Iran Press Watch: The Baha'i Community

Apostasy and Baha’is as Apostates in Islam

Posted: 16 May 2009 10:41 AM PDT

Editor’s Note: This is a translation of an editorial titled “What is apostasy, and are Baha’is apostates?” written by Mohammed Shebl, printed in an Egyptian newspaper “Al Qahirah” (Cairo) on May 5, 2009.

By Mohammad Shebl

The treatment of Baha’is has occupied my thoughts and has disturbed my peace. You might be surprised, but when I see tyranny and oppression inflicted on Baha’is, and increasing on a daily basis, I feel a heavy load on my shoulders.

On one hand, National Identification Cards for Baha’is have not commenced being issued yet; but on the other hand, there are discussions about passing a law in the Egyptian parliament categorizing Baha’is as criminals, and deciding on the charges to be levied against them for their alleged apostasy.

To date, I have not heard whether arson charges have been brought against those who set the homes of a few Baha’is on fire. I also do not know the fate of the Baha’is who had to flee from their burning homes.

God, should anyone who accepts a different religion be subjected to so much cruelty? Is this what has become of human beings who were created noble by their creator, a creator who sends messengers with heavenly books and has given his creatures the freedom to choose their own path, and only requires that they be responsible to their Lord?

What I see in the Qur’an is the glorious verse: “Let there be no compulsion in religion” [Qur'an 2:256]. What is clearly evident from this verse and from the entire Holy Qur’an is that neither entering Islam nor exiting from it, nor even following or not following its commandments is compulsory. However, there are ignorant clergy who believe that the freedom to choose is limited to entering Islam, while exiting is prohibited and punishable by the death penalty.

I consider it necessary to address a question that has been of utmost importance in recent days. The question is: “What is apostasy, and are Baha’is apostates?” I want you all to listen carefully with open minds to what is offered here. Even though this topic has been documented in scriptures for ages and ages and has been accessible to all, historically it has been overlooked.

Before starting the discussion, I should clarify that the verses in God’s book are the first guideline for the establishment of laws. I would also like to share a tradition from Moaz Ibn Jabal who says that the Prophet Mohammad addressed him saying, “If you are asked to make a judgment, what would you base your judgment on?” He responded, “First I refer to God’s Holy Book for guidance; if I cannot find a reference, I will refer to the Prophet’s traditions; and if I still cannot find the answer, I will use my own judgment”. The Prophet Mohammad praised him and said, “Praise be to God that you have succeeded in carrying out the will of God”. Consequently, if the response to the question of apostasy was documented in the Holy Qur’an, there would be no need for referring to other sources of information.

Let us investigate God’s commandment in the Qur’an in relation to apostasy. The law is cited in the verse: “Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide therein” [Qur'an 2:217].

Regarding the implications of these verses and the meaning of “fire”, we read the interpretation of Shaykh Muhammad Rashid Reza (1865 -1925), pupil of Imam Muhammad Abduh: “at the time of weakness and fewness of Muslims, non-believers adhering to oppression and torture were forcing Muslims to recant their faith. This is how they made Emar Ibn Yaser and his family, Balal, Sahib, and others renounce Islam. When Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina and their numbers increased, they initiated a war against non-believers, and God, praised be his name, revealed the verses stated above. The word “infidel” was mentioned when Muslims were declaring their belief through holy war, indicating that all the good deeds of those exiting Islam would be wiped out in this world and in the world to come, since turning away from religion is turning away from the three main tenets of the faith[1].

All messengers of God have confirmed these three principals. No one who has recognized and accepted these principals will cast them away, unless he is corrupt and filled with hatred. Such a person will have no abode but hell and will eternally remain therein.

Let us continue discussing our serious and important question: “Have Baha’is abandoned the three principals?” I leave this judgment to the readers. However, if you were to ask me, I would say that Baha’is believe in God and believe in the next world. With respect to good deeds and moral conduct, I should say among them are those who adorn themselves with goodly deeds and those who do not, just as with the followers of all the other religions.

In summary, based on the Qur’an, apostasy is conversion from the belief in God and of the Unity of God to disbelief. Only a person who changes his belief in God to denial and negation of God, and to disbelief in the continuation of life in the next world, can be labeled an apostate.

The Holy Qur’an clearly promises the Lord’s reward to all those who believe and conduct their lives based on the three principals: “Those who believe (in the Qur’an) and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, and who believe in Allah and the last day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” [Qur'an 2:62].

In conclusion, we know that many label Baha’is as apostates. Even if we were to accept that accusation, the law of God concerning such individuals is that they are condemned to remain in hell eternally, but no tyranny and oppression should be inflicted on them in this world. We can only say: “Ye have your religion and I my religion” [Qur'an 109:06].

Notes:

[1] The three principals are:

a: the world is created by a mighty and powerful Creator, and He is the only One Who should be worshiped,

b: belief in the next world and life after death,

c: practicing goodly deeds and seemly conduct that will benefit the individual himself and all the creation of God.

[Published on May 5, 2009 at: http://basmagm.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A9/. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

Related posts

§ Two New Disturbing Reports from Egypt (13)

§ Open Letter by Prominent Figures (0)

§ Five-Year Legal Battle Ends in Favor of Egyptians Baha’is (0)

Iran Press Watch: The Baha'i Community

Attacks on Baha’i Residence in Semnan Posted: 21 Apr 2009 11:36 AM PDT "Death to Infidel Baha'i Israeli" and "Baha'ism = treason" As reported many times by Iran Press Watch, the Baha’is of Semnan live under harsh and oppressive conditions instigated by the clerical establishment of that town. The latest incident against the Baha’is is reported by Human Rights Activists of Iran and is presented below in translation: Unknown assailants attacked the home of a Baha’i resident on three (3) separate occasions last week. In recent months, the town of Semnan has witnessed many pervasive assaults on the Baha’is, including attacks by grenades on their residences, destruction of cemeteries, interrogation and widespread arrest of Baha’is, coupled with the searches of their homes. On three occasions, the residence of Mr. Yahya Hedayati was attacked during the last week, from April 9 to 16. These incidents took place during the late hours of the night by unknown assailants riding on motorcycles, and often involved throwing rocks at the windows. In these attacks, windows were broken and Mr. Hedayati’s family, particularly his elderly mother, were terrorized and made to fear for their lives. It appears that the perpetrators were trying to create an unsafe environment for this Baha’i family, and to instill anxiety and emotional distress in the members of the household. Efforts of this Baha’i through legal channels have borne no result, and it is feared that these organized assaults will continue. [Source: http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=918:65&catid=84:502&Itemid=219. Translation by Iran Press Watch.] Related posts Bombing the Baha’is of Semnan (8) Vandals Desecrate the Baha’i Cemetery in Semnan (5) Three More Leading Baha’is Arrested in Semnan (1)

Baha’is Continue to be Harassed in Mashhad Posted: 21 Apr 2009 09:19 AM PDT Further to Iran Press Watch report of April 16, 2009, http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/04/qibm/, on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, Human Rights Activists of Iran posted the following report, which appears below in translation: In continuation of widespread harassment of the Baha’i residents of Mashhad, three (3) more Baha’is of this town were called in by the Information Office of the Ministry of Intelligence. On April 14, 2009, Suheil Nasirzadeh, Babak Ruhi and Ezzatu’llah Ahmadian were summoned to the Information Office of the Intelligence Ministry. Like other Baha’is brought in during the recent days, they too were asked to sign a surety guaranteeing that they would not participate in religious gatherings [related to the Baha'i religion]. However, the above named individuals stated that such a request was illegal and refused to sign the document. Thereupon, Ruhi and Ahmadian were threatened by the authorities who stated, “If you continue to refuse to sign this statement, your previous case will be opened again.” It should be noted that three years ago, these two Baha’is were arrested for copying religious documents and were incarcerated by the Ministry of Intelligence for 15 days in Mashhad. [Source: http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=917:54&catid=84:502&Itemid=219. Translation by Iran Press Watch.] Related posts Questioning and Interrogation of Baha’is in Mashhad (11) Update on two Baha’i Prisoners in Mashhad (4) Attack on the Baha’is of Mashhad (2)

Anti-Baha’i columnist refuses to apologise

Matt Bradley, Foreign Correspondent

• Last Updated: April 05. 2009 8:34PM UAE / April 5. 2009 4:34PM GMT

Ahmed al Sayyid Abdul Ela, a Baha’i leader whose talk show appearance was followed by the torching of Bahai’s homes. Victoria Hazou for The National

Cairo // A newspaper columnist accused of inciting attacks last week against members of the Baha’i faith in an Upper Egyptian village said yesterday he remains unapologetic for his controversial comments.

Six Egyptian human rights groups have called on public prosecutors to investigate Gamal Abd al Rahim, a writer for the state-run Al Gomhurriya newspaper, for “incitement to felonies and misdemeanours”.

They say Mr al Rahim’s statements against Baha’is on a popular talk show led directly to an attack that saw villagers in the town of Al Shuraniya torch five homes known to belong to Baha’is.

The attacks in Al Shuraniya, in which eight homes were damaged but no one was injured, struck Egypt’s tiny Baha’i community only weeks after a decision by a constitutional court that will allow Egypt’s Baha’is to leave the religion section of their identity cards blank.

Baha’is had celebrated the verdict, which they hope will give their long-disenfranchised community equal citizenship status to Muslims and Christians. But if the court victory pointed to improvements in religious tolerance, the violence in Al Shuraniya revealed the latent communal tensions that persist in Egyptian society.

In an interview in his Cairo office, Mr al Rahim said the statements aired last Saturday, in which he said that a Baha’i leader who was a guest on the same programme “should be killed”, did not incite villagers in the town of Al Shuraniya to attack the homes of their Baha’i neighbours.

“I’m responsible for every word I said, and I don’t owe anyone any apologies,” said Mr al Rahim, who added that he condemns the attacks.

Instead, he said, the villagers were merely reacting to “disgraceful” statements by one of the show’s other guests, a Baha’i named Ahmed al Sayyid Abdul Ela, who boasted that his hometown of Al Shuraniya, about 400km south of Cairo, was “full of Baha’is”.

“The Egyptian people know how Sharia [Islamic jurisprudence] views this religion. They felt disgrace because of this man. And because of the strong customs and traditions of Upper Egyptian society, they attacked this man’s house.”

Mr Ela’s brothers were among those who appeared at a courthouse yesterday in Assiut, a governorate near to Al Shuraniya, to present their statements to police. On the evening of the attacks, police ordered all of Al Shuraniya’s Baha’i residents to leave the city before they could return to their homes to collect belongings. Most of them fled to Cairo.

“It was so painful to see all the children scared. It would have been better to have died than to have watched that,” said Abdul Bassit, Mr Ela’s brother, whose house was destroyed during the riots last Sunday night. “The police were there, but they were just watching. They didn’t take any of the kind of action that you would expect from police. This incident was such proof of ignorance and barbarism I couldn’t believe it was happening.”

Egypt’s constitution does not officially recognise the Baha’i faith and many Muslims consider them to be apostates.

Some, such as Mr al Rahim, also believe the Baha’i are agents of Zionism. While their numbers are few, he said, they are a dangerous threat to Islam and to Egypt.

“They are a group that is just related to Israel,” he said, citing the Baha’i headquarters in Haifa, Israel, as evidence of a Zionist conspiracy to permeate Egyptian society. “They just get money from abroad. They exist in Egypt, but their presence might cause discord in Egyptian society. I’m worried about Egypt.”

Even in the face of such ardent opposition, Baha’i community leaders say they are preparing to continue their struggle for basic rights.

After last month’s decision on identification cards, Baha’i leaders say the next step will be to pass legislation to allow civil marriage – the Baha’i still must leave Egypt to get married because they are prohibited from marrying in an unrecognised faith. But marriage is only one of several identity benefits denied to the Baha’i that most Egyptians take for granted.

Labib Hanna, a Baha’i leader, said his family still pays income taxes for his late sister, who was not issued a death certificate when she died five years ago because her religion was not recognised by the state.

“We are really true citizens. We love Egypt and we are obeying the government,” said Dr Hanna, a mathematics professor at Cairo University.

The Baha’is’ problems with the Egyptian government began in 1960, when Gamal Abdul Nasser disbanded the group’s official organisation and seized its property. That decision led to the periodic harassment and arrest of Baha’i adherents on charges of “contempt of religion” throughout the following decades.

Commentators in state-run newspapers continue to malign the Baha’i. The Baha’i religion teaches an ethos of global religious unity. Baha’i place the Prophet Mohammed on a continuum of divine prophecy that includes, but is not limited to, the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and Abraham. God will continue to send messengers, the Baha’i believe, and those messengers will continue to reveal divine truth.

Baha'ism is tantamount to apostasy, say many Muslims, because Baha'is
believe God sent other prophets after Mohammed.

It is perfectly acceptable for Muslims to convey their opinion of Baha’ism, said Hossam Bahgat, the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a human rights advocacy organisation that supported the Baha’is in the identity card case.

It is the incitement of violence, he said, that should be investigated and prosecuted by legal authorities.

“It’s much more serious than bigotry. Bigotry is a word I can use to describe all the views [Mr al Rahim] has expressed against Baha’is in the past month, against which Baha’is and rights activists chose not to take any legal action because we believe he was exercising his right to expression, as repulsive as the opinions he was expressing were,” said Mr Bahgat.

