122-466: Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad ( مرزا بشیر الدین محمود احمد ; 12 January 1889 – 8 November 1965) was the second caliph ( Arabic : خليفة المسيح الثاني , khalīfatul masīh al-thāni ), leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from his second wife, Nusrat Jahan Begum . He was elected as the second successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on 14 March 1914 at
244-517: A Diploma at the age of 21 and thereafter, due to his academic abilities, was appointed the headmaster to a school in Pind Dadan Khan at the young age of 21. Noor-ud-Din first came into contact with Christian missionaries while he was in Rawalpindi. Noor-ud-Din travelled extensively throughout India for next 4–5 years and went to Rampur , Muradabad , Lucknow and Bhopal to learn Arabic with
366-428: A heterodox movement by the mainstream of Sunni and Shia Islam, most Muslims outside the movement do not recognise Ahmadi claims to a caliphate. Ahmadi Muslims believe the system of caliphate (Arabic: Khilāfah ) to be an ancillary to the system of prophethood, continuing to strive for the objectives for which a prophet is sent and to carry to completion the tasks of reformation and moral training that were seeded by
488-543: A khilāfah (caliphate) within the movement, preferring what they saw as a more democratic system established by Ghulam Ahmad himself and, accordingly, vested the Community's authority in the council as an administrative body. No individual had the power to revoke the decisions reached by the majority of the Council that would remain paramount and binding, something which they believed was in keeping with Ghulam Ahmad's instructions for
610-565: 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. Mahmood Ahmad also had mosques built in most places where missions had been established. The publication of magazines and periodicals
732-457: A caliph to be the head of a state, rather the religious and organisational significance of the caliphate is emphasised. It is above all a religious office, with the purpose to uphold, strengthen and spread Islam and maintain the high moral standards within the Muslim community established by Muhammad , who was not merely a political leader but primarily a religious leader. The caliphate is understood as
854-553: 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. He died on 8 November 1965 at 2:20 a.m., in Rabwah , Pakistan. Upon the election of Mirza Nasir Ahmad as Khalifatul Masih III, his successor led the funeral prayer. The service was held on 9 November 1965 and attended by over 50,000 people. He
976-478: A distinction between those who were neutral in the controversy and those who actively rejected and opposed Ghulam Ahmad, or pronounced him an infidel. The former could not in any sense be termed disbelievers ( kafirs ) while the latter were guilty only of rejecting a particular commandment of the Islamic faith—namely that pertaining to belief in the promised Messiah—which would render them fasiqun (those who depart from
1098-531: A famous Persian teacher, Munshi Muhammad Qasim Kashmiri. Noor-ud-Din learnt Persian at Lahore, where he stayed for two years. His brother then taught him basic Arabic . In 1857, a traveling bookseller came to Bhera from Calcutta . He urged Noor-ud-Din to learn the translation of the Quran and presented him with a printed copy of five of the principal chapters of the Book together with their Urdu translation. Shortly after,
1220-450: A federation or confederation of autonomous states (functioning under any political system or form of government) associated together for the maintenance of peace and cooperating in promoting human welfare throughout the world. Such a framework allows the caliph to relegate, if he sees fit, most or all his secular authority to the elected representatives of the members of such a confederation. According to Ahmadiyya belief, God has promised in
1342-615: 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 ultimately prove detrimental for the Muslims. He emphasised the absence of the conditions in which Islam allows non-cooperation and instead advocated a positive engagement with the British so as to allay any prejudices towards Islam. He also criticised Mohandas Gandhi's election as leader of
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#17330848056861464-479: A merchant from Bombay urged him to read two Urdu books, Taqviatul Iman and Mashariqul Anwar , which were commentaries ( Tafsir ) on the Quran . A few years later, he returned to Lahore and started studying medicine with the renowned Hakeem Allah Deen of Gumti Bazaar. This turned out to be a short stay and the study was postponed. Noor-ud-Din was then sent to study at a School in Rawalpindi where he graduated with
1586-656: A mere reflection of his own prophethood and not legislating anything new, still made him technically a prophet irrespective of the type of prophethood or the adjectives added to qualify it. Accordingly, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that prophecy gifted as a result of perfect obedience and self-effacement in devotion to Muhammad is theologically possible after him, though it affirms the advent of only one such promised end-times figure in Ghulam Ahmad as having appeared in accordance with scriptural prophecies. Such
1708-399: A month as an allowance. This is a small allowance that barely caters for their basic needs. Yet living on that paltry sum they travel to other countries and propagate the message of Islam. I invited the members of the Community to come forward and make financial contributions, at the same time I said that the time had not yet come for greater sacrifices. I appealed for only 27,000 rupees whereas
