Salmiya

For the second time since 2006/07 I am spending Christmas and New Year in Iran. The last time, I joined a group of Kuwaiti pilgrims who visited the city of Mashhad on a pilgrimage to Imam Reza’s holy shrine. For me, it was a time of spirituality, good feelings, great Iranian and Kuwaiti hospitality, friendship, adventures, new insights in the semi-tribal life of the Baluchi people, and so much more. And, of course, an inevitable but failed attempt of an Iraqi Seyyed of converting me to Islam. I have reported about this wonderful, in fact even miraculous, journey to Khorasan in the northeastern corner of Iran somewhere else in my blog . The Astan-e Qods Razavi was, by the way, decorated and illuminated because of Eid-e Ghorban . That Saddam had been hanged in Baghdad early in the morning added, of course to the overall happiness of Kuwaitis, and Iranians as well. This year, I hope to participate in the Christmas mass in Esfahan’s marvelous Vank Cathedral in the Armenian Quarter. Among t...

In several postings I have tried to trace the rather good relationship between Iranians and Jews during almost the entire history of ancient Iran. After the Arab conquest of Persia (633-656 CE) Jews were allowed to practice their religion. During Mongolian rule (1256-1318) there were periods of persecution, however. Later, when the Safavids proclaimed Shi’a Islam as the state religion, and in particular during the Qajar dynasty from 1794 onwards, things worsened dramatically. It is sad to say that the European antisemitism found its counterpart in Shi’a-ruled Iran. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979 the majority of Jews left their home country for good. I do not entirely believe that the Persian Jews are directly threatened by the present regime with its hardliner President who consistently uses strong and unacceptable rhetoric with regard to the State of Israel. However, ‘Death to Israel’, 'Death to USA' shouting students on Quds Day (the last Friday in Ramadan) or on every...