PARTING WORDS: from the Seven Martyrs of Hamadan

A tribute to the seven Baha'i martyrs of Hamadan Iran who suffered imprisonment and endured cruel torture before finally sacrificing their lives for their religious beliefs on June 14, 1981.

Excerpts from letters written in their final moments of life provide us with only a glimpse of the deep love for the families they left behind and the profound courage and nobility arising out of the depth of their love of God and their faith in His Messenger for this age Baha'u'llah.

The hauntingly beautiful music was composed in their honor by Farzad Khozein, a nephew of one of the martyrs. It brought tears to my eyes even before I read the moving words of his uncle Tarazullah and the other martyrs -- then the tears multiplied and became a river.

As I see history seemingly repeating itself with the current imprisonment and impending trials of seven more leaders of the Iranian Baha'i community, it sends chills down my spine and that all important question "WHY?" continues to echo in my mind.

To simply be a Baha'i in Iran is an act of courage in and of itself. We who are fortunate enough to live in relative freedom continue to send them our love and our prayers.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bahai
• Hamadan Iran
• martyrs
• executions