Dear All
Regards and Blessings
Historical evidence suggests that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani never claimed to be a Messiah (what to talk of being a prophet) till 1891. **He only claimed himself to be a **Mujaddid till 1890s.
The suggestion of an expression Replica of Messiah or Promised Messiah was probably first used by Hakim Nur-ud-Din Bhairavi (i.e., of Bhaira, a town near Sargodha), the First Caliph of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.
Hakim Nur-ud-Din Bhairavi first met Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani in 1885 at Qadian. He very was much impressed by the initial works of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani like Baraheen-e-Ahmadiya. He even wrote a book to support Baraheen-e-Ahmadiya.
After the initial meeting, regular correspondance followed between the two. The earliest letter from Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani **to **Hakim Nur-ud-Din Bhairavi dates 08-03-1885 (Collection of Letters of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani).
On 24-01-1891, in a reply to a letter from Hakim Nur-ud-Din Bhairavi, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani *wrote **"Whatever has been said by you, sir, that there is no harm in proclaiming myself to be the Promised Messiah, even independant of the one referred to in the Damascene Hadith, this humble one has no need of becoming a replica of the Messiah. I merely want that Allah include me among HIS humble and obedient servants. But we cannot escape from being put to test. The Exalted Allah has made trial the only way to advancement........" (Collection of Letters of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani*).
Later in the same year 1891, we see Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani **accepting the suggestions of **Hakim Nur-ud-Din Bhairavi when he claimed to be a Promised Messiah and Replica of Messiah in his book Fath-e-Islam.
With profound regards.