Every year, a familiar announcement echoes through the mosques: “Ramadan has begun.” Or so we are told. And each year, the month of Ramadan starts not in unity, but in division that begins long before the first iftar (breaking of fast). Endless disputes divide the Muslim Ummah (community) from the beginning, with no clear consensus on which day Ramadan truly begins, which day it ends, or even which night is Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power), leaving most in confusion over moon sightings, calculations, and old traditions.  Amid this chaos, comes an awakening message. Imam Al-Mahdi sends a timely and thought-provoking gift to the Muslims. It is a message that confronts what generations of rulers and scholars desperately tried to bury and declares outright that any fasts, prayers, and worship are rejected by God. Through Aba al‑Sadiq revealing the Ahlul-Bayt's true story in the Museum of Mohammed and his Household, we start to grasp how much of the Prophet’s family’s story has been deliberately suppressed.  One of the latest videos, titled A Ramadan Gift from Imam Al-Mahdi to the Muslims , unveils an intense painting, that of the severed head of Imam Al-Hussein, the Prophet's beloved grandson. This iconic image of Muslim treachery shows Al-Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet, the child once kissed on the Prophet’s lap, the one about whom he said, “Al-Hussein is from me and I am from Al-Hussein,” raised high on a spear. And beneath that head stands Shimr, gripping the spear. The murderer of the Prophet’s beloved grandson, holding the Prophet's sacred blood as his conquered trophy. The image is a window into the exact moment Islam betrayed its own heart. Notably, the Qur’an records a single, simple request that was made of the Muslims. The Messenger of God is told to say that he asks no payment for conveying Islam except one thing: love for his near relatives. “Say: I do not ask you any reward for this except love for my near relatives.” (Qur’an, Chapter 42 (Al-Shura), Verse 23) The Prophet of Islam endured countless trials for the sake of this religion, yet when it comes to payment, his only “wage” is that his community loves his family. The men who killed Al-Hussein did not come from outside Islam. Adding to the tragedy, the atrocity was not the work of outsiders or enemies; it is the story of what Muslims did to the Prophet’s own household. They prayed, fasted, and then slaughtered the Prophet’s grandson, mutilated his body, and carried his head from city to city on a spear. The rulers that followed, rather than address and seek to rectify it, continued the oppression. They decided which events would be remembered and which would remain in the dark. They funded scholars who would argue endlessly about minor issues, while keeping the blood of the Prophet’s family quietly buried. So scholars argued over graves while Yazid's shadow loomed, unchallenged and largely untouched. The scholars write volumes on whether a statue is permissible, yet have only cautious words to say about Yazid and those with him, as though the dignity of tyrants deserves more protection than the dignity of the Prophet’s grandchildren. This is probably why the newly unveiled portrait of Imam Al-Hussein is unsettling to many, because it shatters the facade. In it, everything Muslims don’t want to face is present: the Prophet’s grandson, slaughtered and raised on a spear while his Muslim killer stands in pride beneath it, and the Muslims were silent, just as they are today. The portrait does not allow anyone to hide behind phrases like “historical tragedy” or “unfortunate events.” It forces the Muslims to witness their history.  The non-working scholars fear this, that ordinary Muslims might start to realise the injustice done to Ahlul-Bayt and start questioning the legitimacy of those who ordered, enabled, or defended that injustice. So they instead emphasise technical discussions: “Is it allowed to build domes over graves?” “Are images permissible?” “Is visiting such places religiously valid?”  All the while, the Qur’an remind us: the only reward he asked you for was love of his near relatives. Aba Al‑Sadiq’s unveilings of the Prophet and his Family in the Hall of Mysteries is not about worshipping any “idols,” it is about reclaiming the right of the Ahlul-Bayt to be seen, remembered, and honoured after centuries of deliberately erasing their name from history. It is testifying that no caution about images can outweigh the Qur’anic command to love and defend the Prophet’s Family.​ It refuses to let the crimes of Karbala and the persecution of Ahlul-Bayt by the caliphs of Islam remain hidden. Those who attack such efforts in the name of “protecting Islam” should ask themselves which Islam they are protecting, the Islam of the Qur’an that commands love for the Prophet’s relatives, or the Islam of rulers and non-working scholars that deliberately hide the truth?  The statues, paintings, and a whole space dedicated to Mohammed and his Family, force the Muslims to walk through their own history, to see the crimes of their rulers, judges, and soldiers who all claimed Islam while at the same time they turned against Ahlul-Bayt. While people argue about images, he is restoring the image of Islam itself, not the Islam of scholars’ rulings, but the Islam that stands with Al-Hussein on the sands of Karbala. It is significant and relevant to every Muslim today because the spear‑hand that severed Al-Hussein’s head is not just an image of past violence, it is the beginning of a spiritual curse that spread from then until today. As we see in narration below, God does not bless a worship that is detached from loyalty to the Prophet’s Family.  Imam Al-Jawad was asked: “May I be your ransom, what do you say about fasting? It was said that they are not given success to fasting.” So he said: “Indeed the prayer of the angel against them was answered.” So I said: “And how is that, may I be your ransom?” He said: “The people when they killed Al-Hussein God the Exalted commanded an angel to call: ‘O oppressive nation that has killed the descendants of its Messenger, may God not give you success neither to fasting nor to breaking fast.’ ” (Al-Kafi, Al-Shaikh Al-Kulayni, Vol. 4, p. 169.) According to this narration, the community that murdered the Prophet’s grandson are told that blessing has been withdrawn. The community that betrayed Ahlul-Bayt is not blessed in its worship, even if it fills its mosques and markets for Ramadan.  The Qur’anic command to love the Prophet’s family is not a minor teaching, it is a divine trust. To fast while turning away from the suffering of the Prophet’s Family and to dismiss their oppression with slogans like “history is complicated,” such a fast may be recorded on the calendar, but in the sight of God it is stripped of light, because it is built on a refusal to acknowledge injustice against those whom He commanded us to honour.  The museum of Mohammed and his Family represents the ultimate tragedy of Islam, that God appointed men to guide and purify the Muslim community, but the Muslims repeatedly turned against them. Imam Al-Hussein, the Prophet’s grandson, was killed in Karbala by men who claimed Islam, and his head was raised on a spear while they boasted of their “success” over the “House of the Prophet.” The Prophet’s Family was murdered, imprisoned and oppressed by rulers who also called themselves “Muslim.” The only “reward” the Prophet asked for, love for his family, was turned into blood. And so in this unveiling by Aba Al-Sadiq and through this gift of Imam Al-Mahdi, a mirror is held up to the true version of history and we face a choice….to choose between Al-Hussein and Shimr. Either we repair our loyalty to the Prophet’s Family, or our worship will stay empty, and any fasting and Eid will have lost their “success.”  From the first words of the Qur’an we recite, Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim , we call on a God of mercy, compassion, and justice. Yet everything the museum exposes, shows how far the Muslims have strayed from mercy and compassion toward the Prophet’s own household.  The true renewal that many Muslim seek during the month of Ramadhan will come only when Muslims dare to look within, and through this type of work: a museum that dares to remember, a video that forces Muslims to see the spear in their own hands, and a people who finally choose, not in slogans, but in hearts, to stand with Al-Hussein, not Shimr, and finally pay the only reward that Prophet Mohammed ever asked for: genuine love and loyalty to his Family.

