Bahai Faith in Egypt

Tomorrow!

2011-11-14T12:02:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow (Bokra)...a song extolling a wonderful future for the Middle East submerged in justice, peace, prosperity, happiness, equality, and acceptance across all religions and beliefs. Legendary Music Producer, Quincy Jones has collaborated with Emirati social entrepreneur Badr Jafar, to jointly Executive Produce the Arabic charity single entitled 'TOMORROW / BOKRA'. The song involves 24 leading Arab Artists from 16 nations across the Middle East and North...

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Education Under Fire: a Documentary

2011-10-28T19:27:00.000-05:00

The following paragraphs describe a newly released documentary, screened tonight and tomorrow in New York City, regarding the suppression of educating Baha'is in Iran by its government (trailer linked here): Education Under Fire is produced by Single Arrow Productions and co-sponsored by Amnesty International. The 30-minute documentary profiles the growth, struggle, and inspiring spirit of the Baha´i Institute for Higher Education. Baha´is in Iran have been subjected to systematic...

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Iran Demonizes an Entire Community: Is History Being Repeated?

2011-10-25T14:29:00.000-05:00

The United Nations Office of the Baha'i International Community has just issued a report titled "Inciting Hatred: Iran's media campaign to demonize Bahá'ís" which Analyzes more than 400 press and media items issued in Iran by state-controlled or pro-government media over a 16-month period from late 2009 to early 2011, this report documents a wide-ranging campaign by the Islamic Republic of Iran to incite hatred and violence towards the 300,000 member Bahá'í minority. Using false...

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Journalism Students in Vietnam Study the "Open Letter to the People of Egypt"

2011-10-24T19:50:00.000-05:00

A newsworthy example of the global interest in Middle East affairs, comes out of Vietnam. This piece of news was just shared with me by a professor of journalism and English, currently working in one of Vietnam's leading educational institutions. He indicated, in his communication, that the English-Translation-Editing class at the National Academy of Journalism & Communication in Vietnam is currently studying a document that was authored by the Baha'is of Egypt back in April...

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The Power of Interfaith Collaboration

2011-05-31T17:23:00.001-05:00

While the news of mounting sectarian tensions in Egypt continue to trouble its emerging democracy as well as the world community at large, the benefits of religious unity and interfaith collaboration are felt as the G8 bloc of nations welcomed contributions from the religious summit held in conjunction with the G8 Deauville Summit. This body of religious leaders is composed of delegates from the Baha'i, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Shinto and Sikh religions along with members of interfaith...

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'Abbas Effendi & Egypt

2011-04-15T15:20:00.023-05:00

The son of Bahá'u'lláh the founder of the Baha'i Faith, 'Abbas Effendi ('Abdu'l-Bahá 'Abbas), became the head of the emerging religion after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh—in accordance with His Covenant. When 'Abbas Effendi embarked on his travels in Europe and North America, he frequented Egypt between 1910 and 1913, where he was well received and hosted with respect and dignity by the generous Egyptian people during his sojourn in a number of its cities in these...

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An open letter to the people of Egypt

2011-04-06T10:08:00.006-05:00

An open letter to the people of Egypt[English version of a statement issued in Arabic by the Bahá’ís of Egypt dated April 2011] April 2011 An open letter to the people of Egypt Our fellow citizens: The events of recent months have provided us, the Bahá’ís of Egypt, with an opportunity we have never experienced before: to communicate directly with you, our brothers and sisters. Though small in number, we are privileged to belong to this land wherein, for...

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Constructive Contributions of the Baha'is of Egypt

2011-04-02T14:49:00.005-05:00

The Baha'is of Egypt, in their quest to serve their country and to constructively contribute to its betterment and its promising future, have just released a message to their fellow citizens. The message, written in Arabic, can be viewed at the attached site by an Egyptian Baha'i, and is also posted below: أبريل 2011 رسالة مفتوحة إلى كلّ المصريّين إخوتنا وأخواتنا في الوطن، لا شكّ أنّ أحداث الأشهر القليلة الماضية في مصر قد منحتنا،...

