Editor’s Note: The following letter is from Iran’s Attorney General, Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, to the country’s Minister of Intelligence, Muhseni-Azheh’i. The letter is undated, but since it was published online on 19 February 2009, it appears that it was dispatched around mid-February. Since this letter includes various instructions regarding the government’s treatment of the Baha’i community, a translation of the full text of this important letter is provided below by Iran Press Watch.
Muhseni-Azheh’i
To honored Hojjato’l-Islam Muhseni-Azheh’i, the esteemed Minister of Intelligence!
With greetings and hopes that your prayers and meditations are accepted [by God] in this bountiful month!
Regarding the previous letter about the activities of the wayward Baha’i organization, it is necessary for me to point out the following:
A. Acceptance of multiplicity and diversity in a society is among its instruments of liberty – including freedom of thought and decision. It is an undeniable and established principle in any society of religious men, and is affirmed through the covenant of constitutional law. The Constitution is the foundation of societal order and is the final word on the governance and organization of the people. Specifically, Articles 26 and 27 [of IRI’s Constitution] recognizes freedom to form parties and associations – of course, not absolute liberty, but conditional.
On this basis, various [political] parties and groups may function legally as long as they do not violate the principles of independence, liberty, national unity, Islamic provisions, and the fundamental laws of the Islamic Republic. Of course, it is not necessary for the members of such assembled groups to believe in these principles, but it is necessary for them to adhere to these provisions.
The law governing the activities of parties and associations (established in 1360 Sh [1981]) has provided a framework for the appearance and functioning of these organizations, and has outlined means for their growth and development. Therefore, associations that are without a constitution or by-laws approved by authorized governmental agencies are not permitted to function.
Religious minorities are defined and delineated in the luminous religious law [of the Shiites] and the nation’s Constitution, and except for those enumerated in Articles 12 and 13, no others are permitted to be active.
In accordance with Article 20 of the Constitution, every citizen is under the protection of the law, and the government is responsible to safeguard each person’s civil rights as a citizen. Moreover, in accordance with Article 23, no one may be opposed or questioned solely based on his beliefs. Based on this foundation, adherence to a principle or belief is free, but to openly express and proclaim it in order to cause deviation in the thoughts of others, to manipulate, pretend, disseminate [ideas] and otherwise attempt to deceive and confuse people are not permissible.
All citizens of Islamic Republic of Iran are under the protective umbrella of the government, and the regime is responsible to ensure their civil rights to their fullest measure. In accordance with Article 22 of the Constitution all citizens are safeguarded against censure, except in instances where they have strayed beyond the boundary of the law.
Fundamentally, individuals who have been given true and legal recognition in the Constitution and secondary edicts are free to undertake these aforementioned activities. However, should they attempt any activity, either individually, collectively or through their organization, which would threaten national security or the sovereignty of the nation, then it is obvious that the government will use its powers to establish the common good and the national benefit, and will confront the aggressor in an equivalent manner.
B. In consideration of the aforesaid, and the methods, history and record of the political-intelligence organization Baha’ism, they are not among the political parties or legal associations that are licensed for activity, nor are they listed among the divine religions, nor do they meet the definition of religious minorities.
The documents, evidence and oral testimony which have been gathered so far prove that the said organization [i.e. the Baha’i community] has been directly in touch with foreign enemies of the people of Iran, and they have long-established and firm connections with the Zionist regime [Israel]. Moreover, they have formed organizations and groups in Iran, and under various designations carry out propaganda, teaching, socio-economics, educational, and humanitarian activities, thereby collecting information, penetrating and undermining the foundations of the people’s beliefs.
Therefore, in accordance with policies and instructions previously issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Attorney General, and that period’s esteemed head of the judiciary branch which prohibited every form of activity by the aforementioned movement [i.e. the Baha’i Faith], once again the same prohibition is promulgated.
The administration of the wayward sect [i.e. the Baha’i community] is illegal and unsanctioned at every level. Moreover, their allegiance to Israel, their opposition to Islam and the Islamic regime, is clear, documented and affirmed, as is their threat to national security. Therefore, it is necessary to confront [the Baha’i community] in accordance with established policies and further to confront whatever organization they establish to shadow and replace the original one.
It is obvious that any disregard or negligence regarding this issue is against public welfare and our national interests, will aid the objectives of foreigners, Zionists and their agents, and will result in admonishment and regret before the Divine Court.
I beseech Almighty God to perpetually render that honored person victorious.
[Posted at http://www.yjc.ir/News/NewsDesc.aspx?newsid=150113. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]
March 12, 2009 2:08 am
Baha’is are not involved in any form of politics.
