Editing Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (section)

==Biography==

=== Early life ===
Shahi was born on 25 November 1941 in the village of [[Dhok Gohar Shah]] in the district of [[Rawalpindi]] of [[British India]]. He is a fifth generation descendant of the [[Sufi]] Baba Gohar Ali Shah.

At the age of twenty, when he was the owner of F.Q. Steel Industries, Shahi began to search for [[spirituality]]. Eventually he became disillusioned in this search and returned to work. Shahi then married and had three children.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Religion of God|last=Gohar Shahi|first=Riaz Ahmed|year=2000|publisher=Balboa Press|location=United States|isbn=978-1-45254-908-8|pages=71|access-date=13 July 2013|url=http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/the-religion-of-god-divine-love.aspx|archive-date=24 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424022931/http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/The-Religion-of-God-Divine-Love.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1975, he went to [[Sehwan]] for self-mortification; he spent a period of three years in the mountains of Sehwan Sharif and the forest of Laal Bagh in self-purification, "for the sake of God's love".<ref>{{cite book|title=The Religion of God|last=Gohar Shahi|first=Riaz Ahmed|year=2000|publisher=Balboa Press|location=United States|isbn=978-1-45254-908-8|pages=xi|access-date=1 July 2012|url=http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/the-religion-of-god-divine-love.aspx|archive-date=24 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424022931/http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/The-Religion-of-God-Divine-Love.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Career as spiritual leader===
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = [[Messiah Foundation International]]
| image                    = 
| image_border             = 
| size                     = 
| caption                  = 
| map                      = 
| msize                    = 
| mcaption                 = 
| motto                    = 
| formation                = 1980
| extinction               = 
| type                     = Non-profit organisation
| headquarters             = [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| location                 = 
| membership               = 
| language                 = [[Urdu]] & English
| leader_title             = Co-Founder
| leader_name              = [[Younus AlGohar]]
| key_people               = 
| num_staff                = 
| budget                   = 
| website                  = http://www.goharshahi.us/
}}
{{main|Messiah Foundation International}}

Shahi became popular as a Sufi preacher in [[Pakistan]] during the late 1970s. He formed ''RAGS International'' and ''Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam'' in 1980.<ref name="Zee"/> Of the two organisations, RAGS International is still active as [[Messiah Foundation International]] whereas Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam was reported to have been dissolved and banned in Pakistan in 2011.<ref name="JANG">{{Citation | title = (Translation) Unknown individuals shoot President of ASI and escape? | date = 16 December 2011| url= http://jang.com.pk/jang/dec2011-daily/16-12-2011/cities/hyderabad/index.html | access-date = 16 December 2011}}</ref><ref name="UMMAT">{{Citation | title= (Translation) Hyderabadi Man dies in Feud over Organisation's Funds | date= 16 December 2011 | url= http://ummat.com.pk/2011/12/16/news.php?p=news-71.gif | access-date= 16 December 2011 | archive-date= 17 January 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120117173520/http://ummat.com.pk/2011/12/16/news.php?p=news-71.gif | url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name="JANG2">{{Citation | title= (Translation) Man from Hyderabad Buried  | date = 17 December 2011  | url= http://jang.com.pk/jang/dec2011-daily/17-12-2011/cities/hyderabad/index.html  | access-date = 17 December 2011}}</ref>[[File:Sarkar (32).jpg|thumb|right|Shahi at an event at Imam Bargah-e-Noor-e-Iman Mosque, in [[Karachi]], Pakistan. He is seen here speaking to two religious clerics from different sects within Islam: [[Shia Islam]] and [[Sunni Islam]].]]

The CEO of Messiah Foundation International is [[Younus AlGohar]]. Shahi claimed to have met with [[Jesus Christ]] in 1997.<ref name="GoharJesus" />

