WASHINGTON  — President Barack Obama hosted the White House’s Annual Iftar dinner celebrating Ramadan at the White House on Wednesday, August 10, a tradition began by former president Bill Clinton that was continued by President George W. Bush. 

Fordson High School of Dearborn football coach Fouad “Walker” Zaban got the call to attend the dinner late last week and had a tough choice to make in because of scheduling conflicts with the football team, but it was an opportunity he simply couldn’t pass up.

“When I called back, I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not,” he said. “But I’m so glad I went, it was amazing, the whole experience and I was just honored to be there,” he said.

Zaban’s team has been featured on ESPN and other major media outlets for their observance of fasting for Ramadan during football season and the challenges they face as athletes. Last season Zaban changed practices for his team, which is mostly Muslim, from the daytime until late at night in order to help his players with the difficulties of fasting and strenuous exercise. 

An award-winning documentary movie about the Fordson team, “Fordson: Faith, Football, Fasting” will be released nationwide at AMC Theaters on September 9.

Zaban said that White House representatives had seen the film and he believes that may have led to his invitation being extended. While at the dinner, he spoke with Muslim American U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) and also chatted with President Obama for a couple of minutes as he made the rounds at the dinner.

Zaban said the menu included halal chicken kabob, “a nice salad,” and a dessert made of plum and pecans. 

“They didn’t have as much food as you’d have at someone’s house in Dearborn during iftar but it was all excellent,” he said.

    Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly was also invited to the dinner but decided to stay in order to host his annual iftar and also to help receive more than 500 journalists at the Asian American Journalists Association’s 2011 convention opening reception at the Arab American National Museum on Wednesday, Aug. 10. 

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Michigan) was also among the attendees of the dinner, representing Michigan’s 14th congressional district which includes Dearborn, Detroit and Hamtramck, one of the largest Muslim American communities in the United States. 

“During the past decade, Muslim-Americans have been unfairly stigmatized by a small, but vocal segment of our society that ignorantly brands all Muslims as political extremists,” said Conyers.  “This view has been robustly rejected by the vast majority of sensible Americans who understand that the Muslim-American community is a vital part of American society.  This is especially true in southeastern Michigan, where the Muslim-American community has contributed much to our economy and culture.

“America was founded on the principle of religious freedom for people of all faiths.  I am heartened that the Muslim community continues to robustly exercise this fundamental freedom and that President Obama has continued the tradition of an annual White House Iftar dinner.  I congratulate the Muslim-American community and wish its members a joyous and meaningful Ramadan.”