The Touchstone of Sincerity : A Novel about the Baha'is in Iran

'All you have to do is sign this declaration.'

Numbed, Hakim stared at his three-year-old grandson. The boy's cheeks were still red from crying. Dirt-streaked canals lined his face. 'Baba,' he whimpered. Hakim closed his eyes, silently imploring, 'O God! He's only a child. I am the Bahá'í. It's not fair. O God, please, please. It's not fair!' 'Doctor?' the Ayatullah asked once more. 'This is your last chance. Recant!'

Bahá'ís in Iran today are showing magnificent courage in the face of religious persecution. Many have accepted imprisonment, torture and even death rather than renounce their faith. Their stoicism arouses admiration, but also bewilderment, in the outside world. How do they do it? and why? And for most Bahá'ís another question lurks in the background: 'Would I stand up under the pressure they are facing?'

Hakim Rahbari thought he was ready. They could bring an army if they wanted to. But it turned out to be not so simple . . .

Meditative novel about the experiences that led one seeker to the Bahá'í community.