The main aim of our site is to purify The Seerah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from weak and fabricated narrations using the works of the scholars of Islam. We may add other beneficial material as well.
Mother’s milk (own mother or foster mother) transfers genetic material to the child. The Quran and The Sunnah have prohibited Muslims from marrying their foster mothers and foster siblings for a wisdom that Allah knows best.
Allah says: “Prohibited to you (for marriage) are … foster-mothers (who suckled you) and foster-sisters” (Qur’an 4:23).
Thus, if you were breastfed by a lady, she becomes your foster-mother with five certain breastfeedings (See Sahih Muslim 1452), then you became a foster-child to her, and her children are your foster-siblings (and Mahram), both the older and younger ones among them.
Additional Note: What should be out attitude regarding topics like ‘The Quran and Modern Science’?
1. It is not appropriate to claim that everything from Islamic texts (The Qur’an & The Sunnah) is absolutely compatible to modern science. Because ‘modern science’ is not a fixed state, it keeps changing and shifting. What is ‘true’ now may be called ‘false’ later.
2. Hence we believe that everything mentioned in the Islamic texts is cent percent true because it came down from Allah and was spoken by His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, regardless of whether it is in accordance with ‘modern science’ or not.
3. At times we may find certain scientific researches to support what’s mentioned in The Quran and/or The Sunnah. We may share it in order to show that what’s mentioned in the Islamic texts is in accordance with nature.
4. However if the scientific research or researchers change their stance, we shouldn’t reject the meaning of The Ayaat of The Qur’an or any authentic Ahadith. Our belief upon them is based on our Imaan in Allah and His Messenger, and that includes belief in The Unseen, Al-Ghaib. Not upon ‘modern science’.
I spent around 20 days in The Gambia and here’s what I have to say…
The Gambia is the smallest country on the African continent’s mainland. You may compare it to the Arabian Gulf state of Qatar in size, except that The Gambia is around 470+ Kms long and less wide.
1. Safety levels: The Gambia is pretty safe, Alhamdulillah. Theglobaleconomy gives The Gambia 5.4 on a scale of 0-10 in safety, similar to Saudi Arabia.
2. Cost of food: Overall The Gambia, according to my assessment, is 25-30% more expensive than India. If you want to cut costs, the way forward is to prepare food at home.
3. The Deen level: There are many Masajid and scholars upon The Qur’an And Sunnah, as I witnessed first hand, Alhamdulillah. The majority of the scholars of The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (the biggest Fatawa committee) ascribe themselves to The Qur’an And Sunnah according to the understanding of The Salaf. There are an ample number of Madrasas and schools upon The Qur’an And Sunnah, both for boys and girls (most of them being close to and around the capital Banjul), I’ve visited some of them myself Alhamdulillah.
4. The religious condition of the masses: The public is 95% Muslim. In that 60% are Soofi without Ilm, and 40% are inclined towards The Qur’an And Sunnah. The people are generally very much affected by cultural Islam, however they are very receptive and accept the truth when we advise them.
The sisters are learning and coming closer to Islam and the Hijab, a Gambian brother mentioned to me that around 50 years back less than 1% wore the Hijab here (forget the Niqab!), but today Alhamdulillah, approximately 20% wear the proper Hijab and many women, especially those connected to Islamic institutions wear the Niqab (face veil) as well.
At times you will find people playing music out aloud in the taxis and vehicles, and you will also find people playing The Qur’an and Islamic lectures. Most people would switch off the music if you ask them to.
5. Are the people welcoming? Yes, the people and police are very friendly and welcoming to foreigners. In my stay here for 20 days, I felt like home. No wonder it is aptly called ‘The smiling coast of Africa ‘!
6. The people here are ok with getting their daughters and sons married to those who migrate, they’re not racist or nationalist. (Provided you have a few Gambian friends or settled people recommend that you’re religious and of good character.)
7. Will we get jobs here or shall we try establishing a business? Like almost all developing countries, I would say the chances that you will get a white collar job is less, and even if you do, the pay is less. However, the country has enormous business opportunities, it’s like an empty slate. You can start a business with small investments and grow In-Sha-Allah. For example: Starting taxi services, general stores, restaurants, electrical appliances, juice shops, etc., are some of the various businesses that can thrive here.
8. Da’wah Opportunities: Excellent land for Muslim-to-Muslim and Muslim-to- Non Muslim Da’wah. You can do public Da’wah here without any restrictions, Alhamdulillah. This is a good place for anyone intending to open an Islamic School or Islamic charity institution.
9. Citizenship: Marriage to a Gambian citizen will give you citizenship in 7 years or living here for continuous 15 years is a requirement for citizenship by naturalization.
10. Buying our own land: We can buy land (upto 50m x 50m) in our full ownership (as a foreigner!) without needing a Gambian in our document.
11. To buy larger lands (even huge amounts) you need to register a company or make an organisation (with a paperwork cost of approximately Rs.10,000).
12. This is one of the easiest countries to enter and continue living. You first enter with a 30 days’ visa, you get the visa as soon as you enter The Gambia, by using an entry-permit which currently costs Rs.9,700/- (also called ‘invitation letter’ issued by any Gambian national). Then, after it expires, you may extend it for 90 days (60 US Dollars, this step is compulsory), and further (after that) onwards for 12 months (60 US Dollars), and 12 months and so-on. (Note: No matter what date you stamp the 12 month visa for the first time, all 12 month visas end at December the 31st.) Driving licences are also issued to foreigners without hassles. The Yellow Fever Vaccine Certificate is mandatory inorder to enter most African countries. [This is dependent on government policies and immigration laws which keep undergoing changes, so please check for the latest updates before you plan to come, In-Sha-Allah.]
13. English is one of the official languages of this country and 80% of the population is comfortable with English. The scholars and students of knowledge speak fluent Arabic, and you will come across many of them, In-Sha-Allah. (Madinka, Wolof and Fula are the major local languages.)
14. There is a small town of around 30,000 people called Farafenni, a student of knowledge informed me that more than 75% of the people there speak Arabic.
15. The government of The Gambia is strictly against any sort of extremist and terrorist ideologies. Anyone who wishes to come here with a criminal intent to cause terrorism in any country Muslim or Non-Muslim is not welcome here, and if found guilty will be severely punished by the authorities.
Muslims, Christians, Hindus and people of other faiths live peacefully and harmoniously here. No one is allowed to harass any Gambian or foreign resident. This is what makes The Gambia a beautiful and peaceful place to live, Alhamdulillah.
(Note: No Muslim country is cent-percent perfect, and so is The Gambia. Do not expect a perfect place, rather see from the point of view of following Islam and living with the basic necessities. Do visit The Gambia for 15-20 days before making a move, and if you come here, spend time and roam around the country with some students of knowledge who have lived in the country and they will show you the goodness in it, In-Sha-Allah.)
May Allah grant all of the readers a long life upon goodness. Aameen.
This YouTube video is also good on the same topic In-Sha-Allah:
(The following was added to this post on the 10th of April 2023.)
How is schooling in The Gambia?
1. Homeschooling is allowed in The Gambia.
2. Gambia has many Islamic schools Alhamdulillah, where the students study Islamic sciences in the Arabic language.
3. Most schools of the type mentioned above, also have formal subjects like English, Science and Math.
4. Gambia is filled with many free Qur’an memorization schools, where the students are made to memorize the Qur’an.
5. Gambia has a handful of schools run by the Christian missionaries, which focus more on modern secular education.
6. No schools in Gambia, even those controlled by Christians, are allowed to ask the students to not wear the Hijab, or not pray on time. Alhamdulillah, the Muslims are allowed to fulfill their obligations with ease.
7. In order to join the degree (graduation) courses in Gambian Universities, the student will have to write and pass the 12th board exams.
(The following information was added on the 12th of June 2023.)
Could you please name some scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah in The Gambia?
Here are the names of some Ahlus-Sunnah Shuyuukh (Scholars) in The Gambia and their photos arranged accordingly as in the image above.
Dr. Kemo Saidykhan Dr. Alhagie Kemo Ndur Dr. Umar Fabba Gitteh Dr. Baba Ceesay Dr. Mbye Kebba Kah Dr. AbdulQaadir Sillah Dr. Uthman Bashir Camara Imaam Abdullah Fatty Shaikh Muhammad Al-Aameen Trawally Shaikh Umar Danso Shaikh Ibrahim Jaiju Shaikh Fakebba Ceesay Shaikh Ali Cham Shaikh Muhammad Al-Aameen Touray Shaikh Bakemo Fatty Shaikh Alhagie Sarr Shaikh Musa Jallow Shaikh Chabou Oggo Cham Shaikh Abdullah Sissawo
What is the ruling upon the prostration of gratitude (Sujood Shukr) done by the players in a game (referring to football)?
Answer.
The ball and playing with the ball (in a game) aren’t from a Ni’amah (blessing), and the Sujood Ash-Shukr (prostrations of gratitude) are done upon the recieving of a blessing. And it’s a Bid’ah (innovation) to do it in this context (of ball-games). What did we get from this ball (game of ball)? And how did the Muslims benefit from this? Except by wasting their youth, and not benefitting from that … rather it is (these games are) a harm upon the Muslims. End quote.
-Shaikh Saleh Al-Fawzan from his explanation of Mukhtasar Za’ad Al-Ma’ad of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (22/5/1430 AH, 61:08 mins).
-Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna.
It’s hard these days to find Muslims who take a balanced approach when it comes to uniting with groups whom they consider to be Ahlul Bid’ah.
You find one extreme where people compromise and sell out their beliefs for the sake of unity. They would either declare Ahlul Bid’ah groups as Ahlus Sunnah or they would minimize and undermine how deviant the other group’s views are, for the sake of unity.
Then you find another extreme where people absolutely refuse regardless of the circumstances to cooperate with anyone outside of their own circle.
Why can’t we follow the advice of the righteous and knowledgeable scholars, which is that we don’t compromise our beliefs and we do indeed point out the deviances and falsehood of the Ahlul Bid’ah, while at the same time being just and fair in our criticisms and being wise (such as knowing when and with whom and in what way) doing so. I mean the scholars have clearly taught this. Their statements are abundant. Unfortunately, they are hardly cited to the laity.
Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said in his Majmoo al-Fatāwā, vol.28, p.212:
“If establishing the obligations of knowledge, jihad and other than that, is unfeasible except through someone who has bid’ah whose harm is lesser than the harm of leaving that obligation, obtaining the advantage of the obligation with the likely disadvantage along with it is better than the opposite.”
Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah in his Majmoo al-Fatāwā, vol.3, p.235 spoke about Ibn Makhluf as a man who is a liar who has little knowledge and religion, yet despite this in Volume 3, page 277 he still said regarding Ibn Makhluf and his ilk:
“I will them help on what is good and God fearing.”
In the Fatawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’ima, Volume 2, page 237 it was asked to the scholars regarding the Sufis, Jamaa’at at-Tableegh, Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen, Sunnis, Shias, etc. which one of these groups were closest to Ahlus Sunnah. The scholars replied back saying (going straight to the end of the answer): “Each one of these groups have truth and falsehood. You should be cooperating with them in that which they are right and stay away from that where they are wrong with advice and cooperation in that which is good and God fearing.” The members of this committee were Abdullah ibn Qu’ood, Abdullah ibn Ghudyaan, Abdul Razzaaq Al-‘Affifi and the chairman is Abdul Azeez ibn Baaz.
They gave a similar fatwa in Volume 2, pages 238-239, fatwa no. 6280. Shaykh Nasir ad-Deen al-Albani in the cassette tape Silsilat al-Huda wal-Noor said that we should not do cooperation with the Hizbis by trying to enter the parliament, but he said that we should do cooperation in that which is good and God fearing.
Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waadi’ee in his Risaala “Haadhihi Da’watuna wa ‘Aqeedatuna”, page 13, no. 12 said that he sees the obligation of cooperating with any Muslim in that which is truth. Also refer to his Qama’ Al Mu’aanid, pages 229 and 528.
Shaykh al-Uthaymeen in the cassette tape Liqaa’ Al Shaykhayn ibn Al-Uthaymeen Wa Ar-Rabee’ said that there must be cooperation with the da’wah groups.
Yes Ahlul Bid’ah groups might call non-Muslims into their bid’ah, but just as Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said in his Majmoo al-Fatāwā, vol.13, p.95-96 this is better than if the non-Muslims were to remain kuffar.
❝Whoever wishes to attain the levels of the strangers, let him bear with patience the harm he will meet from his parents, his spouse, his brothers and relatives.
If one were to ask, ‘How can they harm me seeing as I am beloved to them and they to me?’
It is said in reply: ‘You have opposed them in their love of this Dunya and their great desire for it. They, in order to attain this world, do not care what they lose of their religion; if you follow them in this, they will love you; if you oppose them and instead traverse the path to the Akhirah by following the truth, they will behave coarsely towards you.
Your parents will be pained and angry at your actions, your spouse will vexed at you and seek separation and your brothers and relatives will rarely meet you.’❞
Saheehus-Seerah 