12 October 2006
Dialogue Among Faiths Key to Understanding, State's Hughes Says
Interfaith iftar teaches community, religious leaders about Islam
Washington – One of the great strengths of the United States is the diversity of its faiths, according to Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes.
Dialogue among these faiths is "absolutely key" to better understanding each other, Hughes said at an iftar dinner October 11.
"Islam is very much a part of America," said Hughes, adding that 7 million Muslims live, work and worship freely in the United States. In the United States, people who celebrate different faiths or none at all respect and appreciate each other, Hughes said. Americans "celebrate the richness and strength that is brought out by our diversity," she said.
Shaista and Rafat Mahmood opened their home near Washington to more than 100 people of all faiths to break the daily Ramadan fast and learn more about Islam. Hughes and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales joined religious leaders, ambassadors and community members in taking part in the tradition.
Observing Ramadan is part of American culture, said Imam Mohamed Magid of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) center in Sterling, Virginia. Ramadan is a time when Muslims focus on being generous and reaching out to others, Magid said. Interfaith iftars provide an opportunity to introduce others to Islam.
The second 10 days of Ramadan focus on asking and granting forgiveness. Cynthia Lapp, pastor of the Hyattsville Mennonite Church in Hyattsville, Maryland, fasted for the day. "As hard as fasting is, forgiveness is harder,” she said. People of all faiths can work on forgiveness together, Lapp said.
The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, celebrated earlier in October, also focuses on forgiveness. Muslims have more similarities with Jews than differences, Magid said.
Steven Roy Goodman of the American Jewish Committee and Tufail Ahmad of the Montgomery County Muslim Council in Maryland also said they appreciate the similarities between the two religious groups. This dinner was one of many events they have attended together.
When they met two years ago, both Goodman and Ahmad had an interest in reaching out to their communities and having serious discussions about the issues that were important to both groups. Muslims and Jews in their community now often celebrate holidays together, raise funds for causes of common interest and discuss issues that affect them both. When Ahmad ran for local office, Goodman and others in the Jewish community endorsed him.
"The most important thing we as Muslims can do is to break barriers and mix with families around us and show we are the same as any religion," Ahmad said.
For more information on celebrating holidays in America, see U.S. Life and Culture.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
