Briefly the law for the burial of the dead states that it is
forbidden to carry the body for more than one hour's journey from the place of
death; that the body should be wrapped in a shroud of silk or cotton, and on
its finger should be placed a ring bearing the inscription "I came forth
from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His
Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate"; and that the coffin should be of
crystal, stone or hard fine wood. A specific Prayer for the Dead is ordained,
to be said before interment. It has been explained by 'Abdu'l Baha and the
Guardian that this law prohibits cremation of the dead. The formal prayer and
the ring are meant to be used for those who have attained the age of maturity.
- The Universal House of Justice (‘A Synopsis and Codification of the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Burial)
