Ramadan Articles
Ramadan 2011 Photos – Muslims Getting Ready
Ramadan has already started, but even before Ramadan began, Muslims all over the world were getting ready in many ways. Here are some photos of Muslims preparing for Ramadan in 2011 (and there’s one photo from 2008 as well – I came across it and found it interesting):
- Muslim women having Ramadan iftar in Italy, 2008.
- Ramadan food being prepared in Istanbul, Turkey
- A Jordanian street vendor seen with Ramadan decorations, neon lights of crescents and stars that represent the season of Ramadan, which begins in August, in Amman, Jordan, Monday, July 18, 2011. Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is celebrated as the period when the Quran, the Muslim holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad about 1,400 years ago. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
- An Egyptian female street vendor grills corncobs on a street in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Egyptians are shopping in the streets of Cairo in preparation for the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan beginning early August this year. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
- An Egyptian vendor displays clothes for sale at a street in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Egyptians are shopping in the streets of Cairo in preparation for the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan beginning early August this year. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
- Egyptian protesters decorate Ramadan traditional lantern arround their tents at Tahrir Square, the focal point of the Egyptian uprising, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, July 19, 2011 in preparation for the upcoming Muslims holy month of Ramadan beginning early August. Protesters have camped out in Tahrir for nearly two weeks demanding an overhaul of government. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
- An Egyptian man rides a cart among vehicles on a street in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
- An Egyptian man shops for a traditional lantern at a shop in Cairo, Egypt Monday, July 18, 2011. Egyptians shop for lanterns in preparation for the upcoming Muslims holy month of Ramadan beginning early August this year, to decorate their houses, shops and streets giving Egypt colorful and distinguished Ramadan nights among the Islamic world. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
- An Egyptian man carrying a child passes by traditional lanterns on display for sale at a street in Cairo, Egypt Monday, July 18, 2011. These lanterns come in all sizes, shapes and colors.
- An Egyptian man leaves carrying traditional lanterns that he bought from a shop in Cairo, Egypt Monday, July 18, 2011. Egyptians shop for lanterns in preparation for the upcoming Muslims holy month of Ramadan beginning early August this year, to decorate their houses, shops and streets giving Egypt colorful and distinguished Ramadan nights among the Islamic world. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
- Two Egyptian vendors sit in a shop with traditional lanterns on display for sale on a street in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
- A worker at Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse supervises the preparations for cleaning and packing chicken in Amman, Jordan Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
- A worker at Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse slaughters chickens in the preparations for cleaning and packing, in Amman, Jordan Wednesday, July 20, 2011. The Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse started increasing their production of red meat and chickens to respond to the high demand for meat in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
- A worker at Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse removes the skin from beef in preparation to be shipped to the local market, in Amman, Jordan Wednesday, July 20, 2011. The Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse started increasing their production of red meat and chickens to respond to the high demand for meat in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan Announcement 2011 / 1432 AH
If you’re looking for the 2011 Eid Announcement, see: ISNA Eid Announcement 2011
Ramadan Announcement by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA):
First day of Ramadan will be Monday, August 1, 2011
and Eid ul-Fitr on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, insha’Allah.
“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.” Qur’an 2:183
The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) recognize astronomical calculation as an acceptable Shar’ia method for determining the beginning of lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. The FCNA & ECFR use Makkah al-Mukarramah as a conventional point, and take the position that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and the moon must set after sunset in Makkah.
On the basis of this method the dates of Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr for the year 1431 AH are established as follows:
1st of Ramadan will be on Monday, August 1, 2011
1st of Shawwal, which marks the start of Eid ul-Fitr, will be on Tuesday, August 30, 2011.
Ramadan 1432 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on July 30, 2011 (Saturday) at 18:40 Universal Time (9:40 pm Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on July 30 is at 7:01 pm local time, while moonset at Makkah is 6:41pm local time (20 minute before sunset). Therefore the following day Sunday, July 31, 2011 is not the 1st day of Ramadan. First day of Ramadan is Monday, August 1, insha’Allah. First Tarawih prayer will be on Sunday night.
Eid ul-Fitr 1432 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on August 29, 2011 (Monday) at 3:04 Universal Time (6:04 am Makkah time). On Monday, August 29, sunset at Makkah is 6:40 p.m. local time, while moonset is at 6:44 pm local time. Therefore, first day of Shawwal, i.e., Eid ul-Fitr is Tuesday, August 30, insha’Allah.
May Allah (swt) keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and prayers. Ameen. For more detailed information, please visit: www.fiqhcouncil.org or www.moonsighting.com
Sincerely,
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi
Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America
The Meaning of Eid
Eid means “recurring happiness” or “festivity”. There are two such Eid in Islam.
The first is called Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Fast Breaking). It falls on the first day of Shawwaal, the tenth month of the Muslim year, following the month of Ramadan in which the Glorious Qur’an was revealed and which is the month of fasting.
The second is called Eid al-Adhaa (the Festival of sacrifice). It falls on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the final month of the Muslim year. The Islamic Eid are unique in every way. To them there can be nothing similar in any other religion or any other sociopolitical system. Besides their highly spiritual and moral characteristics, they have matchless qualities.
Each Eid is a wholesome celebration of a remarkable achievement of the individual Muslim in the service of Allah SWT. The first Eid comes after an entire month of ‘absolute’ fasting during the days of the month. The second Eid marks the completion of Hajj to Makkah, a course in which the Muslim handsomely demonstrates his renouncement of the mundane concerns and hearkens only to the eternal voice of Allah SWT.
Each Eid is a thanksgiving day where Muslims assemble in a brotherly and joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to Allah SWT for helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligations prior to the Eid. This form of thanksgiving is not confined to spiritual devotion and verbal expressions. It goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a handsome shape of social and humanitarian spirit. The Muslims who have completed the fasting of Ramadhaan express their thanks to Allah SWT by means of distributing alms among the poor and needy on the first Eid before the prayer.
Eid also is a day of remembrance. Even in their most joyful times the Muslims make a flesh stall of the day by a plural session of worship to Allah SWT. They pray to Him and glorify His name to demonstrate their remembrance of His favors. Along with that course, they remember the deceased by praying for their souls, the needy by extending a hand of help, the grieved by showing them sympathy and consolation, the sick by cheerful visits and utterances of good wishes, the absentees by cordial greetings and sincere considerateness. Thus, the meaning of remembrance on the day transcends all limits and expands over far-reaching dimensions of human life.
Most of the imams when delivering the Eid khutbah will mention that Eid is a day of victory. The individual who succeeds in securing his spiritual rights and growth receives the Eid with a victorious spirit. The individual who faithfully observes the duties, which are associated with the Eid, is a triumphant one. He proves that he holds a strong command over his desires, exercises a sound self-control and enjoys the taste of disciplinary life.
Once a person acquires these qualities, he has achieved his greatest victory because the person who knows how to control himself and discipline his desires is free from sin and wrong, from fear and cowardice, from vice and indecency, from jealousy and greed, from humiliation and all other causes of enslavement.
Therefore, when he receives the Eid, which marks the achievement of this freedom, he is in fact celebrating his victory, and the Eid thus becomes a day of victory.
This is the proper meaning of an Islamic Eid. It is a day of thanksgiving, a day of festive remembrance and a day of moral victory. An Islamic Eid is all this and is much more because it is a day of Islam, a day of Allah SWT. Celebrate this coming Eid with the true imaan and taqwa. InshaaAllah, besides having enjoyment, we will be blessed by Allah SWT.
Source: islaam.org
Eid Announcement 2010 – Eid-ul-Fitr is Friday Insha’Allah

Eid Mubarak from Zawaj.com! (this amazing image is by Said Ibrahim of London, saidnapro.blogspot.com)
If you’re looking for the 2011 Eid Announcement, see:
Announcement by Fiqh Council of North America and European Council for Fatwa and Research
The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) recognize astronomical calculation as an acceptable Shar’ia method for determining the beginning of lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. The FCNA & ECFR use Makkah al-Mukarramah as a conventional point, and take the position that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and the moon must set after sunset in Makkah.
On the basis of this method the date of Eid ul-Fitr for the year 1431 AH is established as follows:
1st of Shawwal, which marks the start of Eid ul-Fitr, will be on Friday, September 10, 2010, Insha’Allah.
Eid ul-Fitr 1431 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on September 8, 2010 (Wednesday) at 6:30 pm Makkah Time. Sunset in Makkah on September 8 is at 6:31 pm. On that day, the moon in Makkah at sunset is below the horizon. Therefore, the first day of Shawwal, which marks the start of Eid ul-Fitr is on Friday, September 10, 2010, insha’Allah.
May Allah (swt) keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and prayers. Ameen. For more detailed information, please visit: www.fiqhcouncil.org or www.moonsighting.com.
How to worship in Laylat-ul-Qadr

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
Date: October 25, 2005Name of Mufti: IslamOnline Shari`ah Researchers
Topic: Recommended Acts of Worship in Laylat-ul-Qadr
Name of Questioner: Omar from United States
Question: As-Salam `Alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh ! Dear Sheikhs, given that the blessed night Laylatul-Qadr is approaching, we would like you to tell us what should we do in this night. Kindly inform us of the acts of worship that are recommended in this night?
Answer:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear brother in Islam, thank you very much for having confidence in us. We ask Allah to guide the whole Muslim Ummah to make the best use of the blessed days of Ramadan, and to seek the great blessings Allah grants His sincere servants during these days.
Laylatul-Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. If a believing person is keen to obey his Lord and increase the good deeds in his record, he should strive to encounter this night and to pass it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven.
Praying Qiyam:
It is recommended to make a long Qiyam prayer during the nights on which Laylatul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many Hadiths, such as the following:
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: “We fasted with Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in Ramadan. He did not lead us in Qiyam (Night Vigil Prayer) at all until there were seven nights of Ramadan left. Then he stood with us (that night, in Prayer) until one third of the night had passed. He did not pray with us on the sixth. On the fifth night, he prayed with us until half of the night had passed. So we said, ‘Allah’s Messenger! Wouldn’t you pray with us the whole night?’ He replied: ‘Whoever stands in Prayer with Imam until he (the Imam) concludes the Prayer, it will be recorded for him that he prayed the whole night…” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)
Point of benefit: Abu Dawud mentioned: “I heard Ahmad being asked, ‘Do you like for a man to pray with the people or by himself during Ramadan?’ He replied, ‘Pray with the people’ I also heard him say, ‘I would prefer for one to pray Qiyam with Imam and to pray Witr with him as well, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When a man prays with the Imam until he concludes, he’ll earn the reward of praying the rest of that night.”
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever stands (in Qiyam) in Laylatul-Qadr (and it is facilitated for him) out of faith and expectation of Allah’s reward, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). The phrase “and it is facilitated for him”, according to the version narrated by Ahmad, on the authority of `Ubadah Ibn As-Samit, means that a person is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.
Making Supplications:
It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul-Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say: “Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee (O Allah! You are Oft-Forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me).” (Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and At-Tirmithi)
Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylatul-Qadr is likely to be. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah. This is based on the following Hadith narrated by `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “Upon entering into the last ten (of Ramadan), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would tighten his Izar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in Prayer), and wake up his family.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) She also said: “Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to exert more efforts (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights.” (Reported by Muslim)
– IslamOnline.net, reprinted with some modifications from Islam.com
27 Beautiful Photos of Ramadan Around the World
These 27 wonderful photos show Muslims all over the world worshiping in Ramadan, reading Quran, cooking, breaking their fasts, and striving to get closer to Allah.
The pictures really capture the diversity of our Ummah; our wealth of spirit even amid material poverty; the beauty of our rituals; and the vitality of our communities. Alhamdulillah.
These photos are courtesy of the Sacramento Bee and are from Ramadan 2008.
