todos estamos con ustedes, aquí, aquí, ahora, ahora, ramadan, the month when muslims refrain from food, drink and marital relations during daylight hours is a special. time for britain's 3 million muslims. physical and spiritual rewards are worth it. ramadan has been a fantastic time uh in sense in the sense that it's about spiritually connecting with the law of the heavens and the earth and detoxing your bodies. ramadan is the month of prayer in the quran when muslims do their best to come cultivate will

power, discipline and self-restraint, they also increase their charitable activities and empathize with the poor, needy and destitutes. we feed people, we we sit together and we share food, we share food with everyone, and this is part of it, buse they don't have it, we bring the food to them, they can't come to us, so we bring it to them, and that's the whole thing about ramadan, which is you share and you care, but ramadan isn't just about self it's about sharing food with your family and friends, it's about increasing solidarity with your muslim brothers and sisters at home and abroad, and it's about showcasing the beauty of islam to the non-muslim majority living in the uk. certain headlines are putting the lives of many innocent people at risk, so what can we do? with islam and muslims regularly demonized in the british media, ramadan is a gold. opportunity for muslims to

showcase the true islam and i've been traveling around the country during the holy month in search of exactly that like many muslims in majority non-muslim countries british muslims can sometimes be the subject of unwelcome scrutiny. sometimes being a muslim in britain can feel a bit like being under siege, so the month of ramadan, when muslims fast from dawn to dust can come as a welcome relief for many, a time for physical and spiritual renewal as well as an opportunity to improve relations between muslims and non-muslims alike. the hussain family who live in north london are getting ready to break their fast. like british muslims all over the country, the husseins have spent the last. month fasting, so the

evening meal will come as a relief. mrs. hussein is also preparing some food to take round to her non-muslim neighbors. could you encapsulat what ramadan means for you? um, for me, it's reconnecting with my lord. it's like understanding what is the purpose of your life, which is to worship your lord and to be the best person that you can be. can i ask the same question? it's about reprogramming, deprogramming. all the bad habits i've got and kind of reprogramming um what's required of me from my lord um and self discipline. fasting is compulsory on every muslim who is saying and mature male or female. it is many physical, moral and social benefits, but most importantly god is made fasting compulsory so that muslims become piace, fearing and god-conscious. we know

that the shaitans are locked up during this month and for me that's definitely something that notice it becomes lot more easier um to pick up the quran spend a little bit more time on the quran and you notice like small habits changing so when you're on the tube like on my phone i'll get the crun out much i'm much more likely to get the cran out start to read as i'm sat uh commuting. "and it's like you sort of um buse you're sort of waiting for the time when you when you open your fast you realize that i can use this time to do things that are better than just wasting time watching tv or facebook or whatever. i made uh ramadan gift bags for my um for my neighbors, my non-muslim neighbors and i distributed them uh with just with a little not saying what ramadan means to us uh in terms of my muslim community yeah we've had lot of ramadan iftar invites so we've been going to them." it's time to break the

fast during meal which is known as iftar. i joined my hosts in a lovely and refreshing asian dinner. often muslims will overeat at this time to compensate for what they've been missing. out on, but the correct islamic etiket is to fill two-thirds of your stomach with food and drink and leave the last third empty, tonight at least i think we've stuck to that. the quran is a unifying factor for muslims of all different. and traditions, sects and cultures, all muslims believe it's the literal unchanging word of god, and they strive to live their lives according to its scriptures. now the recitation of the quran is considered something of an art form all across the muslim world. ramadan was the month during which the quran was revealed to the prophet muhammad, and many muslims will

attempt to recite the whole book before the month ends. the very act of fasting is prescribed in the quran so that the holy book says, believers can learn piety. "the rules of fasting are also set out in its pages, with those unable to fast due to illness, traveling and old age, exempt, this is because god intends ease for us. message of the the the holy quran is to to guide the the human being, that is the the book of guidance, that is the book of guidance to all universe, not just muslims, because this book is not written by a person, it's written..." it's the words of allah subhanah that is the from secure uh source, so it is the book of pas, the book of the book of present and the book of future. muslims believe the quran was revealed to the prophet muhammad over a

