In a landmark court case recently held in Egypt, Egyptian legal authorities banned the right of Bahais the right to state their religion on official documents. The supreme administrative court, which made the ruling, also described Bahais as "pro-Israeli apostates."
"The constitution promotes freedom of belief for the three recognized heavenly religions and they are Islam, Christianity, and Judaism," stated Judge Sayed Nofal according to the AFP. "As for the Bahais, Islamic jurists have all agreed that the Bahai faith is not one of the three recognized religions," he said.
"Those who belong to this religion are apostates of Islam, because the faith's principles contradict the Islamic religion and all other religions," he went on to add. The ruling has been condemned by rights groups worldwide.
The court ruled against the right of Hossam Ezzat Moussa and his wife, Rania Enayat, to state their religion on official documents. The couple belongs to a community of some 2,000 Bahais who currently reside in Egypt.
In 2004, Moussa and Enayat filed their case. A lower court ruled in their favor in April this year. The following month, however, the couple's identity cards were confiscated when the decision was suspended by the supreme administrative court pending an appeal by the interior ministry.
The ruling leaves Egypt's Bahai community unable to receive national identification cards without writing that they belong to one of three religions recognized by the Interior Ministry: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Without such documentation, they cannot register births or receive essential government services such as health and education. Additionally, they cannot apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts, or register their children in school.
Many have condemned the court's decision saying that it places both Egypt's Bahai citizens as well as the Egyptian government in a difficult situation.
"It's a regrettable decision," said Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, who has closely monitored the case. "Now the government is forced to find a solution for the hundreds of citizens who have no papers." The judge who ruled on the case, said Bahgat, discussed the tenets of the Bahai faith rather than responding to any of the legal arguments presented in the case.
"Egyptian Bahais are not asking for official recognition of their faith, just the right to hold documents on which they don't have to lie. Leaving the religion line blank or writing 'other' also would be acceptable solutions," Bahgat added according to the Washington Times.
Bahais have been in Egypt since the religion's birth 163 years ago. The religion, which has its origins in Shi'ite Islam, was begun by Persian nobleman Bahaullah who proclaimed himself the next prophetic messenger after Muhammad. Worldwide, Bahaism has about 6 million followers. To this day, however, most Egyptians have never heard of it.
A series of fatwas from Al Azhar, Egypt's highest religious authority, condemned the Bahai faith as a form of Islamic apostasy and a threat to public order. Under the late president Gamal Abdel Nasser, Bahai followers were suspected by many of collaborating with Israel since the highest Bahai governing institution is in Haifa.
The Bahai faith has 12 principles that include the unity of mankind, the elimination of prejudice, gender equality, independent investigation of truth, as well as loyalty to government.
Egyptian Bahais do not join political parties or take part in demonstrations.
"The court's decision threatens to make non-citizens of an entire religious community, solely on the basis of religious belief," said Bani Dugal, who represents the Bahai community at the United Nations.
"Our hope now is that the public debate over this issue will cause the Egyptian government to rectify its discriminatory policies," he added.
© 2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
