Ahmadiyya Missionaries to the United States
These members represent the religious leadership and scholars of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. They are individuals who have dedicated their lives for the sake of establishing and advancing the Islamic Faith.
And let there be among you a body of men who should invite to goodness and enjoin equity and forbid evil. And it is they who shall prosper. [3(Aal-e-‘Imran):105]
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi (may peace be on him), laid the foundation of Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam in 1889 but his message had reached far and wide in the preceding years. The divine mission of Ahmadiyya Islam in the US started none other than Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself. He sent many letters to the scholarly communities of the West and the US. He circulated “Review of Religions in English” for English speaking community. It resulted immediate dividend. Many approached him through correspondence and accepted Ahmadiyya Islam. To name a few who accepted Ahmadiyya Islam are:
Charles Francis Sievwright (Muhammad Abd-ul-Haqq)
F.L. Andersen (Mirza Hasan)
Dr. George Baker of Philadelphia
Muhammad Alexander Russel Webb
First Missionary to the US, Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, was sent to the US by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul-Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) in February 1920. In the beginning, there used to be only one missionary at a time. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq was in the US from 15 February 1920 to 8 September 1923.
Maulawi Muhammad Din, second missionary, was in the US from 29 March 1923 to December 1925.
There was a time when there was no missionary in the US. Dr. Muhammad Yusuf was appointed honorary missionary. He served Ahmadiyya Community USA from 20 September 1925 to December 1927 and then 1930-33. Afterwards center in Qadian, India, started sending multiple missionaries at a time. As the Ahmadis and the number of chapters increased, so did the number of missionaries. Now there are dozens of missionaries in the US.
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq was born in Bhera, District Sargodha on 11 January 1872. His father and mother were Mufti Inayat Ullah and Faiz Bibi. He passed Inter examination in 1890 and was appointed English teacher through the mediation of Maulawi Nur-ud-Din. (Tahdith Bin-Ni’mat by Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, pp. 2-4). He pledged allegiance to the Promised Messiah in December 1890. Zikr-e-Habib, pp. 4-6, published in 1936). He is placed at No. 69 in the list 313 companions of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him. (Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, p. 544: Izala-e-Auham, Part II, p. 821)
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II (Radiyallahu ‘Anhu) appointed Maulawi Muhammad Din, B.A. in 1923 followed by Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq as Missionary in-Charge. Thus, the land of America was blessed with two devoted Companions of the Promised Messiah as pioneering missionaries.
Dr. Mohammad Yousuf Khan belonged to Jhelum, India (now Pakistan). He was born in 1900; his father Dr. Yaqoob Khan was a veterinary physician, who accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1901. Dr. M. Yousuf Khan got his early education in Qadian. He arrived in the US from Lahore on April 1921 (List or manifest of alien passengers, Courtesy Tanvir ul-Nisa Ahmad, Hundred years of Ahmadiyya Islam in the US, the Ahmadiyya Gazette, April-September 2020, p. 52).
Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee arrived in the United States as Ahmadiyya Missionary on 18 August 1928. He opened the missions of the Jama’at at Indianapolis, Dayton, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Cleveland, Saint Louis, and Kansas City.
Mirza Monawar Ahmad was born in 1916. He was son of Mirza Shafi Ahmad. He graduated from the Punjab University receiving highest degree in Arabic in 1938. He dedicated his life for the Movement immediately after completing his secular education. During his training period in the Center as a missionary, he held some of the topmost positions in the Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, the central youth organization of the Movement. His services in the Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya in different important capacities will go down in its history as a permanent contribution toward strengthening its foundations.
Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (1946-1959) served as an assistant to Sufi M. R. Bengalee until 1948 and then succeeded him as Missionary in-Charge in February 1948. He established Ahmadiyya mosque in the Nation’s Capital, which was named the American Fazl Mosque by Hazrat Muslih Mau’ud and served as the Headquarters for the Community from 1950 to 1994.
Chaudhri Ghulam Yasin reached USA in June 1947 (Al-Fazl, 26 June 1947). He worked mostly for New York Mission for about fifteen years.
Chaudhri Shukar Ilahi Husain arrived from Qadian, India in 1947, only a few months before partition and the founding of Pakistan. He served first as the missionary for St. Louis, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. He traveled between these cities on a rotating basis spending two weeks in each one training the members in Islamic principles. The largest of these Jama’ats was St. Louis, one of the cities where Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq had successfully spread the message of Islam during his time in America. The Muslim Sunrise issues in 1922 document the successful preaching efforts in St. Louis and the growing number of members there, reportedly around 100. Most of these converts were brought in through the efforts of an African American convert, Sheikh Ahmad Din (formerly P. Nathaniel Johnson).
