Encyclopedia of Islam

Ghulam Ahmad

  

263  J

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Muhammad, they claim, was the last to bring God’s 

law, but Ghulam Ahmad was among the prophets 

chosen to revive it and make it work. Another of 

his controversial teachings was that J

esUs

 did not 

die on the cross but survived the crucifixion and 

escaped to k

ashmir

 (northern India), where he 

died and was buried. Thus, the promised mes-

siah was Ghulam Ahmad, not Jesus, a claim that 

offended Christian missionaries in British India 

as well as Muslim authorities. Also, members of 

the Hindu community in northern India objected 

to his assertion that he was an incarnation of the 

Hindu god Krishna. Despite strong opposition 

and persecution, the movement Ghulam Ahmad 

launched has now reached many countries around 

the world and has an estimated membership of 

more than 10 million. His male heirs continue to 

serve as the leaders of the Qadiani branch of the 

Ahmadiyya. Their current leader is Mirza Masroor 

Ahmad (b. 1950), Ghulam Ahmad’s great grand-

son, who became the Ahmadiyya 

caliph

 after his 

father, Mirza Tahir Ahmad, died in 2003.

See also 

aUthority

;  c

hristianity

 

and

  i

slam

; 

colonialism

;  h

indUism

 

and

  i

slam

; 

reneWal

 

and

reForm

 

movements

.