Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad (Urdu
: ) (January 12, 1889 - November 7, 1965), was Khalifatul Masih
II, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
and the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
from his second wife, Nusrat Jehan Begum. He was elected as the second successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on March 14, 1914 at the age of 25, the day after the death of his predecessor Hakeem Noor-ud-Din.
He is known for establishing the organizational structure of the community, improvement of the administration of the community, a ten volume
commentary of the Qur'an
and extensive missionary activity outside the subcontinent of India. He was a renowned orator and was also an active political figure especially in pre-partition India. Mahmood Ahmad is regarded by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as the Musleh Maood (Promised Reformer) and the 'Promised Son' that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad foretold God would bestow upon him.
and Nusrat Jehan Begum on January 12, 1889 in Qadian
, India
, the same year in which Ghulam Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya Movement
. Accounts of his early childhood describe him to be mischievous, playful and carefree. However, due to excessive illness Mahmood Ahmad was unable to attend to secondary education
. During his youth, he remained an active member in the service of his father's Movement by founding a journal entitled Tash-heezul Azhaan and accompanied him on many of his journeys.
In 1907, he claimed to have been taught the commentary of Surah
Al-Fatiha
, the opening chapter of the Qur'an
by an angel, by way of a vision. According to Mahmood Ahmad, this vision signified that God had placed the knowledge of the Qur'an in his mind in the form of a seed. From that point forward, he is said to have been gifted with the special knowledge of the commentary of the Qur'an.
On May 26, 1908 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad died in Lahore
when Mahmood Ahmad was 19 years old. The next day on May 27, 1908, Mahmood Ahmad gave the oath of allegiance to Hakeem Noor-ud-Din, the first successor of Ghulam Ahmad. After the passing of his father, Mahmood Ahmad continued to study the Quran, Sahih Bukhari
, the Masnavi
and some medicine
under the tutelage of Noor-ud-Din, with whom he developed a close friendship. Noor-ud-Din would eventually become one of the leading influences in Mahmood's life. He also began writing articles for various periodicles for the Community and would often engage himself in theological debates with various scholars of the Community.
Mahmood Ahmad visited Egypt
and Saudi Arabia
in September 1912 during the course of which he performed Hajj
. Upon his return to Qadian
in June 1913, he started a newspaper, titled Al-Fazl. Within the Community, the newspaper serves as a vehicle for the moral upbringing of it's members, preaching Islam and the preservation of history of the Community.
prayer:
Having hardly finished the reading of Noor-ud-Din's will, members of the community felt Mahmood Ahmad best met the criteria of a successor the will had described and began calling for Mahmood Ahmad to accept their Bai'at (oath of allegiance). Being unprepared, he turned to Maulvi Syed Sarwar Shah and said "Maulvi Sahib, this burden has fallen upon me suddenly and unexpectedly and I cannot even recall the formula of Bai'at. Will you kindly instruct me in it?". He took the Bai'at of those present, repeating the words after Sawar Shah. After the oath was taken, he offered a silent prayer and made a brief speech. Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad was elected as Khalifatul Masih
II on March 14, 1914.
Under his leadership, there was further development of the scope of missionary activities and the establishment of a Madrasa Ahmadiyya up to the university level. During his tenure, he established 46 foreign missions and founded the Anjuman Tehrik-e-Jadīd, which collected the funds from the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
for the training of missionaries and had them posted to various countries. These foreign missions included Mauritius
(1915), USA (1920), Ghana
(1921), Egypt
(1922), Bokhara (1923), Iran
(1924), Palestine
and Syria
(1925), Java
and Colombo
(1931) Burma and Japan
(1935), Argentina
and Albania
(1936), Yugoslavia
and Sierra Leone
(1937), Spain
(1946) and Lebanon
(1949). Mahmood Ahmad also built mosques in most places where missions had been established. The publication of magazines and periodicals was also initiated in various languages. He also started the Qur'an
into English with a detailed commentary for the benefit of European nations.
, his will was read aloud requesting members of the Community elect a successor. Shortly after reading the will, Mahmood Ahmad was elected the second successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
. Almost immediately, a faction led by Maulana Muhammad Ali
and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din
strongly opposed his succession and refused to accept him as the next Khalifatul Masih
. This was due to certain doctrinal differences they held with him such as the nature of Ghulam Ahmad's prophethood as well as the suitability of Mahmood Ahmad to lead the community. They faction eventually left Qadian, settled in Lahore
and later became known as the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam. In his book Prophecy Continuous: Aspects of Ahmadi Religious Thought and Its Medieval Background, Professor Yohanan Friedmann
describes the split:
during the first world war, which had a profound effect on the Muslims of India, the All India Muslim Conference was held in Lucknow
to discuss Turkey's future existence. Mahmood was invited to attend, but could not attend in person. However, he wrote a booklet, on the subject of The future of Turkey and the duty of Muslims which was read out at the conference.
Mahmood was usually at variance with the activities of the Khilafat movement
which strove to defend the Ottoman Caliphate
, sought to pressure the British Government and to protect the Ottoman Empire
. The Movement became a major part of the struggle of the Non-cooperation movement
Mahmood maintained that the activities of the movement were against the teachings of Islam and would prove detrimental for the Muslims. He emphasised the absence of the conditions in which Islam allows non-cooperation and encouraged preaching and social interaction with the British, with the motive of attracting them towards Islam. He also criticised Mohandas Gandhi's election as leader of the movement, lamenting the Muslim leaders for turning to a non-Muslim for their cause.
