By Ali Naqi, Jasim R., and Turab Z.

Fasting In Christianity Catholic:

• Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.They don’t eat meat on all Fridays in Lent. On good Friday they fast because its when Christ suffered.

Eastern Orthodox:• They fast during Lent, Apostles' Fast, Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast, and

several one-day fasts. Meat, eggs, dairy products, and sometimes fish are prohibited. They say it strengthens resistance to gluttony.

Mormon:• Every Sunday is a fast day for a Mormon. They abstain from food and drink for two

consecutive meals. They say it brings closeness to God.Protestant (Evangelical):

• They fast at the discretion of individuals, churches, organizations, or communities. Some abstain from food and drink entirely.They fast for spiritual nourishment.

Protestant(Mainline).• In the Protestant mainline religion fasting is not important at all.

Fasting in Judaism • When the Jewish people fast-They fast in the days Yom

Kippur , Tisha B’av and five other days.• Why the Jewish fast-They fast for special request to God and

to forbid their sins.• How the Jewish fast- On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av for 25

hours from sun –down to sun-down . Eating and drinking is forbidden in these days. The other days they fast from sun rise to sunset without eating or drinking.

• There are five minor fasts on the Jewish calendar .• The five fasts commemorate events leading to downfall of the

first commonwealth and the destruction of the first temple, which is compromise by the by the major fasts Tisha B’av.

Fasting in Hinduism• When Hindus fast- they fast during new moons and

also during festivals such as Shivaratri Saraswati Puja, and Navaratri.

• How Hindus fast- if the person has good health they can fast for a full 24 hours, or they can fast by eliminating the eating of food, but can drink water and some milk.

• The Vishnu worshippers fast for a full 24 hours and their fasting days are all throughout the entire year. They fast during festivals for Vishnu. They fast by not eating grains, but can eat anything else.

Fasting in Hinduism (Continued)• Why Hindus fast- it is a way to help them concentrate when

they meditate or worship, and they also consider it a purification of the body. They consider it a sacrifice.

• The Jinns fasts are scattered throughout the entire year. When they fast, they fast for a period of 10 days without food or water.The women also fast for their own separate reasons; They fast for the health of their husbands and this is called Viarat of Karchoth.

• The Jinns fasts are scattered throughout the entire year. When they fast,they fast for a period of 10 days without food or water. The women also fast for the health of their husbands and this is called Viarat of Karchoth.

Sources

• http://www.beliefnet.com/features/fasting_chart.html • http://hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_food.htm •   http://www.hinduism.8k.com/ekadashi.html • www.ankerberg.com/Articles/

_PDFArchives/islam/IS3W1299.pdf • http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=n

ews_philosophy&Number=293062138&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=21&part=all

• http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm• http://www.jewfaq.org/holidaye.htm• http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/4464.php• Mulana Nawab interview