>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Jaiteh Brothers To Introduce First Sharia Advisory Office >Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 18:12:05 EDT > >Joe, > >I believe it states that it is a private enterprise that will serve as a >resource for muslims on the Shariah and sunnah. As a muslim who has learned a >great deal about this religion by having access to books on sunnah, and in >the process discovered that there is a lot I did not know, I think this >enterprise is a wonderful idea for muslims in The Gambia. >In Islam, there is the Qu'ran and then there is the sunnah of the Prophet >(SAS) which simply put is the way the Prophet (SAS) lived his life and which >in turn was a practical example of a muslim's way of life as given to him >along with the Qur'an. In a surah in the Qur'an, it says that the Qur'an was >given to the Prophet along with something else like it, referring to the >Sunnah which encompasses the do's and don'ts of every aspect of a muslims' >life There is a geat deal about the Sunnah that we as Gambian muslims do not >know, and this endeavour could serve to educate the people. I agree that this >knowledge will help lessen the need to go to the Islamic court as well if >people are educated as to what teh Shariah ruling is on different matters >that are now coming into court for decision simply because the people >involved od not have this information. >I think it is great, and I hope that they will be able to provide this needed >resource to the muslims. Ever since I discovered the massive amount of >information on Sunnah that we as Gambian muslims are not aware of, I have >often thought about how useful it would be to have a resource like this that >would be available to the muslims who care to make use of it, and i think >there are many who will be thrilled to have this. >To the Jaiteh brothers, this is a wonderful service you have planned, and may >Allah (SWT) bless the endeavour. > >Jabou Joh > >In a message dated 4/28/03 4:47:27 PM Central Daylight Time, >[log in to unmask] writes: > > > > > If such an office is a compliment to the Cadi Court, then I say go right > > ahead. However, if this is an attempt for something else, then I say > > thanks > > but no thanks. With the recent rise of religious fundamentalism in The > > Gambia (floggings/muggings in Brikama by the Mullahs, etc.), we as a > > society > > cannot let anything that divides our peoples to flourish, just like we > > allowed the "July 22nd Thugs" to sprout. So, to the Jaiteh brothers, > > goodluck with your office and services, and I hope it is what you say it > > is, > > an Advisory Office to compliment to Cadi's Court. Please read on. > > > > > > First Sharia Advisory Office in the Offing, Jaiteh Brothers Unveil > > Elaborate > > Plans > > > > The Independent (Banjul) > > > > April 28, 2003 > > Posted to the web April 28, 2003 > > > > Banjul > > > > What could be a trial start to a new sharia advisory office is in the > > offing > > in The Gambia aimed at giving guidance to members of the public on issues, > > revolving around Islamic precepts of daily living and sharia. > > > > It will be the first such enterprise in the country with a drive to give > > advise on marriages, divorce, family life, inheritance and demystify the > > overarching concept of sharia for the multitude of people whose > > understanding of it may be shallow. It initiators, who said it was > > resulting > > from their protracted study and analysis of the situation, believe that > > such > > an office is of overriding necessity against a backdrop of ignorance of > > Islamic precepts, that inherently prevents individuals from making informed > > decisions on issues that affect them from the Islamic perspective. > > > > > > The office already established in Serrekunda London will also be engaged in > > legal translation from Arabic to English and vice versa and will also be > > available for land valuation. > > > > Expounding on the reason for such an enterprise Mohammed Lamin Jaiteh and > > Mohammed Jaiteh (Hamma) explained that over the past ten years they have > > observed that a number of cases have reached the Cadi's court that should > > have been laid to rest by an advisory office, rendering it unnecessary for > > them to be heard by the Islamic courts. > > > > "Some complaints that go to the courts the Islamic courts need not go there > > if the parties involved are given expert advise over the wisdom or > > otherwise > > of doing so. Such an office would help a great deal to remedy the situation > > and relieve the Islamic court of such cases that have overwhelmed it for > > many years and over which many are disenchanted" the two brothers > > indicated. > > > > The Jaiteh brothers expounded on the burden unleashed on the Islamic court > > in the Gambia as a result of profound ignorance of sharia, a concept, which > > has been overridden by misinterpretations relating to the dreaded > > amputation > > as retribution meted out against moral defaulters. > > > > "Sharia is all-encompassing, it entails the whole behaviour of Muslims in > > an > > Islamic environment and not only about amputation as widely and erroneously > > held" they argued, pointing out that their drive is to plumb the depth of > > such a concept and lay it bare for the simple understanding of those who > > may > > be initially prone to misrepresent it to their own detriment. > > > > "There was a time when problems relating to sharia have swarmed the courts, > > which Muslims did not understand. Scholars that-be speak about sharia as > > revolving around amputation and we felt an office for consultation was > > necessary if anybody was going to stem the tide of such misrepresentation > > of > > the concept. The enemies of Islam are bent on destroying sharia but family > > life, relations, crime and punishment, inheritance, economic management > > systems occur in our daily living patterns without the majority of us > > knowing that they all consist in sharia. All these things including asset > > distribution, company laws, partnerships, contracts and other elements of > > the corporate world are about sharia and Muslims must know about them. > > > > The emphasis on law is also inherent in sharia," they explained. > > > > The Jaiteh brothers argued that instead of resorting to television > > programmes, to preach and eventually convolute the true nature of the > > debate > > on sharia, an office established exclusively to address these concerns > > could > > not have come at a more appropriate time when the situation beggars a > > solution. They said the office would be a citadel for the most seasoned > > scholars on Islamic precepts and jurisprudence whose service would be > > accessible to the inquiring public. > > > > "There are always people receptive to the idea of research and the quest > > for > > knowledge and we are going to help them without sectarianism coming into > > play. We will not cloud it with our own personal judgement but the > > universal > > judgement of Islamic teaching. The office would provide constructive ideas > > from constructive Islamic precepts and pave the way for an unadulterated > > understanding of the dynamics of Islam" they added. > > > > "It is regrettable that time is wasted on unnecessary arguments about > > precepts or concepts which diminish the value of the subject" they said. > > > > > > > > > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~