EVERY YEAR, MUSLIMS around the world anticipate the sighting of the new crescent moon that signifies the official first day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the most sacred month in Islamic culture.
The start of Ramadan fluctuates each year because the lunar Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon. The beginning and end of Ramadan are determined by a moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia. The first day begins the day after the committee spots the new crescent moon, which can be tricky since it’s quite faint and can be seen for only about 20 minutes. If the moon isn’t visible to the naked eye because of haze or clouds, lunar calculations are used to predict whether it’s in the sky. This year Ramadan is predicted to begin on May 6, and to end June 3 with Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE (BLUE MOSQUE)
Constructed during the early 17th century, Istanbul's most photogenic building gets its nickname from the blue tiles adorning the interior.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KEITH ARNOLD, GETTY IMAGES
NASIR AL MOLK MOSQUE
Uncommon in mosques, the stained glass windows of Iran's Nasir al Molk in Shiraz illuminate its Persian carpets with a kaleidoscope of patterned flecks of light.
PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD I'ANSON, GETTY IMAGES
ISTIQLAL MOSQUE
At the time of its construction in the late 20th century, Jakarta's Istiqlal was considered avant-garde for its minaret and dome, considered "too Arabic" for the local Muslim population. Traditionally, Javanese mosques include a layered, triple-roof style.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DASRIL ROSZANDI, ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
JAMA MASJID MOSQUE
India’s Jama Masjid features a red sandstone and marble exterior that pay homage to the Mughal empire, much of which was influenced by Persia.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ZHENG HUANSONG, XINHUA/REDUX
SHAIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE
The massive Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi holds more than 40,000 worshippers in its courtyard and prayer hall. The world's largest Persian carpet stretches inside under German-imported chandeliers made with Swarovski crystals.
PHOTOGRAPH BY LUTZ JAEKEL, LAIF/REDUX
SULTAN HASSAN MOSQUE
Functioning as both a school and a mosque in Cairo for almost 300 years, Sultan Hassan provides an archetype mosque for experts to explain what Islamic philosophy is all about.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES
SHAH MOSQUE
One of the most celebrated characteristics of Iran’s Great Mosque of Isfahan is its expansion and development for more than 10 centuries, representing nearly a thousand years of Islamic art and architecture.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES
NATIONAL MOSQUE OF MALAYSIA
The roof of the National Mosque of Malaysia, built in capital Kuala Lumpur during the late 20th century, draws its inspiration from the underside of an open umbrella.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MANAN VATSYAYANA, GETTY IMAGES
EDUCATION CITY MOSQUE
This mosque in Doha is elevated on five piers, that represent the five pillars of Islam—shahada(knowledge), salat (prayer), zakat (charity), siyam (fasting) and hajj (pilgrimage)—each engraved with Quranic verses in elegant calligraphy.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BONNIE JO MOUNT, THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES
HASSAN II MOSQUE
Hassan II Mosque's nearly 700-foot minaret–the tallest in the world–is as iconic to Casablanca as the Empire State Building is to New York.
PHOTOGRAPH BY WOLFGANG KAEHLER, GETTY IMAGES
IBN TULUN MOSQUE
One of the best preserved mosques in Egypt, this majestic red brick complex was built in 876 by the Turkish governor of Egypt and Syria.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHEL SETBOUN, GETTY IMAGES
SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE
Ottoman mosques, like Istanbul's Süleymaniye Mosque, intentionally imitate the church of Hagia Sofia, another major tourist site in the city.
PHOTOGRAPH BY NIMON_T, GETTY IMAGES
ISLAMIC CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C.
The Islamic Center in Washington D.C. is celebrated for fusing together differing styles and cultural influences, particularly from Iran, Egypt, and Turkey.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES
SHAH FAISAL MOSQUE
Produced in the late 1970s, the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is a modern mosque that is Sunni in its practice, accomodating all of the rituals of the different denominations in the Muslim world.
PHOTOGRAPH BY SHAHID KHAN, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
GREAT MOSQUE IN KAIROUAN
The first Islamic city in North Africa and one of the four holiest cities for Muslims, Kairouan’s holy trifecta is complete thanks to the Grand Mosque of Kairouan, a structure in Tunisia
… PHOTOGRAPH BY RON WATTS, GETTY IMAGESOrigin of Ramadan
Ramadan, one of the months in the Islamic calendar, was also part of ancient Arabs’ calendars. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. Muslims believe that in 610 A.D. the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power”—is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran. (Read how muslims, although often misunderstood, are thriving in America.)
The Quran consists of 114 chapters and is taken to be the direct words of God, or Allah. The hadith, or accounts by the companions of Prophet Muhammad’s thoughts and deeds, supplement the Quran. Together they form the religious texts of Islam.
During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah. They do this by praying and reciting the Quran, making their actions intentional and selfless, and abstaining from gossiping, lying, and fighting.
(See how American Muslims celebrate Ramadan.)
Throughout the month Muslims fast, also refraining from drinking and sexual intercourse between sunrise and sunset. Fasting is obligatory for all Muslims, except for the ill, pregnant, traveling, elderly, or menstruating. Days missed fasting can be made up throughout the rest of the year, either all at once or one day here and there.
Muslim worshippers pray near the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MUAMMAR AWAD XINHUA, EYEVINE/REDUX
Meals are opportunities for Muslims to gather with others in the community and break their fast together. Pre-dawn breakfast, or suhoor, usually occurs at 4:00 a.m. before the first prayer of the day, fajr. The evening meal, iftar, can begin once the sunset prayer, Maghreb, is finished—normally around 7:30. Since the Prophet Mohammad broke his fast with dates and a glass of water, Muslims eat dates at both suhoor and iftar. A staple of the Middle East, dates are rich in nutrients, easy to digest, and provide the body with sugar after a long day of fasting.
After the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr—three days of festivities where Muslims gather to pray, eat, exchange gifts, and pay their respects to deceased relatives.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
These guidelines are fundamental to the lives of Muslims.
Sawm: fasting from dawn til dusk during Ramadan
Shahadah: believing there is no deity but God and prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) as his messenger
Zakat: giving to charity
Salah: praying five times a day
Hajj: making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during their lifetime if able.
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