[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 45 (Monday, November 11, 2002)]
[Page 2009]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at an Iftaar Dinner

November 7, 2002

    Good evening. Thank you all for coming. I'm honored to welcome such 
a distinguished group of Ambassadors and American citizens to the White 
House to help usher in the holy month of Ramadan.
    Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a 
billion people around the world. It has made brothers and sisters of 
every race. It has given birth to a rich culture of learning and 
literature and science. Tonight we honor the traditions of a great faith 
by hosting this Iftaar at the White House.
    I'm honored that our great Secretary of State is with us today. Mr. 
Secretary, thank you for being here. I appreciate Your Highness Sheikh 
Hamad bin Zayid of the United Arab Emirates for coming. I want to thank 
members of my administration who are here, in particular, Dr. Elias 
Zerhouni, who's the Director of the National Institute of Health. I want 
to thank all the Ambassadors who are here. It's good to see you all 
again--the other representatives from the Organization of Islamic 
Conference. I appreciate so very much my fellow Americans here, many 
from the Muslim community.
    Ramadan is a special time of prayer and fasting, contemplation of 
God's greatness, and service to those in need. According to Muslim 
teachings, this season commemorates the revelation of God's word in the 
Holy Koran to the prophet Muhammad. Today, this word inspires faithful 
Muslims to lead lives of honesty and integrity and compassion.
    In hosting tonight's Iftaar, I send a message to all the nations 
represented by their Ambassadors here tonight: America treasures your 
friendship; America honors your faith. We see in Islam a religion that 
traces its origins back to God's call on Abraham. We share your belief 
in God's justice and your insistence on man's moral responsibility. We 
thank the many Muslim nations who stand with us against terror, nations 
that are often victims of terror, themselves.
    Tonight's Iftaar also sends a message to all Americans: Our Nation 
is waging a war on a radical network of terrorists, not on a religion 
and not on a civilization. If we wage this war to defend our principles, 
we must live up to those principles, ourselves. And one of the deepest 
commitments of America is tolerance. No one should be treated unkindly 
because of the color of their skin or the content of their creed. No one 
should be unfairly judged by appearance or ethnic background or 
religious faith. We must uphold these values of progress and pluralism 
and tolerance.
    George Washington said that America gives to bigotry no sanction, to 
persecution no assistance. This was our policy at our Nation's founding; 
this is our policy today. America rejects all forms of religious 
intolerance. America grieves with all the victims of religious bigotry. 
And America opposes all who commit evil in God's name.
    Ramadan and the upcoming holiday seasons are a good time to remember 
the ties of friendship and respect that bind us together. Learning from 
each other, we can build bridges of mutual trust and understanding. 
Working together, we can create a better future for people of all 
faiths.
    I thank you for coming to the White House this evening. I wish you 
all a blessed Ramadan. God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 6:05 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Minister of State for 
Foreign Affairs Hamdan bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan of the United Arab 
Emirates.