Islamic leader calls for level playing field for Muslims

Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer

ONE LOCAL Muslim leader has called on the state to level the playing field for members of the Islam faith to have greater access to certain amenities.

"We feel like unwanted children in our country," Muhammed Shafiqul Islam, Imam of the Masjid As-Salaam mosque located on Leicester Avenue in Kingston, told The Gleaner.

The religious leader was speaking to the newspaper during a two-day Muslim convention on Saturday that was held with the aim of educating Jamaicas about the religion.

The convention was attended by several overseas Muslim scholars and was held under the topic 'Islam and Terrorism'.

It came nearly three weeks after the killing of the world's former most-wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, by US Navy SEALs. Laden, a radical Muslim, was the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States.

While outlining several instances where he believes the state has exuded bias towards the Islam faith, Shafiqul Islam said, "The leaders of the churches can certify or recommend certain documents, but because we are not recognised as a religious institution if we sign any document, it is not accepted."

Additionally, Shafiqul Islam said the heavy-handed approach of the state towards the institution has brought into focus the Government's commitment to the rights of all its citizens to have access to certain basic amenities provided by the state.

"We know that Jamaica is (challenged) with poverty. While churches will get assistance from organisations such Food For The Poor to distribute food items to its poorer members, when we approach them and ask for assistance, they do not pay us any attention. We have poor people in our organisation just like anybody else," he said.

"This is a growing concern, we feel we have the right to plead for our people like other institutions do," he added.