What is a fast called in Arabic?
Sawm is the Arabic term used to describe the act of fasting. Passed the age of puberty, Muslims are required to fast during the month of Ramadan, which entails abstaining from food, drink, sexual relations and displeasing speech and behaviour from dawn until dusk. In Islam, fasting (known as sawm, Arabic: صَوم; Arabic pronunciation: [sˤawm] or siyam, Arabic: صيام; Arabic pronunciation: [sˤijaːm]) is the practice of abstaining, usually from food, drink, sexual activity and anything that substitutes food and drink.