Baha'i   Funeral   Practices


INTRODUCTION

    The Baha’i faith is an independent world religion. It is the second most widely spread religion in the world after Christianity. The fundamental principles enunciated by Baha’u’llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i faith, are the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness of humankind.  Baha’u’llah taught that divine revelation is a continuous and progressive process and that the missions of the messengers of God represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society.


LIFE AFTER DEATH

    The purpose of human life for Baha’is is to know and love God, to acquire virtues and spiritual qualities, and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.  Baha’is view life in this world as a preparation for life in the next world.  The soul comes into existence at conception and is immortal.
    Baha’i teachings describe life and death as parts of an eternal process of growth.  In this world and after death an individual's soul develops and evolves as it draws nearer to God.  Heaven is described as nearness to God, hell is separation from God.  The soul is not reborn in a different body.  Baha’u’llah said that death is reunion with God.


BAHA'I BURIAL LAWS

    Certain Baha’i laws, including some burial laws, are implemented in parts of the world as Baha’i communities evolve.  Baha’is are universally required to observe the following burial laws:

    ∙    The body is not to be embalmed unless required by law (and then only to preserve the body for a short period of time);
    ∙    Calcination or other means of speeding the process of natural decomposition should not be used;
    ∙    Cremation is forbidden;
    ∙    Interment must take place within one hour's travel time from the city or town where death occurs;
    ∙    Baha’is may donate their bodies or organs to medical science, but provisions must be made to treat the remains with dignity and bury the remains within one hour's travel from the place of death.

    Baha’is from Iran and other countries in the Middle East are required to observe certain procedures for the preparation of the body.  If a Baha’i who is originally from such a region dies while in Canada, his family and Baha’i community will desire that appropriate preparation of his body be carried out.
    These requirements include that the body should be washed carefully and wrapped in a shroud of white silk or cotton.  A Baha’i burial ring is to be placed on the finger and the body is to be placed in a coffin made of hard fine wood and be buried with the feet pointed toward the Holy Land.  Baha’is from other parts of the world may choose to follow these requirements, but are under no obligation to do so at this time.


FUNERAL SERVICE

    Baha’i funeral services are simple and dignified.  There is no clergy in the Baha’i Faith, therefore, the conduct of the service and arrangements for interment may be left to the relatives of the deceased in consultation with the local Baha’i community.  Each service is unique.  A specific “Prayer for the Dead” which was revealed by Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith, is the only essential element of the Baha’i Funeral Service which can take place either in the chapel or at graveside.

    The “Prayer for the Dead” is recited by one person while all present stand.

    "O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant who hath belie ved in Thee and in Thy signs, and set his face towards Thee, wholly detached from all else except Thee. Thou art, verily, of those who show mercy the most merciful.
    Deal with him, O Thou Who forgivest the sins of men and concealest their faults, as beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy grace.  Grant him admission within the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy that was before the foundation of earth and heaven.  There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

    Let him then, repeat six times the greeting "Allah-u-Abha" and then repeat nineteen times each of the following lines (See note below):

    We all, verily, worship God.
    We all, verily, bow down before God.
    We all, verily, are devoted unto God.
    We all, verily, give praise unto God.
    We all, verily, yield thanks unto God.
    We all, verily, are patient in God."

                Baha’u’llah

    If the deceased is a woman, “This is Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden...” is substituted and appropriate gender changes are made.
    Baha’is often choose to have additional memorial services.  Such gatherings are planned by relatives of the deceased or by Baha’i communities and usually consist of prayers and readings from the sacred scriptures of the Baha’i Faith.


CEMETERIES

    Many local Baha’i communities in other parts of the world own cemeteries or sections of larger cemeteries.  However, in Canada, most Baha’i localities use available cemetery facilities which are not restricted by race, religion or nationality.
    It is recognized that due to the placement and availability of burial sites, it will not always be possible bury the deceased with the feet facing the Holy Land.


GRAVE MARKERS

    Appropriate symbols for use on the grave marker of a Baha’i are a nine-pointed star, a nine-pointed star with the word “Baha’i” in the centre, or the word “Baha’i”.  Quotations from Baha’i sacred scripture may also be used on grave markers.




FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please Contact:
    Department of External Affairs
    The Baha’i National Centre
    7200 Leslie Street
    Thornhill, Ontario
    L3T 6L8
    (905) 889 8168

August 1993

NOTE:
    There was a clarification from the Universal House of Justice, dated 1 July 2001:
The House of Justice has, therefore, decided that, in future, when this prayer is published in a Baha’i prayer book, it should be printed exactly as it appears in “Prayers and Meditations” but with the following footnote, if this is felt to be necessary: 

    “*    In other words, the six repetitions proceed as follows: “Allah-u-Abha” [once], “We all, verily, worship God” [19 times], “Allah-u-Abha” [once], “We all, verily, bow down before God” [19 times] and so on.”

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