By Mohamed Khan

AT 104 years old, the Jacklow Masjid, originally built in 1912 by Mohamed Sarafraz, stands out as a beacon in the Pomeroon community.Sarafraz and his wife, Gafooran, had come to Guyana from India as indentured labourers. Sarafraz was from the province of Punjab while Gafooran was from Uttar Pradesh.
They arrived in the county of Berbice in 1885 and were bound to the Hampton Court Sugar Plantation. After serving six years on the plantation under almost slave-like conditions, they were released, and found temporary shelter at an abandoned estate at Plantation Better Success in 1892.
The road link from Dartmouth to Charity in 1908 allowed easy access to the Pomeroon River.

Sarafraz and 15 “Jahajees” (shipmates) occupied several 10-acre plots of land between Martindale and Siriki in the Pomeroon River in 1911. Sarafraz Estate was known as “Rabeah”.

Hamid, Refeedeen, Kallod and two others supported the first troolie-roof masjid built by Sarafraz in January 1912. The mosque was 12 feet by 15 feet, with manicole walls. It was rebuilt in 1924, and later in 1957. The masjid served an area of 30 miles, where several Muslim families resided. All the Muslim calendar dates were observed, including Ramzan Shareef, the two Eids and the Prophet’s birth date.

Muslim brothers travelled by boat to attend mosque. Keeping the Muslim Fard alive was a collective responsibility. In the early years, the Imams for Friday prayers were brought from the Essequibo to Jacklow by paddle boat, a return distance of 11 miles from Charity. They were Ali Namaz, Ishmeal Khan, Azee Mullah, Karmaso and Mohamed Shaffee. By 1935, the Imams were Abdul Hamid Ustadin and Sekandar.

With English translation of Urdu and Arabic by 1945, the existing Madarsa (school) built in 1946 promoted a number of persons who could have led all the prayers.
Sarafraz’s son, Mohamed Basir, was the official Imam and financial custodian of the masjid until his death in 1983. A man with a vision, he had trained a number of Muslim brothers to lead prayers.

From 1955, the new Imams were Abdul Ghanie; Mohamed Yussuf; Mohamed Noor; and Basir’s second son, Magbool Amad Basir. Imam Magbool Basir is also architect of a new mosque at Charity, a small but thriving community with some 6000 inhabitants.

The Jacklow Mosque traditionally was a tourist attraction for visiting Muslims, some of whom spent an entire week enjoying the cool river breeze and the many fruits of the Pomeroon.

Some of the visitors came from India, Pakistan, Syria, Suriname, England and the USA. Some of the local visitors, Imams Kairate, Raheem, A. Jabbar and Abdool Rahman, were allowed to perform the Friday Jumma Prayers.

As time passed, some of the elderly passed on and new brothers replaced their absence in faith, material and community support.
One such family was Rahim Bacchus and his son Ayube Rahim, aka “Patsy”. They donated paint and a water tank, as well as a yearly financial support to the masjid since 1945.

Mohabally Barakat, who was a close school days friend of Mohamed Basir, was also a regular contributor in many ways. The materials use to rebuild the Masjid in 1957 were donated by Barakat Sawmill.

One small child, Subratee, who came with his parents from India in 1902, was a regular member of the masjid. He lived to be 103 years old.

On the gender side, Bacridan, Mariam Baksh, Jaitoon Rahim, Kuslim Barakat, Naselran, Jainab, Fineey Tulla and Saheedan, among others all contributed to the sustenance of the Jacklow Masjid.
The regular adzaan were given by Ramjohn, Abbdul Ghanie, M. Sankar and Husman Ally.

History cannot be complete without mentioning the relentless support for Islam and the Jacklow Mosque’s upkeep provided by Bacredan Basir, Imam Magbool Basir, and his sister Bibi Neshaw Insanally.