Tag Archives: Iftar

Celebrating Ramadan and Religious Freedom

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J. Scott Orr runs m.America.gov, a version of the America.gov website designed for cell phones and other mobile devices.

There they were in the White House’s State Dining Room, some 90 quests gathered at sunset, the flicker of white candles causing shadows to dance about gray, silken tablecloths. They were ambassadors, congressmen, government officials and community leaders, assembled to break their daily Ramadan fasts at an iftar with President Obama.

The event marked the Muslim month of fasting and self-reflection, but it was, at the same time, a celebration of religious freedom, tolerance and the history of Muslims in America.

“It is a testament to the wisdom of our Founders that America remains deeply religious – a nation where the ability of peoples of different faiths to coexist peacefully and with mutual respect for one another stands in stark contrast to the religious conflict that persists elsewhere around the globe,” Obama told the guests as they nibbled pitted dates and drank yogurt beverages.

“Our Founders understood that the best way to honor the place of faith in the lives of our people was to protect their freedom to practice religion,” Obama said. He went on to quote President Thomas Jefferson who wrote in 1786 that “all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion.”

Speaking of the third U.S. president, Obama noted that it was 200 years ago that Jefferson arranged a sunset dinner for a visiting Tunisian ambassador in what would be the first White House iftar. It wasn’t until the Clinton administration, though, that iftars returned to the White House, where they have become an annual tradition.

“Islam has always been a part of America,” Obama said, adding that Muslim immigrants “became farmers and merchants, worked in mills and factories. They helped lay the railroads. They helped to build America.” Obama said the first Islamic center was founded in New York City in the 1890s and a mosque built in 1934 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is still in use today.

Along with Christmas parties, seders and Diwali celebrations at the White House, Obama said, iftars “remind us of the basic truth that we are all children of God, and we all draw strength and a sense of purpose from our beliefs.”

Take a look at the full list of invited guests or watch a video of Obama’s remarks.

Death in Somalia, Environmentalists in Haiti and Iftars in Washington

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The U.S. condemns a deadly attack in Mogadishu. Aid workers are doing their best to protect the environment as they struggle to resettle Haiti. Unsafe water causes more deaths each year than wars; read what the U.S. and the United Nations are doing about it. There’s a new climate change center taking shape in Indonesia. And, finally, take a look inside Washington D.C.’s diverse Muslim community during the celebration of Ramadan.

An “Outrageous” Attack in Somalia
Obama administration officials condemn an attack on a Mogadishu hotel that reportedly left 30 dead, including six parliament members in Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government. The al-Shabaab militant group claims responsibility for the attack at the Muna Hotel, right. John Brennan, the president’s assistant for counterterrorism and homeland security, says U.S. officials “are saddened today by the loss of life” and said the United States will continue to partner with countries in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere against terrorism and violent extremists.

Considering the Environment as Haiti Resettles
As the U.S. Agency for International Development helps meet the tremendous demand for housing in Haiti after the January 12 earthquake, authorities are seeking resettlement sites that can offer improved living conditions with minimal impact on the environment.

Delivering Safe Drinking Water
The United States has boosted spending to help meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of cutting in half by 2015 the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Droughts and floods affect more people than all other natural disasters combined, and unsafe water causes more deaths than wars, according to the World Health Organization. More than 1.7 million lives are lost each year from the consequences of living without potable water and having no place to dispose of waste.

A Climate Center for Indonesia
A center to help Indonesia meet its pledge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 26 percent by 2020 is taking shape with initial funding of $7 million from the United States under the U.S.-Indonesian Comprehensive Partnership announced in June.

An Iftar for Everyone
In Washington, D.C., the month of Ramadan is celebrated with evening iftars in homes, restaurants and mosques. The diversity of the area’s Muslim community means that regardless of personal traditions, there is an iftar for everyone. “In D.C., there’s stuff going on every single night,” says Mannal Bakhsh, who has lived in the area her entire life. “You don’t have to go to a mosque. You can go to a friend’s house; you can go to a restaurant.”

Obama marks Ramadan with a White House Iftar

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President Obama invited members of Congress, diplomats and local Muslims to the White House for an Iftar dinner marking the end of the day’s Ramadan fast, September 1.

The White House has hosted many iftars in years past, as have Americans in all 50 states, Obama said. “Islam, as we know, is part of America,” Obama said. “And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity.”

During his speech, Obama spoke of contributions made by Muslims “both large and small” ranging from a high school basketball player setting new records to a young Muslim who died serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq. “We honor the contributions of America’s Muslims, and the positive example that so many of them set through their own lives,” the president said.

For more on Muslims in America, see “A Multicultural Ramadan.”