Ahead of This Year’s Ramadan, SIC Prexy Calls For Oneness

With barely less than two weeks into the Holy month of Ramadan, the President of Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (SIC), Alhagie Muhammed Lamin Touray, who also doubles as the Deputy Imam of Gunjur Kombo South Western Region, has called on Muslims to begin and end the fasting of the Holy month of Ramadan.

The GSIC’s President made these remarks in a sermon delivered in his home town of Gunjur. He said Muslims should start fasting together and end it on the same day.

“All Muslims should start fasting and end together. We must not dispute on when to fast and when to stop. There are guidance for us to follow both in the Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH),” he stated.

“Whenever we hear that a bona fide Muslim has seen the month for fasting to begin or end, we must all join heads together to follow,” he added.

This, he noted, will show how united Muslims are and the level of respect we show to each other.

“Islam is a religion of peace, understanding, respect and unity,’’ he said.

He added that “we must begin fasting with Mecca the original birth place of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and the origin of Islam”.

He maintained that there is only 3 hours difference between The Gambia and the Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a country where Mecca is located. He cited many Islamic authorities to back up his points.

Imam Touray also used the occasion to call on the strong adherents to consider the weak ones during the Holy month of Ramadan.

“My fellow Muslims, Ramadan is an opportunity for the strong and the rich to boost out their morals and bring themselves closer to Allah, the creator and controller of the universe and all that it contains.

“Let us be kind to each other and not allow our fellows to remain hungry after fasting for the whole day,” he remarked.

“In the month of Ramadan, rewarding is always done in doubles, and whoever fills a hungry stomach from fasting will have the exact amount of reward like the one that fast without any deduction from the person who fast,’’ Imam Touray concluded.