Ramadan in mosul eyes

Ramadan came this year before the start of schools in iraq ,this year Ramadan begins on August 31, 2008 and ends on September 29, 2008 for North, Central and South America. However Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Australia start on September 1. The Night of Destiny (Night of Power) will be on September 25, 2008 for the Americas, God willing. It will be one day later (September 26, 2008) for the rest of the world.

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan, a time for Muslims to focus on purifying their soul through prayer and reading Quraan . During Ramadan, more than a billion Muslims around the world observe one of the Five Pillars (duties) of Islam: Fasting.

Each day of Ramadan, from sunrise to sunset, Muslims aged twelve and older traditionally practice fasting. The Arabic word for fasting literally means to "refrain," which is what is religiously proscribed - not just abstaining from eating and drinking, but also restraining every part of one's physical body.

The mouth, for example, is restrained from idle talk and gossip, while the ears are restrained from listening to obscenities. In this way, a Muslim engages his or her entire body in the physical observance of the Ramadan fast.

In addition to the fast, Ramadan is also a time to re-evaluate one's convictions and deeds. It is a time to mend troubled relationships, give charity, find forgiveness for others, and refocus on worshipping Allah (God).

According to Islamic tradition, the month of Ramadan is when Allah revealed the first verses of the Qur'an, the holy book, to the prophet Muhammad. In honor of this revelation, the Qur'an is read each night of Ramadan during the evening prayer. By the end of the month, the whole Qur'an has been recited.

During Ramadan, Muslims rise before sunrise to partake in a pre-fast meal, called "Suhoor". Each night after sunset, they end their fast with the Iftar meal. The end of the month of Ramadan is marked with the joyous bairam " Eid al-Fitr", which literally means the "Festival of Ending the Fast." During Eid al-Fitr, families celebrate with elaborate feasts and dress in their finest clothes. At the same time, they increase their efforts to give charity to the poor and make contributions to their mosques.