Persecution of Baha'is in Iran: Difference between revisions
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The Baha'i Faith is an | {{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=1|Content=2|Language=4|References=2}} | ||
The Baha'i Faith is an Abrahamic [[Monotheism|monotheistic]] religion founded in Persia in the 19<sup>th</sup> century which claims to share the same values and origins of its predecessors. Its founder, Baha'u'llah, is regarded by Baha'is as "the most recent in the line of Messengers of [[God]] that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes [[Ibrahim|Abraham]], Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, [[Jesus|Christ]] and [[Muhammad|Mohammed]]." The current estimates for the total number of Baha'is around the world ranges from 5 million<ref>[http://news.bahai.org/media-information/statistics/ Statistics] - Bahá'í World News Service</ref><ref>Hutter, Manfred (2005). "Bahā'īs". in Jones, Lindsay. Encyclopedia of Religion. 2 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference US. pp. 737–740. ISBN 0028657330.</ref> to 7.9 million.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html#people World: People: Religions] - CIA World Factbook</ref> | |||
Since the religion's inception, the Bahá'ís of Iran have been persecuted. While the Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian minorities are also persecuted, they have certain limited rights, whereas Baha'is have none.<ref>[http://www.marzeporgohar.org/v2/index.php?l=1&cat=25&scat=&artid=1166 Stop the Persecution of non-Muslim Iranians] - Human Rights Council of the Marze Por Gohar Party</ref> Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, this persecution has become systematized. Unofficial figures have put the number of Baha'i deaths into the thousands, but officially, more than 200 have been executed or killed, hundreds more have been imprisoned, and tens of thousands have been deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational opportunities. All national and local Bahá'í administrative institutions have been banned by the Government, and Bahá'í holy places, cemeteries, and community properties have been confiscated, vandalized, or destroyed.<ref>Friedrich W. Affolter - [http://www.aa.psu.edu/journals/war-crimes/articles/V1/v1n1a3.pdf The Specter of Ideological Genocide: The Bahá’ís of Iran] - War Crimes, Genocide, & Crimes against Humanity, Volume 1, January, 2005</ref> | |||
This treatment of Baha'is is justified by [[ | This treatment of Baha'is is justified by [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Shari'ah]] through [[Islam and Apostasy|apostasy]] laws, because traditional Islamic law mandates that anyone who leaves [[Islam]] be killed. According to many scholars, since the Baha'i faith is an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, Baha'is are apostates and can therefore be justifiably killed. Many Baha'is continue to conceal their religion and often call themselves Muslims. | ||
Over time, the international community has become more aware of Baha'i persecution due to advocacy which has brought the United Nations, Amnesty International, the European Union, and the United States into discussions with representatives of the faith. | |||
Post-Islamic monotheistic religions such as the [[Ahmadiyya]] and Bahá'í faiths pose unique challenges to Islamic authorities. It is difficult to dismiss the followers of such religions as "benighted heathens," like the polytheists of Asia and the animists of Africa, or as "outdated precursors," like Jews and Christians. Moreover, their existence presents a challenge to the Islamic doctrine of the perfection and finality of Muhammad's revelation. | |||
The following is a directive from the Iranian Interior Ministry sent to all provincial governments to collect detailed information about Baha’i activities and individuals: | |||
{{Quote|1=[http://www.marzeporgohar.org/v2/index.php?l=1&cat=25&scat=&artid=1166 Stop the Persecution of non-Muslim Iranians]<BR>Human Rights Council of the Marze Por Gohar Party|2=Emblem of the IRI | {{Quote|1=[http://www.marzeporgohar.org/v2/index.php?l=1&cat=25&scat=&artid=1166 Stop the Persecution of non-Muslim Iranians]<BR>Human Rights Council of the Marze Por Gohar Party|2=Emblem of the IRI | ||
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City<BR>Population<BR>Economic Situation: Income, Occupation<BR>Social Interaction<BR>Social Information<BR>Political and Social Activities<BR>Principal Elements (leaders)<BR>Contacts with Foreign Circles<BR>Miscellaneous}} | City<BR>Population<BR>Economic Situation: Income, Occupation<BR>Social Interaction<BR>Social Information<BR>Political and Social Activities<BR>Principal Elements (leaders)<BR>Contacts with Foreign Circles<BR>Miscellaneous}} | ||
Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations, has also criticized Iran's claim that seven leaders of the community who were imprisoned in Iran were held for security reasons and not because of their faith, calling the assertion "utterly baseless." He argued that Iran's practice of connecting the group to Zionism, the underlying political philosophy of Israel, was a "distortion" and an attempt to "stir animosity" among the Iranian public.<ref>Christopher Buck. Islam and Minorities: The Case of the Bahá'ís. Studies in Contemporary Islam, 5(1):83–106, 2003.</ref> | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category: | {{page_title|Persecution of Baha'is in Iran}} | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Human rights]] | ||
[[Category:Apostasy]] | |||
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The Baha'i Faith is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion founded in Persia in the 19th century which claims to share the same values and origins of its predecessors. Its founder, Baha'u'llah, is regarded by Baha'is as "the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Mohammed." The current estimates for the total number of Baha'is around the world ranges from 5 million[1][2] to 7.9 million.[3]
Since the religion's inception, the Bahá'ís of Iran have been persecuted. While the Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian minorities are also persecuted, they have certain limited rights, whereas Baha'is have none.[4] Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, this persecution has become systematized. Unofficial figures have put the number of Baha'i deaths into the thousands, but officially, more than 200 have been executed or killed, hundreds more have been imprisoned, and tens of thousands have been deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational opportunities. All national and local Bahá'í administrative institutions have been banned by the Government, and Bahá'í holy places, cemeteries, and community properties have been confiscated, vandalized, or destroyed.[5]
This treatment of Baha'is is justified by Shari'ah through apostasy laws, because traditional Islamic law mandates that anyone who leaves Islam be killed. According to many scholars, since the Baha'i faith is an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, Baha'is are apostates and can therefore be justifiably killed. Many Baha'is continue to conceal their religion and often call themselves Muslims.
