Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Khalifatul Masih V
Leader of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin)
File:Khalifah V.jpg Khaifatul Masih V in Canada
Predecessor	Mirza Tahir Ahmad
Born	(1950-09-15) September 15, 1950 Rabwah, Pakistan
Spouse	Sahibzadi Amatul Sabooh Begum (m. 1977)
Names Mirza Masroor Ahmad
Signature

Mirza Masroor Ahmad (Arabic: ميرزا مسرور أحمد Urdu: مرزا مسرور احمد) (born September 15, 1950) is Khalifatul Masih V, the spiritual leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was elected as the fifth successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on April 22, 2003, a few days after the death of his predecessor Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the fourth Caliph for the Ahmadiiya Muslim Community. As the current Khalifatul Masih, Mirza Masroor Ahmad is guiding the Community through a time of widespread skepticism and animosity towards Islam.

Early life

Mirza Masroor Ahmad was born on September 15, 1950 in Rabwah, Pakistan, the global headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the time. Masroor Ahmad attended and graduated from Talim-ul-Islam High School and obtained his BA from Talim-ul-Islam College, both located in Rabwah. In 1976, Masroor earned his Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Ghana

Having served the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in various capacities, Masroor Ahmad served in Ghana for over 8 years. He established the Ahmadiyya Secondary School in Salaga, a school in the northern region of Ghana, where he served as principal for 2 years. His success with the school in Salaga made him an obvious choice as principal of the Ahmadiyya Secondary School in Essarkyir, located in the centreal region of Ghana. There he served as principle for 4 years. Both schools remain open and are a benefit to their respective communities to this day.

After his tenure as principle, Masroor Ahmad was appointed as the manager of the Ahmadiyya Agricultural Farm in Depali located in the northern region of Ghana where he served for two years. He successfully planted and nurtured wheat for the first time in Ghana. The experiment of planting, growing and nurturing wheat as an economic crop in Ghana was exhibited at an international trade fair and the results were submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture of Ghana.

Pakistan

Shortly after serving in Ghana, Masroor Ahmad returned to Pakistan and was made responsible for finances on March 17, 1985. He also served as the Director of Education within the Community in Pakistan and on December 10, 1997 he was appointed as Nazir A'ala (Principle Director) and local president until his election as Khalifatul Masih. He used to visit Nusrat Jehan Academy Rabwah, on various occasions such as annual results, exhibitions & on sports days.

Imprisonment

In 1999, a resolution was presented in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab which demanded that the name of Rabwah be changed because that name appeared in the Qur'an. The resolution passed without much debate and the name of Rabwah was officially changed to Chenab Nagar. Signage was placed in prominent parts of Rabwah which bore the new name. A few days later, a F.I.R. (criminal complaint) was filed accusing certain members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for erasing a sign which bore the new name as well a passage from the Qur'an. Though the complaint didn't mention any names, a case was registered, resulting in the arrest of Masroor Ahmad and a few other senior members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. They were imprisoned for 11 days with their bails being rejected but were eventually released on May 10, 1999.

Caliphate

Masroor Ahmad was elected as Khalifatul Masih V on April 22, 2003 at 11:40pm GMT, a few short days after the demise of his predecessor Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Secretary Majlis-e-Shura announced the results of the election that night as follows:

It is announced for the information of all members of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that following the Maghrib and Isha prayers, the Majlis Intikhab Khilafat (the Electoral College) established by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II, Musleh Maud (the Promised Reformer) convened at the Fazl Mosque London today, Tuesday 22nd April 2003, under the chairmanship of Respected Chaudhry Hameed Ullah Sahib. Pursuant to the rules and regulations, each member took an oath of allegiance to Khilafat-i-Ahmadiyya. After this, they elected the most respected Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad as Khalifatul Masih V. The members of the Majlis Intikhab Khilafat immediately had the honour of taking the pledge of initiation at the blessed hand of Hadhrat Amir al-Mu'minin Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah assist him with His Mighty help and Allah grant him a long life, and have also had the honour of meeting Hadhrat Amir al-Mu'minin.

