by PK Jarju
The more I look at TV footages of last Wednesday's terror attack in Mumbai, India, the angrier I get. A group of losers who claimed to be believers in the oneness of Allah and the Day of Judgement attacked innocent people, killing over 170 people and injuring 200 or more. And the thousand and one questions I keep asking myself is, who the hell are they and what are they hoping to gain?
Personally, I think they are bunch of useless, hopeless and blood thirsty idiots whose only desire is to kill hundreds of innocent men, women and children. The attack on Mumbai is not a jihad and these attackers should not identify themselves as Muslims. The indiscriminate killing of people and wanton destruction of properties is totally condemned by Islam, a religion of peace.
Islam does not promote the senseless killings and violence that we see young Muslims embarking upon. And these idiots, who blow themselves up in name of Allah, should forget about going to heaven. They are doing it for their own selfish desires and must forget about gaining the pleasure of Allah. They are vile murderers who will not taste the fragrance of heaven not to even talk of being blessed with 72 virgins.
Over the past years, we have seen a significant rise in the number of young Muslims being radicalised by so-called Islamic scholars and international criminals like Osama bin Laden and others. These young men are being fooled into blowing themselves and others up by fanatics who are themselves too scared of death.
Idiots and cowards like Bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri hiding some where in the caves of Afghanistan or Pakistan are tarnishing the name of Islam with their promotion of violence against people, who do not share the same faith or belief.
Every Muslim wants to go to heaven and if Bin Laden and his associates truly believe that blowing oneself up together with hundreds of infidels will lead to his admission in heaven, then what the hell are they doing in the darkness of a cave? Surely, the mountains of Afghanistan cannot be compared with heaven.
The Muslim community needs to take drastic actions by weeding out these criminals, who hide behind our peaceful religion to rain havoc on innocent people. Though they are our brothers in faith or blood, their bombs and bullets do not know who is a relative, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Sikh, American, British or Israeli.
Indiscriminate killing of people is not part of our noble religion and until we stand up to these idiots, our religion will continue to be associated with acts of barbarism like the one we saw in New York and now India.
I pray to Almighty Allah to bless the departed souls in His heavenly kingdom and grant a speedy recovery to the injured.
Rest in Peace my dear friends
The saying that death is a bad reaper that is always after the unripe fruit is indeed very true. In the past three months alone, I have lost three close friends of mine in the media.
First to depart this world was Abubacarr Sanyang, marketing manager of the Daily Observer. Mr Sanyang was a great friend of mine. Our friendship started in the summer of 2003, when he was hired by Sheriff Bojang as assistant marketing manager of the company.
Although we were working in different departments, Mr Sanyang and I had a very cordial working relationship and were often referred to as twins from another mother by the compositors in the computer room.
He was a hard working guy, who had the interest of the company at heart. Mr Sanyang was lovable, friendly and respectful. He had a good sense of humour and PR, which enabled him to attract many customers.
The Daily Observer was Mr Sanyang's second home. He would report to work at 8am and would in most cases clock out hours after his official closing time.
My relationship with Sanyang continued even after my sojourn to the UK. We spoke regularly on the phone and was devastated when I phone his cell phone a day after Korite and was told he passed away a day before.
My second friend to die was Ejatou Jallow alias EJ of the now closed Independent Newspaper. My friendship with EJ started in 2001 when she joined The Independent. She was like a sister to me and had shared by-lines on many stories like the treason trial of Dumo Sarho and co, the murder trial of the UDP leadership among others.
My friendship with EJ continued even when I quit The Independent for the Observer. We were always in touch on the phone and would always visit her anytime I went to Banjul. While I was covering the Baba Jobe economic crime trial, (then she was pursuing a diploma programme in law at the Gambia Technical Training Institute), she would often come to the High Court. We would have breakfast in the High Court café with Emile Touray of Foroyaa and talk about the Baba Jobe case and other criminal matters been presided over at the time by Justice Madabuchi Abuchi Paul.
Stop other reporters at the High Court from following us to the café, we would often lie to them that we were going to Justice Paul’s naming ceremony. But we got found out day by Surahata Danso of Foroyaa.
I have not spoken much with EJ when I came to the UK and was devastated when I was told last month by my friend in the US, Pa Ousman Darboe that she died a week before after a protracted illness.
While trying to come to term with the death of my two friends, it was shocking to hear the death of Habibou Ceesay. I knew Habibou since my days at The Independent and he worked under me at the Observer. He was a shy guy and does not talk much and his best mate was Madi Njie.
The two are always seen hanging at Modou’s shop, near the Observer and I would sometime have a drink with them and have a laugh.
The death of these three is a big blow to the Gambian media. I pray to Almighty to have mercy on their souls and grant them entry into His heavenly kingdom. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment