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Pakistan

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 Pakistan
National Ḥaẓíratu'l-Quds, Karachi, 1957.
Location of Pakistan
National AssemblyPakistan
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 231,402,117
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source 30,000[citation needed] 
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 106,617
History:
Firsts
 -  Bahá'í to visit Jamal Effendi 
 -  National Assembly 1957 
How to contact:
 -  Email http://bahai.pk/contact-us.html
Official Website http://www.bahai.pk/
Related media
Categories: Pakistan • People

The Bahá'í Faith in Pakistan begins previous to its independence when it was part of India. The roots of the Bahá'í Faith in the region go back to the first days of the Bábí religion in 1844,[2] with Shaykh Sa'id Hindi who was from Multan.[3] During Bahá'u'lláh's lifetime, as founder of the religion, he encouraged some of his followers to move to the area that is current-day Pakistan.[4]

In 1921 the Bahá'ís of Karachi elected their first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly.[3] In 1923, still as part of India, a regional National Spiritual Assembly was formed for all India and Burma which then included the area now part of Pakistan.[5] By 1956 Bahá'í local assemblies spread across many cities,[6] and in 1958, East and West Pakistan elected a separate National Bahá'í Assembly from India and later East Pakistan became Bangladesh with its own national assembly.[5] Waves of refugees arrived in 1979 due to the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian Revolution in Iran.[7][8]

The Bahá'ís in Pakistan have the right to hold public meetings, establish academic centers, teach their faith, and elect their administrative councils.[9] However, the government prohibits Bahá'ís from travelling to Israel for Bahá'í pilgrimage.[10] The World Christian Encyclopedia estimated over 78,000 Bahá'ís lived in Pakistan in 2000[11] though the U.S. State Department claimed less than half that number.[12]

Early period[edit]

The Bahá'í Faith in Pakistan begins previous to its independence when it was part of India. The roots of the Bahá'í Faith in the region go back to the first days of the Bábí religion in 1844.[2] Four Babis are known from India in this earliest period — it is not known from what sub-region most of them came from but at least some of them were known as Sufis and some termed Sayyid.[13] The first was Shaykh Sa'id Hindi — one of the Letters of the Living who was from Multan then in India.[3][14] Basir-i-Handi was a member of the Jalalia sect who also converted in this early period from the region which later became Pakistan. After embracing the Babí religion, Hindi set out to Iran but learned that the Báb had been confined to the hills of Azerbaijan and made his way to Fort Tabarsi where he was one of four other Indians listed among the 318 Bábís who fought at the Battle of Fort Tabarsi.[3][15] After that he went to Nur and met Bahá'u'lláh and later moved to Luristan where he worked in the court of the governor of Luristan, Yaldram Mirza. When the governor learned he was a Babí he was killed.[3]

Early Bahá'í period[edit]

During Bahá'u'lláh's lifetime, as founder of the Bahá'í Faith, he encouraged some of his followers to move to India.[4] After first visiting Mumbai India, Jamal Effendi visited Karachi in 1875 on one of his trips to parts of Southern Asia.[3] It is believed that Effendi had contact with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and that his trips eventually included Lahore, Sialkot, Jammu, Kashmir, Laddakh.[3] Following the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, the leadership of the religion fell to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and he in turn sent further representatives to the region — followers who travelled to the region included both Persians and Americans and included Sydney Sprague and Mirza Mahmood Zarghaní.[3][16]

On instructions from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Zarghaní stayed in Lahore for most of 1904 and subsequently travelled to nearby regions.[3] During his stay Zarghaní became acquainted with Muhammad Iqbal. In those days Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had claimed to be the Mahdi and Masih of Islam, and other claims directly competing with the claims of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. Zarghaní challenged Mirza Ghulam Ahmed, through the newspaper Paisa Akhbar however Mirza Ghulam Ahmed neither replied to his challenge nor apparently wrote anything in response to this challenge.

The first first Bahá'í to settle in current-day Pakistan may have been Muhammad Raza Shirazi who became a Bahá'í in Mumbai in 1908 and settled in Karachi.[3] As early as 1910 the national community in India/Burma was being urged to visibly distinguish itself from Islam by the Bahá'í institutions of America.[17] Jamshed Jamshedi moved from Iran to Karachi in 1917 and Mirza Qalich Beg translated The Hidden Words into Sindhi.[3] National coordinated activities across India began and reached a peak with the first All-India Bahá'í Convention which occured in Mumbai for three days in December 1920.[16] Representatives from India's major religious communities were present as well as Bahá'í delegates from throughout the country. In 1921 the Bahá'ís of Karachi elected their first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly.[3]

Growth, challenges and refugees[edit]

