The crux of my argument was the invalidity of your juxtaposition of colonialism's tokenism with the genuine efforts by the Ahmadiyya Mission to contribute towards alleviating the misery of the suffering poor in the Gambia. A point which you opted to overlook!
I am quite aware that Islam is a very tolerant religion and I hope that purported Muslim begin to manifest this tolerance in their dealings, both with each other and with non-Muslims. It is this tolerance in Islam that drives me to manifest respect for other peoples' believes.
Imam Fatty has demonstrated time and again his intolerance not just toward people with divergent faiths, but also towards people with divergent views.
He is reputed to have gone on national TV demanding to know if Dr. Samba's mother has been circumcised!- just because Samba view (a surgeon, looking at FMG from a medical point of view) was not in line with the Imam's rantings. I believe people like him are doing a disservice to Islam!
----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 20. august 1999 15:30
Subject: Re: Imam Fatty Condemns 'Fankanta'
Amadou,
With all due respect, l don't see how Imam Faty's speaking out against
innovation in Islam translates to denying that Gambia is inhabited by people
of other faiths. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. As a
matter of fact, Islam advocates tolerance because everyone is free to choose
what they believe in. The point here is that, the same excellence we are
seeking in the political arena, is the same one that we are also seeking in
the religious one. This is an issue of pointing out to muslims what is pure,
and what is innovation, and l do not understand why it raises the ire of so
many people. There is no compulsion in religion, but please let those of us
who want to learn all we can about this religion, as well as those who
realize that it is their duty to put forth what is fact and what is fiction
in it, do just that.
l think it is very simple, and is intended for those who want to make use of
it.
Jabou Joh
Sister Jabou,
With all due respect, I don't think you can juxtapose colonialism and the
fight against it (with all the suffering, told and untold) with the Ahmadiyya
Mission. Africans fought against colonialism because of all the evils that
that system represented.
The main object of colonialism was first and foremost to rob the African.
Colonialism sought to dehumanise the African so as to justify his
exploitation. Building schools and hospitals (from a meagre percentage of
what was stolen from us) was just a part of the design. They needed
"educated" Africans to carry out some of the administrative work. Remember
they also built churches too to "save our Pagan Souls" as part of their
grand design.
The Ahmadiyya Mission is not out to commit armed robbery as was the case
with the colonialist who not only stole material resources but kidnapped
humans to trade in them.
Imam Fatty is quoted as having said "Allah has promised in the Muslim holy
book, Qur'an, to feed every mouth He created". Allah is definitely feeding
the Imam's mouth through the hand of Yahya Jammeh but may have decided to
feed some other more unfortunate mouths throuigh the work of the Ahmadiyya.
Yes I think this question is quite a political one for Gambia is not
inhabited by only Muslims. There are other faiths too and we cannot impose
the teachings of the Quran on them.
Regards.
A. Kabir Njie.
>>
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