To­ba­go’s Is­lam­ic com­mu­ni­ty plans on hav­ing a small but sig­nif­i­cant Eid-ul-Fitr cel­e­bra­tion come Sun­day (May 24).

Di­rec­tor of the Masjid Al Taw­bah at Low­lands Kameal Ali said the COVID-19 re­stric­tions had forced the ad­just­ment. How­ev­er, he said the re­stric­tions in place for the virus had served to strength­en the faith of the 100-plus Mus­lims on the is­land, whom he said con­tin­ue to pray dai­ly for T&T.

Ali said 2020 will be a year to re­mem­ber for every­one since the ex­pe­ri­ence of COVID-19 has taught the les­son of not tak­ing any­thing for grant­ed. He said things tak­en for grant­ed are some­times lost and this re­quires more faith and trust in God.

Re­call­ing past Eid cel­e­bra­tions at Low­lands, Ali said the pe­ri­od has al­ways been a joy­ous time when hun­dreds of Mus­lims and non-Mus­lims would gath­er at the mosque and cel­e­brate in fel­low­ship. He re­called mem­bers of var­i­ous faith at­tend­ing cel­e­bra­tions and bring­ing greet­ings to the com­mu­ni­ty.

Ali said the break­ing of the fast or If­tar dur­ing Ra­madan would some­times re­sult in a joy­ous con­gre­ga­tion of most of the Is­lam­ic com­mu­ni­ty at the mosque, where mem­bers of the masjid would all share in the to­geth­er­ness of Is­lam.

How­ev­er, he said the holy month of Ra­madan had so far seen a hand­ful of Mus­lims at­tend­ing the mosque be­cause of the COVID-19 re­stric­tions.

This year’s cel­e­bra­tions, Ali said, will take place with tra­di­tion­al prayers with five mem­bers of the Masjid.

Mus­lims, how­ev­er, are be­ing ad­vised to stay at home and cel­e­brate with their fam­i­lies. Ali said when re­stric­tions are lift­ed they plan to once again hold a large cel­e­bra­tion.

He praised Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley and the Gov­ern­ment for do­ing an ex­cel­lent job in man­ag­ing the spread of the virus. He said the masjid, con­struct­ed 25 years ago, re­ceived monies from the Gov­ern­ment to as­sist the needy.

Ali said this mon­ey was seen as a sa­cred trust and was dis­trib­uted to 71 fam­i­lies, both Mus­lim and non-Mus­lim, who were among the need­i­est of the needy on the is­land.

Ali wish­ing the en­tire Mus­lim com­mu­ni­ty Eid Mubarak and urged all in T&T to be faith­ful and con­tin­ue to pray. (SB)