Fasting common to many faiths
Citations for fasting in various religions.
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.” — The Holy Quran, Chapter 2: Verse 183
Bahai: The Bahai fast is during Ala, the 19th month of the Baha’Ã year, March 2-20. Believers abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
Buddhist: All main branches of Buddhism practice some periods of fasting, usually on full-moon days and other holidays. Depending on the tradition, fasting means abstaining from solid food, with some liquids permitted.
Catholic: Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat every Friday during Lent.
Eastern Orthodox: There are several fast periods, including Lent, Apostles’ Fast, Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast, and several one-day fasts. Every Wednesday and Friday is considered a fast day, except those that fall during designated “fast-free weeks.” Meat, dairy products, and eggs are prohibited. Fish is prohibited on some fast days and allowed on others.
Hindu: Fasting commonly practiced on New Moon days and during festivals as Shivaratri, Saraswati Puja, and Durga Puja (also known as Navaratri). Women in North India also fast on the day of Karva Chauth for the health and welfare of their husbands. Fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from food or drink; more often it is an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water.
Jewish: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the best-known fast day. The Jewish calendar has six other fast days as well, including Tisha B’Av, the day on which the destruction of the Jewish Temple took place. On Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, eating and drinking are forbidden for 25 hours, sundown to sundown. On the other fast days, eating and drinking are forbidden from sunrise to sundown.
Mormon: The first Sunday of each month is a fast day. Individuals, families or wards may hold other fasts at will; they abstain from food and drink for two consecutive meals and donate food or money to the needy.
Protestant (Evangelical): At the discretion of individuals, churches, organizations or communities. Some abstain from food or drink entirely, others drink only water or juice, eat only certain foods, skip certain meals, or abstain from temptations of all kind.
Protestant (mainline): Not a major part of the tradition, but fasts can be held at the discretion of communities, churches, other groups and individuals.
Sources: IslamiCity.com, Beliefnet.com