Imam Muntaha Faye preaches in UK

At the invitation of the Muslim Brothers in the United Kingdom, Imam Sheikh Muntaha Faye of the

The visit of Imam Sheikh Muntaha Faye to the United Kingdom, which has been regarded as a blessing for all Senegambians and Muslims living in UK, also availed Imam Faye the opportunity to travel under very tight schedules to spread the word of God to many parts in UK.

The Conference was opened by a well known Islamic scholar, Imam Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil Niass the grandson of the late renowned Sheikh Ibrahim Niass of Kaolack, Senegal. In his opening remarks, he expressed sincere appreciation for the invitation and thanked the organisers for bringing Muslims brothers and sisters to have such an important conference. He emphasised that such a gathering is rare among Muslims in UK. He said the purpose of the gathering is to address Brotherhood in Islam, which implies for both men and women in Islam. He cited that we may be faced with many difficult challenges in Europe, thus all the difficulties we are faced is a test on our faith and social life. He encourages the conference organisers to sustain such important forum to learn from important people like Imam Sheikh Muntaha Faye as well as address our social needs amicably. He advises the Muslims to be law abiding and fear God.

Imam Sheikh Muntaha Faye first thanked God for giving us good health to attend the conference. He expressed sincere appreciation to the conference organisers, invited guests and his hosts in UK for making his visit memorable. He emphasised that as Muslim brothers and sisters our main priority should be to pray five times daily, fast during Ramadan, give Zakat, perform Hajj and follow good teachings of Islam.

He said any one who does not pray and follow the correct teachings of Islam is not a Muslim. He caution all Muslims who call themselves Muslims while they don’t pray are not real Muslims and there are many people who call themselves Muslims but hardly pray five times a day. He said the most important thing in Islam is to pray five times a day, love our fellow Muslim brothers and all mankind. He asked the Muslim brothers to repent for their odd deeds and subdue to God at all times. He reminded the Muslims that when we follow the correct teachings of Islam, we have nothing to fear or worry in life except to be more careful and continue doing good things that will make this world a better place for all mankind and nurture the future generation to live better life. He said a time will come when many so called Muslims will find it difficult to practice good teachings of Islam faith.  He pointed out that only 313 Muslims began the crusade to spread the teachings of Islam. They have won the minds of many people all over the world. Islam teaches Muslims to believe that there is only one God. 'Ash-hadu an laailaha illa-lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah'. We bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and we bear witness Muhammad peace be upon him is His messenger. Imam Faye further reminded Muslims in UK and all over the world that good Muslims believed that God is one and incomparable and that the purpose of life is to worship God and follow the teachings of our prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. The word Islam literally means submission to God and adherent of Islam is called Muslim.

According to statistic figures, the amount of Muslims in the world is more than 1.5 Billion people. The converts in Islam are found in every parts of this Global Village. Islamic scholars noted that Islam is the second largest religion and one of the fastest growing in the World. Imam Faye challenged all Muslims in the World to unite, work together for the welfare of Islam and according to the right dictate of Islam. He disclosed that God has the means and powers to manifest Himself any how He likes. Imam Faye narrated the true stories of Prophet Moses with God at Mountain Sinai, the life story of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He said faith is what touches our heart and our actions proof it. He calls for real Brotherhood in Islam and appeal to all Muslims to be faithful and kind to each other as well as respects other people, irrespective of their religion or believes. He also appeal to Muslim leaders to preach the correct teaching of Islam avoid to create difference among Muslim brothers and sisters.

Muslim should always be very happy to give the best gift of what s/he has. Not in contrary to wear a cloth until you know is worn off and give it out, which is ridiculous. Imam Faye called on rich Muslim countries to help poor nations to develop their countries, in this way poverty would be eradicated in the world. He emphasised that if Muslims support each other on brotherhood bases, the risk of many social problems would be abolish for good and a thing of the past.  Those who truly believed in God must be afraid of Him, not to see ordinary people as their enemies and continues to create endless problems in this beautiful world. Imam Faye argued that God has provided mankind all our needs thus due to greed and selfish interest by others, the world is faced with scarcity of resources. Islamic Brotherhood could be a solution to a new world order that will make people to be more committed to support each other and sustain human development. God has provided all what human beings want, it is up to the human race to understand our limits of needs and operations to actualise what God has provided for us. The economies believe that 'the more human beings have, the more they want', that is regarded as greed by other social scientists.

One day the Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him asked the Disciples, what is Bankruptcy?  They replied Bankruptcy is to have money and one day you loose everything. The Prophet said no, Bankruptcy is not you losing money or savings in Banks. The actual Bankruptcy is going to Judgement Day with accepted Prayers, Fasting Ramadan, Giving Zakat and Performed Hajj but you insulted someone, backbite other and cheated another, harmed others and Allah takes all your good deeds give them to those people you cheated, insulted, harmed etc until all your good deeds are finished and what you owed them is not yet finished, then Allah will take their sins and add on to yours and take you to the Hell Fire. That is Bankruptcy in the real meaning. Imam Faye advised the conference participants to be very much weary of doing good things and avoid cheating other people neither talking bad things about others. It is a common saying that a friend in deed is better than a friend in need. The friendship of all Muslims must be love for your brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves. He cautions the people using one finger pointing at other people about their wrong behaviour while failed to acknowledge their own fault when actually their remaining four fingers point at them saying what about you. Imam Faye said all those who judge people wrongly on Judgement day God will judge them accordingly. He advises the Muslims brothers and sisters to desist from telling lies and back stabbing each other. He joyfully mentioned that Muslim brothers and sisters have nothing more precious than their fellow Muslims.

Therefore Muslims need to love each other, protect each other lawfully, respect each other and we learn from each other. He repeatedly mentioned that all Muslims must be God fearing people to live better life.

The well experience Imam who travelled to different parts of the world also emphasised that all human beings are equal. The Prophet peace be upon him said an Arab is not better than non Arabs no the Blackman better than the Red But only by fear Allah. Allah says in the Holly Quran O! People, I created you from one man and woman (Adam and Eve) and made you nations and tribes to know each other. The most honourable of all of you is the one who fear Allah most. God sees us equal that’s why all human beings look like the same, one head, two legs, one heart, one soul etc. Indeed the colonial Masters England and France were able to divide Senegal and The Gambia but what remain and cannot be divided are our families and traditional cultures. Imam Faye urged all Muslims to remain stronger in the correct Islamic faith for that will forever bring us glory and help us achieve our common goal. He briefly analyse the historical profile of some great Islamic scholars in the Senegambian region, their sincerity, love and support they gave to each other. He advised all Senegambians to love each other irrespective of our different nationalities. At the end of the conference, Imam Faye said that he brought the greetings of the religious leaders of The Gambia and the greetings of His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhagie Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh President of The Gambia and also greetings of the entire Gambian people. 

All those who attended the conference regarded Imam Faye's visit to UK very significant. We are over whelmed and pray for God to give our great Imam good health, long life to be making many more visit to UK. We call on Senegambians living in UK to unite and thank all those who contributed to Imam Faye’s visit in UK.  There is no doubt that next year Senegambians in UK and other parts of the world would make an advance arrangement to invite Imam Faye and other great Islamic scholars to address the urgent need for Muslims living in the Western World have greater understand of Islam.

Congratulation to Cherno Jaye and Njog Malick Faye for their efforts to mobilise the Muslim brothers and sisters living in Milton Keynes and different parts of United Kingdom to attended the conference. Cherno Jaye commended Waka Jargne for his effort to help them organised the conference.