Public school students in Detroit are asking the district to recognize Eid al-Fitr, the last day of the holy month Ramadan, as a holiday. Ramadan began February 17 this year and lasts until March 19. It’s a religious period of fasting and communal prayer observed by Muslims worldwide.
Fatima Begum, a junior at Cass Technical High School, said this year's Mid-Winter Break earlier in the month coincided with the start of Ramadan and allowed her to focus on her religious obligations without the pressure of school.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast during the day and eat one meal before dawn, called suhoor, and one after the sun has set, called iftar.
“We’re having such a wonderful time with our families, like the joy of eating iftar together or suhoor together, and praying and you know, doing all those religious things that we're supposed to be doing,” Begum said.
Nafisa Tazrin is a sophomore at Cass. “I really appreciate how I am able to help my family make food and get together, pray and kind of have a spiritual moment together,” she said.
Begum and Tazrim were guests on Michigan Public's Stateside.
Tazrin said the hardest part of going to school during Ramadan is maintaining daily prayers, which observant Muslims do five times a day. “We do have a midday prayer, which happens to be during school,” Tazrin said. “They do provide prayer rooms and some time for you to go pray. However, if you do go, you do miss a part of your class.”
Tazrin said it’s hard to choose between going to class or observing prayer times. “And especially during tests and quizzes, you have to choose your classes,” she said.
Begum said it can be difficult to manage both her schoolwork and her religious obligations. “Me and Nafisa, we are in a lot of extracurricular clubs,” she said. “For me, I'm not going to do a lot of that during Ramadan.”
The students are asking the district to be more lenient towards those who are putting their energy toward fasting during Ramadan. “I know it would be a little bit too much to ask to be completely lenient for a whole month, as they do have curriculum requirements they have to meet by certain standards,” Tazrin said. “So I would say maybe be more empathetic and understanding, and not to be harsh on them, because they are trying to manage their time and get their assignments done on time.”
They’re also asking for the district to give Muslim students the day off on Eid al-Fitr, which marks the conclusion of Ramadan. “It is like Christmas: Families gather, we eat, we celebrate, we give gifts, and it is a really joyous time,” Tazrin explained. “So I would say at least give us Eid off, so we could celebrate with our family.”
A spokesperson from the Detroit Public Schools Community District said students observing Ramadan are able to pick up a to-go breakfast and lunch to enjoy later at home to break their fast. The district said it honors and supports the students during fasting, and is wishing families a peaceful and meaningful Ramadan.
The students are working with an organization called MI Students Dream to host a community iftar on February 28. “You don't have to be Muslim or participate in fasting to attend, you can just experience our unity and how we celebrate Ramadan,” Tazrin said. “We'll be basically talking about the Eid campaign and the struggles of Muslim students to choose between their academic career and their school.” The event will also discuss the country’s current immigration issues.
