Eid-Ul Fitr (Kumasi)

In Kumasi Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the Vice President, has stated that the intra sect conflicts between Muslims such as the one between the Al-Tijaniya and the Al-Suuna that occurred at Effiduase in Ashanti resulting in the loss of lives and property was a source of worry to the government.

He said equally disturbing to the government is the creation of tribal chiefs in the Muslim community that has virtually divided Muslim chiefs, brothers and sisters and even the Kumasi Central Mosque into uncompromising factions.

Alhaji Mahama was addressing Muslims at the celebration of the Eid-Ul-Fitr at the Central Mosque in Kumasi.

"These are disturbing developments that will not help our Muslim communities to step out of poverty and deprivation unless we begin to focus more on enhancing peace and unity amongst ourselves".

The Vice President suggested that to facilitate peace amongst the Muslim community and the nation, Muslim clerics and Islamic teachers should start organising programmes that will inculcate in them the culture of peace in Islamic schools, institutions, mosques and in Muslim communities.

Alhaji Mahama made it clear that the government's economic policies cannot operate and succeed in a vacuum and in an atmosphere of instability, no matter how laudable they may be.

"Their success is contingent upon our ability to achieve peace and stability in all areas of our country."

Mr S.K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, advised Muslims not to let the teachings and principles of Islam reflect in them only during the fasting period.

He said since the significance of the fasting was to use the values to transform their lives and society, Muslims should adhere to the principles of Islam even after the fasting and use the teachings to bring progress to their neighbourhoods.

Sheikh Imurana Musah, Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, who led the prayers, urged Muslims to do away with individualism and strive to tolerate divergent views and opinions.

He appealed to Ghanaians to show appreciation for the current peace and stability being enjoyed in the country by contributing more positively towards its consolidation.

Over 1,000 worshippers of the Islamic Mission gathered at the King Khalid Mosque at the Islamic Secondary School at Bohyen in the Kumasi to thank God for a successful fasting and for blessings in the years ahead.

Led by Sheikh Harun Appau, the officiating Imam, said there was the need for Muslims to live good lives worthy of emulation and also do well to stand against corrupt practices in the country.

He asked Muslim women to exhibit good morals and advised parents to educate their children to be morally upright and the youth from taking drugs.

Sheikh Appau also called on Muslim youth who join their peers to practice unruly behaviour to stop because it contradicts the doctrines of Islam.

Sheikh Ishaq Nuama, an Islamic Theologian and General Secretary of the Islamic Mission, called on Muslims to remain united in all their endeavours and relate well with other religious adherents.

He asked Muslims to continue to pray for peace and unity and urged them to work hard to enable the government to accelerate the development of the country.

Tema

Alhaji Abdul Samed, Chief Imam of Tema led the Muslim Community in Tema in prayers at the Tema Sports Stadium to end their 30-day fasting.

He commended the government and security agencies for ensuring continued peace in the country and prayed that this tranquillity and stability is sustained during next year's general elections.

Alhaji Samed called on Muslims to comport themselves so that they are not caught with the law.

Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive, asked Muslims to invest in their children's education to enable them improve on their academic standards.

He said peace and unity were very essential for the government to focus on its development programme and called on religious leaders and the public to pray constantly towards that direction.

On HIV/AIDS, Mr Narh noted that people are aware of its mode of transmission but what they find difficult to apprehend is its prevention, especially among the youth.

He, therefore, advised Ghanaians to practice abstinence, faithfulness and the use of condom.

The Chief Executive had earlier presented 13 bags of rice and gallons of cooking oil to the Muslims community in Tema and Ashaiman while the Greater Accra NPP Regional Secretariat also presented two bags of rice and some gallons of cooking oil to the Muslims.

Eid-Ul Fitr 4 (Koforidua)

At Koforidua, The Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, Mr Yaw Barimah has urged Muslims to let the spiritual renewal gained from the Ramadan benefit the entire nation.

Addressing the Muslim community at a congregational prayer at the Koforidua Central Mosque to mark Eid-Ul Fitr, he asked them to to live by the tenets of Islam as a religion of love, peace and unity.

Mr Barimah who is also the MP for Koforidua, asked them to bury their petty differences and work together in harmony with other citizens to promote development.

The Eastern Regional Chief Immam, Alhaji Yusif Amudani, who led the prayers for the nation, government and its people, reminded Muslims that even though the Ramadan had ended, they should let its impact permeate all facets of their lives.

"We must lead our lives as if every month of the year is a Ramadan month and strive to live peacefully with everybody, whether a Muslim or not," he said.

He urged them to sacrifice their time and resources to educate their children, spend time with them and protect them against negative tendencies to enable them to avoid contracting the HIV/AIDS.

Alhaji Amudani also urged Muslims to support the work of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) so that "we can heal the wound of our society since it is in the spirit of love and oneness that we can live harmoniously and develop as a people."

Eid-Ul Fitr (Wa)

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister observed that if Muslims would practice the teachings of their faith with regard to sexual life, they would have no fears of the dreaded HIV/AIDS.

He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to practice safe sexual life as enjoined by the various religions.

Mr Mogtari was addressing members of the regional branch of the Ahmadiyya Mission, Maulvi Innayatul Zahid, who paid a courtesy call on him at the forecourt of the Regional Co-ordinating Council, after prayers to round off the Ramadan.

The Minister advised Muslims not to abandon the good habits practised during the Ramadan now that it is ended, but continue to show love to each other.

Maulvi Zahid who prayed for God's guidance, good health and long life for President J.A. Kufuor and the government, called on Ghanaians to show gratitude to the leadership of the country for the good work they are doing to ensure peace, happiness and prosperity for Ghanaians.

Eid-Ul Fitzr (Takoradi)

Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Western Regional Minister called on Muslims to fully support the Vice-President's campaign against indiscipline so that the country would have the right orientation for development and peaceful co-existence.

He was speaking at the celebration of Eid-Ul Fitr, to mark the end of a month-long fasting and prayers by Muslims.

Mr Aidoo said various Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI), are meant to generate employment and promote investments and exports and could yield the required results if there is peace in the country.

"It is only in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that we can successfully forge ahead with our development agenda".

Mr Aidoo said some of the problems the country was facing stemmed from indiscipline, and the fact that the fight against indiscipline originated from the Vice President, who is himself a Muslim, places a big responsibility on them to support the campaign.

He said discipline is one of the vital ingredients for building a strong and prosperous society as well as a strong and competent human resource base, which could be attained through education of the youth.

Mr Aidoo urged parents and guardians to educate their wards especially the girl-child so that they can be useful to themselves and contribute meaningfully towards the development of the country.

The Regional Minister condemned the practice by some politicians who, for their selfish motives often use the youth in Muslim communities to settle political scores, and urged the youth to be wary of those politicians.

He advised them not to allow themselves to be used as "instruments for dirty political jobs".

Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister for Women and Children's Affairs and Member of Parliament for Takoradi, advised Muslim men to have patience with their wives and not to beat them when there was any misunderstanding.

At a similar function organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Takoradi, Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive, urged Muslims, Christian and adherents of other faiths to live in peace and to assist in the country's development.

He urged religious bodies and groups to assist the government to uproot social evils that are retarding the development of the country.

Mr Nkrumah commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission for its involvement in the development of the country's education and asked the Ahmadis to invest in the education of their children.

Maulvi Maveed Ahmed Aaadil, Regional Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, called on Muslims to apply the tenets of Islam in their daily lives and not to wait until Ramadan to practise them.

He said Muslims should refrain from abusive language and fighting even when provoked, and for the sake of peace they should be law-abiding citizens and lead upright lives.

Prayers were offered for the President, the government, and for Ahmadis who have been killed or imprisoned because of their faith in other countries.

Eid-Ul Fitzr (Cape Coast)

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze and Mr Muniru Arafat Nuhu Cape Coast Municipal Chief Executive on Tuesday joined thousands of Muslims in prayers at the Holy Child School grounds to mark the end of the Ramadan.

The regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Abubakar Hassan led the congregation to thank Allah for helping them through the 30-day fasting.

Alhaji Abubakar asked Muslims to continue to pray for the President, the nation, as well as countries ravaged by conflicts in the sub-religion.

Mr Edumadze commended the Muslims for ensuring peace and unity throughout the period of fasting. He urged them to continue to pray for peace and unity in the country and in neighbouring countries, including Liberia.

He advised them to always use dialogue in settling disputes, instead of resorting to arms, adding that the government would continue to respect all religious groups.

At the Cape Coast Technical School Park, Maulvi Abdul Ghaffar Ahmad, Central Regional Head of Missionary of the Ahmadiya Muslim Movement, led members in special prayers to round off the fasting period.

He also tasked Muslims to continue to spread the "true Islamic religion", and called for prayers for the government and all political party leaders.

He appealed to Allah to grant wisdom to them to enable them bring prosperity in the country.

Maulvi Ahmed charged all Ahmadis to lead exemplary lives and make sacrifices. "Allah should grant us wealth and knowledge to enable us to perform our civic responsibilities", he said.

Eid-Ul Fitz (Sunyani)

At Sunyani hundreds of Moslems in the municipality converged at the Coronation Park to say prayers as part of the celebration of the Eid-Ul Fitzr.

Led by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Omar Abdul Kadr, the Moslems prayed for peace in the region and in the country.

Alhaji Kadr urged people in the region to let the national interest precede their political and personal gains, adding "it is only when we support efforts made by the government with a practical display of a sense of nationalism in our activities that the nation can realize her goals".