But some of Mr al Rahim’s comments, he said, were a “direct incitement to committing felonies and misdemeanours. We think that there is a clear link between the statements he made on TV and in a state newspaper to the type of violence we saw last week.”



mbradley@thenational.ae

Here are 3 quotations from Baha'i teachings about Zionism, which refute the charge that Baha'is are Zionists:

Shoghi Effendi's statement to the "United Nations Special Committee on Palestine", 14th July 1947, which is still the official position of the Baha'i community today (The Priceless Pearl, p. 286):

"The Bahá'í Faith is entirely non-political and we neither take sides
in the present tragic dispute going on over the future of the Holy Land
and its peoples nor have we any statement to make or advice to give
as to what the nature of the political future of this country should be.
Our aim is the establishment of universal peace in this world and our
desire to see justice prevail in every domain of human society, including
the domain of politics. As many of the adherents of our Faith
are of Jewish and Moslem extraction we have no prejudice towards
either of these groups and are most anxious to reconcile them for their
mutual benefit and for the good of the country.

What does concern us, however, in any decisions made affecting
the future of Palestine, is that the fact be recognized by whoever
exercises sovereignty over Haifa and Acre, that within this area exists
the spiritual and administrative center of a world Faith, and that the
independence of that Faith, its right to manage its international affairs
from this source, the right of Bahá'ís from any and every country of
the globe to visit it as pilgrims (enjoying the same privilege in this
respect as Jews, Moslems and Christians do in regard to visiting
Jerusalem), be acknowledged and permanently safeguarded."

http://badiblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/simple-solution-to-troubles-in-middle.html
This web page quotes an article from "Star of the West" Baha'i magazine which quotes 'Abdu'l-Baha as saying:

"If the Zionists will mingle with the other races and live in unity with them, they will succeed. If not, they will meet certain resistance. For the present I think a neutral government like the British administration would be best. A Jewish government might come later.
"There is too much talk today of what the Zionists are going to do here. There is no need of it. Let them come and do more and say less.
"The Zionists should make it clear that their principle is to elevate all the people here and to develop the country for all its inhabitants. This land must be developed, according to the promises of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah. If they come in such a spirit they will not fail.
"They must not work to separate the Jews from the other Palestinians. Schools should be open to all nationalities here, business companies, etc. The Turks went down because they attempted to rule over foreign races. The British are always in power because they keep fair and promote harmony.
"This is the path to universal peace here as elsewhere -- unity. We must prevent strife by all means. For 6,000 years man has been at war. It is time to try peace a little while. If it fails, we can always go back to war."



"The accusation: That Bahá’ís are agents of Zionism.

The reality: This charge is based on the fact that the Bahá’í World Centre is in Israel. The Bahá’í World Centre was, however, established on Mt. Carmel in the 19th century, long before the State of Israel came into existence, in accordance with the explicit instructions of Bahá’u’lláh, who was exiled there from Iran."

Graphic Details on the Burning of Baha'i Homes in Egypt

*Reprinted with permission of the Bahá’í International Community*

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Graphic Details on the Burning of Baha'i Homes in Egypt

Below is a video showing the burning of Baha'i homes in the village of Showranyiah in the province of Sohag in Upper Egypt (You can hear at the end of the video someone shouting for the person taking the video "el hokooma gaya" (The government [police] is coming):

The following is an account of the events surrounding the violence perpetrated against the Baha'is of Egypt and the burning of their homes in a southern village located in the province of Sohag. This information was related by a reliable source in Egypt:

This crisis began with a television program, named al-Haqiqah [The Truth], aired on Egypt's Dream-2 channel last Saturday, 28 March, from 7:30-8:30 PM, in which the extremist journalist, Gamal Abdel-Rahim, ferociously attacked the Baha'is, calling for their killing and for the killing of Dr. Basma Moussa who was also a participant in the same program. Another participant in this program was Mr. Ahmad El-Sayyid, an Egyptian Baha'i from the southern village of Showranyiah who indicated that there were many Baha'is living in his province of Sohag. The program was hosted by the well-known TV personality, Mr. Wael El-Ebrashy.

Shortly after the airing of this program on Saturday night, a mob went to the homes of the Baha'is in the village of Showraniyah, which is an island in the middle of the Nile consisting of two sub-villages named Nagh el-Kabir and Nagh el-Sa'aydah, in the southern province of Sohag. The mob began by shouting insults at the Baha'is, who were in their homes at the time, and chanted "No God but Allah" and "Baha'is are enemies of Allah," and began throwing bricks and rocks at these five homes.

Some of these Baha'is were able to contact the police and reported the attack. The police then interfered, dispersed the crowd, and took all the Baha'is to the police station and held them in protective custody until the police was able to negotiate with the mob and reach some sort of a truce. Subsequently, they released the Baha'is to return to their homes the next morning (Sunday) and provided police guards around the homes until Monday morning when the guards were pulled.

On Tuesday morning, 31 March, the journalist Gamal Abdel-Rahim wrote an inflammatory article, published in the government-owned al-Gomhoriyah [The Republic] newspaper, also posted on his blog, in which he stirred the emotions of the ignorant masses by slandering the Baha'is and calling for their killing. He also praised the villagers for their attacks on the Baha'is. That same day, when night fell, a mob attacked the homes of the Baha'is in Showraniyah (see video above), threw homemade Molotov cocktail bottles and fire bombs at the homes burning a total of 6 homes (according to the Egyptian media two homes did not belong to the Baha'is). They vandalized the homes and looted their property, some of which were electric appliances and other expensive items. Meanwhile, the Baha'i families and their children were desperate for a place to hide, some of whom were in the recesses of their homes and some were able to escape the fire and hide in alley corners in the dark.

In order to spread the fire, the mob cut-off the water supply to the homes and blocked access to the village so that fire trucks would be delayed in their response. Because the village is an island, fire trucks have to access the village by a ferry.

At last, the police interfered and arrested six villagers from the mob, and took the Baha'i families into protective custody again. They were able, then, to smuggle these families with their children and babies out of the village in the early dawn, Wednesday morning--only with their clothes on their backs--via the ferry and took them to several undisclosed distant locations in Egypt.

Today, 2 April 2009, six Egyptian Human Rights Organizations as well as Dr. Basma Moussa, the Egyptian Baha'i who was the target of death threats caused by Gamal Abdel-Rahim's calls for her murder, as well as several members of the Baha'i families from Sohag went to the offices of the State Council in Cairo. They met with Egypt's Attorney-General and filed formal complaints against Gamal Abdel-Rahim and the mob in the village of Showraniyah.

