Muslim lawmakers host Ramadan iftar to break fast at Capitol

Three Muslim members of Congress hosted a historic iftar dinner on Monday to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan and honor the contributions of the Muslim American community.

Reps. André Carson (D-Ind.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) hosted the meal to break Monday’s Ramadan fast, the first time Muslim lawmakers have hosted an iftar.

{mosads}Civil rights organization Muslim Advocates co-hosted the event.

Among the guests were Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mayor Sadaf Jaffer of Montgomery Township, New Jersey.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was scheduled to attend but could not.

“This was a historic night. For the first time, three Muslim-American Members of Congress hosted an iftar in the United States Capitol during the holy month of Ramadan—joined by leaders of both Houses of Congress,” Omar said in a statement.

“It was a reminder that we are a nation founded on religious liberty, where people seeking opportunity and a better life can find it, regardless of their faith. And it demonstrated that Muslim-Americans are a vital part of the American fabric, worthy of representation at our highest levels of government.”

“It’s important to take a moment to recognize how historic this iftar is,” Tlaib added. “My existence, along with the other dynamic Muslim members of Congress go beyond the lines of our districts, our presence challenges the narrative of who’s at the table and who deserves to have a voice in our government. This event lifts an entire community that has felt unseen for far too long.”

President Trump hosted his own iftar last week which some of the largest Muslim organizations in the country said they were not invited to.

The White House didn’t release a guest list for the event.