In The
Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful { Islam
}
Sawm
(Or Siyam) [ Fasting ]
1-In Ramadan, (the
9th month of the lunar Islamic year) Muslims fast in obedience to Allah's
command and in gratitude for Allah's Grace for revealing His Glorious Book,
Al-Qur'an, in Ramadan.
2-As-Sawm is
to abstain from eating, drinking and intimate intercourse from dawn to
sunset.
3-If sick or
on a journey, a Muslim is permitted to break his fast.
4-If he breaks
the fast, he has to make up by fasting a number of days equal to the days
in which he broke fasting in Ramadan.
5-After the
end of Ramadan comes "Id 'al-Fitr" (the Holy day of Breaking the Fast)
which is the 1st day of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan.
6-On the 'Id
morning, all Muslims congregate, in open grounds or in mospues, to perform
"Id Prayer" to express their happiness and gratitude to Allah for enabling
them to complete this duty of Fasting.
7-Concerning
this important duty, Allah says:
"O you who
believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before
you, that you may (observe) piety and self-restraint" {Al-Qur'an 2:183}
8-Also, He
says:
"Ramadan is
the month in which was sent down Al-Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also
clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).
So every one
of you who is present (at his home, village, or town) during that month
should fast it, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed
period (should be made up) by other days. {Al-Qur'an 2:185}