Basics of Religious Education — Page 245
245 245 245 245 245 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION T T T T The Pr he Pr he Pr he Pr he Promised Messiah — omised Messiah — omised Messiah — omised Messiah — omised Messiah — Hadr Hadr Hadr Hadr Hadra a a a at t t t t Mirza Ghulam Mirza Ghulam Mirza Ghulam Mirza Ghulam Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Ahmad Ahmad Ahmad Ahmad as as as as as An article by Sheikh Abdul Hadi, prepared with the help of the book, Hayaat-e-Tayyibah by Hadrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir rh , Ex. Sodagar-Mal; first published in Akhbaar Ahmadiyya , Germany, Centenary Edition, 1989. (Translation by Dr. Saleem-ur- Rahman) Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian as , the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at, belonged to a well-known Persian clan named Burlaas. Mirza Hadi Baig was the ancestor who migrated from his home town Samarkand (Khurasan), in 1530 A. D. , to India, along with two hundred of his companions that included his relatives and staff. He was a noble man and a scholar and a saintly figure. India was then under the rule of the Moghul emperor Babar. Mirza Hadi Baig selected an unpopulated area, seventy miles northeast of Lahore, for settling down with his clan. He founded the town which he named Islampur. With the passage of time, the name Islampur went through a series of changes and came to be called Islampur Qadi Maajhi, then sim- ply Qadi Maajhi, and then Qadi, and finally it became known as Qadian. Mirza Gul Muhammad (d. 1800 A. D. ) was the great-grandfather of the Prom- ised Messiah as , and was known for his honesty and God-fearing. Mirza `Ataa Muhammad (d. 1814 A. D. ) was the grandfather of the Promised Messiah, and Mirza Ghulam Murtada was the father, and Chiraagh Bibi was the mother of the Promised Messiah. She was known for her hospitality and taking care of the poor. The Promised Messiah as was born on February 13, 1835 A. D. (14 Shawwaal, 1250 A. H. ), before sunrise. He was born with a twin sister (who did not survive). His twin birth fulfilled a prophecy recorded in Islamic literature for centuries that Mahdi Mau`ood (the Promised Reformer) will be born as a twin (Fosoos al-Hikam, by Mohiyuddin Ibn Arabi). The Promised Messiah as , as a child, was not fond of romping around aim- lessly and did not take part in the mischief of his playmates. His basic edu- cation was given to him at home by three different tutors, one after another. Family Background Birth and Childhood (Feb. 13, 1835) 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 P P P P P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S — P — P — P — P — P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS