The Islamic holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will be officially recognized by Washington state under legislation sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) passed by the Senate Wednesday.

State days of recognition are days passed into law as officially recognized by the state. These are not paid holidays, but employees can use their personal paid time off to utilize them. Examples include Lunar New Year, Cesar Chavez Day, Civil Liberties Day of Remembrance, and others.

“This bill is about visibility and our state’s commitment to religious liberty,” Trudeau said. “There are close to 100,000 Muslims living in Washington state. Unfortunately, our communities are often misunderstood, and negative stereotypes that have attached put us in harm’s way. For decades, our community has been portrayed in the media as terrorists or radicals or un-American. These assumptions cannot be farther from the truth. The fact is, we’re regular people just like everyone else — obnoxiously normal, with families, jobs, backaches, hopes and dreams. We are proud Americans and Washingtonians, but we are also just human beings worthy of respect and dignity.

“In passing this bill, Muslim Washingtonians will see their state respecting their constitutionally protect right to practice our religion freely and safely. When holidays and religious practices are respected, communities feel valued and acknowledged. This is especially critical when those same communities are living in fear of direct threats and attacks from the federal government,” Trudeau said. “We can and should be focusing on bringing communities together. Recognizing these religious holidays is one chance for people to learn about Muslim culture, ask questions, and recognize our shared commitment for peace upon all people, no matter what faith they practice.”

Eid al-Fitr is the first of the two main holidays celebrated within Islam worldwide. It marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and its dawn to dusk fasting. Eid al-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Both holidays are commonly noted with the phrase “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “blessed feast” or “blessed festival” in Arabic.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.