Chief Imam calls for free and fair December elections
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Sheikh Osman Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam on Sunday called on all stakeholders, especially the Electoral Commission to ensure a violence-free, fair and transparent elections ahead of the December polls.
"As a faith community committed to lasting peace and harmony, we call on all political stakeholders to avoid all tendencies that could jeopardize the political peace, harmony, and stability of the country as enjoined over the years’’, he added.
Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, the spokesperson for the National Chief Imam made the call in a sermon to mark this year’s virtual Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration in Accra.
The fasting season, according to the Chief Imam was to help Muslims attained Allah’s consciousness of piety and the need to evaluate themselves and see whether these values have been achieved.
He said the virtual celebration which was a result of restrictions on social gatherings directed by President Akufo-Addo in the wake of coronavirus (CONVID-19), provided an opportunity for Ghanaian Muslims to participate in the celebration at their various homes.
"The pandemic has provided Muslim faithful the unique opportunity to appreciate that we can worship our maker in private and experience a personal connection with Him.
We need to raise our hands in complete helplessness and nothingness in the presence of Allah that He alone who knows the beginning and end of things will ward off the pandemic that has brought the World under standstill", he said.
Sheikh Sharubutu said the pandemic had made Muslims learn to focus on the substance and the essence of worship rather than the form, expressing confidence that the quality of the just ended fasting had not diminished despite the COVID-19.
He commended the President for updating the citizenry in his address on the status of the pandemic and the need to continuously adhere to the preventive measures of ensuring social distancing and washing hands under running water to prevent the spread of the virus.
"President Akufo-Addo’s periodic appearance on state television to update Ghanaians on COVID-19 has been inspiring and effective in its awareness creation value. We encourage the President to forge ahead with any measure necessary in his thinking and the counsel of health advisors to curb the further spread of the virus".
The Chief Imam commended Ghanaian Muslims for behaving responsibly and adhering to the President’s directives on social gatherings, saying no Muslims in the country met in any open space to pray.
He said the Office of the Chief Imam with support from Imams from the various sects across the country presented a cheque of GHc130,000 to the National COVID-19 Fund.
Sheikh Sharubutu commended the President for appointing a Muslim figure, Justice Issifu Imoro Tanko Amadu as Supreme Court Judge, stressing that the gesture would serve as an inspiration to many upcoming young Muslim lawyers who aspire to greater height in the legal profession and the general space of education.
He said the lifting of the social gathering restrictions was highly anticipated and suggested that if these restrictions were lifted, Muslim worship places and educational facilities and other centres would have a comprehensive programme of disinfection in all these areas to help in fighting the spread of the disease.
He called on the President to intervened and help facilitate the conclusion on the ongoing discussion on the harmonization of Muslim Marriage and Inheritance Law which was before the ministry of Justice.
Mr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development presented an undisclosed amount of money to the Chief Imam to pray for the President to guide the country and find solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic
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