Muslim world begins Ramzan fasting

Muslim men and women across the world are observing Ramzan, the month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint.

Across a wide belt that stretches halfway around the globe, the world's estimated 1.6 billion Muslims marked the beginning of Ramzan this weekend and on Monday

Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed as a fasting period by Muslims, who abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset. Muslims wake up early morning for the pre-dawn 'sehri' meal renouncing food and water during the day before breaking their fasts in the evening. The sumptuous evening meals are known as 'iftars'.

The month-long fasting will culminate in the Id-ul-Fitr celebrations next month.

Rediff.com presents photographs of Ramzan as it is observed across the world.

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com. Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

Devotees break fast on the first day of Ramadan at a mosque in Singapore

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com. Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

A man reads the Quran before breaking fast on the first day of Ramzan at a mosque in Singapore

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com. Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

A young man prepares special sweets at a small traditional factory on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramzan in Kabul

PHOTOS...

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A vendor displays dates at a dates market in Sanaa, Yemen

PHOTOS...

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Devotees, made up of largely migrant workers from Bangladesh, perform prayers after breaking fast on the first day of Ramzan at a mosque in Singapore

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com . Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

Muslim men conduct Tarawih prayers, during which long portions of the Quran are recited, in the media room in the East London Mosque

PHOTOS...

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Children carry torches during a procession to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

PHOTOS...

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Muslim men residing in Japan have their iftar, breaking of fast meal, during the holy month of Ramzan at Tokyo Camii mosque in Tokyo

PHOTOS...

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A Palestinian girl takes part in a Quran memorization lesson on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramzan at a mosque in Gaza City

PHOTOS...

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Iraqi Kurdish residents buy watermelons on day one of the Muslim fasting month of Ramzan at a market in central Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region.

PHOTOS...

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A man carries a traditional Ramadan lantern known as "fanous" in front of a market stall on day one of the holy fasting month of Ramzan in Cairo, Egypt

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com . Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

A girl watches a helper distribute food as she waits to break fast with other devotees on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramzan at Niujie Mosque in Beijing

PHOTOS...

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You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com . Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

A Filipino Muslim man prepares smoked tuna before delivering to a market for sale, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Manila. The smoked tuna costs 400 pesos (US$ 9.30) each, according to the man.

PHOTOS...

Share YOUR Ramzan photographs on rediff.com's social networking platform, Zarabol (Click HERE to post)

You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com . Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.

People prepare to break their fast on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan as police officers stand guard near Taksim Square in Istanbul

PHOTOS...

Share YOUR Ramzan photographs on rediff.com's social networking platform, Zarabol (Click HERE to post)

You can also mail your photos to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com . Don't forget to mention where you've shot the photograph and a little write-up describing the scene you've shot.