Fasting Chart

Fasting Across Religions Do all religions have fasting days? Use this chart to see which faiths have fasting or an equivalent. BAHA'I | BUDDHIST | CATHOLIC | EASTERN ORTHODOX | HINDU | JEWISH MORMON | MUSLIM | PAGAN | EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT | MAINLINE PROTESTANT

Religion

When they fast

How they fast

Why they fast

Baha'i

The Baha'i fast takes place during Abstain from food To focus on love Ala, the 19th and drink from of God and month of the sunrise to sunset. spiritual matters. Baha' year, from March 2-20. A method of purification. All the main Theravadin and Depending on the branches of Tendai Buddhist Buddhist tradition, Buddhism practice monks fast as a fasting usually some periods of means of freeing means abstaining fasting, usually on the mind. Some from solid food, full-moon days Tibetan Buddhist with some liquids and other monks fast to aid permitted. holidays. yogic feats, like generating inner heat. Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat on all Fridays in Lent. For many centuries, Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on all Fridays, but since the mid-1960s, On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, two small meals and one regular meal are allowed; meat is forbidden. On Fridays in Lent, no meat is allowed. For the optional Friday fast, some people substitute a different penance Teaches control of fleshly desires, penance for sins, and solidarity with the poor. The Lenten fast prepares the soul for a great feast by practicing austerity. The Good Friday fast commemorates the day Christ suffered.

Buddhist

Catholic

abstaining from or special prayer meat on Fridays instead of fasting. outside of Lent has been a matter of local discretion. There are several fast periods, including Lent, Apostles' Fast, Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast, and several one-day fasts. Every Wednesday and Friday is considered a fast day, except those that fall during designated "fastfree weeks." Fasting is commonly practiced on New Moon days and during festivals such as Shivaratri, Saraswati Puja, and Durga Puja (also known as Navaratri). Women in North India also fast on the day of Karva Chauth. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the best-known fast day. The Jewish calendar has six other fast days as well, including Tisha B'Av, the day on which the

Eastern Orthodox

In general, meat, dairy products, and eggs are prohibited. Fish is prohibited on some fast days and allowed on others.

Strengthens resistance to gluttony; helps open a person to God's grace.

Hindu

Depends on the individual. Fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from any food or drink, but is more often an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water. On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, eating and drinking are forbidden for a 25-hour period, from sundown to sundown. On the other fast days, eating and

A way to enhance concentration during meditation or worship; purification for the system; sometimes considered a sacrifice.

Jewish

Atonement for sins and/or special requests to God.

destruction of the Jewish Temple took place.

drinking are forbidden only from sunrise to sundown. Closeness to God; concentration on God and religion. Individual or family fasts might be held to petition for a specific cause, such as healing for one who is sick or help with making a difficult decision.

Mormon

Abstaining from food and drink for two consecutive The first Sunday meals and of each month is a donating food or fast day. money to the Individuals, needy. After the families, or wards fast, church may hold other members fasts at will. participate in a "fast and testimony meeting." Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that commemorates the period when the Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Various Muslim customs recommend days and periods of fasting in addition to Ramadan.

Muslim

Some Muslims fast every Monday (some say Thursday) because Abstain from Prophet food, drink, Muhammad was smoking, profane said to do this, and language, and some fast during sexual intercourse the month of from before the Sha'baan, which break of dawn precedes until sunset for the Ramadan, and entire month. especially during the three days leading up to Ramadan.

Pagan

Intended to purify a person No organized fast At the discretion energetically; days, but some of the individual-- often used to raise pagans choose to some totally vibrational levels fast in preparation abstain from food, as preparation for for Ostara (Spring others reduce how magical work. Equinox). much they eat. Ostara fasting is used to cleanse oneself from

heavier winter foods. Evangelical fasts have become increasingly Though some popular in recent people abstain years, with people from food or drink fasting for entirely, others spiritual drink only water nourishment, or juice, eat only solidarity with certain foods, skip impoverished certain meals, or people, a abstain from counterbalance to temptations, modern consumer edible or not. culture, or to petition God for special needs. For spiritual improvement or to advance a political or social-justice agenda. One example: the ELCA's "Campaign of Prayer, Fasting, and Vigils."

At the discretion of individuals, Protestant churches, (Evangelical) organizations, or communities.

Protestant (Mainline)

Not a major part of the tradition, but fasts can be held at the discretion of communities, churches, other groups, and individuals.

Discretion of those fasting.

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