The Nineteen-Day Fast is a nineteen-day period of the year during which members of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...

adhere to a sunrise-to-sunset fast. Along with obligatory prayer, it is one of the greatest obligations of a Baháʼí, and its chief purpose is spiritual: to reinvigorate the soul and bring the person closer to God. The fast was instituted by the

Báb The Báb (b. ʿAlí Muḥammad; 20 October 1819 – 9 July 1850), was the messianic founder of Bábism, and one of the central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. He was a merchant from Shiraz in Qajar Iran who, in 1844 at the age of 25, claimed ...

, and accepted by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, who stated its rules in his book of laws, the ''

Kitáb-i-Aqdas The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Arabic: The Most Holy Book) is the central religious text of the Baháʼí Faith, written by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháʼí laws and practices, much of the co ...

''. The nineteen days of fasting occur immediately before the beginning of the Baháʼí New Year, on the vernal equinox (19–21 March, depending on the year). In 2022, the first day of fasting was March 2 and the last was March 20.

History

The Báb, the founder of the Bábí Faith, instituted the

Badíʻ calendar Badíʻ (18521869) was an eminent early follower of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and considered one of his chief Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh, apostles. At the age of 17 he delivered a letter from Baháʼu'lláh to Nasiri'd-Din Sh ...

with 19 months of 19 days in his book the ''

Persian Bayán The ''Persian Bayán'' ( fa, بیان - "expression") is one of the principal scriptural writings of the Báb, the founder of Bábi religion, written in Persian. The Báb also wrote a shorter book in Arabic, known as the Arabic Bayán. Conte ...

'', and stated that the last month would be a period of fasting. The Báb stated that the true significance of the fast was abstaining from all except the love of the Messengers from God. The Báb also stated that the continuation of the fast was contingent of the approval of a messianic figure, Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest. Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, who claimed to be the one foretold by the Báb, accepted the fast, but altered many of its details and regulations. The Baháʼí fast resembles

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

practices of several other religions.

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

is a period of fasting for Christians,

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day' ...

and many other holidays for Jews, and the fast of Ramadan is practiced by Muslims. The Baháʼí fasting most resembles the fast of Ramadan, except that the period of fasting is defined as a fixed Baháʼí month, whereas Muslims fast during a

lunar month In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive syzygies of the same type: new moons or full moons. The precise definition varies, especially for the beginning of the month. Variations In Shona, Middle Eastern, and Eur ...

, whose specific Gregorian dates vary from year to year.

Definition

Baháʼu'lláh established the guidelines of the fast in the ''Kitáb-i-Aqdas'', his book of laws. Fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset during the Baháʼí month of ʻAlaʼ (between 1/2 March through 19/20 March) and it is the complete abstention from food, and drink. Observing the fast is an individual obligation, and is binding on all Baháʼís who have reached the age 15 until the age of 70; it is not enforceable by the Baháʼí administrative institutions. Various exemptions are given to the sick, the travelling, and others (see below). While Baháʼís are allowed to fast at other times during the year, fasting at other times is not encouraged and is rarely done; Baháʼu'lláh permitted the making of vows to fast, which was a Muslim practice, but he stated that he preferred that such vows be "directed to such objectives as will profit mankind."

Spiritual nature

Along with obligatory prayer, it is one of the greatest obligations of a Baháʼí and is intended to bring the person closer to

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; 1 March 1897 – 4 November 1957) was the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, appointed to the role of Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. He created a series of teaching plans that over ...

, the head of the Baháʼí Faith in the first half of the 20th century, explains that the fast "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."

Fasting impact

Baháʼí fasting is said to improve well-being, increase mindfulness, establish discipline, and create structure in daily lives of the participants.

Laws concerning fasting

There are laws and practices associated with the Nineteen Day Fast that were established by Baháʼu'lláh in the ''Kitáb-i-Aqdas'', his book of laws. *The period of fasting begins with the termination of the

Intercalary Days Intercalation or embolism in timekeeping is the insertion of a leap day, week, or month into some calendar years to make the calendar follow the seasons or moon phases. Lunisolar calendars may require intercalations of both days and months. ...

and ends with the festival of Naw-Rúz. *Abstinence from food, drink and smoking from sunrise to sunset. *Fasting is obligatory for men and women once they attain the age of 15. *If one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours, this is not breaking the fast as it is an accident. *In regions of extremely high

latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...

where the duration of days and nights vary considerably, the times of the fast are fixed by the clock. *Missed days of fasting is not required to be made up later. *There is no mention of abstention from sexual relations while fasting.

Exemptions from fasting

There are various exemptions provided in the ''Kitáb-i-Aqdas'' from the obligation of fasting. One meeting the exemptions may, however, still choose to fast if they so wish, with the exception of the ill. Baha'u'llah has stated that in "time of ill health it is not permissible to observe these obligations..." The Universal House of Justice has counseled the Baha'is that the decision of whether or not to observe an applicable exemption should be made with wisdom, keeping in mind that the exemptions were set down with good reason. Regarding those engaged in heavy labour Baha'u'llah has stated, "it is most commendable and fitting to eat with frugality and in private." *Those who are ill. *Those who are younger than 15 or older than 70. *Those who are engaged in heavy labour. *Women who are pregnant. *Women who are nursing. *Women who are menstruating (instead they must perform an ablution and recite the verse ''Glorified be God, the Lord of Splendour and Beauty'' 95 times a day). Exemptions are also given to those travelling during the fast. Exemptions are given when the travel is longer than 9 hours (or 2 hours if travelling by foot). If the traveller breaks their journey for more than nineteen days, they are only exempt from fasting for the first three days. Also if they return home, they must begin fasting right away.

Gregorian dates

References

External links

BBC report on the Nineteen Day FastUS Baháʼí site about the Nineteen Day Fast''The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting''
– a compilation from the Baháʼí writings, compiled by the Research Department of the

Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice ( fa, بیت‌العدل اعظم) is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate o ...

Baháʼí Prayers for the Fast
{{authority control Bahá'í holy days Fasting March observances