Officials of Rawdatul Majlis, a newly formed Islamic organization, has disclosed at a presser that the Gambian people have lost confidence in some former executive members of the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC).
Established in 2017, Rawdatul Majlis’ aim has been to bring Muslims together under one umbrella; following the foot-steps of the forefathers under whose guidance helped Islam spread in the country.
In a recent annual Quranic recitation held at the BA Semega Janneh Hall, the organization selected Sheriff Sanusi Nano Hydara as the President of the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) against the wishes of the former executive members of the council led by Muhammed Lamin Touray, a Gunjur born and Saudi trained Cleric.
Last week, the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council condemned the selection of Sheriff Sanusi Nano Hydara as the leader of the main Islamic body, disclosing that the selection of the leader of the council must be in conformity with the laws of the organization and any act that contravenes the laws of the organization is regarded as null and void.
The Council also questioned the credibility of the newly formed Islamic organization which it said is not a registered member of the Supreme Islamic Council, stressing that only registered Islamic organisations have a say in the selection or election of any leader of the organization.
“Gambian people have loss confidence in some members of the former executive members of the SIC who witnessed and presided over the arrest, detention and torture of close to a dozen of Imams in this country. They have lost confidence in people who claimed to be clerics, but yet will dance to the tune of politicians for their personal gains at the expense of Islam and its teaching”, Sheikh Abubacarr Jabbi, Public Relations Officer of Rawdatul Majlis reacted at a press conference at its office in Tabokoto.
According to him, the mandate of the former executive members of the Supreme Islamic Council expired last year, but the SIC has failed to organize an election, adding that the excuse given by the former executive members of the SIC was that there were no funds to conduct an election.
“We wrote a series of letters to SIC to remind them of holding a congress and an election, but they never answered to these letters. We also understand that they said the Council lacks funds to conduct an election, but interestingly they didn’t lack funds to go for a nationwide tour”, PRO Jabbi stated.
Sheikh Abubacarr Jabbi revealed that the decision to select Sheriff Muhammed Sanusi Nano Hydara was reached upon consultation with leaders of the Majlis houses in the country, adding that some of those Muslim elders who participated in the establishment of the Supreme Islamic Council in 1992 also accepted and blessed the decision.
“We call you (journalists) so that you can inform the public that as far as we are concerned Sheriff Sanusi Nano Hydara is the leader of the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) contrary to the statements emanating from some of the former members of the SIC”, Sheikh Abubacarr Jabbi, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rawdatul Majlis.
PRO Jabbi revealed that former executive members of the SIC have lost focus and sense of direction. Arguing that these were the people who witnessed the arrest and detention of many Imams including Imam Ismaila Manjang, Imam Sawaneh of Kanifing South Mosque, Imam Alhaiba Hydara, Imam Bakawsu Fofana and Imam Baba Leigh of Kanifing Estate Mosque.
