Egypt’s small Baha’i religious community is running out of burial space in Cairo, highlighting wider difficulties its members say they face in accessing official recognition and basic civil rights.
The community’s last remaining burial ground in the capital is becoming overcrowded, with graves packed closely together. Members fear that once the cemetery is full, they will have nowhere suitable to bury their dead.
The Baha’i faith originated in 19th century Iran and spread to Egypt in the 1860s. Its followers believe its founder, Baha’u’llah, was a prophet. Although Egypt’s population is predominantly Muslim, the country’s Baha’i community is estimated to number in the thousands.
Egypt’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, but Baha’is say they continue to face administrative barriers because their faith is not officially recognised in the same way as Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Burial arrangements are particularly challenging because Baha’i practices restrict the distance a body may be transported to no more than an hour’s journey from the place of death. Burial grounds previously used by the community in Alexandria and Port Said have reportedly been filled or reassigned, forcing some families to transport relatives to Cairo.
Marina Samir of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights said requests for new burial grounds in Alexandria and Port Said had been rejected without clear written explanations.
Egypt’s government said in a previous response to a United Nations human rights report that it did not restrict personal beliefs or religious affiliation, including adherence to the Baha’i faith. Citing government data, it also said sufficient burial sites were available to meet citizens’ needs.
Beyond burial arrangements, Baha’is say they face difficulties registering marriages and accessing services linked to official family records.
A 2009 court ruling allowed people who do not follow Islam, Christianity or Judaism to leave the religion field blank on identity documents. However, Baha’i marriages are often not recognised in official records, leaving some couples legally classified as single despite decades of marriage.
Hanan Kamal El-Din, 65, said her identity card lists her as single despite a Baha’i marriage ceremony 45 years ago and having two adult children. A court initially recognised her marriage in 2020, but a higher court overturned that decision in January 2026.
Other community members fear that the lack of official marriage recognition could affect health insurance, inheritance, pensions and the registration of children.
For Egypt’s Baha’is, the shortage of burial space and difficulties with official documentation reflect a broader demand for equal treatment as citizens, regardless of religious belief.
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