Saudi King Abdullah highlighted the 'tolerant' nature of Islam in a traditional message, amplifying a theme he has championed for months and which saw him sponsor a landmark inter-faith conference attended by Christians and Jews in Madrid in July.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, is 'cognisant of its responsibilities in .... serving the Muslims' interests and concretising their dialogue with the world's other cultures, societies and religions,' the monarch said.

But Saudi Arabia, which applies a rigorous doctrine of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism and bans all non-Muslim religious practices, is also the strictest of the Gulf countries in enforcing the Ramadan dawn-to-dusk fast.

Foreign residents of the kingdom risk as much as deportation if they are caught violating the rules.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset, and millions of non-Muslim expatriates in the region adapt to the pace of the fasting month, during which working hours are reduced in both the public and private sectors.

Ramadan also witnesses a multiplication of charitable initiatives by both government outfits such as local Red Crescent societies and wealthy individuals and private companies.

Charity goes beyond national borders, with both government and private institutions distributing meals and making other donations to the needy not just at home but also in other Muslim countries.

Gulf governments enjoying windfalls from high crude prices and high-profile companies are keen to be seen to be sharing some of their wealth with the less fortunate.

Many sponsor free fast-breaking meals - or iftar - for the poor, notably Asian workers whose year-round toiling makes the frenzied construction drive in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar possible.

But in Saudi Arabia, which has battled suspected Al-Qaeda extremists for five years, the government is keeping a close watch on Ramadan donations in order to stop money falling into the hands of militants. Press reports said fund-raising for iftar meals has been restricted to government bodies.

With inflation running in double digits in some Gulf countries, governments have been trying to ensure an adequate supply of staples in order to prevent retailers from taking advantage of Ramadan - when meals get bigger and richer - to raise prices.

The UAE economy ministry has warned that food outlets found increasing their prices during Ramadan could face closure.

While Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE celebrated the start of Ramadan on Monday, Oman - a Gulf sultanate dominated by the Ibadi faith, an offshoot of a dissident Shiite sect - will mark the beginning of the holy month on Tuesday. -- AFP