The following information was provided to the DIRB in a May 1997 letter from the General Secretary and the Ameer (Head) of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore (Central Anjuman) in Lahore. Due to the poor quality of the typescript, the information has been retyped and minor changes made to correct the grammar. These changes have been indicated with brackets:

1. What do you know about the Ahmadiyya Movement?

It was founded by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Reformer of the 14th Century A.H. in 1884 for the service, defense and revival of Islamic teachings.

2. Who was the founder of the Lahore section of the Ahmadiyya Movement?

Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali was the first head of the Lahore Movement.

3. What do you call your religious head?

[The] religious head of our Movement is called Ameer.

4. Who is the present head of the Lahore group?

[The] present head or Ameer of Lahore group is Hazrat Dr. Saeed Ahmad Khan Sahib.

5. Before becoming Ameer or head of the Lahore section, where did he live and what was his profession?

Before coming to Lahore he lived in Abbottabad. He is a medical doctor and chest specialist.

6. How many Ameers or heads of the Lahore Section have [there] been[?]

[The] present Ameer is the third Ameer in succession since the Anjuman was founded in 1914.

7. Where [is] the head office of the Lahore group situated in Lahore?

[The] present address of the headquarters of the Lahore Anjuman is Darus Salam Colony, 5-Usman Block, New Garden Town, Lahore (Pakistan).

8. Where was this head office [situated] before shifting to the present location[?]

Previously is was at the Ahmadiyya buildings, Brandreth Road, Lahore. The Lahore Anjuman[,] since its inception in 1914[, has] had its registered office at this address.

9. The Lahore Anjuman has published an English translation of the Quran and endeavors to publicize it in the world. [What are the] name[s of] the translator and its author?

The well-known translation published by the Lahore Anjuman is called "English Translation of the Holy Quran" and the author is Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali, who was also the first head of the Lahore Movement.

10. How [did] the Lahore section of the Ahmadiyya Movement come into being?

Toward the last days of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din, the first president of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya (which was established by the Founder in Qadian in 1906), differences arose between Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, the eldest son of the Founder and prominent disciples of the Founder about the claim of the Founder and position of the denier of his claim. Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, one of the members of then Anjuman, believed that the Founder was a prophet and not a mere Mujaddid (Reformer) and anybody who did not believe in his prophethood was outside the pale of Islam and no matrimonial, social and religious relations were to be maintained with him. Prominent disciples of the Founder and majority of the members of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya differed from these expositions rather innovations of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and considered them to be against the expressed teachings of the Founder. These differences took [a] serious turn on the death of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din in 1914 and resulted in the split in the movement.

11. What is the difference between the Lahore and Qadian Groups of Ahmadiyya Movement?

The Lahore group adheres to the precepts and preachings of the Founder, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Reformer of the 14th century and believes that the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the Final and Last Prophet and the Holy Quran is the Last revealed Book and Guide. Anybody who professes Kalimah La Ilaha Ilallah Muhammad Rasullullah (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is a Muslim according to the behest of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Qadian group believes that the Founder was a prophet and one who does not believe in his claim is a disbeliever and outside the pale of Islam.

12. What is the basis [of the ] claim of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement?

The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement claimed to be an ordained Reformer, which in Islamic Terminology is called Mujaddid (one who revives and reforms the religion).

13. Who was the first successor after the death of the Founder?

Towards the closing of the Founder's life, he made a will in 1906 and according to it a 14-member Anjuman was announced by him. Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din was its President, Khawaja Kamaluddin [its] Legal Advisor and Maulana Muhammad Ali its General Secretary. On the death of the Founder on 26th May, 1908, Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din was unanimously elected head of the movement. He was called Khalifa (lit. Arabic, a successor).

When Mirza Mahmud Ahmad expounded that his father Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was [a] prophet and his successor should be called Khalifa similar to the successor to the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the Lahore group adopted the title of Ameer (lit. Arabic, leader) for its head in order to express their negation to the concept of prophet ascribed to the Founder of the Movement Mirza Mahmud Ahmad.

14. What are the well-know[n] books in English and Urdu published by the Lahore group?

There is a long list of Urdu and English publications of the Lahore Group which have been widely acclaimed by literary and religious celebrities such as Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, Mr. Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall etc. Some of the well-known publications are listed below:

English translation of the Holy Quran.

The Religion of Islam.

Bayanul Quran, Urdu translation and commentary of Holy Quran.

Fazlul Bari, translation and commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari.

Teachings of Islam.

Muhammad the Prophet.

The Early Caliphate.

An-Nubuwwat fil Islam.

Tehrik-i-Ahmadiyyat (Urdu and English).

Muhammad in World Scriptures.

Prophethood in Islam (Urdu).

Living Thoughts of the Living Prophet.

15. [What are the] name[s of] the prominent disciples of the Founder and members of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya who sided with the Lahore Group in 1914?

Maulana Muhammad Ali.

Dr. Mirza Yakub Beg.

Dr. Syed Muhammad Hussain Shah.

Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Pioneer Muslim Missionary to the West and founder of Woking Muslim Mission, Woking (UK).

Maulana Ghulam Ghulam Hassan Khan of Peshawar.

Sh. Rahmat Ullah Sahib.

Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore, Lahore. May 1997. Information provided by the General Secretary and Ameer of the Anjuman.