WASHINGTON, Oct 18: US President George W Bush has urged ‘all responsible Islamic leaders’ to denounce terrorism and stop terrorists from exploiting their faith. Addressing the 5th Iftar-dinner at the White House on Monday, Mr Bush said the Muslim community had displayed great compassion during recent natural disasters and its leaders must bring forth this aspect of their faith before the people of the world.

“I believe the time has come for all responsible Islamic leaders to denounce an ideology that exploits Islam for political ends and defiles your noble faith,” Mr Bush said.

“The American people saw that spirit (of compassion) as we recovered from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The world sees that spirit, that compassion of Islam through the countless acts of kindness following the recent earthquake in South Asia,” he said.

Mr Bush has been hosting an Iftar dinner annually for five years in the State Dining Room. Ambassadors from Islamic nations, administration officials and Muslim leaders in the Unites States attend the event.

The group interrupted Mr Bush’s brief remarks once to applaud warmly, when he said a copy of the Holy Quran has been added to the White House library for the first time in history.

Mr Bush said those in the room shared a conviction that the United States must be free of religious discrimination and that the world must be safer and more peaceful. He said he was grateful to Muslim nations that had helped in the war on terrorism.

“We must be very clear about the enemies we face: The killers who take the lives of innocent men, women and children, are followers of a violent ideology, very different from the religion of Islam,” he said.

Describing Ramazan as a time of ‘heartfelt prayer and togetherness’ for more than a billion Muslims, Mr Bush said Americans of many backgrounds were now seeking to learn more about the rich traditions of Islam. “America was fortunate to count such good-hearted men and women among its citizens. We have great respect for the commitment that all Muslims make to faith, family, and education.”

Emphasizing the need for a greater understanding between the Islamic and Western cultures, Mr Bush encouraged American families to visit Muslim families and to host exchange students from the Muslim world. “I have asked young Americans to study the language and customs of the broader Middle East,” he said.

Mr Bush said that the Americans and the Muslims both wanted their children and grandchildren to grow up in a safer and more peaceful world. “(But) delivering on that promise to future generations requires action from our generation. … We must also firmly oppose all who commit evil in God’s name.”