period of 23 years. the holy book emphasizes the duty of mankind to worship, fear, love and obey the one god who created the heavens and the earth. god of muhammad, jesus and moses. if the quran's central message is monotheism, it also teaches muslims how to live a good life, which will ultimately grant them entrance into paradise, and how to avoid the sins, which will consign them into hell. during the month of ramadan, prayer is also priority for muslims. believers are required to pray five times a day, even outside of ramadan. but during the holy month, muslims will often perform additional prayers, especially in the mosque. again, the prayer is a combination of movements and gestures, which symbolize submission to god, as well as quranic recitation which reminds believers of his holy words. this is the month of

revelation of quran, so he wants us to attach yourself with quran, because he because the rewards are multiplied in the month of ramadan, he has given the attraction to the people. okay, if you read, normally you are rewarded 10 times, in this month you will be rewarded 70 times, people think that being thirsty, if you do not eat and do not drink anything, that is fast, no, there is fast of your stomach, there is fast of your eyes, there is fast of your ears, there is fast of your tongue, there is fast of your hands and there is fast of your foot as well, like the whole body should be fasting, not just your stomach, if you're hungry and still you're abusing people, allah says i have nothing. to do with your thust, this is the time that we spend more time on ourselves, because rest of the year, maybe we are very busy with you, day-to-day work, but in the months of ramadan our physical activities, maybe are you know

some of our contacts reduce so that we have more time for our contemplation and you know prayer, recitation. and being with the community. ramadan is a time for communities to come together. every night at dusk, the fast is broken, most often with family and friends or in the mosk. it's a great opportunity for people who don't see each other much the rest of the year to get together, and it's also a time when... belonging to different sex unify i'm trying to think back have be i don't think i have actually ever before i mean iknow there are some slight variations in prayer and i know that's the kind of the set the timings are a bit different but that's it that's the extent of my knowledge actually about shas but again

and shas are vany different schools i actually don't know much about shas um so yeah let's see what happens which means belongs to the majority sect of islam, but tonight he'll be breaking his fast a mosk, islam's minority sec. sunnis and share a belief in the major tenants of islam. such as god, the quran and the prophet muhammad, but they may differ on other details of islamic jurisprudence and history. in general, the two sects have coexisted in relative peace throughout islamic history, with some exceptions, of course, but with political events in the middle east currently at boiling point, sectarian tensions can sometimes spill over. without having unity, we would be not able to face our ch'. challenges and indeed we would be just challenging ourselves internally and

exhausting ourselves without reaching to any conclusion. what terrorist groups want to do, they want to create division between the muslims, they want to create us and them situation between the muslims and also then between the muslims and community, and if we are really fighting amongst ourselves then then that really makes them a winner, and we want to make sure that we believe in the same god, we we believe in the same holy quran and those who believe in the same in a scripture they are part of the creed of islam you know and the concept of takfied is absolutely cancer in islam you eating us away. she muslims break their fast few minutes later than sunny muslims do and they tend to combine the sunset prayer and the night prayer called maghrib and isha in arabic,

unlike sunnis. but these minor differences between the sex don't seem to bother razza too much. it's different, i mean it's it's a lot of similarities that you see in the way people pray uh, some similarities, but yeah um, i didn't realize that they combined the issue as well uh during ramadan, i thought i thought that they had a tharawi prayer, but i'm guessing that doesn't happen, but yeah, and the food was good, it's a... yeah, better than my local most, that's for sure. right now you see muslims being attacked left, right and center, the last thing you want is to be fighting amongst each other, and think a lot of his misunderstanding, so mean earlier they were doing the trans, the recitation of the quran, there was no difference, it's all the same, people sitting the remembering god, you know, glorifying the prophet, and it's it's so many similarities, and for me, mean i i knew that there were many similarities, but to see them in action that is, you know, it's it just kind of breaks a mental barrier, and i think especially for lot of muslims. that quite hard line sectarian on both sides of the camp, i think they should go to different mosks just because you realize we're not that

