Noorul Ulama M A Abdul Khader Musliyar, popularly known as M A Ustad, was born on 1 July 1924 near Trikkaripur in Kasaragod district. After his early schooling he devoted himself to religious studies and went on to master Urdu language and literature alongside his Islamic scholarship.

Widely regarded as one of the driving forces behind Jamia Sa-adiya Arabiya, he guided the institution through its growth into one of North Kerala's leading centres of religious and academic learning. He also served as president of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and the All India Sunni Education Board, and in 1958 founded the Payyannur range Jamiyyathul Mu'allimeen, one of the first platforms in Kerala created to support madrassa teachers. Over the years he authored more than forty works in Malayalam, Arabic and Urdu.

In recognition of his lifelong contribution to Islamic scholarship and education, he received several honours including the Musthafa Award and the Makhdoom Award. He passed away on 17 February 2015 at the age of 91, and was laid to rest at the Sa-adiya campus he had spent decades building — a legacy that continues to guide the institution today.