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The Question of Egypt's Constitution

2011-03-13T21:14:00.005-05:00

Here is an important piece of news regarding the question of Egypt's Constitution, which has been the subject of controversy recently. Following the recent fall of Egypt's Government, its constitution ceased to be valid. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, however, had appointed a committee to amend the former constitution rather than allow it to fall with the fall of the regime and permit the writing of a new constitution when it is timely to do so. Since recent opinion polls have...

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Egypt's Youth Display their Creative and Artistic Talent

2011-03-07T20:35:00.000-06:00

Egypt's youth show the world their creativity, free spirit, artistic talent and innovation through their Choir Project. The words in this presentation are very telling. Through their expressed idealism and their clearly stated vision of a secular Egyptian State, governed with a policy devoid of partisanship and religious orthodoxy, they indeed give us a glimpse into Egypt's future. They close their song with the now well-known chant: "Raise Your Head High...You are an Egyptian."

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Burning of Baha'i Homes in an Egyptian Village Again!

2011-02-23T18:51:00.004-06:00

An Egyptian newspaper named Youm Sabeh [7] published an article yesterday reporting on the burning of two Baha'i homes in the Egyptian village of Shawraniyah, located in the southern province of Sohag. These homes, along with three others, were also previously attacked and burned in March 2009, forcing their occupants to flee their village in the middle of the night to save their children's lives. The 2009 incident was previously reported here and here in this blog. This disturbing news...

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Article-2 of Egypt's Constitution is in Question!

2011-02-16T12:51:00.002-06:00

Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces, in its Communique No. 5 following its interim assumption of the country's leadership, suspended the constitution and dissolved both houses of the parliament. Reportedly, it did not, however, suspend Article-2 of the Egyptian constitution which states: "Islam is the Religion of the State. Arabic is its official language, and the principal source of legislation is Islamic Jurisprudence [Sharia]." This article was amended years ago by former President Sadat...

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A New Egypt is Born!

2011-02-11T16:58:00.021-06:00

On this new day of freedom in Egypt, the shackles of inequality, injustice, corruption and repression have been removed. It is now time for peaceful transition to a society that guarantees civil and human rights and equal opportunity to all citizens regardless of their background, gender, color, race, belief, religion or any other difference in its diverse communities. It is time to feed the hungry, house the homeless, elevate the standard of living for the poor, clean up the neighborhoods,...

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Live Coverage of Current Events in Egypt

2011-01-29T14:23:00.015-06:00

Around the clock live coverage of current events in Egypt on Al Jazeera can be seen in English at this link, and in Arabic at this link. Live Updates and Live Video on BBC (English). State -run Nile TV (Arabic).

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Memorandum to Egypt's Prime Minister from HRO

2011-01-23T06:47:00.006-06:00

The following press release is in regards to a memorandum submitted by a forum of independent human rights organizations in Egypt to the Prime Minister, Ahmed Nazif, requesting constitutional guarantees for equality in Egypt. 19 January 2011 Memo to the Prime Minister Strengthening the pillars of the civil state and achieving equality requires the formation of a commission to include representatives from social sectors denied equality Press Release Yesterday the Forum for Independent...

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Is religious designation on ID cards really necessary?

2011-01-17T19:39:00.017-06:00

Egypt's Al Masry Al Youm newspaper has recently reported on a prominent Egyptian poet who is leading a campaign to abolish religious designations on ID cards. Since the introduction of official ID cards in Egypt in 1960, holders of these cards have always been required to state their religion on these documents. A number of excuses for this practice have been propagated by the enforcers of the law, but none of them could be construed as legitimate, particularly in today's society. To make...

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Egyptians Against Religious Discrimination

2011-01-04T19:26:00.015-06:00

Dr. Muhhamad Munir Mugahed, the Executive Director of a registered NGO in Egypt, called Egyptians [Misryioun] Against Religious Discrimination, has recently posted a rebuttal of an article published on 22 December 2010 in Egypt's semi-official newspaper "Al-Ahram" that was intended to belittle the Egyptian Baha'is in their quest for their rights. The rebuttal was published on 31 December 2010 in an independent daily Arabic news site, promoting equality, justice and progressive human values,...

