Ladies & Gentlemen, Colleagues,
 
I have followed the discussion on the apparent disagreement between the  
Supreme Islamic Council and the Ahmadiyya for the latter's translation of the  
Qur'an into some of our local languages. I must say I was both disappointed and  
confounded in some of the submissions. 
 
In my opinion, The Ahmadiyya are a missionary group like the Islamic  Council 
and the Christian council. They all vie for the spiritual life of  Gambians. 
Since Gambia is not an Islamic republic, this matter seems to me a  public 
policy conundrum than anything else. Citizens must not war over a public  policy 
mistake. The policy makers ought to make the policy right and consider  the 
debilitating effect of bad policy decisions on the citizenry.
 
1. The Islamic Council must not be given the title "The Supreme Islamic  
Council".
 
2. The Ahmadiyya, like the Christian Brotherhood, and their governing  
councils must never come under the purview of the Islamic Council without their  
acquiescence, and if I have any common sense at all, they will never, and  
rightfully so.
 
3. To foster religious fraternity and harmony, A "Council on Religion"  ought 
to be created with equal representatives from all religions, even the  
religions founded or to be founded by Gambians.
 
4. Gambia is a nation of religious tolerance and freedom of religion. It is  
a bad idea to feign preference for Islam. I am a muslim and I prefer the 
Islamic  Lifestyle. However, to be a true muslim, I must recognize the freedoms of 
people  of other faiths. Someone accepted the Ahmadiyya and Christian 
brotherhoods as  missionaries in Gambia. They have done a lot of selfless good. They 
do not force  anyone to convert. The Islamic brotherhood must follow the 
example of these  other religions and remain honest to the divine spirit. It is not 
decided that  Islam is the best religion for anyone's salvation. If we give 
the Islamic  Council free reign over our spiritual lives at the expense of other 
spiritual  nourishment, we will live to regret it and die to proceed to 
hellfire.
 
Laa Hawala walaa khuwwata, Illa Billaah, Li-Aliyyul Atheem.
 
Haroun Masoud. MQDT Darbo. Al Mutawakkil. If Islam is the best religion for  
salvation, I would like Allah, subhaanahu wa-ta aala, to take my life  before 
I awake in the morn. 
 
Thank you.
 
Haroun Masoud



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