The Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights » Facts

Department of Civil Status leads discrimination against Baha’is

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:07:34 +0000

Dr. Basma G. Moussa, a leading Egyptian Baha’i blogger, and Assistant Professor at the prestigious Cairo University, wrote an article for the left-leaning El Badeel Newspaper on the discrimination adherents of the faith are met with in Egypt. Entitled “The Department of Civil Status Leads the Discrimination Against Baha’is”, the article is a forceful and compelling reminder of the importance of protecting the individual rights of citizens, regardless of race, gender or beliefs. For, as Dr. Moussa eloquently states, not guaranteeing these rights can weaken feelings of citizenship, thus creating opportunities for sectarianism to surface, and a return to the ignorant tendencies of the past.

Click for larger image

In 2004, an administrative decision by Egypt’s “Department of Civil Status” allowed for only three religions – Islam, Judaism and Christianity – to be listed under the religion field in identification papers, lamentedly denying thousands of Baha’is their right to the simplest of civil rights. Some of the hurdles faced by Egyptian Baha’is, as explained by Dr. Moussa, are explained below:

Birth certificates aren’t issued to Baha’i infants. A child’s denial of her/his right to a birth certificate has detrimental effects throughtout her/his lifetime, as it prevents access to health care and education. Further, working mothers aren’t entitled to maternity leave due to the absence of a birth certificate.

Apart from the risks entailed in not being able to produce a National ID card, should a brush with law enforcement officials ever occur, its lack automatically denies Baha’is from gaining employment, attaining higher education, deferring mandatory conscription, authenticating formal papers, dealing with financial institutions, etc.

Baha’i youth cannot determine their position when it comes to conscription, because they lack National ID cards. As a result, many have been suspended from universities.

Bahai’s in Egypts are not issued death certificates, thus denying widow(er)s and orphans from obtaining pension.

Obtaining passports is out of the question, as the process requires a National ID card.

Baha’i marriage certificates are not recognized by the state. This prevents spouses from travelling freely and prevents their future children from obtaining birth certificates.

Egyptian Baha’is cannot seek court protection or demand their rights in the upcoming period as they do not possess ID cards.

Despite the January 29 ruling, the Department of Civil Status has shown signs of willingness to alter its position, justifying it by resorting to fatwas (religious edicts) that claim there are only three divine religions.

We at the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights share Dr. Moussa’s amazement and confusion at the Department’s rationale, and strongly condemn this injustice.

What is Baha’i?

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:45:34 +0000

There still seems to be many misconceptions as to what a Baha’i really is and what Baha’i teachings revolve around, below we share a video about the Baha’i faith that may make things clear for our non-Baha’i readers:

Recent publications on Baha’is in Iran

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 12:53:32 +0000

Community Under Siege: The Ordeal of the Baha’is of Shiraz [PDF]

Resisting Educational Exclusion: The Baha’i Institute of Higher Education in Iran [PDF]

The Baha’is of Iran: Socio-Historical Studies [PDF]

The Baha’i community of Iran is the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. This collection of essays presents a comprehensive study of the social and historical development of the Baha’i community, and its role in shaping modern Iran. Central to this study is the pioneering character of the Baha’i community in the late 19th and early 20th century, with chapters examining the role of women in the Baha’i community; the impact of Baha’i-run schools on Iranian society, Baha’i contributions to public health initiatives; and the influence of Baha’i thought and the actions of individual Baha’is on the Constitutional Revolution of 1906-1911.

Conversion to the Baha’i Faith is another important theme, as contributors investigate the phenomenon of large scale conversion to the Baha’i Faith from the Jewish and Zoroastrian communities.

Finally, although persecution of the Baha’is has drawn the attention of the Western media, until now few scholars working in the field of Iranian studies have chosen to write on the history or details of this persecution.

Baha’is in Iran (documents)

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:21:03 +0000

Below we share 2 articles regarding Baha’is in Iran.

The first article concerns the recent destruction of a Baha’i cemetery in Najafabad, Iran. News of this unfortunate and disturbing development was first reported in the following article by Iran Press News on the 15th of September:

تخریب قبرستان بهائیان در نجف آباد اصفهان

A large crowd attacked the Baha’i cemetery of Najafabad and completely destroyed it. You may read the article in Farsi here [word document.]

The second article is a piece on the principle of toleration in Islam. It is titled, “From Moorish Qurtuba to the Baha’is of Iran: Islamic Toleration and Coercion.” The author argues that the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran is in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) and the Holy Qur’án. He explains how Qurtuba and Muslim Spain can be held up as an example of peaceful coexistence and mutual cooperation.

English version [word doc]
Farsi version [word doc]

The Baha’is of Iran blog has more information about the newly demolished Baha’i cemetery:

The Iranian authorities ordered the demolition of another Baha’i cemetery in Iran, this time in Najaf-Abad (Esfahan). This despicable and notorious action has brought extensive grief and unhappiness to Baha’i families who have lost their loved ones, especially those who have lost their relatives recently. This is the second Baha’i cemetery that has been demolished in the course of only a few short months. Clearly, this is proof of systematic and planned persecution towards members of the Baha’i Faith in Iran.

