Event of 1889: Claiming to be the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founds the Ahm

Background. The Ahmadiyya movement is an Islamic messianic movement originating in British India in the late 19th century. It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed divine appointment as the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. He asserted these roles would bring about the final triumph of Islam through peaceful means and embody eschatological figures from other religious traditions, establishing a distinct theological identity.

Establishment. The formal history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community begins on 23 March 1889, when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad accepted allegiance from his supporters. This event occurred at a home in Ludhiana, India. Although the legacy row cites Qadian, the passage specifies Ludhiana as the site of the oath. The term 'Ahmadiyya' was not adopted until approximately a decade after the founding; a manifesto dated 4 November 1900 announced the naming convention.

Naming. Adherents are known as Ahmadi Muslims, a term derived from Muhammad's alternative name Ahmad, not from the founder. In a manifesto dated 4 November 1900, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad announced this naming convention to distinguish the movement from other Muslim groups. External pejorative terms like Qādiyānī or Mirzaī, derived from his hometown or title, are not used by the community itself.