Montreal, June 16,  2020  - The close relationship  of the Montreal Bahá'í  Community with the “Black Roses” community continued through indefatigable work of Mrs Maxwell who was involved in the social and philanthropic work of the city.

In 1927 she became the honorary president of the Negro club of Montreal. The Club relieved hardship and aided the poor, and provided clothing to newly arrived West Indian immigrants. It operated soup kitchen for the unemployed, provided burial plots for those who could not afford any,  and its members volunteered as visiting mothers’ aids. The life of African Canadians in Montreal, numbering at least 1200 was dwarfed to an un healthy extent. Housing, education and other facilities were negligible, except for poolrooms and flats on St. Antoine Street, between Windsor and Guy.

One of the early contacts made by May Maxwell was one of the noted reformer Charles H. Este, pastor of Montreal’s only Negro Church who led the congregation from 1925 to 1968. The Church was the first of all agencies to concern itself with recreational, cultural and educational activities for African Canadians in the city. Rev. Este became a personal friend of the Maxwell household and visited with Mrs Maxwell at the 1963 World Congress in London, UK. He thus became a close friend of the Bahá’í community of Montreal.

A number of people from Rev. Este’s Church became Bahá’ís, including Mr. Eddie Elliot and the two daughters of Mrs Blackburn who had married an African Canadian man. They became members of the first Montreal Youth Group.

Mrs Maxwell’s interest in providing personal attention to the plight of African Canadians is reflected in an account from someone who visited her house at that time. The maid told the visitor that Mrs Maxell could not receive her today! Then Mrs Maxwell was seen rushing down the stairs to welcome the visitor apologetically explaining that she had a woman upstairs giving birth to a baby because she was black and none of the hospitals would take her. So she was bringing in her own doctor and having this baby to be born right in her house.

Giving a talk in 1912 to the students of Howard University in Washington, D.C., founded in 1867 to educate former slaves; the first predominantly black audience ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would address in America, He began by drawing attention to the diversity in the room. “Today I am happy,” he said, “for I see . . . white and black sitting together.” He then proceeded to reject prevailing black and white views about racial essentialism — the widespread belief that a person’s race was central to his or her humanity: “There are no whites and blacks before God. All colors are one, and that is the color of servitude to God. Scent and color are not important. The heart is important. If the heart is pure, white or black or any color makes no difference.”

“As I stand here tonight and look upon this assembly,” he told the audience, “I am reminded curiously of a beautiful bouquet of violets gathered together in varying colors, dark and light.”

“In the vegetable kingdom the colors of multicolored flowers are not the cause of discord. Rather, colors are the cause of the adornment of the garden because a single color has no appeal; but when you observe many-colored flowers, there is charm and display. The world of humanity, too, is like a garden, and humankind are like the many-coloured flowers.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá had begun to craft a new language of race — a new range of racial images and metaphors — which consciously contradicted these racist and ingrained associations. They found their focus in Louis Gregory himself, who was the first American Bahá’í of African descent. “I liken you,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told him, “to the pupil of the eye. You are black and the pupil is black, yet it becomes the focus of light.”

“When Louis Gregory travelled to Stuttgart,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote, “although being of black color, yet he shone as a bright light in the meeting of the friends.” “He will return to America very soon,” he advised an American friend, “and you, the white people, should then honor and welcome this shining colored man in such a way that all the people will be astonished.”

In another talk, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained that:

“In the clustered jewels of the races may the blacks be as sapphires and rubies and the whites as diamonds and pearls. The composite beauty of humanity will be witnessed in their unity and blending.”

Photos: The first Montreal youth group; Eddie Elliot is standing on the left side

Inset: May Maxwell

References: Abdu'l-Bahá'í – Mahmud’s Diary

W.C. van den Hoonaard, The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada

Montreal Council’s minutes, 1928

Bertly, Leo W. 1977 : Canada and Its People of African Descent. Montreal

Montreal, April 8, 2020 - Following the city by-law, the Montreal Bahá'í Community has advised all of its members to take note of - and follow - the measures put in place by health authorities and the government to stop the spread of the disease. COVID-Virus 19. As a result, all community gatherings were suspended at the Bahá'í Center as well as in the neighborhoods. 

The famous Backpack-Traveler of the book "The Earth is but country", André BRUGIROUX,  made the following remark: "This Covid-19 should not be as bad as one thinks since we find in it one of the "fetish" numbers of the Bahá'í Faith; 19*. We shall see what will result from it. I've been bawling around for fifty years trying to make people understand that the Earth is but one country. This little virus has irrefutably demonstrated its possibility! "

In a letter to the Community, the Spiritual Assembly, an administrative institution that manages the affairs of the Bahá'í Community in Montreal explains: - How strange it is for us as Bahá'ís, who strive with all our heart to bring people together, to do now all we can to keep them apart! As we join the global effort to practice "social distancing" in order to play our role in limiting infections to as few people as possible, we find ourselves charting unknown waters. How to continue our activities without having a meeting?

We are very pleased to announce that the Community has taken up this challenge with enthusiasm and vigor, turning to technology to overcome our spatial distance. No sooner this challenge manifested itself, a number of neighborhoods have used web conferencing software to organize the 19 Days Feasts, using it for devotional gatherings, and pre-youth activities which continues almost uninterruptedly, online.

Indeed, the 19 Day Feast** celebration of Jalál (Glory) took place in several neighborhoods online with the participation of a large number of friends! Prayers and Sacred texts were recited and consultation on various subjects took place as usual! The missing part was unfortunately the social part! Disregarding this shortcoming, some friends had prepared cakes and tea but lack of teletransportation equipment made it impossible to taste them!

The Spiritual Assembly continues in its letter that while we are all at home, for some of us living alone, is particularly difficult. Whether for groceries, looking for something in a pharmacy or just for company, we need to take care of those who are in this situation, and try to get in touch with them to make a difference in their lives.

It should be noted that the religious communities present in Quebec have asked the population to practice their religion at home and use electronic means of communication to celebrate religious activities!

“We are trying to motivate everyone who, in the name of faith, might find it difficult to stop going to their usual place of worship, to do so as an act of solidarity with all of Quebec and of Canada," said Monsignor Christian Lépine, archbishop of Montreal and member of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec, to QUB Radio Tuesday morning.

"Religion gives strength to the soul, but the present event also is a call to stand in solidarity with others, so it is not a call to bypass science but acknowledge its value," he said.

*In accordance with Arabic numerology, the figure 19 translates to “Unity”

**19 Days Feast is celebrated on the first day of each Bahá’í month. The Bahá’í calendar is a solar year of 19 months of 19 days with 4 or 5 days called “Intercalary Days” to complete a year of 365 days.

Photos : A 19 Days Feast in Montreal and a Global Webinar by André BRUGIROUX

Montreal, June 8, 2020 – During the celebration of the 19 Days Feast of Núr (Light), in one Montreal neighbourhood, the consultation was focussed on bringing to our fellow citizens the Principles of the Bahá’í Faith on Racial Unity. These series of articles will deal with the history of close relationship this Community had with Black Roses of Montreal!

The first contact between the Bahá’ís and a Black Church occurred was during ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Montreal in September 1912, when he was asked to speak to the congregation of Montreal Negro Church (as it was called in that time). ‘Abdu’l-Bahá regretfully had to decline the invitation due to his very busy schedule. We learn, however, that a childhood friend of Mary Maxwell, the daughter of famed Montreal architect whose house is the Bahá’í Shrine now, was Eddie Elliot, the only Canadian member of his race to become a Bahá’í during ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s lifetime.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá set the example by which May Maxwell felt inspired to conduct work, both philanthropic and Bahá’í among the African Canadian Community in Montreal. It was through diligence and intense interest in racial harmony of Mrs May Maxwell and the spiritual thirst of some individuals, that the first few African Canadians accepted this Faith. What drew these early believers to the new Faith was Mrs May Maxwell’s hospitality.

The topic of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s lectures in churches, synagogues, mosques and universities in North America was Racial Unity. The following is a talk given in a church :

Today I am most happy, for I see here a gathering of the servants of God. I see the white and colored people together. In the estimation of God there is no distinction of color; all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to him. Color is not important; the heart is all-important. It matters not what the exterior may be if the heart be pure and white within. God does not behold differences of hue and complexion; He looks at the hearts. He whose morals and virtues are praiseworthy is preferred in the presence of God; he who is devoted to the Kingdom is most beloved. In the realm of genesis and creation the question of color is of least importance.

