Sawm as one of the Five Pillars
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how and why Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan.
Key learning points
- Obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadan is known as 'sawm'.
- The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
- Fasting involves abstaining from food and drink between sunrise and sunset.
- The Night of Power is when the first revelations of the Qur'an came to Muhammad in the cave of Hira.
- Sawm can have a great impact on the life of a Muslim as an act of discipline.
Keywords
Fasting - not doing certain actions such as eating or drinking
Iftar - a meal in the evenings, which is the breaking of the fast for that day during the month of Ramadan
Night of Power - the night that the first revelation of the Qur'an came to the Prophet Muhammad
Ramadan - the month when Muslims take part in an obligatory fast
Common misconception
All Muslims must fast without exceptions or exemptions.
Those who are ill, elderly, younger than puberty, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating, and travelling do not have to fast. Missed fasting days can be made up after the month of Ramadan and/or donations made to charity in their place if needed.
Teacher tip
Students can research how different Muslim sports personalities manage their fasting obligations. Some may choose to break their fasts during competitions and on games days and make up that fast later, or make a charitable donation, while others may not
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does the Shahadah declare?
Q2.When might a Muslim recite the Shahadah?
Q3.Why is the Shahadah considered as the first of the Five Pillars?
Q4.What is the name of the ritual washing performed before prayer?
Q5.How many times a day is salah performed?
Q6.Which of the following is true about Jummah prayers?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why is Ramadan considered a sacred month in Islam?
Q2.Which of the following best describes the Islamic practice of sawm?
Q3.What is the name of the meal Muslims eat before sunrise during Ramadan?
Q4.Which of these people would not be expected to fast during Ramadan?
Q5.Why does the timing of Ramadan change each year in the Western calendar?
Q6.During the last ten nights of Ramadan, many Muslims commemorate the Night of , when the Qur’an was first revealed.
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Sawm as one of the Five Pillars, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Sawm as one of the Five Pillars, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Living the Muslim life unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.