Life sketch

Hadhrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifat al-Masih the Third was born on November 16th, 1909. From his early childhood, he was brought up by Hadhrat Amma Jan, raziallah anha. When he was merely thirteen years of age, he committed the entire Holy Quran to memory. He learnt Arabic and Urdu from Hadhrat Maulvi Sarwar Shah (RA). He was then admitted to Madrassa Ahmadiyya to further his religious education. After completing his course of study in theological and oriental studies (Maulvi Fazil) he graduated from Government College, Lahore. In 1934 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Punjab.

He was married to Hadhrat Sayyeda Mansoora Begum, daughter of Hadhrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan (RA) and Hadhrat Nawab Mubaraka Begum (RA) in August 1934. On September 6th, 1934 Hadhrat Khalifat al-Masih the Second sent him to England. Before his departure, Hudhoor gave him a long list of do's and don'ts while in the UK. One piece of advice was:

I am sending you to England so that you may fully grasp the Western point of view…. It is your responsibility to find ways for serving Islam, and how to counter the evil attacks. Get to know all the weapons Dajjal is using against Islam.

During his stay at the Oxford University he earned the Master of Arts degree. In his free time he busied himself spreading the word. Also he started the publication of a magazine al-Islam. In November 1938 he returned to India after completing his education with flying colors.

On his return home he was appointed lecturer at Jamia Ahmadiyya (Theological College), becoming its principal in 1939. From February 1939 to October 1949 he was president of the Majlis Khuddam al-Ahmadiyya, and vice-president until 1954 because Hadhrat Khalifat al-Masih the Second was himself the president during this critical period. During his tenure the Majlis progressed by leaps and bounds.

From May 1944 to November 1965 he was principal of Taleem al-Islam College until his election as the Third Caliph. At the time of partition he stayed in Qadian but immigrated to Pakistan on November 16th, 1947.

During the anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Pakistan in 1953, he was detained under the Martial Law regulations. He suffered many hardships during his incarceration. He was set free on May 28th, 1953. While he was President of Ansar Allah in 1954, he infused a new life into the organization. In May 1955 he became Executive Director of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. He carried out the arduous responsibilities of Executive Director diligently, remaining in this position until his election as the Caliph ten year later.

On November 8th, 1965 he assumed the exalted position of the Third Caliph of the Promised Messiah. Thus was fulfilled the glad tiding, which Hadhrat Musleh Mauood (RA) had received from God Almighty. He had announced on September 26th, 1909:

Allah has given me the glad tiding that I will be blessed with a son who will be a Nasir-e-Deen (helper of faith). He will be committed to serving Islam. (History of Ahmadiyyat, Urdu, Vol 4, page 320)

Dear Children, the dawn of the Third Caliphate also brought tremendous success to the Movement and was indeed a source of blessing by the choicest favors of God Almighty. Hadhrat Khalifat al-Masih the Third was born not only in fulfillment of a glad tiding but his reign of Caliphate had been prophesized thousands of years before. It was prophesied in the Talmud:

"It is also said that He (The Messiah) shall die and his Kingdom descend to his son and the Grandson" (Talmud by Joseph Barclay, chapter V, page 37, 1878, London)

Thus this prophecy was literally fulfilled by the establishment of the third Caliphate.