The
Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) has claimed that the appointment of
Sheriff Muhamed Sanusi Nano Hydara from the Majmuatul Rawdatul Majalis as the
new president of the country’s Islamic Council is illegal.
In
a release sent to this medium the SIC said recently, there has been a “spate of
irresponsible statements” in the media, coming from a body calling themselves
Majmuatu Rawdatul Majalis.
According
to SIC, Majmuatu Rawdatul Majalis presented a self-appointed president of a
Supreme Islamic Council.
Recently
there has been war of words over leadership position at The Gambia Supreme
Islamic Council (SIC) between the two organisations, with each claiming to be
steering the affairs of the country’s biggest Islamic council.
Recall:
Last week, the Majmouatul Rawdatil Majaalis, formed a new executive claiming to
be the rightful body to lead the Gambia’s Supreme Islamic Council (SIC).
This
development came barely months after they urged the country’s supreme Islamic
council to call a congress for election of a new executive. According to them,
the current executive’s term has long since ended.
However,
SIC has also questioned the credibility of the Rawdatul Majlis, saying that
they are not registered members of the Supreme Islamic Council, stressing that
only registered Islamic Organisations have a say in the selection or election
of any leader of the organisation. Below reads the full text of the council’s
release:
Recently,
there has been a spade of irresponsible statements in the media, coming from a
body calling themselves Majmuatul Rawdatul Majalis. At first, they presented a
self-appointed President of a ‘Supreme Islamic Council’.
This
made the following pronouncement:
A. “Establishment of a Supreme Islamic
Council against the legally established Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, which
was inaugurated in 1992, with a Constitution binding all Muslims for the
purpose of bringing unity, co-operation and solidarity within the Muslim
Community, in particular among the Gambian people in general.
B. Illegal appointments of a President of
the so-called SIC and an Executive and most recently regional offices are some
of the arbitrary and unconstitutional acts.”
“The
Majmuatu Rawdatul Majalis have tried and failed to denounce the legally
constituted council and have resorted to abuses. We wish to remind the public
that the legally Constituted GSIC is a non-government organization established
by Government intervention to have a strong working relationship as provided in
the Constitution of the Council on all Islamic matters.
The
Constitution defines in article 18 the qualification of membership for the
Council. Article 35 provides the legal term for membership and eligibility.
Article 36 makes provision for the expiration of the legal term and the process
for the supervision of general election for the positions of regional offices
etc.”
“As
an illegal body the Rawdatul Majalis cannot therefore come and want to hijack a
legally constituted Council as the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council. Unilateral
action from the Rawdatul Majalis is a violation of the constitution and should
be denounced vehemently and opposed in its strongest terms.”
“The
Rawdatul Mejalis is not a registered organization to the GSIC, nor attached to
any Islamic body. It has no right to the title of Gambia Supreme Islamic
Council or call itself Supreme Islamic Council. The Rawdatul Majalis is
spreading false information about its existence to the public and the Islamic
Institutions. This is totally against the teachings of Islam.”
“The
mention of personalities in their statements to whom they claim to enjoy their
fraternal support is totally untrue. This must stop. The GSIC is using the
press and electronic media to clarify what is seen as total false and an
irresponsible way by the Rawdatul Majalis to the general public and more
directly to the Islamic Umah.”
“May
the Almighty Allah Guide us on the right path and save our beloved Nation, The
Gambia. Amen.”
