By: Momodou Justice Darboe
Former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh has sent a new year message to supporters of his APRC splinter group.
Below is the transcript of the message issued in Mandinka:
I extend my hearty greetings to the party leader. I extend my greetings to the entire party on the occasion of the Islamic New Year, which is our new year. I pray that Allah answer all our prayers. May He grant us what we seek from Him this New Year of ours; the new Muslim and Islamic New Year. May the New Year present peace to all of us and may we realize our aspirations this New Year. May Allah answer all our prayers. May Allah unburden us of any burden that we may carry.
I extend my greetings to the entire party. I extend my greetings to the council of elders, council of chairmen, the executive, National Assembly members, all party supporters and members. I entreat you to forgive each other. We have come out to entreat that our hearts be cleansed and filled with cleanliness that would make one patriotic and Allah-fearing and dutiful to Allah. And let our hearts be purified of any nefarious intention. Let us unite like people of the same parents. Our country is bigger than party. This is the country we see and it’s the country that Allah gave to us. Let us gravitate towards Allah and forgive each other. May Allah protect us from any catastrophy or ill-intention so that we can be among those who would not be subjected to any judgement on the Day of Judgement. I entreat the entire party and everyone to unite so that our country can move forward.
Ill-intention and foul utterances are the deeds and paths of the Satan. Trading insults is the way of Iblis. May Allah protect us all from treading the path of Iblis. May we not support Satan. Let’s forgive each other. Let’s forgive each other. May Allah actualize our aspirations for the country.
And entire Africa. May we nurture good intentions for each other. Evil intention breeds conflict and that’s not good. May Allah bring us onto the straight path. We should all know that this world has an end. The only infinite world is that of Allah’s. May Allah forgive us all on the Day of Judgement and grant us Jannatul Firdawsi. May Allah sooth the hearts of those who are angry for being offended. Let us all unite as one family for the sake of Allah. This world will end but this world is also important. What we sow here is what would be measured on the Day of Judgement. May we cultivate Allah’s farm. May Allah protect us from tilling Satan’s farm. Satan’s farm offers nothing but catastrophe. And Allah said in the Qur’an that Satan is our enemy.
Let us be God-fearing and let’s not harbour any hatred for each other. What Allah destined is what is going to happen. If a human being refuses to accept what Allah willed, he/she is a disbeliever.
I greet you all and may the peace that ushered us into the New Year be sustained till Judgement Day.
Those who think I am happy with the situation are mistaken. I never want Gambians to groan under the yoke of hardship. I don’t wish for even my enemies to suffer because what Allah said in the Qur’an is clear.