Aadel Collection
Reagan asks Iran to spare Bahai lives
- b Xhaleej Times, Tuesday, May 24, 1983 11 Reagan asks • Iran to spare Bàhai lives WASHINGTON—p jdent Reagan yesterday appealed to Ayatollah Ruhollab Khomeini and the rest of • dv Iran's leadership not to execute 22 se. prominent members of the Baba'i the faith. • the He said the United States and the world were increasingly alarmed and dismayed by the persecution and rep- ression o. the l3aha 'is in Iran, “Recently we have learned that the . government of Iran has sentenced 22 to- prominent members of the Baha'i .. faith to death,” he said in a statement. More than 130 had already been killed since the beginning of the revolution in Iran, including one man executed on January 1 and three :. hanged in Shiraz on March 12, he noted. .e “These individuals are not guilty of any political offence or crime, they have not plotted the overthrow of the regime and they are not responsible for the deaths of anyone,” Mr Reagan said. The president strongly urged other ‘ world leaders to join him in an appeal ° to Ayatollah Khomeini and the rest of t the Iranian leadership not to carry out the death sentences,—Reuter 11 I I Mr/Mrs/Miss F LOCK CAPS - Address P.B Tel- I I SEND TO AGENTS. ANTHRAPER BOOKS •p BOX 8074 TEL: 212292. DUBAT Drama onk ! Are Sea nph0nyoUresh . . . , prawns artc ' hers - . . • ,, ,:- •1 -. ... — BP000592 ) Please send me an introductory offer pack on cassette . complete with Fout/Th ee Rooks: o I a n Interested in learning Frenoh 0 Arabic 0 English 0 .other language (please state) D i WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON THE NEW O PLEASE SEND ME TI -IF COURSE o PLEASE SEND YOUR SALES REP O TOTAL DH ENCLOSED
Features. Bahais ast month, after a United •Nations report criticised Iran's human-rights record, the Khomeini government invited the UN to send in envoy to investigate the charges. The plight of Iran's 300,000 Bahais as aroused particular concern. Irene Ertugrul describes their position a religious minority in Iran and the historical background of their chefs and practices. _____________________ ithough Bahais assert that their faith is an independent religion, Muslims ‘egard it as a pernicious heresy within iain. Consequently the Bahais, and the 3abis who preceded them, have often faced ‘epression, especially in Iran, the birthplace .f Bahaism. Under the Qajars and the Pahievis, fran's 3ahais were constantly harassed and onietimes subjected to murder and torture, ,ften instigated by religious leaders and )OliticaI groups. Their situation became ven worse with the victory of the Islamic evolution in early 1979. A determined ampaign was launched to eradicate the àith from Iran, even though the Bahais ow comprise the country's largest religious minorty. In an interview given shortly before his eturn flom exile, Ayatollah Khomeini romised full respect for religious ninorities. affirming that islam would .dopt “a humanistic attitude” and that there should be no reason to fear”. But ‘ater he remarked: ‘They Ithe Bahaisi are a jolitical faction: they are harmnflul; they will ot be accepted.” Various tactics are now being used, including the arrest and execution of arominent Bahais, the confiscation of the tssets of the Bahai community and the cxertion of financial pressure and intimidation, in order to force Bahais to renounce their faith. In August 1980 all nine members and two appointed oflicials of the Bahai National Spiritual Assembly were arrested by Revolutionary Guards and have not been seen since. Eight months later, two members of the Shiraz Local Spiritual Assembly were ex?cuted on charges of ‘assisting Zionism and Savak”, as well as being members of the Bahai hierarchy — the first instance of such a role being designated a capital offence. At the end of 1981 these elected to replace the national leaders were rounded up and executed. In January 1982 six members of Tehran's Local Spiritual Assembly were shot, together with the woman at whose house they were meeting. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that these people were executed for being Bahais. A spokesman for the Iranian Embassy in London told The Middie East: “Do you think that, after so many people have given their lives to institute an Islamic regime in Iran, anyone would be executed if he were not guilty of the offences charged?” But no evidence has been made public (even to the victims' relatives') to substantiate the various political charges made against them. Since the start of the revolution some 120 Bahais, many of them prominent members of the community, have been killed and more than 200 imprisoned. In cases where formal accusations have been made, they have reportedly been accompanied by offers to drop the charges if the Bahai repudiates his faith. No action has been taken against those who have murdered Bahais and investigations into these cases have been cursory. Economic pressure has also been applied. All community property, including the investments which supported a wide range of charitable activities, has been confiscated. Homes, businesses and farms have been looted or destroyed. Many graveyards have been vandalised. and the most sacred Bahai shrine in Iran. the Shiraz borne of the Bab, was attacked in September 1979 and completely dismantled to make way for a square and roads. M i iy Bahais have lost thcir jobs in government-controlled institutions, now that regulations barring Bahais from state employment are being rigidly enforced — whereas under the Shah officials often turned a blind eye when Bahai abilities and qualifications were needed. Students who have received government grant'; to train in education and health have been ordered to repay the money and, according to some sources, Bahais sacked from employment will have to repay their salarier. Since the autumn of 1981 many Bahai children have been denied admission to state schools and are now being tutored at home. A far-fl ung community of more than two million Various national• and international organisations have protested to the Iranian government and in March 1982 the United Nations Human Rights Commission adopted a resolution calling upon the UN secretariat to monitor what it called “the perilous situation facing the Bahais in Iran”. Since then. fewer Bahais have been executed. “The Iranian government knows it is being watched,” the Bahai liaison officer at the UN said, but in late 1982 arrests were stepped up again Today worldwide Bahai membership exceeds twc million, about a third of whom The plight of a troubled minority Bahaisin Austria highlighting persecution in Iran The Middle East April 1983 35 I
Pea tu.res Bahais in India. in Iran the Bahai community .ztimated at about 300,000. although 10,000 have recently fled. .ike Judaism arid Islam, Bahaism :hy that God is unknowable hut makes tvdl known through prophets. As the - ct ire of civilisation developed, prophets as Adam, Moses. Zoroasici'. Buddha, Muhammad, the Bab and Baha .h were sent, the Bahai . believe, to .vide mankind with a.creed arid a set of suitable to contemporary conditions. Bab was the last in the cycle of ..hc 'ts which began with Adam. they eve, and Baha Allah started a new cycle cl i will last for some 500.000 years. Allah's message ‘viii in time become ated, aJthough this is not expected to en for at least 10 centuris. i& rights of women — an divine right of kings hiidren of the Bahais are not i 'iatically enrolled in the faith at birth. are free to choose, on reaching ,irit, whether they wish to belong. a emphasis is placed on equality of the . Although Baba Allah allowed men to e two wives, his successors have euraged this practice. Education is ed and Bahais believe that if facilities limited girls should be given priority. education of women is of greater .irt Jlce than the education o men, for are the mothers of the race,” • -Baha said in 1912. . . Bahais are opposed to communism ‘cia1ism and believe monarchy enjoys c sanction. But they oppo e religious, al. national or cla .s prejudice and ,re xieties where there are extremes ‘c'lth and poverty, in their striving to ;‘te world peace and uni , they ‘ct international orgarasations sUch as United Nations and advocate the opnient of an international language . taught as a second tongue. cry five years members of the national mblies throughout the world elect a -. Li-sal House of Justice, convening in which was chosen by Baha Allah. ng his exile from Iran to serve as the headquarters. e Bahai administrative hierarchy, ugh not respon “.le for the edministra- f sacraments, iicts as the defender of dox doctrine and can legislate on ‘cts not dealt with in the faith's :ure. Daily prayer is regarded as a nal obligation, but on the first day of of the 19 months Bahais are urged to r for a meeting where Bahal and other •. -d texts are read, communal matters -uscussed arid a small meal is taken. : ‘ cse meetings are usually at members' es. although in Europe and North .- ca Houses of Worship (domed .‘ ings with nine entrances. have been it. in addition, pilgrimages should be to Baha Allah's house in Baghdad, the Bab's house in Shiraz and to the tombs of the Bab and Abdel-Baha in Haifa as well as to Baha Allah's tomb near Acre. Bahaism's success in gaining adherents throughout the world is mainly due to its acceptance of all previously revealed religions as part of one evolving faith (with its own doctrines regarded as the most suitable for the present age). But its international character and Westernised attitudes have only served to deepen antipathy towards it in some quarters. Because Babel women are neither veiled nor segregated from men at Bahal gatherings, tales of raiiipant immorality have spread in some Middle Eastern states. In Iran Bahai n'ian'iages are not considered valid and their children are therefore deemed illegitimate. Successive