Gambian and Friend of The Gambia Thursady 22nd July is The Gambia Day of Action. The Demonstration is Taking place in two venue in London. Please for those coming the meeting point is at Trafalgar Square at 12pm.
The Day of Action will first start at Nigerian High Commission at 9 Northumberland Avenue London WC2N 5BX Nearest Tube is Charing Cross on Northern and Baker Loo Line at 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
While we are at Nigerian High Commission two person will be dispatch to hand our protest petition to Jarvis Matiya Human Rights Adviser at Common Wealth Secretariat at Marlborough House.From the Nigerian High Commission we will then proceed to Senegalese Embassy at 39 Marloas Road, Kensington London W8 6LA Nearest Tube High Street Kensington on Circle, District and Picadilly Line. ( About 50 T-Shirit are available and also campaign information).Please read below the detail information about the Day of Action.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Imperefct Journey.. Film about difficult political climates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsJ8IkGmf9U&feature=related
The Ethiopian film maker Gerima has tackle a radical subject in African politics. This film is very educative and a serious eye opener. The dictatorial style of rule has been exposed beyond redemption. The film can be use to explain dictatorship all over Africa. A highly recommended film.
The Ethiopian film maker Gerima has tackle a radical subject in African politics. This film is very educative and a serious eye opener. The dictatorial style of rule has been exposed beyond redemption. The film can be use to explain dictatorship all over Africa. A highly recommended film.
KARTONG FOLONKO..THE HISTORY.. IS IT AN IDOL
http://www.onegambia.com/orahistvids.php Check the play list and click on Kartong Folonko. The story is fascinating however, the denial by a village elder that, it is not an Idol is remarkeable. The equivalent of Kartong folonko is the Gunjure Sandy Mosque by the seas side (Kinyi Kenyi jamemw). The late Sheik Hatab Bojang rejected the rituals in Gunjure Sandy place. It is not a mosque as far i understand but a well close to the sea.
The explanation of Kartong Folonko is both historically relevant and clouded in mystery. However, the place was own by the Sonenkes in the past. their practices may have been imported within the current rituals. The narrator emphasises that, there is no Idol in Folonko. He said Folonko means, fon loo.. meaning to place your head on the ground The act was said to be performed by Omar Taal (Omar Futi)... A lot Sufi Myth is entangle with Omar Taal's legacy. Thanks Suntou
The explanation of Kartong Folonko is both historically relevant and clouded in mystery. However, the place was own by the Sonenkes in the past. their practices may have been imported within the current rituals. The narrator emphasises that, there is no Idol in Folonko. He said Folonko means, fon loo.. meaning to place your head on the ground The act was said to be performed by Omar Taal (Omar Futi)... A lot Sufi Myth is entangle with Omar Taal's legacy. Thanks Suntou
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
SERIOUS SAMURA DECUMENTARY ON GAYS IN AFRICA.. WATCH IT
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3097692
It is fascinating watching the African gay men standing their grounds amidst the protest of the wider community and Religious groups. The argument the anti-Gay groups put forward is that, Gays are unAfrican and a western import. The protesters threaten to burn the Gays alive. The torn between free sexual expression and the over-powering cultural prevalence.
My personal opinion is that. Homosexuality is not a western practise alone. It is a life style choice that anybody can adopt including us Africans. Yes, tourist have made it a common currency in many impoverish African countries, however, if the young men really don't have the inclination, they wouldn't venture into it no matter how poor they are.
We have heard as youngsters that, element in our societies who are married and at the same time indulge in Gay affairs. Some of this people are said to be prominent individuals, hence the Gay thing is an individual issue.
The debate as just began...Serious Samura as usual exposed a phenomenon Africans will talk about for years. The booming Gambian Tourist industry has created a petty income generating capacity for male sex workers. In the past, young fit Gambian men sell sex to old age western women in their fifties and sixties, now they have advance to selling sex to male tourist. I have seen some Dutch Tourist paying rent for Gambian men, bearing all their expenses, and at the end sleep with them. Sadly, this Gambians feel that, they are only doing it for a time, before they knew it, they walk different, some even leak when they sit and people start to stay away from them.
It is a phenomenon. There are brothers who like to act like women. To this brothers, their homosexual urges is natural, 'they will say God made me Gay'. We may have come across brothers who talk, walk and act like women without ever meeting any western Tourist or person. Every society have folks that are different. Africans should handle this debate maturely and avoid public executions or on camera rantings. This will defeat the purpose of intelligent logical dialogue. The gay Africans have rights and that it is for the state to recognised. They must treat this people as citizens and deal with their affairs fairly in accordance with human decency and the rule of law.
I thank Serious Samura for a brilliant documentary.
Suntou
It is fascinating watching the African gay men standing their grounds amidst the protest of the wider community and Religious groups. The argument the anti-Gay groups put forward is that, Gays are unAfrican and a western import. The protesters threaten to burn the Gays alive. The torn between free sexual expression and the over-powering cultural prevalence.
My personal opinion is that. Homosexuality is not a western practise alone. It is a life style choice that anybody can adopt including us Africans. Yes, tourist have made it a common currency in many impoverish African countries, however, if the young men really don't have the inclination, they wouldn't venture into it no matter how poor they are.
We have heard as youngsters that, element in our societies who are married and at the same time indulge in Gay affairs. Some of this people are said to be prominent individuals, hence the Gay thing is an individual issue.
The debate as just began...Serious Samura as usual exposed a phenomenon Africans will talk about for years. The booming Gambian Tourist industry has created a petty income generating capacity for male sex workers. In the past, young fit Gambian men sell sex to old age western women in their fifties and sixties, now they have advance to selling sex to male tourist. I have seen some Dutch Tourist paying rent for Gambian men, bearing all their expenses, and at the end sleep with them. Sadly, this Gambians feel that, they are only doing it for a time, before they knew it, they walk different, some even leak when they sit and people start to stay away from them.
It is a phenomenon. There are brothers who like to act like women. To this brothers, their homosexual urges is natural, 'they will say God made me Gay'. We may have come across brothers who talk, walk and act like women without ever meeting any western Tourist or person. Every society have folks that are different. Africans should handle this debate maturely and avoid public executions or on camera rantings. This will defeat the purpose of intelligent logical dialogue. The gay Africans have rights and that it is for the state to recognised. They must treat this people as citizens and deal with their affairs fairly in accordance with human decency and the rule of law.
I thank Serious Samura for a brilliant documentary.
Suntou
Monday, 12 July 2010
THE SIX POINT OF THE MASALAS----Their principal steps in understanding Islam
By L Darboe (divided into parts)
TO BELIEF IN KALIMA "LA ILLAHAH ILLA LLAH MUAHAMAAD RASOLLULLAH"
The kalimat consist of two part, 1.La illaha illaha illal lah and 2. Muhammad rasoolulah. In the literal translation it means " None is worthy of worship but Allah(God). Note that we used the word Allah instead of God because this has a profound connotation. In this contemporal times there are many objects of worship, ranging from stars (football, films stars) to some religious symbols like Pandit Baba of the Hindustans and so called Suffie and christian saints.
The word Allah is inique because, He told us in soorah Iklas who He was, is and shall ever be... ALLAHU AHAD, ALLAHU SAMAD, LAM YALID WALLAM YULAD, WALLAM YAGULAHU KUFWAN AHAD.
So no creation animate or inanimate fits this description. We go on,............None is worthy of religious devotion or worship except The one, unique' independent omni-portent, omni present Allah. So if any of creation said he/she is god and should be worhip, we should ask, is he unique in every sense, is he capable of indepently existing off the evironment, has he got begining in the womb or otherwise; shall end by death and sarcastically; "does he ate food",.
