Muslims all around the world are fasting together for the holy month Ramadan, though they break their fast in ways that highlight the diversity of the global Muslim community.
The challenge of the daily Ramadan fast concludes with the joy and satisfaction of iftar, a community meal which celebrates the holy month and serves as a much-needed reward for a long day without food or water.
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Photographers from the Associated Press have captured moments in the lives of Muslim communities from Spain to Yemen, sharing photos of the highly-anticipated meals which bring families together.
Melilla, Spain
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, shows a Syrian refugee family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan, next to the Temporary Centre for Immigrants in the Spanish enclave of Melilla, Spain. The family is from Aleppo, Syria, and they arrived to Melilla about four months ago. They fled war crossing through Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco before arriving to Spain. They are currently waiting for the Spanish authorities to allow them to travel to Europe. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)
Baghdad, Iraq
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Sunday, July 6, 2014, shows an Iraqi family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Baghdad, Iraq. Many cultures also share in special culinary delights particular to the month of fasting. Across much of the Arab world, a juice made from sweet apricots is a staple of Ramadan iftars. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Khartoum, Sudan
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, shows a Sudanese family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan. After a long day of fasting, the moment of pay-off finally comes in the form of âiftarâ, the evening meal that breaks the fast. For more than 1,400 years, many Muslims have been breaking fast in the same way the Prophet Muhammad did: with a handful of dates and a sip of water. (AP Photo/Abd Raouf)
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Gaza City, Palestinian Territories
This combination of two photos taken on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, shows a Palestinian Muslim family breaking their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, which consists a plate of mixed rice, during the holy month of Ramadan in St. Porphyrios Church in Gaza City where they had sought refuge from war. Hundreds of Palestinians, who had fled their houses in fear of Israeli strikes, now stay on the grounds of the Greek Orthodox church. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Beijing, China
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, shows Chinese Muslim women posing for a photograph before breaking their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan at Niujie Mosque in Beijing, China. For the millions of Muslims abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day during Islamâs holiest month of Ramadan, that first sip of water after a grueling fast is by far the most anticipated moment of the day. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tehran, Iran
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Thursday, July 3, 2014, shows an Iranian Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Tehran, Iran. After a long day of fasting, the moment of pay-off finally comes in the form of âiftarâ, the evening meal that breaks the fast. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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Istanbul, Turkey
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, shows a Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Turkey. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, one Istanbul's landmarks is seen at background. Fasting is a physical and mental exercise meant to draw worshippers closer to God and increase empathy for the poor. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Kano, Nigeria
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Saturday, July 5, 2014, shows a Muslim family saying prayers before breaking their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Kano, Nigeria. Fasting is a physical and mental exercise meant to draw worshippers closer to God and increase empathy for the poor. (AP Photo/Sani Maikatanga)
Sanaa, Yemen
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, top, and Thursday, July 3, 2014, bottom, shows a Yemeni family waiting to break their fast, top, and a meal during the holy month of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen. Fasting is a physical and mental exercise meant to draw worshippers closer to God and increase empathy for the poor. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)
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Jakarta, Indonesia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, shows Imam Siswanto, left, waiting to break his fast with his family, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Jakarta, Indonesia. Fasting is a physical and mental exercise meant to draw worshippers closer to God and increase empathy for the poor. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Casablanca, Morocco
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Saturday, July 5, 2014, shows the Aazzab family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Casablanca, Morocco. Iftar, or the evening meal that breaks the fast is a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure. The celebratory meals give people reason to reconnect with friends and family, and gather around shared platters of food. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)
Tucker, Georgia, U.S.A.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, shows a Muslim family posing for a photograph before breaking their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Tucker, Ga. For the millions of Muslims abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day during Islamâs holiest month of Ramadan, that first sip of water after a grueling fast is by far the most anticipated moment of the day. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
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Kabul, Afghanistan
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Monday, July 7, 2014, shows a Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan at their home in Kabul, Afghanistan. Fasting is a physical and mental exercise meant to draw worshippers closer to God and increase empathy for the poor. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Thursday, July 11, 2014, shows a Malaysian Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After a long day of fasting, the moment of pay-off finally comes in the form of âiftarâ, the evening meal that breaks the fast Iftar is a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure. The celebratory meals give people reason to reconnect with friends and family, and gather around shared platters of food. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Tunis, Tunisia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Monday, July 7, 2014, shows the Hammami family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in the Bardo neighborhood near the Tunisian capital, Tunis. For the millions of Muslims abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day during Islamâs holiest month of Ramadan, that first sip of water after a grueling fast is by far the most anticipated moment of the day. (AP Photo/Aimen Zine)
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Sydney, Australia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Friday, July 4, 2014, shows a Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Sydney, Australia. For the millions of Muslims abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day during Islamâs holiest month of Ramadan, that first sip of water after a grueling fast is by far the most anticipated moment of the day. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Nairobi, Kenya
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Sunday, July 6, 2014, shows a Muslim family waiting to break their fast, top, and their meal, bottom, during the holy month of Ramadan in Nairobi, Kenya. After a long day of fasting, the moment of pay-off finally comes in the form of âiftarâ, the evening meal that breaks the fast. Iftar is a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure. The celebratory meals give people reason to reconnect with friends and family, and gather around shared platters of food. (AP Photo/Sayyid Azim)
New Delhi, India
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This combination of two photos taken on Monday, June 30, 2014, shows Indian Muslims waiting to break their fast, bottom, and part of their meal, top, during the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India. For the millions of Muslims abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset every day during Islamâs holiest month of Ramadan, that first sip of water after a grueling fast is by far the most anticipated moment of the day. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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