Upcoming by-election for the National Spiritual Assembly

The following is a copy of a letter sent to all delegates advising them that, with love and regret, the National Spiritual Assembly has accepted Mr. Enayat Rawhani’s request to be permitted to relinquish membership on the National Assembly.  To fill the resulting vacancy, a by-election has been called, to conclude on 15 August 2018. 

To all delegates to Canada’s 2018 National Convention

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

At its meeting this past weekend, the National Spiritual Assembly considered a request from Mr. Enayat Rawhani to be permitted to relinquish his membership on the National Assembly. Mr. Rawhani had sought and received guidance from the Universal House of Justice, which we share with you with his agreement.

“Your devoted contributions to the functioning of the National Assemblies of the United Kingdom and Canada over the course of nearly four decades are well known to the House of Justice, and it appreciates that your wish to be relieved from membership on the National Assembly of Canada arises out of a desire to place the interests of the Cause before all other circumstances. The House of Justice has given consideration to whether Assemblies should accept the request of believers to resign from membership on institutions of the Faith after a certain age, and feels that the effects of advanced years are among the relevant factors involved in such a decision. Therefore, you should feel free to present your resignation to the National Assembly of Canada, which, it is hoped, will seriously consider your request.” (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 7 June 2018)

With regret, love and deepest gratitude for his long service to the Bahá’í community of Canada as a member of the National Assembly, the National Assembly accepted Mr. Rawhani’s request.
To fill the vacancy thus created, the National Assembly is calling a by-election, to be concluded by 15 August 2018. Ballots will be mailed to you this week, and you are asked to cast your vote for one believer in good standing, 21 years or over, who is resident in Canada. Counsellors Borna Noureddin and Shabnam Tashakour are not eligible for election, nor are the remaining currently-serving members of the National Assembly: Mehran Anvari, Deloria Bighorn, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, Karen McKye and Elizabeth Wright. Your ballots should be received at the Bahá’í National Centre, 7200 Leslie Street, Thornhill ON L3T 6L8 by Monday, 13 August. Should you not receive your ballot or not be able to return it in time, kindly contact us and we will either re-send the ballot or give you instructions for an alternate method of casting your ballot.

At this meeting, the National Assembly prayed for your service in this regard, asking Bahá’u’lláh to surround your prayers, reflection and choice with the same rarified atmosphere, the same devotion and detachment that characterized the election of the National Spiritual Assembly at the Convention. We are attaching some materials to assist you.
Mr. Rawhani will remain in office until the by-election is concluded. We know that you join us in ardent prayers for this next stage of his service to the Cause, as he continues his teaching work and addresses pressing international translation responsibilities.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF CANADA