Younus AlGohar

Younus AlGohar (یونس الگوہر)
Younus AlGohar in London, 2006
Born	June 16, 1970 (1970-06-16) (age 41) Karachi, Pakistan
Other names	Sayyedi (Honourable), AlGohar, Mohammad Younus
Alma mater	Manchester University, Cambridge University
Organization	Messiah Foundation International, مہدی فاونڈیشن انٹرنیشنل, Interfaith Institute of Divine Love, Kalki Avatar Foundation
Influenced by	Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi
Influenced	Hazrat Muhammad Saeed Siddiqui Shaheed (R.A)
Awards	'Man of Valour', 'Universal Peace Ambassador'

Younus AlGohar (یونس الگوہر, born Mohammad Younus; 16 June 1970) is the leader 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 claims to advocate Shahi's spiritual teachings. He is also the managing director of the Interfaith Institute of Divine Love. He has authored the books Mysterious Horizons - Beyond God (2007), and Nisāb-e-Mehdi (2010).

AlGohar was interviewed by Sri Lankan newspaper Island in 2008, and was featured by the Your Local Guardian website in 2009 as the "leader of an obscure religious organisation living in Croydon". Mehdi Foundation was mentioned by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief in a February 2008 addendum to her report as “a multi-faith institution utilizing mystical principles of Mr. Ra Gohar Shahi”.^[1]

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 his disciple, until Shahi's disappearance in 2001.

AlGohar was named an "Ambassador for Peace" by the Universal Peace Federation in 2005. He studied at Karachi University.

Messiah Foundation International

Main article: Messiah Foundation International

After the disappearance of Gohar Shahi, AlGohar gathered a portion of the following of Gohar Shahi under the platform of Messiah Foundation International (MFI), previously known as RAGS International. It was renamed in 2002. The first centre for MFI was established in London, which is also the headquarters of MFI.^[2] Today, the organization has grown to include centres in Canada, USA, South Korea,^[3] Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, India, Greece, Thailand, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Pakistan.

Beliefs and views

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

AlGohar states that he is a "devout servant" of Gohar Shahi, and he practises what he considers the latest religion, "the Religion of God", which AlGohar says Gohar Shahi has introduced to the whole of humanity. He says that he does not reject any religion but believes that the spiritual system in all the religions has diminished now, and that humanity needs fresh guidance.^[4] According to AlGohar, he believes in all the Prophets, the Messengers and the saints no matter what religion they come from. He says that he does not hate or reject any religion, but asserts that the religions have been modified with the passage of time, and this alteration in the religions have caused them to fade from their original glory, which helped humanity find God.^{[5] [6]} According to him, his goals include preaching spirituality irrespective of religious or cultural boundaries, revolutionizing humanity by reviving spiritual insight, establishing inner and outer peace and eliminating hatred in society, enlightening hearts with divine energy, and heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ and Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi.

Legal persecution

An interview of Younus AlGohar in a Sri Lankan newspaper

The Pakistani government has instigated cases of blasphemy against AlGohar, though the details on how he blasphemed have not been specified. The penalty for blasphemy under the laws of Pakistan is death. According to AlGohar, if he were to return to Pakistan he would face a life sentence for blasphemy.^[4] In addition, the belief that AlGohar is the only appointed representative of Shahi is not held by Anjuman-e-Serfroshan-e-Islam.

He has openly challenged the 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, and Islam. AlGohar also controversially declares that the world is in the end times.

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	2011	Educational Book

References

1. ^ UN Human Rights Council, 28 February 2008, p. 27.
2. ^ "Interview by the Island Newspaper Sri Lanka", The Messiah Herald (London), December 2008, http://www.theawaitedone.com/messiah_herald/2008/dec/page05.htm, retrieved 11 October 2009 
3. ^ "Interview with the Island Newspaper Colombo, Sri Lanka". http://www.theawaitedone.com/0908-the-Island-Interview.htm. Retrieved February 5, 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Whalley, Kirsty (September 30, 2009). "Croydon religious leader faces life in Pakistani jail for his beliefs". Your Local Guardian (London). http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/4645892.Croydon_religious_leader_faces_life_in_Pakistani_jail_for_his_beliefs/. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 
5. ^ Structure and objective of the Mehdi Foundation and the perception of this movement in Pakistan, December 5, 2008, http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/49997ae7d.pdf, retrieved 11 October 2009 
6. ^ "Do you await a Messianic personality?". November 17, 2008. http://rariazgoharshahi.blogspot.com/2008/11/do-you-await-messianic-personality.html. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 

External links

• Media related to Younus AlGohar at Wikimedia Commons

• Morell, Steve A. (7 September 2008), "The Kalkia Avatar Foundation exemplifies Divine Love", The Island, http://www.island.lk/2008/09/07/news9.html, retrieved 11 October 2009 
• "About the Representative". unknown. http://www.goharshahi.us/index.php?representative/. Retrieved 4 April 2011. 
• "Saeed Siddiqui's Speech". unknown. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlIvH_Tj11Q&feature=related. Retrieved 25 October 2010. 
• "Brief History of MFI". August 21, 2007. http://www.goharshahi.biz/persecution/?p=3. Retrieved February 5, 2010. 
• "Universality of Ra Gohar Shahi's Teachings". unknown. http://www.theawaitedone.com/Universality-of-RA-Gohar-Shahi-teachings.htm. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 
• "Connecting Humanity with God" (Press release). MFI. unknown. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4NbHm-uoC1I/STAnNNYFyKI/AAAAAAAAAJM/EOQxcCjuW_Q/s1600-h/Spritual-Path-and-Western-Spiritual-Concept.jpg. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 
• "Islamic Terrorism Holds Humanity Hostage". unknown. http://www.theawaitedone.com/correspondence/Islamic-Terrorism.html. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 
• "Challenging Tahir-ul-Qadri". unknown. http://www.goharshahi.com/urdu/latestnews/2010/feb/13_2/index.htm. Retrieved 23 February 2010. 

"Direct Challenge to Tahir ul Qadri". April 17, 2010. http://goharshahi.com/urdu/latestnews/2010/apr/17/index.htm. Retrieved May 17, 2010. 

• "A message to Tahir ul Qadri". April 27, 2010. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7A5C90F9FB66C35C. Retrieved May 17, 2010. 
• "2026 and Humanity". February 20 2011. http://www.goharshahi.us/index.php?/news/view/2026-humanity/. Retrieved April 6 2011. 
• "Al Muntazir- The Awaited One". March 7 2008. http://www.goharshahi.us/index.php?/articles/view/al-muntazir-the-awaited-one/P0/. Retrieved April 7 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Algohar, Younus
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1970-06-16
Place of birth	Karachi, Pakistan
Date of death
Place of death