Three articles: Two moving first-hand accounts of the experiences of travelers who met three of the Bahá'í prisoners in Iran, and other news from Shiraz. From iranpresswatch.org.
A Visit with the 3 Imprisoned Youth in Shiraz
Posted: 13 May 2009
Editor's Note: The following is a letter by Neysan Mohajer, kindly shared with Iran Press Watch. Mr. Mohajer's sister, Shomeys, had an opportunity to visit with the three imprisoned Baha'i youth in Shiraz, and some of her recollections are reflected in this letter.
By Neysan Mohajer
This is a moving account of my sister's home visit with Sasan Taqavi in Shiraz on Sunday May 10, 2009. Sasan is one of the three youth imprisoned 18 months ago in Shiraz on a 4 year sentence. He had been home for a week, while the two other youth, Haleh Rouhi and Raha Sabet, went back to prison today May 12, 2009, after a one-week break at home.
Shomeys also had the bounty of visiting Haleh Rouhi (see attached photo) yesterday, May 11, at whose house there were lots of youth present. These visitors were the youth who had been arrested while performing community service, and then ordered by the court to attend Islamic Education once a week. Shomeys said she felt she was in heaven among the chosen angels of BahaE2u'llah. Sasan's sister, Roya, is also among this group of youth arrested while performing community service. Imagine how hard it must be for his parents. If you have not seen the letter Roya wrote to Sasan at Naw-Ruz, it is here: http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/04/letter-sasan/
Shomeys has only written the account of her personal experience of visiting Sasan, but not what was said during the visit. She had an opportunity to hear Sasan speak about his torment and hardship, and learn about how he was doing. But with Haleh there was a large group, and it was not possible to talk in depth.
In the past 18 months these three did not even have a mattress to sleep on. They had to sleep on the floor — all have severe backaches. After months of pleading by Sasan's parents, all three have now been given a mattress only recently. Sasan, as you know, had a broken leg after his arrest, which is not fully healed and needs treatment.
Sasan's family is originally from Bushihr and lives in a small rented house in Shiraz under impoverished conditions. Sasan was granted leave from prison for one week after 110 days of not being released. They are very strict and harsh about allowing them to have a furlough. This time Sasan's father wanted Sasan to stay one more week, but Sasan knew this would be impossible to ask. His father determined went alone to ask the prison authorities for permission. Meanwhile Sasan prayed and pleaded with Baha'u'llah not to break his father's heart. Sasan knew this would be too much to ask Baha'u'llah. When his father returned Sasan saw him happy and joyful. Baha'u'llah had granted his father's wish — he was granted an extension for another week. For Sasan this was a nothing but a pure miracle and a proof of the confirmations of Baha'u'llah. So he is going back to jail on Monday May 18.
Sasan is confined to solitary confinement, and is not allowed to speak or see anyone the whole day. His daily exercise and fresh air is a half hour slot each day when he is taken to another room which has no roof. Every time he has to come out of his cell, he is blindfolded. Sasan said his loneliness was very hard to overcome.
During her visit Shomeys chanted the Tablet of Abdu'l-Baha (attached) during which Sasan was holding back his tears. When it ended they all cried and wept together. This Tablet seems as though it w as specially revealed for people like Sasan. Abdu'l-Baha says a seated lover is better than an itinerant learned man. She chanted the same Tablet when she visited Haleh.
The three in prison have set aside Wednesdays at 8 pm (Iran time) to pray for each other. When Shoemys was leaving, Sasan asked her to remember him in her prayers on Wednesday at 8 pm. He said to her, "Dear Shomeys, do not forget to say a prayer for me on Wednesday. Chant it loudly, so I can hear you from my lonely cell." He repeated, "I want to hear you…"
I am planning to go to the Guardian's resting place [outside London] tomorrow, Wednesday at 4:30 PM, which is 8:00 PM in Shiraz. Let's be with them and visit them on Wednesdays with our souls.
Qurbanat, Neysan
By Shomeys Mohajer
Years ago, when we served together on the [now defunct] National Youth Committee, he was the representative for region 9 from Shiraz. He was a dignified young man with a radiant face, who — although he spoke with great excitement — refrained from exaggeration. When his turn came to give his report; everyone was in awe of the activities of the youth in his region.
His reports reflected the fact that he was not a man of mere words; but that he was a man of action. His activities were interesting experiences for others, and everyone always remained in eager anticipation of hearing his reports; so that they could carry back news of great events as a souvenir. Then again this region has always been blessed with divine favours, and the Dawning of the Revelation of the Blessed Bab from that land is testimony to this claim.
