By Namish Siddiqui
Features Editor
Eid-ul-Adha is an Islamic holiday that takes place after the day of the religious pilgrimage Hajj. It is a scared holiday that Muslims hold dearly to their heart. The story behind it is that God wanted Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son in the name of God after he did Hajj.
Abraham did not deny as he did not want to disobey God. He told his son and his son said that he was ready to be sacrificed in the name of God. As he was placing a knife on his son’s throat, God switched Abraham’s son with a goat.
To celebrate the sacrifice of Abraham, Muslims slaughter goats, chickens, and cows among other animals and distribute it. One thirds is to the families, the other one third is for friends and relatives and the last piece is for the homeless and needy.
During the day of Eid, Muslims wake up, get dressed, go to a mosque, read a special Eid prayer, have family breakfast and have parties with friends and family. But American Muslims cannot do that if they have school. They miss the festivities that Muslims do; they cannot make memories that will last a lifetime.
Of course the obvious thing to do is just not go to school, but then they miss work and they are not getting the education that they have the privilege to get.
If students do get a day off then all non-Muslim students get a day off. But it is fair that we get a day off because we do not have school on Christmas, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur and a lot of national holidays. “Everyone gets off for their holidays, so it is fair that we shouldn’t have school for our Muslim holiday.” Says 10th grade Anusha Khan.
Imagine if people had to wake up on Christmas and be forced to go to school or if someone wakes up on Yom Kippur and have to go to school. Kids miss the present opening in the morning and other traditions that families may have. That is how Muslims feel. People miss the traditions, and the morning prayers because of school.
