Muslims all over the world celebrate Ramadan

For many families, Ramadan this year is not the usual celebration: in Gaza, war and misery characterize the holy month of fasting. Here in Jabalia, children prepare for the evening fast-breaking iftar amidst ruins and tents. The dinners during Ramadan are festive occasions where relatives get together.

For the first time in decades, people in Syria are celebrating Ramadan without the rule of the Assad family. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December, many have hoped for a better future — even if the civil war has left many places in ruins, as here in Damascus.

In Rafah, in southern Gaza, which has suffered months of Israeli attacks, strings of lights shine between the rubble of destroyed houses. A long iftar table stretches through the street — a silent sign of hope in the midst of suffering. It is still unclear whether the ceasefire that expired on Saturday will be extended.

Breaking the fast in front of the Blue Mosque on Sultan Ahmed Square in Istanbul. In the early hours of the morning, drumbeats echo through the streets of Turkish cities. The drummers, the "Ramazan Davulcusu," wake up the faithful for the Sahur, the last meal before sunrise.

In Indonesia, Ramadan begins with colorful parades, prayers and ritual purification. In Tangerang, dancing flames light up the streets. Hundreds of people carry torches, sing songs and beat the rebana frame drum in rhythm.

In Tangerang, Chinese-Indonesian communities celebrate Ramadan alongside the Muslim community. At the parade, dragon dancers dance between the torches to the rhythm of drums and trumpets. The spirit of tolerance characterizes Ramadan in Indonesia.

Muslims in Tangerang prepare for the holy month with a ritual bath in the river Cisadane. This traditional cleansing ritual symbolizes a spiritual new beginning.

Between the neon signs and the hustle and bustle of New York, hundreds of Muslims spread out their prayer mats. With a view of the huge screens of Times Square, they bow their heads in prayer. A moment of prayer is created in the middle of the pulsating metropolis.

In the magnificent Nizamiye Mosque in Midrand, South Africa, worshippers gather to pray. The golden glow of the dome lights up the night while the imam recites the Quran. People from different backgrounds pray side by side.

Believers gather at the Sehitlik Mosque in Berlin for the first Tarawih prayer of Ramadan. In secular Berlin, Islam is one of the largest religious communities: around 10% of the city's population are Muslim — compared to 12% who are Protestant and 7% who are Catholic.