The world spun madly on as followers of its second-largest religion practiced the traditions of Islam’s holiest month, at times under circumstances that demanded as much courage as faith.

Ramadan is a period of intense prayer, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts. But between April 12-13, when this year’s observance started, and the month’s end Thursday with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Muslims in many parts of the world carried out the comforting rituals while confronting tragedies and tremendous upheaval.