. He also gave lectures on the exposition of the Qur'an for Ahmadi men and women.
Later reforms included the introduction of the department for foreign affairs, and the establishment of the system of provincial Amārat
initially, only within the Punjab
. The Emir of each province functions under the Caliph for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of various places.
(a Hindu reformist Movement) started the Shuddhi
missionary campaign to revert to Hinduism, those who had converted to other faiths (in most cases to Islam
), particularly the Malkanas, a group of Rajputs. The Shuddhi Campaign had been somewhat successful in their activity between 1922-1923 and had been active in Agra
and in the Punjab. When Mahmood Ahmad came to know of this activity he launched a counter campaign by setting up a network of missionaries across Uttar Pradesh
where this activity was rife, to propagate the teachings of Islam and save people from converting to Hinduism.
In 1923, he sent a delegation of Ahmadis to the area to prevent the advancement of the Shuddhis, an act which earned him some popularity among the Muslim elite of India. After having faced extreme resistance, the Aryas announced the end of the Shuddhi movement in September 1923,
Though later, the president of Bhartiya Hindu Shuddhi Sabha, Swami Shraddhanand
was stabbed by a Muslim fanatic, Abdul Rasheed in 1926.
In the latter part of the Twenties and early Thirties, under Mahmood Ahmad’s directives various gatherings and meetings were held across the Indian subcontinent commemorating the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
known as (Jalsa Seeratun-Nabi) attended by Mulsims and non-Muslims alike. A practice which is still carried out by Ahmadis today.
ern and Europe
an countries. He traveled from Port Saeed
to Cairo
and from there to Jerusalem, Haifa
and Akkā
. He traveled to Damascus
by train where he is reported to have attracted a lot of publicity as well as opposition. Here he discussed Ghulam Ahmad's claims with leading scholars, and held various meetings with the intellectual community of Damascus.
On August 16 he reached Italy
and stayed in Rome
for 4 days. He also visited France
and England
where he delivered numerous lectures, held meetings and was interviewd by numerous journalists. Upon arrival in London he proceeded to St Paul's Cathedral
and Ludgate Hill to fulfill a prophetic Hadith
which refers to the Bab al-Lud (the gate of Lud). His speech on Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam was read out in The Conference of Living Religions Within the Empire held in Wembley
, where he had been invited by the conveners of the conference to represent Islam. In London
he also laid the foundation stone of the Fazl Mosque, an occasion which was well publicised. The construction of the Mosque was completed in 1926 and the cost thereof was borne entirely by the women of the community. He also visited Gravesend and Brighton and imitated William the Conqueror believing his visit to carry a mystical significance in fulfilment of its spiritual one in lieu of a vision he had seen before his departure, in India. Whilst in Brighton he also paid a visit to the Memorial to Britain's Fallen Comrades-in-Arms from India during World War I
known as Chattri (Brighton)
and led prayers in the ground in front of the Brighton Pavilion.
The committee however faced strong opposition from the Indian National Congress
and the Ahrari campaign against the Ahmadiyya. The Ahrar alleged that the formation of the committee took place by the Ahmadiyya in order to spread its teachings and strongly opposed the leadership of Mahmood Ahmad. In an address to a gathering in 1931 Mahmood advised the Ahrar's thus:
Mahmood Ahmad resigned from presidency in 1932 due to the agitations of the Ahrar party.
, were a short lived separatist political movement who were former Khalifites
. They differed with the Indian National Congress over certain issues and afterwards announced the formation of their party in a meeting at Lahore in 1931. Freely funded by the Congress, the Ahrar
were also opposed to the policies of the Muslims League. They declared that their objectives were to guide the Muslims of India on matters of nationalism as well as religion and violently opposed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in India on a political level. In 1931 they held a series of conferences and a strong legal protest nearby Qadian where they are reported to have incited hatred against the Ahmadiyya. These were followed by incidents of severe persecution against Ahmadis, many of whom were reported to have been attacked, beaten, stoned, looted and their mosques occupied in a number of places. Mahmood Ahmad advised all Ahmadis not to retaliate, instructed concentration on prayer and explained that passing through periods of persecution was inevitable for the Community.
In 1934 Mahmood Ahmad claimed to have been divinely inspired to launch a twofold scheme for the establishment of foreign missions and the moral upbringing of Ahmadis. This initiative called upon members to volunteer themselves for missionary work, and to donate money towards a special fund for propagation in foreign countries during the course of which 46 foreign missions were established.
The Tehrik-e-Jedid and Waqf-e-Jedid or the 'new scheme' and the 'new dedication' respectively, initially seen as a spiritual battle against the oppressors of the Ahmadis, placed before them a number of demands and restriction such as leading simple lives, restrictions against eating, clothing etc.; a temporary ban on all forms of luxury and entertainment. It called upon the members of the Community to dedicate their time and money for the sake of their faith. In time the scheme produced a vast amount of literature in defence of Islam in general and the Ahmadiyya beliefs in particular. The funds were also spent on the training and dispatching of Ahmadiyya missionaries outside the Indian sub-continent and their sustenance. As part of this Mahmood Ahmad appointed 5 men to survey the Punjab in order to find out the best way of disseminating the Ahmadiyya teachings. For the first time an organised method of training members of the community for becoming missionaries was established. Addressing the Ahrari opposition Mahmood said:
As well as administering proselytisation the scheme also carried the responsibility of a more internal aspect and called upon members of the Community to dedicate their lives for the teaching and moral upbringing of Ahmadis themselves in rural places within India. Later, permanent offices of this scheme were established. The scheme was to grow into international proportions during the leadership of later Caliphs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Lajna Amaa’ illah for ladies above the age of fifteen, Nasiratul Ahmadiyya for girls aged seven to fifteen years, Ansarullah for men above the age of forty, Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya
for the youth aged fifteen to forty and Atfalul Ahmadiyya for boys aged seven to fifteen.
is based on the solar movements and starts with the birth of Jesus
, while the Hijri
(Islamic) calendar is based on lunar movements and starts with the migration of Muhammad
form Mecca
to Medina
, which occurred in 622.
