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| Barack Obama praises Islam at Ramadan dinner |
| 2009-09-02 |
| US President Barack Obama praised Islam as an integral part of America, as he feted prominent US Muslims at an Iftar dinner marking the holy fasting month of Ramadan. "For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection," Mr Obama said, in remarks welcoming his guests in the State Dining Room of the White House. "Tonight's Iftar is a ritual that is being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states," he said. "Islam as we know is part of America. Like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity. "On this occasion, we celebrate the holy month of Ramadan and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture in ways both large and small,'' he said. Among the guests Mr Obama praised was Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, a first-year student at the University of Memphis who scored more points than any other girl or boy in the history of high school basketball in the state of Massachusetts. "She recently told a reporter, 'I would like to inspire a lot of young Muslim girls if they want to play basketball. Anything is possible, they can do it too'," said Mr Obama, who has a well-known love of the sport. "Bilquis is an inspiration not simply to Muslim girls, she is an inspiration to all of us." The President also recognised the first two Muslim lawmakers in the US Congress, Keith Ellison and Andre Carson. In a message marking Ramadan last week, he pledged "concrete actions" to renew ties with Islamic countries, less than three months after his historic address to the Muslim world in Cairo. "I want to reiterate my commitment to a new beginning between America and Muslims around the world," Mr Obama said in a video address posted as the world's estimated 1.5 billion Muslims prepared for a month of fasting and reflection. The President, who has Muslim heritage on his father's side of his family, also pledged "unyielding" support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to "responsibly end the war in Iraq". Islam's fasting month began last month in most of the Arab world and Iran. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #18 Al, I'd say he has a lot to atone for. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-09-02 19:17 |
| #17 hmmm Code Pink defiled a Koran? I've read that elsewhere! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-09-02 19:15 |
| #16 How do think he'll celebrate Christmas? Or Yom Kippur? |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2009-09-02 18:54 |
| #15 Code Pink defiled a Koran? I hear that Snopes says it's true.... |
| Posted by: KBK 2009-09-02 13:40 |
| #14 As a friend of Muslims and all things Islam, will Barack be looking into recent allegations that Code Pink defiled a Koran? The story is now the TOP result on Google for the search "Code Pink Defiled a Koran". One has to wonder what other sites might be reporting on this rumor even now, and when Code Pink will break its silence on these serious charges. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-09-02 13:35 |
| #13 How do think he'll celebrate Christmas? |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-09-02 13:26 |
| #12 No, fasting during Ramadan only occurs during the daylight (cause Alan's too stupid to notice they're pigging out at night). So if congress observed Ramadan they would only pass bill in the middle of the night.... oh wait... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-09-02 11:17 |
| #11 Wouldn't it be nice if all of Congress observed Ramadan? Think of it, a whole month without pork! |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-09-02 10:29 |
| #10 catfish noodling Good thing I looked it up on wiki. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-09-02 09:53 |
| #9 I know the irony coming from a Brit , but aint he just a bit of a patsy appeasement whore .. We all know how well that worked for a cetain Neville Chamberlain . |
| Posted by: Oscar 2009-09-02 09:52 |
| #8 #7 I wonder if Obama will fast during Ramadan Nope. Rules are for little people. Posted by g(r)omgoru G(r)om: I think I heard someone say that he and Michelle were giving up catfish noodling for the holly month. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-09-02 09:46 |
| #7 I wonder if Obama will fast during Ramadan Nope. Rules are for little people. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-09-02 09:42 |
| #6 You say that like it's a bad thing, meneer. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2009-09-02 08:56 |
| #5 He's very good at vacations, dinners, and basketball. Getting down to work... not so much. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-09-02 08:32 |
| #4 the zero didn't say anything about afghanistan apparently in previous remarks he has said stuff like 'this is where al q began and this is where they will end' however they may find themselves under the bus |
| Posted by: lord garth 2009-09-02 08:29 |
| #3 Religion and bloody basketball.... once again well covered. Can we now move on to some of those 4 million jobs you promised to create and our economy? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-09-02 08:10 |
| #2 Here's the official guest list, if anyone's interested. Nice to see he invited a representative of the PLO to partake, too. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-09-02 08:02 |
| #1 I wonder if Obama will fast during Ramadan. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-09-02 07:08 |