Gadaffi was speaking to a large crowd at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala after leading the Thuhur (afternoon) prayer, where he said any Bible and Torah (Old Testament) that does not mention the Prophet Mohammed was written by mankind and therefore a fraud.

“The Bible we have now is not the one that was revealed to Issa (Jesus) and the Old Testament is not the one that was revealed to Musa (Moses). Muhammad is mentioned in both (original versions), but the Tora and Bible we have now, there is no mention of him,” the Libyan head of state said.

Col Gadaffi, who is known for his controversial statements more than his piety, said: “It means that it (Bible) has been forged. Prophet Muhammad was sent to mankind. Allah (God) wanted mankind to have one religion. The Koran that we have is the only book that was sent by Allah. We believe in the Bible as well as the Torah.”

He said Prophet Musa and Issa talked about the coming of Mohammed in the Bible, which has been in existence for centuries.

“Issa is mentioned in the Koran 25 times, Musa is mentioned 128 times, and Mariam (Mary, mother of Jesus) is mentioned 30 times. It is all glorifying and highly respectful. We cannot be Muslims unless we believe in Issa. We have to look for the Bible and Old Testament that were sent to Moses and Jesus, but where can you find them? Unfortunately, the holy book that was sent by God was written by mankind and forged,” Col Gadaffi said with the aid of an Arabic translator.

Several African heads of state attended the prayers and their host, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, said he would put the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Luke Orombi and Catholic Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, His Grace Cyprian Lwanga, to task to explain the omission of Prophet Muhammad from the Bible. He praised Muammar Gadaffi for the assistance he has extended to Islam in Uganda.

Uganda’s independent newspaper, The Daily Monitor said Col Gadaffi’s remarks, just like the similar ones he made exactly a year ago in West Africa, are bound to court some controversy in a deeply religious Uganda.

Col Gadaffi’s previous remarks triggered a chain of reactions in Western Europe. He threw a barb at the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) for attacking the Prophet Mohammed who is revered in Islam.

“Those people in Scandinavia are attacking the same Prophet sent to them. They are ignorant. They are sick. They are racist and they are against Allah, Issa, Musa, because they all believed in him (Mohammed).”

A cartoon in Denmark in 2005, that depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a terrorist sparked a string of world-wide demonstrations in Islamic countries that claimed more than 50 lives.

President Gadaffi who also presided over the opening of the mosque named after him in Kampala, which is considered as the largest in sub-Saharan Africa said: “It is infidelity. They are attacking and saying bad things of Allah. He will judge them. The Prophet (Mohammed) is for Arabs and non-Arabs. He is meant to be their prophet. Allah stressed that the faith of Mohammed will be triumph. It will be victorious even if they don’t like it.”

He also turned to the Arab world, and accused them of monopolizing the Kaaba, the holiest site of Islam in the holy city of Mecca where pilgrimage is performed.

In an energetic voice, Col Gadaffi said: “It is for mankind. The Koran says only non-believers are forbidden from going to the Kaaba. If one day the President of United States (George Bush) says he wants to go to the Kaaba, he will use this verse in the Koran. He is not an atheist. He believes in the oneness of Allah. No one can stop him,” he said.

Gadaffi was cheered throughout his two-hour speech by the Muslim faithful who turned up for the prayers. “It is the non-believers who are barred by the Koran,” the Libyan leader emphasized.

The man who has ruled his country for 39 years also wondered why the birth of Mohammed was not used as the current dating. “Why doesn’t the world use the birth of Mohammed as a dating process? He was the last prophet; and seal of all prophets. It is racist, it is hatred.” Gadaffi reminded Muslims that those who doubt the miracles of Mohammed are non-believers.

Col Gadaffi at the same time reminded those prosecuting Muslim minorities like the Shia, Ismailia, al-Qaddiya to be careful because they ‘could regret it one day’.

“I stand besides the oppressed people of all sects. They should be left to Allah. Religion is used to deprive them of their rights. Those people oppressing them will regret it one day. The oppressed may have a country to protect one day.”

He also asked Muslims to be proud of the day Prophet Mohammed was born.



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