Fasting in any religion is perceived not only as abstaining from certain food and drink. First of all, this is the time of spiritual growth, transformation, contributing to the realization of the sinfulness of one's life.
Posts in Islam
Representatives of this world religion must fast throughout the year in Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, and several times on special holidays. Ramadan presupposes strict fasting ("uraza"), consisting in abstaining from food, water and intimate relationships during daylight hours. All of the above is valid from sunset to sunrise. Those who, for some objective reason, cannot observe it, are exempted from fasting: the elderly, young children, people with chronic diseases, who are on the road and under other circumstances that do not allow them to fast. It is noteworthy that women are not allowed to fast during menstruation. It is forbidden to inhale aromas, take water procedures, smoke and, paying tribute to modernity, chewing gum.
A special fast is observed on the days of the month of Sha'ban - at this time, prayers for the dead are especially zealous. Fasting on the day of ashura (the 10th day of the month of muhharam) is associated with the passage of the prophet to Medina and is obligatory for Shia Muslims, but voluntary among the Sunnis.
Orthodox posts
In total, Orthodox believers are prescribed about 200 days of fasting during the year. In terms of food, fasting is a rejection of animal products and everything that contains them, and in some cases, there is a rejection of vegetable oil or even food altogether. The spiritual side of fasting presupposes awareness of one's sins, repentance through confession and Communion, good deeds and refusal, resistance to human passions (rejection of bad habits, development of gentleness, humility and other soul-beneficial qualities).
One-day fasts consist of weekly Wednesdays and Fridays (except for special, continuous weeks), as well as some holiday Christmas Eves. For example, on January 18, before Epiphany, food is not eaten until the first star.
There are only 4 long posts: Rozhdestvensky, Veliky, Petrov and Uspensky. The Nativity Fast is especially joyful on the eve of the holiday and therefore is not very strict. For 40 days (from 28.11 to 07.01) fish and vegetable oil are blessed (except Wednesday and Friday).
Lent is the strictest and longest. Its dates are rolling depending on the date of Easter, the main Orthodox holiday. For 49 days, animal food is strictly limited, and in the first and last (Holy) week, the amount of food is also limited. The fish is blessed twice - on the feasts of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Two summer fasts - Petrov and Uspensky - are good because they provide a variety of plant foods. Peter's Lent always ends on July 12, on the corresponding holiday, and begins depending on Easter. Not strict, except for Wednesday and Friday the fish is blessed. It can last from one to six weeks.
The Dormition Fast precedes the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 28). Quite strict. Vegetable oil is not allowed on Wednesday and Friday. The fish is not blessed. But all this easily pays off with an abundance of all kinds of healthy vegetables and fruits. Fasting is observed for two weeks.
Fast with a pleasant fast!
