Multiple posts emerged on Facebook and Twitter recently,
claiming an American Muslim woman named Dr Debbie Almontaser ‘made history’ by
reciting the Koran during the inauguration ceremony of the current US President
Joe Biden, according to AFP Fact Check.

The claim was shared on social media platforms alongside two
separate images of Dr Almontaser and Joe Biden at his inauguration.

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Reportedly, Almontaser attended a virtual inauguration
prayer service on January 21, rather than Biden’s swearing-in on January 20.

The post came up on Facebook on January 27, 2021, has been shared more than 900 times, with the caption, ‘Alhumdulilah!
(Praise to Allah) She is the first Muslim woman to read the Holy Qur’an in the
Presidential Inauguration in United States. She made History!’.

It was also shared on Twitter.

As per AFP Fact Check, the claim misrepresents the events as
they occurred.

The woman, significantly, was not named in the said posts.
By way of a reverse image search and keyword searches, however, her identity
was stated by AFP as being established as Dr Almontaser, the board President of
Muslim Community Network, as well as a senior advisor of Emgage action – an American
civic organisation for Muslims.

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She recited Koranic verses at a prayer service hosted by
Washington National Cathedral on January 21, 2020, a day after Biden’s swearing-in
on January 20.

The video can be watched from the Biden Inauguration Committee’s
YouTube channel as well as Emgage Action’s Twitter handle.