When to fast. How to fast before the sacrament

Fasting has become quite popular recently. From year to year, more and more people limit themselves to food for the purpose of physical recovery and spiritual cleansing. Believers certainly know very well how to fast. Our article is intended for those who are going to fast for the first time, we will tell you about what is the meaning of fasting, what it is for, how to fast, what you can and cannot eat during fasting, and also about who is allowed to relax the fast. ...

Should you fast?

First of all, it should be said that the meaning of any fast, according to the Orthodox Church, is to cleanse the spirit and body from earthly passions, anger and hatred. Jesus Christ himself in his sermons said that fasting should be an impulse of the soul, which seeks tranquility, peace and harmony. In no case should you observe the fast for show in order to impress others. Fasting should be dedicated only to God, and it should be done with joy and with all the heart.

People have long been fasting before doing something important, when they especially needed strength and wisdom from God. You should also fast in order to humble your soul before God and to cleanse your heart, drawing closer to him. Only such a fast is accepted by God, only such a fast is pleasing to God, and only in such a fast will he accept and hear a person's sincere prayers, giving him the strength to do good deeds.

The answer to the question: "Is it necessary to fast?" each person gives himself. It is important that you really want it, that it is a sincere desire of your soul.

According to the Bible, fasting is not even a reduction in the diet with the removal of mild foods from it, it is complete abstinence from food, sometimes with abstinence from drinking, and also with refusal of sexual intercourse for a period of time. This is the time during which a person humbles and crushes his pride before God and gives himself up to his power and mercy. According to the Bible, one should fast only out of love for God and only in front of him, without pretense and hypocrisy.

The second popular question related to fasting is: "Is it possible not to fast under certain circumstances in life?" The Bible says that the most important thing is spiritual fasting, and only then bodily fasting. Those. during the period of fasting, you must necessarily live in humility and chastity, read prayers, receive communion, and you can observe a fast and not too strict. Compliance requires only the first and last 7 days of fasting. The Church officially allows not to fast:

• pregnant women and nursing mothers
• travelers
• old people

Doctors add to this list:

• patients with cancer
• adolescents who need large amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals
• people with blood pressure problems, gastrointestinal diseases, heart failure
• people engaged in hard physical labor
• people living in extreme climatic conditions

In general, according to church rules, each person sets the degree of strictness of fasting for himself after a conversation with his spiritual mentor: the more a person feels himself to be a sinner, the more strict the fast he must observe, and most importantly, the more sincerely he must want to observe it!

How to fast fast

Now let's talk about how to fast in fasting. Great Lent begins, how to fast? First of all, you should think about spiritual cleansing and, in this regard, reduce watching TV, using the Internet and listening to music. In addition, you should spend more time at home with your family, avoid noisy companies and other entertainment. It's great if you manage to reduce the amount of intimacy during the fast, it is strictly forbidden in the first and last weeks of fasting. Fasting without prayer has practically no meaning; it is also necessary to make peace with all neighbors during fasting, attend church every Sunday, and at least once a month to confess and receive communion.

We have dealt with spiritual fasting. Now let's talk about. The most severe days of fasting are the first four days, as well as the entire last week before Easter. At the same time, on the first Monday of Lent (Clean Monday) and on the last Friday before Easter (Good Friday), you cannot eat or drink anything at all. The rest of the days, dry food is allowed (fruits, nuts, seeds, salted, fresh or pickled vegetables).

During the fast, you cannot smoke, drink alcohol (with the exception of red wine on weekends and on holidays that fall during this period), meat, fish, eggs, milk and all products containing them. You can't eat vegetable oil yet, it's only allowed on weekends.

You should eat no more than once a day if you are fasting, and no more than two times a day if you are not fasting.

Meals during fasting are built according to the schedule:

• monday, wednesday, friday - dry food (water, bread, fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, honey, nuts)
• tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil is allowed (tea, coffee, cereals, thermally processed vegetables)
• saturday, Sunday - you can eat any food 2 times a day, except for meat, plus vegetable oil

On the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Palm Sunday, you can eat fish, and on Lazarev Saturday - fish caviar.

Tip: Drink plenty of water throughout the fast to prevent dehydration. Remember that the smells of cinnamon or cloves can help fight hunger.

How to fast before the sacrament

And the last thing in the context of fasting is the fasting before the sacrament. Few know how to fast before the sacrament. It is imperative to fast before the sacrament for those people who do not observe fasting throughout the year and receive communion only once a year, for example, on Easter. In this case, one should fast for a week before Communion, and one day before Communion itself, food and water should be completely abandoned.

If you observe fasting throughout the year and fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, then the Eucharistic fast will be enough for you, i.e. communion on an empty stomach.

In addition to fasting, before the sacrament, one should read the rules, canons and prayers before the sacrament, which are found in any prayer book.

Remember that the most important thing in fasting is not eating restrictions, but cleansing the soul. It is worth giving up not so much food as from the passions of earthly life, which weigh on our souls. Then fasting will be a joy.

This kind is expelled only by prayer and fasting.

(Matthew 9:29)

When you fasted ... Did you fast for me?

. (Zech. 7, 5)

The Christian's instructions on fasting can vary greatly depending on the health condition of the Christian's body. It may be in full health in a young person, not entirely healthy in an elderly person, or with a serious illness. Hence, the instructions of the church on observance of fasts (on Wednesdays and Fridays) or during periods of many days of fasts (Rozhdestvensky, Velikiy, Petrov and Uspensky) can vary greatly depending on the age and physical state of a person's health. All instructions fully apply only to a physically healthy person. In case of physical illness or for the elderly, the instructions should be treated carefully and judiciously.

As often, among those who consider themselves Christians, one can find disregard for fasting, a lack of understanding of its meaning and essence.

Fasting is viewed by them as a matter obligatory only for monks, dangerous or unhealthy, as a relic from an old ritual - a dead letter of the charter, with which it is time to end, or, at least, as something unpleasant and burdensome.

It should be noted to all those who think in such a way that they do not understand either the purpose of fasting or the purpose of the Christian life. Perhaps it is in vain that they call themselves Christians, since they live with their hearts together with the godless world, which has a cult of its own body and self-indulgence.

A Christian, first of all, should not think about the body, but about his soul and worry about its health. And if he really began to think about her, he would rejoice at fasting, in which the whole situation is aimed at healing the soul, as in a sanatorium - at healing the body.

The time of fasting is a time especially important for the spiritual life, it is “a favorable time, this is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6, 2).

If a Christian's soul yearns for purity, seeks mental health, then it should try to make the best use of this beneficial time for the soul.

