An interview with Navid Forsti Pour, one of the converts form Zanjan Province (part one)
The stifling frameworks that govern the Bahaism, have caused the hereditary transfer of neglect and ignorance from the Baha’i families to their children. However, the God-seeking nature of man and the contradictions in the Bahaism sect have led many Baha’is to move toward a correct understanding of the religion and the realities of the world. In this regard, many Baha’is have succeeded in renouncing this sect and climbing the ladder of human growth and excellence by embracing the truth of the religion of Islam. Navid Forsati Pour is one of these Baha’is who has converted to Islam. In an interview, he talks about how he became a Muslim.
*Please tell us a brief biography of yourself.
I am Navid Forsati Pour the son of Azizollah. I was born in 1364 in solar calendar (1985) in Zanjan. All my relatives and family members were Baha’is and for this reason, I knew nothing about the truth of Islam for years. However, since teenage years, I was not interested in the etiquette enforced by the establishment on the families and people of the cult and used every opportunity to escape from the cult’s circles and feasts.
*How is the situation of Baha’ism in Zanjan Province?
As we have been told, Zanjan once had the largest number of Baha’i families. I do not know to what extent this is true, but that was not the case when I was a Baha’i, and few Baha’is lived in Zanjan. I think there are only a few Baha’i families left in Zanjan now, who are also elderly.
*How is the situation of your family?
Most of my family members are Baha’is, except for my two aunts who converted to Islam many years ago. My uncle left Iran a few years ago to live in Canada, but fell ill and died in Turkey. His family buried him there, and they themselves, including my uncle’s wife and her children, sought refuge in Canada.
*What plans did the Baha’i establishment have for children?
Since childhood, they held classes known as Golshan for children younger than pre-school, or when we were seven years old, ethics classes were held in specific homes where children were taught lessons and etiquette in accordance with Baha’i teachings.
*How was your participation in the meetings?
Participation in meetings was compulsory, in a way that if someone was absent, they would warn him or her. These warnings lasted up to three times, and if a person was absent for more than three times, he would be rejected from the community and meetings. Of course, rejection at this stage was not as severe as mental and administrative rejection. But the same amount of rejection is hard for a child or teenager. Because I did not like the Baha’is, I did not attend much of their meetings and programs. That’s why I was more humiliated. Failure to attend the meetings caused the cult leaders to warn me, and sometimes even my family punished me physically, to the point that I took part in the Baha’i meetings after beatings and threats. I even had no value among the relatives because everyone knew I was against being a Baha’i.
*Please explain a little about the content of the meetings?
As I said, I rarely attended the meetings, but I remember once during Ziafat or the Feast, we went to visit my sister in Kermanshah, where she lives. In Kermanshah, due to the delay in the program, a Feast was held one or two days after the scheduled time, and since we were my sister’s guests, I also participated. The programs included music, competitions, prayers, children and teen programs, making puzzles, and more. The important thing is that they know very well how to make the meetings flourish so that people can pay attention. The feasts were rotatory and were held at one of the members’ homes each time. However, the Baha’is had no appeal to me. In fact, I can say that it did not give any meaning to my life. Even if the meetings were in our house, I would lock myself in a room or basement to escape them.
To be continued …
