Imprisoned in Evin

The car speeded north toward the Alborz Mountains. After about half an hour, in the pale moonlight, I saw the snake-like walls of Evin zigzagging across the hills. A dull pain filled my stomach and spread into my bones. We entered a narrow, winding street, and the tall, red-brick walls of the prison appeared in our right. Every few yards, from lookout towers, floodlights poured their intense brightness into the night. We neared a large metal gate and came to a stop in front of it. There were bearded, armed guards everywhere. The barbed wire covering the top of the wall cast a tangled shadow on the pavement. The driver stepped out, and the guard sitting in the front passenger seat gave me a thick strip of cloth and told me to blindfold myself. “Make sure it’s on properly, or you’ll get in trouble!” he barked. With my blindfold in place, the car passed through the gates and continued for two or three minutes before again coming to a stop. The doors were opened, and I was instructed to step out. Someone tied my wrists with rope and dragged me along. I stumbled over an obstacle and fell.
“Are you blind?” a voice asked, and laughter followed.

Such is an excerpt from ‘Prisoner of Tehran’ by Marina Nemat. Arrested during the Iranian Revolution, the 16-year old student activist was jailed in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, tortured and sentenced to death. She was kept alive through the intervention of one of her interrogators only moments before her execution. Forced to convert to Islam, forced to marry that same interrogator, and subjugated until he is assassinated, she faces terrifying physical and psychological pain behind the prison walls.

Soon, it felt warmer, and I knew we had entered a building. A narrow strip of light appeared below my blindfold, and I saw that we were walking along a corridor. The air smelled of sweat and vomit. I was instructed to sit on the floor and wait. I could feel other people sitting close to me , but I couldn’t see them. Everyone was silent, but vague, angry voices came from behind closed doors. Every once in a while, I filtered out a word or two: Liar! Tell me! Names! Write it! And, sometimes, I heard people scream in pain. My heart began to beat so fast it pushed against my chest and made it ache, so I put my hands on it and pressed down. After a while, a harsh voice told someone to sit next to me. It was a girl, and she was crying.

Marina Nemat’s book is riveting – absolutely. Her story is a tale of spiritual triumph – love over hate, freedom over oppression. Her beautiful spirit instils hope despite immeasurable suffering.

The book has a special relevance to current affairs as the seven Baha’i arrested in May still await their trial in that same prison of Evin.

The Baha’is are suspected to be held in Evin’s Section 209, run by various security services, most of which are loyal to the clergy and thus this section is beyond the jurisdiction of Iranian Prison Authorities. The section is known to keep ‘political prisoners’, usually students, journalists, human-rights activists, and of course Baha’is.

Former prisoners have complained of human rights abuses, such as solitary confinement, harsh interrogation tactics, and even torture. One form of solitary confinement is ‘white torture’ where the lights of a windowless 2 by 3 meter cell are constantly left on, often for months at a time. The lack of human contact may lead to certain mental illnesses such as depression or an existential crisis. Furthermore, prisoners are denied permission to contact their families for many weeks, sometimes even threatened that their families too will be maltreated.

We now stand close to the trial of the seven Baha’is, to be defended in court by Noble-prize winner Shirin Ebadi. We hope that they were not subjected to the conditions described above, and that they were endowed with the same patience, strength, and spirit of self-sacrifice of the early believers of our Faith.

Entrance Gate to Evin

Related posts:

• A Closer Look Into Evin Prisons’ Section 209 – Reyhani
• More news on Baha’i Faith in Egypt and Iran
• Iranian Baha’i leaders being held incommunicado – Baha’i World News Service

a short Tale on a Prophet´s Power

A mullah and his student travel through the white snowy countryside. Finally, tired from the days walk and talk, they rent a room in the caravanserai of a nearby village. The freezing air makes it hard to sleep, so finally the student continues his week-long attempts to convince his master that he should claim the rank of prophethood:

‘Great are you. My knowledge is but a sapling in the forests of your knowledge’
‘Yes’, the mullah answers patiently.

After a length of silence the student continues:
‘You have gloriously dominated discussions with the most erudite clergy of this country.’
‘Yes I have.’

