August 21, 2019

Dear Companions on the Path,

As our collective understanding of ethics evolves culturally, it is imperative that our Order’s policies stay current. At my recommendation, an in-depth review of the Inayati Order’s ethics policies and procedures was recently undertaken by the Board of the Inayati Order North America and the Ethics Committee, with input from the Message Council. In light of an immediate need for clarity and greater transparency regarding the Order’s ethics processes, the Inayati Order North America Board, of which I am a member, approved provisional Ethical Guidelines and Procedures at its Monday, August 19, 2019 meeting. The provisional Ethical Guidelines and Procedures are an update and elaboration of the Order’s existing policies, and are effective immediately until modified policies and procedures are developed in an ongoing collaboration between the Inayati Order North America Board, the Ethics Committee, and the World Wide Message Council. The provisional Ethical Guidelines and Procedures apply only to the Inayati Order Esoteric School in North America, with the understanding that modified policies and procedures will apply to leadership within all Six Activities. Copies of the provisional Ethical Guidelines and Procedures can be accessed through this link: https://inayatiyya.org/ethics-policy/

Any new ethics complaints in the Inayati Order Esoteric School in North America will be considered in light of the provisional Ethical Guidelines and  Procedures. Any reevaluation of past cases will be reviewed in light of the Guidelines in effect at the time of the original case. The new Procedures provide for an Appeal Process, and the new Procedures will be applied to any appeals.

The intention of the Guidelines and Policies is to protect the integrity of the teacher-student relationship, aiming to build an atmosphere of trust and confidence in which our sacred work can flourish. I invite you to familiarize yourself with the updated Guidelines and Procedures and to recognize, as I do, the noble purpose they embody.

Any questions concerning the revised provisional ethics policies may be directed to the Ethics Committee at ethics@inayatiorder.org.

Yours ever,
Bawa