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II appointed Mr. Abdul Qadir Zaighum US missionary. He flew from Pakistan in September 1949 and arrived in the US in time to participate in the annual conference (Jalsa Salana). (Tarikh Ahmadiyyat, V. 13, p. 108. Al-Fazl, 20 March 1950).
Maulawi Nur-ul-Haqq Anwar left Rabwah 21 April 1954 and reached New York on 18 May 1954 and took charge of New York Mission (Al-Fazl, 23 May 1954, p. 1)
Missionary Nur-ul-Haqq Anwar was a Hafiz (had memorized the whole Qur’ans) and for the first time in the US the whole Qur’an was recited during the month of Ramadan in Tarawih Prayers.
Syed Jawad Ali left Rabwah 21 November 1954 and arrived in Washington D.C. on 27 December 1954 and took over as Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA in Washington DC.
On 5 August 1950, Mr. Kunze’s Nikah ceremony was performed in the Masjid Mubarak in Rabwah by the Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II. He was married to a Pakistani woman. Before he left for Europe, Huzoor’s wife invited Mr. Kunze along with his wife to dinner.
Rashid Ahmad American was born in St. Louis in 1923. He entered the fold of Ahmadiyya Islam in 1947. Two years after joining, he went to Rabwah in 1949 to pursue religious education. Hazrat Muslih Mau’ud, Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, personally received him at the Rabwah Railway Station. After studying at Jami’a Ahmadiyya for five years, he graduated as a qualified missionary. During his stay in Pakistan, he learned Urdu and Punjabi languages. He earned the distinction of being the first student admitted to Jami’a Ahmadiyya from America.
Aminullah Khan Salik worked as a missionary in Washington D.C., New York and Chicago from 1 March 1960 to 1963 (about three years). (Tabshir-General File USA 1956-60, p. 123)
The fifteenth annual conference of USA commenced on 1-2 September 1962 in YMCA Pittsburgh and Missionary Sufi Abdul Ghafoor inaugurated the conference. A message of Mirza Mubarak Ahmad, Wakil Tabshir, was read. The event was reported in American newspapers. (Daily Al-Fazl, October 5, 1962, p. 5)
Missionary Bengalee belonged to a respectable family from Bangladesh. He accepted Ahmadiyyat in September 1929 when he was a student. He was the only Ahmadi in his family. This led to extreme opposition and difficulties for him. Eventually he was expelled from his home. However, he was steadfast in his belief and continued his education. In 1925, he completed his BA from Calcutta University. In 1929 he passed his LLB examination from Dhaka University. He practiced law for a short period of time and was offered to be a judge, but this did not suit his temperament, so he decided against it. He visited Qadian for the first time in 1931. This visit filled him with a great desire to serve Ahmadiyya Islam.
Major Abdul Hamid was a retired military officer who offered his services to the Ahmadiyya Community in 1960. He was appointed missionary at Dayton-OH in May 1963. At that time, Sufi Abdul Ghafoor was missionary in-Charge (Biography of Missionary Mian Muhammad Ibrahim, p. 30). He was stationed in New York from 1978 to 1980.
Qureshi Maqbool Ahmad left Rabwah on 5 July 1967 and arrived in United States on 6 September 1967 and took over charge from Missionary Abdur Rahman Bengalee. In the beginning, he was stationed in New York and was later transferred to Dayton OH. He made Dayton as his temporary Headquarter. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, January 1968, p. 3)
Chaudhri Sharif Ahmad Bajwa arrived in Washington D.C. on 28 January 1973. He was appointed by Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih III in early 1973 along with Mian Muhammad Ibrahim Jamooni and Maulawi Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, July 1973)
Maulawi Muhammad Siddique Shahid reached Washington D.C. on 12 August 1973 and was assigned propagation work. Missionary Sharif Ahmad Bajwa left US on 20 July 1974, and he took over the charge from him as missionary in-Charge. (General file USA 1974, p. 329 and 390)
Mian Muhammad Ibrahim Jamooni arrived in New York, USA on 14 April 1973 and took charge of Dayton Mission House on 25 April 1973. After serving the US for about five years, he returned to Rabwah, Pakistan in December 1977. After spending some months in Rabwah, he returned to US for another term in June 1978. He returned to Headquarter Rabwah in December 1982 after serving for another four and a half year.
