{"id":1326,"date":"2015-05-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/news\/he-deserves-the-flower-of-freedom\/"},"modified":"2017-10-14T04:49:55","modified_gmt":"2017-10-14T04:49:55","slug":"he-deserves-the-flower-of-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/he-deserves-the-flower-of-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"He deserves the flower of freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"He
Mr Vahid Tizfahm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Vahid Tizfahm was in solitary confinement in Iran — being punished for his faith as a Baha\u2019i — some of his friends came to the prison with a present for the first day of spring.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a beautiful flower, planted in a pot.<\/p>\n

Unusually for such a bleak place, a guard agreed to take it to Vahid\u2019s cell in the most notorious section of Tehran\u2019s infamous Evin Prison.<\/p>\n

Wrote Vahid: \u201cWhat a spring I had during those days, and what an amazing few days that I spent with that flower!<\/p>\n

\u201cI cared for it and watered it to lengthen my spring, as it had been months since I had savoured such a fragrance or seen a beautiful face such as that of the flower.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that flower, life, being, happiness and love were breathed into me.\u201d<\/p>\n

That account, told by his sister-in-law Ferdos Nikoumanesh<\/em>, speaks much about the great qualities of Vahid Tizfahm — his ability to enjoy life in the most adverse of circumstances, his gratitude, his love of beauty, his gentle nature.<\/p>\n

Vahid Tizfahm is one of seven members of the national Baha\u2019i leadership group in Iran who selflessly attended to the spiritual needs of the Baha\u2019i community in such matters as weddings and funerals.<\/p>\n

Despite previously tacitly approving this activity for years, the authorities arrested the group in 2008.<\/p>\n

All the members have now served seven years of a 20 year sentence. A seven day campaign, 14-21 May, is calling for their release. The theme is \u201cSeven days in remembrance of seven years in prison for the seven Baha\u2019i leaders.\u201d The hashtag is #7Bahais7years<\/p>\n

Throughout Australia and the world, Baha\u2019is, their friends and many inspired by the seven are attending devotional meetings, praying for the leaders.<\/p>\n

Highly valued<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vahid Tizfahm, who is married with one child, is the youngest of the seven leaders. His son, who was in grade three when Vahid was arrested, has had to grow up without his father\u2019s presence over the past seven years.<\/p>\n

Vahid is just the kind of citizen that most societies value highly. He studied optometry then owned an optical shop in Tabriz.<\/p>\n

Before he had his freedom so cruelly taken from him, he spent his free time teaching spiritual lessons to children, organising positive and enjoyable activities for youth, and encouraging people in general.<\/p>\n

Vahid Tizfahm had long known what it can mean to be true to his Baha’i belief.<\/p>\n

When he was only nine years old, the authorities executed his beloved father for refusing to deny his belief in the Baha\u2019i Faith. These beliefs include the principle of the oneness of humanity \u2014that we are all part of the same human family, in the richness of our diversity, and that we are all fundamentally spiritual beings.<\/p>\n

His father remained strong and serene throughout his ordeal. Now Vahid himself is displaying similar qualities.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, people the world over are calling for the immediate release of this remarkable person and of his six highly respected and deeply loved colleagues.<\/p>\n

Join the Baha\u2019i International Community\u2019s #7bahais7years event page on Facebook <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Vahid Tizfahm was in solitary confinement in Iran — being punished for his faith as a Baha\u2019i — some of his friends came to the prison with a present for the first day of spring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media-releases","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\nHe deserves the flower of freedom - Australian Baha'i Community<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/he-deserves-the-flower-of-freedom\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"He deserves the flower of freedom - 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