Unjust Crediting & Association
From: Mostafa Sadeghi-Tehrani
mtsadegh@wsunix.wsu.edu
A short response to the article named "A 'Challenge' to Dr. Soroush":
Mr Faryar Mansuri seems to be not familiar with the history and teachings of the 12 Imams who came after the prophet for the exact purpose of perfecting Islam with social and individual morals and guidelines. Crediting the huge list of teachings and guidelines that basically include anything and everything good in Islam to some guy 150 years ago seems outrages when considering the fact that the peak of Islamic civilization which spurned from the superiority of Islamic law and guidelines had already way passed by then. Is it believable that one low profile person in one life time only 150 years ago entered to Islamic and western culture almost all the values and guidelines that human race is proud of having in 20th century, while all the previous prophits and Imams in all their life time were not able to do? eg ideas such as the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty, eradication of all forms of prejudice etc. Most of these teachings are not a modern concept but concepts that people have been struggling with for centuries. It was these teachings that resulted into murder of Shie't Imams, not just some random coensidence.
Considering the history of Iran particularly in 20th century with events such as the Constitutional Revolution, it is apparent from just this statement alone "Shia clergy who through the centuries have paralysed the spiritual and economic progress of its followers" that Mr Faryar Mansuri has not studied the history as a scholar but as a Bahai preacher.
And as for Dr Soroush, I believe just the fact that after so many years of scholarly research into the heart of Islam he has not said a word or given any credit to Baha'u'llah, can say enough about the truth and his beliefs in the Bahai faith. High unfounded expectations only serve to cause pain when the truth is revealed.
This article is not meant as an attack to the Bahai faith but as a protest to the article written by Mr Faryar Mansuri firstly giving all and every credits to the one person he believes in to be a prophet of some sort and secondly associating Dr Soroush to his faith. A well studied person in the works of Dr Soroush would obviously know better.