http://www.bahairights.org/2009/01/08/bahai-prisoners-forced-to-participate-in-shia-ceremonies/ Defending the human rights of the Baha'i minority Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:24:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.bahairights.org/2009/01/08/bahai-prisoners-forced-to-participate-in-shia-ceremonies/#comment-1142 Bill Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:23:27 +0000 http://www.bahairights.org/?p=570#comment-1142 This is all the more problematical in that Baha'is in Iran have joyous celebrations for the birthdays of the Bab and Baha'u'llah on the first and second of Muharram. The tragedy of Karbala (the martyrdom of Imam Husayn) is redeemed in the lives of the Bab and Baha'u'llah. Baha'is regard the Bab as the Mahdi and Baha'u'llah as "the return of the Imam Husayn" (among other stations). Thus, for Baha'is, the Imam Husayn's sacrifice at Karbala is now healed in the life and teaching of Baha'u'llah. For a Baha'i to participate in the Muharram self-flagellations and other Shia rituals would be equivalent to denial of faith. This is all the more problematical in that Baha’is in Iran have joyous celebrations for the birthdays of the Bab and Baha’u'llah on the first and second of Muharram. The tragedy of Karbala (the martyrdom of Imam Husayn) is redeemed in the lives of the Bab and Baha’u'llah. Baha’is regard the Bab as the Mahdi and Baha’u'llah as “the return of the Imam Husayn” (among other stations). Thus, for Baha’is, the Imam Husayn’s sacrifice at Karbala is now healed in the life and teaching of Baha’u'llah. For a Baha’i to participate in the Muharram self-flagellations and other Shia rituals would be equivalent to denial of faith.

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