That is why among true God-lovers there is a mutual congratulation on the onset of fasting.

But what is fasting in essence? And is there not self-deception among those who consider it necessary to do it only by letter, but do not love him and are burdened by it in their hearts? And is it possible to call fasting only the observance of some rules about not eating food on fast days?

Will fasting be fast if, apart from a certain change in the composition of food, we will not think about repentance, or abstinence, or purification of the heart through intense prayer?

It must be assumed that this will not be fasting, although all the rules and customs of fasting will be observed. Venerable Barsanuphius the Great says: “Fasting bodily means nothing without the spiritual fasting of the inner man, which consists of protecting oneself from passions.

This fast of the inner man is pleasing to God and will reward you for the lack of bodily fasting ”(if you cannot observe the latter as you would like).

St. John Chrysostom: “Whoever limits fasting to one abstinence from food, he greatly dishonors him. It is not only the mouth that should fast - no, let the eye, and hearing, and hands, and feet, and our whole body fast ”.

As Fr. Alexander Yelchaninov: “There is a fundamental misunderstanding of fasting in dormitories. It is not fasting in itself that is more important, as not eating this and that or as depriving oneself of something in the form of punishment - fasting is only a tried and tested way to achieve the desired results - through exhaustion of the body to reach the refinement of spiritual mystical abilities, darkened by the flesh, and thus facilitate your approach to God ...

Fasting is not hunger. A diabetic, a fakir, a yogi, a prisoner, and a beggar go hungry. Nowhere in the services of Great Lent is it spoken of fasting only in our usual sense, i.e. as about non-eating meat and so on. Everywhere there is one call: "fast, brethren, bodily, fast and spiritually." Therefore, fasting only has a religious meaning when it is combined with spiritual exercise. Fasting is equal to refining. A normal, biologically well-off person is inaccessible to the influences of higher powers. Fasting shakes this physical well-being of a person, and then he becomes more accessible to the influences of the other world, his spiritual filling takes place ”.

As mentioned earlier, the soul of a person is seriously ill. The Church sets aside certain days and periods of time in the year when a person's attention should be especially focused on healing from a mental illness. These are fasting and fasting days.

According to Bishop Herman: "Fasting is a special abstinence, in order to restore the lost balance between body and spirit, in order to restore our spirit to its primacy over the body and its passions."

Fasting has, of course, other goals (they will be discussed below), but the main one is the expulsion of the evil spirit - the ancient serpent - from your soul. “This kind is driven out only by prayer and fasting,” the Lord said to His disciples.

The Lord Himself showed us an example of fasting by fasting for 40 days in the wilderness, from whence he “returned in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14).

As St. Isaac the Syrian: “Fasting is a weapon prepared by God ... If the Lawgiver Himself fasted, then how can someone from those who are obliged to keep the law not fast? ..

Before fasting, the human race did not know victory and the devil never experienced defeat ... Our Lord was the leader and the firstborn of this victory ...

And as soon as the devil sees this weapon on one of the people, this adversary and tormentor immediately comes to fear, thinking and remembering his defeat in the wilderness by the Savior, and his strength is crushed ... Whoever abides in fasting has an unshakable mind ”(Word thirty).

It is quite obvious that the podvig of repentance and prayer in fasting should be accompanied by thoughts about one's sinfulness and, of course, abstaining from all kinds of entertainment - going to theaters, movies and guests, light reading, cheerful music, watching TV for entertainment, etc. If all this still attracts the Christian's heart, then let him make an effort to tear his heart away from this, at least in the days of fasting.

It should be remembered here that on Fridays St. Seraphim not only fasted, but also remained in strict silence that day. As Fr. Alexander Elchaninov: “Fasting is a period of spiritual effort. If we cannot give our whole life to God, then we will devote at least periods of fasting to Him completely - we will intensify prayer, increase mercy, tame passions, be reconciled with our enemies. ”

Here the words of the wise Solomon are applicable: “For everything there is a time and a time for every thing under heaven. … A time to cry and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to be silent and a time to speak, ”etc. (Eccl. 3: 1-7).

For physically healthy people, abstinence in food is considered the basis of fasting. Here we can distinguish 5 degrees of physical fasting:

1) Refusal of meat.

2) Refusal from dairy.

3) Refusal of fish.

4) Refusal of oil.

5) Depriving yourself of food in general for some time.

Naturally, only healthy people can go to the last degrees of fasting. For the sick and the elderly, the first degree of fasting is more appropriate.

The strength and effectiveness of fasting can be judged by the strength of deprivation and sacrifice. And it is natural that not only the formal replacement of a fast table with a lean table constitutes a true fast: you can prepare delicious dishes from lean food and thus, to some extent, satisfy both your voluptuousness and your greed for it.

It must be remembered that it is indecent for those who repent and grieve about their sins to eat sweet and abundant fasting, even if only (formally) lean dishes. We can say that there will be no fasting if a person gets up from the table with delicious meatless dishes and a feeling of overwhelming stomach.

There will be few sacrifices and hardships, and without them there will be no true fasting.

“Why do we fast, but you don’t see?” The prophet Isaiah cries out, denouncing the Jews who hypocritically observed rituals, but whose hearts were far from God and His commandments (Isa. 58: 3).

In some cases, sick Christians substitute for themselves (themselves or on the advice of their confessors) abstinence in food with "spiritual" fasting. The latter is often understood as a more strict attention to oneself: refraining from irritability, condemnation, quarrels. All this, of course, is good, but in ordinary times, how can a Christian allow himself to sin, or be irritated, or condemn? It is quite obvious that a Christian should always “be sober” and be attentive, protecting himself from sin and everything that can offend the Holy Spirit. If he is unable to restrain himself, then, probably, this will take place equally both on ordinary days and during fasting. Hence, replacing fasting in food with such a “spiritual” fast is often self-deception.

Therefore, in those cases when, due to illness or due to a large lack of food, a Christian cannot observe the usual norms of fasting, then let him do everything in this respect, for example: he refuses all entertainment, sweets and dainty dishes, will fast at least on Wednesday and Friday, he will try to ensure that the most delicious food is served only on holidays. If a Christian, due to his old age or ill health, cannot give up fast food, then he should at least somewhat restrict it on fasting days, for example, do not eat meat - in a word, in one way or another, one should still join the fast.

Some refuse to fast for fear of weakening their health, showing morbid suspiciousness and lack of faith, and strive to always feed themselves abundantly on meager food in order to achieve good health and to maintain a "fat" body. And how often do they suffer from all kinds of diseases of the stomach, intestines, kidneys, teeth ...

