Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

138 MOHAMMED IBRAHIM (1890-1956) K nown as MI, he was responsible for the building of the Jama Masjid on Queen Street, Port of Spain.  He established maktabs (religious instruction classes) and primary schools and served as President of ASJA in both pre and post World War II 1939-45 periods. CHARLES D. LALLA (1880-1958) H e was the first local moderator of the Presbyterian church in 1931 as well as a Member of the Legislative Council from 1920-1924 and a member of the Franchise Committee in 1941. He was also a well known agriculturist and apiculturist (bee keeper). HENRY MACLEOD T he British Governor of Trinidad from 1840 to 1846, he was one of the key persons responsible for the increase in the importance of the Anglican religion in Trinidad. Under him, the Anglican Church was made the official church of the colony in 1844. RUKNUDEEN MEAH (1865-1963) B orn in India, he arrived here in 1893 as an indentured immigrant and taught Islam, rising to become an important Muslim spiritual leader. He also imported copies of the Qu’ran and other Islamic books directly from India and sold these to other Muslims. Together with fellow Haji Maulana Shah Mohammed Hassan, a missionary from India, he formed ASJA in 1933 . He was elected Kazi (chief judge) in 1927 upon the death of Syed Abdul and became the spiritual head of the Muslim community.