1830-452: A number of individuals who taught Islam and claimed a proud privilege of heading a chain of descendants who had memorized the Qur'an ; His earlier eleven generations shared this distinction. Among the ancestors of Maulana Noor-ud-Deen, there were saints and scholars of high repute. Sultans , Sufiis , Qazi s and martyrs were all among his ancestors who once enjoyed an important place in
1952-502: 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 prophesied that he would, as it were, return in the form of another Promised Son for the reform of the world at a time when shirk (polytheism) would have become widespread. He also managed
2074-401: A particular individual. No campaigning, speeches or speculation of any kind are permitted. Thus the caliph is designated neither necessarily by right (i.e. the rightful or competent one in the eyes of the people at that time) nor merely by election but primarily by God. According to Ahmadiyya thought, just as it is not essential for a prophet to be the head of a state, it is not essential for
2196-546: A prominent member of the Community, was read aloud in Noor Mosque after Asr 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
2318-552: A prophetic Hadith which refers to the Bāb al-Lud (the gate of Lud) and led some 300 Muslims in a lengthy prayer outside the entrance of St Paul's Cathedral . His speech on Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam was read out in Wembley's Conference of Living Religions 1924 , where he had been invited by the conveners of the conference to represent Islam. In London he also laid the foundation stone of
2440-460: A prophetic status, though not independent, is nonetheless technically classed as prophethood in as much as it involves an individual who is given knowledge of the hidden, predicts future events and is called a prophet by Allah. A closely linked point of contention surrounded the status of Muslims who did not accept Ghulam Ahmad's claim. Muhammad Ali and his supporters, rejecting indiscriminate pronouncements of disbelief ( Kufr ) concerning them, drew
2562-557: A session of lessons by the leader and founder of the Deoband Seminary, Qasim Nanotawi and had a very good impression of him. In 1871 he returned to Bhera , his home town, and started a religious school where he taught the Quran and the Hadith. He also started practice in the Eastern medicine . In a short time he became well known for his healing skills and his fame came to the notice of
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#17330848056862684-582: A soldier speaking Urdu , he fell in love with the language and learnt it by reading Urdu literature. His eldest brother, Sultan Ahmad, was a learned person who owned a printing press in Lahore . Once when Noor-ud-Din was 12 years old, he accompanied his brother to Lahore, where he fell ill and was successfully treated by Hakeem Ghulam Dastgir of Said Mitha. Impressed by his manner and his renown, Noor-ud-Din became eager to study medicine ; but his brother persuaded him to study Persian and arranged for him to be taught by
2806-498: 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
2928-472: A system dealing with the organisation of believers and relating to the administration ( nizām ) of the Muslim community whether or not it involves a governmental role. Being based on the 'precept of Prophethood', the institution of caliphate can therefore, like prophethood, exist and flourish without a state. If a caliph does happen to bear governmental authority as a head of state, it is incidental and subsidiary in relation to his overall function as caliph which
3050-485: A system of divinely ordained caliphate to succeed him, similar to that believed to have commenced following the death of Muhammad , under whose authority the council was to operate. Accordingly, he favoured centralised, singular authority through the system of caliphate which, in his view, was religiously indispensable and to which the Community's allegiance was necessary. Ghulam Ahmad's successors, according to him, continued to be divinely ordained and commanded obedience from
3172-462: A task by the way of Mujahida ( Jihad ). Ahmad asked him to write a book answering the Christian allegations against Islam. As a result, Noor-ud-Din wrote two volumes of Faslul Khitab, Muqaddimah Ahlul Kitaab After completing this, he again asked Ghulam Ahmad the same question. This time, Ahmad assigned him to write a rebuttal to Arya Samaj . Noor-ud-Din wrote Tasdeeq Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya . After
3294-403: A time in accordance with Islamic teachings. He had a total of twenty-eight children from these wives, five of whom died in infancy. Through his marriage with Amtul Hai in 1914, he also became the son-in-law of Hakim Noor-ud-Din , the first caliph of the Ahmadiyya movement. Ahmadiyya Caliphate The Ahmadiyya Caliphate is a non-political caliphate established on May 27, 1908, following
3416-509: A veritable secession and the formation of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement . Though a clash of personalities between the dissenters and Mahmood Ahmad has been postulated owing to the latter's relative youth, inexperience and poor academic background, Muhammad Ali and his supporters' differences with him centred mainly upon the nature of Ghulam Ahmad's prophethood—and consequentially the status of Muslims who did not accept him—as well as
3538-672: 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 . 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
3660-503: A vow of not teaching anyone. It is narrated by biographers that he went to his house for an interview and the discussion between them impressed the Hakeem so much that he eventually agreed to take Noor-ud-Din as his disciple. The next city he visited was Bhopal, where he practiced medicine and was introduced to the Nawab of Bhopal during this time. In 1865, at the age of thirty-one, he traveled to
