Sawm - Fasting in the month of Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The Holy Quran was revealed to the prophet Muhammad in the month of Ramadan. Fasting is amongst the greatest acts of worship in Islam, performed out of obedience to the command of Allah. It is a unique act of worship that stands apart from the others; fasting is a hidden and secret act between God and his believing servants. All Muslims around the world fast from dawn till sunset for the entire month. They do not eat, drink, or have sexual relations during this time. Fasting in Ramadan seeks to increase patience and consciousness of God. It seeks to unite the global Muslim community and prepare them for the year ahead. It allows us to experience something of hunger, and to gain control of our desire for food and physical pleasure. It is a month in which the Muslim community strives even more to assist the poor and needy, to increase in acts of worship, to self-reflect, to purify the heart, and to revive the soul. Allah showers believers with even more mercy during Ramadan than at other times of the year, and provides even greater opportunities to seek his forgiveness.