He urged Muslim youth to lead decent lives and avoid immoral activities and violence to sustain peace and harmony in their communities. Present were Senior Minister J.H. Mensah who presented eight bags of rice, five bags of sugar and soft drinks to the Muslims on behalf of President J A Kufuor.

Eid-Ul Fitr (Tamale)

Mr Ernest Debrah, Northern Regional Minister urged Muslims to use the occasion to offer prayers to unite the people of Dagbon.

He said Ramadan was a spiritual retreat for them to purify their souls and bodies and "wash away the bad blood and ill feeling amongst them".

Mr Debrah was addressing Muslims in Tamale at the Police Park to mark the end of the Ramadan.

He warned that government would not compromise with the stability, peace and unity of the country to allow a few discontented people to take the nation to ransom.

"The instability in any traditional area, no matter how remote from the central government, will eventually affect the stability of our nation as a whole," he said.

Mr Debrah appealed to traditional rulers, elders and spiritual leaders to use their privileged positions to bring reconciliation and peace to the Northern Region and Dagbon in particular.

He said as leaders, they would be held responsible if they were unable to preach peace and reconciliation but turn to whip up enmity among the youth.

"We must know that we are doing the youth irreparable harm by encouraging them to take to violence because that way they will never know peace", he said. He advised the youth not to allow themselves, to be used as agents of violence and destruction since their future would be in jeopardy if they grow up in conflict situation.

Mr Debrah appealed to the people of Dagbon to allow the late Ya-na to be given "a befitting and timely burial, in accordance with age-old traditions and culture." He said: "I urge all of you to bury your superficial differences and come together for this single purpose of honouring the late Ya-Na, who in his life time, has done nothing to deserve this disgrace and inhuman treatment in perpetuity," adding, "the dead cannot be made to share our petty quarrels".

Alhaji Abdulai Abdrahama, Chief Iman of the Tamale Central Mosque, who led the prayers, appealed to the people to live morally and upright lives and desist from acts that could tarnish the good name of Islam.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement also organised an open-air prayers in front of the Regional Headquarters and called on Muslims to eschew corrupt practices and lead righteous lives.

Maulvi Abdul-Hamid Tahir, leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslims Movement in Tamale, who led members in prayers, said Muslims who indulge in corrupt practices should consider their lives as sinful in the eyes of Allah. "Allah will make all Muslims who do good work his successor in the world and offer them security and peace but will punish those that indulge in corrupt practices," he said.

He expressed regret that while peace and obedience was the pillar of Islam, in some parts of the world Muslims were seen holding guns in quest for blood.

Maulvi Tahir explained that Muslims were supposed to guide the world but "what do we see, people are now guiding Muslims" and urged them to be guided by the principles of Islam for peace in the world.

At both places of worship, the atmosphere was peaceful a situation many people believed was a good sign of the beginning of reconciliation among the people.

Muslims urged to be tolerant of other religions

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - Maulvi Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana on Tuesday called on Muslims to practically demonstrate that they could live together with other religious groups in harmony with mutual respect for one another.

He said it was this useful expression that would dispel any negative notions about Islam and give credence to its claim of being a peaceful religion.

Maulvi Wahab Adam made this remark after he had led a congregation of Ahmadis Muslims in prayers held at Ahmadiyya Muslim Conference Centre, Ashongman, Accra, for unity, peace, progress and prosperity of the nation on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration.

He said the Eid-Ul-Fitr celebrated by Muslims all over the world after the 30 days of fasting had the primary objective of instilling physical, mental, moral and spiritual discipline into Muslims.

"It is worthy of note in asking Muslims to observe the fast in the month of Ramadan, the Holy Quaran recognises the fact that fasting as a religious practice, had existed before Islam."

Maulvi Wahab Adam also said the reconciliatory attitude of Islam was a solid basis for the building of understanding, mutual respect, goodwill and harmony among adherents of various religions, which was vital for the unity, peace, and development of the country.

He said the fasting should, therefore, strengthen and deepen the resolve of Muslims to live together in harmony with all others in the human family, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political differences.

Pax Romana send congratulatory message to Muslims

Kumasi, Nov 25, GNA- The Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) branch of the International Movement of Catholic Students (Pax Romana) has sent a congratulatory message to Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-Ul Fitr.

The message signed by Mr Sampson Wuni Moari, the movement's president in Kumasi on Tuesday, said the Ramadan was not only a time of fasting but was also a period of prayers.

The statement said it was, therefore, appropriate for Muslims to concentrate on the promotion of peace when there seems to be no peace in some parts of the country.

It said peace cannot exist without justice, respect for the dignity and rights of each human being and pointed out that it was lack of justice, social and inter-personal relations that were causing so much unrest in the country.

The statement assured Muslims that the movement was with them in prayers and asked for God's guidance and strength to promote peace especially in Dagbon.