File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎369r] (746/834)

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Moslem Anti-British Propaganda.
The Ahmadia Movement.
The following notes are taken from an account of the
Ahmadia movement written by Major V. Vivian :—-
“ The Mirzai, Ahmadia or Quadiani sect (so called from the
names and the residence of the founder) is a schismatic sect of
Islam, founded in the second half of the nineteenth century
by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, in the Gurdaspur district
of the Punjab.
“ Its chief point of difference from orthodoxy lies in its belief
in the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, as against the ordinary
Islamic belief of His substitution by an ordinary felon. Besides
this, there is a tendency to minimize the importance of the Khalifa
of Islam as ordinarily accepted, and to turn in all matters of doc
trine and faith to the head of the sect.
“ In its early days it was notable for great fanaticism, being
particularly violent against both Hinduism and Christianity.
“ The original founder arrogated to himself miraculous
powers and also the gift of prophecy. To establish belief in these
inspired functions it was proved that more than once recourse
was had to human means for the accomplishment of events
foretold in the course of his former prophecies : thus, when this
sect was in the throes of a bitter controversy with the Arya Samaj,
a conspiracy of Ahmadis and Indian Wahabis brought about
the death of Lekhraj, the Arya preacher, in order to bring to
fulfilment Ghulam Ahmad’s prophecy of his death.
s ‘ On the death of the original founder, one of his most learned
disciples, Bashir ud Din Mahmud Ahmadi, assumed the cloak
of leadership, and under his regime the sect abandoned in a certain
degree the policy of aggressive fanaticism, and found outlet in a
wide missionary programme. Bashir ud Din was followed by
Mirza Nur ud Din, who is still alive. During his predecessor’s
leadership the programme of proselytism gained violent stimulus
from the activities of Khwaja Kamal ud Din, a man of great
education and experience.
“ When Nur ud Din assumed leadership, a split occurred
in the Ahmadi camp, owing to the fact that Nur ud Din wished,
as an individual, to assume all the prerogatives of the leadership,
while Khwaja Kamal ud Din wished them to be vested in a
committee, in which he would have the preponderance of influence.
At the present time, therefore, the sect is divided into two
parties, one of which is known as the Lahore party, and the
other as that of Quadian. Khwaja Kamal ud Din, who leads the