In addition to manifesting one's feelings of repentance and hatred of sin, fasting has other aspects. Fasting times are not random days.

Wednesday is the tradition of the Savior - the highest of the moments of the fall and shame of the human soul, going in the person of Judas to betray the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver.

Friday is the patience of bullying, excruciating suffering and the death on the cross of the Redeemer of humanity. Remembering them, how can a Christian not limit himself to abstinence?

Great Lent is the path of the God-man to the sacrifice of Calvary.

The human soul has no right, does not dare, if only it is a Christian, to pass indifferently past these magnificent days - significant milestones in time.

How dare she then - at the Last Judgment to stand at the right hand of the Lord, if she is indifferent to His sorrow, blood and suffering in those days when the Universal Church - Earthly and Heavenly - remembers them.

What should be fasting? A general measure cannot be given here. It will also depend on the state of health, age and living conditions. But here you must certainly touch your lively carnivorousness and voluptuousness.

At the present time - the time of the weakening and decline of faith - it seems to us unattainable those rules on fasting, which in the old days were strictly carried out by pious Russian families.

Here, for example, is what Great Lent consists of according to the church charter, the obligation of which extended equally to both the monk and the layman.

According to this charter, Great Lent is supposed to be: complete non-eating during the whole day on Monday and Tuesday of the first week and Friday of Holy Week.

Only for the weaker is it possible to eat food on the Tuesday evening of the first week. On all other days of Great Lent, except Saturdays and Sundays, only dry food is allowed and only once a day - bread, vegetables, peas - without oil and water.

Boiled food with vegetable oil is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays. Wine is allowed only on the days of church remembrance and during long services (for example, on Thursday in the fifth week). Fish - only on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and Palm Sunday.

Although such a measure seems overly harsh to us, it is nevertheless achievable for a healthy organism.

In the everyday life of an old Russian Orthodox family, one can see the strict fulfillment of fasting days and fasts. Even the princes and kings fasted as they do not fast now, perhaps many of the monks.

So, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Lent dined only three times a week - on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and on other days he ate only a piece of black bread with salt, a salted mushroom or cucumber, washed down with kvass.

Some Egyptian monks in ancient times practiced a complete forty-day abstinence from food during Great Lent, following in this respect the example of Moses and the Lord Himself.

Forty-day fasts were carried out twice by one of the brothers of Optina Hermitage - schemon Vassian, who lived there in the middle of the 19th century. This schema-monk, by the way, as well as St. Seraphim, to a large extent, ate the grass "ditch". He lived to be 90 years old.

For 37 days, the nun Lyubov of the Martha-Mariinsky monastery ate neither food nor drink (except for one communion). It should be noted that during this fast she did not feel any weakening of her strength and, as they said about her, "her voice thundered in the chorus as if it were even stronger than before."

She performed this fast before Christmas; it ended at the end of the Christmas liturgy, when she suddenly felt an irresistible desire to eat. Unable to control herself any longer, she immediately went to the kitchen to eat.

It should be noted, however, that the norm described above and recommended by the church for Great Lent is not considered now by everyone so strictly obligatory for everyone. The Church recommends, as a certain minimum, only the transition to fasting food in accordance with its instructions for each of the fasting and fasting days.

Compliance with this norm for completely healthy people is considered mandatory. All the same, she gives more to the zeal and zeal of every Christian: “I want mercy, not sacrifice,” says the Lord (Matt. 9, 13). At the same time, we must remember that fasting is not necessary for the Lord, but for ourselves for the salvation of our soul. “When you fasted ... for me did you fast?” - says the Lord through the mouth of the prophet Zechariah (7, 5).

There is another side to fasting. That's over, his time. The church solemnly celebrates the holiday that ends the fast.

Can a person who, to some extent, have not partaken of this fast, can adequately meet and experience this holiday with his heart? No, he will feel like the impudent one in the Lord's parable who dared to come to the feast “not wearing a wedding garment,” that is, not in spiritual clothing, cleansed by repentance and fasting.

Even though a person out of habit went to the festive service and sat down at the festive table, he would feel only anxiety of conscience and a cold heart. And his inner ear will hear the terrible words of the Lord addressed to him: "Friend, how did you come in here not wearing a wedding garment?" And his soul will be “thrown into outer darkness,” that is, will remain in the grip of despondency and sadness, in an atmosphere of spiritual hunger - "weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Have pity on yourself, those who neglect, shy away and flee from fasting.

Fasting is the cultivation of the ability of the human spirit to fight against its enslavers - Satan and a pampered and spoiled body. The latter should be obedient to the spirit, but in fact, most often it is the master of the soul.

As the pastor Father John S. writes (St. John of Kronstadt. - Ed.): “Whoever rejects fasts takes away from himself and others the weapon against his multi-passionate flesh and against the devil, who are strong against us especially through our intemperance, from which all sin comes. "

True fasting is struggle; it is in the full sense of the word “narrow and cramped way”, the salvation of which the Lord spoke of.

The Lord commands to hide your post from others (Matthew 6, 18). But a Christian may not be able to hide his fast from his neighbors. Then it may happen that relatives and friends will arm themselves against the fasting person: “have pity on yourself, do not torment yourself, do not kill yourself”, etc.

Mild at first, the persuasion of relatives can then turn into irritation and reproaches. The spirit of darkness will rise up against the fasting person through his loved ones, leads against fasting arguments and sends temptations, as he once tried to do with the Lord fasting in the wilderness.

Let the Christian foresee all this in advance. Let him not also expect that, having started fasting, he will immediately receive any gracious consolation, warmth in his heart, tears of repentance and concentration in prayer.

This does not come immediately, it must still be earned through struggle, heroic deeds and sacrifices: “serve me, and then eat and drink yourself,” says the servant in the parable (Luke 17, 8). Those who have followed the path of severe fasting even testify to the weakening sometimes at the beginning of the fast of prayer and the dulling of interest in spiritual reading.

Fasting is a cure, and the latter is often difficult. And only at the end of his course can one expect recovery, and from fasting one can expect the fruits of the Holy Spirit - peace, joy and love.

In essence, fasting is a heroic deed and is associated with faith and boldness. Fasting is pleasing and pleasing to the Lord as an impulse of the soul striving for purity, striving to throw off the chains of sin and free the spirit from slavery to the body.

The Church considers it to be one of the most effective means by which one can shift the wrath of God to mercy or bow the will of the Lord to the fulfillment of the prayer request.

So, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is described as Antioch Christians, before leaving to preach Sts. app. Paul and Barnabas “fasted and prayed” (Acts 13: 3).