3782-458: Is also known for his Tafsīr-e-Kabīr , a ten-volume exegesis of the Qur'an . A renowned orator , Mahmood Ahmad was also an active political figure especially in pre- independence India . He was also one of the founding members and the first president of the All India Kashmir Committee set up for the establishment of the civil rights of Kashmiri Muslims . Following the Partition of India and
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3904-479: Is apparent in the writings of both persons that they held each other in highest esteem. Although this relationship soon became that of a Master and disciple and Noor Deen devoted himself as a student to Ahmad. He eventually migrated to Qadian and made his home there soon after he was made to leave his job in Kashmir. He would often accompany Ghulam Ahmad on his travels. Noor Deen once asked Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to assign him
4026-473: Is applicable to believers transnationally and not limited to one particular state or political entity. The system of caliphate in Islam, thus understood, transcends national sovereignty and ethnic divide, forming a universal supra-national entity and the role of a caliph as the leader of the Muslim community, in such an understanding, surpasses that of a monarch. Because Muhammad became the head of state at Medina ,
4148-631: Is headed by a secretary ( Nāzir ) Later reforms included the introduction of the department for external 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. In 1922 Mahmood Ahmad established the Majlis-ash-Shura or the Consultative Council of
4270-498: Is known for establishing virtually the entire organisational structure of the Community (including five Auxiliary Organisations ), improvement of its administration, formally establishing the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), consolidating and formalising the system of financial contributions of the Community and directing extensive missionary activity beyond the Indian subcontinent . He
4392-523: Is not a thing of respect for me. Respect is gained from service. The leader of a nation is one who serves it ... Mahmood Ahmad resigned from presidency in 1932 due to the agitations of the Ahrar party. The Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam , were a short lived separatist political movement who were former Khalifites . They differed with the Indian National Congress over certain issues and afterwards announced
4514-642: Is regarded by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as the Musleh Ma'ood (Promised Reformer) and the "Promised Son" that Ghulam Ahmad foretold God would bestow upon him. Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood was born to Ghulam Ahmad and Nusrat Jahan Begum on 12 January 1889 in Qadian , the same year in which Ghulam Ahmad established the Ahmadiyya Movement by accepting allegiance from his disciples. Due to chronic illness Mahmood Ahmad
4636-570: 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 16 August 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 interviewed by numerous journalists . Upon arrival in London he proceeded directly to Ludgate to fulfill
4758-422: Is said to have stated once to his courtiers, "each one of you is here on some purpose or to seek some favour from me and keep flattering me, but this man (Hakeem Sahib) is the only person who has no axe to grind and is here because he is needed by the state. This is the reason why whatever is stated by Hakeem Sahib is listened to carefully as he has no ulterior motive." Being a scholar of Hebrew also, Noor-ud-Din
4880-693: Is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious. A prophecy by Muhammad about the reestablishment of righteous Khilafat is narrated in Musnad Ahmad : "Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah shall will. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He shall will and then bring about its end. A tyrannical monarchy will then follow and will remain as long as Allah shall will and then come to an end. There will follow thereafter monarchial despotism to last as long as Allah shall will and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on
5002-583: The Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya for young men aged fifteen to forty; the Atfalul Ahmadiyya for boys aged seven to fifteen, both established in 1938; and the Ansarullah for men above the age of forty which was established in 1940. Mahmood Ahmad's main objective in doing so was for the Community to maintain the highest level of activity, both in terms of the religious and moral training of its members and in
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5124-673: 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. Later he also visited Pevensey in order to carry out a ritual imitation of William the Conqueror believing his visit to carry a mystical significance in fulfillment of its spiritual one in lieu of a vision he had seen before his departure, in India. Whilst in Brighton he also paid
5246-539: The Maharaja of Kashmir , who appointed him in his court physician in 1876. In 1876 he was employed as the royal physician to Maharaja Ranbir Singh the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir . There are detailed accounts of his tenure as the court physician. All the schools hospitals of the state were placed under him. Initially he worked under the Chief Physician Agha (Hakim) Muhammad Baqir but after Hakim Baqir's death he
5368-560: The Muslim World . In Bhera (his birthplace), his family was accorded a high degree of respect from the beginning. Noor-ud-Din considered his mother, Noor Bakht, to be his first teacher. He used to say that he was fed the love of the Quran through his mother's milk. He went to a local school for his early education. His father Hafiz Ghulam Rasul, a devoted Muslim and parent placed great emphasis on his children's education. Noor-ud-Din spoke Punjabi as his mother tongue, but after hearing
5490-464: The Netherlands , 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
5612-499: The death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , Noor-ud-Din was unanimously elected as his first successor. Among his achievements as Caliph were overseeing a satisfactory English translation of the Qur'an, the establishment in 1914 of the first Ahmadiyya Muslim mission in England and the introduction of various newspapers and magazines. After becoming Khalifa, he personally took part in two successful debates at
5734-585: The first Islamic mission in England was established in 1913, and work began on the English translation of the Quran . His lectures on Quranic exegesis and Hadith were one of the main attractions for visitors to Qadian after Ghulam Ahmad. Many prominent scholars and leaders were his students, including Muhammad Ali and Sher Ali , who were themselves Quranic commentators and Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud who succeeded him as
5856-461: The independence of Pakistan in 1947. 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
5978-424: The perfect man that I was seeking all my life... At the end of the first meeting, I offered my hand for Bay'ah . Hazrat Mirza Sahib (Ghulam Ahmad) said, he was not yet Divinely commissioned to accept Bay'ah; then I made Mirza Sahib promise me that I would be the person whose Bay'ah would be accepted first...(Al-Hakam, April 22, 1908) During his stay in Qadian, Noor-ud-Din became a close friend of Ghulam Ahmad and it
6100-449: 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
6222-479: 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: In order to expand the propagation of Islam I have urged the youth to come forward and dedicate their lives for the service of religion. Hundreds of young people have already responded to my call. These graduates are given only 15 rupees
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#17330848056866344-407: 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: I admonish the Ahrari's that if there is any among them present here, they should go and tell their friends! I care not in
6466-725: The Community. Mahmood Ahmad visited Egypt and Arabia in September 1912 during the course of which he performed the Hajj pilgrimage. 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 its members, Islamic education and preservation of the Community's history. On 13 March 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,
6588-425: The Community. The caliph may comment, issue instructions, announce his decisions on the proposals during the course of the proceedings or may postpone the matter under further reflection. However, in most cases the caliph accepts the advice given by the majority. At the national level, the council is presided over by the ʾ Amīr (National President). At the conclusion of the proceedings, the recommendations are sent to
6710-610: The Community. This, he contended, was clearly indicated in The Will as well as Ghulam Ahmad's other works and was an arrangement which, according to him, had existed throughout the period of Nur-ud-Din's leadership who not only spoke of himself as the khalīfat al-masīh (caliph; lit. successor of the Messiah) but declared that he had attained this office by divine appointment rather than community choice. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, accordingly, vests its religious and organisational authority in
6832-589: The Indian subcontinent commemorating the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad known as ( Jalsa Seeratun-Nabi ) attended by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. A practice which is still carried out by Ahmadis today. In 1924, accompanied by 12 eminent Ahmadis, Mirza Mahmood Ahmad visited various Middle Eastern and European countries. He traveled from Port Saeed to Cairo and from there to Jerusalem , Haifa and Akkā . He traveled to Damascus by train where he
6954-464: The Khalifa. Rabwah swiftly developed into the Community's new headquarters. In Pakistan , Mahmood Ahmad delivered a series of lectures on the future of Pakistan in terms of: In 1953 there were 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
7076-585: The Messiah ), sometimes simply referred to as Khalifa (or Caliph). The caliph is the elected spiritual and organizational leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is the successor of Ghulam Ahmad. He is believed by the Community to be divinely ordained and is also referred to by its members as Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Faithful) and Imam Jama'at (Imam of the Community). The 5th and current Caliph of
7198-518: The Messiah of the Ahmadiyya Community is Mirza Masroor Ahmad . After the death of Ghulam Ahmad, his successors directed the Ahmadiyya Community from Qadian , India which remained the headquarters of the community until 1947 with the creation of Pakistan. From this time on the headquarters remained in Rabwah , a town built on land bought in Pakistan by the community in 1948. In 1984, Ordinance XX
7320-449: The Muslim community and were Muslims only in the sense that they belonged to the Ummah of Muhammad and as such were entitled to be treated as members of Muslim society ( mu'ashira ), which, according to him, was different from saying that they are Muslims and not kafirs . He held, therefore, that non-Ahmadi Muslims were to be classified as disbelievers albeit within the remit of Islam and not in
