Bahá'í Burial Laws: Western Adherence And Practice

The Bahá’í Faith outlines a few core laws regarding death and burial that are considered binding on Bahá’ís in the West. These include the prohibition of cremation, with burial being the only acceptable method. This is because cremation is considered a symbolic gesture of disdain and disrespect, whereas burial allows the body to return to dust and comply with the laws of nature. Another law states that the body must be buried within an hour's journey from the place of death, regardless of the mode of transport, to prevent the spread of disease and ensure early burial. The body should not be embalmed unless required by law, as it is important to allow the body to decompose naturally. The body should be carefully washed and wrapped in a shroud of white cloth, preferably silk, with a ring on its finger bearing a specific inscription. The coffin should be made of crystal, stone, or hardwood. Finally, a specific Prayer for the Dead must be recited for believers aged 15 or over.

Burial location

The Bahá'í Faith has specific laws regarding burial location. According to Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, the body of the deceased should not be transported more than an hour's journey from the place of death. This rule applies regardless of the mode of transport and is intended to encourage burial near the place of death.

The Bahá'í community's own cemetery is the ideal burial location. If no Bahá'í cemetery is available, burial in any cemetery is permitted. The body should be positioned with its feet pointing toward the Qiblih, or toward Akka and Bahá'u'lláh's resting place. This practice is common in most cemeteries in the United States due to its alignment with Christian beliefs about the Day of Judgement.

In the case of death at sea, Bahá'í burial laws do not provide specific guidance. In such instances, civil or maritime laws take precedence until the body can be brought to land, where burial is preferred.

For Bahá'ís living in rural areas, the Universal House of Justice advises that if the nearest graveyard is more than an hour's journey on foot, the community should consider acquiring a graveyard closer to the village. This ensures compliance with the one-hour journey restriction.

While the Bahá'í Faith encourages burial near the place of death, it also recognises the importance of individual wishes. If a Bahá'í individual expresses a desire to be buried according to Bahá'í laws, their community should endeavour to fulfil this wish, even if it means transporting the body further than an hour's journey.

Burial timing

The Bahá'í Faith has specific laws regarding burial timing. According to Bahá'u'lláh, the body of the deceased should not be transported more than an hour's journey from the place of death. This rule applies to distances by land or sea, and the method of transportation is not specified. The sooner the burial takes place, the more fitting and acceptable it is. While the exact time between death and burial is not specified in Bahá'í writings, the practice in the Orient is to bury the person within 24 hours of death, and sometimes even sooner.

In the case of Bahá'ís living in the West, the law regarding the distance of transportation does not seem to be obligatory, but some believers may wish to follow this practice. If the graveyard is more than an hour's journey on foot from a village, Bahá'ís are advised to acquire a graveyard closer to the village or do their best to keep the journey as short as possible.

In the case of death at sea, Bahá'í burial laws do not provide specific guidance. In such cases, civil or maritime law takes precedence until the body can be buried on land in the nearest suitable place.

The Bahá'í community encourages believers to be informed about Bahá'í burial laws and to make arrangements to ensure they are buried according to these laws. This includes notifying their families or next of kin about their wishes.

Body preparation

The body is to be treated with great respect and allowed to decompose naturally. Embalming is forbidden, and cremation is prohibited. The body should be washed carefully and wrapped in a shroud of white cloth, preferably silk, but cotton is also acceptable. The shroud should be approximately seven yards or meters in length and can be wrapped around the body in one piece, or cut into four one-yard or meter pieces, with one each used for the feet and legs, trunk, shoulders, and head. The longer three-foot piece is then wrapped the length of the body to hold the other pieces in place. It is not necessary to cover the face, but the shroud may be wrapped over the top of the head, like a shawl.

If the deceased is fifteen years of age or older, they should be buried wearing a Bahá'í burial ring, customarily placed on the forefinger. The ring is simple in design and bears the inscription in Arabic: "I came forth from God and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate."

The coffin used for burial should be made of crystal, stone, or hard fine wood. Coffins made of metal or soft wood should not be used.

These observances—the burial ring, shroud, coffin, and direction in which the deceased faces—are Bahá'í law binding upon believers from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries but are not obligatory for Bahá'ís from the West. However, some Western believers may wish to observe these funeral practices associated with the East, as they were followed by Bahá'u'lláh's family.

Coffin material

The coffin used to bury a Bahá'í should be made of crystal, stone, or hard fine wood. Metal, soft wood, or any material that is not durable should not be used. Bahá'u'lláh confirmed this law in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and it is currently binding on believers in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. However, it is not obligatory for Bahá'ís in the West, although some Western believers may wish to observe this practice.

The significance of the provision is to show respect for the human body, which was "once exalted by the immortal soul of man". In the spirit of the law, the Universal House of Justice has explained that, in addition to the materials specified in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, there is no objection to using the hardest wood available or concrete for the casket. For now, Bahá'ís are free to make their own choices about the material of their coffin.

Prayer for the Dead

The Bahá’í faith has specific laws and rituals surrounding death and the treatment of the deceased. Bahá'u'lláh has encouraged followers to regard death as a "Messenger of Joy" for the deceased, and funeral and burial laws are intended to comfort the living and ensure continued blessings for the soul in the next life.

One of the most important rituals is the Prayer for the Dead, which is obligatory and must be recited in congregation. Only one believer recites the prayer while all others stand in silence. This prayer is only required for believers who have reached the age of maturity, which is 15 years or older.

The Prayer for the Dead begins with the invocation "Alláh-u-Abhá", followed by the first of six verses, which is repeated nineteen times. Then the invocation is said again, followed by the second verse, which is also recited nineteen times, and so on. The six verses are:

> 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.

If the deceased is a woman, the person reciting the prayer should say: "This is Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden" instead of "Thy servant and the son of Thy servant".

The full text of the Prayer for the Dead is as follows:

> O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and set his face towards Thee, wholly detached from all 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.

The Bahá’í faith also has specific laws regarding the burial of the dead, including that the body must be buried (not cremated) and that it should not be transported more than an hour's journey from the place of death.

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