Government has been asked to declare Eid-ul-Adha a national holiday for the Muslim community.
The call was issued on Sunday by Imam Ahamad Hosein, the acting president general of the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA).
While offering greetings at the ASJA Boys’ College in Charlieville, Hosein told the hundreds who attended the event, which included President Christine Kangaloo, that if her Excellency wishes to return a gift to the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association and the Muslims of the country, their only desire at this time is to have Eid-ul-Adha to be declared a national holiday.
Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice and the occasion coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage which is the fifth pillar of Islam.
Scores of T&T Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage every year.
Eid-ul-Fitr, which is a national holiday in T&T, marks the end of Ramadan and fasting.
Hosein’s plea was later endorsed by Mufti Asrarul Haque, spiritual guide of ASJA, who also attended the function and delivered an Eid message.
In a GML interview, 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.”