Believe

There are far too many horror stories regarding Muslim’s crimes against Bahais

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Believe
by Ghahremani
08-Mar-2009
 

I just finished reading yet another article regarding the Bahai faith in the Iranian. It seems as if the more I read about such topics, the more I realize how closed-minded we remain. I do not practice any organized religion, yet I do respect them all for bringing peace to a majority of mankind.

Years ago, when my children asked me about my faith and wanted to know what theirs should be, I told them I believe in a supreme power, one far beyond man's understanding. And, when they wanted to know to whom I prayed, my response began with stories of the old telephone system and how people needed an operator to be connected. I told them, "I no longer feel the need to ask for help from any person, book, or place of worship. I believe God is one and believing that, I can now dial direct!"

True as it may be that back in the old days, having an operator was essential to a good connection, we have learned how some of the people in charge also managed to cause disruptions in a society. Their invasion of privacy, misinterpretation of messages, and interferences could cause serious problems.

Growing up in a primarily Muslim society, I don’t remember the first time I heard words that proclaimed Islam as the best faith, if not the only one God accepted. However, such underlying messages were always there. Educated people made their discriminatory comments in a subtler manner. “These Jews won’t seep,” they said to mean that Jewish people were careful with their money. Or, “That Khacheek is ‘unclean’ – najes – and a drunk.” A common insult aimed at our Iranian-Armenians, even though their homes were much cleaner than ours. Even the Zoroastrians, the few remaining followers of our ancestors and the only ones who did not give in to Arabs, were not immune to such bigotry. I doubt there’s any Iranian who hasn’t heard comments such as, “They worship fire,” or, “They leave their dead up on a roof for vultures to feed on.”

Still, we lived side by side with religious minorities and the law, at least in my lifetime in Iran, seemed to protect their rights. Although fanatics continued their nasty treatment of innocent people, their remarks were somewhat controlled.

Muslims believe their faith to be the ultimate and, according to Koran, Mohammad is the final prophet. So when the Bahais introduced yet another faith, and the man responsible for it happened to be from among our own society, there was outrage. Not only was the new “Unfounded” faith disrespected, the followers of this new “cult” were accused of blasphemy, a crime Islam considers punishable by death.

There are far too many horror stories, not to mention documented reports, regarding the Muslim’s crimes against the Bahais. As far as I remember, the Iranian constitution never gave them a chance and no amendments were introduced to provide their safeguard.

I remember the Bahai’s secrecy and how they had to lie and usurp as Muslims in order to be employed, get an education, or just be accepted. I remember my Bahai friends reluctantly attending Islamic studies, while students of other religious minorities were exempt. At one point, curiosity made me attend a few Bahai gatherings, an act for which I was severely punished at home. “Don’t you know their friendship is a trick? That’s how they brainwash you to become one of them!”

Only when I was removed from my closed-in society and left the glass bubble I was raised in did I realize the futility of such boundaries. Indeed, it must have been my observation of the harm caused by “operators” that made me decide to “dial direct”. In my direct connection, no one will get hurt, no one needs to know what, or whom, I believe in. In return, it neither concerns me how many others are simultaneously connected nor through which operator they do that. Appreciating the equality among God’s creations and seeing the fairness in such equality seems to have finally brought me a semblance of peace.

How sad it is to look out and realize that, despite all the progress in the modern world, we have remained the same. From time to time, I receive a ‘forward’ from a Jewish friend, a Bahai schoolmate, or an Armenian colleague, whose intend could be considered an insult to Islam. Most of the time, I delete such forwards without bothering to respond. I figure this may well be their “reverse prejudice”, a voice once hushed that now needs to scream and, in my pursuit of true peace, I refuse to regard such comments as personal.

The Bahais wish to claim having reached a universal venue of worship, a place where all religions can come together. Alas, human nature leaves no chance for such a dream to become reality, at least not as long as there are people in power, who simply wouldn’t benefit from universal peace. Be it for money, supremacy, or other personal gain, there will always be a few who enforce separation, create gaps, and even build walls. Just take a good look at what is happening to us! We migrated across the globe in search of a better life and the first thing we do is find a publication whose motto is “Nothing is sacred,” and insult one another.

Years ago, when my children were younger, they often fought over one taking what belonged to the other. Unable to solve their differences, they came to me for justice and I always gave them the same answer. “This is how wars begin,” I told them. “If you aren’t willing to share and can’t respect each other’s territory, then don’t you ever dare talk to me about peace. The way I see it, you, Lilly, are Palestine and your sister is Israel, which makes this pencil no different than the Gaza Strip!”

Needless to say my words did little to stop their bickering and, to this day, they fight from time to time. In a world filled with conflict and prejudice, the best one can hope for is to find the peace within and to recognize the right of others to the same. Maybe then, and only then, will we stop arguing about matters that remain sacred to some, even if they mean nothing to us.

Zohreh Ghahremani

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Keyvan you forgot this !

by Lover (not verified) on

Speaking of a future time of conversion to the Faith by Muslims, God Passes By describes in several places a truly remarkable prophecy of `Abdu'l-Baha's that the "banner of Ya Baha'u'l-Abha ... must float from the pinnacles of the foremost seat of learning in the Islamic world." The reference here is to Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the most famous Islamic university and seminary.

