A prominent Gambian Islamic scholar has warned the government of President Adama Barrow not to grant a television license to the country’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.
Gambian authorities are currently considering an application by the Ahmadis for a television licence.
But Imam Ratib Muhammad Al Amin Drammeh of Serrekunda said the application should be refused as the Ahmadis are not Muslims.
“The Ahmadis have to stop making false claims about their true identity. They cannot apply a TV license on the basis they are
Muslims,” the imam told the Associated
Press news agency.
The Ahmadis who already run a number of schools and health facilities in the Muslim dominated country have so far refused to respond to concerns of the cleric.
The Gambia is a secular country which guarantees and protects religious freedom. But Muslim clerics are concerned about the effects a non-Muslim tv station will have on the Muslim youth.
In his sermon last Friday, Imam Drammeh launched a scathing attack on the Ahmadis and described themas ‘Kafirs (nonbelievers)and enemies of Islam.’
“The Ahmadis are assigning human attributes to Allah as they hold the belief that He has wife, kids, father and mother,” he told his congregation at Masjid Sulaiman, Dippakunda.
“Their spiritual leader Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has pushed the blasphemy to the extent of saying he slept with Allah.
The Ahmadis do not believe that the Quran was revealed in a clear Arabic language. The idea that they maintain is the Quran descended onto humanity in English language.”
Meanwhile, Gambia’s Information Minister Demba Ali Jawo and the Gambia Press Union have issued statements decrying religious intolerance, urging the authorities not to succumb to pressure and act in accordance with the law of land.
Written by Abdoulie JOHN
The smear campaign this thugs are engaged ln proves that Ahmadians are closer to being muslims than them. How on earth can anyone have the idea that Ahmadians believe that Allah have wife and kids or the Holly Quran is in English and not Arabic? Why so much hatered, character assasonation and intollerance? These war mongerers are the ones who should be denied the airwaves.
Gambians must take the time to look deeper and reflect on what they’re getting from the leadership on the bully pulpit that Islamic scholars and Imams profess to offer to the Ummah.
It is clear that a good number of Islamic scholars seize the opportunities offered by the bully pulpit, as a privilege, to keep the humdrum going for the object of embarking on a campaign of misinformation and misrepresenting the Hadith.
We must call out these folks for what they are and work earnestly to nip in the bud whatever influence that they believe they wield over their flock.
The ill conceived ideas of the anti Ahmadi folks in The Gambia must be countered with the Gambia’s belief in a secular state and the desire to belong to the comity of civilized nations.
Gambian, these folks aren’t war mongers but cowards that hide behind the pulpit and sermons aimed at spreading hate and intolerance.
The Barrow government must come out with the permit for the Ahmadi TV in a clear indication of the secular nature of Gambian society and also to lay this whole charade of a matter to rest.
The Gambia is NOT AN ISLAMIC STATE PERIOD!!
Any departure from that edict on the part of government would be akin to supporting the ill-conceived causes of disgruntled individuals.
The useless rhetoric emanating from our so-called Islamic scholars is indeed a big embarrassment to the entire Muslim community. In case they forget, Gambians are living witnesses to the deafening silence of these very scholars during the 22 years of mayhem Gambians endured under a despot. Only insane persons living in this country at the time would not have noticed that. I will not waste my time and effort identifying how the Ahmadis have contributed to the development of this country. Until the Supreme Islamic Council and Islamic Scholars who subscribe to the Council’s opinion on the TV licence issues are able to show proof of their contribution to national development, Gambians will not be swayed an inch in their unwavering support to the Ahmadis of this country. Can someone please educate these scholars on the fundamental tenets of our democracy and constitution – freedom of association. Some of these Islamic scholars should direct their energies at working on salvaging their tattered images after being complacent with 22 years of decadence in the mother land. I rest my case. Badara.
I have encountered a lot of anti-Ahmadiyya critics before, but this one (Imam Drammeh) is on a different level. I hope the government issues a license to the Ahmadiyya to clip the wings of these hateful preachers.
True Bax. We must all speak out loudly in seeking the higher moral ground.
The pseudo preachers, Taadibolu and hate mongers can choose to wallow in the muck if they so desire but we shouldn’t let them wield any influence over the decisions of a secular government at all.
They can call me a Satanist for all I care.
We would recall that the Ahmadis held prayers at the Banjul praying ground that was a stone’s throw from the State House. I can even bet that Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara could see them pray from the upper level of the State House.
Did that take anything away from Sir Dawda’s rich life? Zilch, Nada!
These hateful preachers are their own worst enemies and should get out of the business of insulting the honorable folks that they target everyday. They can eat their hearts out together with the muck raking Afang Drammeh and the corrupt, weed smoking, unGambian Fatty with the filthy head garb and beard!
These hateful preachers are what I label CHAFU SEESAY (as in chicken) that have been perennially carried along the journey by their congregations.
When they go begging for funding from their Arab patrons, they put such funds to all sorts of illicit purposes other than working to lift their fellow GAMBIANS OUT OF POVERTY like the Ahmadi community has been and still doing in our dear Gambia!
Now I will add CHEI GAMBIA!!
Ahmadis have two sections; the ones mentioned here are also called Qadianis. They believe that the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet and to be a Muslim one must take their so-called khalifa’s baiat! So they call everyone outside their organisation kafirs or heretics.
To learn about Islam http://www.virtualmosque.co.uk
The Gambia is not an Islamic state, so why exclusively issue tv licience to one sector of the community who held divergent views from people of the same religion? Why did they not apply for a tv station to upgrade in the fields they are engaged in, i.e. education, Health etc…if the government should reciprocate to there contribution to the community, then it should be in line with also the undisputed areas that the nation unanimously condoned with.
Not tribial issues that tends to manipulate the faithful in Islame but at the same time ignorant of its litrature.
Literally speaking, the aim and objectives of all religions studied indepth is one. We all know; co-existence and anything that infringes on it should not be tolerated. Will they do the same Islamic programms like GRTS? Let them clarify and reason out to the people…..