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Djibouti

From Bahaipedia
 Djibouti
The Bahá’í community of Djibouti City, 1955
Location of Djibouti
National AssemblyN/A
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 1,105,557
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source  
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 855
History:
Firsts
 -  Pioneers 1953, Fred Schechter
1954, Sabri Elias
1954, Fahima Elias 
 -  Local Assembly 1956, Djibouti 
Related media
Categories: Djibouti • People

The Republic of Djibouti is a country located on the coast of East Africa. French and Arabic are the countries official languages, with Somali and Afar also being recognized as national languages.

The region has been inhabited since prehistory and some Kingdoms and Sultanates held power throughout the Middle Ages. In the 16th century the region came under the control of the Ottoman Empire and remained under Ottoman rule until the 1880's when it was colonized by France and became apart of French Somaliland. When many French colonies became independent in the late 1950's Somaliland instead voted to remain under French rule, although the vote was controversial and tensions resulted in a second vote in 1967 which also continued French rule. Support and pressure for independence increased and a third vote was held in 1977 which resulted in the region becoming independent as Djibouti.

The Bahá’í community of Djibouti was established in the 1950's in the capital city of the country. While it is not officially recognized as a religion by the government it is able to conduct activities without incident throughout the country.

History[edit]

French Somaliland was opened to the Bahá’í Faith in August 1953 when Fred Schechter arrived in the country from Kenya having pioneered at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.[2] He settled in the city of Djibouti with a three month visa and taught English lessons. He befriended the Chief of the Sureté people but did not openly proclaim the Faith on the advice of Shoghi Effendi,[3] and in November 1953 he had to leave the country due to difficulty finding employment and being unable to secure an extension of his visa.[4]

In early 1954 Shoghi Effendi sent a request for pioneers to settle in French Somaliland to the Bahá’í community of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and in May 1954 Sabri and Fahima Elias pioneered to Djibouti city. After twenty-nine days they received residential visas and were able to buy a house.[5] Shortly after their arrival a local declared however he was so active in proclaiming the Faith it resulted in opposition,[6] with one of the Sabri's writing the following in a letter to the Africa Teaching Committee:

"Some time ago we sent you the declaration card of a well-known, well-educated man. When he became a Bahá’í he began to teach the Faith and to declare openly that he was the first one of this territory to accept the new Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh. This increased the jealousy of the enemies of the Faith, and their anger against us. Ten days ago a group of hooligans attacked his home with stones, etc. Nevertheless, he is still teaching the Faith, and nothing can intimidate him. Our two children came home to spend the school holidays. One night they went to the cinema, and there a group of fanatics attacked them and threw stones on them. One was hit on the chest, the other was hit on the head and fainted. The police could not catch the culprits."[7]

By February 1956 there were seven Bahá’ís in Djibouti and Shoghi Effendi asked them to form a Local Spiritual Assembly at Ridvan and a ninth person declared at 2 a.m. on April 20 that year allowing them to form the Assembly.[6] In 1958 Saláh Jarráh pioneered to Djibouti, remaining at his post until 1968,[8] and in 1959 the Sabri's departed to return to Egypt.[9] In 1977 the Sabri's returned to Djibouti and remained until 1988.[10]

In 1999 the Local Spiritual Assembly of Djibouti launched a four month teaching campaign securing permission to teach in the region of Tadjoura.[11] As of 2019 the Bahá’í Faith is not yet officially registered as a religion with the government of Djibouti but is able to operate without incident.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 53
  3. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 54
  4. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 55
  5. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 59
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 60
  7. ↑ Baha'i News (1955). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 298, Pg(s) 3. View as PDF.
  8. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 965. View as PDF.
  9. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 61
  10. ↑ Earl Redman, The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press: Oxford, p 61
  11. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2001). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 28 (1999-2000), Pg(s) 51. View as PDF.
  12. ↑ https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/djibouti/


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