CALIFORNIA: Muslims living in California have received major news as the state has officially recognised Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as state holidays.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 2017, formally approving legislation that adds both Islamic festivals to the state’s official holiday calendar.
The legislation has been welcomed by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent organisation advocating for the rights of American Muslims.
The bill seeking official recognition of the two Eid holidays was introduced in the California Assembly earlier this year by Assemblymember Matt Haney.
At the time, Haney said California is home to one of the largest and most diverse Muslim communities in the United States and that the religious traditions and observances of Muslims living in the state deserve recognition and respect.
With the governor’s approval of AB 2017, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will now be formally included among California’s state holidays.