“the methods, history and record of the political-intelligence organization Baha’ism”
This is completely false and baseless.
March 12, 2009 2:08 am
The only response that a Baha’i can make is that the Prosecutor-General is injustice incarnate. One cannot excuse him as being ignorant, for he knows very well that the Baha’is are not in league with Zionism or any government. All we can do is look to the Word of God to find divine judgment on the actions and thinking of the Prosecutor-General: “O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man’s injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal.”
March 12, 2009 4:02 am
Please tell these Mullahs if Italy or any other Christian country, adopted a similar constitution that these guys have created in Iran, then Islam which is not considered a religion according to Christianity, would not be legal in Italy. How would the Muslims feel if they were treated in Europe or America, where Christianity is a dominant religion, the way the Baha’is are treated in Iran???? Baha’i Faith is the ONLY world religion, that accepts Islam as a religion of God. Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Judaism, Budhaism, Hinduism, none look at Islam as a religion. They just tolerate them.
Michelle
March 12, 2009 4:06 am
Since its inception, the bahai group has been functioning under the watchful eye of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei and the Islamic Republic’s intelligence services. The Attorney General, Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi letter to Minister of Intelligence, Muhseni-Azheh’i to justify his actions against the bahai group based on various statutes in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran smells of a cover up at the highest echelons of the leadership of the country.
The question is who is Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi trying to cover or please by his letter and what were the real reasons and the real people behind these attacks against Iran’s bahai community that has been functioning with everyone’s knowledge.
March 12, 2009 7:18 am
Najafabadi could not have done this without direct orders from Ayatollah Khamanei. He could not even drink a cup of water without approval from Khamanie. Under Khamanei’s watch over the past 20 years trillions of dollars which could have been used to elevate the economy and vastly improve Iran’s standard of living have disappeared into thin air. Because of that Iran is on the brink of economic collapse. Hence his need for scapegoats.
Iran’s 50%+ inflation rate and 30%+ unemployment and underemployment rate, coupled with its dwindling oil revenue, public discontent and ongoing conflicts with oil rich Sunni Arab regimes, brings to mind Iran’s situation just before the revolution. As was then with the Shah, Khamanei was banking on high oil prices to sustain his power. And as during Shah’s final months, Khamanie is seeking scapegoats to distract people’s attention from his regime’s fraudulent mismanagement of trillions of dollars of Iran’s wealth for the past 20 years, under his watch as the de-facto “Shah” (Supreme Ruler) of Iran.
March 12, 2009 7:38 am
In God’s good time Mr. Najafabadi is obliged to speak out and give reasons in the international courts why he calls the Baha’i faith as a wayward sect,while the Baha’is have shown the Islamic Government utmost obedience and respect,during 30 years, despite being attacked in a variety of ways : insults,martyrdom, house burn-downs,school and university expulsions,disrespect to their religious sanctities to name but a few. The Baha’i faith accept all the previous faiths and announces that they are linked together as chains. None destroy but fulfil the previous one in God’s destined time. The Baha’is have the utmost respect to Islam and Muslims.
March 12, 2009 8:45 am
Since the beginning of the so called “Islamic” regime, religious values and morality has declined sharply in Iran society which is only to be expected due to the corrupt and evil attitude of its rulers which has cascaded down to the mainstream society. The Iranian society as a whole is morally, spiritually and religiously in a state of starvation. However, this is not the case for the Bahai’s. Due to the difficulties they had to endure, they have grown spiritually and religiously mature. This is what the mullahs can not handle, they are jealous and afraid that Iranians might find Bahai something worth investigating…
March 12, 2009 9:21 am
This is remarkable that he was able to find these hidden articles in the constitution and make them fit the Baha’is so perfectly. Najafabadi is of such a rare species that it would be a waste for him to spend his days in his hometown. He should be allowed to travel abroad and hold global lectures.
I request that his bosses promote him and let him loose so he can come to China and lecture us about his articles and his book that excludes us from Iran’s constitution and calls followers of Buddha and Confucius as infidels.
I very much am interested in hearing him talk and am willing to convene a gathering of many respected attorneys and business professionals from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India and several other countries to hear him.
I too beseech Almighty God to perpetually render that honored person victorious so he can come to visit us in China. I am sure China’s dailies would love to cover his speech as would China TV. It will double our trade. Please send him. We will provide the jet plane too. His findings are very useful to our bilateral trade.