The Attorney-General referred Dr. Moussa's case to the Giza Attorney-General and referred the Baha'i villagers case to the Assyout (southern province) Attorney-General because it was felt that the Sohag office of the attorney might be biased against them. During that visit in Cairo, large crowds were present--many of whom were supportive--as well as riot police and security forces. Also present were several representatives from various media agencies, including al-Gazirah channel which has recorded interviews with those present. The media was not permitted to enter the building of the State Council [Maghlis al-Dawlah].

Several leading Egyptian newspapers have already reported on these events, some of which are linked to here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). International news agencies have also picked up the story (AP-1, AP-2 & AFP, Reuters).

P.S. All pictures in this post are from today's visit to the State Council.

Al-Gazirah Channel:

Today, six Egyptian human rights organizations, led by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) have issued a joint statement that expressed their disgust with these heinous acts against this innocent religious minority of Egypt, and have described their strategy in handling the situation. They are requesting the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of these acts as well as State-sponsored protective measures for the Baha'is. This is a very serious and strong statement (a must read), the statement was initially released today in Arabic, and was later translated to English. It is quoted below with permission:

Joint Press Release

2 April, 2009


Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Hisham Mubarak Law Center

El-Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information

Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression

Rights Groups Urge Prosecutions for Assault on Baha'i Egyptians

Six Egyptian human rights organizations today urged the Public Prosecutor to initiate an immediate investigation into assaults committed against Baha'i Egyptians over the past several days in the southern governorate of Sohag. In a complaint filed this morning, the groups called for the investigation to include those responsible for the direct incitement to the assaults and asked that the matter be referred urgently to criminal trial.

"The heinous and unprecedented attacks on Baha'i Egyptians are a crime against all Egyptians,“ the rights organizations said. “We shall never allow the perpetrators of these crimes to benefit from the same climate of impunity that has marred the government's response to sectarian violence against Egyptians Copts over the last four decades.”

Preliminary inquiries carried out by the rights groups found that the attacks began on Saturday evening, 28 March, in the village of al-Shuraniya, located in the Maragha district of Sohag, when dozens of village residents gathered outside of the homes of Baha'i citizens in the village and began chanting, “There is no god but God, Baha'is are the enemies of God.” Those assembled then began pelting the houses with rocks, breaking windows and attempting to break in. Although police forces arrived in the village after being called by the victims of the attack, the police simply dispersed the assembled parties without arresting anyone involved in the crime. Similar, though less intense, attacks occurred on 29 and 30 March.

On 31 March at approximately 7 pm, the attacks escalated when some residents of the village—known by the victims—threw improvised firebombs and Molotov cocktails at the homes of the five Baha'i families living in the village, leading to the partial destruction of the houses. The victims said that the assailants broke or disabled the water connections to their homes to prevent them from putting out the fires. According to the victims, the assailants also broke into the houses, vandalizing property inside and stealing some electrical appliances and livestock. There were no human injuries or losses. The attacks prompted some of the Baha'i families to flee their homes and hide in the fields until the following morning. The police arrived during the attacks and again dispersed the assailants; there was no information that any of the assailants had been arrested.

The next morning, 1 April, the police ordered the remaining Baha'is in the village to leave immediately and did not allow them to return to their homes to collect clothing, medicine, schoolbooks, money, or other necessities. Information gathered indicates that all Baha'is have left the village as of the evening of 1 April.

The assaults on the Baha'is in al-Shuraniya began after an episode of the program “al-Haqiqa,” aired on Dream 2 on 28 March, which discussed the situation of Baha'is in Egypt. The program featured a Baha'i from al-Shuraniya and Baha'i activist and dentistry professor Dr. Basma Gamal Musa. Also participating in the program was Gamal Abd al-Rahim, a journalist at the state-owned al-Gumhouriya newspaper and a member of the board of the Press Syndicate, who, during the program, said referring to Dr. Basma, “This one should be killed.” On 31 March, only hours before the homes of the Baha'is were torched in al-Shuraniya, al-Gomhouriya published an article by Gamal Abd al-Rahim in which he praised the residents of al-Shuraniya for stoning the homes of Baha'is in the village in the preceding days. He considered these crimes to be evidence of al-Shuraniya residents’ “protectiveness of their religion and beliefs.”

The six rights organizations demanded that the Public Prosecutor question Gamal Abd al-Rahim regarding his incitement to violence against Baha'is in both the television program and his published article, pursuant to Articles 171 and 172 of the Penal Code, which address public incitement to felonies and misdemeanors. Consistent with the organizations’ principled opposition to the imprisonment for publication offences, the groups' complaint excluded Article 98(f) of the Penal Code, which stipulates mandatory imprisonment for “anyone who exploits religion to promote extremist ideas with the intent of inciting civil strife and damaging national unity,” and Article 176 of the Penal Code, which also stipulates mandatory imprisonment for anyone who “incites to discrimination against a group of people on the basis of race, origin, language, religion, or belief when such incitement disrupts public peace.”

Moreover, the rights organizations called on the board of Egypt's national Press Syndicate to take immediate action against Gamal Abd al-Rahim, particularly since he occupies a seat on the board, regarding his violation of the Syndicate’s Code of Ethics, which states that journalists have an obligation “to refrain in their writings from joining racist or bigoted advocacy or advocacy that involves contempt or disdain of religions, aspersions cast on the faith of others, or incitement to discrimination against or contempt for any group of society.”

For further information, please call +20 10 628 8928.

All rights reserved © Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
e-mail:eipr@eipr.org

Even though Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court has, on 16 March 2009, ruled in favor of the Baha'is allowing them to obtain identity documents with dashes [--] entered in place of religion, there remain many obstacles to the normalization of their status in Egypt. This can be easily perceived when reading the recent editorials and reports in several Egyptian newspaper articles.

Initially, following the recent court ruling, several of these articles limited their reporting to the facts about the verdict itself and its implications (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). More recently, though, newspaper editorials have been busying themselves with eliciting public opinions regarding the Baha'i case from various factions (9, 10).

These opinions range from, those who adamantly oppose the Baha'is and who are bent on continuing their "war" against the Baha'is--calling them apostates who deserve the severest of penalties, to those who are supportive of the citizenship rights of the Baha'is (10, 11, 12, 13), to the extent of voicing their disappointment that the ruling did not go far enough to permit the Baha'is to enter their true religion on these identity documents.

The intent of some of the supporters appears to be not to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Baha'i Faith as an approved religion in Egypt, but rather they look at the matter as a human rights issue: that is the right of people to independent belief and to be identified correctly according to their own belief.

There remains, also, many others who do not understand what the fuss is all about and do not even acknowledge the existence of such a thing as "Baha'i," stating: "besides Islam and Christianity in Egypt, we only had Jews, and fortunately we have managed to get rid of them."

Furthermore, there are those who resort to using the well-known Egyptian sarcasm in order to make their point by calling the Baha'i Faith "Al-deen Abu-Sharta [the dashes religion]," referring to the ruling that allowed dashes to be entered in place of religion on identity documents.

