Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:ریاض احمد گوھر شاہی) (‎25 November 1941 – 25 November 2001) also known as Sayyedna Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:سیدناریاض احمدگوھرشاہی) or Hazrat Sayyedna Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi Muddazullahul Aali (Urdu:حضرت سیدناریاض احمدگوھرشاہی مدظلہ العالی) was a Muslim Sufi, author, spiritual leader and founder of the spiritual movement Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam. Shahi was born in Pakistan, in the village of Dhok Gohar Shah in the district of Rawalpindi.

Biography

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At the age of twenty, when Shahi was the owner of F. Q. Steel Industries, he started to search for spiritualism amongst the saints and dervishes of the time. Eventually, upon becoming disillusioned with the saints and dervishes he encountered, and being disappointed in not receiving spiritual benevolence, he returned to his work. Gohar Shahi then married and had three children.

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), 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.

Literary Works

Gohar Shahi authored a number of books and treatises, including one based on Sufi Poetry known as Turyaaq-e-Qulb, meaning "cure for hearts". Works by Gohar Shahi include:

• Ruhani Safar (Spiritual Journey)
• Menara-e-Noor (Minart of Light)
• Roshnash (An Induction)
• Tuhfa-tul-Majalis (Gift of Congregations)
• Deen-e-Illahi (The Religion of God)

Sufi Views

A number of orthodox theological scholars condemned the teachings of Gohar Shahi and criticized him heavily not just in Pakistan but throughout the world. However, some Sufis, including Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Nazim al-Qubrusi, and Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri praised Shahi.Kabbani always used to sit beneath the feet of Gohar Shahi to give him respect and show fervor for him.Gohar Shahi did not claim to be Imam Mehdi or The Prophet. Despite all the devotion Gohar Shahi had put into spreading the word of God in every religion, many still overlooked it and started to live on lies. Instead of understanding Gohar Shahi's only goal in life, which was to spread the love of God, some had decided to lay false accusations upon him. If they wanted to do anything for their God then they definitely should, no one would stop them, but for people to try and ruin Gohar Shahi's hard work is an extremely miserable action and if they think they could do any better they should try.

Claims and criticism

Gohar Shahi was in favor of divine love and considers it most important for an approach to God and no discrimination of caste, creed, nation or religion is accepted for Divine Love of God as every human has been gifted with an ability to develop spiritual power to approach to the essence of God.

Gohar Shahi claimed to have met with Jesus in America Shahi's supporters claim that his likeness appeared in the moon, sun, nebula star and the black stone of Makkah, and that these alleged images induced greater legal and religious opposition.

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. Shahi was accused of claiming the status of prophet and Imam Mehdi, but Shahi denied such accusations.



Shahi faced strong opposition from different religious leaders and orthodox theological scholars, and his teachings have been condemned by Muslim religious leaders and the Pakistani government.

Many attempts were made on Shahi's life, including a petrol bomb attack, thrown into his Manchester residence, and an attack with a hand grenade during the discourse at his home in Kotri, Pakistan. A high price tag was put on his head in Pakistan.



Shahi's books were banned by the Government of Pakistan, public meetings are not allowed to his followers and no press coverage is allowed to either Gohar Shahi or to his followers due to charges of blasphemy law violations. 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; Gohar Shahi, and many of his followers, were later convicted under Islamic blasphemy laws by an antiterrorist court in Sindh. Gohar Shahi was convicted in absentia—as he had previously fled to England—resulting in sentences that totaled approximately 59 years. Gohar Shahi died abroad, prior to any decision on appeals filed with the High Court of Sindh.

Death

Gohar Shahi departed on 25 November 2001, in Manchester, UK, of pneumonia. Shahi's body was brought back to Pakistan from England and buried in Markazi Aastana at Kotri, where the International Secretariat of Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam is located. His devotees perform pilgrimage to his mausoleum. The term for the demise of Gohar Shahi is used as "occultation", instead of death, and no urs celebration is held, which is a common tradition of all Sufis. Gohar Shahi's family still resides in Kotri, including his widow, five sons and a daughter.

References