More time passes and the teacher asks his student to bring him a glass of water. The student hesitates and wanting to avoid leaving his warm bed in the cold ignores his master’s request and continues the discussion:
‘Your wise words have shown hundreds of lost souls the path to spiritual truth.’
‘Yes they have’, the mullah answers again.

In his mind having successfully mapped out his argument, he then asks:
‘If all this is so, will you not proclaim that you yourself are a Prophet?’
‘Busy not yourself with such thoughts.’ is the masters blunt answer.

As they wake to perform their ablutions for the morning namaz, the mullah urges the student: ‘Get up! Get up! I have an answer to your questions. Do you see the muezzin walking on the road? Every day, before sunrise he gets out of his cosy bed, washes himself, walks across the village in the ice-cold snow to the Mosque, climbs a tall tower and raises a call to prayer, only because a man six hundred years ago has said to do so. You are my most intimate student, all you have learned, you have learned from me. Yet, you refused to even get me glass of water. Will you see now how insignificant I am in the world compared to the power and influence of the True Prophets?‘

Virginity Restoration, yes it does exist

Once lost, virginity can never be replaced – but modern medicine now offers women a near-perfect physical simulation of their lost innocence. Hymenoplasty was the topic of a TIME article last week and was described as the last resort for Muslim women to avoid ‘humiliation, repudiation, and possibly violence that could result from husbands and families discovering from blood-free bridal sheets that their wedding night had not been their first experience.’

Hymenoplasty attracted media attention last month in France as a court annulled a marriage on the basis of a husband’s complaint that his wife had falsely promised that she was a virgin – a confession he obtained after furiously waving the new couple’s spotless bedclothes before still-celebrating wedding guests (which is in itself a horrible tradition). The court ruling infuriated everyone from Muslim clergy to feminists, and gynecologists themselves.

Well not only did the husband complain that his wife was not honest towards him, but he also claimed a breach of contract on the grounds that virginity was an ‘essential quality’ of the woman he chose to marry. It sounds too much like having discovered a flaw in the product he was buying. But for whatever he meant, he was quite right about dishonesty. Baha’u'llah Himself answers a question about virginity as a condition for marriage with these words: “The unfulfilled condition invalidateth that which is conditioned upon it.” But then he adds: “However, to conceal and forgive the matter will, in the sight of God, merit a bounteous reward.” That did not happen here… Marriage must not start with lies but be built upon trust and honesty.

Some Muslim clergy were outraged insisting that Islam does not demand virginity as a precondition for marriage, and claimed that the ruling belied the judge’s archaic misunderstanding of the faith and its tenets (I will not touch on the topic of secularism vs theocracy this time). Boy they were wrong. It takes only a second to find relevant verses from the Qur’an.

“And go not nigh to fornication; surely it is an indecency and an evil way.” (17:32)

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.” (24:2)

The second quotation is particularly interesting because it shows how Baha’u'llah’s commandment to ‘conceal and forgive the matter’ is an evolution of the Islamic tenet.

The French gynecological organization condemned the practice as a ’submission to the intolerance of the past’. Bioethicist Alta Charo squirms over the idea of hymen repair but then says we ought to “put it in the larger context of how far women will go to make themselves marriageable and sexually attractive.” Just what will secular, modern women do to fit their own cultural stereotypes — breast implant, anyone? What will they do to stay employable — face-lift, anyone?”

The procedure has become more common and still other commentators note that this reflects the growing emancipation of women from tradition-rooted communities. Quite ironic though as after having ‘emancipated’ they throw themselves back into traditions.

But this whole big mess had already been solved gloriously by Muhammad with the simple commandment that fornication is not a possibility. We should just simply not have sex before marriage. It feels as though the grey clouds of virginity restoration that were covering my mental sky were cleared by His words. It’s so simple yet solves so many problems. This is also why I refrain from addressing more issues that are related to this topic. It’s enough and thank you God for restrictions.

benefits of being a World Heritage Site

There’s a lot of noise online about the Baha’i Shrines being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sites are nominated by the country in which they are located and evaluated by the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee. They ‘represent the most outstanding examples of the world’s natural and cultural heritage.’

