Saikou,
Like you and many others I was made to believe that Imam Baba leigh is an
outspoken and reasonable religious leader.May I,however,add that I still
consider Imam Leigh not only a reasonable Imam but also an open-minded
religious scholar.WHY?My reasons to still believe that Imam Baba Leigh is an
open-minded and reasonable religious scholar is based on what I gathered
from what the Observer article you posted below.
The Imam makes it very clearly the Shariah will not be imposed on anyone.I
think this is in line with the Islamic saying that there is no compassion
in Islam.Hence to hastily judge Imam as another fascist one will not be
doing justice to him.The fact that the introduction of the Shariah rule in
some countries like Nigeria and Iran have led to social problems even for
the people it was meant to guide should not make one to quickly conclude
that the Shariah is IRRELEVANT in our modern day society of mixed faiths.The
Shariah worked well during our BELOVED PROPHET's time whose society composed
of people of various believes.
To conclude,I guess the main problems in Nigeria,which you cited to justify
your argument,was that the State introducing the Shariah may perhaps fail to
first enlightened its people about the Shariah rule.Secondly,it should not
have taken those extreme measures on its subjects.
May ALLAH gives us the mind and hearth to reason issues with other
people.May HE also makes us to be HIS true servants.AMEN!
Wasalam.
MARK
>From: Saikou Samateh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Imam Baba Liegh On Sharia
>Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 14:04:14 -0000
>
>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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