US President George Bush said that the American society is enriched by its Muslim citizens, and that "Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world." He observed this at an Iftar-dinner he hosted at the White House on Monday evening.
"On this special evening, we celebrate the millions of Muslims that we are proud to call American citizens. We honour the many Islamic nations that America is proud to call friends," he stated, while welcoming outstanding American Muslims and diplomats from Islamic nations.
Bush said Islam has produced a "rich culture of learning and literature and science. And tonight we honour the traditions of a great faith by hosting the Iftar here at the White House."
The United States, he said, also appreciates the many Muslim nations who stand with it in the war on terror, and noted that some of them were represented at the dinner. While lauding the services of distinguished American Muslims who were in attendance at the Iftar, the US President particularly cited the example of
Farooq Muhammed, son of Pakistani immigrants, who was born and raised in Brooklyn.
Farooq, who has been an emergency medical technician at the New York City Fire Department and now serves as a paramedic, narrowly escaped death when he was at the World Trade Centre on September the 11th 2001, treating victims when the towers collapsed. He also recently travelled to Pakistan and volunteered to help victims of last year's devastating earthquake in Kashmir.
"Farooq's courage and compassion represent the best of the American spirit," President Bush observed. "America is a more hopeful nation because of the talents and generosity and compassion of its Muslim citizens," he stated.