Fasting (sawm in Arabic) is one of the five key pillar of Islam, along with prayer (salat), charity (zakat), faith (shahadah) and making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
All adult Muslims are required to fast, with exemptions for pregnant women, nursing mothers, women who are menstruating and the sick and elderly.
Young, prepubescent children are not expected to fast, however some will choose to do so for half a day to train their bodies.
Those who are fasting will abstain from food, liquids and sex, from dawn until dusk.
Muslims will wake early to eat and pray before sunrise, and will break the fast after sunset with a communal meal (Iftar).
