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Muslims offer prayers during the holy month of Ramadan in Medan, North Sumatra, Saturday.  

Before Doha's expansion, life revolved around the "fereej" (neighbourhood). As a relatively closed social unit, its inhabitants knew each other by name and lineage. This was prevalent in Qatar until the 1960s and '70s, before the urban boom and the city's expansion.During Ramadan specifically, the fereej transforms into a communal space. Iftar (breaking the fast) began inside homes, but the activity didn't stop at the doors. Exchanging dishes is a well-established custom in Qatari society, with women sending plates between houses minutes before sunset. These plates would return full the next day. A daily cycle of mutual generosity, requiring no formal invitation.After Taraweeh prayers, men would gather in the traditional majlis (sitting rooms) within the fereej neighbours, exchanging news and discussing maritime affairs, trade, and the season's conditions. For children, the fereej was their open playground.The transformation began with urban expansion and the introduction of modern city planning. With paved roads and an increase in cars, open spaces for play shrank, and social interaction became more structured and less spontaneous. The spirit didn't disappear, but its form changed.Qatari newspapers in the 1980s published reports about the "disappearance of the old neighbourhood spirit" with urban development, documenting testimonies from elderly residents who witnessed the shift from closely packed houses to widely spaced villas.The story here isn't about the past as a lost paradise, but about a social structure that suited its time. Ramadan in the neighbourhood was based on geographical proximity, which fostered human connection. As the geography changed, so did the mechanisms of interaction. With urban expansion and the emergence of modern residential complexes, the community's commitment to preserving its identity, embodied in the neighbourhood, became evident.These efforts were exemplified by the Old Doha Port, which revived the spirit of the neighbourhood through miniature models showcasing this era, taking visitors on a journey to learn about the origins of the neighbourhood and the evolution of architecture and building techniques. 

Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers marking the start of the holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Rawalpindi Wednesday. 

Colonists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday morning under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.According to Palestinian news agency (WAFA), local sources said that dozens of colonists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards, carried out provocative tours and performed Talmudic prayers.Since the beginning of the comprehensive Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in October 2023, more than 68,000 colonists have stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, amid tightened entry restrictions to the mosque and the gates of the Old City.

Tens of thousands of Palestinian citizens performed Friday prayers at the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, arriving since the early morning hours despite the Israeli occupation's military restrictions.Local sources reported that occupation forces intensified their military measures around the Old City of Jerusalem, obstructing the movement of worshipers and their entry to Al Aqsa, while police officers were present among the worshipers during the prayer.A source from the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem confirmed that Al Aqsa Mosque is expected to witness aggression by settlers during the upcoming months of September and October, coinciding with Jewish holidays, which settlers are expected to exploit to increase their incursions and impose new Judaization rituals in the mosque.He stated that the incursions take place under the protection of occupation forces, during which settlers perform Talmudic rituals, raise occupation flags, prostrate, blow the horn, bring in plant offerings and temple tools, and turn the eastern area into a miniature synagogue.