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Part of a series on
 Islam

Beliefs

Allah · Oneness of God
Muhammad · Prophets of Islam
Practices

Profession of Faith · Prayer
Fasting · Charity · Pilgrimage

History & Leaders

Timeline of Muslim history
Ahl al-Bayt · Sahaba
Rashidun Caliphs · Shi'a Imams

Texts & Laws

Qur'an · Sunnah · Hadith
Fiqh · Sharia
Kalam · Tasawwuf (Sufism)

Major branches
Sunni · Shi'a

Culture & Society

Academics · Animals · Art
Calendar · Children · Demographics
Festivals · Mosques · Philosophy
Politics · Science · Women

Islam & other religions
Christianity · Hinduism · Jainism
Judaism · Sikhism

See also

Criticism of Islam · Islamophobia
Glossary of Islamic terms

Islam Portal  v • d • e 

Sawm (Arabic: صوم) is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Aqidah (sometimes spelled Aqeeda, Aqidah or Aqida) (عقيدة is an Islamic term meaning Creed. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' In Islam, God is believed to be the only real supreme being all-powerful and all knowing Creator Sustainer Ordainer and Judge of the universe Islam puts a heavy emphasis IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic أركان الإسلام is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. The Shahada ( Arabic: ar الشهادة, from the verb ar شهد "to testify" is the Islamic Creed. Ṣalāt ( Arabic: صلاة‎, pl ṣalawāt, Qur'anic Arabic: صلوة ṣalawah) (also munz in Pashto and This is a sub-article of Islamic economical jurisprudence. Zakaat ( زكاة zækæːh zakaat or zakāh, has the implied The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world Muslim history began in Arabia with the Muhammad 's first recitations of the Qur'an in the 7th century Caliph Caliph is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam There is much more to Muslim history than its military and political aspects this particular chronology is almost entirely of military and political nature See also Muhammad's wives Ahl al-Bayt ( Arabic:ar أهل البيت is an Arabic phrase literally meaning People of the House, or family In Islam, the Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة "Companions" were the companions of the Islamic prophet Muḥammad. The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first Imāmah (إمامة is the Shī‘ah doctrine of religious spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. Qur'an Text Surahs ** Ayah Commentary/Exegesis Tafsir Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Sunnah ar (سنة plural سنن Sunan literally means “trodden path” and therefore the sunnah of the prophet means “the way and the manners of the prophet” Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic Fiqh ( Arabic: فقه, fɪqəh is Islamic Jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the Sharia Islamic law—based directly on the Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. Kalām (علم الكلام is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through Dialectic. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Muslim Culture is a term primarily used in Secular Academia to describe all cultural practices common to historically Islamic peoples The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings This is a sub-article to Religious education, Academic discipline, and Islam. This article is about Animals in Islamic thought The Qur'an assigns an inferior status to animals in comparison with humans and has a tendency towards Islamic art encompasses the arts produced from the 7th century onwards by people (not necessarily Muslim) who lived within the territory that was inhabited by culturally The Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar ( Arabic: التقويم الهجري at-taqwīm al-hijrī; Persian: تقویم هجری قمری ‎ The topic of Islam and children includes the rights of children in Islam children's duties towards their parents and parent's rights over their children both males and females Listing of Muslims by country Important note Population counts by religious affiliation like most demographic characteristics of a Population Muslim holidays are mostly based around the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, especially the events surrounding the first hearing of the Qur'an. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Islamic philosophy is a branch of Islamic studies, and is a longstanding attempt to create harmony between Philosophy ( Reason) and the religious teachings See also Modern Islamic philosophy, Islamism, Islamic terrorism Political aspects of Islam are derived from the Quran, the Sunna Over the centuries of Islamic history, Muslim rulers Islamic scholars, and ordinary Muslims have held many different attitudes towards other religions The historical interaction between Christianity and Islam, in the field of Comparative religion, connects fundamental ideas in Christianity with similar ones in Islam Hinduism and Islam, from the of arrival of the Arabs as far back as the eighth century AD has had a checkered history Islam and Jainism came in close contact with each other following the Islamic conquest from Central Asia and Persia in the seventh The historical interaction of Judaism and Islam started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. In Islam, Muhammad is the last and final Prophet of God Islam views Jews Christians and Muslims as " People of the Book Arguments critical to religion in general or specific to monotheism such as the Existence of God, are not dealt with here Islamophobia is a Neologism that refers to Prejudice or Discrimination against Islam or Muslims The term itself dates back to the The following list consists of Concepts that are derived from both Islamic and Arab tradition which are expressed as words in the Arabic language. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all Food, Drink, or both for a period of time Fiqh ( Arabic: فقه, fɪqəh is Islamic Jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the Sharia Islamic law—based directly on the In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means 'to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse [1] The observance of sawm during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, but is not confined to that month. The Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar ( Arabic: التقويم الهجري at-taqwīm al-hijrī; Persian: تقویم هجری قمری ‎ Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic أركان الإسلام is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim.

