The holy month of Ramadan has begun with thousands of Muslims across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough taking part. It is the most important time in the Islamic calendar where Muslims fast and refrain from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is set to begin. Here's what you need to know about the period and how it's observed.

Ramadan is a time of togetherness for Muslims, as they fill mosques for hours of prayer and share large, lavish meals with family, friends and neighbors after days of dawn-to-dusk fasting.

Ramadan is not uniformly observed globally — the start date can vary by country or even be different mosque to mosque in the same city for a variety of reasons. But it all starts with a sighting of the crescent moon.

Muslims prepare for Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, starting at sunset Friday and ending March 30. Follow Newsweek's live blog.

The month of Ramadan is one of the holiest months in Islam, coming after Sha'ban. Muslims eagerly await Ramadan throughout the year. Now, in just a few moments, Ramadan will begin, and the long wait will finally be over.