Yusupha,
       Your posting is quite interesting.You are entirely right to said that
religion is a sensitive issue with Gambians .But I,however, beg  to disagree
  with you to describe Imam Fatty as a Fundamentalist for reminding Gambians
to be true Muslims.Well,the Imam's statement against our women marrying
Toubabs and birth control in particular  are in line with Islamic
teachings.The situation in The Gambia is such that sometimes  people give
away their daughters to none muslims for marriage.This is not totally in
parallel with the Shariah.Islam does,however,allows a Muslim man to marry a
none muslim woman with the hope that the husbandmay one day bring her to
Islam.Marrying other people of different races and tribes is also encouraged
by Islam.
       Yes,Islam does allowed birth control but not as it is done by some
quarters today.The very fact that Islam encourages us to allow about two
years for our wives to breastfeed the new born before touching them again
implies that birth control is allowed in Islam.Well,I think there is no harm
for a man to use condom when touching his wife to allow birth control but
the catch is when these condoms are been given to young youth who are yet to
marry it leads to neagative effects in our society.Our present society
clearly illustrates this,though it is hard to say.Imam Fatty is among the
true Islamic scholars we have in the Gambia.It is just unfortunate that he
is the State House Imam.Why this is so is because some people might say his
sermons are politically linked.
     This is my stand with regards to Imam Fatty's sermons.There are always
two sides to everything.Let the debates surfaces.

         ALLAHUMA SALI WASALIM ALA NABIYYINA MUHUMMAD.WASALAM

ARONA


>From: Yusupha Jow <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Imam Fatty speaks again
>Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 15:59:29 EST
>
>I know that religion is a sensitive topic with Gambians, but the fact that
>the Imam is using the state house as a pulpit for his fiery religious
>sermons
>is a bit disturbing.  In any country there has to be a fundamental
>separation
>between religion and state.  My interpretation of the situation is that,
>the
>president, realizing the weakness and reverence that our people have for
>Islam, is using the Imam and Islam as a way to pacify our people and to
>justify his position.  This confuses the masses because, to them, being
>critical of the regime might be akin to criticizing the religion that 90%
>of
>our people follow.  This makes it very difficult for the present regime to
>be
>removed by any fair electoral process.
>
>Furthermore, over the years, there have been many scholars of Islam that
>have
>interpreted some parts of the Quran in  more liberal ways.  The Imam, in my
>opinion, contrary to some of the scholars of the religion,' is a rigid
>fundamentalist.  This evidenced by his statements against Toubabs and birth
>control.  He has also said that boys and girls should be kept apart in
>school
>buses and classrooms.  In fact, I read somewhere that Islam is pro-birth
>control within the confines of marriage.  Similarly, there is  no
>justification for his statements that we should not marry people from
>different religions or cultures.  There is no basis for some of the
>statements he has made.
>
>In conclusion, my opinion is that the Imam is walking a very thin line at
>this point.  His fundamentalist religious rhetoric makes him very dangerous
>because fundamentalists that are involved in politics are bad for any
>country.  In addition, him being used for political means by the present
>regime is not the Islamic way.  It is imperative that our people are given
>the freedom to express religion freely so that they can distinguish between
>religion and state.
>
>Yus
>
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