Who was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Died At Age: 73

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Nusrat Jahan Begum (m. 1884), Hurmat Bibi

father: Mirza Ghulam Murtaza

mother: Chiragh Bibi

children: Amatul Hafeez Begum, Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, Mirza Bashir Ahmad, Mirza Sharif Ahmad, Mubarika Begum

Born Country: India

Spiritual & Religious Leaders Indian Men

Died on: May 26, 1908

place of death: Lahore, Pakistan

Cause of Death: Dysentery

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1

What is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad known for?

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is known for founding the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam and claiming to be the promised Messiah and Mahdi.
2

What are the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya community founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?

The Ahmadiyya community believes in the revival of Islam through the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who they consider to be a prophet and reformer.
3

Was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad accepted by mainstream Muslims during his lifetime?

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad faced significant opposition and rejection from mainstream Muslims who did not accept his claims of being a prophet and the promised Messiah.
4

How did Mirza Ghulam Ahmad contribute to the interpretation of Islamic prophecies?

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad interpreted Islamic prophecies in a way that aligned with his claim of being the awaited Messiah and Mahdi, which differentiated his teachings from traditional Islamic interpretations.
5

What is the controversy surrounding Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim of prophethood?

The controversy surrounding Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim of prophethood stems from the differing beliefs among Muslims regarding the finality of prophethood with the Prophet Muhammad, leading to debates and opposition towards his teachings.

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Childhood & Early Life

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was born on 13 February 1835, in Qadian, Gurdaspur, Punjab, to Mirza Ghulam Murtaza, a physician, and his wife Chiragh Bibi. He was born in the Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He had a twin sibling who did not survive.

As a child, he studied Arabic text and Persian language. He also studied medicine from his father.

From 1864 to 1868, Ahmad served as a clerk in Sialkot. Following that, he returned to his hometown to look after his family’s estate affairs. During this time, he would spend most of time praying and practicing religion.

In 1886, he travelled to Hoshiarpur to practice “chilla-nashini,” an act of spending forty days in seclusion.

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Taking of the Bay'ah

In December 1888, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad publicly announced that his followers must enter into a bay'ah with him as ordained by God. A year later, he issued a pamphlet listing “Ten Conditions of Bai'at” that are required for all those who wish to become an Ahmadi.

On 23 March 1889, Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya community by taking an oath from 40 followers.

His Claims

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed that he was the “Mahdi” and promised “Messiah” whose advent had been foretold in the Hadith and the Holy Quran. He also claimed that Jesus didn’t die on the cross but departed after a natural death. This claim contradicted the traditional Christian belief of Jesus' crucifixion.

He also argued that Jesus emerged in the 14th century after Moses and therefore, the Mahdi must also appear during the same period after Prophet Muhammad.

Ahmad asserted that Jesus died of old age in Kashmir where he had migrated after surviving the crucifixion. He also claimed that he would not return on Earth.

He rejected the notion of armed Jihad and believed that the conditions for such kind of Jihad did not prevail in this age.

The Signs

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was asked to produce the "heavenly sign" announcing the appearance of the Mahdi. He stated a lunar eclipse would occur on the first night in Ramazan and a solar eclipse would occur in the middle day of Ramazan. He claimed that this prophecy was fulfilled in 1894 and again in 1895, proving that he was indeed the Promised Mahdi and Messiah.

Reaction of Other Religious Preachers

While some religious scholars disbelieved Ahmad, many supported him and compared him to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

Following his claims, a Fatwa declaring him a deceiver was issued. It was signed by about 200 religious scholars from all over India.

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Ahmed Raza Khan, a prominent Muslim scholar, composed opinions of several religious scholars of Mecca and Madina in a book called ‘Hussam ul Harmain.’ In this book, Ahmad was labelled an apostate.

The Revealed Sermon

In 1900, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad delivered an hour-long religious speech in Arabic on the occasion of Eid ul-Adha. The sermon was simultaneously penned down and later became known as the ‘Khutba Ilhamiyya.’

Challenge to Opponents

Ghulam Ahmad challenged the opposing Muslim leaders and scholars to a "spiritual duel". He proposed an idea that would test their identity as a Muslim. In the end, the perfect Muslim would be the one who would receive “glad tidings” from God. He would also receive information regarding future events and hidden matters, and would surpass others in understanding the deeper meanings in the Qur'an.

Facts About Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was known for his love of literature and poetry, composing beautiful verses in both Urdu and Persian.

He had a deep appreciation for nature and often found solace in spending time outdoors, reflecting on the beauty of creation.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a strong advocate for the empowerment of women and believed in their right to education and participation in society.

He was a proponent of interfaith dialogue and promoted the idea of unity among different religious communities.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had a keen interest in science and encouraged his followers to seek knowledge and understanding through both spiritual and intellectual pursuits.

Challenge to John Alexander Dowie

In 1899, American clergyman John Alexander Dowie claimed to be the predecessor of the second coming of Christ. Ghulam Ahmad later challenged him to a prayer duel. He also stated that the fake one among the two should die before the other.

Dowie declined the challenge, calling Ahmad the "silly Mohammedan Messiah" to which the latter prophesied that Dowie would depart this life with great sorrow during his lifetime. Dowie did die before Ahmad in 1907, after suffering from hallucinations during his last illness.

Family & Personal Life

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad married twice in his lifetime. He first married his paternal cousin Hurmat Bibi, with whom he had two sons Mirza Sultan Ahmad and Mirza Fazal Ahmad.

With his second wife Nusrat Jahan Begum, he had ten kids, out of which five died young. Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad and Mirza Bashir Ahmad were among his surviving children.

Death & Legacy

On 26 May 1908, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad died of dysentery at his physician Dr. Syed Muhammad Hussain’s home in Lahore.

Ghulam Ahmad was the first religious leader to propose a post-crucifixion journey for Jesus to India as well as to identify the Roza Bal shrine in Srinagar, Kashmir, as the tomb of Jesus.

Following his death, his supporters formed a group called The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which is currently headed by his fifth caliph, carrying the title of Khalifatul Masih.

In 1914, The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement called for the formation of group as a result of a separation of a number of prominent Ahmadis from the main body after the appointment of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad as the second caliph. The group is controlled by Anjuman Ishaat-e-Islam.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Biography

You wanted to know

What is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad known for?

What are the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya community founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?

Was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad accepted by mainstream Muslims during his lifetime?

How did Mirza Ghulam Ahmad contribute to the interpretation of Islamic prophecies?

What is the controversy surrounding Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim of prophethood?