With Ramadan starting this week, President Donald Trump held a speech honoring the tradition of many Presidents before him.
In his speech he wished all Muslims a joyful Ramadan, hoping for many to find meaning and inspiration in charity, the strength of our communities and obligations to hold up peace.
This speech happens after traveling through Saudi Arabia and holding a promising meeting with Middle Eastern leaders. The goal and purpose of his travel were strengthening the combined efforts of people from all nations and beliefs to fight international terrorism. This included a speech at the NATO headquarters about the importance of working together and staying strong against attacks.
The previous week alone has seen several Islamist terrorist attacks all over the world. In Manchester, a suicide bomber killed 22 young people at a concert, which ISIS claimed credit for. In Egypt, 28 Christians were killed in an ISIS attack on a bus that was meant to take its passengers to a Christian pilgrimage site. In the Philippines, a radical Islamist group is attempting to take control of the city of Marawi and martial law had to be declared on Mindanao island.
As such, Trump’s Ramadan speech focused on the importance of fighting radical ideologies and the significance of peaceful Ramadan-celebrating Muslims to have resolve and strength to ensure peace together with all other people. He specifically mentions the direct contrast between the spirit of Ramadan and the dangerous ideologies which should not be allowed to exist.
However, certain media sites and outspoken American Muslims chose instead to criticize the President over daring to mention Islamic terrorism during his speech directed at Muslims and Ramadan. His speech, which promoted international cooperation against hate, was deemed offensive by some. Instead, they suggest, he should not have acknowledged the attacks and victims of the previous week or how his first international travels related to them, but instead praise Ramadan and the Muslim faith unconditionally.