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STATEMENT
BY
SHEIKH PROFESSOR ALHAJI DR. YAHYA A J J JAMMEH
BABILI MANSA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
ON THE OCCASION
OF
EID-UL-ADHA
(TOBASKI 2015)
AOUSI BILLAHI MINA SAITANI RAJEEM
BISMI-LLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHEEM
Fellow Muslims,
As-Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
All praises be to ALLAH SUBHANAHU WA TA’ALA for making
it possible to witness yet another occasion of the annual
Blessed feast of Eid-ul-Adha and to join Muslims the world
over in its celebrations.
On this glorious and Blessed occasion, I convey to you all my
heartfelt
felicitations
and
best
wishes.
I
also
take
advantage of the sacredness of the day to offer most-fervent
prayers for the Almighty Allah to accept the acts of worship
of all Muslims and the Hajj rituals performed by all pilgrims.
Fellow Muslims,
As we all know, the feast of Eid-ul-Adha is a commemoration
of the noble command given by Allah to Prophet Ibrahim to
sacrifice his only son, Ismael to Him, Ibrahim’s strong faith
and total submission to The Almighty Allah’s will; and Allah’s
mercy in providing a ram through Angel Gibril in place of
Ismael.
The feast marks the end of the observance of the
fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj, during the course of which
pilgrims perform rituals of worship ordained by the Almighty
Allah
to
concerns
demonstrate
their
renouncement
of
worldly
and embracement of the voice and will of Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.
2
These rituals of which Eid-ul-Adha is an integral part,
indicate that the day is one of high spiritual devotion, moral
uprightness and humanitarian benevolence.
They also
account for the other virtuous elements of the day’s
significance.
Eid-ul-Adha is not only a day of Sacrifice but
one of peace and thanksgiving, a day of forgiveness and
moral victory, a day of good harvest and remarkable
achievements and a day of festive remembrance.
Thus as we celebrate this sacred day, it is imperative to all
Muslims that in addition to the Eid congregational prayers,
we should pray to Allah and glorify His name, in gratitude
and in remembrance of His Glory, Blessings and Favours that
He showered on Ibrahim and his family and the Holy Prophet
Mohammad and which HE continues to bequeath to all
Muslims and indeed all humankind.
Thus regardless of
whether or not we are actually performing the Hajj rituals,
we should as Muslims spiritually emulate and empathise the
pilgrims and emulate the virtues and pious qualities that are
to be drawn from the acts of worship the Almighty Allah has
commanded them to perform.
Fellow Muslims
The circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba, the site of which
was revealed to Adam, is an emulation of Prophet Ibrahim
3
and Ismael’s fulfillment of Allah’s command after it was
erected; and reaffirms the Genealogical connection to Adam
of all mankind as well as the oneness and eternal presence
of Allah the Almighty. The brisk walks around the Kaaba are
therefore a show of faith that should help us solidify our
belief and trust in Allah and an indication of the equality of
all Muslims, indeed all mankind, irrespective of race, tribe or
country of origin.
Similarly, the laps between the Hills of Saafa and Marwa are
in remembrance of the revered HAJARA’s desperate search
for water in an arid environment and a manifestation of
gratitude for Allah’s revelation of the well of Zam Zam from
which she quenched Ismael’s thirst and which continues to
be an inexhaustible source of blessed water for all Muslims.
In the current world challenged by scarcity of water, there
cannot be a more appropriate time for a spiritual alignment
with Hajara and the pilgrims than this sacred day. We in the
Gambia however should be eternally most thankful to Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala for blessing us with an acquifer system
that is endowed with a massive resource base that is
annually recharged.
We are also grateful to the Almighty
Allah for the ability of government to sustainably exploit and
manage this indispensable resource in providing access to
clean and drinkable water within a 15 – minute walk
throughout the country, resulting in the conferment of The
African Union award in June 2015, in recognition of the
country’s attainment of MDG 9.
4
Fellow Muslims,
The Pilgrims’ daylong session of prayers, contemplation and
reflection at Mount Arafat constitutes an expression of
gratitude to Allah in recollection of seminal acts of Allah’s
compassion
and
historic
events
of
importance
to
all
Muslims. We Muslims believe that it was at Arafat that Allah
re-united Adam and Awa on Earth after their banishment
from Heaven and where the Almighty Allah forgave them
their sins and transgressions. Thus on this day, we should
all pray for Allah’s forgiveness of our sins and trespasses
and learn to forgive each other as Muslims, and; indeed as
fellow human beings.
I therefore seize the occasion
presented by this sacred day of mercy to thank Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala for blessing us with this virtuous
quality which is an embodiment of True Islam.
Fellow Muslims,
It was also on Mount Arafat that the Holy Prophet performed
his last sermon on Earth.
We have learnt that on that
historic occasion, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
reminded mankind of and elaborated upon his mission and
message touching on all essential aspects of Islam’s pillars,
principles and practices.
More importantly however, the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) admonished the entire
Muslim Ummah to treasure the Holy Quran and his Sunaah as
5
sources
of
guidance,
direction,
and
reference
in
administering all mundane and secular matters and as the
path to salvation both in this world and the hereafter.
