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Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-Today marks the beginning of the month long Ramadan in which more than 1.2 billion Muslims world-wide will devote themselves to daily fasting, praying and good deeds as a way of drawing closer to God.

After the spotting of the new moon on Sunday Muslims, who constitute nearly 30% of the world population, will begin Ramadan though on different days due to the variety of ways through which the spotting of the moon is done.

Some have been known to use astronomical calculations and observatories whilst others simply use the naked eye.

This has resulted in different starting times for many in the Middle East where the religion is most predominant.

In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, Ramadan begins on Monday along with states such as Syria, Singapore, Yemen, Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, The United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan among others.

According to Islamic teachings Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the religion’s holy book, the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad nearly 14 centuries ago.

Muslims will for the next 30days in mosques for evening prayers known as taraweeh while their afternoons will be devoted to the reading of the Quaran and listening to religious lectures.

The faithful spend the month of Ramadan in mosques for evening prayers known as taraweeh while free time during the day is often spent reading the Quaran and listening to religious lectures.

The Muslims will also have no sex, won’t smoke and will abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset as they put total focus on doing good deeds, charity work and spirituality.

Only the sick, pregnant, children, menstruating, travellers and the elderly will be excerpted from Ramadan.

The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.

Fasting is one of the five main pillars of the Muslim religion the other four being, declaration of faith, daily prayer, perfoming the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and charity.

At the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate with a holiday called the Eid al Fitr.

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