In 1940 under the directives and supervision of Mahmood Ahmad, after much research and calculations, a new calendar was worked out, the Hijri/Shamsi (solar/Hegira) calendar. Although this calendar is based on solar calculations, however it starts form the migration of Muhammad instead of the birth of Jesus. According to this method 2008 CE
corresponds to 1387 Hijri/Shamsi, i.e. 1,387 years have passed since the migration of Muhammmad from Mecca to Medina. The number and time frame of each month of this calendar is the same as the Christian calendar (the lunar month being shorter by some days than the solar one). Each month of the Solar/Hegira calendar is based on an important event of early Islamic History:
He had many attributes within him regarding the humanities. In Jama't Ahmadiyya he is called the real founder of Pakistan because he forced the Quid-e-Aazam Muhammad Ali Jinah (the of Pakistan) to come back to India when he had left his campaign for the freedom of Muslims. Mirza Bashir-ul-Din paid a pivotal role in the foundation of Pakistan. He provided Many soldiers from his community to the government of Pakistan at time of danger for the security Kashmir and many northern areas as where it needed. This force was called "the Furqan Force".
in 1944, he made the claim that he was the ‘Promised Son’ foretold by his father Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He explained in a number of meetings held in various places in India that this claim was based on revelations and dreams. He clarified that he wasn't the only Promised Son, and other 'Promised Sons' would appear in accordance with prophecies, some even after centuries. He also prophecied that he would, as it were, return in the form of another Promised Son for the reform of the world at a time when shirrk (polytheism) would have become widespread.
He also managed the translation and publication of the Qur´an into various languages. His ten-volume “Tafseer-e-Kabeer
” is one of the most detailed commentaries done on the Qur´an in modern times. His scholarship of religious and secular subjects was well known among the literary circles. He delivered a series of famous lectures on a variety of topics in educational institutions which were attended by the intellectuals and leaders of that time.
In 1947 following the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan
, He carefully oversaw the emigration of members of the community from Qadian
to Pakistan. He kept 313 men known as Dervishes in Qadian to guard the sites holy to Ahmadis, including two of his sons. Initially the Community settled at Lahore
and it wasn't until 1948 that the Community found a tract of arid land and built the town of Rabwah
under the leadership of the Khalifa. Rabwah swiftly developed into the Community's new headquarters. In the newly found nation, Mahmood Ahmad delivered a series of lectures on the future of Pakistan in terms of:
Mirza Mahmood Ahmad announced:
prayer. Immediately after the prayer had ended, the man lunged and attacked him by stabbing him twice with a dagger in the neck and stomach area. He sustained severe injuries but survived. After recovering partially, he traveled to Europe
for further medical and surgical treatment due to constant discomfort and unease. Briefly staying in Lebanon
, Mahmood Ahmad travelled to Switzerland
via Athens
and Rome
. He continued travelling and received some medical treatment in Zurich
, Hamburg
and London
. After consulting with his doctors, it was concluded by that the tip of the knife had broken and embedded itself in the jugular vein and that no attempt should be made to remove it.
During his travels, Mahmood Ahmad had also inspected the various missions of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
in Europe and visited Venice
and Austria
. In London, Mahmood Ahmad held a conference of all missionaries stationed in Europe and visited various other European countries.
Over the years, Mahmood Ahmad's health continued a prolonged process of slow but progressive decline. On November 9, 1965 at 2:20 a.m., Mirza Mahmood Ahmad died in Rabwah
, Pakistan
. Upon electing Mirza Nasir Ahmad
as the Khalifatul Masih
III, his successor led the funeral prayer. The service was held on November 9, 1965 at 4:30 p.m. (UTC+5
), attended by over 50,000 people. He was buried in Bahishti Maqbara
in Rabwah next to his mother, Nusrat Jahan Begum.
, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement
, from his second wife Nusrat Jahan Begum. He had three brothers and two sisters in addition to two half-brothers from his father's first wife, Hurmat Bibi.
From Mehmooda Begum called Umm Nasir (mother of nasir)
Three children died in infancy, among them was Mirza Naseer Ahmad, a son born in 1906
From Amatul Hayye
From Maryam called Umm Tahir (mother of tahir)
One son named Mirza Azhar Ahmad died in infancy the others are
From Azizah Begum called Umm Wassim (mother of wassim)
From Maryam Siddiqa called Choti Aapa (Younger Sister) and Umm Matin (mother of Matin)
From Sarah Begum
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: ) (January 12, 1889 - November 7, 1965), was Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah is the elected spiritual leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian...
II, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
and the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
from his second wife, Nusrat Jehan Begum. He was elected as the second successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on March 14, 1914 at the age of 25, the day after the death of his predecessor Hakeem Noor-ud-Din.
