Mihran Shakir and his family are Baha’is and live in Kerman. For some time, Mrs. Shakir had been receiving threatening phone calls (presumably for being members of the Baha’i community). When the family attended the commemorative meeting on the night of Baha’u'llah’s Ascension, their car parked on the street was firebombed. Fortunately, the friends at the gathering had noticed the fire and quickly put it out by a fire extinguisher. The car was not damaged very much.
But during the early hours of Friday, July 18, the Shakir’s home was burned completely and arson is suspected. It so happened that the Shakirs had left for the weekend and no one was home or injured by this incident. The report notes that at 4 in the morning, one of the neighbors was disturbed by smoke and had immediately telephoned the fire department. By 5 am the fire engines arrived, had extinguished the fire and began an investigation. Soon it was learned that one of the neighbors had heard a soft expulsion about 3:30 am, but had not thought much about it. Someone else had also noticed suspicious activities on the roof. The investigators believe the fire started in the living room and initially thought it occurred because of problems with the electrical wiring. However, that appears unlikely since the fire had generated a heat so intense that it had bent thick iron bars used in the ceilings. All the furniture and interior of the house were either completely destroyed or seriously damaged.
Pictures of this horrific incident:
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Kawthar
19 July, 2008
If it were a Muslim family being persecuted, those Mullahs would have been screaming “Jihad!” by now.
Appalling!
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nura
19 July, 2008
this is seriously disturbing and make one think that things are continually getting worse for the bahais. i hope that things will change for them and the many other iranians that are suffering daily.
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smile rose
19 July, 2008
o god my god it is too much for the bahais . god with them
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Peter Deer
21 July, 2008
God bless the Shakirs, who have given so much. May He also forgive the arsonists, they are truly the unfortunate ones.
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Terry
21 July, 2008
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proves again that he is the ANTI-Christ
Because this reminds me of incidents that happened in the Southern USA during the 1950’s & 1960’s when decendants of former slaves were seeking their rights as human beings to co-exist with other Americans…
This also similar to incidents in NAZI Germany in the 1930’s when Hitler was targeting Jews
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henry
22 July, 2008
Dear Friends,
It has been said that the darkness of the whole universe cannot extinguish or put off the light of one candle. This and other incidents only show that our world is spiritually ill, and that it is our duty to care for this world with all the hardship involved. It is not with hatered, or fear or anger that our world with those mullas and thier followers in it that will cure those spiritual illnesses. But with love, the love of God, and the love of humanity. With light and only light that darkness is defeated.
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papijoon
23 July, 2008
What do Baha’is believe?
Bahá’ís believe that there is one God, that all humanity is one family, and that there is a fundamental unity underlying religion.
They recognize that the coming of Bahá’u'lláh has opened the age for the establishment of world peace, when, as anticipated in the sacred scriptures of the past,
all humanity will achieve its spiritual and social maturity, and live as one united family in a just, global society.
The earth is but one country,and mankind its citizens. BAHÁ’U'LLÁH
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Muhammad Shahid Mathee
24 July, 2008
I am a Muslim and a theologen. All my sympathies to this Bahai family; i share their pain. What happened to them was totally wrong. I condemn the inhumane act and say to those who did it that it is wrong according to the teachings of the Qur’an and I ask them to engage Bahai’s in dialogue. Al-Imam ‘Ali (as) said told his governor to Egypt Malik al-Ashtar that people are of two kinds; either your brother/sister in religion (a Muslim) or your equal in humanity and creation. Bahai’s are our counterparts in humanity as are Jews, Cgristians, Hindus, Bhuddists, traditional religious practitioners, atheists, etc. I do not agree with the Baha’i faith or the claims of its founder. However, I hold to everyone’s right to express their religious beliefs and practice its teachings without fear. We have are one humanity. May Allah grant peace of herat and relief to the wronged family. However, I beg that we do not politicize the incident and start taking shots at Islam.
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lady
25 July, 2008
BAHÁ’U’LLÁH is with us!
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behrooz
25 July, 2008
o my god.. tahnk god nothing happened to the shakir’s family. thank god it was only the house and the car. thank god that it wans’nt a member of the family inside the car or the house. Baha’u'llah is with us
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Farah
26 July, 2008
O my God , Why!! that is going to far, this is surely not
human act, please Baha’u'llah help these Dearest
Baha’is of Iran.
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Behzad
27 July, 2008
I am very sad to see that after so many years off persecution of Baha’is, still some people could freely commit these violences against peace loving Baha’is. Thank God that shakir’s family is safe. I am a Baha’i and I do not blame Islam for any of these. As far as I know, Islam is a religion of peace. But I blame does people who believe in Islam, and still sit quietly and allow some people call themselves Muslim and commit these crimes.
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Behrooz
28 July, 2008
My wife and in-laws are from Kerman, people of Kerman are among the most peaceful peoples of Iran. This incident is unique in its kind. I am sure that people of Kerman are ashamed of such conducts that few ignorants commit.So are the wast majority of the followers of Mohammad the Prophet, but if you see that not many of them do anything about it and mostly remain quiet in my opinion is because for centuries Mollas have hide the many truths in The Koran from the people and on the other hand have poisoned the mind and the hearts of people against the followers of other religions specially those of Baha’i s. Leaders of the Followers of Mohammad who once upon a time were the champions of justice and the defenders of the oppressed now appear to be burning with hatred and rage, incapable of manifesting exhortation of God ( God the compassionate the merciful) they burn and destroy in His name.
.I understand The Koran has stated that there is an end time for every Omat( Nation) I wonder if these conducts and such apathy are the signs of their end!?.
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iman
28 July, 2008
Baha’u'llah is with us and we are not worry about anything. the Truth is winner.
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