A Father’s Legacy

During the past thirty-some years that I have lived outside of Iran, this was the first Persian and Baha’i new year that I could not wish my father, a joyous Naw-Ruz over the phone. He usually included a piece of his poetry as a gift to Saideh, Noor and me. He always did the same for our birthdays too. He passed away in November, and I could not attend his funeral. In the past few months, I have talked to many of my friends who explained that in spite of years passed from losing their parents they are used to it now. However, they still feel something missing in their lives. After all, as we grow older and understand our parents, we become more like them as well. If we do not follow their footsteps in choosing a career path, we follow their legacy. Every one of us has at least one significant story about our late parents’ characters to share when remembering them. These are the only things we had brought with us when we had to abandon our homeland in search of a better world. I have many of my stories and my friends to share with you. However, the story I would like to share with you its part of my friend’s, Shapour’s memories of his late father. As I walk you through the story, you will discover the reason I have selected this story.

It was around 2008–2009 when an eye-opening movement started among Non-Baha’i Iranian scholars, some Muslim clergies, writers, lawyers, reporters and human rights advocates to start talking about Iranian Baha’is and encourage the rest of the Iranians mainly outside Iran to get to know the largest religious minority of Iran. The point of start of this movement is not of concern as the movement itself. The Baha’is of Iran have been majorly oppressed since the beginning of their history in Iran during the Qajar Dynasty. Of course, there have been times when the atrocities softened up and gave them a breathing room for a few years. However, even during those times which I remember all Baha’i students were teased, threatened, or beaten up. These ill-treatments were not done only by the students to Baha’i students. The teachers and administrative team depending on the level of their religious prejudice used to add insult to the injury as well. Thus, as Iranian Baha’is, we have been mistreated for more than 170 years in our homeland. The birth of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran was the start of the first systematic, organized and active oppression against the Baha’is in Iran. Shapour was the first non-Baha’i friend who during our chats brought up a dilemma. He said, wouldn’t you think if they were firing a Baha’i from his or her job, or expelling them from university or school if all his co-workers or students stood against such an injustice would the Muslim clergy and heads of the Islamic Republic allow themselves to continue with all different types of atrocities? I truly believe in standing against ill-treatment and injustice did to others and defending their rights on their behalf without considering the effects you might have to face, he added. His father was a municipal judge and because of his political views was not liked very much. He was transferred from city to city, and the family followed. I remember Shapour told me he changed school more than eighteen times by the time he finished high school. In one of these transfers in Kashan, something happened that it changed Shapour forever. This is the story as Shapour put it; my father had capacity and interest in serving the poor and disadvantaged people. In his work as a judge, he always tried to support them. I was 13 years old at the time. Our routine was for my father to take me to school in his car and then he would go to his office every day. Around noon, I would walk to his office, and we came back home together and ate lunch. One of those days when we were coming home for lunch, in front of the house was very crowded, and men, women, and children are shouting. My father got out of the car and asked what was happening. One of the individuals said that these neighbors are Baha’is, and we want them to leave this neighborhood, and we want to kick them out of here. My father said I am going home to call the police chief when I come back if you are still here, I will send you all to prison. My father went home and called the police chief, Col. Amuzadeh, who was his friend. My father told him to bring a few constables come to my house right now. He asked what has happened? my father replied just come to the front of my house. It took a few minutes, and Colonel came in personal clothes with a few constables. My father saw that people are still there. He told the Colonel if these people gather in front of this house and interfere, once again, I am indicting you because you must oversee the public safety. My father was furious, and he was very aggressive towards all of the people there. We went home, and I pulled myself together. I did not know till then What is a Bahá’í? I had not even heard the name Baha’i. When My father calmed down a bit, I asked him, daddy, What is Baha’i? He said it is a religious trance is a thing like the rest of the other religions. My father was very anti-religion. To tell you the truth this became a mystery to me that my father, who never met these people, does not know them and does not even believe in them has risked his life for them. Now, why do I think he risked his life? About three months before this event it was the night of martyrdom of Imam Hussein, my father said something sacrilegious at home, and I did not understand the severity of it. The next day when I repeated those words at school, I was almost beaten to death by two of my most close friends. This means, in reality, I experienced a taste of radical Islam, and I discovered how religious and dangerous the people from Kashan are. my close friends whom I hung out every day, treated me this way. I was expecting at any moment that these people will jump my father and hurt him. this issue became a mystery to me, but I was not wise enough to ask my father to help me solve this puzzle. This passed, and I went to study in the UK and one of these times when I came home, and I was able to drive. In the mornings I took my father to his office and I would go visit with my friends and at noon I would go to the court and pick up my father and we would go home. As usual, I came to get my father and go home. At that time, we were in Tehran and my father was residing in a court. One of the people who was at the court begun to jangle and get aggressive with my father. As I knew my father to be very irritable and angry. I thought that my father is going to jump this guy from behind the bench and kick him out of the court. Then I saw that my father not only did not fight with him but he calmed him and said: ‘Look, you’ve to calm down go and get the consent of the other party. Because if you do not get the consent of the other party in accordance with the law, I am obliged to give you a prison sentence more than 61 days and you will not only be able to buy your sentence but also it will go into your records. But if you get the consent of the other party, I can sentence you under 61 days and the advantage of it is that you can buy it and it will not go into your records. Then go and get their consent. We got into the car and I told my father you are so harsh at home, you’re so furious and impatient. How is it that with this man who was so aggressive, you were so calm and kind? He said when I am sitting behind this bench I am a different person and then he talked about justice. He said: “As long as people did not know the concept of justice and justice had no place in their lives they were still animals. The only thing that separates us from the animals is the capacity of seeking justice and grasping equity. As a result, justice is above all things of the world.” Well actually I solved my puzzle. I thought about these things then I thought about the Baha’i family in Kashan who were sitting there at their home, trembled and fearful of the outcome. In fact, I started this project in honor of that family who I did not even know and the Justice seeking spirit of my late father.” Shapour truly is one of the people who has talked against injustice and oppression against any minority group in Iran, especially in Iranian media in the US since I found the interest to watch them in 2002–2003. Recently I asked him for some of his old clips and I was surprised to see him talk about Kurds and Dervishes at that time when there was no chatters about them in the media.

Next Friday, Shapour is screening his long documentary about the Baha’is in Iran, “Faith in Chains” in Harvard, which he has worked on for more than six years and has cost him not only financially but even in his personal life. If you live in the area, I indeed suggest going and seeing the film and get involved in the discussion. I promise you will be glad you did.