Iranian president felicitates muslim leaders on advent of Ramadan

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad felicitated his Muslim counterparts and other leaders of the Muslim world on the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. President Ahmadinejad felicitated beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan to heads of the Islamic states and Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Tuesday evening. In separate messages to the Muslim leaders, he expressed hope that solidarity of Muslims would be further strengthened during the holy month. He also expressed the hope that during Ramadan, world would experience lasting peace and stability and would be freed from discrimination and oppression. Ahmadinejad also wished for further progress and prosperity of all Muslim nations. Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach Muslims patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of Allah, and to offer more prayer than usual.