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Ramadan in 2012 will start on July 20th and will continue for 30 days until Saturday August 18
More than 90% of the Egyptian population is Muslim and Ramadan is a very important festival in the Islamic calendar. It is celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, to honour the time when the Qu’ran was revealed to the prophet Mohammed. Followers of the Islamic faith fast for the entire month, and there is no eating, drinking, or smoking from sunrise until sunset. Certain exceptions are made for small children (those under the age of 10), pregnant and nursing women, and the elderly. Those who do not fast, do so discreetly.
In Egypt, working hours are often reduced during Ramadan to allow for more prayer and reflection. The fast is broken each night with the meal referred to as “Iftar”. Iftar is often taken with friends and family and the mood is festive. Traditional music and entertainment is enjoyed throughout the night, and many stay awake until dawn. Mosques and streets are lit up with beautiful colours each evening and it is a joyous time throughout the nation.
The end of Ramadan and the end of the fasting is marked with a festival called Eid-al-Fitr and is celebrated with large feasts. Because the Islamic calendar differs from the Western calendar, Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr are not fluctuating dates on the Western calendar (moving up by about 11 days each year, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar calendar and the Western [or Gregorian] calendar is based on the solar calendar).
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