On many occasions some of us were made to believe that Imam Baba Leigh is an outspoken and reasonable religious leader.I did not regret in defending some of his opinion but the fact here is that he is thinking just like another fascist.Read it for your self.His ignorance of what is going on in Nigeria is a testimony of the fact that the need for open minded religious leaders,who are able to see things and think through the eyes and minds of their age is in great need,not only in Nigeria but also in the Gambia.Such people must be exposed,they could be dangerous in the long run.
 
 
 

                 Thursday, January 4, 2001
                  
                    IMAM LEIGH CALLS FOR 
                                SHARIAH

                 The imam of the Kanifing Estate Mosque, Baba Leigh, has
                 renewed the debate on whether the strict Islamic law, shariah, is
                 appropriate for The Gambia. Speaking to Daily Observer
                 yesterday, the controversial imam said, "President Yahya Jammeh
                 should not even bother. It is very easy for people to tarnish a
                 leader's image through a simple thing. I agree that the head of
                 state was misquoted by the media but let him not even make any
                 rectification because the introduction of shariah in The Gambia
                 will not be any mistake. 

                 Muslims should be naturally governed by shariah law because
                 Islam calls for shariah. It is quite puzzling for a Muslim to say that
                 he or she cannot live with shariah. This is owing to the fact that
                 shariah is misunderstood. It is seen as a very terrible, bloody and
                 horrifying law by such people. That is very incorrect," he said.
                 Imam Leigh said shariah "is not all about cutting hands, killing or
                 beating. It is a way of life as Islam is. 

                 A Muslim, after declaring his faith in Allah and His messenger,
                 must abide by the stipulations of the shariah." He argued that
                 critics of shariah are simply ignorant of its implications. "These
                 ignorant people are part of the Muslims of The Gambia who start
                 thinking about what goes on in Nigeria or Iran as soon as one
                 talks about shariah. If I were the head of state, I would have
                 expressed my wish for introducing it in The Gambia without
                 imposing it on anybody," he remarked.

                 Imam Leigh said shariah should be introduced by the people of
                 The Gambia and that task must be carried out by the ordinary
                 Muslim citizens of the country. He said he was aware that
                 non-Muslims also live in The Gambia. "Those people have their
                 constitutional rights which must be protected. Shariah, when
                 introduced, will not effect them as they too have their own religion
                 and way of life. We are not going to do it the way Nigerians do it
                 as we can't drive away these Christians," he said. Imam Baba
                 Leigh said he wanted an audience with the president to discuss
                 this issue of shariah. "I have tried this many times but to no avail.

                 I would like to advise the head of state on this issue if I have any
                 chance of meeting him personally. It is rather unfortunate that I
                 only see the president when meeting him in a group. I will not only
                 tell him that shariah is good or ideal for only The Gambia but for
                 the whole world. We are now living in a very confused society
                 with three different sets of laws; Western law, customary law and
                 part shariah law. A single state being governed by three sets of
                 laws is confusing," he argued. Imam Leigh said imams and other
                 erudite Muslim scholars must sensitise their followers about
                 shariah. 

                 "People need to be sensitised before shariah can be introduced so
                 as to waive the fear people have about it. Shariah works
                 effectively for the interest and welfare of people. It was not the
                 non-Muslim president of Nigeria who introduced shariah in areas
                 governed by shariah but the people themselves and this is what
                 Gambians must emulate. I am calling for the introduction of
                 shariah but it should not be with force," Imam Leigh concluded. 

                 During his Eid-ul-Fitr meeting with religious leaders at State
                 House last weekend, President Jammeh was quoted by Radio
                 Gambia as saying he was going to introduce the strict Islamic law
                 in The Gambia in 2001. However, that statement was hotly
                 disputed by the State House press and PR director, Fatoumata
                 Jahumpa-Ceesay, who said the president was misquoted.
                 However, the constitution of The Gambia has entrenched the
                 secularity of the state and frowned upon the introduction of any
                 state religion. 

                                        

           
                 

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