7442-563: 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
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#17330848056867564-546: The Noor-ud-Din did not find an answer immediately. During the same period, he came across a torn page from a book named Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya . The book was written by one Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, who would later claim to be the Promised Messiah and Mahdi . Noor-ud-Din was surprised to see that the writer of the page was a claimant of receiving Wahi (revelation). He purchased the book and read it with great interest. He
7686-510: 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
7808-632: The Qur'an to appoint a successor among the righteous. In this respect, verse 56 (55 if the Basmallah isn't counted) of Surah Al-Nur says: Allah had promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then who so
7930-548: The Rightly Guided successors after him also happened to be heads of state and – similar to the successors of Moses who led the Israelites after his death and, following the conquest of Canaan , gained control over a territory– functioned as political and military as well as religious leaders. Since Ghulam Ahmad, whom Ahmadis hold to be the promised Mahdi, was, like Jesus , not the head of a state, his successors after him – like
8052-400: The age of 25, the day after the death of his predecessor Hakim Nur-ud-Din . Mahmood Ahmad's election as second caliph saw a secession within the movement in which a party refrained from pledging allegiance to him on account of certain differences over succession and theology; and possibly owing to a clash of personalities . He led the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for over half a century and
8174-552: The caliph as Ghulam Ahmad's divinely chosen successor. Mahmood Ahmad became an important political figure in pre- independence India, and had close contacts with the leadership of All-India Muslim League . In 1919 following the defeat of Turkey 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
8296-453: The caliph for approval which he may accept, reject or partially accept. In the early Twenties the Arya Samāj (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 and 1923 and had been active in Agra and in
8418-475: The caliph. Hakeem Noor-ud-Din was the youngest of seven brothers and two sisters and the 34th direct lineal male descent of Umar Ibn al-Khattab , the second caliph of Islam. The forebears of Maulana Noor-ud-Deen, on migration from Medina settled down in Balkh and became rulers of Kabul and Ghazni . During the attack of Genghis Khan , his ancestors migrated from Kabul and first settled near Multan and then finally at Bhera . Among his forefathers were
8540-413: The caliphate centered around human endeavours alone is bound to fail, particularly when the condition of the people diverges from the ‘precepts of Prophethood’ ( minhājin nabūwwah ) and they are as a result disunited. Although the caliph (Arabic: khalifa ) in Ahmadiyya is elected, it is believed that God Himself directs the hearts and minds of believers through visions, dreams and spiritual guidance towards
8662-539: The category of disbelief, and that rejection of him ultimately amounted to rejection of Muhammad, he utilised the broad connotations and usages of the Arabic word Kafir to stress that his use of the term in reference to such Muslims did not carry its demotic meaning, but rather meant to signify doctrinal deviancy and to express that only Ahmadis were true Muslims. For him, since such Muslims as had not accepted one appointed by God ( ma'mur minallah ) within Islam were neither deniers of God nor Muhammad, they were still part of
8784-494: 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 and
8906-516: The cities of Mecca and Medina . He stayed there for many years to acquire religious knowledge. He learnt Hadith from famous Sheikh Hasan Khizraji and Maulvi Rahmatullah Kiraynalwi. He gave 'bay'ah' (pledge of allegiance) to Shah Abdul Ghani, the Grandson of Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi . On his way back to his hometown, Noor-ud-Din stayed in Delhi for a few days. Here, he had the opportunity to attend
9028-461: The cities of Rampur and Mansouri. He sent various teams of scholars from Qadian to preach the Ahmadiyya message, to deliver lectures on Islam and hold sessions of religious discussion in numerous cities within India, which proved to be very successful for the community. These teams often included Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din , Mirza Mahmood Ahmad and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq . As Khalifatul Masih, Noor-ud-Din set up an official treasury (Baitul Maal) to cope with
9150-437: The community promised 108,000 rupees out of which more than 82,000 rupees have already been received. 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
9272-441: 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. At the international level, the council is presided over by the caliph. Its main purpose is to advise the caliph on important matters such as finance, projects, education and other issues relating to members of
9394-671: The community. The library was placed under the control of Mirza Mahmood Ahmad. In 1911 the British Government announced that a coronation ceremony will be held in Delhi to proclaim George V , Emperor of India. Noor-ud-Din requested the King that Muslim employees of the Government may be granted a leave of two hours on Friday for the Friday noon service. As a consequence two-hour leave for Muslim Employees