See also:
Ramadan around the world: 35 beautiful photos
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- A Pakistan man prepares food stuff for Muslim devotees during a religious congregation at a mosque in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
18 More Lovely Ramadan Photos
These lovely Ramadan photos came from Time Magazine. They are actually from last year. Some of my favorites: the men resting in the masjid in Indonesia; people breaking their fast at the market in Bangladesh; the women praying in St. Louis, USA; the boys studying Quran in India; the woman leaving her shoes outside the masjid in Tehran; and the vendor selling Muslim caps in Karachi.
Photos like this really bring home the universality of our Ummah, and of Islam itself. We are privileged to have been honored by Allah with this deen. Let’s be grateful for every breath, every moment, and every chance to worship Allah and do good in the world.
- Amman, Jordan: A shopkeeper hangs decorative lights in his store in celebration of Ramadan.
- Jakarta, Indonesia: Men rest after prayer on the second day of the month of Ramadan.
- Istanbul, Turkey: Women pray next to the Hirka-i Serif or Holy Cloak at the Hirkai Serif Mosque. The cloak is exhibited every year after the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Foreign workers gather for iftar, the meal which marks the end of the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh: The fast is broken at a market on the first day of Ramadan.
- Cairo, Egypt: A Dervish dancer whirls at a special Ramadan performance in the Egyptian capital. Entertainment during Ramadan can last late into the night, but stops before fasting commences.
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA: Women pray at the Islamic Community Center in south St. Louis during Ramadan.
- Khartoum, Sudan: Men praying at the main mosque. Every day during the course of Ramadan 1/30th of the Quran is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire book has been completed.
- Lahore, Pakistan: Women and children collect charity food. Ramadan stresses the importance of helping the poor and less fortunate.
- Kabul, Afghanistan: A man reads from the Quran. Ramadan includes many significant commemorations, including Islam’s holiest night, Laylat al-Qadr, which marks the revelation of the first verses of the Holy Book.
- Mathura, India: Young boys read the Quran at a madrasa, or religious school, during Ramadan.
- Jakarta, Indonesia: Friday prayers in Ramadan at the Istiqlal Mosque, the main mosque of the city. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country.
- Jerusalem, Palestine: Palestinian women attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- Dushanbe, Tajikistan: During Ramadan, observant Muslims get up before dawn to eat, then pray and then do not eat again until after the fourth prayer of the day, which occurs after sunset.
- Rawalpindi, Pakistan: A man performs ablution before Friday prayers on the second day of Ramadan. The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic word meaning intense heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations.
- Tehran, Iran: A woman leaves her shoes outside the Imam Khomeini Mosque in Ramadan.
- Sanaa, Yemen: Cosmetic Kohl is applied to the eyelids of a young man during Ramadan. Oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mention the use of Kohl frequently.
- Karachi, Pakistan: A vendor sells caps in preparation for the first day of Ramadan, which this year fell on September 13th.
See also:
Ramadan Around the World: 35 Beautiful Ramadan Photos
And our Ramadan archives:
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers

A peptic ulcer is a hole in the gut lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. A peptic ulcer of the stomach is called a gastric ulcer; of the duodenum, a duodenal ulcer; and of the esophagus, an esophageal ulcer. An ulcer occurs when the lining of these organs is corroded by the acidic digestive juices which are secreted by the stomach cells. Peptic ulcer disease is common, affecting millions of people yearly.
By Dr Muhammad Karim Islamabadi
September 4, 2007
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers as it curbs smoking which is recognised as a precipitating factor for the peptic ulcer. The whole gastro-intestinal system takes good rest for the first time in the whole year.
I feel pity for the stomach. I really feel pity for the stomach, intestines and infact the whole gastro-intestinal system. And this is so because the whole year, we never let this system take rest.
Apart from the three main meals, every few minutes, we pour something in our stomach, be it snacks, drinks, fruits or other eatables. None of us ever thinks that the food which we had already sent in before is being digested by the stomach and right when it has reached halfway, we dump some more into it only to disrupt the digestive work previously completed. This of course makes the food stay a longer time in the stomach which may result in dyspepsia, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome etc.
In contrast, Ramadan is the only period in which our gastro-intestinal system takes good rest as the Muslims observe fasting for the whole month. Digestion is not just the name of churning movements of the stomach and the absorption by the intestines, but it is a huge integrated system involving the nervous system (eg. vagus nerve) as well as hormone secreting glands.
So the whole gastro-intestinal system takes good rest for the first time in the whole year. As digestion begins in the mouth where the salivary glands secrete excessive saliva which carries hormones to act upon the food, the burden on the salivary glands and teeth is reduced in the month of Ramadan. The oesophagus takes rest during fasting as there is no food to require its propelling movements which push the food to the stomach. Similarly, the stomach and the intestines also take good rest as after completing the digestion and absorption of food consumed at Sehri time, they have nothing to do till Iftar time. Even glands like pancreas and gall bladder which secrete hormones also reduce their secretions as there is no food to demand their hormones.
Hence, there is substantial reduction in the gastrointestinal hormones like gastric juice, gastrain, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), motilin, vascoactive intestinal peptide (VIP),neurotension, enteroglucagon, neuropeptide Y, gallium etc. Lastly, the colon and the liver are also at ease during fasting.
In short, Ramadan lifts the heavy burden and strain which we have put on our gastrointestinal system and gives it what can said to be a refreshing annual vacation of 30 days. Now coming to the diagnostic possibilities of Ramadan fasting, a good number of patients who consult physicians with abdominal pain, suffer from peptic ulcers. The peptic ulcer can be gastric or the duodenal type. The occurence of abdominal pain in both gastric and duodenal ulcers is different in relation to the food intake. Duodenal ulcer pain, though variable usually occurs when the stomach is empty and the gastric ulcer creates pain after the food intake.
In normal days, the differentiation of the two entities is difficult to make as people eat frequently, but in Ramadan, an individual undergoes two stages. One during the fasting when his stomach is empty and the other after evening meal when the stomach is full. If the patient complains of abdominal pain while fasting, it will point to the possibility of duodenal ulcer and if the pain occurs after Iftar, then gastric ulcer will be the suspected diagnosis.
The peptic ulcer pain is variable and it may not occur in some patients. Similarly, in most of the duodenal ulcer cases, as soon as mild pain starts, the patient eats something due to which the pain disappears and the disease remains undiagnosed. This undiagnosed ulcer may later surface with perforation of the ulcer and haematemesis (vomiting of blood) which has a high mortality.

Bangladeshi orphan girls offer prayers before a Ramadan Iftar, or evening meal to break fast, organized for less privileged children by the Sonargaon hotel in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman)
In Ramadan, while fasting, the duodenal ulcer pain is more likely to surface and as there is no provision to relieve the pain with food, the patient may be forced to consult a physician who with the help of endoscopy can easily clinch the diagnosis. While examining the abdomen of a patient who is already fasting, a physician can easily palpate the tenderness as well as feel the oedema around the peptic ulcer region.
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers as it curbs smoking which is recognised as a precipitating factor for the peptic ulcer. It also has beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia and gastritis.
Last, but not the least, imagine a person who has fasted for more or less 14-15 hours and is now ready to break his fast. His taste buds have taken good rest, so at Iftar, the food is going to taste more pleasant and enjoyable than ever before. This is yet another bounty of Ramadan. Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad (saws) says: “There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord, then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”
Common health problems during fasting – preventing bad breath
The holy month of Ramadhan is once again here, when Muslims all over the world are fasting. One of the most common complaints during fasting is the bad breath that people experience. This condition, in medical terms, is called halitosis. The Central Health Board (CHB) of Africa Federation advices on what causes bad breath and how can it be prevented.
Causes of bad breath can be broadly classified into local causes and systemic causes. Causative factors within the mouth are termed local causes. Causes due to factors or diseases of the body, such as diabetes, smoking, kidney disease and stomach upset are known as systemic causes. We will be limiting our discussion to local causes only.
