Ramadan - The month of blessings

The month distribution in Islam is based on lunar calendar which is roughly shorter by 11 days vis-à-vis solar calendar. That results in shifting of Islamic holidays every year.

Within the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is the ninth month and the most auspicious phase of the year. For nearly 1.3 billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. Ramadan is the month in which Muslims have to remind themselves the core principles of Islam like oneness of God and submission to Him.    

For its auspicious quality, Ramadan owes to that popular belief in Islam that it was during this month that Allah had revealed the first verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). Ramadan is marked with recitation of about one thirtieth of the Quran every night in most of the major mosques around the world. This recitation is termed as tarawih and by the end of Ramadan month, all the verses of the holy book Quran is recited.

Apart from recitation of Quran in major mosques, Muslims also practice sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun shines. Nothing surprising, during the month of Ramadan in the Islamic countries, most restaurants and eating places keep their shutters down during the day hours. Families which observe sawm get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. Iftar usually begins with dates and sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost.