On Sunday, Alagie Buba Saho’s Continental Agency in collaboration with Islamic scholars across the country converged at Crab Island Junior secondary school in Banjul to gives lectures to and sensitise pilgrims on what is expected of them during the course of their Hajj in Mecca

Speaking at the event, Imam Abdoulie Fatty expounded significantly on the benefits of Hajj and urged pilgrims to desist from certain sinful acts such as stealing

Oustas Gibril Kujabi of the Talinding Islamic Institute also expressed similar sentiments.

Delivering his Eid-Al-Fit sermon at the King Fahad Mosque last Wednesday, Imam Ratib of Banjul said people should work hand in hand with security agents wherever there are security threats. Imam Kah then prayed for the peace and stability of the country and the Muslim Ummah.

He congratulated everyone living in The Gambia for the commemoration of the Eid-al-fitr.

He also commended President Jammeh and those who helped the needy during the Ramadan.

According to him, the rich should always help the poor and love each other, respect the rule of law and always obey authorities.

He reminded the gathering of the necessity to always work together for the development of the country and the Muslims Ummah.

Imam Ratib Kah also urged youths to always respect their parents and help them whenever necessary.

The deputy Imam of Gunjur and the State House, Imam Muhammed Lamin Touray alias Lion, has called on people to consider the poor.

Speaking during a very prolonged sermon in Gunjur recently, Imam Touray spoke of the importance of helping the poor and the needy as well as the rewards that awaits those helpers and the punishments facing those who don’t. He said the world would be a wonderful place to live if people would just help each other as this is the best way to create love and trust within our societies.

According to Lion Touray, Allah is not compromising with people who do not help the poor and the needy. He quoted Chapter 107 1-3 of the Quran saying, “Have you seen him who denies our religion? It is he who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy.”

Imam Touray, concluding his sermon in tears, said that we are all humans, creatures of Allah the Almighty and brothers and sisters of one another. “Why are we so mean to each other? How is it possible that you eat comfortably and sleep well when your neighbour is dying of hunger and cannot sleep?” he asked.

Six people were yesterday, Tuesday 26th August 2008, arraigned at the Bansang Magistrates’ Court for allegedly murdering the Imam of Kuntaur, Amadou Jallow.

Bana Sillah, Abdou Kadir Sillah, Kadjatou Conteh, Bala Musa Conteh, Kebba Sawaneh and Amadou Gai are formally charged with two counts of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They have denied both charges.

The particulars of the offence indicated that the accused persons on or about the 16th June 2008 at the Kuntaur Wharf Town in Niani District, CRR North conspired and murdered Amadou Jallow, then the Imam of Kuntaur.

However, the presiding magistrate, Travelling Magistrate Amadou Baldeh transferred the case to the High Court.

Meanwhile the accused persons will remain in custody pending the outcome at the High Court.

It will be recalled that the Late Imam was attacked and murdered at his residence in the early hours of the 16th June 2008 while on the verge of going to lead prayers at the mosque.

Imam Momodou Lamin Touray, the newly elected president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) has called on Muslims in the country to bury their differences and unite for a common purpose.

 Imam Touray said Islam harbours no disunity and Muslims should unite for the good of Islam and the Ummah.

Imam Touray, an erudite and reputed Islamic scholar, is the deputy Imam of Gunjur and a deputy Imam of State House mosque. He hails from Gunjur, Western Region, and is renowned for his fluidity in the propagation of Qur’an and the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

He told the multitude of the faithful at the 4th national congress of the country’s supreme Islamic body, on Sunday, at the GSIC Headquarters in Kanifing, that his election to the presidency was the will of Allah, but noted that all Muslim leaders in the country are equally competent to head the council.

“The council belongs to all the Muslims in the country, but it is only when we unite together as a unified body that we can achieve the successes and developments that we all yearn for,” the new GSIC president said, while calling for more commitment to Islam.

Imam Touray challenged the Muslim Ummah to serve as a watchdog to the new executive committee of the council, as they should be corrected where they are likely to do wrong. However, he also called for maximum support from everyone in order to move the council forward.

Imam Touray affirmed his resolve to make the council a more vibrant institution during his term and assured the gathering that the trust and confidence bestowed on them by Muslims will not be betrayed.

At the occasion, the erudite Imam praised Allah for bringing the congress to a successful ending and  the present government, under the leadership of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, whom he thanked for his “unshakable” commitment to the cause of the council and Islam.

Alhaji Banding Drammeh, the preceding president of GSIC, concurred with his successor’s statement and urged Muslims to stand by the new executive committee in the execution of their functions.

