The Role of Baha’i Faith in Iranians Seeking Democracy for their Country نقش بهاییت در دموکراسی‌خواهی ایرانیان

Baha'i young men and women in 1969 in Iran serving and learning together as two wings of a bird

One of the basic principles of the Baha’i Faith is the equality of men and women functioning in all the affairs of community like the two wings of the bird of humanity so the human civilization can soar upward. Education of women from the early history of the Faith was of great importance and educated Baha’i mothers became the first educators of the future generations.

Since Baha’u’llah declared an end to the function of clergy and mullahs in the administration of religious community and religious life, the members of the Baha’i both men and women had to learn the art of consultation and democratic deliberation in all decision making occasions such as community affairs and also family decision. This new teachings was the first training ground for the Iranian culture to be introduced to the powerful effects of democracy and collective consensus building process.

The interview with Dr. Soli Shahvar by Ensan Doost explores the effect of the Baha’i community and its forward looking practices of democratic deliberation and decision making on planting the seed of democracy and freedom in Iran.

نقش بهاییت در دموکراسیخواهی ایرانیان from Ensan Doost on Vimeo.

آموزه‌های دین بهاییت گرچه در مقایسه با آموزه‌های سایر ادیان، با نیازهای جامعه‌ی معاصر انسانی هماهنگی بیشتری دارد اما در طول تاریخ ایران همواره دست‌خوش محدودیت‌های رسمی و حکومتی شده است. جمهوری اسلامی ایران نیز، دین بهاییت را به رسمیت نمی‌شناسد و حتی جوانان بهایی از ورود به دانشگاه محروم هستند.

آقای سلی شاه‌وار دست به نگارش کتابی زده است درباره‌ی خدمات اجتماعی و فرهنگی‌ای که دین بهاییت به جامعه‌ی ایران عرضه داشته است. این کتاب بر آن است که دموکراسی‌خواهی نزد ایرانیان ریشه در آموزه‌های بهاییت داشته و این تاثیرگذاری یکی از جنبه‌ی پنهان تاریخ ایران است
The interview is in  Persian.  Dr. Soli Shavar is a senior Lecturer in the Department of History of the Middle East and Director of The Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Haifa, and Research Fellow at the Harry S. Truman Research institute for the Advancement of Peace, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He completed his PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London.

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