Missionary Masud Ahmad Jhelumi arrived in Chicago in 1975. He was posted in New York where he was missionary for three years. He returned to Pakistan on 12 December 1978. He again arrived in USA on 18 November 1980 and worked in Brooklyn, New York for one more year. He went back to Rabwah, Pakistan on 4 February 1982.
Born 25 September 1922.
At the beginning of the World War II, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II urged Ahmadi youths to join forces so that they can serve the nation and country. ‘Ata’ullah Kaleem complied with the directive of Khalifatul-Masih and joined army. He served the army from 1942-6 in logistic branch of the army. He was posted at the Burma Front. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette, March-April 2018, p. 45) He dedicated his life for the service of Islam in 1942.
Muhammad Abd-ur-Rashid Yahya was born on 19 June 1950 at Murad Wal village, District Gujrat (presently Mandi Baha-ud-Din). The name of his father was Siraj-ud-Din Ahmad. He was called in the family and by others as Mian Jee. He was righteous and known for his services to the people of the area. He accepted Ahmadiyyat in the year 1947. The father of Abd-ur-Rashid pledged to devote his son’s life for Ahmadiyya Islam even before his birth.
Sayyid Mir Mahmud Ahmad Nasir took charge from Missionary ‘Ata’ullah Kaleem on 19 November 1978 and worked as in-Charge for about two years. He was posted as West Coast Regional Missionary in March 1981. He returned to Pakistan on 9 March 1982 after working in California for a year. (General File America 78, p. 158, Diary US Missions 1982, p. 200)
Graduated on 1 May 1973 from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Rabwah. Missionary at Daska city, Sialkot, Pakistan from June 1973 to October 1974. Then assigned to learn Baluchi and Persian in Quetta from November 1974 to 1978.
Missionary Mirza Muhammad Afzal arrived in the US on 18 September 1981 along with Missionary Ahmad Sadiq and Missionary Munir Ahmad. He served Jama’at Ahmadiyya USA till 1986. Then he was transferred to Canada.
Born on July 17, 1951, in Bashir Abad State, Sind, Pakistan. Died Silver Spring, MD, May 2024.
Mufti Ahmad Sadiq was born on 23 September 1950 at Rabwah. He was son of illustrious first missionary to the US; Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq.
Shaikh Mubarak Ahmad was born in Shujabad, District Multan on 10 October 1910. His father was Hazrat Shaikh Muhammad Din, a companion of the Promised Messiah. Shaikh Mubarak Ahmad devoted his life to the propagation of Islam, beginning as a young boy of just 15. He was a tall, graceful figure with a charming smile and pleasing manners. He was deeply devoted to the study of the Holy Qur’an, which he recited in soft, pensive tones. A prolific writer, he left a legacy of twenty-four works in Urdu, English, Swahili, and Kikuyu.
Graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya, Rabwah, Pakistan in 1975. Lagos, Nigeria (July 1979-July 1982). Private Secretary office Rabwah (October 1982-April 1984).
Syed Shamshad A. Nasir was born in 1951 in Goleki, Pakistan. Syed Shamshad A. Nasir devoted his life to serve Islam in 1973 after graduating from Jami’a Ahmadiyya, Rabwah, Pakistan.
Mubasher Ahmad was born in Qadian, India in 1942, earned his M.A. (English), M.A. (Urdu), and LL.B. (Law) degrees from the University of Peshawar where he served as the President of English and Modern European Languages Literary Society (1963-64). Prior to emigrating from Pakistan to the United Sates in 1969, he taught English at the College of Agriculture, University of Peshawar, as an Associate Professor for five years (1964-69).
I was born in 1941 in a small village called Rauwal, District Gurdaspur, India, only eight miles away from Qadian. My parents requested Khalifatul-Maseeh II to name me. He named me after his name.
Missionary Azhar Haneef was born on November 4, 1956 in Bronx, NY to eminent members of the Community, Abid Haneef and Saliha Haneef of Boston, They had a large family; he had three brothers and four sisters-all born Ahmadis, since both the father and the mother had accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1948.
I am the first Ahmadi in my family. On the first of September 1971, I had the opportunity to join the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the time of Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih III (may Allah shower His mercy on him). Same year I completed my BSc degree from the Punjab University Lahore, Pakistan.
