The mood was both festive and contemplative as Muslims began their holiest month Monday, lighting special lanterns, watching holiday TV programs and enjoying special meals to mark the end of daily fasting. The month commemorates when the Quran, the Muslim holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad about 1,400 years ago. It is also a time of festivity as Muslims indulge in special foods, entertainment and cultural traditions. By the time the mosques announced the sunset prayer and a cannon at Saladin's citadel fired a round to proclaim the end of the day's fast, millions of the nation's less fortunate had gathered to eat free iftar meals provided by rich benefactors, mosques and other charities. In Iraq an even higher percentage of the population is expected to rely on free meals, as millions suffer from food shortages caused by a decade of U.N. economic sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
Dates are the traditional food for breaking the fast.
At the other end of the scale, five-star hotels offer sumptuous iftar buffets and multicourse meals as well as live music and other entertainment until dawn. After the fast is broken, streets throughout the Middle East fill up as people head out to shop, eat, pray or gather with friends for a game of backgammon at a coffee shop. Many people stay out until 2 or 3 a.m. Another favorite family gathering spot is in front of the television. Ramadan has long been the highlight of the year for Arab TV watchers, and this year Egypt has produced hundreds of hours of programming, from soap operas to dramatic series for viewing all over the Arabic world.