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Washington state sharia law holidays
Executive Summary
Washington state did not adopt “sharia law holidays”; instead, Governor Bob Ferguson signed legislation in April 2025 that formally recognizes Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha as state‑recognized, unpaid holidays and requires postsecondary institutions to accommodate religious observance, making Washington the first U.S. state to add these Muslim holidays to its roster of state‑recognized days [1] [2]. Separate longstanding legal provisions require reasonable accommodations for religious holidays in higher education and allow employees up to two unpaid faith‑based days off per year, but those laws are neutral, apply to all faiths, and do not impose religious law on the state [3] [4]. Claims that Washington adopted “sharia law holidays” mischaracterize these changes; the legislative actions are secular accommodations recognizing cultural and religious observance, not the adoption of religious law.
1. How the Headlines Got Mixed Up: Law Recognition Versus Religious Law Imposition
Reporting and social commentary conflated two distinct ideas: recognizing religious holidays in state policy and adopting religious legal systems. The Washington bill signed in April 2025 adds Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha to the list of state‑recognized, unpaid holidays, and requires postsecondary schools to reasonably accommodate students who miss classes or exams for religious reasons—this is administrative accommodation, not governance under religious law [1]. The phrase “sharia law holidays” misleads by implying that the state has adopted Islamic legal codes or that these holidays are enforced by religious doctrine; the statute explicitly provides recognition and accommodation within a secular legal framework and does not alter civil law or impose religious rules on anyone. The distinction matters legally and politically.
2. What the New Law Actually Does — Practical Effects and Limits
The 2025 legislation formally names Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha as state‑recognized holidays but specifies they are unpaid state holidays, not paid time off or mandated closures for all employers, and it leaves room for managerial review of time‑off requests where undue hardship exists [1] [5] [4]. Separately, Washington’s RCW requires postsecondary institutions to develop policies to accommodate student absences for religious holidays and to reschedule exams or activities when reasonable, thereby protecting students’ academic standing without creating special legal exemptions based on religious law [3]. The combined outcome is administrative inclusion for observance, focused on avoiding discrimination and logistical conflicts rather than creating new legal privileges or obligations.
3. Political Reactions and Competing Narratives: Inclusion Versus Cultural Concern
Advocates framed the law as a step toward religious liberty and inclusion for Washington’s Muslim population and an effort to reduce barriers faced by students and workers who observe faith‑based holidays [1] [2]. Opponents and commentators used alarmist framing—some labeling the change “creeping sharia”—to argue that recognizing Muslim holidays undermines traditional values or opens the door to preferential treatment, sometimes invoking concerns about reciprocity in Muslim‑majority countries [6]. These competing narratives reflect different agendas: civic inclusion and anti‑discrimination on one side, and cultural preservation or political mobilization against perceived favoritism on the other. The statutory text and legislative intent emphasize accommodation, not legal privileging.
4. Broader Legal Context: Neutral Accommodation Across Faiths
Washington law already contained neutral mechanisms to accommodate religious observance: postsecondary accommodation requirements and provisions allowing employees up to two unpaid faith‑based holidays annually, subject to operational needs [3] [4]. These are religion‑neutral provisions that apply to all faiths and conscience claims and predate the 2025 recognition of Eid. The new law supplements an existing framework designed to balance individual religious practice with institutional operations, and it aligns with comparable state and federal nondiscrimination principles that protect religious exercise without endorsing or establishing religious law.
5. Bottom Line — What Is True, What Is Exaggerated, and What to Watch Next
Factually, Washington became the first state to officially recognize two Islamic holidays as state‑recognized, unpaid holidays in April 2025, and the law reinforces accommodation requirements for students and workers [1]. It is false to state that Washington adopted sharia law or enacted “sharia law holidays” in the sense of imposing Islamic legal codes on state governance; the legislation is secular and administrative in nature [7] [8]. Watch for implementation details—how institutions interpret reasonable accommodations, how employers manage unpaid leave requests, and how political discourse frames the change—as those operational and rhetorical developments will shape public perception and practical effects going forward [4] [5].