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The Timbuktu
Charter: “We will be like ferocious lions” Page 62 The
fabled city of Timbuktu holds a special place in Muslim imagination. A
great city of learning nestled along the banks of the Niger, it was the
golden heart of African Islam. Now, Muammar
al-Gaddafi wants to bring back the glory days. He called on
thousands of people to join in celebrating the Mawlid there earlier
this year. These are some (choice) extracts from his keynote
address. From Timbuktu, the historical city, we address the Muslim Nation and the whole world on the occasion of a great day in human history… Human beings have two memorable days with which their history is – or should be – recorded: the first day is the birthday of Jesus (peace be upon him), since his birth was a miracle and a sign from God; and the second day is this one, on which the Last Prophet, Muhammad, (peace be upon him) was born and died. We should date our events and days according to these two days together, as the birth of Jesus was a miracle and the death of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the death of the Last Prophet. Revelation was cut, heaven kept silent and did not talk again to the earth and its inhabitants, and there will be no other revelation or address from heaven until the Day of Judgment. Unfortunately, the history which we read now is fallacious and incorrect. They wrongly think that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a Prophet who is restricted to Arabs or Muslims only. This is false since Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a Prophet who was sent to all people. Rather, he abrogated all the religions that were before him. If Jesus was alive when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent with the Islamic mission, he would follow Muhammad (peace be upon him). We do not need a sword or a grenade to spread Islam. Islam is the destiny and religion of mankind. This is God’s Word and Will, and God is the Greatest! This is a new challenge which comes to the world from Timbuktu. From this place, the light of Islam radiated to Africa and the rest of the Muslim world in the past. This is a great glory for the inhabitants of Timbuktu. It has a historical honorable heritage. The image of Timbuktu penetrated the horizons and its scholars dedicated their lives in this oasis, which is located at the heart of the desert, to spreading the Word of God. But what is happening now? There are acts of God’s enemies, who are the enemies of the Last Prophet, Muhammad, and the enemies of the Book of God. Those who hate the Book of God heard that there is a “lighthouse” called Timbuktu in the desert. Hence, they decided to come and blow out the radiant light. They went everywhere asking about the location of Timbuktu… European countries were searching for Timbuktu, but there were no maps at that time to guide them to it. They occupied Algeria and then Tunisia. They occupied Chad, sent patrols in the desert, and finally sent an expedition that came through the Niger River until it arrived at the oasis. The inhabitants asked the foreigners, “What are you doing here?” They replied, “We have come to follow the Niger River”. It was a lie, since they came to explore Timbuktu. Afterwards, another expedition came pretending to be for “geographical exploration”. It consisted of exploration officers and intelligence officers who aimed to occupy Timbuktu and blow out this light to stop the Religion of God from spreading. They came here, explored the place, entered this town, wrote down the names of the tribes, identified the shaykhs or leaders of the tribes and the traders, and drew the ways leading to Timbuktu. They did not find any arms with the people here. Rather, the people were good-natured and had nothing more than books, knowledge, and the Quran. They crept into Timbuktu, destroyed it, took the books and threw them in the Niger River, turned the mosques into stables, and filled up the canal, which was conveying water from the Niger River to the town, with earth. I visited the canal today. Your Libyan brothers decided to re-dig this canal to move water from the Niger River to the town. God willing, water will come soon from the Niger River to the town through that canal which was once filled up with earth by the colonialists. This was the old historical conspiracy against Timbuktu. However, Timbuktu may be subjected to a new conspiracy again. By reviewing the old conspiracy, we can deduce that they will not occupy the desert once again under the old claim, but under new terms such as new expeditions labeled as “human relief efforts”. We want to warn them before they be engaged in occupying this desert once again. We say to them that if they have the intention to occupy this desert, it is so difficult because its inhabitants are just like ferocious lions and buzzards. Rather, its sands will turn to be excessive heat, its pebbles will be firebrands, and its air will be flames or fire. We warn you before if you are going to establish your bases in the desert, occupy it, toy with it, or plunder its wealth, and if you are going to undermine peace, stability and security in it. We, the inhabitants of the desert, warn you… We warn you that the pebbles will turn into awful heat, firebrands, and fire. And, “he who warns is excused”. We, the desert inhabitants who are holding this meeting in Timbuktu on this great day which witnessed the birth and death of the Last Prophet, offer peace for he who offers peace to us and stand against whoever stands against us. The Quran says, “But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it.” Therefore, if they incline to peace, we will also incline to it. But if they assault us and violate our independence and desert, we will be a tremendous force… We, the inhabitants of the desert, have one identity… We have been here for thousands of years as free men, and we want to continue living freely in this desert. This is our land and our big home. We are only one family which consists of several individuals and every one of them has a name, be it a Touareg, a Berber, a Senegalese, a Fulani, a Bombara, or a Tibbo… [a]ll these are mere names for the members of the same family. That is, definitely, the family of Sahara. We will help and defend one another, and we will never abandon or attack one another. We shake hands with one other, cooperate in war, and live in peace, safety and stability. This is the one big family – “the inhabitants of desert”. We will die for this desert and irrigate it with our blood, and we will not abandon a single drop of its sand. This is an edited version of a speech delivered by Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi in Timbuktu, Mali on 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1427. A full transcript can be found at www.algathafi.org. |