Cultural Criteria

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. Among the selection criteria for a cultural heritage site are:

• “to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius“
• “to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history”
• “to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.“

Benefits

The overarching benefit of having been inscribed is the protection and preservation of the site. But let me break down my thoughts:

1. One obvious benefit is the increase of tourism at the Baha’i sites and in Haifa, providing both economic benefits to the city, and spiritual benefits to an increasing number of visitors. No visitors pay entrance fees and thus the only direct benefit of more tourists for the Baha’is is promotion of the Faith. (the ‘only’ but not the least unimportant one)
2. UNESCO states: ‘The World Heritage Committee awards funding to assist Sites, although such funding is limited.  Moreover, because World Heritage Sites are recognized as internationally important, international organizations often give priority to World Heritage Sites in making financial grants and providing technical assistance.’

   Baha’is are known only to accept donations for the sites from the Baha’i community itself, thus I am not entirely sure whether we would ever accept funding. (During the terrace construction project, the city of Haifa had offered money to help finance the terraces, but the Universal House of Justice had declined.)

3. Members of the World Heritage Agreement have also agreed to desist from deliberate actions that might damage the Sites. Iran is a signatory of the UNESCO world heritage list, and in case of a possible attack as discussed in current news Iran would face a lot of pressure not to damage this site, although they would probably love to, (following statements of the past years).
4. With the nomination, Israel pledges to ensure the ‘protection, conservation, presentation, and transmission to future generations of this heritage site.’ The properties must have adequate long-term legislative and regulatory protection and management to ensure their safeguarding.

These measures at national and local levels should assure its protection against development and change that might negatively impact the outstanding universal value and the integrity of the property. Thus:

5. In certain site cases there has been legislation on reduction of traffic and noise and air pollution. I am not entirely sure about the terms of nomination of the Baha’i sites.
6. A buffer zone should be provided for the effective protection of the property, basically an area surrounding the Baha’i property which has restrictions placed on its use and development as an added layer of protection. ‘This should include the immediate setting of the nominated property, important views and other areas or attributes that are functionally important as a support to the property and its protection.’
   The Haparsim area which includes the House of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the Resting Place of Ruhiyyih Khanum lie within our buffer zone and thus limited protection is granted to these as well.

To read more about the inscription:

Ruha Reyhani at http://blog.reyhani.cc
Barney’s Blog at http://www.leithjb.net/blog
Official Article at Baha’i World News Service
More interesting thoughts at http://www.bahaithought.com

Terraced Gardens above the Shrine of the Bab

Mona’s Dream: Update to Film Progress

Finally some good news about Mona’s Dream, the feature film about Mona Mahmudnizhad the courageous young Baha’i teacher who was martyred 1983 along with ten other Baha’i women.

The filmmakers website states:

Mona’s Dream started pre-production in May of 2008. Our goal is to shoot the film in October/November 2008 and to complete post-production by March 2009.

A great cast has already committed to the film.

Keisha Castle-Hughes (Oscar-nominated actress from ‘Whale Rider’, also in ‘Star Wars Episode III)

Shohreh Aghdashloo (Oscar-nominated actress from ‘House of Sand and Fog’, also in ‘24′, ‘Lake House’ and ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’)

Cas Anvar (Canadian actor) as Khalid, Chief Interrogator

Nazanin Afshin-Jam (Singer/Songwriter and debuting as actress; International Human Rights Activist, and Miss World Canada and Miss World runner-up) as Tahirih

Shohreh Aghdashloo

Keisha Castle-Hughes

Cas Anvar

Nazanin Afshin-Jam

Blackwater, Sharia Law, and a World Court

In 2004 a plane crashed in Afghanistan killing three U.S. soldiers, and their widows are now suing military contractor Blackwater whose airline was at fault. Blackwater’s lawyers have an interesting defense:

The lawsuit “is governed by the law of Afghanistan,” Presidential Airways argued in a Florida federal court. “Afghan law is largely religion-based and evidences a strong concern for ensuring moral responsibility, and deterring violations of obligations within its borders.”

