Saturday 9 July 2011

Gohar Shahi introduction


Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:ریاض احمد گوہر شاہی; born 25 November 1941) is a spiritual leader and the founder of the spiritual movements Messiah Foundation International (MFI) and Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam.[1][2][3] He is controversial for being declared the Mehdi, Messiah, and Kalki Avatarby the MFI.[4][5][6]
Central to his beliefs are the concepts of divine loveand a non-discriminatory approach to God in regard to a person's caste, nation or religion. According to Shahi, every human has ability to develop a spiritualpower to approach to the essence of God.

Contents

Early life

Shahi was born on 25 November 1941, in the village of Dhok Gohar Shah in the district ofRawalpindi of British India. He is a fifth generation descendant of the Sufi Baba Gohar Ali Shah.[7]
At the age of twenty, when he was the owner of F. Q. Steel Industries, Shahi began to search forspirituality, seeking out 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.[7]
Gohar Shahi left his work, family and parents and went to Shorkot, where he read the book Noor ul Huda (Light of Guidance),[8] 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.[7]

Literary works

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 of Hearts'". One of his most prominent books isDeen-e-Ilahi (The Religion of God). Works by Gohar Shahi include:
Name of BookIn UrduTranslationContent
Rouhani Safarروحانی سفرSpiritual JourneyAutobiography
Taryāq-e-Qalbتریاقِ قلبThe Cure of HeartsPoetry
Menāra-e-Noorمینارہِ نورThe Minaret of Spiritual LightEducational Book
RoshnāsروشناسThe InductionEducational Book
Tohfa-tul Majālisتحفةُ المجالسThe Gift of CongregationsEducational Book
Deen-e-Ilahiدین الہیThe Religion of God[9][10]Educational Book
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.[11] Shahi also authors a monthly magazine, Hatif-e-Mehdi, which is banned in Pakistan for allegedly containing material offensive to the religious feelings of Muslims there.[12]

Sufi views

Hisham Kabbani and Gohar Shahi during Gohar Shahi's visit to America in 1997.
The teachings of Gohar Shahi have been a source of controversy. Some orthodox theological scholars condemn his teachings as blasphemy,[13] while others, such as Hisham Kabbani, have sat at his feet as well as praised him.[14]
Classical singers such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ghulam Farid Sabri have been presented the message of Shahi, which they have praised and sponsored. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was quoted as saying "The message of Hazrat Riaz Gohar Shahi is the greatest message I have ever heard." In Qawwali events in Japan and Germany, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan personally distributed leaflets in favour of Shahi.[15]Aziz Mian has also presented a qawwali in praise of Shahi at a Jashan-e-Shahi (which celebrate the day Shahi was named the Mehdi, according to his followers) event.[16]

Claims and criticism

Gohar Shahi speaking during International Ism-e-Zaat Allah Conference held in Karachi on 7 October, 1996 organized by International Spiritual Movement Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam
Opposition to Gohar Shahi and his followers stemmed from claims made by Shahi and his followers that were strongly opposed by orthodox Islamic theologians in Pakistan and abroad.[17] Shahi was accused of claiming the status of prophetbut Shahi denied such accusations.[3][17] His teachings have been condemned by Muslim religious leaders and the Pakistani government.[13]
Many attempts were made on the lives of Shahi and his close follower, Younus AlGohar,[18] including a petrol bomb thrown into AlGohar's residence in Manchester[18] (where Shahi stayed when he toured the United Kingdom)[19] and an attack with a hand grenade during a discourse at his home in Kotri, Pakistan.[19] A high price tag was put on his head in Pakistan.[19]
Shahi's books have been banned by the government of Pakistan,[13] and his followers are not allowed to meet in public.[20]

Several cases were filed against Gohar Shahi and his followers. Shahi was booked in 1997 on charges of allegedly murdering a woman who had come to him for spiritual treatment.[3] He and many of his followers[21] have been convicted under Islamic blasphemy laws[17][22] by an antiterrorist court in Sindh.[23] After he fled to England, Shahi was convicted in absentia,[21][22]receiving sentences that totaled approximately 59 years.[17] In February 2002, prior to any decision on appeals filed with the High Court of Sindh, Ardeshir Cowasjee claimed in an article he wrote for Dawn, the Pakistani newspaper, that unnamed people who identified themselves to him as office-bearers of the All-Faith Spiritual Movement told him that Gohar Shahi died abroad, but this report was unconfirmed.[17]

Claims of being the Mehdi, Messiah and Kalki Avatar from his followers

Gohar Shahi claimed to have met with Jesus in America.[24] Shahi's supporters claim that his face became prominent on the Moon, Sun, nebula star and the Black Stone in Mecca,[25] and that these appearances were signs from God that Gohar Shahi was the awaited Imam Mehdi, Messiah, andKalki Avatar. The alleged images induced greater legal and religious opposition.[20] 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 with God.[26] Messiah Foundation International claims the alleged images to be signs from God, pointing to Shahi being the awaited Mehdi, and quote religious texts[27] and sayings from the likes of Nostradamus,[28] and Ja'far al-Sadiq to support it.

Journalists in Pakistan questioned Shahi,
"Many believe that you are the Mehdi, and God has revealed signs unto them which say that you are the Mehdi, but you do not officially announce that you are the Mehdi, why?" Shahi gestured towards himself and answered, "Does Imam Mehdi not know the law of Pakistan? He knows that the law of Pakistan declares that 'whomsoever claims to be the Mehdi, put him in jail'. I have given the signs of his [Mehdi's] characteristics, which the Mehdi knows and none other. Now, it is up to people to recognize him and believe him".[26]
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. According to MFI's website Shahi is the Awaited Messiah, but they deny that Shahi is another form of Jesus and claim that Jesus has also returned to support the Mehdi.

