Another ebook published

As promised the second volume on the history of the Baha'i Faith (The life of Baha'u'llah) has now been published. The ebook is $0.99 as usual. The paperback is $6.99. The printing costs are higher as this is the largest book so far - some 21,000 words.

The book describes the main events in the life of Baha'u'llah. There are many dramatic stories of individuals which had to be omitted but can be found in the more comprehensive histories listed in "Further Reading".

The maps for these books need further editing and will be updated later.

Link to book.

New ebook - The Life of the Bab

 

This new book (ebook and paperback) is called 'The Baha'i Faith - A Short History I' and is about the life of the Bab. The Bab was the forerunner of Baha'u'llah and Himself a Manifestation of God. He lived a short but dramatic life in Iran (Persia) in the 1800's.

Link to book.

Note that the next volume of the history is almost ready and the third volume is being written.

Iranian thought leaders call for an end to Bahá’í persecution

 An article at BIC notes an important development for Bahá’ís:

 "A group of more than 150 Iranian human rights advocates and social and political activists have signed a powerful public statement (in Persian with English translation) condemning the “new wave of arrests against Bahá’ís and their deprivation of basic human and civil rights.”"

Let us pray that positive change results from this!

The persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran intensifies

 

In May the Bahá'í International Community reported:

"...a recent intensification of the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran appears to be underway, 

signaling the implementation of a larger plan by the Iranian government to increase the persecution of the community, the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country. 

A campaign of raids on Baha’i homes and baseless arrests of Baha’is is currently unfolding across Iran. So far, dozens of Baha'i homes have been raided by authorities in Baharestan, Isfahan, and Shiraz, resulting in the detention of over 20 Baha’is and more who can be called to prison at any time."

And this month:

"The Baha’i International Community is calling for the Iranian government to be held accountable for its campaign of hate speech against the Baha’is in Iran. 

In recent months, the four-decades long state-sponsored campaign of hate speech and propaganda has reached new levels, increasing in both sophistication and scale."

"More than 200 Baha’is were executed in the 1980s; today, they are denied public sector jobs, higher education, their livelihoods are often disrupted, their cemeteries desecrated, and they are vilified in state and semi-official media as well as from the pulpit and in schools and other educational institutions."

A letter to President Rouhani of Iran

A report from the Baha'i News Service states:

'The seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders have written a letter to President Hassan Rouhani, commenting on his proposed "Charter of Citizen's Rights."
During his campaign for election earlier this year, President Rouhani promised such a Charter, saying it would aim to end discrimination on the basis of race, sex or religion.'

Time will tell if actions will flow from these fine words.

Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders

There have been many calls for the release of the seven innocent Baha'i leaders imprisoned in Iran. Many Baha'i leaders in Iran have been executed over the past several decades without just cause. Concern for the Baha'is in Iran has been expressed by many including (recently):

• UN Human Rights Council
• Amnesty International
• European Union
• the Prime Minister of Canada
• Roman Catholic Archbishop of Delhi
• Swami Agnivesh

The latest news on this secretive process is that the trial seems to have ended but no one seems to know the outcome...

Trial of seven Iranian Baha'i leaders appears to have ended

The Baha'i Persecutions in Iran

Fundermentalists in Iran - many in government - continue their relentless but totally unjustified persecution of the Baha'i community there. Their latest tactic has been the arrest of 7 leading members and likely trial on groundless allegations such a spying for Israel.

I cannot do justice to this long-running story here so see the links below for more:
Baha'i World News Service - Iran Update
Baha'i World News Service - International Reaction

And concerning Iran...

I have always had a soft spot for Iran since becoming a Baha'i some 30 plus years ago - understandable when you know the history and the good things the Baha'i Writings say about it. I even spent time learning to read and write Persian though I have forgotten most of it now. So I was glad to hear that there is still support at the UN for the persecuted Baha'i community of Iran.
According to the Baha'i World News Service of Dec. 20th:

The United Nations General Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution expressing "serious concern" over the human rights situation in Iran, including the escalation of violations against Iranian Baha'is.

Their continuing plight is not forgotten and is continuing to draw attention even in Iran itself.

Egyptian courts rules against Baha'is

In Egypt the Baha'is are doing their best to be law abiding but that
has just got more difficult. It is no longer possible for them to be
legally Baha'is - their ID cards (required to be carried by law) must now
identify them as either Muslims, Christians or Jews...

The highest court has just ruled against the Baha'is (after a lower
court ruled in their favour) putting the Government in a unfavourable
light.

One wonders what is happening with Hindus, Zoroastrians and Buddhists
though there must be few who are Egyptian citizen, if any.

Here in Guyana we benefit from a high level of tolerance for all religions including the Baha'i Faith which is widely known and respected. The national body was incorporated by Act of Parliament about thirty years ago. Neither are there problems between Muslims and those of other Faiths.

Links:
Guardian report
Blog
Baha'i News Service