[OccabsLam]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
(This is a few months old but it worths sharing, the official Iranian Sunni website is down due to obvious reasons so I copy this article from a different website but it is the same thing. This is not the first time the oppressed Sunnis of Iran send letter to Ali Khamenei and Ahmadi Nejad but they have sent letters thousands of times.)

In a letter addressed to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Sunni members of the Iranian Parliament asked for an end to discrimination against Sunnis, an end to religious limitations for Sunnis, and permission to construct a mosque in Tehran. In this letter, a copy of which was made available to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Sunni Members of the Parliament also ask Ayatollah Khamenei to review and “correct Article 115 of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Constitution,” and to end the prohibition of Sunni candidates from participating in presidential elections.

Ayatollah Khamenei, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and other Iranian officials have so far never formally responded to any grievances and demands from Sunni clerics and leaders.

In the letter, dated 19 December 2011, members of the Sunni Faction of the Iranian Parliament wrote to Khamenei about the non-implementation of “key and important articles of the Constitution, in particular those principles that refer to religious freedom of the Sunnis and ethnic equality,” and express regret about it. “Unfortunately, many of the important and key articles in the Constitution, including Articles 12, 15, and 19, have not been completely implemented yet. Additionally, Article 115 of the Constitution forbids qualified Sunni political and religious leaders from running in the presidential elections,” the letter states.

Members of the Sunni Faction have additionally reminded Ayatollah Khamenei that Iranian Sunnis have so far been unable to receive permission to build even one mosque in Tehran. They have emphasized that this illegal prohibition continues, adding, “Despite frequent follow-ups, unfortunately the authorities have not agreed to the construction of the mosque.”

The signatories of the letter, Sunni MPs from various regions throughout Iran, point to the statements made Ayatollah Khamenei during his trips to provinces and Sunni-dominated regions, and specifically during his 2009 visit to Kurdistan Province, about religious “equality and brotherhood,” as well as “unity,” ask Khamenei to “form a special committee” to take action on “implementing delayed articles and correcting Article 115 of the Constitution,” and to end the religious and ethnic restrictions and prohibitions imposed on Sunnis.

Article 115 states, “The president must be among religious and political figures and have the following qualifications for elections: Iranian descent, Iranian citizenship, be a wise manager, have a good record and be trustworthy and pious, be faithful and a believer in the principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a member of the official religion of the country.” Since Article 12 of the Iranian Constitution defines the official religion of Iran to be Ethna Ashari (Twelver Shiism), Sunnis are prohibited from becoming candidates in the presidential elections.

The Sunni Faction of the Iranian Parliament was established in 2008 by a group of Sunni MPs after religious restrictions for Iranian Sunnis increased, several Sunni clerics were arrested, and security confrontations with Sunnis in different Iranian provinces intensified. Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, MP from Mahabad in Kurdistan Province, is Secretary of the Sunni Faction of the Iranian Parliament.

Signatories of the letter include: Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, representative of Mahabad and Secretary of the Sunni Faction; Peyman Forouzeh, representative of Zahedan; Eghbal Mohammadi, representative of Marivan and Servabad; Abdaljabbar Karami, representative of Sanandaj, Divandarreh, and Kamyaran; Mohammad Ali Partovi, representative of Sardasht and Piranshahr; Saidamad Hosseini, representative of Qorveh and Dehgolan; Said Fatahollah Hosseini, representative of Paveh and Oramanat; Mohammad Reza Sajjadian, representative of Khaf and Rashtkhvar; Mohammad Gheyoom Dehghan, representative of Iranshahr, Sarbaz and Delgan; Abdollah Rastgar, representative of Gonbad Kavoos; Abdolaziz Jamshidzahi, representative of Saravan, Sib Suran, and Zaboli; and Ahmad Jabbari, representative of Bandar Langeh, Bastak, and Parsian.

source: http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2012/...ter-sunni-mps/

The attached file is the letter written and signed by the Sunni MPs.
sunni_mps_letter.jpg

[__CVineXPharm__]

assalamualaikum,

This is shocking. This is the country where great scholars where born, like Imam Ghazali (ra). And now it is fully turning into a shia country not only that, but also are trying to eliminate sunnis. May Allah (swt) protect us.

But I do not know how and when did Iran became a country with majority of shia.

Jazakallah.

[OccabsLam]

It should be noted that last year Sunni Muslims of Tehran were stopped from performing EID prayers, despite so many letters sent to the Ahmadi Nejad by the Sunni MPs.

Read more here

[OccabsLam]

assalamualaikum,

This is shocking. This is the country where great scholars where born, like Imam Ghazali (ra). And now it is fully turning into a shia country not only that, but also are trying to eliminate sunnis. May Allah (swt) protect us.

But I do not know how and when did Iran became a country with majority of shia.

Jazakallah.

Walaikum Salam,

Iran became Majority Shia in the 16th Century when blood-thirsty Safavids came to power.

Here is example of Safavid tactics:
It was, however, nothing less than a reign of terror that inaugurated the new dispensation. On capturing Tabriz in 907/1501, a city two-thirds Sunnite in population, Shah Esmāʿil threatened with death all who might resist the adoption of Shiʿite prayer ritual in the main congregational mosque, and he had Qezelbāš soldiers patrol the congregation to ensure that none raise his voice against the cursing of the first three caliphs, viewed as enemies of the Prophet’s family.