If he eat food it means he has to go to toilet like anyone, meaning he/she was dependent on the evironment. If he did not eat he would certainly die. definitely not the earth, the heavens , human, jinns, angels, gibril, kursi but one Allah who control every atom of existense, not influenced by nature or any creation. So we should bring yakin, absolute and unshakable belief in that one Allah, that harm and benefit come only from him, everything else is creation and he is the creator and preserver of the whole universe. Musa once ask Allah whether He does not become tired and thus need sleep. He ask Musa to stand and put an egg in his hand and sleep. The egg fell and broke . Allah said, the whole universe will fare thus if I am to sleep.
Power and majesty belongs to Allah so we should devout worship to him alone, not any saints or prophet or angels because they are all creation and cannot by there own accord do benefit or harm to any one.
One would ask you can kill a person or provide benefit to him. In history we read that Ibrahim was put in fire and not burn, Ibrahim knife could cut his son, ismils throat,..musa's stick turn to real snake and cause the see to split but into avenues for bani,israeal.
The objects here are only servants themselves but the power to burn, cut and turn into snake is in the control of Allah. The creation by itself have no control over things, we only see their intevention as means but behind the means is the controller; Allah. If a person have firm yakin(show belief) in Allah, his perspective in life remodelled, re-calibrated to met the purpose for which he is created-to worship allah and to please Him.
Allah forbids injustice, so the person would not do injustice; Allah forbids lying, he will not lie, Allah forbids adultery he will not comit it, and so on and so on. Tha'st why we perpetrate certain actions because our belief in Allah is deficient. We will be patient on the trials of life, by believing that Allah is aware of our situation and give us mishaps as a trial.
To belief this kalimah mean to fight with ones nafs(desire), that is to subjugate ones desire to the desire of your Allah and put him first. When one has a problem he should first present it to Allah by supplication, zikr/ remmembrance, saalat etc. But today we first think about saints and some holy men first, docters etc then if everything fails we think about Allah as the last resort.
MUHAMMAD RASOOLULAH MEANS........... No way of life; no "ism" is acceptable to Allah except the way of life of his beloveth prophet, Muhammad. So if you want Allah to be pleased with you, you must follow his prothet sunnah, not the way of life of others.
TO BELIEF IN KALIMA "LA ILLAHAH ILLA LLAH MUAHAMAAD RASOLLULLAH"
The kalimat consist of two part, 1.La illaha illaha illal lah and 2. Muhammad rasoolulah. In the literal translation it means " None is worthy of worship but Allah(God). Note that we used the word Allah instead of God because this has a profound connotation. In this contemporal times there are many objects of worship, ranging from stars (football, films stars) to some religious symbols like Pandit Baba of the Hindustans and so called Suffie and christian saints.
The word Allah is inique because, He told us in soorah Iklas who He was, is and shall ever be... ALLAHU AHAD, ALLAHU SAMAD, LAM YALID WALLAM YULAD, WALLAM YAGULAHU KUFWAN AHAD.
So no creation animate or inanimate fits this description. We go on,............None is worthy of religious devotion or worship except The one, unique' independent omni-portent, omni present Allah. So if any of creation said he/she is god and should be worhip, we should ask, is he unique in every sense, is he capable of indepently existing off the evironment, has he got begining in the womb or otherwise; shall end by death and sarcastically; "does he ate food",.
If he eat food it means he has to go to toilet like anyone, meaning he/she was dependent on the evironment. If he did not eat he would certainly die. definitely not the earth, the heavens , human, jinns, angels, gibril, kursi but one Allah who control every atom of existense, not influenced by nature or any creation. So we should bring yakin, absolute and unshakable belief in that one Allah, that harm and benefit come only from him, everything else is creation and he is the creator and preserver of the whole universe. Musa once ask Allah whether He does not become tired and thus need sleep. He ask Musa to stand and put an egg in his hand and sleep. The egg fell and broke . Allah said, the whole universe will fare thus if I am to sleep.
Power and majesty belongs to Allah so we should devout worship to him alone, not any saints or prophet or angels because they are all creation and cannot by there own accord do benefit or harm to any one.
One would ask you can kill a person or provide benefit to him. In history we read that Ibrahim was put in fire and not burn, Ibrahim knife could cut his son, ismils throat,..musa's stick turn to real snake and cause the see to split but into avenues for bani,israeal.