He is known for establishing the organizational structure of the community, improvement of the administration of the community, a ten volume
Tafseer-e-Kabeer
For other uses, see Tafsir al-Kabir.Tafseer-e-Kabeer is a 10 volume exegesis of the Quran containing the lectures, writings and notes on Quranic verses by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad, the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and took over 20 years to compile. It is often seen as his Magnum opus...
commentary of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and extensive missionary activity outside the subcontinent of India. He was a renowned orator and was also an active political figure especially in pre-partition India. Mahmood Ahmad is regarded by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as the Musleh Maood (Promised Reformer) and the 'Promised Son' that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad foretold God would bestow upon him.
Birth & early life
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad was born to Mirza Ghulam AhmadMirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
and Nusrat Jehan Begum on January 12, 1889 in Qadian
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the same year in which Ghulam Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya Movement
Ahmadiyya
Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious revivalist movement founded in India near the end of the 19th century, originating with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies about the world reformer of the end times, who was to herald the Eschaton as...
. Accounts of his early childhood describe him to be mischievous, playful and carefree. However, due to excessive illness Mahmood Ahmad was unable to attend to secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. During his youth, he remained an active member in the service of his father's Movement by founding a journal entitled Tash-heezul Azhaan and accompanied him on many of his journeys.
In 1907, he claimed to have been taught the commentary of Surah
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha
Sura Al-Fatiha , is the first chapter of the Qur'an. Its seven verses are a prayer for Allah's guidance, and stress His Lordship and Mercy...
, the opening chapter of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
by an angel, by way of a vision. According to Mahmood Ahmad, this vision signified that God had placed the knowledge of the Qur'an in his mind in the form of a seed. From that point forward, he is said to have been gifted with the special knowledge of the commentary of the Qur'an.
On May 26, 1908 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad died in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
when Mahmood Ahmad was 19 years old. The next day on May 27, 1908, Mahmood Ahmad gave the oath of allegiance to Hakeem Noor-ud-Din, the first successor of Ghulam Ahmad. After the passing of his father, Mahmood Ahmad continued to study the Quran, Sahih Bukhari
Sahih Bukhari
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī , as it is commonly referred to, is one of the six canonical hadith collections of Islam. These prophetic traditions, or hadith, were collected by the Persian Muslim scholar Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, after being transmitted orally for generations. Muslims view this as one of...
, the Masnavi
Masnavi
The Masnavi, Masnavi-I Ma'navi or Mesnevi , also written Mathnawi, Ma'navi, or Mathnavi, is an extensive poem written in Persian by Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, the celebrated Persian Sufi saint and poet. It is one of the best known and most influential works of both Sufism and Persian literature...
and some medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
under the tutelage of Noor-ud-Din, with whom he developed a close friendship. Noor-ud-Din would eventually become one of the leading influences in Mahmood's life. He also began writing articles for various periodicles for the Community and would often engage himself in theological debates with various scholars of the Community.
Mahmood Ahmad visited Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in September 1912 during the course of which he performed Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
. Upon his return to Qadian
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
in June 1913, he started a newspaper, titled Al-Fazl. Within the Community, the newspaper serves as a vehicle for the moral upbringing of it's members, preaching Islam and the preservation of history of the Community.
Caliphate
On March 13, 1914, Khalifatul Masih I Hakeem Noor-ud-Din died shortly after 2 p.m. in Qadian, India. The following day, Noor-ud-Din's will which had been entrusted to Muhammad Ali Khan, a prominent member of the Community, was read aloud in Noor Mosque after AsrAsr
The Asr prayer is the afternoon daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. It is the third of the five daily prayers . The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion according to Shia Islam...
prayer:
Having hardly finished the reading of Noor-ud-Din's will, members of the community felt Mahmood Ahmad best met the criteria of a successor the will had described and began calling for Mahmood Ahmad to accept their Bai'at (oath of allegiance). Being unprepared, he turned to Maulvi Syed Sarwar Shah and said "Maulvi Sahib, this burden has fallen upon me suddenly and unexpectedly and I cannot even recall the formula of Bai'at. Will you kindly instruct me in it?". He took the Bai'at of those present, repeating the words after Sawar Shah. After the oath was taken, he offered a silent prayer and made a brief speech. Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad was elected as Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah is the elected spiritual leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian...
II on March 14, 1914.
Under his leadership, there was further development of the scope of missionary activities and the establishment of a Madrasa Ahmadiyya up to the university level. During his tenure, he established 46 foreign missions and founded the Anjuman Tehrik-e-Jadīd, which collected the funds from the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
for the training of missionaries and had them posted to various countries. These foreign missions included Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
(1915), USA (1920), Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
(1921), Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
(1922), Bokhara (1923), Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(1924), Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
(1925), Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
(1931) Burma and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1935), Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
(1936), Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
(1937), Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(1946) and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
(1949). Mahmood Ahmad also built mosques in most places where missions had been established. The publication of magazines and periodicals was also initiated in various languages. He also started the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
into English with a detailed commentary for the benefit of European nations.
The split
After the deminse of Khalifatul Masih I on March 14, 1914 in QadianQadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
, his will was read aloud requesting members of the Community elect a successor. Shortly after reading the will, Mahmood Ahmad was elected the second successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
. Almost immediately, a faction led by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was a Pakistani writer, scholar, and leading figure of the Ahmadiyya Movement.-Biography:Ali was born in Punjab, British India, in 1874. He obtained an English and Law in 1899...
and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din
Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din
Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din , a lawyer by profession, was a member of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement and the author of numerous publications about Islam and the Ahmadiyya movement.- Life :...
strongly opposed his succession and refused to accept him as the next Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah is the elected spiritual leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian...
