Messiah Foundation International
Encyclopedia
Shahi's claimed meeting with Jesus
The movement claims that Shahi met with Jesus Christ on the 29th of May, 1997 in TaosTaos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico, incorporated in 1934. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,700. Other nearby communities include Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, and El Prado. The town is close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Shahi claimed that Jesus could speak many languages and did not live in a particular home. When asked about what was discussed between himself and Jesus, Shahi stated that it was secretive and would be revealed at "an appropriate time". After this incident, an image of Jesus Christ which, as the owner claimed, had appeared miraculously from photographs of sacred places was shown to Shahi in Tucson. It was then announced by Gohar Shahi to be the "Original image of Jesus Christ".
Teachings and Beliefs
They consider themselves to be peace promoting. They condemn the spread of hatred, particularly through religion (i.e. terrorism.) Their teachings, based on the Goharian Philosophy of Divine Love, are purported to be acceptable to all regardless of religious affiliation or nationality.Ra Gohar Shahi and the Divine Signs
The beliefs of MFI are based on the teachings of Ra Gohar Shahi, whom they depict as the awaited Messianic figure predicted to come towards the end of the world. They believe that it is their duty to tell humanity about Ra Gohar Shahi’s teachings and about “the divine signs” which are images of Ra Gohar Shahi, Jesus Christ and other spiritual figures whose alleged appearance on the Moon, Sun, the Holy Black Stone in Mecca, Mars, and other celestial bodies are propagated by the MFI. According to MFI, these images were put on these locations by God. A "divine sign" that is emphasized upon the most is the image of Gohar Shahi on the moon, which the group claims has spoken to people in different languages and rendered spiritual benevolence to those searching for divine love. They declare that the titles of the MessiahMessiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
, Kalki Avatar
Kalki
In Hinduism, Kalki is the tenth and final Maha Avatar of Vishnu who will come to end the present age of darkness and destruction known as Kali Yuga. The name Kalki is often a metaphor for eternity or time...
and Imam Mehdi do not refer to three personalities, but are rather different titles for one personality, whom they depict as Gohar Shahi.
The Spiritual Heart (Qalb)
The focus of the institute is on "spiritual cleansing to love God". They claim to not be influenced by any particular religionReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
or faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
and do not discriminate against anyone based on "nation, religion, cast, creed”, etc. According to their methodologies, God’s love is implanted in the heart when one’s heart is initiated with God’s name. In this methodology, the name of God is supposed to become synchronized within the heartbeats to produce “divine energy” which would then clean the heart and implant love of God so as to connect the aspirant with God. It is referred to as “Zikr-e-Qalb” in Islamic Terminology and “Simran” in Hinduism.
Spirituality
According to MFI, worship is fruitless if one does not have a "pure" heart. The organisation purports that religions have both an inner dimension and outer. The teachings state that the outer part of the religion is the rituals and bodily worship while the inner religion is purification of the heart and souls to gain connection with God. In their beliefs, the inner religion is the core while the outer religion is like a “potato skin” Part of their claims is that the spiritual system within the religions today has diminished. They claim to not convert anyone to any religion, but rather "convert the hearts towards divine love". MFI claims that because it does not lay emphasis on rituals and worship, people from different religions can follow their teachings while practicing their own faith.Jesus Christ
They believe that Jesus Christ has returned to the world, and that Jesus is working with Ra Gohar Shahi to spread love. According to MFI, images of Jesus Christ have appeared in the Holy Black Stone, and the Moon. MFI claims Jesus Christ had a meeting with Gohar Shahi in 1997. In addition, MFI propagates Jesus Christ as a ‘universal figure of divinity’ who is for humanity rather than being confined to Christianity. They consider the interests of Ra Gohar Shahi to be closely related to those of Jesus; i.e. global peace and divine love.Claimed miracles
- The MFI believes in spiritual healing, offering that service to the wider community. It claims to heal all diseases and ailments including the sort of HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
& AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
; and also claims that it has done so in the past. - The MFI claims divine intervention caused a sandstorm during an attack on an MFI procession in FaisalabadFaisalabadFaisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Members were allegedly attacked by local Muslims angered by the claims that Shahi represented the MehdiMehdi-List of people with the given name Mehdi:* Mehdi Charef, French film director and screenwriter* Mehdi Favéris-Essadi, French-Tunisian hip hop and electro producer, better known as DJ Medhi* Mehdi Golshani, Iranian theoretical physicist...
with bricks and bullets. Reports provided show that such had happened, but none of the members were injured, to which the members credited the "miracle".
