We have received your letter of 14th December inquiring
which funeral prayer is considered as the desirable one for use in Europe,
whether there is any obligatory prayer and what instructions are concerning
standing at a Bahá'í funeral service.
The only obligatory prayer for use at Bahá'í funerals is the
prayer No. 167 in 'Prayers and Meditations'. This prayer should be recited by
one of those present and all present should stand while it is being read. There
is no requirement to face the Qiblih or any other particular direction while
this prayer is being read.
The reading of any other prayers or writings at a Bahá'í
funeral is entirely optional. In general, it is desirable to keep the service
simple and dignified.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 31 January 1971 to the
National Spiritual Assembly of Finland; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)
