Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad (1909-1982)

The third khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Nasir Ahmad was the eldest son of Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad and a grandson of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Earning his B.A and M.A from Oxford University, he was well-versed in political science and economics and served as the headmaster for the Community’s secondary school prior to his appointment to khilafa. He was khalifa from 1965-1982. During his khilafat, the Community established mosques in numerous Western European countries as well as establishing the Nusrat Jahan scheme, to build hospitals in schools in Africa. In the 1970s, he guided the Community past a nefarious state-sponsored attempt to delegitimize and persecute the Community.

His Early Life

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}, the third Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ^{(peace be upon him)}, was born on November 16, 1909. He was the son of Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad ^{(may Allah be pleased with him)} and a grandson of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ^{(peace be upon him)}. God foretold of his birth in a revelation to the Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ^{(peace be upon him)}:

I shall give you a boy who will be your grandson.

Similarly, God informed his father, Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad ^{(may Allah be pleased with him)}  that He would be given a son, “who will be `Nasir’ (Helper of Religion)”

Education

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} completed memorizing the Holy Qur’an at age 13, becoming a hafiz. In July 1929, he obtained the degree of Maulvi Faadil (religious scholar), from Punjab University. In 1934, he graduated from Government College, Lahore.

He married in August 1934. One month later, he left Qadian for England for higher studies. In November 1938, he came back to Qadian after obtaining his Master’s degree from Oxford University.

His Services to the Community

Soon after his return from higher studies, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} started serving, first as a professor and then, from 1939 to 1944, as Principal, of Jamia Ahmadiyya Qadian, the Ahmadiyya Missionary University. He then served as a Principal of the Secondary School in Rabwah, before being president of the men’s youth association. Soon after he also became president of the Older Men’s Association. In 1950, he became the head of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, a senior administrative body in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

His Khilafat

On November 8, 1965, Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad ^{(may Allah be pleased with him)} passed away in Rabwah, Pakistan. Thereafter, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} was elected as Khalifatul Masih III. Following his election, some 5,000 Ahmadi Muslims who were present performed bai`at (initation) at his hands. Some of the salient features of his seventeen-year khilafat are presented below:

Fadl-e-`Umar Foundation (1965)

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}  established this scheme in memory of Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad ^{(may Allah be pleased with him)}. The Jama’at contributed 5.2 million rupees, far in excess of the target of 2.5 million Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} himself initially fixed.

This fund was used to promote activities which had been of special interest to Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}, in the fields of research work, education, missionary work and economic welfare of the Jama’at. Under this scheme, on October 3, 1971, a modern library named Khilafat Library was also established in Rabwah. 

Nusrat Jehan Scheme (1970)

During his visit (from April 4 to June 8, 1970) to seven countries of West Africa, ‘Nusrat Jehan Scheme’ was announced by Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}, which he announced soon after his return to Rabwah. It was named after Hadhrat Nusrat Jehan ^{(may Allah be pleased with her)}, the wife of the Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ^{(peace be upon him)}.

Under this scheme, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} appealed to raise a fund of £100,000 and to organize a large group of volunteer teachers and doctors for the establishment of a number of hospitals and schools in West Africa, purely for the service of humanity and without any profit motive.

The Jama’at responded to Huzur’s appeal in an exemplary manner and, in a short span of time, 17 Medical Centres and 15 Secondary Schools were established in West African countries.

Centenary Jubilee Scheme

On the last day of Jalsa Salana 1973, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} announced this grand scheme, not only to mark the 100 years of existence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at on March 23, 1989, but also to plan an intensive program to be undertaken during the next century for spreading Islam. Under this scheme, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} appealed to raise a fund of 25 million rupees in sixteen years (1974-1989) to expand the project of foreign missions and translations of the Holy Qur’an, and to install printing presses and broadcasting systems. By the grace of God Almighty, Jama`ats from more than fifty-four countries participated in this grand scheme, which in addition to other projects, resulted in the construction of a mosque in Berg, Sweden and another in Oslo, Norway. Also, five new Jama’at Centres were opened in the UK.

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} announced the scheme Waqf-e `Aardi on March 12, 1966, under which Ahmadi Muslims should spend at least two weeks of their time at a designated place, at their own expense, in teaching the Holy Qur’an and giving religious training to the local Ahmadis.

He instituted a body to help administrate the Moosiyaan, people who had devoted a high proportion of their income to the Community, and who took an additional responsibility to live up to Islam’s teachings. He inaugurated Khilafat Library, Rabwah on October 3, 1971, and a new mosque in Rabwah, on March 31, 1972.

He also laid the foundation stone of Masjid Basharat, Spain, on October 9, 1980. On this occasion, he announced the motto — Love for All, Hatred for None.

Violence Against Ahmadi Muslims

On May 29, 1974, with the attack on Rabwah railway station by the Nishtar College students, severe violence broke out against Ahmadis throughout Pakistan. It was backed by the government of Pakistan, lead by Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Houses of Ahmadi Muslims were looted and burnt, and a number of Ahmadi Muslims were killed. Community members were subjected to social boycotts and many high-ranking Ahmadi Muslim civil and army officials were forcibly retired. During this critical period, Ahmadi Muslims, under the able guidance of Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}, faced all hardships with great patience, endurance and prayers. In the end, on Sept. 7, 1974, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed an amendment to the Constitution, which declared the Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan to be non-Muslims.

From the perspective of Ahmadi Muslims, this was undoubtedly an act of grave defiance in the sight of Allah. Consequently, Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto met with a humiliating end when he was later removed from office, imprisoned and then hanged on April 4, 1979.

His Illness and Demise

On May 21, 1982, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)} delivered his last Friday sermon. On May 23, he left Rabwah for Islamabad, where, on May 26, he was taken ill and passed away on June 9, 1982 at 12.45 p.m. On June 10, 1982, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad ^{(may Allah have mercy on him)}, the newly elected Khalifatul Masih IV, led his Janazah prayer in Rabwah with nearly 100,000 participants. He was buried in the “Heavenly Graveyard” in Rabwah, Pakistan.