- Title: Palestinians in Jerusalem prepare for Ramadan
- Date: 22nd May 2017
- Summary: JERUSALEM (MAY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF DOME OF THE ROCK / WOMAN WALKING PAST WOMEN PRAYING NEXT TO THE DOME OF THE ROCK VARIOUS OF MEN PRAYING PEOPLE SITTING ON OUTSIDE STEPS NEAR DOME (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE, OMAR KISWANI, SAYING: "We are done with preparations at al-Aqsa mosque for the upcoming holy month and for the people who fast. We did preparations inside al-Aqsa mosque." VARIOUS OF WOMEN PRAYING NEXT TO THE DOME OF THE ROCK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE, OMAR KISWANI, SAYING: "Everything that will be needed through this holy month is prepared, whether it is tents that we put all over al-Aqsa mosque site to provide shade for the people from the sun, there was also coordination with doctors and paramedics to have many of them available to provide whatever the people who are fasting might need in this holy month." VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF AL-ALQSA MOSQUE JERUSALEM (MAY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) BUILDINGS IN JERUSALEM JERUSALEM (MAY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE, OMAR KISWANI, SAYING: "God has made al-Aqsa mosque the third mosque for traveller where they should visit. God has mentioned it in the holy Koran." PEOPLE WALKING OUTSIDE AL-AQSA MOSQUE PEOPLE INSIDE AL-AQSA MOSQUE MAN PRAYING INSIDE AL-AQSA MOSQUE DOME OF THE ROCK SEEN FROM AL-AQSA MOSQUE JERUSALEM (MAY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) RESIDENT, SAMER KHALIL, PUTTING UP DECORATIONS AND LIGHTS INSIDE THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING UNDER DECORATION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JERUSALEM CITIZEN, SAMER KHALIL, SAYING: "We are preparing for this holy month with everything that you see, which is done with the help of young men that are residents in this neighbourhood, everyone who works here is a volunteer, aiming at showing the Bab Huta neighbourhood in its best image for the holy month of Ramadan." VARIOUS OF BUILDINGS IN THE OLD CITY
- Embargoed: 5th June 2017 15:41
- Keywords: Ramadan Al-Aqsa mosque Jerusalem Ramadan preparations
- Location: JERUSALEM
- City: JERUSALEM
- Country: Jerusalem
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HX7KGL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: In the run, up to the holy month of Ramadan, Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque was preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of Muslims who will come to pray at the 8th century Muslim shrine.
During Ramadan, adult Muslims fulfil a religious obligation to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations during daylight hours.
Palestinians employed by the Waqf, the Islamic trust that oversees the mosque, will set up tents alongside the mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock for fasting worshippers to take respite from the summer heat.
President of Al-Aqsa mosque, Omar Kiswani, said that extensive preparations were now complete - including arranging emergency back up care for those fasting.
"Everything that will be needed through this holy month is prepared, whether it is tents that we put all over al-Aqsa mosque site to provide shade for the people from the sun, there was also coordination with doctors and paramedics to have many of them available to provide whatever the people who are fasting might need at this holy month," Kiswani said.
In Islam, al-Aqsa mosque is considered the third holiest mosque.
As Muslims around the world were also preparing to observe the sacred month, resident Samer Khalil helped decorate one of the old city's neighbourhoods in Jerusalem.
"We are preparing for this holy month with everything that you see, which is done with the help of young men that are residents in this neighbourhood, everyone who works here is a volunteer, aiming at showing the Bab Huta neighbourhood in its best image for the holy month of Ramadan," Khalil said.
In the Islamic observance month, which takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims pray six times a day, one more prayer than usual.
During Ramadan, Muslims wake up before dawn to eat suhur (an early meal), and will then stop eating and drinking until called for the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib, at sunset.
Believers are then allowed to eat until the next morning's prayer, Fajr.
The holy month ends with the holiday of Eid el-Fitr, when Muslims stop fasting. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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