Barney Zwartz berichtet in der australischen Tageszeitung The Age über eine innerislamische Diskussion über die Lage von Minderheiten in islamisch geprägten Ländern während des derzeit in Melbourne tagenden Parlaments der Weltreligionen.
Iranian delegate Mahdi Mostafavi said governments should fulfil the main purpose of man’s creation and ensure society was obedient to God. He said Muslims should not be subservient to any power that went against the will of God, who gave governments their legitimacy. “The government should strive for material prosperity but also for man’s exaltation in his humanity. Unfortunately this is neglected by most governments. Within the framework of God’s laws, people should be free.“
Questioned by a leading Melbourne Muslim, Rachel Woodlock, about the treatment of Baha’is in Iran, Dr Mostafavi simply denied that any minorities in Iran faced ill-treatment. Ms Woodlock replied: “You have no credibility at all.“
Auch der Blog religioncompass berichtet hierüber.
While the ever-controversial Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan argued for full compatibility between Islam and secular democracy, the Iranian official representative Mahdi Mostafavi sought to justify Islamic theocracy. The latter’s address turned into a challenge when he was questioned by a prominent Australian Muslim, Rachel Woodlock, about the persecution of Bahais in Iran.