Contents

Etymology

The word sawm is derived from Syriac sawmo. See Syriac (disambiguation for other uses Syriac (syr ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ leššānā Suryāyā) is an Eastern Aramaic language Literally, Sawm means 'to abstain'.

Other languages

For example, the Muslims of Afghanistan, India, Iran, Bangladesh, and Pakistan use the word rozah which comes from the Indo-Arian language of Dari. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and In Turkey, Sawm is called oruç, while the Malay community in Malaysia and Singapore call it puasa, which is derived from Sanskrit, upvaasa. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Singapore Puasa is also used in Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Interestingly, the word is also found in the Maltese language.

Definition

Muslims are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse from dawn (fajr) to sunset (maghrib). Dawn refers to the Twilight before Sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight while the sun itself is still below the horizon The Fajr (فجر prayer is the first of the five daily prayers ( Salat) recited by practising Muslims (Fajr means Dawn in the Sunset, also called sundown in some American English Dialects is the instant when the trailing edge of the Sun 's disk disappears below Maghrib (مَغْرِب is the fourth daily Salat in Islam, offered at sunset Fasting is essentially a means of seeking nearness to Allah and increasing one's piety. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' One of the remote aims of fasting is to sympathize with those less fortunate ones who do not always have food and drink readily available. Also one must try to avoid cursing and thinking evil thoughts. Fasting is also viewed as a means of controlling one's desires (of hunger, thirst, sexuality, anger) and focusing more on devoting oneself to God.

Fasting in the Qur'an

In the Qur'an surah Al-Baqarah verse 183, God Revealed:

*يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
"O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before so that you be God-fearing. " [Qur'an 2:183]

Conditions of Fasting

Intention (Niyyah). The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran

For a fast to be valid in the first instance, an intention (niyyah) must be made beforehand; this is considered to form an oath. Niyyah is an Islamic concept which is the intent one evokes in his heart to do an act of worship for the sake of Allah (God If this is not performed then the fast is not valid, it is not required to be made verbally.

General conditions

Throughout the duration of the fast itself, Muslims will abstain from certain provisions that God has otherwise allowed; namely eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse. This is in addition to the standard obligation already observed by Muslims of avoiding that which is not permissible under Qur'anic or Shari'ah law (e. g. ignorant and indecent speech, arguing and fighting, and lustful thoughts). Without observing this standard obligation, Sawm is rendered useless, and is seen simply as an act of starvation.

If one is sick, nursing or travelling, one is considered exempt from fasting. According to the Qur'an, for all other cases, not fasting is only permitted when the act is potentially dangerous to one's health - for example; those elderly who are too weak to fast for extended periods of time, diabetics, nursing, and pregnant women. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Breastfeeding is the feeding of an Infant or young Child with Breast milk directly from human Breasts, not from a Baby bottle or other Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female

Observing the fast is not permitted for menstruating women. However, when a woman's period has ceased, she must bathe and continue fasting. Any fasts broken/missed due to menstruation must be made up whenever she can before the next month of Ramadan. Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic Women must fast at times when not menstruating, as God indicates that all religious duties are ordained for both men and women.