He informed the gathering that the outgoing executive will convene a meeting with the incoming one, for the formal handing over of the affairs of the council.
Alhaji Mustapha Caroyol, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, who presided over the election process, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the congress.

The 155 delegates who unanimously elected Imam Touray as president, also elected 10 other executive members to the executive committee of the council.

They include Imam Sheriff Bajan and Imam Sheik Gibril Kujabi, as first and second vice presidents respectively; Dr Mbaye Kebba Kah and Ebrima Touray as the secretary-general and deputy secretary-general respectively; and Aji Jainaba Dibba and Cherno Darboe elected as the assistant secretary-general - English, and deputy assistant secretary-general - Arabic respectively.

Other members of the committee are Baba Drammeh Junior, Alhaji Momodou Lamin Kanteh, Baba Babucarr Drammeh Senior and Aji Maimuna Savage.

Sheikh Hassan Ceesay, a renowned Imam of the Nyassen Muslim Brotherhood, died at the age of 63, following a short illness.

Sheikh Hassan Ceesay took over the helms of the Imanship in April 1982 and held the position for 26 years.

First grand-son of the venerable Sheikhal Islam El Hadji Ebrima Nyass, the late Imam is reputed for being an Islamic Ulemah, who played a preponderant role in propagating Islam and the Mohamedan tradition throughout the world.

After completing his secondary school education in Senegal, Sheikh Hassan proceeded to Egypt, where he had graduated in Islamic Studies and Litterature.

His academic career was consecrated by a degree in philosophy, which he had obtained at Oxford University in 1974. 

In addition, he got a PhD in Islamic Studies at Northwestern University, Evanston, in the Illinois (USA).

On Friday, 15 August, 2008, thousands of followers paid their final respects during the burial of Sheikh Hassan Ceesay in Kaolack, Senegal.

One Kemo Saho of Farato, who is currently serving a two-year custodial sentence after he was found guilty by the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for causing gruesome bodily harm to Samba Bah, Imam of Farato Village, has again been arraigned before Magistrate Ayoub John-Njie of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing the same Samba Bah, Imam of Farato Village with a horn all over his body.

Mr Saho pleaded not guilty when the charge sheet was read to him. Continuing his testimony on Monday, Saho told the court that the charge he was sentenced for is similar to the one he is currently charged with. According to him, on the first charge that he was sentenced for, it was the complainant, Samba Bah who first attacked him and he (Mr Saho) was advised by one Gibril Sonko to change direction to avoid the brawl, which he did.

He told the court that he had been on the main road from his compound going to Brikama, when he met up with the complainant near one Demba Baldeh’s compound and that the complainant advanced towards him, armed with a cutlass and a stick.

“As Mr Bah [the complainant] came closer to me, he asked me who I was insulting. At the point, the complainant brandished the cutlass attempting to cut me with it," Saho explained.

Saho told the court that he tried to take the cutlass from Mr Bah but he (Mr Bah) pulled it away with force and cut him between his thumb and index finger.

"When I tried with my other hand, he did the same," Saho said. He further told the court that Mr Bah then attempted to hit him with the stick and he (Saho) took  it from him and they were both pulling at it until one Ensa came and separated them, but Mr Bah hit him (Mr Saho) with the stick on the head, giving him injuries.

Mr Saho added that he then reported the matter to the Brikama Police Station and he was later taken to the hospital for treatment. "When I came back from the hospital, I gave my statement to the Police in the presence of the complainant. He added that Omar Jawo, the then Station officer at the Brikama Police station then called them and told them to discuss and amicably settle the matter so as to prevent it from reaching the court.  
Magistrate Njie then adjourned the case.

Lamin K Mboge represented the complainant while Corporal 1320 Bojang represented the IGP.

Kemo Saho of Farato village in Kombo South was recently taken back to the State Central Prison in Banjul following the failure of his counsel to show up in court.

Kemo Saho is undergoing trial at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for violently assaulting an imam of one of the mosques in Farato. His case was supposed to proceed sometime last week but was stalled due largely to the inability of defence counsel Edu Gomez to make it to court. The case is now expected to continue on 10 July 2008.

Kemo Saho is in the meantime accused of stabbing Imam Samba Bah with an animal horn thereby causing him actual bodily harm.

In another development, Lawyer Edu Gomez’s inability to make it to the court was also last week a stumbling block to the progress of the trial of a certain Mustapha Camara.

Mustapha is being charged with an alleged offence of attempting to commit murder contrary to section 200 of the Criminal Code, Cap.10,Vol. III of the Laws of The Gambia.

The case is now expected to continue on 10 July.