Jehron Muhammad: Philly should recognize Muslim holidays
Islam, according to the Pew Research Center, is the world's fastest growing religion and its adherents represent more than one-quart of the world's global population.
The popular Imam Siraj Wahaj of New York's Al-Taqwa Masjid spoke in Philadelphia during a recent rally as part of a campaign in Philadelphia to get the City of Brotherly Love to recognize the Muslim holidays of Eid-Al-Fitr and Eid-Al-Adha.
He asked why Philadelphia, with 20 percent of its school rolls occupied by Muslim students, doesn't officially recognize the holidays when New York, with only 10 percent of its student rolls as Muslim, does. New York also does so while officially recognizing both Christian and Jewish holidays.
Why are the two holidays so important to Muslims?
Both Eid Al-Fitr (feast of Ramadan) and Eid Al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) are celebrated annually. The first Eid is celebrated after fasting during the Month of Ramadan, the second Eid celebrates the remembrance of Abraham who in deference to God's command, tried to sacrifice his son Ishmael. At the last minute God stopped Abraham, and provided him with a ram to sacrifice instead. In addition, the festival also marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Each year millions of the faithful make the mandatory journey to the holy city.
Longtime Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah, attending the same rally, noted the U.S. Constitution says "we can't pick and choose," when it comes to religion and celebrating holidays. In fact in 1878 upholding "constitutional protection… for religious beliefs" the Supreme Court ruled, "Congress cannot pass a law for the government of the Territory which shall prohibit the free exercise of religion."
Fatah also shared that Muslim Congressman Andre Carson (D-Ind.) had expressed his concern in this "toxic environment" for Philadelphia's estimated 200,000 Muslims. Carson, according to published reports, blames, in part GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump for much of the "incendiary" atmosphere that has caused incidents of "hate crimes against Muslims to skyrocket." Carson also blames a recent "death threat" he received in his office from statements made by Trump that include blocking all Muslims from entering the country.
Imam Siraj, possibly reflecting on the insurmountable odds and abuse Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers had to overcome to establish Islam in Arabia, exhorted the crowded sanctuary at Philadelphia Masjid, in words, to not to be deterred, and that every knock is a boost.
"In Astoria Queens (New York) a Muslim was beaten up by a man who said he wanted to kill all Muslims. Everywhere you go Muslims are threatened. But we're not afraid. Because one thing that we learned about Islam if you leave us alone we will grow. If you attack us we will grow faster. We can't lose," he proclaimed.
Echoing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Imam Siraj asked the Muslims whether they were "thermometers or thermostats?"
"If it is 60 degrees the thermometer will tell you that. If it is zero degrees, the thermometer tells you that because the thermometer only registers whatever the (current) temperature," he said.
"Ah, but a thermostat. If it is 60 degrees and you don't like it, turn it up. If it is zero degrees and you don't like it you bring up the heat or you bring it down. You control it because you are a thermostat," he explained. "You don't just complain. You change the condition. Men and women by the help of Allah change the conditions," the Imam said. "We have to now take over and be what we're destined to be."
Councilman Curtis Jones, who is spearheading the Eid holidays in City Council, said he was recently pulled over in council by a colleague. He was told the Eid holiday was a good idea, but the timing wasn't right. "I said, this is the perfect time. This is when Allah decrees that he is the best of planners, that he knows when we should have this dialogue. Because, if you are silent they'll believe what they read in the newspaper and see on TV," said Jones, who is a Muslim.
"This is the perfect time to have a dialogue to put the record straight. Right here, right now," he said to thunderous applause.
The Philadelphia Eid Coalition chair Michael Rashid, putting an exclamation point in the rally, said "It makes no sense" that Philadelphia's 200,000 Muslim taxpayers, whose children represent 20 percent of the public school population, have to be absent from their educational advancement, if they want to celebrate Eid with their family and friends. "Marginalizing Muslim children is not a good fit for Philadelphia, and not a good thing for America," he said.
The bill introducing the two Eid celebrations as as official Philadelphia-recognized holidays will be submitted on January 14th by city Councilman Curtis Jones.