It would present a major risk if vast crowds of Muslim worshippers flocked to the Kaaba at the Great Mosque of Mecca. This picture shows a handful of individuals who did come to the Great Mosque when Ramadan began –— though most of those depicted are actually cleaners.

This Sri Lankan family in Malwana is breaking the fast. Sitting close together around an array of dishes, they pray, before enjoying their meal. By Europeans standards, this gathering would somewhat contravene social distancing rules.

It is being reported that in Israel, residents are taking social distancing very seriously. These Muslim men, for example, have gathered at a parking lot near Jaffa beach to pray — the markings on the ground help them keep a safe distance.

Imam Bambang Suprianto from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, is relying on the city's mobile phone and internet infrastructure to reach worshipers. Pictured here at Sunda Kelapa mosque, Suprianto is live streaming his Quran reading via social media platforms. Wearing a mask covering his mouth and nose, meanwhile, sets a great example for others to follow.

This sign outside Masjid Al-Salaam mosque in Dearborn Community Center, Michigan, reads: "Ramadan Kareem," which roughly translates to "may Ramadan be generous to you." The letters were put in place by staff at the center to announce the beginning of the Muslim holy month.

With mosque visits out of the question, worshippers can still pray in solitude. Sitting on a rug on a Colombo rooftop, in the Sri Lankan capital, this boy awaits the moment to end his daily Ramadan fast.

Imam Benjamin Idriz records a Quran recitation via smartphone to upload later. This photo shows him at the Penzberg Islamic Forum, a mosque inaugurated in southern Bavaria in 2005. This place of worship won an architectural prize — and even with this limited view, it's not hard to see why.

This is Istanbul's Galata Tower in the city's Beyoglu district. Usually the area is teeming with people, yet with Turkey also fighting the coronavirus pandemic most people are avoiding crowds. Mosques across the country have been told to stay closed, despite Ramadan.

Some things don't change, no matter the circumstances. Seen here is a muezzin in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, reciting the azan, or Islamic summons to prayer. Throughout the entire month of Ramadan, the call will be heard several times a day, as always.

This Singapore convention center is normally used for exhibitions and trade shows. But with much of the world's economic life having come to a near standstill amid the lockdown, this space has now been converted into a COVID-19 ward — complete with a special space for worshippers to pray during Ramadan.

Every year, millions of practicing Muslims across the world fast, pray and give alms in observance of Islam's holiest month, the exact dates of which change each year. From firing off cannons to lunar sightings, DW explores how Muslims mark the occasion and what it means to the faithful.

The sighting of the new moon of Ramadan is practiced by religious authorities across the globe to determine the beginning of the month of fasting. While some observe the new moon with telescopes, others use the naked eye, which is why Ramadan may begin on different days in certain parts of the world.

Prayer is often considered a fundamental part of observing the month of fasting. Ramadan traditionally begins with a special prayer known as "Tarawih" on the eve of the holy month. During Ramadan, practicing Muslims generally participate in communal prayer at their local mosque.

The month of fasting represents a period of spiritual discipline and purification. As such, reading and reciting the Quran, Islam's holy book, form an integral part of the traditional rituals observed during Ramadan. The Quran is believed to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during the month of Ramadan.

While Islam offers prescribed rituals to observe during Ramadan, many places have local traditions that coincide with the month of fasting. In Sarajevo, a cannon is traditionally fired to mark the breaking of the fast on each day of Ramadan. In Egypt, displaying a decorated lantern known as a "fanous" is part of the tradition.

After a long day without food and water, many Muslims traditionally break their fast with a date, the nutritious fruit with which the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have broken his fast. Afterwards, observing Muslims often partake in a communal dinner known as "iftar."

The celebration of Eid al-Fitr, or the festival of breaking the fast, marks the official end of Ramadan. From indulging in sweets to offering gifts to loved ones, Muslims celebrate the end of the fasting month with large meals prepared for friends and family. It is considered a joyful time in which to be generous and kind to others.

In Pakistan, it is illegal to drink, eat or even smoke in public during Ramadan. You can be sent to jail, heavily fined, or may even be beaten by vigilantes. Earlier this month, the country's lawmakers introduced stricter penalties that could see people jailed for up to three months for a violation.

Bakhtawar Bhutto, the daughter of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was quick to condemn the latest amendment, dubbing the law "ridiculous." "Not everyone in Pakistan will be fasting - children in school, the elderly, people with medical issues - Should we arrest them for drinking water?" tweeted Bhutto. "People are going to die from heat stroke and dehydration with this ridiculous law."

"A person who, according to the tenets of Islam, is under an obligation to fast shall not eat, drink or smoke in a public place during fasting hours in the month of Ramadan," says the Ehtiram-e-Ramadan (Respect for Ramadan) law, which was introduced by the military dictator Zia-ul-Haq in 1981.

Theologically, Ramadan is about austerity. It teaches Muslims to be pious, to stay away from evil, to fast during the day, and to donate money to the poor. "Zakat" (which means alms-giving in Arabic) is an Islamic tradition in which Muslims give part of their earnings to those in need, particularly during this holy month.

The Islamic month of Ramadan coincides with sweltering temperatures in most Muslim-majority countries. In 2015, a brutal heat wave killed over 1,250 people in Pakistan - many of them died of dehydration while fasting. Even then, the government did not relax the 36-year-old law. Some clerics did, however, say it was permissible to break the Ramadan fast for health reasons.

Nearly all restaurants are closed from fajr (dawn) until maghreb (dusk), and shopkeepers only sell takeaway food items. If you are hungry or thirsty the only place for you is home. At offices - both public and private - you are not allowed to eat.

With the war in Afghanistan and growth of Islamist organizations such as the Taliban in the region, things have taken a turn for the worse in the past few years. Religious extremism and intolerance are on the rise in the South Asian Islamic country. At the same time, Ramadan is also an opportunity for extremist and militant outfits to rake in cash through charity donations.

Incidents of religious vigilantism have spiked in the past few years, with fanatic mobs trying to enforce their own version of Shariah. A number of people have been lynched on unproven accusations of blasphemy. Observers say the existence of various Islamic laws has emboldened radicals to take matters into their own hands and dole out "justice" to what they deem un-Islamic. (shs)