Emad & Nancy Raouf Hindi in the courtroom on 16 March

This controversy, which cannot just vanish overnight simply because of a favorable court verdict, will likely continue for some time to come. Thus, the difficult task before the Baha'is of Egypt will likely go beyond the mere pursuit of their identity documents and the consequent acquisition of some of their citizenship rights.

It will require an extraordinary effort on their behalf to influence the public opinion as to the nature and the legitimacy of their belief. They will also need to help the Egyptian society learn the truth about their Faith and the desire of the Egyptian Baha'is, as obedient citizens and well-wishers of their homeland, to join hands with their fellow Egyptians in promoting their collective welfare.

It is a natural human reaction, particularly after such a long suffering and after so many legal battles, for all those affected by the ruling to be ecstatic with such a victory in their ongoing struggle for their rights. It is also obvious that many other minorities in Egypt will ultimately benefit from such a ruling that, at last, opened the door for them towards their civil rights without having to identify themselves as belonging to one of the three approved religions in Egypt. It is time, however, for the harder task to begin: that is for the Baha'is to intensify the projection of their well-acknowledged brilliant image on their beloved society and correct public perception of their true nature and intent.

A tough obstacle in their path, however, remains to be presidential decree (263) that, in 1960, outlawed the Baha'i Faith in Egypt. Without the reversal of this decree, the Baha'is of Egypt will continue to be the targets of all sorts of false accusations, attacks and ill-intentioned challenges by the extremist elements of the Egyptian society. Ultimately, in order for them to be treated equally in the true sense, it is essential for their status in Egypt to be fully legitimized by removing all barriers to their standing as equal citizens of their beloved Egypt.

source BAHAI FAITH IN EGYPT AND IRAN

Posted by Bilo at 4:42 PM

A Remarkable Victory for the Baha'is of Egypt

Monday, March 16, 2009

A Remarkable Victory for the Baha'is of Egypt

While their brothers and sisters in Iran continue to endure harsh oppression, the Baha'is of Egypt have just received a remarkable gift from their judicial establishment. The appeal--brought by Islamist lawyers in their attempt to reverse the 29 January 2008 ruling that permitted the Baha'is of Egypt to obtain ID cards and birth certificates with dashes [--] inserted in place of religious identification--was denied by Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court in its session today. The court also asserted that the 29 January ruling must be now enforced.

With this ruling, all legal challenges and appeals, brought by those extremists who oppose the Baha'is in Egypt, have been defeated in court. The Ministry of Interior, the principal party to the lawsuits, has never challenged or appealed the ruling that favored the Baha'is.

With this final verdict, there are no legal or administrative obstacles left that could prevent the Baha'is of Egypt from obtaining ID cards or birth certificates in their homeland.

Even though this significant step is considered to be a very welcome development in their struggle for their civil rights, the Baha'is of Egypt continue to suffer from consequences of the 1960 Presidential Decree-263, of the late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, that outlawed the Baha'i Faith in Egypt.

Debunking the Myths: Conspiracy Theories Posted: 14 Mar 2009 06:49 PM PDT Vladimir Lenin once said that a lie told often enough becomes truth. If one takes a look at the way Bahá’ís have been viewed and treated by their adversaries, particularly Muslim clerics from Shaykh Fazlollah Nuri to Falsafi to Dorri-Najafabadi and other leaders of the current Iranian regime, they will see an unfortunate truth to Lenin’s assertion. Several baseless claims have been put forth as truth in various public forums and media. Over time, these have been accepted as “truth” due to repetition and a general apathy by the Iranian masses towards independent investigation of such claims. Gradually, most of us have simply come to accept a variety of often conflicting claims about the Bahá’ís. For instance, the Bahá’ís were created by the British AND Russians in the 19th-century (while both were actually competing for influence in Persia!). Or that the Baha’is held positions of power in the Pahlavi regime and were also agents of Israel, international Zionism, and American Imperialism. During the Iran-Iraqi war, some Bahá’ís were even labeled as Iraqi agents! Adib Masumian puts forth a challenge to these theories in his new book “Debunking the Myths: Conspiracy Theories on the Genesis and Mission of the Bahá’í Faith.” In 89 pages, this work provides an analysis of the most widespread anti-Bahá’í allegations raised by clerics and Iranian polemicists over the past century or so. These include such myths as Prince Dolgorukov of Russia acting as the prime motivator of the Báb, the British General, Arthur Conolly, as the one who persuaded Mulla Husayn to push the Báb into starting his religion, or considering `Abdu’l-Bahá’s knighthood in 1920 as irrefutable evidence of Bahá’í ties to British imperialism. The book also discusses whether any of the influential members of the Sháh’s regime were Baha’is from Amir Abbas Hoveida to General Nassiri or Parviz Sabeti of SAVAK to Farrokhroo Pársá and others. And unlike anti-Baha’i polemicists who hardly ever provide credible sources for their claims, this book offers about 140 citations with a bibliography of over 50 different books and credible websites (both Baha’i and non-Baha’i) to substantiate its assertions. Iran Press Watch highly recommends this book to their readers. It is available for purchase in two versions: Black and White ($9.95): http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback_book/debunking_the_myths/6430166 Full-color ($22.30): http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback_book/debunking_the_myths/5483633 “I hope those who have always wondered about the credibility of claims against the Baha’is take a look at this book and decide for themselves where the truth is. Just as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion has been proven a farce, so must the Dolgorukov Memoirs and other fabrications be exposed, once and for all, for what they are - insults to scholarship. I have attempted to do that, too, in this work.” [Source: Adib Masumian - "Debunking the Myths: Conspiracy Theories on the Genesis and Mission of the Bahá’í Faith."] Related posts Baha’is, the Sole Targets of Conspiracism? (2) Trial of Iranian Baha’i leadership: An Open Letter to Ayatollah Dorri-Najafabadi (15) The Verdict of the Imam Jum‘ih of Semnan (0)

