USPS News: Philatelic Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 1, 2001
Stamp Release No. 01-054
U.S. POSTAGE STAMP
CELEBRATING MUSLIM HOLIDAY TO BE ISSUED BY UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
Eid Stamp Part of Holiday Celebrations Series
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Postal Service is expanding its Holiday Celebrations
Series with a new stamp highlighting the Muslim holiday of Eid.
The 34-cent Eid stamp will be issued on Sept. 1 at the annual Islamic Society of
North America's convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555
North River Road, Des Plaines, Ill, at 11:45 a.m. The stamp will be available at
the convention and at post offices nationwide on Sept. 1.
"This is a proud moment for the Postal Service, the Muslim community, and
Americans in general as we issue a postage stamp to honor and commemorate two
important Islamic celebrations," said Azeezaly S. Jaffer, Vice President, Public
Affairs and Communications for the Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamp.
"The Eid stamp will help us highlight the business, educational and social
contributions of the estimated six to seven million Muslims in this country
whose cultural heritage has become an integral part of the fabric of this great
nation."
The Eid stamp commemorates the two most important festivals—or eids—in the
Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each
other "Eid mubarak," the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. "Eid
mubarak" translates literally as "blessed festival," and can be paraphrased as
"May your religious holiday be blessed." This phrase can be applied to both Eid
al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Joining Jaffer will be Danny Jackson, Postal Service Vice President, Great Lakes
Area; Mohamed Zakariya, calligrapher and Eid stamp designer and W. Deen
Mohammed, spokesperson for the Muslim American Society.
"W.D.M. Ministry and the Muslim American Society members and our Muslim families
celebrate the issue of this Eid stamp by the Postal Service," said W. Deen
Mohammed. "It is beautiful. We love it."
The first day of the Muslim lunar month of Shawwal, Eid al-Fitr signifies "The
Feast of Breaking the Fast." This festival marks the end of Ramadan, the month
of fasting. As prescribed in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, fasting during
Ramadan begins from just before first light until sunset. Eid al-Fitr is
observed by offering special alms with prayers, feasting, exchanging gifts and
visiting family and friends.
Signifying "The Feast of the Sacrifice," Eid al-Adha occurs approximately two
months and ten days after Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha comes at the end of the
hajj—the annual period of pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca—and commemorates
Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail. (This is the Muslim account
of the Judeo-Christian story of Abraham and Isaac.) Eid al-Adha is celebrated
with prayers and social gatherings and traditionally includes the sacrifice of a
lamb (or any other animal permitted for food in Islam) as an act of thanksgiving
for Allah's mercy. The sacrificial animal is distributed among family, friends
and the poor.
In 2002, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on Feb. 23 and Eid al-Fitr will be
celebrated on Dec. 6.
Previous stamps in the Holiday Celebrations series are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and
Cinco de Mayo. The Thanksgiving stamp will also be issued in 2001 as part of the
series.
The Eid stamp, designed by Zakariya of Arlington, Va., features the Arabic
phrase "Eid mubarak" in gold calligraphy on a blue background. English text on
the stamps reads "EID GREETINGS."
Employing traditional methods and instruments to create this design, Zakariya
chose a script known in Arabic as "thuluth" and in Turkish as "sulus." He
describes it as "the choice script for a complex composition due to its open
proportions and sense of balance." He used homemade black ink, and his pens were
crafted from seasoned reeds from the Near East and Japanese bamboo from Hawaii.
The paper was specially prepared with a coating of starch and three coats of
alum and egg-white varnish, then burnished with an agate stone and aged for more
than a year.
Zakariya's black-and-white design was then colorized by computer. The colors
chosen for the stamp—gold script on a blue background—are reminiscent of great
works of Islamic calligraphy. This is Zakariya's first project for the Postal
Service.
To see the Eid stamp, and other forthcoming stamps and stationery in the 2001
U.S. stamp program, visit the Postal Store at www.usps.com and click on "Stamp
Release Schedule." To see previous releases, select "Index of Stamp Issues."
All current stamps and other philatelic products, as well as a free philatelic
catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP-24. A selection of
current stamps and gift items are also available online at the Postal Store.
# # #
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Eid
Item Number: 562100
Denomination & Type of Issue: 34-cent commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Holiday Celebrations
Issue Date & City: September 1, 2001, Des Plaines, IL 60018
Designer/Calligrapher: Mohamed Zakariya, Arlington, VA
Art Director: Phil Jordan, Falls Church, VA
Engraver: Armotek Industries
Modeler: Avery Dennison, SPD
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Avery Dennison (AVR)
Printed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 75 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored, Type III
Gum Type: Self-adhesive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton, SC
Colors: Gray (PMS 300), Blue (PMS 424), Gold (PMS 871)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.770 x 1.05 in./19.558 x 26.67 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.910 x 1.19 in./23.114 x 30.226 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.375 x 5.875 in./136.53 x 149.23 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "V" followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings: "© 2000 USPS" - Price - Plate position diagram - Plate
numbers - Barcode
Catalog Item Number(s): 562120 Block of 4 — $1.36
562130 Block of 10 — $3.40
562140 Full Pane — $6.80
562161 First Day Cover — $0.55
HOW TO ORDER THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE POSTMARK
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They
may purchase the new stamps at their local post office, affix the stamps to
envelopes of their choice, address an envelope (to themselves or others), and
place them in a larger envelope addressed to: EID STAMP, POSTMASTER, 1000 East
Oakton Street, Des Plaines, IL 60018-9991.
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service returns the
envelope through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. Requests for
first day of issue cancellation must be postmarked by October 1, 2001
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers the first day covers for new stamp issues
and postal stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue
cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the
quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by
writing to: INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, US POSTAL SERVICE, DEPT 6270, PO BOX
219014, KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014, or by calling 1 800 STAMP-24.
First day covers remain on sale for at least one year after the stamp's issuance
(NOTE: stamp still available as of 2009)Back to Home Page
Retroceda Página Inicial