. This was due to certain doctrinal differences they held with him such as the nature of Ghulam Ahmad's prophethood as well as the suitability of Mahmood Ahmad to lead the community. They faction eventually left Qadian, settled in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and later became known as the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam. In his book Prophecy Continuous: Aspects of Ahmadi Religious Thought and Its Medieval Background, Professor Yohanan Friedmann
Yohanan Friedmann
-Biography:Friedmann was born in Zákamenné, Czechoslovakia and immigrated to Israel with his parents in 1949. He attended high school at the Reali School in Haifa . In 1956 he began his undergraduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Arabic Language and Literature,...
describes the split:
The Non-cooperation movement
Mahmood Ahmad became an important political figure in pre-partition India, and had close contacts with the leadership of All-India Muslim League. In 1919 following the defeat of TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
during the first world war, which had a profound effect on the Muslims of India, the All India Muslim Conference was held in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
to discuss Turkey's future existence. Mahmood was invited to attend, but could not attend in person. However, he wrote a booklet, on the subject of The future of Turkey and the duty of Muslims which was read out at the conference.
Mahmood was usually at variance with the activities of the Khilafat movement
Khilafat Movement
The Khilafat movement was a pan-Islamic, political campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire during the aftermath of World War I...
which strove to defend the Ottoman Caliphate
Ottoman Caliphate
The Ottoman Caliphate, under the Ottoman Dynasty of the Ottoman Empire inherited the responsibility of the Caliphate from the Mamluks of Egypt....
, sought to pressure the British Government and to protect the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The Movement became a major part of the struggle of the Non-cooperation movement
Non-cooperation movement
The non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule which lasted for years. This movement, which lasted from September 1920 to February 1922 and was led by Mohandas Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist...
Mahmood maintained that the activities of the movement were against the teachings of Islam and would prove detrimental for the Muslims. He emphasised the absence of the conditions in which Islam allows non-cooperation and encouraged preaching and social interaction with the British, with the motive of attracting them towards Islam. He also criticised Mohandas Gandhi's election as leader of the movement, lamenting the Muslim leaders for turning to a non-Muslim for their cause.
Inter-faith understanding
In 1919, Mahmood Ahmad also appointed a number of young talented Ahmadis to research into the world's major religions. He also delivered a number of public lectures on The need for religion and The dependence of peace upon Islam in the future. In 1920, in order to promote understanding and harmony between Hindus and Muslims he suggested that Hindus should send twenty students to Qadian for the study of the Quran, and sent two Muslim students himself to certain Hindu centres for the study of the VedasVedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. He also gave lectures on the exposition of the Qur'an for Ahmadi men and women.
Reforms to the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya
In 1919 Mahmood Ahmad also made certain reforms to the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya (Central Executive Directorate). He initiated the system of separate departments within the Anjuman like education, treasury, literature, and general affairs. Each department is headed by a secretary (Nāzir)Later reforms included the introduction of the department for foreign affairs, and the establishment of the system of provincial Amārat
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
initially, only within the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. The Emir of each province functions under the Caliph for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of various places.
Establishment of Majlis-i-Shūra
In 1922 Mahmood Ahmad established the Majlis-e-Shūra (Central Consultative Body) of the community. The Majlis consists of elected representatives from various parts of the community who gather once a year and offer counsel and opinion on matters presented to them. The final decision is however left to the Caliph.The Shuddhi Movement of the Arya Samāj
In the early Twenties the Arya SamājArya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
(a Hindu reformist Movement) started the Shuddhi
Shuddhi
Shuddhi is Sanskrit for purification. In Hinduism it is a part of worship. It also sometimes refers to reverting to Hinduism after converting from Hinduism to another religion.-Shuddhi movement:...
missionary campaign to revert to Hinduism, those who had converted to other faiths (in most cases to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
), particularly the Malkanas, a group of Rajputs. The Shuddhi Campaign had been somewhat successful in their activity between 1922-1923 and had been active in Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and in the Punjab. When Mahmood Ahmad came to know of this activity he launched a counter campaign by setting up a network of missionaries across Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
where this activity was rife, to propagate the teachings of Islam and save people from converting to Hinduism.
In 1923, he sent a delegation of Ahmadis to the area to prevent the advancement of the Shuddhis, an act which earned him some popularity among the Muslim elite of India. After having faced extreme resistance, the Aryas announced the end of the Shuddhi movement in September 1923,
Though later, the president of Bhartiya Hindu Shuddhi Sabha, Swami Shraddhanand
Swami Shraddhanand
Swami Shraddhanand was an Indian educationist and an Arya Samaj missionary who propagated the teachings of Swami Dayanand. This included the establishment of educational institutions, like the Gurukul Kangri University, and played a key role on the Sangathan and the Shuddhi a Hindu reform...
was stabbed by a Muslim fanatic, Abdul Rasheed in 1926.
In the latter part of the Twenties and early Thirties, under Mahmood Ahmad’s directives various gatherings and meetings were held across the Indian subcontinent commemorating the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
known as (Jalsa Seeratun-Nabi) attended by Mulsims and non-Muslims alike. A practice which is still carried out by Ahmadis today.
Tour of the Middle East and Europe
In 1924, accompanied by 12 eminent Ahmadis, Mirza Mahmood Ahmad visited various Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries. He traveled from Port Saeed
Port Saeed
This article is about the locality in Dubai. For the Egyptian city of a similar name, see Port Said.Port Saeed is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and from there to Jerusalem, Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
and Akkā
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
. He traveled to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
by train where he is reported to have attracted a lot of publicity as well as opposition. Here he discussed Ghulam Ahmad's claims with leading scholars, and held various meetings with the intellectual community of Damascus.