The Religion of God by Shahi
Before his disappearance, Gohar Shahi penned a book, Deen-e-Ilahi (literally "the Religion/Lifestyle of God"). Deen-e-Ilahi explains secrets of spirituality as per the understanding of Gohar Shahi. On the front cover, Gohar Shahi states "The book (in hand) requires unruffled concentration and attention, pondering and research from all religious sects and every man. It poses a challenge for those who reject the existence of Spirituality."Originally Deen-e-Ilahi was written in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, the native tongue of Shahi, however the book is now available in English, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, Arabic, French, German, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Italian, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Portuguese, Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
, Spanish, Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
, and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
as well.
They distribute the book for free, seemingly because of the belief that it should be accessible to all. According to them, anyone wishing to embark on the spiritual path should study Deen-e-Ilahi. The book can be found in an online version as well. Deen-e-Ilahi is now banned in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, due to it allegedly carrying offensive material to Muslims.
Eschatology
The MFI maintains that the world is passing through its twilight phase. Members propagates that the world is to end in 2026, when a comet would collide with earth in accordance with Shahi's predictions in 'The Religion of God' They also claim that the only hope for humanity is Shahi and that his image they propagate to be on the Moon will provide salvation for humanity "when calamity strikes".Controversy
Members of MFI have been subject to fierce religious opposition due to their emphasis on spirituality as opposed to religious law. They have particularly been opposed in PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The co-founder of Messiah Foundation International, Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar is the leader of Messiah Foundation International , a spiritual organisation claiming that Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi is the Messiah 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...
has also been persecuted by the government of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, having been issued death sentences for blaspheming, though the details of his blasphemy have not been disclosed.
Messiah Foundation International claims that the Pakistani government has persecuted and jailed some 50 MFI
MFI
MFI may refer to:* Magnetic field imaging, a non invasive and contact free cardiac diagnostic method* Malmö Flygindustri, see Saab MFI13 and MFI-9 Junior* Media Factory, Inc., an anime company...
members under charges of blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
against Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, though they claim to have preached only preached Shahi's teachings of spirituality. First Information Report
First Information Report
A First Information Report or FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India, Pakistan and Japan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First...
s have been registered against officials of MFI in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In India, an FIR
First Information Report
A First Information Report or FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India, Pakistan and Japan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First...
was reported on members who were protesting in Jantar Mantar against the Pakistani government by burning effigies of the likes of Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
and Fazlur Rehman as well as burning their travel documents, which meant that they were now in India illegally. Besides this, cases were instigated against Ra Gohar Shahi which were later proven false, and the government of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
banned his book, "the Religion of God" and his magazine Hatif-e-Mehdi for allegedly "...[containing] matter which is objectionable and maliciously intended to outrage the religious feelings of the Muslims and these should be seized".
MFI has been subject to negative propaganda primarily in the South Asian region of the world. One incident, where a group of armed followers hijacked a bus in Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
, claimed that their leader was the Imam Mehdi, and went on to have a shootout with the police, has been seemingly falsely attributed to Messiah Foundation International. The leader, Shahbaz Khan, claimed in an interview with a Pakistani newspaper, to be supported by the alleged billionaire Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar is the leader of Messiah Foundation International , a spiritual organisation claiming that Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi is the Messiah 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...
, whom he claimed had also taught his hypnotism. These claims were not verified. A press release by MFI stated that “The false claimant Shahbaz has no association with MFI. Shahbaz is a severely misguided and a blasphemous to His Holiness Gohar Shahi. Shahbaz, the impostor has demanded the government, to deal with Goharians harshly which suggests that he does not belong to MFI”. It is also stated in the same press release that MFI believes Gohar Shahi to be the only awaited Imam Mehdi and does not support Shahbaz Khan. In an open letter to the former President of Pakistan
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
, Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
, Younus AlGohar demands justice be served to the 50 or so MFI members who had been persecuted because Khan claimed to be associated with MFI. In addition the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
stated that “There is no suggestion that [Messiah Foundation International] either organised [Shahbaz] Ahmed's actions in Pakistan or knew what he and his disciples were planning”.
In addition, due to the nature of topics covered in speeches by Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar is the leader of Messiah Foundation International , a spiritual organisation claiming that Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi is the Messiah 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...
which were released onto the internet, MFI has been faced with much opposition from Muslims in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, who have gone as far as staging protests against MFI and declaring them infidels. Furthermore, newspapers in Pakistan reported that the protesters demanded that MFI members be punished.
Persecution
Extract written by Lord AveburyEric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury
Eric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, PC is an English politician. A Liberal Member of Parliament from 1962 to 1970, he succeeded as Baron Avebury in 1971...
, in his report for MFI.
