Imam calls for fairness in national resource allocation

2026-03-21 - 19:46

Shastri Boodan Freelance Contributor Imam Rasheed Karim has called for greater equity in the distribution of Trinidad and Tobago’s national resources, saying Muslims should receive their “fair share of the national pie.” Karim made the remarks in an interview with Guardian Media following his Eid ul Fitr sermon at the Masjid ul Faaraq on Greenidge Street, Felicity, on Saturday. While he commended the Government for increasing financial allocations to masjids for this year’s Eid celebrations, he said the support remained insufficient compared with the needs of the Islamic community. “The bounties of the country should be disseminated equally. When it comes to financing of projects for the benefit of the Islamic community, that is not there,” Karim said. He highlighted the period under the People’s Partnership administration (2010–2015), led by prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, noting that contributions were made to all Jama’ats. “That is something I wish could continue. It should be maintained year after year, where the Islamic community can benefit financially and economically,” he added. Karim also questioned the level of national expenditure on Carnival, arguing that the festival provides little direct benefit to Muslims. “Carnival is often described as a cultural activity from which everyone benefits, but I would say the Islamic community does not benefit from any cultural aspect of it,” he said. In his Eid message, Karim stressed the importance of unity within the global Muslim community, stating that disunity has left Muslims vulnerable to exploitation both locally and internationally. “Because of a lack of unity, people around the world and in our own country are being taken advantage of. There is a lot of in-house fighting, whether internationally or locally, and that has to be corrected. Unity in the Muslim ummah around the world is imperative,” he said. Karim also questioned the motives behind ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, asking whether such wars are truly aimed at achieving peace. “Is this war to bring peace and betterment for the world, or for a certain group? Billions are spent on weapons while billions of people continue to suffer. That does not reflect humanity,” he said. He warned that humanity has strayed from its intended path, noting that while mankind was created in the best form, it has degenerated due to a failure to uphold belief in the Creator. “Because when we look at what is happening, you’re going to realise that billions and billions of dollars is spent on warheads and ammunitions and so forth, while billions of people are suffering. It doesn’t equate to humanity. It doesn’t tell you, well, this is a human race. It tells you clearly that we have degraded ourselves. As the Quran says, Allah created us in the best mode, but human beings, we have degenerated ourselves to the lowest low. Because we have not accepted the oneness and the belief of the Creator.” He added that true unity can only be achieved by adhering to the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and the principles outlined in the Quran.