I was reflecting on all of this my leaving-Baha’i experience with Abu Yasmin, and I think perhaps electing me to (two) LSAs so young was probably a mistake. I was pretty much a naive young ‘youth’ when I was first elected to an LSA and not really ready for the realities of bureaucratic politics (which are found in every organisation, Baha’is included). I may not have lost my faith if I had been older. Although from a Muslim theological point of view, everything about this was destined for me by God.

I think what I do find hard, being an apostate from one religion and a convert to another, is that unlike most converts to Islam who come from Judeo-Christian backgrounds, there is no legitimate place for my Baha’i experience that I can incorporate into my Muslimness. I do struggle with that from time to time. Oh I have my own theories about what I think Mirza Husayn ‘Ali Nuri et. al. were trying to achieve in their societies - but it’s not like I can toodle around like an ex-Christian convert saying “We Muslims believe in Jesus too”.

I think that’s also part of the reason why I tend to talk about the Baha’is and the Baha’i Faith on this blog - it gives me a way to come to grips with my own religious journey. The other thing is, most of my immediate relatives are Baha’is, and I grew up with life-long Baha’i friends who I treasure and adore, so I still have a part of me that will forever be connected to the Baha’i faith, even though I am a Muslim. (It’s also why I mostly don’t tell them about this blog, apologies to my Baha’i friends who DO know about it, and must cringe whenever I go on one of my jags… I mean you Barney!)

BTW folks, I WAS CONFIRMED - yipptideee. I had my confirmation meeting (basically my supervisors and some other academics getting together to have a yak about my research and whether or not I am fit to continue) and with the promise of my cleaning up my bibliography, providing them with a proper chapter outline, and a paragraph here and there explaining why my chapter one has nothing to do with the research I am doing now (hardy har) I am being permitted to keep going with the doctorate and inshallah have it finished by April next year. Thank you for all of you who made du’as for me - I definitely needed them ‘coz I was more than a mite nervous.

I was trawling through old archives looking for something, when I came across a whole bunch of letters I’d written. They are, I guess, an anatomy of my “apostasy” from the Baha’is.

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November 16th, 1998

Dear Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United Kingdom,

I am writing in regard to the recent National Spiritual Assembly’s “Spirit and Form” seminar being hosted by Local Spiritual Assemblies throughout the United Kingdom.

First let me congratulate the Assembly’s endeavors to fully implement the instructions of the Universal House of Justice in improving the practice of its financial affairs and safeguarding the assets of the Faith, as well as imparting this knowledge to the body of Local Spiritual Assemblies and believers under its jurisdiction. I heartily welcome this seminar as a sign of the continuing maturation of the institutions of the administrative order of the Blessed Beauty.

I recently attended one such seminar hosted by the Local Spiritual Assembly of S— in which the National Spiritual Assembly’s Treasurer Mrs C— W— instructed the participants that it was the National Spiritual Assembly’s desire to abolish the use of “Fund boxes” at Nineteen Day Feasts.

My concern is not with the use of the actual Fund boxes themselves, but that I believe such a policy would practically remove the ability for believers to contribute small sums of money anonymously, conflicting with the Guardian’s instructions in this matter.
Read the rest of this entry »

This is a piece of good news for human rights (may I quickly remind everyone, the first fundamental aim of shari’a is freedom of religious belief): Ayatollah Montazeri has proclaimed that Baha’is are rightful Iranian citizens and should be treated as such:

In the Name of the Most High

With greetings,

The congregation of Baha’ism not having the heavenly book like those of Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians in the constitution [of Islamic republic of Iran], are not considered one of the religious minorities. However, since they are the citizens of this country, they have the right of citizenship and to live in this country. Furthermore, they must benefit from the Islamic compassion which is stressed in Quran and by the religious authorities.

God-willing you will be successful,
(Wal Salam–u Alaykum Warahmatullah)
[Peace and Mercy of God be upon you]

25 Urdibehesht 1387 [14 May 2008]

Signature: Montazeri [Seal]

I’m not an expert on Iranian politics, but reading between the lines is the Ayatollah signaling that the arrest of the Baha’i leadership in Iran, is incompatible with the Iranian constitution and the normative Islamic ethic of compassion?

I, and many Muslims like me, certainly believe so. May Allah reward the Ayatollah for having the moral courage to speak out against oppression of a religious minority. The Qur’an warns us to protect the rights of religious minorities, even if they possess theological beliefs incompatible with the fundamental tenets of Islam: Read the rest of this entry »

Darren from ProBlogger has a vidcast on five emerging trends he sees in blogging.

Barney gives us worrying news that all of the Baha’i leadership in Iran have now been arrested and put in prison (given the timing, I wonder if it’s Iran’s response to the recent election of the Baha’i world leadership held in Haifa just a few weeks ago.) [Update: News originally broken on Baha’i Rants]

Speaking of Baha’is, in Victoria they’ve just sent out a call for donations to build a new headquarters, and they’re looking at around $4 mil. (of which they hope $3 mil. plus will be donated locally). Baha’is cannot accept donations from non-Baha’is, so it all has to be raised in-house.

Paul has a list of “the false gods of Christendom,” which could also apply to us.

The Liberals on a road to nowhere.

It’s taken me a while to appreciate there are many good things I can honour from my Baha’i upbringing. My parents taught me to believe in God; that racism was evil; that we should seek after world unity; that men and women are equal, all because of their Baha’i approach to life.

So, despite my occasional narkiness towards certain bureaucratic institutions of my parents’ religion, I do occasionally manage to pull myself together and note the positives in my natal faith. Does this conflict with my being a follower of a different religion? I don’t think so. Christians and Jews who convert to Islam, still have a place for Jesus and Moses (peace be upon them), but for a Baha’i reverting to Islam, the attitude to the founders of the Baha’i religion is a little more ambiguous. Your choices are:

Read the rest of this entry »