By Suntou Touray
The Blessing has overtaken the curse. The Sherrifs are said to be the first spiritual community to bless the former Lt Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh before, and after he joined with other disgruntled soldiers to overthrow the Gambia’s democratically-elected government with force.
The soldier-turned-civilian leader felt so spiritually secure that he started talking loosely. In one of his public speeches, Chairman Jammeh said: “I don’t fear anything or anybody.”
What most Gambians asked was whether Mr. Jammeh was right to make such “foolish and mindless comments.” The confidence was gain as a result of bribing his way into the secret chambers of most SeneGambian marabouts and traditional healers’ tightly kept secrets. Although we must hasten to add that not all Senegambian, Malian, Guinean and Mauritanian marabouts open up to the Gambian President.
A vast majority of them sadly did accept his money and thus anointed him with their ‘holy words’. However, I came across a case in Senegal where a marabout in Cassamance went into seclusion (Kalwa) in order to destroy President Jammeh only for his elder brother to intervene, saying, “Do you want to go to hell for a man who is destine to be punished by God. Leave God to do his work on President Jammeh, he is too far destroyed for you to invoke any spirits on him.”
The Battle between President Jammeh and the marabout community is on. The biggest mistake committed by the SeneGambian Marabouts is to abandon their core principle of spiritual screening (Lastakar) of nightly observation of events, people and jinns. Whether for money or otherwise, dictator Jammeh smoothly and sleekly bypasses their checks, getting the blessings and tightly kept secrets, to a point he is now ready to assault them with a combine ‘Islamised marabout‘ and his pagan magical force’, a trade he has learnt from different sources, including (visiting hunters) Dunsos in Mali and Cassamance.
The marabout community committed a collective crime of harboring, cussying up to and befriending a vicious tyrant for money, and now he is turning against them one by one. He is now insulting them and undermining their once privileged position and authority countrywide. The call now among Gambians is a matter of “let us wait and see what they are made of.”
President Jammeh’s continuous betrayals of his spiritual masters is a testament to how far he is ready to plunge in testing his own spiritual powers. The then skinny, malnourished looking Lt. Yahya AJJ Jammeh was one among the 1994 coup makers who strongly believes in the world of the spirits locally referred to as Serigns, Marabouts, Moro, Chernos.
Lt. Jammeh was so keen in being different from his fellow coup makers that in the first few days of the 1994 coup, when external and internal uncertainty gripped the small west African nation. Mr. Jammeh, according our ex-military sources, “sought the spiritual cover of the Darsilameh Sanghajor Sheriffs for protection, fame, fortitude and withstanding threats against him.” These noble Descendants of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Sanghajor anointed Lt Jammeh with all their powers to the extent that he outshone his colleague coup-makers who have all since hibernated or visited their ancestors.
The anointing of President Jammeh with powers in Sheriff Kunda has turn spectacularly against the Sherrifs. He started by first humiliating the former First Lady Tuti Faal, the assaulting of Airport Imam Sheriff Al-Heyba Hydara, the plot to capture the exiled Wasadou SHeriff Samsideen Hydara, and now the persecution of the elderly Sheriff Caliph General in the person of Sheikh Muhideen Hydara.
Opposition figures in the Gambia are of the opinion that, the case of the Darsilameh Sherrif is a complex one. Since the Sanghajor Sherrifs do delegate their disciples to visit President Jammeh in Kanilai, any opposition intervention may backfire as the regime put a GTRS propaganda peacemaking in motion thereby pulling the carpet under the opposition efforts.
The lessons here for the Marabout community to learn is to refocus their attention on pure spirituality of attending to the weak and the poor, educating through authentic Islamic knowledge, focus on the concept in the early Sufi community of paying little attention to wealth, and status. If they can return to the old days of total spirituality, no dictator can persecute them and get away with it. However, if you enjoy the wealth of a tyrant, your invocations will hardly affect him, since you became a party to his ill-gotten wealth.
Senegambian marabouts are now rather competing with people in building the tallest storey buildings, living flamboyant lifestyles, marrying the pretties girls, living it large and not bordered on their source of wealth. God does not answer to a man whose belly is full of haram [illegal means of survival] earnings. President Jammeh knew he has fed the religious elites from Kartong to Koina, from Pasamance to Barra, from Cassamance to Touba, to Kaolack. How then can he feel threatened by these same marabouts he had feed, dashed them with fleet of cars and compounds?
However, God is always on the side of the victims, let us all pray that Jammeh be damned and removed by the Might of God the All powerful, All Wise.
I agree with the old Mandinka adage that “no matter what a knife can never sharpen itself.” Another wise saying worthy of remembering is that “we must remember our fallout with anyone before blessing him/her.” Who says our Marabout community has not learnt their lessons on “blessing the Big Bully Jammeh too soon.” Was that the reason why their curses against him have either become slow or fail to register. The case of Sheikh Muhideen Hydara is not only a litmus test but also the last straw on the camel’s back. If you can tame a Caliph General, who then is a sacred cow.
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Ends
Hello Suntu, I nearly skip your article but something inside me told me to go on and read it. From your writing, I concur with you that times have changed and Allah also changed strategy. Now a days, the closest people to GOD are not known to the general public. Allah decided to protect them from the mundane materialism and hide them from the public and publicity so that whatever and whenever they (the Unknown Walii) invoked and prayed Allah will accept and execute, knowing it comes from an untainted and unstained saint. Allah knows best.
As for AJJ Jammeh his doomsday is near, only those that read between the lines and reflect on time will acknowledge.
In GOD we trust.
The DISGUSTING SAUDIS pay for and train MOST IMAMS!!!
“KEEPERS of the TWO HOLY PLACES” – INDEED!!
Throughout the last 50 years the appalling behaviour of the wealthy Arabs revolving around gambling, prostitution and alcohol abuse in the expensive parts of London has been legendary. No wonder the Arabs, and Islam, are in such a mess!!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Neutral Citation Number: [2014] EWHC 2847 (QB
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
QUEENS BENCH DIVISION
15 August 2014
B e f o r e :
HIS HONOUR JUDGE SEYS LLEWELLYN QC
The Parties
The Ritz … The Defendant is Mrs Noora Abdullah Mahawish Al-Daher … family funds in Saudi Arabia … business interests in Oman, and worldwide through a Saudi Arabian conglomerate. The scale of her gambling has been very high. On the evening of 3 April 2012, on one of her visits to London, she gambled and lost £2million.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(Reuters 12th August 2014)
“Saudi Arabia … criticised Muslims for being divided and failing to stop the Jewish state attacking its Arab neighbours. Saudi Arabia, which regards itself as a leader of the Sunni Muslim world …”
Hi Suntou,
Happy Summer! A wet weeks camping – but we are heading off again towards Brighton next week and hope for a proper Summer. Can you believe it, a HOT WATER BOTTLE in August in London! I thought that kind of thing happened only in my beloved Scotland!
Nice piece, but only for your Gambian audience. Can’t get my head around a political debate if God is brought into it!!! God should be kept out of politics – He is not partisan and He is there for EVERYONE, even the sinners.
I see Lafia Touray la Manju is all over the place like a bad rash – I suppose when the catS are away the mice will play! Your fellow cat is back Bax!
Thank you Suntou and Kairo news. I agree with the article. I am from Kambisara, and I know how close our grand marabou is with our president. And to correct you, the marabous are aware of the evil manners of Jammeh. But this is why, the marabou are losing respect. Thanks
I concur with Mr Deyda Hairdara. the holiest of peoples are now not the men with grand titles, they are the simplest with honesty and integrity. These holy men are over-hyped. I spend a lot of money for prayers which never materialize. It is better to invoke god directly and stay away from the false holy men. Allah is with us.
Please do not Discourage and don’t give up, Allah is always with the victims and His Time is the best.
Very true Imam Baba Leigh. But people have to address the religious leaders who forsaken their roles and now became full fledged Jammeh supporters.
Oh wow!! Suntou, your article hit the nail on its head. Your source is well clear and true. Materials world is not for youth, drug dealers or diaspora but even these elite marabouts in Gambia and Senegal; their eyes is not on the Qur’an or hadiths but how many brand latest car am I going to have, how many storey buildings belongs to them in Gambia and Dakar, how many young beautiful pageants women they have and how many millions of dalasis in this marabouts’ saving and investment accounts and etc . And believe me, majority of those money they buy this materials or articles came from blood and evil money because most of it comes from monster jammeh and co. So how could this elite marabouts like sheriffs and the rest of marabouts curse or wrath can answer by Allah against monster jammeh knowing that Allah know this so called materials elite marabouts and sheriffs are consuming haram money from the same monster jammeh. Please those who waste his or her money on these marabouts back home, please kindly stop it and the focus your helps on needy people, orphan and mosques or even dig wells and trees is more beneficial than wasting your hard clean earned money on this so called elite materials sheriffs and marabouts who are now looking for articles and materials than following Qur’an and hadiths.
Ediboy, you are totally right too here “focus your helps on needy people, orphan and mosques or even dig wells and trees.” Ediboy, those kind of help goes a long way. Thanks
Dida Halaki, I know you can’t stand my truth speaking virtues but let me wish you a happy trip to Brighton Seaside. Better than visiting Sindola in Kaninlai.
Thanks
Surah Al-Hadid, Verse 23:
لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to get, nor rejoice because of that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not prideful boasters.
(English – Mohsin Khan)
via iQuranurah Al-Hadid, Verse 22:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz), before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.
(English – Mohsin Khan)
Surah Al-Hadid, Verse 22:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz), before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.
(English – Mohsin Khan)
via iQuran
Wallai Allah know His creation and is in full control of the minutest details of all issues, events and trasactions in this universe. So I too had it difficult to believe that a man who also is in need of necessities of life can better the situation of others other than what had been destined for them. I too spend so much on marabouts in Gambia and Senegal, spending over D300,000, more than ten kalwas, nine sheep and two cows and nothing, I mean nothing.
I came to conclusion that Allah listen to evetyone, you only need to reduce your sins anf forge a relationship with Him. He answer yo everyone provide uou don’t give up. Don’t rely on anyone except thd crestor. That will be my greatest advice yo mu sonm
Suntou says: ” … you are totally right to here “focus your helps on needy people, orphan and mosques or even dig wells and trees”.
ABSOLUTELY, politicians need to address those basic needs. When Fidel Castro and Co. came to power, their priorities were houses, toilets, schools and health centres – they beat the British at having a higher number of qualified doctors per population (and one of these Cuban doctors cured my very ill 3 year old daughter in Bakau 7 years ago – now a healthy 10 year old Londoner). And FOOD too – politicians need to address the issue of Food-Self Sufficiency.
Dida, you wonder why our politicians want to build castle in the sky whilst we don’t even have clean drinking water. And mark you, the Gambia is a very expensive country, with people wanting to live above their means, including holy men, not to talk about the Oga. He chew more than, he can swallow.
Suntou, in a 2001 while being interviewed for the BANTABA Column by Sheriff Bojang Snr for the Daily Observer I said this: “VISION 2020 can be replaced by one sentence: WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH FOOD for every Gambian”. The rest, as you say Suntou, is “Castle in the Sky”. I rest my case.
Lets all reflect on the verse 22-23 of Sura al-hadid of the holy Quran as they are poignant reminders of topic in issue. Nothing good or evil touches any creation except that it has willed and written by Allah and no one can void it.
First thing is build your connection with your creator.
Very true Lamin. May God increase us in reflection and contemplation.
Dida, dont quite understand what we are talking about digging wells, plant trees, feed the needy, orphans or build a mosques. To my understanding it sound like dida is not a Muslim…i am to sorry if you are. But if he is a Muslim, i have those things because it’s rewards always continue even if you are inside your grave according to the Qur’an and hadiths. That’s what we the ummmah needs to focus our attention than wasting huge amount of money on these elite sheriffs, marabouts or chernos. I personally prefer my own parents over these sheridfs and marabouts. Because Allah has warned us to be kind and adhere to our two parents and so do our beloved prophet Muhammad (saw). So if we go to these so called elite religious leaders like sheriffs and marabouts and spend thousands of thousands on them, what about our parents and our needy community or orphans among ourselves? Allah is there for everyone, he answers to every suppliants, and see everything hidden and openly. So please advice to ky fellow Muslims, let us refocus on long lasting and for ever rewards that’s planting trees, digging wells, feed the needy or orphans , build or expense on mosques and please let’s not forget our obligatory five daily prayers, give charities and be good to one another and lastly stop throwing and wasting our hard earned money to these elite sheriffs and marabouts for nothing. Prophet Muhammad (saw) did go out and work harder to earn money and then come and feed his families with that money, so now are these sheriffs and marabouts are better that prophet Muhammad that’s why they cannot work and earn their money instead sit down charging us thousands of dalasis for them to seek prayers for us and most of their prayers are turn to be fruitless. Our fathers and mothers are the best sheriffs and marabouts. Thank you all .
Edi Boy says: “Dida, dont quite understand what we are talking about digging wells, plant trees, feed the needy, orphans or build a mosques. To my understanding it sound like dida is not a Muslim…i am to sorry if you are. But if he is a Muslim, i have those things because it’s rewards…”
Some 25 years ago, I was an English Language teacher for a large Somali family just re-located to UK from Saudi Arabia. The 18-year old brother said that fellow Saudi Muslims were treating the Somalis less than human – and yet the British had given the whole family a large house, the children all went to school free and the family was given enough money by the British State to live on. All of them now have their own children – and their own homes – thanks to the British State.
Tell me Edi, in this particular case who is more Muslim – the Saudis or the British?
“Dida, dont quite understand what we are talking about digging wells, plant trees, feed the needy, orphans or build a mosques”.
Dida don’t understand what he himself has done? Or you mean I don’t understand it because I don’t do it within a religious context? When I built a Madrassa I did NOT do it because I want them to call me “Alhaji”. I built it because that is what the villagers said they want. Ditto with the village wells and the school library – because the people needed it. “REWARDS”???? What “REWARDS”???? I am not interest in the “twelve virgins” after I am dead!!!
If we think that these sheriffs and marabouts wrath or cursed against monster jammeh will catch him, we are fooling ourselves because it cannot. Almost all these sheriffs and marabouts in senegambia received hundreds of thousands of dalasis from monster jammeh and they are still the most recipients of Yahya jammeh’s money. I have personally witnessed one in Brufut sheriff kunda where imam fatty and SIC leaders came to there with money and brand new pajero from Yahya jammeh to sheriff kebba and since he show them entering, we the prayer seekers who are there first, are told us to either wait or go and come back another day. But I chose to stay and witness their handed over ceremony: intact there were two ministers there, local government and religious affairs and mr Abdou volley, minister of finance were among the delegations. But I went home with him offer a prayer while this sheriffs has received my hard earned small change compared to brand new pajero and a lot of cash from monster jammeh waiting to deliver to him. I have never ever come back the next day and I will never go back there again even if I go back to Gambia my next trip inshaallah. These sheriffs are now competing one another about who will be president Jammeh’s close buddy and not competing one another who will be Allah’s most fearing sheriffs and the most trustworthy of following what preach or read in the Qur’an and hadiths that’s why we the prayer seekers from them are wasting and throwing our money to them for nothing. lets be steadfast our five daily prayers, give charities, dig wells if we can, build or expense on mosques, plant trees even if it’s fruits cannot be eat by human, expense immensely on our parents, feed needy and orphans and lastly help poor. If we do that just months and see, we will surely see what we want or as
Dida, I don’t disagree what you said about those Somalis living in Uk. I live in USA as a Muslim and i appreciated what non Muslim countries generosity helps they continue offer to the human races with regardless your religion affiliation, color, country of origin, sex , or disabilities; what i am trying to talk to my fellow Muslim ummah is let us not waste our money on these sheeiffs or marabouts. I am not trying to draw comparison about what Muslim country like Saudi did and what UK or USA did to Somalis families. Also i am not here to address non Muslims and i dont said you should be called Alhaji or whether you build madarassa or dug wells for community. That’s totally between you and God. I am here pleading for my fellow muslm ummah not to waste their hard earned dollars or pound sterling or euro on these marabouts or sheriffs. I really don’t care whether you are interested on twelve virgins after you died. Again that’s between you and God. I think you really don’t get my point. I am not here to address non Muslims, and i don’t dislike or hate non Muslims and i am purely addressing my fellow Muslims ummah particularly those Muslims who engage on marabout affairs or spending a lot of money on these sheriffs and marabouts while there is a needy people like those Somalis you mentioned are dire needs of helps. So please read and pause before jump into conclusion. I am not here to judge nobody, countries, religious groups or non religious group…God is the best judge to judge us. I am advicing my fellow Muslims ummah how to increase their rewards while they are living and after dead. Thank you.
Dida, you ok my comments out of context. I am not here to judge nobody… Who is a good Muslim or who is not? Please I don’t care about that and Again, I am not here to judge nobody , or countries … I am appealing to my fellow Muslims ummah ONLY. If you dug millions wells and built millions madarassa so be it. I don’t like talking about which religious group is better than other. That’s not who am I… I am addressing and appealing to my fellow Muslims ummah particularly those who spent their money on these sheriffs and marabouts. Obviously, you don’t get my point and please i am not interesting your drawn comparison. Please read carefully my comments before you jump into conclusion. I am talking from Qur’an context about ever lasting rewards to my fellow Muslims ummah. I am not here giving false news to the readers like monster jammeh’s bodyguard Pierre minteh was expel when that article written by you was totally untrue and fabricated. So please get my point clearly. I am not here for that kind of untrue story.
“edi boy sankadi
August 17, 2014 at 8:30 PM … I am appealing to my fellow Muslims ummah ONLY”
Dida is saying that “appealing to your fellow Muslim Ummah ONLY” is a waste of time!!! They will NEVER agree with each other to solve their own problems – let alone the world’s problems.
Suntou, I’m little bit occupied but my advise to the fellow Africans, especially the Gambians to put all their faith on God {Allah alone} not on their Marabouts, Allah is there for everyone..
Yankuba, you are totally right. That is very good advice and comments. I wish and hope we all can need to your advices. Very good comment and powerful strong advice. Thank you
Nice piece Suntu. Please correct the typo on your headline for anointed and anointer. The o should come before the i. Thanks for the good thoughts on blessing a devil too soon. I feel that Yaya’s time is coming sooner that he expects.