On August 16 he reached Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and stayed in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for 4 days. He also visited France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he delivered numerous lectures, held meetings and was interviewd by numerous journalists. Upon arrival in London he proceeded to St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
and Ludgate Hill to fulfill a prophetic Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
which refers to the Bab al-Lud (the gate of Lud). His speech on Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam was read out in The Conference of Living Religions Within the Empire held in Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, where he had been invited by the conveners of the conference to represent Islam. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
he also laid the foundation stone of the Fazl Mosque, an occasion which was well publicised. The construction of the Mosque was completed in 1926 and the cost thereof was borne entirely by the women of the community. He also visited Gravesend and Brighton and imitated William the Conqueror believing his visit to carry a mystical significance in fulfilment of its spiritual one in lieu of a vision he had seen before his departure, in India. Whilst in Brighton he also paid a visit to the Memorial to Britain's Fallen Comrades-in-Arms from India during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
known as Chattri (Brighton)
Chattri (Brighton)
The Chattri is a war memorial in the English city of Brighton and Hove. It is situated in an extremely isolated position above the city on the South Downs above the suburb of Patcham, and is accessible only by bridleway. It stands on the site where a number of Indian soldiers who fought for the...
and led prayers in the ground in front of the Brighton Pavilion.
The All India Kashmir Committee
In 1931 the All India Kashmir Committee was set up for the establishment of the civil rights of the Muslims of Kashmir and to alleviate their oppression. Mahmood Ahmad was elected its first president. He sought to gather Muslim leaders with different opinions on one platform and strive unitedly for the cause of the Muslims of Kashmir. He is known to have achieved great success in doing so. The committee turned the attention of the Muslims of Kashmir towards acquiring education and Mahmood Ahmad himself gave practical help towards this cause. It also encouraged trade, commerce and involvement in politics among the Muslims of Kashmir.The committee however faced strong opposition from the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and the Ahrari campaign against the Ahmadiyya. The Ahrar alleged that the formation of the committee took place by the Ahmadiyya in order to spread its teachings and strongly opposed the leadership of Mahmood Ahmad. In an address to a gathering in 1931 Mahmood advised the Ahrar's thus:
Mahmood Ahmad resigned from presidency in 1932 due to the agitations of the Ahrar party.
Persecution
The Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-IslamMajlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam or Majlis-e-Ah'rãr-e-Islam , also known in short as Ahrar, was a conservative Sunni Muslim political party in Pakistan prior to the Partition of India...
, were a short lived separatist political movement who were former Khalifites
Khilafat Movement
The Khilafat movement was a pan-Islamic, political campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire during the aftermath of World War I...
. They differed with the Indian National Congress over certain issues and afterwards announced the formation of their party in a meeting at Lahore in 1931. Freely funded by the Congress, the Ahrar
Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam or Majlis-e-Ah'rãr-e-Islam , also known in short as Ahrar, was a conservative Sunni Muslim political party in Pakistan prior to the Partition of India...
were also opposed to the policies of the Muslims League. They declared that their objectives were to guide the Muslims of India on matters of nationalism as well as religion and violently opposed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in India on a political level. In 1931 they held a series of conferences and a strong legal protest nearby Qadian where they are reported to have incited hatred against the Ahmadiyya. These were followed by incidents of severe persecution against Ahmadis, many of whom were reported to have been attacked, beaten, stoned, looted and their mosques occupied in a number of places. Mahmood Ahmad advised all Ahmadis not to retaliate, instructed concentration on prayer and explained that passing through periods of persecution was inevitable for the Community.
The 'New Scheme'
The Tehrik-e-Jedid and Waqf-e-Jedid or the 'new scheme' and the 'new dedication' respectively, initially seen as a spiritual battle against the oppressors of the Ahmadis, placed before them a number of demands and restriction such as leading simple lives, restrictions against eating, clothing etc.; a temporary ban on all forms of luxury and entertainment. It called upon the members of the Community to dedicate their time and money for the sake of their faith. In time the scheme produced a vast amount of literature in defence of Islam in general and the Ahmadiyya beliefs in particular. The funds were also spent on the training and dispatching of Ahmadiyya missionaries outside the Indian sub-continent and their sustenance. As part of this Mahmood Ahmad appointed 5 men to survey the Punjab in order to find out the best way of disseminating the Ahmadiyya teachings. For the first time an organised method of training members of the community for becoming missionaries was established. Addressing the Ahrari opposition Mahmood said:
As well as administering proselytisation the scheme also carried the responsibility of a more internal aspect and called upon members of the Community to dedicate their lives for the teaching and moral upbringing of Ahmadis themselves in rural places within India. Later, permanent offices of this scheme were established. The scheme was to grow into international proportions during the leadership of later Caliphs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Auxiliary Organizations
As the community expanded rapidly it was divided into different age groups:Lajna Amaa’ illah for ladies above the age of fifteen, Nasiratul Ahmadiyya for girls aged seven to fifteen years, Ansarullah for men above the age of forty, Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya
Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya
Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya is one of the three suborganizations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The other two being Majlis Ansarullah, Lajna Imaillah.Majlis Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya is the youth branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community...
for the youth aged fifteen to forty and Atfalul Ahmadiyya for boys aged seven to fifteen.
