Khalifatul-Masih III - Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad — Page 68
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih III rta 68 years—and who were not at all ready [for his demise], yet God Almighty’s Will prevailed! After leading the Community from the 14 th into the 15 th century in a magnificent manner; after setting a fast pace of marching upon the road to victory and after instilling firm conviction of Islam’s bright future in the hearts, Hazrat Khalifatul- Masih III rta presented himself in the Court of his Merciful Lord and passed away on the night between Tuesday 8 June and Wednesday 9 June 1982 at 12:45 a. m. Innaa lillaahe wa innaa illaihi raajioon. To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. Early in the morning of 9 June his body was placed in a coffin; it commenced its journey towards Rabwah (after prayers and the giving of alms) where his devotees had travelled from far and wide to see him for the very last time. The enemies planned to cause mischief and disturbance, but God Himself protected the Community and kept the institution of Khilafat alive in accordance with His own promises. On 10 June 1982, a session of the Khilafat Electoral Committee, which had been established by Hazrat Musleh Mauood ra , was held with Mirza Mubarak Ahmad, the then Wakil-e-A’ala , presiding over the election. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rta was elected as the fourth Khalifah. According to tradition, he first took the Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) and then led the funeral prayers of his predecessor, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih III rta. About a hundred-thousand people