Tuesday 10 March 2009

Another Big Step toward Discovering the Truth

The demolition of the Nematollahi Goanabadi Prayer center, “Hosseinieh”, in Isfahan , Iran took place on Tuesday February 24th 2009, at 12 A.M. This destruction happened in the middle of the night unexpectedly and without any prior warnings. Later on that day, when Sufis gathered for the prayer around their shattered prayer center, they were faced with the brutal attacks from the special governmental forces. The intensity of these atrocious acts against the peaceful Muslims have stunned the people all around the world, particularly, since no provocation, harsh remarks and wrong gesture were initiated by Sufis. This recurring oppression toward Sufis is taking place in violation of the mandate issued by Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamehnei on protecting the rights of all Muslims.

A few days later, the City Officials in Isfahan announced that the demolition was in accordance with the Ruling of #100 of the city commission! This act was absolutely at odds with all previous agreements regarding preservation of this Hosseinieh, which is located next to the mausoleum of Dervish Nasser Ali in Takhte Foulad cemetery, as a place of the Cultural Heritage. As such this Hosseinieh were to be protected and immune from and zoning by laws. Hence, the demolition of the Hosseinieh and suppression of Sufis have turned into a very complex situation.

On Wednesday March 12, 2009, the mystery unfolds itself and we found out the reasons this puzzling issue. Javad Arian-Manesh the representative from Mashhad and Kalat in Majlis [parliament] said:

Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=985

Defending Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism in Islamic Republic of Iran is a Non-Issue.

On the other hand Kazem Jalali, the speaker from the National Security and Foreign Policy:

Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=984

Promoting Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism is the enemies approach to confront the Islamic regime.

The two parliamentarians have independently expressed their views to Rasa News Agency (political news division), stating that the oppression of Sufis and the destruction of their prayer centers are legal and legitimate acts. Because in the Islamic Republic of Iran Sufis have no legal rights not even as a religious minority or a sect of Islam. Although religious minorities have representatives in the parliament such as Zoroastrians, Assyrians, Christians, and Jews have representatives in the parliament, however, the followers of Sufis are denied the right to have a prayer place and to perform their prayer services.

In their statements, these two representatives of the parliament (Javad Arian-Manesh and Kazem Jalali) have placed the Sufis, Baha’is and Wahabis in the same category. This is in line with the chief public prosecutor standing accusing Baha’is as spies and Wahabis as terrorists. Also the Imam Jom’ah of Rasht has called the Sufism a deviation and a diversion of Islam and grouped them as satanic devil worshipers.

At the minimum, we hope these writings will inform the people around the globe that Sufis are peaceful individuals, not guilty of any wrongdoings and are not responsible for any public disorder. They have not disobeyed any laws and there have not been any dispute or any problems over their “Namaz Khanehs” with any governmental agencies in the past.

Today, it is apparent that the systematic oppression of the Sufis in Iran is based on a political agenda. The aim of this plot is to wipe out all the Sufis inside of Iran particularly the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufi order. Their master plan was published in a book by Mehdi Emadi, one of the ideologists of the Islamic Republic, called “Hassan Basri” the provocative face of Tasavof.

Therefore, in order to defend their legal and civil rights of worship as Iranian Shia Muslims, all Sufis and in particular the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufis call on all the international Human Rights Organizations and Dr. Asma Jahangir the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights to stop these inhumane atrocities that are affecting the lives of more than two million people in Iran. We are requesting their outmost effective use of power and tools necessary to bring a stop to this eradication of ideas and beliefs against our Sufi fellow countrymen.


The Committee for the Support of Sufis and Students

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