We have received another shocking report about the religious persecution of Iranian members of The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.  Marzieh Gorbanpur was a housewife whose life was drastically changed after her own family members found out about her and her son’s conversion and began threatening to report them to the police or even kill them. The intense harassment of her family forced her to escape from Iran to Turkey, where she became one of the 104 AROPL Members unlawfully detained after trying to legally cross the Turkish-Bulgarian border. Today, the plight of sister Marzieh has not ended, as she finds herself unable to leave Turkey , where our members are also facing religious persecution. Sister Marzieh (left) along with sister Zahra (left), another Iranian persecuted member of AROPL currently in Turkey “ My name is Marzieh Gorbanpur Gobadlu, born in 1972 in the city of Tabriz, Iran. My mother’s name is Almnaz and my father’s name is Eltefat. I have been a housewife, and my residence was in Tehran. I embraced the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light and I am a believer. I have been subjected to harassment and persecution by both the government and my family because of my faith in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. In Iran, there is no freedom of belief, and in the Islamic Republic, anyone who changes their religion is considered an apostate. Public expression of this belief may result in imprisonment and, in some cases, execution. Therefore, I could not freely practice my faith, as I was persecuted by the Iranian government. Later, following reports submitted by my family and my ex-husband to the security police, I was monitored by the security forces. Moreover, wearing the hijab is mandatory in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I oppose compulsory hijab. My family also opposed my belief. My husband threatened that if I continued on this path, he would report me to the police and security authorities, have me arrested, and even threatened to kill me. Within my family, I was accused of immorality, and they intended to falsely charge me with unethical behavior. They repeatedly claimed that the family’s honor and my son’s life were at risk. The pressure, harassment, and threats became so intense that I could no longer live freely among them or even breathe; the situation was terrifying for me. Ultimately, I decided to flee Iran to preserve my faith. At the airport, my husband demanded me to return and threatened me saying that if I did not, he would prevent me from leaving the country. By God’s grace, I was able to depart on a holiday (Thursday and Friday), and he could not prevent me from leaving, so I successfully exited the country.   Sister Marzieh’s son, Reza, who is also a victim of religious persecution in Iran Within my family, only my son Reza shared this belief with me, and he too was subjected to persecution by the Iranian government because he embraced the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light at the same time as I did. When he attempted to leave Iran, he was arrested by the highway police and imprisoned. He is now released on bail but remains under government supervision, awaiting a court ruling that could impose the death penalty. They have even attempted to execute him extrajudicially. On 03/12/2022, I entered Turkey and settled there alongside several members of my religion who had gathered from different countries. We lived together, though in secrecy and under very difficult conditions, as Turkey did not welcome us. I was still being persecuted by Iran, and my family made great efforts to have me returned. They told me that Reza was in prison and that I had to return to provide the house deed as collateral; otherwise, he would be executed. Considering that I myself was also at risk of execution, returning was impossible, and this situation caused me severe psychological pressure, as both my son and I were in danger. Life in Turkey under these conditions was unbearable for us, and we wanted a place where we could live freely, be safe, and freely practice our religion. Therefore, together with my fellow believers and brothers, whom I lived with, we decided to leave Turkey. We were 104 people. We intended to cross from the Turkish border into Bulgaria because Bulgaria, and even the European Union, welcomed us, recognized our religion and beliefs, and we were under international protection. For this reason, we headed toward the Bulgaria-Turkey border, carrying with us the necessary documents and papers. At the border, we told the Turkish officers that our lives were in danger and that we did not want to remain in this country, but they paid no attention and did not allow us to pass. They then began firing warning shots, while we peacefully insisted on crossing the border, as the Bulgarian government had coordinated with us and was waiting. The border officers interlocked their hands and tried to push us back. I shielded several children to protect them from harm, but I myself was injured under the officers’ feet. One officer pressed his elbow against my throat, choking me. They struck me with batons, pushed me, and when I held onto the fence to keep my balance, they hit my hand with a baton as well. They then threw me to the ground, dragged me, and pushed me into a bus. All my personal belongings, including my phone, handbag, and suitcase, were taken from me. On the bus, they intimidated us with shouting and threats, and anyone who spoke was severely beaten. Then they transferred me to a place for interrogation. There, they even removed my clothes and took my personal belongings, including my earrings. Later that same day, on 24/05/2023, they moved me to a tent-like place that was very cold and filthy, with no facilities for sleeping. There was only a bench where other detainees slept, and I was forced to sleep on the cold ground. There were no sanitary facilities, hot water, showers, or proper toilets. For three days, we were given only low-quality cake and juice. After that, I was transferred to the Edirne camp. Conditions in the Edirne camp were also very poor. I had no possibility to change clothes, and no sanitary or medical services were provided. The poor-quality food caused serious damage to my stomach, and to this day I suffer from severe digestive problems, including loss of appetite and stomach bleeding. Due to the unhygienic conditions, my body developed severe itching and even bleeding. I was not allowed to access fresh air and was constantly confined to a room. During this period, I was under intense pressure to sign papers that would facilitate my deportation to Iran. During the few months in this camp, I developed severe depression. After that, almost four months later, I was transferred to Gaziantep. Conditions there were even worse than in Edirne; there were no sanitary, food, medical, or security facilities, and communication with family was completely cut off. Throughout this time, our lawyers in Turkey, Europe, and the United States worked tirelessly to prevent our deportation, as the Turkish government intended to send us back to our home countries. Eventually, our lawyers succeeded in obtaining a court order for our release, and I was freed on 06/10/2023, almost five months later, and transferred to Istanbul. However, life continued in fear and secrecy. After that, I went to Edirne with my fellow believers, but the Turkish police identified us and exiled us to different cities. I, a housewife without the ability to work, was exiled alone to the city of Kütahya. There, I am wandering without a home or shelter. I went to the immigration office and explained my difficult situation, but my request to be transferred to Sparta was denied. They required having an immediate family member or providing a valid medical certificate, but even though my illness was confirmed by the hospital, my request was rejected. As a result, I was forced to continue living alone. I have developed fear, eye pain, nightmares, hallucinations, and severe depression. I have been living alone in Kütahya for about two years. I suffer from cataracts, but I am not allowed to travel for treatment. Every month I must go to the immigration office and register my presence, despite having committed no crime. In general, there is no security for me in Turkey. I live in very difficult financial conditions and need treatment and surgery, but I cannot access medical services or even move freely. At any moment, I may be arrested, sent to a camp, or face other dangers.   Sister Marzieh along with the Ansar in Sparta, Turkey A few days ago, when I went to visit my friends’ house in Sparta, the immigration police suddenly entered and arrested almost everyone present without any crime. They were taken to the immigration office, and we were nearly sent back to a camp, but ultimately we were released. However, the danger continues to threaten us constantly. ” Denying the Human Right to Freedom of Belief in Iran, Turkey and all across the Middle East means that the lives of innocent people who have committed no crime can be systematically destroyed by the state, which faces little to no accountability for these actions. The Divine Just State Magazine will continue to highlight the persecution of the members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light  and support the Human Right of Freedom of Religion and Belief for all the people regardless of their faith.

