This network featured on BBC Persian
July 20th, 2007 by Admin Our intiative has made its first media appearance on BBC Persian (Farsi)
Translation: Formation of a Muslim Group in Defense of the Rights of Baha’is Na’im Sobhani
BBC-Persian, WashingtonFor the first time on the internet, a group of Muslim youth has established a site called “the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights.” This site closely monitors the conditions of Baha’is in Egypt and Iran.
That a group of Muslims—made up social activists and liberal students from Arab countries—has exposed the plight of Baha’is is seen as a significant development by human rights advocates.
“The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights” is not based in any specific country, nor does it have an office or staff.
This internet group has made known its goal of attaining civil rights and basic freedoms for Baha’is in the Islamic and Arab worlds.
On their website, they closely follow and discuss all the latest news on the Baha’is in the Islamic world.
The founder of this internet project is Esra’a Shafei, young woman from Bahrain.
Esra’a states that she is a believing Muslim and has no connection with Baha’is. However, as a Muslim, she believes it is necessary to respect the rights of this religious minority.
This Bahraini student added that she has purposefully named the group “Islamic” to attract the attention of Muslims.
However, this step has stirred a great deal of debate. According to Esra’a, “They ask me why I am doing this? Why are you working against your own religious identity? They even accuse me of being a traitor and a Zionist. 70 percent of the reactions I have thus far received have been of this nature.”
Esra’a, who is only 20 years old, adds that such reactions will not dissuade her. She states that she closely follows the condition of Baha’is in Iran and Egypt.It is believed that there are some 500 Baha’is in Egypt.
In the 1960s, their religion was declared illegal by order of Jamal Abdul-Nasser, the former president of Egypt. Until this day, Baha’is are considered “apostates” in Egypt.
The Iranian constitution also refuses to officially recognize the Baha’i religion—one of the largest non-Muslim minorities in this country. The Baha’is of this country face extensive limits on work and education.
The founder of “the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights” believes that most people in the Arab world know very little about the Baha’is: “When I talk to my friends about the Baha’i faith, they tell me that it is a satanic religion. I ask them to provide me with one of the principles of this religion, but they have no answer. Some think that the Baha’is are a sect of Shi’i Islam which is also a mistake. They don’t know anything about it, but they are nonetheless suspicious of its followers.”
This Bahraini youth is convinced that the most successful societies in the world today are those which—notwithstanding the diversity of religions and ethnic groups within them—are able to preserve their unity and respect the rights of their minorities.
John Wall, a professor of Islamic history at Georgetown University in Washington DC, agrees with this view. But he believes that in an age of globalization, one can’t affix the label of religious minority to any one religion: “In this day and age, everyone is considered a minority. Even Christians, who constitute the largest religion in the world, are a minority in certain countries. Muslims are the majority in the Middle East, but are considered a religious minority in Europe. Sunni Muslims, for instance, face difficulties in attaining permission to establish mosques.”
Mr. Wall provided a positive assessment of the fact that a Muslim group has for the first time taken up the problem of Baha’i rights. According to him, the efforts of individuals such as Esra’a, a Bahraini student, can help in promoting human rights and inter-faith dialogue in the Middle East.
[…] English translation now available, thanks to Omid. Click here. […]
Congratulations!!
That’s some well-deserved press. May you continue to enjoy further blessings and confirmations upon your efforts.
I would also like to add my congratulations for this recognition of your efforts on this noble cause.
What noble cause is that? Here is a detailed documentary expose of the sort of sinister organization being deceptively championed on this contrived (US government money subsidized) board:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2540441001807010408&hl=en-CA
At least we know where the American tax payer’s tax money from recent subsidies granted by the US State Department are going. To bogus sites such as this.
Ahmad
Ahmad, that is a hideous assumption. This website is entirely independent and we have stated so various times before. What does the US State Department have to do with a bunch of Muslim youth trying to help an innocent minority from vicious persecution and discrimination?
Why must you resort to such conspiracy theories?
We have nothing to do with the US. We have nothing to do with Zionism. What we are trying to do here is have a hopeful future where interfaith understanding is embraced instead of attacked.
Ahmad Rais’ attempts at discrediting the site are typical of people who are desperate. He and others like him have nothing in their heart but hate to express. I would like to know: what has he done to promote accord, peace and understanding?
On the other hand these attempts can only confirm their fear of a site such as this one. If not for their fear of the power of the unbiased and honest word, they would have not bothered even reading it, let alone attacking it.
