What Injustice Could be Greater? :: Baha'i Perspectives

What Injustice Could be Greater?

negin February 21st, 2009

As many of you know, the eyes and prayers of the worldwide Baha’i community, as well as others, are in these days turned towards the persecuted members of the Baha’i community of Iran. The persecutions have intensified and culminated in the arrest nine months ago of the seven prominent Baha’is, all of whom remain incarcerated and at severe risk of being wrongfully convicted in the days ahead. In a recent article in the International Herald Tribune, British Foreign office minister Bill Rammell says about the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran: “It is hard not to conclude that these people are being held solely on account of their religious beliefs or their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and association.”

The history of the persecution if the Baha’is in Iran goes back to the early days of the Faith in the mid-19th century — a history that I strongly recommend all of you to study. The core of the Baha’i Faith and its ultimate purpose is the unity and wellbeing of mankind. In spite of this peaceful Message, the Founder, Baha’u'llah, and the early believers were met with exile, torture and suffering.

Although unique in many ways, the stories of heroism, faith and sacrifice remind us of other similar phenomena in the history of mankind. The phenomena I have in mind in particular are the appearances of all the former Manifestations of God, the Spiritual Educators of every age, who during their own lifetimes were met with opposition and torture by the contemporary leadership.

Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation and the vehement opposition of the people around Him.

- Baha’u'llah

This opposition, however, never stopped these illumined Beings from proclaiming their Message of love and unity; nor was it able to stop their tremendous influence from spreading far and wide.

A well-known story that testifies to this is the story of Jesus Christ, who, when He appeared among the people of Israel, was met with protests and false accusations. They were so mislead and blinded by their own pride and selfish interests that they failed to recognize the greatness of His Message – a Message of love and harmony. Again, their opposition didn’t stop the religion from spreading and influencing people in all corners of the earth, up to this day.

…consider the hardships and the bitterness of the lives of those Revealers of the divine Beauty. Reflect, how single-handed and alone they faced the world and all its peoples and promulgated the Law of God! No matter how severe the persecutions inflicted upon those holy, those precious, and tender Souls, they still remained, in the plenitude of their power, patient, and, despite their ascendancy, they suffered and endured.

- Baha’u'llah

That same injustice has struck many religious and other well-wishing groups throughout the history of mankind, and has now struck the members of the Baha’i Faith in Iran. A question that is difficult to understand is why people that promote peace, harmony and unity can be met with such harsh hostility? Can the reason be other than pride, ignorance and injustice?

In praying for the safety of the Baha’is in Iran, Baha’is are urged to stay firm and try even harder to live up to those principles that their fellow members are sacrificing their lives for:

Associate, O My friends, with all the people of religions with joy and fragrance. Beware that ye make not the Word of God the cause of oppositions or contrast, or for the purpose of causing hatred among you. Say: be sincerely pious toward God, O people of the earth, and be not found among the negligent ones.