For most of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims, dawn on Thursday 18 marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan..<br /><br /> It is a time of prayer and fasting from sunrise to sundown But each evening delicacies and festive foods are eaten.<br /><br /> It means on the previous days the shops are full as preparations get underway for the dishes and the essential entertainments … Ramadan is when families like to break their fasts together in the evenings.<br /><br /> For countries torn by conflict or trying to recover from it, the supplies of sweets and cakes are not so abundant as elsewhere.<br /><br /> Around the world the sighting of the crescent moon at the beginning of a new lunar month marks the start of Ramadan but some countries use astronomical calculations which can lead to different start and end dates for the holy month.<br /><br /> Ramadan moon sighting announcement expected around 9pm today http://t.co/PvCabiAkjv— Emirates 24|7 (@Emirates247) June 16, 2015
