Beginning of the Bahá’í Fast
March 2 · Level 1 · #2074 of 2238
The Bahá’í Fast begins a nineteen-day period of prayer and reflection before Naw-Rúz, the Bahá’í New Year. Abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours accompanies a broader focus on spiritual renewal and the habits of everyday life.
How it is celebrated: those observing the fast eat and drink before sunrise and after sunset, making time for prayer and sacred writings. Exemptions include illness, pregnancy and breastfeeding, among other circumstances.
The fast fills an entire month of the Bahá’í calendar. That calendar has nineteen months of nineteen days, plus additional days outside the months.