Qadian

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  ?Qadian
Punjab • India
Map indicating the location of Qadian
Thumbnail map of India with Punjab highlighted
Location of Qadian
 Qadian 
Coordinates: 31°49′N 75°23′E / 31.82, 75.39
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
Elevation

• 250 m (820 ft)
District(s) Gurdaspur
Population 20,827 (2001)

Coordinates: 31°49′N 75°23′E / 31.82, 75.39 Qadian (ਕਾਦਿਆਂ ) is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated 18 km east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India.

Qadian is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and of the Ahmadiyya Muslim movement he founded.

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[edit] History

Qadian was established in 1530 CE. Mirza Hadi Baig, a religious scholar dedicated to Islam, was the first Qazi (city Magistrate) of this area. Because of his religious beliefs, he named the new town 'Islam Pur Qazi'. With the passage of time, it changed to 'QaziMaji' (The word "Maji" means Bull referring to the animal still found in abundance in Qadian) and then later to just 'Qadi' and eventually came to be known as Qadian.

It was in 1834 CE during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that the estate consisting of Qadian and five adjoining villages were given to Mirza Ghulam Murtaza Ahmad, father of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.

A remote and unknown village, 'Qadian' emerged as a centre of religious learning in 1891, when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad established the Ahmadiyya Movement.

[edit] Geography

Qadian is located at 31.82° N 75.39° E.[1] It has an average elevation of 250 metres (820 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census,[2] Qadian had a population of 20,827. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Qadian has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 70%. In Qadian, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Now, the majority of the population are Sikhs and Hindus.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 31°49′04″N, 75°23′31″E