Younus AlGohar

Younus AlGohar (یونس الگوھر)

Younus AlGohar in London, 2006
Born 16 June 1970
Karachi, Pakistan
Other names Sayyedi (Honourable), AlGohar, Mohammad Younus
Alma mater Manchester University, Cambridge University
Organization Messiah Foundation International, Mehdi Foundation International, Kalki Avatar Foundation
Awards 'Man of Valour', 'Universal Peace Ambassador'

Younus AlGohar (یونس الگوھر, born Mohammad Younus; 16 June 1970) is a co-founder of Messiah Foundation International (also known as Kalki Avatar Foundation and Mehdi Foundation International), a spiritual organisation claiming that Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi is the Messiah (Mahdi) and which also advocates Shahi's mystical teachings.[1] He is known for authoring the books Mysterious Horizons – Beyond God (2007), and Nisāb-e-Mehdi (2010)

AlGohar was featured in an article by the Lakbima newspaper[2] and was interviewed by the Sri Lankan newspaper, The Island.[3] He was featured by Your Local Guardian in 2009.[4] He was also interviewed by various Sri Lankan media in 2011 and 2012, including The Sunday Leader[5][6] and the Island.[7][8] He was covered by Tamil language newspapers and television stations.[9][10][11][12] In addition, he was invited by the Brahma Kumaris to speak on 'The Call of Time' in Sri Lanka[13][14] and by Good Morning Sri Lanka to discuss spirituality.[15] AlGohar was also invited by TNL TV in Sri Lanka to explain the message of Kalki Avatar Foundation.[16] During his tour of Sri Lanka in December 2013, he was interviewed on TNL TV again[17] and spoke on ITN Prime TV's Face On.[18] His visit was also covered by national Tamil-language newspapers.[19][20] AlGohar's comments on the Malaysian court ruling regarding the prohibition of the word 'Allah' for non-Muslims were published in Free Malaysia Today in January and February 2014.[21][22] In Phoenix, Arizona, he was interviewed by Asia Today about his beliefs, Shahi and Messiah Foundation International.[23]

Biography

Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi and Younus AlGohar during a program in the UK

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, AlGohar grew up practicing Islamic Sufism. He met Gohar Shahi at the age of 15 and spent 24 years as a close disciple, until Shahi's disappearance in 2001.[24] AlGohar was named an "Ambassador for Peace" by the Universal Peace Federation in 2005. He studied at Karachi University, Manchester University and Cambridge University.

Messiah Foundation International

RAGS International although founded by Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi in 1980, was renamed in 2000 as Messiah Foundation International. The first centre for MFI was established in London, which is also the headquarters of MFI.[3][5] The organisation has grown to include centres in Canada, USA, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, India, Greece, Thailand, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Pakistan and Nepal.[6][25][26]

Beliefs and views

Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi and Younus AlGohar at an event held in USA, 1999

AlGohar considers himself a "devout servant" of Shahi who practices "The Religion of God", which AlGohar says Shahi has introduced to humanity. According to AlGohar, he believes in all the Prophets, the Messengers and the saints regardless of their religion. He asserts that he does not reject or hate any religion but believes that the spiritual system in all religions, which helped humanity find God, has diminished due to modifications in the religions.[4][9][27][28] According to him, his goals include preaching spirituality irrespective of religious or cultural boundaries, revolutionising humanity by reviving spiritual insight,[6][23] establishing inner and outer peace, eliminating hatred from society, enlightening hearts with divine energy,[23] and heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ and Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi.[5] He has openly challenged Islamic Scholars to have "a healthy debate on this topic should it arise a theological reservation among the minds of petty scholars." In particular, AlGohar has challenged Tahir-ul-Qadri to debates on spirituality, saints, Imam Mehdi and Islam.[29] AlGohar also controversially declares that the world is in the end times.[30]

Malaysian Court Ruling

AlGohar heavily criticised the October 2013 Malaysian court ruling banning non-Muslims from using the word, 'Allah'. He accused the judges who made the decision of being 'highly ignorant, shortsighted and prejudiced.'[21] He argued that to confine Allah to Islam was to suggest that the God of Muslims was different from the God of all others and that that it was shirk.[21][22]

Prosecution and Persecution

The Pakistani government has instigated numerous cases of blasphemy against AlGohar, although details on how he blasphemed have not been specified. According to Pakistan's blasphemy law, if he were to return to Pakistan he would face a life sentence for blasphemy.

