بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
The purpose of the advent of Hazrat Promised MessiahAS is the preaching and propagation of Islam in the whole world and for this reason he was ever conscious that Ahmadi children should become his supporters and helpers to complete this divine mission after receiving higher education. On 15th September 1897 he drew the attention of the Jama’at through an advertisement to establish an Islamic School where children would gain the religious education and spread the light of Islam in the world.(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 2 Page 1)
In compliance with this wish of Hazrat Promised MessiahAS, Madrassah Ta’alimul Islam commenced on 3rd January 1898. It started as a primary school, then middle school, in 1900 it was promoted to the level of High School and in 1903 it reached to the level of college. Hazrat Promised MessiahAS perceived that in relation to produce and train the religious scholars and devotees this Madrassah was not fulfilling those lofty purposes as described by him. During that time two renowned scholars of the Jama’at namely Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim SahibRA and Hazrat Maulvi Burhanuddeen sahib JehlamiRA passed away in 1905 and it was also revealed to Hazrat Promised MessiahAS that his demise is near as well, so on the occasion of Jalsa Salana 1905 he asked the members of the community to make some amendments in Madrassah Ta’alimul Islam so that servants and devotees of Islam are produced there. HuzurAS said that:“Improvement in this Madrassah (Ta’alimul Islam) must be done, so that preachers and scholars are produced from there……….all of you should consider that this Madrassah (Ta’alimul Islam) must run in this manner, so that preachers well versed in Quran and scholars are produced who would be a source of guidance for the world.”(Maktoobat-e-Ahmad, Vol. 05, Number 3 Pages 62-63)
Some of the members were of the view that this Madrassah should be stopped and a pure religious institution should be started, whereas Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddeen sahibRA (Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the FirstRA) and Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddeen Mahmood Ahmad SahibRA (Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the SecondRA) opposed this thought and strived for the establishment and continuity of this Madrassah. They suggested that the Madrassah should continue functioning and some changes must be done in it so that its real purpose could be accomplished. Hazrat Promised MessiahAS while accepting their opinion decided to open a religious branch in Madrassah Ta’alimul Islam and also graced it with some precious advice. At the end of January 1906 this branch started functioning in which students after Primary School were enrolled. Ten 10 students were enrolled in the first batch. This Shakh Deeniyaat دینیات شاخ (Religious Branch) is considered to be the first brick of Jamia Ahmadiyya. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 2 Page 412,413)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the FirstRA in the very beginning of his Khilafat asked to expand Shakh Deeniyaat دینیات شاخ (Religious Branch) to a separate religious Madrassah as a memorial to Hazrat Promised MessiahAS. During the Jalsa Salana 1908 some members even suggested to close this Madrassah but through divine support Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddeen Mahmood Ahmad SahibRA gave such strong argument that the opposite opinion vanished and the Jama’at held the opinion in the favour of Madrassah. On 1st March 1909 Madrassah Ahmadiyya was officially founded. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali SahibRA chose its name and Hazrat Maulana Sayyed Sarwar Shah SahibRA was appointed its first Principal. Members of the community were urged to contribute. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the FirstRA promised to donate his personal books and Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddeen Mahmood Ahmad SahibRA promised to offer the books of Anjuman TashheezulAzhan for the library. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 2 Page 1)(Al-Badr 18th June 1908 Page 4)
Maulvi Sadruddeen sahib, superintendent of Madrassah Ahmadiyya was also the headmaster of Ta’alimul Islam high school and due to his busy schedule he could not pay full attention towards the Madrassah and for this reason, many lapses found their ways in the management. In this situation Hazrat Musleh MaudRA drew the attention of Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya by writing a letter to improve the current condition. Upon this Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya entrusted the full responsibility of the Madrassah upon Hazrat Musleh MaudRA’s shoulders. HuzurRA offered his services as administrator of Madrassah Ahmadiyya from September 1910 to his appointment as Khalifa in March 1914. This period is considered a golden era in the history of Madrassah Ahmadiyya. In the beginning of 1912 HuzurRA made a long tour of Hindustan on his personal expenses and deeply observed the system and education of Islamic religious institutions and under this observation he made the standards of Madrassah Ahmadiyya higher by making certain amendments.(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 2 Page 282) Many a times he himself conducted classes. After being elected a Khalifa, Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad sahibRA took control of Madrassah Ahmadiyya. Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad Sahib, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Al-SalisRH also studied in this Madrassah as well. Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaque sahib took this Madrassah to further heights from 1937 up to his demise in 1944. After him, his two sons served as the heads of this institution in different periods.
