Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, northwest China - May 27, 2017
1. Various of front of Yanghang Mosque
2. Uyghur men praying at mosque
3. Various of Yanghang Mosque's imam, Muhtaram Sherif, praying
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Muhtaram Sherif, imam, Yanghang Mosque (starting with shot 3, partially overlaid with shot 5):
"My father served as an imam at a local mosque for thirty years, and I learned the basics of fasting from him at a very young age. I trained my endurance in hunger, thirst, and in facing difficulties. You need to practice to cope with it."
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5. Sherif in interview
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6. Various of Uyghur men taking off shoes, wearing socks to enter mosque
7. Various of praying
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Aierken Simayi, director, Tianshan Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau (starting with shot 7, partially overlaid with shot 9):
"Ramadan is an important annual event for Islamic followers, but there are exemptions, like those with illnesses, pregnancy or with breastfeeding demands; people under those circumstances do not have to fast. But for others, the right to practice their lawful religious activities is protected."
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9. Simayi in interview
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10. Various of Sherif, others dining after abstinence
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Muhtaram Sherif, imam, Yanghang Mosque:
"We have everything available to us now, like clothes, food, drinks and housing."
12. Various of praying at mosque

Muslims in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which is home to the country's largest Muslim population, began to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan on Saturday like many other places around the world.

During the month-long religious period, Xinjiang's various ethnic minorities including the Hui, Uyghur and Kazakh, will be fasting and reflecting on their spirituality.

At Yanghang Mosque, the largest mosque in Urumqi, the region's capital city, Uyghur men gathered to bear the urges and temptations of hunger.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.

For Muhtaram Sherif, an imam of the Yanghang Mosque, the occasion provides a powerful exercise in his devotion to God.

"My father served as an imam at a local mosque for thirty years, and I learned the basics of fasting from him at a very young age. I trained my endurance in hunger, thirst, and in facing difficulties. You need to practice to cope with it," said Sherif.

During Ramadan, more people choose to pray at mosques than on other days.

The Yanghang Mosque is one of the 20,000 mosques in Xinjiang. Devoted Muslims come here every day and pray five times, facing the direction of Mecca. During Ramadan, they extend the last prayer from ten minutes to two hours. Along with fasting, it's intended to get closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.

Usually, it's compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty.

"Ramadan is an important annual event for Islamic followers, but there are exemptions, like those with illnesses, pregnancy or with breastfeeding demands; people under those circumstances do not have to fast. But for others, the right to practice their lawful religious activities is protected," said Aierken Simayi, the director of the Tianshan Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau.

Fasting starts with a meal before sunrise, and then after 16 hours of abstinence, comes another.

Sherif says it's a moment to reflect on God's generosity.

"We have everything available to us now, like clothes, food, drinks and housing," said Sherif.

However, he added that even with such material abundance, people still need to pursue social harmony and peace, without which one can never feel true happiness.

There are about 20 million Muslims in China, half of who are in Xinjiang. They are among the world's 1.6 billion Muslims who observe the holy month.