Therefore, fasting is practiced in the church as a means of preparing oneself for any undertaking. In need of something, individual Christians, monks, monasteries or churches imposed on themselves fasting with intense prayer.

In addition, fasting has one more positive side, which the Angel drew attention to in the vision of Hermas (see the book “The Shepherd Hermas”).

By substituting simpler and cheaper food for fast food, or by reducing its quantity, the Christian can reduce the cost to himself. And this will give him the opportunity to devote more funds to works of mercy.

The angel gave the following instruction to Herm: “On that day on which you are fasting, eat nothing but bread and water, and having calculated the costs that you would have made for food on that day following the example of the past days, set aside the rest of this day and give it to the widow , orphan or poor; in this way you will humble your soul, and he who has received from you will be satisfied and will pray to God for you ”.

The angel also pointed out to Herm that fasting is not an end in itself, but only an auxiliary means to purify the heart. And the fast of the one who strives for this goal and does not fulfill the commandments of God cannot be pleasing to God and is fruitless.

Essentially, the attitude to fasting is a touchstone for the soul of a Christian in his attitude to the Church of Christ, and through the latter - to Christ.

As Fr. Alexander Yelchaninov: "... In fasting a person manifests himself: some manifest the highest abilities of the spirit, while others become irritable and angry - fasting reveals the true essence of a person."

A soul living by faith in Christ cannot neglect fasting. Otherwise, she will unite herself with those who are indifferent to Christ and religion, with those who, according to Archpriest. Valentina Sventsitsky:

“Everyone eats - also on Maundy Thursday, when the Last Supper is served and the Son of Man is betrayed; and on Good Friday, when we hear the cry of the Mother of God at the tomb of the Crucified Son on the day of His burial.

For such, there is neither Christ, nor the Mother of God, nor the Last Supper, nor Golgotha. What kind of fast can they have? "

Addressing Christians, Fr. Valentine writes: “Hold and observe fasting as a great church sacred thing. Every time you abstain from what is forbidden on the days of fasting, you are with the whole Church. You are doing in complete unanimity and unanimity what the whole Church and all the holy saints of God did from the very first days of the Church. And this will give you strength and firmness in your spiritual life. ”

The meaning and purpose of fasting in the life of a Christian can be summarized in the following words of St. Isaac the Syrian:

“Fasting is the hedge of all virtue, the beginning of the struggle, the crown of the temperate, the beauty of virginity, the source of chastity and prudence, the teacher of silence, the predecessor of all good deeds ...

From fasting and abstinence, fruit is born in the soul - the knowledge of the mysteries of God. "

Judiciousness in fasting

I want mercy, not sacrifice.

(Matthew 9, 13)

Show… discretion in virtue.

(2 Pet. 1, 5)

All the good in us has a certain line,

passing which imperceptibly turns to evil.

(Archpriest Valentin Sventsitsky)

All of the above about fasting applies, however, we repeat, only to healthy people. As with all virtue, discretion is also needed for fasting.

As St. Cassian the Roman: “Extremes, as the holy fathers say, are equally harmful on both sides - both the excess of fasting and the satiety of the womb. because of weakness arising from excessive fasting.

Moreover, immoderate abstinence is more harmful than satiety, because from the latter, due to repentance, one can proceed to correct action, but from the former it is impossible.

The general rule of moderation of abstinence is that everyone, in accordance with the strength, state of the body and age, ate as much food as is necessary to maintain the health of the body, and not as much as the desire for satiety requires.

A monk should conduct the fasting work so rationally as if he had stayed in the body for a hundred years; and so to curb spiritual movements - to forget offenses, cut off sorrow, put sorrow into nothing - as one who can die every day ”.

It should be remembered how ap. Paul warned those who unwisely (voluntarily and unauthorizedly) fasted - “it has only the form of wisdom in self-willed service, humility and exhaustion of the body, in some negligence about feeding the flesh” (Col. 2:23).

At the same time, fasting is not a ritual, but the secret of the human soul, which the Lord commands to hide from others.

The Lord says: “When you fast, do not be discouraged like hypocrites, for they take upon themselves gloomy faces in order to appear to people who are fasting. I tell you the truth, they are already receiving their reward.

And you, when you are fasting, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you will appear to those who are fasting not before people, but before your Father, who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly ”(Matthew 6: 16-18).

Therefore, a Christian must hide both his repentance - prayer and inner tears, and his fasting and his abstinence in food.

Here one must be afraid of any revelation of one's difference from others and be able to hide from them one's feat and one's privations.

Here are some examples of this from the lives of saints and ascetics.

Venerable Macarius the Great never drank wine. However, when he was visiting other monks, he did not refuse wine, hiding his abstinence.

But his disciples tried to warn the owners, telling them: "If he drinks wine with you, then you should know that when he returns home, he will even deprive himself of water."

The elder of Optina Leonid once had to live for several days with the diocesan bishop. The latter's table was plentiful with fish and various tasty dishes, sharply different from the modest skete meal of the Optina Hermitage.

The elder did not refuse tasty dishes, but when he returned to Optina, he deprived himself of food for several days, as if making up for the abstinence lost on a visit.

In all those cases when a fasting person must take food with other, weaker brothers, he should not, according to the instructions of the holy fathers, reproach them with his abstinence.

Thus Saint Abba Isaiah writes: "If you want to abstain without fail more than others, then retire to a separate cell and do not grieve your weak brother."

Not only for the sake of preserving oneself from vanity, one must strive not to expose one's post.

If fasting will for some reason embarrass others, cause them to reproach, or, perhaps, ridicule, accusation of hypocrisy, etc. - and in these cases one should try to keep the secret of fasting, keeping it in spirit, but departing from it formally. Here the command of the Lord is attached: “Throw not your pearls before the swine” (Matt. 7, 6).

Fasting will be unwise even when it puts barriers to the hospitality of those who treat you; by this we will reproach others for neglecting fasting.

There is a story about Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow: he once came to his spiritual children just in time for dinner. Due to the duty of hospitality, he should have been invited to dinner. Meals were served at the table, and the day was fast.

The Metropolitan did not show it and, without embarrassing the owners, tasted the modest. So condescension to the weakness of his spiritual neighbors and love, he put above the observance of the fast.

In general, church regulations cannot be treated formally, and, following the exact execution of the rules, not to make any exceptions from the latter. We must also remember the words of the Lord that “the Sabbath is for a man, and not a man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

As Metropolitan Innokenty of Moscow writes: “There were examples that even monks, such as St. John Climacus, ate all kinds of food and even meat at all times.

