Introduction
The period of fasting is fixed in the Bahá'í Faith from March 2 to March 20. Bahá'ís fast in this period of 19 days from sunrise to sunset and completely abstain from food during this time. In this duration times are also set for prayers and meditation. Followers are expected to devote their time in spiritual activities and abstain from selfish and carnal desires.

Time of fasting
The nineteenth month following the intercalary days, is the month of the fast. The fast always falls in the same season when it is spring in the northern and autumn in the southern hemisphere. It never falls in the extreme of summer or winter when it would become extremely hard to observe it. Moreover, the interval between sunrise and sunset is approximately the same all over the habitable portion of the globe, from about 6 am to 6 pm. Fast ends with the festivities of Naw-Rúz.

The Fast
It involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation, prayer and spiritual recuperation in which believer must try to invigorate the spiritual forces latent in the soul.

Children below the age of fifteen, travelers, sick, pregnant women, mothers breast feeding their children are exempted from fast.