Muslim leader calls for SIC’s dissolution Accuses members of dabbling in
politics

72-year-old Baba Jawara has called for the immediate dissolution of the
Supreme Islamic Council claiming that the council has failed to address what
he called pertinent Islamic matters affecting the country’s Muslim
population. “The council has no proper code of conduct to punish the evil
deeds in society and other intolerance and irreligious behaviors,” Baba who
is a religious leader remarked during an interview with The Independent
Thursday.

The community leader expressed over the perceived involvement of the Supreme
Islamic Council in politics despite its clear-cut role to promote religious
tolerance and Islamic principles. “It is an organisation for political
propaganda which is unfair to the Gambian people” he said. The Muslim leader
noted that the entire council should be dissolved to give way to a new
Islamic organisation that will take into cognizance the serious concerns of
Muslims and refrain from dabbling in politics. Commenting on the recent
spectacle of women parading naked in Brikama, he noted that it was
surprising that the Council did not condemn the women who he believes openly
defied religion. He the women’s action as unIslamic and immoral and should
not be condoned in a civilized society like The Gambia.

Jawara asserted that “it is a most shameful and disgraceful behaviour
unexpected from any group of women”. He said the failure of the SIC to
denounce the manner of the protest was due to political reasons. “Islam is
not a biased religion and therefore those chosen to represent the interest
of Muslims should speak out the truth at all cost” he said. Mr. Jawara
recalled that the SIC was so inactive that even when the security forces
gunned down student demonstrators last year, the council refused to condemn
it “knowing very well that it was against Islam to entertain brutality.

He also took issues with the Council of Elders, whom he accused of “not
fulfilling their obligations by failing to denounce or discourage such
misconduct in society.” “Allah will never forgive anyone who entertains evil
deeds in society especially those who are mandated to speak without fear or
favour in such circumstances.

Jawara also criticised Alhaji Banding Drammeh the president of the Supreme
Islamic Council and Imam Abdoulie Fatty of the State House mosque for trying
to please members of the government at the expense of the principles of
Islam. “They are only interested in topics favourable to the government
while they deliberately ignore the truth. He charged.” “It is Allah who gave
them such positions and not any government. They should believe in Allah and
speak out the truth without fear or favour,” he added.

Fatty and Drammeh are not aware of it but they should know that well-meaning
Gambian Muslims do not believe in anything they say anymore because they
know that these men contradict what Islam stands for” he charged.






_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>

To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>