This weekend marked the beginning of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Muslims believe that this is when God began to reveal what would become their main religious text, the Qur'an, in the year 609 CE (common era). Ramadan begins with the crescent moon that follows the new moon. Muslims all over the world take part in Ramadan, a month of obligatory fasting from dawn until dusk.
It is common to have one meal (known as the suhoor) just before sunrise, and another (known as the iftar), directly after sunset. Here is a look on how people all around the world began the holy month.
Volunteers prepare plates for Iftar (breaking fast after sunset) during the holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Karachi, Pakistan
Muslim schoolgirls sit in a circle around their religious teacher, as they recite verses from the Quran on the occasion of "Nuzul Al-Quran" during Ramadan in Putrajaya, Malaysia
Pakistan Muslims offer an evening prayer called 'tarawih' marking the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at an open area in Karachi, Pakistan, Sunday, June 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)
Muslims gather after having their iftar (breaking fast) meal at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi
An Iraqi Kurdish woman puts the final touches to bowls of food on the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, on June 29, 2014. (SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images)
The end of Ramadan is marked by a big celebration called Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. The festival begins when the first sight of the new moon is seen.
Eid al-Fitr is a time of forgiveness and making amends. Muslims dress in their finest clothes, give gifts to children and spend time with loved ones. Muslims not only celebrate the end of the fast, they also thank Allah for the help he gave them to practise self-control.
Special services in mosques and outside are held, as well as processions through the streets and a special celebratory meal that is the first daytime meal Muslims will have had in a month.
Featured Image: CBC
All images: ibttimes.co.uk/ AP/Getty Images
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