The new holidays would be Diwali, Vaisakhi, `Eid Al-Fitr, `Eid Al-Adha and Lunar New Year.

“These bills embrace the diverse fabric of our state by recognizing various religious and cultural holidays,” House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) said.

“Making these holidays official state holidays will let Michigan’s many communities know that they have a place in our great state and deserve to celebrate their joyous occasions like everyone else.”

Aiyash said official recognition of these holidays would also make it easier for workers and school districts to arrange time off.

“And this is a great first step to begin the conversations of giving folks the opportunity to then discuss with their workplaces, their schools about giving them time off to celebrate their holidays,”

House Bill 4447, sponsored by Aiyash, establishes `Eid Al-Adha and `Eid Al-Fitr as state holidays.

In 2021, Lewiston Maine added the Islamic holidays to the public schools calendar, allowing Muslim students to celebrate their holiday normally.

Also, the Baltimore County Board of Education approved unanimously in November, 2019, to close public schools for students on `Eid holidays when they land on a school day.

The bills are not yet available on the Michigan Legislature website. The legislation would not mandate days off, but school boards, public universities, community colleges and public employers could take those religious celebrations into account when setting academic calendars and in contract bargaining.

A growing number of American school districts have begun to recognize the Muslim holidays.

Source: Michigan Radio

“At least it doesn’t give an excuse for the Islam haters to falsely claim that Muslims were celebrating on 9/11,” said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on Islamic Relations. “That was the concern.” Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice the life of his son for God. The timing of the holiday depends on when the new moon is seen at the start of the Dhu al-Hijjah month, according to the Islamic calendar.

CAIR and other Muslim groups have repeatedly expressed concern about a surge in hate crimes against Muslims in the wake of attacks by extremists in San Bernardino, California, Orlando, Florida, and elsewhere. “The safety concerns are almost daily issues now,” Hooper said, noting the recent killing of a New York imam and the stabbing of a Muslim woman in the city on Wednesday night. The suspect in the imam slaying pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to murder charges.

Source: Reuters