But how much? So much so that I can only live, and this did not prevent him from worthily partaking of the Holy Mysteries and, finally, did not prevent him from becoming a saint ...

Of course, it is not prudent to unnecessarily break the fast by eating meager food. Anyone who can observe the fast by sorting out food, observe it; but, most importantly, observe and do not break the fast of the soul, and then your fast will be pleasing to God.

But whoever does not have the opportunity to disassemble food, use everything that God gives, but without excess; But on the other hand, be sure to fast strictly in soul, mind and thoughts, and then your fast will be just as pleasing to God as the fast of the most severe hermit.

The purpose of fasting is to lighten and tame the body, curb desires and disarm the passions.

Therefore, the church, when asking you about food, is not so much asking about what food do you eat? - how much about why you use it?

The Lord Himself approved the act of King David, when he, out of need, had to break the rule and eat “the offer bread, which was not to be eaten either by him or by those with him” (Matthew 12: 4).

Therefore, taking into account the need, it is possible to make indulgences and exceptions during fasting even with a sick and weak body and old age.

St. ap. Paul writes to his disciple Timothy: “Henceforth drink more than one water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” (1 Tim. 5, 23).

Venerable Barsanuphius the Great and John say: “What is fasting, if not the punishment of the body in order to pacify the healthy body and make it weak for the passions according to the word of the Apostle:“ when I am weak, then I am strong ”(2 Cor. 12, 10).

And illness is more than this punishment and is imputed instead of fasting - it is even more appreciated than it. He who endures it with patience, thanks to God, through patience receives the fruit of his salvation.

Instead of weakening the strength of the body by fasting, it is already weakened by illness.

Thank God that you have freed yourself from the labor of fasting. If you eat ten times a day, do not be sad: you will not be condemned for that, because you are not doing this to please yourself. "

On the correctness of the fasting norm of St. Barsanuphius and John give the following instruction: “Regarding fasting, I will say: touch your heart, is it not stolen by vanity, and if it is not stolen, touch it a second time, does this fast make you weak and in the performance of works, for this weakness should not exist, and if in this it does not harm you, your fast is correct. "

As the hermit-dweller Nikifor said in V. Sventsitsky's book Citizens of Heaven: “The Lord requires not hunger, but feat. Feat is what a person can do the greatest according to his strength, and the rest - by grace. Our strength is now weak, and the Lord does not require great deeds from us.

I have tried to fast strongly, and I see that I cannot. I am exhausted - I have no strength to pray properly. Once I got so weak from fasting, I can't read the rule. "

Here's an example of a wrong post.

Bp. Herman writes: “Exhaustion is a sign that fasting is wrong; it is as harmful as satiety. And the great elders ate soup with butter during the first week of Great Lent. There is nothing to crucify the sick flesh, but it must be supported. "

So, any weakening of health and working capacity during fasting already speaks of its incorrectness and exceeding its norm.

“I like it more to be exhausted from work than from fasting,” one pastor said to his spiritual children.

It is best when those who are fasting are guided by the direction of experienced spiritual leaders. We should remember the following incident from the life of St. Pachomy the Great. In one of his monasteries, a monk was lying in hospital, exhausted by illness. He asked the attendants for meat. They refused him this request, based on the rules of the monastery charter. The patient asked to be referred to St. Pachomia. The monk was struck by the extreme exhaustion of the monk, wept, looking at the sick man, and began to reproach the hospital brethren for their cruelty. He ordered to immediately fulfill the request of the patient in order to strengthen his weakened body and to cheer up the dull soul.

The wise ascetic of piety, Abbess Arsenia, wrote to the aged and sick brother of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov during the days of Great Lent: “I am afraid that you are burdening yourself with heavy, lean food and I ask you to forget that now is fasting, and eat fast food, nutritious and light. The difference of days has been given to us by the church, like a bridle of healthy flesh, but you have been given the sickness and weakness of old age. "

However, those who break the fast due to illness or other weakness, it should still be remembered that there may be some degree of lack of faith and intemperance.

Therefore, when the spiritual children of the elder, Fr. Alexei Zosimovsky had to break the fast on the instructions of the doctor, then the elder ordered in these cases to curse himself and pray like this: "Lord, forgive me that I broke the holy fast on the instructions of the doctor, because of my weakness," and not think that this is so and it is necessary.

Speaking of fasting as a scarcity and a change in the composition of food, it should be noted that this feat is imputed by the Lord for nothing, if the Christian does not at the same time observe the Lord's commandments about love, mercy, selfless service to his neighbors, in a word, all that is asked from him on the day of the Last Judgment (Matt. 25, 31-46).

This is already stated with exhaustive clarity in the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Jews cry to God: “Why are we fasting, but you cannot see? We humble our souls, but You don’t know? ” The Lord, through the mouth of the prophet, answers them: “On the day of your fasting you do your will and demand hard work from others. Here you are fasting for quarrels and strife and in order to beat others with a bold hand: you do not fast at this time so that your voice can be heard on high. Is this the fast that I have chosen, the day on which a man torments his soul, when he bends his head like a reed and lays rags and ashes under him? Would you call this fasting and a day pleasing to the Lord? This is the fast that I have chosen: Loosen the fetters of iniquity, untie the chains of the yoke, release the oppressed free and break every yoke; Share your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor who wander into the house; when you see a naked man, dress him and do not hide from your soul mate. Then your light will open like dawn, and your healing will soon increase, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will accompany you. Then you will call, and the Lord will hear; you will cry and He will say: “Here I am” ”(Isa. 58: 3-9).

This wonderful passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah denounces many - both ordinary Christians and shepherds of Christ's flock. He denounces those who think to be saved only by observing the letter of the fast and forgetting about the commandments of mercy, love for one's neighbor and serving them. He denounces those shepherds who “bind heavy and unbearable burdens and lay on the shoulders of people” (Matt. 23: 4). These are the shepherds who demand from their spiritual children strict observance of the “rule” of fasting, regardless of their advanced age, or their morbid state. After all, the Lord said: “I want mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9, 13).

40 days of moderation in food

"In fact" in this case becomes synonymous with "very strict".

We read the Church Charter of the Orthodox Church (the main document that regulates, among other things, behavior during fasting). In the first six weeks, on Forty Day (March 14 to April 24), you can only eat once on a weekday and two on a weekend.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you will find raw food without oil, and on Tuesday and Thursday, it will be hot and again without oil. On weekends, you can finally get a taste of hot food with vegetable oil and grape wine. But do not rely on alcohol - it is here for auxiliary purposes, and not as the basis of a meal!

