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| Arabic | صوم |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | SAWM |
| Etymology | From Arabic صوم (sawm), derived from the root ص-و-م (sa-wa-ma, 'to abstain/refrain'). The related word siyam is also used. The term encompasses abstaining from physical and spiritual impurities. |
Sawm(صوم) Islamic fasting, which involves abstaining from all food, drink, and marital relations from the break of dawn until sunset. It is the fourth pillar of Islam, واجب during the month of رمضان.
صوم
Sawm was prescribed in the second year of Hijrah and is واجب for every sane, adult Muslim during رمضان. The القرآن states: 'O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa (God-consciousness)' (2:183). Beyond رمضان, voluntary fasting is highly مستحب on days like Mondays and Thursdays, the 13th-14th-15th of each lunar month, and the Day of عرفة (9th ذو الحجة) for non-الحجاج. In the الحج context, sawm plays several roles: fasting on the Day of عرفة is مستحب for non-الحجاج but مكروه for الحجاج performing الحج (to maintain strength); fasting is prohibited on Eid al-Adha (10th ذو الحجة) and the Days of التشريق (11th-13th); and fasting three days can serve as a substitute for certain penalties (dam/فدية) when a الحاج cannot afford the sacrifice.
From Arabic صوم (sawm), derived from the root ص-و-م (sa-wa-ma, 'to abstain/refrain'). The related word siyam is also used. The term encompasses abstaining from physical and spiritual impurities.