A Brief Sketch of My Life
From the book ‘Kitab al-Bariyya’
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian
Summary
Publication Information
Acknowledgement
Download PDF
Summary
This is the English translation of a section of the book Kitab al-Bariyya. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian relates an account of his life, spiritual experiences, appointment as Mujaddid [Reformer] and Promised Messiah, and discusses his work in refuting the wrong Christian beliefs, and his interpretation of the dajjal (Anti-Christ).
Publication Information
Publisher: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-e-Islam Lahore Inc. (USA), 1315 Kingsgate Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43211, USA
Year of Publication: 1st edition in Urdu: 1898 (pp. 129–272 of the original publication); 1st edition in English (This edition): 1996
Year of Publication: 1st edition in Urdu: 1898 (pp. 129–272 of the original publication); 1st edition in English (This edition): 1996
Acknowledgement
We are thankful to the Webmaster of ahmadiyya.org for having provided us with the pdf of this book, to which some additional features have been added.
Download PDF

Table of Contents:
- Cover
- Copyright Information
- Publisher’s Preface
- 1. Introduction:
- My Brief Biography and Objects of my Mission
- Purpose of Biography
- 2. Family History:
- Settlement in Qadian
- Great-grandfather’s Time
- High, Noble Qualities of Mirza Gul Muhammad
- Teaches Noble Lesson on Deathbed
- Time of Grandfather
- Qadian captured by Sikhs
- Return to Qadian in Father’s Time
- 3. Early Life:
- Education
- Pursuit of Father’s Legal Cases and Farming Work
- Short Period in Official Service
- Return Home
- Father’s Death
- 4. Spiritual Experiences:
- Undertaking Spiritual Rigours
- Experience of Visions
- Spiritual Hardship was to come
- 5. Divine Appointment and Claims:
- Appointed as Mujaddid [Reformer] of Fourteenth Century
- Acclaimed by Ulama [Clerics]
- Reaction to claim of being Promised Messiah
- My Followers
- Expectation of Promised Messiah by Muslims
- Contradictions introduced into Beliefs
- True Interpretation of Prophecy
- Messiah, not King in Literal Sense
- Opponents resort to False Accusations
- Messiah to come at Time of Havoc caused by Christians
- No Prophet after Holy Prophet Muhammad
- 6. Death and Spiritual ascension of Jesus:
- Death of Jesus
- Sound Islamic Authorities uphold Death of Jesus
- Belief that Jesus is Alive contradicts the Quran
- Meaning of Raf‘
- Which Issue was the Quran settling?
- Jews’ attempt to prove Jesus Accursed
- Christians also declared Jesus ‘Accursed’
- Quran removes Allegation of Curse from Jesus and teaches his Spiritual ascension
- Bodily ascension was not the Issue
- Raf‘ of Prophets and Believers
- Jesus cannot return if Dead
- 7. Prophecy about Dajjal:
- Ulama’s Beliefs disillusion Rational Thinkers
- Meaning of Dajjal
- Religious Leaders and Scientists of Europe fulfill Signs of Dajjal
- Man’s Control leading to denial of God’s Power
- Other Nations revere Europe because of Scientific advances
- 8. Proof of claim of being the Promised Messiah:
- Likeness to the Time of Jesus
- Place of coming of Messiah and Mahdi
- 9. Breaking of the Cross:
- Smashing of Christian Belief of Crucifixion
- Jesus’ ascension — Spiritual, not Bodily
- No Proof of Jesus’ Bodily ascension
- How could the Curse be for only Three Days?
- My Divinely-ordained Mission
- 10. More proof of Claim:
- Revival and strengthening of Faith in God
- Criteria for the Truth of a Claimant
- Mujaddid [Reformer] of the Fourteenth Century Hijra
- How will the Cross be broken?
- Meaning of ‘Shining Forehead’ and ‘Lofty Nose’
- Bringing down Faith from the Pleiades
- Revelations
- Triumph by Spiritual, not Physical, Weapons
- Books written
- Author’s Footnote to page 66