Baha'u'llah has reduced all ritual and form to an absolute minimum in His Faith. The few forms that are there are symbols of the inner attitude. The Faith has certain simple rites prescribed by Baha'u'llah, such as the obligatory prayers, the marriage ceremony and the laws for the burial of the dead.

Birth, Naming:
     The Teachings do not provide for any ceremony whatever on such occasions. The friends may come together on such happy occasions, provided they do not hold an official public ceremony, and provided also they avoid any uniformity and rigidity in all such practices.

Teenage Years:
     At age fifteen, youth reach the age of spiritual maturity and are expected to assume individual responsibility to observe the laws of the Faith, such as to pray and fast.

Administrative Maturity:
     At age twenty-one, Baha'is reach the age of administrative maturity and are eligible both to participate in the election of Baha'i administrative institutions, and to be elected to such bodies.

Marriage:
     The Spiritual Assembly is responsible to authorize the holding of the wedding ceremony, once it is assured that both Baha'i and civil laws have been observed. When the consent of the parents is obtained, the only other Baha'i requirement for the ceremony is the recitation by both parties in the presence of two witnesses of the specifically revealed verse: "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God."  Other prayers, readings and music may be included, but the ceremony is kept as simple as possible.

Funerals:
     The body of the deceased is treated with the utmost respect, neither being cremated, nor embalmed.  It is regarded as the temple of the soul.  It is to be buried within an hour's travel time.  There are many beautiful prayers and readings which can be read and are a comfort for the bereaved, but only one prayer is required: the long Prayer for the Dead.  See also the longer:  http://www.sji.ca/bahai/funeral.html
 

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