The Kitáb-i-Aqdas : The Most Holy Book
Notes
latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires.
Fasting is enjoined on all the believers once they attain the age of 15 and until they reach the age of 70 years.
A summary of the detailed provisions concerning the law of fasting and of the exemptions granted to certain categories of people is contained in the Synopsis and Codification, section
IV.B.1.-6. For a discussion of the exemptions from fasting see notes
14,
20,
30 and
31.
The nineteen-day period of fasting coincides with the
Bahá’í month of ‘Alá, usually 2-20 March, immediately after the termination of the
Intercalary Days (see notes
27 and
147), and is followed by the feast of
Naw-Rúz (see note
26).
26.and at its close have designated for you Naw-Rúz as a feast
¶16
The Báb introduced a new calendar, known now as the Badí‘ or Bahá’í calendar (see notes
27 and
147). According to this calendar, a day is the period from sunset to sunset. In the
Bayán, the Báb ordained the month of ‘Alá to be the month of fasting, decreed that the day of Naw-Rúz should mark the termination of that period, and designated Naw-Rúz as the Day of God.
Bahá’u’lláh confirms the Badí‘ calendar wherein Naw-Rúz is designated as a feast.
Naw-Rúz is the first day of the new year. It coincides with the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, which usually occurs on 21 March. Bahá’u’lláh explains that this feast day is to be celebrated on whatever day the sun passes into the constellation of Aries (i.e. the vernal equinox), even should this occur one minute before sunset (Q and A
35). Hence Naw-Rúz could fall on 20, 21, or 22 March, depending on the time of the equinox.
Bahá’u’lláh has left the details of many laws to be filled
177