Regarding the nineteen-day fast; its observance has been
enjoined by Baha’u’llah upon all the believers, once they attain the age of
fifteen and until they reach seventy. Children of all countries, nationalities
and classes, who are fifteen years old are under this obligation. It matters not whether they mature
later in one country than in another. The command of Baha’u’llah is universal,
irrespective of any variance in the age of maturity in different countries and
among different peoples.
In the 'Aqdas' Baha’u’llah permits certain exceptions to
this general obligation of fasting, among them are included those who do hard
work, such as workers in heavy industries.
But while a universal obligation, the observance of the
nineteen day fast has been made by Baha’u’llah the sole responsibility of the
individual believer. No Assembly has the right to enforce it on the friends, or
to hold anybody responsible for not observing it. The believer is free,
however, to ask the advice of his Assembly as to the circumstances that would
justify him to conscientiously break such a fast. But he is by no means
required to do so.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, March 9, 1937; compilation: Lights of Guidance)