different and yeah we all like our food if that time. islam is probably the most demonized religion in britain and muslims are regularly the subject of negative media headlines usually associated with extremism and terrorism. faced by this onslaught, it can be difficult for muslims to get their side of the... story across, but that doesn't mean they're not trying. ramadan is perhaps the best time of year for muslims to showcase their religion, and that's exactly what several initiatives across the uk have done, such as the ramadan tent here in central london, which welcomes up to 300 muslims and non-muslims every night to break the fast, and the idea behind these initiatives is very simple, that intimate human contact can break down barriers like nothing else. the ramadan tent project is run. by student volunteers and adopts gentle, non-confrontational, even subliminal approach when showing non-muslims

what islam is. it seeks to demonstrate the values of islam by setting an example instead of preaching. to build bridges between cultures and encourage interfaith dialogue to the simple act of sharing meal. we've been able to foster a platform for interfaith dialogue to explain, the the actual beautiful values of our. religion you know and and yeah and and feel the community spirit most of all, i think you know when you look and you see you know just people of all different colors and races sitting on the floor eating together, i think you know it's i think that's what it's about. i grew up religious so when i came across what was going on, i was really intrigued with the idea of fasting and praying and um so wanted to learn more and just the experience of meeting the best people i've ever some of the best people i've ever met. who have such sincere intentions, um, it made me want to get involved and learn more about their what they were doing here

and the what ramadan means. every night during the month of ramadan, a different speaker gives a short talk here everyone gathered. then after the maghrib or sunset prayer, the fast is broken with rice, meat, fruit, desserts and tea. sometimes islam won't crop up in conversation at all, but friendships are built, curiosity. is aroused and perhaps stereotypes would have been broken. i think that kind of really identified with the muslim community by their standards, not drinking alcohol and fasting and things like that. so didn't have any... negative perceptions, but i think that being involved in a community helped me to understand the muslim community even more and to be able to share that with my community back in the states. stephen mills and steve

smith are getting sneak preview of the feast that awaits them in a few hours time. these two non-muslim teachers from oldam in the north of england have been fasting all day as part of an initiative called share ramadan, the brain child of manu mia, another teacher. it's around 5:30 p.m. you're working in such a high muslim school. 'i thought it'd be a brilliant experience for me to to see what not only the colleagues that i have but the the kids that i teach go through uh i just thought it give me a bit of insight into what they go through uh and understanding how's it been for you so far so you you've you didn't get up for breakfast first mistake right no yeah uh i at about half past 11 last night um

no i didn't wake up i'm not feeling too bad actually i i thought hunger would be the big thing cuz i i' got a healthy appetite what i say um but it's been the thirst that's really really challenged me did you know much about ramadan uh why muslims fast um this is my second year doing it and i have to say the first reason i did it was because coming from my background i had very little idea about muslim religion about ramadan the importance of it why do it so the first thing was wanted to get to know more about it that was my first reason for even doing it and how are you finding again not too bad uh hunger has been okay uh lunchtime walking around seeing some people ate that was a bit difficult kind of had to turn away from that uh thirst is the main one um after about 10 or 11 it started to kind of kick in love a glass of water and you kind of sometimes go to reach for it oh no challenge invite share share

ramadan share ramadan has become something of social media phenomenon challenge a non-muslim neighbor of colleague to fast for a day, break the fast with them, and share the moment and experience on social media. it's got non-muslims all across britain experiencing the ramadan fast. first day, i'm always told is the hardest of the fast anyway. i was approached by one of my colleagues, nano and to take part in the challenge. it's a great way to get to know people, of course. sab started when the the muslim community were getting a lot of bad impress, one thing i realized you know. the media is and on our side and saying so much thing and certain headlines are putting the lives of many innocent people are risk so what can we do you have children and the would you want to leave them behind wealth or money you know why not into a society that is just that is fair and that is safe and that

