{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carson-becomes-first-muslim-member-congress-speak-national-prayer", "Congressman Carson Becomes First Muslim Member of Congress to Speak at National Prayer Breakfast", "2025-02-06", "2025", "2025-02", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Andr\u00e9 Carson", "C001072", "carson.house.gov", "carson", "https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014Today, Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-IN-07) became the first Muslim Member of Congress to deliver a prayer at the National Prayer Breakfast.\n\n\u201cAmidst rising Islamophobia, antisemitism, and other-ism, I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to inspire our nation to lead with compassion and tolerance,\u201d said Congressman Carson. \u201cMuslims have always been active contributors to our democracy since before our nation\u2019s founding, and we will continue to be. In these challenging times of fierce division, we combat hate by ensuring Americans see and learn from a variety of different faiths and cultures. Visibility and respect matters. I am grateful for Senators Roger Marshall and Maggie Hassan for reaching across the aisle to invite me to speak at this annual gathering.\u201d\n\nVideo of Congressman Carson\u2019s prayer can be found here. The full text of his prayer is below:\n\nBismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.\n\nGood morning my brothers and sisters: Yes, we all are brothers and sisters, despite differences in race, gender, language, politics, or religion itself. Where others see only differences, today let\u2019s rely on what unites us- the almighty God. I invite you all to bow your heads and join me in a short prayer:\n\nO God, today we stand together \u2013 diverse in our beliefs, yet bound by the sacred call to serve with compassion, justice, and humility.\n\nYou remind us in the Holy Qur\u2019an in Surah Al-Hujurat:\n\n\u201cO mankind, We have created you from male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.\u201d\n\nO God, help us to embody this sacred truth\u2014to see beyond our differences and recognize the worth you have bestowed upon every human being. Instill in us the qualities of mercy, justice, and humility. Make us servants of peace and advocates for the oppressed.\n\nInspire leaders - our president, our Congress, our Supreme Court, and all our elected officials -- nationally and locally \u2013 to act with sincerity and wisdom, to lead with hearts anchored in compassion, and to remember that power lies not in authority but in service to humanity.\n\nAmeen.\n\nAs elected officials, we have been given a sacred duty to lead. I pray that we are always guided by mercy, justice, humility, and what unites us: we are all God\u2019s creation.\n\nGod bless you all, God bless the people of the book, and God bless the United States of America.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T23:42:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carson-becomes-first-muslim-member-congress-speak-national-prayer"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7406000513583422, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}