<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Ramadan 2011 &#8211; in&nbsp;pictures]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><strong><span style="color:#808000;">SPECIAL TOPIC</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>For photography of Ramadan 2012 in Palestine</strong> <a href="http://wp.me/p16sn9-pY8" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:underline;color:#000000;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a></p>
<h2><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html">Ramadan begins </a></h2>
<div>Muslims around the globe have begun their holiest month of the year by giving up food, drink, smoking and other physical needs from dawn till dusk each day. In many communities, large dinner gatherings are held each evening to break the fast. The month also marks a time for Muslims to reexamine their lives through the prism of Islamic teachings. &#8212; <em>Lloyd Young</em> (<a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html">38 photos total</a>)</div>
<div><a name="photo1"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp1.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<div>A student reads the Koran before morning prayer on the holy month of Ramadan at the Al-Mukmin Islamic boarding school in Solo, Indonesia Central Java province, August 2. (Beawiharta/Reuters)</div>
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<div><a name="photo2"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp2.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo2">2</a></div>
<p>A Pakistani Muslim prepares food stuff for &#8216;Iftar&#8217; a time to break their fast, on the first day of holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque August 2 in Karachi. Muslims across the world are observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan, where they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (Shakil Adil/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo2">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo3"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp3.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo3">3</a></div>
<p>Women break fast at King Fahad Mosque on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Culver City California August 1. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo3">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo4"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp4.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo4">4</a></div>
<p>Libyan men perform the evening prayer at the end of the first fasting day of Islam&#8217;s holy month of Ramadan in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on August 1. (Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo4">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo5"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp5.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo5">5</a></div>
<p>Indonesian Muslims perform Tarawih, an evening prayer marking the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia July 31. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from dawn to dusk. (Dita Alangkara/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo5">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo6"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp6.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo6">6</a></div>
<p>A man enters a mosque for evening prayers on the first day of Ramadan in Moscow August 1. (Denis Sinyakov/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo6">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo7"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp7.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo7">7</a></div>
<p>A Kashmiri Muslim reads the Koran on the first day of Ramadan at the landmark Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on August 2. For Muslims across the world, the beginning of the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar which marks the start of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayers and fasting. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo7">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo8"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp8.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo8">8</a></div>
<p>The sun sets behind Al-hussein Mosque on the first day of Ramadan in Amman, Jordan Aug. 1. Religious authorities in most of the Middle East declared Monday the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and spiritual introspection. (Nader Daoud/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo8">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo9"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp9.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo9">9</a></div>
<p>A visitor walks past a miniature replica of a mosque made of wafer biscuits at a mall in Surabaya on August 2. Thi mosque was made to celebrate the month of Ramadan measures 8 x 8 meters (26 feet x 26 feet), took five employees three days to construct and consists of 21,000 pieces of wafer biscuits. (Juni Kriswanto/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo9">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo10"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp10.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo10">10</a></div>
<p>A man tries a cap he bought to offer prayers during the Muslim&#8217;s holy fasting month of Ramadan in Karachi, Pakistan August 1. (Shakil Adil/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo10">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo11"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp11.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo11">11</a></div>
<p>A Palestinian boy plays with fireworks to celebrate the beginning of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the town of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on July 31. (Said Kharib/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo11">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo12"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp12.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo12">12</a></div>
<p>A Palestinian man hangs decorations for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan outside his home in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City July 31. (Ammar Awad/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo12">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo13"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp13.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo13">13</a></div>
<p>A man reads the Koran on the first day of Ramadan while taking shelter from rain on a sidewalk in Lahore August 2. (/Mohsin Raza/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo13">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo14"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp14.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo14">14</a></div>
