Eid-ul-Adha and the 15th Remembrance of 9/11 – How Should Muslims Proceed?

Eid-ul-Adha and the 15th Remembrance of 9/11 – How Should Muslims Proceed? September 8, 2016

Image source: Flickr
Image source: Flickr

Many Muslims probably breathed a sigh of relief when the start of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah was declared to be on September 3 in the U.S. and many parts of the world. I know I did. This makes the holiday of Eid-ul-Adha fall on September 12, not on September 11 — 9/11. Eid-ul-Adha, which commemorates the story of the Prophet Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son at the command of God, also coincides with the conclusion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Many Muslims were worried how to celebrate the holiday, should it fall on 9/11, and how everything would play out. While this is not the case now, still, the second of Islamic annual holidays and the 15th remembrance of the tragedy of 9/11 are juxtaposed with each other, and the powerful Day of Arafat, considered to be the heart of the Hajj, is on 9/11.

Does this merit any changes to how Muslims should be commemorating our holiday? Should celebrations be subdued? Should we take this rare coupling of dates and engage in more interfaith work? Should we not worry and proceed as always?

I asked six of my Patheos Muslim bloggers to weigh in with their thoughts. Click “continue” to hear their suggestions.

Next: Hakeem Muhammad


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