islaminguernsey.com

 

 


ISLAM IN GUERNSEY

Introduction

Welcome to the homepage of the Guernsey Islamic Charitable Trust (GICT), the first Islamic organisation to be established in Guernsey (Channel Islands, UK). The information on this website will not only provide you with some background to the GICT, but will also provide you with information on Islam in general, the GICT objectives and activities on the island.

 

How it all started

The Guernsey Muslim community first started getting together around February 2007 as the number of Muslims moving to the island increased marginally. As Muslims started meeting each other around town or in the workplace, they realised that there was a need to bring everyone together in order to share experiences and tips on how to get by. Life in Guernsey for Muslims is seen by many as a unique challenge (and opportunity), especially for those who have relocated to the island from their home countries or from the UK mainland and who may have come from a region where Islam was all around them in their community. Hence, for the Muslim residents in Guernsey, the new challenges faced can make the transition a life changing experience. Some of these challenges are discussed in brief on these pages.

 

The last 4 years

Over the last two and a half years Guernsey has seen a gradual increase in the number of nationalities moving into the island as a result specifically of the islands attractiveness to the investment funds global marketplace. As a result, on any day one could easily speak to someone from Mauritius, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Malaysia and a host of other locations. Amongst these individuals, one is most likely also to speak to someone of the Islamic faith – although you probably wouldn’t even know this. Since June 2006, the number of Muslims have increased marginally, from around possibly 40 in June 2006 to around 80 by October 2010 (inclusive of around 10 children).

Some of those Muslims who have been around for the longest period have been in the restaurant sector but many of the new intake have been people recruited into the accounting and administration industry.

Conclusion

This website is not only intended for use by Muslims but by anyone interested in learning about the religion. We also hope that via our website we can assist in changing the perceptions about Islam and allow our community to grower closer to the non-Muslim communities in Guernsey.

Should you wish to find out more about any of the information contained on this website, the GICT or just Islam in general, please fell free to contact any of the people listed on the ‘Contact us’ link.

Salaam (Peace be upon you)