sawm

Fasting undertaken during the month of Ramadan; it is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam. For 29-30 days, between sunrise and sunset, no food or drink, sexual relations, or comforts such as chewing gum or cigarettes are allowed. The suhur (pre-dawn meal) is eaten, followed by reading from the Koran (or Quran or Qur'an) until dawn. After sunset, friends and relatives are visited and feasting takes place, the first small meal being Iftar.

Muslims believe that sawm helps them to develop self-control, increase their spiritual strength, have some understanding for those who suffer, and increase their sense of belonging to one community. Fasting becomes especially difficult in countries far from the equator in summer, when daylight may last 18 hours. Muslims whose lives would be put at risk because of their age, sickness, or circumstances (such as being on a long journey by foot), are exempt from sawm.