Fasting
Establishment:
We have [God has] commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of
maturity; this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your
forefathers. He hath exempted from this those who are weak from
illness or age, as a bounty from His Presence, and He is the Forgiving,
the Generous.
(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, pp. 22-23)
Importance:
In truth, I say that obligatory prayer and fasting occupy an exalted station in the sight of God.
(Baha'u'llah: Aqdas: Questions and Answers, p. 134)
As regards fasting, it constitutes, together with the obligatory prayers, the two pillars that sustain the revealed Law of God.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, p. 27)
Purpose:
For this material fast is an outer token of the spiritual fast; it is a
symbol of self-restraint, the withholding of oneself from all appetites
of the self, taking on the characteristics of the spirit, being carried
away by the breathings of heaven and catching fire from the love of God.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 70)
Besides all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and
mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests....
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i World Faith, p. 368)
The Divine wisdom in fasting is manifold. Among them is
this: As during those days (i.e., the period of fasting which the
followers afterward observe) the Manifestation of the Sun of Reality,
through Divine inspiration, is engaged in the descent (revealing) of
Verses, the instituting of Divine Law and the arrangement of teachings,
through excessive occupation and intensive attraction there remains no
condition or time for eating and drinking. For example, when His
Holiness Moses went to Mount Tur (Sinai) and there engaged in
instituting the Law of God, He fasted forty days. For the purpose
of awakening and admonishing the people of Israel, fasting was enjoined
upon them.
Likewise, His Holiness Christ, in the
beginning of instituting the Spiritual Law, the systematizing of the
teachings and the arrangement of counsels, for forty days abstained
from eating and drinking. In the beginning the disciples and
Christians fasted. Later the assemblages of the chief Christians
changed fasting into lenten observances.
Likewise the Koran having descended in the month of Ramazan, fasting during that month became a duty.
In like manner His Holiness the Supreme (the
Bab), in the beginning of the Manifestation through the excessive
effect of descending verses, passed days in which His nourishment was
reduced to tea only.
Likewise, the Blessed Beauty (Baha'o'llah),
when busy with instituting the Divine Teachings and during the days
when the Verses (The Word of God) descended continuously, through the
great effect of the Verses and the throbbing of the heart, took no food
except the least amount.
The purpose is this: In order to follow
the Divine Manifestations and for the purpose of admonition and the
commemoration of their state, it became incumbent upon the people to
fast during those days. For every sincere soul who has a beloved
longs to experience that state in which his beloved is. If his
beloved is in a state of sorrow, he desires sorrow; if in a state of
joy, he desires joy; if in a state of rest, he desires rest; if in a
state of trouble, he desires trouble.
Now, since in this Millennial Day, His
Holiness the Supreme (the Bab) fasted many days, and the Blessed Beauty
(Baha'o'llah) took but little food or drink, it becomes necessary that
the friends should follow that example....
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Lights of Guidance, p. 235)
Observance:
The fasting period, which lasts nineteen days starting as a rule from
the second of March every year and ending on the twentieth of the same
month, involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise
till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer,
of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to
make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and
reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its
significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in
character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from
selfish and carnal desires.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, pp. 28-29)
Regarding the nineteen-day fast: Its observance has been enjoined
by Baha'u'llah upon all the believers, once they attain the age of
fifteen and until they reach seventy. Children of all countries,
nationalities and classes who are fifteen years old are under this
obligation. It matters not whether they mature later in one
country than in another. The command of Baha'u'llah is universal,
irrespective of any variance in the age of maturity in different
countries and among different peoples.
In the `Aqdas' Baha'u'llah permits certain
exceptions to this general obligation of fasting, among them are
included those who do hard work, such as workers in heavy industries.
But while a universal obligation, the
observance of the nineteen day fast has been made by Baha'u'llah the
sole responsibility of the individual believer.
(Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance, p. 234)
Regarding your question concerning the Fast: Travellers are
exempt from fasting, but if they want to fast while they are
travelling, they are free to do so. You are exempt the whole
period of your travel, not just the hours you are in a train or car,
etc. If one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours, this is
not breaking the Fast as it is an accident. The age limit is 70
years, but if one desires to fast after the age limit is passed, and is
strong enough to, one is free to do so. If during the Fast period
a person falls ill and is unable to fast, but recovers before the Fast
period is over, he can start to fast again and continue until the
end. Of course the Fast, as you know, can only be kept during the
month set aside for that purpose.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, p. 29)
As to your question regarding the Fast: If there is any doubt in
the mind of a person as to whether it will really be bad for that
person's health to keep it, the best doctor's advice should be
obtained. But generally speaking most people can keep it,
anywhere in the world, with no detriment to their health. It is
very good for the health and, once one forms the habit, each year it
becomes easier to keep, unless one is rundown. No one is obliged
to keep it if it really harms them.
(Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance, pp. 234-235)
Fasting
Establishment:
We have [God has] commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of
maturity; this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your
forefathers. He hath exempted from this those who are weak from
illness or age, as a bounty from His Presence, and He is the Forgiving,
the Generous.
(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, pp. 22-23)
Importance:
In truth, I say that obligatory prayer and fasting occupy an exalted station in the sight of God.
(Baha'u'llah: Aqdas: Questions and Answers, p. 134)
As regards fasting, it constitutes, together with the obligatory prayers, the two pillars that sustain the revealed Law of God.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, p. 27)
Purpose:
For this material fast is an outer token of the spiritual fast; it is a
symbol of self-restraint, the withholding of oneself from all appetites
of the self, taking on the characteristics of the spirit, being carried
away by the breathings of heaven and catching fire from the love of God.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, p. 70)
Besides all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and
mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests....
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i World Faith, p. 368)
The Divine wisdom in fasting is manifold. Among them is
this: As during those days (i.e., the period of fasting which the
followers afterward observe) the Manifestation of the Sun of Reality,
through Divine inspiration, is engaged in the descent (revealing) of
Verses, the instituting of Divine Law and the arrangement of teachings,
through excessive occupation and intensive attraction there remains no
condition or time for eating and drinking. For example, when His
Holiness Moses went to Mount Tur (Sinai) and there engaged in
instituting the Law of God, He fasted forty days. For the purpose
of awakening and admonishing the people of Israel, fasting was enjoined
upon them.
Likewise, His Holiness Christ, in the
beginning of instituting the Spiritual Law, the systematizing of the
teachings and the arrangement of counsels, for forty days abstained
from eating and drinking. In the beginning the disciples and
Christians fasted. Later the assemblages of the chief Christians
changed fasting into lenten observances.
Likewise the Koran having descended in the month of Ramazan, fasting during that month became a duty.
In like manner His Holiness the Supreme (the
Bab), in the beginning of the Manifestation through the excessive
effect of descending verses, passed days in which His nourishment was
reduced to tea only.
Likewise, the Blessed Beauty (Baha'o'llah),
when busy with instituting the Divine Teachings and during the days
when the Verses (The Word of God) descended continuously, through the
great effect of the Verses and the throbbing of the heart, took no food
except the least amount.
The purpose is this: In order to follow
the Divine Manifestations and for the purpose of admonition and the
commemoration of their state, it became incumbent upon the people to
fast during those days. For every sincere soul who has a beloved
longs to experience that state in which his beloved is. If his
beloved is in a state of sorrow, he desires sorrow; if in a state of
joy, he desires joy; if in a state of rest, he desires rest; if in a
state of trouble, he desires trouble.
Now, since in this Millennial Day, His
Holiness the Supreme (the Bab) fasted many days, and the Blessed Beauty
(Baha'o'llah) took but little food or drink, it becomes necessary that
the friends should follow that example....
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Lights of Guidance, p. 235)
Observance:
The fasting period, which lasts nineteen days starting as a rule from
the second of March every year and ending on the twentieth of the same
month, involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise
till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer,
of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to
make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and
reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its
significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in
character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from
selfish and carnal desires.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, pp. 28-29)
Regarding the nineteen-day fast: Its observance has been enjoined
by Baha'u'llah upon all the believers, once they attain the age of
fifteen and until they reach seventy. Children of all countries,
nationalities and classes who are fifteen years old are under this
obligation. It matters not whether they mature later in one
country than in another. The command of Baha'u'llah is universal,
irrespective of any variance in the age of maturity in different
countries and among different peoples.
In the `Aqdas' Baha'u'llah permits certain
exceptions to this general obligation of fasting, among them are
included those who do hard work, such as workers in heavy industries.
But while a universal obligation, the
observance of the nineteen day fast has been made by Baha'u'llah the
sole responsibility of the individual believer.
(Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance, p. 234)
Regarding your question concerning the Fast: Travellers are
exempt from fasting, but if they want to fast while they are
travelling, they are free to do so. You are exempt the whole
period of your travel, not just the hours you are in a train or car,
etc. If one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours, this is
not breaking the Fast as it is an accident. The age limit is 70
years, but if one desires to fast after the age limit is passed, and is
strong enough to, one is free to do so. If during the Fast period
a person falls ill and is unable to fast, but recovers before the Fast
period is over, he can start to fast again and continue until the
end. Of course the Fast, as you know, can only be kept during the
month set aside for that purpose.
(Shoghi Effendi: Directives of the Guardian, p. 29)
As to your question regarding the Fast: If there is any doubt in
the mind of a person as to whether it will really be bad for that
person's health to keep it, the best doctor's advice should be
obtained. But generally speaking most people can keep it,
anywhere in the world, with no detriment to their health. It is
very good for the health and, once one forms the habit, each year it
becomes easier to keep, unless one is rundown. No one is obliged
to keep it if it really harms them.
(Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance, pp. 234-235)
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Bahá’ís
of Dana Point, California, USA - all rights reserved.