Ramadan begins across the world

A tailor stitches a carpet at a historical Wazir Khan mosque in preparation for upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, July 28, 2014. Muslims throughout the world are preparing to celebrate the holy fasting month of Ramadan, when they refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking from dawn to dusk. Muslims usually increase their religious activities during the Ramadan. (AP)

Muslim women perform an evening prayer called 'tarawih' marking the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, June 28, 2014. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. (AP)

Yemeni men read verses of the Quran, Islam's holy book, on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in the Grand Mosque in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, June 28, 2014. The Muslim holy month begins this weekend, with Yemen starting a day before most other countries, and is marked by daily fasting from dawn to sunset. (AP)

Bahrainis look for the sliver of a new moon that would indicate the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, while standing on the shore of the Persian Gulf in the western village of Karzakan, Bahrain, Saturday, June 28, 2014. Ramadan, for observant Muslims, is a time of fasting, prayer and charitable giving. Bahraini officials announced Ramadan would begin Sunday. (AP)

People walk inside a shopping mall adorned with Ramadan decorations as they prepare for the holy month of Ramadan which start tomorrow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, June 28, 2014. Ramadan, for observant Muslims, is a time of fasting, prayer and charitable giving. (AP)

A man passes a billboard that reads: "Generous Ramadan: every year may you be well," in Hamad Town, Bahrain, Saturday, June 28, 2014. Bahraini officials announced that the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting, prayer and charitable giving, would begin Sunday. (AP)

Hundreds of people sit, awaiting for Iftar, the evening meal  in which Muslims break their fast at the time of sunset, during the Islamic month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 28, 2014.   Across a wide belt that stretches halfway around the globe, the world’s estimated 1.6 billion Muslims will mark the beginning of Ramadan this weekend. The holy season is marred by unprecedented turmoil, violence and sectarian hatreds that threaten to rip apart the Middle East, the epicenter of Islam. (AP)

Filipino Muslim students hold a prayer before starting to read the Koran at a classroom inside the Al-satie Mosque, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Baseco, Tondo city, metro Manila June 29, 2014. (REUTERS)

People enjoy the warm weather on a beach ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Tunis June 28, 2014. (REUTERS)

Members of Pakistan's moon sighting committee perform evening prayers after they tried to look for the new moon that will mark the start of Ramadan, from Pakistan's Meteorological Department (PMD) building in Karachi June 28, 2014. In Pakistan, the first fasting day of Ramadan is likely to fall on Monday, PMD said, as the new moon was not sighted in any of four provinces of the country on Saturday. (REUTERS)

Malaysian Muslims perform a special prayer called "taraweeh" in Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin mosque ahead of the holy month of Ramadan in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur June 28, 2014. Muslims in Malaysia will begin the fasting month of Ramadan on June 29, according to local media.  (REUTERS)

Turkish people break their fasting on June 28, 2014 at the Blue Mosque square during the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul. During Ramadan, Muslim believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset. Ramadan is sacred to Muslims because it is during that month that tradition says the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. The fast is one of the five main religious obligations under Islam. (AFP)

South African muslims gather on the beach front in Cape Town on June 28, 2014, as they try to spot the new moon, signalling the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslim believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset. Ramadan is sacred to Muslims because it is during that month that tradition says the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. The fast is one of the five main religious obligations under Islam. (AFP)

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.