CBNNews.com - RAMALLAH, West Bank - The Islamic observance of Ramadan begins tonight.

For one month, observant Muslims will abstain from food, drink and smoking from 3:50 a.m. until 7:10 p.m., ending each day with the iftar, the evening meal.

Because Muslims follow a lunar calendar, the Ramadan fast begins earlier this year, making the fast more difficult.

"This year the fast is particularly hard because it begins in the summer," a Muslim man told the Israeli daily Haaretz.

"The winter is also easier because you burn less energy at work and the fast is shorter," he said.

An Arab carpenter said it will be difficult to work in the heat without drinking any water.

"I drink four bottles of water a day. It will be very hard in the coming days, although we work fewer hours," he said.

Source: Haaretz