On
September 1, 2001 the U.S. Postal Service began sales of the first
postage stamp honoring the country's Muslims. The
design for the Eid stamp was unveiled last summer, long before the
September attacks in New York and Washington that have been blamed
on Muslim extremists. There are nearly 7 million Muslims living in the
United States, and this stamp was issued to commemorate the two main Islamic
holidays.
Eid
is a generic Arabic term that means "holiday" or
"festival." Islam recognizes two holidays, specifically known as
Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Fast-Breaking) and Eid al-Adha (Festival
of Sacrifice). The Arabic script on the stamp says Eid
Mubarak, or "Blessed Festival." The greeting can apply to
either of the two celebrations.
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The artwork for the 34-cent,
domestic-rate stamp was done by renowned Muslim American calligrapher Mohamed
Zakariya of Arlington, Virginia. The
stamp is released as the world's 1.2 billion Muslims begin to make preparations
for Ramadan, a month spent in fasting and devotion, which this year will fall
between mid-November and mid-December. The first Islamic holiday (Eid
al-Fitr) will come at the conclusion of Ramadan, on or around December 16,
2001. The
next Islamic holiday (Eid al-Adha) will occur following the annual pilgrimage to Mecca,
Saudi Arabia. This year, the pilgrimage is expected to fall in
mid-February, and the
Eid on or around February 23, 2001.
These self-adhesive Eid
stamps can be purchased a number of ways:
- Inquire at your local post office (if they are not in
stock, ask them to place an order)
- Purchase online from the
U.S. Postal Service
- Call 1-800-STAMP-24,
24-hours a day, 7 days a week
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