The Muslim Standard

Abdul Wahid Hamid

The Muslim Standard was published (61 issues) in Trinidad from 1975 to 1984.  It was official monthly magazine of the Islamic Trust which was founded by the Muslim Standard’s first Editor Abdul Wahid Hamid (pictured).  It was at a time when the emerging Muslim generation had lost its homeland language (Urdu, Bhojpuri, Hindi) having been educated in English.  It was 12 years post Trinidad’s independence from Britain, 27 years post partition of the homeland India and 58 years after the end of indentureship.

The emerging generation was seeking authenticity of faith, identity in a post independence country, freedom from communal constraints, rebellion from the trappings of customs and traditions.  This period in the history of Muslim Indo-Trinidadians saw a questioning of the praxis of their faith and their place and status in society.

This was also 5 years after the black power/ consciousness movement amongst Afro-Trinidadians.  With the Afro-Trinidadian population seeking to find their roots and remove the shackles of colonialism and slavery upon them, many of them turned to Islam to re-establish their religious ties to their ancestors.  These are reflected in the issues covered in the areas of tenets of faith, social commentary, communal, local and international politics.  The full library of the Muslim Standard has been made available here for easy access to researchers, local Muslims and others who may have an interest in the Muslims of this era.



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