HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN

Thank you..Seeb

I thank you for your comments.

Regarding your valid point about  The "finality" or the Seal of Prophets.

I found the following that has been posted before useful for layman's understanding of what the Holy Quran presents. 

One should remember that so many of the early believers in the Bab and Baha'u'llah  were Islamic Scholars of the highest order, including    Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Golpaygani

   Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl was born in 1844, in the town of Gulpáygán, in central Iran. His given name was Muhammad, the son of Muhammad-Ridá. A brilliant student, he attended traditional Muslim schools in his hometown, went on to higher theological studies in Isfahan, and eventually in Tehran. He distinguished himself and rose into the highest ranks of the Shí'í Muslim clergy. 

It is the likes of him that have provided such irrefutable proof with comprehensive , logical reference to Sura and verse in the Quran.

When hopefully the time comes in Iran ,when we can have open examination and fairminded approach to this seeming stumbling block, the case will be made very clear and people can decide for themselves.

Bahais have never had the opportunity to openly present such proofs. 

At present the bigger stumbling block, is the Shia Clergy's refusal to have such open, public presentation of the facts, rather than the "issue"of how

the "Seal of Prophets" is interpreted.

Faryarm

The following shows how so much in the Quran points to the coming of another revelation and guidance from God.

To Seeb

Dear Seeb,

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you understand the Baha'i community's dedication to not only adherents of their own religion but also to mankind at large.

Regarding the Seal of the Prophets: I do not wish to turn this topic into a venue for theological debate, but perhaps when we have a chance to fairly present ourselves as you so rightly phrased it, we will be able to share our own perspectives on the term:

//bahaistudies.net/kf/finality.html

//bahai-library.com/essays/seal.html

//www.bci.org/islam-bahai/SealProphets.htm 

But since the majority of devout Iranian Muslims (and more importantly the IRI) would not consider a largely metaphorical interpretation of "Seal" feasible in the slightest, the road to "agreeing to disagree" at the very least has and most likely will be, as you astutely pointed out, an arduous one.

to Faryar and Alborz

The Bahais who have decided to stay, despite the grave dangers, and instability, are at a higher platform, for sure. It takes a strong character to endure that much, and still stay. Historically, this will be good for the Bahais, and shows their strenght and resolve.

I believe if Bahais have a chance to present themselves fairly to people in Iran, they will probably over time come to understand them, and eventually grow to accept them as different. However, since the Bahais are contradicting the fundamental Islamic concept of "khatam-ol-anbya", it may take them a very long, arduous road to achieve that.

Darius Jaan, There is Hope.

Darius Jaan, There is Hope.

Perhaps, this hope is a further reason why Bahai have faith and confidence in the ultimate glory of Iran. But why so much faith and confidence and personal confidence ? 

What makes them so sure in the face of relentless persecution, where just about everything is denied to them?

What do they posses that others dont? what empowers them?

After all, as a parent, i put myself in the position of a Bahai parent in Iran.

I have lost my job, because i am not allowed to have a Government t job, They have cancelled my business license;  my five year old is harassed by his teacher; my twenty year old A student has passed the University entrance exam in the top two percent , but is denied entry. My Cousin's house was firebombed, and the police and fire brigade did not show up.

The state sponsored radio, tv and newspapers  , like Kayhan have stepped up their attacks , inciting people against Bahais, with words like Spy, enemy, Najis, etc...

But the clouds have been developing silver lining. The People are beginning to wake up and no longer believe the lies; at least those on the payroll dont. Iranian public opinion has been changing towards The Bahais , and nothing frightens the Mullahs about essentially a defenseless minority, except the day when they lose their hold and any authority they have left.

The current and ongoing Anti Bahai campaign, is perhaps the most powerful proof of the Mullahs fear of this eventuality.  

I believe this hope  and faith in our rebirth as a spiritual civilization, can spread and give us all true faith in the future of Iran and the world;  when we can recognize that temporary Band-Aids to our country's ills have not succeeded. Iran will not be Iran again  until, the "afat" killing the Tree that is Iran and the spiritual principles and human values that can be applied as THE CURE to the root of this ailing ancient tree. 

faryarm 

Shameful Treatment of Baha'is in Iran ...

I am truly ashamed of the treatment of our fellow Baha'i compatriots in Iran as even less than second rate citizens. I have good and close Baha'i Friends myself and religion has never been an issue of concern to me or to them in this regard. But to see that a population is deprived of their legitimate right to belong to a religious community or have a different perspective be it religious wise or politically or culturally is something that bothers me and pains me greatly. To think that the land of Cyrus the Great founded on the Universal values that have shaped Humanity in its best is being reduced to such intolerant behavior. When will Our Nation Wake Up ? I am pessimistic more and more about any positive outcome to 30 years of moral and cultural decadance in my homeland Iran once a Cradle of Civilization ...

