The history of Jamia Hamdard begins with the establishment of a small Unani clinic in the year 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, one of the well-known practitioners of Unani System of Medicine of his time. Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed had a vision of making the practice of Unani Medicine into a scientific discipline so that Unani medicines could be dispensed in a more efficacious manner to patients. He gave the name “Hamdard” to his venture which means “sympathy for all and sharing of pain”. His illustrious son, Hakeem Abdul Hameed, carried forward the philosophy and objectives of Hamdard in independent India. Even at the time of partition of India in 1947, Hakeem Abdul Hameed was dreaming of setting up a complex of educational institutions which would concentrate on highlighting the contribution of Islam and Islamic culture to Indian civilization and development of Unani medicines for curing diseases.
The University Library is one of the oldest academic institutions, established by the great visionary, the late Chancellor Hakeem Abdul Hameed (1908-1999), in 1977. In 1992, it was renamed the Hakeem Mohammed Said Central Library (HMSCL) in honour of the founder's younger brother. The Jamia Hamdard Library System consists of the HMS Central Library and six school libraries. The HMS Central Library is housed in a distinctive, round building, renowned both for its architectural elegance and its extensive collection. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds, the library provides a serene environment ideal for study and research, making it a prominent landmark within the university.