September 17, 2009

More than 70 guests from various governmental agencies and interfaith organizations attended the first joint iftar hosted by MPAC and the Islamic Society of North America in Washington, DC. The special guests in attendance came from the the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, The Pentagon and Islamic Relief, just to name a few.

The All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Scout Pack 1576 opened the program with a flag ceremony and the pledge of allegiance, with Imam Mohamed Magid giving the opening remarks, followed by ISNA's Dr. Sayyid Syeed and Paul Monteiro, Associate Director at the White House Office of Public Engagement.

MPAC's Executive Director, Salam Al-Marayati closed the program by saying, "Ramadan is a time of preparation to work for social justice. Otherwise it's an exercise in futility, hunger, and thirst. It's a month to immerse ourselves in the Qur'an, and one of the principles is that diversity is the will of God."

He also cited a Quranic verse with supports the idea of diversity:

"For, every community, faces a direction of its own, which He is the focal point. Vie with one another in doing good works. Wherever you may be, God will gather you all unto Himself: for, verily, God has the power to do anything." (2:148)

Many of the Capitol Hill Iftar dinners have been an opportune time for individuals from differing ethnic, cultural, and professional backgrounds to gather for the daily ritual during the month of Ramadan for Muslims, the breaking of their fast. This Iftar proved not only to be the opening of the fast for Muslims, but allowed our fellow non-Muslims to put into greater perspective the spiritual and physical essence of fasting.

- Fatma Hocaoglu (fatma@mpac.org) Administrative Assistant