In a world where religion is often perceived as a space of judgment, rejection or condition, a voice rises: that of Aba Al-Sadiq. His mission? To call people to God, without condemning anyone, regardless of their background. He reminds us that he has not come to judge the people. Rather, as a Messenger and Imam, to open the doors and extend love, grace, and the religion of Allah to all human beings. While the world fractures, categorizes, and divides—based on culture, religion, identity, and orientation—he chooses a different path. He calls for a return to the essential: our shared humanity. To look with the heart rather than with fear. To unite where others denigrate, divide, and persecute. Far from the condemnations and barriers imposed by certain religious institutions, his message puts back at the center the sacred value of each being and each soul, not that of a few. United under the same banner: that of God. It invites us to move beyond labels, identities, and apparent differences to recognize a deeper truth: every being is in search of meaning, truth, and God. From this perspective, people from the LGBTQ+ community are neither marginalized nor merely tolerated, but fully welcomed, respected, and recognized as an integral part of this universal calling. As ambassadors within the religion for the LGBTQ+ community, Myriam and Anaïs bear witness to this — each in their own way, with their own story and their own path to God. Personal Journey of the Two Ambassadors Who are you today, beyond the labels? Myriam: I am a woman, a mother, and a wife. Today, I feel aligned, in harmony with the image I project and the one I carry within. Anaïs: I am a fulfilled woman, in harmony with my principles and values. Today, I feel at peace in my roles as wife, mother, and woman. What life experiences have shaped you the most? Myriam: Becoming a mother, without hesitation. Educating, understanding, and supporting a child's growth requires constant self-reflection. It forces introspection, personal growth, and becoming a better version of oneself. Anaïs: My meeting with my husband was pivotal, like a door opening onto a deeper calling. The birth of my son and, above all, my encounter with God profoundly transformed my outlook on life and my understanding of myself. Where did you truly feel you belonged before? Myriam: In rugby, it's an environment where everyone has their place, regardless of their origin, physique, or gender. There's a real sense of acceptance and teamwork that has profoundly impacted me. Anaïs: Nowhere, really. For a long time, I felt that something was expected of me, that I constantly had to give or respond to implicit expectations. Paradoxically, it was in the professional sphere that I felt most at ease, because everything is clear there: it's about performance, without unspoken assumptions, without ambiguity. Spiritual Path How did your encounter with faith come about? Myriam: After a lifetime of searching for God through creation, and having come to the conclusion that even what I knew of Islam had been altered, I made a sincere request: to receive a clear sign. It was at that moment that I came across a video that answered my questions precisely, particularly regarding Ramadan and the issue of the alteration of the Qur’an. Anaïs: It happened through my husband. Then, by discovering The Goal of the Wise I found answers to questions that had remained unanswered. Everything fell into place coherently: a logical whole, a continuity, and a profoundly universal vision. What deeply touched or challenged you? Myriam: Experiencing this discovery as a family was a very powerful experience. The Sermon of Clarification marked a turning point, and seeing the face of Abdullah Hashem again, who had already made a significant impact on my journey, reinforced this feeling of certainty. Anaïs: This message has the ability to speak to everyone, through logic as much as through its universality. It is not addressed to a particular group, but to humanity in its most essential form. How has this spirituality changed your perspective on yourself and others? Myriam: This path has given me a profoundly universal vision: an openness, a love, and a peace that don't put human beings in boxes. It has taught me to look beyond labels and to recognize the value of each individual. Anaïs: This marked for me the end of an inner wandering, but also the end of a feeling of rejection towards God. I found a form of peace and reconnection there. Engagement and Inclusion What inspired you to get involved? Myriam: It's been a lifelong struggle. I've always been welcomed, supported, and never rejected by this community. From a very young age, this gave me the strength to link it to my own fight against injustice, certain systems, and social pressures. If today I'm at peace with my identity, my sexuality, and a sometimes androgynous image, it's because I've experienced, discovered, and above all, defended the freedom to exist through openness, diversity, and a lack of judgment that goes beyond the purely physical. I've always known that before being a body, I am a soul, a free spirit evolving in a material world. It is this deep conviction that has allowed me to transform my questions into strength and to fully embrace who I am. Today, it is an honor for me to be able, in turn, to call for this freedom to exist, especially for the youngest, who often live in constant struggle. Anaïs: To provide answers to a community often rejected by religions, and to restore to it a place, dignity, and legitimacy in the spiritual journey. How do you connect faith and openness? Myriam: The Seventh Covenant puts love and diversity back at the center, with a form of sincere neutrality, under God's recognition, without violence or rejection. It is a vision that brings peace and unites, rather than divides. Anaïs: Through a universal love, devoid of labels, which does not condition the value of a person on their identity but on their essence. How has this approach changed things for you personally? Myriam: By pledging allegiance, I freed myself from many limiting beliefs. I was finally able to be myself, without hiding, to fully accept myself, with the profound feeling of having found my place and being surrounded by what I consider my true family: the family of souls. Anaïs: The discovery of God in His oneness, and a deeper understanding of the link between the divine and every human being. In your opinion, what valuable contributions do LGBTQ+ journeys make to spirituality? Myriam: They remind us that God is for everyone, without exception, with no other interest than to guide and save souls. These journeys highlight an essential reality: spirituality cannot be limited by human categories. Anaïs: They also testify that, regardless of sex, sexuality, or origins, God makes no distinction between souls. His love and help are granted to everyone, without distinction, with the same mercy and justice. Message to the Searchers What message would you like to convey to someone who doubts they belong? Myriam: I would encourage him to read, search for, and understand this call for himself. To ask himself a simple question: why couldn't God call him too, despite the rejection he may have experienced elsewhere? It is an invitation to discover a universal message that gathers lost truths and opens the way to divine justice founded on love, acceptance, and protection. Anaïs: For my part, I would simply say: move forward with certainty and logic. By discovering this path and the person who leads it, the answers will come naturally. Conclusion The paths of Myriam and Anaïs speak for themselves: two seekers of truth, driven by a quest for meaning. Two stories that come together in service to all — and an invitation. The faith of believing. That faith can be a space where we arrive as we are — with our history, our doubts, our identity — and where we become more whole, more free, more connected to God and to others. This is the heart of Aba Al-Sadiq's message: not a religion that sorts, condemns or excludes, but a universal call that recognizes in every being a soul worthy of being guided, loved and welcomed. And you, whatever your story — this call is for you too. If you believe that it is God who appoints the Leader on Earth, no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, I say to all of you that His doors are opened wide.

Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, born as Ahmed Ismail, is the First of the Twelve Mahdis and the promised Yamani. He publicly emerged in 1999 in Basra, Iraq, as the Messenger and successor of Imam Mahdi. Before his divine appointment, he was an ordinary man living a normal life—he studied engineering at university and was married with children. Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan at the University in Iraq, where he studied to become an engineer Meeting with Imam Mahdi Many years before his public call began, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan had a series of dreams in which he met Imam Mahdi standing at the Mausoleum of Sayyed Mohammed, the brother of Imam Al-Askari. In these dreams, Imam Mahdi told him to meet him in the physical world. Two days after the first of these dreams, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan went on a pilgrimage to several mausoleums of the Imams. Eventually, he met Imam Mahdi physically for the first time at the Mausoleum of Imam Al-Hadi and Imam Al-Askari.  The Shrine of Imam Al-Hadi and Imam Al-Askari, where Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan met Imam Mahdi for the first time During these initial meetings, Imam Mahdi also informed Ahmed Al-Hassan of who he truly was, that he was the First of Twelve Mahdis mentioned in the will of the Prophet Mohammed and the prophesied Yamani. "Then there will be twelve Mahdis after him, so if death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of the close ones, he has three names, one like mine and my Father’s and it is Abdullah, Ahmad, and the third name is Al-Mahdi, and he is the first of the believers.” (Ghaybat Al-Tusi, Vol. 1, pp. 174-175; Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 53, p. 148) Before this revelation, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan never thought that his profession would have anything to do with religion, and he had not heard that there were Twelve Mahdis, believing there to be only the character of Imam Mahdi himself.  After this meeting, he had other meetings where Imam Mahdi clarified many things to him, teaching him godly morals and manners, and imparting crucial knowledge to him. In December 1999, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan had more visions where he saw Imam Mahdi again. He directed him to travel to various holy sites before meeting Imam Mahdi at night in the Mausoleum of Imam Al-Hussein in Karbala and again the next morning in the shrine of Imam Mahdi. In these meetings, Imam Mahdi instructed him to begin his public call within the Hawza of Najaf to present the truth to the religious establishment. After these meetings, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan travelled to Najaf to the Hawza, where he set out to inform the organisation of what he had come to know from Imam Mahdi.  