President Obama Hosts Fourth Annual Iftar Dinner at the White House

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the Iftar Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House, Aug. 10, 2012 (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Last night, President Obama hosted his fourth Iftar dinner as President in the State Dining Room of the White House. The Iftar is the meal that breaks the day of fasting during Ramadan, when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset.

During his remarks at the dinner, the President reflected on the importance of religious freedom and the important role Muslims have played throughout our country’s history.

Of all the freedoms we cherish as Americans, of all the rights that we hold sacred, foremost among them is freedom of religion, the right to worship as we choose.  It’s enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution -- the law of the land, always and forever.  It beats in our heart -- in the soul of the people who know that our liberty and our equality is endowed by our Creator.  And it runs through the history of this house, a place where Americans of many faiths can come together and celebrate their holiest of days -- and that includes Ramadan.

As I’ve noted before, Thomas Jefferson once held a sunset dinner here with an envoy from Tunisia -- perhaps the first Iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago.  And some of you, as you arrived tonight, may have seen our special display, courtesy of our friends at the Library of Congress -- the Koran that belonged to Thomas Jefferson.  And that's a reminder, along with the generations of patriotic Muslims in America, that Islam -- like so many faiths -- is part of our national story.

Watch the President's remarks at the Iftar Dinner here.