Why I Started the American Iftar Dinner
Tolerance and acceptance are the foundations upon which our great nation was built, and a mindset exercised by our earliest American Presidents. In 1805, President Thomas Jefferson hosted Muslim diplomat Sidi Soliman Mellimelli at the White House for negotiations regarding the First Barbary War with four North African states. President Jefferson strived to ensure that the meeting would be a positive one. Knowing that Sidi would arrive during the month of Ramadan, a period of fasting for Muslims from sunrise to sunset each day, the President ordered that the State Dinner be rescheduled to take place precisely at sunset. Thus, the State Dinner became known as an Iftar Dinner, or one of breaking the fast.
President Jefferson’s gesture of respect toward the Islamic faith would spark a tradition that would be re-adopted by President Clinton in 1996, when he established the first official “White House Iftar Dinner”, a meal celebrating the United States’ relationship with Muslims around the world and in the United States. The tradition was continued by President Bush and President Obama during their respective terms, before coming to an end in 2017. President Trump will reportedly resume the tradition this year.
As a 16-year old American Muslim, I want to continue this long-standing tradition and re-create this special event across America as an interfaith movement that promotes unity and tolerance, and celebrates our country’s rich diversity through the “American Iftar Dinner.” Imagine a dinner table, with each seat hosting a representative of a different religion or ethnic group – a meal for harmony and humanity with peaceful discussion and discourse among diverse people. At a time of global turmoil and intolerance, holding an event like this is more important than ever and Iowa, the heartland of America, is the most appropriate setting to me to revive the Jefferson tradition. After all, under the leadership of Governor Robert Ray, it was Iowa that stepped up and opened its doors to the Tai Dam refugees back in 1975, as a symbol of humanitarianism and acceptance. As Governor Ray once said, “I think….everyone can do something and make a difference in this world.”
So, as a member of Generation Z hoping for a peaceful tomorrow, I am going to do something. With the same commitment to tolerance and acceptance that Iowans and Americans across this country have always embraced, I plan to hold the American Iftar Dinner in Des Moines on June 7, 2018 during the month of Ramadan. I welcome and invite civic leaders, religious scholars, and humanitarians from across Iowa and our nation. The Dinner will be one that celebrates not only Islam, but all the world’s religions through a non-partisan meal shared by people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds, as a symbol of our commitment to unity, diversity and tolerance, and as a celebration of the humanitarianism that Iowans and people across America have exhibited. The American Iftar Dinner is a commitment to the belief that what unites us is greater than what divides us.
Despite our differences, I believe we all share the same hopes and aspirations for our future generations to live in an accepting and peaceful world. As a call to action, I challenge my fellow Americans to host their own dinner, invite ethnically and culturally diverse guests, and, in their own way, promote a unified existence. If not a dinner, then make an effort to reach out and meet someone from a different ethnicity, religion, or culture. Then, share your moment of unity through stories and photos using the hashtag #mealforhumanity.
Close to 30 colleges and universities across America have already held their own Iftar dinner. In addition, restaurants and households across Iowa have also embraced the idea and are, in their own way, promoting unity and diversity.
To learn more about the American Iftar Dinner movement, please visit www.iftardinner.org. In this effort, I am joined by my high school peers from across Iowa; together, we are taking this movement to the national arena. It is the youth of today who are bringing important matters to the national forefront, and we plan to make a difference. Our generation can be a force for good and for dialogue, and what better way to share this dialogue than to come together over a meal. Collectively, we can embark on a powerful movement of national and global tolerance and unity. It’s the American way.
Related: What Happens When You Get Your Period During Ramadan
