Sawm is a profound spiritual discipline in Islam that cultivates self-restraint, empathy for the poor, and heightened God-consciousness (taqwa). Observed from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, it is more than physical abstinence—it includes guarding one’s speech, actions, and thoughts. In poetry, Sawm appears as a metaphor for inner purification, patience, and the soul’s hunger for divine closeness. Poets often juxtapose bodily deprivation with spiritual abundance, using imagery of thirst, dawn, and breaking fast to explore themes of longing, renewal, and communal solidarity.

Sawm is the fasting practiced during the Islamic month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The fast entails complete abstinence from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib). Beyond physical abstention, it is a time for intense spiritual reflection, increased prayer (Tarawih), and empathy for the poor. For poets, Sawm embodies themes of self-discipline, purification, patience (Sabr), and the transcendence of physical desires.