Ramadan, the Islamic holy month marked by fasting and prayer, began Friday with the sighting of the new crescent moon.

For the next 30 days, Muslims worldwide will fast, avoiding all food and water from sunrise to sunset. In Lewiston, local Muslims will gather nightly at the Lewiston-Auburn Islamic Center on Lisbon Street to pray and read from the Koran.

When Ramadan ends in 30 days with the sighting of the next new crescent moon, they will have read and recited every scripture in the Koran.

“It is called the month of mercy,” said Abdirizak Mahboub, a local Somali leader. “It’s a month of praying more, of putting away the worldly things and concentrating on our faith.”

Muslims believe Allah revealed the first texts of the Koran to the prophet Mohammed during the holy month. They look to the month as a time of spiritual purification.

Any Muslim older than 12 is encouraged to participate.

It is the Lewiston community’s second Ramadan at its mosque at 23 Lisbon St. The Somali community bought the building in September 2003. It has a main area downstairs. The upstairs space includes offices, a room for Somali women to worship and space for receptions.

“It has been tremendously helpful, having this facility,” Mahboub said. “It’s a blessing for all members of the community to have a center, a place to perform our religious duties.”

The local mosque’s prayer leader, the imam, said Friday that he and other leaders were still working on the schedule for Ramadan and could not yet provide details about it.

Muslims traditionally mark the end of Ramadan with a festival called Eid al-Fitr. The celebration includes a prayer banquet in the morning and visits with friends and family throughout the day.