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Proposed Egyptian law allowing marriage certification for Baha'is

2010-12-27T19:00:00.026-06:00

Egypt's Al-Shorouq newspaper reported today that a law is being put forward by Egypt's government-sponsored National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) that would allow the official registration of Baha'i marriages in the State's Authority that deals with certifying all official transactions and registrations. The Authority is named "al-Shahr al-Aqqary." This proposed law was just announced by Counselor Muqbel Shaker, Deputy President of the NCHR. The law will require an amendment to Article-V...

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In Egypt: yes you can have an ID Card, but!

2010-12-17T21:24:00.015-06:00

As posted previously, the US State Department's annual report on religious freedom in Egypt stated: According to Baha'i community members, throughout the first half of 2010 the government implemented the order and reportedly issued more than 180 birth certificates and 50 to 60 national identification cards to Baha'is, all with dashes in the religious identification field. The government, because it does not recognize Baha'i marriage, and there is no civil mechanism for marriage, refused to...

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US State Department Highlights Need to Improve Status of Baha'is in Egypt

2010-12-13T19:54:00.014-06:00

On 17 November 2010, the United States Department of State issued its annual report on International Religious Freedom. The report highlighted clearly the recent developments in the Baha'i community's struggle in its quest to obtain its full rights. The Baha'i community's principal motive in its quest has always been its longing to be integrated as an essential element in the fabric of the Egyptian society so that its members can contribute fully to their society's well-being. The report is...

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The Baha'is of Egypt: Entire Story Researched

2010-12-10T19:51:00.035-06:00

If any reader or interested party wants to be fully appraised and well-informed of the whole story of the Egyptian Baha'i struggle, this is the essay to read.... Daniel Perell, then a third year law student from the University of Virginia School of Law, visited Egypt in December 2009/January 2010 as a Cowan Fellow under the auspices of Human Rights Study Project (HRSP). His area of interest was the status of the Baha'is of Egypt and their struggle to obtain their citizenship rights so that...

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More Scholarly Work on the Baha'is of Egypt

2010-12-07T21:23:00.014-06:00

The University of Virginia School of Law conducts a program named Human Rights Study Project (HRSP) which it describes as follows: The students who participate in HRSP, called Cowan Fellows, journey abroad to study human rights issues in foreign countries. Now in its eighth year, HRSP has sent past members to Cuba, China, Sierra Leone, Syria and Lebanon, India, Uganda and Cambodia. The final results of their work are compiled into research papers that may be submitted for publication. This...

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Back to Egypt and Back to Blogging

2010-12-06T20:30:00.021-06:00

Because of certain unexpected circumstances I have not been able to write in this blog recently. My apologies are sincerely submitted here to the readers of this blog, to those who continue to endure hardships in Egypt, and to all those who have vested interest in the status of the Baha'is of Egypt. I am hoping to be able to write more regularly now and to provide updates on the subject matter of this blog. Obviously there have been significant developments during the past few months which...

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Standards of Justice Demand More Than Just a Reduced Sentence!

2010-09-20T20:12:00.019-05:00

According to recent reports, the prison sentence of the seven Iranian Baha'i leaders has been reduced from 20 years to 10 years. Even though this development appears to show an element of good will, the fact of their innocence must never be ignored and nothing short of their immediate and unconditional release would satisfy the accepted standards of justice. Posted below is a reprint of the article published recently in the Baha'i World News Service reporting on this decision--a decision that...

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Omid Djalili on the Baha'is in Iran

2010-08-22T19:17:00.005-05:00

This video, regarding the current situation of the Baha'is in Iran and the imprisonment of their leaders, was just released by the well known British comedian Omid Djalili. It speaks clearly and pointedly to the current dire situation and is indeed worth viewing:

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