Lesson video

Hello, are you fine theologians? and welcome to another Religious Education lesson with me, Mr. Green.

Today we are going to spend some time learning all about the fourth pillar of Islam, that is Sawm, fasting through the Islamic month of Ramadan.

So before we get started, please make sure you have four key things with you.

Firstly, a pen, secondly, a different colour pen, thirdly, some paper to work on, and fourthly, your theology brains.

Now, if you need to go and get any of those things, please pause the video now and go and get them.

How are we going to become absolute experts in this fourth pillar of Islam, which is Sawm? Firstly, we're going to define Sawm, Then we're going to find out precisely what the pillar requires and explain it, then we're going to give a detailed explanation as to why Muslims practise Sawm, and thus going to be able to explain both how and why Muslims practise this fourth pillar of Islam, which is Sawm.

So let's start off with a nice, simple definition.

What do we mean by Sawm? Sawm is fasting during daylight hours throughout the Islamic month of Ramadan.

and fasting is denying yourself food for religious reasons.

Now the dates of Sawm vary year on year, the dates of Sawm, which is in the month of Ramadan, this year 2020 was between 23rd of April to the 23rd of May.

Next year in 2021, Ramadan will fall between the 12th of April to the 11th of May.

what I would like you to do now, is just write out this definition.

Sawm is fasting during daylight hours throughout the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Fasting is denying yourself food for religious reasons.

So please pause the video, write out the definition, then unpause it and join me once you've done that.

So let's have a look at Sawm in a little bit more detail here.

So you can see three basic points on your screens.

No food or drink during daylight hours.

There are other exceptions too, and there's a test to know precisely when daylight hours have passed.

Now Sawm at its basic level does mean that Muslims are not permitted to eat or drink during daylight hours.

And it can be quite tricky to know precisely when daylight hours have elapsed.

So there is actually a specific test for this.

What a Muslim we'll do, is hold a black string and a white string.

And if there's enough light that you can tell the difference between the two colours, then it's still daylight and the fast cannot be broken.

But if the light has dimmed in or so you cannot tell the difference between the two colours, then the fast for that day can be broken.

Now, fasting is not just about not eating or not drinking.

There should also be no chewing, no smoking, no sexual relationships.

Essentially what a muslim is trying to do throughout the Islamic month of Ramadan, is moderating physical desires.

So all attention is directed towards Allah.

Who doesn't have to fast? it says here, you are only obliged to fast if it's safe for you to do so.

And the following groups are exempt from testing, children under 12, the elderly, pregnant women, women feeding babies, and the sick.

Exempt means you do not have to do it.

And Sawm, which is fasting season according to Ramadan is obligatory.

But that's only if it's safe for Muslims to complete the fast.

Always loving.

You wouldn't want people to put themselves at risk of harm in showing their dedication and submission to him.

Therefore, there are these exceptions that you can see, you're not expected to fast, If you're young under 12, if you're elderly, a pregnant woman, or a woman feeding a very young baby, or sick.

clearly preservation of life takes priority over fasting.

So now let's consider why Sawm takes place during Ramadan.

Well it's when Muslims believe the Qur'an began to be revealed.

And the 'Night of power' which is when Mohammed was first spoken to by the angel Jibril, also is believed to have taken place during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Now remember the Quran being revealed to Muhammad was a process that took years and years.

Mohammed used to escape the busy-ness and the lifestyle of Macans by going to a cave to contemplate and pray.

And it was joy in this time that he was first approached by the angel Jibril he then revealed the Quran to him over a number of years.

The Quran is the word of God.

So it's revelation to Mohammed is really significant.

It meant a word of God could be written down precisely so that Muslims for generations and generations and generations can see the precise word of God.

This is a really significant event.

It means they're able to know the will of God, and follow his commands and his rules.

Fasting during Ramadan is an acknowledgement of this history of Allah's interaction with human beings through the prophet Mohammed.

There're of course many other reasons why fasting is important too.

And we'll go through those later on.

Now let's just check to see how we're getting on.

We're going to do that with some quick fire questions.

So all I need you to do is point to the word true or false on your screens, or you can simply say the word true or false to yourself.

So first question.

Sawm involves for fasting.

Say that again.

Sawm involveS fasting, is that true or is that false? point your screens now? Well done.

It's true.

Sawm only involves fasting from food and water, true or false? Excellent.

Well done.

That is false.

All Muslims are expected to fast.

True or false? Excellent.

Well done.

It is false.

There can be no eating or drinking throughout the entire month of Ramadan.

True or false? It's false.

Remember it is only daylight hours.

All men over the age of 12 well fit and healthy would be expected to fast.

True or false? True.

well done.

So which of these are expected to fast? An elderly man, a very young girl, or a pregnant woman? Tricky question, isn't it? They're all exempt.

well done.