In 1923, still as part of India, a regional National Spiritual Assembly was formed for India and Burma which then included the area now part of Pakistan.[5] Martha Root, an American Bahá'í, visited Karachi in 1930 and again in 1938 when she stayed for three months and supervised the publication of her book titled Tahirih — the Pure.[3] Mirza Tarazullah Samandari, later appointed as a Hand of the Cause — a distinguished rank in the religion —, visited the area several times; he first visited the region in 1930, and then again in 1963, 1964, 1966, and in 1993 travelling to many cities. From 1931 to 1933, Professor Pritam Singh, the first Bahá'í from a Sikh background, settled in Lahore and published an English language weekly called the The Baha’i Weekly and other initiatives. A Bahá'í publishing committee was established in Karachi in 1935. This body evolved and is registered as the Baha’i Publishing Trust of Pakistan. In 1937, John Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era was translated into Urdu and Gujrati in Karachi.[3][18] The Committee also published scores of Bahá'í books and leaflets in Urdu, English, Arabic, Persian, Sindhi, Pushtu, Balochi, Gojri, Balti and Punjabi and including memorials including those marking the centenaries of the declaration of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.[19]

The Spiritual Assembly of Quetta was formed in 1943 by Bahá'ís from Mumbai and Iran while the Spiritual Assembly of Hyderabad was also formed in 1943 by Bahá'ís from Karachi. A Local Spiritual Assembly was elected for the first time in Jammu in 1946. Bahá'ís from Karachi were among those to help elect the Local Spiritual Assemblies in Sukkur and Rawalpindi in 1948. Further Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed in Sialkot in 1949, Multan, Chittagong]], and Dhaka in 1950, Faisalabad in 1952, Sargodha in 1955, and Abbottabad, Gujranwala, Jahanabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, and Sahiwal by 1956 thus raising the number of local spiritual assemblies to 20. Meanwhile an emigré from near Lahore, Fazel (Frank) Khan moved to Australia where he was asked to present the teachings of Islam at a Bahá'í school and was so affected by the class that he and his family converted in 1947.[20] On two later occasions Fazel visited his home village and endeavoured to teach them his new religion. On the first visit there was no response, but during the second visit a cousin converted in the town of Sialkote.[21]

With independence from India in 1958, East and West Pakistan elected a separate Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly from India.[3][5][22] The Bahá'ís elected to this first national assembly included Isfandiar Bakhtiari, Chaudhri Abdur Rehman, Faridoon Yazameidi, A.C. Joshi, M.H. IImi, Abdul Abbas Rizvi, M.A. Latif, Nawazish Ali Shah, and Mehboob Iiahi Qureshi. Joshi in particular was then the Chairman of the national assembly and had been elected to assemblies since 1947 and eventually in other institutions.[22] In 1960 when Mason Remey made his unsuccessful claims for leadership, a small group of Bahá'ís in Pakistan accepted his claims and published some materials from 1965 through 1972 but have not been active since them.[23] This Hereditary group never formed a significant group around the world.[4] In 1963 the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body ofthe Bahá'ís, was elected all nine members of the Pakistani National Spiritual Assembly participated in the voting.[24] From 1946 through the 1980s the Bahá'í publishing trust published a variety of works oriented to youth.[25] In 1978 conditions in Afghanistan, including the Soviet invasion, lead to many Afghani Bahá'ís being arrested in that country and thus many fled to Pakistan.[7] Iranian Bahá'ís also fled to Pakistan from Iran in 1979 due to the Iranian Revolution.[8]

The Bahá'í community in Pakistan also started some projects outside of their own community; in 1979 the New Day Montessori School was established with ten students but would grow in time to three hundred and most of the students were not Bahá'ís.[3][26] Also in the early 1980s, Bahá'ís in Pakistan started social and economic development projects like small-scale medical camps.[27] In 1989 Bahá'ís from Karachi moved to and elected the first local assembly in Muzaffarabad.[3] In 1998, when the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan arrested many Bahá'ís, many fled to Pakistan but many were able to return by 2002.[7]

Modern community[edit]

The Pakistani Bahá'í community currently have the right to hold their public meetings, establish academic centres, teach their faith, and elect their administrative councils.[9] Indeed government officials have occasionally attended events at Bahá'í centres.[28] However, the government prohibits Bahá'ís from travelling to Israel for Bahá'í pilgrimage.[10] The government of Pakistan also voted against the United Nations resolution Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran in 19 December 2001 raised in response to the Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran.[29] In 2003 a series of youth collaborations highlighted internal developments in the community using the Ruhi Institute process.[30] Indeed nearly 1000 individuals have participated in Ruhi training by 2004,[31] and classes have continued through 2007.[32] In 2004 the Bahá'ís of Lahore began seeking for a new Bahá'í cemetery.[33]

Demographics[edit]

By 1999 the number of Bahá'ís in the country was around 19,000; circa 2001 that number rose to some 30,000 adherents.[12] The World Christian Encyclopedia estimated over 78,000 members of the religion in the country in 2000.[11] Operation World estimated over 93,000 in 2001.[34]

See also[edit]