In another amazing passage in this same book, the Guardian traces the extinction of Islamic law, the decline and secularization of Islam, and the ultimate conversion of all Muslim peoples to the Faith of Baha'u'llah, to the trumpet-blast of the New Dispensation sounded by Tahirih at the Conference of Badasht.


Keyvan

Baha'i's DEFEND Islam

by Keyvan on

For those above who have suggested that categorically Baha'i's "bash Islam" you cannot be more misguided.  The Baha'i Faith and Baha'i's don't blame Islam for the hardship.  IN FACT the Baha'i writings ask Baha'i's to actually clear up misunderstandings of Islam in the west. Yes of course you can find exceptions to this, but you can't make categorical assessments like this either way, especially since the thrust of the Baha'i Faith is driven towards spreading the truth of Islam as a true religion of God, and Muhammad a true Messenger of God.


Here are SOME actual directives from the BAHA'I WRITINGS.  

 

"The mission of the American Bahá'ís is, no doubt to eventually establish the truth of Islam in the West."


(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 30, 1941, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 496)

"There is so much misunderstanding about Islam in the West in general that you have to dispel. Your task is rather difficult and requires a good deal of erudition. Your chief task is to acquaint the friends with the pure teaching of the Prophet as recorded in the Qur'án, and then to point out how these teachings have, throughout succeeding ages, influenced nay guided the course of human development. In other words you have to show the position and significance of Islam in the history of civilization."


(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 27, 1936, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 495)


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To gol-dust, You cannot

by Anonymous111 (not verified) on

To gol-dust,

You cannot dismiss ALL religions based on the worst, most prejudiced people in some of these religions.

The goal of the Baha'i Faith for example is the exact opposite of what you described in your assessment of "all organized religion."

Baha'i's focus on unity and celebration of diversity, for people of all religions, races, nations, tribes, etc.


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To Student and Thought

by Martijn (not verified) on

Would you be so kind as to stop this nonsense about Bahais insulting Islam? Please come back if you have a real issue to discuss.


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Why is it that Baha'is and many American Iranians Bash Islam ?

by Student (not verified) on

When you Bahais accept Islam to be a religion of god then why do you Insult Islam ?


alborz

From seeds to fruits...

by alborz on

... is a transformation that can seldom be interrupted.  The hatred and suspicion expressed towards the Baha'is is the fruit of seeds planted at a very early age in the life of Iranians of every generation.

Your reflective and englightened commentary represents an interruption, the like of which is not representative of the vast majority of Iranians.

The vast majority of Iranian learn of the Baha'i Faith in the context of short articles pertaining to their plight in Iran, and through brief and guarded exchanges with Baha'i friends and acquaintences. 

While the vast majority of readers on this site have come to expect civil and rational interaction with others, this has primarily led to tolerance and at most empathy and understanding for the plight of fellow Iranian Baha'is.  This needs to be celebrated in the context of where we have been, but it certainly does not represent where we should be at, given the absence of any limitation to independent investigation of the very subject which we now choose to tolerate and at best show understanding and empathy towards.

Few of us Iranians have picked up a book on the Baha'i Faith or critically examined its principles, its animating purpose, or studied its history.  Most questions that have been asked about the Baha'i Faith on this site, have in reality been statements with no intent to actually be receptive to a response.

It is the hope of every Iranian Baha'i, that their Faith be understood not through the lens of their persecution but through a simple act of curiosity.  It is high time that we raise the bar to go beyond tolerance and empathy and reach a new plateau of conscious knowledge.  For this, there is no substitute for individual desire and effort at at time when religion is viewed, by many, as the root of all discord.

The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.

We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices. They can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy. They have conceived the straight to be crooked, and have imagined their friend an enemy.

Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner. Arise, and lift up your voices, that haply they that are fast asleep may be awakened. Say: O ye who are as dead! The Hand of Divine bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink your fill. Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live.

Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, ch. 106

 

Alborz


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thought, you raise a very good point

by Seh Shod (not verified) on

Yes indeed, the poor Mullahs and other kind-hearted Moslem fanatics were just minding their business and bothering no one until, out of nowhere, the nasty 'ol Bahais started "insulting / bashing Moslems and their religion and this is what incited the Moslems to do these terrible things".

Man, if you really are a Bahai as you claim to be (which I find difficult to believe), then you are shockingly clueless about the reasons behind the history of the persecution of the people of your own faith. I mean, I'm not a Bahai, even I know what's been going on in Iran.


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Okay I read Roya's message posted on Women's day column & Quran

by Reader (not verified) on

As she said there is no mention of Akhunds, Mollahs, Sayeds, ayatollahs made in Quran. There is Gog and Magog or as Roya explained it Gorg va Magorg, Wolf and Wolverines which explains why God an allah named these Mollahs that way.

