Muslim Holy Day on Sept. 11? Coincidence Stirs Fears

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Samantha Schmidt
Shamsi Ali, the imam the Jamaica Muslim Center in Queens, said he planned to invite non-Muslims to attend his mosque’s services on Eid al-Adha to learn about the holiday and Islam. Credit George Etheredge/The New York Times
The likelihood of this year’s Eid al-Adha landing on Sept. 11 is still unclear. Every year, the holiday takes place 10 days after the sighting of a new moon at the start of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, according to the Islamic calendar. Exactly when the month begins depends on when a new moon is spotted, and the month is expected to start this year on Sept. 1 or 2. The possibility that the holiday could fall on Sept. 11 has prompted some mosques that frequently hold holy day services outdoors, such as Masjid Hamza in Valley Stream, N.Y., on Long Island, to move their prayer services inside to avoid congregating in a public place. [link]