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World

Ramadan Fasts and Feasts: Islam's Holy Month Around the World

Ramadan is marked by intense prayer, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts.

/ 25 PHOTOS
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Beirut

Muslims pray on the first Friday of Ramadan at the Muhammad al-Amin Mosque on June 2. 

— Bilal Hussein / AP
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Dhaka, Bangladesh

Muslims offer prayers on Friday. 

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Quran's first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights.

— A.M. Ahad / AP
Image: A Nepalese Muslim man offers prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Nepal

A man offers prayers on Friday.

Ramadan is traditionally a time of reflection and prayer, and Muslims are expected to abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex to focus on spirituality, good deeds and charity.

— Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
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Beirut

Faithful listen to a sermon on Friday.

— Bilal Hussein / AP
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Allahabad, India

A boy watches the faifthul pray on Friday. 

— Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP
Image: Indonesian Muslims celebrate the holy month of Ramadan in Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia

Men lie down after praying at Istiqlal Mosque on Friday.

— Bagus Indahono / EPA
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Putrajaya, Malaysia

A boy watches as others pray on Friday. 

— Manan Vatsyayana / AFP - Getty Images
Image: A girl walks inside Ibn Tulun Mosque on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in old Cairo

Cairo

A girl walks inside Ibn Tulun Mosque on Friday.

— Amr Abdallah Dalsh / Reuters
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Gaza City

A Palestinian boy plays with fireworks as he celebrates the start of Ramadan on May 31.

The fast presents a physical and spiritual challenge every year, but particularly when the holiday falls during harsh Mideast summer when the days are longest and temperatures soar in some places to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

— Hatem Moussa / AP
Image: Boys read the Koran inside Markaz Al-Madrasa Al-Islamia, an Islamic seminary and orphanage, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Shadipora

Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir

Boys read the Quran at Markaz Al-Madrasa Al-Islamia, an Islamic seminary and orphanage, on May 30.

— Danish Ismail / Reuters
Image: Ramadan is celebrated at Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School in Kediri

East Java, Indonesia

Students read the Quran at an Islamic boarding school on May 30.

— Fully Handoko / EPA
Image: Egyptian American Muslim Elhariry family take part in Iftar dinner during Ramadan in New Jersey

Manalapan, New Jersey

Hager Elhariry high-fives family friend Ali Ghonaim as the Egyptian-American family takes part in the Iftar dinner to break their Ramadan fast on May 28.

— Amr Alfiky / Reuters
Image: A Palestinian man reads from the Koran

Gaza City

A Palestinian man reads from the Quran on May 31.

— Mohammed Abed / AFP - Getty Images
Image: A boy sits with others as they wait to break their fast at a charity food distribution point along a road during a Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Karachi

Karachi, Pakistan

A boy wait to break his fast at a charity food distribution point on May 29.

— Akhtar Soomro / Reuters
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Jakarta, Indonesia

A woman reads the Quran in a mosque on May 29. 

— Tatan Syuflana / AP
Image: A Muslim boy learns to read the Koran at a madrassa, or religious school, during the holy month of Ramadan, on the outskirts of Agartala

Agartala, India

A boy reads the Quran at a madrassa, or religious school, on May 29.

— Jayanta Dey / Reuters
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Allahabad, India

Children wait to break their fast outside a mosque on May 28.

— Sanjay Kanojia / AFP - Getty Images
Image: A boy carries raw pastries prior to baking, to be sold during Ramadan in the rebel held besieged eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta

Ghouta, Syria

A boy carries raw Ramadan pastries prior to baking in the rebel-held Damascus suburb on May 28.

— Bassam Khabieh / Reuters
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Istanbul

Women look at their cell phones after breaking fast on May 27 in front of the Blue Mosque. 

— Ozan Kose / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Afghan boys read the Koran in a madrasa, or religious school, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kabul

Kabul, Afghanistan

Boys read the Quran in a madrassa on May 28.

— Omar Sobhani / Reuters
Image: A Muslim American man rests after breaking fast and performing the Maghrib sunset prayer on the first day of Ramadan at the Islamic Cultural Center in Manhattan

New York City

A man rests after breaking fast and performing the Maghrib sunset prayer on the first day of Ramadan at the Islamic Cultural Center in Manhattan on May 27.

— Amr Alfiky / Reuters
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Hyderabad, India

Muslims arrive to offer the first "Taraveeh" (special night prayers) at Mecca Masjid on May 27, ahead of the start of Ramadan.

— Noah Seelam / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Filipino muslims pray to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan

Manila, Phillippines

Muslims pray to mark the start of Ramadan on May 27. 

— Mark R. Cristino / EPA
Image: Indonesian Muslims pray for the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta

Jakarta, Indonesia

Muslims pray on the first day of Ramadan at Istiqlal Mosque on May 26. 

— Beawiharta / Reuters
Image: An official looks through a telescope for the sighting of the new moon for the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan at a religious boarding school in Jakarta

Jakarta, Indonesia

An official uses a telescope to look for the new moon that will signal the start of Ramadan on May 26. Because of differences over how the new moon is spotted, some countries declare the start of Ramadan a day later than others.

— Rivan Awal Lingga / Antara Foto/Reuters
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