By the way, on Clean Monday, which is the first day of fasting (March 14), you should not eat anything at all, you can only drink (we foresee your amazed looks, but this is really so).

And Holy Week?

One drink will have to be dispensed with on Good Friday, April 29th. With this day, fasting will probably be easier, because Easter will come on Sunday, and with it the meat-eater.

On other days of the Easter week, they eat raw food without oil from Monday to Wednesday (April 25, 26, 27), on Thursday, 28 - hot with oil and wine, on Saturday (April 30) - raw food without oil with wine.

Proper fasting food

The Church imposes a ban on the use of any meat and products based on it, as well as dairy and sour-milk dishes, eggs, muffins and sweets during Great Lent. Fish can be eaten only a few times during the fast.

Accordingly, there are a variety of fruits and vegetables, cereals on the water, black bread and biscuits marked "lean" (no eggs), nuts, mushrooms. It is clear that the list is small, but vegans, for example, adhere to it regardless of religious beliefs.

Of course, if you absolutely cannot do without something forbidden, you feel unwell and think about bad things, there will be little benefit from fasting. It is important to fast correctly - this applies not only to food, but also to moral cleansing. So allow yourself what is officially not allowed, calm down and no longer break the rules of Lent.

Days not to Fast:

1. On Phi Day tr - the holiday of the end of Fasting - the first day of Sha wooala, the month following Ramadan.
2. On the day of the holiday TOurban Bayram - the tenth of the month Zul- Xija.

Imam Muslim conveyed from ‘Aisha, may Allah have more mercy on her that the Prophet Mu xammad, peace be upon Him, forbade the observance of Fasting on the days of the two holidays Al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

1. Three days after TOurban-Bairam (days of At-Tashri to). The Prophet, peace be upon Him, said about this:

«أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيقِ أَيَّامُ أَكْلٍ وَشُرْبٍ»

It means: "Days of At-Tashri to - the days when they eat and drink. "

Narrated by Imam Muslim.

1. On the day of doubt, that is, on the day following the twenty-ninth of Sha'ban, if those people reported that they saw the new moon of Ramadan, whose statement is not sufficient to determine the beginning of the month, for example, these are people who commit great sins, and children, women and the like.

Such a day is called a day of doubt, and on this day one should not fast. About this Prophet Mu xammad, peace be upon Him, said:

«لا تَقَدَّمُوا رَمَضَانَ بِيَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ
فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلاثِينَ يَوْماً»

This means: “You must not be ahead of Ramadan by one or more days in any case. Fasting should be started and stopped by observing the new moon. If the new moon was not visible, then Sha'''Ban should be supplemented with the thirtieth day. " Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhariy.

Prophet Mu xammad, peace be upon Him, urged to observe six days of Fasting in the month of Sha wooal - this is Sunnah. It is best to fast for six consecutive days immediately after the Feast of Conversation. If you fast after the holiday not all six days in a row, but on separate days, then this is also taken into account as Sunnah.

Abu Ayyub Al-An fromaryan conveyed such words of the Prophet Mu xammada peace be upon him:

«مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ»

It means: “Whoever fasted in the month of Ramadan and after it observed Fasting six days in the month of Sha wooal, as if fasting for a whole year "... Narrated by Imam Muslim.

Who started to observe the obligatory Fasting (headlights d), for example in the month of Ramadan, or to observance of duty (ka da) and also, if he started observing the Fast-Nazr (Post-Vow), he cannot interrupt it, this is prohibited ( xaram). And if someone observes Post-nafl (Sunnah), then according to the school of Imam Ash-Shafi'kiy it is not forbidden to interrupt him.

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That is, until the 15th day of the month Sha'ban inclusive. For example, if a person fasted on Mondays and Thursdays until the middle of Sharaban, or observed fasting every other day, then he can continue this Fast in the second half of Sharaban.

The actions and words of the Prophet Mu xammada, peace be upon him.

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Every believer in the month of Ramadan with a special feeling awaits the great night, which is called "Lailatul Qadr" or "The Night of Determination." This is the best night of the year and only happens in the month of Ramadan. Said in Kur'an this word must be read in Arabic as - الْقُـرْآن that it is the most honorable, and a good deed done on this night is better than additional worship performed over a thousand months, which does not include this night.

The night of Lailatul Qadr may be on any of the nights of the month of Ramadan, but it is highly likely that it will be in the last ten days of this blessed month. However, the exact date of this night is known only to Allah. in the name of God in Arabic "Allah", pronounce the letter "x" as ه Arabic... The wisdom of this lies in the fact that believers try to observe the Commandments of Allah more and do good deeds throughout the month of Ramadan.

At different times, on this magnificent night, Allah sent down the famous Holy Books: Zabur, Taurat, Injil. It was on this blessed night that Al-Kur'an Al-Qarim was sent down to the first heaven in Beit Al-Izza. After that, the Ayats of Kur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad gradually over the course of twenty-three years. It was said by the Prophet, peace be upon Him, that Kur'an was fully sent down to the first heaven on the night of the twenty-fourth day of the month of Ramadan.

It is also said in Kur'an that angels descend on this night, among which the most honorable of them is the angel Jnbranl, peace be upon Him. Abu Huraira said that the number of angels on earth that night is greater than the number of stones.

Why is this night called the night of predestination Lailatul Qadr?

On this night, Allah lets the angels know about the events that will take place during the next year: about who will die and who will start a new life; which of the slaves of Allah will be struck by illness, poverty or misfortune; to whom Allah will give benefits, health and wealth, etc. This night is so named because on this night the earth is filled with angels who descend from heaven.

There are some signs by which one can recognize Lailat Al-Qadr. Of these - the vision of a special light that Allah created. This light is large and bright, different from the light of the sun, moon, or electricity. A sign is a vision of a bowing tree or the ability to hear the voices of angels, as well as a vision of angels in their present form.

Before ending the fast, you need to be sure that the sun has already set. When the believer is sure that this has happened, he must immediately stop fasting. Prophet Muhammad said this in the name of the Prophet "Muhammad" the letter "x" is pronounced like ح in Arabic, peace be upon Him, in the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, meaning:

"People will be in prosperity if they rush to stop Fasting"

Stopping fasting, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him. advised to eat a date, but if it is impossible to get it, in this case you should drink water. Abu Dawud narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said, meaning:

“If one of you completes Lent, then start writing with a date. If he hasn't found a date, he drinks water "

Before starting a meal, it is advisable to say the following:

"I am wasi'al-magfirati igfirli Bismillahir-Rah manir-Rah im"

“Oh, Allah! You are the All-Merciful, Forgiving! Forgive my sins! I start with the Name of Allah, Merciful for all in this World and only for believers in the Other World. "

"Allahumma lyaka sumtu wa` ala ryzkykya aftartu "

“Oh Allah! For Your sake I fasted and accepted the writing that You gave me. "

Blessed time sahur

Sahur is the time before dawn when Muslims can eat for the last time before the onset of each fasting day in Ramadan. At this time, it is advisable to drink at least a sip of water. Imam Muslim narrated that. what the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said, meaning:

"Observe sahur - this is a blessed time"

In the month of Ramadan, it is advisable to give more alms, keep in touch with relatives, read the Qur'an, treat those who are fasting on iftar, be in a mosque.