Breaking oaths and the consequences

During Ramadan, one who fasts and breaks the oath out of forgetfulness must nevertheless continue, since the fast will remain valid. If, however, one intentionally breaks the fast, by eating, drinking, or smoking, then they must continue for the rest of the day, add one day onto their fast and pay a "penalty'" (fidyah). A fidyah differ from schools of thought. In Malaysia however, a fidyah consists of the amount of rice equivalent of a meal.

However if one intentionally breaks the fast by having sex (without breaking it first by other means such eating etc) a set of "penalty" (kaffarra)shall apply. These exist in three forms, of which the person chooses one:

Penalties for voluntary fasts at other times of the year, are, however, more lenient; if an oath is given, and circumstances dictate that if broken (or if the one giving the oath deliberately breaks it), one needs to fast for three days consecutively if they cannot initially find 10 poor people to feed and provide clothing for (both of which are commanded before the act of fasting as a form of repentance). The penalties are harsher during Ramadan because all mentally able Muslims are expected to have an increased awareness of the fast at that time.

Beginning and ending the Fast

In accordance with traditions handed down from Muhammad, Muslims eat a pre-dawn meal called the suhoor. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Suhoor ( Arabic:سحور lit of the dawn also called Sehri, Sahari and Sahur in other languages is an Islamic term referring to All eating and drinking must be finished before Salat-ul-Fajr, the pre-dawn prayer. The Fajr (فجر prayer is the first of the five daily prayers ( Salat) recited by practising Muslims (Fajr means Dawn in the Unlike the Salat-ul-Zuhr and Salat-ul-Maghrib prayers, which have clear astronomical definitions (noon and sunset), there are several definitions used in practice for the timing of "true dawn" (al-fajr as-sadq), as mentioned in the hadith. The dhuhr (ظهر prayer ("dh" representing Ẓāʼ, an Emphatic voiced dental fricative" it is often simplified to "z" is Maghrib (مَغْرِب is the fourth daily Salat in Islam, offered at sunset Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic These range from when the center of the sun is 12 to 21 degrees below the horizon [1] which equates to about 40 to 60 minutes before civil dawn. There are no restrictions on the morning meal other than the restrictions on Muslims diet. This is a sub-article to Hygiene in Islam, Healthy diet and Food and cooking hygiene. After completing the suhoor, Muslims recite the fajr prayer. The Fajr (فجر prayer is the first of the five daily prayers ( Salat) recited by practising Muslims (Fajr means Dawn in the No food or water is allowed to go down the throat after the suhoor. Suhoor ( Arabic:سحور lit of the dawn also called Sehri, Sahari and Sahur in other languages is an Islamic term referring to However, water unlike food may enter the mouth, but not go down the throat during wudu. This article is about Hygiene in Islam. Wudu ( Arabic: الوضوء al-wuḍū', Persian:آبدست ābdast

The meal eaten to end the fast is known as al-Iftar. Iftar ( Arabic: إفطار refers to the evening meal for breaking the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Many Muslims, following the Sunnah of the Prophet, Muhammad, break the fast with dates and water before praying Salat-ul-Maghrib, after which they might eat a more wholesome meal. Maghrib (مَغْرِب is the fourth daily Salat in Islam, offered at sunset

Benefits of fasting

Fasting inculcates a sense of fraternity and solidarity, as Muslims can feel and experience that which their needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel. However, even the poor, needy, and hungry participate in the fast. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together, the latter offering more reward than if eating alone. Most importantly, the fast is also seen as a great sign of obedience by the believer to Allah. Faithful observance of the Sawm is believed to atone for personal faults and misdeeds and to help earn a place in paradise. Jannah (جنّة is the Islamic conception of Paradise. The Arabic form Jannah is a shortened version meaning simply "Garden"

As briefly mentioned earlier, fasting can also be observed voluntarily (as part of the Greater Jihad ): Sawm is intended to teach believers patience and self-control in their personal conduct, to help control passions and temper, to provide time for meditation and to strengthen one's faith. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. Fasting also serves the purpose of cleansing the inner soul and freeing it of harm.

