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Kathmandu (Nepal), Mar 08 (ANI): Nepali Muslims gathered at mosques across the country to offer prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam. In Kathmandu, a large number of worshippers congregated at the Kashmiri Mosque near Ghantaghar to perform 'Namaz'. Similar gatherings took place in mosques nationwide as devotees observed the religious occasion. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims observe a month-long fast, refraining from food and water from sunrise to sunset while dedicating time to prayers. The holy month of Ramadan is believed to be the period when the Quran was revealed. Observing the fast (roza) is considered an act of devotion that brings blessings from Allah. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is one of the most sacred times as the month is believed to be when the Quran came down to the earth from heaven for the very first time. The holy Quran is regarded "as a guidance for men and women, a declaration of direction, and a means of salvation. For a month, Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset. According to the religion, fasting is a private act of worship that brings about nearness to God, a form of spiritual discipline, and a means of empathizing with those less fortunate.