The prohibition of entering in politics

Inspite of Baha’ullah, Abdul-Baha and Shogi’s prohibitions of entering into politics and their order of obeying governments, the history of the Baha’i is full of politics and non-adherence to this principle. Is this not a strategy to deceive the governments and the people?

Abdul-Baha said: The divine decree is that one should obey the government and should not seek any reason for that. Obedience should be to such an extent that nothing should be printed without the permissions of the government. (Ganjinah, p. 464) .

Shoghi said: “We, as Bahais, have no right to talk about the fairness or unfairness of our government” (Anwar Hedayat p. 563)

Baha’ullah said: Oh Beloved of the Truth! , it is not permissible to commit anything that is contrary to the opinion of the heads of the state.

‘Abdul-Baha said : According to the decisive text of ‘Jamal e Mubarak’, no one should do anything without the permission of a government, and whoever take any step without the permission of the government has infact opposed the order of ‘Jamal e Mubarak’ and no excuse is accepted from him. (Ganjineh p. 463)

‘Abdul-Baha’ said : Oh beloved of God!: Serve the kings with utmost honesty and trustworthiness, and be obedient and benevolent. Do not interfere in political affairs without their permission. (Ganjineh, p. 334)

Regarding non-interference in politics, ‘Abdu’l-Bahai said, "There is a need for a separation between religious and political power," and that "Bahai have no interest in politics" and, more importantly, in his view: "The extent of a person being bahai or not depends upon his involvement in political matters." That is, whoever interferes in political affairs and does anything other than his duty, this is enough proof that he is not a baha’i, and no other proof is needed in this regard…. "(Ganjineh, p. 336)

He also says that if a person talks about politics, at home, or in other groups, then he should renounce Bahaism and let everyone know about it or else it would cause harm to everyone. Shogi, who took over the leadership of the Baha’is after Abbas Effendi, also has a lot to say in this regard. For example, he says: " followers should stay away from interfering in political affairs, and they should even stay from such things which could lead them to political matters."

Many scholars in the study of the bahai faith and its teachings look at it with skepticism when they come across teachings such as "no involvement in politics" and "the need to obey any government" and when they compare it with the history of the bahais, then they ask to themselves as follows:

1) The assassination of Nasser al-Din Shah by prominent Babis such as Baha’u’llah, creating unrest and three civil wars and acting against national security, relations with the governments of Russia, Britain and then Israel.Many murders and assassinations, like what happened during the deportation of the leaders to Iraq. Approving the oppressive Russian and British emperors and demanding the continuation of their oppressive monarchy. Accepting the criminal Ottoman government and then betraying it in favour of the British Empire and as a result receiving the royal title in return. Sincere cooperation and relationship with the Government of Israel ………………

After seeing all the activities of bahais mentioned above they ask how could these bahais talk about such things (non-interference in bahai)?!. Weren’t these behaviours not considered as “interference in politics".

2) Was not the slogan of non-interference in politics merely a tactic to deceive the rulers and to conceal their plans and to have security for the bahai organization so that they could carry out their plans for the establishment of a bahai world government?

3)Today, the bahais, contrary to their original teachings of non-interference in politics, which they have propagated for more than one hundred and fifty years, are still politicizing. They act against the laws of governments and even calls for a change of government, and in this way even seeks to attract secularists and anti-religious people.

4) The fact is that bahai leaders and organizations have been involved in politics throughout their lives, despite their claim to adhere to the principle of "non-interference in politics." At one time, they assassinated the ‘Shah’ and their opponents, and at another time, they waged three wars and killed many people in the country. They have shown their main intentions when they got involved in relation with Russia, Britain, Israel and when they conspired against the countries through the formation of international organizations in the name of human rights and so on.