Local Causes of Bad Breath:
Within the human mouth there are numerous kinds of bacteria, which, as by-products, give out sulphides and ammonia which are the main causes of bad breath. Hence the amount of bacteria has to be controlled, and conditions that cause them to thrive have to be eliminated.
Factors involved in the cleanliness of the mouth are:
- Poor oral hygiene caused by not brushing or improper tooth brushing technique
- A dirty tongue
- Cavities in the teeth
- Gum disease caused by plaque and tartar
- Dirty dentures, false teeth and other fixed appliances in the mouth
Preventing Bad Breath While Fasting
After having identified the causes, we can now deal with how to prevent bad breath, especially while fasting.
- Brushing one’s teeth after every meal, preferably early morning (at Sehri time)
- Flossing one’s teeth which means cleaning between the teeth using special thread called dental floss. Use of toothpicks is not advisable for this purpose.
- Use of a tongue scraper or using a toothbrush to clean the tongue.
- Use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash. A non-alcoholic mouthwash should be used as alcohol causes a dry mouth which can aggravate the problem.
- Cavities in the teeth should be filled promptly to prevent food accumulation within them.
- Removal of tartar on teeth by a dentist at least once every six months.
- Drink at least 2 –3 glasses of water at Sehri time.
A bad stomach can also cause bad breath so one would have to check on his diet during the holy month to prevent a stomach upset and halitosis.
Foul-smelling mouths are offensive to other people therefore it is important to spend some time and follow the simple precautions and methods mentioned to prevent this problem.
Ramadan Around the World: 35 Beautiful Ramadan Photos

A Palestinian girl cries as she waits to cross the West Bank Israeli checkpoint of Qalandia into Jerusalem to attend the second Ramadan Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque in the old city
Ramadan, of course, is the Muslim holy month during which Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to sunset every day. Ramadan teaches dedication to Allah, sacrifice, patience, humility, and self-control. Customs differ from place to place, with different types of foods eaten for iftar (the evening meal), different costumes, different festivities… but Muslims everywhere are united in faith at this time.
These amazing Ramadan photos were published on Boston.com in 2008. I found some of them to be fun to look at, while others inspired me or touched me with sadness. What an amazing Ummah this is, what an amazing religion. May Allah grant us purification, forgiveness and guidance during Ramadan. Let us pray to Allah to especially help our brothers and sisters suffering from the floods in Pakistan, and from occupation in Palestine, Chechnya, and East Turkestan (China), and from war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and to relieve the suffering of our Ummah all over the world.
- A boy sleeps in a mosque while waiting to break his fast on the first day of Ramadan in Makassar, Indonesia on September 1, 2008. (REUTERS/Yusuf Ahmad) #
- In this picture taken on September 13, 2008 a Pakistani labourer stacks bananas being kept in increased quantities for the holy month of Ramadan in the storeroom of a fruit market in Islamabad, Pakistan. (FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP/Getty Images) #
- Muslim women attend prayers on the eve of the first day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia on August 31, 2008. (REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas) #
- A worker prepares traditional sweets at a pastry shop in Tehran, Iran on the fifth day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan September 6, 2008. (REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl) #
- Afghan men offer prayers on a hill top overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan on September 8, 2008, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (SHAH MARAI/AFP/Getty Images) #
- Thai Muslim children pray at a mosque during Ramadan in Narathiwat province in Thailand on September 9, 2008. (MADAREE TOHLALA/AFP/Getty Images) #
- A Kashmiri man rests after performing prayers inside the shrine of Sufi saint, Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, during Ramadan in Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir on September 11, 2008. (REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli) #
- Workers dry vermicelli, a specialty eaten during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, India on September 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder) #
- Visually impaired Palestinian students read verses of the Quran, Islam’s holiest book, written in Braille, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Al-Qabas Islamic school in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) #
- Lebanese musarahati wakes people for suhoor during Ramadan
- A child prepares food for Iftar (evening meal) before the breaking of fast on the first day of Ramadan at Memon Mosque in Karachi, Pakistan on September 2, 2008. (REUTERS/Athar Hussain) #
- Kashmiri Muslims offer prayers inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) #
