Synonym
therapeutic fasting, diet, nutrition, losing weight, religious fasting
- Fasting
- Removing fasting
- Fasting Guide
- Fasting History
- Fasting risks
- Lent
- Fasting cure
In many religions, fasting is an integral part of religious life. In ancient Egypt, the distortion of fish was avoided during the spawning season. In Christianity, Lent is known 40 days before Easter, when alcohol, sweets and other stimulants must be renounced and is a reminder of the suffering, fasting and praying of Jesus in the desert.
While fasting during the Advent season is less common among Christians today, many Christians still practice the pre-Easter fasting period regularly. A somewhat different fasting practice is used by the Orthodox secessions of the Christian Church and the Catholic Church. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics fast relatively strictly and eat food only once a day.
Furthermore, there are four fasting periods of several weeks in the Orthodox Churches spread over the whole year. In this time should be renounced the meal of animal products as well as fat and oil. Some strictly orthodox religion groups apply this chamfering practice also each Wednesday and each Friday.
In Judaism several chamfering days in the year are described, on which very strictly chamfered and partly 24 hours no food may be taken to itself. Furthermore, sexual intercourse and washing for pleasure must be avoided. The fasting day also practiced by less faithful Jews is the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur, which is celebrated once a year.
Neither solid nor liquid food is consumed from sunset to the next sunset. Children are exempt from fasting and should only practice the ritual from the age of 12. The in former times still widespread mourning fasting after deaths is no longer frequently used in Judaism today.
Also in Hinduism religious fasting is partly practiced. There the chamfering usually initiates a celebration or a ritual. Furthermore many Hindus fast on full moon and new moon days.
The eleventh day afterwards is spent by many Hindus likewise as chamfering day. Also chamfered in this religion can be used situationally and person-referred in this religion. For example, a woman can renounce certain foods for a certain period of time in order to request that her husband gets well again or similar.
The probably best known and most extensive chamfered is known from the Islam. In the month of Ramadan, 30-day fasting is mandatory for every devout Muslim. From sunrise to sunset, no solid or liquid food may be consumed.
Only small children, old and sick people, pregnant women, travelers and nursing mothers are exempt from this fasting rule. Apart from abstaining from food, no perfume may be used and sexual intercourse must be avoided. Furthermore it should not be argued in this time.
At the end of Ramadan the three-day fasting break festival follows. The probably most radical form of religious fasting is known from Jainism, an Indian religious secession. Fasting is practiced for the purification of the soul and for the purification of the kamar and is practiced very extremely. In very extreme cases, fasting until death is also practiced, which is described by religion as the salvation.