The Hijri/Shamsi calendar
The Gregorian CalendarGregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
is based on the solar movements and starts with the birth of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, while the Hijri
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
(Islamic) calendar is based on lunar movements and starts with the migration of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
form Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
to Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, which occurred in 622.
In 1940 under the directives and supervision of Mahmood Ahmad, after much research and calculations, a new calendar was worked out, the Hijri/Shamsi (solar/Hegira) calendar. Although this calendar is based on solar calculations, however it starts form the migration of Muhammad instead of the birth of Jesus. According to this method 2008 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
corresponds to 1387 Hijri/Shamsi, i.e. 1,387 years have passed since the migration of Muhammmad from Mecca to Medina. The number and time frame of each month of this calendar is the same as the Christian calendar (the lunar month being shorter by some days than the solar one). Each month of the Solar/Hegira calendar is based on an important event of early Islamic History:
He had many attributes within him regarding the humanities. In Jama't Ahmadiyya he is called the real founder of Pakistan because he forced the Quid-e-Aazam Muhammad Ali Jinah (the of Pakistan) to come back to India when he had left his campaign for the freedom of Muslims. Mirza Bashir-ul-Din paid a pivotal role in the foundation of Pakistan. He provided Many soldiers from his community to the government of Pakistan at time of danger for the security Kashmir and many northern areas as where it needed. This force was called "the Furqan Force".
- Sulh (peace): January
- Tabligh (preaching): February
- Aman (protection): March
- Shahadat (martyrdom): April
- Hijrat (Migration): May
- Ehsan (benevolence): June
- Wafa (loyalty): July
- Zahoor (appearance): August
- Ikha (brotherhood): September
- Tabook (battle of TaboukBattle of TaboukThe Battle of Tabouk was a military expedition, which, according to Muslim biographies, was initiated by the Prophet Muhammad in October, AD 630. Muhammad led a force of as many as 30,000 north to Tabouk in present-day northwestern Saudi Arabia, with the intention of engaging the Byzantine army...
): October - Nabuwat (prophethood) November
- Fatah (victory): December
The Promised Son
In a series of public gatherings across IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1944, he made the claim that he was the ‘Promised Son’ foretold by his father Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He explained in a number of meetings held in various places in India that this claim was based on revelations and dreams. He clarified that he wasn't the only Promised Son, and other 'Promised Sons' would appear in accordance with prophecies, some even after centuries. He also prophecied that he would, as it were, return in the form of another Promised Son for the reform of the world at a time when shirrk (polytheism) would have become widespread.
He also managed the translation and publication of the Qur´an into various languages. His ten-volume “Tafseer-e-Kabeer
Tafseer-e-Kabeer
For other uses, see Tafsir al-Kabir.Tafseer-e-Kabeer is a 10 volume exegesis of the Quran containing the lectures, writings and notes on Quranic verses by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad, the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and took over 20 years to compile. It is often seen as his Magnum opus...
” is one of the most detailed commentaries done on the Qur´an in modern times. His scholarship of religious and secular subjects was well known among the literary circles. He delivered a series of famous lectures on a variety of topics in educational institutions which were attended by the intellectuals and leaders of that time.
Migration to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, He carefully oversaw the emigration of members of the community from Qadian
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
to Pakistan. He kept 313 men known as Dervishes in Qadian to guard the sites holy to Ahmadis, including two of his sons. Initially the Community settled at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and it wasn't until 1948 that the Community found a tract of arid land and built the town of Rabwah
Rabwah
Rabwah is a private city in the Chiniot District of Punjab Province, Pakistan located on the Chenab River near the historic city of Chiniot...
under the leadership of the Khalifa. Rabwah swiftly developed into the Community's new headquarters. In the newly found nation, Mahmood Ahmad delivered a series of lectures on the future of Pakistan in terms of:
- Defence
- Agriculture and industry
- Forestation
- Livestock and mineral assets
- Economic growth
- Development of land air and naval forces.
The 1953 riots
In 1953 there were severe agitations against the Ahmadis in which street protests were held, political rallies were carried out and inflammatory articles were published. These agitations led to 2,000 Ahmadiyya deaths. Consequently, martial law was established and the federal cabinet was dismissed by the Governor General.Mirza Mahmood Ahmad announced:
- “God Almighty has established the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. If these people win then we admit we were on the wrong path, but if we are on the right path, then they will assuredly fail.” (Al-Fazl, February 15, 1953).
Assassination attempt and death
In March 10, 1954, a man was able to stand in the first row behind Mahmood Ahmad during AsrAsr
The Asr prayer is the afternoon daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. It is the third of the five daily prayers . The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion according to Shia Islam...
prayer. Immediately after the prayer had ended, the man lunged and attacked him by stabbing him twice with a dagger in the neck and stomach area. He sustained severe injuries but survived. After recovering partially, he traveled to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for further medical and surgical treatment due to constant discomfort and unease. Briefly staying in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Mahmood Ahmad travelled to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
via Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He continued travelling and received some medical treatment in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After consulting with his doctors, it was concluded by that the tip of the knife had broken and embedded itself in the jugular vein and that no attempt should be made to remove it.
During his travels, Mahmood Ahmad had also inspected the various missions of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
in Europe and visited Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. In London, Mahmood Ahmad held a conference of all missionaries stationed in Europe and visited various other European countries.