Alhamdulillah. May Allah the Exalted in approval make this election most blessed. Ameen. Our Merciful and Gracious God! O our Noble and Loving Lord, we are grateful to You that You have bestowed us with Your Grace and the Second Manifestation and have once again changed our state of fear to that of peace. O our Possessor of Power and Authority and Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining God, we bear witness that once again Your Messiah and Mahdi’s prophecy as stated in the journal Al-Wasiyyathas materialised with full glory and magnificence.

— Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Secretary Majlis-e-Shura, After the election of Khalifatul Masih V on April 22, 2003

Today he frequently tours around the world, visiting countries for the Community's Jalsa Salanas (annual gatherings). Masroor Ahmad also regularly leads prayers at Fazl Mosque in London, England, the current global headquarters for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as well Friday prayers from Baitul Futuh Mosque, in Morden, London.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper (left), sits next to Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the grand opening to the public of Baitun Nur, the largest mosque in Canada, on July 5, 2008

Caliphate Centenary

On May 27, 2008, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community celebrated the centenary anniversary of the establishment of Khilafat. Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke at a large gathering of community members in the Excel Center in London, England and performed the International Bai'at with Ahmadis worldwide. This was relayed around the world via the Community's television channel, MTA with a live link up to Ahmadiyya, India, the birthplace of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and original global headquarters before the partition of India in 1947.

A Jalsa Salana celebrating the centenary anniversary of Khalifat was planned in Qadian for December, 2008. This gathering was to mark the end of celebrations of the centenary. However, due to the Mumbai bomb-blasts and the resulting security situation, Masroor Ahmad canceled his participation in the gathering at Qadian and returned to London.

Message of Peace to Pope Benedict XVI

On December 6, 2011, Mirza Masroor Ahmad sent a direct message to Pope Benedict XVI calling for the Pope to use his influence to encourage religious tolerance and the establishment of human values throughout the world.

Controversies

Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy

On September 12, 2006, while Pope Benedict XVI was lecturing at the University of Regensburg, he quoted the opinion of Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The quotation drew criticism from a number of individual governmental representatives and Muslim religious leaders including Khalifatul Masih V Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

As the leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Masroor Ahmad disapproved of the Pope's view on Islam, stating that the Pope had been irresponsible and lacked knowledge of Islam. He explicated the 'inherent peaceful teachings of Islam' and the Qur'an and sought to remove misconceptions regarding Jihad and the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, in light of references made by European writers in his Friday Sermon on September 15, 2006.

2010 Quran-burning controversy

The plan to burn the Qur'an by the Dove World Outreach Center on the 9th anniversary of 9/11 attacks was highly condemned by Masroor Ahmad at the Baitul Futuh mosque in London, England. He stated that "religious extremism, be it Christian extremism, Muslim extremism or any other kind, is never a true reflection of the religion". The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community also held a "Faith Day" with representatives of other faiths as a response to the Qur'an burning.

2010 Ground Zero mosque controvery

Main article: Ground Zero mosque controversy

In 2010, plans were being made to build a 13-story Muslim community center located two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, New York. Although the Park51 building would not be visible from the World Trade Center site, opponents of the project have said that establishing a mosque so close to Ground Zero would be offensive since the hijackers in the September 11, 2001 attacks were Islamic terrorists.

Mirza Masroor Ahmad commented on the plan to build a mosque near ground zero where he stated:

If a mosque is built at the proposed site, then the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community would like to see churches, synagogues, Hindu places of worship and places of worship of all other religions also built near Ground Zero. That would be a good example of how from an act of evil and terror has emerged unity and peace.

— Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Geert Wilders controvery

Addressing Wilders directly, Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

Listen carefully – You, your party and every other person like you will ultimately be destroyed. But the religion of Islam and the message of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will remain forever. No worldly power, no matter how powerful and no matter how much hatred they bear towards Islam, will ever succeed in erasing our religion.> World muslim leader sends warning to dutch politician Geert Wilders ; October 19, 2011 [Retrieved March 9, 2012].</ref>

— Mirza Masroor Ahmad

In reply to the statement, Wilders asked Piet Hein Donner, Interior Minister of Holland if the government considered this a threat and if they would take any action against Ahmad. Donner replied that he saw no threat as Ahmad only threatened the destruction of Wilders through peaceful prayer and not violence, and that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worldwide are known to be peaceful.

Warning of World War III and Message to Israel and Iran

On March 5, 2012, Mirza Masroor Ahmad wrote letters to Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to avoid war between their countries and warning both the leaders that if this tension escalates it may turn toward World War III and involve nuclear weapons.

Discussion about a possible third world war is a repeated subject in his Friday Sermons of late 2011 and 2012, whereupon he went as far as to advise the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to stockpile food for a month because he feels the war is imminent.

He also said in his epistle to Pope Benedict XVI on December 6, 2011 that:

Many small wars are going on in the world today and there is a need to stop them otherwise these could lead to a world war which could bring untold destruction. It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world closely, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As a consequence of so many countries having nuclear weapons, grudges and enmities are increasing and the world sits on the precipice of destruction.> World Muslim leader sends Message of Peace to Pope Benedict ; December 6, 2011 [Retrieved March 9, 2012].</ref>

— Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Response to persecution

Lahore Massacre

Main article: May 2010 Lahore attacks

On May 28, 2010, two Ahmadi mosques in Lahore, Pakistan came under attack from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Punjab wing. The attacks were carried out nearly simultaneously at Darul Al Zikr Mosque in Garhi Shahu and Bait Al Noor Mosque in Model Town, both 15 km apart. Ninety-four people were killed in the incident (including one attacker) with 108 injured. Another attacker was captured by the worshippers.

Mirza Masroor Ahmad issued two press releases urging members of the Community to exercise patience and prayers and that in response, 'no inappropriate action would be shown by any Ahmadi'. He subsequently delivered a Sermon giving details of the two attacks followed by a series of sermons in which he paid tribute to each of the martyrs, detailing their services to the Community.

Muslim Television Ahmadiyya

Main article: Muslim Television Ahmadiyya

Following the achievements of his predecessor Khalifatul Masih IV, Mirza Masroor Ahmad launched an additional two channels on Muslim Television Ahmadiyya: MTA 2 directs special programmes in European languages such as English and German while MTA Al Arabiya broadcasts to the Arabic speaking communities in Middle East, North Africa and North America.

Writings and speeches

Several speeches delievered by Mirza Masroor Ahmad in the form of Friday Sermons or speeches given at Jalsa Salanas or other conferences have been compiled into book format. One such book is the "Conditions of Bai'at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi" which details the importance of the Ten Conditions of Bai'at in reference to the teachings of the Qur'an and the practices of Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

Family, marriage and children

Masroor Ahmad is the son of Mirza Mansoor Ahmad and the grandson of Mirza Shareef Ahmad, the son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. His mother is Sahibzadi Nasira Begum, the eldest daughter of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Masroor Ahmad has two brothers: Mirza Idrees Ahmad (deceased) and Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad and two sisters: Amatul Qudoos and Amatul Raoof.

He married Sahibzadi Amatul Sabooh Begum, the daughter of Syed Daud Muzaffar Shah and Amtul Hakeem Begum (daughter of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad) on January 31, 1977. He has a daughter Amtul Waris Fateh and a son Mirza Waqas Ahmad.

External links

• Preaching peace and tolerance in the face of persecution
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Community International

Published sermons

The following is a list of sermons of Khaliftul Masih V that have been published in book form:

• The Conditions of Bay'ah and the Responsibilities of an Ahmadi
• A Response to the Pope's Remarks about Islam
• The Blessed Model of Prophet Muhammad and the Caricatures
• Islam - A Peaceful Religion
• Exemplary Compassion of Prophet Muhammad
• Speeches and Articles in the Review of Religions