<p>A vendor, selling corn, waits for customers after Iftar, or the breaking of the fast meal in Beylikduzu, a district of Istanbul August 1. (Osman Orsal/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo14">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo15"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp15.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo15">15</a></div>
<p>An Afghan man makes sweets in a shop in Kabul on the eve of the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on July 31. Throughout the month devout Muslims must fast from dawn until sunset when they break for the Iftar meal. The fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the annual pilgrimage to Mecca which able Muslims should do once in a lifetime. (Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo15">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo16"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp16.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo16">16</a></div>
<p>Indian Muslims offer prayers prior to breaking their fast on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on August 2. (Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo16">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo17"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp17.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo17">17</a></div>
<p>A Palestinian boy dressed in a FC Barcelona jersey reads the Koran, Islam&#8217;s holy book, in the Al-Furqan mosque in Gaza City August 2. (Hatem Moussa/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo17">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo18"></a><img src="https://i1.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp18.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo18">18</a></div>
<p>A Somali refugee girl reads the holy Koran at the Liban integrated academy at the Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, near the Kenya-Somalia border August 2. The United Nations estimates that more than 3.7 million people in Somalia, among them 800,000 children, are on the brink of starvation. The famine in the Horn of Africa is spreading and may soon engulf as many as six more regions of the lawless nation of Somalia, the U.N. humanitarian aid chief said on Monday. (Thomas Mukoya/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo18">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo19"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp19.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo19">19</a></div>
<p>A Kashmiri Muslim father and son wash themselves at a fountain in the compound of Jamia Masjid or grand mosque before offering afternoon prayers on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Srinagar, India August 2. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo19">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo20"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp20.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo20">20</a></div>
<p>A Kashmiri Muslim takes a nap at the landmark Jamia Masjid mosque in Srinagar on August 2. (/Tauseef Mustafa//AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo20">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo21">21</a></div>
<p>Students pray during the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al-Mukmin Islamic boarding school in Solo, Indonesia&#8217;s Central Java province, August 1. (Beawiharta/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo21">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo22">22</a></div>
<p>An Egyptian riot policeman holds his national flag after armed forces removed the tents of several dozen protesters who refused to leave Tahrir Square after most groups had suspended a sit-in for the month of Ramadan in Cairo on August 1. (Mohamed Hossam/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo22">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo23"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp23.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo23">23</a></div>
<p>Internally displaced Somali women wait for food supplies at the Badbado refugee camp in the south of capital Mogadishu August 1. Somalia&#8217;s famine refugees, weakened by months of drought, on Monday began the Ramadan fast amid tents and shacks of the world&#8217;s largest refugee camp. (Omar Faruk/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo23">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo24">24</a></div>
<p>A defected Yemeni soldier who joined sides with anti-regime protesters reads the Koran as he sits on an armoured vehicle near the entrance to Taghyeer Square in Sanaa August 2. After six months of mass protests seeking to end president Ali Abdullah Saleh&#8217;s 33-year rule, demonstrators vow to continue their sit-in at Taghyeer square through the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan until their demands are met. (Jumana El Heloueh/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo24">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo25">25</a></div>
<p>A Nepalese Muslim reads the Koran on the second day of the month-long fasting during the holy month of Ramadan in Kathmandu August 2. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo25">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo26"></a><img src="https://i0.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp26.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo26">26</a></div>
<p>A boy takes part in a prayer at Strasbourg&#8217;s new Grand Mosque August 1. The mosque, which opened on Monday, held its first prayers to mark the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (Vincent Kessler/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo26">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo27">27</a></div>
<p>Afghan children holding empty utensils wait for food to be distributed on the first day of holy month of Ramadan outside a mosque in a poor neighborhood of Kabul, Afghanistan August 1. (Dar Yasin/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo27">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo28">28</a></div>
<p>Indian Muslim women offer the first &#8216;Taraweeh&#8217; (special night prayers) at their residence in Hyderabad on August 1 ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. For Muslims across the world, the beginning of the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar which marks the start of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayers and fasting. During Ramadan practicing Muslims do not eat, drink, smoke or have sexual relations between sunrise and sunset. (Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo28">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo29">29</a></div>
<p>A Libyan family breaks their fast in a tent at the end of the first fasting day of Islam&#8217;s holy month of Ramadan in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on August 1. (Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo29">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo30">30</a></div>
