Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM) grew out of the awareness and shared aspirations of the ulama who participated in the Islamic Economic Congress in 1972.
A meeting to discuss the formation of the association was organised by prominent ulama and scholars who attended the congress. It was held on 22 Safar 1392, corresponding to 8 April 1972, at Dewan Al-Malik Faisal, MPI—now the IIUM Centre for Foundation Studies—in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Following the meeting, plans were made to establish Persatuan Ulama Malaysia. The late Professor Tan Sri Ahmad Ibrahim was appointed adviser to the Pro-tem Committee. The late Haji Nik Muhd Muhyiddin Haji Musa served as chairman, Dr Mohd Zin Othman as deputy chairman, Dato’ Haji Mohd Nakhaie Haji Ahmad as secretary, and Syed Harun Syed Abd. Rahman Al-Habsyi as treasurer. Other committee members included Datuk Haji Ghazali Abdullah and Tuan Haji Arshad Masjuri.
Two years later, in 1974, PUM was formally established at its first Special General Meeting held at Kolej Islam, Klang, Selangor. The draft constitution was approved at that meeting. A seminar on Islamic education and the role of the ulama was also held in conjunction with the establishment of PUM, attended by Muslim leaders and state muftis.
The first General Meeting elected the late Haji Nik Muhyiddin Musa as the first President of PUM.