ICNA Thanks Best Buy for Eid Al-Adha Greetings

 
—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
 
JAMAICA, New York (December 7, 2009) – The Islamic Circle of North America thanks Best Buy for standing firm in its decision to extend Eid Al-Adha greetings to American Muslims last week.
 
In its Black Friday circular, the electronics superstore wished its customers a “Happy Eid Al Adha,” a comment that has been met by much controversy over the past few days.

In response to the discriminatory uproar, a Best Buy representative stated, “Best Buy’s customers and employees around the world represent a variety of faiths and denominations. We respect that diversity and choose to greet our customers and employees in ways that reflect their traditions.”
Eid Al-Adha commemorates the traditions of Prophet Abraham, a respected figure in all three monotheistic faiths.  It is celebrated by nearly 1.6 billion people worldwide and an estimated 6 million Muslims in the United States alone.
We commend Best Buy for reaching out to the Muslim community and becoming the first major retailer to recognize Eid Al-Adha in its ad campaigns. According to JWT, America’s largest ad agency, American Muslims are responsible for an annual spending of over $170 billion in the United States.[1] Best Buy’s message not only highlights the spending power of the American Muslim consumer but also embraces American values of inclusion, diversity and religious tolerance.
ICNA encourages American Muslims to support Best Buy and thank Barry Judge, Best Buy’s chief marketing officer and other executives for their recognition of the Muslim community. Post a message of appreciation on Barry Judge’s website, here.
[1] https://016fd0d.netsolstores.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=25