Millions of Muslims across the world are gearing up to celebrate their second most important festival -- Eid Al-Adha; however, several Muslims in the U.S. fear a potential backlash as this year the Feast of Sacrifice could fall on Sept. 11.
The date of Eid Al-Adha festival has not been decided yet. Muslim leaders will announce the date based on the new moon. If the new moon is seen on Thursday evening, i.e., on Sept. 1, then the first day of Eid Al-Adha will fall on Sept. 11. If there is no new moon on Thursday, then the festival will be celebrated on Sept. 12.
The possibility of Eid Al-Adha, which is also called as Bakr Eid, falling on Sept. 11 has raised concerns among the Muslims community that people might make something out of that.
Habeeb Ahmed, president of the Islamic Center of Long Island, told the New York Times that people might misunderstand the festival as it might fall on the 15th anniversary of the terror attack, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people.
The possibility of Eid Al-Adha falling on the 15th anniversary of the Twin Towers attacks has also escalated security concerns throughout the Muslim community in New York. Securities at many mosques in the city have also been beefed up for the holy day, the New York Times reported.
"Our community is like, 'What are we supposed to do?'" Linda Sarsour, the executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, said. She said she had meetings with other leaders discussing the "awkward coincidence," and how to prepare for it.
"I should not have to think about that," Sarsour said. "What am I supposed to tell my kids?"
"It's on the minds of every Muslim leader in the country right now," Robert McCaw, the director of government affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said. "We grieved like everyone else. We remember this day not because we're Muslim, but because we're American," he added, referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
