Gambia ‘no go area’ for religious extremists
Thursday, September 01, 2011
The president of the Republic has once again warned that The Gambia is a “no go area” for extremists who use the noble Islamic religion as a coat to engage in violent activities that are catastrophic and done in the name of "so-called jihad" waged on innocent people, especially Muslims. He denounced such acts as unIslamic, while stressing the need for the simmering tensions in the Islamic Ummah to ease.
His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh was speaking Tuesday afternoon at State House in Banjul, while presiding over a high-level meeting with the country’s top Islamic scholars. The meeting, a tradition that started 111 years ago by the Banjul Muslim Elders became a national affair since the advent of the Second Republic. It was attended by Cabinet ministers, and the country’s Islamic scholars drawn from different sects, including non-citizen community religious scholars residing in The Gambia.
The Gambian leader, in denouncing the phenomenon of extremism went on to crave the indulgence of his fellow faithful to be steadfast in upholding the Islamic Religion, while warning those “so-called Muslims” that a religion based on monetary inducement and violent extremism will not be tolerated in this country.
He said: “A religion that is violent is unIslamic. So let those who oppose the Islamic religion and want to bring a different religion, put their countries in chaos, and shifted their attention to Africa in view of its poor financial status, be aware that The Gambia is a no go area for them.” The president warned that anybody who embraces such religion because of money and wants to foment unrest in the country is asking for serious trouble. “All these unrests and killings we are hearing today are done by the so-called extremists. What they do is to wait until people have gone to the mosque and detonate bomb proclaiming to be carrying out a jihad. Those people are not jihadists but people bent on pursuing the service of ‘Ebilise’ [Satan],” the Gambian leader stated further.
According to President Jammeh, what is even more pathetic is the fact that it is during Ramadan that those who call themselves Islamic militants execute the most ungodly things, which he said are unislamic. He explains: “Even if the Sharia [Islamic law] itself stated that if the law caught someone that is to be killed, if Ramadan comes that person should not be killed. Even during the time of the Prophet Muhammed [PBUH], if Ramadan comes, if you don’t attack them they will not do so. But it is sad that this is the month when those so-called Muslims are bent on doing more killings and exploitations or wickedness; yet claiming to follow the footstep of the Holy Prophet.”
Culture of sharing and compassion
The Gambian leader also seized the opportunity to enjoin the Muslim community to nurture the culture of sharing amongst the faithful, as well as compassion as dictated by the teachings of the religion, observing the lack of such virtues [among some Muslims]. “What is very sad is that those that are very hungry in the world, and suffer the most, are Muslims. But again the Ummah that has more money is Islam, and countries that are with vast wealth are Islamic nations. How can a nation be an Islamic country, claim to be abiding by the teachings of Islam, you see your fellow faithful suffering in the world without doing anything? So what type of Islam are we talking about?” the president queried.
Commenting further on the issue, he observed that over 90 percent of those in domestic business in this country are Muslims, yet people continue to be exploited by those traders especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan. He added: “Even the foodstuffs that I am selling out to reduce exploitation of the people, I am made to understand that there are some who bought them at my giveaway price, hoard and then resell them to people at a doubled price. This is unacceptable because it is also a form of ribar [profiteering].”
Good moral values
Commenting on the need for discipline and the inculcation of good moral values in the young people, the Gambian leader made it clear that is not the responsibility of the government and the religious leaders alone. He challenged the parents or family heads to strive to teach their children and show them positive attributes. “We the family heads, especially the men should be extra-careful and vigilant concerning our children. Whatever a child sees at home, he or she will go out with that type of attitude. Government cannot discipline your children; so if we all take responsibility as family heads accordingly, it will pay dividend,” he stated.
Steadfastness
President Jammeh further stressed the need for the religious leaders to be steadfast in the propagation of Islam, while calling on them to see only God and the Quran, and tell the truth when the need arises, without looking into the eyes somebody. He added: “Let’s be careful of selling the religion for monetary gains. This religion belongs to God, so lets try and ensure the stability of the religion. Let’s follow a religion based on the Holy Scripture [Quran] of Allah. Let the Muslims stop the unwarranted killings because Allah says that if you kill a human being deliberately, it is just like you have killed the entire human race. Allah didn’t say if you kill a Muslim, but a human being. But why people in this Holy Month of Ramadan will go and detonate bomb in mosques and yell ‘La-illaha illallah’ yet claiming to be Muslims. Even during Jihad of Prophet, it was not waged on people worshipping. Who can raise his hand to say that the prophet attacked or bomb any mosque or church during the time of Jihad?”
