Iran Press News reported the following on Saturday, March 28, 2009:
Two Baha’i citizens by names of Jalayer Vahdat and Sima Eshraqi were arrested on January 26, 2009, in Mashhad and as of this writing (March 28) continue to be incarcerated in solitary confinement.
So far, the authorities have given no reason for the arrest of these individuals to their families. During this period, a period exceeding 60 days, Mr. Vahdat has not been allowed to meet with his family at all.
The other prisoner is Ms. Sima Eshraqi and she was allowed only a single meeting with her family on March 10. The legal case and charges against her also remain completely obscure.
[Source: http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/056695.htm. Translation by Iran Press Watch. The story was also covered at HRA Iran at http://hra-iran.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=783:34&catid=84:502&Itemid=219]
March 29, 2009 2:37 am
This shows how screwed up Iran’s leadership is. The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. On one side they force the Baha’is out of universities where mullahs are studying Roohi books and on the other side they drag the the Baha’is into jails to teach the Mollahs Roohi books. Aya Khamanei, baba make up your mind. If you want your Mollahs to learn Roohi, just let Baha’is have their classes and signup to atrend it instead of tormenting these poor people all the time. Even Zahak was more consistent in his actions than you are. In fact Zahak would win a popularity vote against you if he was alive today. I’m not Baha’i and they probably would not even let me sign their rolls but I can tell you that if you had half a brain, you’d have all your Mollahs attend Roohi classes so they can learn something new to talk about. Even an electrician has to update his information by taking classes all the time. And the only thing your Mollahs feed us is the same worn out 1300 year old lies about 12 imam hiding in the well. Baba, rahbar alighadr, no one belives there is anyone hiding in the well. Not even you. So at least let your Mollahs study Roohi the way they want to and stop dragging these poor Bahais in and out of jails. It doesn’t do you any good and your actions has made a fool of you everywhere in Iran and abroad. Not that that is something new to you.
March 30, 2009 3:13 pm
Dear Ali,
O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.
Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure.
Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the remedy it requires….”
– Baha’u’llah
You (unknowingly) made a charming misstatement ” . . .and they probably would not even let me sign their rolls.”
This is emphatically (!) untrue.
There is no qualification to anyone wishing to become a Baha’i. If you ever desire to “sign the rolls” of the Baha’i Faith you will be welcomed with open arms.
March 31, 2009 6:42 pm
Hello SB,
I think I’ll give your religion a bad name if I join it. Signing your form is easy. You have no restrictions. But living the life takes maturity which very few Iranians have it at the present time. We think we are mature but just look at our leaders for the past 1000 years. They represent the majority conciousness of the people of Iran. And each time there is a shift in conciousness of the people, there is a regime change.
Right now, as you can see even looking back for the past 100 years, Iranian nation as a whole is in the hole! Our leaders all go to Karbala and Arabia istead of going to Shiraz to pay homage to Cyrus the Great. The last family that paid a fake tribute to Cyrus were the Pahlavis and they were overthrown seven years later. There are even fewer Iranians who know Cyrus was the only gentile that was called the Messiah in the old testament. Cyrus started building the House of God in Israel and you have finished it 3,000 years later. But we Iranians still need a while longer to develop the consiousness of this and to be able to understand all of it. So until that day comes and we are ready as a nation to amend the past and relize the enormity of all of this, it’s best that people like me stay where we are till we too clean up our act. But don’t worry. No fruit ripens until it’s time. Soon the fortunes of Iran will turn the other way and balance will return. We are off balance now. Like a tire of a cst that is not balanced and is traveling at max speed with no breaks. When the wheel comes off the car, after that everything will get balanced. Meanwhile live long and prosper as we Iranians at the hands of our mullah drivers have a firey ordeal with destiny. Then we’ll ripen.
April 1, 2009 8:51 pm
Dear Ali-Jan,
I am not seeking to disgree, but speaking as an American Baha’i to whom the discovery of the Baha’i Faith was a most profound event, please think about the millions of humble, sacrificial Iranian Baha’is who have lived since 1844. They are the ones who gave everything to make it possible for persons like me to have this heretofore unimaginable beauty in their lives.
My point is was IRANIANS who found maturity enough to make unimaginable sacrifices, often with a sense of joy in the midst of terrible suffering. So much so, that it was legendary among 19th century Western observers who recorded what their eyes saw and couldn’t believe.
May I suggest these written lines of Baha’u’llah:
” The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness.
This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish.
He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!”
Your opinion of “Iranians” might change to awe if you were to consider Baha’i history. American Baha’is are keenly, keenly aware that these sacrifices are responsible for the light-giving effusions that have enabled us to embrace this magnificent Faith.
Ali-Jan . . .Baha’u’llah was an IRANIAN.
The Baha’i Faith IS YOUR CULTURE in its loftiest manifestion, enrapturing millions of hearts around the world. I see this everyday. This is the peaceful, non-violent, all- inclusive “revolution” of regenerated people intended to raise Iran to fantastic heights, which Baha’u’llah assures us will transform not only Iran, but the entire world.
So don’t lose hope! As you say, . . .”And each time there is a shift in conciousness of the people, there is a regime change.” This shift could occur in an instant. The mullahs can do nothing to hold this Faith back because it is GLOBAL.
Isn’t it amazing? Baha’is high and low, in Africa, South America, Mexico, in downtown Manhattan, in Mongolia, New Zealand and even China just celebrated Naw-Ruz along with every Iranian in the world?
Cheers! (didn’t mean to get on the soapbox). There is much wisdom in your messages and I read them all. I just thought you missed a vital point . . .Baha’is are either Iranian . . .or Iranophiles. Many early Babi/baha’s were learned mullahs . . .there is hope. Regards!