I read with consternation, the high-handed manner in which The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) banned and threatened the person and property of Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana. It represents the abuse of power and authority on the part of the GSIC.
Allah (Subhaanahu wa-Ta'Aalaa) recognized that humans have the freedom and right to adopt and establish their Islam. This was the genesis of Lakum deenikum, walya-deen. The creator and all-knowing Allah accorded each banee Aadam the privilege of worshipping Allah in their own unique ways and religions to include variations of the same religion. You may be Muslim of any of a number of persuasion, a Christian of any of a number of persuasion, Jewish of any number of persuasion, a HarunaMo of any of a number of persuasion, a Mormon, an adventist, a Bahai, Hindi, a Punjabi, a follower of the Dalai Lama, or any deen whatsoever with whichever prophet one desires or finds solace and salvation in.
The Qur'An, Bible, and all books of all religions are replete with admonitions against the persecution of persons for their religious belief and or practice. Th religious councils only have authority over preachers and Imams who subscribe to the religious persuasion and understanding of the constitutive persons of their councils. They have no authority over any Muslim, Christian, Jew, HarunaMo, or other person who adopts a different persuasion of any of the religions.
The matter of Ba Kawsu Fofana is not the purview of any religious council. It is a matter of Freedom of speech and association for religion or industry. To the extent such speech and or association is malignant to another person, that person is free to bring suit against any Imam, preacher, Religious Council member to the court of law whaich has jurisdiction over the matter. Allah advised that altough mankind is inherently accorded the rights of free speech and association, that such speech and or association must not unduly affect or burden the freedoms and life of his/her fellow human being. Tht is exactly why nations of peoples have courts of law to arbitrate between humans.
This extreme action by the GSIC is an affront to all practicing muslims and those who are considering becoming muslims. All persons of adult age of any nation, is fre to choose his/her religion and or persuasion of religion. I encourage all those Gambian adults who are considering becoming muslim to study their decision carefully in view of this anti-Islamic Council. I advise that you consider Christianity, Judaism, Mormonim, the Ahmadiyya, HrunaSilo, Bahaa'Ullah, and any other religion you are aware of while this particular GSIC persecutes Gambians. If you hav decided to become Muslim at this time in Gambia, I encouage you to worship privately and not visit any mosque or patronize any Imam who is under the authority of this GSIC until such a time as a proper more Islamic GSIC is constituted in Gambia.
I pray that Allah protects all Muslims from false prophets and Councillors.
Khatama Llaahu alaa guloobihim wa-Alaa Sam-E-him, wa-Alaa Absaari-him kheshaawatun, walahum athaabun azeemun. Wa mina-Nnaasi man yagoolu Aamannaa billaahi, wabil-yawmil-Aakhiri, wamaa-hum bi-mu'umineena.
Haruna. Courtsy: Freedomnewspaper.
The Da’awah and Ifta’a Committee of the Council in it’s meeting held at the Council’s headquarters on Monday 13th September 2010, has issued the following decision in the case of Ba Kawsu Fofana:
1. That it is necessary and demanding to stop the Da’wah activities of Ba Kawsu.
2. That an interrogation session shall be conducted with him concerning what was captured by the committee from his cassettes.
3. That a follow up committee shall be selected, who will observe and scrutinize the said cassettes, and record the findings for the Da’awah committee for further action.
4. That an interrogation of Ba Kawsu shall be conducted by the committee in the issue slated on Thursday the 16th of September 2010, in which the general committee of the Council shall be invited.
The reasons behind the halting of all the Da’awah activities of Ba Kawsu:
After thorough discussions and investigations of abnormalities of the Da’awah methodologies of Ba Kawsu, it was clear that the said Ba Kawsu is trying maliciously to achieve the following:
1. That he is trying to agitate Fitna (unrest) among people.
2. That his methodology in Da’awah is in a contrary to the methodology of Ahlus-Sunnah and Jama’ah; because he always tries to humiliate leaders and scholars, as well as insult people without any Shari’ah or legal reason.
3. His Fatwahs (opinions) are not in line with what is necessarily understood by the renowned scholars and researchers of this Ummah.
4. That he is fond of falsifying lies against innocent people.
For the above reasons, The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council has decided the following:
1. Ba Kawsu shall be stopped from Friday and all kind of sermons. In all mosques of The Gambia, likewise he shall not be allowed a word in addressing the public or delivering lectures and lessons in ceremonies and Ziyarahs.
2. He shall be banned of using any written, visual and audio media of communication to address the public in the name of Islam.
3. All his audio visual cassettes shall be retrieved from the markets, and the use and exchange of these cassettes shall be banned in public, and anybody found guilty of engaging otherwise shall be held responsible accordingly.
4. This resolution shall be communicated to all those security institutions concerned accompanied with all supporting documents in form of audio cassettes in this matter for necessary action.
The council by issuing this resolution would like to remind all the propagators, Imams and the preachers on the Mimbar that they should abide by the right methodology in their propagation duty.
General Warning
The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council acting as the umbrella body of all Islamic Organisations and bodies in the country and the highest decision body concerning Islam and its propagation; would like to recommend to all the propagators the following:
1. That they should not preach targeting personalities and the general institutions of the country.
2. That they should not tamper with security of the state, and should respect the right of leaders and the scholars.
3. That everybody who have different idea of what the Council has ordered shall take chance and come to the council to discuss and/or write to the Council his/her view without using Mimbar or agitating the public against this decision.
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