Building Bridges in Trinidad

Before coming to Trinidad and Tobago, I had only encountered a Muslim a couple of times. Recently, I found myself seated in the courtyard of a mosque, having a conversation with Yasid. I was walking past the mosque when Yasid spotted me and invited me in. He was the fourth Muslim with whom I have had a discussion since arriving in Trinidad 15 months ago. The first was with a man who had previously worked at this same mosque. A month earlier, I enjoyed a lively discussion with two young Muslim men at a car wash in another town.

As Pope Francis invites us, “We must do what Jesus does: encounter others.”

From Yasid, I learned the five times of prayer for Muslims are 5am, 1pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 8pm. He explained they do not use the loudspeaker for the 5am call to prayer in order not to disturb neighbors who might be sleeping. He further explained that they do not use the loudspeaker on weekends so as not to disturb what might be going on at the Catholic Church. I was impressed by their consideration.

More importantly, Yasid told me about his journey to Islam. He grew up in a Catholic family that is still Catholic, he being the only Muslim. He admitted, however, that his Catholic faith had never been strong. Instead, it sounded like Yasid just went through the motions growing up. About 30 years ago, for reasons not given, he decided to investigate Islam, and after his investigation, he decided to join.

The main attraction for Yasid seems to be the demands Islam makes on its followers, specifically abstaining from alcohol and smoking marijuana. Yasid explained that the practice of Islam has helped him as he has tried to overcome “bad habits.” Interestingly, the first Muslim man with whom I spoke gave a similar reason for his attraction to Islam. I wonder if the breakdown of the family and of society has, at least in part, made attractive to these men the structure and demands of Islam. One thing that surprised me was Yasid told me how he strives to get closer to Allah through the practice of Islam. I was surprised because, until that point, I had the impression that Allah was distant and unknowable.

After our discussion, Yasid showed me around the mosque. This particular mosque did not have the classic appearance of others I have seen around Trinidad. But his mosque did have these important aspects: a courtyard, special wash rooms for purification, a prayer hall for men, and a separate prayer hall for women. Yasid made a point of showing me a couple of prayer rugs with ornate patterns.

As I prepared to leave, Yasid expressed a desire to meet the rest of my family. Not only do I hope this meeting takes place, but I look forward to sharing meaningful conversations in the future. My hope, in this Jubilee Year of Hope, is that soon I will have the opportunity to share with him the “reason for my hope” (1 Peter 3:15).