“As Muslim Americans mark the end of Ramadan with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, they will be doing so without the comfort of gathering with families, friends, and neighbors.  Over the past month, the uniqueness of this year’s Ramadan observed in isolation has surely been challenging.  All Americans now know this same sadness, as holidays, graduations, births, funerals, and other special moments have occurred under stay-at-home orders and with social and physical distancing measures in place.  To all those celebrating Eid-al-Fitr at home this year, I send my prayers for peace and goodwill, and I add my hope that soon families will be able to reunite when it is safe to do so and share once more the joys of togetherness.   “I join in wishing Eid Mubarak to all of America’s Muslim communities.  As we look ahead to the future, I hope that the solidarity we all are feeling right now as Americans facing this public health crisis will be carried forward into solidarity in facing the other challenges that confront us as a nation.  These include racism, Islamophobia, and discrimination.  They include injustice, poverty, and inequality.  Ramadan is a period of reflection, and I hope that all of us – no matter our faith or background – have been able to reflect these past weeks on what we want our country to be in the years and decades ahead.  I pray that the tragedy of this deadly pandemic can be tempered in some way by a renewed commitment to strive for the values and ideals of our nation’s founding documents and the premise that ours is a land of freedom and opportunity and a welcoming home for all who seek them.”