Speaking earlier, the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy hailed the move by the religious leaders to meet and discuss with President Jammeh, describing it as a great manifestation of patriotism. She dwelled on the president’s Islamic propagation strides, saying he is someone that upholds the religion well. The VP noted that the Gambian leader has shown compassion to the people especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and called on others to emulate him. The minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Fatou Lamin Faye reiterated the need for parents to inculcate good moral values in their children, whilst the Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters minister, Lamin Kaba Bajo urged parents to closely monitor the activities of their children at home vis-à-vis what they watch on movies and the internet.
The ministers of Information and Communication Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians abroad, Alhagie Cham and Dr Mamadou Tangara respectively, all extolled President Jammeh’s development strides.
Religious leaders account
Various leaders who spoke at the meeting commended the exemplary stance of the Gambian leader in religious propagation in the country, his compassion and love for the citizens, as well as other achievements. They particularly hailed the help he renders to Muslims during the month of Ramadan, as well as his Quranic recitation competition initiative. The Imam Ratib of Banjul, Alhaji Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, thanked the Gambian leader for his service to humanity and Islam. Imam Kah seized the opportunity to stress the need for the consolidation of the existing peace and stability in the country. He described peace as the basis for everything, stressing that without it neither development nor worship will be possible.
The chairman of the Banjul, Muslim Elders Committee, Alhaji Antouman Faal took the audience on history lane, recalling that such gathering was started by their ancestors 111 years ago. Noting that they are nurturing the legacy of their ancestors, AA Faal said they were at State House to renew their loyalty to the president as well as thank him. He finally commended the Gambian for initiatiating the Quranic Memorisation Competition, which he said will increase the nation’s scholars. Alhaji Basiru Jawara, a wealthy Gambian businessman also lauded the president’s commitment to Islam.
Imam Rabih Farhat, head of the Lebanese delegation and the Mauritanian head of delegation, Ahmed Seedu Sulufara both spoke about the Gambian leader’s magnanimity and generosity, as well as the compassion and love he has shown to the citizens. Both equally commended his stance for Islam and the conducive environment his government has created for them to operate. The Amir of the Ahmaddiyya Muslim Jamat, Baba Trawally, Imam Sheriif Badjan, first vice president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, and other speakers all expressed similar sentiments.
His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh was speaking Tuesday afternoon at State House in Banjul, while presiding over a high-level meeting with the country’s top Islamic scholars. The meeting, a tradition that started 111 years ago by the Banjul Muslim Elders became a national affair since the advent of the Second Republic. It was attended by Cabinet ministers, and the country’s Islamic scholars drawn from different sects, including non-citizen community religious scholars residing in The Gambia.
The Gambian leader, in denouncing the phenomenon of extremism went on to crave the indulgence of his fellow faithful to be steadfast in upholding the Islamic Religion, while warning those “so-called Muslims” that a religion based on monetary inducement and violent extremism will not be tolerated in this country.
He said: “A religion that is violent is unIslamic. So let those who oppose the Islamic religion and want to bring a different religion, put their countries in chaos, and shifted their attention to Africa in view of its poor financial status, be aware that The Gambia is a no go area for them.” The president warned that anybody who embraces such religion because of money and wants to foment unrest in the country is asking for serious trouble. “All these unrests and killings we are hearing today are done by the so-called extremists. What they do is to wait until people have gone to the mosque and detonate bomb proclaiming to be carrying out a jihad. Those people are not jihadists but people bent on pursuing the service of ‘Ebilise’ [Satan],” the Gambian leader stated further.
According to President Jammeh, what is even more pathetic is the fact that it is during Ramadan that those who call themselves Islamic militants execute the most ungodly things, which he said are unislamic. He explains: “Even if the Sharia [Islamic law] itself stated that if the law caught someone that is to be killed, if Ramadan comes that person should not be killed. Even during the time of the Prophet Muhammed [PBUH], if Ramadan comes, if you don’t attack them they will not do so. But it is sad that this is the month when those so-called Muslims are bent on doing more killings and exploitations or wickedness; yet claiming to follow the footstep of the Holy Prophet.”
