Ahmadiyya (; officially, the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at; ,
transliterated: ; ) is an
Islamic religious movement founded in
Punjab,
British India near the end of the 19th century. It originated with the life and teachings of
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908), who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies of the world's reformer during the
end times, who was to herald the
eschaton as predicted in the traditions of various
world religions and bring about, by peaceful means, the final triumph of Islam as per Islamic prophecy. He claimed that he was the
Mujaddid (divine reformer) of the 14th
Islamic century, the promised
Messiah and
Mahdi awaited by
Muslims. The adherents of the Ahmadiyya movement are referred to as Ahmadi Muslims or simply Ahmadis. Ahmadi thought emphasizes the belief that Islam is the final dispensation for humanity as revealed to
Muhammad and the necessity of restoring Islam to its true essence and pristine form, which had been lost through the centuries. Ahmadiyya adherents believe that Ahmad appeared in the likeness of
Jesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice, and peace. They believe that upon divine guidance he divested Islam of fanatical and innovative beliefs and practices by championing what is, in their view, Islam’s true and essential teachings as practised by Muhammad and the
early Islamic community. Thus, Ahmadis view themselves as leading the revival and peaceful propagation of Islam.