Missionary USA since 1994, Na’ib Amir (2007-10) National General Secretary (2013-19)
Missionary Daud Ahmed Hanif was born on 3 February 1943. He has four children. He earned Maulawi Fazil from the Punjab University Lahore, Pakistan in 1964. He earned Shahid degree from Jami’a Ahmadiyya, Rabwah, Pakistan in 1965. He earned masters from the Punjab University and Ordained Minister of Religion/Imam on June 12, 1965.
I was born in 1934 in the state of Florida. My birth name was Earnest Moorhead. I changed this name in 1976 to Bilal ‘Abdus Salam.
Graduated from Jami’a Rabwah in March 1981. Served in Pakistan from May 1988 to October 1988. Served in Sierra Leone from November 1988 to April 1997. Wakalat-e-Tabshir Rabwah: May 1997 to May 1999.
I was born in 1958 in a small village called Samundar, near Chiniot District of Pakistan. It was my parents’ wish for one of their sons to dedicate his life to the Ahmadiyya Jama’at, so in fulfillment of the wish I decided to go to Jami’a in 1975. I completed my education in 1982 from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Rabwah.
Missionary Yahya Luqman has served Jama’at Ahmadiyya USA since 2005. He was posted at Rochester New York, Dayton OH, Columbus OH and Marshall Islands.
Missionary Naseem Mahdi was Na’ib Amir and missionary In-Charge from 2010 to 2016. He was a good administrator and eloquent speaker. Some of his achievements are as follows:
Missionary Muhammad Saeed is son of Missionary Muhammad Siddiq Shahid who was missionary-in-charge in USA.
Graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2010.
Father’s name: Rana Muhammad Zakria
Adnan Ahmed is a graduate of Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada. He was part of the first ever class of missionaries that graduated from Jami’a Canada in 2010.
I was born on 26 September 1984 in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Was born in Sierra Leone in 1986. Moved to Toronto, Canada in 1987 and was raised there. Was granted admission to Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada after completing high school in 2004 and graduated with Shahid Degree in 2011 after completing a 7-year course of studies.
Missionary US -N.Y. Metro West (2013-18)
Born in New York City in 1987. Moved to Los Angeles at the age of 3.
Joined Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2005 and graduated in 2012 after completing 7-year course and obtained Shahid degree.
Served in Tanzania (Aug 2012 to Jan 2013), Philadelphia (Jul 2013 to Aug 2013), Marshall Islands (Sep 2013 to Oct 2014), Kiribati (Oct 2014 to Jul 2015), and Federated States of Micronesia (Jul 2015 to Jan 2018).
Currently serving as missionary for Queens and Long Island New York.
Faran Rabbani is a regional Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He is based in Chantilly, Virginia covering the entire state of Virginia and it’s four chapters. From 2014 to 2017, he served as the regional missionary for the upper Midwest region where he covered northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota.
I graduated in 2014 from Jami’a Canada with Shahid Degree.
Missionary Azam Akram was born in Ghana, West Africa and grew up in Toronto, Canada. His father, Mohammad Akram, and mother, Saleema Akhtar, served as teachers under the Nusrat Jahan Scheme in West Africa and Salaga in Ghana.
Talha Ali was born on 25 August 1988 in Karachi, Pakistan and immigrated with his family to Chicago, USA in 2002.
I was born in Faisalabad, Pakistan on 1 January 1988 and moved to Canada in 1991. My parents enrolled me in Waqf-e-Nau Scheme launched by Khalifat-ul-Masih IV (Rahimahullahu Ta’ala).
I graduated from Jami’a Pakistan in 1986.
Hamid Nasir Malik grew up in Calgary Alberta which is in the west coast of Canada. Then he moved to Peace Village around 2001. This is the headquarters of Canada Jama’at which is located in eastern Canada.
Malik Tariq Mahmood, son of Malik Khalil Ahmad Abid, Mu’allim Waqf e Jadid.
Abdullah Dibba is from the Gambia. He is a born Ahmadi. He completed his high school education in his home country, The Gambia and went to university to study Economics and Management. He quit college in The Gambia in 2007 after developing taste for reading commentary of the Holy Quran and writings of the Promised Messiah (a.s.) and dedicated his life to the service of Islam Ahmadiyyat. He joined Jami’a UK in 2008 to become a missionary and earned Shahid degree in 2015.
Missionary Matiullah Joyia graduated with the first batch of Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2010.
