Ridvan celebrates Baha’u’llah’s time in 1863 in the garden of Ridvan in Baghdad when He publicly declared His station as a Manifestation of God. The Ridvan Festival is 12 days long and is also the time of year when Baha’is elect their governing bodies.
This is the official music video for the song ‘Sulayman Khan (عهدی – سلیمان خان)’ by Baha’i Persian rapper, Ahdi.
Ahdi is based in the United States, and for over a decade now, he’s been rapping mostly in Persian about topics such as racism, drug abuse, the equality of women and men, and other social issues including the oppression of his fellow Baha’is in Iran.
This song ‘Sulayman Khan’ was composed in honor of Sulayman Khan Tabrizi, who was one of the followers of the Bab, and who was publicly tortured and killed.
The story of Sulayman Khan Tabrizi can be found in the book The Dawnbreakers, which explains how his captors by doug nine holes into his body and inserted lit candles in them (two in his shoulders, two in his chest, one in his neck, and four in his back). Blood was pouring down from his body while guards walked him through the streets until he passed out. As he was walking, he was reciting a famous line of poetry: “Those who wished me burn, I hope, would come and watch that their wish had been answered.” When one candle became silent, he picked up another candle and lit it. The torturer, himself astonished, went to him and said, “If death is so sweet and enjoyable for you, why don’t you dance?”. Sulayman Khan joyfully moved and, stamping with his feet, started singing the following in a loud voice: “The chalice of wine in one hand, and the musk-laden hair of the Beloved in the other; I have been longing for this to do in the middle of the public square.” (Paraphrased from God Passes By, Page 348) Then his body was cut into four pieces.
In this video, red signifies martyrdom; the dancer and the painter illustrate Sulayman Khan, and the nine candles portray the actual event.
Rap & Lyrics: Ahdi Music Production: Kayrbeats Mix & Mastering: Mr.MP Video Production and Director: Vargha Mehregan Dance: Saghar from Miraas Coordinator: Shayan Shamsipour
Persian Translation
رپ و شعر: عهدی آهنگساز: Kayrbeats تنظیم صدا: مستر امپی فیلمساز و کارگردان: ورقا مهرگان رقص: ساغر از گروه میراث مجری تدارکات: شایان شمسی پور
این آهنگ به مناسبت سالگرد شهادت جناب سلیمانخان تبریزی (زاده: –، مرگ:ذی قعده سال ۱۲۶۸ قمری) که یکی از پیروان حضرت باب بود. او را در هنگام کشتار بابیها در تهران به اتهام تلاش برای قتل ناصرالدینشاه قاجار، شکنجه، شمعآجین(دوشمع درسینه، دوتا روی دوش هایش ویک در زیر گردن وچهارشمع درپشتش روشن کردند. اززخم ها خون می ریخت؛)، اعدام و سپس چهارپاره کردند. “هنگامی که شمعی ازمحل خود سقوط می کرد، به دست خویش می گرفت وبا شعله شمع های دیگر روشن می نمود وبه جای خود قرارمی داد و به صدای بلند می گفت:
آن که دایم هوس سوختن ما می کرد کاش می آمد وازدورتماشا می کرد
میرغضب رو به سلیمان خان کرد وبا تحقیرواستهزاگفت: حال که مرگ درکام تو به این درجه شیرین و مقبول ودلنشین است، چرا نمی رقصی؟«آن مخمور صهبای الهی ازاین گفته به وجد آمد وپاکوبان وهلهله زنان به آواز وشهنازمشغول شد وبه این بیت مترنم گردید:
یک دست جام باده ویک دست زلف یار رقصی چنین میانه میدانم آرزوست»(قرن بدیع،ج١،ص٣۴٨) “ در این ویدئو رنگ قرمز نماد شهادت. رقاص و نقاش نماد جناب سلیمان خان. و نُه شمع نماد آن رویداد است.
Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.
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