YUS,
     I think, most muslims in this list are trying to
ignore the weekly simmons of the so called imam Fatty.
It is wrong for the first place to build a mosque at
the state house. How would We ( muslim ) will feel, if
a church was built at the state house.It is about time
for Gambians to do something about it.
Peace.
         Muktarr.















--- Yusupha Jow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I know that religion is a sensitive topic with
> Gambians, but the fact that
> the Imam is using the state house as a pulpit for
> his fiery religious sermons
> is a bit disturbing.  In any country there has to be
> a fundamental separation
> between religion and state.  My interpretation of
> the situation is that, the
> president, realizing the weakness and reverence that
> our people have for
> Islam, is using the Imam and Islam as a way to
> pacify our people and to
> justify his position.  This confuses the masses
> because, to them, being
> critical of the regime might be akin to criticizing
> the religion that 90% of
> our people follow.  This makes it very difficult for
> the present regime to be
> removed by any fair electoral process.
>
> Furthermore, over the years, there have been many
> scholars of Islam that have
> interpreted some parts of the Quran in  more liberal
> ways.  The Imam, in my
> opinion, contrary to some of the scholars of the
> religion,' is a rigid
> fundamentalist.  This evidenced by his statements
> against Toubabs and birth
> control.  He has also said that boys and girls
> should be kept apart in school
> buses and classrooms.  In fact, I read somewhere
> that Islam is pro-birth
> control within the confines of marriage.  Similarly,
> there is  no
> justification for his statements that we should not
> marry people from
> different religions or cultures.  There is no basis
> for some of the
> statements he has made.
>
> In conclusion, my opinion is that the Imam is
> walking a very thin line at
> this point.  His fundamentalist religious rhetoric
> makes him very dangerous
> because fundamentalists that are involved in
> politics are bad for any
> country.  In addition, him being used for political
> means by the present
> regime is not the Islamic way.  It is imperative
> that our people are given
> the freedom to express religion freely so that they
> can distinguish between
> religion and state.
>
> Yus
>
>
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