<p>A whirling dervish performs before Iftar, the evening meal for breaking fast during Ramadan, on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul August 1. (Murad Sezer/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo30">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo31">31</a></div>
<p>Chinese Hui Muslim girls read the Koran, Islam&#8217;s holy book, at the Niujie Mosque as they wait for their fast on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Beijing August 1. (Andy Wong/Assocaited Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo31">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo32">32</a></div>
<p>Chinese Hui Muslim boys waits in front of food as they wait to break their fast on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Beijing, August 1. (Andy Wong/Assocaited Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo32">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo33">33</a></div>
<p>A woman points skyward as she and her sons look for the crescent moon in Amman, Jordan July 31. Religious authorities in most of the Middle East declared that Monday will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and spiritual introspection. (Mohammad Hannon/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo33">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo34">34</a></div>
<p>An Indian Muslim looks on after breaking fast on the first day of Ramadan at Jama Mosque, in New Delhi August 2. (Manish Swarup/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo34">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo35">35</a></div>
<p>Children play next to a man praying before mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta July 31. (Supri/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo35">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo36">36</a></div>
<p>Muslim woman attend mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al Markaz Al Islami mosque in Makassar, South Sulawesi July 31. (Ahmad Yusuf/Reuters) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo36">#</a></p>
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<div><a name="photo37"></a><img src="https://i2.wp.com/inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/ramadan2011/bp37.jpg" alt="" /></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo37">37</a></div>
<p>Children help to distribute food for breaking fast on the first day of Ramadan at Jama Mosque, in New Delhi August 2. Muslims across the world are observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan, where they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (Manish Swarup/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo37">#</a></p>
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<div><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo38">38</a></div>
<p>A Nepalese Muslim boy prays on the second day of the holy fasting month Ramadan at a mosque in Katmandu, Nepal August 2. Muslims are a minority in this predominantly Hindu nation. Official data indicates only 4.3 percent of the country&#8217;s 27 million people are Muslim. ( Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.html#photo38">#</a></p>
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<p>Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar when millions of Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan, which changes each year depending on the moon, began this year on August 1. The breaking of the fast each day is called the Iftar, when families and communities gather to feast together. The meal starts with the eating of a single date, a tradition that originated with the Prophet Muhammad.</p>
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<td><strong>01) A Muslim man in Indonesia looks at the moon through a telescope on July 31, one day prior to the start of Ramadan [Aman Rochman/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>02) A man at Cairo&#8217;s al-Azhar mosque attends the evening prayer, named &#8216;Taraweh&#8217;, which marks the beginning of the month of Ramadan [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>03) Palestinians get ready for the month of Ramadan at occupied Jerusalem&#8217;s al-Aqsa mosque compound, one of the world&#8217;s holiest sites for Muslims [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>04) Pakistani farmers carry harvested dates in a palm orchard in Rajankot, near the city of Hyderabad, in preparation for Ramadan. Pakistan is the world&#8217;s fourth largest producer of dates, which are generally used to break the fast during Ramadan each day [Yousuf Nagori/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>05) Women in Nigeria prepare food for sale on the first day of Ramadan in the Utako district of the capital Abuja [Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>06) Saudis buy and sell dates on the eve of Ramadan at a market in Riyadh [Fayez Nureldine/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>07) Tunisians buy bread on the first day of Ramadan at a market in the capital Tunis [Fethi Belaid/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>08) Filipino girls arrive for prayer inside a mosque near the capital Manila [Jay Directo/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>09) The shadow of a Palestinian boy reading the Quran on a wall at the al-Omari mosque in Gaza City on the first day of Ramadan [Ali Ali/EPA]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>10) Pakistanis pray before their Iftar (fast breaking) at the Dervesh Mosque in Peshawar [A Majeed/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>11) Women in Jakarta attend a mass prayer session marking the start of Ramadan at the Istiqlal mosque [Supri/Reuters]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>12) A Malaysian boy reads from the Quran inside a mosque in Kuala Lampur [Mohd Rasfan/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>13) Indonesian men take a rest as they wait for a prayer time on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta [Adek Berry/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>14) A boy takes part in prayers at Strasbourg&#8217;s new Grand Mosque [Vincent Kessler/Reuters]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>15) An Afghan man makes sweets in a shop in Kabul in preparation for Ramadan [Shah Marai/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>16) A shop in Paris sells traditional North African sweets in preparation for Ramadan [Miguel Medina/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>17) A rebel fighter prays before breaking the fast at the front line near the Libyan town of Zlitan on the first day of Ramadan [Darren Whiteside/Reuters]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>18) A Yemeni man fires a cannon to mark the end of the first fasting day of Ramadan in the southern city of Taiz [EPA]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>19) Anti-government protesters attend the Iftar meal in Sanaa, Yemen, on the first day of Ramadan [Yahya Arhab/EPA]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>20) People in Turkey break their first day of fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with free meals distributed by the municipality in downtown Istanbul [Mustafa Ozer/AFP]</strong></td>
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<td><strong>21) A Palestinian boy in Gaza City plays with fireworks to celebrate the beginning of Ramadan [Ali Ali/EPA]</strong></td>
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<p><strong><a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/inpictures/2011/08/2011826551885298.html" target="_blank">Source &amp; hig res images: Al Jazeera</a></strong></p>
<h3>What is Ramadan? Muslim Holy Month Begins Monday [PHOTOS]</h3>
<p><strong>By Nadine DeNinno</strong> |<strong> Jul 31, 2011  | ibtimes</strong></p>
<p>Ramadan will begin Monday, marking the start of the holy month for Muslims, who are expected to fast and practice abstinence from dawn until sunset.</p>
<p>The month of fasting was officially announced in Muslim countries to begin on Monday worldwide. Ramadan is held yearly during the ninth months of the Islamic calendar after the sighting of the new moon, which occurred on Saturday evening, and lasts for 29 to 30 days until the next new moon appears.</p>
<p>The purpose of Ramadan is to focus on spirituality, praying more often and withholding any acts of violence during the fast. All Muslims across the world are expected to participate, with the exception of the elderly, sick and pregnant.</p>
<p>As one of the five pillars of Islam, Muslims are expected to refrain from food and drink and abstain from smoking and sex each day during the celebration from dawn to dusk. The breaking of the fast, or iftaar, begins at dusk by eating dates.  Some Muslims have slightly different variations and have broader definitions of practices during Ramadan.</p>
<p>The month-long fasting marks the anniversary of the Quran being revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Ramadan commences annually with a celebration called Eid al-Fitr, comprised of feasting and prayer.</p>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141130-muslims-attend-mass-prayer-session-tarawih-which-marks-the-beginning-o.jpg" alt="Muslims attend mass prayer session &quot;Tarawih&quot;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta" /></div>
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<p>Muslims attend mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141118-a-palestinian-vendor-hangs-decorations-for-ramadan-in-jerusalems-old-c.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A Palestinian vendor hangs decorations for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan at a market in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. The Dome of the Rock on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, and to Jews as Temple Mount, is seen in the back.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/seg/r;a=p-6cp0NSw2i2sSA;redirect=http://ib.adnxs.com/seg?add_code=%21qcsegs&amp;member=672&amp;t=2" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></div>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141123-a-man-sells-pickles-ahead-during-a-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-mon.jpg" alt="A man sells pickles ahead during a preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman" /></div>
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<p>A man sells pickles ahead during a preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141119-a-palestinian-woman-stands-under-decorations-for-ramadan-near-damascus.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A Palestinian woman stands under decorations for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="http://aidps.atdmt.com/AI/Api/v1/UserRest.svc/Provider/1AC1C520-232B-4E3D-B0CC-A52AC15EB7D4/User/7370608162775108882/gif?meta=appNexus" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></div>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141120-tourists-stand-under-decorations-for-ramadan-in-jerusalems-old-city.jpg" alt="Tourists stand under decorations for Ramadan in Jerusalem's Old City" /></div>
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<p>Tourists stand under decorations for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan at a market in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141121-a-vendor-arranges-limes-on-display-as-jordanians-shop-in-preparation-f.jpg" alt="A vendor arranges limes on display as Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman" /></div>
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<p>A vendor arranges limes on display as Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141122-jordanians-shop-in-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-month-of-ramadan-at.jpg" alt="Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman" /></div>
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<p>Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141124-jordanians-shop-in-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-month-of-ramadan-in.jpg" alt="Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Amman" /></div>
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<p>Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141125-jordanians-shop-in-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-month-of-ramadan-in.jpg" alt="Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Amman" /></div>
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<p>Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141129-muslim-women-attend-mass-prayer-session-tarawih-which-marks-the-beginn.jpg" alt="Muslim women attend mass prayer session &quot;Tarawih&quot;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al Akbar mosque in Surabaya" /></div>
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<p>Muslim women attend mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al Akbar mosque in Surabaya, East Java July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141126-jordanians-shop-in-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-month-of-ramadan-in.jpg" alt="Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Amman" /></div>
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<p>Jordanians shop in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the downtown market area in Amman July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141127-childrens-play-next-a-man-praying-before-mass-prayer-session-tarawih-a.jpg" alt="Childrens play next a man praying before mass prayer session &quot;Tarawih&quot; at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta" /></div>
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<p>Children play next a man praying before mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141128-muslim-woman-attend-mass-prayer-session-tarawih-which-marks-the-beginn.jpg" alt="Muslim woman attend mass prayer session &quot;Tarawih&quot;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al Akbar mosque in Surabaya" /></div>