In Tabriz and elsewhere, gangs of professional execrators known as the tabarrāʾiān would accost the townsfolk at random, forcing them to curse the objectionable personages on pain of death. Selective killings of prominent Sunnites occurred in a large number of places, notably Qazvin and Isfahan, and in Shiraz and Yazd, outright massacres took place. Sunnite mosques were desecrated, and the tombs of eminent Sunnite scholars destroyed (Aubin, 1970, pp. 237-38; idem, 1988, pp. 94-101). Encyclopedia Iranica

src: http://www.cultureofiran.com/islam_safavid_era.html Methods of converting Muslims to Shiism (taken from Wikipedia):

Ismail consolidated his rule over the country and launched a thorough and at times brutal campaign to convert the majority Sunni population to Twelver Shiism and thus transform the religious landscape of Iran.[14]

His methods of converting Iran included:

• Imposing Shiism as the state and mandatory religion for the whole nation and much forcible conversions of Iranian Sufi Sunnis to Shiism.[15][16][17]
• He reintroduced the Sadr (Arabic, leader) – an office that was responsible for supervising religious institutions and endowments. With a view to transforming Iran into a Shiite state, the Sadr was also assigned the task of disseminating Twelver doctrine.[18]
• He destroyed Sunni mosques. This was even noted by Tomé Pires, the Portuguese ambassador to China who visited Iran in 1511–12, who when referring to Ismail noted: "He (i.e. Ismail) reforms our churches, destroys the houses of all Moors who follow (the Sunnah of) Muhammad…"[19]
• He enforced the ritual and compulsory cursing of the first three Sunni Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman) as usurpers, from all mosques, disbanded Sunni Tariqahs and seized their assets, used state patronage to develop Shia shrines, institutions and religious art and imported Shia scholars to replace Sunni scholars.[20][21][22]
• He shed Sunni blood and destroyed and desecrated the graves and mosques of Sunnis. This caused the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (who initially congratulated Ismail on his victories) to advise and ask the young monarch (in a “fatherly” manner) to stop the anti-Sunni actions. However, Ismail was strongly anti-Sunni, ignored the Sultan's warning, and continued to spread the Shia faith by the sword.[23][24]
• He persecuted, imprisoned and executed stubbornly resistant Sunnis.[25][26]
• With the establishment of Safavid rule, there was a very raucous and colourful, almost carnival-like holiday on 26 Dhu al-Hijjah (or alternatively, 9 Rabi' al-awwal) celebrating the murder of Caliph Umar. The highlight of the day was making an effigy of Umar to be cursed, insulted, and finally burned. However, as relations between Iran and Sunni countries improved, the holiday was no longer observed (at least officially).[27]
• In 1501 Ismail invited all the Shia living outside Iran to come to Iran and be assured of protection from the Sunni majority.[28]

--END OF QUOTE--

Read more here

[__CVineXPharm__]

Walaikum Salam,

Iran became Majority Shia in the 16th Century when blood-thirsty Safavids came to power.

Here is example of Safavid tactics:


Methods of converting Muslims to Shiism (taken from Wikipedia):

Ismail consolidated his rule over the country and launched a thorough and at times brutal campaign to convert the majority Sunni population to Twelver Shiism and thus transform the religious landscape of Iran.[14]

His methods of converting Iran included:

• Imposing Shiism as the state and mandatory religion for the whole nation and much forcible conversions of Iranian Sufi Sunnis to Shiism.[15][16][17]
• He reintroduced the Sadr (Arabic, leader) – an office that was responsible for supervising religious institutions and endowments. With a view to transforming Iran into a Shiite state, the Sadr was also assigned the task of disseminating Twelver doctrine.[18]
• He destroyed Sunni mosques. This was even noted by Tomé Pires, the Portuguese ambassador to China who visited Iran in 1511–12, who when referring to Ismail noted: "He (i.e. Ismail) reforms our churches, destroys the houses of all Moors who follow (the Sunnah of) Muhammad…"[19]
• He enforced the ritual and compulsory cursing of the first three Sunni Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman) as usurpers, from all mosques, disbanded Sunni Tariqahs and seized their assets, used state patronage to develop Shia shrines, institutions and religious art and imported Shia scholars to replace Sunni scholars.[20][21][22]
• He shed Sunni blood and destroyed and desecrated the graves and mosques of Sunnis. This caused the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (who initially congratulated Ismail on his victories) to advise and ask the young monarch (in a “fatherly” manner) to stop the anti-Sunni actions. However, Ismail was strongly anti-Sunni, ignored the Sultan's warning, and continued to spread the Shia faith by the sword.[23][24]
• He persecuted, imprisoned and executed stubbornly resistant Sunnis.[25][26]
• With the establishment of Safavid rule, there was a very raucous and colourful, almost carnival-like holiday on 26 Dhu al-Hijjah (or alternatively, 9 Rabi' al-awwal) celebrating the murder of Caliph Umar. The highlight of the day was making an effigy of Umar to be cursed, insulted, and finally burned. However, as relations between Iran and Sunni countries improved, the holiday was no longer observed (at least officially).[27]
• In 1501 Ismail invited all the Shia living outside Iran to come to Iran and be assured of protection from the Sunni majority.[28]

--END OF QUOTE--

Read more here

Assalamualaikum

Jazakallah, very detailed and shocking indeed.

Till now, I did not knew how Iran became a shia state. I will inshallah search reliable books on this topic to understand further about the true history of iran. Amd I will also inshallah read further on the link you have provided.

My brother met an irani scholar who was sunni. He was shocked by the calibre of the scholar, the knowledge, the aklaaq e.t.c even today there are irani sunni scholars who are high in knowledge but few. What can we do other then simply making dua for them, for their safeguard in following the truth.

Even today our Ummah is in danger. People in brazil are thought that there are no more muslims in world, and the only religion is christianity. People in Indonasia are converting to christianity from money. e.t.c

It is all because of our sins, and no Amr bil Maroof being done. So we should use most of our opportunity mostly in tabligh.

Jazakallah.