Baba Leigh Criticises Ban On Gunjur Ziyarreh

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Baba Leigh Criticises Ban On Gunjur Ziyarreh

Wednesday, 22 August 2012 19:13

(JollofNews) – Imam Baba Leigh of Kanifing East mosque has become the first Gambian to openly criticise the Gambia

government’s ban on religious gathering in the coastal village of Gunjur.

The annual gathering at the Kenye-Kenye Jamenghno (Sandy Mosque) which the Office of the President described as unIslamic was banned in July and the president has vowed to come down heavily on anyone who goes against the ban.

Imam Leigh said the government was wrong to ban the religious gathering in Gunjur as it goes against the beliefs of the Tijaniyaa brotherhood and the freedom of religion enshrined in the Gambian c Baba Leigh onstitution.

“That decision was not right because it is a holy site which was recommended by the founder of Tijaniyaa brotherhood, Sheikh Omar Futi. He worshipped at the place for 40 days and said that whoever prays there will have their prayers answered,” he told the Standard Newspaper.

“A cursory look at the trend of religious feasts tells you that the majority of Gambian Muslims go to Touba, Tivaoune or Ndiassan in Senegal for prayer when we have our own holy place in Gunjur respected even by the custodians of those places.

"I do not understand why people should not be allowed to exercise their religious freedom? Christians are going to Kunkujang Mariama for their annual prayer pilgrimage and nobody is stopping them.

“I have personally prayed there [Kenye-Kenye Jamenghno] many times and my prayers were answered. Thousands of people came from all over West Africa to pray at the place, which is good for Gunjur and the Gambia.

Since the ban was announced in a press release by the Office of the President, security officers have been instructed to arrest anyone found worshipping at the place.
Written by PK Jarju

Comments

+2 #5 2012-08-24 11:24

Thanks imam ,if all the muslim leaders speak out Jammeh would have not stop people going there.but some of the imam leaders are not there for the religion .may god bless you and giude you.

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+2 #4 2012-08-23 21:29

Dictator jammeh did not only ban the people of Gunjur from their own place of worshiping but he instead take the place as his own,he built a fence around and he occasionally visit the place for his so-called worshiping. Dictator jammeh is deliberately imposing himself on the people as if as the country belong to him and this must be stop.

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now that the Gambians are understanding dictator jammeh and his bandits more and more, many more Gambians will over their fear to tell them the truth.

May Allah guide and protect Imam baba Leigh in his courage to tell the truth.

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+5 #3 2012-08-23 16:34

Imam Baba leigh, i must confess that you will a get a very big reward for this fact you've just point out. may allah give youj long life and happyness, this is what God says in the holy quran that if you are a good muslim an educated one for that mater you should not be fear of any human, you should be able to tell the truth no matter who is involve. i'm so pround of you. in the first place what does the Goverment have to do with people religious affares.

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+6 #2 2012-08-23 15:54

Exactly sky...! No Mandate and No business to interfere in people's religious choices and practices...But as usual,the regime does not care a damn thing about the constitution or the rights of Gambians,unless they confirm to their twisted ideology...

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+9 #1 2012-08-23 13:36

the gambia goverment has no right to ban any religious garthering in gunjur.these gos to show that yaya jammeh is a real dictator, shame on you clown your down fall is getting close.

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