Fellow Muslims,
The lesson to be drawn from this sermon is merely to live our
lives in accordance with Allah’s command, which means
ensuring that our obligations to Allah are fulfilled and our
responsibilities to our fellow human beings and society are
carried out with righteousness.
This is the pattern of
behavior that assures us access to our spiritual rights, and
our steadfastness to the faithful observance of the duties of
prayer, fasting, devotion, sacrifice, sharing and caring.
These however call for self-control on our desires and
passions through discipline which results in liberation from
wrongdoing, fear and cowardice, indecency, greed, jealousy,
arrogance and all other vices. Thus, on this sacred day, we
should pray to Allah for the strength of faith and character
that enable us to shun negative habits and tendencies so
that for all of us, true Muslims the world over, this festive
day will also be one on which the Almighty Allah rewards us
for the good work done in His service and grant us in
abundance His immeasurable mercy and blessings.
But, fellow Muslims, as we all know the most formidable
enemy that attempts to stifle our development as faithful
6
Muslims is SATAN and his influence. This is why I urge all of
us to empathise in spirit the Hajj ritual ordained for pilgrims
by Allah to hurl stones at Satan’s effigy in remembrance of
Prophet
Ibrahim’s
triumph
over
Satan’s
strongly adhereing to Allah’s command.
temptation
by
There is no ritual
worthier than this for emulation and celebration.
We
Gambians are however grateful to Allah SWT, that on the
home front, our Islamic educational policies and programs to
motivate young Gambian men and women to be conversant
with their religion and to become devout Muslims have
shown
tremendous
success.
We
are
delighted
that
nowadays more and more Young Muslims frequent the
mosques to perform both regular daily and Friday prayers
and even Tahajud and Taraweeh prayers during the Holy
Month of Ramadan.
Thus we can proudly and safely state
that true Islamic faith has been firmly established in the
Gambia. We continue to pray to the Almighty Allah that the
culture of erudition, piety, patriotism and hard work extolled
by Islam continues to grow and expand amongst our youth
both in the present and future generations.
In the same vein, we should all pray that Allah SWT enables
the truly pious progressive forces of Islam to swiftly and
decisively, not only defeat the Satanic forces of infamy, that
have through their heinous crimes and violent acts intended
to desecrate Islam and destabilize Muslim countries and
entire
regions;
but
to
also
destroy
and
shame
their
UNGODLY Sadistic Allies that sponsor and promote them.
7
Islam is a religion of peace, and on this sacred day of
devotion, celebration, peace and thanksgiving, we should
fervently pray to The Almighty Allah to annihilate this global
demonic empire of hate, greed and infamy and, restore
permanent peace, love and justice in these trouble spots and
indeed the entire world. True Muslims are the victims of a
global Satanic Anti Islamic Crusade that must and will be
destroyed very soon INSHALA.
Fellow Muslims, we should also remember the deceased by
praying for their souls to rest in peace. We should visit the
sick, the needy, the disabled and the vulnerable and share
with them, care for them as well as sympathise and console
them.
However, it is very shameful as well as unsettling that as
some of us celebrate in peace and harmony with our
families, millions of our fellow Muslims across the globe are
homeless refugees fleeing for their lives and will not even
have a cup of clean drinking water to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.
If we are all true Muslims, our these brothers and sisters in
Islam would be celebrating in peace and love and in the
company of their families as we are.
Fellow Muslims,
8
This year’s celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is taking place at a
time when we as a nation are drawing very near to the
terminal year of Vision 2016, for the attainment of food selfsufficiency in our quest to eradicate hunger and poverty in
the Gambia.
I am happy to inform you that the program
includes support to sheep-fattening and small ruminant
production to facilitate the supply of healthy animals at
affordable prices for the Tobaski and beyond. My government
has also currently waived all taxes on imported livestock to
enhance their affordability for the feast.
I hereby strictly
warn all sheep owners, dealers and small animal producers
benefitting
from
availability
and
such
just
programs
prices
of
to
their
ensure
not
only
livestock/Rams
to
Muslims during this Eid-Ul-Adha but work hard enough to
ensure that the need to import animals of this nature is
eliminated by the end of 2016.
On this note, I have the greatest pleasure and privilege to
declare that The Gambia will welcome all people who are
being persecuted, humiliated or killed because of their Faith
around the world.
As from today, The Gambia is a
welcoming home to Christians, Yazidis, Coptics etc. who are
victims
of
these
human
vermins
disguised
as
Muslim
extremists. They can be permanently settled in the Gambia
just as we offered to the Rohingas etc.
We call on all
members of Humanity with a conscience or Fear of Allah,
who can, to help build permanent settlements for our these
brothers and sisters in the true spirit of Islam and love for
humanity.
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On
a
final
note,
I
hereby urge
you
all
to
celebrate
moderately and responsibly as enshrined in the Holy Quran.
Celebrate safely, Moderately and Responsibly, then you will
have a happy and memorable Eid-ul-Adha – Tobaski.
DAWE NATI LEEN.
As-Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh