Exhibition
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul-Masih IV , Fourth worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was born in Qadian, India, on December 18, 1928. His father was Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (Khalifatul-Masih II, and the Promised Reformer). His mother was Hazrat Syeda Maryam Begum.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad studied for two years at Government College Lahore, before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Punjab. In 1949 he received a Shahid degree from Jamia Ahmadiyya (Theological Academy), before pursuing higher education at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Upon returning to Pakistan after the completion of his studies, he married Asifa Begum, in 1957, and dedicated his life to serve the Ahmadiyya Community. In October 1958, he was made in charge of Waqf-e-Jadid department for the propagation of the highest grades of virtue and for fostering the welfare of Ahmadi’s.
From 1960 to 1969 he was appointed Vice-President, followed by the post of President “Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya”, an auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Community consisting of members aged between 15 and 40. During this time he also served as Director of the Fazle Umar foundation and Patron of the International Ahmadiyya Association of Architect and Engineers (IAAAE).
In January 1979, he was elected President of “Majlis Ansarullah”, an auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Community consisting of members aged 40 and over, until 1982 when he was elected as Khalifatul-Masih IV (Fourth Head) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Shortly after being elected, in 1984, he was forced to migrate to England, to escape the increasingly tyrannical regime of intolerance towards the Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan.
The Community continued to expand through various initiatives from the newly established administrative offices of the UK Ahmadiyya Community, and Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad‘s achievements continued to expand.
In 1992, he launched the first ever Muslim Television Satellite Station from London. Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA), is now watched by millions of viewers worldwide.
He always strived to serve humanity through establishing various schemes. Amongst these, was the Humanity First Charity, established in 1993. The charity is a magnificent humanitarian organisation that continues to contribute food, clothing, medicine, blood donations, etc. to this day. Whether it is a Third World country in need, or a catastrophic man-made or natural disaster requiring urgent help, the Humanity First Charity has always been involved in providing aid and relief.
Along with his passion to serve humanity, he took a keen interest in homeopathic medicine, establishing a vast number of homeopathic clinics across the world, dispensing free medicine to all in need. His passion to help cure those afflicted with ailments brought about the publication of his various lectures on homeopathic medicine under the title Homeopathy: Like Cures Like, in 1994.
He was a prolific writer, and published a vast array of scholarly works on a variety of subjects, including religion, science, philosophy, and current affairs. Amongst these publications are Murder in the Name of Allah (1989), and Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge, and Truth (1998).
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad passed away on 19th April 2003, in London, UK and was buried in “Islamabad”, Tilford, Surrey.
