WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Monday, reviving celebrations of a Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan at the White House after his predecessor removed them.
Muslims around the world usually abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan. Its end often means gathering for prayers, visiting family and friends, and holding holiday meals.
Addressing hundreds of people in the East Hall, Biden said he had promised as a presidential candidate to return Eid al-Fitr to the White House – but was forced to hold a virtual party last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Today, we have seen so many Muslims around the world who have been the target of violence. “No one, no one should be discriminated against, oppressed or repressed because of their religious beliefs,” Biden said. “We have to admit that a lot of work is to be done abroad and here in our country. Muslims make our nation stronger every day, even though they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia.
Presidents have held Eid al-Fitr celebrations from the Clinton administration to Donald Trump, who has not held official events. Instead, he issued statements marking the holiday, including one in 2020, when Trump said of Muslims: “We hope they will find both comfort and strength in the healing powers of prayer and devotion.”
Biden said Monday that he recently nominated the first Muslim woman in the federal bench as part of a commitment to building an administration that values diversity and “looks like America.” He also jokingly compared fasting to Ramadan to his Catholic faith, which he said required great sacrifices for Lent, including having to “spend 40 days” without “no sweets and no ice cream.”
Talib Sharef, Imam of Masjid Mohammed in Washington, known to some as the “Mosque of the Nation,” said of the gathering at the White House: “Hosting here is an important statement for our nation and for the world.”
“A statement that Islam is a welcome part of our nation along with all other religious traditions,” Sharef said. “And that the highest office in this land is given to the fundamental values of our nation and the laws that protect religious freedom.
The event was also addressed by First Lady Jill Biden, who applauded, saying that the holiday embodies above all “joy born of love. Love for our families and our communities and THIS community. ”
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