Baha'i in Iran: A Life of Repression, Islam and Pluralism, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Pluralism

Baha'i in Iran: A Life of Repression

By Katajun Amirpur

Baha'i calligraphy of the 'Greatest Name’: in Bahá'í belief the Greatest Name of God is 'Bahá', or 'splendour'

Anti-Americanism, open hostility towards Israel, a legal system that does not grant men and women equal rights, and a doctrine that calls itself the "rule of the supreme legal scholar" have determined the official philosophy and actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 revolution.

Yet there is another, less well-known constant: hostility towards the religious minority of the Baha'i. In Iran, where the religion has its origins, there are still an estimated 350,000 Baha'i, making them the country's largest religious minority by far. Unlike Jews and Christians, however, they are not entitled to protection as a religious minority under the constitution.

The Baha'i faith grew out of Shi'a Islam, but has severed itself from its roots. Although the Baha'i recognise Mohammed as a prophet, they do not regard him as the seal of monotheistic prophethood as other Muslims do.

Instead they believe that the divine revelation entered a new phase with Bahaullah, who died in 1892 and is regarded as a manifestation of God. The central dogma of Shi'a Islam is the belief in the return of the mahdi, comparable to the Jewish messiah in eschatological terms. For the Baha'i, however, the mahdi has already returned in the form of the founder of their religion. This view is religious sacrilege for the Shi'a.

http://newageislam.com/baha-i-in-iran--a-life-of-repression-/islam-and-pluralism/d/2145

SHARI’AH LAWS ARE PLAGIARIZED FROM THE BIBLE! -- Sheikh Sultan M. As-Salameh, Al-Azhar, Cairo, Islamic Ideology, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic Ideology

SHARI’AH LAWS ARE PLAGIARIZED FROM THE BIBLE! -- Sheikh Sultan M. As-Salameh, Al-Azhar, Cairo

Sheikh Sultan M. As-Salameh, Al-Azhar, Cairo

[This essay from the Sheikh is acknowledged with thanks. His use of the “Tolerance in Islam” seems to be a gentle sarcasm for the unaware Muslims and Christians]

The “Muslim Ummah” is practicing much of the Judeo-Christian beliefs largely from the Old Testament. The ‘religion’ considered and practiced as Islam today has degenerated from the time of Prophet Muhammad (S). In the beginning there was a very simple Deen, Al-Islam revealed to the Prophet (S), which was fully encapsulated in just one Book, Al-Qur’an.

For example, the covering of the head for women which has become a point of much discussion in the West, is actually not found in the Qur’an. Therefore, it is not a part of the original teachings of the Prophet. It has been taken from the Christian Bible and incorporated into Islam.

Similarly many of the beliefs that are considered Islamic are actually derived from the Jewish and Christian scriptures. The early converts from Judaism and Christianity gradually incorporated their old beliefs into Islam to such an extent that the ‘Islam’ of today is often a verbatim manifestation of the Bible. None of these Biblical teachings were known to the Prophet and they cannot be found in the Qur’an at all. But the ‘scholars’ of Islam are unanimous in accepting these beliefs as part of Islam today.

http://newageislam.com/shariah-laws-are-plagiarized-from-the-bible!----sheikh-sultan-m.-as-salameh,-al-azhar,-cairo--/islamic-ideology/d/1425

Nature’s revenge on Taliban's religious intolerance: Ancient Buddha Statue discovered near the ruins of giant Buddha statues destroyed by Taliban in A

Nature’s revenge on Taliban's religious intolerance: Ancient Buddha Statue discovered near the ruins of giant Buddha statues destroyed by Taliban in Afghanistan

JULIE BLOOM

September 8, 2008

We are discussing the issue of religious intolerance today in the backdrop of perhaps its worst and most repulsive manifestation in recent times. The 2,000-year old statues of Lord Buddha, colossal images carved into the Hindukush Mountains at Bamiyan in Afghanistan, and hundreds of other precious artefacts that symbolised that country’s glorious heritage, are lost to the world forever. These had survived the depredations of the vandals of the past. But in this day and age when we think we have become more civilised, this precious human heritage has been destroyed by the Taliban. The world watched helplessly in horror. All international appeals to the Taliban asking them to desist from their declared goal of destroying mankind’s collective legacy failed.

http://newageislam.com/nature%E2%80%99s-revenge-on-taliban-s-religious-intolerance--ancient-buddha-statue-discovered-near-the-ruins-of-giant-buddha-statues-destroyed-by-taliban-in-afghanistan-/islam-and-pluralism/d/713