Prior to his swearing in, then President-elect Barack Obama made it clear that he considered a more harmonious relationship between the United States and the Muslim world to be vital for U.S. national interest. In that cause, he outlined certain steps he would take to reach out to the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims and has subsequently followed through.

The President used his middle name Hussein in his swearing-in to signal his pride in his Islamic heritage, he gave his first interview as president to the Arabic-language al-Arabiyaa, he made good on his pledge to visit a Muslim-majority country - Turkey - in the first 100 days, and gave a historic address to the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt.

President Obama has clearly done a lot, but the president understands - as he admitted in his al-Arabiyaa interview - that he will ultimately be judged by his deeds and not words. And the president has followed through here as well. The issue most dear to Arabs is the Palestinian cause. For years, the United States has been burdened by Israel. The United States has been suffering in standing with 1.5 billion Muslims for its unconditional support for Israel and the Jewish state’s expansionist policies.

President Obama has reversed coarse and adopted a somewhat more even-handed approach. Making illegal Israeli settlements the key obstacle to peace, the president has applied months of pressure on Israel’s far-right, intransigent government to accept a settlement freeze (which the Israeli government has finally seemed to do). This has won the United States much needed credibility among Arabs. But the hardest work remains ahead. In September, the Obama administration will present its final peace plan for Palestinians and Israel. This will be the real test as to whether Obama is strongly committed and willingly to spend political capital in reaching out to Arabs and Muslims. The plan is expected to outline the borders of a new Palestinian state.

In the meantime, the president continues to engage in the art of public diplomacy with his Ramadan message to the world’s message.

Ramadan is a month-long holiday commemarating the revelation of the Qur’an - the word of God - during which pious Muslims fast - abstain from drink, food, smoking and sex - from dawn to sunset: