His Divine Eminence Gohar Shahi's body houses the terrestrial spirits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
And that's amazing.
But how exactly does this benefit us?
This benefits us because those who were in the company of the Prophet with faith in their hearts were the true Companions
similarly, those who were in the company of Imam Mehdi with faith in their hearts...
The Physical and Spiritual Company of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Mehdi
His Divine Eminence Gohar Shahi's body houses the terrestrial spirits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
And that's amazing.
But how exactly does this benefit us?
This benefits us because those who were in the company of the Prophet with faith in their hearts were the true Companions of the Prophet.
Similarly, those who were in the company of Imam Mehdi with faith in their hearts...
also reached the rank of Companion of the Prophet.
The terrestrial spirits that once transformed common people into Companions of the Prophet have returned.
Therefore, those who sit in the company of Imam Mehdi (as) will, at the very least, be equal to the Companions of the Prophet.
And why shouldn't they?
The Traditions state that the name [of Imam Mehdi] will be Muhammad, the names of the parents [of Imam Mehdi] will be the same [as the Prophet's parents].
Their physical appearance, character and demeanour will also be exactly the same.
So why wouldn't the people who sit with Imam Mehdi be like the Companions of the Prophet?
One day, the Companions asked, 'O Messenger of God, what will the followers of Imam Mehdi be like? What kind of faith would they have?'
The Prophet replied, ‘One who has the most elevated faith from my among my companions shall pale in comparison to the elevation of faith of the lowliest of Imam Mehdi's followers.'
That's great news, isn't it?
These glad-tidings are termed as 'mubashiraat' in the Qur'an.
One of the attributes of the Prophet is to bring good news to his nation.
It is mentioned in the Qur'an [in regards to the Prophet] that he is 'basheera wa nazeera'.
A nazeer is one who warns people; 'do not come here for there is danger'.
But the clergymen translated it to mean 'one who scares others'.
That is not what it means.
Nazeer means one who warns others of the dangers and consequences.
Warning.
Now, the benefit and advantage of being born in the era of His Divine Eminence Gohar Shahi is that despite not being born in the era of Prophet Muhammad,
we are still in the company of the same terrestrial spirits that blessed Maula Ali
as well as Abu Bakr Siddiq, Usman e Ghani, Salman Farsi and Abu Dhar Ghaffari.
We are so fortunate.
Furthermore, only nine Companions were granted the Personal Name of God in the era of Prophet Muhammad.
Ikhlaq Bhai, how many people have you given Zikr to?
Ikhlaq has given more than 5000 people the Activation of the Heart.
How about you, Amjad?
Incredible.
Amjad has given Zikr to more than 20,000 people.
And Zahir Bhai?
Zahir Shah has given Zikr to almost 5000 people.
I remember something from a very long time ago.
This is from around 1986
It has been 35 years.
In those days, His Divine Eminence's beard was completely black.
That is when His Divine Eminence toured Punjab.
I remember that when His Divine Eminence returned from Punjab, maybe a month or so later, half of the beard had turned white.
In fact, more than half.
Around that time, when His Divine Eminence returned to Karachi, a clergyman came to meet His Divine Eminence and said, 'Your teachings are impeccable but I have not heard about you before'.
'Someone told me about you in passing so I thought to visit you'.
His Divine Eminence responded with
'God says: the most unfortunate person on this planet is one who is born in this era and does not know who I am'.
One who is born in this era and does not know who HDE Gohar Shahi is.
And then His Divine Eminence said, 'An even more unfortunate person is one who is sitting before me and still does not know who I am'.
One who is sitting before me and still does not know who I am.
Back then, many clergymen would come to visit and afterwards, a green-turbaned clergyman arrived
and began to complain to His Divine Eminence, 'Your followers do not keep long beard and they do not pray. What do you say about this?'
And His Divine Eminence response to this was quite unexpected.
His Divine Eminence said, 'Oh, really?'
And then, 'It's just because I care for and honour the Shariah'.
'Had that not been the case, I would have told my followers they don't need to do anything
for except coming here'.
His Divine Eminence said something to me one day.
I had asked, 'Master, what does nisbat mean?'
His Divine Eminence said, 'Forget about nisbat.
Even if someone looks at me with love or serves me a glass of water,
and I know their name then that is enough for them'.
The narrations state that the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, Abu Lahab, was a hell-bound soul and a blasphemer.
However, there has been one particular thing mentioned about him in the Traditions.
And what is that?
When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born
Abu Lahab had freed a slave girl by gesturing with his finger.
Out of happiness for the birth of a nephew, he gestured to the slave girl that she is free.
Therefore, the only part of his body that will find relief in hellfire is that finger.
It is through that finger that he will be able to drink droplets of water.
He simply gestured with his finger [to free the slave girl] in celebration of the Prophet's birth.
So imagine if someone serves a glass of water to His Divine Eminence
or looks at His Divine Eminence with love.
Do you know what Abu Bakr Siddiq said about Maula Ali?
One day, Abu Bakr Siddiq was sitting in a gathering
and he was gazing upon Maula Ali's countenance.
Later on, Bibi Aisha asked her father, 'Why were you staring at Ali's face? What is the reason?'
Abu Bakr Siddiq said, 'I heard from Prophet Muhammad that looking at Ali's face is worship'.
The more affectionately that you gaze, the more it shall be considered worship.
God has bestowed upon us, the people of this final era, such a grand bounty
because of which we are actually in the presence of the Prophet in the guise of Imam Mehdi.
Sitting with Imam Mehdi is sitting with Prophet Muhammad.
You might say I shouldn't leap to such a comparison.
But actually, the Traditions state that those who have sat in the company of Imam Mehdi have sat with God.
God declares: Ana jaleesoo maa'aa zikrni (I sit among those that remember me).
HDE Gohar Shahi revived our hearts with the Zikr of God's name due to which we are now sitting in the company of God.
If just engaging in the Zikr of God's name allows us to be in the company of God then imagine what would happen while sitting in the company of Imam Mehdi.
That was just about our hearts engaging in Zikr Allah.
Because God said 'Ana jaleesoo maa'aa zikrini (I sit among those that remember me)'
And the Prophet asked God, 'Where do you sit when you arrive, God'?
God replied, 'When the one who belongs to me utters my name with his lips, I come and sit between them'.
When our hearts engage in Zikr Allah with the spiritual help of our Master, the outcome of this is that God grants us his company by sitting with us,
so just imagine the relationship between Imam Mehdi and God.
Then who won’t be in His company?
Therefore, sitting in the company of Imam Mehdi is sitting with God and Prophet Muhammad.
Mevlana Rumi also said for his Spiritual Master - we cannot compare him to the grand personality of Imam Mehdi -
but he said: you are on the right path as long as you believe your Master to be God and the Prophet.