Mirza Masroor Ahmad
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Mirza Masroor Ahmad is the supreme head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. His title is Khalifatul Masih V -- being the fifth successor to the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.
History
He was born on September 15 1950 in Rabwah, Pakistan, which was the Ahmadi community's headquarters at the time. He is the son of Mirza Mansoor Ahmad. Mirza Masroor Ahmad completed his primary education at Taleem-ul-Islam High School, Rabwah, and obtained his BA from Taleem-ul-Islam College, Rabwah. In 1976 he earned his Masters of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
He served in Ghana for eight years holding various posts within the Ahmadiyya community. While in Ghana he carried out the first successful experiment of planting, growing and nurturing wheat as an economic crop in Ghana which is said to have revolutionised the country's economy and paved the way for self-sufficiency.[5]
Following a number of posts in Ghana he returned to Pakistan and was elected to senior positions at the community's headquarters. In 1999 he was arrested and imprisoned along with a few other senior members of the Ahmadiyya community on charge of blasphemy and maintenance of public order. Under what is said to have been a growing wave of persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, they were sent to jail without any investigation as to the truthfulness of the complaints. All three were later released without charge on the 10th May 1999.[6]
He was elected as Khalifatul Masih V in April 2003 after the demise of his predecessor Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Today he regularly tours all around the world and visits countries for their annual gatherings called "Jalsa Salana."
Today
He also regularly leads prayers at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Associations current head quarters in The Fazal Mosque, London and leads the community in Friday sermon prayers from Baitul Futuh Mosque Morden, London. [7]He is said to be guiding the community through a time of great global scepticism and animosity towards Islam.[8]
Khilafat Centenary
On 27th of May, 2008, Ahmadiyya muslims celeberated the hundred years of establishment of Khilafat.[1] Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke to a large gathering of Ahmadis in the Excel Center, London. This event was widely publicized in the press.[2] [3] [4]