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A California Democratic lawmaker introduced legislation last week that would recognize two Muslim holidays as official state holidays.
AB 2017 would designate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as state holidays, a move that Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) said would guarantee Muslims in California are “seen, valued and treated with the same dignity as every other community in our state,” according to FOX 11.
The lawmaker said the California Muslim community is one largest in the country, yet they do not have major holidays recognized by the state in the way other religions do — like Christmas or Easter.
“No student should have to choose between celebrating one of the holiest days of their faith and showing up to school, and no worker should feel they have to sacrifice their religious observance,” Haney said in a news release, according to the outlet.
Eid al-Adha is one of the most important holidays in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan — the month in which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset.
Leaders in the Muslim community applauded the bill, which would allow excused absences for students observing the holidays.
“This is a historic moment for California’s over one million Muslims. The climate of heightened fear and anti-Muslim hostility in our country remains a daily reality,” CAIR-CA Legislative & Government Affairs Director Oussama Mokeddem, said in a statement.
“In this environment, publicly celebrating these holidays is a powerful way for California to show Muslim constituents that their joy, traditions, and presence in our state are deeply valued and protected.”
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, co-sponsored the bill.
The Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs in California also sponsored the bill, calling it a “step toward ensuring that California’s policies reflect the diversity of the communities that call this state home.”
The bill will be heard in the Assembly Governmental Organization and Assembly Public Employment committees over the next few weeks, the outlet reported.
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