For Ramadan, best dates in Egypt named after Obama

CAIRO - For the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Egyptian fruit sellers have named their best dates of the year after President Obama in a tribute to the American leader for his outreach to the Muslim world.

Dates are a traditional food for Ramadan - which begins today in most of the Islamic world - since the Prophet Mohammed is said to have used them to break the month’s sunrise-to-sunset fast each evening.

In Washington, Obama continued his outreach to Muslims.

The praying, fasting, and other centuries-old rituals “remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings,’’ he said.

Obama said he has received quite a bit of feedback from a June speech in Cairo saying he wants to improve American ties with Muslims around the world.

“We have listened. We have heard you,’’ the president said. “And like you, we are focused on pursuing concrete actions that will make a difference over time - both in terms of the political and security issues that I have discussed, and in the areas that you have told us will make the most difference in peoples’ lives.’’