Baghdad, Iraq ? Facing the prospect of war with the United States, Iraqi Muslims marked the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on Wednesday in a mood both festive and gloomy.

During Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset to renew themselves spiritually. They believe Ramadan was the month when God revealed the Quran, the Islamic holy book, to the Prophet Muhammad about 1,400 years ago.

“This Ramadan is special as we are reeling under the pressures of poverty and fear,” said Amina Yassin as she did last-minute shopping on Baghdad’s main Shorja market.

“We are religious people and we fear nothing but God,” Yassin said. “But this Ramadan comes amid great pressures against our country and our leader by the Americans.”

The United States has warned of military action if Iraq does not give up its weapons of mass destruction. President Saddam Hussein’s government denies holding such weapons.

U.S. diplomats submitted a final revision of a draft resolution on Iraq to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday in hopes of winning approval from wary allies concerned it could trigger a new war against this country.

“In this holy month, we call on God to save the country and our leader and help us in defeating the Zionists and the Americans,” said Sheik Ahmad Sayed Ibrahim, a preacher of the Imam Abu-Yussef mosque.

During Ramadan, Muslims enjoy special foods, entertainment and cultural events. Charities provide millions of free meals to the poor.

Fish are skewered and grilled at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Baghdad. The holy month celebrations in Iraq are tempered by fear of attack by the United States.

“Ramadan is a special time for prayer and food, meeting friends,” said Amer Mubarak, who strolled the bustling market selling spices, dates, nuts and other foodstuffs. “Discussions this year are sure to center on America and its aims here.”

As the first day of fasting wound down in the Iraqi capital, traffic came to a halt in the hours leading up to iftar, when Muslims can end the fast. People whose nerves were frayed by lack of food and more commonly, lack of cigarettes frantically tried to get home.

By the time the mosques announced the sunset prayer, and cannons near the Tigris River fired rounds to proclaim the end of the day’s fast, thousands of the nation’s less fortunate had gathered for free meals provided by rich benefactors, mosques and other charities.

In Iraq, a high percentage of the population is expected to rely on free meals. Millions suffer from food shortages that the government blames on 12 years of U.N. economic sanctions imposed after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.