State Senator Gary LeBeau
June 1, 2007
LeBeau Welcomes First American Muslim to Open Senate Session With a Prayer
Inclusive invocation follows Tuesday’s Hindu prayer; Connecticut’s religious diversity celebrated
Sen. Gary D. LeBeau invited Dr. Saud Anwar of South Windsor, who is co-chairman of the American Muslim Peace Initiative, to deliver the the opening prayer in the Connecticut State Senate. (June 1, 2007)
At the urging of state Sen. Gary D. LeBeau (D-East Hartford), an American Muslim made history today as the first Muslim to lead the opening prayer in the Connecticut State Senate. The event comes three days after a Hindu priest on Tuesday became the first non-Christian or non-Jew to open the state Senate session with a prayer.
Dr. Saud Anwar of South Windsor, who is co-chairman of the American Muslim Peace Initiative, delivered the invocation around Noon today (his prayer is attached).
Sen. LeBeau welcomed Dr. Anwar, who read a prayer from the Quran and also read a prayer of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
"Once again I had an opportunity today to help reflect the diversity of our state by inviting Dr. Anwar to open the Senate session with a Muslim prayer. Like Tuesday's Hindu prayer, it's a sign of the inclusiveness and tolerance that Connecticut represents and embraces," Sen. LeBeau said. "Islam is one of the three Abrahamic faiths and a religion which is followed by a large number of Connecticut residents. It's another great example of the various and deep faiths that so many state residents enjoy."
Dr. Anwar is the founder and co-chairman of American Muslim Peace, a network of organizations and leaders of various organizations uniting their voices to articulate the challenges and opportunities for promoting peace in our neighborhoods, our nation and our world. Their work includes strengthening the intra-faith and interfaith understanding of Islam with other religions, and has included help and support to underprivileged communities in United States and peace missions to Middle East and South Asia.
"It is an honor for me to represent my faith today with our leaders in the state Senate and to share a brief prayer," Dr. Anwar said. "My presence here today confirms the true spirit of diversity in America, an integral American value that strengthens the strong bond American Muslims feel with our home America."
Dr. Anwar's PrayerWe Begin with the name of God, Most Gracious and the Most Merciful
O God, Lord of the Heavens, Lord of the earth, and lord of all things! Splitter of the grain of corn and date stone, Revealer of the Torah, the Bible and the Quran, O God, bestow upon us the wisdom, the love and the power to make right choices as you bestowed upon your beloveds Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed (May peace and blessings be upon them all)
O God, Adorn us with the ornament of faith and make us righteous guides and rightly guided. O God set aright our State, Our Country and our world, where we live and also set aright our hereafter where we shall all return.
Ameen
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