---
title: "Sawm — Fasting in Islam | Islam Is Mercy"
description: "Sawm is the Islamic fast: no food, drink or marital relations from dawn to sunset. Fasting in Ramadan is the fourth Pillar of Islam."
lang: en
url: https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/sawm/
---

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3.  Sawm — Fasting in Islam

# Sawm — Fasting in Islam

Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 1 min readAwaiting scholar review

## The short answer

Sawm means fasting: abstaining from food, drink and marital relations from dawn until sunset, while also guarding one's tongue and behaviour. Fasting the month of Ramadan is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam.

## On this page

1.  Meaning
2.  How Muslims use it
3.  Example

**Sawm** (Arabic: الصوم) is pronounced roughly like “saw” followed by “m” — *sawm*. The related word *siyam* is also used.

## Meaning

*Sawm* means to abstain. In Islam it is the fast: from the first light of dawn until sunset, a fasting person does not eat, drink or have marital relations. But the fast is not only physical. Muslims also try to avoid lying, anger and unkind words, so that the fast trains the heart as well as the body. The Qur’an reminds Muslims that they are not the first to fast:

> يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣﴾

> O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -

[Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:183](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=183&translations=20)Saheeh International

## How Muslims use it

Fasting the whole month of Ramadan is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam and is required of healthy adult Muslims. Islam is merciful here: people who are ill, travelling, pregnant or nursing, elderly, or otherwise unable to fast are excused, and most make up the days later or feed a poor person instead. Muslims also fast voluntarily on other days. Each fasting day ends at sunset with a meal called *iftar*, often shared with family, neighbours and guests.

## Example

*“I’m keeping sawm today, so I’ll join you for dinner after sunset.”*

To learn more, read [The Five Pillars of Islam](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/five-pillars-of-islam/).

## Key takeaways

-   Sawm is fasting from dawn to sunset.
-   Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for healthy adult Muslims.
-   The sick, travellers and others with difficulty are excused and can make it up later.

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## Sources

-   [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:183](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=183&translations=20)

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