History of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a sect of Islam which originated from India and spread all across the world.It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1889. The total population of the community is estimated to be between 10–15 million, with main concentrations in South Asia.^[1][2][3] For a history timeline see Timeline of Ahmadiyya history.

History before origins and founding

Mirza Hadi Beig and an Islamic State in Punjab as Islampur 1530-1803

Mirza were mainly the people who had lived in Greater Iran. They were mainly rulers there. They had come to India where they had settled. Prominent among them were the Mughal emperors of India. One of the prominent king of the Barlas was King Timur, who was of Turkish Persian descent. The Barlas tribe was one of the tribes which had successfully established its own state in Greater Iran. One of the great leaders of the Barlas tribe was Haji Barlas who had fled to settle in Greater Khorasan. Mirza Hadi Beig, who was related to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and a member of the Barlas had to leave his Khorasan and settle in the Punjab in India. He was related to King Babur. He had settled in Qadian. It was purely an Islamic State with full purity and piety that even the nearby Afghans called it Mecca. The name of Qadian become Islampur.

Mirza Muhammad Faiz's Reign

After the death of Mirza Hadi Beig, his family had remained royal and strictly brave. One of the persons from the family of Mirza Hadi Beig was Mirza Muhammad Faiz. Under his reign, Qadian progressed and came nearer to the Mughal Empire. Faiz was awarded a great title named Hift Hazra. Under this title, he had an important high rank in the Mughal Empire and even had an army of 7000 men.

Mirza Gul Muhammad's reign and rise of Sikhs

Mirza Gul Muhammad was pious and a saint. He was also a general. He was also given a great title by the Mughal kings. During his time, Sikhs began to rise in Punjab. The Sikhs had finally conquered all of the Punjab under the Sikh Empire.

Mirza Atta Muhammad and exile of the family 1802-1803

The Sikhs had successfully conquered Qadian and forced to royal family of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to leave their place. The great grandfather of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was forced to settle in another state in India. Qadian was under Fatah Singh who was offered Atta two village but he denied taking this.

Mirza Ghulam Murtaza and loss of Qadian to the British

Mirza Ghulam Murtaza was the son of Mirza Atta Muhammad and father of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He was a physician, military personnel and nobleman. He was returned five village of State of Qadian by Ranjit Singh. At that time, the British had came to power. Some of the Sikh leaders sided with the British. He lost Qadian to the British. Afterwards, when British Raj was established in India. He remained loyal to the government.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and rise of Christianity in India

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the son of Mirza Ghulam Murtaza and founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. During his time, Christianity had arrived in India and the British Government was supporting it.

Founding of Community in 1889

After he rose to fame by debating with Hindu and Christian priesthood. He was revealed to take the covenant. The first one was Hakeem Noor-ud-Din who became the first Caliph of the community. On this day, 40 followers had taken the covenant.

First Meal and Prayer

After the taking of covenant, a meal was eaten and a prayer was held by all of the companions of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It was the first gathering of the community.

Increasing of Ahmadis

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had travelled in India and the number of Ahmadis increased.

Claim and Rejection

When Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be the Promised Messiah for whom the Muslims were waiting, Maulvi Muhammad Hussein of Batala, who was his colleague was the first one to reject him. After his claim, he and his followers were the subject of the Muslim majority in India. The persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community started from that day.

Fatwa by Muslim Opponents

Hussein indulged other clerics to prepare a fatwa against Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and his followers. A Fatwa of 150 or 250 pages were prepared by him which contained fatwas from all of the Islamic clerics from all of India.

The split of in 1914

The split in 1914 resulted in the formation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, also known as Anjuman Isha`at-e-Islam. The primary reason for the split was differences over the suitability of the elected Khalifa (2nd successor) Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad (the son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) and also ideological differences on key theological issues.

The key ideological differences leading to the split pertained to the status of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad being a prophet or simply a mujadid, and the status of Muslims not accepting Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claims.

The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement believes Muhammad to be the last of the prophets, and that after him no prophet can appear—neither a past one like Jesus, nor a new one.^[4] They believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is referred to as a Prophet in the metaphorical sense only (as other saints have been referred to as well), and not in the real and technical meaning of the word as used in Islamic terminology.^[5] In contrast, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community hold that Muhammad was the last law-bearing prophet and new non-law bearing prophets can come after him.^[6] They hold Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be a Prophet (with all the qualities of a prophet like Jesus) but subordinate and deputy to Muhammad.^[7]

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established centres in 200 countries and states that its membership is in the tens of millions,^[8] while the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement states it is established in 17 countries of the world.^[9]

The larger body of Ahmadi Muslims belonging in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community however contend that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself received a revelation by God concerning a future split in his Community and that it would be concerning his Promised Son:

God has conveyed to me that there would be a great split in my Movement as well, and mischief makers and those who are the slaves of their own desires will depart... It will be the time of my Promised Son (Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad). God has decreed these events in connection with him... Be sure to recognize the Promised Son.

— Tadhkirah pg. 1066–1067

References