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Special Feature

Ramadan 2012

This year, Ramadan begins on or about July 20 and 
will end with Eid al-Fitr on or about August 18.
(Ramadan and Eid dates differ among countries). (source: IIP)

USG Statement

  • Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan
    Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan

    July 20, 2012 - On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I extend our warmest wishes to Muslim Americans and Muslims around the world at the start of Ramadan. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection; a time of joy and celebration. It’s a time to cherish family, friends, and neighbors, and to help those in need.  

Fact Sheets

  • What is Ramadan?
    What is Ramadan?

    Ramadan is a month in the Islamic calendar that has been specifically designated for greater religious adherence and reflection. People are most familiar with the fasting that takes place during the month. And that is certainly an important aspect of it. Just as important is greater religious adherence and greater goodwill towards other men and women. (source: "Ask the White House" October, 2003)  

  • Tell me about Iftaar?
    Tell me about Iftaar?

    The Iftaar is the evening meal that breaks the fast. It is usually a time of congregating with friends and family - inviting folks to your house or going over to someone else's house. It is a time of increased friendship and brotherhood. The meals vary - anything goes. We stop and remember our friends. You receive a lot of invitations from people you haven't seen in a long time. It revives the feeling of spirit in the Muslim community. It brings people together. (Source: "Ask the White House" October, 2003) 

  • Why do you fast?
    Why do you fast?

    It is an example set by prophet Muhammad and an obligation commuted upon by all observant Muslims. The meaning behind it is to strengthen one's self-discipline as well as remind people of the experience of those less fortunate than themselves. Before sunrise you have a meal called "Sahoor." From dawn to sunset one is to abstain from eating food and drinking water. At sunset you break your fast traditionally with a date and water. You pray and then you have a full meal, called "Iftaar," and it starts all over again the next morning. (source: "Ask the White House" October, 2003) 

In-Brief

  • In Brief: U.S. Muslims Gather for Iftar at Halal Restaurant
    In Brief: U.S. Muslims Gather for Iftar at Halal Restaurant

    The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and it begins in July this year. During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to sunset, breaking their fast after sundown with a meal known as iftar. In the United States, restaurants serving halal food — which is prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary laws — are a popular choice for iftar customers. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • In Brief: U.S. Halal Store Serves Many Communities
    In Brief: U.S. Halal Store Serves Many Communities

    Besides selling food allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines, the 25-year-old Halalco Supermarket in Falls Church, Virginia, offers clothing, jewelry, housewares, personal care products, books on Islam, compact discs and prayer rugs. It even has a restaurant serving tasty lunches and dinners. The store prides itself on using local suppliers. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • In Brief: Halal Food Trucks Find Hungry Diners
    In Brief: Halal Food Trucks Find Hungry Diners

    It used to be that you could find food trucks only at construction sites, and the best you were likely to get was a shrink-wrapped, day-old sandwich and a bag of chips. But in recent years, American cities have seen an explosion in gourmet food trucks. (source: IIP Digital)  

Photo Galleries

  • Serving Iftar Across America (6 photos)
    Serving Iftar Across America (6 photos)

    During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, many American Muslims enjoy iftar — the meal that breaks the fast after sundown — at halal restaurants, which prepare food in accordance with Islamic dietary laws. The flavors of faraway places typically predominate. (source: IIP digital)  

  • Mosques in America: A Blending of Cultures (13 photos)
    Mosques in America: A Blending of Cultures (13 photos)

    There are 1,900 mosques in the United States, representing many different cultures and traditions. The Islamic Society of Orange County was one of the first Muslim centers in southern California. It is also one of the largest, attracting up to 3,000 worshippers at Friday prayers. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • Eid al-Fitr in America (5 photos)
    Eid al-Fitr in America (5 photos)

    Muslims across the United States are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Here, Mohammad Aziz, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Valley Forge mosque in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, unfurls a carpet for people to pray on in preparation for Eid al-Fitr. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • Observing Ramadan Worldwide (15 photos)
    Observing Ramadan Worldwide (15 photos)

    Many of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims will observe the month of Ramadan in different ways, blending their own cultural customs with Islamic traditions of prayer and fasting. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • Muslims in America: 1619–1934
    Muslims in America: 1619–1934

    Muslims in America: 1619–1934 is adapted from the U.S. Department of State’s publication Being Muslim in America. It documents important historic milestones for Muslims in America, beginning in the 17th century and continuing through 1934, when the first building built specifically to be a mosque was established. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • Muslims in America: 1957–2007
    Muslims in America: 1957–2007

    Muslims in America: 1957–2007 is adapted from the U.S. Department of State’s publication Being Muslim in America. It documents important historic milestones for Muslims in America since 1957, beginning with the dedication of the Islamic Center of Washington, which was attended by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower. (source: IIP Digital)  

  • Renovated Galleries of Islamic Art Reveal Centuries of Creativity
    Renovated Galleries of Islamic Art Reveal Centuries of Creativity

    (9 photos) At New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, newly renovated and enlarged galleries of Islamic art display one of the most comprehensive such collections in the world. (source: IIP Digital)  

IIP Publications

  • Freedom of Faith View (PDF 5.88 MB, 36 pages)
    Freedom of Faith View (PDF 5.88 MB, 36 pages)

    The principle of religious freedom is a cherished right in the United States, one that has historical roots older than the formation of the nation itself. In the 21st century, the United States pulses with a unique cultural chemistry brought on by a wave of immigration which has brought followers of more diverse faiths to many communities. This 2008 edition of eJournal USA examines how the nation adjusts to these demographic changes to remain true to the principles of freedom of faith. 

  • Being Muslim in America (PDF 5.87 MB, 36 pages)
    Being Muslim in America (PDF 5.87 MB, 36 pages)

    The young women pictured on our cover are both Muslim. They live near Detroit, Michigan, in a community with many Arab-American residents. Each expresses her faith in her own way, with a combination of traditional and modern dress. Here, they compete fiercely on the basketball court in a sport that blends individual skills and team effort. They - along with the other men, women, and children in this publication - demonstrate every day what it is like to be Muslim in America.  

Videos

Videos: Young Muslim-Americans

Videos: Young Muslim-Americans

Videos: Young Muslim-Americans

Produced by the State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs Produced in 2011, these short (15-45 second) videos are focused on young professionals who are Muslim American. (source: IIP digital)

 

 

 

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