Disappearance or death

Gohar Shahi addressing Christians in New York, USA on 2 October, 1999.

Beliefs of followers

Shahi was reported to have "mysteriously" disappeared in 2001, in London, UK, which some followers took to be similar tooccultation. Rumors regarding the disappearance spread, and while some follower believe he died, others believe that he is to return soon, according to the prophecies of the Mehdi. His followers largely split into two organizations after his disappearance, Messiah Foundation International and the Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam.
Younus AlGohar claims that Shahi has merely disappeared[29] formed Messiah Foundation International, claiming to be under the guidance of Shahi. This group of followers deny the demise of Shahi, and cite Shahi's apparent warning that he would disappear one day but later return.
The Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam asserts that Shahi died, and built a tomb for him at the Markazi Aastana in Kotri,[17] where devotees perform pilgrimage. Shahi's family, including his wife, five sons and a daughter, still resides in Kotri.

Press reports

Reports from press sources also vary in their accounts of Shahi's fate. According to a report by the Hindustan Times in 2008, Gohar Shahi is considered by some as "...a living Pakistani spiritual leader, 'His Lordship' Riaz Gauhar Shahi, a divine man (the 'Promised Messiah of Islam, Hinduism and other faiths')" and is serving a life sentence.[30] The Indian news agency PTI, however, reported in 2008 that he was based in the United Kingdom after being convicted of blasphemy by the High Court of Sindh.[4] This view is supported by the Indian Express which reported in 2008 that Shahi had fled to the United Kingdom and was presently based there.[31] Zee News also supported this claim.[32]
According to the Pakistani Press Foundation Shahi died in 2001.[4] An article from 2006 in theSunday Telegraph reports that Shahi died in 2003,[4] and a 2009 article in Your Local Guardianalso says he was reported to have died in 2003.[29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Messiah Foundation International Site about Shahi". Messiah Foundation International. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Website from Pakistan Sector". goharshahi.pk. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Gohar Shahi, chief of Anjuman-e-Sarferoshan-e-Islam, granted pre-arrest bail".Dawn newspaper. November 18, 1997. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Structure and objective of the Mehdi Foundation and the perception of this movement in Pakistan, 5 December 2008, retrieved 9 October 2009
  5. ↑ "Jail upon burning the Pakistani Passports". British Broadcasting Cooperation (Urdu). 25 April 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Jail upon burning the Pakistani Passports page 2". British Broadcasting Cooperation (Urdu). 25 April 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "About Gohar Shahi". goharshahi.net. Archived from the original on December 8, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Books of Sultan Bahu". hazratsultanbahu.com. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  9. ↑ Staff. "Deen_e_illahi_english". goharshahi.pk. Retrieved March 12, 2010. HTML version to read online.
  10. ↑ {{cite web | last = Staff | first = | title = The Religion of God - Divine Love | publisher = goharshahi.com | date = | format = Flash player | url = http://www.goharshahi.us/index.php?religion-of-god | accessdate = October 15, 2010} Page directing to online book, audio book, and the version for iBooks .
  11. ↑ "The Goharian Philosophy of Divine Love". December 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Banned magazines to be seized", Pakistan Press Foundation (Karachi), August 20, 2005, retrieved Feb 24, 2010
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Pakistan's Supreme Court upholds ban on a Shahi disciple's book". The Daily Times. July 8, 2004. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Shaikh Hisham's Meeting with Gohar Shahi". via Google videos. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Sabri brothers Qawwali in Jashn-e-Gohar Shahi". via YouTube. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Aziz Mian Qawwal in Jashn e Gohar Shahi". via YouTube. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 ""The Man in the Moon" by Ardeshir Cowasjee". Dawn newspaper. February 10, 2002. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "The Religion of God", by Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi, MFI Publications
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 ""Who is Holiness"". via Yahoo Geocities. Archived from the original on November 23, 2001. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "10 held for raising slogans in favour of Gohar Shahi". Dawn newspaper. June 26, 2002. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Int’l Religious Freedom Report - May, 2001". The Persecution.org. May 1, 2001. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by United States of America". U.S. Department of State. February 23, 2003. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  23. ↑ "U.S. State Department Religious Freedom Report 2000". U.S. Department of State. February 23, 2003. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  24. ↑ Gohar Shahi's meeting with Jesus
  25. ↑ Face of Gohar Shahi appeared on Kaaba
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Gohar Shahi interview with Scholars". via YouTube. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  27. ↑ "'We are spiritually connected to the Awaited Ones'-Messiah Foundation Intl", Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2010, pp. 4
  28. ↑ "The Man on the Moon that Nostradamus Prophesized". Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Whalley, Kirsty (September 30, 2009). "Croydon religious leader faces life in Pakistani jail for his beliefs". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  30. ↑ Abhishek Sharan (November 27, 2008). "67 Pakistanis in Tihar who don’t want to return home". Hindustan Times. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  31. ↑ "HC stays deportation of 67 Pakistani nationals", Indian Express (New Delhi), November 19, 2008, retrieved 9 October 2009
  32. ↑ Bureau Report (December 17, 2008). "Delhi HC seeks response from Centre on Pakistan nationals' plea". Zee News (New Delhi). Retrieved May 7, 2010.

External links

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