Ramadan 2010 BEGINS Around The World (PHOTOS)

Many of the world's one billion Muslims have spent the last several days preparing for the month of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar.

Across much of the world, Ramadan begins tonight (Aug. 10) with the sighting of the new moon. For the next 30 days, believers will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn to dusk.

For Muslims, Ramadan marks the month during which God, through the angel Gibril (Gabriel), revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad.

The beginning of Ramadan has already been observed Indonesia and much of the Middle East and will occur in North America tonight.

See PHOTOS of the preparations and initial observances below:

Mideast Egypt Ramadan

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • An Egyptian vendor prepares the display of traditional lanterns for sale at his shop in Cairo, Egypt Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010, in preparation for the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan beginning around the middle of August. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Comments

[riff4u]

11:33 PM on 08/27/2010

This year Ramadhan ends around Sept 10th ....that means the Eid holiday may be on 911. I can't wait to see Faux News when they show Muslims all over the world celebrating the 9th anniversary of the fall of the twin towers.

[LMPE]

03:58 PM on 08/12/2010

You gotta be hardcore to celebrate Ramadan in the Middle East. Abstaining from eating and drinking all day means that, even though the long summer days in the Middle East often see temperatures over 100 F, still no food or beverages until sunset.

[CallMeIsmael]

12:58 AM on 08/16/2010

Muslims have been fasting Ramadan in the Middle East without a problem for 1400 years. However, if fasting might result in adverse health effects due to temperature or other conditions, then Muslims are permitted to break their fast and make it up later.

One day when I was young I was so thirsty that I almost broke my fast. I had been waiting for several hours in the scorching sun to get a driver's license. I was melting down and there were still five more hours before sunset. I was about to collapse was going to drink water from a water fountain. However, I decided to wait and a few minutes later, a person stops unsolicited and offers me a ride in his air conditioned car. I cooled down and was able to complete the fast.

Had I broken the fast, it would have been okay. However, I was happy that I was able to endure. This taught me to toughen up and I saw the fruits of that later.

[Abdi S]

10:02 AM on 08/12/2010

Ramadan Mubarak to all muslim brothers and sisters.

[CallMeIsmael]

12:59 AM on 08/16/2010

Ramadan mubarak to you and your family.

[ManuOB1]

07:38 AM on 08/12/2010

I am intrigued by the comment "believers will abstain from ... having sex from dawn to dusk." Sounds exhausting.

[AmigaMan]

03:41 AM on 08/12/2010

Macready wrote: "Ramadan Mubark to all . . . . make a good Ramadan!"

OK. I promise I will make a good Ramen tomorrow.

[GEM-592]

03:31 AM on 08/12/2010

Is it just me, or does this have a higher profile in the media this year?

[KIVPossum]

04:15 AM on 08/12/2010

You.

[GEM-592]

04:16 AM on 08/12/2010

Just me? Then surely you agree there's nothing to worship.

[dreamsugar]

01:49 AM on 08/12/2010

Humm -- where are all the black Muslims? Other nationalities???

[wm1066]

01:29 PM on 08/11/2010

So how does this work for the refugees in Pakistan? Do they get a waiver? Its tough enough for them right now, adding the fasting during daylite would be like god mocking them.

[hyjanks]

08:55 PM on 08/11/2010

If they complain, god has a pat answer: What do you want, egg in your beer?

[O K Ali]

11:14 PM on 08/11/2010

Elders, the infirmed and poor, children under the age of 12 in some countries, and women on their menstrual cycles are exempt.

[wm1066]

01:43 PM on 08/12/2010

Thank you.

[abdallac]

12:26 PM on 08/11/2010

When a Muslim is fasting from dawn to sunset, it is not merely about denial of all food and water - nothing must pass the lips. The heart fasts, the tongue fasts, the eyes fast, the ears fast. We try to be aware of all the profane things we are exposing our senses to that pull us away from the divine and lessons for the rest of the year.
It is a joyous month, and it gets harder and harder as it enters into the summer months where dawn is so early and sunset is so late - but we all, ALL wait for this blessed month and are always sad to see it leave because within it is great mercy.

[hyjanks]

08:57 PM on 08/11/2010

Until you read the Qur'an and all those passages figuratively dripping with the blood of infidels. And, then, it's not so merciful.