His Message  The main message that Ahmed Al-Hassan was tasked with bringing forward was the supremacy of God: this forgotten core foundation of religion that only God has the right to appoint a leader, as is stated in the Qur’an, where God says, “Indeed, I am appointing a caliph on the earth.” (Qur’an 2:30) Up until 2007, Ahmad Al-Hassan continued to repeat this message. He called people back to the belief that authority and leadership must come from God, and that the purpose of religion is that people are not permitted to choose their own leader and that anyone who does so is betraying Mohammed and the Family of Mohammed. Corruption in the Hawza Imam Mahdi woke him up to the corruption in the Hawza (the Shia Institution in Iraq),   which was an awakening that he described as a “very painful” process and a reality that he only fully grasped after being enlightened by Imam Mahdi. He used the metap hor of "the corruption of salt," explaining that while the Hawza, as the source of education for Shia Islam, was intended to be the "salt" that preserves and fixes a corrupted world, if the salt itself goes bad, there is nothing left to fix corruption. From 1999, when he was sent forward, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan attempted to reform these corruptions within the religious institution. Democracy The most severe corruption was the Hawza's abandonment of that core foundation of religion- the Supremacy of God. He accused the scholars of trading the divine right of appointment for American-style democracy and elections, which he labeled as the "Saqifa” of the non-working scholars - a modern repeat of the betrayal of Imam Ali. Democratic elections in Iraq had become the norm, sanctioned by the Islamic State of Iran. Ali Al‑Sistani issued religious fatwas urging Iraqis to participate actively in elections, framing participation as both a civic and moral responsibility.  In the Hawza, the scholars all became pro-democracy replacing the Imams and the vicegerents of God with other people, meaning there was no difference between the Shia in Iraq and Iran and the rest of the world. Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan warned against the dangers of democratic elections and called the people back to the divinely appointed leader.  Non-Working Scholars  He labeled the corrupt clerics from the Hawza as "non-working scholars," describing them as “treacherous,” “silent idols”, and that they do not want the appearance and rise of the Mahdi, as that would mean the end of their status as Marjas. He warned the people that the religious establishment would be the primary enemy of the Mahdi upon his rise, referring to narrations from Mohammed and the Family of Mohammed stating that the scholars of the End Times are the "most evil religious scholars under the shadow of the sky." In addition to this, he criticized Wilayat Al-Faqih  (Rule of the Jurisprudent), which gives scholars religious and political leadership in the absence of Imam Mahdi, arguing that scholars had falsely claimed the same authority as Prophets and Messengers in order to centralize power and money. He also declared that the system of Taqleed, which requires laypeople to blindly follow a scholar, is a false innovation used to strip away the authority of the Imam and make the scholars themselves into "idols" or "gods."  Financial Hypocrisy During his time in the Hawza, he observed a stark contrast between the luxury and extravagance enjoyed by high-ranking scholars and the misery, hunger, and sickness of the general society. He noted that while the scholars preached patience and asceticism to the poor, they themselves lived lavishly. He taught that the Khums (religious tax) was being stolen by scholars under the guise of religion, when it rightfully belongs only to Imam Mahdi or his divinely appointed successor. Experience Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan spent three years from 1999, when he was first sent forward, attempting to reform the Hawza. While some students agreed with his statements about financial corruption, no true reform occurred. A few financial policies of certain scholars were adjusted, but changes were minimal, and luxury and extravagance continued among many scholars and those connected to them, while the majority of society remained in poverty. Although some Hawza students supported him, many did not, leading to heated arguments and the severing of ties by numerous students. In 2003, groups of students from the Hawza began pledging allegiance to him after witnessing dreams and visions confirming that he was indeed a Messenger from Imam Mahdi. They began pledging allegiance to him and promising to ransom themselves and their money and children to him; however, after the forces of Saddam Hussein began to pursue Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, many went back on their pledges. Backlash  After many supporters left, he returned home with only a few Hawza students and some believers with him. In 2004, a group of believers returned and renewed their pledge, and the call began again.  In November 2004 Imam Mahdi commanded him to address the people of the earth and announce a revolution against the oppressors, to act quickly and plan the necessary steps, to call people to support the truth and establish justice, to raise the declaration “There is no God but Allah” During this time the call entered an intensive phase of global outreach and public confrontation with both the political and religious establishments as Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan took many key steps to progress the truth. He officially identified the political elections taking place in Baghdad during the American occupation is the “Minor Shura” (consultation) and that this event was actually the fulfillment of a prophecy by the Prophet Mohammed who warned that: “As for the Minor Elections, they shall be set in the major occultation in Al-Zawraa’ (Baghdad) to change my sunnah/way and replace my laws.” (250 Signs until the Appearance of Imam Mahdi, Muhammad Ali Tabatabai, p. 130) He argued that by adopting a democratic system where the people chose their own leader, the nation was once again rejecting the Supremacy of God. During this period, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan intensified his critique of the religious establishment, specifically identifying Ali Sistani as the "Dajjal of Sijistan" mentioned in end-time narrations. He accused Sistani of aiding the "Greater Dajjal" - The American political system, by issuing fatwas that made it a religious obligation for the Shia to participate in the democratic elections and support man-made laws and leaders who were chosen by the people, not by God.  He started breaking the Idols that the scholars had become, highlighting their hypocrisy and pointing out the way they were usurping the rights of the Family of Mohammed, He warned the Iraqi people that they would face a “loss in this world and the hereafter” for following the non-working scholars and predicted that the democratic experiment would lead to a period of darkness and chaos.  He also wrote letters to a number of world leaders informing them of the appearance of Imam Mahdi. One of these letters was sent to Ali Khamenei, in which he identified himself as a Messenger from Imam Mahdi and requested an audience with him to call on him to hand over the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Imam Mahdi. Another letter was sent to the former President of the United States, George Bush, warning him about the consequences of his actions in Iraq. He also addressed the people of Iraq, calling on them for support. As his message spread and began to be seen as a threat to the authorities, a campaign was launched against him and his call. This revolutionary period caused many believers to fall away due to fear of the tyrants. In 2007, the tension between Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan and the religious authorities reached a breaking point. Scholars began issuing fatwas against him and his followers, declaring them heretical and accusing him of being a “dajjal” or a “magician”, even declaring his blood “halal.” The religious authorities also pressured Iraqi security forces to act against his followers. Homes were raided, believers were arrested, and some were killed despite having committed no crime. Shia militias and followers of the religious establishment began searching for Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan with the intention of killing him because of his criticism of the religious scholars and institutions. Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan had previously warned that such events would occur. In his Sermon of Hajj, he also warned that “a new Karbala” will take place. After attempts were made to kill him and his followers, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan disappeared from public view. The Fitna of the Calf  Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan predicted in his book “The Calf” that a trial would occur, known as the “Fitna of the Calf”; he warned his followers that infiltration and corruption would take place from hypocrites inside the call in a direct parallel to the story of Moses. When Moses was absent from his people, they were led astray and began to worship the Golden Calf, turning to an idol in his absence. This event is described in the Qur'an and serves as a comparison to how deviation occurred within the movement when its leader is momentarily absent. This prediction came true after Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan disappeared from the public eye, and the call was infiltrated by Iraqi and Iranian special forces who recruited some of the believers. An impersonator was then used to imitate the voice of the Imam and record a false sermon known as the “Sermon of Muharram.” These infiltrators created a Facebook page and established a special office in Najaf, claiming that it was the only official representative and the sole gateway to Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan. Since 2007, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan had not been photographed or seen publicly. As a result, the voice used in these recordings was widely believed by followers to be his. The office then began redirecting the movement without the input of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan, shaping its direction according to their own interpretations and the influence of leaders within the government of Iraq. This shift moved the movement away from the original message of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan—calling people toward the supremacy of God, true monotheism, and the principles of justice and equity. The last known picture of Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan was sent forward to humanity at a time when the true message of religion had become corrupted, when the rights of Mohammed and the Family of Mohammed had been usurped by corrupt religious scholars and tyrannical rulers.  His message shook the very foundations of modern-day religion. Despite the intense backlash and persecution he faced from authorities, his story marks the long-awaited re-emergence of a forgotten core principle of religion: that supremacy and allegiance belong to God alone, and that true guidance comes only through divine appointment—not through human choice.