So my question to you Bahais is this. Why do you insist on saying Islam is true and want everyone who joins you accept the validity of Islam when in Mollahs own book, their god is calling them as Gorg va Magorg? Even in Bible and Torat. God calls them Gog and Magog. So by insisting on the validity of Islam are you not giving validity to these Gorgs? There is a good chapter in both Quran and Bible on how God and allah are going to get rid of these Gog and Maogs and clean the earth from their filth. Just google it like we did and see it for yourselves. I converted from Eslam the religion of these Gorgs to Christianity five years ago and so did many people in my family. But we very much like the teachings of Bahais and I worked for Bahais in Iran. But Akhund gorg came and shut down their business and burned it all down. That's when my whole family converted from eslam. I We can't bring ourselves to accept these Gorgs va Magorgs as valid when God in Bible and allah in Quran both call them
as Gog and Magog.

Thank you Roya for clearing this coded word in Quran and Bible for me. Neither I nor anyone in my family or church had quite figured out that Gog and Magog in Parsi meant Gorg va Magorg. Now I know what is going to happen to these Mollahs. It's in Quran as well as Bible. and we will tell others.

I don't have only modem connection from Iran and will dial back to read the replies when I can. I tell you that many thousands are converting every day out of eslam into Christ and Bahaullah but because of persecution we don't announce it and don't record our names anywhere. We know what happened to the Bahais and Christians who registered their names. Mollah gorgs raid homes all the time and confiscate computers and books to find the list of names and since we don't keep them we are safe. These Gorgs are losing their power and they know it. Unfortunately they will kill a lot of innocent people before they are overthrown by God but they will not come back again. God Bless.


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To an Iranian

by Thought (not verified) on

Friend, i know that and it is a reality, but you cannot deny the fact that "some" of our Bahais bash mozlems and islam and I just want to say that this is not good and "if" we are doing this then it is against the teachings of our beloved faith. We must stop this "BAD ACTION" and hope they will also STOP INSULTING OUR HOLY FIGURES.

Thank you Mr. Ghahremani for this article.


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To Thought

by an Iranian (not verified) on

As far as I know Baha'is are the only non-mozlem religious minority in Iran who consider Islam as a divine religion.Baha'is believe that Mohammad was a true messenger of God.

Btw, thank you Mrs Ghahremani.


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Who are those insulting Mozlems ?

by Thought (not verified) on

I think we should stop insulting Mozlems and they may stop this foolish things to us. This is a fact that some of us Bahais are insulting / bashing mozlems and their religion and this is what inciting them to do all this. This is my thought, I may be wrong.


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My trying direct dial and getting beaten up by Aagha but

by Bache Irani (not verified) on

I always wondered what is the use of reading all the Arabic stuff and memorizing it, if I could not understand what they meant. Now that I read this article, it explains why. Once I asked the Mollah (Aagha) in my school what does all these things mean anyway? Why do I have to bend down and up toward Arabistan five times a day? I told him I want to study medicine and I don't have time and energy to read Arabic and memorize these things. Plus I told him my parents never say their namaz. Needless to say I took a very bad beating from him with lots of foohsh that day and went home with bruises all over my body because of his sillees and laghads. Five years later, I was working in the hospital. Hazrate Aagha came in on a strecher. I asked him if he was going to say his namaz that day. At first he pretended that he didn't know me. But when the needle went in him, he very eagerly recalled. We had a good chat. He told me it was his duty to beat me up so that I go to heaven. That night a couple of Iraqi missiles hit the town and the lights went out. I brought him a candle and told him to say his namaz. It was his turn to face the qibleh. The next day we found out that Aagha had accidentally fallen out of the window several stories and had gone to oon donya the night before during all the bombings that was going on. Never quite understood why he did that.


faryarm

Dear Zohreh,

by faryarm on

Thank you for such personal and touching piece.

I have just seen Oprah's  new Soul Series with Rainn Wilson, a Bahai.

Is it not ironic that millions of human beings, mostly non Iranians, have been able to connect with the Unifying message that Arose from Iran. and yet it is a subject of such violent opposition and deep prejudice in our own land.

This idea of spirituality is the subject of light hearted .yet still  deep discussion with Oprah and Rainn.

see it for yourself. 

Regards

faryarm

//event.oprah.com/videochannel/soulseries/oss_player_980x665.html?guest=rw&part=1

//event.oprah.com/videochannel/soulseries/oss_player_980x665.html?guest=rw&part=2 


gol-dust

Of course, the more you read the more obsessed you'd become!

by gol-dust on

That's the problem with all organized religions where they teach concentrating on the difference not the commonality. So just concentrate on yourself and don't let other's ignorance bother you too much, since if you do, you would become like them!


Tahirih

I have enjoyed reading your article

by Tahirih on

I wish that you could share this with lots of people.

Regards,

Tahirih


Maryam Hojjat

Mrs. Ghahremani

by Maryam Hojjat on

thank you for your excellent article.  It is always refreshing to learn from you.


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I am very proud of your

by Arian (not verified) on

I am very proud of your points of view, I wish all the people and specially muslims could think more deeply and search after the truth.
Thank you


Princess

Amen!

by Princess on

I couldn't agree with you more. It was a delight to read you thoughts on this, Ms. Ghahremani. Thank you.