If the judge agrees, it would essentially end the lawsuit over a botched flight supporting the U.S. military. Shari’a law does not hold a company responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their work.

“This move surprises U.S. lawmakers as Blackwater had pushed hard for immunity from Iraqi jurisdiction as a condition of operating in Iraq. But why would a company that enjoys immunity from local laws (see: Iraq) ask for Sharia (an Islamic system of law often applied to day-to-day disputes)? Because, according to Sharia, a company wouldn’t be found responsible for mistakes employees made.” (SPI)

I don’t wish to take sides here. The inconsistency in our system is more intriguing. Every state has its own laws and it seems that companies may choose a system that best suits their needs. The same, applies to multi-national companies who do not need to conform to any system as such. On the other hand we have governments that are free to act and legislate as they wish (within a very generous framework).

In the Baha’i view this is a passing phase in the process of human evolution – a social evolution that incorporates a change in international law that eliminates national and corporate sovereignties.

Accordingly, humankind appears to be moving towards the establishment of a world commonwealth consisting of: a true world legislature; a binding world tribunal; an effective world executive. (BIC-1990)

“The present international system has within its ambit: (a) a de facto world legislative authority, divided among various law-making bodies, and (b) a de facto world court, divided among different international judicial bodies. The next logical step would be to enter the de jure stage. This will allow humankind to go beyond the inner limitations of the structure of present-day society.” (BIC-1990)

Read more about the Baha’i perspective on international relations here: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-0-1.html

Ignorant and Decadent: TIME’s Most Popular

In whichever direction we turn our gaze, no matter how cursory our observation of the doings and sayings of the present generation, we cannot fail to be struck by the evidences of moral decadence which, in their individual lives no less than in their collective capacity, men and women around us exhibit. (Call to the Nations)

And so I felt when I had a look at TIME’s Most Popular Stories of the day. These articles, most frequently read by TIME.com readers, give a good general view of what society is interested in. The highlights of the top 25:

1. Pregnancy Boom at Gloucester High
2. Japan’s Booming Sex Niche: Elder Porn
3. What the Gay Brain Looks Like
4. Confessions of a Wi-Fi Thief
5. Will More Drilling Mean Cheaper Gas?
8. Can the Enemy Build a Super-Soldier?
10. How to Live With Just 100 Things
15. How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
17. Are US Nukes in Europe Secure?
19. Rain Forest Tribesmen Just Want to Be Left Alone
24. More Sex Please, We’re French
25. How America’s Children Packed On the Pounds

I’ve been monitoring the Most Popular lists on TIME, CNN, and BBC regularly and there is obviously a great interest in any article that contains the word ‘Sex’. Note: Of course mixed among these excerpts were several articles that are actually intelligent.

It is also evident that things that are absolutely irrelevant are of interest to society, such as “How to Live With Just 100 Things”. In the Promise of World Peace it is stated: For ignorance is indisputably the principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples. Society is struggling to find meaning in life, and as it fails, ignorance prevails and society falls into these manifestations of foolishness.

We are now in a world spiritually destitute, morally bankrupt, politically disrupted, socially convulsed, economically paralyzed, writhing, bleeding and breaking up beneath the avenging rod of God. (SE)

American soldier uses Koran for target practice

“An American soldier used a Koran, the Holy Book of Islam, for target practice in a predominately Sunni area west of Baghdad, prompting an apology from the U.S. military.

The Associated Press reports that Iraqi police found the bullet-riddled Koran with graffiti inside the cover on a small-arms range near a police station in Radwaniyah, a former insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.

The shooting, which occurred May 9 and was discovered two days later, threatened to further strain relations between the Americans and Sunni allies who have joined forces with them against al-Qaeda in Iraq in Radwaniyah and other areas.”

The incident shows deep-rooted religious intolerance, identified by Shoghi Effendi as one of the ‘outstanding characteristics of a decadent society’. He writes that this ’society must either be reborn or perish’ before mankind will adhere to his command of ‘consorting with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.’

