The US Ambassador gives traditional Iftar

Baku/16.06.17/Turan: On June 16 the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta gave Iftar - a festive dinner, a break at the end of the day in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The dinner, which was attended by religious figures, members of the public and officials, was held nine days before the end of the 30-day fast during which the faithful Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.

The month of Ramadan is a month of mercy and solidarity, Ambassador Cekuta said in his address to the guests, noting the US respect for the Islamic tradition, originating from President Jefferson, who first gave Iftar in honor of the Tunisian envoy.

The Ambassador noted the Muslim community of the United States has more than three million people who are true to their traditions, and whose tradition is respected in the society.

The US Ambassador gives traditional Iftar

Azerbaijan has a wonderful experience of harmonious coexistence of the Muslim tradition and respect for other religions, and this experience of multiculturalism is a vivid example of the harmonious coexistence of various religious groups that people can be proud of, Cekuta said.

According to the Ambassador, tolerance does not come by itself; it is a painstaking process, which we should jointly develop and promote.

Noting the existence of conflicts in the world, Robert Cekuta said Ramadan creates conditions for the unification of all on the basis of such values as​ peace, forgiveness and mutual understanding.

On the eve in Washington, Muslim human rights organizations of the USA held Iftar for congressmen who show tolerance and respect for all faiths. This year, the State Department recommended that the US ambassadors traditionally hold a series of events in connection with Ramazan, although the US Foreign Ministry for the first time in 17 years does not plan to hold Iftar in its walls. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson rejected the request for the event.

However, the State Department's office for religious affairs and global issues still hopes that the tradition will be preserved. Answering a question from Reuters, the State Department spokesman said: "We are still studying possible options for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which is marked at the end of Ramadan."

The administration of the US president links the current attitude towards Ramadan, as a rethinking of a new approach to expressing respect for Islam. As a testimony, Trump's aides point to his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, on whose land Islam once arose. President Trump in his address to the leaders of the Muslim world at the summit in Riyadh called on them to unity in the fight against terrorism, calling this fight "a battle of good and evil."

"This is not a struggle between different beliefs, different faiths or different civilizations. This is a battle between barbarian criminals who want to destroy human life and are decent people of all religions who want to protect it. "

The first Iftar among American presidents was given by Thomas Jefferson, the third US president, when he received Tunisian envoy Sidi Soliman Mellimelli during Ramadan December 9, 1805. As a sign of respect for religion, Mellimelli Jefferson moved his lunch from the usual 15:30 "exactly at the moment of sunset."

The tradition of conducting festive dinners in the month of Ramadan was introduced by the State Department since 1999. Clinton administration has made the Iftar an annual tradition of the White House. In Azerbaijan, Iftar from the United States was first given by Ambassador Stanley Escudero. The attitude towards Ramadan of the American political elite was expressed by President Barak Obama, who noted that "the annual Iftar of the White House recognizes the sanctity of Ramadan for more than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world." "Our Iftar is also a reminder of the freedoms that unite us all, Americans, including freedom of religion - an inalienable right to freely practice our faith," Obama said at the 2015 celebration.

The ninth month of the Muslim calendar of Ramadan (Ramadan - Arab.) started on May 26, and will end on the evening of June 24 with a festive dinner. In Azerbaijan, the holiday on the occasion of the end of Ramadan is celebrated on June 24-25.

Ramazan is the most important and honorable for Muslims and has a sacred significance. The month of fasting and worship, in which the Koran was sent down; the month in which the devil's forces are chained in chains; the month of the remission of sins. Fasting is called to increase piety; to temper the inner world in the fight against weaknesses and passions; to overestimate the value of the existing benefits; improve attitudes towards the needy and others. During the holiday, it is customary to treat not only relatives and friends, but also neighbors, acquaintances (regardless of their religion.)