Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is likely to begin at sundown on Aug. 18, pending sighting of the new moon per Islamic tradition. A new Pew Forum survey of Muslims in 39 countries and territories around the world finds that fasting during Ramadan is widely observed, with a median of 93% of Muslims saying they abstain from food and drink during the day. Annual almsgiving to assist the poor or needy (zakat) is almost as widely observed as fasting, with a median of 77% of Muslims saying they perform zakat, which by custom is supposed to equal 2.5% or more of a person’s total wealth. For more information on these and other religious practices, see the full report.

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