From the very beginning of his Khilafat, Hazrat Musleh MaudRA wanted Madrassah Ahmadiyya to be promoted to the college level and appointed a committee for this purpose in 1919. In the light of the reports of this committee HuzurRA instructed Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya to take practical steps in this regard. After passing through many stages, on 15th April 1928, it was decided that a permanent institution with the name of JAMIA AHMADIYYA should be established. HuzurRA inaugurated it with a speech and appointed Hazrat Sayyed Muhammad Sarwar Shah sahibRA its first principal. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 5, Page 18-20) While mentioning Madrassah Ahmadiyya in his inaugural speech HuzurRA said that:“Now it’s a further step that I foresee this Madrassah in the shape of a college. In relation to Tabligh, this college must be of this standard where not only religious education is provided rather along with that some foreign languages must also be taught there……….. by God’s grace this humble institution, in future, would be considered among the renowned colleges of the world.”(Alfazl 14 August 1928)
From May 1939 to May 1944 Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Nasir Ahmad sahib, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Al-SalisRA was appointed as the principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya. During his period further changes were made and a library was established in the hostel as well. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, volume 5 Page 27) This institution progressed in leaps and bounds in Qadian till 1947. After the partition of 1947 Jamia Ahmadiyya started in Pakistan first from Lahore, Chiniot, and then Ahmad Nagar before it was finally shifted to Rabwah. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad sahib, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVRH got the SHAHID degree from Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah in 1953.
This institution established by Hazrat Promised MessiahAS produced such tremendous and divine personalities who paved new ways to propagate Islam in the world. They filled the hearts with divine love and illumined barren lands with the light of Islam. After the migration of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih FourthRH from Rabwah to London in 1984 Jamia Ahmadiyya embarked upon a new journey. This fruitful plant started sprouting new branches and began flourishing. Today following the pattern of Jamia Ahmadiyya many exemplary institutions have been established in the world and Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana is one of them.
At the beginning of fourth Khilafat, Jamia Ahmadiyya had already established in Rabwah and Qadian. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVRH migrated from Rabwah to London in 1984 due to the unfavourable conditions in Pakistan. Keeping in view the advancement and progress of the Jama’at, need was felt to establish branches of Jamia Ahmadiyya in other parts of the world and many suggestions were put under consideration. In this regard a formal suggestion was presented in 1997 during the international Majlis-e-Shura, London from Jama’at Ahmadiyya Norway in which it was suggested to establish Jamia Ahmadiyya International for European countries. Deep contemplations were made in this regard but it could not see the light of the day. During the blessed period of Khilafat-e-Khamisa this procedure started again and the first Jamia established abroad was in 2003 in Canada. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVRH also had this wish that Jamia Ahmadiyya should be established in London in the vicinity of Fazl Mosque to keep it in the direct guidance of Khalifatul Masih. By Allah’s grace, after the detailed analyses, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Al-KhamisATBA inaugurated Jamia Ahmadiyya UK on 1st October 2005 and HuzurATBA inaugurated Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany as well in 2008. Due to the legal restrictions and problems in acquiring visas, there was still a need to establish an independent Jamia for African continent and this suggestion after passing through different stages was presented in 2005 during the Majlis-e-Shura of Jama’at Ahmadiyya Nigeria. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Al-KhamisATBA formed a nine-member committee, which consisted upon Amirs from various countries, under the supervision of respected Abdul Wahab Adam sahib to finalize the details. After many meetings the committee finalized the land of Ghana for Jamia Ahmadiyya International. Then the phase started to choose an appropriate place and finally the decision was made to construct this Jamia in the vicinity of Mankessim, central Region. A sincere Ahmadi respected Alhaj Abu Bakr Anderson sahib offered 70 acres of land for this purpose.
It is worth mentioning that due to the ever increasing need of preachers and local missionaries during the time of Khilafat-e-Sania and even after that, other institutions with the name of Jamia tul Mubashireen, Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Training College (AMMTC) and Madrassatul Zafar are functioning in countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Ghana, Tanzania and Nigeria etc, where short missionary courses are offered to the local missionaries for 3-4 years. These missionaries are trained and sent to the field for preaching.
Jamias that are seen functioning in the world on the pattern of Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah and Qadian they are as follows:
These eight institutions offer a seven years’ SHAHID course.
Due to the special attention and prayers of beloved HuzurATBA, Jamia Ahmadiyya International was established in Ghana. Apart from Africa, students from other countries as well travel here for the sake of knowledge and it has been made possible due to the sheer grace of Allah and the kind attention of Khilafat Ahmadiyya.
