A Fajikunda-based Islamic organisation has urged the government to take “stern measures to stop Rawdatul Majaalis from propagating their hatred, animosity, and division” among Gambian Muslims.
A press statement issued last night by Kabiro Dampha, the head of the Islamic Enlightenment Society, thumbed down Rawdatul Majaalis for being the only Muslim organisation that refused to recognise the election of a new executive of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) three weeks ago.
The Islamic Enlightenment Society statement described a segment of Rawdatul Majaalis membership as “a gang of some repatriated and disgruntled ‘semesters’ from Europe and America who have been actively engaged in utter rebellion against the former [and current] democratically and legally elected GSIC leadership since their very inception and causing chaos throughout the country”.
The society’s statement read: “The allegations from the so-called Rawdatul Majaalis through a press release against the GSIC are totally misleading, unfounded, and baseless. It is an obvious and undeniable fact to all Muslims in The Gambia that all Muslim groups and organisations must register under the GSIC before they could operate as legitimate Islamic bodies or groups in The Gambia. Rawdatul Majaalis established their group in 2017 refusing to register under the GSIC unlike all the other Islamic groups in The Gambia, claiming they are bigger than the council, and that the council is an illegal entity. Rawdatul Majaalis claimed they have come to revive and represent all the Majaalis in The Gambia, and to promote unity among Gambians, even though none of them have been actively engaged in running or teaching in any of those Majaalis they claimed to be representing. To our greatest dismay and disappointment, this same Rawdatul Majaalis has been operating actively as a major tool for division in The Gambia by being a one-tribe cult consisting of only one ethnicity in their entire executive board…
“It is ridiculous for Rawdatul Majaalis to make irresponsible claims against GSIC. There was no foul play in the whole congress. It was conducted with the highest level of fairness and transparency in accordance with the council’s constitution by engaging 15 representatives from each region, amounting to 155 representatives from all over the country, representing their people and imams. “The same Rawdatul Majaalis in 2019 declared themselves as the new GSIC without engaging all the imams in the country or at least engaging their various representatives. They only conducted their so-called nomination by engaging Alhaji Yusupha Darboe who they claimed nominated Muhammad Sheriff Nano Hydara as their president. Ever since, they have been causing chaos by illegally impersonating the GSIC regarding certain Islamic matters particularly during various Islamic feasts. It has already become apparent to all Gambians that Rawdatul Majaalis is only out to divide Gambians… Why is Rawdatul Majaalis still desperately fighting to get the GSIC leadership by hook or by crook when they already have their own so-called Supreme Islamic Council as well as their Rawdatul Majaalis which they claimed has representatives in many west African countries including Senegal, Mali, and even Burkina Faso?
“The GSIC is the umbrella body for the religious affairs of all Muslims, Islamic groups and organisations in The Gambia. It is recognised by the state and has been actively running activities in collaboration with The Gambia Government. The government is pleased with the way the council conducted its congress and in fact sent a delegation to grace the occasion. Hundreds of Islamic groups and organisations in The Gambia have been sending their letters of congratulations and appreciation to the council’s leadership for their appointment except the so-called Rawdatul Majaalis who still continued with carrying on their rantings and attacks on the new GSIC leadership. It is high time that the Gambia Government took stern measures to stop Rawdatul Majaalis from propagating their hatred, animosity, and division among the people because it is obvious beyond all reasonable doubt that they are up to no good in this country, but they are only out there to cause chaos, anarchy, lawlessness, and destruction in the land”.