It must be remembered that it is very important to constantly control your speech and actions, to do as many good deeds as possible, to constantly think about doing good deeds, and also to suppress intemperance and aggressiveness in yourself. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, said, meaning:

“The post is a fence. Everyone who is fasting should not engage in sexual intercourse in the daytime or use foul language, and if anyone intends to provoke him to swear or fight, let him tell the person that he is fasting. " Narrated by Imams Al-Bukhariy and Muslim from Abu Huraira.

In Muslim countries, there is a tradition to notify believers about the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan with a shot from a cannon. Some believe that the Ramadan cannon first appeared in Egypt in the 9-10th century, they say that in the Cairo Citadel there is still the very instance from which the first shot was fired.

The tradition of informing Muslims about the beginning of the month of Ramadan with a cannon shot

It is believed that they began to use cannons to notify believers about the beginning of Lent because of the expansion of the borders of Cairo - one call was no longer enough, and the echo of the shot spread far around, and residents of not only the city, but also the surrounding area learned that the next day begins Fast. This tradition gradually spread to other Muslim countries.

In some countries, believers were notified with a cannon shot and the end of fasting every day at sunset.

Today this tradition has been preserved in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Tunisia and many other Muslim countries.

Another Muslim tradition to wake those fasting on sahur with drumming has Ottoman roots. In the days of the Ottoman state, drummers (dayaulji) specially hired by the ruler woke the residents up before dawn.

Night tour "al-musaherati" (tradition of waking fasting people on sahur)

Drummers walked all the streets, knocking on a special drum (dawul) and chanting quatrains in which they praised Ramadan. The beating of drums awakened the believers from their sleep so that they could get up and eat before eating all day. According to custom, the hostess (usually the mother of the family) or the chef who cooks in the house to cook food for the whole family was the first to rise to the beat of the drum, and then they woke up all other household members to receive poverty. After the end of the Fast, the inhabitants rewarded the davulji with money for regularly waking them up for the whole month.

The presence of alarm clocks and mobile phones in modern homes does not leave the need for drummers, but in Turkey, from where this tradition spread to many Muslim countries, it is possible to meet dawulji in the holy month of Ramadan, and today in big cities in every district there is a drummer who, like many centuries ago wakes up the fasting and praises Ramadan.

The time of suhoor and iftar (the latter corresponds to the maghreb prayer time) for the cities of Russia for the current year is presented in the table available for download.

Fasting (uraza, ruza) is one of the pillars of Islam, so it is mandatory for Muslims to observe it.

Usually, under the Muslim fast, the layman understands abstinence from eating and drinking during daylight hours. In fact, this concept is much broader: it includes a voluntary refusal not only from eating, but also from committing any sins committed by the eyes, hands and tongue, as well as from some actions. Being in a state of keeping the uraza, the believer should clearly realize that he is doing this for the sake of his Creator, and not have any other intentions.

In Islamic doctrine, depending on the time of observance and significance, there are two types of fasting: obligatory (fard) and desirable (sunnat).

The first is massively observed by Muslims during the Holy month of Ramadan, which has incomparable benefits for the people. Allah advises us in His Scripture:

“In the month of Ramadan, the Qur'an was revealed - the right guidance for the people, clear evidence of the right guidance and discernment. Anyone of you who is found this month must fast ”(2: 185)

Those who adhere to Uraza in the blessed month of Muslims will receive a huge reward, and for leaving it, without a good reason, will certainly follow a severe punishment. This is evidenced by the following statement of the Grace of the worlds of Muhammad (sgv): “Anyone who observes fasting during Ramadan with faith and hope for the reward of the Almighty will be forgiven for his former sins” (hadith quoted by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

However, the Lord made it compulsory to observe the uraza not for all people.

Who doesn't need to fast:

1. Non-Muslims

An important condition for observing the uraza is the person's confession of Islam. For the rest, the post is not required. At the same time, this does not mean that for the days spent without fasting in the months of Ramadan, each person, regardless of his religion, will not have to bear an answer to the Most High on the Day of the Great Judgment.

2. Minors

Uraza is imputed as mandatory for adults. At the same time, it is necessary to understand that coming of age is meant from the Islamic point of view, which does not come at the age of 18, as is customary in most countries of the world, but during puberty, which occurs differently for each person.

3. Mentally disabled

Mental capacity is listed among the conditions for compulsory fasting. In other words, a person who is not sane has the right to refrain from observing this pillar of Islam.

4. To everyone who is on the way

It is not necessary for those people who are on the road, that is, travelers, to keep uraza. It should be noted that, according to Sharia, people are considered travelers who have retired more than 83 km from their home and their journey lasts no more than 15 days.

5. Physically sick people

People who suffer from any disease that requires constant medication, or threatens with severe ailments and pain, up to a threat to life if the uraza is observed, are exempted from its necessity.

6. Pregnant

Women who are carrying a child and fear for the life of their future child have the right not to fast in the month of Ramadan.

7. Nursing women

Women who breastfeed their babies may also not fast.

8. For women on the days of menstruation and bleeding caused by childbirth

In the menstrual period and during postpartum bleeding, women, according to the Shari'ah, are in a position of ritual desecration, therefore, non-observance of the uraza is permissible and, moreover, necessary. If pregnant and lactating women have the right to fast, then these days it is better for women to abstain.

9. People who are unconscious

Believers who have been in an unconscious state for a long time, for example, in a coma, for obvious reasons, are also freed from the urge.

In situations where a person misses one or several days of fasting for the reasons listed above, he should make up for them later, when the reason that gives the right to non-fasting is eliminated, for example, when the traveler returns home or the person comes out of a coma. Believers who are unable to keep the uraza for a year, for example, due to illness, should feed one needy person for each of the days they are missing. If this is also difficult for a person materially, because he himself is one of those in need, then he is completely freed from this obligation.

