Born in 1835 in Qadian (India), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi^(as), remained dedicated to the study of the Holy Quran and to a life of prayer and devotion. Finding Islam the target of foul attacks from all directions, the fortunes of Muslims at a low ebb, faith yielding to doubt and religion only skin-deep, he undertook vindication and exposition of Islam. In his vast corpus of writings (including his epoch-making Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya), his lectures, discourses, religious debates etc., he argued that Islam was a living faith and the only faith by following which man could establish contact with his Creator and enter into communion with Him. The teachings contained in the Holy Quran and the Law promulgated by Islam were designed to raise man to moral, intellectual and spiritual perfection. He announced that God had appointed him the Messiah and Mahdi as mentioned in the prophecies of the Bible, the Holy Quran and Ahadith. In 1889 he began to accept initiation into his Community which is now established in one hundred and seventy six countries. His eighty books are written mostly in Urdu, but some are in Arabic and Persian.

After his demise in 1908, the Promised Messiah^(as) was succeeded by Hazrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din^(ra), Khalifatul Masih I. On the death of Hazrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din^(ra) in 1914, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad^(ra), who was also the Promised Messiah’s^(as) Promised Son, was elected as Khalifa. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad^(ra) remained in office for nearly fifty two years. He died in 1965 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Hazrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad^(rh), the Promised grandson of the Promised Messiah^(as). After seventeen years of meritorious services he passed away in 1982. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad^(rh) as Khalifatul Masih IV who, having led the Community to its present strength and global recognition, passed away on the 19th April, 2003. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Khalifatul Masih V^(at) is the present head of the Community and enjoys the distinction of being the great-grandson of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^(as).