Many attempts were made on the lives of Gohar Shahi and Younus AlGohar including a petrol bomb thrown into AlGohar's residence in Manchester, where Shahi stayed when he toured the United Kingdom.[31][32]

During Imran Khan's August 2014 rally against electoral fraud in Pakistan's 2013 elections, AlGohar was a vocal supporter. AlGohar's support of Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was a matter of controversy in the Pakistani media, drawing comments from Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minhas, who alleged on Bolta Pakistan that AlGohar was funding Imran Khan's campaign and conspiring against Pakistan.[33] Immediately after the episode was aired, Mehdi Foundation International posted AlGohar's video response on their YouTube channel, in which AlGohar stated that he had no affiliation with Imran Khan, but was rather hoping for justice.[34] Shireen Mazari soon issued a statement distancing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from AlGohar.[35] AlGohar later withdrew his support of Imran Khan.[36]

Bibliography

Name of Book In Urdu Translation Year of Publication Content
Rukhsār-e-Riaz رخسار ریاض The Face of Riaz 2002 Poetry
Malfoozāt-e-Mehdi ملفوظات مہدی Sayings Pertaining to the Mehdi 2002 Educational Book
Dastoor-e-Riaz دستور ریاض The Riazian Constitution 2002 Educational Book
Mysterious Horizons – Beyond God – – 2007 Educational Book
Nisāb-e-Mehdi نصاب مہدی The Chapter of the Mehdi 2010 Educational Book
Imam um Mubeen امام مّبین The Elusid Imam 2012 Educational Book

References

  1. ↑ UN Human Rights Council, 28 February 2008, p. 27
  2. ↑ "His Holiness Younus AlGohar speaks to the Lakbima Newspaper". Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Morell, Steve A. (7 September 2008), "The Kalkia Avatar Foundation exemplifies Divine Love", The Island, retrieved 11 October 2009
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Whalley, Kirsty (30 September 2009). "Croydon religious leader faces life in Pakistani jail for his beliefs". Your Local Guardian (London). Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Spiritual Leader Speaks Of A Love Unsurpassed", The Sunday Leader (Sri Lanka), 29 May 2011, retrieved 20 December 2011
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Spreading Divine Love Messiah Foundation International". Sunday Leader. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ↑ Perera, Suresh (24 December 2011), "'The practice of rituals alone does not initiate the heart with divine love'", The Island, retrieved 25 December 2011
  8. ↑ "The message of Divine Love has been very successful in Sri Lanka – MFI CEO", The Island, 28 May 2011, retrieved 10 April 2014
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Indraya Piramugar". 2012-01-14. 96:49 minutes in. DAN TV. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ↑ "Thinakaran Newspaper’s Article about the Ra Ram Conference", Thinakaran, 9 January 2012, retrieved 17 January 2012
  11. ↑ "Virakesari Newspaper’s Special Coverage of Ra Ram Conference", Virakesari, 8 January 2012, retrieved 17 January 2012
  12. ↑ "Sudar Oli Newspaper Covers the Ra Ram Conference", Sudar Oli, 6 January 2012, retrieved 17 January 2012
  13. ↑ "Upcoming Events". Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  14. ↑ "HH Younus AlGohar's lecture on Call of Time at Brahma Kumari Centre, Sri Lanka a great success". Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "His Holiness Younus AlGohar interviewed by MTV Sports, Sri Lanka". Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Jeewithay Sundarai". 2013-03-28. 00:00 minutes in. TNL TV. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ "Jeewithay Sundarai". 2013-12-17. 00:00 minutes in. TNL TV. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ "Face On". 2014-01-20. 00:00 minutes in. ITN Prime TV. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ "Worship Programme Arranged by Kalki Avatar Foundation", Tamil Daily Mirror, 23 December 2013, retrieved 30 January 2014
  20. ↑ Thinakkural Newspaper, 18 December 2013 http://www.kalkiavatarfoundation.com/activities/activity/thinakkural-newspaper-reports-on-his-holiness-younus-algohars-visit-to-vish, retrieved 30 January 2014 Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Pakistani cleric slams "ignorant" Allah ruling", Free Malaysia Today, 22 January 2014, retrieved 31 January 2014
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Allah row: Pakistani cleric blames Umno", Free Malaysia Today, 3 February 2014, retrieved 4 February 2014
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Chai with...His Holiness Younus AlGohar of Messiah Foundation International" (PDF), Asia Today, September 2014, retrieved 7 October 2014
  24. ↑ "The Official Representative of Lord Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi". YounusAlGohar.com. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "MFI Nepal Opens its Doors" (Press release). MFI Media. February 26, 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  26. ↑ "Founding of MFI". Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  27. ↑ Structure and objective of the Mehdi Foundation and the perception of this movement in Pakistan (PDF), 5 December 2008, retrieved 11 October 2009
  28. ↑ "Do you await a Messianic personality?". 17 November 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  29. ↑ "His Holiness Younus AlGohar’s Challenge to Tahir ul Qadri". 18 April 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  30. ↑ "2026 and Humanity". 20 February 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  31. ↑ Gohar Shahi, Riaz Ahmed (2000). The Religion of God. United States: Balboa Press. pp. xi. ISBN 978-1-45254-908-8. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  32. ↑ "Who is Holiness". via Yahoo Geocities. Archived from the original on 23 November 2001. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  33. ↑ "Bolta Pakistan". 2014-09-18. 39:57 minutes in. Aaj TV. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ↑ "Younus AlGohar's Challenge to Aaj TV". Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  35. ↑ "PTI totally distances itself from statements by Younis Al-Gohar: Dr Shireen Mazari (sic)". Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  36. ↑ "MFI to Host Press Conference for Pakistani Media in Toronto". Retrieved 30 March 2015.

External links