Holy month of Ramadan in Iran

The holy month of Ramadan in Iran is a special time

Muslims in Iran are to be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan kicks off.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons. The start of the sacred month depends on the sighting of the crescent moon.

Ramadan is believed to be the month when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

In the Islamic Hijri calendar, the emergence of the moon after its new moon phase defines the beginning of all the months in the Islamic calendar.

Muslims in Iran eat a pre-dawn meal, called "Sahari" to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.

The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink; not even a sip of water is allowed from dawn to sunset before breaking the fast in a meal known as "Iftar", most often starting with a date.

Those fasting are expected to also refrain from bad deeds, such as gossiping, and increase good deeds.

For Muslims, it is a time of increased worship, charity, and good deeds. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast.

Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which many Muslims celebrate by dressing up in new clothes and making communal prayers.

During the month, Muslims practice self-restraint, cultivating gratitude, growing closer to God, and feeling for the poor and hungry.

Iranians stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Quran during Ramadan.

Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide Iftar for the needy.

A lineup of new television shows is another fixture of the month in Iran.

Ramadan is also seen as a month of giving: Muslims around the world are encouraged to donate to charity and think of others’ plights. Fundraising and campaign efforts for Gaza are likely to rise during the holy month as a result.