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Ramadan Kareem! Muslims The Worldover Begin The Holy Month

Published April 13th, 2021 - 08:26 GMT

Ramadan is the Arabic name for the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is considered one of the holiest Islamic months.

It's also one of the Five Pillars of Islam. These are five principles that Muslims believe are compulsory acts ordered by God. Muslims believe it was during this month God revealed the first verses of the Quran, Islam's sacred text, to Mohammed, on a night known as "The Night of Power" (or Laylat al-Qadr in Arabic).

The Muslim holy month starts on Tuesday, April 13, and even amid a global pandemic, most of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims will observe it in some form.

This means there's a good chance you might encounter someone — a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, your child's teacher — who will be celebrating, fasting, and doing all sorts of other activities that are unique to the holy month.

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Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques

Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques, churches, old window lattices of the old town of Iraq's northern city of Mosul, on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan on April 13, 2021, during a celebration hosted by a local cultural NGO. Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP

Muslim women offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan

Muslim women offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta on April 12, 2021. ADEK BERRY / AFP

Vehicles, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws) drive past a stall selling Ramadan lanterns

Vehicles, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws) drive past a stall selling Ramadan lanterns along a main street in the in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on April 12, 2021, at the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Khaled DESOUKI / AFP

on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan

This long exposure picture taken on April 13, 2021 on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the old town of Iraq's northern city of Mosul shows children dancing around a lantern during a street celebration hosted by a local cultural NGO. Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP

A woman riding in a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) peeks out to use her phone to photograph a man riding a bicycle

A woman riding in a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) peeks out to use her phone to photograph a man riding a bicycle, while behind are lit decorations depicting a giant lantern and a crescent and cross erected to celebrate the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, along a main street in the in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on April 12, 2021. Khaled DESOUKI / AFP

Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum

Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum, on April 12, 2021. due to the corona virus, it is not allowed to hold large gatherings in the mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan. Jeroen JUMELET / ANP / AFP

A woman rests prior to night prayers on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta

A woman rests prior to night prayers on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta on April 12, 2021. ADEK BERRY / AFP

Women talk to a Palestinian shopkeeper selling Ramadan lanterns

Women talk to a Palestinian shopkeeper selling Ramadan lanterns ("fanoos") in the old city of Jerusalem on April 12, 2021, on the eve of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP

Muslims gather for prayers during the start of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al Akbar Mosque in Surabaya

Muslims gather for prayers during the start of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al Akbar Mosque in Surabaya on April 12, 2021. Juni Kriswanto / AFP

A Palestinian street vendor sells candy and sweets in Hebron's Old City in the Israeli-occupied West Bank

A Palestinian street vendor sells candy and sweets in Hebron's Old City in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on April 12, 2021, ahead of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which begins this week. HAZEM BADER / AFP

Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques
Muslim women offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan
Vehicles, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws) drive past a stall selling Ramadan lanterns
on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan
A woman riding in a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) peeks out to use her phone to photograph a man riding a bicycle
Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum
A woman rests prior to night prayers on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta
Women talk to a Palestinian shopkeeper selling Ramadan lanterns
Muslims gather for prayers during the start of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al Akbar Mosque in Surabaya
A Palestinian street vendor sells candy and sweets in Hebron's Old City in the Israeli-occupied West Bank
Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques
Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques, churches, old window lattices of the old town of Iraq's northern city of Mosul, on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan on April 13, 2021, during a celebration hosted by a local cultural NGO. Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP
Muslim women offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan
Muslim women offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta on April 12, 2021. ADEK BERRY / AFP
Vehicles, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws) drive past a stall selling Ramadan lanterns
Vehicles, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws) drive past a stall selling Ramadan lanterns along a main street in the in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on April 12, 2021, at the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Khaled DESOUKI / AFP
on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan
This long exposure picture taken on April 13, 2021 on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the old town of Iraq's northern city of Mosul shows children dancing around a lantern during a street celebration hosted by a local cultural NGO. Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP
A woman riding in a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) peeks out to use her phone to photograph a man riding a bicycle
A woman riding in a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) peeks out to use her phone to photograph a man riding a bicycle, while behind are lit decorations depicting a giant lantern and a crescent and cross erected to celebrate the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, along a main street in the in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt's capital Cairo on April 12, 2021. Khaled DESOUKI / AFP
Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum
Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum, on April 12, 2021. due to the corona virus, it is not allowed to hold large gatherings in the mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan. Jeroen JUMELET / ANP / AFP
A woman rests prior to night prayers on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta
A woman rests prior to night prayers on the first day of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta on April 12, 2021. ADEK BERRY / AFP
Women talk to a Palestinian shopkeeper selling Ramadan lanterns
Women talk to a Palestinian shopkeeper selling Ramadan lanterns ("fanoos") in the old city of Jerusalem on April 12, 2021, on the eve of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP
Muslims gather for prayers during the start of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al Akbar Mosque in Surabaya
Muslims gather for prayers during the start of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al Akbar Mosque in Surabaya on April 12, 2021. Juni Kriswanto / AFP
A Palestinian street vendor sells candy and sweets in Hebron's Old City in the Israeli-occupied West Bank
A Palestinian street vendor sells candy and sweets in Hebron's Old City in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on April 12, 2021, ahead of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which begins this week. HAZEM BADER / AFP

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