An Account of an Expelled Baha’i Student Posted: 14 Mar 2009 05:57 PM PDT Editor’s Note: Iran Press Watch is grateful to have received the following account from a Baha’i young adult in Iran, whom we will only identify by his first name, Ali-Reza. This account is offered below in translation by Iran Press Watch. In the Name of God, the Creator! Respectfully, I declare that I, Ali-Reza … am a Baha’i and the son of a Baha’i. In 1996, I participated in the university entrance exam. At that time because of special circumstances (my mother being a staunch Muslim, had forbidden my father from having contacts with Baha’is), I, the only child of the family, was not even aware of my father’s religion as I was growing up. While filling out the application form, I marked Muslim in the religion column. Before the names of successful candidates were announced in the national newspapers, I was summoned by authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Organization for Evaluation and Assessment. After I was asked many irrelevant questions, I was notified that even though I had passed the entrance exam with flying colors and was eligible to enter medical school, I was not allowed to continue my education due to my father’s religion. I explained that there are no verses in the Qu’ran or the Constitution allowing discrimination against religious minorities; moreover, I insisted that I was a Muslim and was only born to a Baha’i father. I was told that the Baha’i Faith is not among official religions of the country, and its followers are spies of Israel, are anti-Islam and anti-Iran. After ceaselessly pursuing my dream of becoming a doctor, missing one school term, receiving threats and insults, accepting the condition set for me, I was permitted to enroll. The condition was that at no time and under no circumstances should I engage in any teaching of the Baha’i Faith - about which I did not know anything anyway, though I was raised in a home with a Baha’i father. However, a few years later when I started investigating and finally accepted the Baha’i Faith, I realized that I had been raised under the principles of the Baha’i Faith. Unfortunately, the harassment did not stop when I entered university. With every change in the staff, I was interrogated by the Security Committee again and again. All along, the only accusation that I was charged with was that my father was a Baha’i. I was often summoned for investigation and pressured to follow Islam. Each time, I was asked irrelevant questions which I found very hard to deal with. I was becoming emotionally drained, especially when they were associating Baha’is with espionage. In 2002, I was a resident physician, finishing the last term of my medical school, serving in hospitals. Prompted by a spiritual dream that I had, and the curiosity aroused in me by the authorities’ questions, I began to investigate the Baha’i Faith by searching the internet. I wanted to find out about this Faith that I was strongly forbidden to mention to anyone, that I was harassed about so many times throughout so many years. Finally, I accepted the Baha’i Faith. I was so touched by the Most Holy Book and the Book of Certitude that I could not contain myself and conceal my faith. My close friends, my classmates and then the Basij [Islamic militia that interferes in all aspects of people's lives] became aware of it and notified the Security Committee of the university. I also mentioned my belief to the Khademin, who guided me and asked me to be wise [meaning not to proclaim his Faith too openly and thereby jeopardize his life]. After accepting the Baha’i Faith, not only did I lose my friends (though not all of them), but I was subject to the anger and hatred of all my relatives and some of my wife’s relatives. They even tried to force my wife to separate from me. However, she was investigating the Faith as well, and had a favorable view of it. She stood strong and did not bend under their pressure. Since that time, I have been in touch with the Baha’i community, have taught my faith and have increased my knowledge of the faith. I have also trained and educated my children by following the teachings of the faith. After becoming aware of my acceptance of the Baha’i Faith, the Security Committee of the university summoned me and started interrogating me. They told me that based on information received from their sources, they knew that I had been in contact with “elements of the misguided sect” and that I had caused “disturbance in public minds”. I responded and rejected their accusations. I said I had just accepted the Baha’i Faith and had done nothing to cause any disturbance to public minds. They were dismayed by my responses and were angered by my steadfastness in my belief. I was finally charged with being a cause of “disorder at the university” and “disturbance of the minds of students”. I was expelled from the university dormitory, banned from university for two years, forced out of medical school and compelled to major in physiotherapy. I strongly objected, complained to the Ministry of Health and also to the judiciary and even wrote to Mr. Khatami, President of Iran at that time. All my efforts were in vain. I was warned repeatedly that I should not discuss any of what was happening with anyone. In the two years that I was banned from university, I purchased a small car, financed by selling my wife’s jewelry and obtaining a car loan. I started a taxi service between cities to provide for my family. Being away from medical school and serving patients at hospitals that I cherished so much caused a lot of stress. Repeatedly I sought counseling. Even the counselor, after finding out the reason for my depression, wrote to the university officials in the hope that I would be permitted to go back to university, not knowing my depression and dismay were exactly what the authorities wanted to achieve. Since that time I have always felt irritated, impatient and depressed. Eventually, after my two-year dismissal from university ended, despite my desire to finish medical school, I had no choice but to change my field to physiotherapy. However, I was still not left alone. The Ministry of Health continued to write confidential letters to the university officials and vice versa discussing my dismissal - I have related documents in my procession which I am forwarding. Finally, after receiving notice from the Ministry of Health, I was prohibited from registering. I was called to the security office and was questioned by the authorities. Being angered by my responses; I was physically assaulted by the Basij and by security personnel. Due to the efforts of my uncle, I was not arrested or charged. In 2004, after Baha’i students were allowed to enter universities (almost all of them have been expelled by now), I too enrolled. I successfully finished my studies and received a perfect mark on my final report. Even though I had paid all my tuition and I owed nothing to the university, I was sent back again and again between offices and at the end I was told that due to problems in my file and based on a directive from the Ministry of Health, a certificate for the completion of my education could not be issued. I tried many times, contacted many officials, but I could not even get a temporary certificate of completion for my studies. The final verdict was that as long as I insisted on my religious beliefs, it would be impossible to get my certificate. I was not given any written document of what I was told. I personally contacted the Ministry of Health many times asking for the written ruling. Finally, one employee who was very helpful gave me a copy of the communication. Needless to say, after accepting the Baha’i Faith we were not spared from harassment by our neighbors and some of our former friends. Even our car was not left alone. Sometimes, we would see scratches, a broken mirror, or four flat tires. Our son has been under duress in school and finally we were forced to change his school. All the pressures and agitation inflicted upon our lives has affected our younger son as well, the effects of which are noticeable in his behavior and have caused stuttering in his speech. Signed, Ali-Reza Related posts Interview with an Iranian Baha’i Student (3) Expulsion of Three Baha’i Students from Sahand University (4) Bahai’s Living in Iran with No Human Rights (2)

Baha’is are British Spies! Posted: 14 Mar 2009 05:54 AM PDT Editor’s Note: Rasa News Agency continues to share the sentiments of the Iranian clerical establishment towards the Baha’is. In this case, a thoroughly discredited conspiracy theory that the Baha’i Faith was a creation of British intelligence (Baha’u'llah never actually met any Britons until nearly at the end of His life) is the basis of this clergyman’s criticism. The latest in this series is a report published on February 25, 2009. Hojjato’l-Islam Ali Mu’alimi, representative of the people of Mazandaran in the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership [the highest ranking body of 86 clerical experts responsible for the election of the Supreme Leader - editor] in an interview with the reporter for Rasa in Sari stated, “The enemies of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic have recognized that belief and obedience to the rule of clerics is the most important cause of firmness and constancy in the Iranian nation and of the certain victory of the Islamic revolution. For this reason, they endeavor to weaken and destroy this foundation.” He stated that he considers the Baha’i sect to be a political movement and in service to British espionage. He said, “This wayward sect seeks through outwardly spiritual and mystical teachings to cause devoted societies to go astray from their straight path and divine confirmations.” He emphasized that the enemy [i.e. the Baha'i community] has programs for undermining and weakening the foundation of the belief of Iranian society, “By spreading a series of secondary issues, the enemy is trying to cause Islamic society to grow farther from such fundamental values as are Islamic, or exhibit the spirit of sacrifice, submission and martyrdom-seeking.” The Imam Jum’ih of Qaemshahr remarked that the Iranian nation would not suffer defeat through their allegiance to moral and Iranian codes, and added, “The policy of colonialists and imperialists in opposing the religious values of our society is to create a new religion [i.e. the Baha'i Faith].” … [Source: http://www.rasanews.com/Negaresh_site/FullStory/?Id=49196. Translation by Iran Press Watch.] Related posts ‘Because of Their Worldliness, Baha’is Resist the Qur’an’ (3) We are Ashamed! (59) Violations of the Rights of our Baha’i Countrymen (2)

