Mr. Yankuba Jobe is the Guest of our Special Ramadan discussion on Religion, Tradition and Secularism on Kairo Radio today.
“The key reason for our relationship breakdowns is due mainly to our non-spiritual attitudes and the abandoning of our core traditions and faith,” an experienced diasporan Gambian told Kairo Radio. Mr Yankuba Jobe, who is resident in England, said any relationship that is not maintained on piety, honesty, core values and religion is likely to fail. “Secularism encourage us to follow our feelings and desires without consideration to what makes us who we are. As a matter of fact, men and women are mired in the material pursuit to the extent that nothing becomes sacred.”
Mr. Jobe believes that religion cannot be a private matter for a committed believer. They practice their faith wherever they are, and they will remain moderate and sincere. In secularism, we also have far-right and racist politicians in the west. We have secular states that openly practise racism and brutality be training, we advance the secular/religious discussion.”
Jobe added that “social breakdown in the west began when women were handed the power to chase men out of marital homes. These social breakdowns are the direct result of secularism, where family life became mere convenience, ethnics and principles relegated to insignificance.”
Speaking as a guest on Special Ramadan topical discussion on secularism, politics and religion in the Gambia, the engineer took us on a personal journey of his travels to Tunisia for studies, then to Libya, Israel, and before finally settling in The Netherlands in 1978.
Yankuba Jobe had lived in the west for 29 years, during which period he recounted the slow death of the family setup. “I have seen Gambians abandon their true cultures, religion and identity, after being consumed by this global mindset called “secularism. They throw away characters that should have helped them secure a concrete existence in the west.”
The advent of secularism found people practising their religion. Due to reform agenda in the west, and the problems with the clergy, the state decided to take religion out of state matters. Secularism can be seen to be neutralising society, and opposing religion. However, in Islamic understanding, Prophet Muhammad initiated the Medina charter where every religious group in the holy City was given its rights. But it is a mistake to prevent Gambians from promoting their religion mainly due to secularism is a mistake.
“Satan is the biggest enemy of mankind. Satan deceived our ancestor Adam with false promise of better life, and by Adam choosing to follow Satan’s advise, human beings enter the battle be sick, to face death, and many other consequences. So by telling us to to pursue our desires and freedoms needlessly, we will be distant from God and revelation.”
The west proclaim that, we as Muslims came to their countries for secular way of life. “Nobody owns anything, we and our possession belongs to God. We are all descendants of Adam. The west came to our countries, stole our wealth, desecrate our languages, our art and culture, and now the odd jobs people are doing in their countries, they want to tell us, they are doing us a favour.”
Mr Jobe said the cleaning jobs they provide our people is not something for the west to boast about. People should remain themselves, practise their faith, be grounded in core home principle. Any human being who is not at loss with his identity cannot be an extremist.
Yankuba Jobe describes President Jammeh as a’Munafik’ a classic hypocrite who pretend to be what he is not. Mr Jobe further warn all our politicians to be honest in handling the secular values versus our religious and traditional customs. He went further to lament that, our politicians will be also be label as hypocrite if they attempt to deceive the masses.
You can hear the veteran Gambian traveller on Kairo radio with Suntou Touray all day today.
Next week, our guest will be, the acclaimed Gambian scholar Dr Alhagie Manta Drammeh.
Ends
Thank Mr Yakuba Jobe. You spoke well on important issues. I hope Bax can now move on and understand your views.
Well said Mr Yabkuba Job
Secularism and religious beliefs should remain seperated.All religions are important and should remain private.
Quote Alieu Camara….” I hope Bax can now move on and understand your views…”
What exactly do you mean..?
The public space offers people the forum / fora to express their views on issues that matter to them, or to.react to views expressed therein….
I’m not sure about ” moving on ” because I’ve never been “stuck” anyway, but I definitely understood Mr Jobe’s points in our earlier exchanges.
His views,as clearly shown above, is that he does not support secularism. I recognise his rights to hold such views and to express them but I don’t agree with them.
I hope you will also recognise my entitlements to my views and my right to express them.
In our earlier exchanges, I asked a couple of rhetorical question (which haven’t been answered) as thus…
(1) If Islam permits slavery for all times, how could.it claim to be.a religion that seeks to establish “Justice” on this earth..?
My reason being that regardless of how well a slave is treated, it is still an injustice against an individual to be enslaved…
(2) If the Quranic Injunctions,”kill them wherever you find them…”, contained in (2:191-193) is meant for all times, how could Islam be a religion that seeks to establish everlasting peace..?