The top American commander in Baghdad apologized to tribal leaders in Radwaniyah. “I come before you here seeking your forgiveness,” Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond was quoted as saying by CNN. “In the most humble manner I look in your eyes today and I say please forgive me and my soldiers.”

The commander also read a letter of apology by the shooter, and another military official kissed a Koran and presented it to the tribal leaders, according to CNN.

This act on the other hand shows great respect for the Book – praised by Baha’u'llah Himself as the ‘mighty Qur’an’ and ‘the surest testimony of God unto men’ – and its Writer – extolled as the ’sovereignty of Muhammad’ and the ‘Day Star of Truth’.

Such is yet another struggle to overcome our ridiculous religious prejudices.

Dr. Varqa’s appointment as Hand anticipated

This is a photograph of Dr. Varqa, late Hand of the Cause of God, in his early childhood years, bearing an inscription by ‘Abdu’l-Baha anticipating his appointment as Hand of the Cause of God. The story of the photograph is fascinating. Read below:

In response to questions regarding the picture, Dr. Varqa said:

“This photograph was not meant to be seen by the friends during my earthly life; however, since it has been seen and many things have been said about it that may not be accurate, it is best that I explain the details myself:

When I was born (in the year 1912), my father was amongst the friends who were accompanying ‘Abdu’l-Baha (in America). My father wrote to my paternal uncle and asked for a photograph of his new born son. A photograph of me in the arms of my uncle, in which a servant can also be seen, was sent to my father. Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah Qumi had taken the photograph from my father and brought it to the attention of the Master. His Holiness ‘Abdu’l-Baha had then written the word “yad” [Hand] on the photograph on my left arm and the word “mu’ayyad” [confirmed] on the right arm. Moreover, ‘Abdu’l-Baha adorned the photograph with the words ‘Ya Baha’u'l-Abha”.

This photograph was in our family for 45 years, and we were not aware of its real significance; until my father passed away and the beloved Guardian honoured me by conferring upon me the title of the Hand of the Cause of God.

One night, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran had gathered in our home, and my mother recounted the details of the episode surrounding the photograph. Mr. Furutan then printed the details in the next issue of “Baha’i News”. When that issue of “Baha’i News” reached the Holy Land, Shoghi Effendi sent instructions that the photograph be sent to him.

Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum has recounted the following: ‘When the photograph was brought to the attention of the beloved Guardian, a smile came upon his face. This genuine smile was indicative of a spiritual connection between ‘Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, and it spoke of unspoken divine mysteries; inasmuch as the Guardian was not aware of the existenc of this photograph when appointing Dr. Varqa to the rank of the Hand of the Cause.”

Time Magazine on Unity

Last week i picked up a March edition of Time; the cover reading: “10 Ideas that are changing the world”. Expecting an article covering Google, hydrogen fuel, and Taiwan, i was rather surprised to find #1 Common Wealth: National interests aren’t what they used to be. Our survival requires global solutions to be Number One Idea.

The 21st century will overturn many of our basic assumptions about economic life. The 20th century saw the end of European dominance of global politics and economics. The 21st century will see the end of American dominance too, as new powers, including China, India and Brazil, continue to grow and make their voices heard on the world stage. Yet the century’s changes will be even deeper than a rebalancing of economics and geopolitics. The challenges of sustainable development – protecting the environment, stabilizing the world’s population, narrowing the gaps of rich and poor and ending extreme poverty – will render passé the very idea of competing nation-states that scramble for markets, power and resources.

and then author Jeffrey D. Sachs hits point:

The defining challenge of the 21st century will be to face the reality that humanity shares a common fate on a crowded planet.

Done deal.

We face a momentous choice. Continue on our current course, and the world is likely to experience growing conflicts between haves and have-nots, intensifying environmental catastrophes and downturns in living standards caused by interlocking crises of energy, water, food and violent conflict.

That’s why the idea that has the greatest potential to change the world is simply this: by overcoming cynicism, ending our misguided view of the world as an enduring struggle of ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ and instead seeking global solutions, we actually have the power to save the world for all.

And a 150 years earlier, a Prophet had written: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.” Indeed, we are taking real long to understand a simple verse…

Source: TIME Magazine, 24 March 2008