa-e-Islamiah, etc.

I am also attaching the original newspaper clipping with a summary of this detailed report. Please see below.

Detailed Summary of the Article:

This report describes an important function organized by the Vaniyambadi Mohammedan Educational Society, now known as the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society. At this event, prizes were distributed to students, and the foundation stone of the new building for Madrasa-e-Islamiah, which later became Islamiah Boys Higher Secondary School, was also laid. This function was a grand celebration for the Muslims of Vaniyambadi. A spacious hall was prepared at the site where the school building was planned, and the hall was beautifully decorated. The event was attended not only by the people of Vaniyambadi but also by those from nearby towns, including a large number of ulemas (scholars). The aim of the event was to highlight the educational efforts made by Muslims in Vaniyambadi for the development of education for both the people of the town and those from outside.

Preliminary Meeting:

The event was originally scheduled for 3^rd April 1907, but due to the overwhelming enthusiasm of the participants, it was held a day earlier, on 2^nd April 1907. Initially, the Administrative Committee had planned to hold the Second Provincial Muslim Conference of South India in Vaniyambadi, but this plan fell through. As a result, the Committee used the opportunity to organize lectures focusing on Islamic education and development a day before the foundation stone ceremony.

The first meeting was presided over by Shamsul Ulama Haji Maulvi Ruknuddin Syed Shah Muhammad Sahib Qadri, the son of Qutb-e-Vellore Hazrat Maulana Syed Shah Abdul Lateef Qadri Sahib, and the Rector of Darul Uloom Lateefiya, Vellore.

Haji Maulvi Ziauddin Sahib, President of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society, thanked all the guests who attended the event, especially the ulemas (scholars). He emphasized the importance of establishing a special school for Muslims in a town like Vaniyambadi, with its large Muslim population, and stressed the need for English education alongside Islamic education for the betterment of Muslim children. He was the son of Shamsul Ulama Maulvi Shah Abdul Wahab Sahib, the founder of Baqiyath as Salihat. Besides being the Rector of Baqiyath as Salihat, he also served as the President of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society twice, from 1905 to 1935 and from 1938 to 1941.

Speeches on Education and Development:

Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad Sahib from Shimla, associated with Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama and remembered as a successful ambassador of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, attended the event and delivered a speech on "The Present Needs of the Muslims of India." He acknowledged that there were many doubts among the ulemas about modern education, but they had now recognized its importance, provided it was based on a foundation of religious education. He expressed hope that they would continue to develop along modern lines while preserving religious education.

The second meeting was held on 3^rd April 1907 at 7:30am, with about 4,000 people attending. In a small town like Vaniyambadi, with a total population of around 16,000 at the time, this grand event must have been a remarkable celebration. The meeting was presided over by Mr. T. T. Logan, Acting Director of Public Instruction. First, A. Hamid Hasan Sahib, Joint Secretary of the Muslim Educational Association of Southern India, read a letter from Mr. Justice Boddam addressed to Yakub Hasan Sait Sahib, General Secretary of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society. In this letter, Justice Boddam praised the educational efforts and progress of Muslims. He praised the self-reliance and determination of the Muslims of South India in establishing their own educational institutions, writing that future generations would benefit greatly from these institutions and gain the skills needed to succeed in various professions. He also expressed confidence that there were generous individuals within the Muslim community who used their resources for the benefit of future generations, rather than for mere personal gratification.

A. Hamid Hasan Sahib was one of the founders of the Muslim Educational Association of Southern India (MEASI).

Justice Hungerford Tudor Boddam was a staunch supporter of the education and development of Muslims in South India. He presided over the Fifteenth Mohammedan Educational Conference, which was held in Madras in 1901.

Yakub Hasan Sait Sahib served as the General Secretary of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society from 1905 to 1913. He was also the Correspondent of the Islamiah High School from 1905 to 1917.

Brief Report on the Progress of the School:

The Secretary of Madrasa-e-Islamiah, Muhammad Ibrahim Qureshi Sahib, presented a comprehensive report on the school’s progress over the past year. He noted that, despite challenges, the school had made remarkable strides and thanked the cooperation of Hindu teachers. He also acknowledged the contributions of Haji Takdi Badruddin Sahib, whose financial support was vital in establishing the school’s infrastructure.

Mr. Logan’s Address:

Mr. Logan distributed prizes to the students and, in his speech, highlighted the shortage of modern education teachers among Muslims. He emphasized the importance of training more Muslim teachers to fill such roles in the future. He praised the school’s teachers and reminded them of their responsibilities. He congratulated the prize-winning students and urged them to remain steadfast, work hard, and stay obedient to their teachers. He also expressed hope for the continued success of the school.

Yakub Hasan Sait Sahib translated Mr. Logan's speech into Urdu and expressed his gratitude for presiding over the event.