The Divine Just State magazine published an article about ‘The Coming Wrath Of God Upon Iran’  on the 25th of February; before the elimination of Ali Khamenei, the despotic ruler and oppressor of Iran. That article went into great detail about the persecution faced by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light from the so-called Islamic Republic of Iran. Since then, Ali Khamenei perished in an airstrike conducted by the Israeli-American coalition, which Iran claims, started a campaign to destroy Iran and terminate the threat posed by Iran in the Middle East and in particular to Israel.  As we reported, this was foretold by Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq in his Sermon published on the 23rd of January on The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light YouTube channel, with the title: A Global Address by the Mahdi Aba Al-Sadiq on the 11th Anniversary of the Appearance . He had precisely said: “And the Prophet Mohammed said: ‘May God curse Khosrow’ the Shah of Persia. ‘Verily, the first of the people to be destroyed is Persia and then the Arabs.’ And that's what you see coming to pass. Today, Persia is about to be destroyed, and tomorrow, after that, will be the Arabs. So today I have conveyed what I was commanded to convey.” The finer details of this particular story can be read in the article itself. This is not the purpose of this article. Today, Iran is a different place than it was on the 25th of February. In less than one month, the instability that started at the end of December and intensified throughout January, as previously documented, with protests on the streets against the government and violence erupting as reported in the global news press, culminated in the airstrike that ended the life of Ali Khamenei on the 28th of February. Since that day, the situation on the ground in Iran has become less coherent and more unpredictable. The propaganda war has impacted information to a predictable extent, making it much more difficult to ascertain what is going on within the country. The remnants of the Iranian regime, with their contingency plans, have lashed out at anything and everything possible to destabilise the world economy in retaliation and to force out a dragged-out war with those who dared to strike Iran so intensely and extensively. The situation in Iran has magnified to the point where there is more political volatility, which in turn has forced an escalation of the violence perpetrated by the regime to safeguard its future.  This situation has resulted in more severe consequences for the Iranian believers in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, which is largely ignored by the global press as a less relevant story to cover, and as such, it is the responsibility of this publication to highlight this fact and bring as much attention to it as possible. Human Rights abuses should never be allowed to take place anywhere in the world for whatever reason. Essentially, these latest developments must be covered in the context of the struggles faced by the believers in Iran and those of Iranian descent living outside Iran. So, contact with the believers in Iran has completely halted due to the internet infrastructure disappearing in the past few weeks and the persecution reaching a crescendo with the murders of several believers as reported in Facebook posts by the leader of the faith Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq .      In another development, a believer residing in Georgia was recently contacted by his family in Iran requesting that he take down his website because the Sepah have threatened to take action against them if the site is not taken down. The Sepah, officially known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is a powerful military organization in Iran established after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic. It plays a significant role in Iran's military, political, and economic spheres, operating independently from the regular armed forces. This division of the Iranian armed forces is comparable to the SS or Schutzstaffel, a paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, initially formed as his personal bodyguard in 1925. It grew to become a powerful entity responsible for enforcing Nazi policies, managing concentration camps, and committing numerous war crimes during World War II. This incident came to light on Friday the 20th of March 2026, and was reported to DJS magazine by the Messenger of Iran, Hamidreza Saghari, who was contacted by the believer in Georgia to inform him of the situation. As the war intensifies in Iran, the risks faced by any Iranians around the world who happen to believe in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light continue to magnify as the regime threatens to take any action it sees as fitting to ensure its survival, especially against any voices seeking to expose their barbarism and immoral conduct when persecuting human beings exercising their basic rights continues to exist.

The Divine Just State magazine recently published the accounts of several believers with Iranian origins in which they detail their ordeals firsthand. This endeavour will continue in order to document the experiences suffered by all innocent victims of oppression due to their choice to believe in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light wherever they may be. The latest report received is from Nima, a millennial born in Iran who chose to believe in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. This choice seems to justify his torment under the oppressive regime of the so-called Islamic Republic of Iran. Here is his story in his own words. “My name is Nima Esfandiari. I was born on February 28, 2005. I took my oath of allegiance in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in 2020 in Iran. I was threatened with arrest by various authorities such as the Basij and the Ministry of Intelligence. They repeatedly targeted me on Telegram and other social media platforms, where I was peacefully inviting people and promoting the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. They sent me threatening messages many times. “ Misguided ones, may God have mercy on you. I am just waiting for the day when the Ministry of Intelligence and Security arrests you—then it will be something to see". I had a friend in Iran named Arman and after I told him about my religion and explained it, he believed. He was even among the 15 people who were arrested by the Iranian government because of their beliefs. After Arman’s brother realized that I had facilitated for Arman to believe in this religion (Arman’s brother is a member of Iran’s Basij), he chased me with a knife in a narrow alley and threatened me with it so that I would no longer approach Arman and so that I would not promote my religion in that area. Many times in Iran, when I was going to work, I noticed cars with green license plates - which usually belong to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence - following me. At the same time, when I was peacefully promoting my religion on Telegram, I received messages from various anonymous usernames telling me to be careful and not cause trouble for myself. “Watch out your phone number is showing, be careful.” I reply “Yes everyone can see my number”; he then replies “People can cause you problems”. Even after this incident, my friend who was also a believer in this religion, named Mohammad Amin Nouri (who passed away due to pressures from the Iranian and Turkish governments), was threatened during the same period by motorcycles that were clearly affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) because the license plates were green. They also him their Revolutionary Guards card, forcibly took his phone, and told him to warn my other friend Nima that they were watching him; if he did not stop promoting this religion, he would face serious consequences and that they were also after him.  Left: Nima Esfandiari, right: Mohammad Amin After I realized that my life was in danger in Iran because of my religion, I was forced to leave Iran on December 2, 2022, aged 18, so I went to Istanbul, Turkey. After seeing my fellow believers who were also forced to flee Iran, I decided to leave Turkey as well, because Turkey was not safe for me either, and it never had been. We repeatedly received threatening messages from Iranian authorities and intelligence saying, “We are after you, and don’t think you are safe in Turkey.” So we decided on May 24, 2023, to go to the official and legal border between Turkey and Bulgaria and apply for asylum in a safe country. More than 27 human rights organizations were informed, and everything was proceeding legally.  However, when we, 104 people, approached the legal border, the Turkish police and gendarmerie started beating us with batons and fired warning shots into the air. They forcibly put all of us on buses and transferred us to the deportation camp in Edirne.  Below are images of me among the 104 people at the Turkey-Bulgaria border and the police standing in front of us: Nima amongst the 104 For the first three days, they kept us in a place where we slept on the floor, and the only food they gave us was soup at noon; and juice and cake in the evenings.  After they realized that we had hired a lawyer and human rights organizations began putting pressure on them, they moved us to a place behind closed doors after three days, but it had beds and basic facilities. However, we were allowed only one to two hours of outdoor time per day, and then we were locked behind closed doors like criminals with limited hygiene supplies. I was imprisoned in the Edirne and Gaziantep deportation camps from May 24, 2023, to October 10, 2023.  After the United Nations warned Turkey to stop the deportation of the 104 members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, and the lawyer pressured the relevant court while human rights organizations continued to apply pressure, finally on October 10, 2023, my deportation order was canceled, and I was released—but without any identification documents and without any support.  Later, in order to legalize my stay in Turkey, I went to the Edirne Immigration Office and applied for a temporary asylum residence permit (Kimlik). Later, they told me I had to go from this city to the city of Müş in Turkey.  While we were in Edirne fellow believers and friends were supporting me with housing and food.  But they separated us in low-tier cities in Turkey, cities with very limited work opportunities and poor facilities close to Iran. In the city of Müş, due to its small size and lack of jobs, I could not find any work, and the few jobs I did find were temporary and soon ended.  Nima with fellow members in Edirne before being forcefully separated I have been covering my expenses, including rent and food, with support from my family in Iran and humanitarian aid from my religious organization, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Even now, due to the lack of work and insufficient money in this city, I have repeatedly been at risk of malnutrition and losing my place to live. They transferred me to a city like Müş in Turkey, which is not only close to Iran but also small, lacks facilities, and has very limited work opportunities. I have repeatedly asked the Müş Immigration Office to transfer me to a city where several other members of my religion live because here I have no work, no money, and I’m at risk of malnutrition.  Here, I have also been threatened multiple times, even in the markets where I worked for a month, being called an infidel. I cannot speak of my religion here either, because the local Muslims are very intolerant. The Müş Immigration Office refused my transfer request, saying it is entirely out of their hands and they cannot send me to another city.  These are some of the persecutions and harassment I have faced in Iran and Turkey solely because of my beliefs and faith.” This is yet another account of abuse at the hands of authorities in both Iran and Turkey on a level which cannot legally be accepted by international bodies like the United Nations. As can be seen first hand here, the persecution of believers in this faith continues in ways which are generally undetectable within the countries themselves by the international bodies which have the mandate to monitor these conditions. The most basic human rights are not being afforded to believers, like Nima, solely on the basis of their choice to believe in a faith which is formally recognised and accepted as being an illegitimate faith by the respective governments of these countries.  This example set by more influential Muslim majority countries is setting a precedent for less influential countries to follow suit. We have seen a major clamp down in Malaysia on any and all activities of members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light resulting in various arrests and, most recently and notably, the incarceration of two believers for a period of nine months  for no apparent reason other than their choice to believe in this faith.  We at the Divine Just State magazine beseech the international community to take action and condemn the actions of such belligerent governments which pay no attention to their responsibilities and obligations under international law to apply basic human rights to all under their governance regardless of their choice in faith. The situation of believers targeted by these governments is increasingly desperate and cannot continue unabated.

