Claims of the Promised Messiah – Introduction

The Ahmadiyya movement was founded in 1889 as a sect of Islam by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, may peace be upon him, of Qadian, India. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, may peace be upon him, claimed to be the ‘Mujaddid’ (reformer) of the fourteenth century of Islam and the Promised Messiah and the Imam Mahdi whose advent had been foretold in the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

Ahmadis generally follow the Hanafi school of Islamic law. As far as the fundamental beliefs or acts of worship are concerned,Ahmadi Muslims have neither taken anything out nor added anything new to the religion of Islam. Ahmadi Muslims make their declaration of faith by reciting the same Kalima which was recited by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, himself; they say their Prayers and Fast in the same manner as the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did, and their Qiblah, their Ka’aba, their Adhan and their Qur’an are all exactly the same as Sunni Muslims.

There are basically three beliefs held by Ahmadi Muslims which separate them from the mainstream of Islam. These three beliefs concern:

  • The finality of Muhammad’s may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him Prophethood
  • Jesus may peace be upon him Christ’s ascension to heaven
  • The identity of the Promised Messiah may peace be upon him

These are three areas of contention between Ahmadis and other Muslims, which will be explained in this section.

 
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