President Barack Obama captured the attention of the Muslim world Thursday with an address that encouraged candid conversation — something local Islamic leaders enthusiastically engaged in.

“It was the most comprehensive speech ever by a president to connect with the Islamic world,” said Zead Ramadan, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “It was a real treat to have President Obama make clear to people around the world the value of Islam. At its core, it’s obviously a religion of peace.”

Ramadan and other members of the city’s Muslim community, who gathered at the Interfaith Center in Morningside Heights to discuss the speech, agreed that it hit all the right themes.

“The president pointed out that there are a number of people out there who carry out acts of violence and they don’t speak for the majority of Muslims,” said Asim Rehman, of the Muslim Bar Association of New York. “Many Muslims would say that they are not even Muslims.”

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http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/06/by_emily_ngo_president_barack.html