The objects here are only servants themselves but the power to burn, cut and turn into snake is in the control of Allah. The creation by itself have no control over things, we only see their intevention as means but behind the means is the controller; Allah. If a person have firm yakin(show belief) in Allah, his perspective in life remodelled, re-calibrated to met the purpose for which he is created-to worship allah and to please Him.
Allah forbids injustice, so the person would not do injustice; Allah forbids lying, he will not lie, Allah forbids adultery he will not comit it, and so on and so on. Tha'st why we perpetrate certain actions because our belief in Allah is deficient. We will be patient on the trials of life, by believing that Allah is aware of our situation and give us mishaps as a trial.
To belief this kalimah mean to fight with ones nafs(desire), that is to subjugate ones desire to the desire of your Allah and put him first. When one has a problem he should first present it to Allah by supplication, zikr/ remmembrance, saalat etc. But today we first think about saints and some holy men first, docters etc then if everything fails we think about Allah as the last resort.
MUHAMMAD RASOOLULAH MEANS........... No way of life; no "ism" is acceptable to Allah except the way of life of his beloveth prophet, Muhammad. So if you want Allah to be pleased with you, you must follow his prothet sunnah, not the way of life of others.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Starting a family
Forming a family By: Dr. Ali ShariatiShare
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:51pm
Forming a familyAt the present time, men and women freely satisfy their sexual urges in universities, restaurants, outings, and various gatherings of this kind. This continues until a woman comes to herself and sees that it is empty around her. No one any longer seeks her out or if they do, it is to review, to revise a memory of the past.
When a man has passed the freedom of his sexual cycle, when he has picked a flower from every garden and from each flower, taken its perfume, there is nothing any longer for him which is interesting or new. His sexual urge has subsided. It has been replaced by attachment to his position and his money. He seeks fame and worships position. His inclinations are now towards getting a house and forming a family. These feelings then appear in his being.
A woman, face to face with the reality that no one seeks her out, and, a man, exhausted from his freedoms and indeed by sexual experiences which have finally turned his heart, confront each other. They reach out towards each other at the end of a long and tiring road. They want to form a family. A family is formed but that which draws these two together that which causes them to join hands, is fear and fatigue. On the part of the woman it is fear of bankruptcy and no longer being noticed.
The man is tired and no longer interested in anything. A family has been formed but in place of love and the intensity of an ideal, instead of creative happiness and imagination, exhaustion and ennui set in so that nothing is new. They know what is there. Nothing! There is nothing for which their hearts beat. They know why they have found each other. They know what needs they have from each other. Both, completely conscious, calculating, aware, seek each other out. Each knows what the other meant by the words, 'be my divine sacrifice'. Each has achieved their wishes. Both sacrifice for the other. Both die for the other. But in the opposite way from which we normally understand it. On the day of weddings, city hall is filled. Someone from city hall, with a medal on his coat, looking like a bureaucrat attends to them, not a clergyman who is a symbol of spirit, faith, reverence and sainthood. Each couple is called forward exactly like molded sugar cones.
Their names are read from a list. They answer, "Yes." Often several children standing behind the bride and groom also answer yes. It shows their existences have influenced the yes of their mothers and fathers. They pay their money. They sign the register. The ceremony is over. Each returns to his mould, his home. From among the 200-300 brides only 20-30 wear a bridal gown. Most of them say, 'What?', at my age, in my condition, it would be degrading to wear a bridal gown. It is not right." Then the wife goes to work and the man as well. They have a rendezvous with their friends to meet at noon in a restaurant and eat lunch together. This, of course, only happens when the wedding to some extent has been full of happiness and excitement. Otherwise they forget what had happened and what event had occurred.
Most often, outside city hall after the civil ceremony, the bride and groom (who have been living together for years and each one has probably spent a year or more living with someone else), give each other a cold look as if to say, "So what? Where should we go? Fun? We've gone out a thousand times together. Embrace each other? We've tasted each other a thousand times and we've fled from the taste. Home? We came from home." What appeals to them? Do they excite each other's imagination and feelings? Not at all. Then its best if each continues his work each day like always. Families are formed in this way.
Both the man and the woman have schemed to find each other and form an economic union. Or else, they were married because of the other pressures. Perhaps a child was born causing the father and mother of the child to become a bride and groom. They show understanding, feelings and desires towards each other. They do not sense any secrets in each other, no paradox in their unirol. Nothing begins. Nothing changes. No imaginary flights, no heart beats, not even a smile upon their lips.
This is why the foundation of a family becomes frail. Once the foundations weakened, the children in that family no longer see understanding, warmth and attractions. Because the mother and father will not sacrifice all of the freedoms for their children they put the child in a school or boarding school and only give it money so that they can continue their free life. Afterwards, having formed a logical but deceitful partnership according to the laws and having created a faxnily, they then separate from each other.
The possibilities continue for the man who has experienced thousands of warm and young embraces. How can this woman who is tired and fallen in spit it and whose masculine actions cause disgust in the man, satisfy his needs? And visa versa? A woman who can make thousand comparisons, takes the worn out man into her arms. Through her comparisons, his number is up. In such a situation, within a household which lacks understanding, he turns to bars, fraternities, new experiences, official and unofficial centers. Once again, contrary to the original invitation, the factor which keeps these two within the same household is an illogic one.
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 10:51pm
Forming a familyAt the present time, men and women freely satisfy their sexual urges in universities, restaurants, outings, and various gatherings of this kind. This continues until a woman comes to herself and sees that it is empty around her. No one any longer seeks her out or if they do, it is to review, to revise a memory of the past.
When a man has passed the freedom of his sexual cycle, when he has picked a flower from every garden and from each flower, taken its perfume, there is nothing any longer for him which is interesting or new. His sexual urge has subsided. It has been replaced by attachment to his position and his money. He seeks fame and worships position. His inclinations are now towards getting a house and forming a family. These feelings then appear in his being.
A woman, face to face with the reality that no one seeks her out, and, a man, exhausted from his freedoms and indeed by sexual experiences which have finally turned his heart, confront each other. They reach out towards each other at the end of a long and tiring road. They want to form a family. A family is formed but that which draws these two together that which causes them to join hands, is fear and fatigue. On the part of the woman it is fear of bankruptcy and no longer being noticed.
The man is tired and no longer interested in anything. A family has been formed but in place of love and the intensity of an ideal, instead of creative happiness and imagination, exhaustion and ennui set in so that nothing is new. They know what is there. Nothing! There is nothing for which their hearts beat. They know why they have found each other. They know what needs they have from each other. Both, completely conscious, calculating, aware, seek each other out. Each knows what the other meant by the words, 'be my divine sacrifice'. Each has achieved their wishes. Both sacrifice for the other. Both die for the other. But in the opposite way from which we normally understand it. On the day of weddings, city hall is filled. Someone from city hall, with a medal on his coat, looking like a bureaucrat attends to them, not a clergyman who is a symbol of spirit, faith, reverence and sainthood. Each couple is called forward exactly like molded sugar cones.
Their names are read from a list. They answer, "Yes." Often several children standing behind the bride and groom also answer yes. It shows their existences have influenced the yes of their mothers and fathers. They pay their money. They sign the register. The ceremony is over. Each returns to his mould, his home. From among the 200-300 brides only 20-30 wear a bridal gown. Most of them say, 'What?', at my age, in my condition, it would be degrading to wear a bridal gown. It is not right." Then the wife goes to work and the man as well. They have a rendezvous with their friends to meet at noon in a restaurant and eat lunch together. This, of course, only happens when the wedding to some extent has been full of happiness and excitement. Otherwise they forget what had happened and what event had occurred.
Most often, outside city hall after the civil ceremony, the bride and groom (who have been living together for years and each one has probably spent a year or more living with someone else), give each other a cold look as if to say, "So what? Where should we go? Fun? We've gone out a thousand times together. Embrace each other? We've tasted each other a thousand times and we've fled from the taste. Home? We came from home." What appeals to them? Do they excite each other's imagination and feelings? Not at all. Then its best if each continues his work each day like always. Families are formed in this way.
Both the man and the woman have schemed to find each other and form an economic union. Or else, they were married because of the other pressures. Perhaps a child was born causing the father and mother of the child to become a bride and groom. They show understanding, feelings and desires towards each other. They do not sense any secrets in each other, no paradox in their unirol. Nothing begins. Nothing changes. No imaginary flights, no heart beats, not even a smile upon their lips.
This is why the foundation of a family becomes frail. Once the foundations weakened, the children in that family no longer see understanding, warmth and attractions. Because the mother and father will not sacrifice all of the freedoms for their children they put the child in a school or boarding school and only give it money so that they can continue their free life. Afterwards, having formed a logical but deceitful partnership according to the laws and having created a faxnily, they then separate from each other.
The possibilities continue for the man who has experienced thousands of warm and young embraces. How can this woman who is tired and fallen in spit it and whose masculine actions cause disgust in the man, satisfy his needs? And visa versa? A woman who can make thousand comparisons, takes the worn out man into her arms. Through her comparisons, his number is up. In such a situation, within a household which lacks understanding, he turns to bars, fraternities, new experiences, official and unofficial centers. Once again, contrary to the original invitation, the factor which keeps these two within the same household is an illogic one.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
New Not-for-Profit Organisation (GDRA)
I have started a non-profit organisation geared towards relieving the needs of rural Gambians. The aim of this organisation is to provide literature in every subject to rural Gambian children.
The name chosen is: The Gambia Dawah and Relief Agency (GDRA).
I am especially thankful to the U.K Islamic Mission, The Islamic Foundation and Muslim Hands for the support and encouragement. These organisations provided literature in diverse field of studies for the rural Gambian children. I am also grateful to Mr Ebrima Kamara for reviewing the project and providing valuable advise. His advise on maintaining a centre ground for fostering harmony, the respect for life and diversity is without a doubt meaningful. The pursuit of intellectual and intelligent dealing should be a corner stone of our activity. I thank him for his advise.
The books will be distributed across the provences. The aim is to furnish school libraries, mosque book stores and other areas. We want to inculcate the habit of reading. With a strong reading population, extremism will be a thing of the past.
We will also respond to emergency situations in the rural Gambia. We will work with relief agencies across U.K and Europe. The fostering of one human society.
Life is about loving, caring and believing in ways that will be un-harmful to the human society. Tolerance, mutual co-existence and togetherness is our motto.
However, we will respond to propaganda materials of lies and distortions in the media. This will be conducted in an open, respectful and diplomatic manner.
Please, give us your prayers and kind suggestions.
Send ideas to: suntou@btinternet.com or call 0044 07852491734.
Thank you
Suntou Touray (Founder GDRA)
The name chosen is: The Gambia Dawah and Relief Agency (GDRA).
I am especially thankful to the U.K Islamic Mission, The Islamic Foundation and Muslim Hands for the support and encouragement. These organisations provided literature in diverse field of studies for the rural Gambian children. I am also grateful to Mr Ebrima Kamara for reviewing the project and providing valuable advise. His advise on maintaining a centre ground for fostering harmony, the respect for life and diversity is without a doubt meaningful. The pursuit of intellectual and intelligent dealing should be a corner stone of our activity. I thank him for his advise.
The books will be distributed across the provences. The aim is to furnish school libraries, mosque book stores and other areas. We want to inculcate the habit of reading. With a strong reading population, extremism will be a thing of the past.
We will also respond to emergency situations in the rural Gambia. We will work with relief agencies across U.K and Europe. The fostering of one human society.
Life is about loving, caring and believing in ways that will be un-harmful to the human society. Tolerance, mutual co-existence and togetherness is our motto.
However, we will respond to propaganda materials of lies and distortions in the media. This will be conducted in an open, respectful and diplomatic manner.
Please, give us your prayers and kind suggestions.
Send ideas to: suntou@btinternet.com or call 0044 07852491734.
Thank you
Suntou Touray (Founder GDRA)
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