Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was born on 15th September 1950 in Rabwah, Pakistan, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s headquarter. He is the son of Hadhrat Sahibzada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad Sahib and his mother’s name is Hadhrat Sahibzadi Nasira Begum Sahiba. Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib is also the great grandson of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah , and the grandson of Hadhrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib, the youngest son of the Promised Messiah . Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib is also the maternal grandson of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II . Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib did his primary education at Taleem-ul-Islam High School Rabwah, and obtained his BA from Taleemul-Islam (TI) College Rabwah, Pakistan. In 1976 he earned his Masters of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the Agriculture University Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib got married on 31st January 1977 to Syeda Amtul Sabooh (Begum Sahiba), the daughter of the Late Begum Sahibzadi Amtul Hakeem and Mr Syed Daud Muzaffar Shah. His walima feast was held two days after his marriage. He is the father of a daughter, Mrs Amtul Waris Fateh who is married to Mr Fateh Ahmad Dahiri of Nawabshah and they have a young son and a daughter. Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib also has one son, Mr Mirza Waqas Ahmad, currently studying accountancy in England.At the young age of seventeen, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib became a Moosi (that is to say that he signed up for Wasiyyat or a will, under the plan initiated by the Promised Messiah , thus committing a portion, not less than one-tenth, of his lifetime earnings and any property to the cause of Islam.) In 1977, he devoted his life (that is to say that he became a Waqf-i-Zindagi) for Islam, and as directed by Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib, proceeded to Ghana under the Nusrat-Jahan Scheme. This social, educational and economic development scheme supports a large number of hospitals and schools in West Africa.
Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was the founding principal of the Ahmadiyya Secondary School Salaga, a school in the northern region of Ghana, where he served for two years. This school is progressing very well to this day. His success at this school made him the obvious choice for the principal of the Ahmadiyya Secondary School at Essarkyir where he served for a further four years. This school is in the central region of Ghana.
Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was appointed as the manager of the Ahmadiyya Agricultural Farm in Depali, in the northern region of Ghana, for 2 years. First experiments had revealed that wheat could not grow in Ghana. But Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib continued relentlessly. Another Ahmadi Muslim, Mr Qasim Ahmad, joined him in this series of experiments. The efforts of this team of Ahmadi agriculturalists finally paid dividends. The first successful experiment of planting, growing and nurturing wheat as an economic crop in Ghana was exhibited at an international trade fair and the results were submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture of Ghana. It stands as a great credit to his personal efforts in these experiments that successive presidents of Ghana have commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim community for these highly successful experiments which revolutionized the country’s economy and paved the way for self sufficiency.
In 1985, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib returned to Pakistan and on 17th March 1985, he was appointed as Wakilul Maal II, Department In-Charge of Financial Affairs II. On 18th June 1994 he was appointed as Nazir Ta’leem (Director of Education).
On 10th December 1997, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV, appointed Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib as Nazir A’la (chief executive director) of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Pakistan and local Amir.
Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib’s predecessor Nazir A’la was his father Sahibazada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad Sahib. Recalling what a simple and devoted and pious person Sahibzada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad Sahib was, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV stated with tears in his eyes that he had observed that when he met him he was extremely happy. When he enquired about the source of his happiness, Sahibzada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad Sahib said, ‘Why should I not be happy: today the Khalifa of the time is happy with my children and my family.’ In this sermon, he also paid warm tribute to Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib. Till his election as Khalifa, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib remained the Nazir A’la and local Amir.
In administrative matters and a disciplined approach to work, he has no parallel. He has the unique quality of getting down to the heart of the matter and dealing with it squarely. But these characteristics were not acquired merely because of the foregoing but a thorough upbringing as set out below. Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib served in many other capacities. As Nazir A’la, he was also serving as Nazir Dhiyafat (Hospitality) and Nazir Zira’at (Agriculture). In August 1988 he had been appointed as Sadr (President) Bahishti Maqbara and Majlis Karpardaz Masalaih Qabristan (the executive committee managing the Bahishti Maqbarah and related matters).
From 1994 to 1997, he was Chairman Nasir Foundation. At the same time, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was President of Tazaeen Rabwah Committee (committee for the beautification of Rabwah). He expanded the Gulshan-e-Ahmad Nursery and his personal efforts led to reforming Rabwah from its barren to its lush green image. Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib also served as a member of Qadha (Jurisprudence) Board from 1988 to 1995.
In Central Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, an auxiliary body of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community comprising men between 15 and 40 years of age, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was the Muhtamim (Secretary) Sehat-e-Jismani (Physical Health) 1976-77, Muhtamim Tajneed (census and membership records) 1984-85, from 1985-86 to 1988-89 Muhtamim Majalis Bairoon (Secretary External Chapters), and in 1989-90 Naib Sadr (Vice President) Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Pakistan.
In Majlis Ansarullah Pakistan, an auxiliary organisation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community comprising men over 40 years of age, Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib was the Qaid Zahanat (intellectual) and Sehat-e-Jismani (Physical Health) in 1995, and Qaid Talim-ul-Qur’an (Quranic Education) from 1995 to 1997.
On 22nd April, 2003 at 11:40pm London Time , Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib’s election as Khalifatul Masih V (Fifth Successor to the Promised Messiah) was announced by Mr Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Secretary Majlis Shura, as follows:
‘It is announced for the information of all members of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that following the Maghrib (dusk) and Isha (night) prayers, the Majlis Intikhab Khilafat (the Electoral College) established by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II, Musleh Maud (the Promised Reformer) convened at the Fazl Mosque London today, Tuesday 22nd April 2003, under the chairmanship of Respected Chaudhry Hameed Ullah Sahib. Pursuant to the rules and regulations, each member took an oath of allegiance to Khilafat-i-Ahmadiyya. After this, they elected the most respected Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad as Khalifatul Masih V. The members of the Majlis Intikhab Khilafat immediately had the honour of taking the pledge of initiation at the blessed hand of Hadhrat Amirul Mominneen Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah assist him with His Mighty help and Allah grant him a long life, and have also had the honour of meeting Hadhrat Amirul Momineen.
Alhamdolillah (All praise belongs to Allah). May Allah the Exalted in approval make this election most blessed. Amin. Our Merciful and Gracious God! O our Noble and Loving Lord, we are grateful to You that You have bestowed us with Your Grace and the Second Manifestation and have once again changed our state of fear to that of peace. O our Possessor of Power and Authority and Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining God, we bear witness that once again Your Messiah and Mahdi’s prophecy as stated in the journal Al-Wasiyyathas materialised with full glory and magnificence.'
All Praise belongs to Allah
Ataul Mujeeb Rashed
Secretary Majlis Shura
11.40 p.m. 22nd April 2003