Over time, the international community has become more aware of Baha'i persecution due to advocacy which has brought the United Nations, Amnesty International, the European Union, and the United States into discussions with representatives of the faith.
Post-Islamic monotheistic religions such as the Ahmadiyya and Bahá'í faiths pose unique challenges to Islamic authorities. It is difficult to dismiss the followers of such religions as "benighted heathens," like the polytheists of Asia and the animists of Africa, or as "outdated precursors," like Jews and Christians. Moreover, their existence presents a challenge to the Islamic doctrine of the perfection and finality of Muhammad's revelation.
The following is a directive from the Iranian Interior Ministry sent to all provincial governments to collect detailed information about Baha’i activities and individuals:
Islamic Republic of Iran Ministry of Interior
Date: August 19th 2006
Number: 43.70878
In His Lofty Name
(To) Honorable Political-Security Deputies of Provincial Governments of the Entire Country
Salaam Aleikom,
Respectfully, according to the information sent (to us), certain elements of the perverting Baha’i cult are attempting to advocate and propagate the ideology of Baha’ism under the cover of business and social activities. Since this cult is illegal and is being used by international organizations (human rights etc…) and Zionist circles against the Islamic Republic regime, it is (hereby) reques ted that you order the relevant institutions (intelligence departments) to manage and monitor their social behavior, delicately and seriously. In the meantime, complete the requested information according to the attached form and send it to this Vice Ministry for processing by the sixth of September (2006). CODE
Seyyed (Title of Decendants of Prophet Mohammad) Mohammad-Reza Mavali-Zadeh
Director General of the Political Bureau
Signature
************
The Attached Form is entitled: “The Situation of the Perverting Baha’i Cult in Each Province”
The requested information categories are:
CityPopulation
Economic Situation: Income, Occupation
Social Interaction
Social Information
Political and Social Activities
Principal Elements (leaders)
Contacts with Foreign Circles
Miscellaneous
Human Rights Council of the Marze Por Gohar Party
Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations, has also criticized Iran's claim that seven leaders of the community who were imprisoned in Iran were held for security reasons and not because of their faith, calling the assertion "utterly baseless." He argued that Iran's practice of connecting the group to Zionism, the underlying political philosophy of Israel, was a "distortion" and an attempt to "stir animosity" among the Iranian public.[6]
External links
- The Baabis and Baha’is are not Muslims - Fatwa from Islam Q&A
- Iran’s Decades of Christian Persecution
- A Closer Look at Baha'i - From the "Short List of "Cults", Aberrational Christian, and Other Controversial Groups"
References
- ↑ Statistics - Bahá'í World News Service
- ↑ Hutter, Manfred (2005). "Bahā'īs". in Jones, Lindsay. Encyclopedia of Religion. 2 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference US. pp. 737–740. ISBN 0028657330.
- ↑ World: People: Religions - CIA World Factbook
- ↑ Stop the Persecution of non-Muslim Iranians - Human Rights Council of the Marze Por Gohar Party
- ↑ Friedrich W. Affolter - The Specter of Ideological Genocide: The Bahá’ís of Iran - War Crimes, Genocide, & Crimes against Humanity, Volume 1, January, 2005
- ↑ Christopher Buck. Islam and Minorities: The Case of the Bahá'ís. Studies in Contemporary Islam, 5(1):83–106, 2003.