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. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Bahá'í Faith -Brief History". Official Website of the National Spiritual Assembly of India. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India. 2003. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 "History of the Bahá'í Faith in Pakistan". Official Webpage of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pakistan. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pakistan. 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Momen, Moojan; Smith, Peter. "Bahá'í History". Draft A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith. Bahá'í Library Online. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hassall, Graham. "Notes on Research on National Spiritual Assemblies". Research notes. Asia Pacific Bahá'í Studies. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  6. ↑ Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land. "The Bahá'í Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Bahá'í Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". pp. 47, 51, 107.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Bahá'í Faith in Afghanistan". Unofficial Website of the Bahá'ís of Afghanistan. Afghan Bahá'ís. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chun, Lisa (2008-07-16), "Message of Persecution - Fairfax doctor recalls Iranian persecution of father, members of Bahá'í faith.", Arlington Connection
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wardany, Youssef (2009). "The Right of Belief in Egypt: Case study of Baha'i minority". Al Waref Institute. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 compiled by Wagner, Ralph D. "Pakistan". Synopsis of References to the Bahá'í Faith, in the US State Department's Reports on Human Rights 1991-2000. Bahá'í Academics Resource Library. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Top 20 Largest National Baha'i Populations". Adherents.com. Adherents.com. 2008. http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_bahai.html. Retrieved 2008-11-18. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 IRF 2008, reporting 1998 census data
  13. ↑ Manuchehri, Sepehr (April 2001). Walbridge, John (ed.). "Historical Accounts of two Indian Babis: Sa'in Hindi and Sayyid Basir Hindi". Research Notes in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies. 05 (02). Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  14. ↑ Manuchehri, Sepehr (September 1999). Walbridge, John (ed.). "The Practice of Taqiyyah (Dissimulation) in the Babi and Bahai Religions". Research Notes in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies. 03 (03). Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  15. ↑ Momen, Moojan (2000). "Jamál Effendi and the early spread of the Bahá'í Faith in Asia". Baha'i Studies Review. Association for Baha'i Studies (English-Speaking Europe). 09 (1999/2000). Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Garlington, William (1997). R.I. Cole, Juan; Maneck., Susan (eds.). "The Baha'i Faith in India: A Developmental Stage Approach". Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies. Humanities & Social Sciences Online. June, 1997 (02). Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  17. ↑ "Letter from the House of Spirituality of Bahais, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A. to the Assembly of Rangoon Burma", Star of the West, vol. 01, no. 11, 1910-02-10
  18. ↑ Bahá'í International Community. ""Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era" editions and printings held in Bahá'í World Centre Library Decade by decade 1920 -2000+". General Collections. International Bahá'í Library. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  19. ↑ MacEoin, Denis. "Memorials (Listings)". The Babi and Baha'i Religions: An Annotated Bibliography. Greenwood Press's ongoing series of Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious Studies. pp. entry #45, 56, 95, 96. Retrieved 2009-04-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ↑ Hassall, Graham. "Yerrinbool Baha'i School 1938 - 1988, An Account of the First Fifty Years". Published Articles. Bahá'í Library Online. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  21. ↑ Hassall, Graham (1999), "Fazel Mohammad Khan", The Bahá'í World of the Bahá'í Era 143-149 (1986-1992), Bahá'í World Centre, XX: 839–843
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Universal House of Justice (1986), "In Memorium", The Bahá'í World of the Bahá'í Era 136-140 (1979-1983), Bahá'í World Centre, XVIII: 795–797, ISBN 0853982341{{citation}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  23. ↑ MacEoin, Denis. "Schismatic Groups". The Babi and Baha'i Religions: An Annotated Bibliography. Greenwood Press's ongoing series of Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious Studies. pp. entry #24, 27, 30, 61, 90, 101, 108. Retrieved 2009-04-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  24. ↑ Rabbani, R. (Ed.) (1992). The Ministry of the Custodians 1957-1963. Bahá'í World Centre. pp. 411, 431. ISBN 0-85398-350-X.
  25. ↑ MacEoin, Denis. "The Babi and Baha'i Religions: An Annotated Bibliography Children/education (Listings)". The Babi and Baha'i Religions: An Annotated Bibliography. Greenwood Press's ongoing series of Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious Studies. pp. entry #228, 229, 304, 370. Retrieved 2009-04-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  26. ↑ "Building a Just World Order". BIC Statements. Bahá'í International Community. 1985-03-29. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  27. ↑ Arturo, Lawrence. "Implementing Agenda 21 - Sustainable Development and World Citizenship". Implementing Agenda 21. United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  28. ↑ Buck, Christopher (2003), "Islam and Minorities: The Case of the Bahá'ís" (PDF), Studies in Contemporary Islam, 05 (2003): 1–2, 83–106
  29. ↑ Bahá'í International Community (2008). "UN General Assembly Resolution 2001". Bahá'í International Community. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  30. ↑ "Events during October 2003". Website of the National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. 2004-07-17. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  31. ↑ "Statistics of Courses offered by National Bahá'í Institute". Website of the National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. 2007--07-03. Retrieved 2009-04-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ↑ "Courses Offered (2007)". Website of the National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. National Bahai Institute for Human Resource Development, Pakistan. 2007--07-03. Retrieved 2009-04-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ↑ Akram, Ayesha Javed (2004-06-07), "The Bahai community: Lying low: the need for a new graveyard", Daily Times (Pakistan)
  34. ↑ "Islamic Republic of Pakistan". Operation World. Paternoster Lifestyle. 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-22.

External links[edit]


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