Letter To The Editor: Muslim Students Deserve To Celebrate Eid-Al-Fitr

Submitted by Ali Mohammadi, Student

To the Editor:

Many Muslims are students and employees here at Hudson Valley Community College. According to a recent article in the Albany Times Union, there are as many as 10,000 Muslims in the Capital Region, and many college-age students attend HVCC. As a business administration student at HVCC and a Muslim, I believe I deserve to have a day off from college to enjoy Eid-Al-Fitr with my family and friends.

This is my second semester being a student at Hudson Valley Community College and I did not know we don’t get a day off for Eid. When I inquired about this, my friends and classmates stated that we don’t get Eid day off. As Eid-Al-Fitr is the first day after the month of Ramadan, and one of the holiest days of the Muslim calendar, not being able to celebrate this holiday is very unpleasant.  Albany Public Schools and other public schools in the area close for Eid.

That being the case, I strongly urge President Roger A. Ramsammy and other college officials to consider making Eid day an official holiday, so Muslim students can spend time with their family and friends. This year, Eid will occur on April 21st. I can understand, it is not easy to put a new holiday on the school calendar in a short period of time and it is a time-consuming process. Therefore, I suggest that until it is officially on the school calendar, we could take one of the snow days for Eid. 

Ali Mohammadi