9516-521: The course of his religious vocation, himself authored several volumes of rebuttals in response to criticisms raised by Christian and Hindu polemicists against Islam and was instrumental in arranging some of the public debates between Ghulam Ahmad and his adversaries. After Ghulam Ahmad's death, he was unanimously chosen as his successor. Under Noor-ud-Din's leadership, the Ahmadiyya movement began to organise missionary activity with small groups of Ahmadis emerging in southern India , Bengal and Afghanistan ,
9638-442: The creation of Pakistan in 1947, he carefully oversaw the safe migration of Ahmadis from Qadian to the newly found state, eventually building a town on a tract of arid and mountainous land bought by the Community in 1948 which now became its new headquarters and was named Rabwah . A 26 volume compilation of his works called Anwārul Uloom contains over 800 writings and lectures (excluding the many thousands of sermons). Mahmood Ahmad
9760-403: The day of Judgement. And that second Manifestation cannot come unless I depart but when I depart, God will send that second Manifestation for you... And after I am gone there will be some other persons who will be the manifestation of the second power (of God). The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement however does not subscribe to this belief and follow the concept of Anjuman (Council) that was described in
9882-506: The death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community , who claimed to be a Prophet, a Messenger, the promised Messiah and Mahdi , the expected redeemer awaited by Muslims. It is believed by Ahmadis to be the re-establishment of the Rashidun Caliphate that commenced following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . The caliphs are entitled Khalīfatul Masīh ( Arabic : خليفة المسيح ; English: Caliph of
10004-475: 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 (abbreviated as HS ), i.e. 1,387 years have passed since
10126-505: The end of 1905, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad published a short treatise anticipating his own death entitled Al-Wasiyyat (or The Will ) in which he established the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya (Central Ahmadiyya Council), an executive body set up to administer the movement and to collect and distribute funds to support the propagation of Islam. Ghulam Ahmad presided over the Council himself until his death in 1908. After his death, Hakim Nur-ud-Din
10248-477: The form the leadership should take within the movement, viz. the relative authority of the caliph and the Anjuman (executive council). Ahmadis universally concur in the belief that Ghulam Ahmad was both the promised Mahdi and Messiah foretold by Muhammad to appear in the end times, and that his prophetic qualities were neither independent nor separable from Muhammad 's prophetic mission. However, Muhammad Ali held that
10370-562: 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
10492-463: 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 14 March 1914. Under his leadership, there was further development of the scope of missionary activities and the establishment of
10614-677: The founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement , and his first successor and first Ahmadiyya caliph since 27 May 1908. Royal Physician to the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir for many years, his extensive travels included a long stay in the cities of Mecca and Medina in pursuit of religious learning. Noor-ud-Din was the first person to give bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) to Ghulam Ahmad in 1889 and remained his closest associate and confidant, leaving his home in Bhera and setting up permanent residence at Qadian in 1892. He assisted Ghulam Ahmad throughout
10736-574: The growing financial requirements of the community. All the funds as well as the Zakat donations and other voluntary contributions were directed to be collected in the treasury. Various rules and regulations were given to govern its administration. Noor-ud-Din was himself a man of learning and was fond of books. Soon after he became Khalifa, he set up a public library at Qadian, he donated many books from his own personal library and also gave some financial contributions towards it, followed by many other members of
10858-517: The least about these stones and for this reason am not angered with them. They should stop this hearsay for the sake of the oppressed brothers of Kashmir. Let them come; I am ready to leave presidency but they must promise that they will follow the decision of the majority of Muslims. Today we have seen their morals, let them come and see our morals too. I assure them that even after stepping down from presidency, me and my community shall help them (the people of Kashmir) more than their associates. Presidency
10980-524: The migration of Muhammad 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: In a series of public gatherings across India in 1944, he made the claim that he was the 'Promised Son' foretold by his father Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He explained in
11102-459: The movement's administration after his death. Further, according to them, since leadership of the movement was no longer divinely appointed after Ghulam Ahmad's death, the obligation to pledge allegiance to his successor had also lapsed and had become a voluntary act. As opposed to the foregoing approach, Mahmood Ahmad, who assumed the movement's leadership as the second successor the day after Nur-ud-Din's death, held that Ghulam Ahmad had envisioned
11224-490: The movement, lamenting the Muslim leaders for turning to a non-Muslim for their cause. 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