‘Because of Their Worldliness, Baha’is Resist the Qur’an’ Posted: 14 Mar 2009 05:51 AM PDT Editor’s Note: Rasa News is a mouthpiece of fanaticism and deception against the Baha’is of Iran, and it would be a source of much entertainment if it weren’t so tragic. This latest news is true, though it sounds absurd. It reports on last Friday’s sermon (March 6, 2009) by the Imam Jum’ih of Zanjan. What the good Imam said though is a different matter. Judge for yourself. According to Rasa’s reporter in Zanjan, Hojjato’l-Islam Muhammad-Taqi Va’izi stated in this week’s Friday Sermon, “The leaders of the Wahhabi [the ultra-conservative Saudi version of Islam] and Baha’i sects solely because of their worldliness resist obedience to logic and the Qur’an.” He noted, “These wayward sects are the highway thieves of the path of humanity, and they have prevented those peoples from becoming acquainted with the true Islam and Qur’an.” … Hojjato’l-Islam Va’izi, emphasizing the need to prevent the influence and propagation of the Baha’i and Wahhabi sects in the nation, stated, “The underground activities of these sects not only harm the country, but they also prevent the unity of Muslims.” The Imam Jum’ih of Zanjan said, “The human rights organizations of the world have wrapped Western-style living in attractive covers so that the bitterness of their true lives might appear nicer in happier packaging.” [Source: http://www.rasanews.com/Negaresh_site/FullStory/?Id=49994. Translation by Iran Press Watch.] Related posts Baha’is are British Spies! (8) We are Ashamed! (59) The Only Crime of the Leaders of the Baha’i Community in Iran is that “They Are Baha’is!” (1)

Growth of the Faith and its Relation to Persecutions Posted: 13 Mar 2009 10:03 PM PDT This is a brief talk by the Hand of the Cause of God Dr. R. Muhajir. As it is appropriate to the theme of this site, Iran Press Watch is pleased to share this remarkable talk with its esteemed readers — and listeners. Download the Talk (MP3, approx 6.2MB) Related posts “They don’t want to leave a trace of anything Baha’i” (1) Zhinous Sobhani and Citizenship Rights (2) World Press on the Trial of the Seven Baha’i Leaders (1) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

United Religions Initiative in Brazil Posted: 13 Mar 2009 10:01 PM PDT By Sam H. Cyrous The United Religions Initiative (URI) based in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, has sent two open letters asking for the immediate release of the Baha’is in Iran, one to the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the other to the Iranian Ambassador to Brazil. They request the Minister they to “issue a public statement on these arrests, and to urge the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to promptly see the equivocal and illegality of these acts that must be repaired, first of all with the release of the prisoners.” They summon the Ambassador to apply the Quranic principles: “In the Holy Quran, Justice and Mercy are values which are always reminded to all the believers. Thus even if we are to consider the total independence of the Iranian State, we cannot understand such attitudes, and even less accept them, as we hereby respectfully express. (…) We also feel impelled to request from those responsible for these human rights violations, and particularly the Iranian Government, good sense and real practice of justice, through the release of these prisoners and the full reestablishment of their rights, since the Christians and Jews among Iranian citizens do not suffer – or they should not – any such violations – facts that yet again cannot justify the mentioned acts.” Cautioning that by acting otherwise, they are the ones endangering Islam: “Dearest Mr. Ambassador, to conclude I would like to express that I understand that, at the eventuality of the continuity of this situation, we shall see it as a setback on the world’s view on human rights in Iran, as well as on the very image of the country, which certainly will give room to those heralds of untruthfulness against Islam and their specific arguments to work solidly in their propaganda.” Moreover, there is no doubt that if this situation that we now repudiate comes to occur, all of us, who work for the social and organizational awareness on the theological and cultural, legal and scientific richness that Islam brought to all humankind through the centuries, will be in a difficult position to argument in defense. Download: Letter to the Iranian Ambassador | Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Related posts Letter from Brazilian Congressman on the Yaran (3) “They don’t want to leave a trace of anything Baha’i” (1) Zhinous Sobhani and Citizenship Rights (2)

Letter of Iran’s Attorney-General to the Minister of Intelligence

March 12, 2009

Editor’s Note: The following letter is from Iran’s Attorney General, Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, to the country’s Minister of Intelligence, Muhseni-Azheh’i. The letter is undated, but since it was published online on 19 February 2009, it appears that it was dispatched around mid-February. Since this letter includes various instructions regarding the government’s treatment of the Baha’i community, a translation of the full text of this important letter is provided below by Iran Press Watch.

Muhseni-Azheh’i

To honored Hojjato’l-Islam Muhseni-Azheh’i, the esteemed Minister of Intelligence!

With greetings and hopes that your prayers and meditations are accepted [by God] in this bountiful month!

Regarding the previous letter about the activities of the wayward Baha’i organization, it is necessary for me to point out the following:

A. Acceptance of multiplicity and diversity in a society is among its instruments of liberty - including freedom of thought and decision. It is an undeniable and established principle in any society of religious men, and is affirmed through the covenant of constitutional law. The Constitution is the foundation of societal order and is the final word on the governance and organization of the people. Specifically, Articles 26 and 27 [of IRI's Constitution] recognizes freedom to form parties and associations - of course, not absolute liberty, but conditional.

On this basis, various [political] parties and groups may function legally as long as they do not violate the principles of independence, liberty, national unity, Islamic provisions, and the fundamental laws of the Islamic Republic. Of course, it is not necessary for the members of such assembled groups to believe in these principles, but it is necessary for them to adhere to these provisions.

The law governing the activities of parties and associations (established in 1360 Sh [1981]) has provided a framework for the appearance and functioning of these organizations, and has outlined means for their growth and development. Therefore, associations that are without a constitution or by-laws approved by authorized governmental agencies are not permitted to function.

