Muslims make up 5.6 percent of the population of Trinidad and Tobago. The first Muslims to arrive in the country arrived from Africa brought as slaves by the colonists. The second group arrived in 1816 as a small proportion of the African-born Colonial Marine Corps recruited in 1815 in Georgia during the War of 1812.

They were followed by African Muslims among the dissolved members of the West Indian regiments established between 1817 and 1825. Beginning in the 1840s, Muslims came from South Asia to work on the sugar cane and cocoa plantations. Muslims today are mostly of South Asian descent, but there are converts of all races. In Trinidad there are Islamic primary and secondary schools. The country’s first Muslim high school, ASJA Boys’ College, San Fernando, was founded in 1960.

There are several mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and 5 mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Lahore.

San Fernando Mosque is rectangular in shape with a semi-circular portion protruding from the front. There is a main dome in the centre of the roof and a minaret in each of its four corners. There is ornamental concrete work on both the inside and outside of the building which has always been painted in white with green bordering. On the front section of the outside is inlaid small sections of coloured glass which forms a picturesque outline.  Both inside and outside is visually quite pleasing and the workmanship quite good.

Shortly after, there developed in the foundation on the northern side of the building a problematical fault which was soon solved through the engineering skill and knowledge of Haji Asgarali Syne.  Since then we have had one other problem with the building. The roof has a slight leak which wets the carpet in a small area on the main floor whenever it rains heavily. That area is located between the third and fourth of the eight columns in the middle of the Masjid when one is facing east. Several attempts have been made to stop this leak which still persists and has proven to be quite evasive.  Efforts are in progress to have it solved.

Several years later, there was found need to extend the Masjid westwards. This was subsequently done in 1940 with Brother S.M. Jaleel, now deceased, standing the expenses. Following this was a bit of modifying and beautifying work undertaken in the Masjid at the Jamaat’s expense. This consisted mainly of installing fancy ventilation blocks which has enhanced the appearance appreciably.  On the southern and northern sides as one is about to enter the Masjid, are two picturesque but simple metal gates.