Obama Hosts Iftar Feast At White House

U.S. President Barack Obama saluted Muslim Americans on July 25 as Muslim entrepreneurs, technology innovators, and pioneers in medicine gathered to feast at the White House.

The occasion was a White House dinner celebrating Ramadan.

The meal, known as iftar, is when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset, breaking the day of fasting.

Obama said Ramadan is "a time of reflections" and "a chance to demonstrate ones devotion to God" through prayer and fasting.

But he said it is "also a time for family and friends to come together."

He said iftar at the White House is part of a tradition of celebrating sacred days of different faiths and the diversity that defines religious freedom in the United States.

It was the fifth iftar hosted by Obama at the White House.


Based on reporting by AP and Reuters