Foundation Stone Ceremony:

The foundation stone-laying ceremony was held at 4:30pm, during which Ghulam Ahmed Kalami Sahib read out the report of Madrasa-e-Islamiah. He was the Joint Secretary of the Madrasa and also served as the General Secretary of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society from 1913 to 1917. The details of the report he presented are as follows:

The school had a total of 257 students and employed 18 teachers, including three teachers for religious studies, two gymnastics instructors, and one drawing master. Special attention was given to inculcating good morals and habits among the students. The Holy Quran, Islamic law, and religious studies were taught regularly. Highlighting the achievements of the madrasa's students in both academics and sports, he mentioned that the school had made its mark through success in sports competitions held at the district level. He also added that efforts were underway to recruit a trained graduate as the headmaster.

Financial Report, Challenges, and Financial Support:

The Secretary presented a financial report, stating that the school’s income for the past year was Rs. 6,172, 11 annas, and 5 paise, with half coming from monthly subscriptions. The expenses totalled Rs. 5,056, 15 annas, and 10 paise, covering salaries, rent, expenses incurred for various branches of the school, books, furniture, and office expenses. He also mentioned that no fees were charged from any student.

He also highlighted the challenge of not having a dedicated piece of land for the school, as the buildings were rented. In response, Haji Takdi Badruddin Sahib generously donated Rs. 5,000 and also provided his mundi for the school in which this event was held. The land cost Rs. 9,000, and he also took responsibility for two-thirds of the cost of constructing the building, which was approximately Rs. 20,000. In recognition of his contribution, the new building was named “Badruddin Manzil.”

Other Branches of the School:

The Secretary also reported that the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society managed four branches of the school. The branch in Newtown had 30 students, and the one in Udayendram had 42 students. The remaining two branches, which were dedicated to Muslim girls, were located in the same area as the Madrasa-e-Islamiah, which was entirely managed by Chalamkar Abdul Latheef Sahib.

Mr. Logan’s Closing Remarks:

After the report, Mr. Logan laid the foundation stone at the request of Haji Takdi Badruddin Sahib and delivered his closing remarks. He noted that before 1902, the Muslim community was primarily focused on religious education, with little attention to English or modern education. However, the Muhammadan Educational Conference of 1901 had changed this mindset, leading to the formation of the Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society. The Society not only upgraded the school’s curriculum but also succeeded in turning it into a secondary school. He expressed his happiness over the projects mentioned in the report, such as the addition of new lessons to the curriculum and the decision to build a hostel for students coming from remote areas. In his conclusion, Mr. Logan expressed confidence that the community efforts would continue and that other Muslims would join in the cause and ensure the success and development of the Madrasa-e-Islamia and other educational initiatives.

M. K. Akbar Basha Sahib has written in his M. Phil. thesis that this building was designed by Mr. Loane, an engineer of the Madras Corporation, with its architectural features suggested by Yakub Hasan Sait Sahib. The construction work of the building began in October 1907, and the first floor was completed in 1910.

Khateeb Khader Badsha Sahib has written a Qita-e-Tareekh (chronogram) on the completion of this building, which is included in his book Gulzar-e-Badsha.

In this Qita-e-Tareekh (chronogram), the phrases "Zahe Sarchashma-e-Ilm o Kamaal Ast” and “Khoob Ta’meer” gives the year 1328 AH, which corresponds to 1910 in the Gregorian calendar.

The translation of these Persian couplets is as follows:

How well the madrasa has been built. Thousands of thanks to the Lord of Glory.

Badsha, tell the date of its completion. This is the source of knowledge and perfection.

For the sake of Madrasa-e-Islamiah, a very tall and beautiful building was built.

When Badsha searched for its tareekh (date), a call came from haatif. Well built.

Rs. 34,000 were spent on the construction of the first floor. For the construction of the second floor, Malang Hayath Basha Sahib and Malang Haji Abdul Rahman Sahib donated Rs.15,000. The second floor was named "Malang Manzil." Apart from these donors, grants were also received from the government, which contributed to the construction of this building.

Conclusion:

Through this report, we learn about the foresight, dedication, and sacrifices of our elders who worked hard to establish educational institutions for the benefit of future generations. Recognizing the importance of combining religious and modern education, they faced challenges such as financial constraints and social prejudices. The report mentioned in the newspaper mentions only Haji Takdi Badruddin Sahib among those who offered financial support. However, when we examine the history of this school in the calendar of Islamiah School and other sources, we learn that many generous elders of the town, such as Malang Hayath Basha Sahib, Malang Abdul Rahman Sahib, T. Ameenuddin Sahib, Malayalam Haji Abdul Rahman Sahib and others have also played a significant role by contributing financially to the construction of Islamiah High School and its branches. Due to the collective efforts of all these individuals, the entire community made progress. They ensured that future generations of our town would learn both modern sciences and religious knowledge.

***

The author can be contacted at ehsanahmed000@gmail.com