If you've got that one.

Next one, which of these are also prohibited during Sawm? Prohibit means you're not allowed to do it.

So sexual relationships, exercise, playing computer games.

which of those things you must not do during the Islamic month of Ramadan? Sexual relationships.

well done.

When can you stop fasting? Only at the end of Ramadan, after midnight each day, or when it's too dark to tell the difference between a black and a white string.

Excellent, brilliant.

Well done.

What significant event does Sawm help Muslims to recall? The start the revelation of the Quran to Mohammad by the angel Jibril.

The day of revelation of the Quran was completed, or Muhammad establishing the first Islamic community.

Excellent.

Well done.

The start of the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad by the angel Jibril.

what name is given to the specific day that Jibril started revealing the Quran Muhammad? Night of Power, Day of Revelation, or the Grand Revelation.

It is The Night of Power.

Well done.

Sawm only involves fasting from food and water.

True or false? Well done.

It's false.

All muslims are expected to fast.

True or false? Well done.

It's false.

There can be no eating or drinking throughout the entire month of Ramadan.

True or false? well done.

It's false.

All men over the age of 12, who are fit and healthy would be expected to fast.

True or false? True.

well done.

Which of these are expected to fast? An elderly man, a very young girl, a pregnant woman? You got it that time, didn't you? That's the tricky one.

That's the one where there is no correct answer.

All three of those are exceptions.

Which are these are also prohibited during Sawm? Sexual relationships, exercise, playing computer games.

Well done.

You got it.

Didn't you? When can you stop fasting? End of Ramadan, after midnight, or when there's no enough light to tell the difference between a black and a white piece of string.

Brilliant.

Well done.

What significant event does Sawm help Muslims to recall? Point your screens.

Well done.

The start of the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.

What name was given to the specific day that Jibril started revealing the Quran to Muhammad? Night of Power, Day of Revelation, Grand revelation, Night of Power.

Well done.

Wow.

So what we're going to do next is check.

We can remember all that information and get a really good record of it in our work.

So can you please answer the true or false questions if the statement is true, write down "true" followed by the statement.

If the statement is false, write down "false" followed by a correction.

So pause the video now and rejoin it when you have finished.

So let's check your work.

So for the first one you should have put "true".

Sawm is fasting during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.

The second one you should have noted down that that was false.

And in doing so note it down in addition to food and drink, Muslims must also abstain from smoking, chewing and sexual relationships.

For the third one you should have also identified that was false as well and corrected it by stating those who are under 12, elderly, pregnant, feeding children, or sick are also exempt.

For the fourth one.

Again hopefully you identified it was false.

And you've corrected that by noting down that the fast is broken when it's too dark to tell the difference between a black and a white string.

The fifth one was true.

So you just needed to write that down.

And hopefully you did.

Sawm takes place during Ramadan, as it's a time when the angel Jibril began revealing the Quran to Muhammad.

and the sixth one was false as well.

Wasn't it? So hopefully you noted down that a significant event during Ramadan is the Night of Power.

So there are many other reasons why Sawm is considered to be really critically important within Islam.

We're going to spend some time now going through these reasons.

So let's just check the reasons on your screens now.

Firstly, it helps Muslims to fulfil Allah's commands.

Secondly, it focuses the mind on Allah.

Thirdly, it builds the Ummah.

Four, can inspire sadaqah.

Five, reminds Muslims of all the teachings of the Quran, and six, a clear demonstration of submission.

So let's go to that first one.

Helps Muslims to fulfil Allah's commands.

Now the Quran does tell Muslims to fast.

It tells them to do so, that they're able to become God conscious, have God on their mind.

And this means that throughout the month of Ramadan, they have more time to think about Allah and are aware of what Allah wants them to do.

And that leads us nicely on to the second reason, Focuses the mind on Allah.

You spend more time focusing on Allah, so more likely to live in a way that follows his rules.

And it's perhaps tempting to think isn't it? Oh, I'm fasting.

I'm going to spend all day thinking about food.

I'm also more won't be thinking about Allah, I'll be thinking about food.

But that misses the point.

When Muslims fast, they do so to show their dedication to Allah.

So when inevitably those thoughts of food might come fleeting into a Muslim's mind, they're able to redirect that attention towards Allah, and that would be done intentionally.

They'll want to do it.

Thirdly, Builds up the Ummah.

Now remember the Ummah is Islamic community.

Joint Sawm, joining Sawm is not a monthly event and Muslims will fast together.

In some communities, Muslims will also break the fast together each night.

So it really does develop a strength of community, a common endeavour throughout this kind of community to show love and respect to Allah.

Number five, Reminds Muslims the teachings of the Quran.

Now this can happen throughout Sawm family to family.

And throughout this time, Muslims will aim to recite one 30th of the Quran each night.