On 11 August 2008 a blasphemy case 295A, PPC was registered against eight MFI members by the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (FIR No. 281/2008, Date of Occurrence 8 August 2008), at Police StationPolice StationPolice Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
Kotri, District Jamshoro, Sindh Province, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
(See copy of English translation of FIR, attached)
On 5 August 2008 two MFI members (Mustaqeem and Umer) were severely beaten by extremists, but an FIR was registered against MFI members (FIR No. C/31/08, Date of Report 6 August 2008, Police StationPolice StationPolice Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
Sharif Abad, District KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh Province, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) (See copy of English translation of FIR, attached)
On 18 October 2008 at 03.30 Mr Mohammad Iqbal (whose family was active in MFI) was murdered (FIR No. 995/2008, Offence u/s 302, 148, 149 PPC, Date of Report 16 October 2008 at 0500 AM, Police StationPolice StationPolice Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
Factory Area, District Shaikhupura, PunjabPunjab (Pakistan)Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
Province, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
)(See copy of English translation of FIR, attached).Hatred has been incited against the MFI members in PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, who are accused of blasphemy, and these incidents are examples of the result. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), New Delhi, wrote on 4 September 2008, to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government, setting out the case well. It was reported on 4 August 2009 in the daily Safeer, that Mr Paras Masih, organiser for the Christian community of the MFI, had been murdered in KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
63 members of MFI in Pakistan obtained tourist visas to India, where they staged a protest with serious consequences. On April 23, 2007, MFI members protested in front of the Pakistani Embassy in Yantra Mantra, New Dehli, India, against the government of Pakistan. They asked India for asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
, refusing to return to their homeland. During their protests, they burnt their passports and travel documents that tied them to Pakistan as well as Pakistani flags and effigies of Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
and Maulana Fazlur Rehman. They were subsequently arrested for having no travel documentation and therefore being in India illegally. It is reported that they feared for their lives in Pakistan, where, if they went back, they would be charged with the Blasphemy Law, the penalty for which is death.
Among the 63 members were 19 women, 5 of whom are pregnant in “advanced stages” and 7 children. Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar
Younus AlGohar is the leader of Messiah Foundation International , a spiritual organisation claiming that Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi is the Messiah 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...
, the Co-Founder of MFI
MFI
MFI may refer to:* Magnetic field imaging, a non invasive and contact free cardiac diagnostic method* Malmö Flygindustri, see Saab MFI13 and MFI-9 Junior* Media Factory, Inc., an anime company...
, states that “They were abused and sexually harassed in Tihar Jail. Now, the Indian Government is considering repatriating them back to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The Indian Government seems to bear no sympathy for these 63 MFI
MFI
MFI may refer to:* Magnetic field imaging, a non invasive and contact free cardiac diagnostic method* Malmö Flygindustri, see Saab MFI13 and MFI-9 Junior* Media Factory, Inc., an anime company...
members who escaped from severe persecution and potential death sentence
Death Sentence
Death Sentence is a short story by the American science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1943 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and reprinted in the 1972 collection The Early Asimov.-Plot summary:...
.” The DNA reports, "The Pakistani judges said they were shocked to see 16 Pakistani prisoners had lost their mental balance in Amritsar jail." Later, the United Nations Human Rights Council in New Delhi recommended to the government of India that the Pakistan nationals should not be deported back “till a proper decision on their request for asylum is taken by the government.”
On the 22nd of May, 2007 in front of Indian Embassy in London, UK, MFI members staged a demonstration to bring attention to the situations of their members who were then in jail and the dangers they faced if the Indian government decided to deport them to Pakistan.
In the 2007 annual report on Pakistan, Human Rights Without Frontiers
Human Rights Without Frontiers
Human Rights Without Frontiers is a non-profit organization based out of Brussels, Belgium, that promotes human rights around the world. It has offices in Belgium, Nepal, and China.- History :...
appealed to the National Human Rights Commission in India about the MFI case: "Is the Commission aware of the case of the planned deportation by India of 62 Pakistani citizens...?...India...is a secular democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
observing high standards of human rights including the right of peaceful practice of religion, and Pakistani Muslims consider that the religious beliefs of the Mehdi Foundation International are blasphemous, making its followers vulnerable to criminal charges for which the penalty is death under the controversial Pakistani Blasphemy Act
Blasphemy law
Blasphemy law is law relating to blasphemy, or irreverence toward supposed holy personages, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs.In some countries, blasphemy is not a crime. In the United States of America, for example, a prosecution for blasphemy would violate the Constitution according to...
."
The NHRC stated in reply that "The Commission...will examine...the most appropriate follow-up...". However, the Telegraph in Calcutta, as well as other Indian newspapers, reported on November 26, 2009 that the plea to involve the National Human Rights Commission had been rejected by the government of India and that the Pakistani nationals were being put in the process of deportation despite the fact that, upon deportation, they would be charged under the blasphemy laws
Blasphemy law in Pakistan
The Pakistan Penal Code prohibits blasphemy against any recognized religion, providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. However, in practice, it is only applied to Islam. An accusation of blasphemy commonly subjects the accused, police, lawyers, and judges to harassment, threats, and attacks...
in Pakistan.
