Fasting Sawm

Fasting in month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam on which the building of Islam is standing

How Muslim fast

Muslim around the world holds fast during the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The fast starts from the sunrise the Muslims stops eating and drinking all the lawful food till the sunset. Muslims gets up early in the morning to suhoor that is a meal taken before fast starts and then the Muslim broke their fast with a meal called iftar.

When fasting is obligatory

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory for a Muslim. It is obligatory to every person who is fourteen years of age. As fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam that is why the instructions about fast is clearly stated in Holy Quran. Fast is obligatory on each and every Muslim who is healthy. The people who are in journey or  sick in the month of Ramadan then it is not compulsory for them to fast but they have to complete their fast in other days when they have been recovered or they are not in journey.

Reasons behind fasting

Muslim fast to achieve taqwa and in the mean time by getting thirsty and hungry for the whole day they came to know the pain of poor people. Fasting also teaches self control and it cleans our body as well as our mind.

Importance of fast

The importance of fast is clearly evident in the verse of Holy Quran in which ALLAH himself ask the Muslims that whoever witness the month of Ramadan should fast.

After thirty days of fast the Muslim celebrates Eid-ul-fitr. Eid -ul- fitr is one of the two biggest religious festivals of Muslims the other one are hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).