Third Khilafat
From 1965-1969
9 November 1965
Second Khalifa Elected
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II during his lifetime had established an electoral college as well as rules for the election of a Caliph in consultation with representatives of various Jama’ats comprising the Majlis Mushawarat (Advisory Committee).
Accordingly, a meeting of Majlis-e-Intikhab (the Electoral College) was held at Masjid Mubarak in Rabwah, Pakistan, under the chairmanship of Hazrat Mirza Aziz Ahmad, Executive Director, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Rabwah, Pakistan.
Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, the eldest son of Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II was elected as the new Caliph by a majority vote. All the members of the committee entered afresh into a covenant of allegiance on his blessed hand. He made a brief address, and then all those who were outside of the Mubarak Mosque (numbering well over 5,000) pledged allegiance.
The funeral prayer of Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul-Masih II, was led by Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, the newly elected Khalifatul-Masih III. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad was laid to rest in the Qit‘a-e-Khas (special section) of Bahishti Maqbarah, Rabwah, beside his mother.
September 1966
Muhammad Ali Visits Mosque
Right at the beginning of the third Ahmadiyya Khilafat, Muhammad Ali, American boxing champion, visited Ahmadiyya Mosque in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1966 and offered Prayers there. (Tarikh Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 23, p. 714)
3-4 September 1966
Nineteenth Annual Convention
The Nineteenth Annual Convention of the US, was held at the newly built Mosque in Dayton, Ohio. Message from Khalifatul-Masih III (may Allah shower His mercy on him) was read. Delegates from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Tennessee, etc., attended. (Al-Fazl, 30 January 1966, p. 4).
Read More6 September 1967
Qureshi Maqbool Ahmad
Qureshi Maqbool Ahmad arrived in the 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 headquarters. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, January 1968, p. 3).
Read More1967
Abdur Rahman Khan Bengalee Receives Key to City
In 1967, when Abdur Rahman Khan Bengalee visited Cleveland, he was offered the key to the city by the mayor. (Al-Fazl, June 6, 1972, pages 4-5).
16 October 1967
Abdur Rahman Bengalee Leaves US
Abdur Rahman Bengalee left the USA after a meritorious four-and-a-half-year service. He returned to the US after about two years. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, Vol. 72, April-September 2020, p. 39).
Read More4 April 1968
Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassinated
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. (Wikipedia).
Mid 1968
Chapter in Waukegan City
In the middle of 1968, a chapter in Waukegan City near Chicago started functioning. Fourteen people pledged allegiance to the Promised Messiah. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette, USA, Vol. 72, Nos. 10-12 and Vol. 73, Nos. 1-9, October 2020-September 2021, p. 279).
Read More31 August-1 September 1968
Twenty-First Annual Convention of Ahmadiyya Movement
The Twenty-First Annual Convention of Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam USA was held at Dayton Mosque, Ohio on 31 August to 1 September 1968. Approximately 250 delegates from the following states participated: Washington D.C., Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and California. Khalifatul-Masih III (may Allah shower His mercy on him) sent a message on the Convention. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, September 1968, p. 3).
Read More1968
Bulletin Started
Brother Hussain Abdul Aziz of Philadelphia started a bulletin named “Khadim”. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, December 1968, p. 4).
Read More20 January 1969
President Richard Nixon Inaugurated
Richard Nixon (20 January 1969-9 August 1974) was inaugurated as 37th US President.
He was impeached on grounds of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. Nixon had to resign.
He was succeeded by his vice president, Gerald Ford (9 August 1974 to 20 January 1977). Nixon was granted an unconditional pardon by US President Ford on 8 September 1968. (Wikipedia).
April 1969
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA Gather
Annual gathering of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA was held from 25 to 27 April 1969. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, May 1969, Vol. 8, No. 5, p. 5).
Read MoreApril 1969
Mission House in Boston
A new mission house in Boston was reported. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, Apr 1969, p. 4).
Read MoreMay 1969
New Ahmadiyya Missions
New Ahmadiyya Missions established in Baltimore, Indianapolis, Waukegan, Cincinnati and Athens. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, May 1969, p. 3).
Read More20 July 1969
First Men on Moon
Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr., become the first men to land on the Moon. (Wikipedia)
August 1969
Al-Ansar Magazine
Majlis Ansarullah USA started publishing the magazine “Al-Ansar”. The second issue of the magazine was reported by the Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, Vol. VIII, No. 8, 23 August 1969, p. 3.
Read More30-31 August 1969
Twenty Second Ahmadiyya Annual Convention
The Twenty Second Ahmadiyya Annual Convention was held at Dayton, Ohio. In-charge of Ahmadiyya Mission USA, Qureshi Maqbool Ahmad read a message from Khalifatul-Masih III (may Allah shower His mercy on him) and then delivered the inaugural address.
All chapters presented their annual reports. Meetings of Lajna Ima’illah, Ansarullah and Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya were held. (Al-Fazl, 17 October 1969, pp. 3-4, Tarikh Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 25, p. 305).
19 October 1969
Abdur Rahman Bengalee Returns
Abdur Rahman Bengalee returned to the US after about two years on 19 October 1969 as Missionary in-Charge and lived in Dayton. Along with his usual Tabligh activities, he was also the editor of Muslim Sunrise.
During one reporting period, Missionary Abdur-Rahman Bengalee distributed more than 6,000 flyers in the US. He delivered speeches in different churches and gave them Ahmadiyya literature. Three local newspapers published his interviews. He delivered a speech in Public High School, Pittsburgh. He delivered the Ahmadiyya message to the Assistant Superintendent of Board of Education and foreign students of the university. He talked to a judge of a local court in Detroit. (Al-Fazl, 17 August, 26 October, 12 December 1963, and 25 February 1964).
1969-70
Activate Auxiliaries
As missionary in-charge, missionary Qureshi Maqbool Ahmad activated auxiliaries as their Na’ib Sadr. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, Vol. VIII, No. 3, p. 3).