Celebrating Ramadan

A woman and her two daughters break their fast during the Iftar, on the first day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Aug. 21, 2009.

Jordanian workers make qatayef, a pancake-like shell filled with nuts or sweet cheese, fried in oil or baked then dipped in sugar syrup in Amman, Jordan, Sunday, August 23, 2009. This very popular sweet only appears in Ramadan. Most bakeries and some restaurants make qatayef shells during the holy month of fasting.

Kashmiri Muslims offer prayer on a street in Srinagar, India, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from sunrise to sunset.

Kashmiri Muslim women and a child, pray outside the Hazaratbal Shrine on the third day of the holy month of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk.

A Pakistani boy arranges food for "Iftar," a time to break the fast, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan observant Muslims throughout the world refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from sunrise to sunset.

An Afghan boy recites the Quran at a mosque on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar and are required to fast from dawn till dusk.

Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray during the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, as the Dome of the Rock Mosque is seen in the background, in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk.

Pakistani women clad in burqas buy food to break their fast in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009. During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims throughout the world refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from sunrise to sunset.

Indonesian Muslim women pray at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. Muslims around the world are now in the first week of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar.

A Palestinian Muslim woman reads verses of the Quran, Islam's holy book, while waiting to break her daily fast during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in a mosque in the West Bank city of Nablus, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk.

Bahraini men gather to read the Quran before evening prayers, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009, at a mosque in Hamad Town, Bahrain.

A boy attends prayers at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009.

President Barack Obama speaks during a dinner celebrating Ramadan in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009.

A Palestinian Muslim family look out from their house which is decorated with festive lights during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. Ramadan, is the month where devout Muslims fast from dawn until dusk.

Bosnian Muslims pray inside of the medieval forest Vranduk near Bosnian town of Zenica, 40 kilometers north of Sarajevo, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. About 500 people gathered inside the forest to pray, marking the 16th day of the Muslim holy month Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.

Plates of food are laid out for Muslim devotees, ahead of the breaking of the fast during Ramadan, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Muslims are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan where the devout fast from dawn till dusk.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims pilgrims circle the Kaaba inside and outside the Grand Mosque during the last week of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009.

A man waits for alms as devout Muslims come out of Jama mosque after attending evening prayers in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. Muslims across the world are preparing for the arrival of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan.

Muslims offer prayers on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009.

Thousands of Indian Muslims gather for the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the Jama Mosque in New Delhi, India, Monday, Sept. 21, 2009. Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.