It is truly heart breaking to see children shedding tears. Was it not enough that they grieve the loss of their parents? Now they lament the destruction of their resting place.

We echo these thoughts. This is a truly shameful act.

For relevant information, you may refer to the Association for Baha’i Studies in Persian (ABSP).

US State Department condemn Egypt’s treatment of religious minorities

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:38:00 +0000

The Baha’i Faith in Egypt blog includes in a recent post the US state department’s report on Egypt, which condemns Baha’i human rights abuses within the country. The report notes:

Members of non-Muslim religious minorities officially recognized by the Government generally worship without harassment and maintain links with coreligionists in other countries; however, members of religious groups that are not recognized by the Government, particularly the Baha’i Faith, experience personal and collective hardship.

[...]

The Government again opposed advances in the respect for religious freedom affecting Baha’is. A government appeal of an April 2006 decision by the Administrative Court, which had supported the right of Baha’i citizens to receive ID cards and birth certificates with religion noted on the documents, resulted in a December 16, 2006 decision to overturn its ruling, and maintained the government prohibition on Baha’i citizens obtaining identity cards.

[...]

Tradition and some aspects of the law discriminated against religious minorities, including Christians and particularly Baha’is. The Government also continued to deny civil documents, including identity cards, birth certificates, and marriage licenses, to members of the Baha’i community.

[...]

Specifically, the Embassy and other State Department officials raised concerns with the Government about ongoing discrimination faced by Christians in building and maintaining church properties despite Decree 291 of 2005, official discrimination against Baha’is, and the Government’s treatment of Muslim citizens who wish to convert to other faiths.

[...]

The non-Muslim, non-Coptic Orthodox communities ranged in size from several thousand to hundreds of thousands. The number of Baha’is is estimated at 2,000 persons. The Jewish community numbers fewer than 200 persons.

[...]

In addition to complaints by Christian citizens to the NCHR, there were also 14 complaints from Baha’is, one of which was signed by 51 complainants who sought the right to have their religion listed on official papers.

[...]

The Government continued to deny civil documents, including ID cards, birth certificates, and marriage licenses, to members of the Baha’i community.

Read the rest of the report here.

Zionism and the Baha’i Faith?

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:01:32 +0000

A Persian-American Baha’i discusses this issue in a highly informative post.

Excerpt:

Since I could remember I often hear the term Zionism and the name of my Faith, the Baha’i Faith, used in the same sentence by people who are responsible for abuse against the Baha’is. I have been thinking and trying to figure out how and why this assumption could be reached by the clerical regime in Iran. So, this post will try to lay out the facts for those curious individual who are wondering what to think.

Read the entry here.

Iran’s Persecution of Baha’is 1993 – 2005

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:11:24 +0000

Annual documents highlighting the situation of Iranian Baha’is -

* 2004-2005 (PDF)
* 2003-2004 (PDF)
* 2002-2003 (PDF)
* 2001-2002 (PDF)
* 2000-2001 (PDF)
* 1999-2000 (PDF)
* 1998-1999 (PDF)
* 1997-1998 (PDF)
* 1996-1997 (HTML)
* 1995-1996 (HTML)
* 1994-1995 (HTML)
* 1993-1994 (HTML)

It is rather unfortunate, as noted in several of our previous entries, that Iranian Baha’is continue to face many human rights abuses within the country. Muslim members of this network, some of which include Iranians, express our hopes for solidarity. We shall continue to fight for their rights as that is the right thing to do – both for Islam and humanity.

Egypt’s Baha’i Case

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:27:22 +0000

This entry from the “Baha’i Faith in Egypt” blog describes the unfortunate issues that Egyptian Baha’is must face in regards to ID cards:

Egyptian Baha’is must have in hand the new National ID Card before the deadline of 31 December 2006, on which all Egyptian citizens must carry the new ID Card at all times. The application form requires the applicant to state his or her religion. It also requires the applicant to declare “that all details in this application are correct and real; I accept responsibility for consequences, with the full knowledge that providing any incorrect information in this application is considered forgery of official documents and is legally punishable according to the articles of the penal code”. This, of course, places the Baha’is in an untenable situation, since they have been told explicitly by government officials that they are not permitted to hold identification in which the space for religion specifies “other” and that they must “choose one of the three religions”

1) This case is not about the Egyptian government’s accepting the divine origin of the Bahá’í Faith.

2) It is, rather, about how Egyptian Bahá’ís, who are under the same obligation as all other Egyptian citizens to obtain government-issued identification cards, can do so without being falsely identified on these documents.

3) The government has an application form for the identity card in which a person has to state his or her religion. That same application form requires the applicant to declare “that all details in this application are correct and real; I accept responsibility for consequences, with the full knowledge that providing any incorrect information in this application is considered forgery of official documents and is legally punishable according to the articles of the penal code.”

