The Baha’i faith has its headquarters in Haifa, Israel. Its presence there, established after its followers were persecuted in Iran and other Muslim lands for heresy, predates the State of Israel by decades (worth noting: whose tolerance has allowed a flourishing Baha’i presence since 1948, and whose “tolerance” has not?), but that certainly won’t stop Iran from accusing them of being Zionist agents. And it won’t stop them from persecuting the Baha’i as infidels.
The subjugation of unbelievers under the glorified protection racket of dhimmitude is condescendingly presented in the threat letter below as proof of Islam’s “enlightened” ways. Of course, if the Baha’i fail in any way to live up to the terms of “protection,” the consequences will be dire.
All of this is in accordance with Qur’an 9:29, which offers unbelievers conversion, subjugation, or war. And the authors of this threat are eager to demonstrate that they are playing by the book. “Another Baha’i-Owned Business Fire Bombed, Threatening Letter Left Behind,” from Iran Press Watch, January 9 (thanks to David):
The Association Against Educational Discrimination (AAED)- On December 30, 2010, the business and shop of yet another Baha’i citizen in the city of Rafsanjan (Province of Kerman, southeastern Iran) was fire bombed and the assailant(s) left a threatening letter at the shop.
Based on reports received by AAED, this was the ninth Baha’i-owned shop attacked in the city of Rafsanjan. The culprits threw a letter inside the shop that threatened if the Baha’is refuse to sign the enclosed treaty, “they [the assailants] will uproot the base of imperialism in the city”.
Prior to this attack, eight other shops belonging to Baha’i citizens were set on fire over 14 attacks.
The shop owners have taken their grievances to the Kerman Governor’s office, Rafsanjan’s Member of Parliament, National Security Commission, and the Kerman provincial police, but to no avail. Even the insurance companies refused to cover the real cost of the damages incurred by the shop owners.
Governmental involvement on some level in these cases would not be at all far fetched. Iran has long engaged in the systematic persecution of Baha’is.
Below is part of the text of the threatening letter thrown in the shop that was attacked:
In the Name of God
Warning and Commitment letter
Members of the Baha’i cult in the city of Rafsanjan:
Fighting against disbelief (rejection of religion) and polytheism, especially against a cult whose supporters are the biggest enemies of Islamic Iran- Israel and the US is the duty of each and every Muslim. Since you, contrary to the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, preach and propagate [your religion], you will not be entitled to any citizenship rights or security. However, since the enlightened Islamic religion permits entering into contracts between Muslims and non-Muslims to guarantee protection of the lives and properties of the latter, we inform the Baha’is of this city that if you accept our conditions mentioned below, we will not aggress your life and properties. But if you do not accept the terms of this treaty, it will be interpreted as your insistence on hostility toward the Muslim and Shiite residents of the city, and we shall uproot the basis of imperialism in this city through our Jihadi actions. Inshallah (God willing)
The terms of the treaty
1. Refraining from propogating and preaching the Baha’i faith even in cyber space (internet)
2. Refraining from relationships and friendships with Muslims except in the work and business context
3. Refraining from hiring Muslim employees by Baha’i shopkeepers
Since in the books of Rouhi Foundation, friendship with Muslims has been greatly encouraged as a means of preaching, any unnecessary friendship and ties outside the business framework will be considered an attempt to preach [your religion], and will be deemed violation of the terms of this treaty….