The Reason why most stay...

The choice to stay or remain in Iran is purely a personal one. 

Many in my own family, despite having family abroad and the means decided to stay and suffered the consequences.

Three of my father's cousins, all with the means to leave, stayed, because of their responsibilities towards the community; all three were consequently executed, their whereabouts unknown. Closer to me, My Aunt and Uncle , simply did not like to leave, because they felt Iran is their home.

My Aunt and her husband were later arrested and imprisoned for seemingly helping a Mulsim neighbour who was leaving Iran in their garage sale.

My aunt subsequently  spent 2 years in prison, where her internal infection went untreated.......she never got to see her grandson in Boston.

I remember two instances, where I overheard my father talking to his partner who at the time was in Paris. He and another prominent Bahai , Professor Manocheher Hakim were both going back to Iran. This was at a time when executions were at their height. 

Professor Hakim's medical practice catered largely to the poor of south tehran ,and he felt a responsibility towards his community.Shortly after arriving back in tehran from France,  Professor Hakim was murdered by assailants posing as patients.

I leave you with an account by Professor Hakim's Grandson; writing for 

the Muslin Netwrok for Bahai Rights, He states:

"Aziz Samandari was amongst the 6 Baha’is who were arrested in mid-January in Tehran following raids by security officials. His cousin, Caroline Samandari, published the following article on IndianExpress.com:

Two weeks have passed since I heard the alarming news: Aziz Samandari, my cousin in Tehran, was arrested in a pre-dawn raid by Iranian intelligence officials. To date, no formal charges have been framed, and he has been denied both access to a lawyer and visits by relatives.As I read the email sent by his wife, I burst into tears. I cannot help thinking about my grandfather, Professor Manuchehr Hakim, a renowned medical doctor, shot dead in January 1981 in his practice in Tehran. I was two, at the time living in Switzerland, and still too young to grasp the scale of the tragedy unfolding.

I also think of my uncle, Bahman Samandari, the father of Aziz, executed by Iranian authorities in March 1992, a day after being summoned for questioning. I was thirteen, and was told the terrible news by my father in Paris.

Why are my family members targeted? What crime have they all committed?

The answer is simple: they are members of the Bahai community, Iran’s largest religious minority, yet the most persecuted. The followers of this religion have been targets of systematic persecution in Iran since the inception of the Bahai Faith in the middle of the 19th century.

In 1979, with the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the persecutions took a new direction, becoming official Government policy. Since then, more than 200 Bahais have been executed, hundreds imprisoned, and tens of thousands deprived of jobs, pensions and access to higher education. Holy places and cemeteries were confiscated, vandalised, or destroyed.

Bahais, who have great love for their country, are deeply committed to its development, and don’t get involved in partisan politics, are persecuted solely because of religious hatred and their faith’s progressive position on women’s rights, education and independent investigation of truth.

There are 300,000 Bahais in Iran. Yet they have been deliberately omitted from the list of the three religious minorities recognised in the Constitution, and are classified as “unprotected infidels”.

Time has passed, circumstances have changed. I am no longer a teenager. I now live in India. However, the brutal reality is still the same: my cousin is at great risk in the hands of the authorities of the Islamic Republic solely because of his belief in a religion — a religion whose main purpose is to promote world peace and harmony, and emphasises the underlying unity of the world’s spiritual traditions!

As I try to internalise the news of the arrest of Aziz, I am surprised at my own feelings. I am worried and sad, but at the same time cannot find in my heart any trace of hatred or of willingness to seek revenge against those who have so systematically persecuted my family and all the other members of the Bahai community in Iran. I also refuse to blame Islam, even for a second, for what is being done supposedly in its name.

Why do I feel this way?

Maybe because I have been taught since my early childhood that “all the religions are one” and that “the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens”.

Maybe because of the courage of Aziz’s closest relatives who, instead of crying in despair, comfort us over the phone.

Maybe, even more, because of Aziz himself.

Aziz, who didn’t leave Iran because he felt he had a responsibility towards those other members of the Bahai community who, unlike him, did not have relatives who could help them start a safe life abroad. Who felt a sense of responsibility towards his country, which he loved, and its people, whom he wanted to serve.

Aziz, who was supposed to spend the year-end holidays with us in New Delhi but whose passport was confiscated at the airport in Tehran and is now in jail in the sadly notorious Evin prison, where his father was hung 16 years ago.

Aziz, who shares the fate of four other Bahais, arrested in Tehran the same day, and, among others, seven administrators of the Iranian Bahai community, held in prison since May 2008.

Against all odds, I remain optimistic. I still believe that the voices of people around the world and the objections raised by the international community against Iran’s systematic persecution of Bahais can change the course of history. I also strongly believe that voices from India can have a very powerful influence. I call on these voices to express themselves openly and forcefully." 

I guess the only "brainwashing" of  highly accomplished and intelligent people was their selfless devotion to God, Country ,service and principle . Would you agree?

Faryarm 

To stay or not to stay, is the not the question.

Dear Seeb,

Intertwined with the very legitimate question that you ask, is an implication that a mandate of sorts exists and which you characterize as "brain-washed".

The Baha'is of Iran, despite the persecution remain a vibrant community whose members express their commitment to faith through deeds. They serve the people of Iran through their deeds not only because Iran is the birthplace and cradle of their Faith but that serving humanity is the purpose of their Faith.

The relentless persecution by the authorities is met with relentless acts of charity and good deeds by the Baha'is of Iran.  This again is an example of commitment by individuals to a Cause.  The Baha'is of Iran are also free in how they express their faith.  Commitment to faith does not detract from a person's "intelligence" nor does abandoning a Cause make a person "intelligent". 

During the past regime's rule, the Baha'i community of Iran made significant contributions to the advancement of society in Iran.  During the past 30 years they have exemplified qualities that have distinguished them amongst the disillusioned masses, through sacrificial acts of kindness, charity, and honesty in the face of brutality and injustice.  Please be cautious as you may misunderstand by mischaracterizing these rare and noble qualites.  The world hungers for these qualities which ultimately will heal the wounds of the ailing body of humanity.

The emphasis on unity is on unity of purpose and not unity in choice or means.  Individual freedoms are not compromised but channeled towards a unity of purpose and goal.

Perhaps your assumption that "educated" and "professionals" will act differently in this context can now be reexamined.

Alborz

There is not doubt that the

There is not doubt that the Bahais in Iran are being persecuted and treated very unfairly. I was just curious that why some of them leave, enjoy having rights in the countries they decide to live in, and leading successful lives, while others are staying in Iran? Is this a group decision asking some to stay, others to leave? Or a personal one?

As a group of people who emphasize unity, how do they reconcile with the fact that they essentially are leaving behind a large number of their own to suffer in Iran? I know some of them were professionals and highly educated in the Pahlavi era, and have been more than capable of leaving, so what makes them stay behind? The thought of being brain-washed crosses one's mind, when seemingly intelligent people act in ways that are detrimental for them.

Hamvatan! هم وطن "..meehanam abad konam.."

...

در انتظار نم نم باران

ای سـرو ناز گوشه صحرا چه میـکنی        بی کس غریب یــکّه و تـنها چه میکنی
باغت کجاست؟ آب روان کو شکوفــه کو        اینک کنار صــــخره ســمّا چه میکنی
بعد از نوای بلبل و غوغـــای فاختـــــــه        با نـعره های بــوم بـــد آوا چه میکنی
بالیده ای مدام به گلزار و ســـــبزه زار        زانو زده بخاک تو ایـــــــنجا چه میکنی
در انتظار نم نم باران نشــــسته ای ؟        باران اگر نــــــــــبارد آیا چه میکنی
یاران هـمه روانـــه دیــــر فــــــنا شـدند        ای بیوفا تو مــیل بــقا را چه میکنی
امروز ار ز جور فلک ایمــــــــنی ولیـک        ای دوســت با تطاول فـردا چه میکنی
گفتـم از این مقوله کتابی به ســـرو نـاز        آهی کشید و گفت که با ما چه میکنی
ما آن بلا کـــش به جــفا صبـــر کرده ایم        ای بی هنر تو عیب شکیبا چه میکنی
از عشق باغــــبان سـر پا ایستاده ایـم        دل مرده را بگوی که غــوغا چه میکنی
ترسـان اگــر زموج حــوادث حــــذر کــنی        ای نا خـــدا مــــیانــــه دریا چه میکنی
عاشق نه ای صـــلای محبت چه مــیزنی        مجنون نه ای به منزل لـیلا چه میکنی
چون پـشـه ار ز حـمله بـادی بــــــدر روی        آهنــگ آشــیانه عـــــــنقا چه میکنی
در خاک عـشق ریشــه پنهان دوانده ایم        ای تـند باد ، زحمت بـیــجا چه میکنی
مائـیم و پـــایــــــداری و آئــین دوســتی        ای مدعی، تـو نیـز بگو تا چه میکنی

سروده جناب هوشمند فتح اعظم.

به امید سلامتی‌ و آزادی یاران عزیز ایران و دوستان در بند...یا الله المستغاث

مونا

May God protect

this great  human being from hands of these criminals running Iran.