Senior Reporter
shaliza.hassanali@guardian.co.tt
Acting president general of the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA), Imam Ahamad Hosein, has called on the Government to declare Eid-ul-Adha a national holiday for the Muslim community.
Hosein made the call on Sunday in the presence of President Christine Kangaloo, her husband Kerwyn Garcia, Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey Bengu Yigitguden, High Commissioner of Canada Arif Keshani and guests at the ASJA Festival of Eids celebrations.
Bringing greetings at the ASJA Boys’ College in Charlieville, Hosein told the hundreds who attended the event, “If her Excellency wishes to return a gift to the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association and the Muslims of the country, our only desire at this time is to have Eid-ul-Adha to be declared a national holiday.”
There was a loud round of applause from those present.
He said the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage which is the fifth pillar of Islam and scores of T&T Muslims would perform the Hajj pilgrimage every year.
“Some are presently in the Holy Land.”
Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.
Eid-ul-Fitr, which is a national holiday in T&T, marks the end of Ramadan and fasting.
Hosein said in this time of national development, “We must appreciate that Muslims are of every race, every colour, and nationality.”
He appealed to citizens not to hate one another.
He said, “Do not hate one another or call each other by offensive nicknames. This will surely cause us to have a peaceful society.”
Mufti Asrarul Haque, spiritual guide of ASJA, who also attended the function and delivered an Eid message, also endorsed Hosein’s call for another national holiday for Muslims.
In an interview with Guardian Media following the event, Haque said for many years he has been advocating that Islam has two festivals.
He said, “We request, if possible, the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago—the Prime Minister and President, if they grant us one day more as a public holiday, we will appreciate it.”
He sought to explain by not having a holiday on Eid-ul-Adha that “their children are not able to come to offer prayer on that day. So we miss our fundamental rights as Muslims.”
Haque said he had asked for Eid-ul-Adha to be declared a holiday a few years ago but was told that T&T has too many public holidays “so they can’t give more… if they have to give (the Muslims) they would have to give the Hindu community as well.”
Going forward, Haque said, he would write to the country’s leaders again to put forward their case once more.
“We have sent some letters. We have been requesting this for many years. But surely we are going to appeal to the Government to consider it,” Haque said.