What does that mean? that means throughout the Islamic month of Ramadan, a Muslim will actually recite the entire Quran.

That's really impressive.

Isn't it? And the sixth and final which is not put for you here.

a clear demonstration of submission.

Remember submission is accepting that something else has a higher power or authority than you.

And as long as all about a Muslim accepting the power and will of Allah in their lives.

He is the only God.

Therefore Muslims have to submit to Allah.

They have to accept his greatness.

Fasting shows that Muslim really does fully submit to Allah.

Muslims are prepared to do something incredibly challenging to show their love and adoration for him.

And this clearly shows that he is the number one priority.

So we're going to spend some time now just consolidating all this new information.

So this is what I'd like you to do.

on the left hand side, You can see those reasons that we've just been talking about.

I'd like you to note those reasons down on the right hand side of the screen, you can see the explanations, what I'd like you to do after you've written down the reasons, think really carefully, which explanation matches that reason and note it down next to the reasons that you've paired the reason and the explanation together accurately.

So please pause the video now and have a go at that task and join me with feedback in just a moment.

So hopefully this is what you've managed to do.

So you've noted down that fasting fulfils Allah's commands and the Quran which is Allah's words, tells Muslims to create upon you as fasting.

You may become righteous.

So they're clearly instructed to first read the Quran.

And the purpose of that is to become righteous, to make sure they are living a godly life, a life that will please Allah.

Secondly, it focuses the mind on Allah in removing the distractions of food, you create more time and space to focus on Allah.

Thirdly, It builds the Ummah.

Muslims partake in the fast together.

It's a shared activity.

Fourthly, Inspires to Sadaqah.

Remember Sadaqah is the additional charity, and that means it reminds Muslims of those without food.

So can inspire that charity.

Fifth, Reminds Muslims of the Quran's teachings.

Throughout Ramadan Muslims will read one 30th of the Qur'an each day.

and Sixth, Shows submission.

Doing something so challenging shows how important Allah is to a Muslim.

So we are going to do some more quick fire questions now, and you can see a full screen here, but when I change your screen, they'll either be a reason or an explanation missing.

So if a reason is missing one of the pink boxes, you just need to read the explanation beneath it and see if that helps you remember the reason, if the explanation is missing, on the white boxes read the reason above it and see if you can remember how to explain that reason.

So let's go.

First.

What reason's missing here? It fulfils Allah's commands.

What reason's missing here? It can inspire Sadaqah.

Remember the additional charity.

What reason's missing here? Joint submission to Allah.

Well done.

What reason is missing here? Reminds Muslims of the Quran and its teachings.

Well done.

What reason is missing here? What was that second reason? Well done.

Focuses the mind on Allah.

What reason's missing here? The first one again, Fulfils Allah's commands.

What reason is missing here? Reminds Muslims of the Qur'an and its teachings.

What reason is missing here? Partaking the fast together.

What's that building? The Ummah.

well done.

What reason's missing here? Show submission to Allah.

Now we're making it a bit more difficult.

And see if you can remember the explanation.

So essentially what I'm asking you here.

Can you remember how Sawm inspires Sadaqah? say it to yourself now, well done.

It reminds Muslims of those without food, So can inspire that additional charity.

What information is missing here? How does Sawm focus the mind on Allah? Say it to yourself, Excellent.

It removes destruction of food.

So you're creating more time and space to focus on Allah.

What explanation is missing here? How does Sawm remind Muslims of the Quran and its teachings? Excellent.

in hope you reminded or remembered? Sawm that throughout Ramadan, Muslims will read one 30th of the Quran each day.

What explanation is missing here? How does Sawm build Ummah? they take power in the fast together.

It's a shared activity.

Well done.

How does Sawm fulfil Allah's commands? The Quran is Allah's word it tells Muslims that they have to fast decreed upon you is fasting.

How does it build your mind again? Remind me.

well done.

They take part in fast together, shared activity.

How does it fulfil Allah's commands? Remind me again.

Excellent.

Remember it says in the Qur'an, "decreed upon you is fasting".

How does it remind Muslims of the Qur'an and its teachings? What the Muslims do during the month of Ramadan? Excellent.

Had to remember that they read one 30th to the Quran each day.

How does it fulfil Allah's commands again? Can you remember that quotation? Remember quotations are important.

Excellent.

Well done.

The Quran tells the Muslims, "decreed upon you is fasting".

Wow.

Loads of really fantastic work today.

Well done.

You will have learned an awful lot about Sawm, about what it is and why it is important to prove that you've learned all those really important things, Please now go and take the quiz to check what you have learned.

If you would like to share your work with the Oak National Academy, please ask your parent or carer to share your work on either Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter using the tags or hashtags you can see on your screens.

Thank you very much for joining me today for some more fine theology.

I very much look forward to seeing you again very soon.

Goodbye.