The Baha'i Fast begins at dawn March 1st...

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Following Ayyam-i-Ha is the Baha'i Fast. The Fast is prescribed by Baha'u'llah and lasts nineteen days during the month of 'Ala" or "loftiness" . Baha'is abstain from food and liquids between sunrise and sunset for nineteen days.

We have 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, .... In regions where
the days and nights grow long, let times of prayer be
gauged by clocks and other instruments that mark the
passage of the hours. He, verily, is the Expounder, the
Wise.

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 22)


Fasting begins for youth of fifteen years of age and ends for those of seventy years of age.

There are exemptions from fasting allowed for those who are ill

God hath exempted women who are in their
courses from obligatory prayer and fasting. Let them,
instead, after performance of their ablutions, give
praise unto God, repeating ninety-five times between
the noon of one day and the next "Glorified be God, the 24
Lord of Splendour and Beauty".

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 23)

Some additional exemptions:

women who are pregnant
and those who are nursing. This exemption is also extended
to people who are engaged in heavy labour, who, at the
same time, are advised "to show respect to the law of God and for
the exalted station of the Fast" by eating "with frugality and in
private"

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 179)

 

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One other exemption allowed during the Baha'i Fast is for those who are travelling...

The traveller, the ailing, those who are with child or
giving suck, are not bound by the Fast; they have been
exempted by God as a token of His grace. He, verily, is
the Almighty, the Most Generous.

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 25)

5. Exemption from fasting is granted to:

a. Travellers

i. Provided the journey exceeds 9
hours.

ii. Those travelling on foot,
provided the journey exceeds 2
hours.

iii. Those who break their journey
for less than 19 days.

.............................................................................

Travelling for nine hours in the middle east in the days of Baha'u'llah could be quite rigorous... there was no jet travel or in-flight services in those days.

 

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I promised myself I would learn to recite a prayer for the Fast so here are the first four paragraphs of a prayer for the Fast revealed by Baha'u'llah:

I beseech Thee, o my God, by Thy mighty Sign, and by the revelation of Thy grace amongst men, to cast me not away from the gate of the city of Thy presence, and to disappoint not the hopes I have set on the manifestations of Thy grace amidst Thy creatures. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy most sweet Voice and by Thy most exalted Word, to draw me ever nearer to the threshold of Thy door, and to suffer me not to be far removed from the shadow of Thy mercy and the canopy of Thy bounty. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by the splendor of Thy luminous brow and the brightness of the light of Thy countenance, which shineth from the all-highest horizon, to attract me by the fragrance of Thy raiment, and make me drink of the choice wine of Thine utterance. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy hair which moveth across Thy face, even as Thy most exalted pen moveth across the pages of Thy Tablets, shedding the musk of hidden meanings over the kingdom of Thy creation, so to raise me up to serve Thy Cause that I shall not fall back, nor be hindered by the suggestions of them who have caviled at Thy signs and turned away from Thy face. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 237)

I'll be focusing on these words and next focus on succeeding sections of the prayer.

 

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Further verses to reflect upon during the Fast:

I beseech Thee, O my God, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and the murmur of the breezes of Thine utterance in the kingdom of Thy names, to remove me far from whatsoever Thy will abhorreth, and draw me nigh unto the station wherein He Who is the Dayspring of Thy signs hath shone forth. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by that Letter which, as soon as it proceeded our of the mouth of Thy will, hath caused the oceans to surge, and the winds to blow, and the fruits to be revealed, and the trees to spring forth, and all past traces to vanish, and all veils to be rent asunder, and them who are devoted to Thee to hasten unto the light of the countenance of their Lord, the Unconstrained, to make known unto me what lay hid in the treasuries of Thy knowledge and concealed within the repositories of Thy wisdom. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by the fire of Thy love which drove sleep from the eyes of Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones, and by their remembrance and praise of Thee at the hour of dawn, to number me with such as have attained unto that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and manifested through Thy will. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by the light of Thy countenance which impelled them who are nigh unto Thee to meet the darts of Thy decree, and such as are devoted to Thee to face the swords of Thine enemies in Thy path, to write down for me with Thy most exalted Pen what Thou hast written down for Thy trusted ones and Thy chosen ones. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 237)

 

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How to have a healthy Fast...from an article by Susan Gammage

March 10, 2009



1. Don’t gorge in the evenings: Large meals should be avoided because they can cause the digestive system to block after a long day of fasting. Therefore, break your fast with dates and water or juice as they contain simple sugars that can be absorbed easily by the body. Then try to have a balanced meal – soups are a good choice as they don’t stress the stomach and hydrate the body.

2. Stay off the Salt: Salty foods should be avoided as they will retain water in the body and cause discomfort.

3. Hydrate Yourself: A lack of fluids makes the body prone to dehydration and more likely to retain fats and toxins. So, drink ample quantities of water and fresh juices.

4. Eat Yoghurt: Yogurt is recommended at both meals, as it contains friendly bacteria which benefit the digestive tract. Yoghurt also helps digestion and cleanses the intestines from harmful bacteria. Also, it is a good source of calcium and protein.

5. Avoid Sugar and Grease: Fried foods and sweets should be consumed in moderation as they are full of saturated fats which raise cholesterol and adversely affect your health.

6. Get Moving:Exercise is very important during the Fast as it helps you maintain your body weight by burning the extra-calories and eliminating stress. It also has an essential role in preventing constipation.

7. Don’t Skip Breakfast: Many people tend to skip breakfast; however skipping meals will slow down your metabolism and lead to fatigue and distress. For Suhoor, try to choose foods that contain protein, complex carbohydrates and high-fibre foods such as wheat, oats, beans, whole grain bread, vegetables and seasonable fruits.Fibers and proteins take a long time to be digested so you won’t feel hungry.

8. Avoid Tea and Coffee: Tea, Coffee and carbonated beverages remove calcium from your body. It is therefore recommended that you avoid them especially at breakfast, as they increase salt and water excretion which your body needs during fasting.

9. Don’t neglect Protein: Consumption of protein is important in order to prevent muscle wasting; vegetarians should consider this when choosing non-animal protein sources.

10. Finish with Fruit: Intake of fruits after a meal is highly beneficial and provides the body with nutrients. Fasting could be effective in treating of moderate (non-insulin) diabetes, obesity and hypertension as the process lowers the blood sugar levels, cholesterol and the systolic blood pressure.

Nathalie Haddad, leading Dietician and Managing Director of Right Bite cautions: “It is highly important to eat moderately and focus on well-balanced and low-fat meals during the Fast. A light, healthy breakfast, one that is high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, will help prevent tiredness, poor concentration, dizziness and headaches. At dinner, it is important to consume food from all five groups with minimum fat content and to control portion sizes in order to avoid weight gain.”

 

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The above prayer rendered in Arabic for the Fast in posts nos. 3 and 4 above can be found recited in "You tube"... English translation as above is superimposed.