11346-485: 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 periodicals for the Community and would often engage himself in theological debates with various scholars of
11468-461: The path to success. 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
11590-499: The physical return of Jesus, the Lahore Ahmadiyya affirm the absolute cessation of prophethood, and believe that no prophet can appear after Muhammad, neither a past one like Jesus, nor a new one. In contrast, Mahmood Ahmad posited that Ghulam Ahmad's messianic claim and role were qualitatively distinct from the claims of the saints preceding him in Islam and that his prophetic status, though completely subservient to Muhammad, being
11712-419: The precepts of Prophethood." The Holy Prophet said no more. The succession of the caliph is believed by the Ahmadis to be the second manifestation of God's power that Ghulam Ahmad wrote about in his last testament Al-Wassiyyat (The Will). ... it is essential for you to witness the second Manifestation. Also, and its coming is better for you because it is everlasting, the continuity of which will not end till
11834-521: The propagation of Islam. Further, the Community was organised as such with the view that its members would be able to work more freely and comfortably within their own respective circles and age groups. The Gregorian Calendar 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
11956-469: The prophet. The caliphs, as successors to the prophets, lead the community of believers after a prophet's death. Ahmadis maintain that in accordance with Quranic verses (such as Q 24:55 ) and numerous hadith on the issue, the caliphate can only be established by God Himself and is a divine blessing given to those who believe and work righteousness , upholding the Unity of God. Therefore, any movement to establish
12078-533: The renowned teachers of that time. He learnt Mishkat al-Masabih from Syed Hasan Shah, Fiqh (Jurisprudence) from Azizullah Afghani, Islamic Philosophy from Maulvi Irshad Hussain Mujaddadi, Arabic Poetry from Saadullah Uryall, and Logic from Maulvi Abdul Ali and Mullah Hassan. In Lucknow, Noor-ud-Din went in the hope of learning Eastern medicine from the renowned Hakeem Ali Hussain Lucknowi. The Hakeem had taken
12200-620: The right path) in distinction to disbelief in a basic element of the faith which would have excluded them from the Muslim community ( Ummah ). Muhammad Ali repudiated the idea of declaring the entire Muslim community as disbelievers, a term which, according to him, could not apply to non-Ahmadi Muslims indiscriminately, something which he accused Mahmood Ahmad of doing. Affirming a different typology of disbelief, i.e. that which subsists outside of Islam in contrast to that which does not entail exclusion from it, although Mahmood Ahmad held that Muslims who did not accept Ghulam Ahmad technically fell into
12322-409: 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
12444-536: The same book. Hakeem Noor-ud-Din Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad Mirza Nasir Ahmad Mirza Tahir Ahmad Mirza Masroor Ahmad [REDACTED] Media related to Ahmadiyya Caliphate at Wikimedia Commons Khalifatul Masih I Hakeem Noor-ud-Din (also spelled Hakim Nur-ud-Din ; حکیم نور الدین ; 8 January 1834 – 13 March 1914) was a close companion of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ,
12566-419: The sense that they had a religion other than Islam; and, further, that the movement passed no judgement as to their fate in the hereafter and never proactively expressed this opinion of them. Although he refused demands from outside the movement to accept that the term Kafir did not apply to non-Ahmadi Muslims, Mahmood Ahmad did maintain that such Muslims were not deemed to be outside the pale of Islam. Towards
12688-597: The study of the Quran, and sent two Muslim students himself to certain Hindu centres for the study of the Vedas . He also gave lectures on the exposition of the Qur'an for Ahmadi men and women. 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
12810-428: The successors of Jesus did – function without attaching themselves to any state, seeking no political role and having no territorial ambition. In terms of the political aspect of the caliphate as envisioned within the Ahmadiyya community, since God's sovereignty is seen as extending over the universe, the ideal polity within Islam is one where the caliph is the spiritual head guiding, in accordance with Islamic principles,
12932-466: The translation and publication of the Qur´an into various languages. His ten-volume “ Tafseer-e-Kabeer ” is a complete commentary on the Qur´an. 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
13054-404: The type of prophecy described by Ghulam Ahmad in reference to himself did not make him a prophet in the technical sense of the word as used in Islamic terminology, amounted to nothing more than sainthood and that Islamic mystics preceding Ghulam Ahmad had similarly described experiences of prophecy within Islam and in relation to Muhammad. Accordingly, unlike the majority Islamic belief which expects
13176-639: Was able to have the Woking Mosque unlocked. He also dealt with internal dissension, when some high-ranking office bearers of the Ahmadiyya Council disagreed with some of the administrative concepts being implemented and regarding the rights of a Caliph. After his death this group eventually left Qadian and made their headquarters in Lahore setting up their own association known as Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam . Noor-ud-Din married three times. His first wife
