Iran destroys Sufi holy site

The mullahs running Iran will tolerate no religious doctrine other than their own. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports:

A house of worship of the Gonabadi dervishes in Isfahan has reportedly been destroyed by the Iranian authorities.

The reason for the destruction -- which reportedly took place shortly after midnight on February 18 -- is not clear, but it comes amid growing pressure on dervishes, who practice the Sufi tradition of Islam, and other religious minorities in Iran.

The dervish house of worship, or hosseinieh, was located next to the tomb of the great poet and dervish Naser Ali at the historical Takht-e Foulad cemetery, where a number of respected Iranian figures are buried. ...

Sufis in Isfahan and elsewhere in Iran see the raid as just one part of a campaign by conservatives against the Gonabadi dervishes. The crackdown has included arrests, court summons, and accusations in the media that Sufism is a deviation from true Islam.

A Sufi house of worship was demolished in the city of Qom in 2006; another was partially destroyed in Borujerd in 2007; and a Sufi prayer house in Kish was forced to close late in 2008.

Some Sufis have faced arrest, been sentenced to lashings, or been forced to pledge not to attend Sufi ceremonies.

As the article notes, Sufism is derived from Islam. Iran's Shiite rulers now hope to lead the Islamic world, but Sunnis should note their attitude toward doctrinal diagreements within Islam.

Hat tip: Amil Imani
If you experience technical problems, please write to helpdesk@americanthinker.com