U.S. President Barack Obama extended his best wishes Monday to Muslims beginning the holy fasting month of Ramadan, using the occasion to urge people to help victims of drought and famine in Africa. Ramadan is "a time of deep reflection and sacrifice. As in other faiths, fasting is used to increase spirituality, discipline, and consciousness of God's mercy," President Obama said in a statement. "It is also a reminder of the importance of reaching out to those less fortunate. The heartbreaking accounts of lost lives and the images of families and children in Somalia and the Horn of Africa struggling to survive remind us of our common humanity and compel us to act," President Obama said. "Now is the time for nations and peoples to come together to avert an even worse catastrophe by offering support and assistance to on-going relief efforts," President Obama said. "Times like this remind us of the lesson of all great faiths, including Islam - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us," President Obama said. "In that spirit, I wish Muslims around the world a blessed month, and I look forward to again hosting an Iftar dinner here at the White House. Ramadan Kareem."