13298-557: Was also initiated in various languages. He also started the translation of the Qur'an into English with a detailed commentary for the benefit of English speaking nations. Soon after Hakim Nur-ud-Din's death in 1914, pre-existing ideological and administrative differences between Mahmood Ahmad and other prominent Ahmadi figures came to a head. As a result, a faction, led by Maulana Muhammad Ali , opposed his succession and refrained from pledging their allegiance to him, eventually leaving Qadian and relocating to Lahore , something which led to
13420-562: Was buried in Bahishti Maqbara in Rabwah next to his mother, Nusrat Jahan Begum . The following is a list of some of the major works of Mirza Mahmood Ahmad. Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 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. Mahmood Ahmad married seven times, never having more than four wives at
13542-851: Was established and the federal cabinet was dismissed by the Governor General. Mirza Mahmood Ahmad announced: On 10 March 1954, a man was able to stand in the first row behind Mahmood Ahmad during Asr prayer. Immediately after the prayer had ended, the man lunged and attacked him by stabbing him twice with a dagger in the neck near the head. 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 ,
13664-500: Was granted. When Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din visited London in pursuance of his legal practice, Noor-ud-Din advised him to keep three things in view, one of which was to try to get the Mosque in Woking opened which was originally built by the Begum of Bhopal , and had been reported to have been locked for some time. Having reached London Kamaludin enquired about the mosque, met with other Muslims and
13786-502: Was inevitable for the Community. We have to accept our obligations if we are called upon to sacrifice our spiritual or physical lives or suffer torture at the hands of those who oppose us. Victory achieved without sacrifice is hollow. Sacrifice is the life-blood of divine dispensation. When Moses saw the fire, God said to him Verily I am your Lord indicating that if he wanted to reach God, he would have to pass through it. Hence you too will have to pass through fire and other such dangers on
13908-579: 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
14030-405: Was later offered the position in 1895 but declined the offer. Noor-ud-Deen was constantly involved in religious debates with Christians and Hindus during his stay at Jammu . Once he was confronted by an atheist who asked him that if the concept of God was true, then how in this day and age of reason and knowledge, no one claims to be the recipient of Divine revelations. This was a question to which
14152-455: Was made the chief physician himself. During his time as physician he is said to have given a lot of time to the service of Islam; and would often engage in religious and intellectual discussion with the Maharaja himself. During these discussions he was known for his fearlessness and frankness. The Maharaja and his son Raja Amar singh are said to have learnt the Quran from Noor-ud-Din. The Maharajah
14274-405: Was promulgated by the government of Pakistan which prohibited Ahmadi Muslims from any public expression of the Islamic faith, rendering the caliph unable to perform his duties as the leader of the community. Due to these circumstances, the 4th caliph left Pakistan and migrated to London , England, provisionally moving the headquarters to the Fazl Mosque . Since the Ahmadiyya is widely viewed as
14396-546: Was selected by Syed Ahmad Khan as the co-ordinator of the team of scholars in writing a commentary of the Torah from the Muslim viewpoint. During this time he was also actively involved with the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam . Noor-ud-Din had been the royal physician from 1876. when Maharajah Partab Singh took over, Noor-ud-Din was made to leave the service of the state of Jammu in 1892 due to various political reasons. He
14518-441: Was so impressed by the book that he decided to meet the writer. Noor-ud- Din later recalled his first meeting with Ghulam Ahmad in his own words. As I arrived in a nearby place of Qadian, I got excited and was also trembling with anxiety and prayed feverishly.... Noor-ud-Deen later stated: It was after Asr prayer, I approached Masjid Mubarak . As soon as I saw his face I was overjoyed, and felt happy and grateful to have found
14640-521: Was to grow into international proportions during the leadership of later Caliphs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. With the expansion of the Community's numbers and work, Mahmood Ahmad established separate auxiliary organisations based on age and gender. The Lajna Amaa' illah for women above the age of fifteen was established in 1922 and the Nasiratul Ahmadiyya for girls aged seven to fifteen years in 1938. The men were divided into three groups,
14762-499: Was unable to attend to secondary education . During his youth, he remained an active member in the service of the Movement by founding a journal entitled Tash'heezul Az'haan and accompanied his father on many of his journeys. On 26 May 1908, Ghulam Ahmad died in Lahore when Mahmood Ahmad was 19 years old. The next day on 27 May 1908, he gave the pledged allegiance to Hakeem Noor-ud-Din , who had been chosen to succeed Ghulam Ahmad. After
14884-404: Was unanimously chosen to succeed him and presided over the council's appointed president. Muhammad Ali and his supporters held that Ghulam Ahmad, in The Will , had designated the council as a consultative institution to be his successor. Viewing as autocratic the idea of one individual wielding absolute authority within the Community and demanding total obedience from it, they repudiated the idea of
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