Iranian constitutions have recognised only followers of the Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian faiths who have protection as dhimmis (non-Muslims living under Muslim domination). Bleak prospects for the Ba,hais'future The Bahais are ofiei'i viewed as belonging to a clandestine network of mutual assistance, similar to the Freemasons, and charged .with working in the interests of Western imperialism and Zionism. Because the Babel faith developed during the British mandate in Palestine, a connection with Britain is inevitably made, and Abdel-Baha's knighthood is regarded as proof of this. Charge of Zionist ties arise from the fact that the Babel headquarters is located in Haifa. Iranian Bahais often travelled to Israel and sent regular contributions there. Since 1979, however, when travel and the transfer of funds from Iran to Israel became illegal, these activities have ceased, but the Bahais see no reason to relocate their world ‘headquarters for reasons of immediate political expediency. Tension . has - sometimes been increased because of the political stands taken by the Bahais. Because of Baha Allah's irtjunction to support any government in power and their preference for monarchy, Iran's Bahais did not support demands for a constitution and saw Muhammad Mi Shah, who tried to overthrow the 1906 constitution, as a ‘ just king”. During the 1978-79 revolution, they said prayers for Muhammad Raza Shah and made no denunciations of Savak. These attitudes flew in the face of popular sentiment and the views of the Shiite cler ', who believe monarchy to be fundamentally unjust. The situation of the Bahais in Iran is therefore complex. They hope one day to be recognised as a separate religion and so be granted constitutional protection, but this would be likely only if a secular goverment were established in Iran. Meanwhile, prejudices against the Baheis run deep, especially among those who have had no personal contact with them. 0 Sayings of the Month “The presence of warships sometimes seems to have a deterring effect on Libyan adventurism” Jeane Kirkpatrick US ambassador to the UN “Well, I don't believe there has been any naval movement of any kind” Ronald Reagan US President ‘My country is being eunished by America today because ofjr.s'adhe.rence to the principles of the non-aligned. It is pr ving the price of it,s non-alignment” Major Abdel-Salam Jalloud Libya's second-in-command “I see no sign of a crisis or a possible aggression against Sudan at the moment” Marshal Abu Ghazala Egyptian Defence Minister “For the moment Qaddafi is back in his box, where he belongs” George Shultz US Secretary of Smat:e “What we do most certainly share with the Opec countries and indeed with.. the rest of the world is a desire not to see an exaggerated fall in ‘the world oil price now which would inevitably be fbllowed by a sharp and damaging rebound later on” Nigel Lawson British Secretary of Stale for Energy “I don't think Mrs Thatcher would be disappointed to see the price disappear through the floor if that is what the market dictates” British government source quoted in the Sunday Times “The Gulf Co-operation Council states can easily flood the international market with cheaper oil without being affected, because the cost of production is very low. This means that the new oil producers in industrial countries, who entered the field because of the high price of oil, will face economic catastrophe along with their investors if oil prices are reduced sharply” Al-Seyassah, Ku aiti newspaper “If Lebanon does not triu.mph over the present situation, its environment will fall into chaos and loss. If Lebanon is divided, then every united political presence in the entire area will be divided ..Lebanon has become a key to war in the area just as it is a key to peace” Amin Gemayel Lebanese President The Middle East April 1983 37
Features ‘Bahais Enmity towards the Bahais is largely theological. Both Babism and Bahaism claimed to be new revelations superseding the Quran. Thus. in reccignising either faith. Muslims would be denying their own creed: that Muhammads message is valid for all time arid for all men. In the early 16th century Iran had turned to Shi in in its Jaafari form, after adhering to Sunnism for the previous 900 years. The Jaafari Shiites believe that the Twelfth Irnarn (in a line of succession from Au. Muhammad's cousin arid son-in-law went into concealment while still an infant. one day he will return as the saviour, hut until then his community is destined to suffer under the rule of the ui just. In 1844 Sayyid Mi Muhammad of Shims claimed to be the Bab (or gate) to the Hidden Imam and, as his vice-regent, to be entitled to rule over the faithful. The Bab's following quickly grew as many Iranians, facing increasing foreign encroachment, sought national regenera- tv)n through religious revivalist move- ments. Soon the Bab even tried to