Desirable post - this is the one, the observance of which is desirable, but is not imputed to Muslims as mandatory. For the observance of such a fast, the believer is entitled to a reward, but there is no sin for his forgiveness.

Days when it is advisable to keep uraza:

• Araf day - for fasting on this day, the Lord can forgive a person for the sins he has committed in 2 years. The Prophet Muhammad (sgv) explained: "Fasting on the Day of Araf serves as an atonement for sins committed in the past and future years" (hadith from Ibn Maji and Nasai).

• Ashura Day- for those who fast on the tenth day of the month of Muharram, all sins for the previous 12 months are erased. The Messenger of Allah (sgv) admonished his ummah: "Fasting serves as atonement for the sins of the last year" (hadith quoted by Muslim). However, Shiite theologians assure that it is undesirable to keep the uraz on this day, since on this date the grandson of the Final Prophet (s.g.v.) was martyred, Imam Hussein, who is especially revered among Shia Muslims.

• The first 9 days of the month of Zul-Hijja - you can find a mention of this in the hadith: "Fasting in the first days of the month of Zul-Hijjah is equal to one year of fasting" (Ibn Majah).

• The month of Muharram- Uraza in this forbidden month is considered a Sunnat. After all, the Prophet Muhammad (sgv) himself once said: "After Ramadan, the best month for fasting is the month of Allah - Muharram" (hadith quoted by Muslim).

• The month of Shaaban- one more month, during which it is advisable to fast. In the lunar calendar, he goes before Ramadan. In the hadiths from Bukhari, there is a mention that the Final Messenger of the Most High (s.g.v.) was zealous in observing uraza in the month of Sha'ban, except for some days.

• 6 days of Shawwal - are also desirable for the post. Shawwal follows the holy month of Ramadan. “If someone completes fasting in Ramadan and adds six days of fasting to it in the month of Shawwal, he will receive such a reward as if he had fasted all year” (hadith from Muslim).

• Uraza in a day, or the fast of the Prophet Daoud (as), who kept the uraz every other day and which, as the Grace of the Worlds Muhammad (sgv) said, “is the most beloved fast for Allah” (in accordance with the hadith from Muslim).

• 3 days in the middle of each month- The Prophet (sgv) instructed: "If you want to fast in the middle of the month, then fast on the 13th, 14th and 15th days" (at-Tirmidhi).

• Every Monday and Thursday - it was on these days that the Messenger of the Most High (s.g.v.) regularly observed the uraz. “The affairs of people are presented to Allah on Monday and Thursday,” he said. “And I want my cases to be presented at the time when I observe the fast” (hadith quoted at-Tirmidhi).

Fasting Times in Islam

It is known that in Islam, fasting is observed during daylight hours. The countdown begins with the onset of dawn. In the Holy Book of Muslims you can find the verse:

“Eat and drink until you can tell the white thread at dawn from the black one, and then fast until night” (2: 187)

The fasting person should stop the morning meal (suhur) before the time of the Fajr prayer (usually 30 minutes).

Once one of the ascetics asked the Prophet Muhammad (s.g.v.) about the time interval between suhoor and adhan for the morning prayer, to which he replied: “As much as is necessary to read fifty verses” (hadith from Bukhari and Muslim).

The end of the fasting time (iftar) comes with sunset and coincides with the time of the evening prayer. In this case, the believer after fasting should first break the fast and then proceed to prayer.

At the end of the suhoor, the next dua is recited (niyat):

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أَصُومَ صَوْمَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ خَالِصًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

Transcription: "Nawaytu al-assumma sauma shahri Ramadaan min al-fajri il al-magribi haalisan lilLyaahi ta'aala"

Transfer:"I intended to keep fasting the month of Ramadan from dawn to dusk sincerely for the sake of Allah."

Immediately after breaking the fast - with iftar - say dua:

اللَهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَ بِكَ آمَنْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَلْت وَ عَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ فَاغْفِرْلِى يَا غَفَّارُ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَ مَأ اَخَّرْتُ

Transcription: "Allahumma lyakya sumtu wa bikya amantu wa alaykya tavakkaltu wa‘ ala rizkyykya aftartu fagfirli ya gaffaru ma kaddyamtu wa ma akhartu "

Transfer:“O Allah! For your sake, I kept fasting, I believed in you and only put my trust in you, I break the fast with what you sent me. Forgive me, O Forgiving my sins, past and future! "

Actions that violate the message

1. Intentional receptionm food and smoking

If the fasting person consciously ate or drank something, lit a cigarette, then his uraza will not be accepted on that day. But if he ate something unintentionally, for example, out of forgetfulness, then in this case the person should stop absorbing food or drink as soon as he remembered his fast, and he can continue to keep the uraza - such a fast will be considered valid.

2. Intimacy

After intercourse, the fast is broken. Lip-to-lip kissing has similar effects, as well as ejaculation due to conscious stimulation (masturbation).

3. Instillation of medicine in the nose and ears

The uraza becomes invalid as soon as a person uses special medications used for instillation into the nose and ear canal, if they enter the larynx. At the same time, injections into a vein or muscle, as well as eye drops, do not break the fast.

4. Swallowing liquid while gargling

When fasting, you need to be careful when gargling for medicinal purposes or simply to wet it - getting water inside will invalidate your fast. Swimming in a pond and taking a bath in a state of uraza is permissible, but one should beware of the penetration of fluid through the nasal sinuses, pharynx and ears.

5. Use of medical inhalers

The use of inhalers should be avoided whenever possible during fasting.

6. Intentional induction of vomiting

If a person holding the uraza deliberately induces vomiting, then his fast is considered broken. If the vomiting did not occur at the will of the person, then the fast remains valid.

7. Menstruation

In a situation where a woman comes during daylight hours, she should stop fasting. She will need to replenish this day after the end of her period.

Benefits of Fasting

This pillar of Islam carries many virtues for observant believers.

First, Uraza is able to lead a person into the Gardens of Eden, which can be confirmed in the life of the Prophet (sgv): “Indeed, there is a gate in Paradise, called“ Ar-Rayyan, ”through which on the Day of Judgment they will enter fasting. And no one will enter through these gates except them ”(hadith from Bukhari and Muslim).

Secondly, fasting will serve as the intercessor of the Muslim on the Day of Judgment: "Fasting and the Koran on the Day of Judgment will intercede for the servant of Allah" (hadith from Ahmad).

Thirdly, uraza entails what was said earlier.

In addition, all requests of a believer who is fasting will be accepted by God. Prophet Muhammad (s.g.v.) said: "A fasting person never rejects dua during breaking the fast" (Ibn Majah).