652. Bahá’ís Are Permitted to Accept Land from the Government for Cemetery
"In response to your question about acquiring land from the Government for the specific purpose of establishing a Bahá’í cemetery, the House of Justice advises that it is permissible for Bahá’ís to be granted by government authorities the ownership or use of land for this purpose."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, February 20, 1978)
653. Disinterment
"You have stated in your letter that it is a custom there for the body to be disinterred after three years and put in a smaller casket for reburial. Since this is apparently not required by law, it would be best for you to advise the friends to make the necessary arrangements with the cemetery authorities so that disinterment of the body does not take place."
- (Ibid.)
654. At Present no Definite Regulations for Bahá’í Cemeteries
"At the present time there are no definite regulations for preparing Bahá’í cemeteries. However, in a Tablet of the Master's, He emphasizes the need for the cemetery to have a beautiful outward appearance and states that the graves should not be joined together but that each one should have a flower bed around its four sides. He also indicates that it would be pleasing if a pool were located in the center of the cemetery and beautiful trees were planted around it as well as around the cemetery itself."
- (Ibid.)
655. Should not Refuse to Bury Bahá’í Who Lost Voting Rights—Assembly May Permit Burial of Non-Bahá’ís
"The Universal House of Justice has received your letter of 15th June 1984 asking whether it is permissible to bury non-Bahá’ís in a Bahá’í cemetery, and has asked us to convey the following to you.
"It would not be right to refuse to bury in a Bahá’í cemetery one who has lost his voting rights. Furthermore, it is quite possible that non-Bahá’í relatives of believers or others may be permitted to be buried in a Bahá’í cemetery. However, a deciding factor could be whether the area of land chosen for use as a Bahá’í cemetery would be large enough to permit burial of non-Bahá’ís. It is suggested that no hard and fast rules be adopted, but that each case be considered on its own merits."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, July 12, 1984)
656. The Most Great Name or Ringstone Symbol not Appropriate on Gravestones
"Normally the building of structures or headstones on graves should be left to the family of the deceased, and all expenses should be covered by them.
"The use of the Most Great Name or the ringstone symbol on gravestones is not appropriate. In a letter dated September 17, 1971 to an individual believer we wrote the following:
" 'Concerning the questions you ask in your postscript, there is no specific ruling regarding the type of headstone that may be used at a grave site. However, regarding the inscription on a headstone, the beloved Guardian asked the believers not to use any form of the Greatest Name but a nine-pointed star may be used. Or, you may wish to have an appropriate text from the Sacred Writings inscribed on the headstone. The position of the body in the grave should be with the feet pointing toward the Qiblih, which is Bahjí in 'Akká'."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda, May 4, 1972)