The Divine Just State received another report from a believer from Iran who fled the state-sanctioned persecution aimed at her choice to believe in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. This report follows on from others published here with other Iranian nationals forced to flee their country for fear of imprisonment or worse, the death penalty. The stories of Mohammed Hashem Bazrafshan  and Mehdi Akbari  have already been brought to light in their own words. With that being said, here are the words of Zahra detailing her experiences since declaring her belief in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.  “My name is Zahra Naderi Semiromi. I was born on 11/09/1971 in Semirom city, Isfahan Province, Iran. Mother’s name is Tayebeh. Father’s name is Shamsali. I am a retired school teacher (I taught Arabic), I taught in schools in Isfahan and Semirom.  My address is Shahid Fasihi Dead End, Shahid Redanipour Alley, 3rd Abshar St., Radan Area, Isfahan, Iran.  In late spring of 2020, I embraced the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, and I have been a believer in this faith for about six years. At first, I spoke with my family about my beliefs and invited them as well. I also spoke with neighbors and acquaintances in person and through WhatsApp and Telegram, some of whom were members of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.). For this reason, in Iran I was strictly controlled by my family, and they threatened me with house arrest and to hand me over to the police. All of this happened due to threats from the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC, because reports about my conversion and my preaching to people had reached them. These threats initially came in the form of phone calls and Telegram messages, and they still continue.  Eventually, they came to our house, searched our belongings, confiscated my phone, and ransacked the place. With severe warnings and threats, they left me at home. They also threatened my brothers that if I continued preaching, they would consider them accomplices in my “crime.” They said that if they had not harmed me so far, it was only out of respect for my father, who was a respected cleric. They threatened me by saying things like: “We will put you in a sack.” “We will do something to you so that your body will never be found.” “You are working with organizations supported by Zionists and against the Islamic Republic.” They said this religion is a sect affiliated with Zionism and that my actions are considered propaganda against the regime and a crime. They told me I had no right to speak about my religion anymore. They gave my brothers serious warnings that if I continued, all of us would be arrested and face a terrible fate. They also said all my calls and messages were being monitored.  Because I continued my activities both in person and online, on 01/05/2022, I was arrested and jailed for 3 days. They published my pictures and those of other members of our religion in groups, labeling us as criminal sects, and spread many false accusations against us. I was under pressure both from the government and my family, to the extent that they took my property documents. At that time, I was temporarily living with my mother and brothers due to my job. My brothers repeatedly erased my phone data to prevent me from continuing my activities and told me that if I continued, they would personally hand me and my phone over to the authorities.  Later, in May 2022, my brothers forcibly hospitalized me for 10 days. They injected me with medication against my will because my family had reported me as mentally ill, claiming that I believed the Mahdi had appeared and that Khamenei was inspired by Satan. They forcibly took financial documents from me and appointed my brother as my legal guardian. They even said they would obtain a legal ruling declaring me incompetent. On one occasion, they drove aggressively toward me and nearly ran me over, then sent me a message saying: “We can easily kill you and no one will ever find out.” (Time: 3:05 p.m., Bozorgmehr Square, Isfahan – 09/02/2022).  When I was hospitalized, one of the doctors—who was the spouse of a colleague—spoke with me. She was surprised and asked why I was there. I told her I had no mental problem and that my family had hospitalized me because of my change of religion. After hearing my story, she felt sympathy for me and said: “Don’t worry, I will handle your medical case so you can be released.” She completed the necessary procedures, and after 10 days, I was discharged.  These events caused a deep identity crisis, frustration, and a sense of meaninglessness in me, as my entire identity was rooted in my faith and belief, and I had always been searching for God’s Messenger. Therefore, I decided to leave Iran at any cost and go somewhere I could freely practice and speak about my beliefs. I thought Turkey would be a better option, where I could at least have personal safety and escape persecution. On 03/12/2022, I left Iran and went to Istanbul, Turkey. About 9 days after I left Iran, on 12/12/2022, the Iranian government arrested, imprisoned, and tortured 15 members of our religion who were also trying to leave Iran under similar or even worse conditions, some with their families. Human rights organizations in Europe and Iranian human rights groups based in the United States reported on their imprisonment and torture. This showed the conditions under which we were living in Iran. If I had not fled, I would have faced the same fate. Unfortunately, since Turkey is also an Islamic country, it could not accept our beliefs. Therefore, along with a group of believers in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, I decided to go to the official Turkey–Bulgaria border. Bulgaria, as a European country, provides freedom of expression and belief, and our religion is officially registered in the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom as a religious organization and minority. However, Turkey did not allow us to leave. We were beaten and transferred to the Edirne Removal Center for deportation. I was detained there for approximately 4 months and 12 days, and later transferred to a refugee camp in Gaziantep, where I was subjected to severe psychological and physical pressure. My stomach and heart were affected due to these conditions. Altogether, my detention lasted from 26/05/2023 to 18/10/2023. After release, we were dispersed to different cities. Due to illness, separation from others, not knowing Turkish, and lack of health insurance, I faced many difficulties.  Unfortunately, I have no documents or screenshots of the threats and incidents in Iran and Turkey. Currently, due to the situation in Iran, I have no news from my family. The Iranian judiciary has also threatened to confiscate our property and kill our children. And God lies in wait for the oppressors.” The tragedies faced by believers in Iran and Turkey continue to paint a very dark picture of how the authorities in these countries treat religious minorities if they try to publicly proclaim their beliefs. Under the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the conduct of these countries must be exposed and addressed at the highest levels in order to hold those responsible for these violations to account. The victims must also have assurance that they cannot be abandoned by those with the power to help them. In 2026, this must not continue without serious repercussions. As an oppressed religious minority, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is facing persecution in several Muslim majority countries including Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Malaysia, amongst others. If these countries are not held to account for these violations then it will be seen as acceptable to continue persecuting religious minorities without fear of backlash. We commend and urge all institutions with authority to pressure these regimes to account for their conduct towards any and all religious minorities innocently practising their faith.