Culture of sharing and compassion
The Gambian leader also seized the opportunity to enjoin the Muslim community to nurture the culture of sharing amongst the faithful, as well as compassion as dictated by the teachings of the religion, observing the lack of such virtues [among some Muslims]. “What is very sad is that those that are very hungry in the world, and suffer the most, are Muslims. But again the Ummah that has more money is Islam, and countries that are with vast wealth are Islamic nations. How can a nation be an Islamic country, claim to be abiding by the teachings of Islam, you see your fellow faithful suffering in the world without doing anything? So what type of Islam are we talking about?” the president queried.
Commenting further on the issue, he observed that over 90 percent of those in domestic business in this country are Muslims, yet people continue to be exploited by those traders especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan. He added: “Even the foodstuffs that I am selling out to reduce exploitation of the people, I am made to understand that there are some who bought them at my giveaway price, hoard and then resell them to people at a doubled price. This is unacceptable because it is also a form of ribar [profiteering].”
Good moral values
Commenting on the need for discipline and the inculcation of good moral values in the young people, the Gambian leader made it clear that is not the responsibility of the government and the religious leaders alone. He challenged the parents or family heads to strive to teach their children and show them positive attributes. “We the family heads, especially the men should be extra-careful and vigilant concerning our children. Whatever a child sees at home, he or she will go out with that type of attitude. Government cannot discipline your children; so if we all take responsibility as family heads accordingly, it will pay dividend,” he stated.
Steadfastness
President Jammeh further stressed the need for the religious leaders to be steadfast in the propagation of Islam, while calling on them to see only God and the Quran, and tell the truth when the need arises, without looking into the eyes somebody. He added: “Let’s be careful of selling the religion for monetary gains. This religion belongs to God, so lets try and ensure the stability of the religion. Let’s follow a religion based on the Holy Scripture [Quran] of Allah. Let the Muslims stop the unwarranted killings because Allah says that if you kill a human being deliberately, it is just like you have killed the entire human race. Allah didn’t say if you kill a Muslim, but a human being. But why people in this Holy Month of Ramadan will go and detonate bomb in mosques and yell ‘La-illaha illallah’ yet claiming to be Muslims. Even during Jihad of Prophet, it was not waged on people worshipping. Who can raise his hand to say that the prophet attacked or bomb any mosque or church during the time of Jihad?”
Speaking earlier, the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy hailed the move by the religious leaders to meet and discuss with President Jammeh, describing it as a great manifestation of patriotism. She dwelled on the president’s Islamic propagation strides, saying he is someone that upholds the religion well. The VP noted that the Gambian leader has shown compassion to the people especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and called on others to emulate him. The minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Fatou Lamin Faye reiterated the need for parents to inculcate good moral values in their children, whilst the Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters minister, Lamin Kaba Bajo urged parents to closely monitor the activities of their children at home vis-à-vis what they watch on movies and the internet.
The ministers of Information and Communication Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians abroad, Alhagie Cham and Dr Mamadou Tangara respectively, all extolled President Jammeh’s development strides.
Religious leaders account
Various leaders who spoke at the meeting commended the exemplary stance of the Gambian leader in religious propagation in the country, his compassion and love for the citizens, as well as other achievements. They particularly hailed the help he renders to Muslims during the month of Ramadan, as well as his Quranic recitation competition initiative. The Imam Ratib of Banjul, Alhaji Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, thanked the Gambian leader for his service to humanity and Islam. Imam Kah seized the opportunity to stress the need for the consolidation of the existing peace and stability in the country. He described peace as the basis for everything, stressing that without it neither development nor worship will be possible.
The chairman of the Banjul, Muslim Elders Committee, Alhaji Antouman Faal took the audience on history lane, recalling that such gathering was started by their ancestors 111 years ago. Noting that they are nurturing the legacy of their ancestors, AA Faal said they were at State House to renew their loyalty to the president as well as thank him. He finally commended the Gambian for initiatiating the Quranic Memorisation Competition, which he said will increase the nation’s scholars. Alhaji Basiru Jawara, a wealthy Gambian businessman also lauded the president’s commitment to Islam.
Imam Rabih Farhat, head of the Lebanese delegation and the Mauritanian head of delegation, Ahmed Seedu Sulufara both spoke about the Gambian leader’s magnanimity and generosity, as well as the compassion and love he has shown to the citizens. Both equally commended his stance for Islam and the conducive environment his government has created for them to operate. The Amir of the Ahmaddiyya Muslim Jamat, Baba Trawally, Imam Sheriif Badjan, first vice president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, and other speakers all expressed similar sentiments.
Author: by Hatab Fadera