The Baha’i Fast, is that in the last month of the Bahá’í calendar, which covers the period from February to March 21, Bahá’ís refraining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset sun.

Period

The Baha’i fasting is done once a year for 19 days in the period between February to March 21. The fast always falls in the same season, finishing on the March equinox, including the spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern, so never in the extreme heat of summer or the frigid cold of winter when there could be more difficult.

In this season also, the interval between sunrise and sunset is approximately the same in most of the habitable planet, consisting of about six hours in the morning until six o’clock. The last month in which fasting is practiced calls to Ala (sublime) and comes just days after the interim (which are 4 and 5 when is leap year).


Practice

Fasting, according to Bahá’í teachings, is considered the practice of significance. Usually the Baha’is who do agree to feed at dawn, before sunrise, recite or read scriptures individually, many of which were exclusively revealed to the fast and do not return to feed after sunset sunset.

Fasting is not compulsory for children, the sick, travelers, elderly or very weak, pregnant or those with working hard.
Cquote1.svg you know that religion is like heaven, and the obligatory prayer and fasting is its sun and moon. We beseech God, exalted and glorified, who kindly sustain each one who acts according to His will and His good pleasure.

Meanings

Fasting is considered a time of reflection and commemoration of God, symbolizing the spiritual nourishment. Also due to the fact that the last month, is also a preparation for a new year.

Many Baha’is also defend the importance of physical fasting, with respect to health and cleanliness, taking into account also the moderation in food, through the natural self-orientation with respect to a lusty appetite. Although that withdrawal is carried out physically, the idea that practice is of spiritual origin, represents the cleansing of the body through the shedding of worldly desires or selfish. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says:
Cquote1.svg Fasting is a symbol.

Fasting means abstaining from lust. Fasting symbolizes physical and at the same time reminds us that abstinence, ie, the same way that a person abstains from physical appetites to satisfy, must also refrain from selfish desires. The mere abstinence from food no influence on the mind. It’s just a symbol, a means of remembering. Its importance goes beyond that.

Fasting for this purpose does not mean entire abstinence from food. The golden rule about food is that we should not feed too much or poorly. Moderation is needed .

Source: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jejum_Bahá’í

See Also: idul fitri, hamper hari raya, hari raya hampers