Days For Fasting

Month of Ramadhan

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is considered Fard (obligatory). Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic Fard (الفرض also farida (الفريضة is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty

Days For Voluntary Fasting

Islam also prescribed certain days for non-obligatory, voluntary fasting, such as:

Days When Fasting Is Forbidden

Although fasting is considered a pious act in Islam, there are times when fasting is prohibited. There are certain days on which fasts are prohibited:

Things To Remember

Things That Invalidates Fasting


Favorable Things To Do During Fasting [2]

اللهم لك صمت وبك امنت وعلى رزقك أفطرت
O Allah, I have fasted for You and in You I believed and with Your provision do I break my fast

Unfavorable Things To Do During Fasting [3]

Fasting in other religions

Main article: fasting

Lent in Christianity, Yom Kippur, Tisha B'av, Fast of Esther, Tzom Gedalia the Seventeenth_of_Tamuz, and the Tenth_of_Tevet, all in Judaism, are also times of fasting. Suhoor ( Arabic:سحور lit of the dawn also called Sehri, Sahari and Sahur in other languages is an Islamic term referring to The Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible Fruit. Du'a ( دُعَاء) is a Supplication in Islam, an Arabic term which means to 'call out' or to 'summon' Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr Ghusl (غسل is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution (ritual washing required in Islam for various rituals and prayers The Fajr (فجر prayer is the first of the five daily prayers ( Salat) recited by practising Muslims (Fajr means Dawn in the Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all Food, Drink, or both for a period of time Lent, in some Christian denominations, is the forty-day-long liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Yom Kippur (יוֹם כִּפּוּר ˈjɔm kiˈpur also known in English as the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn and important of the Jewish holidays Its Tisha B'Av (תשעה באב or he ט׳ באב "the Ninth of Av," is an annual fast day in Judaism, named for the ninth day ( Tisha The Fast of Esther ( Ta'anit Ester, Hebrew תענית אסתר is a Jewish fast from Dawn until Dusk on Purim The Fast of Gedalia (or Gedaliah) ( צוֹם גְּדָלִיָּה, gɛdˈlaɪə or gɪˈdɑlyə Tzom Gedaliah is a Jewish fast The Seventeenth of Tammuz ( Hebrew: שבעה עשר בתמוז, Shiv'ah Asar b'Tammuz) is a minor Jewish fast day commemorating the breach of the walls Tenth of Tevet (עשרה בטבת Asara BeTevet) the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a minor fast day in Judaism. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Nevertheless, the fasting practices are different from one another. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) generally fast for 24 hours on the first Sunday of each month. Like Muslims, they refrain from all drinking and eating unless they are children or are physically unable to fast. Fasting is also a feature of ascetic traditions in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Mahayana traditions that follow the Brahma's Net Sutra may recommend that the laity fast " during the six days of fasting each month and the three months of fasting each year" [Brahma's Net Sutra, minor precept 30]. Members of the Bahل'ي Faith observe a Nineteen Day Fast from sunrise to sunset during March each year. The Nineteen-Day Fast ( March 2 - March 20) is a nineteen-day period of the year during which members of the Bahá'í Faith adhere to a sunrise-to-sunset

See also

References

  1. ^ Fasting and Tafsir Ma'ariful Qur'an - Haq Islam
  2. ^ Ismail Kamus (1993). Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all Food, Drink, or both for a period of time A ta'anit or taanis is a fast in Judaism. A Jewish fast may have one or more purposes including A tool for repentance Hidup Bertaqwa (2nd ed. ). Kuala Lumpur: At Tafkir Enterprise. Pg 165. ISBN 9-839990-20-9.
  3. ^ Ismail Kamus (1993). Hidup Bertaqwa (2nd ed. ). Kuala Lumpur: At Tafkir Enterprise. Pg 165. ISBN 9-839990-20-9.

External links

Dictionary

sawm

-noun

  1. (Islam) fasting, abstention, abstinence; the third of the five pillars of Islam (during the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, gambling, and all sensuous pleasures from sunrise to sunset. Sawm is regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. Contrary to popular non-Islamic belief, its observance by Muslims is not confined to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.)
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