The Baha'is in Iran

Yesterday I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine who shared her experiences of meeting one of her relatives who had come from Iran for a reunion with their family. Her relative had recounted some of the stories of hardship, suffering and persecution that the Baha’is had endured in prison. I came away feeling deeply moved by the strength, courage and attitude through all they have endured. Their steadfastness in their beliefs and their faith are such wonderful examples of courage and sacrifice.
So last night I felt very inspired to write a song about the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran. Writing lyrics doesn’t come easily to me, but for some reason, the words flowed quickly and some of them were truly inspired! When it came to singing the vocals for the demo, I was overcome with emotion halfway through the song as it was a reminder of the suffering my own family has endured in Iran. My grandparents were also imprisoned for being Baha’is and on many occasions were pressured to recant their faith. They were steadfast and were fortunate that they were finally released after several years in prison. My great uncle suffered a different fate – he was tortured, blinded in one eye, beaten and finally martyred for his beliefs.
Sadly, this pattern of persecution still continues. Just a few months ago 7 Baha’i leaders were suddenly taken captive and imprisoned in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, yet another part of the on-going campaign to attempt to eliminate the Baha’i community. Their current condition is unknown.
I plan to dedicate this new song to all those in Iran who have suffered and are suffering as a result of such persecution. The current draft of the chorus goes:
“Why do you think you can stop the world from knowing, prevent the truth from showing? You can’t block the sun from shining.” I’m very excited about how the song is developing.
I am attaching a moving video that was made by The Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights regarding the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran.