Persecution of Baha'is in Iran

There is a long history of persecution of Baha'is in Iran ever since the beginning of the Babi religion.

Over 20,000 Followers of The Bab and Baha'u'llah who did not recant their faith were executed within in a few years after 1844.

One of the incidents of martyrdom for example was the case of a follower of the Bab named, "Solaman Khan".

While they tied him to a bed they made holes in his body and put burning candles in the holes and carried him in the Tehran Bazaar for people to watch.( this act is called Sham'Ajin ).

What people surprisingly noticed in the Bazaar was that when the candles fell off, Solaman Khan himself put them back in to the holes.

The Herald of the new revelation, the Bab, himself was put in prison an finally martyred by a firing squad of 750 soldiers.

Then Baha'u'llah, was arrested and put in the Black Pit dungeon in Tehran and then He and His family were exiled in the middle of winter, on foot to Baghdad, then to Istanbul, Adrianopolice, and eventually to the Prison city of Akka, located in Palestine (of Ottoman Empire),
now Israel. Baha'u'llah suffered imprisonment and exile for over 40 years.

Severe Persecution renewed from 1980.

In the recent years after the Islamic revolution in Iran, over 300 prominent Baha'is, officially, and hundreds unofficially, were executed solely for being members of the Baha'i faith.

In June 1983, for example, the Iranian authorities arrested ten Bahá'í women and girls. The charge against them: teaching children's classes on the Bahá'í Faith--the equivalent of Sunday school in the West. The women were subjected to intense physical and mental abuse in an effort to coerce them to recant their Faith--an option that is always pressed on Bahá'í prisoners. Yet, like most Bahá'ís who were arrested in Iran, they refused to deny their beliefs. As a result, they were executed.

Mona Mahmudnizhad 17 ( right), was one of ten Bahá'í women [above] executed by the Iranian Government in Shiraz on 18 June 1983. Mona's only crime was her steadfast belief in Bahá'u'lláh. Hundreds have been imprisoned, and tens of thousands have been deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses, and educational opportunities.

Baha'i homes were invaded, books and household goods were stolen and confiscated, Baha'i
businesses were looted, Baha'i cemeteries were desecrated, Baha'i sites were taken over by the government and changed into Islamic facilities.

The Islamic republic of Iran planned a systematic genocide program and established a system of apartheid against Baha'is in Iran much harsher compared to the previous South African white government's regime.

Guess which country is biggest customer of Iranian oil? The present South African government is!

The largest minority religious group in Iran are the Baha'is who amount to about 500,000.

Although Baha'is are not participants in any political activities any where in the world, in Iran they are denied of all civil and human rights since they are not recognized as a minority group in the New Iranian constitution.

The reason is that in the opinion of some hard liners, those that they categorize as non Moslem, are not human and so have no rights to live.

All the Baha'is who were government employees were fired from their jobs.
The pension of the elderly Baha'is were cut totally.

They can not be employed by government or educational institutions and are not allowed to be the owner of a business.

They can not be admitted to colleges and universities. Previously they could get indirect permission to study through correspondence and voluntary lectures of dismissed Baha'i lecturers from universities, but this one also has been stopped after the arrests of 50 lecturers and confiscation of records computers and equipment.( Recently they allowed their corresponding study after one delay but computers were not returned.)

About 500 homes where classes were held, have been looted by Revolutionary Guards of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Cemeteries were confiscated and tomb stones were robbed.

New locations determined by authorities are dangerous to visit because of access road and actions like stone throwing of some fanatic people. Also installation of tomb stones are not allowed.

All Baha'is in Iran including women and children were considered as hostage and were not allowed to travel out of Iran for nearly 20 years.( Recently changed.) ( All despite that Baha'is believe that Islam is from God, and respect it.) 

These actions in the twentieth century cause a great shame to humanity and Islam.

Now it is more understandable why a big portion of the three million Iranian Moslem immigrants in the west are joining Christianity in masses, an action that carries the death penalty in Iran.

Before 1980 only in their jokes could Iranians hear about converting a Moslem to Christianity.

As a result of God had put a curse on this Ommat 24 years passing Revolution over five million hard Drug addicts are in Iran, streets are full of child prostitutes and now in Dubai Iranian girls as young as 9 years work as prostitute. ( Some of these children are taken to Arabic countries and are sold to Arabs for their entertainment.) 

The following is selection from Tablet of Fire revealed by Baha'u'llah while He and His followers were under extreme pressure from covenant breakers and the Ottoman Government.

( You can find the whole Tablet under More writings of Baha'u'llah.)

Indeed the hearts of the sincere are consumed in the fire of separation : Where is the gleaming of the light of Thy Countenance, O Beloved of the worlds?

Calamity hath reached its height: Where are the signs of Thy succor, O Salvation of the worlds?    

The door leading to the Divine Presence is locked through the tyranny of Thy foes: Where is the key of Thy bestowal, O Unlocker of the worlds?

Thou seest the hearts are filled with hate, and to overlook is Thine, O Thou Concealer of the sins of the worlds.  

Thou seest the Dawning Place of Thy signs veiled by evil suggestions: Where are the fingers of Thy might, O Power of the worlds?

Abasement hath reached its lowest depth: Where are the emblems of Thy glory, O Glory of the worlds? 

The sea of grace is stilled for what the hands of men have wrought: Where are the waves of Thy bounty, O Desire of the worlds?  

The lamps of truth and purity, of loyalty and honor, have been put out: Where are the signs of Thine avenging wrath, O Mover of the worlds?       * ( From Baha'u'llah Tablet of Fire )

God's reply in The Tablet of Fire

We have made abasement the garment of glory, and affliction the adornment of Thy temple, O Pride of the worlds.  * ( From Baha'u'llah Tablet of Fire )

Site address: www.christreturn.net                    Hope

More information is available at your local Baha'i center.