Shiraz and events and incidents therein have always marked the beginnings of new movements in the Cradle of the Baha’i Faith. In the same way that the seven Brides of Shiraz[1] released unprecedented energy in the Baha’i world, 53 love-intoxicated young people brought back to life the epic movements of their ancestors and set out to breathe life into this blessed land by serving the inhabitants of the land of Baha’u'llah’s birth… Yet alas, it has been a year and a half since three of these ardent lovers of the Beloved Beauty have been incarcerated in the prison of Shiraz, and the rest of the youth have been subjected to sitting in weekly classes where they have to endure calumnious misinterpretations of His blessed Faith.
I was finally able to visit with dear Sasan. How I wish my pen had the ability to capture the spiritual power of those moments. How can my pen recount what I witnessed? A power beyond any physical force… Yes, I saw in Sasan a sort of spiritual strength not easily describable… How can I express those moments? I did not wish for them to come to a conclusion… Yet time was short…
He said a bit about the difficult conditions in prison and his utter loneliness there… However, whatever he said was indicative of some great strength… indicative of the bounties of Baha’u'llah and of nothing else… In the midst of his utterances, one could feel the confirmations he attracted from the Concourse on High. But alas! The special spiritual experiences he recounted were not quite comprehensible to me; for how could a lowly earthling such as I understand such lofty realms as he described? Surely, he was not speaking of hardship; but material as I am I could only comprehend the pain and suffering.
In any case, the moments were passing far too fast… He asked repeatedly that we should pray for him, so that he may be able to endure these difficulties and attain the good pleasure of the Beloved. But from whom was he beseeching prayers so earnestly? Surely he must have been discerning angels everywhere and at every moment, to have been beseeching so intently.
When he was speaking about solitary confinement and complained of loneliness, I realised just how blessed we are with incredible bounties, and yet we are not cognizant of any of it. Dear Sasan imparted such insight to me that I will remain grateful to him for ever. He opened my eyes to the bounties and favours of God, so that I may be empowered to take greater steps than ever before in the proclamation of His Words. How blessed indeed is he for having firmly demonstrated his servitude to the Holy Threshold… God help me for I know not when — if ever — I could do that…
Upon saying goodbye, he informed me that the three of them in prison[2] were reciting prayers every Wednesday at 8 pm. He asked me to say prayers also at the same time, and asked that I should say them out loud with such fervour that he could feel their penetration. And I promised to pray in such wise that I would feel the confirmations. This sums up what I witnessed during my visit.
We ended our meeting with the recitation of the following Tablet, which indeed bears witness to Sasan and his friends in prison.
He is the Most Glorious;
O thou who hast rendered up thy life unto the traceless Friend,
Myriads have been the wise who have sought after Him, but have remained deprived of His Presence and bereft of beholding His Countenance. Yet you found Him; you recognised Him! You surrendered in the game of servitude, set firm your station, and hoisted the banner of prosperity and salvation.
How astonishing a tale and peculiar a tiding: Those who searched after Him did not attain Him, but those who remained seated beheld Him. I beg forgiveness of God, for their search was that of those who have drunk to satiety and not of those who thirst in longing; and their desire was that of the worldly-wise and not of the enthralled lover.
“The worldly-wise who garner the ears of grain are unaware of Layla’s secret,
For unto none was accorded the great glory but Majnun — he who set
the whole harvest afire!”
Better the lover who remaineth seated, than the wise man who endeavoureth in active service.
Upon thee be His Glory.
[Provisional translation]
[2] Raha Sabet, Haleh Rouhi and Sasan Taqva.
As the readers of this site have guessed, very little information and news has come from Iran in recent days. Iran Press Watch was able to glean the following from a few sites in Persian:
- Raha Sabet voluntarily went back to prison so that Sasan Taqva might be released. Sasan was released on April 28. The authorities have renewed his family leave for a week.
Haleh Rouhi was given family leave on Sunday April 19. Her leave has been renewed for the third week. - Raha, Sasan and Haleh have served over one-third of their incarceration sentence. They can be eligible for pardon soon, which generally happens after the prisoner has served about a third of their sentence. Families of the three Baha’i youth are trying and hope that happens.
- Vahdat Dana is in solitary confinement. He is father of two children. His heart ailment is the cause of concern. He had a heart attack not long ago, for which he spent a few days in intensive care.
- Keyvan Karami and Farham Masumi are incarcerated in the same cell. There was a glimmer of hope for their release, which unfortunately did not happen.
- Farham Masumi was married just a few months ago and this was supposed to be the newly-wed’s first Naw-Ruz together.
Families of prisoners and some other Baha’is continue to receive threatening phone calls.
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