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Photos: Prayers and fasting begin on the first day of Ramzan around the world
Muslims in various parts of the world have ushered in the holy month of Ramzan and have started the first day of what constitutes a month of fasting and abstinence. During this period, Muslims will observe a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, interspersed with prayers and a sense of heightened piety. Being one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting is aimed at drawing worshippers closer to God through self-control, remembrance, empathy for those facing harsher circumstances and humility. The month culminates with the three day holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Updated on: May 06, 2019 1:39 PM IST
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Indonesian Muslims pray on the first night of the month of Ramzan at the Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh province. Muslims in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, and much of the Middle East, have begun observing a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting and prayers. However, millions more, in India, Pakistan and Iran, will likely be marking the start of this lunar month on Tuesday based on moon sightings. (Chaider Mahyuddin / AFP)
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A cleric looks through binoculars to spot the new moon that signals the start of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramzan, at the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray, Iran. Some prefer the many advances in technology for predicting the sighting; others would rather stick to tradition, relying on the naked eye. (Ebrahim Noroozi / AP)
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Muslims pray on the first night of the holy month of Ramadan at the Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh. Across the world, Muslims fast each day for the entire month of Ramzan, abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk. The month is aimed to draw worshippers closer to God through self-control, remembrance and humility. (Chaider Mahyuddin / AFP)
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An Afghan worker prepares sweets ahead of the holy month of Ramzan at a market in Kabul. The Ramzan fast begins with a pre-dawn meal called “suhoor” that includes bread, vegetables, fruits, yogurt, tea, as well as lentils and beans. At sunset, when it’s time to mark the end of the daylong fast, families and friends gather for an evening meal known as “iftar.” (Walik Kohsar / AFP)
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Women cook a meal after they received food aid from the local charity, Mona Relief, ahead of the holy month of Ramzan in a slum on the outskirts of Sanaa, Yemen. (Khaled Abdullah / REUTERS)
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A man bargains with a dates seller at the Bahrain Central Market, ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramzan in Manama, Bahrain. Muslims typically break their fast by eating sweet dates and drinking water, followed by a sunset prayer. (Hamad I Mohammed / REUTERS)
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A Palestinian man decorates the entrance of the al-Aqsa mosque compound with lights, as Muslims around the world prepare for the announcement of the fasting month of Ramzan. The month of fasting also sees congregations and greater personal endeavours towards understanding faith and the teachings of Islam. (Ahmad Gharabli / AFP)
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A Pakistani Muslim tries on a traditional prayer cap along a roadside shop in preparation for the Muslim fasting month of Ramzan in Karachi. (Rizwan Tabussum / AFP)
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