Iranian Authorities Demolish Baha'i Cemetery
Here are some recent photos of a demolished Baha’i Cemetery near Yazd, Iran. A little personal…My family is from Yazd.
The destruction of yet another Baha’i holy place in Iran has prompted an outcry by Baha’is around the world, who see that the Iranian Government is persisting in a campaign of persecution so extreme in the fanaticism driving it that it even jeopardizes invaluable assets of the country’s cultural heritage. The Baha’i community of Iran, with about 300,000 members, is that country’s largest religious minority.
With some seven million members in more than 180 countries worldwide, the Baha’i Faith is an independent religion that promotes such teachings as the oneness of humanity, the underlying unity of the religions, the equality of women and men, and the need to eliminate prejudice.
Since 1979, despite their peaceful character, more than 200 Iranian Baha’is have been killed, and hundreds more have been tortured and imprisoned. Tens of thousands have lost jobs, pensions, and access to education, all solely because the clerics who rule Iran declare them heretics.
“The hatred of the extremist mullahs for the Baha’is is such that they, like the Taliban of Afghanistan who destroyed the towering Buddhist sculptures at Bamiyan, intend not only to eradicate the religion, but even to erase all traces of its existence in the country of its birth…”
Here is a link to another similar article that I took some of the wording to describe the above photos from…
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Greetings Mideast Youth………..I applaud you for being outspoken on issues such as the plight of the Baha’is in Iran. I feel it is vital for Muslims and non-Baha’i Iranians to stand up for the Baha’is and other oppressed people in Iran because it shows that you don’t have to belong to or even agree with the Baha’i religion to show your anger at the way they and others are being treated in Iran. It shows that we all as human beings must stand up for the oppressed everywhere and be a voice for them when they may not be able to express their own voices.
Thanks so much for your website.
Peace,
Jim Ferguson
In 1848, The Bahai faith originated in Iran and has evolved into an independent world religion. Bahais believe that the Hidden Imam appeared 150 years ago and promised a new prophet who appeared one year after he died.
Under the IRI, Bahai shrines have been demolished, properties have been confiscated, and Bahais have been persecuted. Iran’s High Court of Justice has ruled that just belonging to Bahai institutions justified the execution of the adherents, who create “disorder and disunity amongst Muslims”. The faith with about then 500,000 adherents was not listed among the religious acknowledged by name in Iran’s Islamic constitution.
What has made Bahais more vulnerable than any ethnics and religious minorities in Iran is their belief that the Hidden Imam is already appeared. Therefore, the faith has been viewed as heretical by the Mullahs’ regime waiting for the Hidden Imam to reappear.
Thank you heroic Mideast youth for shining light on this unfortunate and unjustifiable crime. It seems that even in death a Baha’i in Iran is not allowed basic human dignity. It never ceases to amaze me how followers of a great faith like Islam can claim their religion encourages behavior like this.
Jahanshah had a few minor errors that probably should be corrected. The Baha’i Faith actually started in 1844 (1260 AH) when the Bab (Gate) declared His mission the evening of May 22 and a young mulla accepted Him. The Bab said His mission was to prepare the people for one to come after Him even greater than Himself. Baha’is believe this was Baha’u'llah (Glory of God) who declared His mission in 1863. This was almost 13 years after the Bab had been martyred for His teachings, which were viewed as a dangerous heresy by the clergy who instigated much persecution and death of the early believers. As we can see it still goes on. Well, thanks for at least making sure this desecration did not go unnoticed.
Wendy, actually The Bab declared May 23rd, not the 22nd.
Fun fact, one day later on May 24th 1844 the telegraph was invested. It’s first message “What Hath God Wrought,” thereby launching the world into increasing globalization
invented*
Wendy
I sensitively defend all ethnic and minority groups in Iran. This is also a way to fight the totalitarian IRI. Futhermore, they are religiously and socially deserve to be defended. This is solely due to my humanistic and secular views.
The Bahai faith was founded in Iran a century and half ago. Its extension reflects dedication to the ideal of world citizenship.
It proposes advice about human nature and the prospects for a common future. For me, this is a relatively progressive phenomenon.
However, I am not going to find a unifying vision in a divine belief like followers of in any religion. Now if Baha’u'llah, was a God’s picked-hand prophet or a leader of a cult, for me he remains a social phenomenone.
I am sure that the driving force behind the psychology of human nature looks for an intervention of the Divine.
This “Divine” can even be more present in moral and spiritual faculties that reached into ethnically, transcendent figures as Krishna, Buda, and thoughts of New Ages. It may atten to new dimensions of reality when our natural sciences can better explain the philosophy of being.
There is something deeply pathological about religious prejudice so strong that it pursues people beyond the grave.
Baha’is do have the right o take uptheir own political csuse as abstention from divisive politcal activity is areligious law.
Thank you Mid East youth. I am a Baha’i from Puerto Rico. I have Linked your article to myspace.com where I have a blog. In my country we have Christian Cemeteries that are starting to look like the Baha’s Cemeteries in Iran, government neglect is the cause of this.
Although the date for the declaration of the Bab was on the 23rd May in 1844. Bahai holy days begin after sunset on the eve of the date and end at sunset on the acctual date. We celebrate them on the eve of the holy day and do not work on the acctual day.
Except for the Martyrdom of the Bab which we hold memorials for at the exact time mid day on July 9th, (in the UK its 1pm due to the summer time changes) 1950 in Tabriz.therefore its quite understandable for someone new to the Bahai Faith to think its the 22nd when we celebrate.
Sigh
The shame is a persistant one, the one that belongs to how and why on earth our Bahai population is discriminated generation after generation in the country their faith is essentially sprouted from. I mean there is no way to justify, no way to change the mindset of these governments who come and go and for no clear reason are intimidated by the clear peaceful message of the faith. I am not a Bahai, but the many Bahais around the world I have seen, had been very respectful people promoting peace and hormony and truth.
The only way I can consolidate is that Our Bahais are not the only group being discriminated, though they are one of the groups who are more harshly dealt with, as to having no rights , no rights at all. ABHA to the Bahais of Iran and those around the world, may His Devine Plan change the course of events as to make us all celebrate for all the good causes in our little troubled MIddle East. Amen
Bahais do not even have any clergy so why do the Mullahs feel so threatend? Those who follow blindly should ask themselves this question and try to find the answer by reading for them selves instead of listening to anyone else who is afraid they might become redundant financially. Bahais do not take money from anyone other than the Bahais themselves which is to help social economic development and to help the poor.besides some administration.
Bahais do not kill or blow people up and certainly dont convert others.
The fist principal for seekers is independant search after the truth and to know by your own investigation and not by your neighbours. However if some one does inquire we will direct them to the source for further learning and loan books or invite them into our homes to tell them about the peacefull message from Bahaullah.
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