Bahá'í Beliefs & Resources Relating to Healthcare Providers

GUIDELINES FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS INTERACTING WITH PATIENTS OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH AND THEIR FAMILIES

BAHÁ'Í BELIEFS RELATED TO HEALTH CARE

From a Bahá’í viewpoint, true health extends beyond the physical. For an individual and a community to be healthy, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical well being are all required. The Bahá’í Faith teaches that individuals should seek the assistance of competent physicians for medical treatment. Since the Bahá’í Faith teaches that true science and religion cannot contradict each other, the application of medical and technological advances does not contradict Bahá’í beliefs.

Physicians

Consultation with expert doctors for somatic and psychological conditions is strongly encouraged.

Blood Transfusions

Blood transfusions are allowed for Bahá'ís

Prescription Drugs

There are no limitations on prescribed drugs for Bahá’ís.

Organ Transplants and Amputations

Bahá’ís can receive and donate organs. Bahá’ís are free to have an amputation if required.

Religious Objects

Bahá’ís may wish to have symbols such as a picture of a nine-pointed star present in their hospital room. It should be placed in a position of respect. Other objects may include a photograph of ‘Abdul-Bahá, son of the Prophet Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, a prayer book, or other books containing Bahá’í Writings. No special room is needed for prayers.

MEDICAL & NURSING CARE

There are no prohibitions for Bahá'ís around the use of blood transfusions, organ transplants, amputations or advanced medical technology. In care giving, the patient’s spiritual needs and dignity should be supported whenever possible.

From a Bahá’í point of view, the soul is present from conception, therefore abortion is not considered acceptable as a means of birth control, but is allowable for medical reasons.

SPIRITUAL CARE/PRAYERS

Bahá’ís pray daily and believe sickness can be healed both through the use of medicine and the use of prayer. As there is no clergy in the Bahá’í Faith, the believers are free to pray and consult about medical decisions according to their own best judgement.

Readings from the Bahá’í Sacred Writings, the Bible, the Koran, other holy books or inspirational texts may be read at the bedside of an ill Bahá’í.

DIET/FOOD PREFERENCE & PRACTICES

There are no dietary restrictions for Bahá’ís. The Bahá’í writings, however, point to nutrition as an essential factor in maintaining and restoring good health. There is a period of fasting during the Bahá'í year (19 days in March) however there are many exceptions to this including ill health, travel and pregnancy. For Bahá'ís fasting is not seen as a practice of asceticism or penance but as a spiritual practice which is a time for prayer and meditation.

Bahá'ís do not drink alcohol for recreational purposes but if there is no prohibition on the use of alcohol should it be medically necessary.

END OF LIFE CARE

Advance Directives - The decision to remove or withhold life support in medical cases where intervention prolongs life in disabling illness must be left to those responsible, notably the patient/surrogate and the physician.

BURIAL

The body of the departed should be treated with honor and respect, and the family or local governing body of the Bahá’í should be contacted. There are no formal last rites for Bahá’ís. However, prayers may be offered by family, friends, or hospital clergy. The burial should take place within an hour’s travel time from the place of death. There is no restriction on the mode of travel for the journey.

There is no provision as to the time limit before burial. However, the sooner it takes place the more fitting and preferable. Embalming of the body is to be avoided. When circumstances do not permit interment of the body soon after passing, or when it is a legal requirement, the body may be embalmed provided the process delays the natural decomposition of the body for a short time only.

Autopsies are permitted.

At their discretion, family members may participate in preparing the body for burial. It should be carefully washed and placed in a shroud of white cloth, preferably silk. If a Bahá’í burial ring is available, it should be placed on the finger of the deceased.

CREMATION

According to Bahá’í teachings, burial is considered preferable and cremation is discouraged.

EMBRYOS/FETUSES

Since Bahá’ís believe that the soul is present from conception, the embryo/fetus should be treated with respect regardless how young it is. The burial of embryos/fetuses should be left to the discretion of the parents whenever possible. It should not be incinerated if this can be prevented.

ANATOMICAL GIFTS

If Bahá’ís choose to leave their body to medical science it must be treated with respect. Remains should not be cremated as this is against Bahá’í teachings. As described in the End of Life section, the remains should be buried.

BAHÁ'Í HEALING PRAYERS

Bahá'ís have many prayers including prayers for healing. Here are some online links to healing prayers that may be of use to you or your Bahá'í patient -

Long Healing Prayer - (performed by Nancy Ward)

Short Healing Prayer - (performed by Luke Slott)

Here are some other links to prayers that might be comforting for a Bahá'í patient -

Unite - (performed by Ali Youssefi and friends)

Remover of Difficulties (performed by Luke Slott)

SHORT BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION TO THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH

The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder,Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Baháís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

The Baháí Faith is recognized as being the second most widespread religion in the world next to Christianity. There are Baháí communities throughout Ireland who are working to contribute their share to the betterment of society and to an increasingly unified and
just world.

There is no clergy in the Bahá'í Faith. Elected bodies, known as Local Spiritual Assemblies administer the affairs of the community. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í of Ireland is the administrative body for the Bahá’ís of Ireland.

The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Baháís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

The Baháí Faith is recognized as being the second most widespread religion in the world next to Christianity. There are Baháí communities throughout Ireland who are working to contribute their share to the betterment of society and to an increasingly unified and
just world.

There is no clergy in the Bahá'í Faith. Elected bodies, known as Local Spiritual Assemblies administer the affairs of the community. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í of Ireland is the administrative body for the Bahá’ís of Ireland.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Bahá’í beliefs address such essential themes as:

- the oneness of God and religion,
- the oneness of humanity and freedom from prejudice,
- the inherent nobility of the human being,
- the progressive revelation of religious truth,
- the development of spiritual qualities,
- the integration of worship and service,
- the fundamental equality of the sexes,
- the harmony between religion and science,
- the centrality of justice to all human endeavours,
- the importance of education.

CULTURE AND CELEBRATIONS

As with marriages, burials and other elements of Bahá'í community life, there exists considerable variation across the globe in the cultural details of the basic structure of the Feast. In addition there are a number of Holy Days that commemorate events in Bahá’í history.

RESOURCES/REFERENCES

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Ireland,

24, Burlington Road Dublin 4.

01 26683150

nsairl@bahai.ie

Official website of the Baháís of Ireland www.bahai.ie