will only come about is is when there is an understanding and and the the the barriers of fear and suspicion when they have disappeared from our society, it is that for me it's been that sacrificing things that you take for granted every day like you know people struggle for water and i can just go and get one anytime a glass of water or a drink of water any time i want um people struggle for food but you know at the end of this i know i'm going to sit down with 10 or 12 friends and have a lovely meal before i started working on the job and i all knew about the muslim fath was what i read typically on media newspapers whatever it be um then i've actually become friends of them and i like to think with nani's house to do ramadan not only have i found out about the muslim culture but become closer with him uh with other friends so we can talk about anything doesn't have to be about muslim but it just means that there's not that kind of theman us

type culture few hours later and at last it's nearly time to break the nanu lays a delicious bangladeshi meal in his front room enough satisfy any appetite, while around dozen muslim and non-muslim colleagues and friends laugh and joke. well help us to understand one another, for allah remove suspicions and finally it's time to tuck into the food. stephen and steve are obviously very relieved men. it's the last friday of ramadan and thousands

of muslims are preparing to march through the streets of central london condemning zionism and supporting the palestinian resistance struggle as they do every year during the annual al-kuds march. now ramadan is obviously mostly associated with spirituality and quiet reflection, but it's also a time when muslims increase their efforts to promote. justice in the public arena. this jerusalem day march took place year after israel's war on gaza, which killed over 200 palestinians and devastated the infrastructure of the besieged territory. the palestinian struggle against israeli occupation and aggression has always been at the center of islamic politics and as unified muslims from different nations and traditions since israel was created. the march climaxed

outside the us embassy in london where again the centrality of the palestinian cause for muslims around the world was emphasized and today the people of muslim countries around the world stand shoulder to shoulder with moral seeking people in the support of the palestinian nation and gather in the streets to remind the world of the barbaric crimes and atrocities of the occupying zionist regime. zionist is a criminal conspiracy, a colonizing project which will only be complete with the disappearance of the palestinian people. this year's ramadan also saw the high profile launch of attempt by a sufi muslim group to counter the takfeeri isol narrative which has attracted a tiny minority of british muslims. pakistani scholar tahar khadri unveiled a draft school curriculum in london which condemned isel and extremist ideology. kadri who has previously

declared takfi's non-muslim said it was essential to teach people that terror was violation of islam. whatever philosophy and ideology is being propagated and practice and enforced by isis or other terrorist organization in part it was al qaida and taliban and all those. people, they are, this is just an enmity and violation of islam and quran and the prophet's conduct. the initiative wasn't without its critics within the muslim community itself, who said that it placed the emphasis on the muslim community to clean up its act while downplaying major factors behind radicalization such as british foreign policy, islamophobia and racism. nevertheless, there is general consensus amongst british muslim. leaders that the isisol mentality and the takfiri narrative needs to be driven out of the community. ramadan been a very difficult and challenging time for muslims. we've had killings in

kuwait, we had no murder taking place in tunisia and other parts of the globe, so that kind of really affects the muslims living in this country, in leads, because our name has been tanished, our faith's been abused, those who commit murder in the name of god, they are ab'. absolutely affront to human dignity and insult to god. as the holy month of ramadan draws to a close, british muslims will really look forward to the festival of eid. now eid lasts about one and two days and is characterized by lots of socializing, delicious food and fun activities for the children. it's a joyful occasion which marks the end of a month of really hard self-sacrifice and british. muslims will hope that they can carry forward the lessons they've learned during the month of ramadan and implement them during the course of the rest of the year.

honestly, if fossil fuels are used properly, i think most polluted cities would become pollution free. the museum of miniature, simple things are converted to historic handcrafted masterpieces. it rises. from the creativity of the inner child and has tourist attraction. maty mutavasilian was born in natans and grew up in tehran. join us on press tv to see his museum.

the headlines this hour, scores more palestinians are killed in israel's indiscriminated strikes across gaza as the total death doll from the regime's genocidal war tops 32,700. lebanese prime minister. najib makati denounces an israeli raid which targeted a car carrying un peacekeeping forces in southern lebanon, leaving at least four people injured. thousands of protesters rally in central london to slam israel's ongoing massacre cinions in the gaza strip, calling for a cease fire there.