Pseudo Mahdi – Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi

Introduction

The Gauhar Shahi Group is a spiritual movement founded by Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (1941-2001).
Gohar Shahi was a Sufi mystic from the Indian subcontinent who claimed to be the Awaited Messiah,
Mahdi, and Kalki Avatar. He attracted a large following in India and other countries in the
subcontinent.
The Gauhar Shahi Group is not a registered religious organization, but it has a number of affiliated
organizations, including the Messiah Foundation International (MFI) and Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-
Islam. The MFI is the largest and most active organization within the Gauhar Shahi Group. It is
headquartered in London, England, and has branches in over 100 countries.
The Gauhar Shahi Group teaches that Gohar Shahi was the fulfillment of all previous religious
prophecies. They believe that he is the one who will bring peace and harmony to the world. The
groups teachings are based on the Quran, the Hadith, and the teachings of Gohar Shahi himself.
The Gauhar Shahi Group is a controversial organization. Some people believe that Gohar Shahi was a
genuine spiritual leader, while others believe that he was a false prophet. The group has been
accused of blasphemy and other religious offenses.
Despite the controversy, the Gauhar Shahi Group continues to attract a large following. The groups
members believe that Gohar Shahi is the only one who can save the world from its current
problems.

Here are some of the key beliefs of the Gauhar Shahi Group as claimed by them:

• There is only one God, and He is the source of all love, peace, and happiness.
• The Quran is the word of God, and it contains all the guidance that we need to live a good
  life.
• Gohar Shahi is the Awaited Messiah, Mahdi, and Kalki Avatar. He is the one who will bring
  peace and harmony to the world.
• The purpose of life is to love God and to serve humanity.
• We can achieve salvation by following the teachings of Gohar Shahi and by living a life of love, peace, and purity.

Founder

Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu: ریاض احمد گوہر شاہی; born 25 November 1941) is a spiritual leader and
founder of the spiritual movements RAGS International (now known as Messiah Foundation
International) and Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam. He is the author of many Urdu books on
spirituality. The most popular of his books is Deen-e-Ilahi "The Religion of God" (2000) which has
recently been republished by Hay House and translated into English, Arabic, Thai, Persian, Hindi and
other languages by Messiah Foundation International.

RAGS International was renamed to Messiah Foundation International in 2000. MFI claims that Shahi
is the Mehdi, Messiah, and Kalki Avatar.

A. Early Life of Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi

Shahi was born on 25 November 1941, in the village of Dhok Gohar Shah in the district of Rawalpindi
in 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.

In 1975, he went to Sehwan Sharif 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.

B. Career as spiritual leader

Shahi became popular as a Sufi preacher during the late 1970s. He formed RAGS International and
Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam in 1980. Of the two organizations, RAGS International is still active as
Messiah Foundation International whereas Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam was reported to have been
dissolved and banned in its country of origin in 2011.

The CEO of Messiah Foundation International is Younus AlGohar. Shahi claimed to have met with
Jesus Christ in 1997.

C. Legal persecution and exile

He and many of his followers have been convicted of Islamic blasphemy by an antiterrorist court in
Sindh.

After he fled to England, Shahi was convicted in absentia, receiving sentences that totaled
approximately 59 years.

D. Disappearance

• Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi was reported to have disappeared in London in 2001.
• Some sources say he died in 2001, others say he died in 2003.
• There is no physical proof of his death.
• The Indian news agency PTI reported in 2008 that Shahi was based in the United Kingdom after
  being convicted of blasphemy by the Sindh High Court.
• The Messiah Foundation International claims that he merely disappeared.
  Shahis family still resides in Kotri.

E. Claims and criticism.

• Shahi was accused of claiming the status of a prophet, but he denied such accusations.
• His teachings have been condemned by Muslim religious leaders and the government.
• Shahi predicted that the world would end in the year 2026 due to a comet heading towards
  earth.
• Many attempts were made on the lives of Shahi and Younus AlGohar.
• Shahi books have been banned by the government of the countries in the subcontinent.
• His followers are not allowed to meet in public.
• Shahi& supporters claim that his face became prominent on the moon, sun, nebula star and the
• Black Stone in Mecca, and that these appearances were signs from God that he is the awaited Mehdi, Messiah, and Kalki Avatar.

F. The belief of the Gohar Shahi Group regarding the finality of prophethood and the status
of Muhammad (peace be upon him):

Their belief regarding the finality of prophethood and the status of Muhammad (peace be upon him)
is complex and controversial. Here is what we know:

 Claims by Gohar Shahi: While Riyaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi himself never explicitly proclaimed
himself a prophet, he did make statements suggestive of a special status, including claiming
encounters with Jesus and predicting the year of the world end.

 Official stance: The Gohar Shahi group, especially the Anjuman-e Sarfaroshan-e
Islam maintains that they believe in the finality of prophethood according to traditional
Islamic understanding. They acknowledge Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the
last prophet and messenger of God.

 Controversial interpretations: However, some statements and teachings within the group
raise questions about their actual stance. Gohar Shahi himself made claims of spiritual
experiences and knowledge beyond established religious figures, leaving room for
interpretations that contradict the finality of prophethood.

 Follower interpretations: Many Gohar Shahi followers, particularly those outside
subcontinent, hold interpretations that elevate Gohar Shahi status beyond a regular
spiritual guide. Some view him as:

Imam Mahdi: A messianic figure expected in Islam to bring spiritual and social
renewal.

Messiah: A figure similar to Jesus Christ, associated with salvation and renewal.

Kalki Avatar: A prophesied redeemer figure in Hinduism

~The End~