By I. Ahmad Dalupotha, Negombo.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Founder of Ahmadiyya JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at in Islam, is accepted as Promised Messiah and Mahdi by Ahmadi Muslims world-over. the terms “Messiah” and “Mahdi” are synonymous terms for one and the same person. Like the term Messiah which, among other meanings, in essence means being anointed by God or appointed by God the term “Mahdi” means guided by God, thus both imply a direct ordainment and a spiritual nurturing by God of a divinely chosen individual.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ According to Ahmadiyya thought, Messiahship is a phenomenon, through which a special emphasis is given on the transformation of a people by way of offering suffering for the sake of God instead of giving suffering (i.e. refraining from revenge). Ahmadi Muslims believe that this special emphasis was given through the person of Jesus and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad among others.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ahmadi Muslims hold that the prophesied eschatological figures of various religions, the coming of the Messiah and Mahdi in fact were to be fulfilled in one person who was to represent all previous prophets.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The prophecies concerning the Mahdi or the second coming of Jesus are seen by Ahmadis as metaphorical, in that one was to be born and rise within the dispensation of Muhammad, who by virtue of his similarity and affinity with Jesus of Nazareth, and the similarity in nature, temperament and disposition of the people of Jesus’ time and the people of the time of the promised one (the Mahdi) is called by the same name.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As the beliefs of all Muslims seems to be fulfilled yet in one person.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Numerous Hadith (sayings of Holy Prophet) are presented by the Ahmadis in support of their view such as one sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Sunan Ibn Majah which says:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is No Mahdi but Jesus son of MaryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚Ibn Majah, Bab, Shahadatu-Zaman

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ahmadi Muslims believe that the prophecies concerning the Mahdi and the second coming of Jesus have been fulfilled in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (1835ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”1908) the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Contrary to mainstream Muslims the Ahmadi Muslims do not believe that Jesus is alive in heaven, but that he survived the crucifixion and migrated toward the east where he died a natural death and that Ghulam Ahmad was only the Promised Spiritual Second Coming and likeness of Jesus, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi.

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