Over the years, Mahmood Ahmad's health continued a prolonged process of slow but progressive decline. On November 9, 1965 at 2:20 a.m., Mirza Mahmood Ahmad died in Rabwah
Rabwah
Rabwah is a private city in the Chiniot District of Punjab Province, Pakistan located on the Chenab River near the historic city of Chiniot...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Upon electing Mirza Nasir Ahmad
Mirza Nasir Ahmad
Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad was Khalifatul Masih III, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was elected as the third successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on November 8, 1965, the day after the death of his predecessor and father, Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad.Nasir Ahmad is credited with...
as the Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih
Khalifatul Masih sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah is the elected spiritual leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian...
III, his successor led the funeral prayer. The service was held on November 9, 1965 at 4:30 p.m. (UTC+5
UTC+5
UTC+05:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +05:00. This time is used in:-Central Asia:* Kazakhstan** western part - Aktobe Province, Atyrau Province, Mangystau Province, West Kazakhstan Province* Tajikistan* Uzbekistan* Turkmenistan...
), attended by over 50,000 people. He was buried in Bahishti Maqbara
Bahishti Maqbara
Bahishti Maqbara , located originally in Qadian, India and then in Rabwah, Pakistan is a religious cemetery established by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as a directive from the community's founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, made known in his booklet Al-Wasiyyat...
in Rabwah next to his mother, Nusrat Jahan Begum.
Works and speeches
The following is a list of some of the major works of Mirza Mahmood Ahmad.- Tafseer-e-KabeerTafseer-e-KabeerFor other uses, see Tafsir al-Kabir.Tafseer-e-Kabeer is a 10 volume exegesis of the Quran containing the lectures, writings and notes on Quranic verses by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad, the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and took over 20 years to compile. It is often seen as his Magnum opus...
(The Extensive Commentary) - Introduction to the study of the Holy Qur'an
- Invitation to Ahmadiyyat
- Gift to the Kings
- The New World Order of Islam
- Islam ka Iqdisadi Nizam (The Economic System of Islam)
- Muhammad in the Bible
- Haqeeqat al-Nabuwwat (The Truth about Prophethood)
- Ser-e-Roohani (The spiritual Journey)
- Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam
- Inqalab-e-Haqeeqi (the True Revolution)
- Fazael-e-Qur'an (Excellences of the Qur'an)
- Muhammad the Liberator of Women
- Hindustan ke Siyasi Masael ka hal (Solution to the political problems of India)
- Hasti-ye Bari Ta'ala (The Existence of God)
- Malaykatullah (The Angels of God)
- Did Jesus Redeem Mankind?
- The Mirror of Truth, The Truth about the Split
- Way of the Seekers
- Rememberance of God
- Life of Muhammad
- Hadhrat Ahmad
- Kalam-e-Mahmood (collection of Poetry of Mahmood)
Family, Marriages and Children
Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam AhmadMirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement
Ahmadiyya
Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious revivalist movement founded in India near the end of the 19th century, originating with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies about the world reformer of the end times, who was to herald the Eschaton as...
, from his second wife Nusrat Jahan Begum. He had three brothers and two sisters in addition to two half-brothers from his father's first wife, Hurmat Bibi.
Wives
Mahmood Ahmad married seven times, never having more than four wives at a time in accordance with Islamic teachings:- Mahmooda Begum (the real name was Rashida, it was later changed to Mahmooda), daughter of Khalifa Rashid-ud-Din,, married 11.10.1903 (Nikah on 2.10.1902).
- Amatul Hayye, daughter of Hakeem Maulvi Noor-ud-Din, xxx-yyyy, married 31.5.1914.
- Sarah Begum, ....
- Aziza Begum, ....
- Maryam Begum, daughter of Syed Abdul Sattar Shah, xxx-1944.
- Mariam Siddiqa, daughter of Syed Mir Mohammad Ismail, ....
- Bushra Begum
Children
He had 24 children, 13 sons and 11 daughters, from seven wives.From Mehmooda Begum called Umm Nasir (mother of nasir)
Three children died in infancy, among them was Mirza Naseer Ahmad, a son born in 1906
- Mirza Nasir AhmadMirza Nasir AhmadHafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad was Khalifatul Masih III, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was elected as the third successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on November 8, 1965, the day after the death of his predecessor and father, Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad.Nasir Ahmad is credited with...
, son - Naasira Begum, daughter
- Mirza Mubarak Ahmad, son
- Mirza (Dr.) Munawwar Ahmad, son
- Mirza Hafeez Ahmad, son
- Mirza Azhar Ahmad, son
- Mirza Anwaar Ahmad, son
- Mirza Rafiq Ahmad, son
- Amtul Aziz Begum
From Amatul Hayye
- Amatul Qayyum, daughter
- Amatul Rashid, daughter
- Mirza Khalil Ahmad, son
From Maryam called Umm Tahir (mother of tahir)
One son named Mirza Azhar Ahmad died in infancy the others are
- Mirza Tahir AhmadMirza Tahir AhmadMirza Tahir Ahmad was Khalifatul Masih IV, Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and fourth successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad...
, son - Amatul Hakeem, daughter
- Amatul Basit, daughter
- Amatul Jameel, daughter
From Azizah Begum called Umm Wassim (mother of wassim)
- Mirza Wassim Ahmad, son
- Mirza Naeem Ahmad, son
From Maryam Siddiqa called Choti Aapa (Younger Sister) and Umm Matin (mother of Matin)
- Amatul Matin, daughter
From Sarah Begum
- Mirza Rafi Ahmad, son
- Amatul Naseer Begum, daughter
- Mirza Haneef Ahmad, son