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Yes, I am making a distinction between the Shi'a and Baha'i view, because
they are slightly different. The Baha'i perspective has its roots in the
Shi'a view, but it departs in some important ways from it. For example, when
Quratulayn-Tahirih refused to mourn the
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Matt's comments are important. I'd agree with Matt.
I think we can all agree that having a sin-covering eye is a virtue; but, so
is speaking truth to power, so is standing up for justice and fairness, so
is protecting the rights of the down trodden, the minorities, so
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For example, when
Quratulayn-Tahirih refused to mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, she did so
under the pretense that the 12th Imam/Qa'im/Mahdi was here and alive. Thus,
it was a time for celebration rather than mourning what is past.
More specifically, it was the
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I think that's a good point. And it actually echoes Muawiyya's
reasoning. One of Muawiyya's family members was murdered and Ali, who
was the power at the time and would normally be obligated to provide
justice, refused to prosecute the murderers. Now, in hindsight
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But at the time, from
Muawiyya's perspective, it was a different story and he thought he
was standing up for justice and fairness.
I think it would be more accurate to say that he was standing up for
family honor which requires revenge. That's really not the same as
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I think that if you take the Bahai relativistic approach to morality,
what Muawaiyya sought *was* justice because he had a right to it by
the Quran. As Uthman's kin he had the the option of forgiving the
murderers but refused to give it. But even without invoking
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I think you are confused. It sounds like you are saying that after
Uthman was killed he gave an illegal order to kill his own
murderers?!?
No, I'm saying that the details of 'Uthman's assassination (as
described by Tabari) are as follows: A number of soldiers
