Haji Muhammad Salleh was born at Pulau Pisang in the Mukim of Tunjang, Jitra in 1864. He received his early education at the Pondok (hut) Religious School of Pulau Pisang, which was run by his grandfather. He was the grandson of Haji Ishak bin Haji Muhammad Hashim, the founder Pulau Pisang Pondok Religious School, and the Chief Kadi of the state of Kubang Pasu Darulqiyam, which was ruled by Tunku Anom from1841 to 1853. In 1879,Haji Muhammad Salleh was later sent to Mecca where he stayed for 15 years to further his religious studies. He became a person most knowledgeable on the subjects of Fiqah, Tauhid, Usuluddin, Tasawuf, Tafsir, Hadis and was an expert in grammar and saraf (Arabic inflexion of words). He was 30 years of age when he returned to Kedah.

The education center in Pulau Pisang became better known and respected as a learning center after the death of its founder, Haji Ishak, as Haji Muhammad Salleh managed to increase its enrolment to between 800 to 1000 students. Several factors could be attributed to this development during his administration. Firstly, Pulau Pisang had developed into a vibrant town when it became the state capital of Kubang Pasu Darulqiyam during the reign of Tunku Anom. Secondly, its founder, Haji Ishak by virtue of being the State’s Chief Kadi had managed to lay a strong foundation for the School’s Islamic syllabus. The third factor was in the person of Haji Muhammad Salleh himself, who proved to be a person most dedicated Islam and its tenets and finally, there was the awareness of the general public to strengthen their faith in the religion through education and therefore free themselves from ignorance.

Among the texts he used in the teaching of Fiqah were Minhaj al- Abidin, Fath al Muin Al-Baijuri and Matan al-Minhaj. The Tuhid texts used were, Dusuqi, Kifayah al-Awam, Hidayah al-Salikin, Bidayah and Dur al-Thamin. For the subject of Tasawuf, the texts used were Ihya Ulumuddin, Dur al-Nafis and Risalah ai-Muawaanah. For Hadis (the Prophet’s traditions), the texts used were Jauhar al-Tauhid and Jawahir al-Bukhari, while for Tafsir he used Jalaayn and Tafsir al-Baidawi.

Haji Muhammad Salleh also wrote books, which were well-known even in the Middle East. Among these were Sirajul-huda, Tanbihul Awam Listiqadzil-Mana and Nasihatuddin Azzakiyah. Most of his work did not survive, however, as they were destroyed in a fire in the school.

Haji Muhammad Salleh did not dedicate himself to religious affairs alone, as he was also involved in social work. He was responsible for building a big road, which connected the village of Pulau Pisang to the town of Tunjang. He had also repaired the Ishaqiah Mosque and sponsored feasts for the breaking of fast during the fasting month of Ramadan. Haji Muhammad Salleh died in 1944, after having spent 50 years teaching Islamic knowledge in the school.