Muslims worldwide will begin observance of their holy month of Ramadan tonight with the official sighting of the new moon by Islamic religious leaders.

Daytime fasting will begin Thursday. Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.

At sunset, it’s customary to gather for a community breaking of the fast.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink and sensual pleasures from the break of dawn until sunset. The nightly communal meal to break the fast is called an ishtar.

The fast is performed to emphasize discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments, said Ashfaq Taufique, president emeritus of the Birmingham Islamic Society.

Fasting, along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the “five pillars” of Islam.

Islam follows a lunar calendar and the month of Ramadan begins based on the sighting of the new moon. Because Ramadan is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year.

There are an estimated 10,000 Muslims living in Alabama, with about 3,000 to 5,000 living in the greater Birmingham area.

The breaking of the fast at the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center typically draws about 700 participants nightly during Ramadan.

The Birmingham Islamic Society welcomes groups of other faiths to join them to observe their prayer rituals and share the evening meal at the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center.

Visiting groups may observe evening prayer at sunset.  Dinner follows, with a brief presentation and then a question and answer session.  The program usually lasts about two hours. Reservations are required and are available March 24 through April 19.

To make a reservation for a group to visit the Islamic Center, register by calling the Birmingham Islamic Society at 205-879-4247, extension 6, or email Rita Taufique: [email protected]