Muslims attend an evening communal prayer session called “Tarawih” to mark the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Bajrakli mosque in Belgrade, Serbia, on July 9, 2013.Marko Djurica
According to the Islamic calendar, the ninth month is considered the most spiritual. As millions of Muslims around the world approach the end in their month-long spiritual cleansing through obedience, compliance and abstinence, we take a look at poignant photos that capture the beauty of Ramadan.
The past month of abstinence provokes reflection not only for those who live by the Islamic faith, but also for individuals living in the peripheries of it.
The month of Ramadan subtly balances on the sheer strength of the human body and the beautiful restraint of the mind, simultaneously reminding followers of the Islamic faith to draw strength from their God.
Following the month of Ramadan, ‘Eid-ul-Fitr’, or the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, is usually held to celebrate the end of fasting and gratitude towards Allah. Decked in their finest clothes, they celebrate the time with friends and families, and also take the opportunity by giving back to the less fortunate through charity.
A child leans down near members of the Muslim community attending midday prayers at Strasbourg Grand Mosque in Strasbourg, France, on the first day of Ramadan.Vincent KesslerWorkers clean the floor of the Badshahi Mosque ahead of the holy month of Ramadan in Lahore, Pakistan, on July 9, 2013.Mohsin RazaA Palestinian man reads verses from the Quran, Islam’s holy book, at al-Omari mosque on the first day of Ramadan.Mohammed AbedA musaharati (dawn awakener) strikes his drum to wake Muslims for their sahur (last meal) before the day’s fast in Sidon, Lebanon. Ali HashishoA pastry chef holds a tray of Arabic sweets at his bakery in Gaza City on the eve of the start of Ramadan, on July 9, 2013.Mohammed AbedAn Indian Muslim family reads the Quran after breaking their fast at their home in Hyderabad, India.Noah SeelamIndonesian Muslim women hold prayers on the first night of Ramadan at the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, on July 9, 2013.Adek BerryChinese Muslims of the Hui ethnic minority pray over food before breaking their fast at the historic Niujie mosque on July 3.Kevin FrayerA Palestinian arranges dates for sale on the first day of Ramadan in a market in the West Bank city of Ramallah.Mohamad TorokmanA family reads verses from the Koran at a relative’s grave in a cemetery, a day before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in Jakarta, on July 9, 2013.Enny NuraheniTurkish anti-government protesters gather as they break their first day of fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Istiklal street.Bulent KilicStudents perform an afternoon prayer on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Ar-Raudlatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia.Binsar BakkaraA woman sells dates and cereals in a street market in Abobo, suburb of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on July 9, 2013, on the first day of Ramadan.Issouf SanogoMuslims observing Friday prayers in Allahabad, India.Rajesh Kumar SinghMosque workers prepare food for distribution to the poor and Muslims who come to break their fast at Noor Mosque in Nairobi, Kenya.Sayyid AzimMuslim youths pray atop auto-rickshaws in front of al-Satie mosque in Manila, Philippines.Romeo RanocoMuslim man serving food for iftar at the London Muslim Centre.Dan KitwoodA young Palestinian girl holds a traditional Ramadan lantern in Jerusalem.Muhammed MuheisenMuslims attend an evening communal prayer session called “Tarawih” to mark the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Bajrakli mosque in Belgrade, Serbia, on July 9, 2013.Marko Djurica
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