By Isaac Ato MENSAH
Accra- 11 September, 2018.
ANOTHER new moon has come to replace the August new moon, when the ‘Sacrifice of the Ram’ took place across the Muslim world.
But alas, the Western media will most likely today focus on when suspected Islamic terrorists hijacked planes in the US and destroyed innocent lives and property.
It will hardly be mentioned that for the true Muslim, obedience to the will of Allah abhors all forms of evil against mankind, animals and the environment.
‘Allah has blessed his servants with various types of provisions in life- included among them is guidance’, Shaykh Hussain Al-Ash-Shaykh stated in his message in the Kutbah from Arafah last month.
In Ghana, our media did not succumb to pressure to stop speaking positively about Islam, thanks to Divine Guidance and the fortitude to face the excesses of George W. Bush….and now Donald J. Trump.
The 9/11 situation got so bad that Muslim pilots around the world were harassed including at least one Ghanaian pilot.
In Ghana we proudly salute our Muslim brothers and Sistahs for holding firm onto their faith and continuing to preach peace and goodwill from our mosques in Ghana to the world.
Yes, our mosques…for, they belong to all of us.
Alhaji Ahmed Salim Sowah, deputy general secretary, La Muslim community, Accra, at Mount Arafah 2018…his second Hajj pilgrimage.
Yesterday in Saudi Arabia, to mark the end of this year’s pilgrimage led by the never aging Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye, Ghana was given a crescent-shaped sword by Alhaji Ibrahim, chairman of Hajj Ghana, as an award to the president and all the people of Ghana for promoting Islam, peace and security.
‘I receive it in the name of the Almighty God’, said Sheikh IC Quaye, as he unsheathed the sword and then joked in Ga, ‘Ooshe gbeyei’, to wit, ‘Are you scared’, drawing laughter from those present.
Acts of terror have occurred in La Cote D’Ivoire to our west and Burkina Faso to our north, but we in Ghana, have somehow have been spared……..and this is in spite of our porous borders.
Perhaps we should remind ourselves that the first nation on Earth to officially and diplomatically recognize the then newly independent United States of America, was Islamic and African.
That nation was Morocco and it has always stood tall in preaching and teaching moderate Islam.
Last year, King Mohammed VI, the reigning monarch of Morocco came on a West African tour (including Ghana) with a powerful delegation from his government.
The Moroccan king met President Akufo-Addo for more than eight hours at the Flagstaff House.
Our government and the Moroccans signed 25 agreements for collaboration in education, promotion and reciprocation of investments, insurance, support for small scale farmers, industrial cooperation and security.
I was there at the Flagstaff House (now Jubilee House) on that day.
The visitors lobby was packed….No ministers were available.
No assistants could be visited and all appointments were cancelled.
They were all busy assisting with anything and everything from photocopies to proofreading texts.
What has happened since then?
Have all these fizzled out because the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is frustrating Morocco’s membership application?
Is it not prudent for us to avail ourselves of the Moroccan expertise in banking and finance to help solve our worsening banking scandal?
Hajia Alima Mahama, Ghana’s minister for local government and rural development.
Indeed, in this season of truths, isn’t it about time we appointed more Muslim women in all spheres of our national life?
It will surely be in line with our directive principles of state policy, wouldn’t it?
Strategically thinking, the Muslim world has many goodies for us including Zakat, culture, tourism exchange and dressing.
Come to think of it, here in Ghana, our Muslim brothers and Sistahs are steadfast with their charity and solidarity.
King Mohammed VI and President Nana Akufo-Addo…..Jubilee House, Accra. February, 2017.
Within the Muslim world, Ghana can gain a lot of expertise in education, research, healthcare, sanitation, tourism and culture.
Many Islamic countries have historical and cultural ties across West Africa spanning many centuries.
If we are really desirous of building a truly multicultural society that attracts tourists from all over the world, then let us look to the North- to Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, Malaysia, Indonesia and the rest of the Muslim world, for it also the beckons with important clues to building a society of peace, security, progress, charity and solidarity.
Salaam Aleikum!
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