Ramadan 2008, began a week ago.
Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Quran was revealed to Angel Gabriel, to deliver it to Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (sawm), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility, according to Wikipedia.
Here is a collection of pictures from the first week of the observance of Ramadan. (27 images)
Pakistani Muslims walk near the Badshahi mosque after 'Iftar', the time to break the fast, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. AP / Emilio Morenatti
A Palestinian youth holds a homemade sparkler firework after breaking his fast at the end of the second day of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah,Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk. AP / Hatem Moussa
Palestinians decorate an alley of Jerusalem's old city with festive lights in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Sunday, Aug 31, 2008. The holy month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, will begin tomorrow. AP / Dan Balilty
Indonesian women perform an evening prayer called 'tarawih', the night before the holy fasting month of Ramadan begins, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. AP / Dita Alangkara
A woman seen reflected in a mirror shops for vegetables for Ramadan at a shop in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Sept. 1, 2008. Most of the Muslim Middle East began the first day of Ramadan on Monday, but Iraqi Shiites, some Lebanese Shiites and Iran will start observing the holy month of fasting on Tuesday. AP / Karim Kadim
Bosnian Muslim women are seen, near Djevojacka cave, which according to legend , visiting the cave will bring personal beauty and success, near the Bosnian town of Kladanj, 50 kms north of Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. More than 30.000 people gathered to pray inside and outside the cave on traditional annual prayer . Muslims across the world are preparing for the holy month of Ramadan, which will this year take place amid sharp hikes in food prices and in many countries an ever present fear of violence. AP / Amel Emric
Indonesian Muslims perform evening prayer called 'tarawih', the night before the holy fasting month of Ramadan begins, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. AP / Dita Alangkara
The shadows of Palestinian Muslim men praying are cast on the ground during prayers on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in a mosque in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, Sept. 1, 2008. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy fasting month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, refraining from eating, drinking, and smoking from dawn to dusk. AP / Muhammed Muheisen
A Muslim devotee recites verses from the Quran, the Muslim holy book, during a religious congregation at a mosque in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. AP / Anjum Naveed
Pakistani people line up in the street before 'Iftar', the time to break their fast, as they wait for donated food during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. AP / Emilio Morenatti
A Pakistani man from the Bajur tribal region rides his bicycle at a relief camp set up by the government in Mardan town, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Peshawar, Pakistan, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. Pakistan said Sunday it was suspending a military operation against insurgents in a tribal region in honor of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The operation in Bajur has killed at least 562 Islamist insurgents and displaced more than 300,000 people. AP / Emilio Morenatti
A Pakistan man prepares food stuff for Muslim devotees during a religious congregation at a mosque in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. AP / Anjum Naveed
Pakistani Muslims prepare food for 'Iftar', a time to break the fast, at a mosque during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Lahore, Pakistan on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. AP / K.M. Chaudary
Palestinians buy qatayef, a pancake-like shell which is filled with nuts or sweet cheese, fried in oil or baked then dipped in sugar syrup, a popular sweet during Ramadan, on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in the West Bank town of Jenin, Monday, Sep. 1, 2008. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy fasting month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking from dawn to dusk. AP / Mohammed Ballas
Muslim workers break their fast on the first day of Ramadan at a free table at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday Sept. 1, 2008. AP / Hassan Ammar
Pakistani Muslims buy traditional caps, beads and other stuff from a stall at outside a mosque as they prepare for Ramadan, the Muslim's holy month, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008. AP / Anjum Naveed
Pakistani children memorize the Quran, or holy book, at a madrassa, or Islamic school, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008. Muslims across the world usually increase their religious activities during the holy month of Ramadan. AP / Emilio Morenatti
Pakistan Muslims perform evening prayer called 'tarawih', the night before the holy fasting month of Ramadan begins, in Karachi, Pakistan on Monday, Sept 1, 2008. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. AP / Shakil Adil
A Kashmiri Muslim woman, hand alone seen, holds an iron chain as she prays at the entrance of the shrine of Naqashband Sahib in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. Muslims all over the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from consuming food and drinks from dawn to dusk. AP / Dar Yasin
A view of Mecca Masjid, or mosque, during the evening prayers on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. AP / Mahesh Kumar A
Kashmiri Muslims offer prayers inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Muslims all over the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from consuming food and drinks from dawn to dusk. AP / Dar Yasin
Kashmiri Muslim women pray as a girl looks on inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Muslims all over the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from consuming food and drinks from dawn to dusk. AP / Dar Yasin
A Palestinian Muslim worshipper is framed by the Russian Orthodox Church as she prays during the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Around 90,000 Muslims congregated in Jerusalem for the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. He said "thousands" of police were deployed around the city to "prevent any disturbances." AP / Muhammed Muheisen
Palestinian Muslim women pray inside the Dome of the Rock Mosque, during the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Around 90,000 Muslims congregated in Jerusalem for the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan. AP / Muhammed Muheisen
With the Dome of the Rock Mosque seen in the background, Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray, during the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. AP / Muhammed Muheisen
Palestinians wait to cross a checkpoint on their way to Jerusalem during the first Friday of Ramadan, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
A Syrian dancer from Seif al-Islam group or (Sword of Islam) performs during Ramadan festival at the historical castle of Sidon, south of Lebanon, early Sunday Sept. 7, 2008. Some people go out early morning to restaurant or coffee shops to enjoy their breaking fast. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims fast from dawn untill the sunset. AP / Mohammed Zaatari
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