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Islam in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad

Muslims are 8 percent (100,000) on Trinidad and Tobago: oil-rich islands in the Caribbean. The majority live in Trinidad. The first Muslims were black slaves from the Mandingo tribe of West Africa, many of whom embraced Islam in the 1740's.

The 2nd group arrived in 1816 as part of the African-born Georgia (US) Corps of Colonial Marines. They were followed by African Muslims of the West India Regiments 1817-1825, and more African Muslims brought when the UK Navy intercepted slaving ships.

From the 1840s, Muslims came from South Asia as part of the Indian indenture system to work on sugar cane and cacao plantations. Muslims today are mostly of South Asian descent. There are Muslim primary and secondary schools. Government recognizes Muslim holidays and Eid ul Fitr is a public holiday.

In 1884 the UK army fired on unarmed Muslims killing 22 and injuring 120 in the Muharram Massacre.

In 1990, 114 members of Jamaat al Muslimeen staged a coup. They stormed Parliament, took the government hostage and captured the TV and radio stations but surrendered after 6 days.

The first Musjid was built in 1850 and Trinidad has the western hemisphere's highest concentration of Musjids (85). Jinnah Memorial Musjid featured on a stamp.

From the 1930s, the maktab system played a vital role in imparting Islamic education to younger Muslims. Numerous elected officials were and are Muslim including a speaker of Parliament and the President, and many businesses are Muslim-owned.

There are several Muslim organizations including Tabligh Jamaat and a Darul Uloom.

The first Muslim came to the Tobago 70 years ago and there are two Musjids on the island.

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