In Pictures

In Pictures: Muslims around the world mark the start of Ramadan

During Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims, people abstain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to sunset.

Islamic Holy month of Ramadan in Sarajevo- - SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - MAY 05: Kids hold balloons to mark the beginning of the Islamic Holy month of Ramadan in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovin — Children hold balloons to mark the beginning of Ramadan in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. [Samir Yordamovic/Anadolu]

Muslims around the world marked the beginning of holy month of Ramadan on Monday.

During Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn until sunset. The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the sufferings of the less fortunate.

For Muslims, Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

People offer their prayers before breaking their fast in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Monday, May 6, 2019, on the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan. Muslims throughout the wo — People offer prayers before breaking their fast in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul. [Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo]

Pakistani Muslims attend an evening mass prayer session called "tarawih" to mark the fasting month of Ramadan, along the road in Karachi, Pakistan, May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro TPX IMAGES OF THE — Pakistani Muslims attend an evening prayer session called Tarawih to mark Ramadan on a road in Karachi, Pakistan. [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

A man prepares cookies at a small traditional factory, on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Kabul, Afghanistan May 6, 2019.REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail — A man prepares cookies at a small traditional factory on the first day of the holy month in Kabul, Afghanistan. [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]

A Muslim man offer prayers prior iftar, the meal after sunset, at the Masjid At-Tawheed mosque on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Port-au-Prince on May 6, 2019. Ramadan in Haiti b — A Muslim man offers prayers before iftar, the meal after sunset, at the Masjid At-Tawheed mosque in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk until Eid celebrations mark the end of the holy month. [Chandan Khanna/AFP]

A woman rests at a mosque during the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bali, Indonesia. Muslims around the world marked the start of Ramadan on Monday, a month of — A woman rests in a mosque during the first day of Ramadan in Bali, Indonesia. [Firdia Lisnawati/AP Photo]

A Palestinian woman sells vegetables on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the southern Gaza Strip May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa — A Palestinian woman sells vegetables in the southern Gaza Strip. [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Students partake in the mid-day prayer during the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Ar-Raudlatul Hasanah Islamic Boarding School in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Monday, May 6, 2019 — Students take part in the midday prayer at Ar-Raudlatul Hasanah Islamic Boarding School in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. [Binsar Bakkara/AP Photo]

First Iftar Dinner in Kiev- - KIEV, UKRAINE - MAY 06: Muslim people attend an iftar (fast-breaking dinner) on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at Ar-Rahma Mosque in Kiev, Ukraine on May 06, — Muslims attend an iftar (fast-breaking dinner) at Ar-Rahma Mosque in Kiev, Ukraine. [Vladimir Shtanko/Anadolu]

A Palestinian man reads Koran in a mosque, on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the southern Gaza Strip May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa — A Palestinian man reads the Quran in a mosque in the southern Gaza Strip. [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Dates are being sold at a market, ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt May 5, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany — Dates sold at a market in Cairo, Egypt. [Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters]

A Muslim man prays as he and others assemble to spot the crescent moon, on the eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in Ahmedabad, India, May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Amit Dave — A Muslim man prays as he and others assemble to spot the crescent moon, on the eve of the holy month, at a mosque in Ahmedabad, India. [Amit Dave/Reuters]

People gather to break their fast on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at Ulu Mosque in New Jersey, United States on MAY 6, 2019. Anadolu/Atilgan Özdil — People gather to break their fast at Ulu Mosque in New Jersey, United States. [Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu]