Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr in Suriname

Hindustani Muslims celebrate and pray Eid-Ul-Fitr at the end of holy month of Ramadan. The organization of the event was held by SMA (Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat-Hanafi). These Muslims are oriented towards Pakistan. SMA (now calling Suriname Muslim Association), founded in 1932, is still one of the largest Hindustani Sunni organizations in Suriname.

Hindustani Muslims and Javanese Muslims are celebrating and praying differently due to fundamental conflicts for commenting their religion of Islam. The Muslim population of Suriname is predominantly made up of Hindustanis who belong to the Hanafi Madhab, while the Javanese belong to the Shafi theological school of Islam.

A small group of Africans are Muslims and they were the first Muslims to set foot in Suriname.

The rebirth of Islam in Suriname started with the arrival of the Hindustanis in 1873. Islam was reintroduced in Suriname when the ship Lalla Rookh arrived with 45 Hindustani Muslims from Northern India.

These Hindu Muslims were from Urdu speaking but many of them also spoke their regional dialects like Avadhi, Brij, Bhopuri and Maithli. They migrated from the Indian States of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, coming mostly from the districts: Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur, Lucknow, Allahbad, Jaunpur, Azamgargh, Gaya, Faizabad, and Benares.

From 1890 to 1939, the Dutch began importing Javanese labourers to work on the sugar and cocoa plantations of Suriname like their Hindu counterparts. The Javanese arrived in Suriname without religious teachers.

It was not until the beginning of the 1930s, partly through contacts with Hindu Muslims, that some realized that the Kaaba was not located west, but to the northeast of Suriname. Subsequently, a number of Javanese Muslims started praying in that direction. This small group, led by Pak Samsi, encouraged people to change the direction of prayer from west to east. Since then, this small group has been called wong madhep ngetan (East-Keblat people).

Later some became very critical of what was seen as the superstition and religious innovation (bidah) among the Javanese Muslims. The moderates do not openly criticize the practice of praying to the west as most of the Javanese Muslims continued to do; hence they are called wong madhep ngulon (West-Keblat people).

Reported by Raymond Chickrie


Surinamese Hindustani Muslims began to celebrate the end of holy month of Ramadan 2011 while praying all together traditionally at SMA ( Suriname Muslim Association / Surinaamse Moeslim Associatie ) complex at 31st of August 2011.

This year’s Eid Ul-Fitr ( AKA Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr or Id al-Fitr ) celebration of SMA welcomed an important guest, his excellencies Mr. John R. Nay, Ambassador of the United States of America to Suriname. “This happened first time in the SMA’s 60 years history” said Mr. Hajji Michel Soebhan, chairman of SMA ( Suriname Muslim Association / Surinaamse Moeslim Associatie ) during his speech.

Mr. John R. Nay, Ambassador of the United States of America to Suriname visited Surinamese Javanese Muslim’s Eid Ul-Fitr (Eid Ul-Fitr 2011 in Suriname – Javanese Muslims ) worship few hours ago then he participated also to Surinamese Hindustani Muslims Eid Ul-Fitr worship and they prayed all together as you can see on the photos. “ I’m Christian, but we serve the same God. In all religions is the message of peace emphasized… “ said Mr. John R. Nay to Suriname ATV Television ( Algemene Televisie Verzorging ) during an earlier speech.

Prayers, children, guests sat all together for lunch, drinks and desserts. Celebrations continued with many activities including announcements of prize winners in several categories.

I wish Suriname can b

e an excellent sample to all over world to show how many different religions and cultures lives together without any conflict in their daily life. I’m sure the first rule is : RESPECT EACH OTHER !

Hope you like it. All the best,

Reported by— Ertugrul Kilic — 1 September 2011, 16:45
 

Approximately 15% of the population of Suriname are Muslim Javanese. The Javanese Muslims from Indonesia began arriving in Suriname in the 1890s. The Suriname-Javanese community is kejawen, following the syncretic practices and beliefs of Java. In this community the keblat (qibla) expresses a unique diasporic experience and identity. From the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) villagers were recruited from Java as contract workers for the plantations in another Dutch colonial land, Suriname. Most of them were kejawen Muslims. Kejawen Islam, which was dominant in Javanese villages, is a syncretic Islam which incorporated old Javanese beliefs, including Hindu-Buddhist elements.

The Javanese arrived in Suriname without persons learned in religion. It was not until the beginning of the 1930s that partly through contacts with Hindustani Muslims some realized that the Kaaba was not located in the West, but to the northeast of Suriname. Subsequently, a number of Javanese Muslims started praying in that direction. This small group, led by Pak Samsi, encouraged people to change the direction of prayer from west to east. Since then, this small group has been called wong madhep ngetan (East-Keblat people). Later some became very critical of what was seen as the superstition and religious innovation (bidah) among the Javanese Muslims. The moderates do not openly criticize the practice of praying to the west as most of the Javanese Muslims continued to do; hence they are called wong madhep ngulon (West-Keblat people).

Javanese Muslims and Hindustani Muslims pray differently due to fundamental conflicts for interpreting their religion of Islam. The Muslim population of Suriname is predominantly made up of Hindustanis who belong to the Hanafi Madhab, while the Javanese belong to the Shafi theological school of Islam. A small group of Africans are Muslims and they were the first Muslims to set foot in Suriname.

They were at Onafhankelijksplein (Independence Square) at 20th of September 2009 for their holy pray at front of two historical colonial buildings of Suriname “Presidential Palace” (AKA White House locally) and “Clock Tower”.

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