[[Lebanese Americans|Lebanese American]] mystic [[Hisham Kabbani]] has sat at his feet, learned from him, and praised him.<ref name="Hisham2">{{cite web |title=Shaikh Hisham's Meeting with Gohar Shahi |url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2656570065128302013&q=source:012300218563303633200 |access-date=7 March 2009 |publisher=via Google videos |archive-date=22 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622125137/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2656570065128302013&q=source:012300218563303633200 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=November 2025}} Singers such as [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]] and [[Ghulam Farid Sabri]] have been presented{{According to whom|date=November 2018}} the message of Shahi.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} Some singers such as [[Aziz Mian]] and [[Rahat Fateh Ali Khan]] have performed at ''Shahi'' related events.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gohar Shahi |first=Riaz Ahmed |url=http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/the-religion-of-god-divine-love.aspx |title=The Religion of God |publisher=Balboa Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-1-45254-908-8 |location=United States |pages=78 |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-date=24 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424022931/http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000528516/The-Religion-of-God-Divine-Love.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="aziz2">{{cite web |title=Aziz Mian Qawwal in Jashn e Gohar Shahi | date=29 October 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3FhFqGpSQw |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/C3FhFqGpSQw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |access-date=30 October 2010 |publisher=via YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Rahat2">{{cite web |title=Rahat Fateh Ali Khan at the 1998 birthday celebrations | date=4 September 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UimKFBM3g |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/b6UimKFBM3g |archive-date=2021-12-21 |access-date=10 September 2012 |publisher=via YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Legal persecution and exile===
He and many of his followers<ref name="thepersecution">{{cite web|url=http://www.thepersecution.org/ussdcirf/usirf2001.html|title=Int'l Religious Freedom Report – May 2001|publisher=The Persecution.org|date=1 May 2001|access-date=9 March 2010}}</ref> have been convicted under Islamic [[blasphemy]] laws<ref name="moon">{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020210.htm |title=The Man in the Moon |author=Ardeshir Cowasjee |publisher=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn newspaper]] |date=10 February 2002 |access-date=13 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023234052/http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020210.htm |archive-date=23 October 2010 |author-link=Ardeshir Cowasjee }}</ref> by an antiterrorist court in [[Sindh]].<ref name="hrrpt">{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/sa/710.htm| title=Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by United States of America|publisher=[[U.S. Department of State]]|date=23 February 2003|access-date=7 March 2010}}</ref> After he fled to [[England]], Shahi was convicted ''[[trial in absentia|in absentia]]'',<ref name="thepersecution"/><ref name="hrrpt"/> receiving sentences that totaled approximately 59 years.<ref name="moon"/>

===Disappearance===
Shahi was reported to have disappeared in 2001, in [[London]]; afterwards, sightings of him were reported around the world of people claiming to have met and received spiritual guidance from him.<ref name="SL2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/01/01/spreading-divine-love-messiah-foundation-international/|title=Spreading Divine Love Messiah Foundation International|publisher=Sunday Leader|date=1 January 2012|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-date=23 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523030144/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/01/01/spreading-divine-love-messiah-foundation-international/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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 the Pakistani newspaper ''[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]'', 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.<ref name=moon/>

There have been rumours of him dying, with some sources reporting that he died in 2001 and others saying he died in 2003. According to the ''Pakistani Press Foundation'' Shahi died in 2001.<ref name="UNHCR"/> An article from 2006 in the ''[[Sunday Telegraph]]'' reports that Shahi died in 2003,<ref name="UNHCR"/> and a 2009 article in ''[[Your Local Guardian]]'' also says that he was reported to have died in 2003.<ref name="YLG1"/> However, none of these reports have been confirmed, as there is no body.

On the other hand, the Indian news agency PTI reported in 2008 that Shahi was based in the United Kingdom after being convicted of blasphemy by the High Court of Sindh.<ref name="UNHCR"/> 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.<ref name="IndianExpress">{{Citation|title=HC stays deportation of 67 Pakistani nationals|newspaper=The Indian Express|location=New Delhi|date=19 November 2008|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hc-stays-deportation-of-67-pakistani-nationa/387834/|access-date=9 October 2009}}</ref> ''Zee News'' also supported this claim.<ref name="Zee">{{Cite news|title=Delhi HC seeks response from Centre on Pakistan nationals' plea|newspaper=Zee News|author=Bureau Report|location=New Delhi|date=17 December 2008|url=http://www.zeenews.com/states/2008-12-17/491805news.html|access-date=7 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217024858/http://www.zeenews.com/states/2008-12-17/491805news.html|archive-date=17 February 2013}}</ref> The Hindustan Times has reported that he is "serving a life term".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/67-Pakistanis-in-Tihar-who-don-t-want-to-return-home/Article1-354375.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125063742/http://www.hindustantimes.com/67-Pakistanis-in-Tihar-who-don-t-want-to-return-home/Article1-354375.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2013|title=67 Pakistanis in Tihar who don't want to return home|work=Hindustan Times|date=27 November 2008|author=Abhishek Sharan|access-date=25 April 2010}}</ref> The ''Sunday Leader'' in Sri Lanka stated that Shahi disappeared in 2001 and sightings of him were thereafter reported around the world.<ref name="SL2012"/>

Of the two factions of Shahi's followers, the ''Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam'' had asserted that Shahi died, and built a tomb for him at the Markazi Aastana in [[Kotri]], where devotees performed [[pilgrimage]].<ref name="moon"/>  The MFI, in contrast, declares that he merely disappeared.<ref name="YLG1">{{cite news|url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/topstories/4645892.Croydon_religious_leader_faces_life_in_Pakistani_jail_for_his_beliefs|title=Croydon religious leader faces life in Pakistani jail for his beliefs|work=Your Local Guardian|date=30 September 2009|access-date=6 March 2010|first=Kirsty|last=Whalley}}</ref>