Eid and Christmas

this is in no way racist, I’m definitely not that kind of person

but how come, when muslims celebrate eid and get time off from school, like 3 days, and people who don’t have to stay at school then when it comes to christmas, the people who do celebrate xmas, get time off, as well as the people who celebreate eid?? it works both ways and its kinda annoying. :S

I don’t know, though… whats your opinion? sorry if I offended anyone by this

Answer #1

Get your facts straight. For one, comparing Eid ul-Fitr with Christmas is like comparing Valentine’s Day with Lent. They are two different celebrations, for two different purposes.

Eid is NOT a one-day celebration, it is a THREE-day celebration, always has, and always will. Christmas has always been celebrated for one day.

Eid is a holiday to celebrate the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal, after the month of Ramadhan, which is a period of fasting and prayers. A Christian equivalent of it would be more like Easter, which is a public holiday in most countries, so quit complaining about “double standards”. Christmas is a symbolic date to celebrate the birth of Christ, and the last I checked, you don’t have a birthday celebration for three days.

Also, in some countries, Eid is not even a public holiday. It depends on the majority of the population. As Eid ul-Fitr is not a recognised public holiday in the United Kingdom, Muslims are obliged to attend the morning prayer. In a large ethnically Muslim area, normally schools and local businesses give exemptions to the Muslim community to take three days off. In the rest of the UK it is not recognised as it is not on a fixed date as it is decided by the sighting of the moon on the night before. However, obviously it is a national religious holiday in Turkey, where schools and government offices are closed, and lasts for three days and a half.

You an read more about how it is celebrated in other countries here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Fitr

Answer #2

Um,maybe because school is shut for EVERY student-seen as one unit rather than ‘christian muslim christian muslim…blah blah blah.

Answer #3

Can you think of a ‘Christians-ONLY’ holiday? Meaning, a holiday that Christianity DIDN’T try to take over from an earlier religion?

Answer #4

If your school is making a special exemption just for Muslims, then they are in direct violation of the Constitution. A lawsuit will fix that.

However, if it’s just a matter of the Muslims not showing up (rather than an official school policy), then there’s no legal issue.

Answer #5

First, I’m not Muslim, but In every Muslim majority country I’ve been in, Eid al Fitri is celebrated for 3 days. Don’t know about England or other countries where it is a minority religion.

Answer #6

Ty, sorry, here’s a clearer version of it. Traditionally, it is celebrated for 3 days. In modern times, it’s really up to them to celebrate it for a day or for the full three days.

Answer #7

maybe there are more people who celebrate Christmas including school staff???

Answer #8

No I get what your saying. At my school we get one “Holiday” break it covers Christmas, Haunaka and Kwanza. And we all get time off. But I get what your saying. I’m not to sure…thats a realyl good question.

Answer #9

as Muslims, we HAVE to go to Eid prayer and celebrate it. It is not our fault if we also get xmas off. my dads muslim and my moms catholic so I get both perspectives. the fact is that school adhere to Christianity more than Islam or Judaism.

Answer #10

toadaly… she’s in the UK… whose constitution are you talking about?

and mysterywolf, it’s not a fact that it is 3 days worldwide… a lot of countries (and most of the people I know) only have it for one day…

Answer #11

I get you but I mean it depends on the religion of the country because I mean in england its a christian country so everyone gets time off for christian holidays. just like if you went to a muslim country like pakistan you would get time off for eid and all muslim holidays. I ope it makes sense.x..

Answer #12

Is it really that bad to stay at school? And plus if some one is getting holiday for christmas does it not mean that person gets in the mood of the season? I know you must be feeling irritated as for you are not getting holiday for eid and some other person is. But then it depends on the country and the institute for that matter. It also depends on the majority of the people going to that institute. Obviously a muslim person cannot come to school(in this case) when there is no one else out there. And also the institute cannot give holiday to each and every festival or spiritual occasion celebrated in the world. It simply depends on the majority of the population over there.

I hope I came close in making you understand!

Take care. –God bless!

Answer #13

a. eid is 1 day twice a year… so no idea where you pulled that figure out off… b. If you live in a christian majority country, who precisely would be at school to teach everyone? (most of the teachers are christian), or who would be at work? how exactly do you run anything with a minority of people showing up to work? c. easter is only taken off by the christians (at least at my school), so they do get easter off… d I dont know about your school, but mine doesnt have christmas holidays, it has winter break… which everyone gets off because it is not connected to any religious meaning… e. in some countries where there are equal amounts of people (or atleast not an overwhelming majority of one type of religion), everyone gets those days off… so eid is a national holiday, as is christmas and easter…

Answer #14

I agree with ally, blinking heck your school sounds exactly like mine ! Even though Eid is only one day, Muslims are allowed 3 days off school, yet we still have to work even though there are about 3 pupils in the classroom. I dont think its fair, and I know they are going to get our holidays off, because most of the teachers are english, and celebrate christmas, so why arent we allowed the 3 days off which they are all entitled to?

Answer #15

Good job mystrywolf.

Accept the “holiday’s” or celebrations of the other religions as well as your own. Is it ‘fair’ that Muslims take of Eid al Fitri and Christmas? No. However, I live in Jakarta, Indonesia where the Muslims celebrate Eid al Fitri and we still take off for our religious holiday Christmas. Fair? No.

But we respect each other’s holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving. I’ll celebrate, but don’t get it off!!

Ed

Answer #16

The atheists take Christmas off too…

Answer #17

Well are your teachers mostly muslim?

Answer #18

Simple: Double-Standard.

Answer #19

O.O what constitution?

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