bring the Shah into an alliance. ‘1.1 you pledge allegiance to me and regard obedience to me as obligatory,” read his message to Muhammad Shah, “then 1 will make your sovereignty great and bring foreign powers under your sway.' But the Shah brushed aside these overt wec and in 1847 ordered the Bab to be put under house arrest, provoking him nd his folbwers into open confrontation viih the regime. In 1848 the Bab proclaimed himself to be the Hidden Imam returned and ordered the laws of Islam to be abrogated. He declared that a new religion, with its own lega) system and scriptures, would now be given to t he world. The Quran had been sufficient for its time, the Bab explained, hut the world was now ready for a contemporary message — his own teachings, summarised in the Bayan. In 1850 the Bab wa executed after being convicted of heresy. As a result of clashes between Babi adherents and government troops in the two preceding years some 3.000-4,000 Babis were killed. In 1852. after Bahi followers had tried unsuccessfully to assassinate Nasir al-Din Shah, many Bahis were imprisoned and 50 executed. Those who remained had to keep their beliefs hidden or emigrate to Baghdad. The early years of exile in Iraq saw struggles for leadership and disputes over doctrine, since carrying out the Bab's religious prescriptions depended on the establishment of a Babi state, which had clearly become impossible. Eventually Baha Allah assumed the leadership of the mevement. Babi doctrines continued to win converts from among the many Iranian pilgrims who visited Shiite shrines in Iraq, and the Iranian government pressed the Ottoman authorities in Iraq either to repatriate Baha Allah or move him further from the Iranian frontier. In 1863, shortly before he was moved to Edirne (Adrianople), Baha Allah proclaimed that he was the new prophet whom the Ba.b had predicted would follow him. In accordance with the Bab's concept of successive, divine revelations to meet the changing needs r” mankind, Baha Allah announced that he would issue a new scripture. Sobh-e Azal and his followers. refused to accept this arid the Babis split into two sects, the Azalis and the Bahais. Sobh-e-Azal, remaining loyal to the Bab's doctrines, was exiled to Famagusta, Cyprus, which became the headquarters of the Azali sect. Baha Allah, on the other hand, quickly distanced his teachings from those of the Bab. He recognised the Bab as the prophet who succeeded Muhammad and as his own forerunner, but tried to erase the Babi legacy of challenging secular authority. The Bahais were expected to be loyal to whatever government was in power. Carrying arms was forbidden, except in times of necessity, and unbelievers were to be won over by peaceful proselytisation. The burning of books, the destruction of shrines and the shunning of non-believers were also discarded. And although the Bah.ais retained as an ultimate goal a world commonwealth of theocratic states governed by Bahai institutions, its attainment was indefinitely postponed. In 1868 Baha Allah and his followers were moved from Edirne to the Palestinian town of Acre. At first they were confined to a barracks but later Baha Allah was allowed a comfortable villa on the outskirts of town. He died in 1892 at the age of 75. The most important of his texts, the Kitab al-A qdas (The Most Holy Book), was written to supersede the Bayan. Abdel-Baha, Baha Allah's eldest son, was designated leader of the Bahai community. He travelled widely in Europe and North America. winning many converts to the faith. He often visited the slum areas of cities, where he pleaded for the rights of minorities. During the First World War he organised a campaign to grow food for the population of Acre, when the town's normal stock was requisitioned. In 1920, a year before he died, Britain gave him a knighthood for- his “consistently loyal service to the British cause since the occupation”. Abdel-Baha decreed in his will that the Bahais should be governed by a Universal House of Justice, headed by a guardian empowered to interpret the Bahai scriptures (the writings of the Bab. Baha Allah and himself). The guardianship was to remain in Baha Allahs family, going to its most capable member. Shoghi Effendi, Abdel-Baha's eldest grandson, then a second-year student at Oxford, was chosen. Shoghi Effendi did much to demarcate the Bahai religion from Islam, snreading the faith beyond the Middle East. He abandoned his grandfather's habit of attending Friday prayers in a mosque and translated marty of Baha Allah's and Abdel-Baha's texts into English. With his death in 1957 the line of succession was broken, since he had no children, and the leadership wa placed in the hands of the Universal House of Justice. first elected in 1963. The Bab and his successors .— - f:.' ‘i Abdel-Baiia receiving a knighthood from the British 36 The Middle East April 1983
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