Seattle Times staff reporter
June 15, 2023
Ayah Edris often thinks about the ease with which she can usher in Eid celebrations.
As a home-schooled student, Edris doesn’t have to worry about making up exams, or if she will be able to find a quiet place for prayer — a privilege many Muslim students in public schools don’t have, she said. Because it’s so difficult for public school students to celebrate, she is one of several thousand petitioners asking the Lake Washington School District to recognize two holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Eid, an Islamic holiday focused on communal celebration, prayer and reflection, is welcomed with two events: Eid al-Fitr, which comes after Ramadan and is celebrated over three days, and Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated about two months after Eid al-Fitr, when many Muslims perform the hajj pilgrimage — one of the five pillars of Islam.