Continue reading the informative blog entry, which fully exposes the situation.

Condemning Iran’s grave injustices against Baha’is

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 23:52:35 +0000

Following up on our previous post on Iran, we would like to highlight several articles that prove how serious this human rights violation is:

Twenty-four years ago in June 1983, seventeen members of the Baha’i community in Iran were executed in the southern city of Shiraz*. These men and women were among scores of Baha’is arrested in Shiraz in 1982-1983, interrogated repeatedly, tortured and pressured to recant their faith.

The religious judge and head of the Shiraz Revolutionary Tribunal, who sentenced these men and women to death, publicly vilified Baha’is and described them as “deviant” and as “instruments of Satan”. The judge referred to active members of the community as kofar harbi, or infidels, who have no rights, not even the right to life. “It is clear”, he said, “that there is no room, whatsoever, for Baha’ism and Baha’is in the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Today, Baha’ism remains unrecognized in Iran, the Baha’i community has no legal status, and discrimination against it continues unchecked. Further, recent reports** indicate a new surge in anti-Baha’i propaganda and in the persecution of Baha’is dwelling in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Read full article at this German-Iranian blog, which adopted it from another source.

Here is another excerpt of a disturbing article concerning Baha’is in Iran:

Throughout the country, Iranian authorities have continued to arrest and detain Baha’is throughout Iran in recent months, subjecting them to a “revolving door” sequence of imprisonment and release that is apparently designed to harass and oppress the Baha’is community.

Over the last two years, at least 129 Bahai’s have been arrested, released on bail, and are now awaiting trial throughout the country. The bail demands have been high, in most cases requiring the Baha’is to hand over considerable sums of money, deeds to property, business or work licenses.

Read the rest of the post from the Adorrahman Boroumand Foundation.

Iranian policy calls for expulsion of Baha’is:

A letter issued by a university in Iran shows that the expulsion of Baha’i students from Iranian universities is official government policy.

The letter, dated November 2, 2006, from the headquarters of Payame Noor University to its regional branches, cites instructions from Iran’s Cultural Revolutionary Council and Ministry of Information that Baha’i students “cannot enroll” in Iranian universities and that if they are already enrolled, “they should be expelled.”

Click here to see the document in Farsi or English (PDF format)

Further information, from the same source:

In Iran, repression of the Baha’i community is official government policy.

This policy is outlined in a previously secret memorandum that was uncovered and published by the U.N. Human Rights Commission in 1993. Written by the Iranian Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council in 1991 and signed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, this document provides a blueprint for the suppression of the Iranian Baha’i community. It contains specific guidelines for dealing with the Baha’is so that “their progress and development are blocked.”

Some 300,000 Baha’is live throughout Iran, making the Baha’i Faith the country’s largest minority religion. Baha’is have been targets of discrimination and violence in Iran since the religion began there in the mid-nineteenth century. More than 200 Baha’is were killed in Iran between 1978 and 1998, the majority by execution, and thousands more were imprisoned.

Read more.

As Muslims, we condemn these brutal acts of violence, which was committed by a government that calls itself “Islamic.” Iran should realize the mistake it is committing against a peaceful minority who should be treated as citizens with rights. The Iranian government will benefit socially, economically, religiously, and politically if it ceases these inhumane practices against Baha’is who did nothing to deserve this shameful level of violent discrimination. If Iran wishes to gain a powerful status as a nation, it must accept and embrace the diversity within it. Without acknowledging such basic human rights, unity is not possible, and thus neither is true power.

We hope to see more interfaith activism within Iran to help Baha’is gain an equal status, which is the very least the Iranian government could do after decades of terrorism against the Baha’i minority!

To Iranian Baha’is: Our thoughts and hearts are with you. Despite its title, the Iranian government does not represent our religion, which preaches tolerance and respect. If it was truly an Islamic Republic, it would actually abide by Islamic teachings, none of which justify these crimes.

May you soon live in peace with your Muslim brethren, for we will always support you.

What is the Baha’i Faith?

Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:56:20 +0000

There are many people, especially Muslims, who don’t know what the Baha’i faith is (and despite that some continue to discriminate against them). Here are some guides to introduce those not familiar with the religion.

The International website of the Baha’i faith: This site is an extensive one that provides a full guide to the religion, latest news of Baha’i events worldwide, and helpful research tools to help you understand the faith and its followers better. Click here if you want a very direct answer to “What is the Baha’i Faith?” and you will find much more on the site’s informative FAQ page.

Baha’i faith on Wikipedia: This is another guide that is useful for those wanting an introduction. Individual categories within the article allow readers to find what they want with ease. It also provides a lot of extra information for those who want to learn more.

BBC profile: This is a good source for those wanting to learn more about the Baha’i culture and society.

For endless other sources, run a quick Google search and you will hopefully find what you want to know about the religion.