- Workers sew prayer caps in a factory in old Dhaka, Bangladesh on September 18, 2008. Prayer caps have huge demand during the holy month of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Andrew Biraj) #
- The Al-Zaim family of Duxbury, Massachusetts sits, gathered together for their dinner after 7pm on September 14th, 2008, to break their Ramadan Fast. (Justine Hunt/Globe Staff Photo) #
- A man has his eyes smeared with traditional Kohl eyeliner before Friday prayers during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad September 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder) #
- A Pakistani man offers Friday prayers atop a mosque roof during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad) #
- A Palestinian Muslim girl prays in the men’s mosque before the evening prayer called “tarawih”, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) #
- An Egyptian family looks to buy a “Fanus Ramadan”, a traditional lantern popular during Ramadan, at a shop in el-Sayeda Zaynab district of downtown Cairo, late August 28, 2008. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images) #
- A Bangladeshi vendor sells traditional sweet meats for breaking the Ramadan fast, at the Chalk bazaar in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman) #
- In a pre-Ramadan tradition, Bosnian Muslim girls wash their face with water from cave as local tradition claims that the water and prayers inside the cave will bring personal beauty and success for the year, 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 this year. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) #
- A Muslim woman reads a copy of the Quran at the Istiqlal mosque during the second day of ramadan in Jakarta, Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, on September 2, 2008. (ADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images) #
- A seller of traditional Syrian sweets calls out for customers in the Meidan quarter of Damascus September 2, 2008. Sales of the sweets go up during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri) #
- A Palestinian boy 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. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen) #
- A Pakistani man prepares sweet drinks for people to break their fast at a mosque during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Lahore on September 3, 2008. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images) #
- Kashmiri Muslims pray inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) #
- This picture taken September 5, 2008 shows a stall worker preparing roasted chicken wings to be sold at a Ramadan bazaar in downtown Kuala Lumpur for the breaking of their fast. In Muslim households across Asia, the inflation crisis is casting a shadow over the holy month of Ramadan, and making the nightly ritual of breaking the fast a more meagre affair. From Afghanistan to Malaysia, the high prices of food are forcing the poor to go without, and curtailing the lavish evening buffets which the well-off have flocked to in better economic times. (KAMARUL AKHIR/AFP/Getty Images) #
- Palestinian women walk past men (on the other side of the fence) waiting to cross a checkpoint to get into Israel in order to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill) #
- Israeli border police hold back Palestinians on their way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, at Kalandia checkpoint, between the West Bank town of Ramallah and Jerusalem, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) #
- Palestinian women lead young girls through the Kalandia checkpoint, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah, to cross to Jerusalem to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound on September 19, 2008. Thousands of Muslim faithful have been crossing every week from the West bank to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa, Islam’s third holiest shrine, since the start of the holy month of Ramadan three weeks ago. (DAVID FURST/AFP/Getty Images) #
- A Palestinian woman is seen on her way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) #
- Jordanian Muslim girls queue in line outside a humanitarian center for waiting for meals to be donated at the time for the breaking of their fast, or Iftar, on the 13th day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Amman, Jordan, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Nader Daoud) #
- Indonesian men attend Friday prayer at Istiqlal mosque, the biggest in Southeast Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Irwin Fedriansyah) #
- A Palestinian man reads from the Quran, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in a mosque in the West Bank city of Jenin, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas) #
- An officer of Brunei’s Islamic authority looks through a telescope as he performs “rukyah”, the sighting of the new moon for Ramadan, over the skies of Bukit Agok outside Bandar Seri Begawan August 31, 2008. Muslims scan the sky at dusk at the end of their lunar calendar’s eighth month in search of the new moon to proclaim the beginning of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Ahim Rani) #
- Symbolizing the faith of Islam, the crescent moon is seen at sunset on top of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
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