Holiday causes problems for some students

By Bethany McCormack
Staff Reporter

Monday marked the beginning of an important religious holiday for Muslims, but because it is not an official university excused absence, some Muslim students had to choose between class or celebration.

“This day is not an excused day away from classes, but I took the day off for prayer because my religion comes first,” said Awais Mazhar, a senior computer science major. “It’s important to me even if it is not officially recognized by the university.”

While Monday was a regular school day for many students at TCU, for Muslim students it was the start of Eid-Ul-Adha, one of two major holidays in the Muslim religion.

Yushau Sodiq, an associate professor of religion, said the holiday, which lasts three days, occurs at the end of the Islamic calendar after the hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Sodiq said Eid celebrates Abraham’s submission to God when he was called to sacrifice his son Ishmael. He said Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day, because God provided an animal to be sacrificed in place of Ishmael.

Fahad Khan, a senior neuroscience major, said he is unhappy that he has to attend classes during the holiday. He said that when he was in high school, Eid-Ul-Adha counted as an excused absence, and he thought it would be the same in college.

“The first year I was here, I went to the office of Campus Life, and they said religious holidays are not a reason to get an official excused absence,” Khan said.

Sodiq said that during the holiday, friends visit in each other’s homes, children receive gifts and families spend time together.
“In other countries, (Eid-Ul-Adha) is a public holiday,” Sodiq said. “(Students) here call their parents or their parents call them. Many people abroad go back home to see their families.”

Beenish Rupani, a senior marketing major, said she thinks Eid-Ul-Adha should become a national holiday in the United States because it would increase the general public’s awareness of the holiday.

“If I told my friends that I have a special holiday tomorrow, they wouldn’t understand because they don’t know about it,” Rupani said.

Muhammad Nageeb Ul-Islam, a freshman computer science major, said he is from Bangladesh, where Eid-Ul-Adha is a national holiday. He said this year, the holiday will be like a normal school day for him, and he will celebrate with friends instead of with his family.

“It’s like being away from your parents on Christmas,” he said. “But you can’t help it because of circumstances being what they are.”

Since he cannot be with his family for the holiday, Ul-Islam said he plans to celebrate by meeting with friends around campus and attending a party hosted by the Muslim Student Association.

Khan said last year, the holiday fell during Spring Break, so students did not have to miss classes.

He said one of the most valuable aspects of the holiday is being able to spend time with friends and family and reminisce. Khan said he has a greater appreciation of Eid-Ul-Adha now that he is older and better understands its meaning. He said when he was younger, the holiday was simply a time to have fun, but now it represents becoming closer to God and having a stronger faith.

Bethany McCormack
b.s.mccormack@student.tcu.edu