A board decision on February 28th, 2024, has decided that Eid al-Adha will eventually be considered a day off for all Muslims by the Calendar Committee of FCPS, as discussion of the 2025-2026 calendar was made. That day is March 20, 2026. 

In the recording of it, around the 1 hour and 2 minute mark, Board of Education member David Bass communicated that many parents and students have commented on the importance of having Eid-al adha as a day off and the fact that it will reflect the increasing diversity of Frederick County.

The holiday Eid al-Adha, also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” will be celebrated on June 16, 2004, by many Muslims around the world. This holiday commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham, as well as marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. This holiday is often celebrated with prayers, feasts and time with loved ones as a time of reflection, but the exact date of Eid al-Adha varies each year due to the Islamic calendar. 

To the students of the Muslim Students Association club, Eid- al-adha is an important time that celebrates when Abraham was tested to see if he loved his son more than Allah. By being willing to please Allah, his son was allowed to live. In place of his son a goat was sacrificed.

“It’s not enough to be kind, you need to be inclusive to everyone, even people that you don’t know.  Allah tells us to be kind to all of our neighbors and it’s also just the fact that we don’t want anyone to feel left out,” freshman Amina Musleh shared.  This statement resonated with many club members, illustrating how important it is to be inclusive of other religions. 

A lot of work has been done to get Eid al-Adha to be approved as a day off for Muslims in FCPS. “We made a petition and went all around the school for more signatures, proceeding to take it to the board of education meeting to plead our case, there are a lot of people who want it passed,” Shazneen Shaik, sophomore, also commented. 

Shaik and her sister presented at the meeting, helping with the approval process as well as getting 200+ signatures, including that of Democratic congressman and Senate candidate David Trone.

The club members were all very excited about finally having Eid as a day off. “We are excited about our accomplishments, even though we won’t have Eid this year, other generations of Muslims will have it and they won’t be let down,” sophomore Javeria Miran stated.

This shows a lot of progress within the FCPS district and they couldn’t be more hopeful for the future.