Mubarak Ali Gilani

Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani (August 15, 1936 – May 15, 2021 in Lahore) was a Pakistani Sufi religious leader in the United States. A member of the Qadiriyya tariqa, he was the founder of The Muslims of America (MOA) and also founded the International Qur'anic Open University.

With full titles his name appears as El-Sheikh Syed Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani Hashimi.

Early life and education
Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani was the eldest son of Pir Maqsood Shah Gilani, having two brothers and four sisters. His family were the historical caretakers and custodians of the Mian Mir shrine in Lahore.

He graduated from the University of the Punjab, where he founded the Adventure Club for climbers and mountaineers.

Political career
In the 1970s, Gilani was active in Pakistan's national politics, having joined Air Marshal Asghar Khan’s Tehreek-i-Istaqlal, becoming the party's Punjab chapter vice president. Due to his political involvement, he was arrested thrice by the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Government, pushing him to move to Saudi Arabia before shifting to the United States.

The Muslims of America
The Muslims of America, Inc. (MOA) was founded in 1980 by Gilani during his seven years in the United States during which he sought to establish Islam in America. Among other projects, MOA has communities in the town of Hancock, New York, called Islamberg and in York County, South Carolina, called Holy Islamville. A community in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, called Baladullah, existed from 1989 to 2002. Hancock is additionally where Jamaat ul-Fuqra, the terrorist group Gilani is alleged to be affiliated with, is said to be headquartered.

Publications
In 1978, Gilani published An Introduction to Quranic Psychology, which detailed, according to him, proofs upon scientific evidence and witnessing about using the Qur'an and religious observance to cure certain mental disorders. This was followed up by his An Introduction to Psychiatry: Based on Teaching of the Quran and also Contains Results of Scientific Demonstration of Curing Incurable Mental Diseases in the Psychiatric Institute, Taif, Saudi Arabia, 1976–1977 published in 1981.

In 1983, he published an edited and revised edition of Rauzatus-Safa, an influential 15th century Islamic history volume set beginning with the creation of the Jinn and Adam and going all the way up to the Temurid dynasty. Rauzatus-Safa was additionally edited, revised, and re-published in hardcover in 2014.

Allegations and refutation of terrorist association
It has been alleged by the Government of the United States that Gilani is associated with the terrorist organization Jamaat ul-Fuqra. In a 2002 interview, Gilani downplayed the impact of terrorism in the United States, claiming genies to be a greater threat to American society. In response to the allegations of connections to terrorism, Sheikh Gillani wrote: "'In regard to the name, they say MOA is a front for Jamaat al Fuqra. They try to keep bringing this name Jamaat al Fuqra, but we don’t acknowledge it. Can our enemies show me, in my own writing, where I said I established Jamaat al Fuqra or its offices here in Pakistan or in America?' ... 'None ever called themselves Jamaat ul Fuqra'"

Abduction of Daniel Pearl
In January 2002, Jewish-American journalist Daniel Pearl was on his way to interview Gilani when he was abducted, although the meeting is believed to have been a set up by several Islamist jihadist groups working in collaboration. Pearl wanted to interview him regarding an alleged connection between Gilani and the "Shoe Bomber" Richard Reid. Gilani was questioned and arrested in Pakistan concerning the abduction and approved for extradition to the United States, but subsequently was released. The Federal Bureau of Investigation later cleared him of any involvement in the abduction. On February 1, 2002, Pearl was killed at an Al-Qaeda safe house in Karachi.

Later life and death
After living in the United States, Gilani returned to Pakistan, where he began to be seen as a healer. On May 15, 2021, Gilani died in Lahore from a stroke and underlying health conditions. Upon his death, he was survived by eight sons, three daughters and two wives.