Younus AlGohar

Biography

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. 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. 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.

Beliefs and views

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. According to him, his goals include preaching spirituality irrespective of religious or cultural boundaries, revolutionising humanity by reviving spiritual insight, establishing inner and outer peace, eliminating hatred from society, enlightening hearts with divine energy, and heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ and Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi. 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. AlGohar also controversially declares that the world is in the end times.

Stand against Terrorism

AlGohar is a staunch opponent of Wahhabism. He has declared the belief system a threat to Islam and the entire world. He spoken out against ISIS. He believes that Wahhabism is the ideology of Islamic militants, stating that madrassas teaching the Wahhabi ideology are engaging in hate preaching and are producing terrorists. He has urged world leaders to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia for their role in promoting terrorism. Furthermore, he has called for Wahhabism to be banned in the United Kingdom, United States of America and India. He engages in efforts to de-radicalise Muslim youth by promoting Sufism and has started an initiative called Young Sufis of the Great Britain with the Messiah Foundation International for this purpose.

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.' 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 it was shirk.

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.

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. 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. Shireen Mazari soon issued a statement distancing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from AlGohar. AlGohar later withdrew his support of Imran Khan.

In 2013, AlGohar was convicted of benefit fraud. He did not go to prison, but was ordered to pay a fine and perform a certain amount of community service.

The judge overseeing the case stated, ‘In view of the work you do to help others it seems to me that is effectively helping the community in this country already.’