Lights of Guidance/toc/Death

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Lights of Guidance , compiled by Helen Hornby XIII. DEATH

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A. Wills

630. Every Bahá’í is Encouraged to Make a Will and Testament

631. By Preparing a Legal Will, the Believer Can Dispose of His Estate as He Chooses, Within Limits of Law

632. Neither National nor Local Assembly Should be Named Executor, if the Institution So Prefers

633. Bahá’ís Should Make yheir Will Specifying the Desire for a Bahá’í Funeral—Should inform the Assembly and the Non-Bahá’í Relatives

634. The Spiritual Assembly Must Carefully Consider Bequest of the Testator—Unreasonable Demands may be Refused

635. A Provision in the Will Contrary to Bahá’í Law Should be Declared Null and Void by the Assembly

636. Bahá’ís Are Free to Formulate Provisions of their Wills—We Are not Permitted to Challenge Provisions of Another's Will

B. Burial Laws

637. Forbidden to Carry Body More than an Hour's Distance

638. Burial Law Binding on Believers in the West

639. Preparation for Burial—Embalming not permitted

640. Bahá’í Burial Law—Coffin Should be of Crystal, Stone or Wood

641. Fetus to be Treated With Respect, no Matter How Young

642. Cremation is Contrary to Bahá’í Law—Bahá’í Relatives and the Spiritual Assembly are Responsible

643. In Case of Death at Sea, Maritime Law is Applicable—Burial on Land is Preferable

644. Believer Should Ensure that He Will be Buried According to Bahá’í Law

645. Enfolding the Body of the Deceased

646. Face of the Dead Should be Turned Toward the Qiblih

647. Hour's Journey May be Calculated from City Limits

648. Graveyard More than an Hour on Foot from a Village

649. The Burial Stone

650. Bury the Dead in Silk

651. Should Advise Bahá’ís in Military Service of Burial Laws

C. Bahá’í Cemeteries

652. Bahá’ís Are Permitted to Accept Land from the Government for Cemetery

653. Disinterment

654. At Present no Definite Regulations for Bahá’í Cemeteries

655. Should not Refuse to Bury Bahá’í Who Lost Voting Rights—Assembly May Permit Burial of Non-Bahá’ís

656. The Most Great Name or Ringstone Symbol not Appropriate on Gravestones

D. Funeral services

657. Official Bahá’í Funeral Service for Believers Only

658. Utmost Simplicity and Flexibility Should be Observed…

659. No Objection to Bahá’ís Attending Non-Bahá’í Funeral of Bahá’ís

660. Obligatory Prayer for the Dead—Permissible to Change Gender

661. Prayer for the Dead to be Recited by One Believer

662. Non-Bahá’ís Can be Present When Long Prayer for the Dead is Read

663. Prayer for the Dead—Special Conditions

664. Any Prayer May be Said for a Woman—Text Must not Change

665. Memorial Gatherings

E. Cremation

666. Cremation

667. Body Can be Left to Medical Science, Remains not to be Cremated

668. The Inner Temple Beholdeth Its Physical Frame

669. Body Formed Gradually, Must Decompose Gradually

670. Spiritual Assembly Cannot Arrange for the Cremation of the Remains of a Bahá’í

671. Word 'Bahá’í' in Centre of Nine-Pointed Star Can be Used

672. Can Use Quotations from the Teachings on Tombstones

673. Possible That Non-Bahá’í Relatives Can be Buried in Bahá’í Cemetery

F. Suicide

674. Suicide Strongly Condemned in the Teachings

675. The Light Manifested by Bahá’u’lláh Can Ease Despair of Young People

676. Bahá’ís Are Free to Pray for the Dead

677. One Should Put all Thought of Suicide and Death out of Mind

678. Consolation for the Bereaved Parent

G. Life after Death; the Soul

679. Gifts and Good Deeds in Memory of Those Passed On

680. Man is Destined by God to Develop Spiritually Through Eternity

681. Regarding Non-Bahá’í Traditions

682. The Soul Will Continue to Ascend Through Many Worlds

683. We Can Help Every Soul Attain High Station

684. Intercession in the Other World

685. Bequests to the Poor

686. The Nature of the Soul After Death Can Never be Described

687. There are no Earth-Bound Souls

688. There is no Power Exercised Over People by Evil Souls that Have Passed Away

689. Soul Mates

690. Influence of Holy and Spiritual Souls

691. The Soul Acts

692. The Other World is Within This World

693. The Soul of a Murderer

694. Union in the Next World

695. Death Can Lose its Sting

696. With Vision to See Blessings of Other World, no one Would Care to Remain in This World

697. Good Souls Enter a State of Being Far Nobler and More Beautiful…

698. The Nature of the Soul

699. All Souls progress Spiritually in the Next World—Relatives of the Believers Will at Least Partially Attain Kingdom

700. Certain Things Remain a Mystery to Us in Our Present Stage of Development

701. The Prophets Never Revealed What Happens to Us After Death—Belief in God and His Prophet Elicits Spiritual Growth

702. Our Speculations on the Nature of Life After Death Have Little Validity

703. God Can be Known only Through His Prophets—Heaven and Hell Are Conditions Within our own Beings

704. The Journey of Spiritual Progress is Endless

705. How to "Get to Heaven"—Is Dependent on Two Things