The Divine Just State magazine received another report from another Iranian National, Mehdi Akbari, in which he tells us of his experiences under the oppressive regimes in Iran and Turkey for believing in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. The following report, in his own words, highlights just some of his encounters over the past few years. “I, Mehdi Akbari, born on January 31, 1993, am from Iran. I embraced the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in the year 2021. In 2022, after my brothers and their families were arrested near the border on charges of attempting to flee the government, I was summoned to the ideological office by Mr. Tajari, who was my superior during my service in the Law Enforcement Forces. He reprimanded me for not reporting my brother’s religious beliefs and ordered for me to spy on my brother. He also warned me about the consequences of disobeying this order and threatened my life.  After my brother escaped again successfully during the Nowruz of 2023, six security officers entered our house forcefully during the holidays. They insulted me and my friend, physically assaulted me, searched the house, stole our phones, and left. The next day, we went to our rural hotel, only to find that it had also been raided by security forces and everything had been ransacked. As a result, I developed both psychological and physical illnesses. Due to my physical condition following gastric bypass surgery (weight-loss surgery), my digestive system had become very sensitive. Under stress and pressure, I developed stomach ulcers, digestive disorders, and suffered from repeated vomiting of blood.  I fled from my hometown, Gorgan, without a phone, out of fear of being tracked by security forces. I went to Karaj, at the beginning of the Chalous Road, where I started working in a restaurant called Tirozh Restaurant (Head Chef Ham) and I also stayed there. Due to my worsening condition, I could not perform my job properly, so my employer offered me a lighter job. I became the caretaker of his house.  In August 2023, my bank account was blocked. When I inquired at a local branch of Bank Melli, they told me it was because my late father had guaranteed a loan for someone else. However, this action was against legal procedures in Iran, because normally the assets of the deceased are first distributed among heirs, and then debts are deducted. In my case, no inheritance had yet been distributed, yet my account was blocked. Out of fear of being pursued by security forces, I did not return to Gorgan to resolve the issue; and I survived for about a year using bank cards belonging to distant relatives.  After about a year, I decided to return briefly to Gorgan to unblock my account and then go back to Karaj. I contacted my mother and told her I was on my way home and did not have my key. When I arrived at the front of the house, three individuals got out of a private car, forced me into the vehicle, and took me to an unidentified building on the outskirts of the city. They detained me in a room for about an hour. Then a person entered, beat me, and said I deserved it for not informing them of my whereabouts. After him, another person came, took my employer’s address and phone number, and threatened me saying that if I did not surrender to the court and repent from my faith, my fate would be death. A few days later, I was summoned by the Special Clerical Court. In order to escape these individuals, I was forced to make a false repentance.  However, the searches, harassment, and threats continued. They would raid our home at any time - day or night - searching, threatening, and insulting me. Many times, they came late at night or early in the morning. Eventually, they told me that soon they would summon me again to record a video statement against the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. After that, I stayed mostly at relatives’ and friends’ houses and rarely returned home. I decided to flee the country. When I went to the Police +10 office to apply for a passport, I found out that I was banned from leaving the country and could not obtain a passport. I contacted a person named Mahdavi, whom I had known during my service in a special forces unit in Varamin. He was the head of the ideological section of the passport police in Tehran. I met him in Tehran and asked him to resolve my passport situation so I could escape the country. The next day, he told me he could solve the problem and send me a passport. He asked for 2,000 USD, which was most of my life savings, and I paid him. In the autumn of 2025, I received my passport. Without saying goodbye to my mother, I left for Turkey by car to Tehran, then by bus to Urmia, and from there by car to Van. My physical condition was extremely poor, I thought I was near death. My brother took great care of me, he took me to doctors, arranged tests, and provided my medications, ultimately saving my life. They also threatened my brother with death in Turkey, which is a separate case in the Turkish immigration system. After I left Iran, they continued to harass and threaten my family and relatives.” Mehdi Akbari (right) with his brother (left) This brief report shows that innocent human beings have been treated like serious criminals by the regime in Iran and they continue to suffer extreme persecution and harassment by their pursuers across borders. Not only that, but they are also targeted by the authorities in other countries like Turkey for no other reason than the belief which they hold on to. A belief which teaches humanity comes first above religion. A belief which states that only God has a right to appoint a leader. This magazine will continue to highlight the plight of all who are persecuted for believing in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.

"CAP Freedom urges Egypt to end Ahmadi persecution at the United Nations" At the United Nations Human Rights Council under Item 9 (Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance), CAP Freedom Human Rights delivers a powerful statement highlighting the arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and reported torture of members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Egypt. From March to April 2025, coordinated arrests targeted peaceful believers solely for their religious identity. Detainees were denied access to lawyers and families, subjected to severe ill-treatment including electric shocks, and held under vague charges designed to suppress religious diversity. This blatant religious intolerance directly contradicts the Durban Declaration and international obligations to combat hatred and discrimination. CAP Freedom urges Egyptian authorities to: • Immediately release all detained members • End the persecution of religious minorities • Investigate all allegations of torture • Uphold equal protection and human dignity for all Freedom of religion and belief must be protected. No one should face detention, torture, or discrimination because of their faith. Watch the full statement and join the call for justice.

The Divine Just State magazine received a report from Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan in which he briefly accounted his ordeals since believing in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Mohammed is an Iranian national forced to flee his country for holding on to a belief deemed unacceptable by the religious authorities. We take this opportunity to share his story in his own words. “I seek refuge in God from Satan, the accursed. In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise be to God, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon you.  My name is Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan. I am from Shiraz, Iran. Date of birth: May 5, 1980.  Around the year 2017, I became acquainted with the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light through one of my friends, and after research, I embraced it. After that, the Islamic Republic created severe problems for me. At first, they began threatening me through Telegram, saying that they would arrest me and that I must stop my activities, otherwise I would face dangerous consequences.  Before that, several members of our religion had already been arrested, including Mohammadreza Shakerian. Because we believed in our religion and it is one of our religious duties to promote it, we lived under very difficult conditions, constantly being threatened and living in fear. They repeatedly threatened us on social media with arrest, torture, imprisonment, and execution.  In Iran, anyone who leaves Islam is considered an infidel, and their blood is considered permissible (halal). After many threats and arrests of members of our religion, and realizing that I could no longer practice my faith in Iran, because I was being threatened daily, I decided to leave the country. I took steps to leave, but at Imam Khomeini Airport, after purchasing a ticket, paying the fees, and passing through inspection, my name was called over the loudspeaker. Security officers came and told me that I was banned from leaving the country. They confiscated my passport and did not return it. They gave me an unstamped letter stating that I had to go to the Special Clerical Court in Tehran to resolve my case.  Unstamped letter of appointment to Special Clerical Court in Tehran Knowing what awaited me based on previous arrests, after a few days I attempted to escape Iran with some fellow believers. Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan attempting to escape Iran However, while we were still inside Iran, near the city of Khoy, we were attacked. They treated us as if we were ISIS terrorists, opened fire on our car, arrested us, and in the freezing midnight air held us in an ambush post and tortured us. We were kept in extreme cold and treated very badly, and afterward we were transferred to a detention center in Khoy. There, we were interrogated daily, threatened, shouted at, and accused without any evidence. They told us we were infidels and spies for Israel. After two days in detention, while continuing to threaten us, they loaded all of us - including women and children - into a van. We were blindfolded, shackled, and handcuffed, thrown into the van, piled on top of each other, and transferred to Tehran. On the way, intelligence agents - who called themselves the “unknown soldiers of the Imam of the Time” - severely beat two of our friends, even though their hands were tied. One of them, Mohammadreza Shakerian, protested their behavior. They slammed his head against the metal frame of the vehicle, threw him to the ground while chained, and beat him so severely that he lost consciousness.  Women and children were screaming, but they paid no attention and continued shouting at all of us. After that, we were handed over to Evin Prison, which belongs to the Ministry of Intelligence, where we were severely tortured. They punched me in the head until I lost consciousness. The atmosphere was filled with fear and terror. All that could be heard were the screams and cries of prisoners and the terrifying shouts of guards. We were subjected to both physical and psychological torture. We were kept blindfolded, facing a wall in the cold, beaten, insulted, humiliated, and mocked.  