The mineral kingdom abounds with many-colored substances and compositions but we find no strife among them on that account. In the kingdom of the plant and vegetable, distinct and variegated hues exist but the fruit and flowers are not in conflict for that reason. Nay, rather, the very fact that there is difference and variety lends a charm to the garden. If all were of the same color the effect would be monotonous and depressing. When you enter a rose-garden the wealth of color and variety of floral forms spread before you a picture of wonder and beauty. The world of humanity is like a garden and the various races are the flowers which constitute its adornment and decoration. In the animal kingdom also we find variety of color. See how the doves differ in beauty yet they live together in perfect peace, and love each other. They do not make difference of color a cause of discord and strife. They view each other as the same species and kind. They know they are one in kind. Often a white dove soars aloft with a black one. Throughout the animal kingdom we do not find the creatures separated because of color. They recognize unity of species and oneness of kind. If we do not find color distinction drawn in a kingdom of lower intelligence and reason, how can it be justified among human beings, especially when we know that all have come from the same source and belong to the same household? In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions of race and color have arisen afterward.

Therefore today I am exceedingly glad that both white and colored people have gathered here and I hope the time will come when they shall live together in the utmost peace, unity and friendship. I wish to say one thing of importance to both in order that the white race may be just and kind to the colored and that the colored race may in turn be grateful and appreciative toward the white. The great proclamation of liberty and emancipation from slavery was made upon this continent. A long bloody war was fought by white men for the sake of colored people. These white men forfeited their possessions and sacrificed their lives by thousands

in order that colored men might be freed from bondage. The colored population of the United States of America are possibly not fully informed of the wide-reaching effect of this freedom and emancipation upon their colored brethren in Asia and Africa where even more terrible conditions of slavery existed. Influenced and impelled by the example of the United States, the European powers proclaimed universal liberty to the colored race and slavery ceased to exist. This effort and accomplishment by the white nations should never be lost sight of. Both races should rejoice in gratitude, for the institution of liberty and equality here became the cause of liberating your fellow-beings elsewhere. The colored people of this country are especially fortunate, for, praise be to God! conditions here are so much higher than in the East and comparatively few differences exist in the possibility of equal attainments with the white race. May both develop toward the highest degree of equality and altruism. May you be drawn together in friendship and may extraordinary development make brotherhood a reality and truth. I pray in your behalf that there shall be no name other than that of humanity among you. For instance we say "a flock of doves," without mention or distinction as to white or black; we apply the name "horse," "deer," "gazelle" to other creatures, referring to species and not to their variance in color. It is my hope that through love and fellowship we may advance to such a degree of mutual recognition and estimate, that the oneness of the human world may be realized in each and all present in this meeting.

Therefore strive earnestly and put forth your greatest endeavor toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and effort on the part of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and appreciation; from the other kindliness and recognition of equality. Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement. This is possible only by conjoining of effort and inclination. Love and unity will be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of mankind. For the accomplishment of unity between the colored and whites will be an assurance of the world's peace. Then racial prejudice, national prejudice, limited patriotism and religious bias will pass away and remain no longer. I am pleased to see you at this gathering, white and dark, and I praise God that I have had this opportunity of seeing you loving each other, for this is the means of the glory of humanity. This is the means of the good-pleasure of God and of eternal bliss in His kingdom. Therefore I pray in your behalf that you may attain to the fullest degree of love and that the day may come when all differences between you may disappear.

Photo : St-James United Church where Abdu'l-Bahá'í spoke in September 1912

References : Abdu'l-Bahá'í – Bahá’í World Faith

W.C. van den Hoonaard,
The Origins of the Bahá’í Community of Canada

Montreal, May 29, 2020 - Montreal Bahá’í communities in various boroughs of the city commemorated the anniversary of the passing of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í  Faith. “Baha’u’llah” is a title meaning “the Glory of God” in Arabic. Bahá’ís consider Bahá’u’lláh to be the latest in a line of Divine Messengers that includes Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed, Who have brought divine teachings for the spiritual education of humankind.

Bahá’u’lláh passed away in the early hours of 29 May 1892 in His home outside of Acre, a fortified city that once served as a notorious prison of the Ottoman Empire. Unlike the suffering and turmoil He experienced for most of His adult life, His last moments were peaceful.

Born into a noble family in Tehran, Iran, Bahá’u’lláh rejected a life of relative ease and luxury in the royal court for a life dedicated to helping the poor. Known as “The Father of the Poor,” Bahá’u’lláh was deeply loved and respected for his virtuous character and wisdom. However, for accepting the teachings of the Herald of the Bahai Faith, known as “The Báb,” Bahá’u’lláh was among those persecuted by civil and clerical Persian authorities, who feared social change brought about by the progressive teachings of the Báb. This persecution intensified as Bahá’u’lláh began to share His own teachings: that there is only one God, that all of the world’s religions are from God, that unity and peace are now possible for the peoples of the world through the recognition of the oneness of humanity, and many others.

Fearful of losing their influence over a population that was increasingly attracted to Bahá’u’lláh and His revelation, the authorities exiled Him, first to Baghdad by the authority of the Persian government, and then as a prisoner of the Turkish Empire, to Constantinople (Istanbul), Adrianople (Edirne), and finally to the city of Akka (Acre) – then part of the Ottoman Empire and now in Israel. Baha’u’llah and His companions first arrived in Acre in 1868, 15 years after the beginning of their exile from their Persian homeland. Although in 1879 the authorities permitted Him to live outside the walls of the city, Baha’u’llah would remain a prisoner until His passing in 1892, having spent almost 40 years in exile.

Today, Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings are His legacy to the five million Bahá’í s around the world. His burial site, adjacent to the home where He lived during His final years, is a shrine considered by Bahá’í s to be the most sacred spot on earth. The Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, in the vicinity of the city of Akka, is surrounded by magnificent gardens that are open to the public.

Bahá’í s will commemorate the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh with devotional programs and reflections on His life and teachings. Bahá’í s observe this commemoration as one of nine holy days during the year.

Montreal, February 16,2020 – The Bahá’í Community of Montreal organized a memorable meeting to honour the life of ‘Ali Nakhjavani, who passed to the World Beyond on October 11, 2019 in France.

‘Alí-Yulláh Nakhjavání was born in 19 September 1919 in Baku, in then Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to ‘Ali-Akbar Nakhjavani and Fatimih Khánum, both Baháʼís, who rendered outstanding services to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. After his father's death circa 1921, when he was only two, his family was advised by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to move to Haifa, where he was raised. 

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the American University of Beirut in 1939. In the early 1940s he returned to Iran, residing first in Tihrán, then Tabriz and finally in Shiraz. He was elected in 1950 as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, the governing body of the Baháʼís in that country, where he served until the following year. He got married in Tihrán to Violet Banáni, a daughter of the late Hand of the Cause pf God, Músa Banáni.

Violet, ‘Ali and their two young children, Bahiyyih and Mehran, moved in 1951 to Uganda, Africa to assist with the development of the Baháʼí Community in that country. While he was there he worked as a teacher and lecturer. During his early years there, Enoch Olinga (Later appointed as a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi-Effendi) joined the Faith and in 1953 accompanied by his wife along with Olinga and two other Baháʼís, travelled from Uganda to Cameroon to help spread the Baháʼí Faith in there. Three years later he was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member and in 1956 he was elected to the Bahá’í National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa. 

In 1961 he was elected to the International Baháʼí Council — the forerunner to the Universal House of Justice, the worldwide governing body of the Baháʼí Community — and thus moved to Haifa. In 1963 he was elected to the Universal House of Justice during its inaugural convention, and served as a member of that body until 2003. After his retirement from the Bahá’í World Center, ‘Ali Nakhjavani and Violet travelled extensively throughout Europe, North America and Russian Azerbaijan. They visited Montreal several times and attended the celebration of the Centenary of the passage of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to this city as well as the ceremony of the inauguration of the Shrine (Maxwell’s home). 

