Heading into a holy time: Muslims the world over are observing the holy month of Ramadan. In addition to fasting from dawn until sundown, Muslims are also expected to abstain from smoking, sex, and drinking -- even water -- during these hours. Although a time for prayer and reflection, Ramadan also includes festive family feasts to break the fast, and in Egypt, traditional tin lanterns called fawanis are used to decorate. Above, a man in Cairo carries bread past a stall selling fawanis on Aug. 16.
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A Yemeni woman buys dates at a market in Sanaa on the first day of Ramadan. In many countries, dates are a common food to break the fast at the end of the day. In Egypt this year, some fruit sellers named their best dates after U.S. President Barack Obama. Obama recorded a special message to Muslims worldwide, sending his best wishes at the start of Ramadan.
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In India, noodles similar to vermicelli, known as sev or sewaiyan, are extremely popular during Ramadan. In many countries, food prices go up just before Ramadan due to increased demand and spending by consumers for the holy month. In India, a drought has further increased food prices, making shopping even more difficult for many people.
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A Palestinian baker in Hebron on Aug. 22 prepares qatayef, sweet pancakes popular in Arab countries during Ramadan. For Palestinian worshipers, security on Aug. 28, the first Friday of Ramadan, was tight as Israeli police and soldiers imposed a security clampdown in Jerusalem, citing past unrest at Friday prayers. Widely considered the third holiest site of Islam, the Mosque of Al Aqsa in Jerusalem held Friday prayers for an estimated 90,000 Palestinian worshipers.
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For observant Muslims, restrictions on what types of meat may be eaten are based on the type of animal and how it was killed. Permissible foods are known in Arabic as halal, while forbidden foods and practices are known as haram. In France this year, viewers were surprised by the first television advertisement for halal foods. Although ads had been seen on Arabic satellite channels, the spot for the brand Zakia Halal was on TF1, a mainstream channel. Above, a sign in a supermarket in eastern France signals the halal section of its meat department.
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During Ramadan, worshipers gather to break the fast with a meal at dusk known as iftar. According to the Koran, sundown begins when a black thread can no longer be distinguished from a white one. With the economic downturn, many budgets are thinner this year. Even formerly lavish Dubai has seen many cutbacks in iftar expenditures. Above, Pakistani Muslims wait to break the fast in Karachi on Aug. 27.
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Fasting during Ramadan, referred to with the term Sawm, is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. The other pillars are Shahada, the profession of faith; Salat, prayers; Zakat, giving alms; and the Hajj, a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Many people, especially the well off, focus on giving alms during Ramadan. Above, street children in Afghanistan eat free food at a mosque in Kabul on Aug. 22.
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Best feet forward: Ramadan began on the same day for Sunnis and Shiites this year, the first time in 10 years that has occurred. In Iraq, the synchronicity was received by some religious leaders as a positive sign for possible reconciliation. Above, an Iraqi man washes his feet prior to entering a mosque in central Baghdad on Aug. 24.
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The Hajj, or holy pilgrimage to Mecca, takes place not long after Ramadan and is expected this year to start in late November (with the exact date determined by the Islamic lunar calendar). Above, the Masjid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque, located in the Saudi city of Mecca, is considered the holiest site in Islam. Muslims are encouraged to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in their lifetime.
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For Ramadan and the Hajj, swine flu is a big concern this year due to worries about how quickly it could be transmitted during large gatherings. The Saudi cities of Mecca and Medina, usually crowded with visitors to their holy sites during Ramadan, have seen lower turnout -- a blow to local business -- as a result of swine flu-related travel restrictions and the economic downturn. Saudi officials are considering requiring a swine flu certificate for visitors this year. Above, a shopkeeper in Mecca on Aug. 19 wears a medical mask to protect himself.
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Above, Indonesian women pray at the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Aug. 21. Amid all the turbulence of the world, Ramadan is a special month of fasting and feasting in which Muslims worldwide can reflect on the importance of faith and family.
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