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<p>Muslim woman attend mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al Markaz Al Islami mosque in Makassar, South Sulawesi July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141131-muslim-attend-mass-prayer-session-tarawih-which-marks-the-beginning-of.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>Muslims attend mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141132-muslim-women-attend-tarawih-marking-start-of-ramadan-in-jakarta.jpg" alt="Muslim women attend Tarawih marking start of Ramadan in Jakarta" /></div>
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<p>Muslim women attend a mass prayer session &#8220;Tarawih&#8221;, which marks the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i0.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141133-a-koran-is-seen-next-to-egyptian-men-as-they-rest-at-a-mosque-in-cairo.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A Koran is seen next to Egyptian men as they rest at a mosque in Cairo July 31, 2011. Millions of Muslims worldwide will celebrate the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on Monday, August 1. Ramadan is where Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141134-women-shop-at-a-supermarket-in-preparation-for-the-muslim-holy-month-o.jpg" alt="Women shop at a supermarket in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Old City of Sanaa" /></div>
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<p>Women shop at a supermarket in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. After six months of mass protests seeking to end president Ali Abdullah Saleh&#8217;s 33-year rule, demonstrators vow to continue their sit-in at Taghyeer square over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141135-a-man-walks-past-a-sign-with-the-words-he-will-not-leave-scrawled-belo.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A man walks past a sign with the words &#8220;He will not leave&#8221; scrawled below a picture of president Ali Abdullah Saleh in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. After six months of mass protests seeking to end president Ali Abdullah Saleh&#8217;s 33-year rule, demonstrators vow to continue their sit-in at Taghyeer square over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141136-hajj-abdullah-a-yemeni-man-in-his-eighties-eats-maloujeh-bread-as-shop.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>Hajj Abdullah, a Yemeni man in his eighties, eats &#8220;maloujeh&#8221; bread as shop vendors prepare for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. After six months of mass protests seeking to end president Ali Abdullah Saleh&#8217;s 33-year rule, demonstrators vow to continue their sit-in at Taghyeer square over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141137-a-woman-walks-past-a-shop-selling-spices-and-vegetables-in-preparation.jpg" alt="A woman walks past a shop selling spices and vegetables in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Old City of Sanaa" /></div>
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<p>A woman walks past a shop selling spices and vegetables in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. After six months of mass protests seeking to end president Ali Abdullah Saleh&#8217;s 33-year rule, demonstrators vow to continue their sit-in at Taghyeer square over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141138-palestinians-shop-at-a-market-in-gaza-city-ahead-of-ramadan.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>Palestinians shop at a market in Gaza City ahead of the holy month of Ramadan July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141139-officer-of-malaysias-islamic-authority-uses-telescope-to-perform-rukya.jpg" alt="Officer of Malaysia's Islamic authority uses telescope to perform &quot;rukyah&quot;, the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan, outside Kuala Lumpur" /></div>
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<p>An officer of Malaysia&#8217;s Islamic authority uses a telescope to perform &#8220;rukyah&#8221;, the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan, in Putrajaya outside Kuala Lumpur July 31, 2011. Muslims scan the sky at dusk in the beginning of the lunar calendar&#8217;s ninth month in search of the new moon to proclaim the start of Ramadan, Islam&#8217;s holiest month, during which observant believers fast from dawn to dusk. Muslims in Malaysia begin the Ramadan fasting month on Monday.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141140-a-palestinian-vendor-arranges-display-of-lanterns-for-ramadan-at-a-mar.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A Palestinian vendor arranges a display of traditional lanterns for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan at a market in Gaza City July 31, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141141-darawish-sufi-dance-group-performs-a-traditional-dance-to-celebrate-th.jpg" alt="Darawish Sufi dance group performs a traditional dance to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan during the Ajyalouna Festival in Beirut" /></div>
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<p>Darawish Sufi dance group performs a traditional dance to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan during the Ajyalouna Festival in Beirut July 30, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i2.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141142-a-traditional-group-performs-with-a-camel-and-horses-to-celebrate-the-.jpg" alt="A traditional group performs with a camel and horses to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan during the Ajyalouna Festival in Beirut" /></div>
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<p>A traditional group performs with a camel and horses to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan during the Ajyalouna Festival in Beirut July 30, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and conducting sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141143-a-man-sells-pickles-ahead-of-the-fasting-month-of-ramadan-at-the-shorj.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A man sells pickles ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan at the Shorja wholesale market in central Baghdad July 30, 2011. Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset.</p>
<p>Source: REUTERS</p>
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<div><img src="https://i1.wp.com/img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/07/31/141144-a-palestinian-woman-walks-under-decorations-ahead-of-the-muslim-holy-m.jpg" alt="Muslims Celebrate Ramadan on Monday Amidst Arab Unrest [Photos]" /></div>
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<p>A Palestinian woman walks under decorations ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City July 30, 2011. Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.</p>
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<div>Source: REUTERS</div>
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<div><strong><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/189953/20110731/what-is-ramadan-muslim-holy-month.htm" target="_blank">Source What is Ramadan by ibtimes</a></strong></div>
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