Sawm means to refrain from eating, drinking and cohabiting
from subha sadiq (early dawn to sunset)
with a niyyah (intention) of observing fast.
Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able,
adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan,
the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon.
Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded
principally as a method of self-purification.
By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures and comforts,
even for a short time, the fasting person gains
true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and
achieves growth in his
spiritual life, learning discipline, self-restraint,
patience and flexibility.
It is preferable to recite this Du’a at the time of keeping the fast :
“Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri ramadan.
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And this Du’a when breaking the fast:
“Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu [wa 'alayka tawakkaltu] wa ‘ala rizq-ika aftarthu.”
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