LETTER: Muslims should honor 9/11 victims by delaying Eid Al Adha celebrations

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In a letter to the editor, Jersey City Ward A Committeeman Nabil Youssef says that Muslim Americans should honor 9/11 victims by delaying their Eid Al Adha celebrations this year.

Photo courtesy of Nabil Youssef.
Photo courtesy of Nabil Youssef.

Dear Editor:

On September 11, 2016 Muslims around the world will be celebrating one of their most important holidays, Eid al-Adha – the feast of sacrifice.

But, here in our homeland, the holiday will fall on the 15th anniversary of a terrorist attack in our nation. A Presidential Candidate in the 2016 election has claimed he saw “thousands and thousands of people cheering as that building was coming down.”

This rhetoric was false and can’t be proven to this day, if we were to celebrate our Eid Holiday on September 11, 2016, we might be mistaken for celebrating our nation’s tragedy.

As a Muslim American, I can’t see myself or my family celebrating our religious holiday while the nation mourns for our fallen brothers and sisters who died during that evil attack in our beloved nation.

Muslim Americans resemble a thread of the American fabric, in comparison to other groups and or races; we aren’t less patriotic.

I’m asking Muslim leaders in Hudson County and Jersey City to postpone our celebration, outdoor prayers and festivity until Monday, September 12, 2016.

Our Muslim community in Jersey City has made history by receiving approval from the Jersey City Public Schools to close during our Eid Holiday for the very first time.

Let us honor the victims of September 11th and show support and respect to their families.

Let’s set an example from the best city in America, it’s a feast of sacrifice so let’s live up to its meaning. May God Bless you all and God Bless America – the greatest country on earth.

Nabil Youssef
Jersey City Ward A Committeeman


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2 COMMENTS

  1. This guy is nuts! He’s pandering to the racists and fear mongerers that will attack the celebration as insensitive. This is where cultural awareness comes in. This isn’t arbitrary day with sales on mattresses and televisions! It’s not a day of people getting drunk and partying! It’s not a day rinsed clean historically to hide sins of a genocide! The day is dearly important to Muslims and their faith in God. People need to stop with the nonsense. Google it if you’re too closed minded to care to understand. Shame on you sir!

  2. I completely agree with WNYCitizen. Well said.

    The suggestion is bad enough but for the writer to cite the false, delusional rantings of a bigoted demagogue – who is, sadly, a candidate for President of the US – as even an indirect reason for postponing the religious observance is not only ridiculous, it is also offensive, even if not intended as such.

    Most of us who are non-Muslim Americans have our heads screwed on straight and do not blame an entire religion for the actions of a few crazed fanatics, nor do we believe the unsubstantiated claims of a known liar. We will not mistake a religious observance for a celebration of 9/11.

    Committeeman Youssef may have meant well, but he is way off base on this.

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