A previous contributor asked the question: what noble cause is it for Muslims to defend Baha’is? The answer is well documented on this blog. Baha’is are deprived of their human rights in some Middle Eastern countries including Iran and Egypt! The same contributor offers an anti-Baha’i video in support of his contention that the Baha’i Faith AND the Muslim Youth Network for Baha’i Rights are Zionist covers supported by grants from the US State Department. That contributor should recognize that it is these incorrect assertions and false accusations that are the main justification for the Mideast Youth nobel cause of defending Baha’i Rights.
If one commits a crime, they should be charged with their crimes regardless of their religion. Criminals are still entitled to birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and other rights of citizenship. Not once have the Baha’is in Egypt or in Iran been charged with any crimes but they have been systematically detained, imprisoned, fired from their jobs, not allowed to be educated, not allowed to obtain birth or death certificates or hold bank accounts, etc. only due to their Baha’i beliefs. The common thread of all of this is prejudice and hatred of the Baha’i Faith and anyone who defends the human rights of Baha’is, and that includes the previous contributor!
It amazes me that, the contributor, obviously an avowed hater of Baha’is - accuses them of being Zionist agents while, at the same time offering a documentary by an Israeli producer that attacks the Baha’i Faith to support his contention! The documentary, which has a negative tone about the Baha’i Faith, proved none of its authors’ accusations!
The Baha’i Faith forbids engaging in partisan politics but encourages work for world unity. The International Baha’i Community has a consultative status with the United Nations aimed at fostering this unity. Baha’is in each country obey the laws of the land. The location of their holy shrines is in the Holy Land and if that is what makes them suspect of conspiracies, shouldn’t this suspicion extend to all of the Abrahamic religions including Christianity and Islam who also have sacred places in the Holy Land?
A 20-year Bahraini Muslim defending the rights of a besieged minority in Iran and Egypt has a lot more courage and nobility than many others who can only think in terms of conspiracies and hatred. Supporting the rights of this minority that has suffered so much is far more noble than any deed a hater can hope to achieve in a lifetime.
Have not the people of Jahileyya (Age of Ignorance) attacked the nascent Faith of Islam? Have not the Romans and Rabbis attacked the embryonic Christian Faith? And so it is with those who are eager to attack the Baha’i Faith and its followers.
No one is asking the previous contributor or others who think like him to accept the validity of the Baha’i Faith. But it is the duty of everyone who lives in the civilized world to follow the pure teachings of his or her own Faith and to respect others who believe differently.
Anyone who believes he / she has an exclusive monopoly on truth and rejects the refutations of fabricated lies, shows either unjustifiable superiority, enraged hatred, or an inability to understand the meaning of nobility.
As Bahai Ahmad’s response does not pose a concern for me. We know what we are doing, why we are doing it and we get our help and protection from God, The Creator, The Protector alone. It is all in the writings, and it is all available to everyone.
Nonetheless, I will use Ahmad’s response to say this:
Dear Ahmad, if you have pain and go to your doctor, if they were good doctor then they will look for the right thing, in the right place and in the right way.. only then they can offer you a cure. If they were not good, then they will look for the wrong thing, or the wrong place or the in the wrong way, at which case you will maintain the pain.
Dear Ahmad.. what are you looking for?? peace? God? the truth? I am not sure!! If you know can you share it with us? Perhaps we can help you achieve it.
Dear Isra’a:
I am so delighted and proud to find out that you as a young Muslim woman has taken the time to establish a blog in defense of the Baha’is of Egypt and Iran. This must have taken a lot of courage to do and for that I am grateful. People like you can change the world and make it a much better place to live for all humanity regardless of their color, beliefs, nationalities and so on. This is what the Baha’i Faith teaches us, God is One, Mankind is One, and the Earth is but One Country, what is wrong with that? For those who do not have the knowledge about the Baha’i Faith, please investigate for yourself and do not listen to false accusations from the ignorant.
Once again I applaud you and your friends for your efforts, sincerity and courage, God Bless you.
I learned about your site through the BBC report. Great to see a few individuals have initiated this cause in support of basic rights of others. As an Iranian Muslim, I wish you the best of luck.
The all mighty will give you more blessings on creating this site, baha’is are innocent!!!!! i feel bad to hear how baha’is dies in iran and other countrys were they cant be recognized. We are one and God is one. baha’is are not satanist its a true religion’s.
[…] The Muslim Network for Baha’i RightsArticle: This network featured on BBC PersianOriginaly Posted On: 2007-07-20 […]
We as a Muslim has no right to humilate others religion or hurt feelings of others (people who are not muslim), but to my understanding we should not promote others religions and religions like BAHAi, they donot have any roots from Isalm, may be i m wrong but this what i think rather saving others religion we should save Isalm, Its not bad in saving others right you are doing good efforts but do make section for Isalm also that how Isalm is different from Bahai and all in all Isalm is the SUPERIOR RELIGION ON ALL OF ALL TIMES.
Regards