White House Once Again Celebrates Eid

In his remarks, he said, “Muslims make our nation stronger every single day, even as they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia.”

President Biden emphasized his administration’s commitment to religious freedom and inclusion. He cited his nominations of the first Muslim American to be appointed to the federal bench, the new Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, and numerous other appointments to important positions tackling economic development, health care and national security.

Muslim guests attending the White House Ceremony came from across the country. Arooj Aftab, the Pakistani Grammy winner of the Best Global Music Performance, recited some Rumi poetry. Other attendees were elected officials, community leaders and activists.  The elected officials included the Congressional Reps Andre Carson and Rashida Tlaib, Princeton Mayor Sadaf Jaffer, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, and the Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi, who was one of the few Republicans present.

Many advocacy groups were also present. The Indian American Muslim Council Chairperson Rasheed Ahmed said, “We are grateful to the US President for recognizing and celebrating Islam and Muslims as an integral part of the American life.” Other representatives came from the Arab American Chamber of Commerce, Yemeni and Pakistan advocacy groups.

A sizable contingent of guests came from Emgage, which played a major role in mobilizing the Muslim community to vote for the 2020 elections with their Million Muslim Votes Campaign. Mark Crain, Executive director of Dream of Detroit and a board member for Emgage said. “Even though we’re a small community in this country, we have a rich history and a big role to play in its future. Whether at the White House or the State House, civic engagement is a must.”