A sample parent letter to a teacher for the Eid-ul-Adha break

Monday November 1, 2010

Re: Hafsa Nafees and religious holiday on November 17

Dear Ms. Jones:

I am the mother of Hafsa Nafees, who is in your fourth grade class. Hafsa has been enjoying school and learning under your supervision. We hope she continues to do so throughout the rest of the school year. I would like to bring to your attention the issue of Eid ul-Adha, a Muslim religious holiday, which is expected to fall on November 17.

Every year, Muslims celebrate the life of Prophet Abraham during a holiday called Eid-ul-Adha – "The Celebration of the Sacrifice". Abraham is a central figure in Islam, as in Judaism and Christianity. Eid-ul-Adha is an occasion to commemorate his willingness to sacrifice what he loved most for the greater love of God. 

Eid-ul-Adha is a time for reflection and charity, as well as joy, family get-togethers and gift-giving.

Because the Islamic calendar follows the lunar calendar and actual sighting of the moon is often used to determine the date of occasions like Eid ul-Adha, there is a possibility the religious holiday could fall on Wednesday November 17 or Thursday November 18 this year.

In view of this, we would like to inform you that Hafsa will be absent from school on the Wednesday or Thursday that is Eid-ul-Adha. I would appreciate if you could give Hafsa her schoolwork in advance for that day, so that she does not miss any important work during her absence.

If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me in the daytime at my office at (123) 555-7890 or in the evenings after 7 p.m. at home at (123) 555-3456.

Thank you for your  time and attention.

Sincerely,

Ms. Nadia Sheikh