(For information on funeral planning and burial, please contact a Bahá’í institution)
Guidance from the Bahá’í Writings:
“This connection between them is a spiritual one, hence it is a bond that will abide forever. Likewise do they enjoy strong and lasting ties in the physical world as well, for if the marriage is based both on the spirit and the body, that union is a true one, hence it will endure. If, however, the bond is physical and nothing more, it is sure to be only temporary, and must inexorably end in separation. When, therefore, the people of Bahá undertake to marry, the union must be a true relationship, a spiritual coming together as well as a physical one, so that throughout every phase of life, and in all the worlds of God, their union will endure; for this real oneness is a gleaming out of the love of God.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 117)
"How does one look forward to the goal of any journey? With hope and with expectation. It is even so with the end of this earthly journey. In the next world, man will find himself freed from many of the disabilities under which he now suffers. Those who have passed on through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the Kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call 'time and place.' Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation.
"In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you! When you do not know it, and are in a receptive attitude, they are able to make suggestions to you, if you are in difficulty. This sometimes happens in sleep. but there is no phenomenal intercourse! That which seems like phenomenal intercourse has another explanation." The questioner exclaimed; "But I have heard a voice!" 'Abdu'l-Bahá said: "Yes, that is possible; we hear voices clearly in dreams. It is not with the physical ear that you heard; the spirit of those that have passed on are freed from sense-life, and do not use physical means. It is not possible to put these great matters into human words; the language of man is the language of children, and man's explanation often leads astray." ('Abdu'l-Bahá in London, p. 96)
Some Perspectives from Marriage Transformation:
The passing of a spouse, child, parent, or other relative, whether sudden or gradual, is often a mix of pain, joy, grief, confusion, anger, regret, and more. Grief is a non-linear process that can surprise people at unexpected times and in baffling ways. At times people will likely feel still very connected to their loved one. As you pray, there is a connection made. At other times, the distance between those here in the physical world and the one who has gone on seems huge. However, the Writings assure us that we are never alone.
We are still learning in the Bahá’í community how to help those who are grieving. Adjusting to the passing of a loved one is a major transition. Those experiencing this situation may be able to still be active in community life. Alternatively, they may also need to withdraw from activities for awhile. Each person's journey is different. The tendency when someone passes is to offer support during the funeral and for a brief period after. However, the grief process often goes on in various forms for years.
For communities that can offer grief support for longer than the initial period, the following are links to downloadable pdf files that can be used by individuals and for informal Bahá’í grief support groups.
Note: The following resources contain some quotations from the Bahá’í Writings and some Marriage Transformation material.
