The Middle East is home to many different ethnic groups, cultures, and religions. Under Arab/Moslem domination, the non-Arab indigenous peoples of the region and the non-Moslem religious faiths are under attack. We have been delegitimized and are depicted as foreign to our own homeland.
The Egyptian court has now declared the Bahai religion illegal, defining its followers as apostates of Islam. The ruling means that Egypt's Bahais are unable to receive national identification cards... Without which they cannot register births, receive essential government services such as health and education, cannot apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts, or register their children in school.
Read about it
here.
Labels: Egypt, Health, Islam
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16 Comments:
This is a sad thing for Bahais and religious freedom in general Yaacov!
Greetings,
Thanks for mentioning the situation of the Baha'is.
It is intereseting the way you show it with the comic... Indeed, Egypt is known to have one of the most moderates slamic systems, nontheless, it is my hope that soon this situation shall change.
I hope from my inner-soul that it is only a matter of time
Dear Mr. Yaakov Kirschen
I am a Portuguese Baha'i and I would like to post this cartoon in my weblog.
Do you mind if I translate and post it ?
I will add a link and a reference to your weblog.
Thanks.
May I also have your permission to re-post this cartoon on my blog?
Thank you....
yes fellow bloggers,
you can translate and/or republish dry bones cartoons on your blogs as long as you include a reference and a link back to the drybones blog.
enjoy
Thank you for the permission. I will be posting it on my Arabic blog with a reference and link back to your blog.
islamic countries should realise that the only reason baha'i is not a "religion of the book" is because it was relvealed after islam, in the same way that islam can hardly enjoy the full recognition of christians as it was revealed after jesus. yet this has not prevented christians from showing tolerance towards the followers of islam within their midst, even in these desperate times. how unfortunate that modern islam so often lacks the stature, generosity and tolerance that were hallmarks of that faith in the middle ages!
There is a story relating a conversation between an eminent scholar and a camel-driver. The two were part of a caravan, and the scholar noticed that one of the camel-drivrs was ostracized by others in the caravan.
As his curiosity aroused him he began a conversation with the ostracized camel-driver. "I understand that you are a Baha'i, and that is why no one will have anything to do with you."
"Yes, honoured sir, I am."
"Why have you become a Baha'i, while I have never heard of the teachings you follow?"
"Well," said the camel-driver thoughtfully, "You are like a rare jewel that is carefully cut and polished. Such a rare object is carefully stored in a beautiful casket. Then the casked is locked away so it cannot be stolen. No light can reach it. But I, I am like a grain of desert sand. When the sun rises it strikes the sand first, but the beautiful jewel hidden in the casket and locked away in the safe, does not receive any light."
As a result of this conversation, one of the most famous scholars meditated and investigated, and became a person very famous in Baha'i history.
Baha'is learn from Baha'u'llah (Arabic for "The Glory of God", a title for Mirza Husayn Ali of Nur) that all human virtue depends upon truthfulness. Without truthfulness no virtue exists. So you will be able to appreciate the importance of truthfulness to Baha'is when you think over this story.
As a Baha'i in the far-off land of Canada who has visited the World Centre of the Baha'i Faith at Haifa, I give thanks for the richness of the Teachings of Baha'u'llah and the keys given to me to be able to appreciate the history and teachings of Islam. My favorite quotes are those observations of Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) about "those who join partners with God"
The humility and submissiveness demonstrated in the camel-driver's comments surely are parallel with the obedience embraced by the sincere follower of Muhammad (PBUH).
I really appreciate the illumination of the current plight of the Baha'is in Egypt. Bloggers might like to know that there is a similar situation in Iran as well.
I also want to note that Baha'is are peaceful and only hope for equal opportunities to that of other citizens and that which is only just and fair. Baha'is have done nothing against the government or peoples of these countries and only hope for peace and love in the interacions of all.
Thank you again for your work on the cartoon.
As a Mason in Canada, with a Lodge Brother from Egypt, and dear friends of the Bahai faith in Manitoba, I am deeply sorry to hear of this problem.
Especialy since Anwer Sadat's death.
His wife was to be awarded a very special award here in Winnipeg....
Please remmember Bahai's of Egypt and Iran in your prayers.
We all hope for the best and pray for their safety.
Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the World with comedy.
It is always valuable to raise awareness of injustices that occur to anyone, anywhere. For this, I am grateful for your cartoon. At the same time, I am moved to think of His Holiness Christ as He gave up His life on the cross, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Let none of us judge each other for our actions or inactions. May oppressors and tyrants everywhere soon realize what they are doing, and amend themselves.
I've come across this rather late in the day, but I would like to add that, in hasbara, I constantly use the difference between the state of the Baha'is in Iran (where many of their sacred places have been bulldozed) and the status they enjoy in Israel, where their holiest shrines are protected and where they have their international headquarters (located in one of the most beautiful sites on the Mediterranean). And don't forget that Baha'is are forced to stay undercover in every single Muslim country, that Christians are attacked in many, that Jews cannot safely enter almost any Islamic state.
hi yakov its moshe from arrad.
i am now up north haifa. my e mail is tatasa90@yahoo.com
we are now up the carmel on top
if you d ont remmeber 1974 we were
allways togther my wife lana english i am temaney from jerusalem we met at jerusalem post. waiting for your e mail.......
In my mind, the last chaos gold in the game is very important, in order to had more lc gold, I always work hard then to buy last chaos gold, so every mouth I do not had money to do anther thing.
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