An Egyptian looks at traditional Ramadan lanterns at a market in Cairo on 26 June
“Those who violate [that]… will face the necessary measures, including terminating work contracts and being deported.”
The practice of fasting during Ramadan is intended to teach Muslims “self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity”, and takes place during the daylight hours.
Sexual intercourse and profanity are also banned for the 30 day period, in a bid to become closer to Allah.
The Gulf Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is governed by Sharia Law. There are believed to be around nine million foreigners living there.
When you hashtag your tweets with #Ramadan or #Eid, a small crescent moon or Eid icon will appear after the words. World Cup fans will recognize this feature, which has places country flags after tweets hashtagged with participating teams.
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2. Personalized Iftar Times
Al Arabiya has partnered with Twitter to offer a location-specific service that tells you when you can break your fast each day. By tweeting @AlArabiya with the hashtag #iftar followed by the hashtagged name of your city (ie #London), you will get a reply with the correct iftar time. This also works for the beginning of the fast, with the hashtag #imsak instead of #iftar.
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3. Tweet Map
Ramadan will be celebrated by millions of people across the globe, and now you can see exactly where people are talking and tweeting about it with an interactive map made by Simon Rogers. The map also tracks common Ramadan greetings, plans, and feelings. Click below to explore.
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4. Special Ramadan TV Content
Some TV shows have been created just for Ramadan, with corresponding Twitter accounts for the characters.
Response to Twitter's holiday gesture has been positive so far.
Rib vaulting in the maqsura dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba was added in the tenth century. (Jos. A. Entrenas, Infocordoba.com, page 199) (credit:National Geographic)
Gardens(02 of10)
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A 17th-century manuscript shows Sultan Babur holding a plan and watching his gardeners measure flower beds. (V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, page 222)
The Spire(03 of10)
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Qal’at of Benu Hammad is the earliest surviving Muslim tower of its kind, built in 1007 in Algeria. Features it displayed—rich decoration and arch designs of the upper sections—were later seen in the Romanesque and Gothic towers in Europe. (Mashreq Maghreb, page 206) (credit:National Geographic)
Herbal Medicine(04 of10)
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An illustrated page from a 15th-century Arabic botanical treatise. (Courtesy of Topkapi Palace Library, Istanbul, page 178) (credit:National Geographic)
Currency(05 of10)
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King Offa of Mercia in England made a copy of the gold dinar coin of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansur dated 157 A.H. (774 C.E.). It is a near-identical replica, including the profession of faith in Arabic on one side (right) and the name of King Offa on the other side (left).(The Trustees of The British Museum, page 151) (credit:National Geographic)
Jewels(06 of10)
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These beads have an inscription of the name of God on each one. In the Quran there are 99 names of Allah. (The Trustees of The British Museum, page 146) (credit:National Geographic)
Libraries(07 of10)
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The Zaytuna Mosque college complex was built in 732 in Tunis, Tunisia. In the 13th century, its library contained more than 100,000 volumes. (www.worldreligions.co.uk, page 76) (credit:National Geographic)
Trigonometry(08 of10)
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A thousand years ago, Muslim scholars pioneered the study of trigonometry as they observed the movement of the planets, and predicted unknown lengths and angles. Today, trigonometry, including spherical trigonometry, is used in solving complex problems in astronomy, cartography and navigation. (MuslimHeritage.com (Ali Hasan Amro), page 89) (credit:National Geographic)
Chess(09 of10)
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An illustration shows a Muslim and Christian playing chess in a tent, from King Alfonso X’s 13th-century Libros del Ajedrez. (Courtesy of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, page 46) (credit:National Geographic)