A brief history of Ramadan

• The early Muslims would awake for the pre-dawn meal - known as suhoor, then refrain from eating, drinking and marital relations until sunset, when they broke their fast with dates. Fasting placed a strong focus on improving behaviour.
• Congregational night prayers (taraweh) is a defining feature of Ramadan, where the entire Quaran is recited.
• Coffee helps the worshippers stay alert and perform the night prayers.

• The core rituals of Ramadan have remained unchanged since 622AD.
• In Ottoman times, drummers in Turkey woke people for the pre-dawn meal. In Morocco, a nafar (town crier) roamed the streets waking people to an instrument's sound, like a horn.
• In Egypt, a Ramadan lantern became a symbol of the sacred month. Today, intricate lanterns light up homes, shops and lining the streets.
• Egypt also instituted the 'iftar cannon,' where a cannon was fired to announce the time for breaking the fast.

Prophet Mohammad specified that Muslims feed the poor towards the end of Ramadan.

A portion of dates or barley was given directly into the poor's hands. Over time, the bartering system translated into a monetary one. Now Muslims give a minimum of £5 to mosques or charities.

The festival, known as Eid ul-Fitr, marks the close of Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad appointed it as a day of community and celebration. It started with a special communal prayer.

Breakfast consisted of something sweet, known as 'Sweet Eid'. In the Prophet's time, Eid morning started with a simple breakfast of dates, but as Islam spread through different lands, various sweet dishes were used like sheer-kurma, a milky dessert of vermicelli, nuts and dates.