In New York City, Islam is the fastest growing religion as immigrants from Muslim countries combine with growing numbers of African-American Muslims.
Out of a population of 8 million, New York now has at least 600,000 Muslims, and they represent about 10 percent of the city's public school students.
Once a religion has reached a critical mass in a community, it is important to recognize it as part of the religious diversity and a building block of the faith community. In New York, I believe Muslims have reached that point.
These two holidays - Id al-Fitr and Id al-Adha - represent a special time for Muslim families. One falls at the end of Ramadan, which is the Islamic fasting month, and the other signifies the end of the pilgrimage or Hajj. After praying at the Mosque, families gather with friends for special meals and treats. It is an occasion to build family bonds and to reaffirm our faith in God.
Are these not values that should be encouraged?
Not recognizing the holiday puts unnecessary pressure on Muslim students, especially in high school, who must risk academic punishment if they choose to celebrate these important days with their families.
Because they are based on a lunar calendar, these days fall at different times of the year. Id al-Fitr is often celebrated during the summer. It will fall in July and August for five years beginning in 2011. Id al-Adha also moves ahead by 10 or 11 days every year. While it will be observed on Nov. 27 this year - coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday - it will be celebrated in the summer for several years beginning in 2017.
The impact of these holidays on schools will be minimal. But recognizing them in New York City could have large, positive international ramifications.
New York City is not just the largest metropolis in the United States. It is one of the most important cities in the world. Recognizing these holidays would send a message to Muslim countries that the United States is not only one nation under God, as we say, but also that our religious diversity is our strength.
At the moment, New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, opposes adding these holidays. But if a Jewish mayor of New York could endorse these Muslim holidays, he will send his own message of reconciliation around the world.
As someone who has worked for years to achieve understanding between Jews, Christians and Muslims and to bring peace in the Middle East, I pray that this happens.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, an independent, non-partisan and multi-national project that seeks to use religion to improve Muslim-West relations. (www.cordobainitiative.org) He is the author of "What's Right with Islam is What's Right With America."
Haroon Moghul: This Ramadan, Myself and God, Before I Was Born
Second of all, its an all or nothing deal. If christians and jews get time off, so should all other followers of religions.
Thirdly, no one should get time off from their education for religious reasons.
I wonder how any learning even takes place with all the interruptions due to having to cow tow to religion.
NO. Absolutely not! The government should NOT be encouraging faith in gods.
Predictably, the extremists among us either want religion in everything official or out of everything official. The old all-or-nothing routine. As you point out, our religious diversity is one of our greatest features. Amazing that it remains so, given the received idea that religion isn't allowed in public!
Now i do believe there's far more Catholics than Muslims in NYC, and we don't protest all the secular and Jewish holidays on the school calendar...maybe because the majority of us realise that there IS a separation of church & state.
IF we want our kids to take off all the Catholic holidays, we send them to Catholic SCHOOL...think that's an idea worth considering?
If anything, we should mandate the children of religious parents spend more time in school, to make up the deficiencies in critical thought and education at home.
Given that it's well-documented students perform better with holidays split up during the year as opposed to all in one chunk during the summer, I think there's a very rational compromise here: shrink the summer vacation and place holidays for all major religions--Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc. I promise the students who aren't Muslim (or whatever) aren't going to care if they get the day off because it's a Muslim holiday, and for those who aren't affiliated with any of these religions (as I am not), it shouldn't make a whit of difference what days of the month you're excused from school for.
Now one could take umbrage to all the Jewish holidays on the school calendar...but you take into account that the majority of teachers have traditionally been Jewish then it becomes obvious why.
As a kid I loved all the holidays where you didn't have to go to church...and I'm sure most kids NOW feel the same way. We ought to stop using religion for political reasons!
I also fail to agree with your point about missing a day or two as "punished academically". If you inform your teacher ahead of time that you will be taking the time off, they can work with you and let you know.
No sir, this is a horrid idea.