Anguillian and Indian Muslims held a big fete at their Mosque just off the Jeremiah Highway on Sunday, September 20, in celebration of the Festival of Breaking Fast or Eid ul-Fitr, following the end of Ramadan.

Muslims in celebration at Mosque in Anguilla

Ramadan is the Arabic name for the ninth month in the Islamic calendar when there is fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset. It is one of the five pillars of Islam.

“Right now we are observing Eid ul-fitr, which is the ending of Ramadan with a festival and everybody is out celebrating the occasion which is a public holiday in some Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Guyana,” Salih Abdfur-Raheem told The Anguillian. That name, which means “pious, purity and the servant of the Most Merciful or the Most Compassionate”, was explained by none other than the person himself, the leader of the popular Citrus community group at East End, known simply as Raheem. The young and well-respected Muslim said the “big feast” was for both female and male Muslims and a number of visitors. He added with a note of pride: “My mommy is in the Mosque right now celebrating with us as well as other members of my family and friends.”

Raheem went on: “We as Muslims believe in one God and all the prophets, in the Angels and Judgment Day etc…People have misconceptions of Islam but we share all our knowledge, morals, etiquette, Quran and literature with many persons. We get on well with everybody of different religious beliefs on the island and tell them certain things about Islam so that they could have a basic and broad knowledge of Islam…Our motive is to promote peace and charity, good morals and proper conduct. That is what Islam is all about, but people in the media portray different images about Islam because they don’t want to propagate our religious beliefs.”

Raheem, who said that the Muslim group had been formed in Anguilla in 1997, drew a comparison between that religious faction and the Citrus group at East End: “From an Islamic perspective, I see Citrus portraying certain morals and etiquette like Islam. We also distribute gifts as charity, provide community service and teach communication skills and other forms of knowledge. Citrus and the Muslim group have the same methods of doing things.”

One of Raheem’s Muslim brothers is Indian national Mohammed Shouka Ali, who serves as the Imam, the Islamic leader of the Mosque. He is one of the construction workers at the Viceroy project in Anguilla and is among many other Indian Muslims there who are also members of the Islamic religion. “We were very happy to have come to Anguilla and have an opportunity to be at this Mosque,” he told the newspaper. “When I was about to come to this island from India, I asked whether there was a Mosque here and our agent said yes. So we are all happy and celebrating the Eid ul-Fitr Festival today.

Another person who spoke to The Anguillian was Isa Muhammad, one of the first practicing Muslims in Anguilla, who was later joined in the religion by his wife, brothers and other persons on the island. He took the opportunity to provide some interesting insights into his religion.

“How has your involvement in this religion affected your own life?” he was asked.
“From good to better,” was his sharp response. “It made me a better father, a more honest worker and so on.”

Raheem was asked the same question.

“It affected my normal life drastically because before I was a Muslim, I used to drink and partake in a lot of unlawful activities,” the East End resident and community leader replied. “After I became a Muslim, about twelve years ago, it changed my life drastically to be a better person in terms of having a better character, better morals and better etiquette.”

Ramadan, their month of fasting over, the large number of Muslims feasted on an enormous amount of yellow rice and goat meat. The lunch was cooked in a huge pot and served in sizeable portions in paper plates on the verandah of the Mosque.

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