Cling firmly to obligatory prayer and fasting. Verily, the
religion of God is like unto heaven; fasting is its sun, and obligatory prayer
is its moon. In truth, they are the pillars of religion whereby the righteous
are distinguished from those who transgress His commandments. We entreat God,
exalted and glorified be He, that He may graciously enable all to observe that
which He hath revealed in His Ancient Book. (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet;
compilation: ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting”, prepared by the
Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
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One who performeth neither good deeds nor acts of worship is
like unto a tree which beareth no fruit, and an action which leaveth no trace.
Whosoever experienceth the holy ecstasy of worship will refuse to barter such
an act or any praise of God for all that existeth in the world. Fasting and
obligatory prayer are as two wings to man's life. Blessed be the one who
soareth with their aid in the heaven of the love of God, the Lord of all
worlds. (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet; compilation: ‘The Importance of Obligatory
Prayer and Fasting,’ prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House
of Justice)
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Verily, I say, fasting is the supreme remedy and the most
great healing for the disease of self and passion. (Baha’u’llah, from a Tablet;
compilation: ‘The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, prepared by
Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
From ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
O thou spiritual friend! Thou hast asked about the wisdom of
obligatory prayer. Know thou that such prayer is mandatory and binding. Man
under no pretext whatsoever is excused from observing the prayer unless he is
incapable of performing it or some great obstacle interveneth. The wisdom of
obligatory prayer is this: That it causeth a connection between the servant and
the True One, because at that time man with all his heart and soul turneth his
face towards the Almighty, seeking His association and desiring His love and
companionship. For a lover, there is no greater pleasure than to converse with
his beloved, and for a seeker, there is no greater bounty than intimacy with
the object of his desire. It is the greatest longing of every soul who is
attracted to the Kingdom of God to find time to turn with entire devotion to
his Beloved, so as to seek His bounty and blessing and immerse himself in the
ocean of communion, entreaty and supplication. Moreover, obligatory prayer and
fasting produce awareness and awakening in man, and are conducive to his
protection and preservation from tests. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, compilation: ‘The
Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting’, compiled by Research Department
of the Universal House of Justice; published in The American Baha'i, September
2000)
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A letter which was signed by you in general was received.
Its content was of the utmost beauty, sweetness, eloquence and perfection.
While reading it the utmost happiness was produced. It spoke of fasting during
the month of the Fast. Happy is your condition for you have executed the divine
command; and have arisen to fast in these blessed days. For this physical
fasting is a symbol of the spiritual fasting, that is, abstaining from all
carnal desires, becoming characterized with the attributes of the spiritual
ones, attracted to the heavenly fragrances and enkindled with the fire of the
love of God. (‘Abdu'l-Baha, ‘Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha vol. 1’)