| Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi ریاض احمد گوھر شاہی |
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 Sarkar Gohar Shahi during a gathering in Kotri Sharif |
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| Date of birth: | November 25, 1941 |
| Place of birth: | Dhok Gohar Shah, Rawalpindi, British India |
| Movement: | Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam, Messiah Foundation International |
Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:ریاض احمد گوھر شاہی; born 25 November 1941) is a Muslim Sufi, author, and the founder of the spiritual movement Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam and Messiah Foundation International. [1] [2][3] Central to his beliefs are the concept of divine love and a non discriminatory approach to God in regard to a person's caste, creed, nation or religion. According to Shahi, every human has been granted the ability to develop a spiritual power to approach to the essence of God. Shahi was born in Pakistan, in the village of Dhok Gohar Shah in the district of Rawalpindi.
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Shahi was born on 25 November 1941, in Dhok Gohar Shah. He is the fifth generation of the Sufi and spiritualist Baba Gohar Ali Shah.[4]
At the age of twenty, when he was the owner of F. Q. Steel Industries, Shahi began his search for spiritualism amongst the saints and dervishes of the time. Eventually he became disillusioned in this search, and, disappointed in not receiving spiritual benevolence, he returned to work. Gohar Shahi then married and had three children.[4]
According to Shahi, at about the age of thirty four Bari Imam appeared before him and said: "My son your time has come, you must go to the shrine of Sultan Bahu to receive the Sacred Inner Dimensions of Spiritual Knowledge." Gohar Shahi then left his work, family and parents and went to Shorkot, where he read the book Nurul Huda (Light of Guidance),[5] written by Sultan Bahu. He then went to Sehwan Sharif for self-mortification and peace of heart, and spent a period of three years in the mountains of Sehwan Sharif and the forest of Laal Bagh in self-purification.[4]
Gohar Shahi authored a number of books and treatises, including one based on Sufi Poetry known as Taryaq-e-Qalb, roughly translating to "The cure for deceased hearts". One of his most prominent books is 'Deen-e-Ilahi'. Works by Gohar Shahi include:
Messiah Foundation International considers Shahi to be the author of the Goharian Philosophy of Divine Love, a set of principles upon which the organization is founded.[8]
Shahi also authored a magazine, Hatif-e-Mehdi, which was banned in Pakistan for allegedly containing material offensive to the religious feelings of Muslims there.[9]
The teachings of Gohar Shahi have been a source of controversy. Some orthodox theological scholars condemn his teachings as blasphemy.[10] However, some Sufis, including Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Nazim al-Qubrusi, and Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri praised Shahi.[11] When meeting Shahi, Kabbani sat at his feet[11] in a display of respect.[citation needed]
Opposition towards Gohar Shahi and his followers stemmed from claims made by Shahi and his followers that were strongly opposed by orthodox theologians in Pakistan and abroad.[12] Shahi was accused of claiming the status of prophet but Shahi denied such accusations.[3][12]
Shahi faced strong opposition from different religious leaders and orthodox theological scholars,[12] and his teachings have been condemned by Muslim religious leaders and the Pakistani government.[10]
Many attempts were made on Shahi's life, including a petrol bomb attack, thrown into his Manchester residence,[13] and an attack with a hand grenade during the discourse at his home in Kotri, Pakistan.[13] A high price tag was put on his head in Pakistan.[13]
Shahi's books were banned by the Government of Pakistan,[10] public meetings are not allowed to his followers.[14]. Several cases were filed against Gohar Shahi and his followers.
Gohar Shahi was booked in 1997 on alleged charges of murdering a woman who had come to him for spiritual treatment;[3] Gohar Shahi, and many of his followers,[15] were later convicted under Islamic blasphemy laws[12][16] by an antiterrorist court in Sindh.[17] Gohar Shahi was convicted in absentia[16]—as he had previously fled to England [15]—resulting in sentences that totaled approximately 59 years.[12] In February 2002 prior to any decision on appeals filed with the High Court of Sindh , Ardeshir Cowasjee claimed in an article he wrote in Dawn the Pakistani newspaper that unnamed people that he said identified themselves to him as office-bearers of the All-Faith Spiritual Movement told him that Gohar Shahi died abroad, this report was unconfirmed.[12]
Gohar Shahi claimed to have met with Jesus in America.[18] Shahi's supporters claim that his face became prominent on the moon, sun, nebula star and the Black Stone in Mecca,[19] and that these appearances were signs from God that Gohar Shahi was the awaited Imam Mehdi, Messiah, and Kalki Avatar. The alleged images induced greater legal and religious opposition.[14] Shahi has also supported this claim, saying that God had revealed the images of Shahi on the moon and various locations, for which Shahi himself was not responsible, and if questions should be raised, they should be raised at God [20]. Messiah Foundation International claims the alleged images to be signs from God, pointing towards Shahi being the awaited Mehdi, and quote religious texts and sayings from the likes of Nostradamus[21], and Ja'far al-Sadiq to support it.
Journalists in Pakistan questioned Shahi,
"Many believe that you are the Mehdi, and you have revealed signs unto them which say that you are the Mehdi, but you do not officially announce that you are the Mehdi, why?". Shahi answered, "Does Imam Mehdi (signalling himself) not know the law of Pakistan? He knows that the law of Pakistan declares that whomsoever claims to be the Mehdi, jail him. I have given the signs of his (Mehdi's) characteristics, which the Mehdi knows and none other. Now, it is upon people to recognize him and believe him".
Of the groups following Shahi, Messiah Foundation International claims that Shahi is the awaited Mehdi, Messiah, and Kalki Avatar while Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam does not.
Gohar Shahi was reported to have "mysteriously" disappeared in 2001, in London, UK, which some followers took to be similar to occultation. Rumors regarding the disappearance spread, and while some thought he had died, some followers believe that he is to return soon, according to the prophecies of the Mehdi. Followers parted into two organizations after the alleged disappearance, one remained to be Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam, whilst Younus AlGohar, a disciple of Shahi who has said that Shahi merely disappeared [22] formed Messiah Foundation International, claiming to be under the guidance of Shahi. This group of followers deny the demise of Shahi, and relay his apparent warning prior to the disappearance that he'd disappear one day but that he would return. International Spiritual Movement Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam, assuming he had died, built a tomb for him at the Markazi Aastana in Kotri,[12] where devotees perform pilgrimage to the building. Gohar Shahi's family still resides in Kotri, including his wife, five sons and a daughter.
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