Iranian.com has just published this article about the denial to Bahá’ís by the Iranian authorities of access to higher education. It is an English translation by Ahang Rabbani of an article in Persian by Ahmad Batebi (published on 2 September in Roozonline)

Ahmad Batebi, is not a Bahá’í, but he too has suffered at the hands of the Iranian authorities and he is very sympathetic to the situation of the Iranian Bahá’ís in their homeland.

Batebi quotes at length from a letter written by one of the young Bahá’ís, Hesam Mithaqi, who struggled with the malign insanities of Iran’s ideologically driven government as he faced expulsion from the Sanai Institute of Advanced Studies in Isfahan in 2006. This is a moving document, not least because Mithaqi tells his story without rancour.

Hesam Mithaqi’s letter

“In 1385 Sh [2006] I participated in the nationwide college entrance examination and was accepted in the bachelor program for English translation in the Sanai Institute of Advanced Studies in Isfahan.

“Early in the first semester, our professor in the Islamic studies class inquired, ‘Do we have any religious minorities in the class?’ Miss Rezai [a Bahai], a Christian student and I declared that we were among the religious minorities. I also added that I intended to minor in Islamic studies. The instructor then asked me to name my religion, but since I knew that mentioning the word ‘Bahai’ would not be prudent, I avoided a direct answer. However, the instructor insisted and I stated that I followed the Bahai Faith.

“After that session, Miss Rezai and I together went to the instructor and suggested that in view of the pervasive circumstances it would be best for him to avoid a discussion of the Bahai Faith in the class and university, since it might result in complications for us, and even for him. He accepted and from that date no such discussion took place in our sessions.

“At the conclusion of the second semester and after we had received our transcripts, we were notified on 14/4/86 [5 July 2007] that back in Farvardin [March 2007] the university had received official instructions for our expulsion. In response, the school authorities had written to their superiors explaining their unwillingness to expel any student in the middle of a semester, and requesting a reconsideration of the original decision. However, they had been confronted with a hostile response. Consequently, they decided to send us along with a letter to the Organization for Assessment so they could determine our status.(4)

“After we had gone to the aforesaid Organization and some time had passed, we were told to refer back to the university as their decision would be communicated to the school. However, we stated, ‘We must return to school with your decision.’ We were then delivered into the custody of the Organization and told to refer to the Organization’s office in Tehran, on Karim-Khan Zand Avenue, for a response. Also, the reference number of a letter was given to us (86/4/18, m/1/270) and we were informed that the letter had already been sent to the Organization for Assessment’s office in Tehran.

“When we visited the Organization’s office in Tehran, we met with Dr. Nurbakhsh. He said that he had worked diligently to secure the rights of the Bahais and was laboring to secure an avenue for our university attendance. He also suggested that we should not approach various governmental offices as it would bear no fruit.

“After visiting the above-mentioned office, we went to the Science Ministry and there learned that a letter sent by our university to that Ministry had gone missing! However, one of the officials indicated that the said letter was with Dr. Muslemi. When we approached Dr. Muslemi, he denied all knowledge and said that he had sent the file to the Organization for Assessment.

“At the same time, I wrote a letter to Isfahan’s representative to the Islamic Parliament, Dr. Kamran, although his secretary would not give me the letter’s reference number. I also wrote via email to many other members of the Parliament and the office of the President, all of which went unanswered.

“To this day, I continue visiting the offices of the Science Ministry, the Organization for Assessment, the Agency for Revolutionary Education, and offices of representatives of the Parliament and other governmental agencies. However, no logical response has been given to this date, and everyone pretends that they are uninvolved and refers me to other offices.

“Now that two semesters have passed since my dismissal from the university, I have not received an official letter of expulsion. In accordance with the regulations of the Science Ministry, if a student fails to attend two semesters his expulsion is issued automatically. Therefore, I am now considered an expelled student.

“Also, I have tried to receive exemption from military service and – unbelievably! – they have me recorded as a student in the Sanai Institute of Advanced Studies. Because of my exemption as a “student”, therefore they have refused to grant me a general exemption.

It is bizarre that Bahai youth are barred from attending universities, but must enlist for military service.”

Why are Bahá’ís persecuted?

Ahmad Batebi explains admirably clearly why, according to the Iranian constitution, Bahá’ís should not be deprived of higher education. He also shows why Bahá’ís are subject to this and many other persecutory acts by the mullas of Iran.

Independent investigation of truth for Muslims too

It is traditional in Shi’i Islam for the believer to choose a suitable ayatollah as an object of emulation, to accept his judgment in matters of faith and conduct. But Bahá’u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, forbids this practice utterly. Everyone, Bahá’u'lláh teaches, must investigate truth for him or herself and arrive at his or her own judgment in matters of faith and conscience.

Batebi argues that this is also true for Muslims. People cannot be forced to accept the religious affiliation of the majority in a country.

In accordance with a certain traditional reading of Shi‘i law, in a society in which a majority are Muslim, the people of the Book are not permitted to proselytize their religion. Therefore, in accordance with the same understanding, in such a society discussion of Bahai beliefs is also forbidden. However, it is imperative to point out that the phenomena of understanding and discernment is personal, and is the sole prerogative of the individual. One person cannot think for another person.

Similarly, every belief is personal – and religious convictions are in like manner personal and not societal. Consequently, to attain to faith is a matter of personal conviction – one cannot order a society to accept or reject certain beliefs. Nor can a society be instructed through a public declaration or announcement to renew or change the beliefs of a people. Therefore, it should be evident that when it comes to matters of belief and religious persuasion, the views of a certain leader or a school of thought or even government cannot be overrule the will of individuals in that society.

…

To recognize and come to faith requires the most personal and deepest exercise of one’s conscience. Each of us, in our own unique way, arrives at this recognition and acceptance which entails the innermost aspects of our spiritual and psychological commitment. How can such a thing be delegated to someone else?

In fact, Batebi continues, Shi’i Muslims are under a religious duty to investigate the claims of everyone who claims to be the Qá’im (He Who will arise), the Messiah-like figure of Shi’i Islam.

The Bahais believe that the Qaim of the House of Muhammad was manifested in 1844 and has left behind a copious body of writings. Further, the Qaim prophesized the imminent appearance of another Person and that Person is Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Bahai Faith. Also, the Bahais believe that the teachings and exhortations of the Bahai Faith are consistent with the needs of the present age of humanity, the current state of maturity and development of the world, and the requirements of the people over the course of the next several centuries, and that it is this religion that will prepare mankind for the next stage of its global civilization.

This implies that Shi’i Muslims should investigate the claims of the Bahá’í Faith for themselves and not rely on the judgment of their clerics.

Batebi concludes:

Is it not true that a Muslim should be able to ask his questions from others in complete liberty, and that others are also enjoined to have the freedom to share and expound without any restriction or constraint their beliefs and religious convictions? Given this fact, then the Bahais in all Islamic societies must be given complete and unhindered freedom of expression.

Read Batebi’s article in full

Do read Ahmad Batebi’s article in full. It will help you understand why Bahá’ís are persecuted in Iran and you will gain some sense of the frustrations of living in a society so dominated by a particular religious ideology.

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