Bahá’ís are observing the annual Fast, which takes place in the last month of the Bahá’í calendar and is known as the month of ‘Alá (Loftiness). Believers fast from sunrise to sunset for 19 days, culminating in the spring equinox on 20 or 21 March. The festival of Naw-Rúz takes place on the first day of the new Bahá’í year, which falls this year on 21 March.
Each month in the Bahá’í calendar is named after an attribute of God.
To read a personal view on fasting from a Bahá’í teacher, take a look at the ‘People of Faith’ blog on RE:Online’s website.