We need a few people like him from your country to teach us. We infidels and backward people who are not in your books are in need of his guidance. If you don’t send him, this will result in admonishment and regret before the Divine Court. Please do let him loose.
March 12, 2009 10:17 am
Najafabadi’s statements against Bahais is an absolute falsification of truth and demonstrates the bankruptcy of his ideology that belongs to dark ages and not the 21st century. His letter to Iran’s “007” (licensed to kill) contradicts everything he says he “stands” for.
By the way of a simple example, he says say Jews and “infidels” are filthy and no Muslim should buy anthing from them. Yet Mollahs gladly buy Mercedes Benz which is owned by Jews, Gentiles, Bahais, Sunni Wahabbis, and the rest of the infidel gang.
Applying Najafabadi’s reasoning to himself, he should be riding a donkey and living in nomadic tents with no indoor plumbing.
People like him survive under censorship, intimidation and silencing of the voices of reason and progress in society and their Islamic court is nothing but a Nazi court of the 21st century.
March 12, 2009 12:36 pm
Abdul Baha, in Paris Talks addressed this very situation, 98 years ago.
NINTH PRINCIPLE, THE NON-INTERFERENCE OF RELIGION WITH POLITICS
November 17th, 1911
“With political questions the clergy, however, have nothing to do! Religious matters should not be confused with politics in the present state of the world (for their interests are not identical).
Religion concerns matters of the heart, of the spirit, and of morals.
Politics are occupied with the material things of life. Religious teachers should not invade the realm of politics; they should concern themselves with the spiritual education of the people; they should ever give good counsel to men, trying to serve God and human kind; they should endeavour to awaken spiritual aspiration, and strive to enlarge the understanding and knowledge of humanity, to improve morals, and to increase the love for justice.
Each man has been placed in a post of honour, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus we all have our choice between justice and injustice.
I hope that each one of you will become just, and direct your thoughts towards the unity of mankind; that you will never harm your neighbours nor speak ill of any one; that you will respect the rights of all men, and be more concerned for the interests of others than for your own. Thus will you become torches of Divine justice, acting in accordance with the Teaching of Bahá’u’lláh, who, during His life, bore innumerable trials and persecutions in order to show forth to the world of mankind the virtues of the World of Divinity, making it possible for you to realize the supremacy of the spirit, and to rejoice in the Justice of God.
By His Mercy, the Divine Bounty will be showered upon you, and for this I pray!
This is in accordance with the Teaching of Bahá’u’lláh. In the Gospel also it is written, `Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things which are God’s’.
In Persia there are some amongst the important Ministers of State who are religious, who are exemplary, who worship God, and who fear to disobey His Laws, who judge justly and rule their people with Equity. Other Governors there are in this land who have no fear of God before their eyes, who think not of the consequences of their actions, working for their own desires, and these have brought Persia into great trouble and difficulty.
Oh, friends of God, be living examples of justice! So that by the Mercy of God, the world may see in your actions that you manifest the attributes of justice and mercy.
Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. Desire for others only that which you desire for yourselves. Then shall we rejoice in the Sun of Justice, which shines from the Horizon of God.
Each man has been placed in a post of honour, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus we all have our choice between justice and injustice.
I hope that each one of you will become just, and direct your thoughts towards the unity of mankind; that you will never harm your neighbours nor speak ill of any one; that you will respect the rights of all men, and be more concerned for the interests of others than for your own. Thus will you become torches of Divine justice, acting in accordance with the Teaching of Bahá’u’lláh, who, during His life, bore innumerable trials and persecutions in order to show forth to the world of mankind the virtues of the World of Divinity, making it possible for you to realize the supremacy of the spirit, and to rejoice in the Justice of God.”
March 12, 2009 2:59 pm
“The documents, evidence and oral testimony which have been gathered so far prove that the said organization [i.e. the Baha’i community] has been directly in touch with foreign enemies of the people of Iran”.
Mr. D.Najafabadi, the declaration of Bab happened in 1844.
When do you want to show us and the world, the evidences which prove that Baha’is are the enemies of Iran??
March 12, 2009 3:43 pm
be sure that God mercy will come soon to iran & all Bahais there.
March 12, 2009 4:21 pm
I request that Iran’s “James Bond” in accordance with all the articles of Iran’s constitution, arrests all imposters who are not mentioned in the Holy Koran and sends them to Evin. My online search of Koran revealed there are no “Ayatollah” and “Mullah” or “Mollah” in Koran. Therefore, these are spies and should be arrested and their organizations outlawed as they have relations with Saudis who are Wahhabi. They not only travel there often and send money to Saudis but also hold talks and have relations with the Iraqi Al Sistani and visit his home town and send money to him too. These people pose a threat to Iran’s national security as not only they are not mentioned in the Holy Koran, they are also not mentioned in our constitution.
March 12, 2009 5:11 pm
Jews don’t accept Zoroaster, Buddah, Krishna or Christ becuase neither “are” in their book and also Christ came after Moses. Christians don’t accept Zoroaster, Buddah or Krishna as they are not in their book. They also along with the Jews and Zoroastrians and followers of Buddah and Krishna don’t accept Mohammd, as he came after them and is not in their books. Muslims don’t accept Krishna and Buddah because Arabs of the 7th century had not heard of these two great profits and they keep up with the tradition and don’t accept The Bab and Baha’u’llah they are not in Koran. Baha’is on the other hand accept all the religions of the past and their followers come from members of each of the above religions who have discovered that religion should be the cause of unity and not enmity. That religion is progressive unfoldment of God’s lessons for his people. That all the profits are mentioned in all the books and can be found by true seekers who desire to discover the mysteries of God. That we are all the leaves of one tree and the fruits of on branch. That God from the begining of creation, has annointed and infused the spirits of many of his people to become lights of guidance to his children and to lead them out of darkness. That God will continue to raise up spirits to manifest his divine blessings for ever and ever to tell us God’s unfolding story of creation and it’s purpose based on our level of understanding and not Gods. That he desired to be known and that’s the reason he created the earth and populated with his creatures. That he created the planets, galaxies, universes and worlds that are beyond our understanding. That God will do as He pleases and as his creatures our first duty after accepting God as our creator is to search for him imdependantly, without prejudices, dogmas and superstitions of the past and upon discovering his words to swim in the ocean of His words and partake of it’s fruits. God surely is not in need of our prayers or gratitude. He desires our love and that comes not but turning our backs on Him and putting limitations on what God in His estimation desired to reveal to His people on the far flung corners of His planet from the begining of time and into the future. God is one. Mankind is one. And all the religions agree. However those who seek to exalt themselves by putting limitations on God have erred and as such have shown pride towards God and turned away from the prophets of the past as they do of the future. This is how they live their lives as we all witness. This is how they God is Great and Merciful, yet they rule swords and rain blows upon God’s followers. Little they know that even if all the heavens and the earth arise God’s true followers, they are never and shall never be able to stop God. His grace is everlasting and is He is the Supreme protector and ruler of the kingdom of creation.
March 13, 2009 11:55 pm
Qorban-Ali’s letter to VAVAK’s head, to use the Baha’is as scapegoats, so resembles Hovayda’s last letter to SAVAK’s head, to use the Baha’is as scapegoats.
Makes one wonder is Qorban-Ali is the reincarnation of Hovayda, VAVAK the reincarnation of SAVAK and Sultan Khamanie the reincarnation of the late Shah.
Instead of killing innocent people, mullahs should all make a pilgrimage to the grave site of Cyrus the Great. There they should beg forgiveness from him and put into law Cyrus’ Declaration of Human Rights in Iran instead of their 7th century Gog and Magog laws.
March 14, 2009 9:56 am
How long must the Baha’is of Iran continue their suffering under such a fanatical interpretation of Islam. ” There is no compulsion in religion”.. says the Qu’ran. The word religion comes from the Latin word, ‘ religio’.. which means to ” bind together” and the question is – Is present day Islam binding together the hearts of the world? No. It’s time the Mullahs, priests, and clergy of all religions ceased their existence.
March 14, 2009 4:09 pm
Baha’u’llah did not choose to be sent to Israel he was exiled there and in prison and so remained. Jewish people are created by the same Allah. God or whichever name you call him by, same as Christians , Muslims and Bahais.
God created the human race to become united and not to be predjudiced against his creation, It is only for God to judge his creation and not mere mortal.
We love Muslims but they unfortunatley do not love Us.
March 14, 2009 11:01 pm
Dear Diane, the vast majority of Muslims in Iran love the Baha’is. It is the small minority of rulers and their supporters who are blinded by hate and bigotry. We shall and must pray for them too.
March 15, 2009 5:11 am
Yes Barmak, I agree with you there I lived in Iran for 3 years prior to the coming of the new regime, I found Iranians to be wonderful kind hospitable
and helpful when during the revolution I unabe to go out shopping with my children
The Neighbours were wonderful and brought us food and were so very nice#
but since then they are told lies by the new regime and I dont call it Islamic because it doesnt say in the Koran to kill otheer because of their belief.