I was taken for interrogation about twelve times. Their main method was lying and threatening. When I insisted on my right to have a lawyer, they mocked me and said such things only exist in movies, and that I had no right to a lawyer. They did not respect my legal rights as stated in their own criminal procedure laws. I was held in Evin Prison for two months. We were arrested on December 12, 2022, kept in detention for two days, and then transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. They constantly intimidated and threatened us.  Due to the chaotic situation in Iran at the time, especially the protests following Mahsa Amini’s death and the hijab issue, many people were arrested and brought there. The prison was extremely crowded, and torture was widespread. Before entering prison, detainees had been severely beaten in houses. Some of those in my cell could not walk for up to a month. Electric shock devices were used on their genitals, backs, and entire bodies repeatedly. Their condition was unimaginable. On the last day of interrogation, the interrogator whispered in my ear: “Do whatever you want in private - have illicit relationships, drink alcohol - but no one should find out. Just never oppose our government and abandon your beliefs.” They pressured and tortured me and forced me to sign a document stating that my beliefs were misguided and that I repented. This showed their hypocrisy.  Because of the overcrowding, they temporarily released prisoners on bail until their cases could be processed later. I was also released on bail on February 12, 2023. However, I was in a very poor condition. My right hand had become partially paralyzed due to torture, and I had to undergo physiotherapy for a month.  Before my release, they threatened me, saying they would monitor me closely and that if I continued my activities, they would destroy my life and possibly kill me. Due to the extremely dangerous conditions and constant fear, on March 6, 2023, I was forced to leave my wife and three beloved children behind without support and flee through the mountains and wilderness of Iran. After enduring great hardship and crossing deadly valleys and mountains covered with several meters of snow, I finally managed to leave Iran and enter Turkey on March 18, 2023.  Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan holding a walking stick The picture on the left is me with the walking stick in my hand. I had fled through the impassable snowy mountains of Iran into Turkey. The bruising under my left eye is still visible. While crossing the border, a smuggler attacked me with a stick, and I fell on a rock, which caused my eyebrow to split open and led to the bruising around my eye. Unfortunately, since Turkey is also an Islamic country, it does not accept my beliefs. I decided to go with fellow believers - who had also fled from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Palestine, and Azerbaijan - to the official Turkey/Bulgaria border to enter Bulgaria, a European country where our religion is officially recognized as a religious organization and minority in the EU, USA, and the UK. However, Turkey did not allow us to leave. We were beaten and transferred to the Edirne Removal Center for deportation.  Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan attempting to enter Bulgaria I was held there for five months, from 24/05/2023 to 06/10/2023, and I was subjected to severe psychological and physical pressure. Before entering the deportation center, some of us, myself included, were taken to a police station where we were detained and beaten daily, fists, kicks, and batons were all used, we were also subjected to abusive language. They accused us of causing unrest in their country. At the Kapıkule border, due to the election period and shortage of security forces, they reportedly encouraged truck drivers to help suppress us, some made horrific threats about violence against our women. At the border, I was punched in the eye, I still suffer from vision problems, seeing floating objects in my sight. On another day, they beat me so severely that four of my teeth were broken. My other teeth were also badly damaged and I had to undergo surgery to remove the broken teeth. I currently have no upper teeth, and my lower teeth are also in poor condition. At the police station, after beating us, they took us to a doctor and forced us to say we had no problems. The doctor was cooperating with them. When we initially said we had injuries, they threatened to keep beating us until our death. Out of fear, we were forced to say we were fine.  I do not know if you are aware of the conditions in detention camps in Turkey. Although they are called camps, they are more like dungeons - terrifying and inhumane. Guards constantly shout at and beat detainees. The drinking water is dirty and discolored, they only change it temporarily when inspections occur. I became ill there, suffered from digestive problems, and lost about 10 kilograms due to the poor quality of food. Now my situation is extremely critical.  My family is left behind in Iran without support, and I am in a country where we are treated worse than animals. Even animals have safety in the streets, but we are detained, tortured, and imprisoned simply because of our beliefs. After being released from the camp, it has now been over a year that we have been scattered across different cities. The cost of living here is very high, I have a severe back injury and cannot work. Life here is extremely difficult.  Mohammad Hashem Bazrafshan's son, Hussein Here is a picture of one of my children, Hussein, whom I haven't seen for more than three or four years and I don't know what happened to them.” The harrowing stories of the persecuted believers in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light continue to expose the tyranny of the oppressive governments of the so-called Muslim countries like Iran and Turkey. This magazine will persevere to make these stories public and to bring to light all the crimes committed by these regimes in order to hold them to account for their violations.

Tehran — March 1, 2026  — Iran's state television confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei early on March 1, 2026, following a massive attack by the US and Israel on his compound in Tehran. The announcement was made at 5:00 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. GMT), marking a significant moment in Iranian political history. Khamenei rose to power as the Supreme Leader of Iran in 1989 and was a significant figure in Iranian politics for over 40 years. His death raises concerns about potential instability in the region and a leadership vacuum in Iran. According to multiple reports, the strike was conducted jointly by U.S. and Israeli forces using intelligence supplied by the CIA. Reaction within Iran appeared mixed, with some citizens reportedly celebrating the news while others gathered in mourning. In recent months, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq had repeatedly criticized Iran’s leadership, referring to it as the “Shah of Persia.” A February 25 article  published by the Divine Just State Magazine examined the history of Iran’s government and its treatment of followers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. The article also referenced a sermon delivered on January 23, 2026 in which Aba Al-Sadiq predicted the destruction of Iran and denounced Khosrow, whom he associated with Khamenei. The sermon included the following passage: “And the Prophet Mohammed said, “May God curse Khosrow” the Shah of Persia, “verily, the first of the people to be destroyed is Persia and then the Arabs.” And that's what you see coming to pass. Today, Persia is about to be destroyed, and tomorrow after that will be the Arabs. So today I have conveyed what I was commanded to convey. I have reminded you of the covenant, and I have recited to you the Will. I have named the proof of God upon you. And I have warned you of the consequence of turning away. There is no compulsion in religion and there's no compulsion upon you, but there is accountability, and there is no excuse after knowledge. O Allah, You are my witness that I have delivered, O Allah, You are my witness that I did not conceal.” Khamenei’s death marks a major turning point for Iran’s stability and future. This story is still developing.

Crewe — February 28, 2026  — A small local protest was held on Saturday, 28 February, at the gate of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. The protest was organised by a local resident who appears to have been motivated by concerns about the activities of the believers in January. There also appears to be a connection to Tommy Robinson posting  about the January march held on the grounds of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light headquarters on X.  For full details on that story please read the article published by the Divine Just State magazine, entitled   When a Religious March at Webb house in Crewe Went Viral .  In response, anti-racism protestors came to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light Headquarters to stand against hatred, intolerance and racism.  Activists from “Stand Up to Racism” and “Women Against the Far Right” joined us in our stand, as well as members of NORSCARF - “North Staffordshire Campaign Against Racism and Fascism”. The day began calmly at around 9:20 a.m., with protesters gathering slowly to observe the site and report by phone outside Webb House. Meanwhile, local residents who had arranged to counter-protest began arriving, including a member of the Cheshire East Council office. Councillor Ben Wye was thanked by organisers for showing support for the counter-protest on Saturday. Heavy rain began around 10:00 a.m., falling steadily and stopping only intermittently until about midday. When a coach arrived carrying members of the two groups that had expressed interest in counter-protesting — Stand Up To Racism and Women Against the Far Right — the sun emerged, shining on the counter-protesters gathered inside the gates of the headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Part of the event was broadcast live on TikTok from an attendee’s account, reaching approximately 7,000 views within one hour and 247 concurrent viewers during the broadcast. Placards and banners were clearly displayed inside the gates, calling for unity, humanity and a rejection of racism. On the other side of the gate, a single worn sign expressed the view of the original protest. The now well-known robot security dog also appeared before the musical portion of the counter-protest began. Hashem’s Choir performed songs promoting peace and unity, including “We Are the World,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Stand By Me.” The performance appeared to affect people on both sides and helped set the tone for the day. Those who had come to protest the presence of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light at Webb House departed shortly afterward. The day concluded with a tour of the Hall of Mysteries. Counter-protest attendees were given a first glimpse of the Museum of Mohammed and his Household, followed by a final performance from Hashem’s Choir, after which participants shared a meal together, reflecting on the day’s events.