The letter of ” migration from Iran to Evin jail ” Campaign to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If Sufism is atheism, then issue a fatwa confirming our apostasy.

2000 of Dervishes who have taken part in the campaign called ” migration from Iran to Evin jail”, by releasing a letter to the Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, where they have asked this Shiite religious jurist to issue a fatwa declaring their apostasy if he agrees with the Minister of Intelligence who considers Sufism synonymous with atheism.
As reported by Majzooban Noor, this letter is the third letter that Gonabadi Dervishes have written to the officials subsequent to the speech by the Minister of Intelligence who had put Sufism and atheism together and had asked officials in the education system to prevent students from becoming atheists and Sufis. Prior to these letters, the Dervishes had written other letters to the Minister of Intelligence and the members of the parliament in different cities, asking them to avoid treating Dervishes with a security-oriented approach and end the pressure on the followers of Sufism. The complete version of the letter of ” migration from Iran to Evin jail ” Campaign to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi is as follows:
In His Name
Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi
Kindly,
The flames of the fire which was ignited in Qom and burned the worship-places of the respected sufi order of Nematollahi Gonabadi swept through Boroojerd, Kavar, and Isfahan and now has engulfed the country and the pillars of the government and the state, thanks to the winds of ignorance, blindness, and animosity toward Sufism. Those who wanted to burn Sufism with this fire now find themselves in the midst of the flames of that very fire, and the more they try to extinguish it, the more the fire roars. The pillar of Tarighah (the spirit path of Islam) was next to that of Shari’ah (religious law), but those who were ignorant of the religion and God did not know that if one of these pillars is destroyed, it will collapse upon and ruins the other one.
We have repeatedly emphasized that our Tarighah is based on the Shari’ah; however, those blind people who in the name of Shari’ah have read and interpreted the holy book and prophets’ and Imams’ biographies with the narrow eyes of their nafs (egos) have stepped away from the path of God and stepped into the path of egoism. They try whipping people into wrong directions and call this as guidance. They have gone astray and are busy leading others astray, thinking they are justified. They decapitate and kill in the name of a religion the purpose of which is revival of humanity. They build prisons and commit inequities in the name of a religion meant to serve and promote justice.
Mr. Ayatollah,
We, Gonabadi Dervishes, belong to the land of God and are temporary residents in this earthly land. Jurisprudentsrefer to us as atheists, officials consider us disloyal to the country, judges sentence us without trial, and charlatans see us as ignorant. We seek not your representation. We ask and beg for nothing. According to the holy verse “Is not Allah sufficient for his worshiper, and they frighten you with those other than him? He whom Allah leads astray has no guide” (39:36), we obey God’s commandments and intentions. Nevertheless, in the spirit of brotherly advice, we tell you that our worship-places burned and destroyed has not prevented us from saying our prayers. If you deny us earthly space, our prayers continue in the mosque of our hearts and the lands of pure submission to God. We are those who continue to say our prayers on the foundations of our place of worship in Isfahan.
We do not curse anyone nor use our power to harm others. As said before in a brotherly, gentle, and friendly manner, our Tarighah contradicts not the Shari’ah. The cowards’ desire to grip the slippery fish of power and dominate all living beings makes them consider our gatherings, where we collectively pray to God, as anti-power and, therefore, use all tools of oppression within their reach to suppress and crush us while we are in prostration.
Esteemed jurist,
We concern ourselves not with the power of officials, for there is no dignity in contaminating prayers and worship with the concerns of power and authority or succumbing to desires for lucre and worldly properties. If you firmly believe that Sufism and Dervishes are swimming against the stream which leads to Islam’s ocean and Sufis are misled or, even worse, try to mislead others, then issue a fatwa immediately declaring the apostasy of the undersigned whose names have been publicized in many websites. Know that, without the slightest shred of doubt, we willingly bow to death based on the holy Shari’ah and will not decry this decree nor beg for forgiveness. However, if in your deepest conscience and soul you hold doubts about allegations against us, then immediately expose to the state the injustice and oppression imposed upon the people of Tarighah and Sufism.
Mr. Ayatollah
Sentenced to imprisonment by judges who violate justice, our brothers endure humiliation of the worst kind. Appointed as executors of their will, we inform you that they are at risk of their lives on hunger strike until and unless the oppression of Sufis ceases. If you consider us atheists, then issue a fatwa immediately so that we will be all imprisoned because under no circumstances will we leave our brothers to suffer alone.
Thanks God the open door of the tavern meets expectation,
And for its reception of the impress of my supplication.
In closing, we should mention that a similar letter has been sent to the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran; however, since we think he may not have received it for whatever reason, we inform you of the situation, so that you, as a man of insight and wisdom, may take urgent measures in order to prevent increasing insecurity in this country.

Supporters of “migration from Iran to Evin Prison” Campaign