On Sept. 27, California Governor Gavin Newsom recognized Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha as state holidays. With this bill being signed into law, community colleges and public schools may close the school for the Muslim holidays.
AB 2017 was not the only bill Newsom signed regarding religious holidays. Newsom signed two more bills into law. One makes it easier for students in grades K-12 to take time off school for religious holidays. The other requires public schools and community colleges to make an effort to tailor their academic calendars so that significant school dates don’t fall on state-recognized holidays.
The bill designates Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha as state holidays, not judicial holidays, meaning the courts won’t close like they do on Thanksgiving or Memorial Day. However, in accordance with existing state law, state employees may “receive the holiday credit” for the Islamic holidays according to CalMatters.
“It’s about time. Thank God,” said Zoha Chaudhry, an LPC student and event coordinator for LPC’s Muslim Student Association.
Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the most holy month of the Islamic calendar. Muslim communities gather for a special Eid prayer before celebrating. Muslim families will spend the day together, with kids receiving gifts or money from their parents.
Eid Al-Adha marks the end of Hajj, a religious pilgrimage to the Kaa’ba in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It occurs once a year, and every Muslim is required to complete it at some point in their lives, so long as they are able.
During Hajj, Muslims complete various rituals, such as walking around the holy Kaa’ba and throwing stones at a stone pillar. Once completed, it is said that all of their sins are wiped clean.
Many Muslims wait and save money for years in order to complete Hajj, as it requires a permit from the Saudi government to travel to Mecca.
Hajj is a notoriously strenuous ordeal, but is one of the most significant duties a Muslim can fulfill. Hajj and Eid Al-Adha take place after Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, and are equally significant.
California is the second state to designate both Eids as state holidays. Washington established both Eids as holidays in April 2025. New York City made them school holidays in 2015, and the state of New York recognized them as school holidays in January 2025.
Due to their religious significance, many Muslims are forced to choose between celebrating Eid and skipping school or work. Muslim students may have to reschedule exams in order to celebrate the holidays.
Chaudhry skips school every year in order to celebrate Eid.
“I’ve had like ‘oh there’s an exam the same week Eid is’, which is stressful,” Chaudhry said. “I always do my work a week in advance.”
Now that Eid is a state holiday, the Chabot Las Positas Community College District has the opportunity to make the two Eids official holidays for its Muslim students. The question is now whether the district will give Muslim students days off for Eid.
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TOP PHOTO: A crowd gathers in front of Jama Masjid, a mosque located in Delhi, India. On Eid Al-Fitr, Muslims gather at mosques to do a special prayer before dispersing to celebrate with family. (Photo by Arya Suraj)
Nuha Maflahi is the Campus Life Editor for The Express. Follow her on X @NuhaMaflahiLPC.
