Important Questions for the Haifan-Baha'i Leadership from Iranians and Non-Iranians

Let's take a closer look at some pressing questions regarding the Haifan Baha'i movement, specifically directed at its leadership—the Universal House of Justice (UHJ). While commentators may share their thoughts, the responsibility for addressing these concerns lies squarely with the UHJ. These are questions that many have been asking, and it’s time for the leaders to provide direct answers.

 

 

 QUESTIONS:

1. Does the Haifan-Baha'i Leadership (the UHJ), which customarily fails to make itself open to public questioning, understand that this lack of transparency makes its organization suspect in the eyes of many Muslims and non-Muslims alike?

(Note: By "failure to make itself available to public questions," I mean in formats like town-hall meetings or open forums without strict censorship, not canned interviews on platforms like VOA or BBC. Even the Pope, rabbis, and Muslim clerics frequently hold public, open-question-and-answer discussions, often on video and in front of large audiences.)

2. Given that there are hundreds of millions of Muslims in Iran and other regional countries, do you understand that when their Muslim co-religionists in Palestine are slaughtered and face racism and abuse, your deliberate silence on these issues, while focusing on the plight of Baha'is, leads both Muslims and non-Muslims to view your organization with suspicion and contempt? Particularly since Baha'i leaders own property worth hundreds of millions of dollars in historic Palestine (Israel) and benefit from Israeli government tax incentives?

3. Iranians are well-versed in the schemes of British colonialism. During the early days of the Baha'i movement, the British Colonial government was involved in massacring millions of people across the globe. During this era, Abdu'l-Baha accepted a British KBE (Knight of the British Empire) for "valuable services rendered to the British Empire." Does the Baha'i leadership understand that, to Iranians and many others, accepting such an honor is tantamount to receiving a medal from figures like Genghis Khan or Adolf Hitler, given the atrocities committed by the British?

4. Is the Haifan-Baha'i leadership willing to admit that the issues it faces in Iran did not begin with the current Iranian government, but have persisted for approximately 160 years under both secular and religious governments, where the Baha'i movement has been rejected by the majority of the Iranian people?

5. This question is not about current Baha'i practices or claims. It concerns a historical statement made by Abdu'l-Baha, in which he described Africans as "wandering savages and wild animals" and asserted that they lacked intelligence and civilization. In light of this statement, will the Baha'i leadership publicly condemn these racist remarks, written in Abdu'l-Baha’s own hand and comprehensible to native Persian speakers?

6. If you dispute the quote from Abdu'l-Baha in question 5, can you provide a photo copy of the actual text in Abdu'l-Baha’s handwriting and indicate when this document was first made available to the public? Persian speakers want to see the original text without relying on modern-day interpretations, as the faith claims to promote "independent investigation of truth."

7. A Baha'i academic named Ian Kluge once expressed support for a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and advocated for the destruction of Iran's oil facilities if the country withholds oil. Despite requests to the UHJ and the Baha'i National Assembly in the U.S. to condemn these remarks, the leadership refused to respond. Given this, if Iran views the Baha'i movement with suspicion on national security grounds, how does the Baha'i leadership justify its failure to distance itself from Kluge’s statements?

8. Can you confirm whether some criticisms of the Haifan-Baha'i movement have come from Zoroastrian spiritual leaders, and if so, share what those criticisms are?

9. The Universal House of Justice is composed primarily of non-Iranians and expressly forbids female members. Could each UHJ member take 20 minutes to respond to these questions in a video, reading them verbatim and answering them directly?

10. If Baha'i leaders genuinely care about the stories of persecution they share, why don’t they take the time to address these concerns to dispel the doubts of skeptics and critics? This could reduce hostility toward the Baha'i faith.

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Comment by Free Baha'is:

A NOTE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE BAHA'I FAITH OR ARE CONSIDERING JOINING:

Iranian Baha'is are our own people. However, it is essential to recognize that there is a political dimension to the Haifan-Baha'i leadership. The majority of Baha'is are not Iranian, and many people view their involvement in Iranian issues as being on behalf of Israel, with a clear conflict of interest given the benefits the leadership receives from the Israeli government.

If an Iranian wants to remain Baha'i, some suggest not following the Haifa-Israeli Baha'i movement—especially if the leadership, with all its resources, cannot make a simple video addressing these questions. There are other Baha'i groups, like the Free Baha'is, who allow open discussions and questions. The Free Baha'is claim no connection to Israel and criticize the Haifa-Israeli-Baha'i political operations. They may not have fancy buildings, but they appear to be less corrupt and more genuine.

Do you really need fancy buildings to be closer to God? That’s a question for your conscience.