In December 2010, however, the Hindustan Times reported that the Delhi high court had issued a protection order for the inmates, preventing their deportation for 70 days as of December 2. 'Mail Today' reported in March 2011 that the UNHCR was asked by the Indian High Commission to conduct interviews of the jail members and grant them asylum in countries other than India within 6 weeks of December 2, 2010. This was extended another 3 weeks, but the possibility of them being deported to Pakistan had not been out-ruled. In April 2011, though the Centre wished to deport the Pakistani nationals, the Delhi High Court ordered the Centre to wait until it made a decision on a plea to hand them over to the United Nations High Commission of Refugees. On April 21, 2011, the Times of India reported that the Indian government had granted the MFI members in jail refugee status and had requested the UNHCR to search for a third country for their relocation. It was reported on October 17, 2011 that the inmates were being considered for asylum in the United States of America and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In another case, members of MFI in Pakistan were arrested and charged for claiming R.A. Gohar Shahi as being the Imam Mehdi. According to Dawn.com,
2005 – December 23: Five members of the Mehdi Foundation International were arrested in Wapda Town, Lahore, for putting up posters of their leader Riaz Gohar Shahi showing him as ‘Imam Mehdi’. The Anti-Terrorism Court sentenced each to five years of imprisonment under 295-A of PPC. Their prisoners’ records posted outside the cell falsely indicate that they had been sentenced under 295-C – the Blasphemy Law.The prisoners "were forced to parade naked, hung up in the air and beaten", and were sexually abused in jail by staff members.
Protests
MFI has held many protests and rallies over the years to bring attention to the way their members are treated in the country of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and about their cause.
They staged protests on the 16th of August, 2005 in front of the Pakistan high commission in London and on the 24th of August, 2005 on 10 Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
, London, UK.On the 25th of July, 2005, MFI members in Pakistan staged a rally in front of the Parliament of Pakistan in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
to express their support for Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
in his anti-terrorism endeavors.
On January 4, 2006 they staged two protests simultaneously, one in front of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington D.C., United States of America and the other, again in front of the Pakistan high commission in London to raise awareness about their members being persecuted in Pakistan as well as to talk about their message. , London, on January 4, 2006. Signs held by protesters said that "Peace activists are being persecuted in Pakistan" and "Pakistani media patronized Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
Terrorists". Furthermore, they declared the prophesied Anti-Christ to be the head of the Taliban, Mullah Omar
Mohammed Omar
Mullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
and that "Religious clerics
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
teach hatred in madresas
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
instead of love".
In regards to the demonstration in front of the Pakistan High Commission in London, MFI claims to have done it to bring attention to the fact that more than 50 innocent members had been arrested in Pakistan and 8 had been booked in false cases of blasphemy. In addition they claimed that MFI members and their families had been harassed
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
by police and their homes had been raided.
MFI also held a protest at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland on January 18, 2006 to bring to their attention the situation of their members in Pakistan.
They also held protests on the 25th of January, 2006 in front of the White House during the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Pakistan’s meeting with former President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and well as the 26th of January, 2006 in front of Pakistan High Commission in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. They protested on the 8th of February, 2006 in front of Saudi Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in front of the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Embassy in London on the 27th of February, 2007, and on the 15th of February, 2007 in front of Saudi Embassy in London, UK.
Expansion
Currently Messiah/Mehdi Foundation International has centres in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Greece, ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In association with their sister organisation, Kalki Avatar Foundation
, the organisation has centres located in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and India. Representatives of MFI
MFI
MFI may refer to:* Magnetic field imaging, a non invasive and contact free cardiac diagnostic method* Malmö Flygindustri, see Saab MFI13 and MFI-9 Junior* Media Factory, Inc., an anime company...
often visit spiritualist expositions and programs. They have also been known to hold major events themselves.
Media
MFI also puts out monthly newspapers. Their newspaper, 'Hatif-e-Mehdi' ('The Voice of Mehdi') is distributed in Urdu, English and ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and is authored by Shahi. They also distribute a magazine titled 'Messiah Herald' in English. Their literature is circulated worldwide. In addition, the organisation has recently received media attention for the cases against their members in India and Pakistan. They launched free apps
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
for Apple's iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
in September, 2010. In June, 2011, they launched the 'Imam Mehdi' Application for the Android system. The MFI also has official Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channels. MFI has an official blog as well as an official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account. They have an official group on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
as well as a fan page propagating Shahi's claimed Mehdi
Mehdi
-List of people with the given name Mehdi:* Mehdi Charef, French film director and screenwriter* Mehdi Favéris-Essadi, French-Tunisian hip hop and electro producer, better known as DJ Medhi* Mehdi Golshani, Iranian theoretical physicist...
-hood.