Religious minorities are defined and delineated in the luminous religious law [of the Shiites] and the nation’s Constitution, and except for those enumerated in Articles 12 and 13, no others are permitted to be active.

In accordance with Article 20 of the Constitution, every citizen is under the protection of the law, and the government is responsible to safeguard each person’s civil rights as a citizen. Moreover, in accordance with Article 23, no one may be opposed or questioned solely based on his beliefs. Based on this foundation, adherence to a principle or belief is free, but to openly express and proclaim it in order to cause deviation in the thoughts of others, to manipulate, pretend, disseminate [ideas] and otherwise attempt to deceive and confuse people are not permissible.

All citizens of Islamic Republic of Iran are under the protective umbrella of the government, and the regime is responsible to ensure their civil rights to their fullest measure. In accordance with Article 22 of the Constitution all citizens are safeguarded against censure, except in instances where they have strayed beyond the boundary of the law.

Fundamentally, individuals who have been given true and legal recognition in the Constitution and secondary edicts are free to undertake these aforementioned activities. However, should they attempt any activity, either individually, collectively or through their organization, which would threaten national security or the sovereignty of the nation, then it is obvious that the government will use its powers to establish the common good and the national benefit, and will confront the aggressor in an equivalent manner.

B. In consideration of the aforesaid, and the methods, history and record of the political-intelligence organization Baha’ism, they are not among the political parties or legal associations that are licensed for activity, nor are they listed among the divine religions, nor do they meet the definition of religious minorities.

The documents, evidence and oral testimony which have been gathered so far prove that the said organization [i.e. the Baha'i community] has been directly in touch with foreign enemies of the people of Iran, and they have long-established and firm connections with the Zionist regime [Israel]. Moreover, they have formed organizations and groups in Iran, and under various designations carry out propaganda, teaching, socio-economics, educational, and humanitarian activities, thereby collecting information, penetrating and undermining the foundations of the people’s beliefs.

Therefore, in accordance with policies and instructions previously issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Attorney General, and that period’s esteemed head of the judiciary branch which prohibited every form of activity by the aforementioned movement [i.e. the Baha'i Faith], once again the same prohibition is promulgated.

The administration of the wayward sect [i.e. the Baha'i community] is illegal and unsanctioned at every level. Moreover, their allegiance to Israel, their opposition to Islam and the Islamic regime, is clear, documented and affirmed, as is their threat to national security. Therefore, it is necessary to confront [the Baha'i community] in accordance with established policies and further to confront whatever organization they establish to shadow and replace the original one.

It is obvious that any disregard or negligence regarding this issue is against public welfare and our national interests, will aid the objectives of foreigners, Zionists and their agents, and will result in admonishment and regret before the Divine Court.

I beseech Almighty God to perpetually render that honored person victorious.

[Posted at http://www.yjc.ir/News/NewsDesc.aspx?newsid=150113. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

Dear Dad!

Posted: 04 Mar 2009 02:53 PM PST

Editor’s Note: On January 30, 2009, Iran Press Watch published an account by Abdollah Shahbazi (http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/01/condemn-publication/) in which Shahbazi brought to public notice the fact that the names and particulars of many Baha’is of Shiraz had been broadly published and distributed throughout the city. Among these names, there were several Baha’is who had passed away some time ago. The following is a translation of a letter from the son of one of these deceased Baha’is. For the record, Iran Press Watch wishes to inform its readers that while for the last two months we have been in possession of this shameful publication - list of Baha’is of Shiraz - we decided that we would not publish this list and would not contribute to the reprehensible and appalling action of the Iranian authorities.

I have seen your name on the list of occupations of Baha’is in Shiraz. It has been seven months since you passed on. It was about seven years before that when you were forced to leave your job. Old age, the trembling of your hands and the sorrow of mom’s death took away your ability to continue working.

You were living on the meager donation bestowed upon you by the “respected authorities”. Twenty years after your pension was cut off, you thought, there had been a little improvement in the treatment of the Baha’is. The only thing that you asked for from these beloved authorities was to be paid from your own contribution to the pension fund which you had made during your thirty years of honest service, teaching children in the hot weather of Abadan. You did not expect a comfortable life, just a modest lifestyle in the last years of your existence. After much correspondence, you were given a meager monthly amount, one sixth of what you were legally entitled to.

Now, your name is in the long list of workers, each of whose occupations somehow requires usage of “water” or “other liquids” making the object that is touched by the Baha’is “unclean” or “untouchable”. It is ridiculous. It is explained that since car repair requires using “water” the car becomes “untouchable”; since an optician uses liquid solutions for cleaning glasses, the glass becomes “untouchable”. In the 21st century, don’t civilized people laugh at such rationalizations? In one case they lacked enough creativity to label occupations in the clothing industry “untouchable”!!

On top of the list is written: “Baha’is who have occupations in Shiraz”. Was it expected that Baha’is, after getting fired from their jobs or having their pensions cut off, should sit and stare at the walls, or were they expected to work in an “imaginary” work place?

Always and all over the world, retirement is anticipated as a time for rest and the enjoyment of life. However, instead of retirement, you started your new occupation and worked another fifteen years, providing for your family with pride. You did not give them the satisfaction of seeing you give up in despair. If it had been anywhere other than Iran, there would have been stories and movies about the strength and determination of you and people like you. Alas, with “unclear intentions” and of course “fruitless effort”, they published lists of those who lived with integrity, and who repaid enmity with kindness.

Dear Dad, when I saw your name on the list, it brought back memories of the past. I recall that we were laughing and saying: make up your mind and decide which country we are spying for — is it Russia or England, America or Israel? Dad, were you getting sensitive and classified information from poverty-stricken children of oil refinery workers or from clothing markets and shopkeepers? How is it that we are spies without pay and based on testimony stated at the beginning of the aforementioned “list”, we even provide financial help to Israel!! What kind of spies are we that openly introduce ourselves and write “Baha’i” in all the forms that have a religion column? Dad, if you had not filled out the religion column with honesty, you would have received your pension and I could have graduated from university 17-18 years ago!!

In any movie or story that I have ever seen or read, spies kept their identities secret. Why are we so stupid? This is complicated, my brain can’t figure it out, maybe the announcers of such comments can offer clarification!!

Is honesty so devoid of value that if you had lied, and instead of “Baha’i” had written “Muslim” in the religion columns of employment forms or registration forms of schools and universities, they would now be clapping, would have made life easy for you and would now say welcome to our religion?

There are many like that young man who remembered you from ages ago when you were his teacher. When he was handing you your dismissal letter, he was feeling ashamed of doing what he was ordered to do. In his eyes you could see his appreciation and respect for you.

Hoping that someday honesty and steadfastness will bring results, and that more and more people will start defending basic human rights.

With much love,

Your son.