Sawm

1 Sawm means:
(a) Fasting
(b) Prayer
(c) Charity
(d) None of these

2 Fasting during Ramadan is:
(a) One of the Five Pillars of Islam
(b) One of the six articles of faith
(c) A form of Zakat
(d) None of these

3 The obligatory fast of Ramadan is prescribed in:
(a) The Quran
(b) Only historical writings
(c) Only Hadith collections
(d) None of these

4 Ramadan is the:
(a) Ninth month of the Islamic calendar
(b) Eighth month
(c) Tenth month
(d) None of these

5 The daily fast begins at:
(a) Fajr
(b) Sunrise
(c) Dhuhr
(d) None of these

6 The daily fast ends at:
(a) Sunset
(b) Midnight
(c) Dhuhr
(d) None of these

7 The pre-dawn meal is called:
(a) Suhur
(b) Iftar
(c) Zakat
(d) None of these

8 The meal with which the fast is broken is called:
(a) Iftar
(b) Suhur
(c) Ihram
(d) None of these

9 The Quran describes Ramadan as the month in which:
(a) The Quran was revealed
(b) The Ka’bah was built
(c) Hijrah occurred
(d) None of these

10 The obligation of fasting is directly mentioned in:
(a) Surah Al-Baqarah
(b) Surah Al-Fatihah
(c) Surah Al-Falaq
(d) None of these

11 The main spiritual purpose of fasting includes developing:
(a) Taqwa
(b) Pride
(c) Wealth
(d) None of these

12 Taqwa may be understood as:
(a) God-consciousness and piety
(b) Wealth accumulation
(c) Political authority
(d) None of these

13 Fasting requires abstention during prescribed hours from:
(a) Food and drink
(b) Work
(c) Education
(d) None of these

14 Ramadan fasting also teaches:
(a) Self-discipline
(b) Greed
(c) Laziness
(d) None of these

15 The end of Ramadan is marked by:
(a) Eid al-Fitr
(b) Eid al-Adha
(c) Ashura
(d) None of these

16 Laylat al-Qadr occurs during:
(a) Ramadan
(b) Muharram
(c) Rajab
(d) None of these

17 Laylat al-Qadr is described as:
(a) Better than a thousand months
(b) The longest night of the year
(c) The first day of Hajj
(d) None of these

18 A person who is genuinely unable to fast because of a recognized excuse may be subject to:
(a) Relevant Islamic provisions such as making up missed fasts or other prescribed compensation
(b) No religious guidance at all
(c) Automatic abandonment of Ramadan
(d) None of these

19 Travelers may:
(a) Have concessions regarding fasting according to Islamic law
(b) Never receive any concession
(c) Be permanently exempt from all worship
(d) None of these

20 Fasting cultivates empathy with:
(a) The hungry and needy
(b) Only wealthy people
(c) Political leaders
(d) None of these

21 Ramadan encourages:
(a) Charity and generosity
(b) Hoarding
(c) Extravagance
(d) None of these

22 Suhur is taken:
(a) Before dawn
(b) After sunset
(c) At noon
(d) None of these

23 Iftar takes place:
(a) At sunset
(b) At sunrise
(c) At midnight
(d) None of these

24 The fast is broken when:
(a) The sun has set
(b) The sun rises
(c) Dhuhr begins
(d) None of these

25 The fasting person should avoid:
(a) False speech and immoral conduct
(b) Charity
(c) Prayer
(d) None of these

26 Fasting is not merely:
(a) Abstaining from food and drink
(b) An act of worship
(c) A means of discipline
(d) None of these

27 The spiritual discipline of fasting includes:
(a) Control of desires
(b) Encouragement of anger
(c) Rejection of patience
(d) None of these

28 The Quranic command concerning Ramadan fasting appears in:
(a) Surah Al-Baqarah
(b) Surah Al-Ikhlas
(c) Surah An-Nas
(d) None of these

29 The Ramadan fast is:
(a) Obligatory for eligible Muslims
(b) Optional for everyone
(c) Required only for travelers
(d) None of these

30 The Islamic calendar is:
(a) Lunar
(b) Solar only
(c) Based on the Gregorian calendar
(d) None of these

31 Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Ramadan:
(a) Moves through different seasons over the years
(b) Always occurs in winter
(c) Always occurs in summer
(d) None of these

