Rituals in the Baha'i Faith

May be because of its democratic and accepting precepts, the baha’i religion appears to be very suspicious of any religious ritual or ceremony. At the brunch, when I mentioned to my Baha’i interlocutors the religious gathering we had just attended, they told me not to call it a mass or celebration. They preferred the more secular terms of gathering or meeting. I was told how the religion had no minister. When nine adult members of the religion gather, we have a local spiritual assembly, which administrate Baha’i concern on a local level. On the same model, the entire Baha’i followers are under the administration of the Universal House of Justice, a group of nine people who are elected democratically and oversee the religion’s concerns internationally.

There are no rituals surrounding birth and very little prescriptions for death rituals. Children are invited to join the religion at fifteen years old, if they wish to. All this was confirmed by the writings of Shoghi Effendi, one of the main authors of the faith. Effendi (1980) writes that: “It is free from any form of ecclesiasticism, has neither priesthood nor rituals, and is supported exclusively by voluntary contributions made by its avowed adherents.”

The reasons are further explained: “In former ages priesthoods were necessary, because people were illiterate and uneducated and were dependent on priests for their religious instruction, for the conduct of religious rites and ceremonies, for the administration of justice, et cetera. Now, however, times have changed. Education is fast becoming universal, and if the commands of Baha'u'llah are carried out, every boy and girl in the world will receive a sound education. Each individual will then be able to study the Scriptures for himself, to draw the Water of Life for himself, direct from the Fountainhead. Elaborate rites and ceremonies, requiring the services of a special profession or caste, have no place in the Baha'i system; and the administration of justice is entrusted to the authorities instituted for that purpose.”

Of course, marriage requires some form of symbolic ritual to happen. But directives are left to the strict minimum: “Ideally, once approval has been given, the marriage should take place within 3 months. The Baha'i marriage ceremony itself is very simple. All that is required is that the bride and groom each say, in front of witnesses, "We will all, verily, abide by the will of God". Everything else is left to the couple's choice and can reflect the culture of the area or of the participants. Usually the couple will choose prayers and readings and will have their friends and relatives sharing the ceremony.” Effendi (1965)Bahá'ís believe that the soul is eternal and that even after death the physical body should be treated with respect. When a person dies, the body must be buried the next day at less than an hour’s journey from the place of death. Embalming and cremation are prohibited for Bahá'ís, unless required by law.

Organ donation is allowed. Bodies may be donated for research but must be treated with respect and eventually buried within one hour's journey from the place of death. (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New Zealand)

If the Baha’i faith holds very little rituals, adepts still have some simple prescriptions to follow. One of them is a daily prayer and daily meditation. Another one is a yearly fast between the 2nd of March and the 20th, similar to the one of the Muslim faith, when no eating or drinking is allowed between sunrise and sunset. Baha’is are also forbidden to drink alcohol or take drugs, unless this is prescribed by a doctor.