Historic Background

Town of Qadian is associated with the founder of AHMADIYYA MUSLIM SECT, the Promised Messiah "HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD OF QADIAN (as) " who was born in Qadian. Qadian is not only known now within India but enjoys special regard in the hearts of 10 million Ahmadi Muslims spread in all five continents of the world.

It is considered that Qadian was established in 1530 AD. MIRZA HADI BAIG was the first Qazi (city Magistrate) of this area. Because of this, the town became to be known as Qazi. Mirza Hadi Baig was a religious scholar dedicated to Islam. Therefore he named the new town "ISLAM PUR QAZI". With the passage of time, it changed to "QaziMaji" then to "QADI" and eventually to its natural transformation to be known as QADIAN.

It was in 1834 AD during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that the estate consisting of Qadian and five adjoining villages were given to MIRZA GHULAM MURTAZA AHMAD, father of the Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as).

At that time, Qadian had no significance in the area at all with population of a few hundred people and only a sandy track pitted with pot holes connected the town with Batala. People were totally ignorant and uneducated. There was total lack of urban amenities and facilities.

A remote and unknown village "Qadian" even in the province of Punjab emerged as centre of Islamic learning in 1891, when Hazrat Gulam Mirza 1835-1908 proclaimed himself the basis of AHMADIYA Movement in Islam.

Qadian is very dear to Ahmadies all over the world, but their unity was upset during the communal disturbance in 1947. No body wanted to leave Qadian, although KHALIFATUL MESSIH II was forced to migrate to Pakistan in 1947 and established a new Headquarter at RABWAH. Ahamdiyya Anjuman, a religious registered body did not migrate to Pakistan. Talim- ul- Islam College building, Noor Hospital building and most of the residential buildings were attached to the Ahamdiyya Anjuman. So this religious body got these buildings. Now the college building is given on rent to the Sikh National College Qadian and there is a Civil Hospital in the building of Noor Hospital.

(Courtesy Gurdaspur District Official Website)