Whether in vacation or special mission from the Universal House of Justice, he made a point to cross into African continent, where he spent one of his most cherished part of his life. The 10 years he lived there, he travelled throughout the continent in various countries, he loved its people, its culture, its spiritual openness, its dignified and simple but powerful response to the message of unity and faith. The years in Africa stayed with him until his last days on this earth. Whenever he had the chance to visit Africa, one could sense truly his love directed towards the African continent and its people. His heart was in Africa, his thoughts, his preoccupations, his pure love was for the many people he crossed paths with in his years in that torn yet wonderful continent. He loved the genuine character of the people he met, their purity, their joy and their happiness despite their difficulties. His work and tireless service in Uganda, in the remote villages and rural areas, his extraordinary travels with a small car through the crazy muddy roads to traverse various countries with his beloved wife to bring Mr. Olinga to the other side of the continent, the adventures, the crisis, the victories – all of these made his soul fall in love with Africa and created a special bond with the continent which will endure forever.

There are so many people who carry his name in Africa because, as per tradition, if you touch someone’s life, their children are given your name as a tribute, so you will find many people whose first name is Nakhjavani. Most importantly they carry his spirit: the spirit of service and dedication that he has shone forth all these years.

If one wants to remember Mr. Nakhjavani, one cannot help but also think of his beloved companion throughout his life, dear Violette Nakhjavani – together they represented an example of unity, respect and love which is rarely seen.

Ali Nakhjavani would never want to be remembered without mentioning his beloved parents and his dear brother Jalal. His immense love for his father and especially for his mother is indescribable. Every service, every victory, every success of his life was not claimed by him. He would always mention the blessings of his parents and how grateful he was to them for all their love.

Mr. Nakhjavani used to say “finita la musica” at the end of every talk but as one reflects on his earthly life, so close to the celebration of the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb, it is timely to think that he has just joined the beginning of a musical piece, a beautiful spiritual concert in the next world.

Besides his numerous talks given in Europe, Unites States, Africa and Russia, he has authored some twenty books and articles. He continued with his writings practically until the end of his life. His outstanding books on the life of his father Mirza Ali-Akbar-i-Nakhjavani as well as “Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of His Pen”, are well known.

Mr. Nakhjavani passed away on October 11, 2019 at the age of 100 years old in France.

It was with sorrowing hearts that the Universal House of Justice conveyed the news of his passing in the early hours of the  morning, to the Bahá’í World: 

“We mourn the loss of an extraordinary figure who leaves behind a distinguished legacy of uninterrupted service to the Cause of God. In the course of a singularly remarkable life that began in the closing years of the Heroic Age and extended to the very fringes of the second century of the Formative Age, he shone in the firmament of selfless devotion to Bahá’u’lláh and was called upon to be involved in many a major development in the rise of the Administrative Order, whether as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, as an intrepid pioneer to Africa in the Ten Year Crusade, as a member of the African Auxiliary Board when it was first created, as a member of the Regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa at its inception, and as a member of the International Bahá’í Council when it was first elected, a prelude to his membership on the Universal House of Justice when it was established in 1963. He brought to his decades of monumental service absolute fidelity to his beloved Guardian, an exceptional depth of knowledge of the Cause, leonine commitment to the defence of the Covenant, intense ardour for the teaching work, rare spiritual acuity, and a radiant heart brimming with love for everyone who crossed his path. His was a life of profound spiritual attainment lived at the hinge of history. May his utter consecration, his adamantine faith, and his unswerving dedication to duty inspire generations to come.”

Shrine of the Báb, Mount Carme, Haïfa, Israël * Photo: Golgasht Mossafai

Montreal, May 23, 2020 - In a dozen neighbourhoods in Montreal and around the world, Bahá'ís celebratedthe declaration of the mission of the Báb, the Herald of a Universal Faith. These celebrations wereorganized by online Communications Applications  with the participation of a large number of participants.

This day is also important for the entier world because the first Morse communication signals weretransmitted from Baltimore; a telegraph message made up of dots and dashes! A curious message; "Whathath God wrought." The author of the message; an Old Testament verse (Number 23:23); was none otherthan Annie Ellsworth, who was looking for a suitable sentence, at the request of Samuel Morse, designer ofthe alphabet of the same name, to be transmitted by Morse Codes. It is not certain whether Annie foundthis verse by chance or that she took her time to find a sentence that could convey the importance of theevent! The event occurred in the basement of the Capitol building in Washington D.C., the place where thecountry's Supreme Court is located. Annie's attention was drawn on a Bible in the room and, probably, shethought she could find a sentence of an importance significance in this book to convey the importance of that remarkable event and strange enough, she found it!

Samuel Morse was not meant to mark the history of telecommunications. Can you imagine that, by trade,he was an artist painter! This idea of sending messages at the speed of electricity would have come to himat the time of the death of his wife... He was on a trip to Washington for a portrait of General de La Fayetteand, learnt too late of his wife's condition, he was unable to return in time to bid her farewell. He thenpromised to invent a way to transmit information faster than at the speed of mail.

Morse was 600 kilometres away in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill. The destination of the message wasBaltimore. The speed of transmission was thirty characters per minute nevertheless this short messagetransformed the history of telecommunications around the world! Since then, the Morse Code has falleninto disuse, replaced by radios, laptops, and even the Internet!

Samuel Morse's device, telegram, the Bible in question, telegraph message in the form of dots and dashesare currently at the Science and Technology Museum in Washington D.C.

During the same 24 hours, in the upper chamber of a modest residence in a poor neighbourhood of Shiráz,Iran, the son of a mercer, descendent from the prophetic lineage of Abraham and Muhammad, inaugurateda New Dispensation for humanity, a unifying Revelation that prompts the future global relationship of humanbeings, the New Era of humanity!  The life and teachings of the Báb symbolises a turning point in thehistory of mankind.

Born Siyyid Ali-Muhammad in 1819, he took the name Báb, which means "The Gate" in Arabic. Its publicmission, from 1844 to 1850, represented a spiritual revolution that overturned the social, political andreligious order that prevailed in Persia, opening the door to the new unifying vision of Bahá'u'lláh. The Bábwas a Messenger of God in the succession of divine educators who came over the centuries, includingAbraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad. The Báb appeared at a time inhistory when the cultures and peoples of the world were getting closer than ever before. The 19th centurysaw a series of profound economic, political, scientific and cultural changes that an eminent historian calledit the "transformation of the world."

Montreal, January 4, 2020 - As the world was getting ready to celebrate the New Year, a soul took its flight to the Eternal Kingdom of God! This beloved soul who devoted most of his life to the service of humanity and who left this fleeting world, was Abdeslam Berrada. He has lived in Laval since 1973 where he served the Laval Community as the Spiritual Assembly member of the Bahá'ís of Laval until 2014. Surrounded by his family, the soul of Mr. Berrada left this world peacefully on December 31, 2019 in Laval at the age of 85.

Abdeslam Berrada was born in 1934 in Ceuta, Spanish territory of North Africa. His father was a judge and an academic who studied at one of the best Arab universities in the world. It is the Karaouiyine University of Fez, known by UNESCO as the oldest university in the world which continues to operate until now!

The name given to Mr. Berrada by his parents was "ʻAbd Salām" - it is an Arabic name which means "Servant of Peace". His name certainly influenced him because he believed deeply in the unity of humanity and the need to work for universal peace. His deep belief in these principles had guided him on his journey to accept the Bahá'í Faith.

Mr. Berrada first heard of the Bahá'í Faith in Ceuta (Spain) in 1954 during the ten-year Crusade. At the time, there were American pioneers such as John Fleming who taught the Bahá'í Faith in that city; which enabled several people, including Mr. Berrada, to become a Bahá’í in 1955 and have the opportunity to form the first Spiritual Assembly, the Local Administrative Body, in Ceuta. He was the member of this Assembly until his move to Tetouan, Morocco in 1958, where he was elected member of the Tetouan Spiritual Assembly between 1958-1963. In 1958, he married Cherifa and they had two sons, Kamal and Samir.

Following an incident in Nador in northern Morocco in 1962, a Baha’i was put in prison. The Tetouan Spiritual Assembly immediately sent four members, including Mr. Berrada, to go to Nador and obtain facts relating to the imprisonment. When they arrived in Nador, they were arrested and put in prison. Lawyers defended the case of these innocent prisoners. Simultaneously, a global campaign against social injustice and human rights forced the gradual release of prisoners, which lasted almost a year. * Ministry of the Custodians

After being released from prison, Mr. Berrada moved to Rabat (Morocco) where he served in the city's Spiritual Assembly between 1963 and 1968, the year of his departure for Canada.

After settling in Canada, Mr. Berrada became a member of the Montreal Spiritual Assembly and served in that institution with Bahá'ís such as Raymond Flournoy, Ron Stee, Loris McEwan and Abdu’l-Rahim Yazdi. He also had the privilege of knowing the early Montreal Bahá'ís such as Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala and Rowland Estall.

Following a call to complete the number of believers necessary to form a Spiritual Assembly in Laval, Mr. Berrada and his family moved to that city where Mr. Berrada was a member of the Assembly from 1973 until 2014.

During the forty year period that Mr. Berrada was a member of the Laval Assembly, there were a large number of activities including proclamation of the Faith, firesides, prayer sessions, children's classes and summer camps. He also participated as a delegate to National Conventions.

Mr. Berrada and his wife Cherifa also made teaching trips, notably to Martinique in 1991 and to the Northwest Territories of Canada as well as to Spain.

Following Mr. Berrada’s passing, the Universal House of Justice sent a message to the family :

 … May the memory of his courage and fortitude in the face of persecution and hardship be a source of inspiration to all those who knew him. Be assured of the supplications of the House of Justice at the Sacred Threshold for the progress of his illumined soul in the Abhá Kingdom as well as for the comfort and solace of you and other members of his family at this time of bereavement. 

Montreal, April 8, 2020 - One of the most beloved and active members of the Montreal's Bahá'í community, Khosrow Saidi (1940-2020), left this mortal world for the immortal Kingdom of eternity! This unexpected news brought deep sadness and a deep sense of loss to the entire Bahá'í Community in Montreal.

In response to the call of the Universal House of Justice and as part of the activities of the expansion of the Bahá'í Faith, the Saidi family left Iran in 1975 to serve in Africa. The young family inspired by the love of the Faith, left their homeland for the first time to serve in an unknown continent.

When they left Iran, they only knew they would go to West Africa. Their journey took them first to Niger, to Togo and then to Ghana before landing in Ivory-Coast.

Mr. Saidi, was known for his jokes and his great sense of humor, always ready to help friends at any time, no matter the obstacle! He was always very positive, with immense confidence in the love and power of God. His life was dedicated to the Faith!

He particularly liked to have their home open to friends and guests! His family thought it was a prerequisite to have a guest at home for lunch, dinner or sleep. The important question of the day was "Who's the guest at home today?" Their house was known as the "Saidi Hotel" where hundreds of friends, pioneers and members of many Bahá'í Institutions gathered and stayed there.

In Abidjan, while in charge of the Centre for Broadcasting Education at the University of Ivory-Coast, he helped inaugurate the first Bahá'í Audiovisual Centre in West Africa. In this role, he oversaw the production of audiovisual material to help teach the Faith in many West African countries.

For the past 35 years, following political problems in Ivory-Coast, the Saidi family has moved its field of service to Montreal where Mr. Saidi served in various Institutions of the Faith, virtually until the end of his life.

In 2017, his health began to deteriorate: he slowly began to lose his voice, but not his smile and his habit of hugging everyone to show his affection. In 2018, his health has reached a critical stage. Unfortunately, the pandemic prevented the family from being with Mr. Saidi for the past four weeks before his soul took its flight to the kingdom of Ahá. However, we are confident that his soul felt their daily prayers during the last days of his life.

The Baha'i community in Montreal sends its deepest sympathy and love to his wife, Mehri, son Arash and daughter, Anissa, and her husband Poupak Jannissar and grandchildren, Bayan, Daryan, Leana, Mila and Kami. There was no better example of service than Mr. Saidi's with his hospitality and warmth of affection. We cherish his memory in the same way that he welcomed us, with great warmth he surrounded us and always lifted our hearts.

Hundreds of friends from all continents gathered in a virtual commemoration.