Sawm is the Arabic term for the obligatory fasting observed from dawn to sunset during Ramadan.
During each fasting day, adult Muslims who are able generally abstain from food and drink from the pre-dawn meal until sunset. The fast also emphasizes restraint, worship, charity, and ethical conduct rather than merely going without food.
Sawm is the fourth of Islam’s Five Pillars. Ramadan lasts for a lunar month of either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting or calculation practices used to determine the beginning and end of the month.
People who are ill, traveling, pregnant, nursing, menstruating, or otherwise unable may have exemptions or make-up arrangements under Islamic legal traditions. Sawm is not the same as the Arabic term for the evening meal that ends a fast.