[abdallac]

05:45 AM on 08/12/2010

I have read the Qur'an, many, many times. It is also a historical accounting of the young Muslim community being tortured, turned out and starved(particularly the poor and those without social status) their enemies, who did not want the huge business of idolatry and the subsequent wealth that it brought to Mecca to be dwindled due to Islam's insistence on ONE GOD. It is a record of the battles that were waged to stay alive, protect themselves until a peace was brokered.
You are ignorant of the history, background and meaning of the Qur'an and speak with no authority other than bigotry.

[Puncastle]

08:10 PM on 08/12/2010

If you have actually read the Qur'an and the accompanying Hadith (narrations), you would have realized that the Muslims of Makkah only broke their truce with the Quraysh after 1) The Quraysh murdered the Muslims on their way to pilgrimage and 2) God relieved them of the duties of the truce, due to statement #1.

[brooklyncitizen]

07:16 PM on 08/17/2010

This is a beautiful post.
I think fasting is a gift and though not Muslim (ehrmm, Christian) I find much beauty in many of the Muslim practices especially the observance of Ramadam.

[abdallac]

12:14 PM on 08/11/2010

Ramadan Mubarak...may Allah swt fill your month with light.

[AKL1985]

11:47 AM on 08/11/2010

Ramadan kareem !

[Bunny60]

10:47 AM on 08/11/2010

I have a question: Why do all the atheists read the posts on Islam in greater numbers than even the Muslims?
Gotta wonder why they are so focused on people of faith. Could it be that they need constant affirmation that being without faith is satisfying through insulting those who do?

[piul05]

11:13 AM on 08/11/2010

Well, I read (and participate) because I work in the Social Sciences and have a specialization in Anthropology of Religion.

So there, that's my justification. And no, I don't gloat about being an Atheist - some of the kindest, most decent people I have met are religious.

Who's next? :-)

[Bunny60]

11:52 AM on 08/11/2010

I don't think you're one of the people I was wondering about.

Curious and thoughtful comments and questions are always welcome. It's nasty, negative and hateful comments that are in question.

[nybirdcalls]

09:21 AM on 08/14/2010

Faved!!
Hello, piul! Great to know this bit about you. I too majored in social sciences and took a lot of anthropology, philosophy (world religions/philosophies) classes. Some of the h*teful comments here get to me. Frustrating to see the craziness. Love your approach!

[jam2715]

11:26 AM on 08/11/2010

get over yourself

[Bunny60]

08:04 PM on 08/11/2010

So intelligent!

[Anbreen]

10:24 AM on 08/11/2010

Ramadan Mubarak, folks! :-)

[aliVonal]

08:30 PM on 08/11/2010

To you as well brother.

[Macready]

09:21 AM on 08/11/2010

Ramadan Mubark to all . . . . make a good Ramadan!

[The-Philosopher]

11:47 AM on 08/11/2010

Ramadan Mubarak to you too my friend :)

[kodimirpal]

07:23 AM on 08/11/2010

Part One: Please allow me to educate some non-Muslim friends on the essentials of fasting in Islam.Thanks HP for the opportunity.

There is enough medical literature to support the benefits of fasting but many seem to be not knowledgeable about the spiritual aspects from the Islamic point of view.

Prophet Muhammad said as follows” God does not want a person to fast and forsake food, drink and sex if he ( she) does not give up lying and falsehood.

The reason give in the Quran for fasting is very simple, it says “ SO THAT YOU MAY ACQUIRE TAQWA” The Arabic word Taqwa means a self correcting faculty within the human person.

It is there to warn you even before even you have actually gone off the course and help you come back if you happen to have strayed.

Of course ONLY IF YOU WANT, TAQWA is auxiliary and facultative, that is why the Quran says “ SO THAT YOU MAY…..In Islam’s scheme of autonomy and answerability, there is nothing automatic: NEITHER GOOD NOR EVIL; NEITHER REWARD NOR CONDEMNATION

The grace and mercy of God is there but ONE HAS TO STRIVE AND DESIRE.

Being hungry and abstaining from pleasure of sex is no pleasure in itself except when it is for the sake of GOD ALMIGHTY.

[Enea]

08:22 AM on 08/11/2010

you assume such god exists

[aliVonal]

08:32 PM on 08/11/2010

Yeah, such is faith, it's based on assumption. Duh.

[KIVPossum]

04:20 AM on 08/12/2010

Irrelevant to his statement. All religions assume some god exists. Each have their customs and ways of worship.

[BlueZoo]

11:54 AM on 08/11/2010

Similar stricture is observed during Lent in the Roman Catholic faith. All religious observances should be respected whether we ourselves believe or do not believe.