Stamps

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Aziz Ahsan—an attorney from Hopewell Junction, NY—was at the post office on Church Street in lower Manhattan purchasing “Eid Greetings” stamps. The stamps, which had been issued by the United States Postal Service on September 1, 2001, commemorated two important Muslim festivals: Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, at the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Ahsan had petitioned in his local area for publication of a Muslim-themed postage stamp several years prior. Excited that his efforts had led to this historic outcome, he consequently purchased over a thousand dollars’ worth of stamps that morning, with the intent of distributing sheets through his personal network. Following his evacuation experience later that day, Aziz retained the stamps he purchased.