32 Fasting can strengthen:
(a) Patience
(b) Arrogance
(c) Tribalism
(d) None of these

33 Sabr means:
(a) Patience
(b) Wealth
(c) Pilgrimage
(d) None of these

34 Ramadan encourages increased:
(a) Quran recitation and worship
(b) Neglect of worship
(c) Commercial competition
(d) None of these

35 The night prayer especially associated with Ramadan is:
(a) Tarawih
(b) Jumu’ah
(c) Janazah
(d) None of these

36 Eid al-Fitr follows:
(a) The completion of Ramadan
(b) The beginning of Ramadan
(c) The Day of Arafah
(d) None of these

37 Fasting is intended to develop:
(a) Self-control
(b) Self-indulgence
(c) Anger
(d) None of these

38 The Quran describes fasting as a means of attaining:
(a) Taqwa
(b) Wealth
(c) Political power
(d) None of these

39 The pre-dawn meal is generally recommended because it:
(a) Supports the fasting person before the fast
(b) Replaces Salah
(c) Replaces Zakat
(d) None of these

40 Iftar is:
(a) The breaking of the fast
(b) The beginning of Hajj
(c) The Friday sermon
(d) None of these

41 Ramadan promotes concern for:
(a) The poor and needy
(b) Only merchants
(c) Only political leaders
(d) None of these

42 Which month immediately follows Ramadan?
(a) Shawwal
(b) Muharram
(c) Rajab
(d) None of these

43 Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on:
(a) 1 Shawwal
(b) 10 Dhu al-Hijjah
(c) 10 Muharram
(d) None of these

44 The first revelation of the Quran is traditionally associated with:
(a) Ramadan
(b) Shawwal
(c) Muharram
(d) None of these

45 The Quran states that fasting was prescribed so that believers may attain:
(a) Taqwa
(b) Wealth
(c) Political authority
(d) None of these

46 The fasting person should cultivate:
(a) Good character
(b) Anger
(c) Pride
(d) None of these

47 Fasting develops a sense of:
(a) Gratitude
(b) Entitlement
(c) Superiority
(d) None of these

48 The fast of Ramadan is:
(a) A physical and spiritual discipline
(b) A political institution
(c) A commercial practice
(d) None of these

49 The broader purpose of Sawm includes:
(a) Self-purification and God-consciousness
(b) Economic competition
(c) Tribal identity
(d) None of these

50 Which combination best describes Sawm?
(a) Worship, self-control, patience and Taqwa
(b) Trade, taxation, politics and warfare
(c) Pilgrimage, inheritance, diplomacy and commerce
(d) None of these

Answer Key

1 (a) Fasting
2 (a) One of the Five Pillars of Islam
3 (a) The Quran
4 (a) Ninth month of the Islamic calendar
5 (a) Fajr
6 (a) Sunset
7 (a) Suhur
8 (a) Iftar
9 (a) The Quran was revealed
10 (a) Surah Al-Baqarah
11 (a) Taqwa
12 (a) God-consciousness and piety
13 (a) Food and drink
14 (a) Self-discipline
15 (a) Eid al-Fitr
16 (a) Ramadan
17 (a) Better than a thousand months
18 (a) Relevant Islamic provisions such as making up missed fasts or other prescribed compensation
19 (a) Have concessions regarding fasting according to Islamic law
20 (a) The hungry and needy
21 (a) Charity and generosity
22 (a) Before dawn
23 (a) At sunset
24 (a) The sun has set
25 (a) False speech and immoral conduct
26 (a) Abstaining from food and drink
27 (a) Control of desires
28 (a) Surah Al-Baqarah
29 (a) Obligatory for eligible Muslims
30 (a) Lunar
31 (a) Moves through different seasons over the years
32 (a) Patience
33 (a) Patience
34 (a) Quran recitation and worship
35 (a) Tarawih
36 (a) The completion of Ramadan
37 (a) Self-control
38 (a) Taqwa
39 (a) Supports the fasting person before the fast
40 (a) The breaking of the fast
41 (a) The poor and needy
42 (a) Shawwal
43 (a) 1 Shawwal
44 (a) Ramadan
45 (a) Taqwa
46 (a) Good character
47 (a) Gratitude
48 (a) A physical and spiritual discipline
49 (a) Self-purification and God-consciousness
50 (a) Worship, self-control, patience and Taqwa