How could Muslims obey this command without plunging this world into endless blood letting. .?
This understanding of Qur’an is supported by many learned scholars…
Once again, without being critical of Mr Jobe, I noticed that he has made some contentious claims which I disagree with.
You can pick the “worst” of any system and present it as the essence of that concept and that’s what our brother has attempted to do here.
I would like to see the evidence that secularism ” is the direct result of social breakdowns “…
My understanding of the political concept of secularism is that it is based on the principles of separation of state and religion.
In other words, the state does not have a religion but provides the environment for its citizens and residents to freely practice their religions (or not have a religion), within the perimeters of clearly defined and generally accepted standards, norms and values, which are contained in the constitution. Secularism also provides for religious courts to exist and handle those matters associated with people’s religious beliefs/practices. (eg, Cadi Courts in Gambia)..
Secularism should not, therefore, be blamed when people decide to abandon aspects of their values, culture or traditions.
On the contrary, evidence points to a different “culprit” all together.:Economic and Educational advances, which result in social mobility that is accompanied by a whole range of changes..
Educated women, for example, cease to be house wives (traditional roles) and become professionals in various fields…In fact, society undergoes changes when economic and educational advances are registered, whether a society is secular or not.
Bax, will you mind to note down all the three verses, you have just stated above, and if you don’t understand their meaning in Arabic or English, you will definitely receive the full explanation of those three verses. May Allah guide us. Ameen
Thank you Mr Jobe..Your knowledge in this matter will.be very helpful…
Allow me to start my quotes from verse 190…(the translations are similar in Yusuf Ali, Picthal and Shakir)
190…”Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you but do not transgress, for Allah does not love transgressors; ”
191…”Kill them wherever you find them and drive them out from where they drove you out.Wrongful Persecution (Fitnah) is worse than killing.Do not fight against them near the Holy Mosque unless they fight against you, but if they fight against you kill them, for that is the reward of such unbelievers,”
192…”Then if they desist, know well that Allah is Ever – forgiving, Most compassionate; ”
193…”Keep on fighting with them.until mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah prevails.But if they desist, then know that hostility is directed only against the wrong doers..”
I seek refuge in Allah from the Satan: Bismillahir-Rhamanir-Raheem:
Verse 190; Quote: { And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you}” This was the first {Ayah} about fighting that was revealed in Al-Madina. Ever since it was revealed, Muhammad { PBUH } used to fight only those who fought him and avoid non-combatants. { Human right } Later, Surrat Bara’ah { chapter 9:5 in the Quran} was revealed. Quote: { Then kill them wherever you find them} However, this statement, is not persuasive, because Allah’s statement: [..Those who fight you] Applies only to fighting the enemies who are engaged in fighting you. S this Ayah means, Fight those who fight you; just as Allah said { in another Ayah}; [and fight against the {Mushrikin} collectively as they fight against you collectively {9:36}
{And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out} meaning, ” your energy should be spent on fighting them, just as their energy is spent on fighting you, and on expelled them from the areas from which they have expelled you, as a law of equality in punishment { This includes human right and self defence}
Allah said; { but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors } This Ayah means, Fight for the sake of Allah and do not be transgressors, such as, by committing prohibitions, which includes mutilating the dead, theft { from the captured goods}, killing women, children and old people who do not participate in warfare, killing priest and residents of houses of worship, burning down trees and killing animals without real benefit.
[Based on my understanding, if the war still taking place around the globe, this verses will remain until dooms day. the Almighty Allah who created me knows that, the human beings are violent in nature, we should still treat each other humanly and that includes slavery, there is no single verse in the Qur’an that I know, which stated slavery is permissible, but rather accepted for certain reasons. If you go to Mauritania today, you will find your fellow human beings who prefer to remain slave of their masters, denying their right to life style of their choice, will be regarded as a violation of their right, therefore, one has to think further than miles away before making any quick assessment. May Allah guide us all. Above all, I would prefer to know your real name, if you don’t mind. Thank you.
I meant, so this Ayah, sorry for the mistake..
Thank you for your patience , understanding and contributions to these exchanges.
It’s been a pleasure..hopefully we might all have the opportunity to get together and narrate our experiences.
Assalamu Alaikum. .
Wa Alaikum Assalam; may Allah guide and bless the whole world.. Ameen.