Riaz Masrour:

After completing his secondary education at the age of 17, Mr. Masrour moved to the United States to pursue higher studies. He first arrived in New York before settling in Stephenville, Texas, where he attended Tarleton State College and earned a degree in Mathematics. He later continued his education at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, receiving a degree in Petroleum Engineering.

Upon completing his studies, Mr. Masrour returned to Iran, where he practiced engineering for nearly a decade. In the wake of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, he emigrated to Canada. In 1981, he married Dr. Nazli Ruintan, beginning a partnership that would span decades. Shortly thereafter, the couple settled in Houston, Texas, where they built their home and family.

In Houston, Mr. Masrour continued his distinguished career in engineering while raising two sons, Nader and Shapour, with his wife. He was an active and devoted member of the Houston Baha’i community, serving on Local Spiritual Assemblies and teaching children’s classes for many years. In the early 1990s, he embarked on a significant literary endeavor: translating Memories of Nine Years in Akka, the memoirs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s trusted amanuensis and physician, Dr. Youness Khan. This work became the first of several translations he completed and remains the most widely recognized among them. Other books that he translated include Human Station in the Baha’i Faith, Selected Section: Philosophy and Knowledge of the Divine by Dr. Ali Murad Davudi and The Bab, The King of Messengers by Dr. Riaz Ghadimi.

After a 40-year career in engineering, Mr. Masrour retired in 2016, shortly after the birth of his first grandchild. In retirement, he devoted more time to his translation work and to his growing family, ultimately becoming a grandfather to five grandchildren. He passed away at the age of 81, three months after the birth of his youngest grandchild, leaving behind a legacy of faith, scholarship, devotion, and love.