Translation of the Holy Quran marks fulfilment of a mission

I seek refuge from the accused Satan and begin this discussion in the Name of Allah the Gracious, the Merciful.


History of Ahmadiyyat in the Gambia

I would like to seize this opportunity to present a brief historical account of the presence of Ahmadiyyat in The Gambia. Members of the Gambian public don’t seem to know what had prevailed in the early days of Ahmadiyyat in the country.

A couple of years ago one irresponsible scholar said Ahmadiyyat was brought to the Gambia by late Sir Farimang Singhateh, first Gambian Governor General of the Gambia. What a lie!

The message of Ahmadiyyat found its way in the Gambia in the 1950s through the Jamaat’s literature. The Ahmadiyya Amir in charge of West Africa was then based in Lagos, Nigeria. The first Gambians to come into contact with the Jamaat through the Lagos-based Regional Amir, Maulana Nazeem Safi, were Mr. Ebrima Oliver of Perseverance Street and Mr. Barra Lamin Njie of 11 Rankin Street in Bathurst.

May their souls rest in perfect peace. In a letter dated 22 August 1955, Barra Njie, carpenter by profession, asked the regional Amir in Lagos to visit The Gambia. Mr. Njie wrote to the Colonial Secretary also to seek clearance for the Amir’s visit.

The Colonial Secretariat decided to seek the advice of the Muslim elders of Bathurst through one Alh. Ousman G. Njie of 13 Allen Street. The Colonial Secretary was advised not to issue clearance for Maulana Nazeem’s visit. Mr. Njie filed a petition and pressed for issuance of clearance.

The petition was to mark the beginning of two years of wrangling over the first visit of an Ahmadi Amir to The Gambia. In the final analysis a visit was allowed and in November 1959 one Mr. Sanyaolo, Nigerian, was delegated by Amir Nazeem Safi to visit the Gambia. On Sunday 10 January 1960 the famous Muhammedan school conference was held in Bathurst. Mr. Sanyaolo and his hosts in the Gambia succeeded in holding a public conference of Muslims.

The conference was well attended and the message of Ahmadiyyat was sent strongly. Here we can see that Ahmadiyyat came to the Gambia through the tireless efforts of late Barra Njie, son of Wakka Njie. Mr. Njie joined the Jamaat in 1958. The first three years were indeed very turbulent. Opposition from the Banjul Muslim elders was strong and provocative but Mr. Njie and his handful of pioneers would not relent.

Having accomplished his mission to the Gambia Mr. Sanyaolo returned to Nigeria in January 1960.

Mr. Gibriel Saeed, Ghanaian missionary was sent to the Gambia in 1960. He was lodged by Barra Njie. From then on, the community started growing at an alarming rate.

Missionary activities were extended to the provinces and in many places things nearly turned violent. Marabouts and the few religious scholars at the time joined forces with the Banjul Muslim elders to heighten the opposition to Ahmadiyyat.

But, as has always been the case since the early days of Islam in Arabia, the true community and genuine followers of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) would not give up. On March 10, 1961 Maulana Muhammad Sheriff, Pakistani missionary, arrived in the country to take over from Mr. Saeed. He lived at 75 Lancaster Street in Bathurst.

Since then there has been a succession of Amirs and foreign missionaries. In 1963/64 a batch of local Islamic scholars were recruited for training as missionaries. They are Alh Ibrahim A.Q. Jikineh of Jarra Sutukung, Mr. Malick Mubarik Fall, Ibrahima Oliver, Harouna R. Newlands, Kebba Touray, Ahmed Gaye and Ustaz Hamidu Mbye. Ustaz Ahmad Lee, Ustaz Yobi Bah and many others were recruited in the 1980s.

The pioneers of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in the country include Ismaila Jobe, Howsoon Keita, Alh Tijan Foon, Kebba Marong, Omar Wally Joof, Ass Malick Ndoye, Harouna R. Newlands, Mamour S. Badjan, Alieu Bah and many others. Most of the people mentioned here are no longer alive and we pray that Allah grant them eternal peace.

The first Ahmadiyya mosque and mission house in the Gambia were built in 1963 and 1969 in Farafenni. Late Alh. Sir Farimang Singhateh was a Dresser Dispenser.

He was one of the pioneers and staunch claimants of the advent of Imam Mahdi. He was among those who marched through the toil and when he was appointed Governor General he remained an Ahmadi. As Governor General he naturally used his influence to propagate the cause of his Jama’at but it was all within the confines of the law.

Who is a Muslim?

A Muslim is not designated or ordained by a fellow human being. God Almighty has clearly set out the traits and attributes of a Muslim and any person who embodies that set of criteria is Muslim, whether other people regard him or not as a follower of Islam.

God’s designation of who is a Muslim and who is not has been amply elaborated by the Holy Prophet of Islam.

A Muslim is a person who genuinely believes and professes that God exists; that He has no partner; that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah; that Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger and Servant; he/she observes the five daily prayers; keeps fast in the holy month of Ramadhan, not be seen by men, but in fulfillment of a divine command; he/she pays Zakat in the prescribed amount; performs the Hajj provided his/her condition and means permit it.

A Muslim believes in the life hereafter; recognizes and beholds all other prophets; believes in the existence of the institution of angels; believes in and upholds the Holy Quran and all other divinely revealed books. This is what makes a person Muslim. As far as these attributes are concerned there is no Islamic sect that can match Ahmadiyyat.

If some people, out of sheer arrogance and jealosy choose to regard us as ‘disbelievers’ or being outside the pale of Islam, we don’t care.

It is for God to judge us on the Day of Judgment, not ordinary mortal beings. God says in the Holy Quran ‘the best among you in the sight of Allah is those who fears him’.

He also says ‘the best religion in the sight of Allah is Islam’. Again He says to the Holy Prophet (saw)‘I have chosen Islam as a religion for you and I have perfected it’.

We are followers of Islam, the true religion in the sight of Allah, not in the sight of people. We are followers of the religion Allah has chosen for our master Prophet Muhammad (saw).

Who dares call us ‘disbeliever’. We will not take arms against any person or party who calls us ‘kufur’or disbeliever, but God will call them to account for their action. If our belief that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian is the Promised Messiah whose advent had been foretold keeps us out of the pale of Islam, then so be it. If our belief that the Promised Messiah (as) is a non—law bearing prophet and a manifestation of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), his master, makes us non-believer, so be it. As free people we have the right to choose, follow and profess any religious sect of our choice.

The Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad Mustafa (saw) says Islam will be divided into 73 sects in the later days. We have the right to choose which one of the 73 sects to belong to. We are told in Sura Al-Baqara ‘there is no compulsion in the matter of religion’.

To be continued