Religion continues to be one of the growing social developments in Anguilla. What is praiseworthy about it, is that there is equally much religious tolerance on the island as groups of many faiths practice their varied forms of worship.

Muslims in Anguilla in prayer

Take for instance the Muslim religion with all of its Eastern beliefs and cultures. It has been in existence in Anguilla for some years now and even a few children are going to school dressed in the characteristic attire and are accepted in the classrooms without prejudice or restriction. Some adult persons are often seen freely moving around in the community with no problem at all.

Now with the economic development of Anguilla, the ranks of the Muslims on the island have swollen to a greater extent. Indians, steeped in the faith and culture of the Muslim religion and employed by Carrillion Construction, (the company building the Viceroy Project at West End), have joined the worshippers in Anguilla.

Last Saturday, October 13, Muslims attracted much attention as they carried out their traditional prayer rituals on the open greenery at the Blowing Point playing field. Led by the Anguillian Alim (or priest) Yuseff Adul Ali (formerly AddisAon Richardson), the Muslims, facing the east, occasionally stood upright, bowed or prostrated as they chanted and prayed in their language.

The women muslims

The Muslims were fasting for thirty days straight, a way of reflecting on their lives, taking control of themselves and their emotions and achieving spiritual renewal. Last Saturday was the end of that fast and the Muslims feasted on some of the popular cuisine in Anguilla which awaited them in a nearby tent: barbequed chicken, fried rice, rice and peas, potato salad and a variety of drinks.

Yuseff Adul Ali, the Anguillian Muslim leader, joined a number of his colleagues in speaking with The Anguillian. He said the occasion was called “Eid Ul Fitr”, a festival of prize-giving and the completion of the month of fasting. According to him it was the first day of the tenth month, Shawal, in the Islamic Calendar. “In relevance of its importance, Eid Ul Fitr is the same to us as how Christians may look at Christmas,” he explained.

Ali, who has been a Muslim in Anguilla for 13 years, said that 70 days from the above day there would be another festival during which animals would be “sacrificed” (slaughtered) and the meat given to the poor. He explained that the act would be in commemoration of Allah’s (God’s) command to Abraham of old to sacrifice his son Issac as an offering to Him.

The Anguillian soft-spoken and very pleasant Muslim Alim is proud of his name. He explained that the first part, “Yuseff”, meant Joseph, the Biblical character who wore a coat of many colours and the other portions of his name meant Servant of the Exalted. But last Saturday, the Alim was attired in a flowing white robe in which he is usually seen.
The Indian Muslims, who are very fond of their leader, expressed gratitude to the Government of Anguilla for allowing them the continued use of the Blowing Point playing field for their religious ceremonies. They are also grateful to their Anguillian and other West Indian Muslim colleagues for supporting and sharing in their religious faith and culture.
The hope is that religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence will continue among all the religions in Anguilla and that society on a whole will share in this grand endeavour.

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