My name is Rizwan Khan. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland. Graduated from Jami’a Canada in 2011. Was posted to USA in 2013 and was assigned to Northern Virginia in the same year. Have been posted in Houston since 2017.
Tariq Naseem was born and raised in California. He received his Shahid Degree from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2017. He currently serves in the National Tarbiyat Dept as well as the missionary of Baltimore Jama’at.
I am serving as Missionary in Northern California. I am originally from Fiji Islands. I graduated from Jami’a in 2016. Went for training in London, Ghana, and Pakistan.
Born in Pakistan 1988. Moved to the US in 2007. Completed High School in Brooklyn, NY and then joined Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2009 and received Shahid degree after successfully completing 7-year course in Islamic Theology and Comparative study of religions in 2016. He had the honor to serve in Mali in West Africa, Santiago de Quertaro city in Mexico and London UK before starting his journey to the US. He has been serving in Minnesota and Iowa Chapters since September of 2017.
I was born in Okara, Pakistan and after a few years moved to Virginia. I grew up in the South Virginia Jama’at and then went to Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2010. After graduating in 2017, I underwent training in different countries including the UK, Kenya, Mexico, and Pakistan. I was officially posted in 2018 to my first assignment in the Southwest Desert Region which includes Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas; I am currently still serving these Jama’ats.
My Name is Umar Nayyar, son of Mirza Muhammad Yusuf Nayyar Marhoom (Late). I Received my Shahid degree in 2018. I have served in Liberia and Guatemala. I was posted to USA Jama’at in November of 2018 and have been serving under the department of Wasaya in USA Headquarters since then.
My name is Qasid Ahmed Nasir, son of Nasir Ahmed. I was born in Sialkot Pakistan and moved to Chicago USA in 2008. I graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada and received my Shahid degree in 2018 from Khalifat-ul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper). Under the directive of Khalifat-ul-Masih V, I was sent to Rabwah, Pakistan for 6 weeks for training after graduation. I had the honor to serve in Ghana, Africa and UK. My first and current assignment in the USA as of November 2018 is for the regions of Pittsburgh PA, and Cleveland OH.
After graduating from university in 2011, Frasat Ahmad devoted his life to the service of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2018, and after field training in the UK, Africa, and Pakistan, he received his Shahid degree in 2019 at the blessed hand of Khalifatul-Masih V (May Allah be His Helper). He was posted to the United States in June 2019 and has since been serving in the Office of the National General Secretary in USA Headquarters.
My name is Waqas Khurshid. I graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2019 and was posted in the USA by Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah support him with His mighty help) in 2020. I was assigned to the Additional Waqf Jadid Tarbiyat Nau Muba’in Department while stationed in Maryland. Following this, I was assigned to South Virginia Jama’at for a few months before being posted to Willingboro Jama’at alongside my department work.
My name is Farhad Ahmad Rana. I was born in the year 1991 in Laurel, MD USA. I graduated from Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada in 2019.
I was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and lived my whole childhood in the southern part of The United States. I was blessed to be part of the Waqf-e-Nau Scheme. After finishing High School, in 2013, I decided the best way to dedicate my life and go to Jami’a and become a Missionary to serve the Jama’at. After studying for seven years in Jami’a Ahmadiyya Canada, by the grace of Allah Almighty, I graduated in 2020. I was assigned to the USA and served in the National Tabligh Department for about eight months. During this time, I was able to meet with all regional and local Tabligh Secretaries and work on different projects to enhance Da’een Programs and Tabligh in the USA. In late August 2021, I was assigned as Missionary to Dayton Jama’at.
My name is Talha Riaz Basra, son of Riaz Ahmad Basra (Martyred). I was born in Sialkot, Pakistan on 20th April 1995. My village name is Ghatyalian. After completing my school in 2011, I joined Jami’a Ahmadiyya in September 2011 and after completing my seven years of study I received my Shahid degree in 2018. In 2018 my first appointment was in Arabic Desk Rabwah Pakistan. At the end of 2018, I was appointed in Shu’ba Decoration (Taz’een) Rabwah Pakistan. I moved to the USA on 5 May 2021. In the same month Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) appointed me in the National Tarbiyat Department USA.
My name is Qasim Choudhary.
My name is Wajeeh-Ur-Rehman Mirza. My father’s name is Mirza Lutf-Ur-Rehman and my mother’s name is Razzia Mirza. I was born on 3 June 1995 in Toronto, Canada and I am in the blessed scheme of Waqf-e-Nau.