Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (1950-Present)

The fifth and current khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is a great-grandson of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He was elected khalifa on April 22^nd, 2003.

About His Holiness

His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad is the fifth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Elected to this lifelong position on April 22^nd, 2003, he serves as the worldwide spiritual and administrative head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose membership exceeds 10’s of millions across 209 countries and territories.

Personal Biography

His Holiness was born on September 15^th, 1950 in Rabwah, Pakistan to the late Mirza Mansoor Ahmad and the late Nasira Begum Ahmad. Upon completing his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics in 1977 from the Agriculture University in Faisalabad, Pakistan, His Holiness formally dedicated his life to the service of Islam.

From 1977 to 1985, His Holiness served in Ghana, engaged in social, educational and agricultural development projects. He is accredited with successfully growing wheat on Ghanaian soil for the first time in the nation’s history. His Holiness returned to Pakistan in 1985 and served in various senior administrative posts within the Community during the next 18 years, including as Chief Executive of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan from 1997 until his election as khalifa.

His Holiness resides in London, UK with his wife, Amtul Sabooh Ahmad. He has two children and five grandchildren.

His hobbies include gardening, reading, photography and walking

Peace Initiatives

His Holiness is the world’s leading Muslim figure promoting peace and inter-religious harmony. Through his sermons, lectures, books, and personal meetings, His Holiness has continually advocated the worship of God Almighty and serving humanity. He also continually advocates for the establishment of universal human rights, a just society and a separation of religion and state.

Since being elected Khalifa, His Holiness has led a worldwide campaign to convey the peaceful message of Islam, through all forms of print and digital media. Under his leadership, national branches of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have launched campaigns that reflect the true and peaceful teachings of Islam. Ahmadi Muslims the world over are engaged in grassroots efforts to distribute millions of ‘Peace’ leaflets to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, host interfaith and peace symposia, and present exhibitions of The Holy Qur’an, to present its true and noble message. These campaigns have received worldwide media coverage and demonstrate that Islam champions peace, loyalty to one’s country of residence and service to humanity.

In 2004, His Holiness launched the annual National Peace Symposium in which guests from all walks of life come together to exchange ideas on the promotion of peace and harmony. Each year the symposium attracts many serving ministers, parliamentarians, politicians, religious leaders and other dignitaries. In 2009, His Holiness also launched the annual ‘Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace‘; an international peace award for individuals or organizations that have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment and service to the cause of peace and humanitarianism.

His Holiness continues to address various heads of state and august institutions to promote peace.

Public Service

His Holiness regularly travels throughout the world to promote and facilitate service to humanity. His Holiness takes a particular interest in alleviating the suffering of developing nations, by helping to improve their agriculture and facilitating access to food, clean water, and electricity. He oversees the work of the Community’s various professional organizations and tasks them with leading various humanitarian and development projects throughout the world. His Holiness also supports the work of Humanity First, an independent non-profit disaster relief and development organization.

Under the leadership of His Holiness, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has built a number of schools and hospitals that provide quality facilities in remote parts of the world. Through various initiatives of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness has funded the tuition and education of numerous underprivileged students around the world, irrespective of their religious background.

Communication with Ahmadi Muslims

His Holiness daily receives thousands of letters from Ahmadi Muslims around the world, seeking his guidance and prayers. In addition to responding to such letters, His Holiness daily meets with individual Community members.

His Holiness also delivers a weekly Friday Sermon in which he addresses the entire Ahmadiyya Muslim Community about various issues of importance. The sermon is broadcast globally live on MTA International, a satellite television station established in 1994, and translated into various languages.

Response to Persecution

Following his election in 2003, His Holiness was forced into exile from Pakistan, his native country. Pakistan’s Constitution and Penal Code restricts members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community from practicing or associating with Islam, or from even identifying themselves as Muslims. Violations of these repressive laws result in fines, imprisonment, and potentially capital punishment. Consequently, the legislation prevents His Holiness from fulfilling his duties as Head of the Community and so he cannot return to Pakistan.

Despite the continued sectarian persecution that Ahmadi Muslims are subjected to in various Muslim majority nations, His Holiness expressly forbids any violence. On May 28^th, 2010, anti-Ahmadi terrorists attacked two mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Lahore, Pakistan. 86 Ahmadi Muslims were martyred during their Friday Prayers, whilst scores more were injured. Despite the barbaric nature of these attacks, His Holiness instructed Ahmadi Muslims to respond with prayer and peace.